After 3 months without having attented any races, it was finally time again. After a fairly injury and illness-prone autumn, I got more continuity in my training again, and when the opportunity presented itself for a final competition in 2022, I had to seize it.
The competition Cursa Del Nassos is an international 5k street race in the Spanish streets of Barcelona on New Year's Eve. On the start list, among others, 3x Ingebrigtsen was represented and at last year's edition, a world record of 12.49 was set by Berihu Aregawi. With the start at 19.00 in the evening, the race takes place after sunset under the street lights around some rather cosy streets.
Crossing the finish line just 7sec from being chicked.
I arrived in Barcelona on Friday the day before the competition, and I was able to have a easy training with Kristian Ulriksen from Norway who had also travelled to Spain. On the training we bumped into Jakob and Henrik Ingebrigtsen, where we could continue with them. Interesting to get a lot of insights from them. Unfortunately, Jakob ended up not being able to start the next day due to illness.
The weather on the competition day was quite excellent with just under 20 degrees around race start and more or less no wind. The route is relatively fast and has virtually no climb.
The starting gun went off and I quickly found myself at the back of group 2. We went through the first kilometre in 2.45, so a pretty good pace considering that the hope was to have a crack at the sub 14min barrier. That would require an average pace of under 2.48min/km. I was safely at the back of the group and only ran past those who had started to get dropped. We went through 3k in about 8.27min after a small hill, and I'm feeling pretty good. At about 3.8km the group starts to split, as the speed is turned up at the front with Henrik in the lead. From here it hits me and I try my best to keep it together as far as possible on the way home.
I was at the back of my group and freeloading for as long as possible
I cross the finish line in 14.12. Unfortunately, I lose a little time at the end, but there was no more in the tank. Unfortunately no sub 14min this time, but I feel okay about the time after a build up to the race that could have gone better. Always nice to break up the training scheme with some competition once in a while.
The race was won by Adisu Girma in 13.25. Re-watch the race here.
Competition shoes: Nike Alphafly 1
Here with Norwegian Eivind Øygard who I finished just behind - he has previously run 13.37 on 5000m.
