A question of gun time or net time
I was thinking about whether I should be using my gun times or net times (using timing chips) to track my personal bests (PBs). I recently started to list my PBs as my gun times because I thought it was the 'correct' thing to do. After thinking a bit about it, I am going to switch back to my net times because that is the time I ran the course in. If I ever make a seeded start, maybe I'll reconsider! I guess it's a personal thing. If someone asks me for a qualifying time, I'll happily use gun time if required but from now on I'm going back to net time for my PBs. I look it as putting the 'personal' back into 'personal best'.
Therefore, sub-42mins for Sutho2Surf... woohoo!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
New City2Surf PB
Update:
Well, I changed my usual pre-race routine this year by placing my timing chip into my gear bag and throwing it into the truck. I ran down to the start line and queued up and noticed someone tying their chip on. Whoops!
I ran back to the truck, spent a couple of minutes in the back looking for my bag and then gave up and ran to Hyde Park Barracks to see if I could get another timing chip. Luckily, there was hardly anyone else as stupid as me there. They said it would be $20 for a replacement but as I had no money on me, thankfully they said they will charge me later and gave me a new bib and chip.
So with new bib and chip tied to my shoe, I ran back to the start. Because I had got down to Hyde Park so early to begin with, I still had an hour to wait for the gun even though I was not quite as close to the front as I wanted to be.
Once we got underway, I struggled to break out of the crowd and had a slow first km but it cleared as we went into the Kings Cross tunnel and it was plain sailing the rest of the way. I noticed even at the start that I was not quite in the zone as I was in the Sutho2Surf two weeks ago but felt comfortable enough running just under 4min/kms except up the hills.
The hills were tough, particularly the ones after Heartbreak, rather than the big one itself but I love the downhill finish and crossed the line with a big PB of 55.55 guntime on my watch. I was aiming for sub-55 but I am very happy with my time regardless as it was over 8 minutes better than my previous best.
Limped home with a sore left achilles and a smile.
- Official net time is 55.28! Very happy :)
- 508th out of 62,644 finishers
- Photos at marathon-photos.com
Well, I changed my usual pre-race routine this year by placing my timing chip into my gear bag and throwing it into the truck. I ran down to the start line and queued up and noticed someone tying their chip on. Whoops!I ran back to the truck, spent a couple of minutes in the back looking for my bag and then gave up and ran to Hyde Park Barracks to see if I could get another timing chip. Luckily, there was hardly anyone else as stupid as me there. They said it would be $20 for a replacement but as I had no money on me, thankfully they said they will charge me later and gave me a new bib and chip.
So with new bib and chip tied to my shoe, I ran back to the start. Because I had got down to Hyde Park so early to begin with, I still had an hour to wait for the gun even though I was not quite as close to the front as I wanted to be.
Once we got underway, I struggled to break out of the crowd and had a slow first km but it cleared as we went into the Kings Cross tunnel and it was plain sailing the rest of the way. I noticed even at the start that I was not quite in the zone as I was in the Sutho2Surf two weeks ago but felt comfortable enough running just under 4min/kms except up the hills.
The hills were tough, particularly the ones after Heartbreak, rather than the big one itself but I love the downhill finish and crossed the line with a big PB of 55.55 guntime on my watch. I was aiming for sub-55 but I am very happy with my time regardless as it was over 8 minutes better than my previous best.
Limped home with a sore left achilles and a smile.
Monday, August 3, 2009
10 weeks until marathon: 28km training run
I completed a 28km training run on Sunday afternoon in a time of 2:18.56. There are still 10 weeks until the Melbourne Marathon so I think I'm making good progress. The first 18km were relatively comfortable and my pace was around 4.40mins/k for the most part but my hamstrings started to burn during the final 10km and the last 5km was a struggle, with the pace slowing to around 5.30mins/k towards the end. I probably went out a little fast considering the number of hills I was facing.
The first 16km was going from Kings Cross out over the City2Surf course and up Heartbreak Hill, turning at the 8km mark and then the next 9km I went down to Farm Cove and around the Sydney Opera House and back. I would have run further towards Circular Quay but it was getting dark and the Botanical Gardens gates were about to close and I didn't want to get shut out! I had to run another 3km once I got back near home so I headed towards Paddington for 1.5km or so and then headed for home. It has got quite cold by this time so a nice bath helped me warm up again!
Next Sunday is the City2Surf (14km) which I am looking forward to. I'm pretty confident of clocking under 58 mins but I am really aiming for 55 mins. After that, the long runs will get even longer!
The first 16km was going from Kings Cross out over the City2Surf course and up Heartbreak Hill, turning at the 8km mark and then the next 9km I went down to Farm Cove and around the Sydney Opera House and back. I would have run further towards Circular Quay but it was getting dark and the Botanical Gardens gates were about to close and I didn't want to get shut out! I had to run another 3km once I got back near home so I headed towards Paddington for 1.5km or so and then headed for home. It has got quite cold by this time so a nice bath helped me warm up again!
Next Sunday is the City2Surf (14km) which I am looking forward to. I'm pretty confident of clocking under 58 mins but I am really aiming for 55 mins. After that, the long runs will get even longer!
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