Echternach Marathon--My only Marathon

30 Oct 1988. My goal was to break 3 hrs. My time was 2:52:53. I recall that besides finishing I liked best of all that I did every 10 km lap in 41 minutes (4.10 minutes/km pace) and was able to accelerate during the last 2.19 km (4.05 minutes/km pace). The speed-up at the end amounted only to a rounding error and did not change my overall pace, which remaind at 4.10 minutes per kilometer (6.59 minutes per mile).

What I did not like: achy, after I was done. I don't think that marathons are healthy.
My secret diet: noodles the night before, washed down with a couple of beers. Lots more beer after the race to rehydrate.

I don't think I could have been any faster then and therafter. My fastest 10 km time was close to 36' I just did not have the base speed to do better, even at longer distances. But hey, I ran faster than most others :)

Another interesting detail: finishing the the marathon was not my only goal, this was merely training for my upcoming trip to East Aftrica where I was going to climb Mts. Kilimanjaro and Kenya.

Full page from 3 November 1988 can be seen here.