It is safe to say that running Le Marathon du Medoc was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. When else can you see so many men dressed in drag, a group of "Indians" peeing in the midst of vines, have to stop running to wait for the bottle neck of people to go through the wine tasting stops and have people forcing you to drink wine, all the while just trying to run 42.195 kilometers without crying.
It was easier and harder than I expected. The race started with a sing-along of "Take Me Home Country Roads and "Oh Susannah." Bizarre. We were the only ones in a croud of 8,000 that knew the words (the theme this year was Wild Wild West...for reasons still unknown).
It took us a few kilometers to actually get going...there were so many people it was difficult to run, and the wine stops slowed everyone down! Because most people stopped at each chateau to do a degustation of wine, we had to walk through each stop (no complaints) and thus it really does make it the longest marathon in the world.
It was a beautiful run, and we passed through amazing vineyards and chateaus.
The BIG question: Did we drink wine?
Oui!
We were running through some of the best chateaus in the world, it literally would have been a crime not to try. Delicious. And honestly, our bodies were burning so many calories, that it was like having a sugar cube to help your body keep going.
We talked to several people before and during the race that come to the marathon each year for the wine tasting and the parties...the running is just a habit. Runners with drinking problems, er rather, drinkers with running problems. Either way you look at it, the spirit of the marathon was amazing and we had support from the nicest transvestites the marathon had to offer.
The next BIG question: how long?
6 hours, 15 minutes and 14 seconds. MUCH longer than expected, but I also didn´t expect to have to stop every kilometer or two to gawk at the people drinking and dancing (oh yes, those crazy mo-fos were dancing).
I finished in 5,989th place of 7,190 people.
Yes, I know you are impressed, and yes, I am immediately looking for a coach because clearly I am olympic material.
Overall, the marathon was just really good fun. There were, however, some dark moments. At about kilometer 34, I started to get loopy and just before kilometer 38 I started crying and then hyperventilating because I was crying. That many miles does crazy things to your head.
But I am most proud that at km 38, I said "Eff it, I came this far, they are handing out ham, oysters and white wine...I´m doing it."
The oysters were delicious, the wine yummy and cold. I am a hard-core rock star. That, and there were no toilets (wtf!?!) and so another rock star moment came when I peed in the vines. If you have a 2007 haut-medoc wine at any point in your life, remember- I was there.
After km 38, the last 2 miles killed me a little bit and I wasn´t so much as running as very quickly stumbling across the line.
Pierre-Loic helped me run the last 2 km and I could NOT have made it without him, THANK YOU!
I crossed the line and they immediately hand you a medal, a bag and a bottle of wine. Again, surreal.
I was naseaus for the next couple of hours and they were pretty much a blur (Thanks here to Emma and her amazing healing tea).
We did lose some toenails...Kate and Catherine both had blisters the size of small countries and those had to be lanced. The jury is still out on Kate´s knee and Catherine´s toes.
There were a couple of people that helped us get through the run...a man in drag (of course), whose name remains unknown but we now call our little angel, that kept checking in with us every few miles and we simply adore. Thank you! The pompiers were also fabulous (ever been invited to a party at the firehouse while running a marathon? didn´t think so). The brit dressed as a scot we have to thank for forcing us to drink. The cows were also amazing. The viking ship (yes, they ran and pushed a huge viking ship the entire way) we still don´t like you...get outta the way!
Emma, Pierre-Loic and Ziad, a HUGE thanks for coming out and supporting us.
The last question: would I do it again?
YES. If not next year, I will be back...and with every intention of driking more wine and taking even longer to get to the finish line.
