Coburg Lake Classic
With going over my plan for Ironman training, I forgot to report on Sunday's race. A few days before hand Big Daz asked my to join him for a 10km race. Originally I hadn't planned on it, but hey, seems like a good way to kick off the next 18 weeks. So the usual happened. I got to the race venue very early and Daz arrived close to start time.
After a light two-part warm up. This was 10 minutes of very easy running plus about 7 min of dynamic mobility exercises started 40 minutes before race start. Then a break. 15 minutes out I then ran steady, progressing towards race pace for 10 minutes. This had me feeling very race ready.
Looking around I recognised some of the usual subjects. There were two guys I knew who were likely to be out in front. My challenge was to see how close I could stick with them. Then we were off.
This is a race I always enjoy. Small numbers, very friendly competitors and organisers, and just plain well organised. The course starts and finishes on the athletics track and heads along a concrete walking trail for a fairly flat out and back course. This day the was temperature was beginning to climb and the wind was strong. However, for most of the course we are well sheltered, it was only for some small sections we were greeted with some strong gusts.
The pace at the start was quite comfortable. No one seemed to want to push it hard over the first kilometre and I was happy to sit in the bunch and see how things turned out. By 2km the pecking order was starting to sort itself out. Not by any major moves, it was more a matter of people finding the pace that suited them. This resulted in the front bunch gradually separating.
Soon enough I found myself in third place holding a couple of seconds off second and about 5-6 seconds behind the leader. I felt good, but knew I was at my limit. If the pace stayed like this then I was in for a good chance of improving my position. Naturally the pace did not stay the same. At some point near 4km the race leader put in a subtle increase in speed. It wasn't a surge, just a few seconds per kilometre, but it was enough to make the difference. I tried to match it, but by the turn around I was really suffering.
Heading back in I got a good look at the rest of field. Fourth and fifth were trying to close the gap, but I was confident if I didn't do anything stupid I should hold them off. The two race leaders disappeared ahead, left to fight it out between each other. I was stuck out by myself for the rest of the race. So I put my effort into trying to hold my original pace. I was successful at maintaining my effort level, but slowed over the last 2km, crossing the line in 3rd place for a time of 39:52. I also opened up the gap from fourth place.
The general consensus was that the course was either a bit long, or conditions resulted in some slower times across the field. Whether or not that was case I don't know. What I do know was that it was a very good, hard race. A good start to my Ironman campaign.
After a light two-part warm up. This was 10 minutes of very easy running plus about 7 min of dynamic mobility exercises started 40 minutes before race start. Then a break. 15 minutes out I then ran steady, progressing towards race pace for 10 minutes. This had me feeling very race ready.
Looking around I recognised some of the usual subjects. There were two guys I knew who were likely to be out in front. My challenge was to see how close I could stick with them. Then we were off.
This is a race I always enjoy. Small numbers, very friendly competitors and organisers, and just plain well organised. The course starts and finishes on the athletics track and heads along a concrete walking trail for a fairly flat out and back course. This day the was temperature was beginning to climb and the wind was strong. However, for most of the course we are well sheltered, it was only for some small sections we were greeted with some strong gusts.
The pace at the start was quite comfortable. No one seemed to want to push it hard over the first kilometre and I was happy to sit in the bunch and see how things turned out. By 2km the pecking order was starting to sort itself out. Not by any major moves, it was more a matter of people finding the pace that suited them. This resulted in the front bunch gradually separating.
Soon enough I found myself in third place holding a couple of seconds off second and about 5-6 seconds behind the leader. I felt good, but knew I was at my limit. If the pace stayed like this then I was in for a good chance of improving my position. Naturally the pace did not stay the same. At some point near 4km the race leader put in a subtle increase in speed. It wasn't a surge, just a few seconds per kilometre, but it was enough to make the difference. I tried to match it, but by the turn around I was really suffering.
Heading back in I got a good look at the rest of field. Fourth and fifth were trying to close the gap, but I was confident if I didn't do anything stupid I should hold them off. The two race leaders disappeared ahead, left to fight it out between each other. I was stuck out by myself for the rest of the race. So I put my effort into trying to hold my original pace. I was successful at maintaining my effort level, but slowed over the last 2km, crossing the line in 3rd place for a time of 39:52. I also opened up the gap from fourth place.
The general consensus was that the course was either a bit long, or conditions resulted in some slower times across the field. Whether or not that was case I don't know. What I do know was that it was a very good, hard race. A good start to my Ironman campaign.
Even if it was a tad long, sub-40 is a good hit-out Jason. Definitely upper aerobic stuff. Good race, and 3rd place!
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