5000m 19:45.05 = 72.45% A disappointing race. I decided to start conservatively and try for even pacing. The first km was 3:50. Despite the easier pace, I slowed down even more over the last four kilometres. The first few laps where held in pouring rain with a blustery wind in the home straight. I managed to stay honest and keep the time under 20 minutes. When I finished I felt very dissatisfied. I was lapped by GMcC who won my 40-49 Age group in a great time of 17:38.

1500m 5:14.57= 74.2% My second fastest 1500m as a master, not quite as fast as I had hoped. I thought I might be able to stay closer to 5 minutes. The 50-59 and 40-49 Age groups were run together. There were about 8 in my age group. I took off and a group of 7-8 runners gapped me and I was isolated into the home straight. First 400m was about 78 seconds. The conditions were hot and humid and even though I was working hard my times were blowing over 80 seconds per lap. 800m was about 2:45. I reached the bell in around 3:48. I caught a guy from Mingara in the back straight, and took a lead into the last 200 metres. I struggled into the wind,and the athlete from Mingara outsprinted me. So I finished 7th/8.

800m 2:33.59 = 75:02%. This was my most pleasing result of the three days. A 9 second masters PB.  I had serious doubts before this race. 800m races scare me.  Considering I was walking in pain only four years ago, I find the thought of running this hard and fast to be inconceivable.  How is it possible to be doing this at all?

I run 800m in a kind of fast Cliffy Young shuffle, all leg speed no extension. Four years ago I hopped on a treadmill and the physio observed my walking gait. He told me it was completely dysfunctional. I had to re-learn how to walk, I am still rebuilding my quads, and re-learning how to run. Now I run with a dysfunctional shuffle, 800 metres, at an age grading of 75%. It isn’t a pretty running style, but it is a miracle.

The first 400 metres was about 74 seconds.As I crossed over near the green lane marking bottles I was dead last. I managed to overtake a runner from the Nowra club  in the back straight. The wind in the home straight was brutal. Then I started to catch the runner in fourth place not long after the bell.

With 200m to go I told myself to make it hurt. I hit the home straight and my form when out the window, and the guy I’d passed to move into fourth overtook me again. When I saw the clock and saw low 2:30s still ticking over I was pleasantly surprised. I thought I’d be lucky to go under 2:40. I was happy to get such a big masters PB, and I reckon that having a pace like that will help me at longer distances. I think I can get faster. That was only my 3rd 800m race as a master.

GR a local who I have done some sprint training with led from the front and won the country championships.

This is a good time

I thought that as I sat watching the other athletes. This is a good time in my life. That is a good thought to have and I’m holding onto it. A life is long, and it is worth keeping on trying, because things can change for the better.

It was exciting to watch some of the young local athletes run well in their races. What I noticed is how big the Country Championships are. The car park was crowded. Inside the grandstand was full. Half the stand full of bums on plastic seats, the other full of bums on deck chairs, where the stand was concrete terraces.

Why I run for Sutherland

The only unpleasantness was on the second day when I went to check in. The Official challenged me for running in my Sutherland Singlet. She said she had a complaint about city clubs being represented.

The first day I talked to the same lady and  I asked her who should I run for? I can run for both. Masters or Sutherland? She advised me to run for Sutherland in the 5000m, so I did. Last year I emailed Athletics NSW asking advice on what I should do to run in the Country Championships? Run 2nd claim for Coffs? Run for masters? Run for Sutherland? I didn’t get a reply. I am after all a country athlete.

I explained to this lady that I am a country athlete’ living in Coffs Harbour but I prefer to run for Sutherland.

“Would you like me to run for masters?”

“Yes, ” then added.

“You should register for a country club.”

“I will continue to run for Sutherland, thank you.” I said

The Sutherland uniform means a lot to me. I run for my father when I put it on. Mr.  Sutherland Athletics. It takes me back to my home and the great days I ran on Sutherland Cross Country courses. That uniform means a lot to me. The official really annoyed me when she said I should register for a country club. I wouldn’t want to run for any other club other than Sutherland. Dad always gave over officious officials a hard time.

There was a tern standing on the breakwall footpath making an agitated call. It flew away as I approached. On my return I noticed a Baby tern with brown mottled immature feathers standing begging for food from its parents. The other terns were making a noise to be protective of their chick.

Half of the Surf Life Saving club car park was under water. A narrow strip of sand left above a swollen and fast flowing Coffs Creek mouth was covered by the branches of a couple of fallen Coast Banksia trees. The churning choppy dirty grey surf  lapped the rocks at the base of the ramp at the southern end of the dog beach. To run the dog beach today you’d just about need a snorkel, or tip toe along the thin corridor of sand not submerged by the storm tide.

I wonder if this is the end of this fun run after a short three year life span. Higlights including one of the most constricted starting areas of any fun run. The sight of 200 runners funnelling onto a single file beach access path. Wade O’Malley missing the turn and sprinting north through the bitou bush before realising his mistake. A fun run held on Australia Day along the beach regardless of the tide, starting as late as possible in the increasingly intolerable  heat and humidity.

Marvellous!

Wading through waist deep water and rocks on the Dog Beach. That’ll bring the crowds back.  What I enjoyed most about this fun run was seeking out shade under the strategically positioned marquis tents placed in that sweltering hot bit of grass at the start/finish line.  OK I’m being sarcastic.

The hard slog on soft sand, with an oppoturnity to record some of my slowest kilometres splits in my Garmin

The witty repartie of Coffs Bowling Club patrons entering the establishment to partake of the entertainment on offer- keno or the pokies.

“Haven’t you got something better to do on a Sunday?”

“Indeed.” I’m sharpening my Keno pencil as I write this, so I can be involved in a more useful activity than running.

The apparently random finishing times provided for finishers of the 10km race in 2010. That was more fun than solving a  Sudoko puzzle.

Despite all this I truly did enjoy this fun run, it added to its character and charm.

I’m going for a run now, so I hope to feel better afterwards.

I am back and I am running well. Only one more day and then get ready for Country Championships. I like how going for a run can put things into perspective.

Just imagine how bad I would feel after a day at work like today if I couldn’t run?

10.5km 47.52. Went through 10km in about 45:10

Another thing that makes me glad I was  born me and not someone else, is being born in Australia. I feel lucky to have been born in a country with such amazing natural beauty and unique animals and plants.

Good news: A copy of R4YL magazine turned up in my letterbox. A free subscription from the Cadbury Marathon.

The start list for the Country Championships has turned up. 4 runners in the 5000m, 8 in the 1500m, 10 in the 800m. The Country Champs are popular. They have my age as 50! I’m 49! I’m not ready to head to the dark side of over 50.

Sunday 29/01/2012 – 2:55 PM
Name Age Team Seed Time
1 Berry, Charles 46 Min(Mingara)
2 Boursnell, David 50 Mingara Athl
3 Hynoski, Geoffrey 44 Illawarra Bl
4 Kelaher, Paul 44 Min(Mingara)
5 Kidd, Peter 50 Athletics Wo
6 McCann, David 47 Illawarra Bl
7 Mustapic, Glen 41 Nowra Athlet
8 Robson, Greg 49 Coh(Coffs Ha
9 Sheringham, Paul 50 Sutherland D
10 Watson, John 43 Sin(Singleto

Event 127 Men 5000 Metre Run 40-49 yrs
Name Age Team Seed Time
1 McCann, Geoffrey 46 UNA
2 Mustapic, Glen 41 Nowra Athlet
3 Sheringham, Paul 50 Sutherland D
4 Temblett, Ian 49 Min(Mingara

Saturday 28/01/2012 – 11:31 AM
Name Age Team Seed Time
1 Berry, Charles 46 Min(Mingara)
2 Hynoski, Geoffrey 44 Illawarra Bl
3 McCann, Geoffrey 46 UNA
4 Mustapic, Glen 41 Nowra Athlet
5 Robson, Greg 49 Coh(Coffs Ha
6 Rochester, Paul 45 Nma(Nsw Mast
7 Sheringham, Paul 50 Sutherland D
8 Watson, John 43 Sin(Singleto

Not so good news: My fire alarm is making an annoying noise. I suspect the battery is low, but I don’t know how to  change it.

The workshop was like four seasons in one day. I gave my talk and I think it went reasonably well. Then at times after that I felt completely hopeless and that I know nothing. Maybe vegetation science is something I am not very good at.

Perhaps running is one of the few things I have a talent for. It certainly is something  that makes me glad I was born myself and not someone else. It is like a window to my potential, I don’t think I have ever reached my full potential at anything.

My Garmin is not recording any activities in memory.

Running easy vs running slow

I think there is a difference. On my long runs I try to run easy by feel. As I’ve become fitter my easy run pace has become quicker. I can hold a conversation with other runners at about 4:30-4:50/km pace. Of course that can depend on if it is hot and humid like this morning when my easy pace slows naturally. I think that a easy long run should present at least some sort of challenge to your aerobic capacity. I’m not sure that long runs at very slow paces would achieve that.

I am a believer in easy long runs by feel, not forced long slow runs pre-determined by the artificial constraints of a Garmin or heart rate monitor.

Workshop

There is a 2 day workshop starting tomorrow at work. I have to give a one hour presentation to the work shop. This will be a very hard thing to do .  I want it to go well, but I am already wishing it was over.

3.2km warm up

5 x 1km (3:48, 3:48, 3:49, 3:50, 3:49)

4 X 400 m jog recovery

3.2km warm down

Friday

10km Jetty 46:39

Pasta night

No it isn’t Ricky Ponting the Australian Cricket Captain, it is my anxiety.

I wanted to write about the elephant in the room the night before the Hobart Marathon. It is my anxiety that wants me to stop writing about it, it is afraid that people will think I am weird. Then I thought, no stuff that I want to name and shame my elephant in the room. Put it out there squirming in the light of day, the ugly thing that it is.

The night before the marathon I went to a pasta night at the restuarant in the hotel. This is a big deal for me, I always eat alone, I take meals back to my room when I go on running adventures. I sat at a table on my own. Another runner kindly invited me to his  table, with a couple of other runners. Two of them doing the HM and one the Marathon. They were good blokes. Immediately my anxiety kicked in. What if they notice my anxiety, what if I annoy them? At first it is embarrassing and then a cold fear sets in. Did I annoy them? Then I went away to my room having trouble sleeping and analysing my behaviour and every word I said.

There is nothing visibly wrong me. What is wrong with me lives behind my eyes, in my mind.

….but this disease I suffer from is real, it doesn’t make me a wonderful person, certianly not horrible I hope, but there is no way I could ever make up something as horrible as this thing I suffer from.

I’ve entered.

Australian Masters 1500m, 5000, 10000, 8km Cross Country

NSW Masters 800m 1500m 5000m

At least I have had the preparation for these races I missed out on last season.

I’m lucky to have these things to look forward to and focus on. I’ve been getting distracted and wasting time thinking about the sadness and unpleasantness the world can throw your way. There is always a balance between the good stuff and bad stuff, and I am not sure why the bad stuff seems to have a much stronger voice. The bad stuff: unpleasantness, doubt, criticism  and disappointment is a challenge you must face to get out there and keep trying, when the whole world seems to be against you. And when you win the good stuff:  enjoyment, hope, encouragement and success feel so much sweeter.