Marathon de Berlin

42.195 km, 2:29'35", 16.9 km/h, 52st/40000, P.B.



X

Semi-marathon de Lille

21.1 km, 1:11'43", 17.65 km/h, 21st/3800, P.B.
XXX

Soirée Rive Gauche, Talence

3000 m, 9'04"72, 19.8 km/h, 1st, P.B.
-

Championnat de France de 10 km, Langueux

10 km, 32'58", 18.2 km/h, 108th
-

Championnat de Gironde, Pessac

5000 m, 15'44"10, 19.1 km/h, 2nd, P.B.

Vice-champion de Gironde du 5000 m. My first attempt at this distance, half a 10 km, but the longest I ever ran on a track. With a very mixed crowd and David, a 2:24" marathoner/4' at 1500 m I knew from last season, I didn't know what pace to expect from this race. Anyway I was just going to obey my watch and try to keep up the pace. The first lap was covered in the sluggish time of 1'16", so I had no choice but to take the lead to bring the pace to 1'14". A group followed me of course and gradually stretched so that after about the first km in 3'06", I was left leading with only this fast runner behind. What I didn't expect was that he shadowed be for the next two km without taking the lead once, confortably hiding from the facing wind on the opposite straight. I kept a good pace of 3'07" for km 2 but the first signs of effort showed in the 3'10" km 3. That's when David took the lead to bring up the pace, yet the damage of leading with a facing wind for three km was already done. I struggled not to let him go but km 4 in 3'11" was tough, as I started counting the remain laps displayed on the board next to the finish line instead of counting kilometers. I couldn't follow and was left alone for the last km, finally sprinting in the home straight, but crossing the line 15" behind the winner. Although the time is not so pleasing, I didn't run in the best of conditions with a 3 km lead, and this was a first attempt. A good preparation for the 10 km national championships in Langeux, Brittany, next week-end. Whatever time I run, I should benefit from a continuous flow of fast runners to run with, definitely contributing to achieving a good time.

Photos: jogphoto33.net