My First Ultra /65km Around the Lake (Hungary, July 2023)

 

After completing the London Marathon, I started wondering: What if I went further? I wanted to test my limits  physically and mentally. So I signed up for a race in Hungary that goes around a large lake, covering 65 kilometers in a single loop. Most of the course runs along a raised embankment, fully exposed to the summer sun.

This was a completely different kind of race. Unlike marathons, here runners are allowed to have a personal supporter on a bicycle. Their job is to provide hydration, food, and encouragement throughout the race  meaning runners don’t need to carry a pack, which makes a huge difference over long distances, especially in the heat.

I asked one of my best childhood friends, Péter , to be my support and he agreed. Truthfully, neither of us really knew what we were signing up for. We rented a small apartment close to the starting line and arrived the day before to pick up the race bib and check out the course. Everything looked good.

 

Race day was July 1st, 2023. 

We woke up before dawn. The weather was perfect calm, clear, and warm. We packed the bike with supplies, gels, water bottles, and set off at 6:15 a.m.

 

 

 

I made a few big mistakes.

First, I treated the pace like a marathon which was a huge miscalculation. Second, I broke one of my own golden rules: I usually don’t talk during runs, but this time I chatted quite a bit in the beginning. Around the 35 km mark, I had to stop at a TOI TOI toilet, and when I stepped out, I must have twisted my leg awkwardly. I felt sharp pain in my right knee, the one that’s always been a bit weak.

 

The pain was manageable as long as I kept moving but every time I stopped to refuel, restarting was absolute torture. I kept going, but it became clear that my body was “programmed” for the marathon distance. I passed the 42 km mark just fine, but after that, I was dragging myself forward.

By the time I reached 55 km, I was limping from the knee pain. That’s when something amazing happened: another runner pulled up beside me and asked what was wrong. I explained the pain, and he gave me a pain relief cream. I applied it, and within two minutes… the pain almost completely disappeared.

I could run again.

I pushed on, and to my own amazement, I finished the full 65 km.

 

It was an unforgettable experience not just because I completed my first ultra, but because I shared the whole journey with my best friend. That made it even more meaningful. 

London Marathon 2023 – A Race to Remember

 

On April 23, 2023, I ran the London Marathon a race I had been preparing for intensely. But things didn’t go as smoothly as I had imagined.

Two weeks before the race, my son broke his collarbone. That meant no one from my family could come with me on race day. All our plans changed. I booked myself a hotel room below Luton, just outside Zone 6, so I wouldn’t have to drive into central London.

 

The day before the race, I went into London to pick up my race bib. The Marathon Expo was incredibly busy, but being on my own meant I had time to properly look around. And I’m glad I did I got to see and hear Eliud Kipchoge speak live. That alone made the trip unforgettable.

 

Still, I knew rest was essential, so I made my way back to the hotel early. I packed everything for the next morning: my clothes, gels, nutrition, supplements even my own kettle and food. I was fully prepared.

I woke up early on race day, stretched a bit, ate breakfast, and set off. All runners could travel for free on race day within London, so I just followed the crowd through beautiful old stations and made my way to the start.

It was freezing cold. And then it started to rain. There were plenty of toilets but not enough. I waited in line, but before it was my turn, my wave was called to the start. No choice I had to go.

The race began. My target was 3:30 which meant holding a pace of 5:00/km (8:04/mile). I was focused. I had run in the rain before, so it didn’t bother me. The crowd, the energy, the atmosphere it was electric. Simply unforgettable.

 

Meanwhile, my wife and older son had managed to take the train and were on their way to see me. I was wearing headphones, so they called me and thanks to my Garmin watch, they could track my location. We managed to find each other in the crowd, and the joy of seeing them was indescribable.

But it didn’t break my focus I held my pace and felt strong.

Running over Tower Bridge was something magical. Soon I was along the Thames, and I even got to see my family again closer to the finish line. After passing Big Ben, I turned onto the final stretch and gave it everything I had left.

 

I crossed the finish line in 3:33.

 

The London Marathon was an incredible experience. The energy, the route, the people all of it made it feel like a celebration of human endurance. I feel lucky to have been part of it. I truly hope I’ll get the chance to run it again someday.