Stefan Rauchenzauner about the Linz Marathon

Whether training really makes sense? The Vitalmonitor gives the answer!

My first marathon, on Sunday, 19.04 was it so far, the Linz Marathon went over the stage and I in the middle of it. It was Sunday morning, 6 o'clock and my alarm clock rang punctually to wake me up three hours before the start. My night was not very restful or rather the nervousness prevented me from falling asleep. I quickly took the very last measurement with the Vitalmonitor before the big run and hoped for good values. Well, it was not a bad measurement result, but certainly not my best, but I still felt very fit. After getting up I did the last preparations and then I finally went to the start on the Voest bridge. Arriving at the start area, I met by chance among thousands of people, Frank Ortler a fellow competitor who is also supported by Vitalmonitor. During a short conversation, we talked about our desired target times, my time was 3h30min and Frank's was very similar.

Lead weights on the feet

"Poof!" Finally the starting signal fell and it was time to start running. The first 21km I was doing very well and was able to keep my planned 5 cut very well. So I reached a half marathon time of 1h44min39sec. When reaching this first hurdle, I realized that it was only the "half" of my route, the 2nd half was still ahead of me and should also be done. Easier said than done! In short, I do not know how my feet survived this "strain". From km 22 I felt how my thighs felt heavier and heavier and each step became more and more agonizing. May have my thigh muscles probably "something" overacidified and from km 24, it seemed to me, as if I had lead weights on the feet. What nibbled over longer distance of course very much on my planned target time. My head was just screaming, "Stop and finish this bullshit!" but I didn't give up that fast! Through the great motivational support, my girlfriend and my siblings, who cheered me on extremely and kept running a few meters, I managed to grit my teeth and fight my way to the finish. 

Done!

Finally I could finish the marathon with a time of 3h50min1s. At the beginning I was probably tempted to a too fast speed and in the end I got my revenge. The next marathon will come for sure to be able to improve my time a bit. Nevertheless, I am overjoyed to have reached the goal with a quite desirable running time. Except for a sore muscle, which I felt the next day, I felt excellent. That's why I'm still highly motivated and looking forward to the next running session.

What helped me achieve my performance?

Finally, I would like to thank my trainer Bernhard Schimpl once again for the great training plans. These were partly very strenuous, but I have never been as fit as I am now. Not to forget the support with the Vitalmonitor. It is simply unbelievable how well an electronic device can always perfectly predict my vital values. Everyone knows that feeling when they get up in the morning and they just don't feel good. Does one really do something good for one's body by exercising or should one perhaps give it a rest because it is possibly overloaded? A measurement with the Vitalmonitor and you know where you really stand, whether then a training is useful or not.