it was -1 O C !
It was eyeball freezing cold and no, I am not used to it, having grown up in England because 11 years in Queensland has softened me.
What to wear?
I'd miss placed my running gloves and only had my everyday cold weather gloves (from the UK), better them than nothing! a full long sleeved top and a beaney!
Even with all that the temperature was a real shock to the system.
Line up a row back (respectful distance considering the quality of this race), off hard to beat the hordes to the first left turn and hang on.
I dont check my watch, as I cant read it any more, but go through 1km in 3;00 !
That of course made me suffer and I followed it with a few 3;16's.
Tom Highnam and John Bartlett cruise past me at 2km. I thought they were up ahead and realized I must be going ok as these guys would be running 32 pace. They went off into the distance but another group caught me at 4km including first female Eloise Wellings, Quentin Reeves and my team mate Dennis Fitzgerald.
I was able to hang with these guys for a few K's, passing 5km on my Garmin in 16;06 (which impresses me).
The course is pretty much straight out and back.
Not much protection on the way back from a slight headwind that seemed to slow everyone up. I dropped to 3;26's and was gapped by Eloise (an Olympian) and Quentin. I still had two boys to run home with.
Up the final stretch I was caught by Jess Trengove and was determined not to be 'double chicked' so put the effort in to keep her behind at the finish.
33;19 official time which I was happy with.
My hip/pelvis pain was 'apparent' over the first half but less so over the second half.
The results initially excluded me but I reckon our team Garmin Lama (Jackson Ashkettle Sweeney Fitzgerald) triumphed over Tommy Highnam's HuRTS squad by a second!
128;30 us 128;31 them!
Later on Sunday I toured the James Boag Brewery (my absolute favorite beer is Boag's Premium - so I was in heaven!) I bumped into the HuRTS squad on the tour and completed a pub crawl with them after. Monday I spent the day with Dennis and Janine touring vineyards and waterfalls in North East Tasmania - truly beautiful countryside
before heading home that evening.
The Launie 10 is a bucket list race you must do.
7 guys 30.00 and under makes it one of the fastest in Australia.
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| First team - Garmin Lama |
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Yellow shoes white long sleeve with black gloves and hat - freezing cold 
Tom and Barts group heading back at the 6km mark, those at 4km check them out
I couldn't hang on to her!
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| Organising a piss up in a brewery with Tommy |
| HuRTS Squad guys forced me to drink James Boags Premium (Barts, Criniti, Jeet [crouching],Chairman, Pommie and LJ |
2 comments:
Apples ripened early this season with the arrival of the Garmin lama to one of the more remoter spots on the distance running calender . Talk of premature ageing and form slumps were quickly forgotten as the Gloved One ( as he was christened by Apple islers ) was quickly into his stride with the crowd cheering hysterically on in support as usual . There were some promising performances but quite frankly they were of little interest to readers of this blog . Just supporting actors and the usual 'rent a field ' that quickly gathers when word leaks out that the celebrity phenomena which is the Garmin lama is listed to compete . Certainly the Green Tree Triplets will be impressed and dare say a little intimidated to say the least . For those that couldn't afford to fly down and support your hero just ask yourself if you have to even think about the cost are you serious ? Word from Ipswich ( a small cultural backwater to the south west of North lakes ) is that Steve Monaghetti has challenged his nemesis the Garmin Lama in the Park to Park 10k next month . A mouth watering prospect and one the man whose image smiles benignly out into the cosmic void of the Kyper Belt from his Yoyager mother vehicle will find hard not to accept . The gloves will be well and truly off for this clash .
Fans of the Garmin Lama wish to air their shock at the passing of Iconic running legend Ron Clarke . Some men leave us with memories of their performances etched forever in our consciousness while others leave us with so much more . A legacy as Pat Clohessy suggested that inspires generations to come . Long may his performances inspire us all to be more than we think we can be and so strive just that little bit extra .
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