no registration beforehand, no starting numbers, no prize money, no african gazelles. but rather tracktors holding up the start and finish banner, a prize raffle in the end and local people, a lot of local people. over 650 runners and walkers participated on a sunny and cold (2°C) november sunday. this old-school event was just superb. the atmosphere totally relaxed and family like. no suprise, the dads and some kids were running, the mothers and the other kids were organizing and socializing. the setting in rural southern finland, about 100km north east of helsinki.
in the end it’s the race we came for. that was decent as well. no pushing and shoving in the front line of the start field, as it’s familiar with many larger city runs. there was even some space around you and to the front to the actual starting line. after the starting shot elevated into the sky, elvis - also in the first row - was quickly left behind. two groups formed, the first at a 3:30min speed the second at a 3:45min speed. after 3km, i started to lead the second group and after 5 showed them some uphill accelereration capabilities. after 6km they showed me some fast on a flat strech capabilities and there i was looking at their backs. the last 3km went surprisingly well and as 12th i reached the finish in 39:26min. since the whole distance was 10,6km, the 10km mark was at 37:30min, i.e. a 3:45min/km speed. good for a first one.
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