Very windy, 13kpm gusting 26kpm , it was cool when I got up just 16C in the city but by race start it had climbed to 23C, was tempted to give the 3000m a miss and concentrate on 4x1500,
but gave it a go anyhow.just too tough with the wind and ran 9m23.
90mins later I started off the relay, ran 68, 2.22,3.36,4.32.
Con,Phil and Pete all ran blinders in really tough conditions. Our time beat the Australian listed record by 4secs and the 'listed' World Record by about 30secs. I think we could shave another 20secs in calm conditions.4x1500m is no longer kept as a currently listed 'record'.
It was really nice to be part of a team doing something together worthwhile as so much of our sport is run as individuals.
To run a record you have to be in shape to run some way under new record time.
For me aiming at 15m49 again today was a little unrealistic.
I'd run 3 hard races in 8 days and put in two track sessions (20 X 400 and 10 X 400).
I was in a field with some classy runners like Ron Peters but I lapped the field (just!) so I had no assistance competition wise to compete against.
Thirdly and perhaps today the biggest factor were the conditions, it was just too warm.
BOM said it was between 24.8 and 25.5 O C at 8.00am this morning (77 O F to 79 O F) with humidity at 61%.
So in my own mind I was perhaps negative before the start as I let these thoughts cloud my brain.
Still I gave it a go, running 3m01 for the first KM and 9m31 for 3KM. Those killer last 5 laps where your mind wanders into negative territory, why am I doing this?
The suffering gets to you and you relent your pace as the Central Governor takes control.
I need to do it on a cool evening like when its 14 or 16 O C and where there is competition to run against or with. Sadly there are no opportunities to run in cool conditions at all in Queensland but next year I'll have some opportunity to run night time races against the youngsters.
Of course another huge factor could have been the air drag created by my huge now Booney esque Mo!
After a long warm down some of the older boys collared me into running a leg of a 4 X 800m and so even at the risk of upsetting the Mrs by being late home I ran a 63 first lap followed by a 70(!) sec to complete the first leg for the team. Con (52) , Phil (54) and Peter (58) wrapped things up for a new Australian M50 Record 9m05.22
Booney
Me!
Cheers
