The Horrie and Belinda Show

30/1/05

A very humbling run today after what had been a very solid month's running with 2 PBs. Started out with the 6.10 group again this morning on a hilly course in very warm and humid conditions. Was raining on the way in the car which I saw as a good sign as it would help cool things down like last week. However, once we started running, no sign of rain, just stinking humidity. Started off at a reasonable pace and ran the first 5km at 5:21 per km. Was feeling OK despite having to breathe a bit deeper on the hills than I usually do. The pace quickened quite a bit the next 5km and we ran this section at 4:56 per km. The next 5km included 2 monster hills where we started overtaking some of the 6.00 group including our very own Plu and Bernie G. Plu joked to me at this point that I shouldn't be running that hard up the hill and would be better plodding along at 6:00 per km with him. I should have taken his advice. We continued along at a good clip running this 5km section at 5:01 pace and at 15km I knew I was toast. Started taking in extra fluids by filling up my used bottles to try and stay hydrated. Was absolutely saturated from head to toe and my shoes were squelching with each step. As well as this, my legs which were sore before we even started just felt like lead and didn't even feel as though they were attached to my body. I mentioned to Superflake at this point that they were numb and this was not a good sign. He could see I was struggling but continued to gee me up by reminding me about Canberra and this is why we're doing this to ourselves. It really helped and kept me pushing along. Covered the next 5km at 5:12 per km pace, reaching the 20km in 1:42. I was really starting to doubt my ability to do another 10km as I was becoming quite fuzzy and really not with it. Around the 22km mark I decided that I had had enough and was only going to do some damage to myself if I continued. I pulled the pin and told Superflake to push on and catch O Runner who was not far ahead. I walked the next km before attempting to run again. After running a little while I realised that I couldn't do any more running until I got more water into me. Got to Queenscliffe where I met up with several Cool Runners such as Johnny Dark, MPHaz and vat_man, drank copious amounts of water and tried to follow Johnny Dark up another hill. Realised that I couldn't cope with hills at all at this point and decided to walk them. Bandanna went past and encouraged me to try and run with him. Told him I was stuffed and to push on ahead. Tried to follow Kevin Tiller for a while as he was also walking the hills at this point. Lost sight of him after he went around a corner. Continued to run in short bursts and walk passing Curl Curl Beach until the last hill which I walked. After being passed by some 6.00 runners, I noticed that they were also walking the hill. When I reached the top of the hill, ran the last stretch with them and finally finished in 3:04.

I have learnt from today that I am not indestructible and can't just keep going out and expecting things to happen. When it is this warm and humid, have to take in extra fluids earlier in the run to avoid dehydration because trying to rehydrate after dehydration hits just doesn't work. To run with the 6.00 group after a race. Considering I ran 2 races this week, should really have backed off today. Will run with Plu at 6 minute pace next week at Berowra after Lane Cove 10km next week.