Warwick Pentathrun

I feel like I've lived three weeks in two days! Another huge race report coming up, sorry!

Friday night

Left work at 3pm on friday feeling like absolute crap. The bug that I've been fighting for a few days came back with a vengeance and I felt hot and cold, fatigued and headachey. By the time I arrived, I almost felt like heading for home!

It was around 5pm when I got to Warwick and no one else was around so I headed to a nearby cafe. Had a drink and read for a while. Then got jeered at and followed back up the street by some scary looking teenage boys, so I hopped back in my car and sent a few text messages to see how everyone was progressing. Thankfully, Tess was just across the street and so I headed into the pub with them for dinner.

Cirque was picking up Jen and The Owl from the airport and arrived shortly after, closely followed by Miners. A great evening of catching up with loads of CRs ensued - so many it's impossible to remember everyone, but there must've been at least 20 of us! Saw Vegie Girl again which was lovely, and Iron Bee, who I've met previously but was the first chance I've had to sit down and have a decent chat with him. After learning all about why he wears a bee costume (raising awareness about diabetes) I'm really inspired. I'm just about the only person in my family who doesn't have diabetes, so it's a cause close to my heart too.

Turned in at about 9.30pm and hopped into bed. Had my usual pre-race dream where I'm late for the starting line. I don't know why I dreamt it this time round - I wasn't even in 'race-mode' for the weekend! Training runs, all of them! LOL! I had paid for all of saturday events and was undecided about sunday, what with the nasty cold.

Saturday Morning: The Half Marathon: 2:05

Woke up to a chorus of alarms and got dressed ready for the half. Still felt yuck, but mildly better than the night before. Lucky for us, the half left from outside the motel, so we were perfectly placed to roll out of bed and onto the start line.

Despite my intention of not wearing a watch, I did end up wearing one - mostly because I wasn't sure if they'd have a clock and I wanted to see the end time (just not the km times!) It was pretty chilly when we started out - thanks for the gloves idea, Tess! You ROCK!

The course was incredibly pretty - misty rolling hills, mountainous backdrop, wide open space and fresh air. The bonus about doing Glasshouse 30k the weekend before was that it meant the hills in the half looked like bumps *LOL* Set out at a comfortable pace and just stuck with it. When I get comfortable and get into a rhythym, I feel like I can keep chugging along for a long time - it's what everyone calls their marathon pace I guess - I just can't seem to speed it up much for a shorter distance!

The km markers were great - really clear and easy to spot from a long way off. I knocked them off one after another. Between 11-14km my stomach decided to start messing around and I started looking for suitable bushes to duck behind. Unfortunately (or rather fortunately for those behind me!) there were no decent bushes in sight, so I managed to hold on til the finish. It did however mean that as I hit about 17km I needed a slight walk break up a hill (which also happened to be when the car load of CR cheersquadders flew by, dammit!) but bit by bit, I ran down the rest and came through the finish in 2:05. Two minutes quicker than Brisbane so I'm moving in the right direction again, hurrah!

As soon as I got through the chute, I bolted for the toilet. It was highly unattractive and slightly flooded (I think the cistern had been leaking) but I had reached the point of no return! Thankfully, it wasn't until afterwards, when I flushed it, that I realised a massive frog had been sitting under the rim the entire time - ewwww! (I bet that's what it had been saying, too! poor thing! LOL!)

Event 2: Cross Country 4.8km: 28:00?

After the half, we headed back to the motel for showers, threw on clean running gear, grabbed some lunch and then off to the next race. I caught a lift with Schultzy and Geoff which was fab because I had no idea where I was going! When we arrived, I also got my first glimpse of a certain gorgeous little CR baby belonging to our very own Shane and Cassie. Sam is sooooo beautiful - I bet the two of them didn't get a minute to themselves amongst all those adoring CR aunties! (cluck, cluck, cluck!)

The cross country took place at an equestrian centre and featured grass, hills, horse jumps and more. I was pulling splinters out of my bum at the end! Literally! My legs were tired from the half still, so Jen and I tootled around. It was pretty dusty and hot by then. Hopped across the line gratefully!

Event 3: 5km Road Race 43:00?

The 5km took place at the local industrial area, beginning at the Big W distribution centre. This would have to have been my absolute favourite race, mostly because I got to run it with Cirque, Jen and the Owl. Poor Cirque wasn't feeling too well either and ran the whole race pausing regularly to almost vomit. Cirque, you are an absolute legend for running the race - I would've pulled out after 500m!!!

Other hilights included watching Miners wear the big girls blouse for the entire race and reuniting a poor little girl, crying her eyes out, with her Dad. The finish was accomplished with loud singing of 'Chariots of Fire' and 'She'll be coming round the mountain...' lots of clapping, laughing and cheering all round. Fabulous.

Saturday Night Dinner

By the time saturday night dinner came around, we were all feeling the events of the day. My legs started to stiffen up, but I decided to run the sunday events as well. Afterall, it seemed rude not to, considering I'd already done three!

The dinner took place in the hall at the aquatic centre. They played the video of the races and Iron Bee did a guest speaker spot. Then we had presentations - I got second in my age group for the half marathon (*snorks* more twenty somethings obviously need to be running the half! Or actually, not - I like getting bling!) The medal is funky - silver and hot pink!

Our table cleaned up, actually - the Cirquelets got medals for every race and so did Kate (a woman I met on the bus who was there all on her own, who we then adopted for the evening) so there was bling all round! It was great knowing so many of the medalists - much cheering and stomping of feet was had!

Dinner was great - the food was amazing for the price! But I think we were all desparate to fall into bed when it finished. I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow!

Sunday Morning, Event 4 - 10km Ascent 1:17?

Jen, Owly and myself got together with Vegie and ran the 10km as a group. I must admit, I was questioning the sanity of my decision to do five races by that point. When I woke up, my legs weren't as sore as the night before, which was good but I felt tired.

We set off at a comfortable pace, with the finish car right behind us. The first part was quite good - undulating. Then when we got to 5 or 6km, true to form, the nasty great big hill started. It immediately reminded me of mount cootha - so that will be a definite training strategy for next year!

After a while, we decided that walk-run-walk-run was a far more sensible approach so started picking off landmarks for each stretch. It seemed to work and we chugged our way upwards, stopping for drinks on the way.

Reached the finish line to another loud chorus of 'She'll be coming round the mountain...' which definitely seemed more apt! Cirque was also standing 200m up from the line, cheering us on which was lovely!

Event 5: 1500m Dash 7:33

I really surprised myself with this one - a 1500m dash up the high street and back. I started out conservatively because I thought my legs would give out. Weirdly though, I managed to run at 5:00 pace and crossed the line in 7:30!

I felt better after the last race and 42.2km than I did after the initial half marathon! When I sit down and add my times up, I think I did the 42.2km in around 4:30 which is fab. I think I could probably shave some off that yet, although it's different doing it over two days than in one hit. Not sure which is the most taxing!

I also realised this weekend that realistically, my gold coast time is going to sit around that mark anyway - if I struggle to get sub 2 for a half, then 4:30 or so is probably the optimum time for me. I'm quite happy with that for now. Years to come in which to improve that marathon time, anyway - as I start to look past the Gold Coast at other events, the less pressure I feel about it. Though, the nerves are always going to be there!

----

Doubtless, I've forgotten tons of stuff - The Owl misplacing her coffee cup in the motel room for one and Jens WTF hat ;) I really enjoyed the weekend and I'll be back! Can't wait for the photos! Thanks all the Warwickers for making it a great weekend!

Go, Team CR!!!