Big team of what must have been over 20 starters for the
6.30am start and nice to have Jerome back after his failed North Shore WhatsApp
never got off the ground. No sign of Stankard, Jeet or Fats though as news
filtered through that Enda had gone down with his 9th cold of the
season.
Got chatting to Renee and ‘The Sweaty’ Craig for the first 6k as he was getting all excited
about his overnight 18th birthday bash he was at as I was struggling
just to hold the pace and we were only tipping along at 4.40s. Got back to the
cafe at 7am to collect the late starters and headed out for the first 10k loop
alongside Jerome that immediately felt easier as the pace quickened.
Still moving well once back at the cafe and was leading from
the front with Hoey when I took one look behind to see the numbers had dropped
dramatically with only Pearson, Laura, Shire Boy Haydon and the much improved
Birchy still with us. It’s a long slog back up Anzac Parade until you get to
the Captain Cook Hotel turnaround and was happy to get the slight downhill
1500m stretch back that brought us into the park for the final time for the
morning.
26ks done and was keen to get an extra 2 in so continued on
for 1k before returning and happy to get my longest run under my belt with 28
done in 2hr:04mins averaging a decent 4.24s all up.
The usual coffee stop in the cafe was made as we were joined
by a passing ‘Flake’ Paul Bruning, who I think was edging for a bet at
Blackmore’s but I feel as if he would be wanting more than a 5 minute handicap
start so I steered clear of mentioning.
The arvo beers were simple brilliant with Newtown buzzing
all day as the ‘King Street’ crawl was on with bands on in every pub that made
for a great atmosphere way into the night.
Monday will be back swimming with HuRTS very own Nik Kershaw
(photo to come tomorrow)
Cheers
I'm doing the Marathon Timmy. So you will probably yell at me to run faster sometime. See you sunday.
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