NSW State 10k Homebush - 35.11

Well after a night of very little sleep due to watching the English FA Cup i called in and picked Kanser and Ronan up for the drive out to Homebush for the State 10ks. Again even at 6am Kanser was full of it and basically carried on where he left of yesterday giving poor Rohan and I ears a work out.
Met up with a good crew from the HuRTS team with Laura, Macca, Kane, Ronan, Slim Sam, Razor Wareham,  Bartles and a few others. Had a race plan to go out a wee bit harder today and try to hold as long as possible with training being a bit all over the place the last couple of weeks.
Made our way to the start line, then it appeared ALL the HuRTs boys were looking at one another wondering what to do? ...........Something was a miss? NO Tommy Highnam our leader who had gone down with an overnight cold, meant Macca and Slim Sammy were actually facing the wrong way on the starting line as  the gun went off :)
Gun goes off and soon settle behind old buddy and foe Richie P and see the first 1k mark  in 2.58 (WTF, and it wasn't even the watches fault this time - marker was way out) Was moving well though and stayed with RP for pretty much the whole first lap in under 17.20. Had a watch malfunction (yet again) when the bloody pin came out, luckily i caught the watch but it then meant i was carrying for the rest of the journey. Started to get a little tired around the old Striders start point about 7ks and just tried to hang in there, Razor came up to me at the 8k mark and really should have stuck with him for the last 2ks but lost time here and was disappointed with myself that i didn't as he stormed home in 34.40 :( .  A big effort put in for the final turn for home and knew i couldn't get under 35 but was delighted with an official time of 35.11 ( My fastest since last Septembers North Head Striders)
A couple more weeks now before the half so if i can continue the training i should be OK, took a lot of confidence out of today's race and for the first time in a long time felt as if i as toughing it out.
A pretty mixed bag from the boys today i thought, Run of the Day went to Macca McClarnon with his 33.39, and Old Kanser with his 34.23 ( still not enough to stop him coughing up $50 to me after the 75 seconds start), RP another solid performance, didn't quiet work out for J-Fen or Bartles today but they will be better for the run, and more then a solid effort from Slim Sammy Agnew only two weeks after running the London Marathon ( i even managed to square the ledger on the head to heads 2-2 all)
HuRTs boys times ( that i know ) sorry if i missed anyone

Bartles   33.15
Scotty    33.18
Fats       34.01
J-Fen     34.11
Kanser   34.23
Razor W 34.40
Richie P  34.41
Timmy    35.11
Spike     35.30
Eoin       35.44
Slim Sam 35.44
Angus      36.33
Christian  36.33
Laura       37.09
Ronan      37.52
Anybody after that go put on a skirt :)

Stayed around after the race and had a chat with a few people, good to see Flakey out there and even saw Young Billy Highnam go around in the 2.5k race......looks like he could have more talent then the old man if you ask me, although he will have to do something about being 'Chicked' by about 17 girls.... must be a family trait

So a good morning had, and i even won a few $$$ to cheer Tommy H up care of Mikey not having any faith in me, and he is $20 lighter in his pocket after i broke 36 mins.
Just out now for a few well earned beers over Durty Nellies with the boys - Chris (Big Bear) is celebrating the arrival of there new baby daughter this week. Seeing as i am an English Gentlemen I'll even put the $50 Kanser owes me over the bar to shout the lads a few jars :)

Will be back out on Tuesday for the HuRTS tempo session........yet another :)
Cheers

Special mention to Spike (Mark Milligan) also who smashed his PB by nearly two mins today - great effort :)