| March 2003 Newsletter |
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Hartshorne - So close, but no disappointment!
My 2002/3 season mile goal was set back late last summer when I was training pretty hard for a few of the FLRC trail running series races. Pete's fall x country series and running with the High Noon group helped my progress and by November I had begun to dream of cutting my indoor mile time to 5 minutes this winter. To be honest that 5 minute barrier is one I see as a very tough target for me. To go beyond it is to enter a world not too many 'regular' athletes see in their lifetime. My mile PR was set in 2002 at 5.07.6 at a meet at Manley last February (at 43 I can't actually remember if it is a PR but in my book when you get to be 40 anything you ran before you turned 40 doesn't really matter anyway!) That time improved my Hartshorne mile result from 2002 by about a second and a half.
After numerous knee operations I tend not to look too far ahead. A series of hamstring problems followed in November and December but luckily they came and went. My races at the December and January track meets went pretty well and I felt like this was my big opportunity to go for it.
Running well in my case is a lot about confidence. If you've put in the work beforehand then come race day that is the fun day you deserve as a reward for everything you have worked hard for. I am not a natural athlete, far from it. But I am willing to work hard to try and achieve something I feel I can possibly reach. I suffer from pre-race nerves, I always have and I think most people do as race time approaches. If I didn't then I know I wouldn't race as I know I can. I knew that Karen G had been working hard to reach a 6 minute mile goal so I took on a private wager with her that I would try to get closer to 5 minutes than she to 6. In grand style Lorrie M and Karen had a terrific race and in doing so set the bar pretty high. Lorrie powering home in 6.03.74 and Karen close behind in 6.05.71. The event organizers could not have asked for a better start to the races. In order to beat 5.05.71 I'd have to run close to 2 seconds faster than last year's PR. Generally I feel stronger than then and possibly capable of doing it but the fact remains that I'm a year older and that clock just doesn't slow down!
John H had written a terrific pre-race report that had got me in the right mind-set. He was standing beside me as we lined up for our heat and I knew I would have to stay with him if I was to come close to 5. The first few laps went well. I went out in front which wasn't the best, but at least I wasn't boxed in at all. After 4 laps 2 speed demons flew by me like I was standing still and I never saw them again. John came by next in typical good form and quickly opened up a 3 yard gap. I tried to stay with him but he is a tough competitor and just keeping sight of the back of his shirt was all I could hope for. Since lap 1 my 'impossible to achieve' lap times had very slowly drifted by a couple of seconds and by lap 5 I knew I had my work cut out for me. Things kind of fell apart on the last lap as I just tried to hang on for that 5 minute dream. Very consistent 200s around 38's and then a final lap of just over 36 put my official time at 5.02.69. I was thrilled and certainly not disappointed.
Many people ran great times and even a World Women's Master's record was broken in fine style. Thanks to the video crew and the photographers, to Derek for getting my splits and thanks for all the FLRC and High Noon encouragement. And of course thanks to Rick and Tom and all the other people who helped make it another great Hartshorne. Congratulations to all and especially those who traveled a long way to help make it so memorable for everyone.
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