Saturday, March 03, 2007

Striders Homebush 10k race- PB Yeehah!

Gave Will a lift out to Homebush this morning. 93% humidity according to MPH. Very sticky it turned out to be. We arrived at about 6:20 and there would have already been about 100 cars in the carpark. Turns out we had 350 finishers for the race today. Huge!

I wasn't expecting any PB's with my last, what I call speed session in mid January. But as MPH pointed out I have been doing fast downhill rep sessions which need high leg turnover. I guess he has a point.

Just tried to start off slow keeping the speed in me for the whole 10k and not the 1st k. A 3:43 1st k was ok. Kept going at that pace with 7:32 for 2k, 11:15 for 3k, 15:05 for 4k and going through the 5k in 19:01. Drenched in sweat at this stage and I wasn't feeling good about doing another 5k at that pace.
Next 2k went by in a slack 8minutes with me at 27:01 on the 7k marker. There are a few hairpin turns and a hill between the 5-7k but I think the foot came off the pedal too much. And panic set in as I thought the PB was sliding away at this point.
Finally did some work and was at 8k in 30:56 and then the sand pit 9k mark in 34:53. The foot was back on the gas and I belted the last k passing about 4 people along the flat section and then a female in the sprint across the bridge after the corkscrew. She was ahead the whole race so don't panic I'm not posting on 'that CR thread'.

Finished in 38:31. A 40 second PB. A course PB as well since it was at Homebush in July 2005 when I ran the last PB. Very happy to have finally knocked off that old PB.
Now I can get some work done for Six Foot Track and Canberra. Thanks to everyone for encouraging me for the last 2 years. And as the saying goes, The best is yet to come!

Edit: Blue Dog was beaten!

12 comments:

Horrie said...

Fantastic effort Flake to smash your PB by 40 seconds in those conditions. I am looking forward to seeing what you can do in the cooler months and if you concentrate on the shorter distances.

2P said...

40 seconds is a huuuuge PB under any conditions but out there today that is monumental.

Great stuff Flakey - congratulations mate you are in scintillating form - well done.

Unknown said...

Tremendous performance in trying conditions Paul, and what a great confidence booster for the two major engagements looming on the horizon.

JD

Hamburglar said...

Congrats Superflake!

R2B said...

Awesome stuff Flakey!

You absolutely drilled that Pb!

R2B

David Criniti said...

Excellent work mate. I'm stoked for you and I hope the awesome form continues to next Saturday and beyond.

Yours in the long run,

Unc

Spud said...

Ripper Flake, well deserved mate and in trying conditions too.
See you next Saturday.

Ewen said...

Blue Dog's mum will be devastated!

Fantastic PB Paul in those conditions. If that doesn't give you confidence for 6' and Canberra, nothing will.

You're right about the best yet to come - there's a 37-low there at least.

Jen said...

Woohoo! Sensational result Flakey. All your hard work continues to pay off - and I'm certain it will do so again next Saturday. Good luck & I'll see you at the tree
:-)

Gronk said...

That's a great effort considering all that mileage in the legs mate. Hard work pays off, that's for sure.

Go get 'em next Saturday !

Anonymous said...

Oh Paul you are simply zooming along at the moment. You always seem to be fit and running well around Mardi Gras time .... you are such an inspiration to us!

Tesso said...

Go Flakey!!!! Huge congrats.

Wow, that is an amazing time under any conditions, let alone in the heat and humidity. And I've run that course, it sure isn't the easiest 10k around.

You are on fire for next weekend! Fingers crossed the weatherman looks after you and turns the temp down a few notches.

Happy tapering.