This race was postponed for a week because of Cyclone Marcia and the deep trough that rained down about 18 inches of rain on us over a weekend. Plenty of extra time to think about the race and what I wanted to achieve.
I again had a muted weeks training, an easier 20km on Sunday and shortened interval session on Monday (5 x 800) and then steady roo+lakes till Thursday. I'm most probably just like you on race days.
My competitive nature kicks in from a few days before I'm less able to speak freely, I am all consumed by the race. I'm mindful of every niggle and sniff. I banged my 'oh so sore knee' on the door frame running out into the back garden to collect the clothes off the line when it started raining at the weekend. I was ready to throw in the towel as I howled like Sascha (our dog) in pain!
I'm in good shape and I felt reasonably confident that I could run a M50 Australian record 15;49.
Conditions were good , little wind, 24.4 0 C , but 72% humidity.
I'd planned to run around 9;20 for 3k and try to hang on. However, as ever the best laid plans fall to dust when the gun goes!
40 starters in two groups toe the line and I'm on the outside bunch running around the outside lanes for the first bend.
I smash the first 200m in order to gain position (silly mistake - should have just started steady and work my way through). Eventually I get to the inside lane and start to settle down, the lead group breaks away from me and I'm leading a secondary group. I passed 1km in 3;01 and that unfortunately caused the damage. It hurt! I suffered , I slowed, my arm carriage went high, and I tensed up. It didn't feel comfortable I went through 3km in 9;26 and I assumed my race was cooked, I'm only 4 seconds ahead of steady state schedule, how can I hang on for 2km if I'm slowing? so in my mind, records off and I'm having a bad run.
Remarkably however I did hang on, though the 4th km was ugly, the 5th km was ok, so at the finish I was only 4 seconds off schedule.
If I'd have only lifted 800 from home (when Jackson Elliot cruised past to lap me) I'd have had a good chance, even if I'd have gone with 400 to go but I just hung on till 200 to bury myself to the finish.
So 15;54 is my best time as a M50, it bettered the solo 15;55 and 15;56 I ran as a 50 year old.
I loved the evening, all those nerves, warming up with Dennis Fitz and Jackson Elliot. Running a cool down with the boys through a pitch dark Tooheys Forest.
Banter on 'I was, or am a runner' group on facebook.
McMillian has the age percentage at 95%, I was happy to run sub 16 but gutted to miss Queensland and Australian marks. The opportunities to run with competition in good conditions are limited unless I travel interstate ( well actually I am going to Tokyo in November to run a 10000m on the track and a 10km road race!!!).
I again had a muted weeks training, an easier 20km on Sunday and shortened interval session on Monday (5 x 800) and then steady roo+lakes till Thursday. I'm most probably just like you on race days.
My competitive nature kicks in from a few days before I'm less able to speak freely, I am all consumed by the race. I'm mindful of every niggle and sniff. I banged my 'oh so sore knee' on the door frame running out into the back garden to collect the clothes off the line when it started raining at the weekend. I was ready to throw in the towel as I howled like Sascha (our dog) in pain!
I'm in good shape and I felt reasonably confident that I could run a M50 Australian record 15;49.
Conditions were good , little wind, 24.4 0 C , but 72% humidity.
I'd planned to run around 9;20 for 3k and try to hang on. However, as ever the best laid plans fall to dust when the gun goes!
40 starters in two groups toe the line and I'm on the outside bunch running around the outside lanes for the first bend.
I smash the first 200m in order to gain position (silly mistake - should have just started steady and work my way through). Eventually I get to the inside lane and start to settle down, the lead group breaks away from me and I'm leading a secondary group. I passed 1km in 3;01 and that unfortunately caused the damage. It hurt! I suffered , I slowed, my arm carriage went high, and I tensed up. It didn't feel comfortable I went through 3km in 9;26 and I assumed my race was cooked, I'm only 4 seconds ahead of steady state schedule, how can I hang on for 2km if I'm slowing? so in my mind, records off and I'm having a bad run.
Remarkably however I did hang on, though the 4th km was ugly, the 5th km was ok, so at the finish I was only 4 seconds off schedule.
If I'd have only lifted 800 from home (when Jackson Elliot cruised past to lap me) I'd have had a good chance, even if I'd have gone with 400 to go but I just hung on till 200 to bury myself to the finish.
So 15;54 is my best time as a M50, it bettered the solo 15;55 and 15;56 I ran as a 50 year old.
I loved the evening, all those nerves, warming up with Dennis Fitz and Jackson Elliot. Running a cool down with the boys through a pitch dark Tooheys Forest.
Banter on 'I was, or am a runner' group on facebook.
McMillian has the age percentage at 95%, I was happy to run sub 16 but gutted to miss Queensland and Australian marks. The opportunities to run with competition in good conditions are limited unless I travel interstate ( well actually I am going to Tokyo in November to run a 10000m on the track and a 10km road race!!!).
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| Open race results |
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| U20's same race as Open |
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| Started in an outside group and battled to get to the inside lane |
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| Now what was I thinking? The runners skull in evidence here! |
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| I'm killing myself but I love doing it! |
3 comments:
His holiness the Garmin Lama has blamed his league of adoring followers for his failure to break the hitherto unreachable and unwhisperable Bradford 5k record . " Physical prowess and Holywood good looks can only take you so far ," his Holiness was heard to mutter in frustration after coming so tantalisingly close to what has been a childhood ambition and obsession of his . " Since I was a young child living in the filth, squalor and depression of Glasgow I've dreamt of breaking that 50 year Aussie record . The missing factor tonight was prayer and my fans let me down big time in failing to prayer enough for me . Five lousey seconds was all that I needed and I did my best so the blame must lay elsewhere ." When asked about how he would deal with this minor setback , the Scotsman was in fine fettle if a little testy. " Obviously the May 2nd Minnippi Park run challenge . I stuffed the Robot decisively there last year and terminated his career but now Braveheart is throwing out a challenge . I think he's being a little ungracious lately as I did sponsor him out to Australia from that Glasgow slum he called home and now I've inspired him to think he can challenge me . All I can say is good luck to him . "
Well done again David. Not so far from the record, good luck.
Thanks for sharing thiis
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