So, I’ve made #TokyoMarathon2023 today.
All goddamn 42 195m. However, not in #Tokyo, but from #Borodianka through #Irpin and #Bucha to #Kyiv.
Danger: long 🧵 ahead.
Why. Bcoz we have to be ready for #marathon in this war, in UZ, in our lives.
It was my 2nd marathon (1st one was @nycmarathon in 2019).
Today I had 3 goals:
1. Not to die - ✔️
2. Not to stop - ✔️
3. Run in <5h - ✔️
My result today is worse than 1st one, but I'm fine with it.
I've started training exactly one month ago. On 5th of Feb. My trainer Alexander Kuzin drafted my training plan right on the napkin. 4 weeks, 3 trainings a week.
I've accomplished my training plan on schedule :), without a single cancellation or deviation. Had to train early enough, to be in my office by the beginning of business day. But I've seen so many sunrises!
The route I've chosen reminded me again how suffering is my country now. #Borodianka, #Irpin, #Bucha - all these towns were hardly damaged by #russians. And it still hurts.
Although I saw reconstruction everywhere. Even on Sunday morning. And how happy I was seeing that our good friend and frequent passenger #HowardBuffet is working on reconstruction in #Bucha.
And road construction team already working on early Sunday morning! Our VPM @OlKubrakov done great job when he built strong team in state road agency. It works!
It was painful to see “danger landmines” signs still on the roadside. This problem will be with us for quite long.
I've seen so many cats on my way! Domestic and stray. But I was so clumsy with photographing them for my bro @natemook that you hardly notice them on the pictures. Sorry, Nate, I did my best to report you that all of them are fine. I've properly caught only one - on the board :)
When I was tired, I thought about our soldiers, fighting there today. And about railwaymen, working across the whole country day and night. And that gave me the power to #KeepRunning.
I've seen dozens of our anti-tank hedgehogs on several block posts on my way. Those moments I felt proud that we produced 10k of them in the first days of the war to protect our cities. No photos because the war is still here.
You've probably heard that after 30th km you face a wall in #marathon run. It becomes so hard to move on. So I faced it as well. But that's where I've seen our honorable passenger President Biden @POTUS. And I had to #KeepRunning, otherwise @Pertsovskyi_O would never forgive me.
I'm grateful to my trainer Alexander Kuzin and my team. Would never do it without them.
Btw, we got great trains running daily from #Borodianka to #Kyiv. That's part of our #KyivCityExpress initiative. Running took me 4:40. Train would get me in 1:05. Travel by trains. That's faster and more comfortable :)
Got two questions to #TokyoMarathon2023 team:
1. Is there any chance for me to get the official finisher medal? :)
2. Maybe you can be so kind and let me transfer my current registration for the next run?
Would be so happy if it happens!
I've got my registration for #TokyoMarathon2023 before the war. I knew I can't leave my country to make it in Tokyo during the war. But I want to live at full even during the war. And that's my way how I do it.
Ukrainians are brave and resilient. We will #KeepRunning.
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