A tale of three races - a 7km, a 5km, and a half marathon

There are two types of people in the world: those who admit to loving chronology and those who are liars. As such, let's discuss these races chronologically. I played with the idea of discussing in terms of race length, but there are two types of people in the world: those who admit to hating racelengthology and those who are liars.

The 7km race was a big one. Not so much in terms of the race itself, but in terms of its implications for the future. After running the Manchester 10km I was ruined for the Delamere Parkrun. With the Gold Coast half-marathon approaching, and just a week before the Sydney Harbour 10km, I had to strategise. Which am I more likely to hit my goal in? The 7km would tell me. If I could get close to 28 minutes (4min/km), I would take it easy in the half marathon. Off the 28 minutes, I'd focus on the half.

The 7km was part of the Festival of the Feet, organised by Western District Runners, and around the Georges River out near Bankstown. "7km?" I hear you cry. Yes, 7km. I heard it's because it's "sort of 5 miles", but at 4.9 miles, 8km is much more "sort of 5 miles". Anyway, fans of lengthology, it is what it is and I ran it.

We were post nights and the last night was a corker. Tres busy. The lad Bader dropped us off. The course was pretty good. A bit of grass, mostly Tarmac, and some sand?! What sort of masochist puts random sand segments into their race? The gun fired (read: some guy said "go!") and we were off! Three guys steamed off ahead, then me, then the loudest breather I've ever heard over my shoulder. He got told off for not displaying his bib and the energy it took for him to explain himself presumably finished him because I didn't hear from him again.

Of the three front runners, one broke at 1km. Talk about setting off too fast. We've all been there. Any sympathy I had was not converted into weakness and I powered past into third! Bloody third! For the first time in my life position trumped time. There was no way (there was a way) that I was going to let some jolly-come-lately steal past and take my podium, so I started running at a pace to ensure I had some energy left to up the ante should I need to. But I didn't. A small out and back showed I was comfortably ahead of fourth and I just maintained my "coiled spring" pace of 4:10 till the finish. My time? Somewhere plus 29 minutes. Hmmmm. Doesn't make my mind up regarding 10km vs 21.1km. It is well off the required 10km pace, but I had many mitigating circumstances (I always strive to take a few into a race, some call them excuses)...no taper, poor hydration, post four busy night shifts, and finding myself running for position instead of time. But a decision was needed and a decision I made: Prioritise the 10km.

Knowing I wouldn't be going flat out in the half I thought I'd do a Gold Coast Parkrun. A few were closed, owing to race weekend, but I found the Kirra Parkrun and it looked a cracker. So flat it could teach a pancake a thing or two. It's an out-and-back (boo) and you end up running back 500m past the finish line before coming back on yourself (super boo), but it looked quick. I was upset that a stinking athletics club turned up to run it, but I set out at sub 4:00/km pace and maintained it. Good effort I thought, especially as I was still hungover from copious Malbec the night before are weighed down by Wagyu steak. It was my 5km personal best and my first official sub-20 minutes 5km. Chuffed. Time was 19:28.

The view from just south of Kirra Parkrun

The Gold Coast half wasn't as well organised as I thought it would be (first event to get gold status in Australia) and parking was a nightmare. Plain old out-and-back and lacking support. The km signs were difficult to spot and there was zero entertainment away from the start/finish. It also started at 6am! On a Sunday!

GCAM start line

Flat course though. Ran with Victoria who was going for a personal best and sub-1:45. She's a nightmare to encourage. One wrong word and I'm in for it. We did even splits of 4:50-4:55. Great to see some Sydney Striders running elite (Lewis Ingram amongst others) coming the other way.

Finished in (still awaiting official time) around 1 hour, 44:30 minutes. Pleased. A good work out without absolutely destroying myself (the beer will do that tonight).

Important to stretch

Now it's time to bring on the 10km and the retriever, Hareth Bader.....