Anthony
Bet She'an 1/2 Marathon (25th running)
Israeli National 1/2 marathon championships.
Thursday 11 December, 2003
Weather: warm 24C (75F)
See the archives for background details to this race. (from previous years)
This is the 4th time I've run the race, and I was looking for a PR after some solid training ahead
of next month's marathon.
I had a scare on Tuesday - went to the track for an easy hour of running on the grass - followed
by some stretches - during the stretches I must have slightly strained my right adductor muscle.
In some pain afterwards which was getting worse. I iced it several times that evening and the next
day, and it seemed to clear up. I decided not to run the scheduled 5 or 6 km the day before the
race as a precaution.
Last week was cold with lots of rain. This week has seen the weather warming up. Bet She'an is 1
of the hotter places in the country. It was warm for the race, but not too windy.
My plan was to start off with some 4 - 4:10 kms and then increase to
3:55 after 5k, and aim for 1:23 - 1:24 overall.
I saw all my usual competitors charging off, but held back and still ran the 1st km in 3:54. Oh
well - I eased off a bit more - felt very easy, and saw the next 3 pass in 4:02 - 4:05. I was
starting to pass some early "chargers". Made it to 5k in 20:01 and increased the next 2k in
3:53/3:54. I started to get a stitch in my right side. I was making sure to exhale on my left
side, belly breathing, in through the nose, out through the mouth, purse lips on exhale - I tried
every trick I knew but the stitch was getting worse - I was fighting through the pain. I wasn't
going to stop but it did slow me down somewhat. Turn the corner at 7k and the wind kicks in - not
dead in our faces - but blowing from the northeast as we are runnig east. I caught and drafted off
a fellow age-group runner, and the side-pain eased off as my level of effort eased. (4:08) I told
the guy at 8k I would switch and take the lead, but he dropped back. Wide gaps between runners,
but I managed to gradually work my way through the pain and pick off more runners.
(3:1/1:1)10k in 40:09. I tried switching back to land on right foot exhale, and voila! it felt a lot
better. (4:05) Still running on that long stretch on the highway eastward - but I felt good
to pick up the pace
3:2/ 3:51. Now we bear right and the wind is more behind us. A short steep downhill (3:51) and up
into the city of Bet She'an (3:59) and the last 5k in 19:42. The stitch returns and my progress
through the ranks is halted (4:17) as we complete the turn and head westwards for the home
stretch. The side-pain eases off again and I pass some more runners 3:51, 3:46. I pass a few of
our better club runners, including out top woman who is running 2nd amongst the women in the
race. Finally I come up to Sharon who is a great runner (10K pR 32) but has been doing very
little training lately. I pass him, but he holds onto me. 3:59, 3:59. (5k 19:52). We turn for
the last time after 20k and Sharon passes me, and I can't stay with him. The last
4.1 in 4:15 (no 21k marker) and fininsh in a pr of 1:23:56. 27/550 (approx numbers) 5 in AG.
The winner was Zvadia Wodeg in 1:07+ who finished ahead of 1 of our 2 Olympic marathon qualifiers,
Asaf Bimro (he ran 2:14 in the World champs). Nili Avramski won the women's in 1:15+, and she's
going for an Olympic qualifier (sub 2:37) in next month's marathon.
Anthony. Jerusalem, Israel.
Israeli National 1/2 marathon championships.
Thursday 11 December, 2003
Weather: warm 24C (75F)
See the archives for background details to this race. (from previous years)
This is the 4th time I've run the race, and I was looking for a PR after some solid training ahead
of next month's marathon.
I had a scare on Tuesday - went to the track for an easy hour of running on the grass - followed
by some stretches - during the stretches I must have slightly strained my right adductor muscle.
In some pain afterwards which was getting worse. I iced it several times that evening and the next
day, and it seemed to clear up. I decided not to run the scheduled 5 or 6 km the day before the
race as a precaution.
Last week was cold with lots of rain. This week has seen the weather warming up. Bet She'an is 1
of the hotter places in the country. It was warm for the race, but not too windy.
My plan was to start off with some 4 - 4:10 kms and then increase to
3:55 after 5k, and aim for 1:23 - 1:24 overall.
I saw all my usual competitors charging off, but held back and still ran the 1st km in 3:54. Oh
well - I eased off a bit more - felt very easy, and saw the next 3 pass in 4:02 - 4:05. I was
starting to pass some early "chargers". Made it to 5k in 20:01 and increased the next 2k in
3:53/3:54. I started to get a stitch in my right side. I was making sure to exhale on my left
side, belly breathing, in through the nose, out through the mouth, purse lips on exhale - I tried
every trick I knew but the stitch was getting worse - I was fighting through the pain. I wasn't
going to stop but it did slow me down somewhat. Turn the corner at 7k and the wind kicks in - not
dead in our faces - but blowing from the northeast as we are runnig east. I caught and drafted off
a fellow age-group runner, and the side-pain eased off as my level of effort eased. (4:08) I told
the guy at 8k I would switch and take the lead, but he dropped back. Wide gaps between runners,
but I managed to gradually work my way through the pain and pick off more runners.
(3:1/1:1)10k in 40:09. I tried switching back to land on right foot exhale, and voila! it felt a lot
better. (4:05) Still running on that long stretch on the highway eastward - but I felt good
to pick up the pace
3:2/ 3:51. Now we bear right and the wind is more behind us. A short steep downhill (3:51) and up
into the city of Bet She'an (3:59) and the last 5k in 19:42. The stitch returns and my progress
through the ranks is halted (4:17) as we complete the turn and head westwards for the home
stretch. The side-pain eases off again and I pass some more runners 3:51, 3:46. I pass a few of
our better club runners, including out top woman who is running 2nd amongst the women in the
race. Finally I come up to Sharon who is a great runner (10K pR 32) but has been doing very
little training lately. I pass him, but he holds onto me. 3:59, 3:59. (5k 19:52). We turn for
the last time after 20k and Sharon passes me, and I can't stay with him. The last
4.1 in 4:15 (no 21k marker) and fininsh in a pr of 1:23:56. 27/550 (approx numbers) 5 in AG.
The winner was Zvadia Wodeg in 1:07+ who finished ahead of 1 of our 2 Olympic marathon qualifiers,
Asaf Bimro (he ran 2:14 in the World champs). Nili Avramski won the women's in 1:15+, and she's
going for an Olympic qualifier (sub 2:37) in next month's marathon.
Anthony. Jerusalem, Israel.
