Amsterdam Marathon - Sunday, October 17, 2010

New Orleans Half Marathon - February 28, 2010

Rome Marathon - March 21, 2010

Krakow Marathon - April 25, 2010

NYC Olympic Triathlon - July 18, 2010

Budapest Half Marathon - September 5, 2010

Toughman Ironman 70.3 - September 12, 2010

Berlin Marathon - September 26, 2010

Staten Island Half Marathon - October 10, 2010

.... and yesterday, October 17, 2010, the Amsterdam Marathon, my last race for 2010.

While it is a huge relief that my 2010 races are over and behind me now and I don’t have to constantly train for the next race, it does sadden me in a way that for sometime to come I have nothing to look forward to - athletically.  

My body needs rest and recovery.  I forced myself to realize this yesterday while running the Amsterdam Marathon.  The first 20 kilometers were pretty good but something snapped midway and  I felt shooting pain in the corner of my right knee alongside a similar pain in my left ankle.  Shooting pain is never good, dull pain is usually harmless.  I was limping the rest of the race and finished it in 4 hours and 52 minutes, 7 minutes slower than Berlin.  Pain killers have helped thus far.  Long live Advil!  

It was a very cold and windy day here in Amsterdam.  I am told Amsterdam can be cold and windy at this time of the year.  Certainly way too frigid for me.  I was reminded of winter in New York which, by the way, I am dreading since the first day of spring 2010.  It is never too hot for me and I run much better on a warm (even hot) day rather than a cold, frigid day.  The cold zaps my breath and exerts pressure on my chest which is what I felt during the race today.  

I arrived here on Saturday and ran the marathon yesterday (Sunday).  It is my first visit to Amsterdam and the city is certainly charming.  I saw 42.125 kilometers of the city and its outskirts on foot.  The city possesses an engaging charm and arresting visual beauty.  The various canals, the little bridges than run over the canals, the narrow cobblestoned streets of the old Amsterdam, the old buildings dating back to the 18th century, the vast expanses of green Dutch grass, the quaint hamlets bordering the city of Amsterdam, and of course, the very (in)famous, charming red light district where ladies of all shapes, sizes and age, display their wares in open windows lit in red, where red curtains are drawn when the ladies have company.   A city known for its liberal mindset and “live and let live” motto, I found Amsterdam to be a naked city, with nothing to hide and no pretensions and inhibitions.  My kinda city, it is.  I found the Dutch to be warm, friendly  and welcoming but very pragmatic.  

Approximately 25,000 runners participated in yesterday’s race.  It was a frigid morning with a stiff wind blowing but, as a consolation, the sun was out and the skies were clear.   Not much crowd support, except in certain parts of the city.  There were large sections that were somewhat dull and uninspiring.  What I missed the most was music on the course.   There was music playing in certain parts only, but it was not the kind that would boost a tired athlete’s spirits and provide that much-needed kick.  

After the race yesterday, my friend Borut arrived from Rotterdam (an hour away from Amsterdam by train) to spend a few hours with me and have dinner.  We dined at a delightful vegan restaurant here in Amsterdam - http://www.vegguide.org/entry/1036.  We had the special of the day with dishes from Senegal and Ghana.  Really good stuff!  I was wiped out by the end of dinner and we walked to Centraal Station (the main hub for trains connecting Amsterdam with other parts of Europe and The Netherlands) where I bid goodbye to Borut and returned to the warm confines of my hotel.  

This is Monday morning (October 18th).  Weather here today is similar to Sunday - cold, blustery but sunny.  Had a few drinks last night which knocked me out by 1am.  After a nice restful sleep, I am now ready to head out and explore this quaint City of Amsterdam.  I return back home to New York on Tuesday.  

Doei! (Goodbye in Dutch)