Wow, how this event has grown in so few months. The CR community in SA is certainly gathering momentum. There were 6 participants in the inaugural 5km challenge at the end of June and today we tipped the scales at 18 runners…and 1 coffee drinker.
The run itself. Well, after the feelings in the legs yesterday, I arrived early at the uni ovals (well not earlier then Kane Cornes) and did a warm up…yes I actually stooped to the level of a warm up…and then I even did some stretches, which made the legs feel at least 75% better. Standing at the finish line the groups slowly grew in numbers, both ours and the Port Power boys, who seemed to be having a training session, but had a 400m oval marked out with cones rather than using the loop.
I was quite shocked with the turn out and waited around at the finish line to direct people to the start line until the last minute when I jogged over to the start line. I had decided to start on PB time and just go for it, trying to keep ahead of Kaybee. Unfortunately both her, Sunny1 and Blinklights started earlier than me.
Racing off from the start at 7:04am I quickly ran up alongside Sunny1 and we maintained the distance between us and KB & BL for the first kilometer. The pace was high (sub 5min/k) and I knew it was going to be tough to maintain. I worked through the second kilometer without losing any ground, but from then on the pace was too high and I started to slip away a little. The fourth kilometer is really where I need someone right there so they can carry me through on their shoulder without losing too much time. This has always been the toughest kilometer and was made worse by the fact that at 3k I looked at my watch and saw 15min flat…and then thought a PB was going to be easy, just 5:30pace to the finish…talk about the fastest way to drop your bundle.
With the finish in sight and the Power boys running their laps I sucked it up and just plowed on to the finish…a PB…25min21sec. Perhaps with a little better mind control sub 25min is definitely on the cards next month.
Tomorrow morning I think I will head out with the 7am SARRC long run group instead of doing Black Hill. As Mumma Treason said, I don’t won’t to get sick of it before next weeks Black Hill Challenge.
The One Less Travelled By 
Well done on the PB. Sub-25 is a goer I reckon. 18 runners! Keep that going and you’ll be knocking off Sydney as CR-central.
Sunny1, KB and BL were being wusses for starting early – get them to start back with you next time.
Ewen!!! It’s not even my blog!
Thought I might do one more BH training run, but MummaT might have a point.
No, but it’s better than CoolRunning at the moment 🙂