RR Woolgoolga Bunch of Fives Race 2- The Beach

Pre race. This was the second of the Bunch of Fives series. It was held on Woolgoolga Main Beach. It is planned to coincide with a low tide. The sand was hard and wet and provided an excellent surface to run on. The afternoon was overcast and reasonably cool creating nice conditions to run in.

I arrived early and handed over the perpetual trophy that I had been minding for three days. I went for a jog with last years “Bunch of Five” series winner on the weekend. He is out injured and unable to defend his title. So he gave me the trophy to hand over.

I was also given a bronze medal for third place in the 5km races over the winter cross country season. My first cross country season in over twenty years and I have medal to show for it!  

A crowd begins to gather before the race. Last months winner Richard is there and also a good young triathlete Lyle who didn’t run last time. Right on 6am, Tim the guy who was running late last month, sprints up to the start.

A line is drawn in the sand to mark the start. The white sign with start finish written in red is the marker. 

The race. Off we go and I’m up in the lead with a group of five. Richard and Lyle pull quickly away,  as does Tim. A young lady runner/triathlete, she’s only 14/15,  who wasn’t there last month is really going well. It takes me the best part of a kilometre to draw level with her. I have raced against he before but she has really improved since last time.

The beach is long and wide, sand hard and packed  flat. The backwash is way to our right. We run past the boat trailer for a Woolgoolga Surf boat. There are people walking a dog. At the end of the beach we head along  a small inlet where Woolgoolga Creek enters the sea. There is a stick marking the turnaround.

Richard and Lyle are having a good battle out front. Tim is about 100  metres ahead. I can’t keep pace with him. The young lady triathlete is just behind. She stays within a second or two of me all the way back to the start finish into a strong wind.

You can see other runners as you double back to the start finish. There is a long way back to sixth and seventh. It is a father and daughter combo, who seem to be running conservatively tonight.

I am not getting any beeps from my Garmin, and I notice that the timer is not working. So now I am just racing without a stop watch. The timer keeper at halfway says 10:14, so I am over 20 minute pace.

I start the second run up the beach. I’m starting to pull away from the young triathlete a little. She doesn’t really drop back until we turn south for the final run back south into the wind.

So I’m running safely for fourth, and I’m feeling pretty winded. I push as hard as I can.

I finish fourth in 20:55. Which I am not too unhappy with for a run on sand with a wind working against me.

Richard wins again, Lyle comes second and Tim finishes a fair way ahead of me in third. The young triathlete came in first female. She ran very well.

That fourth place means I am up to third place overall in the series.