Two weeks after watching the KCB Cross Country in Iten I am back in Dublin and racing myself. 2.400 meter deeper the air is thicker and the weather colder. Rain and clouds are the exception in Kenya, not so in Ireland.
A dark January day saw my first race of the new season in Cherryfield Park in Dublin. As usual the BHAA organized a very good race in frosty conditions. The ground was slightly frozen but was perfect for running after the first of 3 loops.
5 Miles were on the agenda and I just wanted to test the legs. Due to the height I did not do much speed work while staying in Kenya the last few weeks. Like the last time over there it took me long to adjust to the thinner air up there. As my mate Jason, who came over with me, did not had much trouble adjusting to the height I guess it is just talent. In Iten I was talking to Siniša Marčetić, Bosnian National Coach, and he was telling me that it took his athletes 20 days to fully adjust.
A Pyramid (1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1, 2 minutes rest) and a hill session was on the training plan during the week. Both went fine and also the other runs felt very easy and smooth. Today’s race was far off that “smoothness”. My usual mistake is going out to fast and I sticked to that in best fashion.
At the end the result showed 29:40 and 25th place. Not really what I wanted. Next Sunday I have the chance to prove myself wrong as I change from mud to tarmac – Raheny 5 is on the calendar.
