Back in the Groove

Well, after a week of recovering from that sinus infection post-Gold Coast, I decided I needed to prepare really well for yesterday's 10k Park2Park Race as it has lots of hills. So with my family in Australia, I had three solid weeks (four, if you count the one I was sick) of "tapering" and "carb loading". So really, I should have been super fit and prepared for the Ipswich race on Sunday, right?
Ha! Was it a challenge. It was alos a big wake-up call. After my family left, I couldn't even think of getting back into the training regime I had been in. Why get up at 4.50am for a hardcore run when I can sleep in until whenever I want?
And that, friends, is why you sign up for races! I had holed up in my cozy house long enough. Time to get back into the groove of running & training. I am, after all, running an intense 29k trail run in about 7 weeks time.
And the Ipswich Race was the kick in the butt I needed.

Total time: 1.06.21
Total distance: 10k
Total elevation: 134m (I was sure this had to be some ridiculous high number. But no, it's just that I'm unfit!)
Avg speed: 6.36min/km

(This picture taken of me is at 5k which was the halfway mark and the end of the first loop. One day I will be fast enough that it will look like I'm running in photos - not going for a weird walk. Do my hands really look like I'm boxing when I run?)

Yes, it was slow, it was painful. I held a good pace for the first 3k (around 5.50) until the second hill hit and my energy fatigued. Then in the last 1k of the race I saw the 5kers flooding towards me (they had started about 45min after me, but the course was two loops so when I hit the 9k mark - or the 4k mark of my second loop - they were nearing the 2k mark of the loop).
I made the decision that I wanted to see the famous Australian runner Steve Moneghetti win the 5k race - as surely he would. I certainly didn't want him passing me! So I picked up speed until I felt sick, and pushed that pace (around 4.30) through the final 600m. I nearly passed out at the end. My loving teammates offered me water and encouraging words. The first thing on my mind was air, and once I'd had enough of it that my brain stopped swirling I was able to appreciate their kindness.

Fitness test: Failed!

Time to get serious with this training business.