OTTAWA MARATHON - PRESS ON TO THE GOAL

OTTAWA MARATHON

27.05.07

PART TWO

IT’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE

Not just to run a marathon

Not just to run for a medal

Not just to run…but to run with a different motivation…a different purpose

“Running” beyond the finish

Running as an avenue to reach out to people

Using the gifts you have, the talents and the abilities to serve Jesus Christ. In all things, acknowledge and honour Jesus.

Runners are often alone and feel alone. How to relate to other runners? As a Christian we also want to use this aspect to reach out to other runners, to help others and to relate to those who do not know Jesus as their personal Saviour.

I have been asked by other runners, “Albert, how do you use running to serve Jesus, to glorify Him?” My primary purpose is to reach out to people and raise money for charity.

Here are some ‘stories’ about the Ottawa Marathon weekend.

Edna had taken mw to the Winnipeg airport quite early on Friday, since she was scheduled to work just when my flight was leaving. So, I spend a few hours in the Winnipeg airport. I had time for some pre-race anxieties to set in – flights, ride to the hotel, how I would feel during the run…

During the flight I was quiet (unusual for me), but as we came closer to Toronto I started talking to the lady sitting beside me. I mentioned to her that I was headed to Ottawa for the marathon. Three guys next to us overheard this, and at the Toronto terminal they came and introduced themselves, they were also heading for the Ottawa marathon. My whole attitude changed and I looked forward to the race. Just that brief connection had done wonders.

Upon arrival in Ottawa I needed a ride to my hotel. The Airporter bus driver offered me a ride for $14.00. I thought the price was high, and asked him some more questions. He told me the return trip was $24.00. So I said, okay, take me to the Econo Lodge Hotel on Rideau Street. During the 20 minute drive he played beautiful classical music, always turning down the volume at intersections. He was a good driver and we chatted quite a bit during the drive. I told him he was a good driver. He said, “Many people say that.” I thanked him for his services and gave him a Bible along with the payment for the trip. I told him that I love the Lord Jesus, and he told me he would read the Bible. He was from Colombia. What a joy to meet new people.

It was quite late by the time I got to the hotel, and I needed to get some food. I inquired at the desk and they recommended the Swarma restaurant across the street. The menu did not offer the Mennonite sausage or borscht; rather it was a Lebanese restaurant offering pita, kebabs, Greek salad with sheep cheese and olives. It was great food. There were also a variety of people in this restaurant – Lebanese, Africans, white, black some with turbans, some with kerchiefs…I enjoyed getting to know the young people in the restaurant.

Eventually I got back to the hotel and to my room…OH NO!...this was a smokers room and it stank! I told myself I could handle this and turned on the air conditioner fan. I grew up with second hand smoke, my dad was a chain smoker all his life, so this was nothing new to me. I had just been away from it for 37 years.

Just before I race I usually spend quite some time in prayer, asking God to help me physically and spiritually. To allow me to do my best and to use me to His honour and glory. I sensed His presence for my spirit became more peaceful, relaxed and more confident. I usually try to memorize scripture for my long races, and also I pray for many of my friends during the running.

I had trained and so now all I had to do was run the race and enjoy it.

In the last 5 km I was smiling at the people along the route, and I notice that when you smile at them, they smile back. It sends a message and it is contagious.

I got to watch Catherine Ndereba run the Nordian 10 km race. Some of our AIA staff personally know her. She spoke at one of the pre-race events on Friday, but I as not able to be there. I had been in touch with our AIA staff in Ottawa and they organized a greeting to her with a gift. Ryan was able to meet her personally at the place where she spoke and hand over a card and gift from AIA.

Ray Zahab lives only 10 minutes from Ottawa. He had been in touch with me after he crossed the African desert. He ran 4000 miles from Senegal to the Red Sea across the Sahara Desert in 111 days together with 2 other extreme ultra-marathoners. He was also speaking at one of the pre-race events, but then flew to Saskatoon that same day to speak at a pre-race event there. So I was not able to meet with him as we had hoped to do. However, he and I do want to meet and get to know each other better.

Coming back to Winnipeg after the marathon I hung that huge medal around my neck. This was a conversation piece, beginning right at the security people in the airport. When the security personnel was about to frisk me, I warned him that I had just completed a marathon and had not had an opportunity to shower. This opened up a conversation and we both laughed.

“Did you win in the Olympics?’

“How long is a marathon?”

Sitting in the plane, there was a man next to me who needed to share his life story. My medal opened the conversation and he told me he was normally shy and did not talk to people he did not know, but this medal intrigued him.

The conversation went on from there and he shared his life story – a broken relationship, pain and sin and failure.

He was hurting badly and was about ready to cry. I listened. He told me he was 39 years old and needed to clean up his life and start over. He said he now knew why he sat with me. How could I help? I suggested some things to him, gave him my email address and promised to pray for him. I directed him to Jesus, the only one that can help him to ‘start over’.

How can we, as runners, help? The same way as anyone else, to love people, to listen to people, to point them to Jesus, to pray for those that do not know Him, to be there for them, to run the spiritual race, to endure and bring honour and glory to Jesus in all that we do.

Be yourself – in Jesus, and He will allow you to shine and sow the seeds of hope and salvation. It is not in vain. The Lord will bring about the results when the race is over. My TIME at the race was much greater than the clock time of 4.22.25.Take some time for other people, listen to the, Be genuine and care.

Albert No.3105

THE MANITOBA MARATHON, Paul & Albert

World record marathoner Dr. Paul Piplani of Phoenix was in
Steinbach last week staying with ultra marathoner Albert Martens

by Carillon News Sports Writer
Terry Frey

Perhaps the most noteworthy achievement of all at this year's Manitoba Marathon, an achievement that went unnoticed by most was that by 60-year-old Dr. Paul Piplani of Phoenix, Arizona.

Piplani is an acquaintance (by reputation and email) of Steinbach ultra marathoner Albert Martens. Piplani spent a couple of days in Steinbach last week, hosted by Martens, as he prepared to run in the Manitoba Marathon for the fourth time. Sunday's Manitoba Marathon was his 801st he has completed.

Running 800 marathons around the world is quite something in itself, but what makes is so astounding is that he ran his 800th marathon on Saturday in Duluth, one day before the Manitoba Marathon. Oh, one more thing, he ran marathons 798 and 799 last weekend on the west coast. That's right, he ran four marathons in one week.

It's not that Piplani, a part-time university professor, has been running marathons all his life, thus accounting for the 800 marathons. The native of India, who first moved to Phoenix in 1996, only ran his first marathon in 1993, and has averaged 60 or so marathons a year since that time.

He ran his first back-to-back weekend marathons in 1996, as he did this last weekend, and now makes it part of his running agenda. The most number of marathons he has run in a year is 103 in 2004, which is also when he ran his 500th marathon. His personal best time is 3 hours, 22 minutes in 2000.

In an interview in Steinbach last week, prior to driving to Duluth in a rented car, he said "my short term goal is to run #1000 in 2010." He hopes that will be the famed Pikes Peak Marathon, dubbed America's Ultimate Challenge, which was also his first marathon in 1993.

Although Sunday's marathon was only the 38th for Albert Martens, the two are in many ways kindred spirits. Both have run two of the most difficult races known to man, Badwater in California's Death Valley and the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara Desert. Piplani has also run the The Great Wall of China among many other unique events.

Along the way, Piplani has run marathons in all 50 U.S. states and all Canadian provinces and territories. Not to be outdone, he has also run ultra marathons in 45 U.S. states. He has also crossed the globe running marathons in 25 countries and every continent.

As if his accomplishments aren't enough, his outgoing and engaging personality makes him quite a character. In describing his love for running, "after I first got the bug, I just keep on doing the same thing, one foot after another."

Dr. Paul Piplani says he "runs with a purpose." He is a Christian and lives his life in the manner in which M.K. Gandhi once said," Be the change agent which you wish to see in others and live daily to make the world less difficult for others."

The 2007 Father's Day Manitoba Marathon

The Manitoba Marathon, Winnipeg, June 17, 2007

The Finish was more than welcome, on this Father’s Day in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The start was cool at 7.00 am and then I went at what I thought to be my Ottawa Marathon pace, however at the half way mark of 21 kilometers on Portage Avenue, I soon realized that something was not going as well as in Ottawa 3 weeks ago, where I had a 4.22 chip time. At mile 19.5, Dale W caught up with me and greeted me and I told him that I was having problems, namely pain and heavy legs. I had another 11 kilometers left. I got a bit dizzy, so at that point, I figured there is no point in pushing it to a point of injury. I felt my body well, and I knew from experience what to do. I slowed down a bit, and realized that there was little “gas in the tank”. I then resolved just to finish it and still smile somewhat. I did finish in 4.42, and soon I realized that others had also had problems, so then I knew it must be the humidity in the air, even though the temperatures were not very high.

It was a highlight to be able to host Paul Piplani, from Phoenix, who ran his 801^st marathon. You heard right. He ran the Grandmas in Duluth on Saturday, the day before the Manitoba Marathon. He is a great guy running and teaching chemistry in Phoenix, Arizona.

Of course the big reason to get up early, I mean early at 4.00 a.m. was that Edna and I had to be at the 6.30 a.m. start of my 4 Grandchildren. Cameron and Timothy ran the Super Run ( 2.5 miles) and Kenley and Theresa were signed up for the Mini Mites, ages 2 and 4. Kenley got overwhelmed at the loud noise at the start and forgot to run, but rather cried in fear. Theresa just stood there at the start. Edna, said she was afraid of a DNS (did not start). However Judy came to help and they did start and they managed to NOT have a DNF (did not finish).

Patrick did a great job of running two stages of the Relay Race and he caught up to me at about km 16.

What a wonderful Father’s Day, packed with excitement and wonderful people and lots of exercise that created sore muscles.

Ottawa Marathon

OTTAWA MARATHON REPORT

MY 37th MARATHON

PRE-RACE ANXIETIES:

I had been to Ottawa before and had run a good section of the marathon route when I was there in 2005. However, I was still a bit anxious the night before the marathon, which is probably the case for most runners. I had booked a hotel room on Rideau St. quite a ways from the start of the marathon. The day before the race I checked with the Quality Hotel, whether I could drop off my bag at their hotel, which was close to the finish point of the race, so that I could just walk over there after the finish and catch the Airporter bus to the airport from there. They were very helpful, and so at 5:00 on Sunday morning I had my muffin and some coffee and made my way to the Quality Hotel to drop off my bag. I had checked to make sure the Power bars and Gels were in my pocket, made sure I had the race plan, the computer chip and the race bib attached to the appropriate places.

I arrived at the start with 40 minutes to spare. I did some stretching and concentrated on the long run ahead. The gun went off at exactly 7; 00 a.m. – (the gun start and my chip time were 3 minutes apart.).

There was a field of 3600 full marathon runners – each one had trained to run the distance.

THE ROUTE: started north along Elgin St. and we saw the War Monument, then turned left and ran as proud Canadians as we passed the Canada Parliament buildings, the tower and the Terry Fox monument. The Supreme Court building was next along the route. WOW! What a start to the race.

Soon we were heading north across the Ottawa River, into Hull, Quebec. Here we zigzagged back and forth, mainly north and east along gently rolling streets. The French Canadian spectators of Gattineau were friendly, funny and encouraging as they cheered for us. Some wore huge, colourful hats or clown suits. They were happier than we were. I did not see any runners dressed in funny clothes or juggling as they ran.

It was quite a cool morning, and having dressed in shorts and a short-sleeved t-shirt, I needed to push it to stay warm – or to get warm.

There were serious runners. 113 runners came in with times of under 3 hours.

After about 8.5 kilometres. We headed back into Ontario across the high Alexandria Bridge. At km 9 we turned left onto Sussex Street, passing our Prime Minister’s residence. A few more kilometres and I noticed a runner veer off to the front yard of a house to shake the hand of the man standing there – it was none other than our former Prime Minister Chretian.

The race continue along Princess, Mariposa, Beechwood and MacKay streets which was a beautiful residential area. Soon we were back into the city center and at the half point of the run. Ottawa is a beautiful city.

Now we headed south and along the east side of the Rideau Canal.

I had been pushing myself and took note that I was keeping a pace of 10 km per hour, stopping only for water at the aid stations.

I was feeling good; my stomach was in good shape so I kept the pace. Between km 30 – 40 I was forced to slow down some when pain developed on my right side. I slowed and did some deep breathing and eventually the pain disappeared.

The number bibs assigned to us had our name printed on it as well as our number. At first I was surprised when spectators would call out my name to cheer me on…until I realized the name was right on my chest. But there was a psychological boost when you were cheered on by name. I had never experienced this in other marathons. It was really a neat thing.

Somewhere around km 23 the half-marathoners joined the full marathoners. This created a bit of congestion, and I heard one half-marathoner complain to a full-marathoner that we should not block the road for them!!! The full-marathoner was quite upset at this comment. That was not a nice thing to say.

I guess conditions are never perfect. The half marathon runners had started 1 ½ hours after the full marathon runners, so when we joined, they were still fresh and going a faster pace since they were also only covering half the distance. After about 5 kilometres, the two categories separated again with the half-marathon runners veering off to the left and the full-marathoners to the right.

The route itself was great, comprised of country, city and town atmosphere. The aid stations offered water and Gatorade. In all my Canadian marathon experiences I note that any Power bars or Gels you need along the way, you need to bring with you. I compare this to the European marathons I have done where the aid stations usually have the dextrose, orange slices, banana slices, tea, and sometimes even beer. A ‘full-course meal” compared to just water and Gatorade offered here.

At about Km 35 a little 4 year old boy jumped up beside me and yelled “Go Sens Go! Go Sens Go!” His mother looked a bit chagrined and told me he was a Senators fan! How did I guess? I interpreted that to mean “Run Albert Run!” Really, his Ottawa Sens spirit encouraged me. I pretty much became an Ottawa fan as well, when I watched the YOU TUBE video clip of Elgin Fraser. Check it out

at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z25OVDG_E9g&mode=related&search=

(Copy and paste the link to your browser.)

We were now heading back north along the Rideau Canal, on the home stretch. Almost there! “Only 2 kilometres” “You can do it”, “You look good” were the cheers from our spectators.

Last year 14 elite runners got lost and were disqualified. (Apparently a motorist moved a barricade). This year the route had been changed a bit and was well marked. There were km signs uniformly placed, at the same level, same color so were easy to locate.

Towards the end, with 3 – 4 km to go it began to rain, which was not a problem at this point.

THE FINISH: I was thinking about the finish and expecting it would be a bit of an anti-climax since I knew nobody there. What a pleasant surprise when Terry S showed up with 750 meters to go. Terry had connected with me via the Internet, but we had never met. He showed up to encourage me, and cheered me on. He ran alongside right to the finish. WOW! That was great. I chatted with him for about 10 minutes in the rain after I finished.

The organization was running out of the alu-blankets since people needed them in the rain. So I tried to get out of the recovery area as quickly as possible to keep warm.

The Ottawa Marathon was a great marathon, a truly wonderful experience, measuring up to many of the larger marathons I’ve done in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The medal we received was beautiful and HEAVY. The t-shirt is a good quality running shirt. The fans and spectators in Ottawa were great. Thank you Ottawa marathon board, organization, volunteers, and police for a great event.

The winner of the men’s marathon was David Cheruiyot from Kenya with a time of 2.10.35. (I got too much lead in my pants for that speed).

I was also privileged to see Catherine Ndereba from Kenya run the Nordian 10 km race on Saturday. She is the fastest woman in the world and holds the Women’s marathon record at 2.18.47.

PS Just for the record, a full official marathon distance is 42.195 kilometres, it is not 42.2 km. In miles it is 26.21875 miles, not 26.2. (it is 26 miles and 385 yards).

When ‘gun time’ and chip time’ become so crucial and timing is down to 100th of a second, it is important that the distances are also given correctly.

Albert

No. 3105