GUYANA’S premier male 10K athlete Cleveland Forde and female road race specialist Alika Morgan both said their race plans worked for them in Sunday’s Massy 10K run.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport after the event on Sunday, Forde who returned 33 minutes 15 seconds (33.15) in winning the male category for a fifth consecutive year in the history of the event, said, “My plan was to push the pace of the race from the halfway mark and try to return a better time than my time last year and that’s exactly what I did.”

The 30-year-old Forde, who benefited from a training programme at the Kip Keino High Altitude Training Centre in Kenya some nine years ago, added that if he had someone marking him in the latter part of the race it would have caused him to accelerate and clock a better time.

Forde said he anticipated that the race would have started late and the sun would be a telling factor, so during the latter part of his preparation he trained in hot conditions, “so the sun did not affect me”.

Morgan, who is now 25 years old, said the sun took a toll on her since it was very hot and after taking a break from the sport for a month and then only starting preparations for the event three weeks ago, it took a lot out of her.

She said her race plan was not to carry the race since she only had three weeks to prepare for it. She allowed Andrea Foster to set the pace and nearing the western end of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, Foster was about 20 metres ahead of her, but for some reason she literally stopped and Morgan was able to overtake her and win comfortably in 42.08, beating Foster into second place.

Morgan expressed thanks to her coach Leslie Black for getting her into shape in such a short space of time.

In an invited comment, Black said, “I think she did great, but she will now have to build on that performance since in the past she ran faster 10Ks. She used to be clocking 37 minutes or so.” He added that his charge ran comfortably and did not push herself too much.

“The COURTS 10K is next for her and I hope to get her into better shape,” Black stated.

Cleveland Thomas, who placed second to Forde in the men’s category in a time of 33.58 told Chronicle Sport the condition was not good for him and he knew beforehand that for him to win, which he did not, he would have to stay with the `Little Kenyan’ as Forde is known on the local scene.

“When he (Forde) jumped me, it was sudden and I did not want to extend myself on the rise on the (Demerara Harbour) bridge, so I definitely have to change my race plan for the COURTS 10K. I think I was not on the right track, but I’m confident I’ll do better at the upcoming COURTS race.”

Andrea Foster (18 years old) who only returned to Guyana last Thursday after a stint in North America as well as participating in the just concluded World Track Championships in Beijing, China, told Chronicle Sport the sun was extremely hot but it was a good race, but one has to recognise that I have been training for track events for quite some time in the U.S. and to return home three days prior to a road race is really tough. “I, however, want to congratulate Alika (Morgan) on her victory.”

Asked what caused her to literally stop and take a rest at the entrance of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, Foster said she was a bit exhausted and started to cramp.

When Foster crossed the finish line, she fell to the ground crying out for cramps in both her legs and had to be assisted by her club mates and public-spirited citizens as there was no medic present.

The COURTS 10K race is billed for September 20.

By Michael DaSilva