Hintsa Mebrahtu

Friday 8.30pm
U.Q. Track St. Lucia
Mauncel Distance Classic
Open 5000m 9th 15m41s

A field of eleven of Queenslands finest plus me! I didnt really give the race too much of a plan but of course wanted a moral boosting fast time ! I knew that a deep into autumn race would leave me with readiness issues but thought that it was still worth giving it a go. I decided that I wouldnt do my normal blast at the start and it felt very difficult to hold back. I tucked in at the back of the field and tried to settle into a comfortable pace but found all the youngsters were comfortable running faster than me! I felt old as I dropped off the back of them but still ran an honest race! I went through 3K in 9m15 and I was happy with that. Being dropped from the group meant I ran 9 laps into the wind by myself! Very fortunately some of the youngsters heads went down and I caught one guy (Micheal Whiting) who then dropped out! Then I caught Neil Labinski who had beaten me last Sunday in The Caloundra Foreshore 10K (sweet revenge indeed as this guy has beaten me by three minutes in a Sunshine Coast CC this year! ). I also caught and past Daryl Crook who earlier this year had won the Queensland Open 5000m title - obviously having a bad one! Up front Hintsa Mebrahtu ran away from a big group to a clear win in 14m54, Second was Chris Reeves in 15m07 and last Sundays 10K Winner Aidan Hobbs took third in 15m09 ( We shall lock horns yet again in the Queensland Half Mara Champs on Sunday!). So 15m 41 was actually my fastest time this year, but about 12secs outside my Q'Land M45 2007 record. In this race last year I ran 15m42 = de ja vue! or Ground Hog Day!.
Not bad going for a windy Autumn day, though I'd have loved to have run 15m30something...!

Julian Spooner

Thursday 5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 46m07

Pretty consistent steady times on Roo+Lake this week.
That's all the miles in the bag now we'll see about some racing performance.
Weather forecast is cool (good news) and windy (bad news!).

Chris McGeorge

Wednesday 1.00pm 10.5KM Bridges 41m07


Chris McGeorge (Male/V45 / 13-Jan-1962).
The glitteratti of the Loughborough elite 1980 1983. The depth of talent seems never ending.
look at Chris's PB's


London: Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC, Loughborough Students AC


400
48.5
1981
400
48.80
1983
600
1:18.5+e
1982
600
1:18.6i
1981
800
1:45.14
1983
1k
2:17.45
1984
1500
3:39.41
1986
1M
3:56.71
1988

I mentioned Gary Staines a couple of posts ago. I just looked up his PB's.
Sensational! Look at the spread of distances. I don't know how he did it.
As a Junior / Senior he blossomed into a stunning runner. 11th Best all time UK performance for 3K (7m41), 7th Best All Time 5K (13;14.28), 11th Best All Time Half Mara (61m57) and to think when we were kids I was on the same track as him! He ran for Verlea AC in those days!

Gary Staines (Male/V45 / 3-Jul-1963)


London: South London Harriers

Best known Perfs
Event
Perf
Year



800
1:49.2
1985
1k
2:21.09
1990
1500
3:40.25
1986
1M
3:53.82
1990
2k
4:53.69
1987
3k
7:41.79
1990
2M
8:23.16
1991
5k
13:14.28
1990
5MR
22:57+
1993
5MR
23:47
2000
10k
27:48.73
1991
10kR
28:28un
1987
10kR
28:29
1993
10MR
46:11
1993
HMar
61:57
1997
Mar
2:11:25
1996

All Time UK Rankings
All Ages

1500(101), 3K(11), 5K(7), 10K(19), 10KR(45), HMAR(14), MAR(29)
Under 20

1500(36)

Paul Stapleton

Tuesday 5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 46M07

Of course the compounded effects of Sunday and Monday meant that I was running in great pain to begin with this morning. Freezing cold 11 O C didn't help either.! I warmed up and brought it home respectably. Don't get me wrong, when the sun comes up Brisbane heats up and we ended up having another Blue sky cloudless Mid 20 O C day!.

The finished article in AW had a link to this blog and out of the blue (See 'Mel Parker' post comment) I hear from Paul Stapleton, who ran with me when when I first started running at London Irish A.C. Unbelievably Paul WON the All England Schools 100m (Junior) age group. Perhaps the last white guy to ever win it and what helped were the biggest thighs in Christendom! A lovely guy and a real Champion.

Kenny Raupah

Monday 5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 46m44

6.00pm 16 X 400m - 120m jog recovery

Morning session showed the effects of 10K race + 10K warm down (ran back to pick up the car after the race _(the views from Caloundra over the ocean to the Glasshouse Mountains were spectacular).

This evening fitted in a track session as Racing on Friday [Mauncell Distance Classic 5000m on the track at UQ and Sunday Q'Land Half Marathon Champs at Doomben!!!].

An honest good session but forgot my watch!

The classic thing happened that I've mentioned coming close a couple of times. The track had a group of youngsters doing fartlek, plus a Masters group and the odd other guys out for some exercise but literally no one seems to have any track sense! I'm having to run around all these guys on my sets as people run jog and walk on the inside lane!

Then it happens ! a couple of guys saunter onto the track talking to each other heading straight for the inside lane and I just knew they weren't going to look. I'd committed myself to stepping off the track to run around them on the inside, however, someone shouted 'track' just as I was upon them and this guy looks around and steps inside the track where I'd committed! My arms outstretched and at speed I knock this big bury guy flying with me landing on top of him in comical calamitous embrace! Fortunately he was OK and I was fine so I got up and finished the interval, no harm done! I checked the guy was alright nextime around (they were out in lane 3!) he apologised for his lack of etiquette.

My medal from the Corporate Games got posted to me today so again I thought I'd expose it to Cyberspace before it disappears to a dark place (the cupboard). Lovely chunky medal (my third one of these on the trot) and its always good when they are engraved - helps you remember in the future.

Roxie Schmidt

Sunday 7.00am Caloundra Foreshore 10KM 3rd (1st Cat) 32m58

Beautiful beautiful day! What a setting to run a race. Start is by park between Pumistone Passage which separates the Sunshine Coast beaches from the Northern tip of Bribie Island. The course basically follows the coastal path North up through the beaches as far as Moffatt Beach. Though sunny was toying with the idea of wearing a long sleeve as was a chill in the air but seemed to be getting warmer and 2 KM warm up felt OK vest it was!

Prize money being offered this year managed to bring a few good youngsters up from Brizzy, backing up having run the State 12KM CC Champs the previous day.

I went straight into the lead and led out the first few K's with Aidan Hobbs alongside on occasions and Neil Labinski stuck in behind us. These two hadn't run the course before - I'd done it twice. Went through 3KM in 9M47 and 5K in 16m04.

Running the coastal path meant we had quite a bit of pedestrian traffic to negotiate and it it always hard to determine what your going to do about getting past (specially people with dogs on leads) if you startle people before you pass they are just as likely to get in your way. Neil was making me laugh be doing these loud claps to alert people of imminent passing. When I feel the need I normally SHOUT "TRACK!" Anyway, the race was really us three up to the 8KM point. I felt quite good, was even enjoying the scenery enough to say to the guys how Beautiful it was! - Didn't get a response which made me tickle as they might have been feeling it and not disposed to pass comment on the scenery. At 8K the course rises up over the heads at Golden, Dickies and then Moffatt. Aidan kicked on and I didn't! Neil came past and I was resigned to 3rd. Though at one point as we climbed the steep head to Moffatt I felt that Neil was coming back to me.

Unofficial results, Aidan 1st 32m40, Neil 2nd 32m50, Me 3rd 32m58!

Very happy to get under 33m as hadn't managed it since 32m12 on the track back in April 2007. I believe the hills cost about 20 seconds so maybe on a flat worth close to 32m30. Last year I ran about 34m20 by myself, so still improving!

$200 prize!

Young Roxie beat Helen Stanton in the Ladies 10K.

I have a cupboard full of medals that never see the light of day, I thought it might be nice before today's trophy goes to a dark place to put on display in cyberspace for immortality!

Might be a nice idea for you Geoff - take a photo before Nicole throws it away!!

John Herries

Saturday 5.00pm 6KM Roo 22m50

I had to cut short my run tonight - I felt good, very good!
If I didn't stop I'd have started to race myself and as I'm Racing in the morning I wanted to keep some powder in the keg. Of course I always feel crap in the mornings so perhaps I should have just gone on and completed Roo+Lake.
I had some new shoes on today which also always helps! (Nike+ Air Pegasus). My old pair were 6 months old and that is about the maximum time to keep a pair of shoes.

Colin Reitz

Friday 5.30 am 11km Roo+Lake 45m11

Athletics Weekly is The Bible for athletes in the UK.
If you didn't get your fix of AW on a Friday morning you used to get withdrawal symptoms!
I once had my photo in it - Winning the Shaftesbury Boys CC as a 14 year old! I was chuffed to bits as it was a real feather in your cap, a sign of recognition! Well you can imagine how I felt today when at the age of 46 I manage to get a whole page feature!!
I laugh to myself thinking about all my old running buddies seeing this and saying Bloody Sweeney!! Of course I'm proud as punch!
You might need to click on the photo to get it to a readable size!

Mel Parker

Thursday 5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 45m00

Cliff Barley

Wednesday 1.00pm 10KM Bridges 40m31

Lovely warm and humid conditions for a lunchtime run.

Oliver is 14 years old today and Max is 8 years old today - YES they share their birthday!
No track session tonight , as it's the boys choice for birthday dinner (let me see will it be MacDonalds or KFC they choose??!!).

At 46 I've reached an age where I don't really care what I look like - so long as I'm comfortable! Hence racing on Saturday I had the front to run like this!

What a bloody plonker!

Natalie, Kate and Oliver are so embarrassed they disown me!
Max and Lily think I look cool.

Mikey Rolph

5.00am 11km Roo+Lake 41m31

I must be a masochist! This morning the temp was down to 10 0 C at 5.00am!
I was wrapped up in a double long sleeved top/Winter head band etc. You see, I do have the choice! I could wait till lunchtime and run from work. The temperature now is 22 O C plus as I look at over South Bank I can't see a single cloud in the sky.
Contrast with Roo+Lake at 5.am freezing cold and pitch dark! - My choice I guess.
Good run this morning = fast!

Lee Cockett

5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 46m37

The weekends racing has left me aching and tired. Cool morning only 15 0 C!
Saw the result from Sunday's CC published. I ran 42m41 for the 12K CC course,
11secs behind my record time from last year. Considering the 10K raced the day before I have to be happy with that!
Though I was 3mins behind the first three (race won in 39m29 Race Record), and 1m40 behind Nick Lorenze(40m59). Behind me, Ron Peters was 2mins behind(44m38), the fantastic Roxie Schmidt again the first open lady just over 2mins behind me (44m48). David Scroope second in my division was touch closer than in previous races, just under 4mins (46m31).

Tim George

Sunday 8.00am Sunshine Coast CC Series Ben Bennett Park Caloundra

12KM 5th (1st Cat) 42m41
3KM 1st (1st Cat.) 10m17s RECORD
Just when you think things are becoming predictable, results get turned on their head and your amazed.
Today's race started like the first three in the series, with Ben Holland taking the lead from the gun. Me going into second place waiting for Tim George , Neil Labinski and Peter Bock to come past for the first couple of K's before I'd move through and go past Peter and Tim (Tri Guy) .
Well today on the rutted downhill section Tim went past and looked strong, Neil went past and looked good. Peter and Nick Lorenze went past and I'm wondering why I'm not holding onto any of them! Pete has a coughing fit and pulls up briefly. I'm left chasing shadows for the rest of the race.
4 X 3K laps and alone after 1/2 a lap! The course was very tight and twisting mostly in the woods so reality was you couldn't see much more than 50m in front at any time except where the course opened out onto the Caloundra High School sportsfields where we had flat open grass land and could see perhaps 3 or 400 in front. The first three were gone and Nick Lorenze was rapidly disappearing (there again I might expect the reigning Queensland 1500m Champ to do so!! ). I felt as if I was moving quite fast but the reality was, it was impossible to tell how good or bad I was running. I was possibly three minutes behind the front runners by the end and possibly a similar distance in front of those behind me (Peter Bock , and Legend Ronnie Peters).
Perhaps yesterday's 10K took more out of me than I thought.
Up front, Ben Holland was beaten by Tim George (Ben's first defeat in the series!!) with Neil and Nick also within a 100m of the winner and all dipping under 40mins for 12K on such a tight and twisting course was an awesome result and speaks highly of the quality up front today - what a great race it must have been up front.
I didn't put a watch on my run so will have to wait till Tues /Weds for results!
Later lined up for 3K running the Masters and Open wave and won in 10m17secs.
Then I had the pleasure of running with my youngest son Max (will be 8y.o. on Weds) in the U10 1KM. The other young guns blasted off leaving Max and me trying to pick our way around the hoards of fast starters along the narrow paths. He did well but seemed to have problems with pace control (he'd put in far too fast a stint and then have to walk a short section) and wild'ish arm action (not that his dad is a paragon of style!). I tried to motivate him to keep going with "Mums just up ahead" or "lets see if we can overtake this group of four girls!". He finished 14th out of about 30/40 runners in his first race and would have been one of the youngest in it. Race results placed Max 10th (Male) in 4m48s.Mum and Dad were very proud and he said he'd like to do it again and perhaps do some training runs!

Gary Donnellan

Corporate Challenge St. Lucia 10KM 1st & 1st 34m15

I should savour the 'thrill' or experience of actually winning a race as the opportunities will surely start to diminish as I get older. That thought was somewhat inspired by Dr Jamie Harrison's quest to Win 300 Open Road Races - The King of the Road. He is currently on about 288. This mornings race started on the track at UQ. They combined the 5K & 10K races. I went straight into the lead and quickly fell into a fair pace. Lofty had wound me up beforehand by telling me about some young gun from Victory Sports competing but there was no sign of any competition from the off (and that included the 5K one lap runners!). I went through the first lap in 17m00. I'm hoping that this is a slow course as though its a flat course it is run on the cinder path beside the river which always causes minor slippage underfoot. Also I had another job trying to find a clear pathway and was constantly have to dodge to one side or other , weaving around the runners coming upstream on this out and back loop lap. Tried to concentrate on staying relaxed running through the legs and not tensing up through the neck. Cruised home in 34m15. I was very pleased to only drop 15 secs on the first lap time. As I said before I appear to have pretty good endurance as I'm sure in youth I'd never have got so close to two even splits.
I would always go out faster than I'd come back.
Though running 34mins makes me wonder have I still got the capacity to run 1 or 2 mins quicker?
The time was quicker than my two previous years, so maybe I am still moving forward!
I won the 10K by over 3mins (and noted that on the first lap I was about 300m in front of the first 5K finisher).
I literally finished the race grabbed a cup of water , found the Queensland Government team manager and asked him to collect my medal and was jumping in the car within 5 mins of finishing to get back home for Max's football match which was a 9;30am kick off.
Got home with plenty to spare and watched Max and the boys (North Lakes Mustangs U8's Blue) play fantastically for a completely unexpected draw against the standout team in the comp - also another North Lakes Mustangs team (3 - 3 ).
It's another Blue Sky hot sunny day today but the forecast is for a cool change to hit tomorrow which will be nice for the Sunshine Coast CC 12K and 3K !!!!!!!!!

Andy LLoyd

Friday 5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 44m57

I had hoped I could run an easy session prior to a weekend of racing, however, I had just too many niggles all over, to feel comfortable this morning. There you go!

Someone pointed out to me that City to Surf photo below is 20 years old!!
Bloody hell that makes me feel old!

Andrew Smith

1.00pm 10.5KM Bridges 41m22

Through the city Botanical Gardens South Bank etc. Warm afternoon - sweated buckets again!
Had a few aches and pains after yesterdays double bubble but managed to get through this run OK. Tried to take it easy along the restaurant stretch but still ended up with a fast time.
Looks like I'm going to be doing the Corporate Challenge on Saturday.

The Photo above is the start of the City to Surf 1988.

The lead group contains Andy Lloyd, Monners and Dr.Jamie Harrison amongst others. I'm in the next group back, closest to the white line in the middle of the road, wearing the Black & White Stripes of Shaftesbury and Union Jack shorts (for which I took a lot of stick going up Heartbreak!). I'm running in line with Simon Hedger (he was sponsored by Reebok and wore their vest), just behind us and in between us is Jimmy Golledge. I have this photo blown up in my entrance hall at home which is why I can tell all the runners! I ran 45m55 but if I was half as serious about my running then as I am now I'd have run 42!

Click on the image to see the blown up version.

Kevin Falvey

Wednesday 5.00am 11km Roo+Lake 44m03

6.00pm Track Session @ Nudgee
16 X 400m Av 70/71 - 110m jog recovery
finished with a 66:47 (Mr.Holmes)

Tonight at Nudgee there were no League players = lesson do track session on Wednesday to avoid them. Tonight there was an impressive group of youngsters with a coach doing fartlek around the grass area outside of the track.
Felt fine tonight, lovely warm evening with some pockets of cool area.
I sweated buckets out on the track.
Good session, kept it going well through out.
Concentrated on trying to relax my upper body and apply speed/effort through my legs not my neck.
Long hard session, I only wake up after interval number ten!!
(Only joking) and as for the final 66 - well I had to match Mr Holmes didn't I!
Did I mention this Saturday I was planning on doing the Corporate Challenge 10K at St.Lucia but family commitments might get in the way. Only going to use it as a training run anyway as last two years there has been no competition.
On Sunday I will run Sunshine Coast CC 12K race and 3K race and Maxey wants to run the 1 or 2K kids race ! so I'll run with him in that.

Mike Weaver

Tuesday 5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 40m49

40m49 at 5.00am in the morning!
I am a maniac!
I didn't have too many pains as I ventured out this morning and was mindful that I need to make up for the lack of variety I give myself in training.
After nearly running into a person walking their dog in the pitch dark, I scooted along the pathway with a jolt of adrenalin in me!
I felt as if I was moving OK so made an effort to keep it going.
I must look like a complete freak, running 3m30'K's (flat out), full headband over my ears, ipod on arm plugged in and full volume. I had Benny Benassi Remix of Public Enemy 'Bring the Noise' blasting into my scull, a very up tempo song.
I tore around the course and if anything was surprised that I was still two minutes outside my all time best (run in the p.m.) but happy to concede at least it must count as an a.m. record.

Ryan Gregson

Monday 5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 44m17




Solid run for early morning, felt OK of course having had an easy day yesterday.
Managed to get my slide show inserted into yesterdays post!

Gary Staines

Sunday Mothers Day

Midday 6KM Roo 22m46

Well living with the Mother of our four beautiful children I couldn't (though I really wanted to) get up early and go for say my 22K run. No I got up with the children at 7.00am (!) and let Natalie lie in. Eventually bringing her tea and children's presents up at 8.00am.
We had breakfast at the Golf Club and then we were going for a Picnic at Woody Point. So I squeezed in a run in between the two! However, the contents of breakfast lay heavy in my stomach so I cut the run short. Had a great day at Woody Point as well as the Golf Club and seriously contemplated going for a run when I got home, but again it was Mothers Day and another run would have upset Natalie, so I didn't want to spoil a perfect day, so stayed home messed about with photo playlists again ! I'll put up 'Mothers Day' tomorrow.

Phillip Cunningham

Saturday - Noon - Nathan Road, Kipparing

Measured 6 X 1000m on the Road - 60sec jog recovery;

3m08, 3m06, 3m05, 3m04, 3m06, 3m00

This is physically my toughest session - Mentally 20 X 400 is the Dementor!

Conditions today were blustery (as ever along Nathan!) hot and sunny though I believe the thermometer only read 25 O C it felt a lot warmer. Pleased with results of this punishing session.

Mark Seymour

12.30pm 10.5KM Bridges 41m27s

Considering two sessions yesterday including a track session I decided to wait till midday before inflicting further damage upon my poor wretched body! Suprisingly I felt OK!
As is becoming a habit, I hammered home the last 3K through the busy restuarant strech along the river, actualy taking a 'knock' as I tried to squeeze past sideways at speed between a couple ambling along the walkway. Slightly cooler day today only got to about 22 O C , with some light cloud cover.

Phil Klien

Thursday
5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 44m45

6.00pm Nudgee 16 X 400m (110m jog recovery) Ave 72s (finished with 68.03)

This mornings run felt OK. Able to push it in sections.
Good for a morning run!
Wore a Beaney as well as two long sleeved tops!! Brizzey Autumn Mornings feeling super cold! But the days have been gorgeous = Blue Cloud less Sky and 26/27 o C.
This evening was disappointed to see that I didn't have the track to myself!
About 50 Rugby League guys on the in-field training and something I have never seen before - Three Masters age guys doing some interval training!
My session started slowly. I was a bit in two minds about how many intervals to do, 14 would be OK but 16 would be better but not having run intervals for a while how would I cope?
I struggled early on, running 73's, but by halfway I'd got to pretty consistent 72's and below.
I felt good , no calf reaction and was coping well. I finished with a 68.03 not really trying to push it flat out. Weather was calm and nice and warm, but could just start to feel some of those cold air pockets developing as the session went on.

Eric Kimani

5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 45m53s

Sure was cold this morning, 12 o C when I got back!

I was thinking about a track session tonight but legs are still sore so perhaps will fit one in tomorrow.
I hope to run the Mauncell Distance Classic Open 5000m at UQ at the end of the month and want to keep the speed work going to cater for it. Last year I ran 15m42 on a cold night and was disappointed with the time. The opportunities for Queensland's to race track in cool temperatures are pretty rare.

I found this posting on LetsRum.com Website Message Board from arguably the current greatest 46 year old Distance Runner in the World.Pete Magill from Pasadena Southern California USA. He ran 5000m in 14m36 a couple of months ago!

"As for me, it's been a tough past couple weeks. The legs started going south. And, well, there's really no way to stop them once they're headed that direction. All we can do is cut down on volume, do extra icing and stretching, change things up a little in an attempt to find an avenue of conditioning that hasn't already been squeezed dry. But in the long run, none of it can work for long. Like using BandAids to fix a leaking pipe.So I'm engaged in that fight, trying to make it through one last month before taking June off (which has become a tradition ... and a good one!). Ran a 1500 today, and God did I ever NOT feel like a 1500 runner. I felt slow and weak and in need of a whole slew of gears that I simply didn't have ... or didn't have anywhere other than in my memories. But it was a beautiful day down in Irvine for the meet. And the young runners look even younger and healthier this year than ever (it's a joy of middle-age to feel one's spirit uplifted just by observing the fitness of youth in all its glory).Okay, gotta go watch Simpsons with my son.Hope everyone has a great week!"

The guy is human after all!

No he isn't human !
I just checked out the result of the Meet in Irvine.
He ran a 1500m Heat in 4m00.96 and the Final in 4m02.01 !!!!!
The 4m00.96 is the current Word Best time for the Age group (2008).
It would have ranked him second in the World for the complete year of 2007,
that is second only to a new World Record Performance by (just turned 45 y.o.)
John Hinton (USA) of 3m56.39.

Simon Keane

Tuesday 12.30pm 10.5KM Bridges 42M

Steady run , in warm sunny conditions (26 O C).
Calves still hurt from Sunday and stiff from Monday.

Regarding Sunday's post I should clarify , I did do a mighty big chunder during and after the Beer Mile in late January but that DOESN'T count!

Keith Williams

Monday Noon 22KM 2 X Roo+Lake 1h26m49s

Went through half way in 44mins.
So second lap 42m49s which is pretty good going considering it was a
Hot and sunny day and I felt sore from yesterday's CC.
Sore ankles, Achilles, and calf's.
Nat is feeling better and getting over her operation.

Paul Woodhouse

Sunday 8.00am Corbould Park Race Course Sunshine Coast

12KM 2nd (1st M40) 42m17s

3KM 1st (1st M40) 10m08s

I ran this event two years ago when rain made the clay soil pretty sticky. Today was very different. No rain for a good while meant the course was bone dry and very rutted in parts.
Quite treacherous in places!
Standard pattern again adopted for this race, however, having had a day off on Saturday as opposed to a 22K run meant that I was fresh for a change.
At the start I might have led for a couple of hundred metres before Ben Holland came past.
I thought I might be able to hold onto him for longer but was mistaken! Peter Bock and Tri guy came past (No Neil Labinsky this week). The course comprised four 3K laps . A lap comprised an out and back 1500m. We don't run on the race course but on the outside section. So one does experience the twists turns ups and downs of cross country! Anyhow I managed to real back Peter and try guy just after the first 1500m turnaround point. That was that for the rest of the race - no further movements. Ben drifted off into the hazy distance and tri guy and Peter drifted back though not enough for me to rest easy. In fact I had hoped that I might be able to break the M40 race record for this course so I dug hard. 1st 3K lap in 10m00, second lap 6K ran through in about 20m39 and third lap 9KM in 31m30 . The last 500m of the course was on good even flat grass and when I hit this point on the last lap I gave it all I had hard into the finish. I missed the Race Record of 41m59sec by Paul Woodhouse by 18secs. That race Record is going to be one tough nut to crack!
As I finished I felt a new sensation!!
I've run on and off for nearly 40 years but I've never puked at the end of a race (or training session) but I wretched at the end of this race!
Fortunately nothing in my stomach to chunder so my dignity was saved! But shows I must have run myself pretty damn hard. 42Min's is 35Min's 10K pace.
Lined up for the 3Km 20Min's later. The normal gung Ho of the younger guys in this combined Open and Masters Men at the start. Soon settled down with Jordan Pearce taking it out pretty quick. He must have had 50metres on me at the 1500m turnaround but then I caught him up pretty quickly. Unlike last race I managed to go past him with a significant pace to prevent him from latching onto me. Again when I got to the 500m to go grass run in I hammered it, to take a M40 course record 10m08 victory. Some consolation for missing the 12K record!

David Strickland

Friday 9.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 40m57

Nat is having compacted wisdom teeth removed under a GA so I'm off work today.
Beautiful warm (23 O C @ 9.00am) sunny day, scooted around in a nippy time!
Wore the full regalia,sweatband sunnies and cap.
Would like to run the Sunshine Coast CC on Sunday but depends on how Nat recovers from op.
PROVISIONAL WORLD MASTERS RANKING FOR 2008 ARE POSTED Herehttp://www.mastersathletics.net/1500-metres-Men-2008-Masters-Athletics.533.0.html
Good to see Keith Bateman leading the 1500 by 5 secs!!
DrJamie Harrison No.2 in the World and John Jago also flying the flag
Well Done Chaps!!

Adam Carlton

Thursday 1.00pm 10KM Bridges 41m02



Beautiful sunny warm (24.8 O C near Hot) day, sweat poured into my eyes = no O Newton John Sweat Band or cap.

Flew around the last 3 K, sprinted down the last section in Botanical Gardens - there were a few runners out on the pathway and I love flying past !