Monday, August 12, 2013

City to Surf - 36th in 46:42

Up nice and early with Kirst bobbing around early doors even more nervous than me. Mat Kaley picked me up (many thanks) with Big Sam and LF Charlie and we were dropped in the City by 6.45am. Caught up with Timmy, Pete W, Kenny, James M et al and we did a couple of km warm up. Then headed to the start with Barts catching up with all the preferred and seeded runners on the start line.

Plan was to try to hold on the Barts and CT for as long as possible. 50% of that plan went out of the window within 30s of the gun when CT shot off and had a big lead on us even before the Kings Cross tunnel. I was just tracking Barts at this stage. Up Edgecliff and, bloody hell, was that hard. We still seemed to be sprinting and that hill is deceptively steep. It looked like a huge crowd was still in front and I just couldn't believe how fast everyone was travelling. Up and down the rollercoaster through Double Bay. Barts would gap me by a few metres before I would tell myself to man up and hold on. Through Rose Bay and more gapping and ungapping. We'd be running with others for periods before they would drop off. CT was still well ahead along with Neil Pearson (also conveniently wearing illuminous yellow), Chadi (in his instantly recognisable St George strip and headband) and Crasti. Kept on thinking "they're bound to come back soon" but it wasn't happening yet. Then Heartbreak Hill starts. We immediately catch a group ahead and Barts lets me take the lead for a bit. Just worked the hill (which I never find as bad as all the other hills on this brutal course) and at the top I start to feel good for the first time in the race. Some fellow runner kindly passes me half of his cup of water and I hear this desperate cry behind me going "Tommy!, Tommy!, give me some" so I hold the cup out for Barts but he's three yards behind and for a moment I think he's expecting me to drop back for him (I temporarily thought this could be my "gel" opportunity) but he speeds up to grab it. I then kick on a bit and feel like I've got a bit of a gap.

Continue to try to press home the advantage and go through 10km in 33:50. All the hills done. Hooray. Keep on hearing these huge shouts for someone just behind me and assume it must be the first chick. But then this little kid overtakes me. WTF!? He comes up to about my shoulder height. So I go with him which helps me along that long straight before you turn for the downhill. Then down the hill and I'm catching Chadi. Made my mistake here of not going straight past Chadi but sticking with him. Hit the bottom of the hill and get a massive shout from Matty Palmer and then immediately hear him shouting "Johnny!". Did I mishear that? Was he just shouting "Tommy" again? Or is Barts right behind me?! Holy cow please no. The comes that dreaded rise along Campbell Pde. Chadi pulls ahead, my legs start to scream and I'm a sitting duck. Sure enough, Barts comes past like Mo down a homestraight. He immediately puts 10m on me and I'm battling along Campbell Pde. See the corner, my spirits lift and see the clock ticking down so sprint for the finish. Just fail to catch Crasti and 8s outside my PB but I honestly don't think I could have gone any harder.

Then all the chat begins. It's a picture perfect day (I didn't see cloud all day). CT runs a stormer in 46:14. BOB continues his rapid improvement beating Kenny in 48:4x for next HuRTS man home. Jamie S has a great run to go sub50, Enda runs a PB in 49:30 then wees himself on TV but is pipped by Richie P and Andy, Dicky G just misses a sub50 after stopping to tie his shoelace on HH (so he says) but LJ has run of the day for 5th lady home in the biggest footrace on the planet running a jaw-dropping 50:38 and chicking half the HuRT Squad!

A great morning and afternoon of beers in the sun with all the squad with Timmy, Anna and I moving on to the Beach Road hotel. I took myself home after I started bumping into people. Got home to be greeted by a beaming Kirst who ran 74 mins despite having to duck and weave and only plod the first 5km due to the crowds. Brilliant stuff.

Here are a few photos. Love this race.




Courtesy of Matty Palmer approaching Campbell Pde. That's Barts' shadow you can see in the background.



Glenn, Young Timmy, Me, Jeet, LJ, J-Fen, Ellie, Barts



Barts, Young Timmy and Myself looking happy.

3 comments:

Tim said...

good wrap up Tommy H, and well done on a super run once more .

David said...

Great post Tom!
Did you beat the kid?
Did you beat workmates brother?
Either way great performance, I saw you on the 7's shockingly poor TV coverage, running just behind Barts coming up the turn at Campbell s Parade.

Unknown said...

Beat the kid by 10s but I'm afraid I had to hand $20 to Nicola as her brother smoked me with a low 45mins. Way too talented.