4:16:18 Reykjavik Marathon 2007

It was a perfect day... bright and sunny, but cool with no wind. I was probably in the best of spirits and energy. Ari Danielsson a colleague of mine started the race with me and we stayed together for about 25 km, then I broke away feeling that I was slowing down. During the 25km, I had not put vaseline or bandaid over my chest to prevent my nipples from brasing, it started to bleed so I was a little distracted but I just accepted the fact that it was going to be the case and I cannot do anything about it. I found some vaseline at the 15th km and I found another colleague, Harald Haraldsson, who was watching the marathon and he had a bicycle and requested him to find some bandaid or tape... I got the tape around the 17th km... Thank you Halli, but the tape did not hold and I was bleeding badly, I just kept a positive mind that I can do nothing about it and I should just keep on.

I was feeling extremely strong and I was hardly tired, it was perfect until the 30th km... then my thigh muscle was tightening, by then Ari had caught up with me and he was feeling great. I was very proud that he was feeling strong and running well as he had a bad experience in NY Marathon last year. I stopped to stretch and Ari carried on... he finished in 4:01.

From 31st km to the end of the marathon it was horrible pain, every muscle in my leg was cramping.... especially my big muscles in my thigh and the muscles behind my knee and the calf muscle. I had to stop and stretch, walk and at times crawl the last 12km. It was very hard and I felt disappointed as I was going to break the 4 hour barrier this time. The first 30 km I ran at an average pace of 5 min and 19 seconds, if I had kept up the pace I would have finished the marathon in 3:44:19 even if I slowed down by another 25 seconds I would have finished the marathon in 3:59:08... but I finished the marathon in 4:16:18!

I think mentally I was quite strong to have finished the marathon because there were several instances when my body was screeming to stop but I kept on because I had a very positive outlook the entire way. I was running for a cause, to help build schools and bring learning and knowledge to girls who are shut out from everything positive and decent about the world.

I am looking forward to Berlin Marathon, and I am determined to beat the 4 hour barrier. I wanted to thank all those who contributed money towards Central Asia Institute and my running from the bottom of my heart. You made a difference and I hope we can make this world a better place to live in by our simple acts of kindness.

So thank you and your inspiration made me finish the marathon!

Marathon day

Getting ready to run the Reykjavik Marathon... it is very exciting although I have already run 3 marathons.



Food:

I had pasta and noodles last night and museli & granola with AB Lite milk.



Money raised so far:

235.500 ISK ~ US$3485.79



Statistics
I lost my statistics but I know I had run about 350 km

Reykjavik Marathon & Central Asia Institute

I decided to run the Reykjavik Marathon and the Berlin Marathon. The reason I decided to run the Reykjavik Marathon is to maximize the charity donation that I can contribute. My bank is donating US $ 45.75 per km to a charity of choice of the runner.

As I had mentioned in my previous posting, I am devoting all my fund raising activity to contribute towards the exceptional work that Greg Mortensen is doing in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He is my Hero and I hope whoever is reading this post can contribute something to his effort to educate girls and women in place where there is very little value placed on women and girls!