The Numbers Before the Run

 

I didn’t sleep well last night. I went to bed late and had to get up early. At 8:30 this morning, my friend arrived with the car. We packed everything and hit the road at 9:11 AM, heading towards Tiszafüred.

Traffic on the motorway heading into Budapest was heavy. Just before the city, we pulled over for a coffee break and grabbed a few last-minute items. By 3 PM, we arrived in Tiszafüred and checked into our accommodation. After unpacking, we assembled the bike and made sure everything was in working order.

We grabbed some food to eat, then headed to the race start area to pick up our bibs and complete the registration. After that, we stopped by the local LIDL to stock up on food and drinks before returning to the apartment.

Later in the evening, I went for a short jog to loosen up a bit. During the run, I unexpectedly stumbled upon a local festival with a full symphonic orchestra playing in the town center. I stopped for a few minutes to listen they were fantastic but I couldn’t stay long. My friend and I had planned a dinner.

We found a local restaurant packed with other runners and young locals — the place was buzzing with energy. After a hearty meal, we returned to our room and started packing the bags for tomorrow.

It’s now 11:20 PM. I really need to sleep wake-up is at 4:30 AM.

But before I go, here’s a bit about the plan:

• Distance: 130 kilometers

• Strategy: I won’t be running by pace I’ll be running by heart rate.

• Target heart rate: stay below 140 bpm, and absolutely no higher than 150.

• Cadence: 180 steps per minute = 3 steps per second

• Average step length: ~1 meter

• Estimated total steps: 130,000 to 150,000 if everything goes well

I have no idea how this will go. I’m not aiming for speed this time  the goal is to finish, listen to my body, and see where the limit lies.

In just a few hours, it begins.

Wish me luck,
G