Mike Trees spent the weekend with us on his way to NZ for business (he will stay with us again on his way back to Tokyo in two weeks time). He had a fairly major back operation a couple of months ago and is very focused on his rehabilitation. Andrew Green has a nickname for Mike, 'Sensei' as in Japanese for teacher or Master. He is a very wise man and spending a long weekend with him is full of learning. He embarrassed me with daily flexibility workouts and his monk like diet. That said, my back has never got to the condition his did and my bloods (when tested) have never been a cause for concern (unlike his). Anyhow he wanted to run his 99th parkrun here in Brissy and we wanted to choose a course that would be least jarring for his back (no hills or slopes) ideally we'd have done a flat grass course but we settled for Sandgate where Mike could jog along side the pathway on some grass for part of the way and it is dead flat with only one tight 180 O turn at the head of the pier and two easier 90 O turns into the pier. He has done almost no running so was relying on his swimming for the endurance. He survived and managed a pain free run in 22;11. He set a world best M50 15;44 at the original Bushy parkrun a few years ago when I ran 15;48 at Sandgate old course.
See his complete parkrun history here
I had entered the State 5000m in the evening and really should have just jogged round with Mike but I cant help myself I went off pretty easy letting Jamie Simmonds charge off to a 3;03 first KM into the distance as I led a small group. I intended to only run as hard as they ran so long as that was relatively easy. As we rounded the the island to run down the pier Jamie was already heading back on the esplanade pathway towards the finish. He couldn't have run down the pier section!
That would have to disqualify him so I was now leading. Conditions as ever really hot and humid but it felt good running easy 3;35's. I decided a wins a win and to ensure I wasn't out-sprinted by the two guys who were running with me to apply pressure at 4KM to gap them, bringing it home with a 3;25km 17;43 and first officially 'over the line' as Jamie disqualified himself.
Conditions in the evening at ANZ QSAC were cooler with a strong wind blowing. I thought the wind would kill everyones chances of fast times but others coped pretty well in heat 1, the A grade faster runners. I was in the B grade race and there was a further C grade race following ours. I warmed up OK and felt pretty good on the start line. However, within a lap I was in trouble!
A sea of lactic hit me and I struggled big time. The whole field ended up coming around me as I hit the back of the field. Sweat was pouring off me, big time.
I contemplated dropping out as I just felt awful but I hung in there and when I saw Hintsa drop out, I wouldn't be classified last now!
I gradually managed to rope in a few more of the kids and finished in 16;37.6. Actually for a M55 that's not such a bad time but lesson learned dont even tempo the day before let alone near 'race' the morning of a race! Where was Sensei when I dreamed up this unwise master-plan?
In two weeks I really will 'jog' Mikes 100th parkrun at Sandgate the morning of the State 10,000m in the evening!
See his complete parkrun history here
I had entered the State 5000m in the evening and really should have just jogged round with Mike but I cant help myself I went off pretty easy letting Jamie Simmonds charge off to a 3;03 first KM into the distance as I led a small group. I intended to only run as hard as they ran so long as that was relatively easy. As we rounded the the island to run down the pier Jamie was already heading back on the esplanade pathway towards the finish. He couldn't have run down the pier section!
That would have to disqualify him so I was now leading. Conditions as ever really hot and humid but it felt good running easy 3;35's. I decided a wins a win and to ensure I wasn't out-sprinted by the two guys who were running with me to apply pressure at 4KM to gap them, bringing it home with a 3;25km 17;43 and first officially 'over the line' as Jamie disqualified himself.
Conditions in the evening at ANZ QSAC were cooler with a strong wind blowing. I thought the wind would kill everyones chances of fast times but others coped pretty well in heat 1, the A grade faster runners. I was in the B grade race and there was a further C grade race following ours. I warmed up OK and felt pretty good on the start line. However, within a lap I was in trouble!
A sea of lactic hit me and I struggled big time. The whole field ended up coming around me as I hit the back of the field. Sweat was pouring off me, big time.
I contemplated dropping out as I just felt awful but I hung in there and when I saw Hintsa drop out, I wouldn't be classified last now!
I gradually managed to rope in a few more of the kids and finished in 16;37.6. Actually for a M55 that's not such a bad time but lesson learned dont even tempo the day before let alone near 'race' the morning of a race! Where was Sensei when I dreamed up this unwise master-plan?
In two weeks I really will 'jog' Mikes 100th parkrun at Sandgate the morning of the State 10,000m in the evening!
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| Check the ages!! |
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| parkrun trying to take it easy, the purple pant lady was about to overtake us (OK she was just out jogging) |
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| With Barry and Jamie. My thanks to Olga and Barry for some of these photos |
