I really wanted to do this race in Pescara for several reasons: it is accurately measured (9.6km), it is flat at sea level and most importantly I really wanted to test my speed on a decent course. I was in Pescara for the weekend, it is just a two hour drive from my house, and this race was just perfect. There was also an HM but I wasn't ready for that. I got to the starting area one hour before the start, temperatures were perfect for this time of the year, just a light breeze to make everything perfect. The course description is simple 4.8km straight south, a 180 degrees turn and then 4.8km back north to the finish line, while the HMers would continue south until they hit their turnaround point. I really wanted to see if I could hold 4:00/km. I started with 3:54 and from there I went progressively slower to 3:57, 4:00, 4:04, 4:11, 4:08, 4:16, 4:17, 4:10 and 4:04 for the last 600m, 39:26 4:06/km AP. I could have done a few seconds faster if I didn't start so fast, but I have no regrets I know for sure that I don't have the 4:00/km speed back in my legs yet. All conditions were favorable, I also had a guy on my left shoulder since the start to push me to my absolute limit, at the turnaround I was in 10th position and I didn't want to loose it, and managed to maintain it until the end. I ran scared and chased the whole race and managed to keep him behind, so this is really my best effort and where I am right now. I felt possible at the start to finish between 38:30 and 38:50, I need to run more. PS. I was in 10th position overall at the end and 3rd in my age group because all the fast people did the HM.
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