12 June 2017

Sandgate parkrun 16;36 14th Nancy boys V Bertie boys

I was recovering from last Sundays 30km effort all week. It certainly reflected in my average pace and with all my other current niggles, I was only able to put in steady runs all week.

A challenge between two running groups (the BERT squad and the NANCY boys) brought a huge turnout of quality runners to Sandgate parkrun even though it clashed with a Queensland Athletics Cross Country Relay Championship.
Peter Bracken has put together a formidable squad of guys for Tuesday morning sessions at New Farm park. They have grown exponentially. With all the training and banter its morphed into a 'club' or squad that they call the BERT squad, British Ex patriot Racing and Training.
The NANCY Boys were created by irascible Masters legend Peter Reeves, as a counter foil to the perceived elitist snobbery of the BERTY boys squad. Not for them the esteemed suburban training grounds of New Farm park but the slag heaps of the industrial West (Ipswich). Not for them state of the art technical running singlets but ten year old cotton tee shirts advertising the firms of lawyers mired in the controversy of their former local major Paul Pisasale.

Conditions were cool and just a little too much wind for my liking.

Some friendly banter on the start line and we were off.
The crowded start got my nerves on edge and I fired out to a too quick 3;10k first km.
Even so I was gapped by Pete Bracken , Clay Dawson and Adam Fogg.
As I tried to get myself back to feeling comfortable I was overtaken by literally hordes of guys. The psychological affect of being passed in any race gives the "I am running crap" "I feel crap!" and a self fulfilling prophecy takes effect as you drop further back. I am not sure when I found my level but probably not till 3km when we were back off the pier and heading home.
I started to catch and overtake rather than the opposite. It sure was strange having so many runners to run with during a parkrun.
I finished 14th, my worst ever placing but a testament to the quality as 21 guys ran sub 17 minutes.
I had good competition in the age grading with Ian Cameron 91.7% and Albert Borzillo a M55, running a 90.7%,
My 16;36 equated to a 92.7%.
Full results are here
I did a quick 5km warm down.
Sunday I was up at 5.00am though the rain had woken me about 4.30am. I didn't much fancy running 30km in torrential rain but I did. Parts of the path were completely flooded so I ended up splashing through rather than trying to run around. I always find that the rain seems to get into my joints and slows me up but the outward journey was also hampered by a headwind.
I love starting off in the dark and seeing the sunrise over Moreton Bay but Sundays rain meant no sunrise as darkness led to greyness!
BOM listed 47mm of rain between 4;00am and 9;00am.
Check out this cool flyover view of my 30km run along the foreshore footpath - it lasts a minute.
Herehttps://www.relive.cc/view/1030490409
Photos from Saturday;

How lucky are we to have this on our doorstep? Looking out to Moreton Island with Pendragons Dragon Boat Club in silhouette.

"Now please respect your elders out there today!"
Clay doing the Cobra pose, Pete and Pete discussing tactics

What was Clair doing?
Clay pulling a peach of a face

I'm in 7th! about 10 overtook me from there but I managed to take back a couple of places
Foggy looking very comfortable as does Pete
Some seriously talented kids today check the results!
Foggy and Clay about to sprint for the line
Looking really easy today
The Garmin pose, I didn't put in any effort whatsoever
Thanks to Barry and Olga for the photos.

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