Amsterdam - Race

The travels have begun again - I came back from New York then headed out again with TJ to Amsterdam - then he left for Israel and now we're back until I leave for Cannes on Thursday and TJ for a US trip to D.C., and Richmond.

Amsterdam was fanastic - and the run went as well as I could have wished for. I plan at least one marathon a year, and have kept this up since I was 26, hoping to do 10 to celebrate turning 35.

For this one- I had a new strategy...instead of "just enjoy yourself", or "have fun out there" it was "get it Done!" The crowds were amazing- and I've never experienced people yelling what I presumed to be positive cheers at me in Dutch before. The best was the little children standing on the side of the road out in front of their houses on the canals with little cups of water.

TJ was there to do some mellow sight seeing with me, and there as I finished. I ran my best time in over 6 years, and second best ever! 4:14. Not Boston standards by any means, but enough to keep a smile on my face for over a week.

I posted this picture because it made me laugh tonight when I found it....and if you look closely, you'll see me - and it oddly looks like I am laughing then as well.

For some funny video clips of me racing at each 5k mark:
http://www.runnersweb.nl/runnerstv?e=AM07M&n=Rachel%20Church&r=15174&ct_
s1=11:09:04&nt_s1=30:20&ct_s2=12:07:13&nt_s2=1:28:29&ct_s3=12:42:39&nt_s3=
2:03:55&ct_s4=13:05:06&nt_s4=2:26:22&ct_s5=13:34:41&nt_s5=2:55:56&ct_s6=14:06:43
&nt_s6=3:27:59&ct_s7=14:38:36&nt_s7=3:59:52&ct_f=14:52:46&nt_f=4:14:02&=finish&l=
nl&ccount=1&k=finish