SAAC Race Recap: Youngs SportsPower

You can learn alot from a run, and let me tell you I learned a lot from this weeks club run the Stawell Youngs Sportspower 10km handicap.

Only 7 runners turned up to run the senior event, with 5 of those runners being females.

It’s sad that it was such a small group, as it was a glorious day, but with a late start at 2pm, I can see why people would skip it, so they can do other things while the weather is good.

First up of course were the subbies.

Miles was first to leave the rank, but he now has a 40 second handicap.  He was however not really feeling it.  We had a big morning in the garden, and we also went to the skate park, so he did use a lot of energy prior to the race.  He was happy to walk in some sections, but he powered home in the end.

Doesn’t he look super cool in his sunnies.

Kayla wasn’t as fast as last weeks run, but she still came in third based on handicap. She sure does love to run.

As for the seniors, the course was the same from 2012, so I knew what to expect.  With the lack of ran, I was hoping some sections wouldn’t be muddy, as parts of this course can very slippery and sludgy.

Due to the lack of runners we all started off together, which made sense.

Normally I don’t listen to music on club runs, but I decided to plug in.  I still had a goal of keeping a 5min pace.  I felt comfortable but wasn’t going too easy.

I total Keith L before the race that I had tipped him to win.  He was running well, and for the first 5km I was keeping his pace (he was in front of me).

When we got to the crossroads to turn right to complete the next 5km, I could see the look Coach Keith H face.  The “you can run faster than this, over take Keith”.

I wanted to get the first 5km under my belt before picking up the pace, once that was done I overtook Keith L and powered on.

At the 7km I felt a little thirsty, but I knew I didn’t have far to go.

By 8km I hit the 1km gradual accent.  It was hard work, and I powered through.

When I crossed the intersection and saw Coach Keith H, I could tell he was happy with how I was going.  I knew now I had only 1km to go.  However I pushed hard up that hill, and now I had a stitch and I just felt plain awful.

What should have been an easy but sold downhill was more like a stitch shuffle.  I so wanted to have longer running strides, but my breathing was all over the place.  I took out my headphones just so I could concentrate on breathing and catching my breathe.

That last km, should have been fast.  Instead it was very average.

I crossed that finish line in 3rd place in a sub 50min time but I was hurting with that stitch.

It’s quite possible that I wasn’t fully hydrated, and that contributed to the stitch.  It’s also possible that I went out a little too hard.  Or it could have been the course or even the weather conditions.

Either way at least I know what to expect for next week.

So who ended up winning based on handicap? That’s right Keith L. I placed 4th, so I’m in for a chance for next week’s 16km.

To view garmin details of this race go here.