Last year Maren persuaded us to take part in the annual J. P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge in Frankfurt and in the end four of us actually showed up and ran (or walked more or less quickly). This year she registered us again and this time four people showed up with a 50% change in participants - Conny and Frank replaced Ingrid and Günter.
We met at the office to catch the train together. We second timers immediately noticed that the station and the S-bahn were not nearly as full as last year, but that was certainly because we left a lot later this time. There was another group at the station though, so we knew we had the right day. What we didn't have was a map or plan or any idea where to get off. We decided to get off at the main train station but luckily we noticed the other group was not moving, so we jumped back onto the train, this time into the first class compartment by mistake. Lots of laughter! Then when we got off the train all we had to do was follow the colorful crowds (white t-shirts are so OUT! - next year we'll have a nice bright color I'm promised) to the starting point, behind the 70,000 people who were already there waiting.
Even though we were there much later we weren't too far from the place we sat and waited last year. It took about forty minutes after the race began for us to actually cross the starting line. Judging from the number of runners who passed me during the race there were thousands of people behind us too.
Frank, who had hardly trained at all, ran the distance ten minutes faster than I did! Is that fair? No, I didn't think so either.
I covered (I shy from saying "ran") the 5.6 km in just under 50 minutes, which I was pleased with. Notice the guy on the right with the girl on his shoulders. Now that's racing with a handicap!
Maren and Conny came in after I did, but only because they stopped and waited for me so we could all cross the finish line together. Unfortunately they missed me in the crowds and I was already waiting with Frank when they arrived. We walked another km (at least) back to the starting point where we got our complimentary banana and bottle of water and our trophy t-shirt. Such rewards!
