Now, if I could just get the hang of this track running, I might stay with short distances - with the occasional half marathon - for two more years and have a crack at the W85 World Record which is somewhere around 32::xx minutes! Another two years of training should see me in good form to make an assault!
I've run on the AIS track twice before and that was about 6 years ago, so I've no experience of track running at all. This might be why I found it much harder running 5km on a track than I do on the road or on grass as I've been doing over the past 12 weeks in preparation for the record attempt. Nothing to relieve the monotony of going round and round, no ups and downs, no corners at which to change direction, so how some people run long distances, hour after hour, day and night, on a track is beyond me! It's a technique requiring lots of practice! I think, had I more track experience to call on, I could have worried less and run faster!
By 7:00pm on Thursday night I was at the track warming-up with Ewen and Ruth. I kept moving - short strides and easy drills - pretty much up until the 3km and 5km races were called. When the gun was fired I took off with the others and that was the last I saw of anyone until those speedy youngsters blew past me like a southerly wind, lap after lap, so that I began to look forward to the whir and reverberation of their approach as company, even though it was just a brief second or two and they were gone again!
Eventually, everyone had left the track and I was out there under the glaring lights all on my own except for my good friend, Ewen, who ran the 5km some distance behind me in lane1 for company, to call out the laps and to see that I wasn't bowled over by other runners. To show how much a novice I am at track racing, Ewen had to explain even where I should stand and run from the start. The finish was another matter! I had no idea I had to run out of lane 1 and head towards yellow cones to my right. If I hadn't heard Ewen calling out to me several times, to move over, I would have gone straight ahead and made a mess of everything. What a hullabaloo! I've a lot to learn about this track caper before I try again!
For my run...... I knew the previous W80 Australian record was 36:xx min. and I'd run 31 twice in recent months - Bankstown and Fishers Ghost - so I felt confident of doing better than the record. I intended running much as I do when training : not start off too fast and, most importantly, keep an even pace from start to finish and make a dash for the finish line! I think this is the best way to race, for me anyhow...even kilometre pacing. I felt quite good the entire race; a bit of puffing the last couple of rounds as I tried to speed up for a grand finish! I had a wonderful night; it was lots of fun and I've discovered, be it ever so late, that I like track racing.
One thing I'd like to mention about Thursday night that other runners might take for granted. Because I always train alone, not by choice, it's just how it is, what a joy it was for me to be surrounded by other runners, both on and off the track; the sounds of laughter, shouting and excited voices, the pit-a-patter and drumming of fast feet on the track; watching others, young and old, race, jump, hurdle and throw equipment and themselves into whatever they were doing! Rad, at 85, sprinting all the short distance events. I needed to see and hear all of this to be reminded that, though I train by myself, as a runner I need never feel lonely or alone.
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| AIS Track, 5000m |
OK....here we go for the statistics!
Distance : 5000m
Time : 31:11.58
Splits : from Garmin 6:09.1; 6:08.0; 6:06.0; 6:07.6; 6:17.3**
Avg. pace : 6:09 m/k
AHR : 135/85%; MHR : 144/91%
W80-84 Australian Record and ACTVAC Record.
Age% = 95
**Splits not accurate; will update when I can.
It was a very good night and I enjoyed every bit of it
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| I did it! |
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| With my friend & supporter, Ruth! |
...not completely on my own!
