RR Jacaranda Fun Run 10km

Pre race. Last year I injured my achilles tendon in the 5km verison of this race. So I was keen for redemption.

The Jacaranda Fun Run is held as part of the Jacaranda festival celebrating the late spring flowering trees the town is famous for. 

I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get to Grafton, the way it was raining on Friday night. The Pacific Highway was covered by water at Corindi on Friday morning.

The rain held off most of Saturday, and it only rained lightly during the night. I woke up early, not being able to sleep, and was really excited about the prospect on another race.

Saturday morning dawned cool in Coffs Harbour, and I thought these would be good conditions to race in. So I jumped into the car and drove the hour or so north on the Pacific Highway.

I arrived at Grafton, and drove out along the Gwydir Highway, an anvenue of purple flowered Jacarandas at this time of the year.  The race was held just outside Grafton at Waterview Heights.

I first noticed how humid it was. When the sun came and mixed with the high humidity it was energy sapping. I had a sip of gatorade. There was a cross country section of the course and it was a quagmire in places.

The race.

The race started around the edge of a football field. The pace felt like an amble. Up a bit of a hill onto the bitumen. Out into the lead went two young five kilometre runners, Matt a local Coffs runner, and a young lady runner from Grafton.

The leading 10km runners were local Grafton runners, Kevin and Scott. There’s another guy called Gary, who has a big tatoo on his arm, he was in the Forest Foot Race and North Coast Running Champs. I have talked to Scott a few times, he was right behind me when my achilles gave way in last years 5km. And he came to the Bunch Fives Beach Run last year. Before the race he asked me how my achilles was doing I said fine.

Another slim fellow wearing glasses came crusing past, and without much effort caught up to the early pace setters.

1st km 4:03

The race headed into two cul de sacs in Waterview Heights. Another couple of runners go past. One is high fiving and yelling at other competitors coming back in the other direction.

Another chap in ankle length black tights goes by. So I’m definately in the top ten in the race. I try to figure out how I’m place in the 10km. I figure about 7th.

2km 4:05.

The race goes downhill into a grassy cross country area. There is also a hill, I don’t push hard in this section. The worst part is a boggy patch that lasts for about 100 metres or so.

3km 4:16.

The race winds its way around a tennis court, and through a parking lot, up onto the road. The race heads along a cycle path, which turns left onto the Highway. The young gun from this years Emerald Beach race passes me, running a blinder in the 5km.

4km 4:26 I can feel the humidity having an affect, and I am slowing and there is little I can do about it.

The leading 5kers come flying past and Matt has opened up a lead on the young lady runner, who is really making a close contest of it. Two more runners turn at the 5km, the young gun, and Gary with the Tatoos.

So I’m up in 6th place. There are two guys about one hundred metres ahead. I think of trying to gain on them, but they hold their distance and get away.

We turn out onto Friars lane and now the race begins to get hard. It is so warm and humid. Stifling in fact.

4km 4:50. The heat and humidity is slowing me. I don’t handle these conditions well at all. And I have doubts whether I can run a good Half Marathon in December. I think I am  a autumn to winter runner. Still I’m up in sixth place, and I figure that I’m not the only one struggling in these conditions.

Friars Lane seems to stretch on forever, and I’m feel like I’m working but not getting anywhere.

I see the leading 10km runner coming back the other way, he has built up a big lead on second and third.

Then comes Scott and Kevin, going neck and neck. I give Scott a big thumbs up, he’s running exceptionally well. They are both in my age group too.

Then comes black tights and the high fiver with a movember mo’. I gratefully accept a cup of water from the water station.

7km 4:58. Wow, these kms are getting slow now. I have a big lead on 7th though.

I feel better as we turn for home, but I’m already screaming for the finish. Back along the cycle path I go. It’s sort of undulating with a gradual incline of over a hundred metres at one point.

8km 5:07. Oh dear! This is tough.

There are signs marking each kilometre. And I’m especially glad to see the one signalling 9km.

9km 5:21. This is  a wall of Lady Carrington Half Marathon proportions I am hitting. This is slower than my easy run pace. Maybe I should wear my water belt in any race where the is a prospect of heat and humidity. I think the conditions slowed everyone down.

Up ahead I see Scott walking and I wonder what is going on. As I get close I see he is swaying from side to side. He’s badly dehydrated. A lady is helping him stay on his feet. This is an upsetting thing to see.

The lady asks me if I can get help. I tell her that I’ll get help as quickly as I can. Matt and his Dad enocurage me, and his Dad warns me there is a bloke on my tail, so I sprint a little at the end. As soon as I finish, I tell those at the finish that there is a guy struggling out there with dehydration.

Jason at the finish line goes and gets the help of the St Johns Ambulance Officer at the scene.  The St Johns vehicle parks near him and he sits Scott down and adminsters a drip. Eventually they have to call an ambulance to take him to hospital.

Hope you recover well, Scott. He ran very well, and was within a couple of kilometres of finishing in the top three.

10km 5:00

So I finish the 10km in 47:19, in fifth place overall. Because the second place getter was in my age group, I get a medal for first male 40-49. It’s a really nice medal engraved on the back.   I feel bad for Scott because he was so close to at least winning the age group if not coming third overall.

I also win a random draw prize and choose a T_Shirt. So all in all a pretty good day.