You are here: Home > Travel > Highlights

Genghis Khan Grassland Extreme Marathon: Extreme for a reason

by William Wang: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail CRI, July 5, 2012

Adjust font size:

A competitor takes time out to pose with the cows. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/William Wang]

However, when I came up to the 29 kilometer sign, I was quick to note that my legs were feeling less uppity than my head was. Hello, I could have sworn that was more than 2 kilometers!

Then the 31 kilometer sign crawled into view. I was in complete dismay at still having MORE than 10K left to go. My thighs weren't cramping, but they were definitely suggesting the possibility. My feet had long stopped singing pop songs. Every time I breathed deeply, my stomach considered vomiting up my fried rice breakfast.

Without saying goodbye, my adopted family of five slowly but surely disappeared down the pathway ahead. That confused me, since I was so confident that we were all on the same level.

My reduced speed had become a chug instead of a choo. A number of runners silently trod past me and I honestly only felt admiration for them.

Ordinarily, I would have to swallow my pride to slow to a walk, but this time no decision was involved. My body commanded it; I obeyed. I alternated between walking and running the rest of the race. There wasn't much rhyme or reason to it. Going up a hill, I had to walk. On a flat section, I had to walk. Thumping down a hill, I had to walk. Just following orders.

On the fun side, I wasn't the only one to run out of gas. Coming across guys I knew gave me an excuse to walk alongside them for a while. In the end, I'd offer some words of encouragement. "Come on, let's try running up to that sign up there. Don't stop, man. You can make it!" But secretly, I rejoiced when they couldn't keep up.