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Debut race report - Glenelg 10k
Trinity: Run Neo, run! What is he doing?
Morpheus: He is beginning to believe.
(OK, so I've taken that out of context a little, but I'm sure you get my
meaning ... er, if you've seen "The Matrix" that is. If not, then you should,
if only for the great running sequences... Hugo Weaving has great form.)
My first race! Exactly 130 days since I took up running, and this was it - the
Glenelg 10km held on a beautiful, almost completely flat beach-side course.
As I drove toward the start line, one of those flashing time and temperature
indicators flashed "37 C" at me. Clearly the recently ended heatwave had stuffed
its circuitry, because it was about 20 degrees cooler than that - in fact, you
couldn't wish for better conditions: cool, overcast and without a breath of wind.
Perfect! I arrived in plenty of time so I parked nice and close to the start and
went for a couple of k's walk just to limber up a little and suss out the course
a tad. It looked good and I felt good.
All the best running wisdom seems to say that you shouldn't set a time goal
in your first race, but frankly I couldn't see the point of doing all that
training just to waddle around in a boring time. The miser in me also wanted
to get something more than a race number,a drink of spring water and a post-race
orange for my entrance fee! So, based on my training times, a careful spreadsheet
analysis of my progress and a tea-leaf reading from the strange old lady who lives
over the back fence (down my the storm water outlet in the green garden shed
if you also would to avail yourself of her services), I aimed for a time better
than 57 minutes, at even splits of 5:40. This was fairly ambitious for me, given
my training times to date, but I was confident it was do-able. And in my dreams
I yearned for 55 minutes. Let the following be a warning to anyone who places
too much credence in rational thinking...
I started at the back of a field of around 300 - 400. I took off at what I thought
was a comfortable pace, but was shocked to pass the first km marker in 4:50! My
immediate reaction was "uh oh", immediately followed by "I must slow down". The
right side of my brain was having a ball though, staged a coup and drove my body
on even faster, while the rational part of my brain tried to reason with the
rest of me, which just laughed maniacly (as my right hemisphere tends to do).
When I passed 3km in 14 minutes flat I realised I hadn't slowed down at all. By
this time however we had reached the only slight incline on the course and I
felt in my element (I live on a hill), especially as the runners in front of me
were struggling. So of course I put on a spurt, my left brain all the while
screaming purely rational suggestions to the right brain which just chortled
along happy as Larry.
As a result, I absolutely annihilated my PB for 5km, running through the half
way point in 24:30... over three minutes ahead of my best 5km time to date.
This finally got the attention of my right-side grey matter who thought it best
at this point to hand proceedings over to the centre of reason and learning,
who said "OK, slow down, find some rhythym and don't even look at the clock
for the next 3 k's." I kept my right brain happy by looking around at the
scenery, smiling at the course marshalls and shouting encouragement to the (very)
few who seemed to be struggling. One poor girl (no more than 15) who I had over-
taken, then overtook me and promptly stopped to throw up by the side of the road.
She then overtook me again, only to throw up a second time. She eventually finished
2 seconds behind me, so at least I had the distinction of beating the course
chunderer...
I ran through 8km and was starting to find it tough going by then. I sort of
reckoned at the pace I was on that I was certainly now going to beat my dream
time of 55 minutes, but it wasn't til I hit 9k in 45 flat that it dawned on me
that I was a chance for 50! I ran it as hard as I could, but didn't quite have
enough in the tank, but with chunder-girl breathing down my neck (yuk!) I pushed
on pretty well to finish in 50:02... to say I was stoked is an understatement!
Well that has done it - I am well and truly hooked now. Next time I might even
wear a pair of running shoes (just kidding).
Thanks all for your unwitting inspiration... this site has been a great source
of motivation for me!
Cheers from Down Under.
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