Enschede Marathon - Michael Bayer

Michael (Mick) Bayer is Top American Finisher at the Enschede, Netherlands Marathon

May 8, 2005

Maps (click for a larger view) Race poster

The race route from the Netherlands into Germany and back (click for larger view)

After an exhaustive selection process* I was humbled to be chosen to represent the entire Western Hemisphere at the Enschede Marathon; however, as I crossed the finish line with my first negative split (I ran the second half faster than the first half) I reflected on the fact that I wasn’t even planning to be there. Just 20 days earlier at my April 18 Boston Marathon debut I got chewed up, spit out, stomped on, and run over and was not planning to run another marathon … ever. Click here for my Boston photos and story.

I arrived in Amsterdam the morning of May 7^th after a 9.5 hr plane trip without a clue on how to pronounce Enschede or how to get there (clear across the country, close to Germany); I also had not entered the race yet and did not have a hotel room. The train ride took 2.5 hours, the race hotel had a last minute cancellation, I found an entry form in English, paid my Euros, and then collapsed in bed from exhaustion due to jet lag and traveling. I told myself “I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life, but I think I’ve reached a new level”. The pasta party that night was nice and I sat with a couple from Zurich, Switzerland who were visiting relatives in Germany and drove over to run the half-marathon.

Nothing like trying to find where to register in Dutch. I just followed the arrows. (click for larger view)

Notice the flags flying straight out in front of the race hotel. It was really windy. (click for larger view)

At breakfast the next day before the 11:00 am race start I began to realize this was not an ordinary marathon. Across the table from me were Kenyans, to my left were Ethiopians, and to my right were South Africans and everyone else looked really young and really fast. The race had a 5 hour time limit and there were less than 400 competitors. There about 3130 runners total in the marathon, the half-marathon, and 10 km races combined.

I went to the starting line still thinking about Boston and jet lag, and was donned in my Texas flag running shorts, a tank top, my 2005 Boston Marathon cap, and my new secret weapon on my left arm. Now before a race everyone always has to do the same thing so this would be a good time to discuss bathroom going for men. If you are the modest type or if it's cold and windy, you are in trouble. The men's "room" is an open four-sided urinal and they set them right next to the regular port-a-cans.

The men's "room"... functional, but a bit drafty.

The weather was a sunny 10ºC (50ºF) with a 35 km/hr (20 mph) wind and I greeted everyone I met with a rousing “Howdy, ya’ll”. The course left Enschede and headed due east to Gronau, Germany. As we got close to Germany, the clouds rolled in, the temperature dropped, the wind picked up, and then the rain came. And I froze. Two things happen when I get too cold: I have to pee a lot and my adductor muscles start to cramp so there were quite a few stops along the way for stretching and the other. A group of about ten of us got off the street and ran behind the spectators on the sidewalk for several km to get some relief from the rain from some overhanging trees. I was impressed with the spectators as cold, windy and rainy conditions didn't bother them much.

There was a slight delay at the German border while going through customs. There was the

passport check and the finger printing

and the customary strip search by some beautiful fraulines.

Some runners weren't as lucky as I was on the searching part.

It continued to rain all the way to Gronau and back again (maybe a total of ~10 km) and then cleared up to a perfect day. There were lots of gorgeous country roads, beer drinking locals, and oompa-bands. Since all the hotels and restaurants played American music, the only local music I heard the entire week was on the race route. I said “Thank you” to all the water table volunteers, but since it sounds quite a bit like “dank u” I’m sure they thought I just spoke crappy Dutch. I got lots of “Go Mick” from the crowds since I wrote my name on my leg and arm; but I was a bit disappointed no one recognized my Texas shorts.

I was holding pace quite well until a major slowdown at about 31 km (~19 miles) and I thought “this can’t be – not again”. I gave myself a “there is no pain and I feel strong and by God I am not going to slow down while wearing my Boston marathon cap” pep talk as I glanced at my yellow Lance Armstrong “LiveStrong” wrist band; so, I put in the ear plugs, turned on my secret weapon (iPod Shuffle), and when REO Speedwagon’s “Ridin’ the Storm Out” cranked up … well, I knew there was only one thing to do. I turned my Boston cap around so the folks could read the Boston emblem as I passed them and then I cranked up the pace. My new mantra became "If I can see them .... I can pass them" and I did just that, even on some hills!. Wow, I hadn't passed anyone since I raced my 6 year old daughter around the block back in 1990. With a few km to go, it started raining again but I was able to finish and get back to the hotel before the hail started! I finished in a good mood without significant injuries in 3:40:33 (189 out of 381). I had picked up over 3 minutes in the final 10 km for my first negative split and my fastest final 10 km in a marathon! For the first time in my life I was the top American finisher in a marathon (and top Western Hemisphere finisher). The small fact that I was the only American runner does not diminish the accomplishment in my eyes. This was also the fastest race field I’ve ever run in. 2.1% (8 runners) finished in 2:15 or less and whopping 11% (43 runners) finished in 3 hours or less. 10% of the women runners finished under 2:50 ! Wow.

click on image for larger photo

On the train back to Amsterdam, I wore my race medal and was spotted by another medal-wearing runner who looked like she was ready to burst if she didn’t speak to someone. She just walked right up and started chatting and was beaming with pride on finishing her first half-marathon, especially since she was the only runner amongst her family and friends. I love talking with first-timers because their excitement is so intoxicating. She also helped me learn how to pronounce "Enschede" and I think I had it down by the time she had to leave the train.

a few days later at my hotel in Haarlem (click for larger view).

I recovered quite well from the race with tons of walking to and from bus stops and train stations and actually found an hour to run in Vondelpark, in southern Amsterdam, on Thursday after the race. It was rather unique to drink a beer after every loop through the park. There are three morals to this very long story: 1) Never say "Never Again"; 2) always wear clean underwear when you are going to get strip searched; and 3) you, too, can be the top American finisher if the race is small enough and far enough away.

This race was beyond cool, but in December was the mother of all races (but a much shorter story).

* the "exhaustive selection process" consisted of me spending hours doing Google searches for a race in the Netherlands around May 8 because I had a sudden business trip to Amsterdam come up. I had actually given up on finding a marathon and found this race by accident while investigating half-marathons in the area. This marathon was so small it wasn't on very many marathon race calendars.