Volkslauf rund um den Klopeiner See

Date: 15th Aug 2011
Distance: 10.4km
Full results: http://results2.pentek-timing.at/results/2011/11502-06.pdf
Type: Road
Comments:

Klopeiner SeeKlopeiner See is a lake about 25K east of Klagenfurt, a town in Austria that is served by Ryanair flights from Stansted.

The 34rd International Volkslauf rund um den Klopeiner See 2011 took place late on the afternoon of Monday 15th August. Each year, this day is a public holiday as Austrians celebrate the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. There was a 5.2K race, a 5.2K Nordic Walk, and a 10.4K race, together with two races for children of 0.5K and 1K.

The three longer events took place on the road or cycle path that goes round the lake. Hence the title of the event. As you can guess, the 10.4K race involves doing the circuit twice. I opted to do the 10.4K race. I think this variant was new this year.

The above photo is copyright pixel0908 and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

I had arrived the previous Thursday and each day temperatures had reached about 25 degrees. However on the Monday afternoon there was a torrential downpour that lasted several hours. It didn't look as it would ever stop: I didn't know whether the events would be cancelled or whether I would be standing around before the start in pouring rain. It was time to acquire a bin bag to stick over my head: I asked at my Hotel's reception for einer gross Müllsack. Unflinchingly, the receptionist got me one. Although it was still pouring for the children's races, the rain went away for the two 5.2K events and the 10.4K race which all started at 5p.m.

The fastest person doing the 5.2K Nordic walk overtook me as I was doing the last K of my first lap. So he was just about to finish. It wasn't clear to me as to whether he was walking fast or running slowly. He finished his 5.2K in 0:25:35, about 46 seconds faster than me.

Besides the weather, the other problem was dealing with people, kids, pushchairs, dogs, ... . The route runs between each hotel and its strandbad (swimming/sunbathing area). So people cross the route if they go from their hotel to their strandbad. And of course people promenade along the route enjoying their ice creams, pushing pushchairs and with uncontrolled kids/dogs in tow. Luckily, the weather had put most of them off, but on the second lap it was more of a problem as there were less runners taking part.

Here is a link to a map showing where we went (according to my Garmin).

Wearing my HRR vest, I was hoping that maybe some other Briton may recognise it. However, looking at the results, I now see I was the only one from Britain taking part: apart from Austrians there were also competitors from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Slovenia (which is just a few K away).

The race was timed by chips and those doing the 10.4K race ran across the finishing pad at the end of both laps (as shown in the times below).

Results:
Pos
GunTime
CatPos
Bib
Name
ChipLap1
ChipLap2
ChipTotal
1
0:35:58
1
318
first male
17:44
18:11
0:35:56
9
0:40:24
1
446
first female
20:08
20:15
0:40:24
69
0:54:47
5
328
Barry Cornelius
26:21
28:21
0:54:42
92
1:13:24
-
-
last finisher
36:32
36:34
1:13:07
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