The gun goes off. We start quickly – but then another shot sounds, and the commentator calls for a restart. A false start in a marathon – it never happens. I stop with the others, turn around, and walk calmly back to the start. This time, I position myself further back in the field to ensure a calmer opening and stick to the game plan.
From the speakers, it sounds to the Kenyan runner who false-started:
"What are you doing? It's a marathon, not a sprint."
The commentator is right – especially in these conditions. It's 7.30 am, the temperature is approaching 30 degrees, and the humidity is high.
I look up and remind myself where I am: at Japan's national stadium for the World Cup, among the world's best. And most importantly – at the starting line. Three months ago, I couldn't run at all.
Rehab and Preparation
I've previously talked about my journey back from a stress reaction in the femur – a rollercoaster process. Now, there's a breakthrough again, and in the past 12 weeks, I've been able to build up training calmly.
70, 80, 95, 100 km – and finally two weeks with 150 km, spiced with intervals and longer runs. The last couple of weeks were a bit calmer with around 130 km due to travel and the pre-camp in Fukuoka.
Standing at the starting line, I'm excited. Not just for what's ahead but also how my body will react. I feel well-prepared for the heat and conditions – but training hasn't been close to normal for a marathon, where I typically hit 180 km/week in a 10-12 week block.
The perfect training block, however, doesn't guarantee the perfect race – and vice versa. The form has felt promising, and otherwise, I wouldn't have gone. A few races have given good signals, and mentally I've been ready to compete again.
The Race
I start calmly due to the heat and quickly find an American I know from a training camp in Boulder, Colorado. We've talked before, and we agree on the strategy: run conservatively and smartly in the heat.
We abandon the ambition to stay with the front group and instead focus on finding a rhythm we can maintain throughout. The front sets a pace I know I can't sustain in these conditions without overheating – so we let them run.
Still, it's a bit too fast at the start – 15:35 for the first 5 km (the plan was a maximum of 16:00). At halfway, we pass 1:07:00, and I feel the heat. However, we start catching many who opened too hard. From 30 km to the finish, we take positions in bunches.
With 200 meters to go, I snatch another position and cross the finish line as number 29.
Aftermath
The goal was originally top-20. I had hoped to catch more by running smart and focusing on cooling. But others were equally well-prepared, and the field was strong. If you're just a few percent off, it shows in the placement.
Still, I'm satisfied. I slowed a bit in the second half and ran 68:30 – a minute and a half slower than the first. Five minutes from the winner is acceptable in these conditions and with my preparation.
The most important thing is that I'm back – and that the body is responding positively.
This race is not the culmination of a classic marathon block. It's the beginning of the next phase. I still lack sharpness and continuity, but now I have a foundation to build upon. I'm already looking forward to the next marathon, just around the corner.
Now it's about recovery, learning – and continuing the build-up.
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