13th of September 2020. I should have been in Romania, at the half marathon from Transmaraton, on one of the most beautiful roads in the World. The place where, exactly one year ago I’ve gained my first prize as a runner. It wasn’t to be. Instead, because of the COVID-19 strict rules in Hungary I took the advantage to run a virtual 5K powered by Adidas Runner, one of the three running applications that I use. From the beginning I had only one thing in mind: under 20 minutes. This means a pace below 4 min / km which for me, honestly speaking, is not hat easy to believe in.

21:00 for me, in Brașov

My registered record for a 5K dates from November 2018 when, in Brașov, the official watch stopped at 21:00. The thing is that I felt I was able, but if I would become a lazy cunt, like at Budapest Felmaraton – a story about which I’ll talk other time – my aim can be trashed. Lucky me, Margit Sziged is a perfect running place. I mean, the running surface has 5.3 kilometres with only 200 meters of curves and, maybe, 100 meters of ascent. Considering I need only 5K, not the whole surface, the only obstacles are around 100 metres curve. Nothing. I am a bit nervous, but getting prepared.

The third kilometre was the hardest

I start powerful, below 3.45 / kilometre. Don’t have any other option if I want to make it. First kilometre is pure perfection, 3:52, so I am into it. Keeping the pace straight, the second comes out in 3:54, still sufficient for my aim, but the long way still remains. Because of the curve, at the intersection with Arpad Hid, my pace drops at 4:04 for the third kilometre, which, to be honest, gives me some push that I should be grateful with a PB, even though it won’t be necessary below 20 minutes. That’s life. But in a split second I regain my will and understand that I only need to keep focus around 1.5 kilometre. That is it! I scream a couple of times.

Scream and sprint

My scream… Well, it is nothing special, not necessary a fighting sound, but it helps me in most difficult moments to exhale properly. Still, people are very stunned when they hear me like that, but it is just something physical, nothing more. In no time, my watch beeps for km no. 4: 4:00. Not bad, but still a bit of concern. My average pace, after 4.5 kilometres drops to 4 minutes / kilometre. For the first time in this race! Cannot accept it by any means, so I accelerate for the last 500 metres. Nothing can stop me from achieving my small, but important, target.

Dream came true with 3:57 / kilometre

I run 30 more extra meters just to be sure my race will be validated and I stop my watch: 19:54 per 5.03 K, around 19:45 for the 5K and a pace of 3:57 / kilometre. The other applications, Nike Runner and Strava say 3:58. But who cares…? It was hard for an naturally not athletic guy like me, but who gained all his abilities only with work and exercise, to run this distance at that pace. But easier than I have expected, to be honest. Running is not hard, on the contrary. Is easy as fuck. If you think otherwise, it is because you are not running or because you are overweight or maybe you got something bad at your head…

Running is easy, just try!

Anyway, the experience was, in the end, majestic. I don’t know what’s next in terms of 5K. If you ask me, maybe I’ll try to go at least a second below this time at a physical competition, not a virtual one. Time is still on my side. At least I think so. Now, I am enjoying the achievement. The barrier broken will remain forever the same. It was on my 179 in a row running day. And I am not planning to stop soon. As the guys from Iten told Finn, who wrote ‘Running with the Kenyans’: ‘just try’. When the writer tried to keep the pace for a morning ‘easy’ run. In Kenya, you don’t go easy like we do. Still, running is easy! Just try it. The pace doesn’t matter, at least at the beginning.