If I didn't feel so bloody fantastic I think I would just about be ready to give up this running caper!!
I am so crap at pacing and even with strict instructions from coaches and running pals I still managed to make an ass of myself today.
Lined up at BRRC feeling very wired and nervous. Having a rest day yesterday and doing no long run made me feel weird all day and I could not help but think of the run on Sunday all day/night so needless to say I was keen to get it over with.
I slept quite well so have no excuses there. Even felt great doing the 2km warm up followed by some strides, a quick toilet stop and then got to the race line just in time for the gun. Perfect.
I had memorised my plan of 5km loops. The plan was doing the first one in 4:48per km, second in 4:36per km and the last loop in 4:24per km.
So you may ask why the hell was I out the front with Claire Geraghty doing the first km in 4:19??? I pulled back a bit and then Margo went past so I made it my goal that no matter what I would do the best I could to remain in third place (female).
The km splits worked out like this:
4:19 1st km22:01 5km time
45:11 10km time
4:21 last km
I felt great on the first loop and on the second was on target for a 10km PB. I missed it by 20sec as I slowed down on the 7-8km as it was so hot on the bitumen. Picked up the pace again when we were running along the river with the cool breezes and shade. That was to be my race outcome, fast/slow/fast/slow. It looked like I was doing a tempo run not a race with a well thought out plan!
I started the final loop and got a surge though again I slowed up just before the 12km mark for a bit. I kicked into gear and did some good running to chase those in front of me to get home.
Personally I would have loved to catch Eddie but just as I surged in the last km so did he....and off he went.
Crossed the finish in 1:08:49 which is 4:35pace for the 15km but I can assure you I ran much faster/slower than that and the inconsistency is what is driving me mad.
A few km to cool down and then home to shower. 19km so far and I will get out for another 8km tonight to ease the muscles.
Great crowd out there today, but where was Hannah?
EDIT: In punishment for my shocking pacing this morning (actually no it was always planned) I threw the shoes on again tonight for a hilly 8km. Let me assure you it was VERY slow...
10 comments:
You will certainly have to work on that pacing. The only thing I can add on the subject is: you always think you are going slower than you actually are at the start of a race and you are always going slower than you think you are at the end of the race.
Yeah. Where was Hannah.
As for my gross post, you sound just like my daughters who all thought it was the grossest thing they had ever seen. At least you only had to read about it!
Nice work - enthusiasm overtaking ability? Better to have too much of it rather than too little I say! When you do get that pacing beast tamed let me know what the trick is will you?
Well done Clairie!! Great time! Do not worry about the distance this week you made up for it in hard work and speed! that will all go in the bank with the long slower ones!
Great run :-)
At least you've discovered now and not in April that you need to do a little work on your pacing. And there's plenty of time to practice it before then, either in our mid week run or at other BRRC races.
On the bright side you still did your goal time. And coming in 3rd with just little Claire and Margot in front of you is fantastic. Might have to buy the Courier Mail tomorrow now ;-)
PS So, where was Hannah???
*L* Hannah was getting dates mixed up between this weekend and the next and consequently, made a **huge** arse of herself and then didn't get home until 3am because of it.
I just couldn't get out of bed at 5am.... and because I've been so tired/stressed out lately, I just didn't want to burn the candle any more at either end!
Argh! I hate missing BRRC. Next time, Gadget!
Clairie, it was great being in a race with you again. If I had realised you were only a few seconds behind me at the end I would have done the gentlemanly thing....I would.
Woohoo Clarie - dont beat yourself up about the pacing - rejoice in the fact that you can average a 4.35 pace over 15k!!!
Fantastic result mate - well done ;-)
Experience experience - you have to make mistakes to learn from them. Better to be on a learning curve now and not at the marathon. A simailar mistake on race day will have you in all sorts of trouble that did not happen in the 15k. But I have confidence that you will get it all right on the day.
Huge effort Clairie - and don't beat you up too much about hte pacing. It will come the more often you run that distance at that sort of pace (pretty damn fast I thought!)
AND an 8km hilly warm-down in the evening??? Do they drug-test in QLD?
Great post, great race - so you're pacing wasnt everything you'd hoped, the rest of the race seemed pretty good :)
Post a Comment