With my training ramping up again after an adductor injury in the beginning of the year I reckoned it might be time to try and retake the Kortrijk-Oostende FKT.
I set this record initially with my brother in november 2023 under non-ideal weather conditions but about a half year later our time was obliterated by some colleague runners also from Kortrijk.
While their time was very respectable, I knew there was still room for improvement, even more, I thought even I might be able to beat it.
With my training now focussing on slower paces for ultra distances and last man standing events I calculated two goal paces, one slowest pace for a new record and one goal pace for a sub 7 hour finish.
I also recce’d the early part of the course to see if there were still blockades along the river (there were). I noticed that for the first one I would have to make a small detour and for the second one I could get past it with a little acrobatics.
I started off on a chilly Saturday morning in the Easter weekend on the central square of Kortrijk and immediately set myself in a slightly too fast tempo, my heart rate was a little higher then I aimed for but my legs were feeling great so I decided to go along with it and build a little buffer.
I soon encountered the first blockade and took a little detour, I was happy to have this over with and hoped not to have to add unnecessary km’s anywhere else on the course.
After about 12 k’s I encountered the second one and got past it with no complications. I was happy, the sun was shining, the roadblocks were behind me, should be smooth sailing till the end.
Unfortunately a little later there was another blockade but again I got past it without having to take a detour.
I was cruising, and I kept cruising for about 50 k’s at 5:30, legs feeling great, everything awesome.
Unlike last time I decided to now solely rely on gels and liquid calories and electrolytes. Also I have upped my game sodium wise and am now supplementing accordingly (I hope).
Between km 50 and 60 I started slowing down a little to 6:00, lactic acid was building up from starting off a little to enthusiastic but I was still on track for a sub 7 hour finish.
After km 60 however things got even more rough, I slowed down even more, hitting a wall around 66-69 and walking stretches of the course. The sub 7 slipped through my fingers but I could almost not lose the new record so I had a little duality going on emotionally.
I was able to pick it up again in the last few kilometers, smelling the finish line and unfortunately only now believing there was more to give and finished strong.
I am over the moon with this effort and even though hitting pavement for 70+ kilometers is something I try to avoid, I really like the point to point format of this FKT.
Also running towards the sea, the edge of dry land, the limit of the country, it feels meaningful.
I took all my supplies with me from the start in order to get a better time but would advise to take more than 3.5 liter of fluids for this distance in this weather.