10km Corporate Challenge Race 2

I didnt do Race 1 which was a 5km as it clashed with a Masters club walk and I choose to do that.  But no that the Summer season has come to an end and there are no more races til Winter season starts, I decided to jump at the Race 2 which was 10km.

I haven't posted much about my training over the last week or two.  Nothing really exciting to report....just me ticking on doing what I do.   Have not done any speed sessions and have just decided to do distance with an avg pace as I am trying to lose some weight before surgery in 3 weeks...not that it has worked that well...sigh.

The course was really nice, its a 5km loop - the first 500m follows the road and then you swap over to a path on the nature reserve, this goes for about 1.5km then you pop back out on the road for one of the longest sections of the race - a long straight that is nearly 1.5 km.   Then you pop up the bank and follow the edge of the cycle drome......for the second lap you flick to the left and join back up to the start again.....on your finishing lap you flick right and do one lap of the track to finish.

It was pretty congested for the first 1km as people were starting to pull away from each other.  I stayed with the 55min pace runners for the first km but they slowly pulled away as I started to settle into a slower pace.   I was having trouble breathing properly and at the 4km mark was starting to cough and dry retch (I have had a gummy throat for about 2 weeks....its not sore ... just got gunk that seems stuck in it...worse at night time)

At the 5km and the start of the final lap,  I started to clear my breathing and decided to try and pick off the group of runners that were a head of me.  The 60min pace runner had just passed me and I really wanted to stay on her heel.  The path way through the nature reserve...while pretty ... is not fast .. for a walker the path is too uneven to really get too much speed going....and I noticed that my pace had dropped ALOT in this section.  I had picked off 4 of the runners and now set my sites on the last one ahead of me.   I caught her just as we hit the bank up to the cycle drome... 1 km to go and so I dug deep and managed to pick my pace up enough to get past her and to put a good gap between us.  I really thought she would take chase but I think she was pretty much done.

When I popped out on to the track...you do one lap to come around to the finish area.....there was a runner a head of me who had stopped for air but started running again when she saw me coming.... as we came round the last bend the commentator saw us and started egging us both on and alerting the crowd that here comes the first walker and its going to be an all out with a runner to cross the line.   I did catch her and we both crossed the line at the exact same time....... 1:01:13   ... and I forgot to push stop on my watch LOL .... I was pushing so so hard to catch her.....I fair flew.   The finish photographer came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder with a grin ear to ear.... he showed me his screen on the camera and said "you're busted" ...... DQ for you he said......    yep the photo shows me about an inch off the ground with both feet.............. I replied you know what...that fact that I can lift is just bloody amazing in its selft but at the end of a 10km when I was shattered.... I will gladly take that!!!    So I am waiting for the photo to be uploaded to his site as I know there will be many comments...............and thats ok :D

10km data

Side note::::   Will head to Dr this week if my throat doesnt clear up....I had thought it may have been caused from drinking milky coffees when I know I cant really do dairy.... but two weeks its two weeks too many.

10km slog

Well they say you are what you eat!   Today I was cheese whiz!!!!!

Last night I had a strong urg for Pizza!  its very rare that I ever want pizza and I used to LOVE domino's.   So I thought why not have a treat and went and brought a large Hawaiian and a Half/Half of Chicken hawaiian, and Chick, bacon/bbq.   The first thing I noticed when I opened the box at home was that it looked like a heap of yellow liquid had been poured over the pizza and to my horror at first bite discovered that was the cheese!!!!   The chicken on my pizza was ground up and tasted nothing like chicken.................... I was very disappointed to say the least.  I should have just gone to the Italian place up the road and brought from them.  

I woke up today and was really just not feeling like doing anything,  my back was achy and I felt really flat.   But, laying in bed is not keeping me fit or helping me to shed some weight. So I got up and dragged my butt out the door.  

I had to fight with myself the whole walk today,  I felt flat and stodgy, no energy and no get up and go.  My back hurt and my head was just telling me to quit.   So to cheat myself into doing at least 10km..... instead of turning back on the walkway (which would have finished me at 8km) I turned and went up hedges ave for a 1 km ... knowing that when I turned it would end me on 10km.  Hedges was really busy with bikes so my times dropped dramatically as I was going up and down on the curbs and dodging people on bikes.

My friend Tammy made it to 20km today..........I take my hat of to her, there was no way I had that in me today and even her first 10km was was faster than mine today.... she will be tickled to know that :D

Well its done now and wailing over it wont change it.   While it was a slow 10km it was still done.  1:05:23 with a low avg heartrate of 148 wish shows I just wasnt working hard....

10km data

5000m GC Masters T&F Championships

Night meets are AWESOME!  Especially when you live on the Gold Coast and have temps of over 30 degs most days.... so racing at night when the sun is down and the stars are out is devine.  Temps may still be up but the heat of the sun is gone.   As luck would have it, the clouds came over and the temp was a nice cool 25 degs.   

The only thing I struggle with when racing so late at night is figuring out my food intake...and I really buggered it up for this race.   I had a late breakfast at 10 am then we headed to Harbour Town and went to the movies.   But we didnt get out until 3pm and by the time we made it home at 4pm I realized I had missed my cut of for eating as the race was at 7:45pm I needed to eat 4 hours prior.  Went to make a sweet coffee and got distracted, before I new it ... it was time to head to the track.

I warmed up and did alot of dynamic stretches and racewalk drills.  A few walkers had pulled out from the 5000m, they had done the 1500m earlier and were struggling a little.   So it was myself, Iggy, Christian and Robyn that lined up for the 5000m walk.  I really didnt have any plan in mind.  I knew Iggy was faster than me but I had hoped that he wouldnt lap me tonight (he did but 200m ahead of his finish - so I am happy with that)  

The starter got us under way and I stuck close to Iggy for the first 300m but once his legs warmed up he started to slowly pull away and I was happy to let him go.  I have learned from experience to walk your own walk and I was happy at the pace I was going.   My first km was 5:26 and I was feeling really good.   There were no lap scorers so the officials decided to take on that role but in doing that they forgot to flip the lap counter on the track side....So when they realised and called out to me....8 to go?   I nodded but then really lost my focus as I tried to work out what lap I actually was on.....I just click on km by km...not lap by lap.   So for a whole lap I really lost my focus...(it was my 2km lap) so yes I did have 8 laps to go.  Never ask me to do math at the best of times but mid race..... I cant even give you 1 + 1 LOL

As I went through 3000m I glanced at my watch but with the dim light I couldnt read it properly and so I thought it said 16:50 - I was pretty happy with this and started working out that if I could keep this up I might get a high 28mins for the race.   (it was actually 16:37)  On my 4th km I was starting to feel tired and my energy was slowly leaving me.   With just one km to go now and trying to keep Iggy from lapping me, I had to dig it in and push.  I still was sure I was aiming for a high 28 and ask Iggy came past me just 200m off his finish and for me .. my final lap, I tucked in behind him and went all out.   I know I can do 400m in 2:04 fresh and it was now that I really needed to push hard.

As I crossed the line I hit stop and then checked my watch.  I was expecting to see 28:XX but to see 27:59.9 was the BEST feeling ever.   But better than that....was checking the acutal results and finding out my official time was 27:58   .............. this is my fastest time in Aussie...so its my Aussie PB    

5000m race data

Now that I know I can reach this level with the training I am doing myself, I am excited for Perth.   I will be taking 12 weeks off soon to recover from my surgery but I can still do stationary bike and many of my isometric weights etc   ... I am confident I can still pull off a good 5 and 10km time for the world masters.

10 x 300m / 100m cool down

Short and sharp track session tonight.   Kay and I decided to join in with the juniors work out.   While I dont like the short distance speed sessions I decided that tonight I just wouldnt go all out and I should be ok.   I tend to push too hard on the short distance and end up pulling my hip flexors.

So tonight I held back and focused on technique which I was told looked good and relaxed.

My 10 fast 300's were all at a good solid pace with an avg of 1:37

Laps	Time
1	01:41.6
2	01:36.5
3	01:37.2
4	01:38.0
5	01:37.7
6	01:38.0
7	01:37.1
8	01:36.6
9	01:36.7
10	01:36.0

I am happy enough with that.   Avg heart rate was 148 which is showing my fittness is returning slowly.

10 x 300m track