Saturday, 24 May 2008

We had a club run today - an 11.2 km Handicap run with Collingwood Harriers. I know this run fairly well as have run it the last three years. The first time I ran I did 39:13, the second time it was 40:28 so I was keen to try to get closer to that first year's effort. Also, Collingwood have a very well stocked beer fridge and i was looking forward to a can or three as a reward

By 2:30 pm when I started the weather was beautiful and you would not have known we had our coldest May morning for 20 years. Tried to start off nice and steady and not run my race in the first couple of kilometres.

However after about a kilometre it was clear that I did not prepare as well as I should have and needed to go to the toilet. I came across one at the two kilometre mark and wasted 30 seconds having a wee and washing my hands. Then it was off again

Reached the first nasty hill just over the river and did not attack it, rather just went for a nice steady rythm up to the top. It was pretty steep. And so it went on. An extremely undulating course but nice in that for all the long uphills there were long downhills

About 20 minutes out from home and I see the bridge going over the Eastern Freeway. Alarm bells ring as I know there is a very long uphill to get to the crest whereupon you go down towards that bridge. Pass a few runners near the top of the hill and spend a few seconds shortening the stride to recover from the effort once over it

So we get to the bridge over the Eastern and I remember that once over the bridge there is another long uphill section before you get to Chandler Highway. Doh! Luckily this is the last major hill to speak of, and I work my way past more runners up towards Heidelberg Road.

Things move pretty quick from here. Its about three kilometres to the finish, but as a backmarker suddenly you are encountering packs of front and middle markers. As I knew it was pretty flat to the finish, I force myself to keep a good pace going even though I just want to ease off a bit. Pushed all the way through and passed quite a few burgers on the way including 2006 and 2006 winner Diane Brimacombe. Finally get to the line and see about five Harriers already there.

My official finish time was around 40:44, but considering the 30 second loo break it was closer to 40:15, so I'll take that. Three beers afterwards plus a bonus can while I pretended to Kylie that I was saying goodbye to people while she put the pram in the car. Maybe long run tomorrow. Need to keep the miles up and these consecutive days of running. Plus, with La Trobe 15km next Saturday, I want to be as fresh as possible

TOTAL DISTANCE = 11.2 kilometres - yep, no warm up or down