** 10k PB **

first things first…

Saturday
did a very easy run this morning, still suffering from the effects of a cold and wanting to make sure I'd be right for the 10k…

the stats:
start time: 8:18am
total distance: 6.84k
total time: 40:00
avg pace: 5:51
total calories: 515
avg HR: 140

had another average round of golf but the weather was great for it…

had another great massage – mum's my secret weapon in achieving good race results!

picked up dinner on the way home and then watched the Wallabies score another good victory but a truer test will be the Irish…

Sunday
got down to the Canadian High Commission by 9.15am to meet mum & dad and register Jodie for her run…chatted with Simon from Customs and also caught up with the Friar who hand delivered the latest Canberra Runner…

made our way up to the start around 9.30 or so…as we made our way there we said hello to speedygeoff and he walked with us for a bit to find out what our goals were (45:00 for me - he said his plan C would be to pace me to that!)…i did a warm up jog while Jodie stretched and chatted with mum & dad…no wastage of energy there…

i checked where the actual start was with Friar and positioned myself acoordingly, Jodie came with me while mum & dad, as 5k walkers, moved further back…the start was delayed while the got everyone else to move back behind the start…

FlashDuck joined us, CJ gave a quick hello on the way past and then Commonwealth Games dual gold medallist Nathan Deakes got us underway…

despite the congested start managed to get into a rhythm fairly early…I spied fellow CR Vurt early on and decided to see if I could stick about 5-10m back from him as he seemed to be going about the pace I needed…

the conditions were perfect, nice and cool with hardly any wind to speak of…not long after 1k (4:35) we saw the first of the 5k runners heading back…my 2nd k ticked over in 4:36 then i cheered for Katie as she went flying past (14th in 21:08)…

a nice downhill bit saw a 4:19 3rd k followed by a 4:35 4thk…my pace seemed comfortable and I was managed to hold my own with Vurt (my unknowing unofficial pacer!)…as we approached the 5k mark, the leading 10ks flew past with Joy Terry already a clear leader in the women's (1st in 35:26)…gave her a cheer plus ones for all the people I knew – Shannon (orienteer, 3rd 40:26), Grant (orienteer, 3rd 33:59), Scotty (orienteer, 4th 34:13), Scott (Customs, 10th 35:48), Gordon (Customs, 13th 37:17), Simon (Customs, 17th 37:43)…passed 5k (4:29) in 22:33…caught up briefly to Vurt and had a quick chat, he asked my what I was aiming for and i said 45:00, I asked how he was feeling and he said a bit tired from a long run the day before but he clearly upped the tempo in an effort to help me out…gave CJ a cheer (I was surprised to be in front of her) and kept an eye out for FD (who I think made an emergency detour)…the 6th k took 4:33 – here i knew i needed to run sub 4:30 ks to make 45…i was trying to maintain my pace and make sure I didn’t lose too much ground on the hills…the 7th k took 4:27…at 8k (4:34) i knew I had a shot…up ahead i could see i was gaining on Demetrios from Customs…at 9k I put my foot down with Vurt encouraging me to push through, i passed the nearest woman and then Demetrios…i felt strong but then the walkers appeared across the road and it was a matter of finding the right gaps without losing speed, around the corner I went, dodging more and more walkers, i made my way through the tiniest of gaps but had to go wide on the driveway…as i spied the clock it said 44:50, I put my foot down as speedygeoff gave me a cheer…my watch said 44:59!! (officially 45:00, thanks for the results Friar), a 10k PB by over a minute from April and a 6 minute PB on this course from last year!!

to top it off, i had finished as 14th female, CJ finished 16th in 45:20 and Running Gal 25th in 46:30…a special thanks to Vurt for his role in my run, much appreciated mate!

the stats:
start temp/humidity: 5.3/72%
start time: 10:05am
total distance: 10.05k
total time: 44:59
avg pace: 4:29 last k = 4:05
total calories: 751
avg HR: 175
finish temp/humidity: 6.9/68%

Jodie was at the finish helping out, she was nearly as happy as i was with my result plus she had done her 5k in 28:49, her 5th time under 29:00…she told me she even contemplated doing the 10k and she approached the turnaround for the 5k…maybe next year!?!

cheered on some of the other runners and then mum & dad as they completed the 5k walk in just over 57mins…

then it was off for pancakes before Jodie & i headed to Weston Indoor Cricket Centre for the first pre-season training session…a good session which went for nearly 2 hours…not as rusty as i thought i'd be (the focus is on batting)…i was still on a high from my run!!

not much else done in the afternoon except the grocery shopping (how exciting, not)…

managed to stay up and watch the Japan Croatia match before a quick snooze and then the Brazil Australia match…Australia just didn't have the required finish and Harry Kewell had the best chance with an almost open goal…at least they still have a chance of progressing thanks to the scoreless draw between Japan and Croatia…

what a weekend!!