Laguna Phuket 10k

 

I return to Laguna Phuket, site of triathlon triumph and misadventure numerous years ago.  

It is distressing to see that the roads around the sprawling resort, which were quiet and bike-able 10 years ago are now clogged with cars.  Phuket is, of course, ground zero for the explosion of global tourism - what is surprising on this trip is the number of Russian speaking visitors.  I seem to be the only non-Russian at the SkyPark condominium.   The rooftop pool and terrace is packed with young Russian speaking families with the father constantly hunched over a laptop computer.   I am very curious to learn the background story of these families, but it seems terribly inappropriate and intrusive to approach them.

The field for the 10k event is more internationally diverse, with a majority local Thai runners. 

A gauge at the starting line read 29 degrees.  It seems hotter. And the sun has not even risen.  

I run first kilometer in 4:08, which is slower than my tempo / threshold training pace. Even this feels too fast for me.  According to my heart rate I am already starting to struggle. 

 

I remind myself that finishing time is not important – my goal is to win my age group.  At this point there appears to be no aged runners ahead of me and I deliberately slow down.  But then at around 1.5k a terrible thing happens -- a tall, Swedish, 60-year old guy lopes by me.  

I speed up and struggle to tuck in behind him, and maintain contact.  From 3k my pace is slowing down – but fortunately my rival, the Swedish guy, is fading even more.  I move past him and other runners, even as my pace fades disastrously as the sun rises above horizon on the resort landscape.

At around 9k my stomach cramps up sharply and I slow to a jog.    Fortunately the race is almost over, and I manage to struggle to finish line.  Unlike the Laguna Triathlon in 2013 I don't throw up on the medical tent.  

In fact I feel OK, at least after confirming that I managed to hold on and capture first place in age group (out of 56 participants), and finish 25th of 854 overall.

My time of 44 minutes seems quite slow for the effort, even taking into account the heat.  But you can see I am all smiles on the podium - in contrast to the Swedish guy who faded to a time of 48 minutes ->