The Horrie and Belinda Show

9/7/05

Just back from a 31km hitout for Belinda's longest run to date. It is a H4 Striders run. The highest is H5 but the H5s I've done aren't any harder than this one.

After CR drinks last night, Belinda and I found it a struggle to rise early. Eventually got organised and got out to Dee Why just before 6.30. As we both ran versions of this in January, we started out at a very sedate pace as it is quite hilly to begin with and has 2 very big hills that cover about 3.5km that start around the 8km mark. Belinda managed to run both hills out without resorting to walking (she prides herself on not giving into hills). We got to where The Equaliser starts just after these hills and I mentioned to Belinda to relax and enjoy the next 11km as it is either flat or downhill. We gradually increased the tempo here until I took a wrong turn around the Warringah Aquatic Centre which added approximately a km to the run. (Bad habits die slowly). We then ran downhill towards Manly. Belinda didn't enjoy the downhills and felt a twinge in her ankle at this point. Got to Condamine St and crossed this and got onto the flat section to the lagoon. We cruised through this section and Belinda mentioned that the run was getting long. This is the point where I suffered this same mental letdown in my debacle in January. I told her just to relax and focus on her stride as this run starts to get interesting for the last 5km from Queenscliff to Dee Why where there are a few nasty hills left. Belinda didn't have a lot left when making the climb out of Queenscliff but held it together well and when we got to Curl Curl Beach, she knew this was a false alarm. I advised her it was but told her the good news was that there was only 2km to go. When we came up to that last hill, she asked if we had to run up it. I felt sorry to answer that we did but told her just to keep putting one foot in front of the other and the reward is that she will then get to enjoy the downhill run into Dee Why. Again she managed another climb without walking, even though that having reached 30km for the first time, she did not have a lot left. We actually passed the 30km mark half way up this hill. Belinda said she would never forget the point she was at when she passed 30km for the first time. We then just rolled down the hill to finish 31.3km in 3:34. Belinda was so thrilled to finish her first 30km run and because of the sensible pace we ran it, wasn't feeling too bashed up which was great. We enjoyed some stretching in the sun by the beach before heading up to have some brekky in a cafe along the beach. It was a sensational way to finish a great morning.