Frankfurt River Run

There I was, having made it to the starting area with a few minutes to spare, hoping that the quick walk from the hotel across the river would serve as a minimal warmup. I loosened my joints, shook out a bit of anxiety, and then the starting pistol fired. Being in the back of the pen forced me to start at a slower pace, which allowed me to warm up my legs a bit further. The field thinned out quickly, and I frequently had to slow my pace to conserve energy. My goal was afterall to run two 10km laps, knowing I could handle the first one, but dreading the second, unsure how well I would manage it.

The weather was great, almost too warm, and so sunny that I regretted not bringing sunglasses. The run along the Main river in Frankfurt mostly offered enough space for all the runners and other people on the paths. However, at the tourist end of the iron footbridge, visitors crossing the path were too focused on their phone screens and had to be actively avoided.

The first lap went smoothly, and without much thought, I started the second. Soon, my lack of training for longer distances became evident with more walking breaks than I would have liked. Even my resolve to finish with a strong sprint was thwarted by reality, forcing me into another walking break. My legs were spent and empty. Originally, I had the idea to extend the 20k run into a half-marathon. Afterall, it was just a little bit more. But as I approached the finish line, I knew I just couldn’t and didn't want to push myself any further.

Despite all that, it was still a good running event that I enjoyed. Maybe again next year.