ANOTHER weekend away...

The last weekend away for a while, thank goodness. It’ll be nice to get some time at home!

Got away for Canberra around 11 or so. Drive was pretty easy, once we actually got on to the freeway.

Pottered down to the start area a bit before half past (once my bike had been dropped off) and caught up with the CR/Strider crowd, got a bit of a warm up in and managed some abbreviated drills. Got to the start-line feeling pretty reasonable. Conditions weren’t ideal, with the wind quite strong, although it was cool and clear.

The course is a bit convoluted, with two laps of the road around the school, then three loops down to Wentworth Avenue. Got through the first two km, basically the two loops of the school, in 7:05, and felt good, if a little ‘on the edge’ speedwise. Basically spent the first 5km chasing Jenny Truscott, who I edged past just after 5km (where I was 18:21). She got back past me at around 8km, I got past her again just before 9km, and she sprinted over the top of me with about 100 metres to go to beat me by about 2-3 seconds - a well timed sprint and testimony to how well she’s training at the moment. Managed 37:23 in difficult conditions – the back 5km were definitely slower, with the long haul from Wentworth Avenue to the Finish Line (2km or so) uphill and into the wind seemingly taking ages, plus the added bonus of ducking and weaving the slower competitors as we lapped them. Made a point of passing on encouraging words to the CRs that I passed – hopefully I didn’t frighten Wildthing too much, I tapped her on the shoulder as I went past and realised she had her iPod on and probably hadn’t heard me approach!

Photo courtesy of sfgnome, Tiger Angel, and Coolrunning

I know I was dreaming of a faster time, but pushing and ending up so close to Jenny, who I know is in a definite improvement phase and beat me but around 20 seconds at Homebush, is encouraging. Looking at the times, people seemed to be around 30-60 seconds slower than you’d expect, so at a guess I’d say the run was probably worth a mid to high 36 in ideal conditions. I felt pretty happy with the level of effort, certainly didn’t feel like I slacked off any point. I had a little down spot probably at around 7km or so.

Did a quick little cool down and on to the evening. Had a very pleasant evening with the Queensland crew, plus Mohammed, and had a big plate of spaghetti marina to fuel up for Sunday.

Up at 6am on Sunday, and kitted up for the cold (around 3 degrees for the start). For the record:
- legs: Full length skins, New Balance tights, thigh length cycling shorts.
- torso: Kathmandu long sleeve cycling top, Striders tri-top
- others – cold weather cycling gloves, beanie under bike helmet

Photo courtesy of Jim Moody and Coolrunning

I was just okay, as long as I kept moving and made sure I stopped in the sun.

Watched the start and headed over to the Parliamentary square. Tiger Angel, who was also bike bound, tagged along as she wasn’t sure where she was going. My bike then proceeded to break down, as the right pedal stripped out of the crank. Dial A Bike, to their (well, his) credit, was there in 10 minutes with a replacement bike – he was in the area tending to his balloon, which was the big Prime TV blue and yellow one. I got myself down to where the runners come up to Kings Avenue, near the National Gallery. Watched the leaders come through, and stood amazed (as did a few others) as two kangaroos appeared from next to the National Gallery, bounded across the field between some runners and turned left towards Kings Avenue, where they nearly got cleaned up by a Camry and a Prado. Bush capital indeed!

From there, wandered down to Parkes Way and kept an eye on the field through here, wandering down to Commonwealth Avenue, and then cruised back up to Cow Bell Corner (which seemed quieter than previous years) and chatted to the CR support crew, watching the runners come through.

Headed back over to Parkes Way, and went up into central Canberra to get something to eat, coming back via Australian National University, following Parkes Way back to Commonwealth Avenue, through the Parliamentary area to the finish area. Dropped the bike back to the hotel and checked out, getting back to the finishing area around 11, covering around 45km for the morning.

There were so many great stories from the morning. Clairie’s stunning debut (was wandering around the finish area and hear ‘Vat!’ and suddenly Clarie was hugging me, with a huge grin on her face), Johnny Dark’s great PB, Aunty Karin’s marathon PB and strong 50km, Luke Skyrunner’s big sub 2:45 PB, Craig Dunn’s sub 4 min per km effort, Damo’s strong debut, chatting to Emma Murray about her 2:45, Uncle Dave smoothly proving he’s well and truly back in business, Tesso’s brave 25km, Mohammed’s 30km training run that saw him cheering people on with a finisher’s medal around his neck, sfgnome’s elation at having ‘done the deed’, kanser capitalising on his strong summer of work, Kelvin and his new moustache going sub 3 again, Action’s 50k, Papa Luigi proving that a fair chunk of Uncle’s success is genetic, Eagle running his prediction, Blue Dog wobbling around on a sore heel and his extended chat break at the first 50km aid station, repeatedly bumping into Dan Green as he ran his training run near the course, O Runner finishing despite obvious discomfort, plu doing his compulsory annual marathon, bandanna’s eternal enthusiasm. I’ve doubtless missed a few (and didn’t get a chance to catch up with Luckylegs, and missed Siri completely), it was all very overwhelming, but underlines why I was so keen to get to Canberra for what was ostensibly just a 10k race – the CR/Strider communities are so strong, felt like I needed to get down there.

We got away a bit after 12, and after stopping for lunch got home just before 4. I had a pretty convenient excuse to either not run or shorten my run, but I was a good boy and got out on a coolish, breezy afternoon, heading from home to the Bay Run, doing a 9k and a 7k loop, and running back home, for around 25.5k or so (didn’t have the Garmin) in a bit under two hours. Felt pretty solid over the run, virtually no effect from the bike in the morning, although I wasn’t exactly exploring the edge of the envelope on the bike).

So, a top weekend. But I am looking forward to Easter at home.