The Pinnacle of Marathon Running The Abbott World Marathon Majors are like the Grand Slams of tennis – prestigious, challenging and extremely rewarding. These six competitions – Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City – are not just races, but cultural experiences, physical tests and celebrations of the human spirit. These races are not just about covering 26.2 miles, but also about traversing the different cities with their unique challenges and character. Your Passport to the Majors: Entry Mechanics Securing a place in these coveted races can be just as hard-fought as the race itself. Entry is usually via a lottery, charity spots or achieving qualifying times. While the lottery is a game of chance, charity entries require fundraising and qualifying times demand top performance. Each route has its own merits and its own story. My own tale began in 2014 with Berlin. It was a leap of faith – a lottery entry submitted with friends that led to my lone selection. A sign? Perhaps. What followed was a narrative written in the stride of trainers across continents: New York in 2015, Chicago in 2016, London in 2017 via an Italian travel agency, Tokyo in 2018 via an Irish agency and finally Boston in 2023 via the Five Star Lottery. How to get in? The early days of 2014-2016, when the Six Majors drew less attention, were a golden era of opportunity, especially for an EU citizen looking to break into the American marathons. London presented the biggest challenge and turned me down seven times before I travelled with an Italian agency and brought my family with me. I considered a rigorous two-year training programme to qualify. But fate handed me another lottery – this time exclusively for five-star candidates like me. Words of Wisdom for Marathon Dreamers For those with stars in their eyes, dreaming of their own six-marathon saga, consider this:
Training Philosophy: Enjoying the Journey How you train between marathons is a personal decision. Some runners want to complete all six marathons within a year. I've spread the journey over several years to train specifically, achieve personal bests and enjoy what each city has to offer to the full. From a 4 hour and 17 minute start in Berlin to a feverish 3 hour and 38 minute best in Tokyo, to a respectable 4 hour and 12 minute finish in Boston after five years gap of sirus training - each marathon has been a chapter, each kilometre a story, each finish line a triumph. The Six Star journey isn't just about collecting medals, it's about collecting moments, testing limits and celebrating life. It’s a journey characterised by personal victories, new friendships and the shared heartbeat of the running community. Key Application and Notification Dates for the 2024 Abbott World Marathon Majors Tokyo Marathon: Lottery/Application Dates: August 13 - August 24 Notification By: Early October Race Date: March 3, 2024 Boston Marathon: Lottery/Application Dates: No loterry, offical entry Mid-September Race Date: April 15, 2024 London Marathon: Lottery/Application Dates: April 22 - April 28 Notification By: Early July Race Date: April 21, 2024 Berlin Marathon: Lottery/Application Dates: September 28 - November 16 Notification By: Early December Race Date: September 29, 2024 Chicago Marathon: Lottery/Application Dates: October 17 - November 16 Notification By: Early December Race Date: October 13, 2024 New York City Marathon: Lottery/Application Dates: February 28 - March 21 Notification By: Late March Race Date: November 3, 2024 The Joy of the Journey: My opinion about each of the majors marathon If you're wondering how much fun these marathons can be, let me share a snippet from my personal running diary. At the top of the list is:
About those Expos – they’re not just a pre-race ritual; they’re an event all on their own.
Are you in a marathon frenzy or just curious about the incredible journey of running one of the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors? Whether you're an experienced runner with questions about training, a newbie looking for advice on how to get started, or a marathon enthusiast wanting to share your experiences, I'd love to hear from you! Get in touch with me with your questions, stories or insights and let's come together over the love of running. Together we can travel the road from nervousness at the start to euphoric triumph at the finish line. Don't be shy, drop me a line and let's keep the spirit of the marathon alive on the blog
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When I received the invitation to participate in the Boston Marathon, I knew it was both an honor and a challenge. Having already completed five major marathons, this sixth one held special significance. The catch? I had taken nearly a year off from running, and I had only five months to prepare. It was time to lace up my running shoes and embark on an intense journey of training and determination. With my whole family by my side, we set off for Boston, creating unforgettable memories during our nine-day stay at our friends' place. The pressure was palpable, knowing that this marathon was not just any race; it was the culmination of my quest to conquer the Six Majors. Despite the tight training schedule and the weight of family expectations, I made a conscious decision – I was going to have FUN during this race. Instead of obsessing over achieving a personal record, I resolved to enjoy every step of the journey. As race day dawned, we boarded buses that would take us to the starting point. The Boston Marathon course is legendary for its challenging terrain, featuring both uphill and downhill stretches. This made hill training essential in the lead-up to the race, a fact I quickly realized. The first part of the race, from 5 to 10 miles, went smoothly. But then came the infamous uphill section at the 10-mile mark. My legs were burning, and the going got tough. However, the incredible atmosphere, the diverse crowd, and the sheer energy of the event pushed me forward. The final four miles were a welcome downhill stretch, but my legs were still protesting from the relentless hills earlier in the race. This marathon proved to be one of my most challenging, given the hilly terrain and my shorter-than-usual preparation time. But as I crossed the finish line, exhaustion and all, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. This journey had taught me that sometimes, the biggest challenges yield the most profound rewards. The Boston Marathon had been my sixth and final major marathon, and it was an experience I would cherish forever. It was a testament to the power of determination, the importance of enjoying the journey, and the incredible support of my family and friends. To those who doubt whether they can tackle a marathon, I say, "Just do it." You never know where it will take you or the incredible strength you'll discover within yourself along the way. Few snapshots: "I am a marathon runner, and I am a Boston Marathon runner" I was never a runner, but in 2015, after spending 5 years abroad and struggling with weight issues, I decided to run my first marathon to challenge myself. Little did I know that this decision would lead me on an incredible journey that would take me to the Six Majors. The story began in Berlin in 2015, where my wife saw a commercial for the Six Star Marathon and said, "Look, you are going to run and we are going to travel with you." And so we did, from Berlin to New York, Chicago, London, Tokyo and today to finish the journey in Boston! In the last eight years I have completed six marathons and embarked on a Six Majors journey that has changed my life. Each race has brought its own challenges and rewards. And each race has taught me something new about myself, about the world and about the incredible power of the human spirit. The journey has shown me that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. They have given me a new appreciation for the power of determination and perseverance. But I could not have done it alone. I am indebted to my wife, who has been the most supportive and cheering me on during this journey. I would also like to thank my friends who trained with me, pushed me and supported me every step of the way. 5 Takeaways: - Overcoming challenges can lead to incredible personal growth. - The support of loved ones is invaluable. - The power of determination and perseverance. - Trying something new can lead to unexpected opportunities. - Anything is possible if you set your mind to it. To all those who think they can not run a marathon, I say: try it. You never know where it will take you and how it will change you as a person. Just do it! Few snapshot from Boston 2023: In May 2017, I was talking to other members of the 3K Running Club (Ljubljana) about Tokyo 2018 and learned that there was an Irish agency offering arrangements for the Tokyo Marathon. I wrote to them, received a positive reply in August, paid part of the entry fee and the preparations for Tokyo 2018 have started. After London 2017, I had a minor knee injury, which later turned out to be a mistake in my choice of running shoes. in 2017 and 2018 I visited several physiotherapists, did strength exercises, but the pain did not subside until I actually changed my running shoes The cause of the pain surprised me because I always run in the same model of shoe (Kayano, Asics), so I had never looked for a problem with my running gear. In the image below you can see a representation of readiness (yellow line) in 2017 (until London) and then a yellow line showing that I am almost not doing any activity anymore due to an injury. However, I started preparing in October 2017 (3k programme, Igor Kogoj), ran regularly and followed the programme without any problems. I flew to Munich via Trieste and then directly to Tokyo. The price for transport from Tokyo to the district where the hotel is located was extremely cheap and the airport is 15-20 minutes away from the hotel complex, so far so good. I found the organiser at the hotel, introduced myself, exchanged a few words, got all the necessary information to raise the number and meet Denis, my roommate for 5 days. Somehow I manage to convince my roommate that while we are in Tokyo, we should do some sightseeing. There's always a trade-off between how much sightseeing to do before the race On Friday evening (the race is on Sunday) I meet up with an old colleague, and according to Slovenian custom, we do not just have a beer. In the morning I was a bit tired, I went to the train to get my race number, realised I had a cold and got annoyed with myself. The Tokyo Marathon mess is something special, I have not seen anything like it at the Six Majors. Everything was very modestly prepared, there were no great offers and even those who were there were a challenge as far as the "EU XL" number was concerned. On a positive note, I was able to take photos in front of the "finisher clock" where you can set your desired time. Realistically, due to the lack and interruption of training, I was less prepared than in previous marathons, but I had still set myself a target of 3:38! Personally, I am a fan of running by heart rate rather than "peace time" and I used the "Marco Marathon Calculator" (https://feelrace.com/marco/) to plan my pace according to HR at different stages of the marathon. After the expo, I drank a lot, ate a big portion of spaghetti for lunch and dinner and went to bed. At night around 3:00 am I wake up drenched in sweat, the cold has taken its toll. I rush to the toilet and the first shock is that the urine is orange-yellow in colour. For those of you who do not run, let me say that this is pure dehydration, which is not a good recipe for finishing a marathon. I drank a lot of water and went back to sleep. I got up at 4:30am, had breakfast, the usual routine before a marathon. I meet the team at the hotel reception and they drive us to the starting point. I was cold and the feeling was anything but positive. In Tokyo, I took a bracelet that my daughter had prepared for me as a motivational anchor. I looked at the bracelet and told myself that if I arrive here and train for months, I should do my best to finish the race. The race began! The course is set up to be downhill for the first few kilometres, which fits perfectly with my tactics (low HR, run fast). Because of the previous night, I decided to drink at every water point. The official drink was Pocari Swet, which I had previously ordered online and knew the taste of so I would not repeat the mistake of London 2017 where my stomach did not react well to the new drink. During the run, everything went according to plan until the 25km. The fan atmosphere in Tokyo is different, strangely enough the Japanese just cheer differently than in the EU or the US. The course passes all the highlights of Tokyo. The only challenge of the Tokyo course is that it is mostly parallel. At km 25 comes the longest of these parallel sections, where you have to run back about 10 km along the route you have already run. At about 35 km comes the turning point to the finish. I looked at my watch, pulse, pace, everything was under control, so I accelerated and reached the 40 km mark very quickly, I accelerated again and ran the last two kilometres at 30 seconds/km faster (@4:30km) than the rest of the full marathon. I crossed the finish line, put my hands up and stopped my watch which read 3:38, a 5 minute PR improvement on the Chicago 2016 result!!!! Considering I had not trained for almost a year before this marathon training cycle, I was more than pleased with the result. I congratulated myself, congratulated the others and made my way to the bus that took us back to the hotel. I felt great, my legs did not hurt, no cramps, everything went according to plan. On the way back I meet the team from the hotel, who convince me that there will be a good afterparty in the evening, organised by the Tokyo Marathon organiser. Considering the fact that I was alone, I say to myself, okay, I'll go. We drank a few beers, ate prepared food, applauded when six big medals were awarded to the participants, socialised, exchanged ideas and literally enjoyed the energy. It is very rare for a group of like-minded people who share the same hobby and have come to Tokyo from different parts of the world to come together in one place and for one goal, and the atmosphere was just right for it. Tokyo 2018 was my first organised participation through the agency and I can say it was positive. The organisers were great, the people were amazing and despite a cold and a sleepless night, I managed to improve my PR! Next one? Boston! Few snapshots from Tokyo 2018:
FFamily trip to London. After my PR in Chicago (2016), I thought this should be an easy task. I trained all winter with no problems... but on race day there were still challenges. The fourth one should just be routine, right?
I set myself an optimistic goal: to break my Chicago PR. I researched the course with the help of The Pacing Project website, which takes into account not only your current fitness level, but also course-specific knowledge. What makes the London Marathon special is that it's not exactly easy, with lots of turns. . Compared to the course in Chicago, you have to run 5 seconds faster per kilometre in London to achieve the same result. Based on this information, I focused on improving my result to achieve the same result as in Chicago, so I had to run faster. So far, so good. One tip I picked up for my first marathon was to find out what energy drink is used at the event on race day, buy the same type and train and get used to that brand of energy drink. I made it for Berlin (PowerBar) and Chicago (Gatorade) but missed it for London. They served "Lucozade Sport", which I had not tried before, and it tasted awful, my body was not excited to consume it. After giving up a few station drinks, I was dehydrated and my HR level just increased so much that I had to combine running and walking. My toughest last 10km, but I learned my lesson: always get used to the power drink used in a marathon to get your body used to tolerating it! In the end I still finished under 4 hours and we had a wonderful time as a family in London. Next one? TOKYO 2018! Hello people ;) A new personal record (3:43 or 12 minutes PR improvement over NYC) and an even greater desire to finish all 6 major marathons, 4 finished, 2 to go :) Great city, great people! Compared to NYC the city is amazing, insane vibe, incredible landscaping, friendly people, a bit of a home feeling that wasn't there in NYC. Not to be misunderstood, showtime during the NYC Marathon is still THE BEST. The start and finish are downtown, so you don't have to plan logistics and transportation in advance. The marathon starts at 7:20am, which is one of the early marathon starts. The course is straight and goes through the city centre several times, which makes it feel like you're running in the same direction several times :) How was my run? From the first to the last minute with a smile on my face, everything went according to plan, resulting in an improvement of 12 minutes. Next destination? LONDON 2017 ;) Klemen dadas
Few pictures from our trip to New York 2015 Marathon event. Unforgettable experience!
Picture 1: View from Top of the Rock Picture 2: Central Station, Manhattan Picture 3: Manhattan bridge, with Empire state building in "frame" Maraton v New Yorku je poklon, darilo vsakemu tekaču,ki je uspešno in požrtvovalno izvedel svoje priprave in odlična izbira za tekače, ki se za maraton še odločate. Dobro planiran in izveden program, dobra pripravljenost, odlično vzdušje, odlični vremenski pogoji, odlična spremljevalna ekipa so bili vzrok za skoraj 4 urno vrhunsko čustveno doživetje,ki ga želim deliti z vami in hkrati ponuditi usmeritve za vse, ki se za NYC maraton še odločate. Zgodba se začne v sredini leta 2013, ko sem med delom v tujini spoznal poslovnega partnerja (sedaj prijatelja) s katerim sem za večjo družabnost in povečanje lastne aktivnosti za boljše počutje ponovno začel s tekom. Cilj je bila polovička (21km) v Ljubljani. Dan tekme je nastopil in obenem realnost: pri teku ni bližnjic. 5 let brez teka, čudne prehrambne navade enostavno niso pravi recept za užitek pri teku in času pod 2 urama. Tisti zadnji kilometri so se vlekli….ampak so bili dovolj velika (de)motivacija, da sem si postavil nov, konkreten cilj….naslednje leto pa na maraton!! Optimistično. Prijavim se za Berlin, čez mesec dni sledi potrditev, da sem “izžreban” in posledično začnem s pripravami. Pripravljam se samostojno, non-stop zasvojeno prebiram “članke” o teku. Vmes se mi rodi hčerka. Nova motivacija. S partnerico se časovno odlično dopolnjujeva in v 9 mesecih priprav, pred tekmo “naberem” cca. 1350km. Cilj je bil preteči maraton pod 4h. Pri prevzemu štartne številke se s partnerico okuživa o ideji “6 majors maratons” in odlični dopolnitvi teka s potovanji. Maraton sicer odtečem, končni rezultat 4:15. V naslednjih dneh po maratonu sem se prijavil na NYC in evo, ponovno izžreban. Seveda vmes zaradi dela v tujini spet nisem vzdrževal “forme” in bil 3 mesece skoraj brez teka. Sledi odločitev, da letos pa le najdem tekaški kljub in se sistematično pripravim na tek. Brskam po internetu in najdem 3k Sport, ki je ponujal kombinacijo treningov (3x tedensko) + možnost, da enak program izvajam preko interneta (TrainingPeaks). Do takrat sem 3K poznal samo po zastrašujoči podobi, ki so jo vzbujali kot skupina, ki je tekala po ljubljanskem Rožniku & PST-ju. Sledi sramežljivo elektronsko sporočilo Igorju, češ tekel bi z vami. Sledi izpolnjevanje “obrazca” kjer se navede svoje pretekle tekaške izkušnje, kdaj želiš da potekajo treningi in kateri so tekmovalni cilji. Igorja malenkost preseneti 3 mesece neaktivnosti, ampak vseeno sprejme izziv. Priznam prvi treningi, so bili zame “težki” – Rožnik, tako, Rožnik drugače, Rožnik spet tako…noge težke, pljuča ter srce doživljajo šoke.. ampak je lažje, ko vidiš da imaš ob sebi ekipo, ki ne popušča in ne skrajša treninga niti za 1 minuto! Seveda se vmes okužiš z idejo, da enkrat boš pa tudi ti IronMan...ampak o tem drugič J. Na koncu sem pred tekmo v NYC nabral cca. 1752km in 16.188 metrov (v letu “Berlin” 10.738m) višinske! Ravno trening po klancu (Rožnik ooooooo Rožnik oooo Rožnik) in bistveno več pretečenih kilometrov ter rezultati treningov v zadnjem delu priprav, so mi dajali pozitiven občutek, da sem maksimalno pripravljen. Sledil je še kratek zaključen posvet z Igorjem, ki mi je pomiril, in hkrati umiril pri mojih ciljih . Gremo! Dan 1: Odločimo se, da pridemo v NYC dva dni pred tekmo s ciljem, da se ognemo “težkim” nogam zaradi morebitnih turističnih ogledov. Prvi šok doživimo že na ljubljanskem letališču, kjer nas na licu mesta (6:30 zjutraj) obvestijo, da je bil let je na relaciji Ljubljana-Dunaj odpovedan že 3 tedne nazaj in, da nam zaradi “web-check-in-a” na relaciji Dunaj-NYC ne morejo ponuditi nove karte. Štajerci bi rekli “tema na oči”. Uslužbenec Adrije moje frustracije “dobro” prenese in s pomočjo sodelavke uspejo urediti let Ljubljana-Zürich-NYC. Na letališču v NYC srečamo prvo Slovensko – Nemško družino, ki se je prav tako napotila na NYC maraton...in jih nato v 8 milijonskem mestu srečamo še 2x . Za pot od letališča do apartmaja (airbnb) izberemo GO Shuttle. Otrok (18 mesecev) osem urno potovanje v letalu in nato vožnjo do nastanitve prenese vrhunsko, partnerica v blaženem stanju prav tako. Namestitev vrhunska. Prve dni sta nama v NYC delala družbo USA prijatelja…tisti, ki me je leta 2013 ponovno navdušil nad tekom. Poskrbita za tipično NYC pizzo, zame lasaganjo in seveda...pivce. Dan 2: Časovni zamik me zmede, ne morem spati, buden sem ob 4 zjutraj. Za zajtrk špageti J. Sledi sprehod v mesto in skupni zajtrk (priporočilo: nasproti Central Station, Pershing). Sledi prevzem številke. Prevzem številke poteka tekoče, niti sledu o vrstah. Drugačna slika na drugem delu EXPOTA…gneča, gneča, gneča..predvsem na blagajnah, tako hitro opustim idejo o nakupu kakšnega novega kosa opreme. Sprehodim se po celotnem sejmu, nekaj minut se ustavim pri HOKA proizvajalcu obutve..vendar zaradi gužve ob blagajnah idejo o nakupu popolnoma opustim. Nekoliko dlje se zadržim na delu “NYRR Running Lab” kjer res profesionalno in na velikem platnu razlagajo profil proge, možne taktike in strategije. Vse skupaj izvedeno res na vrhunskem nivoju. Prehodno sem si nekaj o sami NYC progi že prebral, lastno strategijo sem torej že imel izdelano. Pomembnih je predvsem prvih 20km, ki so zaradi mostov specifika maratona. Sledi “kratek” ogled Central Parka (kratek = 12 milj….) in nato spet špageti, špageti…vmes se še odločam ali grem zjutraj z javnim prevozom ali z UBER taksi, dilema je predvsem ali bo zjutraj dovolj taksijev. Ob času za risanke spanje . Uro nastavim na 4:00 zjutraj. Dan 3: Tekma -> Priprave & Logistika: Zbudim se ob 3:00. Sova. Zaspan? Malo. Počasi grem še enkrat čez seznam opreme, vizualno si predstavljam kako potekajo kilometri…kako ljudje navijajo…kakšno bo počutje ob 32km…kje me pričakujejo družina, kje prijatelji…ob tem si govorim, da sem izjemno dobro pripravljen in da ni variante, da ne bom dal svojega maksimuma. Zaspanost v trenutku mine, adrenalin začne delati svoje. Oblečem se v Eskima (2x trenirka, 2x zgornji del, kapa, rokavice, časopisni papir za pod rit), pogledam ali je kakšen UBER taksi v bližini, kliknem na naročilo prevoza in se odpravim. Vmes se zbudita partnerica in otrok. Topel objem, poljub, pozitivne želje, ki motivacijo in adrenalin samo še dvignejo. Taksist se me zaradi “ekskimo” odprave ustraši…ko mu razložim, da sem udeleženec maratona se mu prikaže nasmeh na obraz…in si oddahne. Destinacija: “State Island Ferry Terminal”. V fazi prijave si vsak udeleženec izbere s kje bo začel svojo logistično pot, zato State Island Ferry Terminal. Na terminal prispem ob 5.45..ljudji polno. Organizatorji in prostovoljci te pozdravljajo, pošiljajo pozitivne misli..tukaj prvič občutiš, da NYC maraton ni navaden dogodek. Sledi vožnja s trajektom do otoka State Island. Tekmovalci vidno zaspani, tišina, vsi v svojem svetu, vsak s svojimi mislimi. Sam se odpravim na sprehod po trajektu..na palubi opazujem visoke osvetljene stavbe, mostove…na levi strani se blešči Kip Svobode. NYC v svoji maksimalni filmski podobi. Občutki nori! Okoli 6:15 zjutraj prispem na terminal. Nekje sem prebral, da je boljše počakati znotraj terminala, kot zmrzovati na začetnem prizorišču. Na terminalu ostanem do 7:15, vmes opravim potrebo, navežem stik z Nizozemcem, Mehičanom, Američanom….ljudje so absolutno budni, tista prava energija se še krepi. Sledi odlično organizirana 40-minutna vožnja z avtobusom, do začetka. Izstop in “Security Check”, sprehod do UPS tovornjakov kjer oddam opremo in se nato sprehodim do svoje začetne točke. Povsod table, povsod prostovoljci. Vse tekoče. Znotraj posameznega “boksa” za brezdomce oddam svojo eskimo zimsko opremo in prižgem Garmina, satelit ura najde v 5sekundah(?). Prostovoljci v začetnem prostoru nasmejani, ameriški humor, spodbujanje na vsakem koraku. Po otvoritvi posameznega boksa sprehod do začetka proge. Sledijo besede NYC župana in sicer v stilu “Ljubljana je najlepše mesto na svetu, Olimpija (New York nets) je zakon”, ameriška himna, vojaški topovi in gremooooooooooo. Dan 3: Tek Tek 0 – 3km: Prvih 1,5km je navzgor, drugih 1,5km navzdol. Cilj je bil, da grem navzgor počasi, počasi, počasi..umirjeno. Vidim, da ima velika večina podobno taktiko. Odvržem še svoj rokavček (prerezane smučarske nogavice) in tekma se začne. Gre mi super, noge lahke, le kako drugače po 3km 3km – 24km: Najboljši del NYC maratona! Brooklyn! Ljudje v tem delu navijajo za VSE tekmovalce in to se pri navijanju čuti. Povsod spodbuda, glasba, norija, veselica. Navijajo gasilci, policija, berači, papež, navijajo VSI. Trasa gre v tem delu minimalno gor-dol-gor-dol, vendar dovolj da, ko si “gor” pred seboj vidiš TRUME TRUME tekačev. Pri meni počutje super, noge letijo, pulz normalen, smeji se mi non stop in si hkrati govorim..”to je to..to mora vsak doživet!!!”. Tempo na trenutke malenkost prehiter vendar se nato prestaviš na levo ali desno stran, daš otrokom par “petk” in norija se nadaljuje. 25km – 32km: Mostove premagujem brez težav. Počutje super. Pritečem na 5th Avenijo kjer se množica navijačev podvoji ali celo potroji (4 do 5 vrst na vsaki strani)..vendar vseeno ni tistega norega navijanja, ki je prisotno prvih 24km. Domnevam, da vsi čakajo svoje izbrance. Pri cca. 27km me čakata prijatelja, Slovenca, ki sta na delu v NYC. Se zahvalim za navijanje, dam vsakemu “petko” in letim naprej. Noge nesejo, pulz normalen. Dvignem tempo, noge sledijo, pulz ostane na enaki ravni. Občutek, da sem svež še kar traja in traja. Na 30,5km – prva neznanka. Huda bolečina v desnem predelu reber, ki je na treningih nisem nikoli imel. Pulz normalen, vse normalno, bolečina pa prisotna in to do mere, da sem se moral ustaviti. Se ustavim razdiham, prvih 200m odtečem zadržano, bolečina izgine, nato po pospešenem ritmu naprej. Tečem po Bronxu, noro, grafiti, glasba, navijanje..občutki, kot da sem sredi filma 33km - 36km: Na 36km me čaka družinica in prijatelja. Pritečem svež, spočit J Objem partnerici, objem otroku, ki je pri 18 mesecih ponosno držala napis “ON FIRE, KLEMEN” in mi ploskala. Vzamem gel, spijem malo vode, podelim komplet petk in se zahvalim prijateljema za spodbudo v celotnem tednu. Nori občutki. Yuuhej. Noge še vedno letijo. 36km - 39km: Sledi približni 1,5km vzpona. Lotim se ga s spoštovanjem, gledam pulz, poslušam telo. Vse super. Spomnim se Igorjevih besed, da je bolje zgubiti 15sekund na kilometer in iti počasi, kot pa na koncu zgubljati 1-2 minuti na kilometer. Prehitim še enega Slovenca (Vladimir), med tekom izmenjava par besed in letim naprej. V tem delu prehitim sigurno cca. 1000 tekačev. Strategije, da se držim nazaj v začetnih kilometrih se začne obrestovati. Na vrhu klanca pa ponovno stara (ne)znanka; bolečina v rebrih! Dobesedno se ustavim. Pulz normalen. Množica te začne spodbujati....probaš…ne gre, preprosto ne gre..boli, zelo boli. Po cca. 2 minutah hoje bolečina še vedno prisotna…uporabim tehnike naučene na NLP in si spremenim tok misli, bolečina (ali vsaj misel na bolečino) izgine in nadaljujem previdno. Sproščenost zaradi bolečine zginila, vendar noge in pulz so ostajale v tekmovalnem ritmu. Gremo! 39km- 42km: Bolečina izginila. Nadaljujem do cilja. V mislih se mi sestavljajo slike o vseh treningih, vseh pripravah, družini, vsemu odrekanju…vse se sestavi skupaj, vse se poklopi in evo, mene ponovno na ciljni črti!! Rezultat 3:55:25 kar je točno 20 minut boljše kot lanski rezultat v Berlinu!!! Vesel Cilj: Spet nekaj novega, nekaj ameriškega. Vsak prostovoljec te objema, ti daje petke, ti iz srca čestita in tako celotno pot, do prevzema opreme…..stric, ki je odgovoren za tvoj UPS kamionček, ti opremo v roke ponudi še priden se uspeš “primajati” do svojega UPS kamiončka. Ko stopiš izven “tekmovalnega ringa” na ulice NYC, ti ponovno vsi govorijo “Congratulations”. Vsi zmagovalci, vsi ponosni. Naslednji dan graviranje medalje, nakup spominskih “finisher” majic in obvezen nakup New York Times-a, kjer v prilogi objavijo vse tekmovalce s časom pod 5h..in seveda sledijo burgerji, hot-dogi in ostalo Še 1x zahvala za ekipi 3K, partnerici, družini in prijateljem, ki jim sporočam, da se bom vabila na pivo večkrat udeležil Gremo na nove zmage! Klemen p.s: Tekst objavljen tudi na spletni strani 3k Triatlon kluba In the middle of March 2015 I received email message with content "CONGRATULATIONS, KLEMEN! You've been selected to run the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon!!" :)
Our country in October is so beautiful that it deserves more than just one picture :) Pictures are taken from photographers paradise, mountain Sleme, where golden larches can be found.
The village of Dhermi in Albania was our holiday destination in 2015. It was nice to be back in the country after almost 2 years. The people are still nice and the sea (the village of Dhermi) is still untouchable :)
Working as an expat - my basic tips and thoughts how to live and work in a foreign country21/7/2015 I took the opportunity to work and live as an expat in the Republic of Macedonia (for 2.5 years) and in the Republic of Albania (1.5 years) and then again in Macedonia for 4 months.
Working in Macedonia was my first ever expatriate experience. The transition was quite easy because the local HR department had a lot of experience in dealing with expats. Secondly, there werefour of us who came from Slovenia (my country) in the same country. And thirdly, there was a big business community of Slovenian companies. The official language is Macedonian, but most people can speak the official language of the former Yugoslavia, so there was almost no language barrier. Albania offered me a very different experience. It was more difficult, but in the end I'd more memories :) The culture and mentality is TOTALLY different, the language is TOTALLY different, they don't understand a single word of the former Yugoslav language (older people from the Republic of Kosovo do). I was the only Slovenian in the company, more than that, we were the only Slovenian company in Tirana (two in total in the whole Albania). Most people speak Italian as a second language... and so I felt like a "tabula rasa":) Why this post? Many of my friends and people who know me ask me what it's like to work abroad and if I've any tips and recommendations for the first steps in integrating into the local community to make the transition as easy as possible. The tips and recommendations vary from country to country (and from contract to contract), but there are still some common points to highlight :) General points of view:
Business view:
I hope you find my insights useful - and don't forget - HAVE FUN in your EXPAT experience from day 0 :) Photo was taken before trekking trip to Triglav's Lakes area in Slovenia. Light in early morning was so diffused and soft that almost non "photoshop" was needed...and we had also luck with ducks :)
Location from where photo was taken: We spent a long weekend in the area (Tolmin, Kobarid, Bovec) of the Soca River, Slovenia.
The Kozjak waterfall had been on my "to do list" for a long time... It's a great destination for the whole family... especially in the hot summer :) The place in the picture above is very close (15 minutes by car) to our house. It's called Barje Nature Park and is very close to Ljubljana. It's one of the most famous photo locations around Ljubljana. The best time to take photos at this place is early in the morning... in summer it means you've to get up at 4:00 am to be there on time :)
This bridge and the sculptures and baroque houses are part of the Skopje 2014 project. The city of Skopje decided to "renovate" the city with some baroque elements. I tried to show a unique perspective on this place.
We spent a weekend in Ohrid with my family. It wasn't the first time we were here ... but every time we're amazed by the beauty of the city. Ohrid has been recognised as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO. In fact, Ohrid is one of only 28 sites that are part of the World Heritage UNESCO and are both cultural and natural sites
We're currently in Skopje, where I've started a new expat project. Active as we're, we decided to spend our weekends in different places in Macedonia. This weekend we wanted to visit Lake Kozjak. The lake is about 50 km from Skopje and is one of Macedonia's secret jewels.
Lately I've been lacking the time to take decent photos, as my new project abroad and my family life have top priority at the moment... Nevertheless, I did manage to photograph the island of Bled in Slovenia. Bled is definitely the biggest landmark in Slovenia... a place you should definitely visit :)
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