The return of the heavy breather.....

Sydney Marathon Clinic (SMC) is a running club based in the Smithfield area of Sydney - about 20 miles west of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge if you use them as your landmark - and about 12 miles south of where we live, so that gives you a sense of how big Sydney actually is! So far I've found it quite hard to find races to compete in although that's maybe because they avoid racing too much in the middle of summer, so I found this one which us run monthly and decided to give it a go.

It's a nice course starting in a park and running out to the back end where you climb the one steep hill in the route. It comes just about 2k and also involves crossing a bus lane which means the runners have to give way if a bus passes just as you approach, and it's stewarded to make sure you do. Once you make the climb its a very slow and slight rise over the next 3k along a good quality tarmac path. No idea why it's there or what for but it's great running. Then you turn back and run back the same route to where you started.

I'd run a fairly tough (hilly) route the day before so I tried to make sure that I didn't go out too hard, and even with a 7.30 am start and a break in the weather it was "only" 20 degrees (with 78% humidity) so I was very aware of trying to manage my pace and not overheat. Also I've been finding it much easier to max out my heart rate so I was watching that and trying to keep it just under boiling point! After getting over the bus lane and up the first hill I tried to drop into a steady pace and hold it as long as possible, and that tactic saw me pass around seven or eight people on the way to the turn.


After that I just tried to focus on the runner in front and although I got on his shoulder once he had enough to pull away again but with me hanging on for dear life. We opened up a good gap on the four chasing us only for the steward to raise his flag and stop us to let a bus though as we came off the downhill at a good lick. That probably put another ten or more seconds on our time - especially allowing for the time getting back up to speed and I struggled to get the rhythm back.

Having said that my first five mile segments were 6:43; 7:01 up the hill and then 6:49, 6:49 and 6:50 before the last mile chasing in to the finish I got down to 6:40 so an overall time of 42:37 on their site and 42:33 on my watch. Overall that gave me a top ten finish in their race, and a benchmark to work from. I might try it again next month! Maybe one for next year's Grand Prix Alan???

David

PS You will all be glad to know I spoke to the chap who finished in front of me at the end and he said "I could hear you breathing behind me for about 7k"....I think I gasp even more here in the heat than I ever did in Scotland....

PPS Hope you all have a great run at next weekend's National XC. I'm sure it'll be 78% chance of precipitation and 100% chance of it underfoot.....