Cairns Sportsfest 5km

Yesterday I lined up for my third competitive race in 3 weeks. It was the Sportsfest 5km Fun Run on the Cairns Esplanade. This run is part of the festivities held all weekend on the Esplanade and is topped off today with the Coral Coast Triathlon. I was hoping for a good time because the course is very flat and is paved and boarded (love running on wooden boards) the whole way. There was about 100 people competing in the 5km run (the other is the 2.5km) and this is the first race I've competed in where they were use timing chips. We assembled at the start line and someone must have got over excited and fired the gun early - I was still at the very back and tightening my shoelace and everyone was caught unaware. I was behind a wall of runners for the first 100m but eventually got clear and out into the open on the footpath. I had no idea how I wanted to pace this run so just went with the Hail Mary method of go out hard and hold on for dear life at the end. I also promised myself I would not look at my watch at any stage during the run. I was feeling pretty confident for the first half of the run as I overtook lots of runners and got to the half way point in what I felt was a good time. The moment I turned around to come back (its an out and back course) I was hit with an almighty headwind off the ocean. Straight away I had that awful feeling that it wasn't going to be a good run and knew I would stew on this for a week just as I had about the fiasco of the Pyramid Race. I used to have a real problem with running hills but I think I've somehow got over that, my problem now is running into headwinds. I felt like I was going nowhere and every stride was an effort and zapped me of all my energy and strength. About 100m after the turnaround point, I was overtaken by a runner. This wasn't a good sign and it was becoming like deja-vu from last weekend on the run down the Pyramid. I'm happy to say that was the only runner who passed me the entire race (in the end he only beat me by about 40metres) and on the back 2.5km I even caught a few runners. My final watch time was 21.25 but I'm hoping my official chip time will be a few seconds faster as I didn't get over the timing mat until after I started my watch. I heard a couple of the faster runners discussing what a mean headwind we ran into and how disappointed they were with their times. This made me feel a little better and fairly content with my time (my PB stands at 20.38).

I've had a fairly big wake up call in the last 2 weeks and realise its time to get a little more serious with the training and get some structure in it as well. I was going to run the Melbourne Half-Marathon in October but for some reason plane flights to Melbourne at that time are ridiculously over-priced. I'm now going to set my sights on the Sydney Half in 4 weeks (confirmation to come in the next few days pending time-off from work approval).

Back To Reality With a Thud - The Pyramid Race

I've been suffering my usual post City2Surf depression, but made the decision on Monday I was going to run the Pyramid Race since I ran well above my expectations on Sunday.

They say the Pyramid Race is about 12km - I think you have about a 6km run out and back and the run up and down must cover about 6km (its 922m high). I had 3 runs during the week after C2S and was feeling ok. When I woke up this morning I wasn't feeling great but still decided I was ready to tackle it. The race starts at 2-30pm and it was overcast with the odd drizzle. They had close to 100 starters and a good mix of both male and female runners. I started off at a steady pace and was still feeling good when I got to the base for the run up. The first few steps up the mountain immediately had me wondering 'what have I got myself into??' You have to make it to the half way point of the Pyramid in under 60mins otherwise they ask you to hand your bib in and start going back down again. I made it to half way in about 45mins but I was hurting badly. The top half of the Pyramid is really steep and rocky, you are at some points crawling on your hands and knees and these were the spots that really took it out of me. About 3/4 of the way up it started to rain - that made the rocks so slippery and it was as if you were on ice. Just on about 3/4 the first placed runner came down - he was flying. I can't believe how fast these guys run down the mountain! The runners coming down have right of way so you have to move off the track as they are very narrow, unfortunately this slows you down considerably as there is a steady stream of runners once that first runner has gone by. I made it to the top in about 1hr 19 and took 2 drinks and had about a minute break. On the way up I was only overtaken by about 3 people but because I had a break at the top that all changed.
I started the descent and was in absolute agony. By this stage I had developed a huge blister on my heel and each time I leaped from rock to rock it was rubbing against my shoe. I'm a terrible runner when it comes to downhill as I have a gumpy left kee that I feel is going to give out on me. I didn't feel like I was going slow but I was overtaken by a heap of runners coming back down. When I finally came off the mountain it was 1hr59 (my goal time to finish was sub 2hr so that was out the window). My legs were like jelly and shaking and it was difficult to break into a proper running stride. I made it back into town and towards the finish line there was kids lined up wanting to give me High 5's and the announcer called my name and everyone was clapping and cheering - great feeling despite the finish time of 2hrs13mins.

I have no excuses, I just wasn't ready to run a race like this. Its a run I've always wanted to do as I grew up in Gordonvale and always said I would do it one year - and now I have. Its a disappointing attempt as I doubt I'll probably ever get to run it again and set things right. At least I can say I've run the Pyramid Race, by far the toughest run I'll ever race.

City 2 Surf '07

Another City 2 Surf has been and gone and this one was by far the most satisfying for me. A few months back I was laid up with Glandular Fever - I missed 3 weeks of work, put on a heap of weight and the running came to a grinding halt. I had contemplated giving the race a miss this year, but this has become an annual pilgrimage for me and even if it meant walking I made the decision I'd still enter. My first training run was back on the 10th June - I ran for 20mins and it almost killed me. The training picked up and I started feeling pretty good - in the end it was more suited for a 5km run then City to Surf and I knew the last 4/5kms was going to hurt and be a real test. The goal - sub 75mins!

The first thing I realised when I landed on Saturday was how warm it was - there was almost no difference between the temp from when I left Cairns. I spent most of Saturday afternoon just walking around the City trying to 'run' my new shoes in. I had a nice early night and slept like a baby. When I woke on Sunday morning and walked out onto the balcony at the hotel it was as if I was still in Cairns! I didn't even have to take an old sweater to donate to the girl guides at the start line. I got to the start pretty late and could see a couple of Cool Runner caps about 30metres in front - unlike some people, I didn't feel right pushing my way up to the front so was quite content to stand and wait for the gun (horn). To make sure I got the full City 2 Surf experience and in keeping with tradition I did use the portaloos!

This was my first A1 start and to be honest I couldn't really tell much difference from my A2 start last year. I still got knocked around at the start and nearly went A over T at about the 3km mark. My original intention was to run with my mate who came from Toowoomba who was also aiming at a sub75 time. We ran together for about 5metres ( no not 5km ) before we lost touch - I never saw him again. I am terrible at pacing myself and can never gauge my pace but I was feeling very comfortable for the first few kms apart from a really dry mouth. I took a drink at the first station but have decided that I just haven't quite mastered the art of running while drinking from a cup. I didn't get much of a drink but managed to snort half the cup. I went through the 3km marker on around 13:30. Around the 5km point I saw a Cool Running Cap in front of me so put a bit of sprint on and introduced myself to 'Rags'. He told me he was aiming for sub 68mins. At that point I was still feeling pretty fresh and thought I would stick with Rags as long as I could and hopefully get dragged through for an even better time then my original goal. I really enjoyed running with Rags but got seperated at one of the drinks stations - he went to the left, I went to the right and I never got sight of him again until after the finish.

Heartbreak Hill was testy but didn't kill me, the only negative was that I had really bad pains in the stomach at one point and felt like I was going to hurl. Thankfully this didn't last long and once we got back onto flat ground I just eased up on the pace and it went away. I looked at the big clock at the 7km marker and it had just ticked on over 34mins. This was really encouraging for me as I kept telling myself if I could just hold it together for the next 7km a sub 70mins was definitely on the cards. For the next few kms I was just crusing along - I was amazed at how many people I saw on the sides of the footpath getting help from the ambulance. I guess the one thing in my favour was that the heat didn't really bother me that much - I had been training in these conditions for the last 2 mths.

I did it really tough from about 9kms to 11kms. Those pesky smaller hills were hurting more then Heartbreak Hill and I could feel my pace dropping and the legs getting really heavy. I kept telling myself not to look at my watch anymore and just run to how my body felt but as we were approaching the 11km marker one of the guys alongside me asked another what the time was - it was 53mins. Sub 70mins was still on the cards - I just had to stagger my way for 3kms more in 17mins. Last year if you believe the km markers I did the very last km in over 6mins - I thought about this and decided I needed to try and put the accelerator on for the downhill on the next 2kms. I am not sure at what pace I was going but it felt like I was flying. At one stage a guy ran past me and said 'are we on pace for sub 65?' I told him 'not a chance, but sub 70 for sure'. Poor guy - in hindsight I hope he did crack 65 as he was sprinting and this was just after the 11km marker.

Its strange but as many times as I have run this race there are parts of the course I forget or how difficult parts are - the final Km is one of them. I could see the finish line and still hadn't looked at my watch. I had nothing left - I just wanted to fall over. Then I saw the 13km marker! What?! No wonder it took me 6mins for the final Km last year. I could see the finish line to my left yet I had another 1km to run. This nearly killed me, I knew I couldn't maintain the pace I had run for the last 2kms but I did my best. I came round the final turn and could see the clock off in the distance - it was still showing 65mins. I sprinted thinking I could crack 66mins but eventually conceded defeat. My watch time was 66:06 - my card time 66:12 and I couldn't have been happier.

I was haunched over and one of the volunteers came over to help me put my bib number on my time card - my hands were shaking and I couldn't for the life of me do it. He told me what a great run I had done and it was 10º hotter then last year - a total stranger to tell me I had just done a great run was pretty special and made me feel really proud. To top it all off I finally met Tesso just after walking through the finishing gates - how great is that? Got to speak with Tesso for a few minutes before spotted Rags and caught up again.

I hung around the bag collection area for about 45mins waiting for my mate from Toowoomba but couldn't find him, by this time I had developed a huge headache which I put down to dehydration and sitting in the sun. So I took a smelly bus ride back into the city and had a cold shower at the hotel and nanny nap. A great day and can't wait to do it again next year!

What next for me? Melbourne Half Marathon is looking good at the moment.