The first race here in Cape Town the the Bay to Bay 30km, so like the rest of the Road Runners I was up early and ready to Rock and Roll... I remember Dawn saying to me that it feels like just the other day that we were driving to the start of Bay to Bay.
I stood on the start line thinking about my race plans: Boy have they changed over the years... I can remember gunning from the start chasing the lead pack.
Today I would go out at 4:00/km and hope I could come home in just under 2 hours (That has been easy in years gone by!) From the start things felt OK and with the first km under 4 I was all smiles. Dawn was on the bike and had took off with the leaders to watch a couple of real runners. I promise I wasn't racing for a 40+ prise, but I did want to know who was up there... Tsungi, Graham, both miles ahead and then 3 guys I know I can beat! Oh dear...
5km and I was having fun running in a small group of guys, but then the hill too Llandudno I dropped most of the group including one of the 40+ guys and almost caught another! This was easy and I hadn't even put the hammer down... Down Suikerbossie I let him get away and the other guy catch up again, 10km in 38:40, easy peesy. Dawn wasn't cycling down any further, 500m was enough, and now she could watch the rest of the race and then see the leader on the way back. 11, 12 down hill 13 flat, then the group start to pick up the pace. Garmin called it 3:45, but the legs didn't want anything faster than 3:55. I would fall off the back and then work a bit to get back... This wasn't good, I now had to hold on till the hill on the way back, that would sort them out!
15km 57:05, but I wasn't going to stay with them, I now had a long was home on my own. first little hill didn't go so well the one guy left with me didn't fall off... Bring on Suikerbossie, I could see them up front and maybe the legs would have a bit of running left in them... No, while I did drop the guy who had been with me I was hardly running the others down. 1km up and I was being caught... That was not aloud, so I didn't slow as the 2nd km got steeper. Good I can still run. reach the top, there was dawn waiting for me and I past 21km in 83:30 9km of mostly down hill to go, sub 2 should be easy...
Ha Ha Ha
I had run at 4's going up, but that wasn't happening on the way down!!!
I wasn't sore I put caught run fast...
 | |
| Dawn on the bike and looking good, but slow! |
 |
| I'm not flying |
 |
| Made it.. |
Nice views to distract you from the pain of racing. 20k of the same race is impressive. It doesn't mean you're old it means you're committed.
ReplyDelete