Race report des Heidelberger Halbmarathons 1998

To:	cvrt-l@uidaho.edu@internet
cc:	 
From:	Hermann Stamm-Wilbrandt/Germany/IBM @ IBMDE
Subject:	race report (21.1k Heidelberg, Germany)



Hello Clydes!

Last sunday I ran the 21.1k in Heidelberg, Germany. 

The course starts in the old center of town, crosses
river Neckar over the "Old bridge", enters the famous 
path "Philosophenweg" climbing the hills  with wonderful views
on Neckar valley and Heidelberg, and continues to Ziegelhausen
on an always ascending path. There, after a steep downhill 
river Neckar is crossed again (13k) and after some flat
part (-15k) the next uphills are waiting to get up to the
old Heidelberg castle (18k). From there following steep 
downhills back into town one enters the main street after
20k to reach the finish(=start).

It was 16 degree Celcius an raining. This did not 
change the first half hour of the race.

My goals were clear but tough: run in sub 2h despite the 
500m altitude difference on the course. Last I was able 
to run 9k in sub 45min (>12k/h) and 54.165k in a 6h-run
(>9k/h). 
After realizing that a 5:40min/k pace was needed I did
a test run of 17k on most parts of the course (all hills)
the weekend before. Since my uphill-speed was >6min/k and
7min/k on the very steep parts I knew that I would have 
no rest at all and do the down-hills (and even the flat
parts) with maximum speed (on my favorite downhill, the
last 1.26k before finishing one of my standard tours,
I am able to run with 3:30min/k!).
I decided to run very quick (<5min/k) the first 3k (flat)
to gain some minutes for later. The first hilly part before
the very steep downhill (10k) were done in 0:57:30h. Then I
did the next 2k downhill in 9min! After reaching Heidelberg
castle after 18k at 1:44:10h, I continued quickly, reached
main street (20k) at 1:54:30h and finished in 1:59:42h!
I beated the 2h-barrier on that course!

Some remarks on heart-rates: ever when my HRM shows values less
than 172 I raised my pace. I did even the very steep downhill
(10k-12k) with a pulse of 180. I always felt fine. A friend
of mine finished in 1:45h and is able to do a 1:30h time
on a flat course. Interesting perspectives for me (<1:50h on
a flat course??). 

Bye,

   Hermann.

P.S: Next week I will try to do a real sub 50min 10k in our
     arena and then quit "running quickly" entering preparation
     of the next three ultras:

     06/98 Karlsruhe           80k
     08/98 Leipzig             100k
     10/98 Schwaebisch-Gmuend  50k


Hermann Stamm-Wilbrandt
Neckarsteinach
Germany
stammw@de.ibm.com