Races

New road PB | 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 possibleI 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.

Road race in Kapchorwa | A month ago it was announced by Rosa Associati Management that a 10k road race would be organized in Kapchorwa. The first version of the "Nike Discovery Uganda", supported by Jacob Kiplimo with the partnership of Nike and the Uganda Athletics Federation. Since we are already here in town at the same time, it is a race we must participate in and test ourselves against the locals. The total prize pool was 25 million UGX. Probably not something we'll get our hands on.The day before the race we had to register ourselves for the race in Rosa's camp, which is located somewhere in Kapchorwa. We could not find any information about the address, so we had to ask around a bit before we found the location of the camp. At the registration we were told that the race would start at 8am the next morning, from the town's sports ground. Before the start of the race we had to pick up our race number.On my way out on the 5th and last lap of the race.We arrive about an hour before the start of the competition, and we meet a huge chaos of people wanting their race number. Queuing culture is not something that exists here. It wasn't long before the organizers decided that they would call out the names one by one. I couldn't wait to hear how they pronounce my last name Dewett.Apparently there were several races to be held. It turned out that there would be a total of 6 classes that would start one after the other. Men and women separately in the U16, juniors and seniors classes. No one really knew what order it should be held in, so we had to hang around not to miss the start of our race. Some said seniors would be starting first, others said juniors first. A few minutes before the start at 8 am, fully warmed up, it turned out to be U16 women first. From here we did not know how the races will be run, so we tried to hang around the arena as much as possible.In Rosas camp with Milos to registrer ourselves for the race.The raceAfter the third warm-up, it was finally our turn. Race start for senior men was at 10.15. In direct sunshine and 26-27 degrees we had to run the 10k. The route consisted of 5 laps of 2km. The first km went slightly downhill to a narrow u-turn; not very nice in my Nike Alphafly 2. Then an easy climb before there was a steep climb up towards the end of the lap. About 20m of climb in total per lap. So close to 100m of climb for the whole race, which is something you feel at altitude with high intensity.We were being called up to the front of the starting field, not sure why, maybe the organizers think it's interesting with mzungus in the starting field (Milos and I were the only ones). In any case, they took some pictures. I ran the first k in 2.50min, and I'm already behind the field - it's crazy. The front runners ran well under 2.35min on the first 1k.Here together with Milos shortly after the finish of the race.During the race I see many people dropping out, and especially in the last half I start to overtake several runners who where slowing down. I end up running 32.34min, while the winner runs 28.37. My final position was #42. So I'm 3.57min behind, which I'm pretty happy with in heavy training only on day 16 at altitude. At the finish I met Iacopo (Kiplimo's coach), and he told me that he has wheel measured the route. The atmosphere during the race was one of the wildest I have experienced for a long time. The spectators were standing in layers all the way around the course. I would guess there were several thousand who came to watch, all locals in the area. Was constantly shouted "mzungu" all the way around. If I get the opportunity again, I will definitely prioritize running the race again!Top 10.

The selection races | Unfortunately, this post can be rather short. The selection races ended almost before they started. The night of the first race on Friday a cold hits. 6 weeks of illness, 2 weeks of 80% training and now a new illness. I don't quite feel lucky at the moment.On the way to the finish line of the short distance (Foto: @ Emma Bjessmo)On Friday's short distance I tried, I get through the course technically reasonable, but the body was slack. Saturday's middle distance nothing worked, and I went home after only a couple of controls. Sunday I forced the long distance with a small hope of a result that could secure me a spot. I finished as no. 7 - so the only thing I really got out of that race is that I probably get to extend the illness period.On Wednesday I head to Skellefteå Sweden, where there is Swedish Leauge middle distance on Thursday and then 10mila in the weekend. I hope to get well enough to be able to get some acceptable races. Then I have to try to find new goals to train towards, whatever it will be. Hope the trend turns soon, so there is something more positive to write about :-)