Up early at 4:30am to do my usual preparation for a race. A good breakfast etc and then it was down to the Striders tent near the start line by 6:30am. Met up with a few CR's and Striders and was feeling very nervous on the startline.
Stood near Eagle and the Sloth at the start and saw the 3hr balloon take off and I remained behind the pace all day.
Took the early 10k very easy and actually missed the marker but I was behind my split of 42mins by about 30 seconds. I was feeling good but I just couldn't get onto the 4:12k pace that I wanted to run. Nothing I could do about without sending me out for a blowup.
The 3hr pacer remained in front of me as I got to the half marathon in 89:35. Which was now 1min behind my pace. The 3hr pacer was about 30seconds ahead of me at this stage.
Back across the bridge and heading back to Telopea Park for the turnaround I was amazed yet again that runners stay near the 25k drinks table on the right and don't cross straight to the left as that is the racing line. The 3hr group stayed right.
I started catching splinters from the 3hr group after I passed the half marathon point and finally caught Shaun Creighton and his mate at the 26k without balloon by then.
Felt good all the way out to Black Mountain and I was pushing myself to keep the pace solid. Good endurance runs for Six Foot probably helped me in this regard I thought.
From the half marathon I can't recall too many people running past me at so I must have been running ok in the back half.
Finally made it back to the finish and have been given 3:03.28 as my time. A 13 minute PB, so I'm very happy. No sub 3hr but I'll get that some other time.
After the finish I slowly walked up the hill to the drink station and grabbed a waterbag and kept on running out for the rest of the 50k. The extra was damn hard work on the legs as half the run is on concrete which was really hurting me. Met Ewen about the 47k mark and he gave me another gel. Thanks mate. But where's my capuccino?
The end of the bike path came into view and I headed up the long finishing stretch to the finish trying to look good for the cameras.
Finished the 50k in 3:51.07, according to the photo from my parents. Edit: official time 3:51.08.
The most uplifting part of the day besides the cheering on the course was that when we did the extra klms for the ultra nearly every runner acknowledged the other and said keep going or looking good mate. Very special.
Thanks for everyone's support for this race.You have all been fantastic. It's been a long time between Marathons(2 years) but the pain today was worth it for how good you feel when you finish.
And from this race I qualify to run Boston Marathon in 2008. I can't wait.
Some photo's. Take note I let the two girls beat me to the finish. Such a snag!
18 comments:
Congratulations Flake, great time for the 50km and watch out GC for the sub 3hr. Enjoy the recovery mate.
Getting close now Flake - I think 6ft and that 37k run were still in your legs which is probably why you ran a great 50k time but just missed on the sub 3hr - pretty hard to do both successfully but you went pretty close - well done !
Hey Flake - great work!! That is a huge result. Anyone who can run 50k is bloody unreal!
Great running Flake but I felt sure you were running well enough to go under 3 hours. It's bound to be broken at the Gold Coast.
Fantastic effort there Flake. I would dream of getting a 13 minute PB and that you have done so must be something very special for you. I am sure you are right, too, that sub 3 is just around the corner.
I hope you do go on and do Boston because it is an incredible experience. If you do, I am sure you will get better weather, too, than what we have to put up, which is the worst on record ever for the race.
Would you have let them beat you if the clock was showing 2:59:XX in the finish straight?
Great run Paul. A 13 minute PB is something to write home about. After this year, you're sure to get Boston on a perfect spring day.
As for the capuccino, it'll have to wait for SMH or the Gold Coast. I was so disappointed they'd shut up shop for winter!
Awesome!
Congratulations Flakey. You will smash sub-3 at GCM. Enjoy your recovery
Huuuuge congrats once again Flakey. 3:03 is fantastic.
It really was special out on that final 7.8 wasn't it. From a personal point of view I was so glad you did it because when you told me your marathon time as you ran past it really lifted my spirits.
Congrats too on the Boston qualifier.
Well done mate. A nippy time for both the 42 & 50 whilst smiling all the way through. Nice one !
Great run Flake. 3:03 and 3:51 is super time, well done. Gold Coast her you go for the sub 3:00, enjoy.
Well done Paul! A great PB and 50k too. On fire :-)
More like a silly sausage than a snag....
Congrats on the marathon PB and the great 50k finish Flakey - well done mate.
Looking forward to being on hand at the Gold Coast to watch you smash through that 3 hour barrier Paul.
JD
Well done Flakey!
You da man(snag!)
R2B
Flakey
hard luck on coming so close to the sub 3 fella but congrats on the big pb and then having the intestinal fortitude to go to Hawaii(5 0!). I think that if you get your training right between now and GC, sub 3 will be a formality. Enjoy a break first though!
Congratulations on a great result. I know it wasn't the sub 3 you wanted but you weren't too far away. You will smash it next time as you won't have 6 Foot in your legs from a month before.
Paulie we feel so sorry for you on just missing by a smidge but hey you are still an excitement machine to us.
Your times were still really good and we both knew you could go long and hard.
Rest assured we will be rooting enthusiastically for you in your Boston adventure.
Boston 2008! Lucky you, Paul! Fantastic run in Canberra - it's worth all the hard work isn't it?
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