9th Feb 2020 - 2 Lap Olympic Stadium Race

photos courtesy of Tom Vosters

PPAC hold first dedicated race whilst CNTR takes a week off

This week the athletics track was closed for a kids’ football event – this is the first time that CNTR has been unable to use the track for its Sunday morning event, so a little improvisation was necessary.

When there is a likely possibility of unforeseen difficulties outside of your control you need to have a backup plan. Every morning and evening (and even during the day) walkers and runners use the pedestrianised road way that circles the perimeter of the main stadium building infrastructure (that includes the stadium, tennis complex and the indoor arena). This loop is tarmacked roughly 75% of the way (except opposite the stadium entrance) and is divided down the middle by a solid yellow line, with vehicular traffic required to circulate anti-clockwise on the ‘outer’ side, at a speed of under 10km/h, and pedestrians on the ‘inner’ side of the line, circulating clockwise, with the stadium infrastructure directly on their right hand side.

Watch the full video of how the event went down here

You can see all the photos from the event on our Facebook page

So this week, PPAC held a 2 lap race of the outer stadium loop. We had several CNTR participants competing as well as some guests including a few new faces joining our events for the very first time.

Two laps of the stadium measures 2.73 km which is not a regular race distance, so we aren’t using it for the competition at present, but it would serve as good practice for pacing in the 3000m track race and since it is a fixed loop could also be used in the future to compare performances and times for one lap, two laps or any number of laps – as long as the start and the finish lines are the same.

Another easy victory for Chhun

Kendrik finishing in 2nd place

The race In total, ten athletes made it to the start line, among whom seven Cambodians, and including four CNTR 2020 participants and four first-timers to a PPAC event (a warm welcome to those runners!). Ever-present CNTR participant, and top Cambodian athlete, Meyjou Heng stayed behind the scenes this week, helping coordinate athlete registration and race management with the other volunteers.

Prost involved in a sprint finish in his first race

Another sprint finish with CNTR competitor Saing

From the start of the race, the leading Cambodian male athlete, Bunthorn Chhun quickly established a big lead, completing the first lap in 4:44, already 33 seconds ahead of second placed compatriot Sovannra Long. With most of the athletes tiring on the second lap, Bunthorn was still pulling away, with a 4:36 lap, almost 9s faster than his first but still running comfortably within his capability to cross the line in 9:20, 1:18 ahead of fellow CNTR participant Martin Kendrik who also achieved a quicker second lap to claim second place after trailing in fourth at the halfway mark. Sovannra and Patt Chat were next to finish followed by young American Mason and first-timer Jeremy from France. Darareaksmey Saing was home in 14:26 to claim eighth place and final CNTR competitor for the day.

Here are the final results from the race including lap times

So all in all a successfully run race for PPAC’s first Sunday club run, albeit not quite what we imagined when we arrived first thing in the morning! We hope to be back next week with Event 5 proper - the 1500m on the track.