Here are some maps(Street, Satellite and Elevation) for reference.
Looked at a race calendar and WHOOP!!! there is a Marathon while I am there. To make it even better, Jeremy will be touring around but on Friday night, March 30th, he will be spending time with a host family. That means that that Friday, I will run in the morning, shower and rest, pick him up and spend the next day with me and the family. Sometimes, things just work out...
Small statistic that many people don't know. The majority of Israel is NOT religious. The religious have a huge voice in the Government but they are the minority. Still, the way some people talk in Israel is in a fancy biblical prose. Case in point: There was a great picture posted on Facebook by the marathon people. I don't remember how to spell it. It was a beatiful picture of a blue sky with a gorgous cloud and the caption read (I will try to translate as best as I can): "And God ran-eth on the Six day only 38 Kilometers following the holy Marathon plan set forth due to the taper-eth. In other words, It's time to stop the heavy duty workouts in favor of the tapor to our beloved Tel-Aviv Marathon."
I love it...
Jerusalem Marathon was 2 weeks ago. They had huge hills, heavy winds and hail. Damn, I wish I was there.
So, we are at JFK and we said our goodbye. Hated it. Stood in line with the other cattle for TSA. Passed it and on to x-rays etc. Passed it and onto the gate. Passed that too and walked toward actual boarding of the plane. Big ruckus ahead. What's going on here? Turns out that they forced people to check in some carry ons. Oh oh...People were taking out what they needed out. Lots of yelling and confusion. Didn't stop - I belong here. Wasn't challenged. Boarded plane. The whole time, the only thing I could think about was that my sneakers and my Marathon Maniacs singlet were in my carry on. What the hell would I have done? Crazy, right?
Anyway, went to packet pickup. Cool. Stood in line and got all my stuff. I ended up buying the VIP package. Tent with food both pre and post race and climate controlled. I was about to leave and Adi (Niece) aske me if I have my bib, she wanted to know what area I need to go to. Looked and couldn't find the bib. Or the chip. Or my 42.2 Club sticker (26.2 Miles = 42.2 Kilometers). That's twice Adi saved me today. She also made sure I brought my Passport because that's how I registered with.
Now, being the flirtatious and talkative ass that I am, I knew I made an impression on the volunteer who handed me my packet and all. Still, I got there and told her that I didn't get my bib and chip. She said, "Can't be". I told her it is so and can she please check. She kept saying that it can't be and that I need to go to the help table. I kept asking her to check. She wasn't happy about it and pretty adamant about it not being possible. Hm... I asked her to check again. She wasn't happy about it but she checked the computer and told me that according to it, I already got it. I told her that she didn't give it to me and she asked if I was there with her. What?!? Finally she aggreed to check and guess what? She had it. She forgot to give it to me. Really???
Adi commented later that she was stupid. I told her that she wasn't stupid for being so adamant but rather that she told me that the computer said I got it when she herself put it in the computer that I got it even tho she never gave it to me. Annoying. Still, if work wasn't screwed up, I would really laugh right now except that it's around 1:30 in the morning here and I am still working. Still, got my packet and that's what is important.
On the other hand, supposedly it's real close to the start line. Walk to the end of the block, make a left and keep going straight.. We shall see.
S0, I checked into the Gilgal hotel. Small room. Supposed to be 3 stars but clearly, the stars we have in the U.S are different than the stars there are in Israel or in English: I'm used to something else!
Once again a brief history lesson... Rockets have fallen in Israel during it's lifetime and so, every building has a "miklat" or an underground shelter. Furthermore, each apartment usually also has a room that they have made ready in case of a gas attack. I didn't know this but I guess hotels that don't have such a shelter, instead set up each room to be gas attack proof. I get in the room, and there's a door to the bathroom. Cool. Indoor plumbing is mandatory. Next there is a door(?) to the bedroom. This is a heavy door with a rubber seal. Visualize a panic room... Instead of a Queen size bed, there are 2 twins pushed together.
I very happy to see that the hotel knew that we were "springing ahead 1 hour" but the sign they had alarmed me greatly. They had a sign that said: "We are changing the clock this night. That means that 00:00 PM will become 01:00 AM". OOPS!!! First of all, the clock changes at 2am not midnight and secondly, midnight is 00:00 AM not PM! Oi. Still, set up a wake up call for 3am. Dalit, my oldest sister, also said she would set up an alarm for 3 and that if she hears it she would call me. Also, set up the iphone alarm and hoped the clock would change automatically. No alarm clock in the room. Argh...
Next, before eating dinner, I wanted to plug the laptop in but oops, couldn't find an outlet. Had to move the furniture around to get to it. Geez.
I'm working on laptop when power goes out. Call the front desk and while talking to them, the light comes back on. Good too because he wanted me to check the fuse box in the room.
Said good night to my girls and went to sleep excited that tomorrow after the Marathon I would see Jeremy. Missed him more than I thought I would.
With the clock change, I ended up going to sleep at the new 11pm. Four hours of sleep is ok.
Woke up at 2:56. Cool. Stayed in bed but turned the light on. Iphone alarm went off and I immediatly shut the rooster off. While I was waiting for the wake up call, Dalit called. I think she was washing dishes or something. Next a text message from the middle sister, Yael. Cool - everyone's thinking about me. Texted my girls too. Meanwhile, I'm dying to go to the bathroom but the wake up call still has not come in and I just knew that as soon as I would go to the bathroom, the phone would go off and I didn't want to wake up the whole floor. At 3:10, the phone rings. The following conversation was unbelievable.
Phone rings... Elik: Hello? Hotel: Did you ask for a taxi? Elik: No...But I did ask for a wakeup call... Hotel: Did you get it? Elik: No... Hotel: Are you awake? Elik: Yes... Hotel: OK...Good. Elik: Staring at the phone in complete suprise as phone disconnects.
Unbelievable, right? Whatever...Can't think about that now. Gotta move forward. Start getting ready. Do my thing. At 4:30, I decide to take a shower. I want a nice Hollywood shower: long and hot. Put the hot water on and it's cold. OK...Patience...I wait and wait and wait and only cold water. Damn it...I call the front desk. Another unbelievable conversation...
Phone rings Hotel: Hello? Elik: Hey. I want to take a hot shower and there is no hot water. Hotel: That's not good. Elik: I'm running a Marathon today and I would like to take a hot shower afterwards. Will it be fixed? Hotel: One can only hope... Elik: Staring at the phone in complete suprise as I said goodbye.
Can't think about this garbage. Move forward constantly.
I'm ready. It's about a 15 minute walk to race start. It's 6am and the race starts at 6:45. Time to book.
It's chilly. I'm wearing shorts, sleevies, long sleeve shirt, my Marathon Maniacs singlet, light gloves and my sweater jacket. Figured I would check it in. Took a bag to put it in and started walking.
Get there about 6:20 and get in line for porta-potties. No line - cool. From there to bag check. Couldn't find the VIP tent but who cares.
Get to bag check. They are giving out bags. Put my bag into the garbage bag they gave and hand it in. Marathoners get this service for free. Shorter distances get to pay 20 Sheckels. Stupid but whatever...
Last pee and go stand in start corrals. This day there are over 25,000 particpiants. Approx 1,700 for Marathon. The rest divided into the half-marathon, 10K, 10% (4.2K), roller bladers and kids races.
Wheel chair athletes and roller bladers first followed by professionals and the fast Marathoners. I'm with the slow marathoners which is cool. That's where I belong.
Mayor of the city speaks and we start. It's getting warmer but there's a wind. It's on/off colder/warmer. Gloves go off. Sleevies go up and sleevies come down.
Supposed to be a flat course but it isn't. It's not a hilly course but there are some climbs.
Run and run. Check out the views. Nice.
At one point I hear, "A Marathon Maniac - I know them", in English. Hm...Spoke to the guy. Nice guy. Told him there is another MM out here. Who he asks? I say "Tomer" to which he replies "Ben Yiar"? What? Turns out he knows him. Met him online through Facebook and in person a few weeks ago during the Jerusalem Marathon. Nice. The guy is wearing a baloon hat and as we run and speak he is pulling out balloons and pumps them up with a balloon. Then, he is making baloon shapes. At one point, I let them go. Too fast for me. I know they are fine because I suddenly see a girl with a dog balloon. The one he just made. The next kid I see is brandishing a sword baloon. A little later and again another kid with a balloon. Cool. Oh yeah, dude's name is Avraham and he is escorting a first time Marathoner.
We take a turn and suddenly join the half-marathoners. Suddenly we are together with thousands of people with fresh legs and they are flying. Scary. Area seems familiar too so I am scanning people's bibs. I DON'T want to do parts of the course over and over.
Get to the halfway mark still feeling good. Sub 2 heading for a sub 4. Nice.
Then, the other shoe dropped. Started feeling no so strong. Head wasn't there. The 4:00 pacer passed and I did what I can to hang on but couldn't Had to walk a little. I knew Gil (brother in law) and Lior (niece) would try to meet me at 30Kwith a can of coke but man, I could have used them earlier. Finally got to them. Recognized them before they saw me. That can felt good...Woke up. Head felt better. Started running well again but it eventually it wore off. Gil rode off to get another can and that helped as well.
Still, legs started feeling weird. They constantly felt like they were just about to cramp up. They didn't cramp up but sure felt like they would. Had to stretch my calves every so often. Never happened to me before...
Calves getting worse and worse but didn't cramp thank God.
Heading closer and closer. The 4:15 pacer passes. Yuck. They were giving chocolate out and I grabbed a piece. Headed down a hill we had to climb earlier and the wind is in our face. Argh...
Last 2K or so and Gil gets of the bike and runs with me and bike. Normally, I would take off but couldn't. Kept looking for finish line to really help push me but couldn't see it. Knew it was coming. Tried to push but the threat of cramp became bigger and bigger. Saw it and got passed by a guy. No good. Pushed hard and calves rebelled. Stretched them and chased the guy. Passed him and didn't dare stop. Heard my name and finished at 4:19 unofficial.
So I finished and time passed and I have reflected a lot about this. I met my usual 3 (minimum) goals: 1) I finished 2) Had fun 3) no injuries. Did I PR? No. Am I ok with that? Yes. I'm not thrilled by it but such is life. I was really hoping to PR. That is definitly true. I would have liked to have had a better showing in front of my brother in law and my niece but that didn't happen either. I got my 2nd continent tho. It was an unique opportunity that not many people get. The stars really aligned here for me and I should be grateful for that. I was hoping to somehow squeeze Greece into there as well but it didn't happen and that's ok.
What went wrong? Nothing. Nothing went wrong. It's just a case of things not going exactly right which is not the same thing. I'm not trying to be silly here. There is a difference. I think a few things contributed to it. I didn't like the weather. Cold in shade - hot in sun. Couldn't get the hang of it. Same thing happened in South Carolina but I managed to distract myself there. We had wind in our face for most of the race. Don't care for it. Everything was in K's as opposed to miles. For some reason, I got it in my head that the race course is flat and therefore PRable. Was it extremly hilly? No. Was it flat? No. Lots of hills (not huge) and turns into hills. When the 4:00 pacer passed me, he killed me mentally. I also refused to try during the race, their equivalent of gatorade/poweraide. Nothing new during race. STUPID!!! I should have tried it pre-race and therefore perhaps drank it. Maybe it would have helped. I'm glad I didn't just try it during race but it was stupid of me not to have tried it pre-race. All these things are stupid I know. Bottom line is there were a lot of stupid silly things that shouldn't have mattered, yet did. I guess also working at night instead of resting didn't help. It is what it is. Live and learn and SHUT UP!
Now for some more silliness.
So, I passed the finish line and grabbed water. Looked for the medal and couldn't find anyone passing them out. Didn't see food either. Asked and they told me to go over there for medal and food. When I got "there" and didn't find any, they told me to go back. I did. Nothing. Asked and they sent me back who sent me back. After a few of these, I was getting irritated. I was dehydrated and without food. All I had was 2 cokes and a small piece of chocolate and some pita chips that I brought with me. There weren't any bagels or fruit. Nothing I could see. Later I saw yogurt and beer. I don't drink beer and didn't want to mess with yogurt. The VIP tent you ask? Still didn't see it. In fact, I never did. Big waste of $$ that whole VIP package.
So, I am a little out of it and no food and can't find the damn medal. Getting pissed. Muttered "this is crazy" in hebrew. Someone heard me and said "I just did another 42.2 just looking for the damn medal". Had to laugh (or cry) about that one. Finally found a medal and Gil and Lior and headed to the memorabilia tent.
I never get a framed picture. They are usually so expensive but this one with the Dollar to Sheckel was pretty cheap and lets face it: ISRAEL baby...
Stood in line and finally the guy behind the desk tells me that I first have to get my picture taken over there. Oi...Get out and go get my picture taken with Gil and Lior. Hey, they were there too!
Go back to the memorabilia tent, stand in line only to find out that I have to bring my picture with me. Oi...I thought it would just go to their computer. Back to the picture place. Sweet talked the girl to print 2 pictures: One for the Israelli folks and the other for me. Nice.
Gil and Lior leave. They were great but theu have to go.
Go back to the memorabilia tent, stand in line. It's my turn. This cheerful guy takes the picture and informs me that the blue bibs (marathon) are gone. I am resigned that this day would just turn out the way it has.
He asks me what I want to do. I tell him to use the orange half-marathon bibs. Guy said "OK, let me find one". It pisses me off a little that they ran out of it but whatever. He comes back to me with one but another racer tries to cut me and tells the guy that here is his picture. The guy takes the picture and this is too much. I tell the guy that he should finish with me first. He says ok and looks for the racer to hand the picture back to. The racer disappeared and my guy doesn't know what to do. Trying to keep cool, I tell the guy "that's ok...Put the picture down, go ahead...put it down and deal with me".
He puts the picture down and says to me, "that the blue bibs (marathon) are gone and what do I want to do". Unbelievable. I say "OK, let's use the orange half-marathon bibs." He tells me he will go and find one. Oh my God...Didn't we do this already? Just gotta breathe and stay calm. He comes back and asks me for my name. I tell him "Hirsch" and he enters it into the computer. I assume it's because he is looking for my info. Suddenly he shows me a printout of an Orange half-marathon bib with just my last name on it. I tell him that I want my first and last names on it and he says to me that this is what I told him to do.
I tell him no, I said Hirsch because he was entering it into the computer. He says "fine. What do you want to do?" I tell him I want both names and he responds with "that the blue bibs (marathon) are gone and what do I want to do?" Very exasperated, I tell him again to use the Orange. Controlling my breathing and heart rate every step of the way here - I just want to scream.
He comes back and this time I tell him that I want both my names printed out. He does and tells me it will take 30 minutes to prepare. Jeez...Stick a picture and a bib into a frame takes 30 minutes but whatever.
Now, I look at my watch and freak out. Out of the 2 weekends that Jeremy is in Israel, the second one (this one) he gets to go to a host family. He is coming to stay ay my sister's house with his bestie Josh. The kicker? Their bus is dropping them off at the Railroad station at 1pm and I am hopelessly behind schedule. I see a girl with a cellphone and I ask her if I can use it. Try to call my sister but the call kept getting dropped. Nothing is working out here. Suddenly I hear my name being called. The frame is ready. Wow...Only took a few minutes as it should have. I say thanks and walk out. I look and the medal in the picture is small! It looks like the half-marathon medal. This can't be happening. I go back to the tent and use my Israelinness to cut the whole damn thing. I tell a girl they put the wrong medal and she tells me everyone is getting that. I assume they ran out of the big medals and am pissed but I realize there is no point in getting upset.
I'll just go get another big medal and swap it out myself. Sucks to take another medal. Maybe they will run out of them as well and I hate it when people do this but I do it.
Start walking to the hotel. Walk about a block and a half before I realize that oops....I forgot to get my bag from baggage check. Breathe...Go back to baggage check and it's a disaster. Normally, you have to show your bib and you only get yours. You can't pick up for someone else. What a disaster. It was over run with people who just pushed in.
The girl manning that area is on top of a table screaming "The guy who was looking for 1163. Your bag was just found...". This can't be. I hear someone screaming "my car keys...how am I going to get into my car?" and someone responds to her with "forget that, my house keys are gone... how will I get into my house?".
Breathe. I look for my bag and it's missing. Gone. My bag has my jacket in it. I only brought 1 jacket to Israel. My favorite jacket. It's an "and1" jacket. It's warm and soft and I know it's only $ 35 but I just spent $ 20 on it to fix the zipper. I love it that much...I mean who would spend that on a zipper when you could almost buy a new jacket, right?
I look around and can't find my bag. Even tho the bags are labeled with name and number it's a disaster. Turns out that in the chaos, people over ran the table and looked for their stuff. How? Simple. They poked a hole in the bag. Yes, they ripped the bag open. You know what happens when people rip the bag opens? Everything spills out. All the bags were ripped and their content on the floor. NICE! I walked around 10 times when I suddenly found my bag. How? Remember I put my bag into that skimpy garbage bag? Well, someone poked a whole into it and saw another bag and left it alone.
Got my stuff and started walking again. Tried to hitch hike but didn't happen. Got to the hotel. They assure me that the hot water situation was resolved but I am smarter. I don't strip yet...Turn the hot water on only to have cold water. ARGH!!!!! Call the front desk and 20 seconds later, someone is there and they deal with it.
Now, the plan was for me to take a taxi to my sisters house and from there to drive together back into Tel-Aviv to pick up the boys. Well, it's 12:33 and I still didn't shower. Change of plans. I will shower and change and take a taxi to the train station. My sister will meet me there.
Quick shower and I start walking looking for a taxi. Turns out I was walking away from the station but whatever. Adi, just then calls me up. At this point, I am still without food tho I do have another coke with me. I guess I was so out of it but she sorta understood what was going on. She told me to just stop walking and to wait there. She will call a cab for me but if I see one, I should just grab it. I do it and tell Adi to cancel the cab. Called up Dalit who tries to tell me what to say to the taxi. I was so out of it. She had to repeat it over and over. I tried to tell her to say it 1 word at a time so I can repeat it but she doesn't get me. Thank God the cab driver got it. We're on our way and he thinks we will get there approx 1:05. I'm upset. Completly overcome with emotion.
I just wanna be there by 1:00. I want to be there before my boy gets off the bus. I want him to see me before he gets off. My 1 goal and it's not gonna happen.
We get there and I jump out of the cab to my sister, very emotional asking her where they are. She is with Silkies parents. She tells me they just called and they are running a little late. They should be there by 1:20. I almost collapse. My whole day just caught up with me. The stress and emotion and no food/drink and I don't know what. I guess it's obvious because Silkies Dad says to me that we should go get food but I refuse. I know that as soon as I go they will show up and I can't have that. Well, their bus got there at 1:45. My stomach is cramping up and I am shaking a little every so often but can't let anyone see. I need to see my boy and I need to just sit and relax and I need to eat like a human being.
The eagle has landed and all is well. We get to my sister's house and offload and Lior joins us and we drive to get food and Ohad joins us and finally I have some food and it's 2:45. Long day. Later, we all take a long hour and half trek with the dog in the trails (up and down) and I am fine.
That night we have a family dinner and I decide to sleep in the hotel 1 more night. One night of going to sleep decently early with Air Conditioning and a huge bed. At 3am, the phone rings. My long lost wake up call. Cool. When I told my niece about this she was pissed. She wanted me to yell at the hotel and tell them to give me a discount but I tell her to relax...It's cool. I have no problem going right back to sleep and hey...it makes for a funny (now) story. Still, I laughed it off and went back to sleep.
Flight home was uneventful tho later I found out that Tomer was on my flight. I thought I saw him but wasn't sure and I don't know why I didn't say hi. Jeremy actually slept. First time for him but it was good to see him sleeping.
I did receive an email from the Marathon people apologizing for the baggage check disaster. Also, later I got a check from them for 20 Sheckels. It's about 5 bucks and only I can deposit it into my bank account which I don't have so it's not worth the time. I told my sister that if she can deposit it then it's hers and all I want if possible is for Adi to scan it and email it to me for a keepsake.