Woo
Hoo!
I
didn't suck!
Sure,
I took 3 times the time of the winner - and was, in fact, only just faster than
runners doing double the distance ... but I did my first 10K race today, and
completed it in under 70 minutes!
Woo
Hoo!
The
Brisbane Marathon Festival's been on this weekend, and I decided to 'step up' a
category from my usual 5K runs, to do the 10K event today.
Given
the heat, and humidity, I thought (More than once!) that it was a dumb decision
... but I completed the run - and in under the target I'd set myself.
I'd
only ever run the full 10K about 3 times and the most recent run
was the only one to be below about 80 minutes - so to set a target of 70
minutes was a bit brave, I thought.
But
I had lotsa support, both before and during the race,
so ...as I say, Woo Hoo!
The
day started out warm ... even at 6am, when the alarm went off,
I could tell it was gonna be a sticky sort of
morning.
I
got to the track around 7:30, and soon after met up with Sarah V and her running
partner, Vegie-Girl who were with a cheer squad
supporting the marathon and half marathon runners across the
We
chatted for a while, then headed off across to the
start, to meet up with fellow CK runner Nikki - and to discuss how nervous we
all were :)
It
was lovely to meet up with her, too ... and after we all chatted for a while I
left to do the stuff ya gotta
do before a race.
I
met up with Sarah and Vegie at the start line ...
Nikki was well ahead of us in the pack - as befits her status as a much faster
runner than us plodders :)
And
we were away. Sarah and V were ahead of me ... and for the first 3K all I saw
of them were their matching hats bobbing up ahead - but that was great, 'cause
I wouldn't let them get more than 50 metres ahead,
and that made me pick up the pace a bit.
About
the 3K mark, we came across a drink station ... and they'd stopped to walk
while drinking. I caught up with them at that point, and we exchanged a few
words, but then they moved on ahead of me (which wasn't unexpected).
Then,
a couple of kilometres later, we hit another water
station, followed by a small-but annoying hill.
We
again chatted for a moment, before I pulled ahead slightly. I expected them to
pass me again soon, but they didn't ... although they were never very far
behind :)
I
kept looking at my watch, every time I passed the kilometre
markers ... and I was doing somewhere less than 7 minute kilometres!
All-Right! That's a bit better than my usual 8! :)
Over
the Goodwill bridge, and down the other side ... and I
thought it would be easy from here.
Big mistake.
Although
the terrain was all flat, and the distance was only 2K or so, I found this the
hardest part of the race.
The
worst part was that I could SEE the finish line ... but we had to run past it,
then under a bridge, then into a tunnel, and then back out again ... and the
finish line was STILL 200 metres away! Arrgh!
I
so wanted to give up ... but was determined I was not gonna
walk again. So I pushed it on ... and even started to pick up the pace a bit.
There's
a photographer taking snaps ... so I flash him a cheesy smile and thumbs-up,
and then I'm in the chute leading to the finish line.
Lots
of people are there to cheer us on ... including a work colleague standing
there applauding us all. I didn't know he was gonna
be there ... nor he me ... so it was quite a fillip!
Then
across the line ... I dig deep, and get there in under the 70 minutes.
I
didn't get the exact time ... it was in the 69-minute range, but I didn't note
the seconds ... because I had this sudden urge to vomit! Oh, I didn't - some
quick swallows, and some deep breathing - but it was a close-run thing!
Anyway,
I get there, and after a few moments recovery turn around to see Sarah and Vegie ... they've made it about 3 minutes after me.
Considering
Sarah's never run the distance ... or run this late in the day
.. I reckon that's a great achievement. Nikki obviously agreed - she was there to congratulate all of us ... but she also deserves congrats: her time was 58 mins!
It
was a tough race - the temperature was pobably in the
high 20s by the time we finished ...
but oh boy, do I feel good!