Povl H. Pederse
Just a fairly short race report from Motovejslobet Århus-Låsby. The race was taking place on a soon
to open motorway.
There were 2 race distances, 10km and 21.1 km (half marathon). Both distance could be run or on
roller skates (getting popular around here).
The weather was around degrees celcius, drizzling rain, 87% humidity, and 5 m/s (approx 10 kts) of
wind coming almost from behind.
The start was at the outskirts of the city, and the finish line 10 km down the motorway. The
half-marathon distance passed the finish line, and ran another 5.5 km before turning.
There were transportation from finish area to start area in busses, so you could drop you car near
the finish. And after the run there were bussing driving people back to the start area as well.
The roller skates got 2 minutes headstart, there were 58 on the 10km and 49 on the 21.1 km.
For the run, there were 262 people on the 10 km, ond 220 on the 21.1 km.
I did not really know what shape I was in, and how fast I could run, a couple months ago on a
very flat but hot half I was down walking a few times, and just made it under 2 hours. So I
planned to race in
5:15 - 5:30 per km to be sure to get under 2 hours. That was my primary goal. Never set a secondary
like 1h55, did not really expect I would be able to run without problems at all.
The race started, and before 1 km, we were passing the first skaters (mother with 2 kids), a little
further ahead, a guy came passing us with a cellphone at his ear, talking. Didn't know Roger 2k was
over here ;^)
Noticed the 2 km mark, which I passed in 10:24, just ahead of plan. I was running with a colleague
of mine, who was only running the 10k. We ran along chatting, and I tried to slow down a bit.This
was easy as it was going uphill, suprisingly much. Met the 4 km 10:55 later, which was much closer
to schedule.
Was passed by another colleague around 4.5 km, he was running the half, with an expected goal time
over 2 hours. So I left my 10k friend, and joined the guy running the half. At the 5k water stop, I
lost him, as I am getting good at picking up and drinking.
From here I was just passing people most of the time. At the 6k marker a couple mentioned their
split as 5:36, mine was 5:17. Everything went ok, despite the long slopes. Passed the 10k finish,
and forgot the split, but I was there in 53:30 or thereabout. Just enough to place in the best half
of the 10k if I had been running that.
The finish was on a hill, so from here I picked up speed down the long
6.5+ km long hill, before a 2+ km long uphill. I talked to a guy on the downhill, but left him
behind. On the uphill I had to take a leak. This is easy to see on the HR graph where my HR
dropped from 172 to 150. I kept going on with no trouble, and only a slight beginning pain from
under the knees. But the body was just working, but at a somewhat higher HR than expected. At
around 15 km there was a girl I decided to try and catch up to, she was less than 100 meter in
front of me.
After the turning point, we had to run against the wind and rain, and it was cold. Had to pull down
my sleeves and zip my jacket. Passed the guy again I talked to shortly after 10k, and around 18 km
catched the girl I had been trying to reach. I was able to hang on for 1 km or so, but couldn't keep
runnign with a HR over 175, and had to slow down a bit, even though it was downhill, which I am
usually good at. The last 1500 meters up towards the hill was quite tough. I was completely wasted,
and did my slowest km, 5:57. I was passed just before finish, and didn't care, I was just happy to
pass the finish line. Final time:
6.1.47 official time. I was pretty happy with that. That is 5 min 26 s per km. So within the time
time I hoped for, and better than I feared.
That placed me #172 of of the 220 people. The girl I lost at 18-19 km beat me by 47 secs over those
last 2-3 km.
If anybody is interested my Heart Rate graph is here: http://home.terminal.dk/mvej.gif
My average HR was 169, the max was 181 on the last hill. Most of my splits was in the projected
area, with only my pee-break and 2 uphills being slower. My HR was increasing over the run. Last 5k
was with and average of 171, while it was only 166 from 2-5 km. The graph clearly shows how the HR
keeps going up.
to open motorway.
There were 2 race distances, 10km and 21.1 km (half marathon). Both distance could be run or on
roller skates (getting popular around here).
The weather was around degrees celcius, drizzling rain, 87% humidity, and 5 m/s (approx 10 kts) of
wind coming almost from behind.
The start was at the outskirts of the city, and the finish line 10 km down the motorway. The
half-marathon distance passed the finish line, and ran another 5.5 km before turning.
There were transportation from finish area to start area in busses, so you could drop you car near
the finish. And after the run there were bussing driving people back to the start area as well.
The roller skates got 2 minutes headstart, there were 58 on the 10km and 49 on the 21.1 km.
For the run, there were 262 people on the 10 km, ond 220 on the 21.1 km.
I did not really know what shape I was in, and how fast I could run, a couple months ago on a
very flat but hot half I was down walking a few times, and just made it under 2 hours. So I
planned to race in
5:15 - 5:30 per km to be sure to get under 2 hours. That was my primary goal. Never set a secondary
like 1h55, did not really expect I would be able to run without problems at all.
The race started, and before 1 km, we were passing the first skaters (mother with 2 kids), a little
further ahead, a guy came passing us with a cellphone at his ear, talking. Didn't know Roger 2k was
over here ;^)
Noticed the 2 km mark, which I passed in 10:24, just ahead of plan. I was running with a colleague
of mine, who was only running the 10k. We ran along chatting, and I tried to slow down a bit.This
was easy as it was going uphill, suprisingly much. Met the 4 km 10:55 later, which was much closer
to schedule.
Was passed by another colleague around 4.5 km, he was running the half, with an expected goal time
over 2 hours. So I left my 10k friend, and joined the guy running the half. At the 5k water stop, I
lost him, as I am getting good at picking up and drinking.
From here I was just passing people most of the time. At the 6k marker a couple mentioned their
split as 5:36, mine was 5:17. Everything went ok, despite the long slopes. Passed the 10k finish,
and forgot the split, but I was there in 53:30 or thereabout. Just enough to place in the best half
of the 10k if I had been running that.
The finish was on a hill, so from here I picked up speed down the long
6.5+ km long hill, before a 2+ km long uphill. I talked to a guy on the downhill, but left him
behind. On the uphill I had to take a leak. This is easy to see on the HR graph where my HR
dropped from 172 to 150. I kept going on with no trouble, and only a slight beginning pain from
under the knees. But the body was just working, but at a somewhat higher HR than expected. At
around 15 km there was a girl I decided to try and catch up to, she was less than 100 meter in
front of me.
After the turning point, we had to run against the wind and rain, and it was cold. Had to pull down
my sleeves and zip my jacket. Passed the guy again I talked to shortly after 10k, and around 18 km
catched the girl I had been trying to reach. I was able to hang on for 1 km or so, but couldn't keep
runnign with a HR over 175, and had to slow down a bit, even though it was downhill, which I am
usually good at. The last 1500 meters up towards the hill was quite tough. I was completely wasted,
and did my slowest km, 5:57. I was passed just before finish, and didn't care, I was just happy to
pass the finish line. Final time:
6.1.47 official time. I was pretty happy with that. That is 5 min 26 s per km. So within the time
time I hoped for, and better than I feared.
That placed me #172 of of the 220 people. The girl I lost at 18-19 km beat me by 47 secs over those
last 2-3 km.
If anybody is interested my Heart Rate graph is here: http://home.terminal.dk/mvej.gif
My average HR was 169, the max was 181 on the last hill. Most of my splits was in the projected
area, with only my pee-break and 2 uphills being slower. My HR was increasing over the run. Last 5k
was with and average of 171, while it was only 166 from 2-5 km. The graph clearly shows how the HR
keeps going up.
