From the last issue of “Smart Running”, Boston Running Center’s newsletter:

Marathon World Record goes under 2:04!

Last Sunday, Sept 28th, Ethiopian Haile Gebreselassie broke his own world record in the marathon with a 2:03:59 in the Berlin Marathon.

The lead group came through the half at 1:02:04, with Haile running a negative split for the second half - 1:01:55.

The break down….
Pace per mile:
4 minutes and 45 seconds

Which is equivalent to a:
5k time of 14:46 5k
a 10k time of 29:31 10k
and 71 second per 1/4 mile

Which is equivalent to:
insanity

It’s been five weeks since my last post, and it feels like it was a year ago. It was one of those periods full of stuff —mostly good stuff, I must say. Not a chance to get bored in the last five weeks. My stomach (and Olesya’s I guess) have been the parameter of our stress, excitement, readiness (and lack of it). Big exams, big interviews, big tasks, and big number of day-to-day responsibilities.

I haven’t said much with all these words, I guess, they’re too abstract. The bottom line is: It’s been five unusual, exciting, challenging weeks, and we made it, and we are better off —and tired; and trying to get back to normal.