Skins Sandown 10k - 36:22 - PB

Skins Sandown 10k - 36:22(PB) 236th out of 641age a reasonable time. Its pleasing that my running efficiency is good enough

Its good to be back in Brissy and catch some decent weather. The Sandown 10k was held in 8.1 degrees temps with a relative temp of 4.6 degrees!!! I shivered like a leaf for an hour before the race as the wind howled through the grandstand.

Gees, I got sucked into a fast start. I pride myself on controlled starts but that's easy in Brisbane when I've only got 10-20 or so runners in front of me during the first k. Going down the Sandown straight the first time, I had well over 100 runners in front of me and despite expecting that, I still got a touch carried away. I went through the first k in 3:13 - my 3k TT pace and felt quite comfortable. Heaps of people were passing me down the straight and I thought I better not let too many get in front of me. 3k was reached in 10:15 as I ran strongly in the chilly conditions drafting in the back straight to avoid the light wind. I didn't even have time to contemplate running a blinder of a time before a stitch hit me on the right. I might only get three of four stitches a year so I was filthy about it. More than likely my stomach didn't handle my debut mid afternoon race too well with food in the belly - I ate a larger breakfast and a late slightly larger morning tea at 11:30, three hours before the gun - no lunch of course. I've made detailed notes of what I ate and when and will tinker with something different next time. One possibility I've thought of is running about two Saturday afternoon cross country races before next year's Sandown 10k as practice. I could do them as a substitute for my Friday speedwork session and then delay the Sunday long run till the afternoon. This will give me an opportunity to find what eating patterns work for mid arvo races.

Back to the race - as I started leaking time badly from the stitch, I just kept hanging tough and telling myself that it would only last a couple of minutes and I could make up time when it was over and that I had banked a lot of time with a fast start but gees, it lasted for the better part of five k's. I honestly thought I was going to fade to a 38 or 39 minute time as it felt like I was running through cement at times as the toll from the Labor Day hike again came back to haunt me, so I was pleased that I was able to keep the legs turning over until the stitch came good. I was able to finish of the race reasonably and trim another 43 seconds from the PB.

Whilst it would have been fantastic to run a 35 something, I'm pleased that I was able to keep the legs turning over when the going got tough and still salvage a respectable time. The whole trip has been a fantastic learning experience and also quite humbling. After a few top ten placings in Brisbane this year, its a reality check to come away in 236th place knowing there are plenty of other people out there training harder and or longer than I am. I've pulled up well and am champing at the bit to train even harder!!!

Splits - 3:13, 3:32, 3:29, 3:38, 3:53, 3:49, 3:51,3:39, 3:46, 3:28 - 36:22

All up, it was a fantastic four nights away with the highlights being catching up with my brother, dining out with MJ and standing head to head with Phar Lap at the Melbourne Museum.

PHOTOS - If you squint closely at the first photo, you can make me out in the white headband in the middle of the track about 10-15m from the front shortly after the start. And of course, there's Troopy in the second photo, winner in 28:50 from Michael Shelley in 28:51 - very quick!!