4.5k Road Race: Pena La Bufa in Javea Spain

I made it!

Woohoo!  I finished…and I did pretty well considering my thoroughly extensive training regime of 2 short runs prior to the big event.  I didn’t even come in last!  I’m sure there were some kids and partially immobile retirees behind me somewhere.  Now that I mention it, most of the kids finished ahead of me.  My youngest daughter, age 6, was observant enough to point out that “Daddy, you didn’t win.”  Yes, I did.  Don’t you see that big smile on my face?

The race started at 10am yesterday, on a hot, hot sunny day at the southern end of Javea (also known as Xabia in Valenciano) and ran north along the Mediterranean Sea through L’Arenal (the sandy beach & boardwalk area) and into el Puerto (the port).  The participants were almost entirely spanish athletes that belonged to the various local running clubs.  And they all wore official-looking, matching race gear.  I was one of very few expats to be involved.

My final time according to my Garmin Forerunner GPS watch was 22:54 minutes over 2.73 miles (a 8:22/mile pace).  If anyone else uses this watch please let me know.  I need to figure out how to change my training from miles to kilometers.

Waiting to get my time

My “official” Spanish time was 23:45 minutes.  This was a small race, and the finish line was not well managed, or maybe it was and I’m still getting used to how things are done here.  As soon as I finished I stood in a bullpen area and waited in line for about 1 minute before it was my turn for a race official to scan the barcode on my bib and issue my time.  I guess everything in Spain does really have it’s own pace to it!  Take your time.  No hurries.  Slow down and enjoy life.  Yes, but I just finished a race and I want my accurate time!  Oh well, moving to Spain is in part about learning to look at life a little differently than we do in the states. By the way, check out how refreshed I look compared to the pack I arrived with…they look completely spent!

I had a fantastic time and felt wonderful afterwards.  Winded, yes, but wonderful.  At the end of the course the local supermarket Mas y Mas sponsored the “refreshments” of hot, liquid cups of pure chocolate and pastries for dipping.  Hello!?!  There must be over 1,000 calories in those things!  I could have used a Gatorade and a granola bar.  Couldn’t quite get up the stomach to try it…particularly after a sweaty run.  Maybe next time.

Oh no! A race already!

Yesterday I went for my first run in over 2 months.  It went well, considering my utter lack of physical activity this summer.  But when I returned to the villa, a new friend of ours had stopped by.  She’s a runner too.  And apparently there is a whole series of roadraces here in the Javea and Denia, Spain area.  Everything from 5ks to half marathons.  There is even a nasty 15k that goes straight up the mountain, el Montgo.  Great, sounds like a ton of fun, once I get into shape again.

But, you guessed it…there is a 5k race this Sunday, only 4 days away.  She signed me up for it.  Uh oh!  This could be really ugly.  I’m sure I’ll finish.  It’s only 5k afterall.  But, I really don’t want to be the last guy across the finish line!  So, I’ll check my ego at the door and give it a go.  Will put the play-by-play on the Blog when done.  The website is in Valenciano, but give it a click if you are interested www.somesport.com

Hasta luego!