by “These keys should go crazy …?”
While I approached a runner, everything I heard, apart from the snap of carbon shoes around me, was the clicking of his keys.
‘What?!’ The runner tells me, breathless, with the kind of look I reserve for my children when they ask for a snack, five minutes after barely touched their dinner.
I think I caught it at the wrong time.
We were about four miles from the start of the ten -thousand of Reedham and I do not think that my attempt to bring a little light joke to the debates went very well.
Or maybe his keys made him really crazy? Who knows?
I did not wait for it to know, but the exchange has shown that my own race was going pretty well.
When I approach my limit, I can barely chain two or three words, but I was running at a rate of about 6 minutes 40 and I felt in control – at ease would be to push it, but certainly a little in myself.
Earlier in the week, I had tried a race at this pace on four miles and I thought my lungs were going out of my chest at the end.
Sometimes I just need the additional spice of a race to bring out a little more of me.
But it was going pretty well, I felt light on my feet and especially my irritating ankle played ball.
While the Barcelona marathon is in just over seven weeks, I wanted it to be a good effort and that it offers an idea of the rhythms to which I can consider training in the next four or five weeks before decrease.
I had maintained a constant rhythm during the first nine thousands and in the last kilometer, I released the handbrake to see what was there. There were a few runners to eliminate, which always helps, and I finished in force, what I needed after the debacle of the norwich half-marathon.
My arrival time was 1:06:40-Technically a personal record, but I have already run faster during a few half-marathons before, so it seems a little hollow. It was at least faster than my last 10 -mile race at FEN 10, which was an easier course, so I will hang on it as a sign of progress.
This also made it possible to restore a little confidence after a period when many runs since the beginning of the year have been difficult. I try to tell myself how lucky I am to be able to run, but I want warmer climates where it does much less harm to go out.
I approach the part of the marathon training block where it is crucial to train on long races and strengthen my body and my mind for what awaits me in Barcelona.
There will necessarily be twists and turns by then, but last Sunday, it was to celebrate the fact that my physical form, compared to me, is in a decent position.
Sometimes that’s enough …
But perhaps I will no longer mention the keys of a guy during a race in the future.
Record drummers
I cannot finish the column without mentioning the incredible performances of Logan Smith and Emily Ruane, both broke the records of the route at Reedham Ten. I had the sneaky feeling Logan would sneak in less than 50 minutes being pushed by Callum Bowen-Jones, second. It is an incredible success.
Emily’s time was just as impressive, pushing her record for the course established last year more than 90 seconds.
Hopefully it is the precursor of other impressive performance to come during the Grand Prix Sportlink 2025 series.
