After many years of mountain running almost the whole year, this year I wanted to try and go back to an "off-season" more road race oriented training. I made it through the long distance season without real injuries, just some sensitive tendons, but I can run, while taking care of that and working more on speed and also having the races last only 45 minutes for the 10k's and 1h30 for half marathon is also great for a change. I already have plans for the mountains for next year, but for now it will be "short" distance for some months.
The first 10k was in a town about 30 minutes from Barcelona (less in the very early sunday morning trafic), Sant Andreu de la Barca. I think some 10 years ago I already did a mountain run here, this time 10k on asphalt. I arrived nice and early and first picked by bib-number. I explored the area a bit and then around 8:30 am started my warmup and other race preparations. I have been ill for a week and only had 3 runs and a cross training session this week to get somewhat in shape again, but I knew I was far from ready to go hard. The plan was to follow the 45min pacer and see how far that would get me. After a nice performance of local drummers around 9:30 we were counted down and first had a very wide avenue to run on and get into a pace. The first 2k went by in exactly 4m30 pace and I felt quite ok. After the course had some 180 degree turns and some uphills that made maintaining that pace more difficult but at least up to 5k I was able to do so and I more or less passed in 22m30. The second round I could keep up with the pacer up to about the 7k marker, but from there on, on the uphills I had to be more conservative to not completely blow up and after a good last kilometer I finished in 45m30, which I was very happy with. I hope the coming weeks training will become better and the next 10k can already be just under 45m.
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