I got dropped off at a friends house at 7am about a kilometer from the start and walked down in the warming morning air...it was going to be warmer than last year. Caught up with Sunni at the start lookng to go around 55mins I think, then Wardman joined me and the crowd swelled. Snaps to the organisers for seperating the runners and walkers. It took about 5 mins to get to the start line once the gun had gone and then we were away, I started with a guy from work, Wardman and his friend. The guy from work took off ahead and Wardman and co followed up beind me.
I took it easy for the first k, just thinking how smooth this start was not having to jump around walkers and squeeze past them. I voiced this out loud and a woman running next to me said she was just thinking the same thing. The first K went by and it was a little slow so I stepped on the gas a little, a bit overzealously though, not wanting to lose the gay from work in the crowd up ahead.
I was starting to feel a bit thirsty but at the first drink station the tables were 3 deep so I forged on swapping to the partially shady side of the road. I counted down the metres to the next drink station and grabbed 2 drinks - one for the head and one for me. Taking a couple of gulps I ran on - unfortunately the water did not agree with me and I was soon feeling quite off-colour and the sun was starting to get to me.
5k to go and I was having an eternal battle as my pace was slipping out to greater than 6min/k. I really wanted to walk, and I mean really really wanted to walk...there is always next year I kept thinking and I had lost the guy from work somewhere in the distance. The only thing that kept me going then was the shame of having to take a walk break this year when I ran the whole way last year. Don't be stupid I told myself, if you did it last year you can shaw as hell do it today!
At the last drink station the water was only for my head - 2 cups. and when I looked up and got back into stride, there was the guy from work not far up on the right, I increased the pace a little and had caught and overtaken him by 2k to go.
From there I cruised to the finish just trying to go with the flow without the need for a flashy sprint finish.
I got a shout of "GO COOLRUNNER" with a couple hundred metres to go but could only manage a thumbs up over my shoulder, round the bend and over the finish line in 1:15:xx gun time...stopping the watch at 1:08:59...avoiding the girl doubled over vomiting and throught the throng, aahh. Goal Acheived! I think If I had run a smarter race I could have dropped a minute off the time but what can you do? bring on sub 60mins next year!
Comments about the race...so much better than last year, 3 gold stars to organisers. Passing 6km the announcer was explaining to the waiting mass of walkers that when they think about the people going past, hey I can walk faster than that, then that is when he will let them start! Fantastic, no new wave to deal with...
Edit: SORRY THAT WAS AN 11:30 PB!
See if you can spot me...Finish Line
8 comments:
Go the Crows ;)
Well done on keeping going when you wanted to walk. It looks like you were bitten by your enthusiasm in the first few kms, judging by your splits. Is this a PB though?
LOUD APPLAUSE!!!! An 11.30PB!!!! Well done!!
BTW I wasn't that upset about the Doggies - you guys are a class side and we're pretty inexperienced. It's all learning :)
cheers
LBTEPA (must get a beta account)
That is a huge PB - ya dug deep when it really counted - bet you learned something about yourself today.
Great work mate ;-)
Nice one Simlin! Seems like a lot of people were struggling in the heat yesterday, you did a great job to finish with an awesome PB ;-)
Well Done :) Did the race and it was hot
Argue your limitations
That's a big PB Simlin! Yes, sub-60 next year for sure.
Nice 5k 'PB' on Friday too.
An 11:30pb - showoff!!
What a difference a year makes eh, well done.I too almost succumbed to the walking option but managed to grind it out, in a 'beached whale on legs' kind of way. Very attractive.
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