Frühjahrslauf 2017
I had been looking forward to the Frühjahrslauf, last year I ran my 10k PB there. It is a fast course, and I fancied that I could go sub37 again, maybe even close to my PB. My legs were still in pain after last week’s half marathon until about Wednesday, but I was feeling better if not 100% fit and healthy.
Jochen was racing again, so we went together to Groß-Gerau. He was hoping to break 38 minutes for the first time, I wanted to break 37. I found out that there actually were far more facilities on site that I noticed last year. Under the mosque there are toilets and a place to get drinks, more than just the 1 portaloo that I found last time!
The race started at 3pm. There were plenty of fast people there, my chances of winning were exactly zero, but I’d decided to wear my lightest shoes, the Brooks T7 racers for the first time in a race anyway. Might was as well go for a fast time! Off we went, I wasn’t really feeling ‘it’ before the race, but I started and felt ok. I passed the first km sign after 3:35, decent pace but still behind Jochen!
High Heart Rate
I settled in and after 3km saw that my pace had fallen, but my heart rate was 179. I was in trouble, I can’t run a 10k with my heart rate so high. It seems that the whole little group I was with were also struggling, it was pretty much the same group as last week, socks included!
I let the group go, but they didn’t really go anywhere. A few people passed me from behind too, something that rarely happens to me. After 5k I had 18:42 on the watch, 32 seconds slower than last year and I was in trouble.
The last 5km felt like a death march. I passed Jochen after about 6km, but he re-passed me after about 8km. Everyone ran away from me and even breaking 38 was starting to look unlikely. needing a 3:45 last 1km to do it, I didn’t manage it. My calves were hurting from about 4km onwards, and my HR was too high and I just literally wasn’t at the races.
Pain and disappointment
Jochen managed his sub 38, which I was happy to see, but I ran a 38:02. It was pretty much the worst race I can remember running for a few years now. Soon after the race I started to consider if the half marathon from 6 days prior was to blame. It seems likely that I wasn’t fully recovered, so maybe that’s why I was so off form.
My calves were agony after the race, I stupidly ran last night too, and my right calf is now officially injured, not just achy. I will take a few days off running and get on the bike and in the pool.
Up Next
Next up looks like being a half marathon or 10k in Bad Kreuznach on the 19th of March. The TCEC powers that be want us to run there, so I will do, I mean why not? Until then iron and rest are on the cards until I am fully fit. I can’t have lost fitness in 1 week, so I should be good after a little recovery time, I hope!