Cursa Jean Bouin - 10k

Nearly there!!! Once again a race with an uphill finish on the last 3 km, and in spite of the margin of the first 7k I did not break the 37m barrier yet, but still... very happy with yet another PB: 37m29!!!

This morning the start was at 9 a.m. so we had to get up early. We left nicely on time and around 8h30 I started to warm up. It was once again a very grey sunday morning and earlier it had rained, but with some luck we could run without more rain. In the days before the race I had some soreness at the back of my right knee, so I warmed up carefully and then entered my box. It was very crowded today and when we were shot away we started fast but carefully and in the first turn someone almost tripped, but luckily nothing happened. I missed the first kilometer mark so at the 2k mark I found out I ran rather fast passing just within 7 minutes. I maintained pace and passed the 3k in 10m40. I tried to find a comfortable pace but maybe because of the fast start I could not really settle for one. I was still feeling ok though when passing 4k in 14m20. Up to the half way mark was slightly downhill for a good part and I passed the 5k mark in a very fast time of 18m03, running almost at 36 minutes pace. I started to become tired and I don't remember the 6k time and missed the 7k mark and already on the uphill part of the Avinguda del Paral.lel and struggling I passed the 8k mark in 29m26, but like last week with some difficulty breathing and running at 4 minutes per kilometer pace without strength to push in the uphill to go faster. The 9k passed around 33m30 and I just maintained pace in the last uphill and when passing the Magic Fountain and going down I knew I would improve my PB for sure. When making the last turn I could see we just entered the 37 minutes and pushed to stay just under 37m30 seconds. On a more flat course I might be able to reach my goal of this running season!

Cursa Clot - Camp de l'Arpa - 10k

And we are back in the 37 minutes with a new PB!!! After a good week of training, eventhough the 10 times 500m series went ok but not really fast and easy, and an extra easy mountain run yesterday so less rest than ideal, today another 10k of the Barcelona 10k Challenge in Sant Marti, the fastest neighbourhood of Barcelona during the Correbarri a few weeks ago. This time we had to pick up our T-shirt and BIB number just before the race so I left home early on this very grey sunday morning.

With 45 minutes to go I started my warm up in Carrer de Rogent a street where no cars are allowed, so perfect to run up and down. About 10 minutes before the start I checked out the start area and ran up and down a while more and then entered the red box of the fastest runners of today's race. I talked a while to a runner from near Granollers, judging his T-shirt, Joan Alarcón, we both will run in the Jean Bouin race next week as well. Just before the start it starts to rain a little. Around 9h30 we were shot away with a really loud firecracker. People from behind sprinted away and so does Joan, but I was determined to run as regular as possible and quickly settle for a good pace and taking the curves on the outer side to avoid the crowd.

 on the left just behind the runner in a yellow t-shirt

 too fast for the camera

The first kilometer was more down than uphill and passed in 3m26, whereas the second was just the opposite and 7m20 was a very reasonable time. The third kilometer had some downhill and then we entered a long more flat street and I started to try and run as relaxed as possible maintaining pace and passing the 3k mark in 11m00. The fourth kilometer had a bridge in the middle but still went by very quickly in 14m30. At this point I ran together with two other runners and I try to keep up with them. The fifth kilometer also went by very quickly in 18m22 and I was starting to feel a bit tired but nothing compared to last week, so I continued and tried to keep my head clear and upright and maintain good running form.
With 6k in 22m10 I was still running well below the 37m30 schedule, but I knew the last kilometers involved quite some uphill so I could use this margin. I concentrated on maintaining pace while passing runners who struggled here like I did last week. I suppose I passed the 7k mark around 26m00 and soon we enter the finish area and with 8k in 29m50. I have plenty of time to finish under 38 minutes. Up to the nine kilometer mark is mainly uphill and I catchup with Joan, while I struggled with my breathing. During the race it started to rain more and more and between the effort and the humidity I guess something cramped up a bit. Joan has more breath left and pulls away again. With one more kilometer to go,. the ninth was the slowest, passing in 33m50, but I pushed without really sprinting to finish in 37m41!!! Regarding the course of today it seems that breaking the 37 minutes barrier might well be possible. Next week I will try in the Jean Bouin Race!

Cros de Sants - 10k

After a week of rest and only one training sessión we left home on a grey sunday morning for the next 10k in the Barcelona 10k series near the Barcelona Sants Railwaystation. The start was chaotic having to turn after 10 meters but soon we stretched out and around the first kilometer mark I could run at my own pace. I was still feeling tired because of the mountain marathon of last week and passing the first kilometer in 3m40 was quite ok. The second somehow went much too fast and I passed in 7m10 and then I settled for a better pace passing the 3k mark in 10m56. The 4k mark was in the finish area and I was starting to feel really tired already but with 14m46 was still maintaining pace.

 
And soon we entered the second round and I passed the halfway mark in 18m40. From then on I do my best to maintain pace, but I am too tired already to even remember the times. The last kilometer starts slightly uphill and I try to go faster without really sprinting but I cannot maintain such a high pace, so only when I turned up the last hundred meters to the finish line I sprinted to finish in 38m27s which is a pretty good time considering all circumstances!