Closer & Closer to 10k in 45 mins…

Part of life and so business and so running is just about doing it. It’s not just “learning by doing” that I learned in the organisation that I met my husband in – JCI , its more about growing by doing and always changing.

I was juggling dates and, whilst I had registered for the Sevenheuvelenloop, we selected this day to run our business planning day. Then up popped another opportunity – the Olympisch Stadionloop in Amsterdam. Recommended by fellow runners in my club, the Bergserunnersclub it was also in aid of Unicef. I have for a while been considering how I can link all the running I am doing to a charity – after all it does seem a lot of kilometers to be running that I could be sharing to help others.

This was not an event that I had specifically trained for. I had been running in Dallas and my usual minimum 3 times a week but not really goal driven. It was to be a test of my underlying fitness. AND my basic training scheme.

I have been recently focusing on how much my business runs parallel to my running – and vice versa. Throughout this year, alongside our internal training, I have been attending the Business Bootcamps provided by Open Circles Academy. One of the many things that I have learned here  – and it underscores one of the key areas in our own training – is the value of having a system and using it consistently. The Olympisch Stadionloop was to be a test of this AND – another real changing point – my own belief system.

I first met up with a friend who is running Amsterdam Fit, a running organisation that meets by the Olympic Stadium. It was good to see a friendly face.

As we started the race I joined the 45 min pacer. I just wanted to feel how fast I really had to go to reach this milestone. We introduced ourselves. We started and I was “in touch” and keeping up the pace for c. 3 km then I gradually moved of pace – initially by 10 – 20 seconds – then a little more…. I did manage to speed up a at the last 1.5 km but still not up to pace. HOWEVER there was value in the underlying training and thus the SYSTEM as I took some seconds off my 10 k Utrecht time and came in at 48,12 so I was quite amazed!

What was even more incredible is that my pacer found me at the finish and asked me how I had performed. She herself is an ultramarathon runner (something that I seem to be coming across more often) and will run in the 65 km Olne-Spa-Olne in Belgium – certainly something to aspire to!

The final results  – my pacer, who ran within 45 mins, was 5th and I was 11th in the women’s recreational run:-)

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