Paul B. called me at 11:30 to ask what shoes I was going to wear for the race. This question is normally not necessary. The 15km at Conflans is a road race with about 300m along some tracks but the vast majority is on the road, running alongside the river Seine until it meets the river Oise. However, 10cm of fresh snow had just fallen and the thought that trail shoes might actually be useful was mooted. Having discussed this possibility we also discussed our lack of motivation to participate. Admittedly, my motivation was stronger since 5 members of the club had signed up for the race, the minimum necessary for the club to score points in the championship whereas Paul B still wasn't entered. A commitment is a commitment and an Englishman's word is his honour and all that b****cks - so we went.
Picked up a mate of Paul's on the way, another Englishman named Nick and having got changed we warmed up together around the start of the course. Again, warming-up is relative and with an ice cold wind and temperatures below freezing, I was wondering seriously about heading back to the changing room and just waiting there until the last moment before the race. Nick asked me what my race plan was at this point and I explained that I only had 2 objectives: beat the hour and a guy called Fred in the process. I was going to start easily (remembered all too well my race 3 years ago where I set out too fast and suffered from km 4 onwards) and start pushing the pace after the hills around the town centre, from km 6 and after alongside the Seine.
About 550 people were lined up for the start, including one nutter only in shorts and running vest. Most were dressed with long sleeved tops, tights, gloves and hats. I'd left my hat on as a concession to the cold, but regretted my thick ski hat compared to the thin fleece affairs that the rest of the field had adopted. The gun went off, not too soon enough for my liking, and we were off through the residential streets around the stadium.
Despite all my race plan theories about setting off slowly and building up speed after the town centre, I ran the first kilometre in 3:34. I felt easy though as I was fresh from not having run hard since previous Tuesday. The first 3 kilometres are flat and I ran these more steadily after the first at around 3:50 pace, only quickening over the 4th kilometre as we dropped down the hill to the Seine and towards the town centre.
I kept my eye on the runners around me and tried not to let them distance me or be caught by others from behind. Just before the 5th kilometre, we began the climb up the hill into the town and to the castle. I was overtaken on the first steep section by a runner but that didn't worry me as my aim was to keep as constant a pace as possible and in fact as we dropped down slightly to attack the second climb, he came back to me as he suffered from his initial effort and I was able to cruise (well more accurately: plod) past. We made a quick loop of the castle grounds and as I left, I saw Paul enter and shouted encouragements to him. It was then a steep icy section downhill and down to the river again. Well, this is what I imagined but I'd forgotten that they bring you up another hill before you can finally coast on down to the Seine.
Back alongside the river again now and the serious pacing begins. There are now 5 kilometres of flat as you run to the meeting of the 2 rivers (Seine and Oise) and back along the Seine in the direction of the start before you pull up another hill and run in to the finish. I seemed to find myself alone at this point with a couple of runners behind me and some individuals ahead. I concentrated on the runners in front and began the process of chasing them down. I felt good in my legs and very steady in my pace. I was at a point, similar to the marathon, where I felt that I had the energy and the pace to go faster but knew that there was still plenty of running to be done.
I caught a couple of runners now as I got to the turning point and was heading back home when I heard shouts of "Come on Fred" just behind me. A runner caught me now and it was Fred who I'd not seen at the start of the race but was my challenge for the day. I stayed with him as he pushed on and we quickly caught another younger runner. I had time to listen to his breathing and compare it to my own: he definitely didn't sound in any better shape than me which gave me encouragement and I figured it might just be my day. I looked at the Garmin and the virtual partner showed that I was 40 seconds ahead of schedule. I figured that this was just enough to manage the hill ahead and still finish under the hour. I pushed on.
In fact, this effort was so good that it took me past Fred and I started on another couple of runners in blue tops (Andrésy and Achères). The hill to leave the river was approaching and I was calculating how much time I could gain before this last effort. I caught the 2 runners and overtook them before attacking the hill. This hill lasts for about 300metres and is around 15% gradient. I shortened my stride and slowed my pace as I ascended. I was convinced that I'd be overtaken here as hills are not my forté, but I managed to make it to the top without being caught and I made a conscious effort to lengthen my stride and get back into a serious rhythm.
Damn! I heard foosteps behind me and knew without looking that it was Fred who'd caught me again. He came past and shouted "Relance (Kick again)" as he came past. I gave all I had and stayed on his shoulder. We ran the last 2 kilometres like this with me trailing him by 2 metres as we headed back to the stadium. As we entered the stadium, I was prepared to push him right to the end and I was just on his tail as we ran the last lap of the track, in fact so close that I clipped his shoe. My problem was that there had only been one lane cleared of snow and to attempt to overtake meant running onto the snow and ice and at this speed there simply wasn't the traction to allow a burst of pace.
The inevitable happened and he accelerated over the last 100 metres and finished 2 seconds ahead of me.
So, out of my 2 objectives I had achieved the first (58:48) and failed the second by 2 metres. I was still very pleased with my run and the way I'd managed the race. The course was good and the competition was intense. I'd caught a good number of runners in the last 7 kilometres and that had felt good too. I was actually quite glad that I'd made the effort and run the race after all.
Paul finished just 3 minutes behind, having overtaken Nick in the final stages of the race, to finish in 1:02:41. Nick ended up 20 seconds behind and then promptly spent the next 30 minutes coughing his lungs up from the effort!
Good race and a new record for 15km in the process despite the hilly course.
Photo of Fred and I in the man to man battle!
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