27 October 2014

QMA 10,000m 33;37.83 1st

Unusual to race on a Monday night but then again it was unusual to race on Thursday night. It was one of the hottest October days on record in South East Queensland with many towns setting all time October highs. In Brisbane we got to mid 30's but then it clouded over and a few storms came through dumping a few mm's of rain. It didn't cool down significantly, BOM had the temperature at start time 7.00pm as 26 O C and 72% humidity. 
Con and Pete were going to race the first 1500m of the 10,000m as prep for their Pan Pacs. This did provide some element of competition as I listened to their footsteps/breathing over those first 4 laps. Only 21 laps to run by myself. The wind from those storms was still buffeting early on but died down by about halfway. I tried to run the laps going hard into the wind sections hoping to coast the rest with the wind behind me.
The wet track soon put weight into my racing flats and my shorts felt very heavy, very early. 
I went through 3000m in 9;50 and 5000m in 16;30. 
At that point I worked out I was already outside of Ronnies mark 32;54, so I just did my best to hang on for the next 12.5 laps. 
We had a water table on lane 3 with a volunteer offering cups of water but I was never going to be capable of drinking from a cup on the run so I ignored it. 
I threw off my cap after 600m as I thought it was going to get blown off but that left me with sweat dripping down my face for the rest of the run. 
Con and Pete restarted following their 1500m TT and jogged around the remaining laps (but were DNF'd in the official results along with Colin McLeod - not sure why). 
Paul Shard still getting over a major back Op did well to hold 4;40K's for 44mins. Michelle Mackenzie bravely ran 57mins.
And a walker Peter Bennett I think, walked 52mins.

I was disappointed with my 33;37 which equates to 80 second laps or 2;41 800's or 3;21 K's. It has been said many times that everything has to be perfect if your going to bring out your best performance. You have to be 100% mentally and physically and conditions need to be on your side. I was happy though to record a 10000m track time that according to the World Masters ranking puts me in 3rd place for M50's with Bruce in 2nd.
I also attach a lot of relevance to what's happened in the UK and no M50 broke 34mins this year!




http://www.mastersrankings.com/rankings.php?gender=MEN&season=Outdoor&year=2014

11 comments:

coach dion said...

Maybe you had better run another one before the year is over!!!

Stop the press said...

It was a clearly excitied and somewhat emotional Michelle McKenzie who after winning a " best looking Sheila" award at a local fun run got to run with her idol , the Garmin Lama , in a special charity event 10k put on to the support the local Let's Save the Dugong Foundation . Michelle had swapped her first prize round the world trip for two for second prize which was to run 10k in a track race with the Scottish super hero . She shared her experience with Paul Shard the only other runner in the field ( verified by official scorecard ) who was recently cured of a shocking spinal injury upon reading The Mr.Garmin Story . On hearing of this the Garmin Lama was so moved he contacted him petsonally and invited him to run as well . This is typical of the man known world wide as the International face of Garmin and moved many to tears . The GL used the event to fine tune his preparation for an assault on the record books later in the year but it was Michelle who captured the spirit of the night when she offered , " To run with the GL was a dream come true . I can't stop pinching myself to see if it's just not a dream . Every time he went past me I had butterflies in my stomach . At the end he even shock my hand . I thought meeting my husband Adam was the highlight of my life but this was better. " Paul Shard was equally as enthused in his comments . " They said I might never walk again but I just reread The Mr. Garmin Story and said to myself bugger the wheelchair . If the GL could survive for weeks adrift in the ocean I could walk again . And I did . " McSweeney declined to comment on the lipstick controversy that has sought to derail him recently and reminded the press that tonight was all about supporting charitable causes and being a part of the GTrain experience . A night for the little people and not the detractors .

Answer to Ronnie said...

The Garmin Lama story was never meant to be compared with that Shakespearen tale whose very title cannot be spoken without fear of divine retribution . Many a tenuous minescous finally detached from its owners knee owed its severing to the mutering of that dreadful tragedy's title . No never go there Ronnie ! The barb when he wrote The Tempest ( a more uplifting tale) clearly foresaw , in that witch's cauldron of his , a far more insightful tale to inspire future generations with . What else could , " oh brave new world that has such people in it ." be anything other than a reference to the Garmin Lama and the glorious new Garmin Age now dawning upon us . Surely , " misery aquatints a man with strange bedfellows ." was a clear reference to that sad and tragic menagerie of masters runners with whom the Garmined one was forced to mix with and on occasion even acknowledge . Pathetic in their self inflicted pathologies . Strange bedfellows indeed and many now permanently housed in their golden years nursing home beds dribbling when awake or snoring when not . " Your tale would cure deafness " clearly was directed at the Robot and his ceaseless and meaningless chatter . What else could Shakespeare have had in mind than the Mr Garmin Story itself when he opined , " I long to hear the story of your life which must captivate the ear strangely . " The barb even foretold of the Scotsman's obsession with Dugongs with his tales of sea monsters and other wretched creatures enslaved by Prospero with his alchemical wizardry . No Ronnie you've missed the point entirely . You must surrender yourself totally to the Garmin Lama mystique and imagine yourself being carried away to faraway lands as in the Tempest but not exiled there but exhilarated as like the rest of us you swoon to the melody of the bagpipes and find yourself at the end of a long Sunday run singing ever so softly, so as not to startle the neighbours , Flower of Scotland in that rich baritone voice of yours . And finally let us not forget Prospero . For Prospero let us imagine Coach Dion ,that wise bespeckled sage from another continent , who entertains us ever so infrequently with his classic gems of insightful running wisdom that both entertain and educate us in equal measure .

Anonymous said...

Where can I buy a copy of the Mr.Garmin Story . Is it still in print ? Sounds like a good read .

SBx said...

Bravo David. Not easy to find a 10000m race with a good field and good conditions these days. If you find one King Ron's record is up for grabs.

Monday night's top field said...

Thanks SBx . We did our best to give the GL a good run for his (charity) money . It is very hard to find a good field in nursing homes these days which is why we provide this service to help runners like David achieve their goals . You can contact us on rentatopfield@gmail.com Sorry we couldn't do anything about the conditions . Blame that one on God .

God said said...

Hey came on you guys . Why blame me every time Dave misses a record . I'm not infallible you know . The Robot told me he was going to take it easy . Last time I believe him !

Braveheart said...

The Bard of Avon said " Bid me run and I will strive with things impossible" this quote may seem appropriate for the magnificent feats of the Garmin Lama. However, the Bard was a sassenach and not to be trusted.

It seems strange that a hot tropical tempest, causing wave after wave of oppressive heat to waft across the track ....once again.... tharwted the Garmin Lama's record breaking attempt. Under normal conditions this would have been but a mere formalilty.

One could even suspect, some alien form of cloud seeding at work. There was a report, post race that the Robot was seen in the vicinity posing as a runner. In fact, disqualifications occurred after the race. Reports, indicate malingering, malcontent, lapped runners, two abreast, blocking and impeding the swift passage of the fleet footed Garmin Lama. ( grasping fingers, reaching for the saffron singlet of the GL). Due to the torrid weather, video footage is distorted and consequently does not reveal the extent of the skullduggery at work. Audio equipment did pick up sniggering and laughing from lapped runners.

After the race, the Garmin Lama, quoted his favourite Scottish poet Robert Burns;
"Firmness in enduring and exertion is a character I always wish to possess. I have always despised the whining yelp of complaint and cowardly resolve"

Shy Ronnie said...

Queensland is no the best place for a fast 10000m. Maybe in April You'll just have to reset. It would be great to have a few winter track 10000m races in Queensland. I mean we are sub-tropical - no longer from the land of the settlers. Victoria, maybe Sydney, is the best place for a fast one over here.

Braveheart: Re: Your recipe for lipstick.

I quote: "The original ingredients of the highland lipstick was mutton fat from the Blackface sheep, crushed rowan red berries, lavender and a few drops of haggis urine as a preservative (and to prevent the licking of the lips)".

No mate. Where I come from, that's a sandwich spread.

Best wishes,
Ronnie.

Anonymous said...

Good things of the day do droop and drowse while night's dark (robotic) agents to their preys do rouse .

Modest Ronnie should have said...

Never seemed to slow you down much mate !