Western Aths Christmas Gift

Each year my Club have a BBQ on one of the last training nights and we race a 120m Handicap race, heats and then 1st & 2nd into the final. We also look after the distance runners with a 1k race with a closed handicap using a 800m & 1500m formula.

I was the first place judge for the sprint and ran the 1k race. The Gift was won by Lexie (coached by Burkie) who is a 200/400/800m runner and 2nd was one of my girls, Celeste who is in her first year of aths, competing only with Little Aths but training with the senior Club. Today was her first intro to senior style racing, a big pack, older athletes, some young etc.

But to my running....I jogged three laps for my warm up and a couple of strides, nothing serious, whilst I wanted to run as fast as I could for 1k, I wasn't getting wrapped up with excitement either. The 'want' was 3:20 and the intent was to use some of the girls as my pacers, Belinda & Loren.

A big pack (40-50) started but I managed to put myself on the front line, took off and tried to settle quickly, but I got checked and needed to pop out wide to move around a few, 100m down and I spotted Bel, Talissa (13) & Amy (14), I surged and sat right behind them. Yep I know, what is a guy doing sitting on two young girls and one lady, well they are all faster and have all run sub 2:30 this year (even sub 2:25 for the youngsters). I went throught the first 200m in mid 37 and I looked ahead and I saw Loren (too fast girl, she has been .5-1 sec behind me lately). One lap down and the pack of four were all still together, quite close and yep I was still sitting right on their tails. Now down the front straight I could see we were catching Loren, with 380 to go we past her easily and was waiting for some movement, so I ensured I was on the outside now, 200m to go I felt Amy move a little (she wasn't going to hard, damn National Champs) and so I tried to pick it up, but the legs said NOT YET... I knew that poor young Talissa was trapped on the inside and I was prepared to let her out if she tried as it was probably more important for her, but she didn't move so... 120m to go, I moved up on Bel's outside and sat alongside her for 20m or so and then surprisingly I moved ahead (very slightly) but not to far, with 20m to go she was coming abck on me and when we hit the line she was faster but sllightly behind. 3:21.05 (18 sec off my PB), happy, but obviously I have gone a LOT faster in previous years but with my 2008 fitness I am happy.

Four laps to cool down.