Disney Deads: Stories - Alvaroe Moreno Marathon

MY FIRST MARATHON

August 8, 2005 (AP:-) - After 4 months of training, the last one of little or no training due to medical reasons, the big day
came: I was running my first marathon.

Marisel and I got up early that day (around 4:15am) to make sure I could eat something and be at the starting line no later
than 05:00am (the start was at 05:30am). I could only managed to eat a banana and an apple, and take a cup of coffee for
the 20 minutes ride to the stadium. Things got a little hectic in the house and we ended up leaving at 05:05am…. We are
late!!!

THE START
At that time on a Sunday morning there was literally no traffic, so I made it to the starting line just a couple of minutes before
05:30am. We managed to drive right to about 50mts to where the runners were already lined up waiting for the start. Got off
the car, put on my fuel belt with the number and the fanny pack, kissed Marisel good bye… walked to the back of the pack
and right there… BANG!!! The XXIX Panama Marathon begins!

6K
This marathon does not draw a lot of participants. There must have been about 200 of us. My plan was to run 11 to 12 minute
miles (6:45 to 7:30 minute kilometers). I'm trying to figure out if my pace is right when all the sudden I bump into my
next-door neighbor. Had no idea he was running the marathon. So I stayed with him for about 4K, chatting and giving him as
many tips as I could remember. We waved each other good-bye, assured that we would meet again at the stadium with a
medal around our neck, and took off. My first well-known split is the first exchange post for the relay race, at 6K. I checked
my time there and it was 42 minutes flat. At 7 minutes/km I'm right on pace… a bit on the fast side but still on target.

10K
By now the Sun had came up already, but it was nice at around 75F - 80F. I went by the second relay post at 10K feeling
great and just enjoying the fact that this time I'm part of that small group of courageous men and women who dared to run the
whole thing. Little did I know at this point of the truthfulness of this remark.

14K
I'm approaching the 14K mark and that's where Marisel and Alvarito are handing out bananas to the runners either going out
to the causeway at 14K or coming back at 25K. Go by them smiling and joking about doing the moonwalk so Marisel can
take a good picture. Here I'm joined by my cousin (John) who said he would run the causeway with me if I was fast enough to
run those 11K in time for him to go back to his house, take a shower and be at Church before 10am.
25K
We chatted for a while, probably about the first 2K, and then we just ran. I was still feeling great, but was getting concerned
about not being even half way through this yet. We made the U turn at 20K and started running back, this time with the wind
on our face. It's almost 8am, the Sun's been up all morning but the temperatures are still manageable. When we go by the
21K mark I get a time of 2 hours 27 minutes. Not bad… still on target… Ran all the way back to where Marisel and Alvarito
were. More pictures taken, half a banana and some Gatorade. John stopped running and wished me luck… I'm alone again.

By now my legs are starting to feel a little heavy. Here comes a terrible bridge (more like an overpass) and I managed to run
uphill and back down without walking. But then comes a series of hills. Not the kind that goes up and down… these ones are
up and flat… then up and flat again… one more up and then down. Ran half way up the first hill and decided to walk it. Ran
the flat part and walked the other two hills. After that I ran non-stop for about 2K until I could no more.

For the first time the idea of not finishing the marathon crossed my mind. I even started figuring out the title of this report: I'M
NOT A MARATHONER YET!!!… And it hit me!!! What kind of crap is this! I've been through worse in my life! And what about
Marisel and the children, and my sister, my brother, my brother-in-law and my friends who were all out there supporting me.
And the ones who were not there but had expressed their support also… Even thought about a good friend who's fighting
cancer right now and thought: THAT is tough!!! THIS is nothing!!! And from there on I decided to finish the marathon even if I
had to crawl my way up to the finish line!

28K
By now it's 0900am and the heat is getting to me… I'm running on a flat 2.5K road along the coast (Ave Balboa). I had
planned on walking the hills and running everything else, but there's no hills on this stretch… and it was just too much
running at this point for me. So I ran to the next bus stop and walked to the following traffic light, and then ran again to the
next palm tree, and walked up to the next water station… A 4-cars escort follows me (Marisel, my sister Melissa and her
husband Ivor, my brother Jose Luis, and two fellow cayuco paddlers - Carlos and Jose). They take turns riding next to me, in
front and behind… and sometimes they stop ahead of me and cheer when I go by.

32K
This one I was really looking forward to. It means there are only 10K more to go… Carlos decided he was going to run with
me for the next 5K. I had discarded the uphill-walk downhill-run pattern a couple of miles ago, but needed to have something
to look forward to in terms of how long to walk and how long to run. I had never practiced the run/walk thing!!! So I had no idea
what to do. That's when I remembered the heart monitor and established a plan: when it hits 140-145 bpm - RUN… until it
hits 155-160 bpm… then WALK.

34K
The walk/run plan is working well, although the running part seems to be shorter every time… it doesn't take much for that
heart of me to go jumping all over! Carlos is running and walking next to me, passing on the water bags and pouring water on
me. All the sudden, the weather changes and it starts raining… I mean, could hardly see anything… it was really pouring!
And it lasted only about 5 minutes… Then the Sun came up even stronger! Just what I needed at this point… I could literally
see the steam lifting from the street! I am determined to finish the marathon but it feels like I'm going on slow motion…

My back hurts, my legs weight a ton each, my left ankle hurts (funny… it never did before on training runs!!!), my right foot
hurts too… if I run too long I feel like I'm gonna faint… but I'm not stopping!!!

36K
My running partner (Carlos) was relieved by Jose (a friend and cayuco paddler also)… We passed by the 37K mark and were
reminded by the volunteers that there were only 5K more to go.

Jose almost drowned me with all the water he poured on me… At every water station he would pick 2 water bags (even if I
refused to take them from volunteers) to cool down the "engine" inside and out!

Don't remember much of what happened in the next couple of Kilometers… I know it was a LONG 2K from the last right turn I
made until I made the last right turn in front of the stadium. I decided to walk for the last time… a long walk to catch my
breath and lower RPM's for the final 400mts inside of the stadium. Wanted to finish the marathon running… like the winner I
already was.

400 mts… 300 mts… 200 mts… should I speed up and try to catch the guy who is 75 mts ahead of me?…. NOPE…. 100
mts…. 50 mts… I can see familiar faces at the finish line… there's my supporting team… cheering me up, encouraging me
to run the last few meters… 10 mts… I'm all smiles!!! Lifted my arms in victory and CROSSED THE FINAL LINE!!!! I AM A
MARATHONER!!! WE DID IT!!!

27th MILE
Everything hurt, and I was lucky this year they offered massages at a tent next to the finish line… I did not hesitate to accept
the offer. It was a nice 20 minutes massage.

Grabbed the medal and my family and was glad I did not drive myself to the starting line, because there was no way I could
drive back home. Felt the urge of drinking a Coke and eating something, so we stopped at a McDonald's on our way home
and had a large Coke and a ¼ pounder with cheese.

Got home, laid down on a hammock for the next 5 hours while my brother cooked a wonderful BBQ, was pampered by
Marisel with as many cold beers as I wanted, and talked about the marathon all afternoon.

The long months of training did pay off. To choose this marathon to be my first one also proved to be a wise decision. It is not
an easy one (winner ran it in 2:28… and the record is set in 2:20) mainly because of the weather. But by running here in
Panama I had the opportunity of being surrounded by family and friends most of the time, and especially during those last
10K. Without them it would have been nearly impossible for me to finish the marathon. This success belongs to them as
much as it does to me!!!

Now, to take it easy this week (I'm on vacation)… and then to make plans for the future. What's next: Disney Marathon in
January '06!!! Or should I go Goofy?