Today Derek and I completed the Jungfrau Marathon for our third year. Each year presented new and different challenges to make it to the finish line 42.195 kilometers in the distance with 1800 meters elevation gain, but each time we crossed it with a smile. This year, I am nothing short of elated to finally break my 6 hour goal...and while 5:59 has been the number dangling in front of me on every run, my 5:38,24 finish was nowhere in my craziest dreams...Today was a great day!
This morning Derak, Laura, and I woke early, put on our running shoes and slightly anxious smiles, and caught the trains down to the start line to place ourselves in the brightly colored stream of runners. It is a perfect morning, and we are each feeling strong and ready for the challenge. After the start gun, the early kilometers pass quickly, 5k, 10k, I realize my splits are fast, and I feel fine. I'm passing and feeling strong on the first hill to kilometer 11, so I start making plans for a 2 hour half marathon split...and soon I'm there. 5k in the Lauterbrunnen valley before the wall, and I'm starting to look forward to the wall- I'm not crazy, but ready to shift gears and start the climb. Up the wall, switchback after switchback.
What's been pushing me on? Maybe it's been my 12 kilometer search for a porto-pot...finally, just before kilometer 29...and not a moment to spare, I lock myself inside for a 5+ minute pause before bursting from the plastic box at a relieved sprint (TMI, I know, but unfortunately these things happen in races). I see all the runners I passed on our way up the wall, and I make it my goal to catch each of them once again. There's a pacer just ahead of me too...fearing he is the 6 hour runner, I push forward, and I can finally read his banner: 5:30...I'm still ahead of where I wanted to be...even with the 5 minute setback. Time to parade through the cheering crowds in Wengen, and then onto the trails, alternating run/walk for the next few kilometers as necessary. Wixi is here already, I still feel good, and I know I have less than an hour to the finish...Derek should be almost done, and Laura is somewhere out there-I am looking for her sparkle skirt both above and below in the single file of runners on the narrow moraine. I pass the alp horns, getting close, and the bag piper- now the trail is just wide enough for passing, and I start my final push to the finish. I felt nearly animal, strong, confident, riding the steep slopes down to a fast finish in long strides surrounded by an energetic crowd and fresh white summits.
We are so fortunate that our team of three finished, and exceeded each of our individual goals. Derek destroyed his five hour expectation, I only planned for sub six hour, and Laura, hoping to finish in the allowed six and a half hours, absolutely killed it at 5:48,05 while snapping photos along the way- not only her first marathon, but this one adds 1800 meters elevation gain. You can read about her marathon day with course photos here.
Three very happy finishers.
We are so fortunate that our team of three finished, and exceeded each of our individual goals. Derek destroyed his five hour expectation, I only planned for sub six hour, and Laura, hoping to finish in the allowed six and a half hours, absolutely killed it at 5:48,05 while snapping photos along the way- not only her first marathon, but this one adds 1800 meters elevation gain. You can read about her marathon day with course photos here.
Three very happy finishers.
Reaching the finish (my clip and then Derek's):
Want more of this beautiful race? Check out our 2011 Jungfrau Marathon here and 2012 Jungfrau Marathon for Derek and me. Looking forward to seeing you again next year, Jungfrau!
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Splits: 10k- 54.19, Half- 2:01.40, start of wall (25.6)- 2:28.37, Wengen (30k)- 3:22.38, Wixi (38k)- 4:43.56, Finish- 5:38.24
Kilometer splits: 5.37, 5.25, 5.21, 5.25, 5.17, 5.19, 5.20, 5.21, 5.42, 5.32, 6.26, 5.49, 6.36, 4.39, 5.34, 5.54, 6.26, 6.32, 6.19, 6.42, 5.22, 5.58, 6.11, 5.31, 5.37, 8.01, 15.06, 12.32, 7.29, (5.06 stopped) 8.47, 7.25, 8.46, 13.49, 10.39, 11.57, 9.08, 9.32, 11.23, 11.12, 17.27, 18.26, 6.04! Pretty easy to spot the tough climbs ;)
