Taking into account that I only starting to run 7 months ago, I was very pleased with my time of 2 hours, 12 minutes. David Austin (volunteer worker at Kilchzimmer) ran with me for the first 8 km behind the 2 hour pace-setters until I could no longer keep up! He put in a great performance, finishing just under the 2 hour mark.
The atmosphere over the 21 km of the course (13 miles) was something of a unique experience. Starting and finishing in the city of Basel, the majority of the course was along the Rhine and Wiese rivers, a truly beautiful setting – although I can't say I took much notice of it while concentrating on keeping the right pace. Pushing but not overdoing it. Slowing down when the pulse got to high but being careful not to loose momentum. It's amazing how the sound of the crowds cheering, the clapping and the sight of a familiar face along different parts of the course, really does help you to find some extra strength from somewhere. Perhaps the apostle Paul knew a thing or two about running when he wrote:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
(Hebrews 12:1 ESV)
