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!