Timmy's 3 T (Topics, Tales & Trash)

Even allowing for a cold day in Sydney town and post City to Surf there was a big crowd for the HuRTS 4 x 10 minute session at lunch (although I reckon we had about 50% never finishing the session). Good to see the likes of Quentin, C.T , Crossy, Tom, Tucks. Fats all backing up and Mikey was back out testing the ‘Hammy’ once more. No sign of Enda or Barts though and I fear that could be the end of them for the immediate future with their heads totally mixed up in the aftermath from Sunday.

Despite a big crowd I think everyone was taking the same cautious approach today, as apart from Crossy and Quentin we all seemed to be running and chatting together for the first rep just sitting under 4 min/ks. The return is always harder back up the hills but was happy to get back with 5 seconds to spare. Amazingly the legs were feeling OK and on the 3^rd rep pushed the pace a little more, and on completion had Tom and Tucks standing beside me, told them then they had to get me back home in under 10 minutes to help me out. Straight away the pace picked up even more around the flats as we tried to ‘bank time’ seemed to struggle up near the A.B.C Pool but was still ticking along OK, that last little climb before the freeway nearly got the better of me but in the process we picked up Pete Walker that also helped and with a few encouraging words from the boys I was happy to get back to the Stone Gates in 9.51

Pace and distance for the 4 were:

3.52 min/ks 2.6k

3.47 min/ks back in 9.55

3.47 min/ks 2.65k

3.43 min/ks back in 9.51

I’ll take that one and felt pretty good throughout and strangely enough without getting ahead of myself can feel a little confidence coming back. Still. I may take tomorrow off and rest up before rejoining the team on Thursday.

With winning team captain 'Muzza' and some of his 'Yule' team.

NEW Star Renee, after walking out the E.Y tent stealing the C.E.Os birthday cake

The First Sign, The Chairmans eyes are starting to go, alongside Taffy Lad and Claude Van Dam.

Skippy Heyden giving Enda a few tips on how to run a good City to Surf.

Cheers

Jumped on the train and sat besides what I thought was a homeless man and was just about to give him a couple of dollars to get a coffee when I realized it was in fact Stevie ‘Wildman’ Thurston in his daggiest trackie bottoms ever seen heading into town for his City to Surf comeback race (oh what I fall from grace).

YEP, this is Sydney’s biggest race of the year and gets everyone racing and making the pilgrimage to Bondi Beach, met a few friendly faces at the Stone Gates for a warm up and if Stevie had the bottoms then Tucks had the matching jumper…what a shocker that was as well.

Warmed up in the designated area and met everyone and wished them luck before the mad dash heading down William St, I’ve done all the training sessions lately but knew I wasn’t in great shape so took it out a lot slower this year compared to previous, Felt pretty good early on and was happy enough to get to 5k in around 18.25, another 1500m down the road and through Rose Bay before Heartbreak Hill and for the first time in a long time had nobody coming past me any stage that I considered a positive sign. Got to the top around New & Old South Roads and knew I only had one more tough section around the 10k mark near Military Road and was happy to hit around 39 minutes for the 10k marker. Got a good boost at 11k as the injured Sharonne was on supporting duties for the day and then tried to lift it and let the legs go on the 2.5k downhill coming back into Bondi. It’s always a battle the final 1k and I swear Waverly council add an extra 200m of road every year until you hit that roundabout back towards the finishing shute. Got a massive shout out from HuRTs supporters Mikey, Elle, Damo and Laura that was very much appreciated and was happy to cross the line in a time of 53.04……. Pretty happy with that to be honest, certainly not my quickest time, but I felt strong unlike the past half a dozen runs when my pace was gone even by half way, Even happier then to find myself home before recent Dungog Half Marathon winner and friend Taffy James, Pete Walker, The Champ and the original Hardman J.C

Some great times from the team as I predicted would happen, and perhaps the biggest shock of the day was seeing Quentin first HuRT home beating the more fancied Tom, Tucks and C.T. Great run from him though to stop the clock in 45.53 and simply because of that and the importance of it he gets the ‘Timmy Run of the Day’ Even though Laura was out injured the girls didn’t disappoint either with new Queen of the Track Renee Simon smashing all before her (not to mention smashing Birchy and the ‘Sweaty Sock) with a 5 minute PB 55.38. socialites Sonya and Lisa broke the 60 minute barrier (57 & 59 respectively)

You can’t rest on your laurels in this team either with Clarkey going into this race as HuRTS #1 only to find the pressure all too much and was way down the list when it came to the big boys battling it out. Tommy Highnam put in yet another near perfect race (he’s unbelievable) and HuRTS favorite son Andrew Tuckey was 3^rd home, Enda will be disappointed with his 48.57 (and should be doing better) although he was complaining of a head cold, and I suppose he PBed so it wasn’t a complete waste.

Congrats to Muzza and his team of ‘Yule’ boys in taking out the first team event the squad had going, and even with Quentin taking line honours it wasn’t enough for his Models from getting the ‘wooden spoon’

Enda opened his house up at the end for breakfast hosting, Excellent it was too, great spread laid out for the numbers and the bacon & Egg Rolls went down a treat, as did the half a dozen sausage snags, Poor Super Kev got lumbered with BBQ duties and was then forced to turn all bacon with a 2 inch plastic fork Enda must have picked up on his last China visit care of a $2 shop. She may be out injured at the moment but young Laura got stuck on Tea duties, and boy does she make a good cuppa and they went down as well as the food.

A bit of a standoff happened then when heavyweights Birchy and the Italian Stallion Durante came together……. Both got pretty good PBs when it comes to scoffing down the old Bacon Roll and it was on for young and old when they went head to head.

Stomach fully set and it was on for the stroll down to the Allen’s tent for the day care of the Chairman Tommy H. As always a top afternoon was had by everyone that attended with the beers in full flow as many a story unfolded. Tommy never disappoints in this area, although I do think he underestimated how much socialite girls Sonya, Lisa and Renee drink as supplies did run out late in the arvo that saw about 50 of HuRTS boys and girls kept ducking next door to the E. Y tent (Ernst Young) for a supply of food and drink, (they even had a triple toilet to use) Think we may have overdone it mind you when Taffy and Birchy stripped off and jumped on the massage table that saw their C.E.O start to put trees in between the tents to stop us. It still wasn’t enough to stop Renee who then casually walked out with about 6 pieces of the C.E.Os own birthday cake.

Ventured down to the Surf club after that, and its around this time of the evening that it started to get messy, the occasion got all too much for Tommy H and he was sent back over the bridge in a taxi after falling asleep (standing) and now joins C.T on the drinking HuRTS ‘Wall of Shame’ Enda was talking even more trash then normal so we sent him packing as well as only the hard core made the way to ‘Ravesis’. Unfortunately Lisa & Keith had problems even getting in, as did C. T who then snuck in from another entry. Taffy James, Skippy Heyden, Birchy and the impressive Sonya were last men/women standing as I was starting to feel the effects of a long day.

A taxi beckoned and into the local Pizza shop near home saw me mumble my favorite dish (well point to number 29 on the list) and I could have given Durante or Birchy a run for their money in demolishing it.

Highlights of the Day, Too many to mention , but seeing the team run so well is always pleasing. The pre race is always a good buzz as well and still with 25 minutes before the gun goes some ‘Hitler’ volunteer decides to pick on bib number 138 Andrew Tuckey and demand he get behind the line, whilst about 300 other (slower) people casually roam about. He obviously didn’t realize he was talking to HuRTS #1 ….. Muppet.

Fashion Crime of the Day, In Charlie Lows absence, Angus Boyd took top honours this year with his pearly white Puma 1970s shoe – managed to take a photo of them for you to decide.

A top day all around once more and special thanks once again to Tommy Highnam for sorting the marquee tent out for us and to Edna Stankard for the breakfast hosting, it really is much appreciated.

So all done and dusted , time now to get back out there and get some solid training done in ready for the next big challenge.

WINNERS

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

Yule be Right Mate

The Old Timers

Chairman’s Selection

League of Nations

Beauty and the Beasts

The Triathletes

The Wild Cards

Models Inc and Charlie

Anthony Murrel