WOOOHOOOOOO !!! 5km PB 25:50!

omgomgomg! *much squealing and jumping up and down and cheering*

Seems my sneaky suspicion that I was getting a little bit faster at track was spot on! I went and did the 5km TT this morning at Shorncliffe and took a great big chunk (1:35!) off my previous time. I crossed the line at 25:50.. and, I finally, finally, finally did what I've been dying to do for about six months - I beat Angie!

I think this means I'm now over Caboolture ;)

It was a *REALLY* hard run this morning though - I have sore legs from PT on thursday and I always get so bloody nervous at the start of the time trials... I think they hurt a million times more than the longer runs I've done, but I guess at least it's over quickly! My plan was just to hang behind Angie the whole way, match her pace and then try and speed up at the end. It all went according to plan and felt a bit more comfortable than last time too. I knew we were going a bit quicker than last time, but I didn't look at my watch much (can't really tell anyway since they don't have k markers and I'm not familiar with it enough to know where the breaks are)

We hit the turn around and I was still hanging just off the back of angie. As we went round the cone, she got a little bit ahead of me.... the return is worse because you can see the end (the pier) in the distance and it looks closer than it is. It's hard not to speed up too early. Angie started to get away from me, my breathing was absolutely killing me and I started reaching that point where you feel like you're almost hyperventilating. I kept telling myself just to hang on, not to let her go because I knew I'd be really irritated with myself. The gap widened to about 10 metres and I concentrated like hell on keeping it at that. By the last 200m, the gap was at about 20m and I knew I was going to have to sprint flat out to pass her before the line. I could see the others standing at the finish, most of them bellowing.... so I thought, now or never and put EVERYTHING I had into the last sprint. Despite the excruciating pain of it, it was a bit of a pivotal moment for me because I suddenly found my ability to really block everything else out, crash through the pain barrier and really focus. Everything else in the world seemed to just disappear - tunnel vision! (or maybe that was the lack of oxygen getting to my brain? LOL)

I passed Ange about 25m before the line and just couldn't believe it. Contemplated heaving my guts up briefly and couldn't talk for about five minutes either, except to swear profusely between gasps. But, I did it! I did it! I did it! I'm absolutely, completely ECSTATIC! I've been trying sooo hard to break into the 25:something bracket for ages and I completely didn't expect to do it today! When I looked at my watch, I thought I was imagining it - I still do! I hope I didn't dream it :)

Now, I'm off to steal a bit of a cat nap before going surfing again - I only had three hours sleep last night!