April 16, 2010
My last test before the German Halfmarathon Championships (April 18th) was the first 1/2-h run in my home town Zwickau on Wednesday. The result of 8.850m was just above my minimum aim of 8.800m and every distance starting with 9 would have given me some confidence for the upcoming weekend.
The km-splits were: 3:19/3:23/3:26/3:26/3:26/3:26/3:26/3:24 + 850m. The first 4 and the last 2 laps I was lucky that I had some company from my club mate Remo Barthel (in between I could lap him). Seems that Remo is going to develop to a good training partner. After the competition we even went for an ice-bath in the local river (“Mulde”) together.
Now I will have some easier days until the German Championships in Bad Liebenzell and hope to run sub-70min on this fast course.
March 14, 2010
Finished my first race in the spring. Really bad time, but after a minor cold starting on Wednesday and still hampering my breathing, as well as a bad general shape, I was not expecting a faster time. I guess I have to live with my performance. I know I can (and will) run faster. Now the conditions are getting better and better in Germany and after I recovered from the cold I’ll add some faster stuff.
The weather and the race organisation was pretty much perfect. Some small hills and some windy parts, but still fast times on this course would be possible.
In the race it was also obvious that several German runners had some trouble with the winter conditions and need to adjust to race-pace, just like me. I ran in the neighborhood of David Karl (3rd placer German Marathon Championships 2009) and Philipp Ratz (German Marathon Champ 2007).
For me it was a normal-good training run and a good hint towards the fact that there’s a lot of work in front of me…
January 9, 2010
In my first race 2010 I could secure the first victory.
The New Years Race in Falkenstein used to be my season opener for several years: In the almost 28 years I’ve been on this planet I competed 14 times in this race – that’s half of my life. Usually the run is a nice built-up for the spring and that might be the reason why today was “only” the third time I won the race.
Conditions were very winter-like with temperatures between -5 and -10°C and some fresh snow. Just like Finland … and I like this kind of weather. I don’t like the hills that you have to climb during the race but still I could decide the race after ~15km just before the top of the hill by increasing the pace. I was already surprised that I wasn’t alone at this point, but 2nd place Maksym Salii also has some good marathon results under his belt. Anyway, until the finish I could extend my lead to more than 2 minutes – and I even had to tie my shoe laces with 3km to go.
Full results here.
picture from last year when I won the 11,5km distance
January 1, 2010
On the last day of 2009 I ran Germanys second biggest New Years Eve race in Bietigheim. After 2007 it was the second time for me there, so I already knew the great atmosphere (4.000runners in one race+several ten-thousand spectators). This time I was traveling with a big group, that also included Carolin Tuch, Peter Rodewald, Marc Schulze and his girl friend as well as my parents. We were invited by the race organiser, which meant we could stay in Bietigheim form 30.12-1.1., avoiding the stress of traveling for several hours on race day. The organisation was once again perfect – great thanks for the organisers!!
For me it was a first serious test and the first fast workout since several weeks. I only had three weeks of continuous training in my legs and that’s why I cannot be dissapointed with my performance. Even if I was a couple of seconds slower than 2007 the race was a confidence builder for me. Averaging 3:11min/km without any speed training is reasonable and the gap to the big guns is not too big. I could run at around 13th place for most of the race but on the finnishing straight two guys caught me and I could not respond. After all tenth place was only 25seconds away. The most important thing for me was and is, that I’m still healthy and pain-free now and can continue my build-up for the 2010 season. In the future I will add some speed work to my training and then I hope to have a better kick and a faster leg turnover.
Results of the race have been published earlier already.
after around 4km I found myself in the first big chase pack (photo: © Tomas Ortiz-Fernandez)
on the home straight I was passed by two guys … guess I’m a marathoner 
(photo: © Tomas Ortiz-Fernandez)
December 17, 2009
I don’t know if I should be sad about this race, because I could not defend last years title and was beaten in my home town Zwickau for the first time in years. However, it was such a beautiful feeling to cross the finnish line without being in pain, just going for a cool-down without aiching bones, tendons and muscles.
The 8,5km main race got two winners. My mates Dan and Marc could not decide a winner and crossed the line hand in hand. If I would have been in normal-good shape the guys would have given me some work to win the race. The other runers I invited ended up in the first five places of the race.
Of course my athlete Carolin Tuch won the womens category. Even with stomach problems she followed all my orders I gave her during the race – brave effort!! For me it was the right thing to pace the fastest woman, even if the feet were itching after the first of five rounds.
After the race we had a good time, having a nice meal and some good talk.
before the start
start of the 8,5K race
after the first round
later in the race – already lapping people
after 1 round the Australian Christmas Elf (Dan Hornery) was in the lead but the chase pack caught him in the second round. Still only Marc Schulze provided some competition and the two crossed the finish line together.
December 7, 2009
The second (and already final) race of my Switzerland-Austria road trip. After a week with some running training and my first fall on ice that caused some problems on my toes and knee it was time for another evening race.
I finished the race in Gossau in 12th place in 26:37min, which was still enough to earn me some price money – amazing … seems there is too much money in Switzerland. For me the race was another marker, that it’s not a good idea to compete in big races unless I’m really fit. Already at the start I tore my left hamstrings. Together with several other issues, this caused the fact that I could only manage to average 3:15min/km-pace on this flat course. After the race I felt really, really bad. I felt like going to physiotherapy for 2 hours but unfortunately a warm shower was the only thing that relieved the pain a bit.
If I’m going there next time, I should be in better shape and should be able to compete at a higher level. Now it’s time to recover and get totally healthy. After that I will have a proper(!!) build-up.
December 3, 2009
My first race after 3 weeks and pretty much without running preparation. That’s exactly how it felt – it’s incredible how much you actually loose within three weeks. The fitness is not too bad but it’s so difficult to get used to the high pace and that was the main problem. The fact that I came closer to some of my competitors on the uphill parts of the course (there was quite a climb on the 2,2K-loop).
In general the race was great though: Starting time at 20.20, i.e. running through the darkness with all the Christmas lights and decoration. Only on the first round I had some problems and almost went down twice: The first time after 200m when I didn’t realise a bump in the road and the second time when I twisted my ankle on the darkest part of the course.
Full results here.
November 8, 2009
Yeah, won my home race. But at the same time: Damn, my right heel is hurting a lot.
Well, most of all I achieved my aim of becoming the first winner of the new City Run in my home city Zwickau. That was one of the main reasons why I came to Germany after studying very hard in Finland. May be it was not the best decision to race but if I wouldn’t have competed I would have blamed myself for not even trying. I mean: Hey, I’m a professional now – or what? It turned out that it was not too difficult to win the race and I didn’t even had to go all out. Falk Cierpinski was announced to race but as his father Waldemar Cierpinski (double olympic champion in the marathon) said, he suffered a stomach flu and couldn’t run. This way I could take it a bit easier and still could win the race in a comfortable manner. Actually I was unchallenged from start to finish.
The time is pedestrian, I know but I didn’t want to push to hard because before the race I didn’t knew if I would be able to finish. My left heel gave me a lot of trouble and now it’s even worse. Might well be, that I have to change my race schedule and have to skip next weeks cross-country championships.
The course of the race was a 3,3 km loop, which had to be ran 3 times for the 10K. A lot of turns, sharp corners and also the underground changed from fast asphalt to cobblestones and sand at one point. All results can be found here.
Tomorrow some cross training and hopefully the heel will recover fast.
start of the 1st city run in Zwickau 2009
October 31, 2009
Embarrassing race for me. But that’s one reason I wanted to take part, making all those lessons again. It seems you never canb get experienced enough. Next time I will have some easy days before this kind of race. After all I was running against the strongest runner in the country. For me it was just another training and actually not even as fast as expected.
The fitness is there but the freshness is missing. Already after the start of the race I was feeling crappy and thought that the guys were going out way too fast and should come back after a while. The opposite was the case. The top group ran almost even lap times while I slowed down during the 3 rounds of 3 kilometers each. My training mates Juha and Miika, with whom I did the hill repeats took 1st and 3rd place and qualified for the Finnish team in the Nordic Cross-Country Championships next weekend. Congratulations! Anyway, I can’t believe that they are 3 minutes faster than me.
Guess also the stress from my studies affected me. All my muscles felt tight and I couldn’t really loosen up and find a relaxed stride. Once the academic stuff is done it should get better I hope.
Results:
Men (9 km, -2°C):
1) Juha Puttonen JKU 30.28
2) Mårten Boström SjuIF 30.37
3) Miika Takala JKU 30.42
4) Mikko Tyni HaminPo 31.09
5) Pekka Toivola JoKa 31.41
6) Miro Laurila KarhU 31.52
7) Joonas Lehtinen TuUL 32.31
8.) Konstantin Kutilainen AsikkRa 33.00
9) Erik Hass VaajKu (GER) 33.26
10) Panu Jantunen ImatrU 33.45
Full results here
October 8, 2009
Two weeks after my marathon I raced in the State Championships over 10K. Of course it’s way too early for a serious race but I did it for my club. Unfortunately I couldn’t medal in the Championships because the guys were just too fresh and after 7-8km my back and legs got tight. If I would have known that before I might not have competed but it was just another experience. I just need my time after a marathon and without a proper build-up it’s not so easy to win a state title against good opponents.
The first kilometers went well and when I threw in my first surge after 4km the race was on. The bigger group of around 8 runners was reduced to me and 3 other guys. The pace was not too hot but when the pace was increased again between 7 and 8km I realised that my muscles were not ready. I could still talk to the guys next to me and the one that passed me at 8,5K but the legs were just not prepared.
Anyway, it was the first time after two weeks, that I ran under 4:30min/km-pace. Now the new training season can start and a 33:38min is not too bad for this rather slow course.
results of the race:
1 Uhlig, Oliver 1977 SC DHfK Leipzig 33:05
2 Flegel, Christian 1987 TSV Dresden 33:08
3 Friedrich, Uwe 1972 Chemnitzer PSV 33:18
4 Kämpf, Michael 1976 SG Adelsberg 33:32
5 Haß, Erik 1982 SV Vorwärts Zwickau 33:38
6 Rodewald, Peter 1983 LSV Lok Arnstadt 33:46
7 Herold, Tim 1986 LAC Erdgas Chemnitz 34:27
8 Heisch, Philipp 1984 LAC Erdgas Chemnitz 34:40
9 Thomae, Enrico 1984 LG Vogtland 34:50
10 Harzbecker, Ralf 1957 Sportclub Hoyerswerda 35:10
after the race with my club mates from SV Vorwärts Zwickau
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