Harold Ashton

Sunday 8.00am Sunshine Coast CC Elizabeth Daniels Park Budrim

12KM 41m14s (2nd & 1st)

3KM 10m08s (1st & 1st)

Even after yesterdays hard work out I had one aim today, improve upon my course record.

Beautiful morning, sun beaming down, typical start with young guys racing off and me trying to chase them down. Ben Holland , Tim George and Neil Labinski(only doing 6K -2 laps) pulled away. Peter Bock came past me (as standard) in the first couple of K's. I felt OK and managed to maintain good momentum got back past Peter and covered first lap in about 10m10. Neil managed to pull away from the 12K boys on his last lap and I seemed to catch Tim George without trying to - more a case of him moving backwards! Then I noticed that Ben Holland seemed to be coming back to me! Went through 6K in about 20m20 and 9K in about 30m50.

I had hoped to be a little closer to the top guys and was very happy to get within 100m of Ben Holland at the finish. I must have been putting in extra effort as for the second time in this series I experienced a wretch out on the course as got to the top of the hill!

So I 41m14 broke my course record (M40) from 2006 by just under 2Mins!

The 3K was again charge of the Light Brigade as all the Male runners started together. I noticed during one particular sharp downhill section how Jordan Pearce managed to gain 30m on me - he seemed able to fly down it where as I was more circumspect. I caught him back up on the long hill section but he was doing his best not to let me move ahead of him. Finally got around him as the hill took affect and really put the effort in from there (felt like I was sprinting!)

I finished in approx 10m08 for a M40 Course record.

Loved the Series as it is better than training and helps toughen you up. Certainly felt that the extra mileage I've run paid significant dividends - I'm still flying (comparative to last year).