Sat 17 Feb 07, R4K training group & track racing

I arrived at the top of Anderson St/Domain Rd to do my first Sat morning Run Leader gig for Nike. The Sat group is a big group, very similar numbers to the Monday session. Already at 9am it was 26 degrees, so the numbers were down, just under 50 for the groups, not including the RL. I was with Em for the 'comfortable' 8k group, we ran 2 laps of the Tan with a 'dog-leg' just after Government Drive. An enjoyable morning, where Nike supply 'yummy' blueberry muffins afterwards and great coffee from one of those little coffee vans. Great reason to do the Saturday session, cruise 8-10k and then have breaky!!! :-) And all for free!


This after the North West Region were competing at Newport for Round 11 of the Shield Competition and we were in for a HOT day at the track. At 2pm it was 37 degrees in Williamstown and just after I arrived they stuck a guage into the track to register the track temp, well it was over 50 and the machine didn't go higher. A few events were changed, the 3k steeple became a 2k steeple over low heights and the 3k flat was a 2k race, but neither enticed me as I knew it was hot hot hot! An 800m and a 400m for me. The 800m there were 11 in my heat, I sat last for the first 650m but was only 10m or so behind the leaders, I past one guy in the back straight and then another in the front straight finishing 9th in 2:23.18, the winner was 2:18. The 400m was my first 400m for the season not after a 3k race, so I was hoping I would run ok, but was very aware it was so hot. I was allocated lane 4 (happy) and was sitting 2nd most of the race until probably 40m from home where I moved past a fellow club mate and won my heat in a SB of 63.14.