Scott’s Blog

The award ceremonies are over and most runners are back home following another successful running of an event we’ve come to know as Spartathlon. This year’s event was extra special being the twenty-fifth anniversary. But it was also an emotional one due to the disaster of forest fires that just a few weeks earlier brought enormous devastation to Greece, including the Peloponnese Peninsula where the race runs through. Nearly 500,000 acres were burned and the fires took 65 lives. Although the affect of the fires was felt by the runners and event organizers, the spirit and celebration of the race was alive and well. I’d like to make special note to the German runners who raised 10,000 euro for aid relief as well as point to a link on Daily Frappe with more information and links to numerous ways of helping.

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My training went well and I had spent extra effort making sure I was going to be rested for this race. I rarely incur overuse injury, but the spirit of 2007 seemed to bring some traumatic ones my way. Hard to believe, but I started this taper in similar fashion to my rest prior to Hardrock. Upon arriving in Athens on the 16th, I stubbed (I guess is the correct word although something stronger seems more fitting) my left fifth toe while getting up out of bed in the middle of the night. I could tell from the pain that it was rather severe, but talked myself into not thinking much of it. That’s until the morning light presented severe swelling and bruising of half the foot, along with inability to put much weight through it. It seemed as though I desired to make my key races even harder by giving myself a physical handicap beforehand. I guessed I either broke some bone or tore ligaments of the fifth phalange and/or tore my extensor digiti minimi muscle. Not a whole lot one can do for this type of injury. But icing, resting and buddy taping allowed me to get in at least some heat training prior to the race. Just a bit less, and bit more painful than ideal. And, of course, I can’t say enough about the traditional vegetarian Greek food and Mediterranean sun. By race day, I had only minor soreness. I felt confident a majority of healing had taken place and it ultimately was not an issue after the first miles.

My favorite pre-race story is meeting my future toughest competition. The first person I met when I arrived at the race hotel was Piotr Kurylo from Poland. Piotr was outside with some friends and the cart he pulled while running all the way from Poland. Yes, Poland! Pulling a cart! He ran an average of 70 kilometers per day for 40 days taking a route that eventually brought him through Italy and by ferry to western Greece, where he continued his run to Athens. Just in time for his taper, Piotr arrived in Athens two weeks before the race allowing for some good rest. I was very impressed with his adventure and his spirit, but little did I think this determined Pole would be setting the pace for much of the race and would end up being my toughest competitor!

Toeing the line with Piotr and 369 others at 7:00 AM on September 28th, a record 371 participants were prepared to make their way by foot from the Acropolis in Athens to Sparta, totaling 246 km. Runners from over thirty-five countries represented one of the most international fields for any ultramarathon event. As mentioned in my pre-race post, the competition promised to be strong with previous champions and many internationally accomplished ultrarunners prepared to run their best.

The previous day’s weather reports were correct, predicting high humidity and warm temps. Having been much cooler upon my arrival to Greece, cruising along through the chaos of Athens traffic at a 7:00-7:30 per mile pace produced a high amount of sweat in the sudden heat. This early heat indicated as the sun reached higher into the sky we would be in for some serious heat. Temps were reported to be as high as 35-40 degrees Celsius with humidity at 60-90 percent. Not ideal temps for a PR, as of course I was hoping for! Much hotter and more humid than last year.

Due to the anticipated heat, and possibly too quick of an early pace last year, I decided to take it a bit easier early on. I ran a more reasonable 3:20-25 marathon split compared to last year’s 3:10 when I was running out front. But unlike last year, many top runners decided to take it out fast and hard. Piotr, Pasi Kurkinahti from Finland and Eusebio Bochons of Spain, among some others, led the way while I sat back in 5-6th place. Markus Thalmann of Austria passed me just before the marathon mark and seemed to be very strong this year, meaning business. I hung back awhile with Valmir Nunes of Brazil and later was left on my own for the hot stretch into Corinth at 81 km.

Although Spartathlon is normally run with warm temps, I was definitely feeling the extra heat. Last year it didn’t bother me until after Corinth. This year all I could think of was the ice my crew had there, being the first crew access of the race. Ice is almost none existent at the very well stocked and superb aid stations although I tried asking, “Parakolo, pagos?” (Please, ice?), every opportunity I had, only rarely with delivery. In Europe, they are very concerned that ice will make the runner sick and motion that my stomach will become ill when I put it in my bottles. I’ll take any I can get.

I arrived in Corinth over 20 minutes slower than last year, feeling very warm. The ice hat and bandana felt like paradise. But less comforting was word of being over 20 minutes behind the leader, with Piotr right on my pace from last year. Takehiro Matsushita of Japan was also just ahead of me, and my crew said both of them looked worn down from the heat and first 50 miles.

I continued to bake in the midday sun and jockeyed for position, eventually holding my place in the field at third place upon arriving in Zevlogatio, 102.5 km, with Piotr and Markus ahead of me. This time the report was that Markus running in second looked very strong with the heat not seeming to bother him. Again with 20 minutes on me, Piotr finally looked vulnerable as he was motioning about problems and told them “kaput.” But with their encouragement he pushed on. Although I was focusing on running smart and being patient, I was discouraged a bit that I hadn’t made any ground on the leaders.

The heat was relentless through the vineyard country near Nemea- was it only bothering me? I was getting a good push from behind as well with Nunes and Masayuki Ohtaki from Japan, another previous champion, sneaking up on me. Nunes and I worked together, encouraging each other, as Ohtaki built a couple minute lead on the climb to Ancient Nemea, 124 km. I kept telling myself that the sunset was coming and the heat would subside, like last year providing me with a second wind. But the hot miles were wearing on me. At Ancient Nemea, I was told Markus had pulled into the lead and again looked invincible, now 25 minutes ahead of me. Piotr had revived ready for the long night. He told my crew, “Polska, strong!”

Ohtaki and Nunes had a small lead on me as I left the aid station. The sun was setting, but the warm air seemed content to stay. I caught up to Nunes and again we worked together. He communicates, that we are going to push each other to the finish and that two competitors running together can close on the big lead Markus now has. We catch Ohtaki and the three of us together make our way to Malandreni, 140.2 km. In this last 10 km, I have found another gear. I receive word of making up 10 minutes on Markus. This fuels the fire for the road mountain climb ahead. Ohtaki drops back as Nunes and I push hard through Lyrkia, 148.5 km.

As we arrive at the mountain base, 159.3 km, Markus is leaving the aid station as we arrive. But Piotr has now passed Markus and made up more time on us, increasing his lead to 18 minutes! Not what I was expecting having worked the climb pretty hard. Unfortunately on the rocky trail over Sangas Pass and through the descent into Sangas village, Nunes was not able to run well due to an achilles problem. However I embrace this section and pass Markus on the descent, moving into second place. For the next 20 km I push hard, on my own on the lonely stretches of road, trying to make up ground on the tough Pole ahead of me. I think it is now Pole against Pole, as I am over half of Polish descent. Having had the ethics of hard work drilled into me at an early age from my Polish grandparents, I can only imagine how tough this runner ahead of me is. This and the fact that Leah keeps telling me that he looks strong and has perfect running form.

It seems like he is not going to let up as the gap closes in only very slowly through the next checkpoints. It isn’t until Tegea, 195 km, that Piotr looks vulnerable and has left the aid station with only a four minute lead. I pour it on and catch him in a couple of kilometers. He is moving slowly. Feeling strong, I decide to put some time on him even though there are 50 km left and a long climb before the descent to Sparti.

Running at 7:00-7:15 per mile pace for a few km, I look back to see headlights pacing a runner. The top runners have a police escort. I was stunned to see that Piotr was 100 feet behind me. I continue to run hard as we approach the 15 km climb and still the he is right on me, matching my move. I am blown away at how he came back with this extra gear! I decide to run every step of the climb whereas last year I walked small portions. Over the next 10 km, I see his shadow stretched out from the headlights of the pace car and I cannot believe that I can’t shake him. I throw myself into yet another gear, thinking this should do the trick, but little gap is created. Finally, towards the top of the climb, I have built a 2-3 minute lead, but not nearly what I thought it should be considering how I was running. Just then a race official pulls up and the gentleman in the passenger seat tells me, “Don’t worry about this runner. He is not in the race. He has never done this race before!”

Last year at this point I was feeling sleepy and hallucinating that photographers were standing in the middle of the two lane highway shooting photos. But this year I am alert and fully with it. I think, “What is this guy telling me?” “Not in the race, never done this race before?” This Pole has been leading the race for much of the day, and now he is breathing down my throat and I am not supposed to take him seriously? I keep pushing and pushing, finally putting a gap to where the headlights are no longer visible on the long straightaways. I use the momentum of this strong push to shake the Pole to carry me down the descent into Sparti and down the city streets, all the way to the statue of King Leonidas.

After kissing the feet of King Leonidas, drinking water from the sacred Erodatus River, being crowned with an olive wreath, and posing for photos I make my way to the medical tent where they check all runners. In the medical tent my crew asks me, “Wasn’t that bandit running behind you a crazy happening?” I look at them stunned. “What bandit?” They look even more surprised. They proceed to tell me that a local runner with a pace car decided to jump into the race to run the last portion. Race officials asked him to step off the course, but he refused. It’s an open road so they weren’t able to remove him. The officials warned me, but I obviously misunderstood. My crew hadn’t noticed it until much after I did, and the race officials told them they had notified me. Here I had thought it was Piotr and that the warnings were friendly encouragement, letting me know I had the race in the bag so not to worry. Shows me the power of the central nervous system!

I finished with a time of 23:12:14, slower than last year due to the heat, but still the two fastest winning times after Yannis Kouros’ four better. Patrick Macke of England posted a second place finish to Kouros in 1990 of 23:08:41. Second and third were Piotr Kurylopio in 24:29: Valmir Nunes in 25:37:40. The women had a great race with the top three finishing within nearly an hour of each other: Akiko Sakamoto of Japan in 31:09:24, Vrigitte Bec of France in 31:56:03 and Kimie Noto of Japan in 32:11:05. Mark Godale was the only other finisher from the US, sixteenth place in 30:31:57. First and third male ran in Brooks Racer ST while first male and second female are regulars with the Green Magma. Click here for full results. Congrats to everyone who was out there to take on this enormous challenge!

I’d like to thank the Spartathlon Association for having me back. It was great to be a part of the event again. I have to say the athletes from all over the world are extremely talented and gracious. This is so much of what makes the event such a joy. The support from my sponsors is so much appreciated. Thank you Brooks, Green Foods, and Pro-Tec! And my crew, as always, is the best. Thanks to Barefoot Ted, Glenn Tachiyama, Lisa Bliss, and my lovely wife, Leah!

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 11th, 2007 at 8:08 pm and is filed under Advocacy, Gear, Racing, Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.