BRRC 15km 54;33

Training this week has seen the mileage maintained at never before levels since the start of December (yes I know I said I would cut back but I'm enjoying it).
127km this week and turned over 1000+ KM, year to date.
Some days I feel better than others.
The main issue areas are the knees (general tendinitis) and also the bridges of both feet have some hot spots in the metatarsal area (the left foot for over 8 months) My thinking is, if it was a stress fracture I wouldn't be able to run pain free at times (it comes and goes).

It was my turn for volunteer duty at Brisbane Road Runners Club this Sunday.
I had to get up at 3;45am to get there for my 5;00am duty! madness but I kind of like the craziness of it.
My role was to take the entry fees from non club members who wished to run. $10 for adults and $4 for Under 18's. I must have taken hundreds $$$ in the rush 15 minutes before registration closes.
A chap with an Australian (Rio) singlet collared me to ask about what we do. I recognized him as Dane Bird-Smith who won a Bronze in the 20KM Walk. I shook his hand and congratulated him, his performance was one of THE highlights at Rio for me. He has been asked to speak at the Clubs AGM so I pointed out Club Matriarch, Betty Menzies as I was way to busy to chat for more than a minute.
They close registration 5 minutes before race start and allow volunteers to run if they want (but no warm up). Knowing this I had got my long (27km) run in on Saturday and determined to Tempo run the 15km Sunday. Lined up behind the first few rows mentally preparing myself not to race off the line. Said hello to one of the legends of Brisbane female distance runners Margo Manning.
Off and running I quickly ascended to the front and tried to hold a strong but steady pace. Another runner,Simon Allison, pushed on and gapped me. I hoped he was only doing 1 lap (5km) or 2 laps (10kms). It turned out to be just the one. 
Dane Bird-Smith had also joined in and looked freakishly comfortable as he 'walked' with the other better runners, holding a conversation!
The conditions were much more amicable  than the appalling humidity we experienced at both my previous outings at BRRC. I felt quite comfortable ticking off 3;30's and 3;35 KM's, I slowed up for the 180 O turns. 
My first 5km lap was 18;14 followed by a 18;22 (36;37 10KM) and finished with a 17;55 for 54:33 1st place. 
My volunteer duties included helping tidy up the Clubhouse following the event so I didn't stop my watch and ran on for another lap cool down for 20km 74;03 (my Garmin read it 20.1km at an average 3;41 KM).

Results are posted here

Forget your Jamaican Bolts or your Sudanese/British Farrah's we have got the Bird man !

The Bird Man's performance at Rio a major highlight

Choose a mug or a plate for your prize

I'll have a mug please. With race director Kerri Hodge and 15km 2nd placer Neil Bath

BRRC 15km 53;59 1st

Training has been going well over the last month, consistently covering 110 to 135km a week by going long on Sunday’s

and running 16km (Roo+Lake+Roo) instead of my standard 10.5km (Roo+Lake) and running some doubles.

I haven’t got back onto the track yet but have been doing some easy sessions on the grass.

It’s been incredibly hot and humid and at times running conditions have just been horrendous.

I have been sweating torrents, so much so that I regularly discard running in a top but this has the consequence of shorts getting saturated

– so I only wear the short shorts to stop the flapping of anything over a 1.5” inner seam.

I have also noticed how the sweat trickles down the legs to the socks and shoes, so it’s also back to short socks.

The body is holding up ok.

I have some soreness on the bridge of my left foot (metatarsal) but I have had it since before the Worlds

(I even took two days off when I first noticed it 6 months ago)

but so long as it doesn’t get too painful I will carry on.

The knees are also hurting – the left knee more than the right.

I think its tendinitis and cope with pain by applying  anti inflam cream in the morning and ibuprofen on a race day.

My back has not been the same since I injured it in October 2015.

I am getting regular massage to try and ease it and I use the hand held roller to trigger point release.

I have been eyeing off some of the other distances on the all-time Veterans Road Running Rankings.

http://arrs.net/VetRec.htm

It’s a great motivation. 

I would like to record official marks for M55 @ 5/8/10/15/20/25km (my Perth Half is listed).

I have joined the Brisbane Road Runners Club as they host races covering most distances on a 5km largely closed road course by the Brisbane River.

The lap has two 180 O turns and two short sharp inclines. Timing is done by chip and mat sensor.

For my debut I decided to try 15km. Three laps. Start time is 6;00am which requires me getting up at 4;00am.

My sleep had been further interrupted during the night with a couple of really heavy downpours but Brisbane city didn’t get any of that so conditions were incredibly humid at 6.00am (26 O C and 87% Humidity!)

A very casual start and about 150 runners head off (runners choose beforehand today's choice was 5/10 or 15km).

Some of Brisbane’s better quality road runners were tempo training including Clay Dawson and Aiden Hobbs , pushing his son in the stroller.

I was by myself from the 1^st KM in 3;23. At the time I wasn't aware that Clay had actually missed the start by 30 seconds and was charging after me, he was probably 10 seconds ahead of me for the first 2km .
The 180 O turns mean you get a good chance to see everyone.

I gave my run a real effort but with a big lead and horrendously arduous conditions

It’s hard to say I was flat out. My watch was showing consistent 3;35’s or slower if the inclines were included. I ran through the first lap in 17;35 which I was happy with.

My second lap was 18;07 as I tried to maintain a consistent pace. So 35;42 through 10km.

I lost sight of Clay at the turnarounds (we were lapping people) and I told myself he was catching me to help motivate my effort.

The third lap was covered in another 18;07 for a 53;59 result.

There is a nice big clock on the line which provoked a flat out sprint to get the sub 54 ;-)

I think I would shave at least 1 or 2 minutes off this time in the winter.

Here are the current rankings for the M55’s.

15 guys have run faster than me but I will slot in, in front of Bill Rodgers ! (for the time being).

Here are the first few 15km Men’s result;

Check the sweat flicking off my arms (just passed 2.5km turnaround cone)

Wearing the Newton Distance 1V