New Beginnings

Yesterday morning was the first Vets' Monthly Handicap for the year. It was a new course in the bushlands near Aranda. It was undulating and a bit stony but great trails and I really enjoyed it. It's certainly not nearly as challenging as some of the handicaps.

I had another bad night's sleep (two in a row does not bode well for good run times) but I felt fine on the actual run although my time didn't translate to that. I ran a short 1km warm up with Ewen and then headed for a second visit to the loo queue which unfortunately moved very slowly while the countdown to my start group moved very fast. I sprinted to the start to find that I was standing with Group 20 and my Group 18 had long since gone. Damn - not a good start to the run and I took off like a chook without a head. The hills soon slowed me up but I didn't feel too bad except when Steve passed me later in the run calling "come on Ruth, where's the speed?" - then I realised I was chugging along even though I felt like I was doing ok. Oh well, I guess 34km the day before probably has some effect on these old slow legs! I still enjoyed myself and isn't that what it's all about?

Total distance: 6km (plus 1km warm up)

Time taken: 36:54

Average pace per km: 6:07

Calories burned: 333

Lots of our running friends won medals (including the speedy Janene and Heidi) but I didn't discover this until the evening, when I read the results on-line, as CJ, Ewen and I rushed off from the handicap, straight after gulping down some fruit, to see the finish of the triathlon at the lake.  Unfortunately we missed the main event (which was a qualifying race for the worlds triathlon championship in Auckland NZ in October) but we did catch up with everybody just after they finished. Mr B managed a PB but he didn't beat his nemesis as Bob came in 1 minute ahead of him also with a PB. We also had a hug with Charlie who was a spectator as she had torn her hamstring and was sensibly giving it recovery time. Flashduck was there sporting her new motorbike which is oh so awesome and speedy looking.

Sadly, we found out later that a close friend and experienced triathlete (who we had been going to have dinner with last night) had been pulled from the swim leg with a suspected heart attack. He is still in hospital having tests. I guess it just proves that even the fittest of us are not invincible. We are waiting to hear more as I write this.

Later in the afternoon another  friend and I visited a friend who has just moved into a new home of her own with her daughter after a break down in her marriage. Sad and happy feelings  as we toasted new beginnings with champagne.These two girls were the first friends I made when we first moved to Canberra in 1981 and we have always remained great buddies.

Total distance for Week 3 of Marathon Training - 89km

Flashduck (Carolyne) with her new beaut wheels!

Good friends toasting "new beginnings"

With CJ after the Vets Handicap run