26. Mountains
After a hectic week and weekend, I’ve finally found a moment to jot down this update. I’m sitting in a dark room up in the mountains, with Coach Matthew finally asleep next to me. The stillness of this place is a welcome contrast to the busy days we’ve had, and it’s given me a chance to reflect on the past week of training and our time here in Austria.
Last week was a solid week of training, although the heat made it quite challenging at times. Despite that, I managed to get in two 30km runs where I felt pretty good throughout. One of those runs led to an interesting encounter during a much-needed pit stop. At kilometer 18, I found myself in the cold beverage aisle of a supermarket, desperately seeking hydration. I noticed a lady nearby with a Nathan hydration vest—clearly a fellow runner. At the till, we exchanged knowing glances, and it turned out she was also out for a 30km run. It's always encouraging to meet others who are on a similar journey, pushing through the same challenges.
Since Saturday, we’ve been in Austria, near Salzburg, and it’s been a refreshing change of scenery. I’ve created a 17.5km out-and-back course from the hotel, which I’ve been tackling each day. The route is beautiful but challenging, with several ups and downs that have left my quads feeling pretty sore. But the trade-off has been worth it—napping with Coach Matthew every day and enjoying early bedtimes (at least when he cooperates) have made for some great recovery time.
However, I’m starting to realize that longer runs here might be tough to manage. First, the terrain is different from what I’m used to, and my legs are feeling the strain. Second, logistically, I don’t have a good replenishment point on the route, which makes planning longer distances tricky. The silver lining is that those 30km runs back home take their mental toll, so I don’t feel too bad if I need to ease off a bit this week. I can always pick up the pace again when I’m back in Frankfurt or London, with a couple more long runs before race day. By then, I should be mentally recharged and ready to push through to the finish line.
In the meantime, even at 17.5km a day, I can still clock a decent 120km this week. That should set me up nicely for the half marathon at the end of August, where I plan to give it my all.
Life here in Austria has been good—running after Coach Matthew, cultivating his growing passion for anything with four wheels (I even took him on a tractor ride!), and indulging in plenty of ice cream. It’s these little moments that make all the hard work worthwhile.
Here’s a quick recap of last week’s mileage:
- Monday: 15km
- Tuesday: 30km
- Wednesday: 15km
- Thursday: 20km
- Friday: 30km
- Sunday: 15km
I have been reading The Accidental Billionaires: Sex, Money, Betrayal and the Founding of Facebook, an interesting read especially if paired with the movie The Social Network. I also finished Growing Wings: The Inside Story of Red Bull Racing, a great read especially if you’re an F1 fan, from the origins to World Championships. And final book recommendation, wifey and I have read The Housemaid, a thriller written in a very captivating way and with great pace!
Looking ahead, I’m focusing on balancing my training with enjoying the rest of our time here. Stay tuned for more updates as we inch closer to race day!
1/ Coach Matthew teaching me a lesson on the track.
2/ My new playground for the next couple of weeks.
3/ Coach Matthew and I on the tractor.
