On this day the ride into the start at Fed Square was into a block headwind and, not wanting to push really hard just before a race, it meant that by the time I was making my way to the line the race had actually begun (little did I know!).
When I arrived at the line I sure found out (!) and so off I went in pursuit of my start group who, as far as I could figure out, were 2-3 minutes up the road. And whilst I wasn't really worried about my official time I was a bit bummed that I had missed the chance to run with all the folks I'd been run training with each Tuesday night for the last couple of months.
I went through 5k in 23.45min feeling quite good. Obviously I had started to pass lots of people which was kind of motivating even though I wasn't really racing them. And at 5.5k there is a u-turn on the course so I began to see lots of people I knew coming back the opposite way. And by 7.5k I had caught up with one of them so we decided to run together.
The course itself is quite picturesque covering parts of the city near Federation Square, most of the Tan Track around the Botanic Gardens, Rod Laver Arena [home of the Aus Open tennis] and the Melbourne Cricket Ground [home of cricket and AFL]. It is flat(-ish) with just enough up-and-down to give you some variety. Over the three years the organisers here have done a great job to build the event up into a must-do on the winter calendar. They also offer 10k and 5k distances for the less endurance-minded folks and kids.
Down towards the business end of the event and I went through 15k in 1:11.45hrs so was still covering the ground at a very even pace. But this 5k had been a bit harder with the first signs of fatigue creeping in. And so where previously I'd been chatting with my friend I now found myself quiet (to her relief?) and focussing on the run.
Through 16k and I was yo-yo'ing off the back a bit and having to work hard to get back on even terms. The (very) slightly uphill through to 17k at the Morrell Bridge was the last straw for me and the aid station at the bridge had me stopping to soak up some refreshment and see if I could re-energise myself for the run home.
It sort-kinda worked (?) which is to say I ran most of the way thereafter, but stopped a couple of times for a drink or to shoot some video on my iPhone (an excuse to stop). 20k was covered in 1:39.30hrs so I had slowed by over 3mins in 5k and when I crossed the finish line (nearer to 21.5k) in 1:47.00hrs I was glad just to have finished.
A faster race than the Sri Chinmoy event a few weeks prior - and no blisters this time - but nothing to write home about. And by the time I rode home - another 45 mins - I was well and truly stuffed!
Paul, A great report. Well done on recovering from the late start, and then hanging in there to the end despite the struggle over the final few K’s. This year you have wisely decided not to set too many demanding goals, and you are adopting a fairly relaxed attitude to your races, so it is no surprise that you are not matching your great performances of last year.
ReplyDeleteYour superb 93 min HM in Williamstown last year and then you great performance in the Melbourne marathon qualified you to be a poster boy for Furman, and confirmed that Furman is an effective program for achieving an immediate marathon goal. But perhaps the big question is whether it provides a good foundation for building from one season to the next, or even provides a good enough base to sustain a reasonable level of fitness while you recharge the batteries for a subsequent building phase. What are your thoughts on this?
it was a good day, wasn't it? Hard though, and cold too I thought. I wish I'd seen you afterward but I expect you were long gone(if I did see yoiu I apologise, i was pretty tired and don't remember much).
ReplyDeleteVery good question (as always) canute. I suspect the thing that makes Furman doable by the masses (lower km's) probably means its usefulness as an overall base builder is diminished. I have certainly returned to pre-Furman levels of fitness very quickly!
ReplyDeleteAlison - yes, sorry I missed you too. I saw Mrs WOOH at about 18k and she said you were "miles ahead" so no surprise I didn't see you on the road. You're still my pin-up for achieving hard goals!!
Great job Paul!
ReplyDeleteI used FURMAN 3 times with great results (except Boston failure last year, but that was not the plan's fault). Now I am using Hudson's run faster plan, which has more miles.
Looks like you enjoyed it Paul - even showing little stress about the late start. Pretty good time under the circumstances. Good photo of you and your friend running past the church. Melbourne's a great city for churches - and running!
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