Suffering for 26 miles

A very interesting article about the NYC marathon, by the NY times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/16/sports/othersports/16marathon.html?ei=5070&en=e7d2c987016f07c9&ex=1159329600&pagewanted=all

Marathon pictures and videos

Here they are!
Be sure to have the sound turned on!




Click on the picture below to go the Picasa album:

Montreal Marathon

Sep 24, 2006 - 7 Photos

Pictures from High Exposure

Click on the picture below to go the Picasa album:

Gunks classics: High Exposure

Sep 3, 2006 - 13 Photos

Best of the Gunks

At the beginning of September, one week before the marathon, I wanted to do some sport but no running.

We had planned to spend the full 3 day labor day week end but the weather was definitely agains us. We could only afford to go on Monday.

And we climbed two of the most famous lines at the Gunks: High Exposure (3 pitches, 5.6 --> the Best 5.6 on the planet for Climbing Magazine) and CCK (3 pitches, 5.7+).

Richard let me lead the crux pitch on High Exposure and it was an incredible feeling: this is very impressive overhanging move, but with good holds and good protection. Something I will remember!

Enjoy the pictures, these are some of the best I found on the web, all of High Exposure

As for CCK, it is something I will remember too: we could not make it to the beautiful last pitch as I had to bail on the second pitch, and I really scared myself: there was no good protection on a couple of moves rated 5.8 PG/R and I was a little bit too confident that by climbing higher I would fins something good :-S.

Next time we climb this I'd rather have a strong leader on that pitch!

The last pitch of CCK:

my Pictures to come!!

September update

I haven't updated for a long time. But this is not because of a lack of events!
Lately, we've been looking for a new apartment: we have to move out by October 1st or the rent will go up by 20% !
It seems we have found a nice 1BR in a family brownsone in Harlem. I hope our application will get accepted! Actually I really really hope it works out. Looking for a new place to live in New York is a complete nightmare! And it's not even Manhattan: we also had a look at places in Brooklyn or Hoboken: they are all damn too expensive!

The week before, we spent 4 days in Montreal for the marathon: yes I made it! And no, I did not manage to run under the 4hr limit: my official time was 4:02:50 :-(. It was a fantastic experience, and Elise and her parents were there to support me at several points of the race. That really helped me! Sebastien finished in 3:59 and Nicolas in 4:41.

I felt the usual pain in the right tibia from km 2 to 20 and then the pain disapeared altogether. Weird. After that, there was a steep uphill section on km 27 that really hit me. I was passed by the 4:00 pace group and managed to stay with them until km 32. Then it was really hard until km 38: I just tried to think about anything to try to forget I was running. From km 38 to 42 it became easier in my mind because I could feel I was coming close to the finish line...

Right after I finished, I had to sit down, rest and drink, and then I tried to stand up but could not walk!!! I had to go to the onsite physio who did a very good job at stretching my legs. Then I was able to slowly walk to the subway station and to my bed, a couple stations away. What a day! But after all, even if I did not train enough.... it was not that incredibly hard. I mean running a marathon has soe sort of legendary aura, but this is not something for supermen only: I was able to do it, and could probably do it again... if I found the will....

Pictures to come!