Notes
Even if I wanted to run faster I could not have done it. I gave all I had and this was my PB for the day. Humidity and Heat took over and 'killed' my breathing. This never happened before to that extent. I was running like asthmatic for most of the race. Every step I took it meant everything in all ways and means. I 'hammered' the course in my own unique way, I run my race with S.K's number / 77. It was magnificent and wonderful no matter the hurdles. This is what running is all about! When it comes easy it does not really matter. One has to earn it the hard way to crop the rewards. So, .this is what I did step by step all the way from the start to the finish. It felt as I was running the last mile of the marathon all the way.
Images of my mother came and went and S.K's spirit kept me going. I had visions and images in front of me along with the stunning beautiful sunset of the coast line of Stoupa / Breath Taking indeed. The crowds were great in the extreme levels of humidity cheering up all runners. I have been away 46 yrs from my home village and this was my first ever race in my life but it felt as if I was never away as I was hearing the voices calling my name. How this can happen? But it did people shouted my name more than any other race and this kept me going and gave me the wings.
This was a tough course not just in terms of heat and high humidity levels but also in terms of landscape. All the way there was no easy path even the tarmac felt like steel. This was the cycling path way and it was tough surface.
It was a good turn out of runners / 215 in total doing the race. For Stoupa / the little village this was a success. Amongst them Panagiotis Koussis the marathon legend of Greece and the 70's who decided to take off 1 hour earlier and extend his race to many miles prior to joining in with the 10k runners. He has asked the permission to do so as the views and the location was of real magic. He did not care about the 10k but the experience. He is one of the few that have run the most marathons ever for the Greeks. At the age of 81 years he was completing the approximate distance of a Half Marathon instead honouring the land. He looked great.
To be contd.