Public holiday across Germany today for Pfingstmontag/Whit Monday.
Up and down hill race, "Um den Altenberg" the top was at the 5k point with 115m/380ft of ascent, then it was downhill until the 8k point where there was a short steep climb of 30m/100ft of ascent, then downhill again to the finish.
Race time was at 9am, warm and sunny conditions with temps about 22C/71F.
My aim for this race was to improve my time from last year which was 38:44 and hopefully place in my AK.
From the start the course wound it’s way upwards through the town, then steeper through the vineyards to reach the wooded crest of the hill. I was initially about 10th, then upwards I bled about 4 places and I felt I was struggling and I concluded I has having a bad day race. I reached the 5k point at the top in 20:02, concentrated then on reeling the group of 4 runners in that had overtook me. My downhill form felt much better today and I gained ground downhill for a change and was alongside them. We hit the steep climb at the 8k point, here a little crowd had formed to see us suffer, lots of noise from big Alpine cow bells and the crow scarers rattles. I’d overtook a couple of the runners but then I started to heave at the crest of the short climb and I had to slow down. I lost my couple of places again, recovered and then furiously chased them down to the finish line. I was desperately thinking I was slower than last year, I’d miscalculated the timing from the last km marker so I was really chuffed when I crossed the finish line to see I’d actually PR’d and finally gone sub 38, & I’d ran the 2nd 5k in 17:42.
Lesson learnt – what you think is a poor position doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a bad race, and keep plugging away right to the end, things might be better than you think. | 