Saturday 20 June 2009

XCR'09 Series, Round Four, Lake Wendouree (Ballarat)

My Little Aths kids raced at the Altona Basketball Reserve today, a hilly course, I strolled a round for a few easy kms with some of the kids whilst they were warming up or cooling down, nothing too fast.
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Then myself and Jo drove to Ballarat for Rd 4 of the Aths Vic 10 race series, funnily a Regional race, but this trip took less time than Jells (Rd 1) or Lardner (Rd 2). Today's race, a 15km flat road race around an empty Lake Wendouree (approximate 6k loops).

After organising my few Team Manager duties I went for a chat with Claire & Elyse both racing in the U14 5km race, I trotted with them to their starting line and then back. Both girls ran great races and finished in the Vic top 10 for the first time...yay and Claire ran a 3m 5 sec PB and Elyse ran her first 5k race.


A quick chat and I was off for my run...the plan was to run at a pace faster than my LR pace, but not to slow, but not to fast that I suffered too much, especially with this cold that consists of a cough every 10 min or so and a sniffle which is VERY annoying....

I started right near the very back of the pack (which I discovered today was the biggest open men's race since 1989 and the biggest 115k for wmn ever for AV), I was even starting behind Jo (but not for long....).

I started very comfy, chatting etc; 4.39, 4.41 & 4.45 for the first 3k, finally I have stopped coughing and my breathing was starting to become more comfortable, thankfully. I settled in with an Oakleigh lady and a South Melbourne old fella and until 14k these two were within 2m for the entire run.

My 5km splits were pleasing, whilst not fast I achieved exactly what I wanted, I continued to get stronger as the run went on:

  • 23.47
  • 23.40
  • 23.24
  • 1h 10m 51s

With my last 2km run in 4.36 & 4.34 which were my fastest ratings for the run, quite happy considering fitness and illness. To be honest I couldn't have asked for more in the cold windy conditions with a cold that has lasted 7 days so far, (3.5 days off work) and a very average fitness.

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