This is your time

I kept meaning to complete my Port Douglas race report but for whatever reason I haven't been able to get around to it.

Race time 1:30 avg 4:23 min/K and HR 163

The HR was the main thing I wanted to check on. Gold Coast was an avg of 172 HR and was sitting around 170 through halfway. I'll aim for 170 at Kurrawa which I think is better than picking a pace that will be affected by the conditions. So now I have a plan to run Kurrawa. It will be hot, but how hot is unknown.

Back to Port Douglas. It was great running along the beach for the first 4k. I knew it would be slower than road so wasn't concerned sitting around 4:15's. Off the beach we hit paths and a chance to pick it up and pass a few. At 6k was the first water stop and the warm water made me gag. The run on the grass wasn't what I was prepared for and I kept wanting to get a clean run on hard surface. It wasn't to be.

When we had to navigate down to the tunnel under the road and through the slush there was no chance of maintain around 4min/K's I averaged some 4:30's which did my head in. I wish I paid more attention to the course and got lost wonder where to go. The worst time was heading back to the beach where I stopped completely, back tracked and found the people behind me. The first woman was running with a guy and I took off again feeling at least I was still on the course. Eventually, I found a group ahead consisting of 4 runners. I was back on pace and closing in on them and left the first woman so far behind that I could see her anymore when looked. Without much of a pace plan, I found myself simply running with no specific pace in mind.

The last stages went well and as one of the group of 4 started to drop off the pack (the injured animal for the hunter to target), I could focus on catching him which I did wth 2K to go. The last surprise was a short steep hill that killed any chance of a sub 90 ... so walked it. The final K was strong, giving me confidence for next time.

After recording my time and having a drink I head back up the course to find my training partner who was having a good day. I encouraged her along to the final stretch and congratulated her when she crossed the line and then looked for a place to wait for the others whilst she saw her family and celebrated with them.

It was a fun run. Not a PB type race, just fun and achieved what I needed to know planning for the next race, which may be it for the year. What a year ... 8 half marathons and 2 full ones. It seems a lifetime ago I did the half and full in Orlando.

The tune below is sharing my latest download. I love the dancing and the lyrics "this is your life, this is your time" sums up how I feel at the moment. Tomorrow is another day and already the closing in on a sub 3 and new pursuits like riding are starting to take shape ... but for now I'll stay with the day to day.