ipod+nike and sports kit experimentation

Mini-marathon’s t-shirt

After waking up pretty early (7:30 a.m.), and eating a reinforced breakfast, I took my way to the train, that would take me to the southbound, Pragal, 15 minutes walking distance to the starting line.

Being the Vodafone mini-marathon my second competition, the novelty of Corrida do Tejo was not so strongly felt, but observing other people, their attitudes and trying to see who’s a runner and who’s a “competition walker” was a challenge prior to the challenge itself.

After arriving to Pragal, I took the walking mile to the starting line as a warm-up race, but despite getting there quite early, I did still had to wait half an hour to be in position, something like 100 metres before the starting line. The crowd was huge (30.000 they say) and I even had the Portuguese prime-minister just a few metres from me, at the start of the race – needless to say, I made my race 20 minutes faster than him!

Arriving at the starting line

Contradicting my worst predictions, reinforced after seeing a character, disguised as a monk and three guys dressed as brides, the starting was not as chaotic and slow. After seeing some runners pushing walkers to the right lane, I started to do the same… oneself must be pedagogical about it.. if you are participating in an event like this and want to walk, please make room for those who wish to race. It’s the minimum acceptable. And after all, it’s the only way to make the crowd flow and make this as enjoyable to everybody.

Entering the second kilometre, I was already running in full speed, with plenty of room, and passing people like a breeze… the race course was pretty fast, and I only felt needing to manage my effort in the last kilometre.

As for strategy issues, and after spotting a 6 feet nordic blonde girl perfectly in shape at the 5^th kilometre, being briefly followed by frustrated male runners, I decided to use the girl… for pacing guide purposes. It worked nicely and I made to pass her in the last 500 metres and finish my race at a 37’04”, bellow my 32’05” record. Reasons? Slow start resulted as excessive crowd and zig-zag racing to avoid slow runners ahead, for sure.

Race participants, near the last kilometre

Balance:

• It was a good experience;
• Running in the Tejo bridge is fun enough;
• Fast course;
• Cheerfull crowd;
• Transportation system worked perfectly
• Just a downside: the lack of management capability from the Police to make the crowd flow prior to starting the race, in Pragal bridge;
• Good beverage pack for the racers at the ending line;
• Nice staff giving the pack too;
• Excellent weather, a bit cloudy to avoid excessive heat, which was nice.

Mini-marathon’s participation medal

Nice event. In 2009 I’ll do the half-marathon, since I’m now going to shift my efforts to longer distances.

Found a good reference calendar of races and events in Portugal.

You can check it out here.

I’ll get a way to put these informations better organized in the blog, namely by using a plug-in or table manager. Not easy to find one good and practical, thought.

I fully accomplished my workout schedule for this week and I’m feeling completely ready for the race. Just a few stretching exercises tomorrow and off I go on Sunday!

My 5k PB is now 22’04”.

Since the race is on Sunday, here’s what I plan to do this week:

• Monday, 10^th: 7,2k race;
• Tuesday, 11 ^th: 5k race with decompression stretching exercises;
• Wednesday, 12 ^th: rest;
• Thursday, 13 ^th: 6,5k race with decompression stretching exercises;
• Friday, 14 ^th: 7,2k race;
• Saturday, 15 ^th: Stretching exercises;

• Sunday, 16 ^th, 10:30 a.m.: Race!

I’ll do a full report on the race later on.

Seems like I stepped into a new performance level.

Last races seems quite easy and I’m controlling myself not to speed up. Strangely, this seems to traduce into better and better times. My 5k PB is now 21’42”. Loosing something like 7 kg in the past 5 months plays a role here, also.

The Vodafone Mini-Marathon is right around the corner (in two weeks), so I just have to do a decent time. From what I’ve been told, this kind of massive event attracts all kind of runners – particularly slow ones and fast walkers – so what concerns me the most are the first kilometres, where I’m planning to force a steady rhythm, and pass as much racers as I can, leaving the fear of hitting them, like in Corrida do Tejo.

Besides this landmark:

• My 5k PB is now 22’08”
• My 7.2k PB (race distance ) is now 32’05”

Getting in shape, I think…

As the race approaches, I’ve recently recalibrated my iPod, and there where some improvements.

With a confirmed better accuracy:

• My pace decreased from 5:15 to a 4:45, in average. Huge difference!
• My 5k PB is now 23’41”
• My 10k PB is now 47’38”
• My 7.2k PB (race distance ) is now 34’14”

Made my post-valentine race today. I must say that I’m really in shape now.

Running 7,2km workouts made me see my progress:

19/01/2008 – 38’51” (5’22” pace)
08/02/2008 – 37’39” (5’13” pace)
12/02/2008 – 37’19” (5’10” pace)
15/02/2008 – 37’33” (5’12” pace)

The time is always near my goal, and since the mini-marathon is fairly easy, I’ll start doing speed workouts and muscular training in the forthcoming weeks.

Music wise, I’ve discovered that using techno music (Bob Sinclar) helps… used it today and even with a not so light pain in my spleen, it really helped to keep the pace in the last two kilometres

So, after checking the half-marathon’s website, the distance for the Vodafone Mini-Marathon is not 8k as previously indicated, but 7.2km. Approximately, so they say.

Obviously, my target-time must change. I’ve done a 7,2k race in 38:51, but that’s too much as a real goal. So, 37:30 will be my target for the next month. If possible, I’ll lower it for the race.

Recent workouts have been promising, reducing my pace to around 5:14. I seem to be returning to my best fit, after a sore throat and a really strong cold in December.

Done my first 8k today, as a preparation for the Vodafone Mini-Marathon.

Time: 43:27

Since it was done in a 5:25 pace, I’m predicting that a 41:30 mark will be an obtainable goal for the upcoming mini-marathon. With almost two months untill the event, I may change this goal, but for now, its going to be:

Registration: (limited to 35.000 runners):

Till 15/02/2008:

• Half-marathon: 12€
• Vodafone’s Mini-marathon (8km): 12€

From 18/02/2008 until 15/03/2008:

• Half-marathon: 17€
• Vodafone’s Mini-marathon (8km): 17€

More in meiamaratonadelisboa.com

I’m going! And you?