Look back - Course du printemps 2018

No run today. I was in two minds earlier, it being a quiet Easter Monday and all, but the need to rest up and take it easy before the marathon won over. I thought I'd revisit a few old races and note my experiences. I'm not going to do them all, since starting running properly I've run taken part in 22 official races either locally around Versailles or in Paris. Some leave lasting memories, others I was only too keen to forget. My very first race was the Course du Printemps in the neighbouring town of Voisins-le-Bretonneux back in 2013. It's a 15k mixture of flat road surfaces and forest trails. My most recent race was the 2018 version, the same distance but a much different route.

It's a lovely event with a friendly atmosphere and around 500 runners. I also got a shout out at the beginning as the sole Irish runner, especially as it was the day after St. Patrick's Day! Things were quite steady for the first 7k or so but then deteriorated rapidly as we descended into the Vallée de Chevreuse and the Abbaye de Port Royale.

What goes down must go back up, in most races anyway, and between the ascent and the muddy trails from 7k to 11k was a bit of a nightmare. I made it the the line in 01:11:11 with a sprint finish, conscious that the marathon was looming.

No medal, as is often the case with the smaller local races, but I do have a handy torch as a souvenir.

Will definitely be back again next spring.