On the way up we were so late Richard, driving, asked me to pin the numbers on his running vest, which he was wearing, he passed the top back and completed the rest of the journey topless. We overtook a cop car and I was surprised to learn there was no instant fine for driving topless in Switzerland. That sparked some great stories, which you can ask Mr. Leakey about yourselves.
Not much of a warm up, but the pre-race entertainment was provided by some nut job guy with pitch fork who was not happy about the runners on the grass embankment up to his garden and very upset with the people who dared touch the metal fence. Red rag to a bull and loads of pumped up young blokes all started messing with fence. The guy shuffled away and when he returned the crowd went ballistic cheering and booing him all at once, I joined in and nearly missed the gun I was so captivated by the national stereotype playing itself out in front of me.
The tannoy man made much of the 700m shortened course, a great move to try and make this race "count" as one of the 4 for the classment overall.
I took both the suddenly re-functional Garmin and stopwatch as I did not trust the Garmin.
I was well placed at start, close enough to get up to speed quickly and far enough back not to have any elite pushing though. Richard and I started together and he was ahead for at least one and a bit kms.
I think I went past him around the second km and gave an encouraging pat on the shoulder and appropriate comment.
I hit the hill and held on until the super steep section in the woods. My fast walking beat many who attempted to run all the way up. At the top picked up a steady pace which felt controlled.
It is narrow at the plateau at the top and the path was well marked and had been freshly wood chipped which made running on it a joy.
A guy tried to push through so I aggressively held my ground and calmly voiced discontent in an assured and slightly clipped manner - grovelling apology received - and the debt repaid as no sooner does it widen out than I started to make places and first up was my overtaking buddy!
Apart form that one incident I felt perfectly placed up and over the top of the hill. Going at just the right speed and feeling neither over extended nor held up.
Everyone was on edge waiting for the down hill push. At every slight downhill you think - is this it? Is it time to fly. Then you spot a running in front going slightly up.
Then you hit the downhill proper and it is game one. Everyone around goes for it. I held my place on the fast decent and was struggling to overtake like I recalled from the year before, but do manage a few places. One guy comes close behind me so I push hard and shake him off. Over the motorway and now it is clear just two sides of a field to go and there is a crowd lining the finish.
The new finish is over a field which means the last 200m are on rough ground and I sprint for home but so does everyone else around me so no change to the placings.
By now fork my must have exploded. There are 100s of people milling around in his garden walking though it to get to the field to line the route to the finish. I join them to spot the guys come in. My Garmin dies just after the finish.
I see Richard come in looking good and already red lining as he pushes for the line.
Jason kicked in response to the call, but the inflatable finish arch deflated and Jason had to duck under it. He went back to help hold it up and suddenly the power came back and it re-inflated.
Final weird incident was walking back to the food place after getting the kit from the car, Jason picks up something I've dropped. It's the fascia from my Garmin that just fell off, leaving the base on my wrist. I guess it the two parts have come way from each other that would explain why it just turns itself off sometimes. Must try and find if there is a Garmin service centre in Switzerland.....
The Adj col. takes the time from last year and scales it to the same distance, to give a fairer view of the delta.
Richard's amazing transformation continues and if I had done the same speed last year he would have been faster than me this year!
Garmin
1 comment:
Great race, and sorry for your Garmin !
The incident with the fork guy must have been quite funny to watch !
Had I run this year, I would probably have finished behind you again.
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