Ctrl + Alt + Sprint

With my last 10k run in my hometown only two weeks behind me and my training routine not really having improved since then, it was time to hit the pavement once again. Originally, I had my eyes set on a half-marathon for this day, but I decided to downgrade to the 10k run a few weeks ago. The silver lining? The 10k didn’t start until the afternoon, which meant I could enjoy a relaxing morning with my friends, who were gracious enough to host me nearby. After a leisurely morning, we made our way to Ulm, where we strolled through the old town on our way to the finish line. Standing tall in the distance was the Ulm Minster – once the tallest church in the world, now dethroned by the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. Fun fact: the cross topping the Sagrada Família was actually produced about half an hour away from Ulm, and the crane that lifted it up? Yep, it came from another neighbor to Ulm. Let’s hope there's no lingering bitterness here. The run’s official website hadn't caught up ...

I wasn't too enthusiastic going into the race today. My training in the past weeks was sporadic, and the two times I actually ran 10k in training, I had to take quite a few walking breaks. But this race in my hometown is one of my favorites. Not just because I can sleep in on race day and then rush to the start line, but also because of the atmosphere. Unlike other races I've been to, this one has spectators along most of the course, while in others, we runners often find ourselves alone. Yesterday's weather was chilly and windy, but today was perfect: sunny without being too hot. Hopefully, we'll still have a few more days like this before winter arrives. I arrived about 10 minutes before the start time, so my warmup mostly consisted of rolling down the hill on my bicycle and a few quick shakeouts before lining up. And then, some magic happened over the next hour. Up until the final lap, I was skeptical about my performance. I tried to pace myself during the first laps...