Race report of SPR 12 km

Steffi twisted my arm, so here it is: my race report of the 12 km race that was part of the "SPR sportdag". The personnel sport association of the university celebrated its 50th birthday, and organized a day of various sports, among which a 12 km run. I had entered as a nice low-profile race to test my current state. And indeed, low-profile it was. Only 12 people had signed up, among which Jacob Vos, a local champion, so no hope of winning (I admit it, I secretly thought about it). Although the announcement mentioned running a 3 km loop four times, this was apparently changed later, because we were had out a map with a 12 km loop, indeed a route I run very often, but then from home instead of the sport center. Because I know this route very well, I immediately spotted the problem: there were two bridges in the course that are open very often. Somehow I didn't have the impression that this race was big enough to keep the bridges closed...

Anyway, we did all get a bib, the chairman of the SPR fired the starting gun, the official clock started, and off we were! Jacob Vos took the lead, and I followed him for the first 500 meters, but then decided it was not a good strategy to try to keep up with him. Meanwhile, another runner caught up with me, and we ran on together. There was a fierce wind blowing, so the other runner and I took turns taking the lead. But only minutes later, about 2 km into the race we reached the first bridge, and indeed, it was open! Jacob was already waiting, and the cyclist that accompanied the race told us to stop our watches. So there we were, hanging around for the bridge, and gradually everyone else also reached it. In the end it took 7 minutes for the bridge to close! Off we were again, Jacob again in the lead, me and the other guy behind him, and the rest of the pack trailing behind. We again took turns into running in the wind, until we reached Wierumerschouw, where the trail gradually bended back towards the city, now with the wind in our back! I ran approximately my former half-marathon pace, but I couldn't really go much faster. I suppose I have to get some experience with this sort of distance, and build up more stamina too. With the wind in our back to the city, and in the last kilometers fatigue stated kicking in. I was not in an unfamiliar situation: in competition with one other runner for second place. I all former raced there were always multiple other people around, but now it was him or me. Despite the fatigue we therefore both speeded up towards the end. In last couple of hundred meters he managed to pull away from me at a point where we had to take a couple of sharp turns. He was good at that, but I was still a bit cautious because of my ankle. So he beat me by 6 seconds in the end....

Nevertheless it was a good test, and I enjoyed the nice atmosphere afterwards, where we had a good laugh about the bridge. Oh, and my time was 49 minutes something. Approximately, without the bridge break.