Time Trials

Yesterday we had our first Run Club time trails in preparation for the Pursat River Run in November. Many of the runners did a 3K time trial as prep for the 5K at Pursat. Those training for the 10K did a 6K time trial yesterday.

The course wasn't fancy. Out and back along the highway, finishing at the front of our house. I conducted the race briefing just after 6am and it went something like this, 'Do your best. Walk if you need to. Run as fast as you can. Remember this is still a highway so don't take on any cars or motos. Be careful. Have fun. See you soon.'

The runners gathered behind the pink chalk line and on the count of three they were off. I rode my moto down the road to the 1.5k point and drew a large arrow on the road to mark the first turning spot. I continued along the highway and waited at the second turning point, having drawn another arrow with the same bright pink chalk. Soon it was time to ride back again. As I rode West I could see the line of runners in their stride. A dozen brand new runners, mostly in their teens, were out pounding the highway, heads up, straining for the finish. A short-term volunteer (Jordy) was at the front of the house recording names & times. She gave up her opportunity to run so that she could cheer each one home and make sure they had an accurate record of their first trial race. As the Poipet athletes cooled down, we read through the next lesson in the How To Run booklet I put together (translated into Khmer by Phoeurn). Runners borrowed a calculator to figure their estimated finish times for a longer race.

At 5:30pm I went out for a training run myself. It was a good run. But seeing young guys & girls push themselves and watching them improve week by week is an even greater reward. Our second time trials are in three weeks (4K & 8K). Coach Pip is pumped for it!