The best running experience

I have one race that stands out very clearly in my memory - and that was when I reached the magical limit of 1:30 in a half marathon. It was just something quite special for me, as it was something I had trained for, and on the day itself everything came together. I think it's super cool to challenge yourself, and there were many who shook their heads when I said I wanted to run under 1:30 in my 3rd half marathon. That is, cut 8 minutes off my best time so far. But something like that just makes me see it as an even bigger challenge, and then I just fight even harder. And it also definitely helped to kick this experience up to number 1 on my running experience podium. I think the reason why I think it was so special was that:

• I hadn't been a runner for very long.
• I shaved 8 minutes off my best half marathon ever
• And then probably the most important thing - it was just a super cool day with a great atmosphere and fantastic weather. Everything just worked out as it should.

The race was the Lillebælt Half Marathon. And many will say that there is always a good atmosphere, yes I agree with that, but I would also like to point out that I think many have had that day at the race or on the road where everything just clicked COMPLETELY in sync. Those days are wonderful... –Ronni Andersen, co-owner of Iloebesko.dk

Savannah has always been a city I had to visit because of its history in the Revolutionary War and its role in the Civil War. The city has a romantic, historical and cultural reputation and is located in the South, which is on my 100-places-I-just-have-to-experience list. As always, I always check the race calendar for the area we are visiting on vacation and found that there was a Rock ´n´ Roll Half and Full Marathon on the days we were going to be in town. The Rock ´n´ Roll races are a race series that is held all over the USA and a few places in Europe. The concept is lots of atmosphere on the route, live music for every mile, a large number of runners and a unique set-up. The starting number had to be picked up the day before the race at a large expo. The service is incredibly high at these kinds of fairs in the USA, everyone is very friendly, genuinely participating and asks where in the world you are from. In the days leading up to the race, one email after another came from the race management. Many reminders about this and that, a bunch of good advice for the race, and the last few days a number of warnings. It was clear that the weather would be a challenge for the race. The temperature was about 10 degrees higher than normal for the time of year, and there was also a very, very high humidity, so it was like being in a steam sauna. The start was supposed to be at 7 am, the temperature was 25 degrees, the humidity was 98%. The city is located down to the Savannah River and is also built on a swamp, which makes for the humid weather. At 6:50 I was supposed to be in my starting box. Here the opening ceremony began. It started with a moment of silence for one of the city's famous runners, who had died 14 days earlier. The silence from the 21,000 participants and perhaps half as many spectators continued while "The Star Spangled Banner" was sung by the most beautiful voice. It was so hair stood up and I got a lump in my throat, so much was the whole atmosphere and her beautiful voice moving. The starting gun went off at exactly 7:05. The route is relatively flat, goes through most of the residential and business districts in the city, there are good wide roads, nice turns and lots of spectators. All in all, a party was in order. After 5 km we met the sign "Visitationszone". And there was no doubt that it was a neighborhood that was challenged by crime. There were armed police every 100 m, but despite the neighborhood's reputation, there were plenty of residents out cheering and supporting. The sun started to shine 30 minutes after the start and the dense fog burned off, and a humid haze hung over the entire city. The temperature rose, and it became harder and harder to get rid of body heat. There was a water depot every two miles (3.2 km), but it was tap water that tasted of chlorine. Every 5 km, Samaritans stood around handing out salt tablets and checking the runners for signs of heat stroke. I can guarantee that I have never sweated so much in my life. The sweat poured off me in cascades, I felt like I was running in a steam sauna. My husband was at many places on the route and gave me information. At 13 km I was ordered to slow down a bit. I had decided to run very conservatively, I wanted to be sure to finish, and I had in the back of my mind that we had a whole holiday ahead of us, and I didn't want to be unwell for several days afterwards. The participants in front of me started to drop out due to the heat, they were uncomfortable, stressed and exhausted. I caught up with more than I was overtaken, but it was hard to tell if they were runners on the full or half distance. At 18 km the route split. I must admit, I was more than happy that I wasn't running a marathon. My plan was to run progressively the last few kilometres, but around 16 km I started to feel a little dizzy. At 20 km I meet my husband for the last time. He can tell that there are two in my age group ahead of me. I try to increase the pace and catch up with number 2, she is right in front of me, but she is fighting a great battle, which she wins.. The race is going to be the wildest I've ever experienced. The information leading up to the race was top priority, the music was blasting along the way, there were lots of spectators cheering (despite the early time of day), the organization was top notch, the safety was top notch and the execution was fantastic. I finished in 200th place, 41st of all women and 3rd in my age group. Unfortunately, the race management had to stop the race an hour after I reached the finish line. The Samaritans, ambulances and hospitals couldn't keep up as many people collapsed along the route. Fire engines were deployed to spray water on the runners along the way, lots of buses were deployed along the route to cool overheated runners with their air conditioning, extra water tanks were set up, and large barrels of towels in ice water were handed out, but it didn't help much. The race had a sad ending when two young men in good shape unfortunately died from their efforts. One during the race, the other a par timer efter. I will remember the Rock ´n´ Roll Marathon Savannah as something truly extraordinary. In addition to the fact that all the organization was top notch, it was a race that was so different in every way that it must be experienced. –Mette Riis, Diet and running coach at Iloebesko.dk

It had been a tough spring in terms of training. The goal was the CPH Marathon in May, where I had run my best time so far. I was still riding the wave of good form, but was heavy and tired even 5 weeks later. The week after the marathon I had only run a few short runs and or cycled to and from work. Age is starting to take its toll, it just takes longer to recover and recover from a 42.2 km run with all my little legs can run. I regretted so much that I had signed up for the Storebælt Nature Half Marathon this morning. I followed my husband to the start, he was going to run the entire marathon starting at Nytorv in Slagelse. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, there was a light wind - all in all, perfect conditions for the race. My mood was not great, I was tired, heavy and unmotivated. When I got back to our home, I tried to get hold of the appointment I had to pick me up and drive me to Korsør. It didn't work out, so I had to get ready to leave. The trip down there didn't help, I could feel myself getting more and more grumpy, even though I was in the company of cheerful people. We got our start number, walked towards the start and managed to cheer on the first marathon runners passing by. My mood rose slightly when I saw that it was my husband who was in the front. While we were warming up, I considered giving it up a few times. On a day like this, 21.1 km is completely unmanageable. At the starting line, a young guy approaches me and asks if he can come with me. This agreement was my salvation. We ran at a pace where we could talk to each other a little, we enjoyed the magnificent view along the way and in general my otherwise good mood slowly returned. After Espe Gods, the race became tactical. We picked up the pace a little, took turns pulling each other, and focused on where our competitors were. We pass a marathon runner at one point who tells me I am in third place. According to my own calculations, I should be in fifth place. We quietly catch up with the next woman who joins us. On the beach at Kobæk – 6 km before the finish line, we catch the front woman. At 5 km, I am in first place, which I am unaware of. There are a few climbs, where Mathias, my rescuer, pulls me to the top. I'm fighting with the two other women who are still hanging on and we're pretty close together. But at the top of the hill I'm number 1 and then it just needs to have what it can pull down the hill towards the finish. Mathias gets off and has to pull back from the pace for the last two kilometers. I feel good, but the marathon is still in my legs. I'm struggling with the beginnings of a cramp in one calf and have to be a little conservative in my running the last kilometer. On the run-up stretch my closest competitor comes blowing past me, I try to accelerate to keep up, but she wins by 1 second. I can't say I lost the victory, because I had the feeling that I won the race. The starting point was absolutely terrible, but thanks to my clubmate Mathias, the good weather, the absolutely fantastic atmosphere along the way, the beautiful route with many magnificent lookouts, the race ended up being the great experience every runner deserves to experience..–Mette Riis, Diet and running coach at Iloebesko.dk

Of course, there is also room for your experience here? So if you want to share your experiences and experiences with others, then please don't hold back. We would also be happy to link a picture of your experience - you can't upload it here on the site, but you can send us an email, where you just say which story it belongs to + your name. Then we will post it for you.–Your name, user on Iloebesko.dk