I signed up for the Paris Marathon on April 12, 2026.
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Stride after stride became meter after meter became km after km. All went according to plan.
At 8k, I noticed a guy with a can of Red Bull in his backpack. That carbonated beverage got a good shaking. I wonder what happened later when he opened it..?
At 10k, there was a shrubbery, and the pee predicament was solved. Moments later, I destroyed a little girl’s confidence as I denied her a high-five (for sanitary reasons; I'm no monster).
7/x
It's so awesome with all the people cheering, but I'm also very often reluctant to high-five those hands, with my own sticky sweaty palms
I try to smile and wave though, and I'm sure you didn't really ruin her experience
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The crowd was absolutely amazing. So many people from Copenhagen were out to celebrate and support. Loud music, funny signs, cheers, so much encouragement.
Kids will often hold out their hands for a high-five, and I’ve made a habit out of returning it whenever possible. It makes them happy, and it boosts my energy.
At 24k, on Frederiksberg Allé, the atmosphere was particularly electric. It was beautiful.
But wait, where were the pacers?
9/x
It really does often feel like a power up when you pass some of the enthusiastic supporters along the way!
I was tracking you on Frederiksberg Allé, thinking how it was nice that the route was downhill at that point, instead of running it uphill.
I guess that's why you slightly passed the pacers
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The 4h10m pacers were now 50 metres behind me. I had somehow slightly increased my pace and moved past them without noticing it.
I quickly decided this was ok. I felt strong and in control, and I would probably have pushed for an acceleration soon anyway. And if I would later start to run slower, the pacing group would just catch up with me and I would tag along again.
I continued to run disciplined and eased through the city center.
10/x
It really sounds like you've had an extremely great run at this point with the kilometers just passing by slowly and you enjoying the ride around the city.
I also noticed the increase in pace when I checked in with you (virtually) at the 25k split!
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At 30k, many runners had to stop and stretch due to cramps, many were toast. Not me though; I was getting tired, sure, but I had locked-in and was running better and stronger than I had expected.
And there was my wife and daughter!!! With a peeled orange and the water bottle I forgot at home. I was so happy to see them, even though they didn’t want a sweaty hug.
Onwards
Then I hit the wall...
11/x
Damn that's great timing! To have that moral boost right at that time in the race!
I guess it wasn't quite a coincidence that they were positioned at 30k
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Around 31/32k, like a switch had been flipped, all power left my legs. From one stride to the next, my strong running simply died. My stomach objected to more water or more gels.
But curiously, I remained mentally strong and somewhat in control. I knew exactly what happened, what would come next, and what I needed to do. This was the moment I had trained for, the challenge I had signed up for. I had chosen this.
Still, it hurt.
12/x
That's a tough situation to be in, seems like your strength training (mental strength that is) has really paid off and given you that extra something needed to focus on the moment.
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34k passed. 35k. 36k. I forced my legs to keep going, enforced positive self-coaching. I knew that at some point, I would regain power. My pace dropped from around 5’51” to around 6’51”; this was a 3/10 pace with a 9/10 effort. It was alright.
Remember when I said “I would tag along” when the pacers caught up? That plan was good - except I couldn’t keep up with them.
I accepted I would probably not beat my own PR as I had expected to do.
14/x
It takes a lot to be able to beat your personal best. It is, after all, the best you've ever done.
I imagine it must've been hard to see the pacers just float by, but I also know the PB wasn't really a part of your success criteria for the race
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I had three goals for this year's #CPH42, and I think I achieved all three of them:
1) To cross both the start and the finish lines.
2) To have fun.
3) To be in control of the last 10k.I would have loved to beat my PR too - but I’ll look to that in connection with Malmö Marathon on October 3. I already look forward to it.
18/18
Congratulations with the great mental victory and your... Second best marathon ever? Or am I mistaken?
And thank you for the race report! 🥹
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I had three goals for this year's #CPH42, and I think I achieved all three of them:
1) To cross both the start and the finish lines.
2) To have fun.
3) To be in control of the last 10k.I would have loved to beat my PR too - but I’ll look to that in connection with Malmö Marathon on October 3. I already look forward to it.
18/18
Different stages of a marathon. Or: Some impressions from #CPH42.
19/18
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Different stages of a marathon. Or: Some impressions from #CPH42.
19/18
The first run after Copenhagen Marathon to see how I'm doing. #EveryRunHasAPurpose
The good: I have almost no soreness in my muscles
The bad: my energy reserves are still empty; 5k felt like 10
The ugly: the post-race blues is kicking inIn other words, everything is just as expected. It was nice to do this morning run, and I got to push myself. Onwards.
Distance: 5.11k
Pace: 5'06" -
The first run after Copenhagen Marathon to see how I'm doing. #EveryRunHasAPurpose
The good: I have almost no soreness in my muscles
The bad: my energy reserves are still empty; 5k felt like 10
The ugly: the post-race blues is kicking inIn other words, everything is just as expected. It was nice to do this morning run, and I got to push myself. Onwards.
Distance: 5.11k
Pace: 5'06"That's a fast recovery run
Almost no soreness sounds great! That's quite impressive after just a few days
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That's a fast recovery run
Almost no soreness sounds great! That's quite impressive after just a few days
It was (too) fast - but catching up with the runner in front of me was a challenge I could not ignore, and then I just stayed with that pace for the rest of the run to get home in time for making omelettes for the family.
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It was (too) fast - but catching up with the runner in front of me was a challenge I could not ignore, and then I just stayed with that pace for the rest of the run to get home in time for making omelettes for the family.
