Reflections of a Slow Runner: 500k relay: Superhero Day 1

Who wouldn't want to run in a cape?
That was the question I asked myself (and a few others) when our team theme for this year's 500k relay was "Superheroes". The answer: a fair few people. They started talking about wind resistance and weight and yadda yadda.

Wings on my cape, and wings (hard to see) on my hat. I am ready to fly in this relay!

As I see it, feeling like a superhero racing to the rescue far outweighs the sacrifices of such small nuisances.
Race #1 was at Griffith Uni again. My least favourite run of the weekend - it feels like a miserable, hilly, normal race. The team hasn't really bonded yet, everybody is tired from having gotten up between the hours of 2.30 and 3am for a race start time of 4.45am. This year I was in the second heat, wherein each heat had seven of each team competing.
I remembered the error of my ways last year in not bringing my own pre-race breakfast, so I made sure to correct said error this year. I didn't run in my cape for this run. I was a bit too dispirited and - since no one had gotten out the costumes just yet - feeling a little shy surrounded by all these new teammates.

Leg #1: The Cri (around 6am)
Total distance: 6.94km
Total time: 40.22min (goal was sub-40min)
Total elevation: 82m
Average pace: 5.49min/km

Although I was unhappy with this race, it was still slightly better than last year's time where I ran this race in 43.03min.

Leg #2: The Champion Run (around 5pm)
Total distance: 1.82km
Total time: 10.15min (goal was sub-10min)
Total elevation: 17m
Average pace: 5.38min/km

The road under my feet, my own personal follow vehicle to make me feel like a superstar (the black one on the right). Life is good!

Ah, yes! The reason that I love this race: the champion run! The run where you have your own personal follow vehicle with flashing lights and "CAUTION: RUNNER AHEAD" banner to warn traffic of your presence. The run where you have a water truck just for you to pass out water, sponges, etc. The run where your bus races past and everyone leans out the window to scream encouragement.

Being towards the evening it was considerably cooler than the 38C others had been running in earlier. But there was a hot head-wind that parched my throat and I was grateful for the water truck at the 500m mark of my run to moisten my throat. I made the mistake of agreeing to a wet sponge on my back, and I could feel the weight of it dragging on my cape the rest of the run.
And on this particular run - the run where you go past the pub with all the workers chilling out with a cold beer after a hard day's work. My bus happened to do a drive-by cheering as I was passing the pub and I waved and smiled. Then I heard a disgruntled pub patron call out, "Hey, wave to us Supergirl!" So I waved to them as well.

Running past the pub.

At the time I was happy with my run - but looking back, I could have likely gone much faster if I'd really pushed it rather than floating on cloud enjoyment. This was the last run of the day into a small town called Boonah. So I got to "cross the finish line" so to speak. And then I got to sit back, relax, and watch other runners run the Boonah cri - 3 laps around town on a slightly hilly course.