Live, love, run

So Melbourne Marathon training is in full swing, but this race was my opportunity to use all of that for a Half Marathon PB. The course is flat, the weather was great and I felt pretty rested and ready to go.

Training has been a drag, and I had felt terrible in most of my recent sessions, so I was nervous. Susie from work was at the race so that settled the nerves and was good for a laugh.

One of the Perth Tweeps was also in the bunch, but of course difficult to spot just by avatar recognition!

The race start went well. A little congested but only resulted in a slightly slower 1km pace of 5:27, then cracked on pumping out sub 5 minute kilometres between the 2km and 14km mark, then the pain set in. I could feel my pace slowing, and my mind started with all of those classic negative thoughts.

I don’t remember alot through the 15km to 17km mark except marking spots in the distance to run to and through. I felt heavy but knew that I could slow the pace and still come in under 1:50 if I played smart.  Then I made a bad decision in the fuel department.

To the 17km mark I had taken two GU chomps, and one full GU. That should have been enough for the race, but I was in a bad place and so took one at the water station. Straight away I could feel it rolling around in my stomach, and within minutes I felt light headed and pretty wobbly. My stomach ached, and I really didn’t know what else to do, so I veered to the right and… well, lets just say that Elvis left the building. I basically didn’t stop running, just purged and kept on.

I didn’t feel immediately better, in fact worse for a bit, but the nausea subsided and my running felt more efficient. The Causeway ramp hills broke me and I walked for a minute or so on the bridge just to compose myself. I’m not sure what I was thinking at this point, but I do know that someone ran past me, patted me on the shoulder and said something like “lets do this”. I don’t care if it was hallucination, it was enough.

I ran the last two kilometres at 5 minute pace, sprinted the last 50 metres, and the result…

A personal best 1 hour 47 minutes and 32 seconds. 5:05 min per kilometre pace.

294 of 615 runners. 37th of 54 in the M40-44 age group.

Smashed my previous PB by over 6 minutes. Stoked.

So much support from my friends, family and tweeps of the world. There is not a better feeling.

So, next stop is the City to Surf Half Marathon in three weeks and under 9 weeks until the Melbourne Marathon. Bring it.

This was great fun. We created a team called The Shufflers consisting of me (Leg 1 - 14.3km), Danny Coleman (Leg 2 - 9.5km), Fat Grego (Leg 3 - 9.4km) and Dave Rose (9.0km). Yes, that’s right 42.2kms in total.

Being involved at the start line made me want to hand in my relay race number and switch to a Perth Marathon starters number. The feeling is amazing, and the anticipation is palpable. Plenty of nerves, and plenty of excitement. This is a must do for me next year.

So, the results:

Leg 1 GB - 1:08:35 (14.3kms @ 4:48 pace)

Leg 2 DC - 1:53:29 (9.5kms in 44:54 @ 4:44 pace)

Leg 3 FG - 2:41:32 (9.4kms in 48:03 in 5:07 pace)

Leg 4 DR - 3:26:37 (9.0kms in 45:05 in 5:01 pace)

Team total 42.2kms in 3:26:37 at 4:54 pace. We came in 42nd of 124 teams. Great result.

I felt great during the run. Had one GU along the way, and followed a guy that I felt had good pace. Once I had finished I couldn’t believe that I had ran at that pace. If I tried that pace in training mode I would simply not be able to do it. Shows the power of the mind, and my competitive spirit.

Great to run in a team as well. We all met at the end and watched Dave run through. You do feel like a pretender when you see the marathoners come through, but it all adds to a great day put on by the WAMC.

After the HBF Run for a Reason I felt super confident and so this run was looking good.

I stood up to the start line and set my watch…. no battery, no back up. Tragedy.

So all I had was running along near people who I thought were doing the right pace. I kept up good pace, and thought I was going to be slightly over 50 minutes. But turning into the race straight I saw I was under 49. SO HAPPY! In the end it was…

Personal best 48 minutes and 38 seconds. 4:51 min per kilometre pace.

172 of 408 runners. 21st of 33 in the M40 age group.

Loving life.

Wow, what a great race! I felt amazing and really kept the pace up. The training is really paying off.

I did 10kms in a PB time of about 48 minutes. Blew me away.

1:10:52. 4:53 min per kilometre pace.

773rd. Category place 626.

The race itself was terrific and really different. Music around the course, and the opportunity to run on the Freeway and the Graham Farmer Freeway was great. Over 10,000 runners in the event and will be even bigger next year.

Louie, Amy, Tyler, Mum, Ali, Georgia and Renee all walked it too. Good day.

Amy’s first 5km run. Her assignment was given to her by her Leisure For Living teacher - try something you haven’t done before, and she chose to run with her Dad. Awwww.

She did really well and ran most of the way. It was lovely to run with her and help her push through to the end. No PBs today, but hey, some things are better than PBs:

34 minutes and 09 seconds. 6:50 min per kilometre pace.

102 of 110 runners. Last in the M40 age group but I don’t care!!!

What an absolute scorcher of a day. 37 yesterday and hotter today. 25 - 28 degress during the race. Ran with Grego again and managed to knock out a PB at:

40 minutes and 12 seconds. 5:02 min per kilometre pace.

59 of 98 runners. 7th of 10 in the M40 age group.

This race was mentally very tough and the last three kilometres were hell. I was happy with the time but a bit disappointed to not come under 40. Next year…

Ran with my HR monitor today and maxed out at 172 (96%) and averaged 157 through the race. It really was tough, and if not for a nice girl who pushed me along at 6.5kms I reckon I would have walked it. Sometimes all you need is someone to say “keep going” which is all she did. She was the first person I thanked at the finish!

Best bit of the day was wandering down to the ocean and diving in. Best feeling ever!! 

 Ran this with Grego and Nina (below) on the 15th November. Beautiful morning and a nice out and back course around the river.

I ran with Grego and we stayed together through the race with the big man running a PB for the race. Great stuff.

I was pretty poorly prepared for this run so was happy to get it done.

 52 minutes and 32 seconds. 5:15 min per kilometre pace.

86 of 126 runners. 9th of 11 in the M40 age group.

Nina smashed her run coming in first in her age group and 7th overall for the women. Amazing run, and only her second.

Well, it just shows you that you should expect it when you least expect it!

On a hilly course, with a less than glorious lead in with all sorts of leg issues, I get a PB. Bizarre.

The event didn’t start well with no lights in the portable toilets, no toilet paper (seriously), and the clothing truck arriving at 6:15am just 15 minutes before the gun. But, got that done and set off two minutes behind the gun time.

Up the first hill up St Georges Terrace I felt great with no leg pain and no breathing issues. This great feeling continued down through Kings Park which just looked amazing with the weather so nice and clear. Saw my mate Top Two Tommy running at one of the switch backs and he was flying to an eventual 1:40ish half. Great effort.

I ran the first 10kms in about 50:30 which is moving for me considering my 10km PB is 49 something! I still felt great and no real issues so kept up the pace.

Running through Subiaco I took advantage of each water stop to hydrate and walk briefly. I had a couple of snakes and GU at one but the snakes were a mistake. Too hard to chew.

Underwood hill (pictured) is the steepest incline of the race and was tough but I ran over with a bit of struggle, then plowed onto Perry Lakes. My hammies were tight at this point and I don’t remember alot of that component of the race.

 Then the final dreaded long, slow gradient hill up Oceanic. This killed me mentally and I walked twice, once at a drink stop and again right near the final peak. At the top and I looked at my watch and it read 1 hour 47 minutes - if I ran the final 1 - 2 kms well I had a chance of running a PB. Funny how the mind works, because at that point I took off down the hill towards the finish.

All I remember is that the last 500 metres was TOUGH. It hurt alot, but I pushed it and hit the tape in:

Personal best - 1 hour 53 minutes and 45 seconds. 5:23 min per kilometre pace. 28 seconds faster than the Perth Half in 2008. Small but significant.

1,004 of 1,874 runners. 227th of 357 in the 35-44 age group. 762 of 1,217 male finishers.

It was a great day, and a great feeling.

Fat Grego, who needs to change to Thin Grego now clocked a 1:03 12km run on the day too. We ended with kebabs and beers at Peters by the Sea and an afternoon nap. Gold!

Set out to run the 8km today, but my heel is sore and I was struggling.

Fat Grego ran the 8km in 41 and change. Great effort for a bloke who has only really just started running. He and some of his mates are joining the WAMC which will be great motivation for races.

It was a great morning. about 22 degrees and rising. Really strong easterly breeze blowing. It is a  looping double 4km course and unfortunately doesn’t follow the beach contour which would be much nicer than West Coast Highway! But, it is a nice event and a great spot for brekky afterwards.

19 minutes and 57 seconds. 4:59 min per kilometre pace.

39 of 72 runners. 7th of 8 in the M40 age group.

That’s my last run for 2008. Will do a summary at end of year.

What do you get when you mix a Vindaloo, 4 beers and two red wines with a 10km race?

A stitch at the 5km mark and a missed opportunity to run a PB. Official time:

50 minutes and 26 seconds. 5:02 min per kilometre pace.

161 of 323 runners. 26th of 37 in the M35 age group.

Only 28 seconds off my fastest, but this course is flat apart from the two bridges so should have been an achievable PB time. I got through the 5km mark in 24:58 but that 4th km was a struggle with a big stitch in my right side.

During last evening I decided I wouldn’t run this race, but at about 10:30pm I decided that I would only feel guilty, so packed my gear. Unfortunately, the yummy indian food was never going to help.

Again, it rained the whole way. Can’t remember a dry race!

So, after all I have read and listened to about race preparation it appears that I will only learn through personal experience!