I can jump puddles!
I was amazed at how many people rocked up for the Perth Half Marathon. Very well organised and pretty wet conditions. I have to learn not to start at the back of the line as I lose a couple of minutes dawdling at the start. Anyway I got up to the halfway at UWA at 50mins but I was a fair bit off a 1hr 35min effort. I had young Charlie in my sights. Now get this - it was his first half marathon, he’s 68yo, and we see him as a regular at Jacob’s ladder. I caught him just after the Narrows Bridge on the way back (at around the 15km mark). I had a great bloke, Keith Miller from WAMC, running with me up till this point. I let him off his leash when I caught Charlie and wished him well. I’m certain Charlie needed no coaxing or encouragement from me but I gave it anyhow. He and I both finished in 1hr 42min and this was a solid run for me. I figured out that this run was on a lot later in the year in 2007 and I had a bit more running in me as part of my Ironman WA preparation. Still, very happy with a 1hr 42min effort (same as Darlington half marathon actually).
Guys like Charlie and Keith are an inspiration to me as I’m just a 44yo wannabe. Charlie has a sort of metronome-style beat at around a cadence of 90 to push him along with his running. No songs, just a beat! Not a bad idea really - helps with the focus. He’s getting ready for Perth Marathon in 3 weeks. I may make a start but its no small task (massive understatement). Noticed a workmate of mine who I was going to run with to get the 1hr35min effort (or 4min 30sec/km average) but he’d cramped on the return leg over Narrows Bridge. I slipped him a carboshotz on the way past. He was toughing it out.
I have a little bit of a granny walk happening but I’ll be fine tomorrow. Dee knocked off 20 Jacob’s ladder ascents and Matt’s U18div1 soccer team won 4-3 against Lynwood.
I’ve been goaded into going to the movies to watch Sex and the City with my wife at a lovely old theatre called the Cygnet in Como/South Perth. It seems I have a couple of women interested in joining one of our cyclosportif teams at Bikeforce Southern River for the Swan Valley ride on 29 June 2008. If you’re interested in joining and you can average around 30kph cycling then give me a call on 92686034 during working hours.
Well done to all the runners who finished the Perth Half Marathon. It certainly is some achievement even though it is a flat course. I’d like to thank the motorist who provided some entertainment on Mounts Bay Rd by creating a tsunami over about 4 runners as he drove through a massive puddle.
I spotted Jan Braid from Runner’s World helping out in the registrations. Well done to the volunteers and organisers on a pretty miserable day weather-wise.
Reservoir for now amoebas
CHRISTO
Carn the Blues (in front as I type but not counting chickens yet!)