Once while on duty Sam Attard realised that he had to get fit. Then he started to jog. Then to run. Then to race. A commitment to become a marathoner followed. The week before the race with Greek origins he was being tormented by a Greek named injury: the Achilles heel. But that was just one hurdle which made the finishing line sweeter.
Sam, it’s now more than a week since you’ve done and finished the marathon, has it sunk in yet?
I’m still thinking and talking about it. I have been telling everyone, runners and not, about the experience and the feeling when touching the finish touchline. Thinking of being a marathoner, makes me happy.
I know that you had some problems in your legs in the week of the marathon. How much did they affect before and during the marathon?
Yes, eight days before the marathon I felt pain in my right Achilles. During this period I went to my physio four times and had to stop training for a whole week. At the start of the race, I felt the pain, but after covering ten kilometres I did not feel any further pain at all. However, I had to stop three times to stretch due to cramps.
Standing there at the starting line, what were your thoughts, and did you have any lingering doubts?
My thoughts were ‘Am I going to finish the race?’ I had my doubts not because I was not trained and mentally prepared for the race, but my concern was more about my Achilles injury. At the same time I was excited and trying to convince myself that I was going to do it.
How much did the first part of the marathon differ from the second part?
It’s not the same. I managed to run the first half of the marathon in 1 hour 34 minutes and the second part in 1 hour 40 minutes. After doing 30km, I had a feeling of discomfort in my legs and for this reason I lost precious time as I had to stop three times after the 25 kilometre mark. This was my first experience, so next time I will definitely try to keep my target pace.
Where there any particular moments of crisis during the whole route?
None at all. For most of the race I ran with Joe Farrugia. We pushed and encouraged each other all the way. At one time we were running with a group of foreigners amongst whom were a French , Spanish and German runner. The wind was no help at all but one need to get accustomed to the weather conditions.
You have done the Life Cycle before, which is another amazing feat. How does running a marathon compare to it?
I took part in the Life Cycle in 2006. We cycle toured from Norway to Sweden and down to Finland in ten days. In total we covered more than 2,200 kilometres. It was an unforgettable experience. Doing something for a good cause, makes you feel proud of what you are doing. Both the marathon and the life cycle need a lot of training and preparation. You have to be committed and dedicated. For the lifecycle you have to train for more hours. In fact because of work and other commitments, I used to train over eight hours during the night, going from Ċirkewwa to Marsaxlokk and back four or five times each time.
As for after-effects, how did the body react in the week after?
Four days after the marathon, my legs were still very stiff. I used to go for long walks and stretch twice daily for a whole week. By Friday I was tempted to go out for an easy jog but our coach advised otherwise so I had to wait for another four days. I was meant to do an easy 35 minute jog but unfortunately I had to stop after 15 minutes due to pain on the side of my left knee.
Finally, getting to the Sliema ferries, with the finishing line a few hundred metres away, how did the body and the soul react?
I reacted very well. I was lucky as I did not have cramps in the last 2KM. In fact I managed to increase my pace without any fatigue. In the last 500mtrs, I looked at my Garmin and realized that I could do it in under 3hrs 15m. I wanted to reach that target at all cost. When I reached the finish line, I was both relieved and satisfied. I felt like screaming ‘Yes I did it’.
The pre-marathon interview with Sam Attard can be found here.
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