Hervis Prague Halfmarathon 02-04-2011

Ok, so this was a complete disaster... Already the fact that i went there on a family saturday created some tension, cost a fair bit of money too we didnt really have, but since i was signed up (for 55 EUR no less!)i did go. It started with the fact that the tshirts ran out and they only had one size left which seemed large at first but fits pretty ok after all. I picked up my starter package and then had to piss a few hours away but there was nothing to do really. Most of it i spent walking the old town then on the mobile toilets (raceday-nervousness;)) and in the dressing tent contemplating what to wear... Wow that was a boring morning (tho pretty i must say).

But then the race... the start already sucked as i didnt get to my pacer group, had to start a lot behind as the crowd was really unpenetrable. But that was all nothing to me, i said to myself the run was all that mattered. But whoever said that this was a flat, fast track was a pathetic liar and if i ever meet them i'll have a thing or two to say. It NEVER was flat, granted there were no tall hills but it really kept going up and down, slightly but ever so. I found and lost my racepace again 4 fucking times, and at one point around 17 km i got so fucking pissed i considered simply dropping out and heading home.

I have never in my life been to a shittier race!!!

The organizers did a nice job, the conditions were top (plenty of toilets, dressing space, mobile showers, free isodrinks before the race and some stuff afterwards, Adidas tech shirt, medal, backpack, etc) but the field is a piece of SHIT with the bloody 9 bridges (up and down), fucking cobblestones and goddamned smog with heavy traffic all the way. I promise i will never run prague again. It made me so desperate with anger i almost broke down crying midway.

Anyway, the end of the story: from around 17 k on i gave up on all time expectations and just played for survival. It was very humiliating and it pissed the shit out of me. I have been training harder and longer distances this winter and spring than ever before and this wasnt what i deserved.  I reached dead exhausted and almost sick in 1:50 and headed home immediately and since my connex was extreme tight i didnt even manage to pick sth up but that turned out to be ok as i slept on the train anyway.