Races and stuff.

[Bierzo Baggie]

This year I’ve tried to do some sort of race/event every month although I never had any particular focus on times, schedules or specific personal goals. The aim was simply participation and observation and putting this into writing implied more self discipline than the running itself. Running comes naturally when it’s been part of your routine for 20 years and for me writing about it takes more effort. Both activities, I suspect, are excellent for the soul.

I managed to complete eleven races between April and December. Not a lot if you compare it to the 88-year old we saw in Lugo who ran 84 races last year, but it’s a record for me. The events ranged from rudimentary affairs where race numbers were scrawled on your hand with a felt tip pen (Villamanín, 35 competitors) to slick, customer friendly running “experiences” with personalized race numbers (at both Lugo and Vigo there were 1500+ runners signed up). There were 3 jovial 10ks, 2 hard-going half marathons, 5 mountain events and a torturously uncomfortable Toral marathon in the mid-summer heat which was the one I enjoyed the least.

The people we came across on the way provided all the inspiration needed for taking part in the races and then writing about it all. There was the amazing El Chepas “the hunchback,” Cristino the one-eyed rock climber, Mr Dixieland and his trumpet (a friend of Riazor Blue as it turns out), Ana Isabel Alonso, Spain’s “forgotten” Paula Ratcliffe, Julian, the big daddy veteran of all veterans and many more….

With races and training I probably covered between 1200 and 1300kms.

For 2008 it is likely to be more of the same although there could be a special race target on the horizon. In fact the race, which I’m not mentioning, is “The Race I Dare not Mention, not Even to Myself”. Errr, better not talk about it then….