) but special conditions require a special approach 
Winter came quite as a surprise after a warm November but at least it promised to wait until Monday to really drop below zero. Even so it already showed some of its beauty with just the little bit of snow fallen in the night of Sunday that was needed for a spectacular view of the landscapes in the northern part of the track. But it still provided best conditions to run through the forest with few slippery wet parts and lots of fun on the 11th Sevenmountainsmarathon.
I was well prepared but not very ambitious, just wanted to enjoy that race like most of the years since 2002 when I started running Marathons just there.
I have to admit I was a bit “pissed off” by their idea to provide a Halfmarathon first time this year, meaning that I had to sign early to get a ticket AND stand up earlier than usual
to get a good parking lot. Normally there’s about 500-600 participants, this year the deadline counted 540M+380HM. But in the end it wasn’t as bad as expected. Knowing lots of the people that use to finish the year with this Marathon I even enjoyed the spare time with two cups of coffee and some small talk
before we jogged to the start about a kilometre away from the finish. I admit I almost was a bit proud belonging to the few who did not fear the cold wearing shorter tights (mine just finishing below the knees), but the legs get warm anyway, don’t they 
The first kilometres were full of people enjoying the day, after km5 we started to climb up to the northern part with the higher mountains and the gaps between small groups or single runners grew but there was always someone to exchange a word or two with, and enough time to run in silence for a while and let the thoughts get wings, if you know what I mean …
2 years ago I was fit like never before in December and in the end finished with 5:3x having suffered a lot from 10k on with no idea why. Last year I had had no chance to prepare appropriately from August on and thus decided to do only the Halfmarathon (by leaving the 8-shaped track around the middle knowing the area enough not to get lost, without an official Halfmarathon needed, due to the really low price for the full !). So this year I was curious how it would feel --- and it felt wonderful at 10k, good at 15k, and still more than just “ok” at 20
.The part between 20 and 30 is always the time where I get second thoughts about Marathons
so I’m always anxious to find someone to talk to, to get over that part without notice. I guess that’s the reason why Donna didn’t have a chance at all 
.When she passed me and said “hello” (at least I hope she did?) and then adjusted her speed when I addressed the “CANADA”-print on her arm, she got hooked, involuntarily, but I really hope not too hard to endure?
From my point of view we really had a nice time for the next 20k, her (and her husband Phil) being in Bonn just for 2 weeks of their business about some genetic research program. Originating from Canada she now lives in Houston/ Texas. Missing the Canadian Winters was one of the reasons she was so happy to find that Marathon fitting into the tight schedule.
We ran and talked and talked and ran
and YES she said more than some words herself, not only me doing the conversation, I’m sure of that even though you will find it hard to believe 
From time to time I could provide some information about the track which might help her as she had been a bit “afraid” not of the distance but of the altitudes. The “Eye of God” was the only part which was a bit wet as always but as she does Crossraces as well that couldn’t worry her at all.
We realized that we had quite some things in common besides running (her even more, it was her 30th Marathon, including some Ultras) like Motorcycles and Cats … and soon the last hill, the Asberg, was climbed with the green wagon on top as the signal that “now, the end is near, and we will rise the final curtain”, no, not really, but enjoy the final 5 or 6 kilometres!
The last two kilometres back on the asphalt were celebrated having enjoyed a nice afternoon “and nothing else matters” (wondering about and agreeing in Metallica) even though I had planned to remain below 5h. But having had that much fun, 5:05 is more than worth it
I hope that you don’t mind that, for her not knowing any german at all, I exceptionally tried to express the whole thing in English. Just be happy that the only words I exchanged with the Japanese (
) participants were “konitschiwa” from both sides, otherwise I’m not sure if I would have finished THAT report before Christmas (or at all …)
, aber warum muss dieser in besten Britisch sein 
. Das verstehe ich nicht 
, also nicht alles, 
nur ganz wenig und manchmal gar nichts.
