In November 2024, I’ve decided to participate again at Băneasa Forest Run, after a long pause. This time it was about the 11K race, which I have never attended before, but wanted to in 2022. It just didn’t happen, because of an injury. After some half-marathons in the past, in the famous Băneasa forest, finally I aligned at the start of the race, dealing with that more like of a training. Fast forward: 48:36 net time, with an overall male 38th finish. Not great, but decent. I felt good, pushed as hard as I could, and thought about “what if?” I felt I didn’t do my best. But I guess I did. Five months later (how quick the time flies!!!) took on the spring edition. Mid April.

Băneasa Forest Run: same ranking, 2,5 minutes slower

I was not necessary in a better shape, but felt confident I can do better, even though I am heavily impacted by the way in which the weather is in the race day: the more warm and humid, the worse for my performance. But it is not a problem, on this 13th of April, things went OK, I just didn’t got the needed speed to perform as I wished. My thought was to beat my autumn time, which didn’t seem to be impossible. Instead, my body moved slower, and couldn’t push as I wanted. Final count: 51:03. Around two and half minutes slower. I can’t hide I was disappointed. Even if, at the end, in terms of ranking a huge surprise arose: same 38 spot.

How a 27th place looked like?

If I would perform at the level from November 2024, in terms of time, then I would have ranked 27th! Would have been a quantum leap, basically. With a same time on my Polar watch. Truth being told ’till the end, though, I should be fair and state that in November 588 males competed, while in April only 520, so then the gap cuts the equivalent time vs. spot. However, taking the proportion, a 27 position at the end, still would have been better than the 38 rank. A 33-34 finish would have been similar to the 38 in November, judging by the number of starters.

First DNF, then Băneasa Forest Run failure

In the end, my performance was poorer, but not by much. And a conclusion I came up with was that, even if I couldn’t move as I wished, or as I used to only a couple months earlier, I was not alone. Many other runners could not achieve the time from the fall. Even some, and not few actually, did perform better. I guess that in the period described, mid March – mid April, my body revolved to its weakest period of the year. After running a PB in half marathon in training, beginning of March, a first DNF, because of lack of speed on asphalt came as a first for me, and then this downgrading at Băneasa Forest Run.

Back in shape and heading for vacation!

These are things we need to accept and to analyze, in order to understand not only how running works, but how life works in general. Without acceptance, you can’t move properly forward. Especially considering that one week after, in almost ideal weather conditions, I’ve clocked a very unexpected 41:31 asphalt 10K, even though I would have been pleased with under 43 minutes even. This time it worked. I was back in shape. I can go at peace in vacation!