The Suzhou ‘Run for Blue’ 5k Rotary run took place just a couple of kilometres from my house near Dushu Lake. Starting at 9am on a hot Saturday morning, 20th May 2017. It was nice short race for a good cause, well organized, and a first place finish for me! I took my e-bike and arrived nice and early for the race at around 8am. This gave me plenty of time to warm-up and chat with the other runners. It ended up that some of the guys in the organisation were international students at my university. Mostly from the business school.
Arriving early also meant I could take a look at the other runners as they arrived. It seemed like it wasn’t going to be such a big race with maybe around 50 or so runners. The course was quite familiar, somewhere I’d normally pass through on my training runs. Looking at the map they had I reckoned the course would be short, less than 5k, maybe more like 4 or 4 and a half. About 15 minutes before the start I went to warm up with a jog through the park. Before the race we had an organized warm-up and a description of the course with a run-down of the rules. The course would pass through the park, round the moon bay, half a kilometre along the coast road, and back. Along the way we would have our hands stamped to make sure we didn’t cut any corners. One stamp on the way out, one at the turn around, and two stamps on the way back.
The start of the race was kind-of unceremonious. We gathered around where the race would begin and had a countdown, 5-4-3-2-1- go! After we started moving I hung behind the leader for a few seconds then pushed out in front. I knew the route and figured that I didn’t want to wait in line to get my hand stamped. We moved out of the park, over the bridge, along the lake, and into the moon bay. One kilometre done and I hadn’t looked back yet. It was around 25° Celsius and the sun bright. I kept my pace up around the bay, before moving into the trees and the first stamp. I held out my hand and got stamped to move on to the road and the-turn around. Almost half way and not a punter in sight. I was starting to feel like I might get another race win under my belt.
I got my hand stamped again at the turn around and crossed the road to retrace my route back to the start. About halfway back along the road I caught sight of the 2nd and 3rd place runners on the other side of the road. I must’ve had about a 3 or 400m lead at this point. I dropped my pace down to around 4:40 minutes per kilometre so I could survive the rest of the race. The legs were starting to tire a bit and I didn’t want to blow my lead. I felt the race was only there to be lost at this point.
I picked up my pace at the bay. The end was in sight. Back along the lake, over the bridge, another hand stamp, and into the part for the last 500 meters. I picked up the pace again to around 4:10 minutes per kilometre. Right before the last 100 metres I almost took a wrong turn. I sprinted over the line. 18 minutes 56 second for four and a half kilometres and a first place finish. The second and third place runners arrived about a minute later. The second place guy actually took the wrong turn before the home-straight but the third place runner called him back and waited for them to finish together.
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After the race we hung around to receive our medals, have some photos taken and watch the salsa dancing. I was well chuffed that I’d managed to win my local race. A great day’s running and a nice medal for the collection. Solid gold I reckon!
