I travelled up to Gladstone with Jackson and and Clare and introduced them to the delights of the backpackers conveniently situated close by to the start line.
Race day morning was clear warm and sunny and after 2km warm up I formed up on the start line , Jacko said I could be up for 2nd on the day as we didn't recognize any other runners.
Sure enough the gun goes and we head uphill for 500m Jacko with some incredibly exaggerated arm swings, my lack of intense training leading me to refrain from too hung ho a start.
Still I started in 2nd and was never headed by anyone else.
It was pretty lonely with Jackson ever further in front down the long straight roads and it was Clare about the same distance behind me in 3rd.
One memory was the smouldering remnants of a bush fire/ back burning than provided a pungent interlude for the chest.
The road is a real roller coaster with UPS and downs, the 5th km has a nice down hill section which I ran in 3:11 but is followed by the uphill Goondoon Street through the centre of town. A right pig of a hill, has to be approached with shortened stride while the heart rate goes through the roof.
Then it's back downhill and around a loop before going over the bridge that takes you to Central Queensland Uni and the finish line.
Never been better than 4th the five times I've raced here so was happy with 2nd and 1st in the Masters $500 to pay for the trip and some Tokyo spending money. Mind you I did ask the organisers if I might pick up the 2nd place open cat prize $750 instead = no such luck, I was entered in the Masters cat only!
11km warm down with Jackson who is is on a high mileage stint that should see him break new ground as he heads towards his middle thirties (think he's 32.
Team Garmin Lama had 1st 2nd and 3rd but we needed a 4tg team member to score, maybe next time we can crack that one.
1 comment:
Bummer, you should really have picked up both prises... 2nd is after all 2nd!
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