Managed to get to Southport about 30mins before the start.
A very brief warm up and get to the start line with 5 mins to spare.
Squeezed onto a front line position.
Not too manic at the start and I wonder why we are travelling so easy or more to the point why the leaders haven't pulled away. 3;04 first km.
Eventually they do pull away as we settle down into the rhythm of the race over K's 2 and 3. The course has a 180 O turn at about 1.5k and then you run back past the finish line and head North. At about 4k a huge pack of about 10 go past me and I can't do anything to hang onto them.
At the 5km there was an official clock, which I past at 16;07. Super fast for me for a 10K, but I can't believe how many guys had gone past me. It make you feel like you're running mediocre.
After that big pack went past that was pretty much it for race position I caught a couple of kids (the two who finished just in front of me) along the way who tucked in behind me and let me work the super hard K's 8 and 9 before they stepped out and pushed on. As we come towards the finish I look up and see 32;50, Mona's age cat record is 32;58 so I sprint for the line and cross it as the clock ticks onto 32;58.
I hear Mona's who is doing race commentating saying "and that's David Sweeney who won up at Caloundra last week".
Really I should have run quicker, running more conservatively in the first half and pushing harder in the second. However, I'm satisfied with today and that is a pretty rare thing for me to say.
Sharing the course record with Mona's - wow!
Gold Coast History;
2007 10km 18th (1st) 33;14
2008 Half 27th (1st) 72;26
2010 10km 41st (1st) 34;32
2011 10km 26th (1st) 33;24
2014 10km 25th (1st) 32;58
Official results here
I stopped my watch after the finish line.
You can see the two 180 O turns, not sure what the other trough is attributed to. Also you can see the last minute where I quick up the pace after that long drag before the left turn into the aquatic centre.
Afterwards I caught up with Peter Reeves who had just smashed the course M60 Record and also Con, Chris, Barry, Phil and Jenny.
A very brief warm up and get to the start line with 5 mins to spare.
Squeezed onto a front line position.
Not too manic at the start and I wonder why we are travelling so easy or more to the point why the leaders haven't pulled away. 3;04 first km.
Eventually they do pull away as we settle down into the rhythm of the race over K's 2 and 3. The course has a 180 O turn at about 1.5k and then you run back past the finish line and head North. At about 4k a huge pack of about 10 go past me and I can't do anything to hang onto them.
At the 5km there was an official clock, which I past at 16;07. Super fast for me for a 10K, but I can't believe how many guys had gone past me. It make you feel like you're running mediocre.
After that big pack went past that was pretty much it for race position I caught a couple of kids (the two who finished just in front of me) along the way who tucked in behind me and let me work the super hard K's 8 and 9 before they stepped out and pushed on. As we come towards the finish I look up and see 32;50, Mona's age cat record is 32;58 so I sprint for the line and cross it as the clock ticks onto 32;58.
I hear Mona's who is doing race commentating saying "and that's David Sweeney who won up at Caloundra last week".
Really I should have run quicker, running more conservatively in the first half and pushing harder in the second. However, I'm satisfied with today and that is a pretty rare thing for me to say.
Sharing the course record with Mona's - wow!
Gold Coast History;
2007 10km 18th (1st) 33;14
2008 Half 27th (1st) 72;26
2010 10km 41st (1st) 34;32
2011 10km 26th (1st) 33;24
2014 10km 25th (1st) 32;58
Official results here
17 comments:
Great running David.
Mate we were just pulling your leg( prosthetics?) with that deportation business . You up for Australian of the year ?
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Mate.....great run and to be able to share the record with Mona's is pretty awesome. Faster than 7years ago, I wish I could do that - what's the secret I need some of that !
It was a very relaxed David MCSweeney who mixed with his throng of adoring fans signing autographs the day after another sublime performance that had the pundits shaking their heads not in disbelief but confirmed belief in the potential of Garmin implants to extend the frontiers of human potential . The GTrain, as he is affectionately known , was at his gracious and diplomatic best on early morning radio when he shared with listeners his post race thoughts ." I saw as I neared the finish line that Monna's record was as good as smashed . It's funny you know I grew up worshiping the guy and now the roles are reversed . He worships me . He told me he has a Garmin Lama Buddha statue (that glows in the dark ) and he rubs the belly for luck before going for a run . Obviously doesn't know how to rub it properly yet . Anyway I slowed a lot at the end because I knew Monna would be thrilled to have his name next to mine on the age record honour roll . He has so little to look forward to these days apart from a little commentary . He knows if he races and I turn up he's in for an age category humiliation ( like some others we won't mention ) . Now he's happy to share a record with me that he said it was worth more to him than winning the Berlin Marathon back in 1990 . I was in the crowd that day cheering him on and yesterday the roles were reversed as he cheered me on from the commentary box . Slowing down a bit is just the sort of meaningful gesture that has made me such a loveable and marketable figure world wide ." When asked about the Robot the GTrain was again gracious . " Sad really . His life is so hollow and empty . But he had tears of joy in his eyes yesterday and his voice was quivering in excitement at the sheer brilliance of my performance . A lesser man would have reminded him that I beat him by nearly 4 age grade points . I simply signed his shirt for him and told him he did better than I thought he would . Showing humility is part of what I try to tell the youngsters who adore me and look on me as a role model . Never be ( expletive deleted ) ' up yourself ' is the message I try to put into their impressionable young heads and follow me on Garmin Connect ."
Good to see that an anonymous Pelican hasn't lost his love of fine print and obscure rules ( and sense of humour?) We look forward to his technical offerings on net and gun time and which takes precedence .
Crowd support Phil . That's the secret . Worth at least a minute mate . Couldn't you feel that crowd support for the GTrain . You were there . So was I . Hits you like opening a hot oven . So much love and passion for the guy . And the bagpipes at the 5k mark. Sent a chill of excitement down my spine as they played when he went past . We were miles behind but you could still faintly hear them echoing in the distance . Electrifying . We should just all feel such immense gratification that we can tell our grandchildren that we were actually running in the same race as the guy . Certainly the highlight of my career . I made sure to buy a Garmin Lama fridge magnet as well for $3.99 . Talk about value for money . Another GTrain double . 32:58 and $3.99 . Unbelievable . Count your blessings Phil .
Sweeney was lean, desperate but charming
His pipes were gigantic, and so was his ....Garmin
From parkrun to parkrun always up to the task
Always showing Mister Robot how to really run fast.
Garmin ...Pffffft!!
Great running David. Nice to see all your commentators putting in great efforts too.
Cheers,
Ronnie.
Çheers All specially you Ronnie,hope we see you back on the road soon.
Yes Ronnie we commentators are having a tough time working on superlatives to match the GTrain's performances . Thank heaven for Thistlewaite . You can actually express yourself much more fluently in Braille as it adds a textural feel to the words . You can actually feel the exhilaration of the words . You should have been there on Saturday Ronnie . You'd have kept up with the GTrain and experienced the bagpipes at the 5k mark . We lesser mortals only got to see them packing up well after the GTrain went past . Anyway mate we all passed the hat round and bought you a Garmin Lama head visa with the fake Mohawk hair sticking up . It will be a collectors item in years to come. Dave autograph it as well for free . Don't you just love the guy !
I honestly thought Limo would follow the lead of Dave and slow down at the end to have his name etched alongside mine in the Australian hall of Marathoning fame . Africans don't think like Scotsmen . Limo and Dave have certainly put Gold Coast on the international stage . Monna now shares two Gold Coast records but he said the one he shares with the Garmin Lama he'll treasure forever . I haven't seen Monna get so emotional since he won that Commonwealth Games Marathon 20 years ago . Said he was grateful that Dave wasn't representing Scotland that day .
You do need an element of luck to win a big city marathon like Berlin or the Commonwealth Games . Guess poor Monna has lucked out now and he has to be content to bask in the reflected glory of the GTrain . He needs to talk to the robot whose made a career out of basking in Dave's glory . He's been very quiet this week . Probably dreaming of another world age graded challenge he can be humiliated in but somehow make it look like a contest . You may have to start offering him 3 age graded percentage points start to make it look like a contest . That's the sort of gesture that sells fridge magnets and visors .
Fair go you guys . I haven't been quiet . I'm simply making a little shrine in my house for my Garmin Lama glow in the dark Buddha statue . I can also put my Mr.Garmin doll in it next to my Lusty Lucy doll . I have a go GTrain fridge magnet and a Garmin Lama head visa but they'd sold out of the ones with the fake Mohawk hair . So I can't really wear mine because my head will get sunburnt . I asked Dave if he'd put out a model with more head covering for older balder runners . He said I should just invest in a good wig or have a hair transplant . Perhaps a toupe. Maybe just give up and retire . I hadn't actually thought of any of those practical solutions . Anyway I put the visor next to my other memorabilia and it looks cool . Dave said there's a Garmin Lama key ring coming out soon for $7:99 so I put in my order . They aren't going to last at that price .
Great run, I so want to be over this injury so i can run fast again...
" Pete , Monna's (time) was 32:50 . So I will be a minute behind but that is an improvement on the 4 minutes at Redcliffe."
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