WAMC Lake Joondalup 10k : 34:33 ; 54 sec PB

Perfect conditions for racing ; woke at 6 today but still felt like I hadn’t woken up when I got to the course. I’d had green tea and a Sustagen Sport, then a long black. Picked up when I got to the race venue and the adrenaline started to kick in. Had a Torq gel 20 minutes before and then did a few k’s to warmup, so by the time I was on the start line I felt ready to go.

It’s a rolling hills course (map here) with a hairpin at the turnaround and a steep climb up to the 3k/8k mark to not the fastest course but not too bad either. Went out fastish but tried to hold my 2-2 breathing as I think that’s ~my 10k pace effort. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a group to run with so ran most on my own. Funny, some folks who I thought would do the 10 did the 5 and vice versa  – Emily Loughnan Steven Courtney (?!), and MArc See and Scott from Mona’s camp did the 10.

Scott was running close to another guy and I tried to keep them in sight ; went through 5k in 17:10, so game on. K’s 7 and 8 I let slip to 3:36, but they are the k’s with the biggest hills, so that’s OK. Picked up from 8k when I felt I was reeling Scott & co in and really pushed. I put in a surge to go past them and about 10 second later I though I was about to spew! Slowed down a bit then … problem with this course is that you can’t see the finish until about 200m away. Ran as fast as my little legs would carry me down the slight incline to the finish, and almost got squeezed out of the finish by a 5k finisher.

Stoked with the run, pacing was good, picked up a few places in the second half and a great result. Can’t criticise myself for lack of effort or anything so very pleased. I think the two 3:35’s were paying the piper, which had to be done at some point I suppose.

Splits: 3:19 / 3:29 / 3:32 / 3:22 / 3:28 / 3:29 / 3:36 / 3:36 / 3:24 / 3:19

Race was won by Roberto Busi in 30:50, first time he's broken 31. Second was Ethan Heywood and 3rd Raf Baugh, both a bit over 31. Kenji  Nener, Gerard Hill, Marc See were well placed in the 10 as well.

Biscuitman has also put up some photos from the race here.

Wally Cairns XC 15km 4th in 58:48

Since KOTM on the 27th, I've got another year older and put in another couple of 110km weeks. Definite training highlight was the 14km tempo run at 3:36min/km and last Thursday and the 30.6km (@4:22) run on the pipeline in the hills to my birthday breakfast at Glen Forrest. Have felt a little tired in the days since July 1 - mostly because I've done a few races in June, and also because of the basket of choccies and other bad stuff that I've consumed.

After a good 26km (@ 4:20 HR150 ) in the hills ( Mundaring-MtHelena Chidlow  and return) Saturday morning I turned out for the Wally Cairns Cross Country in King's Park on a cool and wet Sunday morning. It's a good strength run – it isn’t fast because it’s on the soft sand trails of KP. Bucketed with rain as well which turned the sand to marshmallow. Probably 300m of grass, 300m of paving and the rest on sand. Glutes and quads know they’ve been thru the grinder thats for sure…

Map here

Nice thing about this one is that you go past the finish on each 5k lap so you can decide when you've had enough. Foolishly, I did all 3. Finished 4th behind perpetual winner Scott Tamblin and Todd Ingraham.

Easy week now to prep for Lake Joondalup 10k.