Right the next day after the MTB time trial there was a 10k road running race in Al Khor compound. This was probably the only running race in Qatar this year so I couldn’t miss it.
Similar to the Dubai Marathon I guessed from the training that I could do 10k at 16km/h which would be 37 minutes per 10k. I actually never achieved this during my night runs, but I felt it was real, because I know that during any competition I can somehow force myself much further…but this is common for everybody right? The goal was set, but still I was not giving me much chances, because rumors were whispering that Al Khor community crazy triathletes are doing it at 33!!
Anyway I geared up to the front start line in my white ENVAC racing shirt. I would like to know what the others were thinking about an unknown “sponsored” guy J
3-2-1-GO!! I started with the leading group for the first 300 meters, but then a teenage boy speeded up and started to get away. That was exactly what I didn’t want to happen, but I had to try to keep up. I still wanted to win no matter what rumors said! But soon I realized that he was going too fast. “Wait a minute” I thought, “He has a different running number color!” And then I got it: “He is running 2.5k only!!” and immediately slowed down to keep mu goal speed. But by that time we outrun the main group quite a bit and in front was only one same colored guy giving tempo. That boy was already gone…actually only until the time we saw him running back, because he missed the turn J
The leader was running exactly my speed so I followed closely and we finished the first 5k lap still with decent lead to the rest. I was waiting for the right moment to attack and get to the lead. This moment came in the middle of the second and last lap, but in different fashion than I wanted. One tall guy from The main group around 200 meters back decided that he saw enough, speeded up and with such an ease overtook both of us in the front. Fortunately for me this completely wrecked the leader and he slowed down terribly and I he finished somewhere in the middle.
So I was still second with a big gap behind me and a comfortably running leader 100 meter in front, which I felt was controlling the race with plenty of reserve, so I didn’t even tried to push it. And like that it stayed until the finish! I came second in 34:24 for 9.6km (the actual course length) which would give 37:03 on full 10k. Exactly the speed and time I was aiming for. Mission accomplished J A trophy and 600QAR vouchers to Lulu hypermarket we just a nice bonus!! Local triathletes didn't have their day I guess ;)
It was a great success to finish second between around 100 runners, which many of them were the ones of the best what Qatar can offer!!
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