Les Clayes sous Bois - 10km

Piecing it all together afterwards, I still can't figure out why I was down to run this race. I can't remember who started the discussion about doing 2 races in the same weekend and how we managed to be 5 friends (Laurence, Katia, Nico, François and myself) with our names down on both lists for participation in Les Clayes on Friday night and then Orgerus on Sunday morning. Whatever the reason I spent most of Friday ruing the decision and wondering what on earth was going to happen.

When I drove into town at 7:30pm for the 8:30pm start I already had a load of excuses ready: it was too hot (23°C), I was tired after a tough week at work, I was lacking sleep. Meeting the others and then warming up around town only confimed what I already feared that the heat was going to be the main issue. We ran just under 3km as a warm-up and I was dripping with sweat already. The good news was that the course had been modified from previous years and instead of doing 3 loops with a bugger of a hill to manage, there were 2 longer loops this year.

I lined up at the start with the rest of the gang and when the gun went I made a mental resolution not to set off like a looney. I was surprised to see François ahead of me for the first 200m when he finally saw reason and Nico and I ran past in a small group of 4. We ran the first kilometre downhill together and then turned and ran up a long slope for the next 500m before turning into a little park for some greenery and views of the old part of town. This was the little respite before pulling up 2 more steeper hills albeit shorter, and then the road flattens out and heads downhill with some long flat straights to complete the circuit.

Nico had taken the lead on our little group heading up to the second kilometre marker and I concentrated on getting past the other 2 runners and not losing touch with Nico. The steeper hills killed me though and with the heat, Nico made some good ground on me here and I would never be able to get back in touch after this. I was now focussed on losing my adversary from Gally who was getting a lot of local support. He came past me at the 4km marker and I hung onto him going through the end of the first lap and then on the downhill section of the second loop.

As we ran back up the slope to the park, I put in a little effort and came past him again. I just concentrated now on maintaining the best pace I could manage as the heat had drained all motivation from my body. I could see Nico about 100 - 150 metres ahead now and knew that I had no chance of catching him. I slowed even further on the steeper hills, putting in a kilometre in 4:04 and I was just praying that the runner behind wasn't feeling any fresher than I was. I could hear him just behind and didn't dare turn to see where he was as I didn't want to encourage him. Instead, I tried to accelerate away on the flat and put some distance in to discourage him if he thought of attacking again.

I was by myself now and watched Nico turn at the 8 km marker and spot me 150 metres behind. I saw him ease off the pace and smiled to myself as he had nothing to race for now. I wasn't going ot catch him and there was no chance of a time in this heat and on this course. I couldn't ease off as I had my Gally runner behind still and he hadn't given up the chase just yet. I pushed on until the final bend and then had the last 150 metres of uphill to the finish line which I sprinted as hard as I could. If he was going to beat me now, he'd have to put the effort in with the crowds cheering him on. He finished 2 seconds behind me. Relief.

I finished in 37:16 in 7th place and 2nd vet with Nico one place ahead in 36:48. François finished in a slightly disappointing 41:18 as he's capable of beating 40 minutes regularly now - too much cycling and not enough running recently. Katia finished just ahead of Laurence in 46:52 and 47:06 respectively with them picking up 1st and 2nd place in the female vet category. Another podium and this one is becoming a regular in their racing calendar.

Good to have a meal all together afterwards after an interminable wait with one of the most verbose presenters ever encountered for the prize winners.

Photos of Les Clayes 10 km

A few photos taken during the race on Friday night.

I look far too relaxed and definitely not determined enough so I'll need to correct this in the next races !! Laurence is more concentrated. Nice photo of some of the runners from the club at the end of the race during the prize-giving ceremony.

  

Laurence and Katia proud to be on the podium

Laurence concentrating with in 200m to go

  

Laurence, Katia, Ephrem, Charles and myself discussing results

Finally, during the match on Saturday night there was a lovely quote behind the bar: "Imogen Thomas has taken up singing. She's started her tour by doing Giggs in Manchester"

Les Clayes sous Bois - 10 km

I lined up at the start of the race with the usual apprehensions: what was I doing here, why had I entered and I could be at a nice restaurant with my wife rather than running a 10 km race. Still the butterflies hadn't been around for that long and it looked as though the race would be starting in a couple of moments. I looked over to the lefthand side of the road and watched the starter as he raised his hand to fire the gun and we were off.

The first 200m were downhill which helped. I always find it hard to understand why so many runners inisit on pushing their way into the front of the race, only to be overtaken in the first 200m. Following this downhill, we swung sharply right and began the climb of the course, an uphill section that lasted a good 500m before dropping down slightly and then another shorter climb to finsih the major uphill sections of the course. I felt fresh at this point and wondered how fast we were running. Nico was only just ahead of me and I was matching his pace on this first uphill section. We had 3 loops to do and it crossed my mind whether I would find it quite so easy on the subsequent loops.

After these climbs we left the residential areas and ran down some larger roads and then onto a long flat section with some fairly long straights before completing the loop and restarting. I watched Nico pull ahead and then focused on staying with a runner who he'd spoekn to before the start of the race, François. We ran together from the second kilometre to the fifth and we continued exchanging the lead around the course. At 5 kilometres, after the hilly section on the second loop, he began to pull away and I had a stitch in my right side at this point and let him go. For the 5 th and 6th kilometres, I managed to look at my garmin to see how fast I was running. I'd resisted the temptation to look at the watch until now and I saw 3:48 then 3:55 flash up on the screen. The last split disappointed me as we were on the flat section, but I'd consciously eased off the pace, just like I did in Pontault Combault. It was at this point when an older run caught me up and I hung onto his shoulder as he pulled alongside.

This final loop was just the 2 of us together. I pulled him up the hills and tried to break himw on the downhill. I could hear his breathing which was heavy and told myself that he was suffering and that I should beat him. We came onto the flat section and he pulled away and I didn't have the mental strength to stick with him. He was able to make a little gap and it was only after the ninth kilometre that I decided that I didn't feel so bad afterall and made an effort to cross the finish line.

37:34 was the final time, although the course was slightly short by the Garmin and we needed another 150m to make the full 10km. This would have added another 35 seconds to the final time, but with the hills I think that this was probably more or less compensated. I finished in 20th position in the race with Nico 9 places ahead in 11th spot in a time of 35:56 and his best time yet over the distance. 

I was pleased with the race for a few reasons:

i) A good start and I felt easy for the first 2 km at 3:32 pace.

ii) Potential is there to run under 37' over 10km with a little race practise.

iii) Can easily improve the second half of the race with stronger competition and more determination.

Highlight of the evening was watching Laurence run in with a time of 45:55 and 3rd veteran woman. Her first podium as a runner and she was well proud. Will post photos when I get them. The runners from the club managed some good performances with Katia finishing just ahead of Laurence to pick up second prise for the veteran women, managing 3rd place in the mens team prize, and Ephrem and Madeleine picking up prizes in their respective categories.