26th of September 2026, the running heart shaped medal from the end of my fourth participation at the Run for Life charity event rests around my neck. Instantly, my mind goes back in time, with (almost) six years. When running became for me, I guess, mostly a source of fueling my heart, instead of a simple activity. I remember perfect the 18th of October 2020. It is a windy & rainy day in Budapest, the city in which I’ve spent most of the year, and I pick the chance to test my speed in NATO Run, a 10K popular running event.
Tihanyi and the running streak
It is my 214th consecutive running day, and I don’t have a specific plan. One day prior, I have competed in Tihanyi, a hilly 22K+ with some generous ascent, in special conditions. My name for the day is Fernanda, because I stalled my registration, and when I really concluded I want to go, everything was closed. I got lucky, in some ways, because the wife of a Brazilian runner who was also “confined” in Budapest, could not run. I discussed with the organizers, and took over the bib.
The running heart medal
At the end, I got a heart-shaped medal for completing the route. It is one of my dear memories from back then. Less than 24 hours apart, I start a 10K race, where I don’t know what to expect exactly. I mean, my PB is set at 42:24 somewhere in January, and now… Maybe an under 42 minutes, would be a bold goal? I aim for that, and alongside Laszlo, we make a strategy to start as such. In my feet, there are my infamous beaten shoes I wrote about here, and which carried already more than 6,000 kilometers.
So much for a 4:15 strategy, why not go 3:45?!
It is no joke, my strategy in 2020 was to test how important shoes can be when you are running. As a fast forward conclusion, they are important, but not as important as you might think! Anyway, with a strategy in place, I am trying to fight the cold, and so off we go! We discuss to keep a pace of around 4:10 – 4:15 / kilometer for the first part, not to get wasted. The thing is that the race is downhill, and I see my watch showing a ridiculous 3:45 for the first kilometer. Even so, my companion is nowhere to be seen.
Running 10K under 41 minutes, out of nowhere
The start is brutal, too fast, but it works. I catch up with him after 5K, thanks to my broader experience – off the topic, meanwhile, Laszlo proved to be much faster on this kind of distances – and the propulsion from the beginning pushed me for a very strong finish: 40:52! It remains, as of today my second all time 10K! Six years later, I still remember that achievement, and I am proud of it. It remains a perfect weekend, with two good races.
Six years later, another running heart shaped medal!
Now, speaking about heart-shaped medal, the Run for Life 2026 finisher reward reminded me of the moment. This is because on the very next day, 27th of September, that is, I am subscribed to another 10K. I feel nervous, I am not sure I can manage it properly, but I travel with my thoughts six years back in time, and remember how great I performed back then. “Crosul Arenelor” was a race at which I took the start in 2023 as well. The year in which I had, maybe, the form of my running life.
Snagov is not really a forest, and you need to protect your feet
For this time, I am afraid not to slip away from my classic 40 – 42 range, so I remember the 18th of October 2020. Now, it is not rainy, but sunny. Indeed, it is not hot, and there is a lot of shade, so conditions are perfect to do a great race. My muscles are good after the brutal 22 kilometers thru Snagov forest, which actually it is not a forest. It is rather an abandoned field, with 80% weeds, 20% trees and 100% smell of animal shit, and car tracks which make in particular the path hard to run on. Then, needed to protect my ankles as much as possible.
4:06 / kilometer start
But so I did, and laced up my adizero Adios Pro 4 this time, and hope for the best. First kilometers go on very well, and with an average of 4:06 / kilometer, I am confident, once more, I can go under 42:00 minutes. A very daring objective, given the situation. The conditions to run a great race are unique, and I enjoy every one of them. I know I can’t speed to much more, but thinking I might keep this up fuels my brain with more hope, maybe to replicate the finish from Budapest.
Out of range, but still a good time in spite my initial “fear”
Unfortunately, the final clock showed 42:14 for me, which is not bad, but for sure is at least 15 seconds short comparing to what I hoped for. Maybe it would have been easier to get the time if I wouldn’t have run 22 the day before on a rugged terrain, but I can’t use this excuse, given my status from 2020. And neither do I wish to. It is not the second time I am doing this. I did dozens of full weekend races. A thing which, of course, I don’t recommend.
You can’t grip on time, but you can replicate memories
Now, the situation was different, because it reminded so much about Hungary. I am nostalgic, for sure. As past slips by, you are trying to grip it more and more, and the only way possible is with words, with thoughts, with memories. There is no physical option to do that. Only replicas of the moment, such was the 26-27th of September 2026 weekend. Maybe this temporal grips are the ones who fuel our whole life, regardless if they are about running, or something else.
Running heart, and lucky number 42!
For me, autumn was the main bound, the bridge between moments. As said, from a physical perspective, I would never recommend somebody to try and run two races in this combination in two days. But then again, from a emotional perspective, they can be special. Plus, for me, another marathon is on the way shortly, and I need to be prepared. Running the 10K in 42:14 proves once more that I really should accept 42 of my running number. Rush, but beautiful at the same time!
