I am just getting my head around that hectic weekend now on Monday night!!
5pm saw me fly out of work into the waiting car and hit the highway for home.
Showered, bags in car and strap in for a 90min flight along the highway to Warwick. Allan, Matt (14yo) and I had decided to do the weekend trip together so we were all running around last minute forgetting/remembering things....
90mins later we were greeted by big roadwork flashing neon sign saying 'Welcome Pentath Runners' which warmed me up to realise we had made it.
Friday night is a blur...we basically had some nibbles to fill the tummy and a few glasses of wine to help us sleep then headed to our little room at Jackie Howe.
Had the creamed rice at the ready for my breakfast and a single caffeine pill (100mg) of no-doz - I can't drink coffee before a race. Ended up taking the pill halfway through the first race so have no idea if it was effective or not. Jury still out on that one.
8am HALF MARATHON 1:39:59
Just scrapped in for a sub 1:40. I really enjoyed this run, along the way got to run with a few different people but mainly because I was doing a run of some substance - which has been lacking from my training of late. I walked through every drink station and flew down the hills. Had C1 on my tail for some time and I knew he could keep with me if he watched his form. His arms (they are longer than his legs) were flying everywhere and I tried to tell him to not swing and relax his shoulders - to conserve some energy. But he had guts and got in front of me when I had no energy to go with him. I got him towards the end but only because I flew down the big hill like a girl and he was too embarressed to copy me :)
11:30am 4.6km CROSS COUNTRY 21:25
Totally dumbfounded by this one. I had it picked as my favourite and personally thought I would do really well. Not to be. I had a stitch (but seemed to have this all weekend so no excuses there) had dust in my mouth the whole way. Walked the drink station - in a 4.6km event!!! And to be honest...I was sad there wasn't another drink station earlier on. I just did not enjoy this one at all. Loved hurdling over everything and gained a few people - but they came back to haunt me towards the finish when I had nothing left to give. Thankfully beat hubby home. Matty pulled in front of me with 20m to go - he's grounded for a month!
3pm 5km ROAD RACE 22:57
A great race to finish the day with. Could be quite a good one and I hope to give it a go next year but this year I just couldn't manage to pull out much of a finish. With 2km to go I had pressure on the bladder and iliketoast was urging me to get faster. I couldn't tell him I was about to wee myself!!!! It was the most uncomfortable sensation in the world and I just could not believe I was experiencing this. When I finished Hubby was there to wipe my tears and I just moped around for a bit. I didn't actually lose control but did have some leakage. However when Julie came over the line - an obese woman who lost 30kilos just so she could do the race - I forgot all about myself and thanked God I was not in her shoes. I admired her courage, committment and determination to get out there and change her life and do it so publicly. Good on you Julie!!!!
DRINKING AND SLEEPING
Had the Race Dinner with presentations and great company. Man for sports people we are hopeless at sports trivia aren't we?? Best thing of the night - seeing Matty get two ribbons for his age group. He was just so excited.
Seeing Tesso being called the Warwick Pentath PR chick was hilarious. That is just what she is and I am glad they have recognised her for it.
What an exciting night seeing all my running buddies get crowned in Gold Silvers and Bronzes. Not to mention winning plastic raincoats (WTF??) and boxes of lollies.
8am 10km KILLARNEY ASCENT 54:57
Got lost on the way following Boonarga!! What a scream.
At the start line I felt quite good in the legs and was mentally prepared for a tough tough run. My gut still groaned and I was severly dehydrated as I had not drank anything due to fear of incontinence LOL!!
Got to the 3km and thought...what a lovely run. Waved to the sheep and sang along to my ipod. 4km I walked the aid station and took on board two cups of water. No point being silly - had to have some fluid.
Just after 5km the hills began. It was an incline all right. Not as steep as I had pictured but steady and my legs were screaming from yesterday. Mentally I got to the 7km mark and didnt think I could do this so I walked for 100m whilst my son and hubby drove alongside screaming at me. I told myself - get to 8km and don't stop. As soon as I got to the 8km mark I felt bloody fantastic. The race started here for me and I could have climbed Everest!
Caught up to Liz whom I had been 10-50m behind the whole way (even walking pace I maintained my distance with everyone). She was tiring and I knew we could do this if we both pushed each other. She had her ipod on too so i yelled at her (not sure if she could hear me) to lasso on and come with me. She did and we ran the last two km together and had a ball taking turns pushing each other. It was the highlight of the weekend for me because I knew I could go faster but had no pressure on me and I was really just enjoying the run, the view and the company. What a feeling!!
Best finish ever was Tesso and Tara holding hands crossing the finish line - backwards!!
12Midday 1500M STROLL 6:16
How embarressingly slow for me. I had hoped to go 6min but just wasn't up to form on the day. Matty flew past me (another month of heavy duty chores for him) and I never got close to him, Allan went past also just before halfway and I decided to not push for it. However at the end he was just in front so I made a dash and when he realised it was me he also made a dash for the finish. Gentleman that he is he knocked me out of the way before stopping and letting me stagger in front across the finish line. I am sure the knocking me sideways was not intentional but I will be watching the video for evidence before I give him his chrissy present this year!
Will have to post more during the week. I am still remembering things that made me emotional - smiles, laughter, tears, anger, pain and friends....lots and lots of friends. So glad to see everyone out there running. It really was the War of the Wounded with us all on our feet again - JenRuns, Miners, Cirque, Tesso, Me, Hannah, Chelle, Matt P (not racing - still a hypochondriac with had a minor ailment *grins*), the Owl, and many other stories of great personal triumph.
Not to mention being good to just see everyone after so long of me not training with them - Tara, Robbie, Liz, Geoff, RentBoy, GPS/Chilli Pants/ILIKETOAST, Ciaran, Shultzy (did he really beat me in the 1500m?????) and all the rest. Too many to name but I challenge you to it.
14 comments:
What a great post and what a great debut Warwick by you :)
You are one of the more, erm, how do I put this, vocal people out there that I know, but with that comes a whole heap of encouragement which means so much when the going is getting tough, which it did on more than one ocassion.
How well did Matt do too, ha ha, it was funny to see him going up there and you yelling out 'well done baby' like noone else was in the room. I bet he's secretly very proud though, and even more proud of you.
Clairie, this was your first Warwick but I just can't imagine it ever being the same without you.
Congrats on some great racing. There's no argument you were in the toughest female category (with the 2nd and 3rd fastest ladies on the weekend) yet still managed to bring home some bling.
And you had some injury issues too, you just didn't tell anybody (except me). Just think, in another 15 years you can play the injury card and hobble around the five events and still medal. But until then you gotta keep running faaaaassstttt!!!!
Thanks for your support on the weekend, you really know how to cheer a person up. And thanks to Al too, I reckon I'd still be out there on the half marathon course if he didn't wait for me with the magic numbing spray.
Big congrats to Matt, he is just the coolest kid. And pretty zippy too. You must make him an official CR before the GC Half so even more people can embarrass him :-)
Take it easy. Recover well. See ya on the road very soon.
There's some pretty good times there. A 3:25 aggregate. Running slightly faster in the mile wouldn't have changed your total much anyway. Looks good for a sub 3:20 marathon in the future.
Great race report Saint Clairie, and a wonderful weekend worth reporting about. Well done on getting through all 5 (especially that horrible XC - I thought it would be my favourite too!)
Like the new colour of the blog too, which has obviously been done in anticipation of the whitewash that will occur on Wednesday night ;)
somewhere in that 10k assent i think you found your running form again .... could be my imagination but i thought there was an extra spring and spark in you after the end ... i was really touched when you told me you would run with me when i had stopped in the 5k, i won't forget that moment for a long time ... thanks
WOW sounds like a wonderful event Clairie.
Congratulations on such a brilliant weekend of racing - that aggregate time looks mighty good.
A huge weekend Clairie! I had a chuckle when you admitted to running like a girl.
Doesn't anyone take the 1500 seriously? That would be my main race!
You are a good story teller Clairie. I love reading your blog.
What a fantastic weekend. I think I had had better book next years now so that I am committed.
I am glad you and Al and Matt has such a great time.
What a great post Clairie & a great weekend. It was wonderful to see you again.
I'm already looking forward to next year!
Well done on getting through another marathon effort. Those two days must be really hard work on the legs, esp if you go hard in the half. The blogs gone blue. Does this mean you are backing the blues in the state of origin?
Great post Clairie and of course well done on a weekend of great racing.
This is an event I have read about in the RW mag and does have some appeal, but such a long way fro Melbourne...
Stu
What a weekend, congratulations on your debut you done an outstanding effort. Matt done an awesome job aswell picking up some bling.
It was pretty funny seeing him go up and get his medals and you yelling out. Im sure he is used to it but hey :)
I forgot to ask you how your hip went over the weekend, I hope it held up well
See you soon :)
Great post, Clairie! Seems like a magic weekend; congratulations on doing those runs so faaaaaast! Recover well for another day!
ha ha! how can you get lost in the 10k??? LOL. It's a great weekend, ain't it...
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