Showed up not expecting much but the organisation was pretty good. We had timing chips and somewhere to drop your stuff. Well marshalled and a nice big blue inflatable finish line so that you felt a bit special at the end. 800 were registered for the 10km and 300 for the 5km. We were all setting off together so that was over a 1000 thundering down the esplanade towards the thin path around to Shelley Beach. Having said that, I think the weather kept quite a few away. The pollies were there - saw Tony Abbott and had a quick chat with Mike Baird. Then caught up with Pete W for a jog and had a quick chat with Jasper, Dickyboy and Jenny Whickham on the start line.
Set off at the front to avoid the melee. Went through the first 2 km's in 3:30's feeling comfortable. By the time we hit the hill at Shelley there was 4 of us up front - me, Dickyboy, Lee from the Manly Running shop and another chap who peeled off a few hundred metres later as he was only doing the 5km. Climbing up through St Patricks was a bugger. It was bloody steep and very slippery after all the rain. By the time we hit Darley Road Richard had dropped off so that it was only me and Lee. It stayed this way until the turn off through St Patricks on the way back, I kept on trying to put in surges to drop Lee but he kept on hanging on. I then missed the gate on the turn off back into St Patricks and lost 20 yards on Lee. He was also braver coming back down the steep grassy hills. So I just cruised home for 2nd knowing he was too far ahead with 1.5km to go to catch in a sprint.
Bit annoyed not to win it. It never felt too quick, more like a really hard training run. The time was 35:44 which wasn't too bad given the hills and conditions. But it certainly wasn't 10.2km as advertised. Richard came in for 3rd. Had our photos taken so you never know, we may even make the Manly Daily. Doesn't get any better than that!
5 comments:
Well done Tom. A lot of water on that hill at the moment. Best to not wreck your heel on a greasy slope in a fun run.
Well Done Tom. Great result. You are back! RP
Well done Tom.
Mike Baird is a great guy. He and I went to school together and he was a terrific athlete back then.
Last time I saw him he was lining up at the North Curl Curl 3 Points Challenge in his sluggos. I told him he was being very brave as it was around that time Abbott was getting grief for the same thing. Later on I noticed that Mike had entered under a slightly different name. Smart..
manly fun run is off to a flying start, big numbers and interestingly, the girls outnumbered the boys in all 3 events.
good run, i thought you fast blokes were supposed to check course maps before you race.
love tiger
Well done Tom. Being an Aussie seems to be agreeing with you!
The Many Daily, a great rag!
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