More than a feeling, by Boston

In the Dutch capital I got everything i wanted & so much more.

Amsterdam marked my 50th Road marathon & i had been thinking for a while this had to be the one I went for a PB.

Most of the races I have done in 2009 for a variety of reasons hadn't given me that oppurtunity. Gloucester was too undulating & day 2 of a double,Duchy was a tough course but I suprised myself by just dipping under 3 hours 30, Shakespeare's a potentially quick course but it's not always about time & I got a lot of satisfaction getting my friend Lorraine around her first ever marathon,Windermere is an undulating course & "The Picnic" Britain's toughest marathon was followed by a series of off road races over hilly courses, some even short Ultras.

I did finally grab myself a new PB at the 3togo, but knew I could do better on a more favourable course, having done Amsterdam twice before I knew it was the perfect course, fast flat & fast, i would probably say of the courses I have done Berlin is the only one which is potentially quicker.

I headed off out of the 1928 Olympic Stadium & knew I had to start quicker than I ever usually do, I had a pace band & after the first kilometre I was 10 seconds behind, but I put that down to the usual starting congestion, there was some confusion with the 2km marker as I passed it in 11 plus mins & was horrified, I later realised it must have been in the wrong place or for one of the other distances on offer on the day.

By half way I had got me a minute in the bank as I aimed to break 3 hours 15 minutes, which is the qualifying time for the world famous Boston marathon & would also give me a "B" pen qualifier for the Comrades marathon down in South Africa at the end of May.

I knew it was going to be a good day as I missed a sponge station around halfway but got the yound lad giving out sponges to throw me one, reaching back over my head on the run I made a fantastic grab (poor throw !!) made me smile & think of my previous life playing baseball.

I came out of Vondelpark with about 2 kms to go & from my previous experience of the course I knew exactly how far I had to go as I gradually increased the pace & knew I was easily about to eclipse 3.15 & with 100 yards to go on the track in the stadium I had 17 seconds to break 3.12 & went for it - a big growl & I gave it may all but 17 seconds for the 100 after over 42 kms was too much to ask but I was still over the moon with a PB of 3 hrs 12 mins & 3 seconds almost 7 mins of my previous PB just a month before.

I'd planned the race & visualized it in my head & it all worked out on the day.

Mixed showers at the sports hall was the icing on the cake only in Holland would men and women be showering together and no one batting an eyelid - even had a full chat whilst naked with a lady wearing the same, we discussed times & parts of the course - really need to work on my skills with the ladies - crazy !!

Finishing in a PB & qualifying for Boston,really did give me more than a feeling....:)

See you in New England in 2011 :)

Foxy !