Flew to a raining Gladstone Saturday evening , leaving a similarly wet Brissie. Was wondering how id cope with the logistics of this 8km point to point race! Fortunately woke up to clear cloudless skies and warm enough to leave the gloves behind! Backpackers is only half a K to the finish precinct to catch a bus to the botanic gardens for the start. Warmed up with Jackon Elliot who is such a top top bloke. He had word that Ben Ashkettle from Melbourne was going to be running but knowing he'd just run the Townsville Marra in 2:22 was probably still going to have it in his legs (along with the $4000 cash he won in his back pocket. Jacko had won this race 3 x without competition so it was interesting to see what this threat would do. Other Gladstone regulars Chris Bracken and Clare Gerahty and her partner Scott Imhoff, lined up on the start line.
We took off slightly more reserved than I recall up the 400m hill!
I had 5 guys in front of me and became detached pretty quickly .
I felt I was moving ok at my limit, I held it together up and down the next few km's. Around 5km I could see I was catching 5th and 6th and swept past them running strongly. Forgot to mention in the first K Jacko had gapped the others and was charging off imperiously to his 4th victory in this event!
Pretty soon he'd disappeared out of sight.
For me I was looking forward (!) to the last big hill @ Goondoon St through Gladstone CBD. I survived it by slowing down and shortening my stride , over the crest and it's a steep downhill before things level off and then over the bridge to finish @ Central Queensland Uni.
I did have a point along this 'run in ' where I felt pretty uncomfortable but on checking my heart rate after I was holding steady but max 172/173bpm so not sure why the discomfort, I was in clear space and ran through the finish without raising the effort. I was pleased to run 40 (edit) seconds faster than last year on what seemed the exact same course. Jacko ran 40 seconds quicker suffering a cold but finding the threat of competition to his benefit.
I Decided not to give the 3km a go this year a, jogged back to the backpackers for a shower.
Flight back to Brissy at 2:00pm job done.
Will post a performance comparison of my runs here in 2011, 2013, & 2014
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| 2011 course was shorter last km was different but first 7 comparable. |
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It was a reflective David McSweeney who I caught up with cashing in another lucrative winner's cheque after returning from a triumphant sweep of Queensland provincial centres as a Goodwill Ambassador for Garmin and Bar Cliff Energy bars . Together we sat by the tranquil waters of Loch North as the extroverted Scotsman gazed out across the foam crested waves in reflective contemplation like some all conquering Alexander of old and now planning new fields of conquest having arrived at the further most pillars of human endeavour . " What more could there be to be achieved ?" I asked as his Holiness the Garmin Lama graciously signed his autograph for me . " Jacko said it's time ," was his reply with that enigmatic smile now famously gracing billboards the world over as the international face of Garmin . Michael Jackson was my immediate thought to this obscure reference . Seeing my perplexed look the ever gracious Scotsman explained further . " My best mate Jacko Elliot said I should go for Bradford's soft 5k age record . I've smashed it at Sandgate when I equalled Nick Toohey's course record . People point out Nick's half my age but age for me is just a number . No big deal really . No need to give Nick a hard time just because of his youth. Gives hope to nursing home patients and dementia sufferers world wide when they see my staggering performances . I owe it to my adoring public to give them a Bradford record . It's stood for far too long . No disrespect intended to Allen but I think that time was a little over rated anyway . " With that the ever humble human running dynamo was up and on his way to another training appointment with Garmin Connect . Thanking my lucky stars for securing such an exclusive interview with a World Heritage listed national icon I chanced my fortune further and purchased a scratchie at the local Newsagent . My luck was still in . $7 return on a $10 dollar ticket . A winner twice in one day !
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