Picture: Jarno Maimonen
Last year I did perhaps my best run of the season in Karhu-viesti running the last leg in 30.14. This year I ran 8 secs slower, but that is not the issue I have with my run today. The issue is I lost the fucking race!
Our team had done an excellent race that far and I was given a 5 secs lead over Mikko Virta. I lead the first 2Ks or so with Virta close behind. I think we were running something like 3.10-3.15/km. Then I let him fight the wind and I think the pace slowed down to c. 3.20/km. It felt easy. I tried to attack midway after 15 mins of running. I did two times c. 500 meters sprint with the strongest headwind possible but Virta was like a stamp on my back. I thought if I could have a 5 meter gap that would do it in that wind. But I couldn’t.
After those sprints my game was basically over. Also my speed slowed down, perhaps close to 3.20/km. I continued to lead anyway, hoping that Virta would phase out or something. That never happened. Virta passed me 500 meters to the finishing line and I had practically nothing to give. I did not sprint at the end. I was both physically and mentally done.
I am ok with my time. It was strong headwind at times and, overall, most runners were far behind their best times today. I also think I ran stronger today than a year ago. I was able to change my pace as I wanted. Unfortunately that was not enough.
Here are two messy low-res Quicktime vids by Jyrki Repola of my run: vid 1 and vid 2.