Friday, 12 June 2015
Cursa dels Bombers - 10k
Running at night. Very warm. 40m14 unofficial time. Hopefully better next time.
Sunday, 31 May 2015
Cursa DIR - 10k
Two weeks of recuparation and finally better feelings when running. Ofcourse the lack of speed training makes good times hard to accomplish, but running without fear for recurring injury is a big change.
Todays race started early at 8h30 am, which was good, since it was going to be a warm and sunny day and this way we avoided excessive heat and associated problems. Eventhough the start area is not very near where we live I went there running at easy pace to warm up. I dropped my bag and did some more warmup exercises and then entered my box at the start. At the sounds of Thunder by AC/DC we were counted down and shot away.
39m04
Todays race started early at 8h30 am, which was good, since it was going to be a warm and sunny day and this way we avoided excessive heat and associated problems. Eventhough the start area is not very near where we live I went there running at easy pace to warm up. I dropped my bag and did some more warmup exercises and then entered my box at the start. At the sounds of Thunder by AC/DC we were counted down and shot away.
39m04
Sunday, 17 May 2015
Cursa de Nou Barris - 10k + 1k
Still bothered by my soleus injury today was a test run to see if the muscle/tendon could withstand 40 minutes of continuous load. I lost condition but at least the injury is now back to sensitive but no longer painful. Two more easy weeks with short runs and strenghtening excersises for the lower legs hopefully will make the next 10k more fun. Considering the hilly course of this race finishing in 41m21 was not bad at all.
Yesterday Jordi ran a 1k at the track of the athletic club Nou Barris. He finished in 4m02 in 13th place. This was his first experience doing a full track event.
Yesterday Jordi ran a 1k at the track of the athletic club Nou Barris. He finished in 4m02 in 13th place. This was his first experience doing a full track event.
Sunday, 12 April 2015
Cursa del Corte Inglés - 10k
Time to run again!! After recovering from the marathon and still struggling with some small aches that I somehow picked up in the weeks after, today it was a family outing in the most attended popular run in Barcelona, La Cursa del Corte Inglés, which is free and is a tradition for many many people. And since we all went with a yellow chip for the timing I can already proudly post the following image:
We arrived nicely on time at the start area and did a little warmup while waiting for the start at 9h30. It took a while to get moving since we were not upfront, but at least there was no pushing and we could start our slalom through the masses without any problem. Untill the 4th kilometer we were continously avoiding people that walked, in this massive popular run many people do not start at the startline but at some point further ahead in the course, in spite of the efforts of the organization to avoid this people continue doing so. During the first climb this is quickly sorted out and on top we have the first water-station where we take 2 bottles each, since it was really warm. We are running just above 5m30 per k pace, quite fast, and in the next more steeper climb just before entering the Olympic Stadium we slow down. Jordi is tired of the 2 climbs so we take it easy. I sprint ahead to make som pictures here.
At the second aid-station once again we take a lot of water on board and then start the long downhill back to the city centre. Jordi tells me he his right shoe is shaving on his big toe, but he does not want to slow down too much. We pass the 10k marker under the hour in 57m27!!! And from there we just roll on to the finish, we knew for quite a while that doing the whole race under an hour was not possible today, so we took it easy. Montse was waiting for us near Plaça Catalunya and made pictures from us.
Emma had started later and took it more easy. She did not have her day she said and took it easy.
We ran in pairs, Jordi with me and Emma with a friend and eventhough the weatherforecast said cloudy in the end it was rather warm, which on this course with two climbs in it makes running quite a different experience.
We arrived nicely on time at the start area and did a little warmup while waiting for the start at 9h30. It took a while to get moving since we were not upfront, but at least there was no pushing and we could start our slalom through the masses without any problem. Untill the 4th kilometer we were continously avoiding people that walked, in this massive popular run many people do not start at the startline but at some point further ahead in the course, in spite of the efforts of the organization to avoid this people continue doing so. During the first climb this is quickly sorted out and on top we have the first water-station where we take 2 bottles each, since it was really warm. We are running just above 5m30 per k pace, quite fast, and in the next more steeper climb just before entering the Olympic Stadium we slow down. Jordi is tired of the 2 climbs so we take it easy. I sprint ahead to make som pictures here.
At the second aid-station once again we take a lot of water on board and then start the long downhill back to the city centre. Jordi tells me he his right shoe is shaving on his big toe, but he does not want to slow down too much. We pass the 10k marker under the hour in 57m27!!! And from there we just roll on to the finish, we knew for quite a while that doing the whole race under an hour was not possible today, so we took it easy. Montse was waiting for us near Plaça Catalunya and made pictures from us.
Emma had started later and took it more easy. She did not have her day she said and took it easy.
Jordi afterwards is really happy with how he ran but is also tired and while have sore muscles tomorrow. Back to training, slowly gearing up for the mountain season.
Sunday, 15 March 2015
Barcelona Marathon - 42k195m
YESSS!!!!! 2h59m34s!!!! I broke the 3 hour limit for a second time!!! And judging the road to get there I am very very happy with it!!! :D
The road to my 8th marathon once again was not smooth. From time to time I have skipped training sessions because of work or because of being very tired and the third week before the start I catched a severe cold and could not train for a full week and the two weeks after I was away from home for work, what also means less optimal training. In the last two weeks I did what I could, but this morning my legswhere not as rested and relaxed as I would have liked. So around 7:45 am I arrived in the start area and saw that there were still many many people waiting outside. I don't know why, but the guard-robe issue this year was a complete chaos and as such took my way longer than expected. I no longer had time for a warm up and entered my box and started to run circles there to at least get the blood and heart moving a bit. Yesterday we had very heavy rainstorms in Barcelona, so it was almost incredible to start the day with a perfectly blue sky and a nice cold temperature, which is perfect for running. Around 8:30 we were shot away and I just settled into an easy pace. Much to my surprise that turned out to be 4m08 for the first k and even a bit faster over the second and onto the 5k mark I could easily maintain that pace. The road to the 10k mark is more downhill than uphill so the second 5k went even faster and I passed the first 10k in 40 minutes!! I hoped to be able to maintain the splits for a 2h55m finish as long as possible, but this was easy and way faster. Soon after I had to tie my shoelaces that somehow came loose and from 12k onwards I felt uneasy and struggling a bit, eventhough my pace was still quite good. From 14k to 15k we climbed up along Passeig de Gracia. I slowed down here knowing that that hill can take a lot of gas out of you if you don't do so and after I picked up pace again, though untill the half marathon mark I did not find a good regular pace again and just pushed along while the kilometers passed.
Half way through I was still running well below the 2h55m schedule and untill the 30k mark I was running well with some aches here and there but with a good stride and breathing easily. At the 30k mark I knew I had a chance of going under 3 hours for the second time in my life. The kilometers onto 35k were harder and slow, but I tried to keep running in good form, drinking water and I flushed down the last of 6 energy gels and would not take anything more untill the finish. Seven more kilometers to go and I was running just above the 2h55m schedule now, but as long as I could stay under 5 minutes for each kilometer I could finish under 3 hours. I passed the 40 mark with 10 minutes and 20 seconds left for 2 kilometers and 195 meters. Two long kilometers that go uphill but now it was time to push without breaking down and maintain the pace well under 5 minutes. When I arrived at the last turn I knew I made it. Somewhere halfway the sprint to the finish I hear Montse shouting and wave to her and Jordi who cheer me on for the last meters. 2h59m35s!!! And with room for improvement but for years I tried to at least break 3 hours again so very happy to have done so!!
My split times, for those who like numbers and statistics:
The road to my 8th marathon once again was not smooth. From time to time I have skipped training sessions because of work or because of being very tired and the third week before the start I catched a severe cold and could not train for a full week and the two weeks after I was away from home for work, what also means less optimal training. In the last two weeks I did what I could, but this morning my legswhere not as rested and relaxed as I would have liked. So around 7:45 am I arrived in the start area and saw that there were still many many people waiting outside. I don't know why, but the guard-robe issue this year was a complete chaos and as such took my way longer than expected. I no longer had time for a warm up and entered my box and started to run circles there to at least get the blood and heart moving a bit. Yesterday we had very heavy rainstorms in Barcelona, so it was almost incredible to start the day with a perfectly blue sky and a nice cold temperature, which is perfect for running. Around 8:30 we were shot away and I just settled into an easy pace. Much to my surprise that turned out to be 4m08 for the first k and even a bit faster over the second and onto the 5k mark I could easily maintain that pace. The road to the 10k mark is more downhill than uphill so the second 5k went even faster and I passed the first 10k in 40 minutes!! I hoped to be able to maintain the splits for a 2h55m finish as long as possible, but this was easy and way faster. Soon after I had to tie my shoelaces that somehow came loose and from 12k onwards I felt uneasy and struggling a bit, eventhough my pace was still quite good. From 14k to 15k we climbed up along Passeig de Gracia. I slowed down here knowing that that hill can take a lot of gas out of you if you don't do so and after I picked up pace again, though untill the half marathon mark I did not find a good regular pace again and just pushed along while the kilometers passed.
Half way through I was still running well below the 2h55m schedule and untill the 30k mark I was running well with some aches here and there but with a good stride and breathing easily. At the 30k mark I knew I had a chance of going under 3 hours for the second time in my life. The kilometers onto 35k were harder and slow, but I tried to keep running in good form, drinking water and I flushed down the last of 6 energy gels and would not take anything more untill the finish. Seven more kilometers to go and I was running just above the 2h55m schedule now, but as long as I could stay under 5 minutes for each kilometer I could finish under 3 hours. I passed the 40 mark with 10 minutes and 20 seconds left for 2 kilometers and 195 meters. Two long kilometers that go uphill but now it was time to push without breaking down and maintain the pace well under 5 minutes. When I arrived at the last turn I knew I made it. Somewhere halfway the sprint to the finish I hear Montse shouting and wave to her and Jordi who cheer me on for the last meters. 2h59m35s!!! And with room for improvement but for years I tried to at least break 3 hours again so very happy to have done so!!
My split times, for those who like numbers and statistics:
| Time | 5k split | 10k split | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:20:13 | |||
| 0:40:01 | 19:48 | 40:01 | |
| 1:00:39 | 20:38 | ||
| 1:21:52 | 21:13 | 41:51 | |
| 1:42:58 | 21:06 | ||
| 2:04:07 | 21:09 | 42:15 | |
| 2:27:18 | 23:11 | ||
| 2:49:40 | 22:22 | 45:33 |
Sunday, 18 January 2015
Cursa de Sant Antoni - 1 mile
While I make good progress with training for the marathon of Barcelona in March, today it was Jordi's turn again. This time to run a mile in the centre of Barcelona.
The start time was just after 11 o'clock, so after an easy start this sunday morning we went down to the start area and waited for Jordi's turn to run. He had a good start and finished around 7m18, breathing hard but happy with how his race went. This times I failed as camera man, but luckily Montse made some nice pictures!!!
The start time was just after 11 o'clock, so after an easy start this sunday morning we went down to the start area and waited for Jordi's turn to run. He had a good start and finished around 7m18, breathing hard but happy with how his race went. This times I failed as camera man, but luckily Montse made some nice pictures!!!
Sunday, 21 December 2014
Cursa de l'Hospitalet - 1k
While I am training for the marathon of Barcelona next March today another race for Jordi. This time only 1k, so almost a sprint.
It was a beautiful day, but also according the season the just started, a winter day, with wind and low temperature. We went early, dressed warmly and spent a while walking around in and near the athletics stadium. Just before 10 o'clock the kids huddled up near the start, jumping around to stay warm. It shows Jordi has experience with those events now. He no longer is nervous and always finds a place at the front row. His start was good. He was running with older kids today and quite a few of athletics clubs but he was in the front pack.
Before the start we talked about finishing, and today Jordi would try to finish hard. Ofcourse it helped he could go head to head with another kids while sprinting to the finish line in a very determined way.
One kilometer in 4m13s. Tired and satisfied! More next year.
It was a beautiful day, but also according the season the just started, a winter day, with wind and low temperature. We went early, dressed warmly and spent a while walking around in and near the athletics stadium. Just before 10 o'clock the kids huddled up near the start, jumping around to stay warm. It shows Jordi has experience with those events now. He no longer is nervous and always finds a place at the front row. His start was good. He was running with older kids today and quite a few of athletics clubs but he was in the front pack.
Before the start we talked about finishing, and today Jordi would try to finish hard. Ofcourse it helped he could go head to head with another kids while sprinting to the finish line in a very determined way.
One kilometer in 4m13s. Tired and satisfied! More next year.
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