24hr race in Athens

Participated in the 24 hr race of Athens International Ultramarathon Festival 2009 on 3-4 April. Covered 177.7 km without pushing it hard any time and keeping the body totally injury. Before arriving the race venue I had a goal of 190-200km in my mind but after seeing the course I found it is wise to cut the goal a little bit lower to avoid any kind of injury since I had to participae in 10-days race in New York on 22nd April. Course was of 1 km length, taking 2 football stadiums in the Athens Olympic Games Installations, one stadium was in a dig and another was on a upper side, making about 800mts of total course exposed to strong winds (which we faced for 6-7 hours from the start), and there a 100mt section of (big) gravels . So I made three goals, (a) crossing at least 100 miles to become the first Indian for it, (b) 170km (d) and then if found it okay 180km. So finished just with 177.704 km which was enough to put me at 10th place out of 37 starters. Now the longawaited 100miles has achieved, will look for any other 24hr race on a 400mt all weather track with an aim of 200km which I am sure not very far now. And yes, weather also helped me, it was not so cold.

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