I have been running and training all these months, but not comfortable enough still in my hip and biceps femoral to run a real race. Today "La Cursa del Corte Inglés" was on our schedule, a popular race that since quite some years now I run with Jordi and/or Emma. This time with Jordi only, since Emma is preparing for exams at the university.
The race organizers already warned that it might rain so we went well prepared this unusually cold and grey sunday morning. Only minuts before the start at 9 o'clock it started to rain seriously indeed, so we quickly put on rain-coats. With all the ultra running I am very comfortable with a running backpack, and those days that is very handy.
The race was celebrating it's 40th edition and they had handed out balloons and red clowns noses in relation with the various NGOs they are supporting. When passing the start line we release our gas-filled balloons and some time after that we take of the red clowns noses which is somewhat uncomfortable to run with.
We settle for a 5 min/km pace and it is starting to rain harder and
harder. Barcelona is built on hilly terrain and soon there is water
streaming everywhere, but the runners cheer eachother on and run along
with a smile.
In the Olympic Stadium at Montjuic
Cold, windy, rainy and only 100 meters to go!!!
After some three kilometers Jordi starts to have knee pain. This happens to him from time to time and from then on we alternate running with walking all the way to the finish, ofcourse much slower than last year, but still great to have done it again and 1h13m13s is still quite a good time. The finish-foto was made by Montse who had been enduring cold, wind and rain for over half an hour to wait for us!!!! Thanks a lot!!!!
