Race Recap: Bemmelloop

Last weekend I ran another race! I can happily say that this was a good race, even though my time keeps getting worse.

I wanted to do one practice race before the bigger event that is next weekend. I felt so bad after the last race, that I really wanted to get my confidence back before I was going to run with 10.000 other girl on the 16th.

So I went there with two other girls from the running class at the gym (they are able to run for over an hour now, wow!). The weather wasn’t so good, but that was ok. At least it kind of stopped raining during the race, which was good. It was cold, however, and there was quite a lot of wind.

The race started just outside a running track of an athletics club. the running track would be the last couple of 100m of the race.

The girls in black, one in front of me, the other one just behind me, were my running companions. After about 1k, one them had to slow down because the pace was too high for her. So I ran the rest of the course with the other girl.

I was determined to take it easy, at least until the 4k marker and just have a nice and happy run. I wanted to prevent having to pass that running track crawling and gasping for air. We got photographed twice: once at the 3k marker when we got off a long dyke. I ran together with Jolanda, she was also there in the other race. She was really unhappy with the photos taken then, and she was determined to smile and look happy for the camera this time. So we did! Here we are, laughing, cheering and waving at the photographer, as well as trying to run down the steep road off the dyke.

Being total goofs, bahaha

Just after 4k we were a little more serious (tired? haha). Jolanda was still cheering, but I was tired and mentally preparing myself for the last part. We had to run outside halfway around the track and  then come on the track for 300mts.

Go Jolanda!

This is where the kick-ass photos of me start:

See that look on my face? Pure professional focus…bahahaha. I was thinking: oh thank god we’re almost there, now let’s get this over with before I crash, please.

When we got to the track itself I put on a good song, put in both of the earphones and went for it. As soon as we got on the track the woman with the blue jacket who was running behind us the whole time, passed us. I took it up a notch and was able to keep up with here. The last 100m I gave it all, I passed Ms Blue Jacket like it was nothing, caught up with Ms Pink Jacket who was running way in front of us, left Jolanda behind, and sprinted with giant steps towards the finish:

I was feeling so awesome sprinting that last part that it took me a few moments to realize I was already there and could stop running. haha :P

I ended up with a time of 30.50 min, 4 sec worse than the nightmare race a few weeks before and way slower that my first race. I still think that maybe that first course was shorter, as it was the only course where there were no km markers along the way. But I am happy with how I felt during the race, I had fun, didn’t push myself over the limit (we even chatted every now and then) and finished very strong.

So, goal accomplished! I feel confident for my next race now!