And here's my first story on a race: it is nothing less than the Roma-Ostia
2014, "the most popular Italian half
marathon" as the organizers say , a race with a forty-year history today,
going from Rome to Ostia at the seaside. In fact, I remember as a child the
stories of an uncle runner who not only did the race (which at the time was 30
km long), but used also coming back to Rome racing!
In short, it is the race for excellence in Rome (the Rome marathon is much younger and not for everyone) and also reference to all runners as when you want to understand someone’s athletic value finally you ask, " “vabbè ma quanto hai fatto alla Roma-Ostia?” (sorry, which was your best time in the Roma-Ostia?).
In short, it is the race for excellence in Rome (the Rome marathon is much younger and not for everyone) and also reference to all runners as when you want to understand someone’s athletic value finally you ask, " “vabbè ma quanto hai fatto alla Roma-Ostia?” (sorry, which was your best time in the Roma-Ostia?).
It is' a not easy race, because very hilly and with some tough climb, very busy at the start line (this year more than 13,000 participants declared), so even starting forward, you always lose something during the first kilometers.
Race morning: wake up at 6 am, light breakfast (tea, bread and jam, coffee), completion of the bathroom ritual, dressing.... what should I wear? Jersey and shorts, or thermal jersey and shorts? Is it going to rain or not? Is it cold? Bah, in doubt I take everything, I’ll decide on race site!
7:20 am with motorcycle to EUR (race start area), f..k this cold, freezing my feet with the Kinvara.
Here I am, parking, dressing, I see so many people around in jersey and shorts, am I a man or not? Heroically I pick jersey and shorts.... and for the first time in a race.... I’ll feel cold!
8.30 am warming up with a friend who asks me "why are you trembling, are you excited?" And me “I feel cold” and he "I can imagine, you’re dressed for going at the beach!" And me " yeh yeh you'll see that you'll feel hot with that pullover (the thermal shirt)", while fretting a lot inside me.
8.55 am the red grid is already half full so I decide going into.
This is the third time in a grid of the Roma-Ostia, the first two times
waaay back, though! So I should have the experience to handle it well. In fact,
the other times at the end I was happy with how I led the race, unlike some 10k
when I exploded in the final part.
The problem I have every time (I think it's quite common) is to set a reasonable pace: the last half-marathon in Fiumicino I finished at 6'29 '' per mile and it was largely my PB. In addition, the last part was against the wind, so I thought to be worth something more. From November to February, although I had some declines, the state of form seemed slightly improved, but slightly eh! So in my head, without telling anyone, not even to myself, I had a 6'13 '' per mile (eeeeehhh). Obviously I would have been satisfied for a new PB but at least under 1h 22’, even 1 second.
The most quick of you at this point will be asking: "but how hell can you keep certain fixed pace in a race that is NOT flat? You will be forced to go slower in uphill and faster downhill. “Logical isn’t it?
The problem I have every time (I think it's quite common) is to set a reasonable pace: the last half-marathon in Fiumicino I finished at 6'29 '' per mile and it was largely my PB. In addition, the last part was against the wind, so I thought to be worth something more. From November to February, although I had some declines, the state of form seemed slightly improved, but slightly eh! So in my head, without telling anyone, not even to myself, I had a 6'13 '' per mile (eeeeehhh). Obviously I would have been satisfied for a new PB but at least under 1h 22’, even 1 second.
The most quick of you at this point will be asking: "but how hell can you keep certain fixed pace in a race that is NOT flat? You will be forced to go slower in uphill and faster downhill. “Logical isn’t it?
Indeed. And here I am very well organized, even smart! I have a rhythm in
the head (which I do not tell anyone, not even myself) but I don’t go at that
pace in the race! Oh no, they cannot cheat me! In the race I set a constraint
to force me not overdoing, especially in the beginning: not exceeding a certain
heart rate, which I have identified in previous events.
To summarize, the thing is very simple: I just run without exceeding a certain threshold heart rate, both uphill and downhill. The pace should be irrelevant, it should come alone. Obviously this is the theory; we will see that the practice will be a little different!
9.15 am the race starts: the usual initial crush, I am able to run without stumbling, I increase velocity and tac someone kicking me from behind.... I can stand for a miracle with a triple jump movement, and I feel "sorry eh" and me "sorry nothing” and he” fu..you " and me " xxxxxxxxxx , but a lot more of him eh. The talk lasts a few seconds then I forgive him.
When the wind blows I feel cold and this will continue until the end, but we've already talked about.
First km slow because of the traffic 4'15 '', but I knew that so I remain quiet... did you believe it? In the middle of the 2nd km the gps signs 3'38',' oh my God, and here I remember the constraint, I decided to be 171 bpm, then I slow down a bit. Now why 171? In fact, last year my constraint was 167! Then I changed my training method (I'll get in it in the future) and this year I trip to a little higher frequencies, so I do not have yet a precise reference. 171 seemed to me appropriate. In fact, the 3rd km, flat, at 171 I am at a pace of 6’13’’, and I start to think “crazy, perfect, then I can do a great job today", forgiving the body signals, such as a not so easy breathing....
Here is the problem, as always the smartest of you may have already guessed: you set a constraint, but then in the head you have a rhythm and if the pace is not adequate or if the body claims, the head removes the constraint or keep it obviously too high!
I pass to 5 km in 19'10 '', perfectly in an average of 6'13 ''. There are some climbs but also some nice descents, in which legs feel a bit packed, to the limit of the stretch. This worries me a bit, but I keep on going, I don’t give up, eh!
10 km in 38'36 ''! Only a few months ago it would have been my personal best! Average still 6'16'', it begins the climb of the campsite, where I try to respect the constraint. And here I hear a voice, "let’s go Jo", it is a friend of mine who comes stronger than me (he said he would have done a workout! eeehhh). Me "go, I will slow down a bit in uphill” (I don’t have to explain the whole story of the constraint to him, eh). He: "no no, let’s go together”. I accelerate a little puzzled, but he doesn’t slow noway! I see him going away and I don’t say anything.
The climb passes pretty quickly, and over the pass the average is 6'27 ''. I was hoping a couple of seconds less, some sureness begins to fall. It begins to drizzle and the road becomes slippery, I look for the rougher asphalt to remain effective, however I notice that a lot of people start to overtake me.... bad sign.
To summarize, the thing is very simple: I just run without exceeding a certain threshold heart rate, both uphill and downhill. The pace should be irrelevant, it should come alone. Obviously this is the theory; we will see that the practice will be a little different!
9.15 am the race starts: the usual initial crush, I am able to run without stumbling, I increase velocity and tac someone kicking me from behind.... I can stand for a miracle with a triple jump movement, and I feel "sorry eh" and me "sorry nothing” and he” fu..you " and me " xxxxxxxxxx , but a lot more of him eh. The talk lasts a few seconds then I forgive him.
When the wind blows I feel cold and this will continue until the end, but we've already talked about.
First km slow because of the traffic 4'15 '', but I knew that so I remain quiet... did you believe it? In the middle of the 2nd km the gps signs 3'38',' oh my God, and here I remember the constraint, I decided to be 171 bpm, then I slow down a bit. Now why 171? In fact, last year my constraint was 167! Then I changed my training method (I'll get in it in the future) and this year I trip to a little higher frequencies, so I do not have yet a precise reference. 171 seemed to me appropriate. In fact, the 3rd km, flat, at 171 I am at a pace of 6’13’’, and I start to think “crazy, perfect, then I can do a great job today", forgiving the body signals, such as a not so easy breathing....
Here is the problem, as always the smartest of you may have already guessed: you set a constraint, but then in the head you have a rhythm and if the pace is not adequate or if the body claims, the head removes the constraint or keep it obviously too high!
I pass to 5 km in 19'10 '', perfectly in an average of 6'13 ''. There are some climbs but also some nice descents, in which legs feel a bit packed, to the limit of the stretch. This worries me a bit, but I keep on going, I don’t give up, eh!
10 km in 38'36 ''! Only a few months ago it would have been my personal best! Average still 6'16'', it begins the climb of the campsite, where I try to respect the constraint. And here I hear a voice, "let’s go Jo", it is a friend of mine who comes stronger than me (he said he would have done a workout! eeehhh). Me "go, I will slow down a bit in uphill” (I don’t have to explain the whole story of the constraint to him, eh). He: "no no, let’s go together”. I accelerate a little puzzled, but he doesn’t slow noway! I see him going away and I don’t say anything.
The climb passes pretty quickly, and over the pass the average is 6'27 ''. I was hoping a couple of seconds less, some sureness begins to fall. It begins to drizzle and the road becomes slippery, I look for the rougher asphalt to remain effective, however I notice that a lot of people start to overtake me.... bad sign.
The pace in flat road is still good, about 6’27’’, but I start feeling
tired, the constraint is no more a problem, because I no longer raise the
frequency above 170, another bad sign ... but it doesn’t miss too much now!
We are at the 15th km, another voice from behind " let’s go , jo". It seems to me a “déjà vu”, I turn again and see another friend of mine looking perky. Me: “oh, thank goodness you came, I was giving up," he mercilessly “I am curbing myself, going easy" me with myself” thank you eh". He "let’s go together" and go away at 6’ per mile ''. I follow him 500 meters then I realize that it is not the case ... there is still too much.
Last 5km a bit in pain, now I struggle to keep the 6'27 '', but I grit my teeth and now I can see the sea as well to increase the pace (very little eh, I was in bursts!).
Here we are at the finish line, I look at the scoreboard ... no, they are 3, because there are 3 waves that start at different times.... 1h09’ the first scoreboard , I would say that it is not mine……….1h21’ the last, this is mine , I stop the watch: 1h21'45 ''! It is fine, at the 15th km I had feared the worst. On the contrary I improved my PB more than a minute and the previous Roma- Ostia time of more than 4 minutes.
I change clothes quickly, with train back to the EUR and at home in the rain. But only those who run and race know how you feel lighter after a good race!
We are at the 15th km, another voice from behind " let’s go , jo". It seems to me a “déjà vu”, I turn again and see another friend of mine looking perky. Me: “oh, thank goodness you came, I was giving up," he mercilessly “I am curbing myself, going easy" me with myself” thank you eh". He "let’s go together" and go away at 6’ per mile ''. I follow him 500 meters then I realize that it is not the case ... there is still too much.
Last 5km a bit in pain, now I struggle to keep the 6'27 '', but I grit my teeth and now I can see the sea as well to increase the pace (very little eh, I was in bursts!).
Here we are at the finish line, I look at the scoreboard ... no, they are 3, because there are 3 waves that start at different times.... 1h09’ the first scoreboard , I would say that it is not mine……….1h21’ the last, this is mine , I stop the watch: 1h21'45 ''! It is fine, at the 15th km I had feared the worst. On the contrary I improved my PB more than a minute and the previous Roma- Ostia time of more than 4 minutes.
I change clothes quickly, with train back to the EUR and at home in the rain. But only those who run and race know how you feel lighter after a good race!
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