Run4Fun

A very warm morning, still, nice flattish course with a few long rises, annoying (my word of the day, I will use it again:-)) amount of dead or sharp turns.

Took the easy way out this morning, started slow and let the runners come back to me. After 1km the leaders followed by two packs separated by 5-10 seconds, each containing 10, me in the second pack. Over the next 6km kept the pack in front within reach but never took any of my friends up to that pack. The split at 5km 16:30, hope of a 32+ is gone and my friends are getting tired. Each time someone tries to bridge the gap they dropped off a km or so later, out the back door. After 8km I only had one friend left. I took him to what was left of the pack, a single line of runners most of which were very hot and tired. Picked as many of them off as I could in the last 1500m, ditched my friend with 1km to go, annoyingly finished in 34:01, 15th place, 1st in 40-49.

Minnie suffered in the heat. Not as much as some though. As I waited for her saw two runners with the stumbles and one male fall down and not get up again. Hope he is alright. Also noticed how the middle of the pack runners managed to cut 150m off the course by cutting the last corner along the stadium instead of taking the road...baaa sheep:-)

My moment of the race came in the tunnel entering the Olympic stadium where that female walker I forget the name got disqualified with the red flag, no red flag for me. A nice run with fond memories of 2000, handy logistics, the hotel across the road from the finish.

This week the handicap 1500m Pennington. I must do well for the series. On Sunday down to Melbum for City2Sea 14km.