North Head 10km - 33:41

It's fair to say I was pretty psyched up for this race. Jogged down to Manly Wharf and met up with Macca and Big Sam and by the time we reached North Head we'd picked up Bartles and MC too. Did a bit of a warm up, plenty of chat on the start line with almost all the HuRT Squad in attendance (even a sick Kanser and a broken Timmy wearing strange socks) and we were off on the new course for the fastest first 200m known to man. Bartles went off with the leaders and I settled into a group with Scotty, JB (where did his sudden form come from?) and Bleasel. We then all worked together to pick up Bartles running with the Horne and from then our group of 6 ran together - just what I was hoping for. JB looked really strong - gapping us around 4km but running by himself I thought it was a brave move.

At the turn at 5km we were all back together (Macca too was just with us, running a stormer). Had a quick look behind to see J-Fen about 20m behind. I was starting to really struggle here but knew that I would and knew that the longer I could stick with the group - perhaps holding out until the loop at North Head - the better I'd go. If I was spat out, J-Fen and Macca would pick me up in no time. So I dug in, really hurting, with JB, the Horne and Scotty pushing the pace. They gapped us a bit so I just hung on to Bartles, Bleasel and another chap who'd fallen back from the front runners. Bartles would push ahead on the flats and I'd catch back up on the hills. Then at 8km JB suddenly looked as though he was blowing hard with Scotty and the Horne pushing on. Bartles and I went past him just before 9km and I started to feel OK heading back down to the Stone Arch. Turned that with Bartles on my heels and tried to push the slight rise over the final 500m, but he was still there. The Highnam cheer squad (kids, Kirst, Alec, Gill, nephew, niece and Dad) were screaming at me so it was down to the final 75m steep uphill. Bloody hell, what a finish. Glutes were screaming, cut Bartles off, stuck my arm out and managed to cross the line just in front of him. It wasn't pretty, it was probably illegal, but what the hell. That's racing.

It was a good race and we ran a good second half - getting closer to both Criniti and CT after the second lap but they'd obviously put in a very quick first 5km. MC had a good race to take out Timmy and get within 10s of Big Sam. Plainly the tempo sessions are paying off. Macca showed how to put it on the line in a race by finishing just behind J-Fen in the low 34's. Scotty showed that he's a class act by finishing just in front of the Horne. If that guy did some long runs he'd be very dangerous. Good to see Richie P, Eoin, Ray, Christian, Todd, Laura (3rd female) and Pete W. As I said, the HuRT Squad were out in force.

Now a game of Golf this arvo with Alec and Dad on his 70th and a taper for Six Foot. Happy days.

Post script:

Holy cow. Hadn't considered the possibility of Six Foot being cancelled until I saw this...

Scary freakin river