14 May 2011

5 out of 5

Sat 8.00am Queensland Corporate Games 9.54km  32m49  1st (+1st in M50 Cat !)


The course for this mornings race usually starts on the track at St.Lucia, for a 300m circuit before heading off onto the foot path beside the Brisbane River for an 'out and back', flat 5K lap then back around the track and out for another lap. With the Floods we had in January the just laid tartan surface got ruined and had to be pulled up leaving the track today an uneven concrete oval! The track could not be used and a circuit was marked out on the field next-door. The 5K race went off 5 mins before us in the '10K'. 
We had to run two circuits of the field before getting out onto the path.
Conditions were warm and sunny, a fantastic Brisbane Winters day! 
Not a cloud in the sky.
The grass field was damp from morning due and though I flew out into am immediate lead I seemed to keep missing the correct bollard to aim for and ran wide or even off course a couple of times around the 'circuit'.
The race organiser had said this years course was 400m short and what with the off course shenanigans I got a feeling today was not one for really racing my hardest - besides I am going to race hard on tomorrow. 
The other thing about this course is the river footpath was rolled firm dirt for about a K which was good to run on and after was loose cinder/dirt. Not very conducive to fast times. I caught the tail-enders of the 5K within a K (!) and had to dodge and weave for most of the race. I felt comfortable and was able to see I had a comfortable lead because of the out and back nature of the 5K loop.


Garmin details
3m16
3m28
3m26
3m23
3m23
3m28
3m35
3m29
3m28
1m50 (538m 3m26 pace)


An 'open win' is an 'open win' ! - pretty rare at 49 years of age so to be treasured for sure! 
In fact, as the age Cats for this race are calculated as your age on 31st Dec 2011, 
I won my first ever M50 Cat !!


This victory made it 5 out of 5 outright wins in this race which was also pleasing. 


2006   1st  35m54
2007   1st  34m48
2008   1st  34m16
2010   1st  37m17
2011   1st  32m49


The race in 2010 marked my comeback race after 18months out injured.


I know I do this blog and am happy to enthuse or commiserate  myself about my racing and training but in my working life I don't discuss running/racing much (Robbie Lofthouse is the only other  runner/racer at work and I always have a brief chat with Robbie when I see him). I think this is because I don't want to be known as just 'the runner' or to bore people with the essential details that WE really feel is necessary when discussing Racing and Training - can you imagine me trying to explain how today I wasn't really 'full on' because; 
1, I knew the course was short and my time would never  mean anything.
2, The surface wasn't fast 
3, Why the surface wasn't fast
Never going to happen and if someone in my immediate team does ask if I raced at the weekend all I normally give is - yes I had a win, yes I was happy and the time was OK.
However, I have come to realise that discussing my running in a wider sense is not necessarily about me but about running and if I can promote running and get even one person to 'give it a go', that would be a good thing and so with that change in my mindset I agreed to do a small piece for our work magazine.
Front Cover - OK! photo of me running ("can I supply you with some I already have?") No they have to take it - OK cant be too difficult! Turns out the Photographer and two PR officers have an 'image' in mind!
We meet up and they explain they have a finish line tape/confetti/and poppers can I run through the tape with my arms aloft in victory salute whilst they lob confetti at me in a park on a Tuesday arvo in Brisbane!!
Too late to get out of it, so here is my front cover and another photo for inside (guess what I was thinking? = 'What have I got myself into!')
Maybe my Blind Jack glasses are sufficient disguise and no one will recognise me?
Cheers!



6 comments:

GRIFFIN said...

Hi Dave, you don't know me; however, I am always clicking on your blog to see how you are doing.

It seems that you doing very well, especially seeing as you are almost in the M50 Category.

We do have a couple of little links; we are both from England and we both know Bruce Graham, someone who I admire and am proud to call a friend...

I have read (with great interest) all about your tussles with Bruce, not only during the Nationals, but also about both your exploits in the Sydney City to Surf over the years.

Keep up the great writing and of course the great photos too.

Yours in Running Writing

Gary (GRIFFIN) Bowen

BeerMatt said...

Great running Dave. And fame at last. So when will you be available to sign autographs?

TokyoRacer said...

Congrats on the open win - that's a good one.

Anonymous said...

Whats this about M50 cat, as I chase you around in races I thought I would be able to console myself for a bit longer by saying your in the cat below me - bad enough I had to chase Ronnie P at the XC today. Seriously it's great to see u back running in such good form. Dave S

Robert Song said...

I was expecting the photos to be much worse from your description. They are not that bad.

You must have skills other than being a top runner if you can get away from Robbie with only a short conversation ;-)

Your running has really gone from strength to strength after that long lay off.

Must be disappointed though in how the season ended for Arsenal.

David said...

Hey Guys thanks for your comments.
Hello Gary.
Robert will post an small end of season review another bad year for a Gooner but it could be worse; 0 - 2 V Spuds at home !!