Sunday - BRRC 5k Champs

BRRC 5k Champs - 9th in 17:56 - 3:34, 3:34, 3:41, 3:39, 3:28 - 2k WU, 8k WD

I had a shocking prep for this race with MJ and I attending a BBQ on Saturday arvo. I only had three beers but ended up grazing on food throughout the arvo instead of eating a substantial meal. That probably contributed to me waking up at 4:30am absolutely starving. Like an alcoholic signalling for the bartender, I knew I was doing the wrong thing as I wolved down a very large helping of porridge to go with the 600mls of water I had gulped upon awakening. But as I have significantly reduced milk intake until after I get tested by an immunoligist/allergist, there aren't many other cereal options. So it was not surprising that I was feeling nauseous as I eased gingerly through a warm up run. With 15 minutes to the gun, there was no choice but to duck into the bushes for a self assisted hurl - no, I'm not anorexic!!! I took a GU straight after the hurl to top up the energy levels and finished the warm up, snorting stray oats from my nose!!

After stretching and strides, I arrived at the start line with an A goal of a sub 17:45 PB and a B goal of sub 18:00. There was a good sized field at the starting line but I was surprised to settle into the race in the top ten. I ran a controlled first k tracking City to Surf runner up, Clare Geraghty as I knew she was in 17:30 shape and would run close to a 3:30 split to open proceedings. I maintained my momentum with a 3:34 second k, but like many others before me, watched as CG pulled away from me. Rejoining Riverside Drive past the Boatshed, I hit a bad patch and felt like I was only plugging along. Had to stave off negative thoughts at this point with the weak side of my brain arguing 'You had a poor prep and vomited before the race - a low 18 min race is still a fair effort.' Going though 3k in 10:49(only 22 secs of my recent 10:27 3KTT) I made a pact with myself to attack the incline next to the milk factory and proceeded to run strongly up this incline and through to Montague Rd. Ahead of me, Clare G had just overtaken a reasonably quick 10k race runner on his second lap and I set myself the challenge of reeling him also, which I did just before we turned off Montague Rd, having clocked a 3:39 effort to stem some of the bleeding from the 3rd k. I was feeling better at this point and although starting to hurt, I knew that with a downhill stretch to come, sub 18 was mine and so it proved as I kicked home in 3:28, passing an encouraging MJ 200m from the finish to stop the clock in 17:56.

I was sucking in the big ones at this point and deeply regretting that I had agreed over a few drinks at the Bullets last Sunday to go back and run Clairie in. Sure enough, only two minutes later, Clairie came surging towards the finish line. I managed to run with her for maybe 10 metres, but was too stuffed to go any further and had to settle for yelling at her rather loudly :) I picked up a gold medal for winning the 30-34 age group category and it'll be interesting to see how I can go in that category next year, but in the long run, I'm more interested in trying to win BRRC races and the Championship outright. Given the poor prep, the pre race dramas, the fact that I'm holding myself back to 3:30 pace at speedwork and the fact that I'm still a little short of full weekly mileage of 72k's, I'm quite satisfied with my effort.

Tesso announced afterward that her Garmin had recorded the newly measured course at 5.13k's. If correct, the extra 130 metres took me around 24 seconds meaning I would have run a 17:32 PB. It didn't really feel that fast but you just never know sometimes! Put it this way - I wouldn't be disappointed if Tesso was proved corrrect!

The above photos show me in control at the 1.8k mark as go past the start finish area and again at the finish line as I veer left into the finishing chute at top speed. I like the position of my legs well behind my centre of gravity and suggesting that my overstriding problems are well and truly behind me.

The only downside to the day was failing to get some core strength work in leaving me with a miserable 21 minutes for the week and 5hrs and 39 mins to do next week to catch up!