Cora with Nico

The Saturday run to Cora has been a standard fixture in my running diary for some time. I used to run this with Nick and Andy on a regular basis starting at the beginning of 2009. It used to be my longest run of the week and a real pleasure to run with Nick and Andy as the pace was comfortable and we had a good chat about work, life, current events, etc. along the way. Unfortunately, neither Andy nor Nick are running now. Andy has stopped permanently after suffering from serious back problems and Nick has still not recovered from his running injuries. My new running companion for this weekly excursion is Nico.

We'd agreed on the 8:00 am start and I was pleased to see a nice blue sky when I woke up and a temperature that was far cooler than the last few days. I left the house and found Nico immediately outside, wearing his Niscayah team top and raring to go. We chatted about recent performances and other runners from the club and took the first kilometre fairly easily, running this in 5:07. We headed into the forest next and the pace quickened going from 4:36 to 4:15 or my marathon pace after a couple of kilometres. The quality of my conversation is inversely proportional to the pace I'm running and at this speed it's pretty much inexistent. Nico is still chatting away and I'm replying in grunts or vigourous nods of the head.

This is only the beginning though and as we get closer to Cora, there's another increase in pace and we're now running at 4:08 pace. I try telling Nico that I'm not comfortable at this pace and he replies that he isn't either; not because of any respiratory problems though but an excess of junk food on Friday is now weighing on his stomach. I'm secretly pleased at this announcement as it means he's going to have to do a Paula. My pain isn't over yet though as we complete the next kilometre around the lake in 4:01. We get to the uphill section, Nico slips off into the trees and I jog up to Pavillon de la Muette, extremely happy to be able to catch my breath back and ease off the pace. Almost 2 kilometres before he catches me again (6:13 and 5:47) and it's off at marathon pace once more.

Hold on, this isn't even marathon pace we're running. 4:05 and then 4:01 as we run uphill, through the sand of the forest track. Secretly I'm pleased at being able to hold the pace but physically it's beginning to show.

We complete the course on the tarmac of Le Mesnil's roads with the last kilometre in 3:59 just to show that we can. 15km all up in 1:07:55. This is a good time in any circumstances but with a couple of kilometres et 10km/h pace, this time is nothing short of miraculous. Nico announces that next week the record will fall. I just hope that I don't fall with it !

There's definitely a different quality to the Cora run nowadays. Whereas before I was relaxed and my partners would finish tired, the roles have now been completely inversed. Nick - please get well soon. I'm missing you !