Mother's Day Classic

Today's race: 8km, 52 mins 29 secs (I think - I forgot to stop my watch!)

This morning's race took place only a couple of hundred metres from my place. So I set my alarm, tumbled out of bed, had a glass of water, got changed and went! A nice change from getting up hours and hours earlier, then driving for ages to get there! There was quite a crowd when I arrived, and a nice atmosphere too.

My parents came to watch this race, which was nice. It was a big effort, especially on the part of my mum, who on the other 364 days of the year likes to sleep in as much as possible! This morning she was up and there at 7:15! I did tell her that it was mother's day and she could sleep in, but she wanted to come and see me run, which was nice.

Once the run started, after the first km I worried that I had gone out a bit too fast, and I started to fear that I wouldn't be able to keep it up. I don't think I run particularly even splits. I think there were a couple of km's in the middle that were quite slow, but my overall average pace wasn't so different to what I started out at.

It's kind of sad when you're a slow runner and there's lots of people ahead of you who are not regular runners and they stop and take walk breaks - and still manage to stay ahead of you!

I think the best part of my run was when I finished my first 4km lap and was off out for a second lap. As I approached the finish line to start my second lap, the winner of the men's race crossed the line almost literally at the same time I did (although he's already completed two laps!). However, for perhaps the only time, I did get to experience the cheering from the crowd and the MC going nuts etc as I approached the finish line which was nice!

I managed to finish really well today too. I'm always good for a sprint finish, which probably tells me that I could have put more effort in. But the last couple of hundred metres or so I really stretched out and felt like I was flying. I really am going to have to start some serious speedwork once my half is done next week.

Today's run is not a PB - I ran a 48:xx 8km race when I was running back in 2006. But today was about 3 mins better than when I ran my first 8km (this time around running) a couple of months ago, which was nice. And plugging the numbers into McMillan, he says I can do a 2:27 half. As far as the half goes, my number 1 goal is finish, and my number 2 goal is 2:30, so that's reassuring. I'm getting scared though... 21.2kms is such a long way!

Hopefully I can add some photos from my race here later.