23 June, 2008

Not Long Now

Less than 2 weeks to the Gold Coast Marathon. I am looking forward to this event. I really just want to stay relaxed and enjoy it. The trouble is that I find it such a boring course which makes it hard to find enjoyable distractions. Not many of the runners provide a suitable distraction. I am certainly not in the PB stakes, and I don't share Robert Song's aspirations, though I will offer him every bit of support and encouragement that I can. It seems that I have a real mental hurdle to overcome in relation to GC. I just want to finish still smiling.

Yesterday, while Craig flitted off to Fiji, Tigger and I did 26K. It was pretty cool. It seemed that every time we turned a corner, the temperature dropped another degree. We managed an average pace of 4:58 which we thought was good. I think Tigger will have to carry a load of bricks to slow her down for her pacing job in the GC Half.

16 comments:

Tigger said...

First, Rob you survived a cold run yesterday and we did the magical mystery tour in a good time. Therefore you are well on target for a fast run at the coast.
Second, you have alwyas known that distractions are few and far between on the course so just run harder and then you won't have time to notice.
Thrid, forget the bricks. How am I going to stay warm? I'm beginning to think a polar suit may be the way to go.

Samurai Running said...

After reading your title "Not Long Now" I though you were expecting the pita pata of little feet which is sort of right ;)

Hope all goes well for the next few weeks and you have a nice sunny day for it.

Toasty said...

woohoo!!! fire up rob, it's party time..... did that work? ..... no? .... ok, then imagine the joy of overtaking Glenno and I along the the back nine.

Ewen said...

You mean it dropped a degree from 20 to 19? How do you survive such freezing weather?

I find plenty of distractions in the pretty scenery - especially going past Main Beach.

Great idea for Tigger there Rob - a back pack full of bricks. I hope she's been practising - 6:45 per km is bloody difficult!

Tesso said...

Its really only that back bit up to Runaway Bay that's a bit boring, even then there should be a few whackos around to amuse you.

Tigger said...

Ewen, have you got the right Main Beach? More importantly, have you got a back pack I can borrow? Needs space for the extra set of thermals I am going to need to wear at the start when the temp is sure to be below 25c.

Ewen said...

Tigger, I'm in the 10k... should be running past Main Beach about 9.45 just as the surfer-girls are exiting the water.

I'll bring my parka that Robert Song borrowed for the first 10k of the Canberra Marathon.

Tigger said...

Ewen, does this mean you will have a hot coffee waiting for me at the finish? If I get hypothermia again I may loose my leave pass when it comes to running.
As for the parka ... some of the beach babes may need it and I really would hate to see them deprived of the opportunity to cover up.

Ewen said...

Tigger, how can you get hypothermia when the weather is perfect one day, beautiful the next? Run around your group in circles and you should stay warm enough.. whatever it takes to keep the leave pass.

I hope to be showered and onto my 2nd cappuccino by the time your bus crawls in.

Young ones these days don't feel the cold, so they won't need the parka.

Tigger said...

Ewen I must be one of those freaks of nature. How else can you explain that I enjoy running when the temp is above +35c? That, or you are suggesting that I am NOT young ...

As for the 2nd cappa, you better have one ready for me as I am sure that I am going to need it by the time I finish. I will be so disorientated from running round in circles I am sure caffeine (with a bit of chocolate on the side) will be only cure.

Ewen said...

Of course not. It's just that Rob told me you're slightly older than the surfer girls.

With the parka, a backpack of bricks, and running in circles, it'll seem like 35 degrees, so you should be more than happy.

Rob said...

Hey! I don't recall ever comparing Tigger to a surfer girl. Hmmm..maybe I have worded that wrongly.

Robert Song said...

Sorry to break the chain of these comments but Rob I'll take all your encouragement and support on race day. Thanks. I know you will be going 100% on the day and I hope you are smiling at the end because of your performance.

I don't have a problem with the course and I think it is great if you are trying for a fast time.

Tigger said...

Rob S, look on the bright side, at least you are getting encouragement from Rob R. All I'm getting are comments about my old age and surfie girls!

Ewen, at this point, I think you should accept that you and Rob R have dug a deep hole from which there is no escape!

Also, I am assuming Rob will have the necessary equipment ready on Sun so I get 1 training run with it. As for running in circles, that's the same as the proposed run for this weekend so I think I have that part covered (excuse the pun).

Tigger said...

Ewen, I've just collected my time band. It's not as bad as I thought. 6.38/k.

Ewen said...

That's still bad - looks like you have a 5-minute fade built in. I hope you've been practising. I ran 6:48/k this morning on a long run and it was one of the hardest "runs" I've ever done.