Tuesday, 4 December 2007

9.55 3k TT PB

Last Friday's session involved 4x 1k efforts, Pat grabbed this shot finishing up one of them. Tried to be consistent with 3.20s (my goal pace for the TT) & managed that pretty well. Helped by 1 min standing recoveries.

Before that I ran Tuesday's speed session pretty hard, my intention this month has been to set a PB for the TT & go sub-10 to boot. I haven't been running 'long runs', just focusing on speed & actually not doing that many runs (3 or 4 for the week). This weekend saw Cec & I down at Byron, had one run - a 10 minute jog along the beach after a swim.

Fronted up this morning with a bit of encouraging news - the course has been modified a bit - after the 2k mark we continue along the road & not the footpath. That footpath has always been a bit of a problem, narrow & hard to master... one particular walker likes to walk her poodle off-leash & there was an occasion when I had to leap over it...

The run unfolded close to perfection: held myself back in the first k going thru in 3.18. Enjoyed the new patch along the road & turned in 4.59 feeling good. I settled in behind Damian F & was pretty content with my position - he was going for sub 10 as well. He started to flag just before 2k & I had to overtake at that stage. Pat was at the 2k marker & called out the split: 6.35. I was too focused to look at my watch but it was probably within 2 secs of that time. Knew then that I just had to maintain that pace - my failing recently. But spurred on by trying to hold off Damian (who was getting a tirade of encouragement & cajoling by Pat) & also by the fact that Nick & Matty weren't putting any distance between me, I managed to shatter my PB by 10 secs. My first sub-10 after 2 years of trying & a podium finish as well (3rd).

And now for a well-earned rest.