Sunday, October 14, 2007

Striders Internal Half Marathon

Great event. It's more like a hard time trial than a race. My handicap assumed a time of 76 minutes which I just managed to sneak inside with a 75:50. Not bad given you run by yourself and it's a hilly course (2 laps of the Striders Lane Cove 10km route but going further up the hill at Scribbly Gums). Tucks was the only person behind, starting on 73 minutes. Spent the whole race on the switchback sections working out by how much he was catching me - turned out he was catching quite significantly - running a quick 73:36.

I was in no-mans land most of the way as the people directly in front were Richard H and Tim C on 79 minutes. My 5km splits went 18:02, 36:12, 54:32 and 72:18. Pushed the last 5km as by then I was starting to catch people and the spirits were lifted. Caught Richard H at 20km and realised I need 3:40 over the last 1.1km to beat our handicaps so I told him we had to start working and ran a quick last 1.1km as a result. Tim C had a great run and was probably second fastest behind Tucks.

Beautiful day - sunny, no wind and cool (in Lane Cove NP certainly - bit warmer down on the beach afterwards).

Where was Ray? Where was Uncle Dave after negotiating a better handicap?

1 comment:

Superflake said...

Makes my 94 seem pedestrian. Good run on that course.