Monday, September 18, 2006

Blackmore's Running Festival Weekend





Ewen left Canberra around 9:a.m. Saturday & we both left Mittagong for Sydney at around mid-day. First stop, Martin Place for registration & then the Vibe Hotel, Milson's Point...a few paces from the start!

Saturday night, (with Bruce as well ) a long, long wait for a meal at an Italian restaurant, followed by a walk down memory lane for me.....a visit to Luna Park!

Sunday at 7:15 a.m. sharp I was sent off to do a warm-up & some strides, before returning to the Hotel for a cup of coffee & then with Ewen...off to the start of the 9km Bridge run.

Enjoyed the run a lot; bit crowded when catching up with the tail end of the Family Walk with the barriers for that race still in place which meant darting to either side to avoid a mid-run collision. I still don't understand why the Family Walk started before the 9km in spite of some of the reasons I've read on the CR message board. I know, that even at my slow pace, I had to dodge walkers, children, prams, strollers etc...some of whom had been lined up for the 9km Bridge Run.

Anyhow...not much to complain about, but I like to tell it as I see it!

Weather was perfect & the CR cheer squad was at its best & loudest! Thank you for spotting me! I thought the Recovery Area was bedlam....I asked about a dozen people where to go for the medals & they were all wondering the same thing! I couldn't face lining up for a Blackmore's bag...must have been 40 deep when I got there....just gave up & got out of there far quicker than I got in!

Ewen & I couldn't find each other in the crowd, so after looking around for about 1.5 hours, I gave up on that too & began the walk back via the Harbour Bridge to the Vibe Hotel , which was where we finally met up again.

Time to leave at mid-day, after showering etc. Neither of us had eaten anything all day, so we pulled in at the cafe, Mobil petrol station, Pheasants Nest, where we had the world's biggest hamburger! YUM!

Back in Mittagong, we scouted around a few areas until we found what Ewen had in mind for 1500m on a staight stretch of road. Lastly, before continuing on to Canberra, he put me through some Pilates exercises to see if I had been doing them correctly....and I wasn't, of course! I don't think that any coach, even one for elite runners, could do any more for them than what Ewen does for me....I'll always be in his debt.

Now the 9km run : Mr G-armin said 57:51 from start mat to finish mat! A minute at least will be added on getting to the start & I caught a glimpse 58:59 on the finishing clock above, as I shot through the finish line at the Opera House! Isn't racing downhill in Macquarie Street the best feeling? Just relaxing & letting gravity do all the work!

I was pleased with my time ...... OK, for now! It had to be a PB....first 9km race!

I had a fabulous weekend!

2 comments:

  1. Congrats LL. A PB is a PB no matter what :-)

    What a lovely weekend you had by the sounds of it. Gee, Ewen sure takes care of his star pupils.

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  2. Wooohooo congrats on a great campaign and PB LL - great stuff ;-)

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