Interlaken Road Mile

Well a solid race for me, a long long way off where I want to be but the most important thing was to get round!  I decided to run this mile road race as it is in the beautiful place of Interlaken, overlooked by the Jaungfrau Mountain.  The mile proceeds the Marathon the following day, where crazy people start in the town and then run a Marathon up towards the summit!

Anyway, looking at the times I think I actually crossed the line in about 4.22, which most people will think is rubbish, and it is, but there is more to the story in that I actually paced the race.  For me this was probably the best game plan as it enabled me to be up at the front for as long as possible.  The other thing was knowing that I was unfit and getting over injuries, I didn't really want to run around at the back, not be able to come through, finish down the field and then not get invited back next year.  With that in mind I offered my services to pace.  When James came in on Wednesday the weather changed (thanks mate) and proceeded to rain for the whole time until he left on Saturday morning!  It was terrible, a strong wind and pouring with rain.  It was also about 15 degrees colder than it has been which made it not the best for fast racing, still for me it was just about being solid.  The first half of the course was slightly uphill into the wind, and I had told the two africans next to me on the line that I was pacing, Ok they nodded.  This race is slightly different as the women go first and the men 30 seconds later.  First across the line, either gender wins the prize money.  So the women set off and we waited, when the gun went, the two africans burst into the lead and straight across my path, so I had to shove a few people just to get to the front and then I was away.  I felt pretty good striding out up until about 400 and then it started to hurt!  I managed to hold on till about 1k before the pack engulfed me and pushed on.  I was pretty much dead on my feet and I would like to say I jogged to the line, but I was still giving everything.  No doubt I could have run faster if I has just sat in the pack, but I feel this was more of a test for me, and one that was good on one hand, and also frustrating on the other just how much fitness I have lost.  After the best indoor season of my career, and quality training through April and May, I was flying and almost ready for the summer until I got injured.  Now I have to start all over again.  Still that is sport and we shall just keep plugging away.  The achilles did not hurt through the race but were sore after, something that I don't think will go away.  A slow start, but a start nonetheless!