13.03 – Halfmrathon Ottobeuren

Exactly four weeks before the first highlight of the season (in Marathon Obermain) and about 4 months before the first Triathlon long distance (Ironman Zurich), another half-marathon was this weekend on the agenda. Coincidentally, my running partner Pietro Liguori from the LG Stadtwerke München also opted for this run, so that “the two fast athletes from Munich” could deny together the trip to the Allgäu.

The run in Ottobeuren was indeed quantitatively with 26 starters (132 total) occupied rather small, personal performance somewhat anyhow in the foreground. The training for Zurich runs in principle very well, no significant failures; the longer runs around 20-25km in basic endurance mode run with an average pace of 4.50min per kilometer rather good.

Well, it should be also be good in Ottobeuren today; comparable to the performance of the first test run of the season (20-km winter running series München), the target was purely set on time, which meant roughly 1.28-1.29h (approximately 4.10-4.13min per km). The 2-Rounds route, the largest part on forest roads with single trails is with 233 high meters not so easy but a good preparation for the 42.2km in Obermain, where I have to tackle 650 high meters.

As outdoor athletes one have to take the weather as it is .. Does not matter. So today was the strong, partly gusty east wind our biggest opponents. In the beginning, the later second placed women; started quickly ahead and up to km5 I had a continuous backlog of around 20 seconds. “Teaser” I thought, but focused purely on my race and my time. However … at km6 this decreased to only 12 seconds and after the first climb (km 7) I was able to pass and to continually build on the lead up to 2.5min in the end. So, I decided the 21.1km race in a time of  1.27,54h for me. Supi!

Pietro was at this time already 12 minutes over the finish line. He outclassed the male competition in 1.15,19 with nearly four (!) Minutes ahead. Very cool. Results