From: Anthony (anthony@mail.biu.ac.il)
Subject: Race report: Yavne 10k (Israel)
Date: Sun, 09 Jun 2002 16:11:44 +0300

The Inaugural Yavne 10K.

When: Friday June 7, 2002
Where: Yavne, Israel.

Summary: HOT.  Long. Thirsty.  PW.

Details:  After several weeks of pleasant mild weather, Friday
heralded the start of the first serious heatwave of this year.
Maximum temperature on Friday was around 32C (90F), and at
the race start at 10:30 I would estimate it was 29C (84F).

  This was the inaugural race for Yavne, which is a small towm
south of Tel-Aviv, several kilometers inland from the
Mediterranean coast.

  We (I drove together with a friend from our Jerusalem running club)
arrived in good time, picked up our race numbers, and "warmed up"...
I had been drinking lots of water and sports drink that morning and
the previous day.  I started at what seemed a good steady pace.
Avi (my friend) went out ahead and I didn't try to chase him.  I
was hoping for around 40 minutes, but 4 minutes came and went and no
1 kilometer marker...It became apparent after a while that there
were no kilometer markers, not even a 5k marker...

  Meanwhile, out on the course the mercury was climbing and we were
"sweating buckets".  At the first water table the volunteers were
handing out small cups - not enough.  I had my 2 very small (65 ml -
2.2 oz) "emergency" bottles of Isostar (sports drink).  As we
approached the 2nd water stop, I saw they were filling the cups from
1.5 litre bottles (.4 gallon) bottles.  I signalled for them to give me
a bottle, drank a fair bit, filled up my little bottle and soaked
myself - that helped me a lot.

  Even without the kilometer markers I felt like I was maintaining
a fair pace.  I passed Avi at about 35 minutes, but saw that 40
minutes was fast approaching with no finish line in sight.  At
about 41 minutes, another teammate from Jerusalem who wasn't
running told me that there wasn't far to go.  I tried giving it
what I had left (not too much), and finished in 43:15 which is a
PW for 10k for me - personal worst that is...

  Since a picture paints etc.. try
  www.shvoong.co.il/shvoong/547/56.jpg to see me at the finish...

  Believe me - that's how I felt...I drank "copious amounts of
fluid" and felt OK after about 15 minutes.  I didn't hang around
for the awards.  Had to be home for our youngest child's 1st
birthday party...I finished 34/180 overall, and 6/24 in my
age-group (40-44).  The men's winner finished in 31:37, and the
women's (that's Eti from our club) in 38:15.

  I heard today that the course was 10.7 km according to
a runner with a distance monitor, 10.5 km according to another
who had driven the course, and 10.3-10.4 km according to
Eti's estimation...  made me feel better about my time.

  Anthony.  Jerusalem, Israel.