Just to get straight to the point: a PR - personal record - admittedly, not the intended one, hoped for and, against my better judgment, in the expected end time. Can only stick myself up the deserved feathers for this and give a suit on the same thunder. Was it nerves that were playing tricks on me? Did going on vacation the next day still affect my performance? Did I deal too casually with ingesting solid and liquid foods before and during the race? I was well placed in the starting box and kept my own agreements about this?

It was a wonderful day - with the start at half past three with plenty of time to go #BeInspired to get inspiration in terms of clothing and with our vacation to Zakynthos, there was literally and figuratively no dirt in the air. Yet again, the necessary unnecessary nerves, which I recognize from a friendly game of chess or playing a selflessly billiard.

Normally, I train as early as possible, sometimes because of work, mostly out of habit. This has the advantages that you still have something to do with your day after walking, but also means that I am used to walking sober, or on an almost empty stomach. Just some coffee, a mango and a few bites of a currant bulb. Although my equipment was already ready, I was not optimally prepared in terms of rest, with a few long working days in my legs and a restless night due to the aforementioned nervousness.

Left for the Malieveld well on time, taking into account detours for public transport, crowds at the station and any ambiguities in unforeseen circumstances around the start. Until the last minute, half past three was held as a start, but once in the wave, it turned out that we would be shot away fifteen minutes later. Just to go to the toilet, then.

Once on the road, it was like usual again; crowds, misfits and foot angels everywhere where there is no way through, so a transit time on the first kilometer already reduced my expectations.

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