Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Baby Elephant runs Barbecue Stakes!

Plan - run the Barbecue Stakes 6km course (anti-clockwise)
Result - 28.04min, 11th place (43 runners)
Hcp - 12.15min

Thump, thump, thump.........that was how I sounded while running the Barbecue Stakes today, a 6km undulating course. Its a regular Wednesday clock-wise run and on the first Wednesday of every month the course is run anti-clockwise. Not sure which way is best though running it anti-clockwise means starting with a hill that seems to go on forever. Perfect running weather - bit of a breeze, blue sky and some clouds. 43 runners showed up for the event. Discovered that I was running off 12.15min. I watched everyone else leave and it seemed that only fast looking male runners were left.

I felt fine until I hit the off-road section of the course - the bit that undulates unmercifully. Then it sounded like a baby elephant was on the loose - thump, thump, thump. My legs felt really heavy - the after effects of yesterday's gym work I wonder? I was passing other runners but to be honest, I wasn't feeling that comfortable and contemplated slowing down to a walk at times. Once I was off the off-road section it was mostly downhill all the way to the finish. I expected to be passed by lots of runners as I'm not strong on the flat. However, only one or two others passed me and I finished in a time of 28.04min (11th place) - only 9secs outside my PB for the anti-clockwise course, set back in 2002. So felt crappy but ran a reasonable time!

News of the day - Doug "the Legend" Fry awarded t-shirt for completing 1100 Barbecue Stakes runs. Incredible! I think I've run 20!!!

2 comments:

Friar said...

CJ - You have posted a good report on the event.

Refer my report posted today at:-

http://tuckerbox.blogspot.com/

Aki said...

cJ - excellent time! No wonder only fast looking males were left. Seems my footstrike is contagious however.