Timmy's 3 T (Topics, Tales & Trash): Harbour 10k

Into town for the fast Harbour 10k and after a good warm up with Enda, Jac, The Love Doctors Craig & Vic’s and Flake I made my way to the starters line to find a decent turnout from the HuRT team. With about 90 seconds before the off I’m still without my trusty ‘pacer’ for the morning in young Ho, and just as I’m about to think he’s let me down again he appears from nowhere. Instructions given we are let go to a fast start and I’m keen just to sit on his shoulder and let him control the pace. After seeing a 3.26 first k I’m wondering what the Boy Wonder is on?... Holy Cow it seems fast. Settle for the 2^nd heading up Hickson, saying my ‘Hello’s to Razor and Mikey Lichtwark on the sidelines, The hairpin comes and slows us down slightly before the 2^nd and I give a shout out to Jac and in return then get a blast from Hoey to concentrate and save my energy. We then gain our own little group as Hipster Chris and a few others like the idea of me having my own timed pacer and jump on board the train. Feels good for a couple of ks around the tricky Darling Harbour on the slippy boards as i go through half way in 18.05

Soon after I have my first bad patch of the run just before 6ks coming up the hill towards the bridge and feel the band snap, Hoey comes good though and with his sad puppy eyes tells me to ‘dig deep and stay Strong’. Manage to get it together again coming back down the top of Hickson and just as we approached Barangaroo Hoey’s wise words would help yet again ‘C’mon Timmy, just a two k rep that we normally do’ was just the lift I needed and I felt myself getting stronger and reeling Chris back in. Out of Barangaroo towards the famous squashed car and I found I still had more left in the tank and was now running side by side with pacer boy. Into the last 300m at the Passenger Terminal Hoey decides his morning is done and as he can’t risk been beaten he kicks for home (3 min per/k pace) as I try to do the same to cross out in 36.28 for an 18 month best time.

36.28 – averaging 3.37s. Happy with that, not just the time but the fact I didn’t take the easy option when the going got tough (about 4 times we reckon)

Not sure how precise my splits were, but I got; 3.26, 3.42, 3.22, 3.37, 3.36, 3.43, 3.47, 3.38, 3.34, 3.26, 29 seconds (for the extra 150m)

Many thanks to Prince Ho for the pacing duties, much appreciated. He’s a good man for the job, even if it did probably cost me a brekkie (although Hipster Chris should pay for 50% of it I say)

Morning got a whole lot better when news filtered though that ALL the bets were successful. I got within the 2.03 of Enda, Sweaty Craig got nowhere near covering the 1.40 given and Welsh Craig had a shocker and not only didn’t get near my 2.35 handicap start but had the misfortune to even get spanked by partner Victoria – oh dear.

Love to say a nice brekkie followed but with Enda shouting mine to cover the bet, I received my muesli served in a thimble and must have cost him about $1.75 – shocking.

Day was then complete with beers taken served with the best Sunday Roast over at the Love Doctors, Managing to get Birchy and Jeet an invite as well. Beers, wine and G&Ts were consumed as we blasted out our favourite tunes on ‘Spotify. With a decent selection of Bowie, Waterboys, Pulp and Jam (from me) , Madonna from Jeet whilst poor Birchy brought Taylor Swift to the table.

With the night kicking on Jeet was out of control (as well as out for the count at one point) and had the indignity of getting put in a cab home – I’m worried about that man.

Many thanks to both Craig and Vic’s, great afternoon and I’m just praying that Jeet didn’t leave too much of a mess.