Superhero shot - photo-bombed by the Village People
Sunday morning I slept into 3.30am (hooray!) before dragging myself onto the bus for a 5am run at Toowoomba. It was a criterium run. Last year I was one of the runners who ran down the mountain range, so I admit I was cautiously excited about doing something different this year.
As we lined up for the start, who did I see but my nemesis from Run Inn? I gave him the gesture that said "I'm watching you!". The cri was 3 laps around Toowoomba university to total about 4k. In the first lap I stayed just ahead of my Run Inn competitor. He surged past in the second lap but I knew from the day before that if I kept up with him I would win with my traditional kick at the end - which he didn't seem to have. So I kept within 10m of him, smiling at the encouraging calls of, "Go Wonder Woman!" and "Fly, Supergirl!" as I ran past the observing teams & race marshalls.
In the last lap I made my move! I decided not to focus on my competitor but at a girl well ahead of both of us. If I could catch up to her, it would mean I had passed him. I powered through the last lap and even managed to have a Superhero finish. Cha-ching.
Total distance: 3.78km
Total time: 19.04min (goal time: sub-20min)
Total elevation: 15m
Average pace: 5.04min/km
Flying into the finish of the Toowoomba Cri!
I got on the bus feeling satisfied and confident.
Then I found out we were racing down the hill to meet with the other half of our team members (the ones running down the Toowoomba mountain range) so that I could get to my next race. Yikes! I had misinterpreted when I would be doing my make-up run, and thought it would be closer to lunch, not breakfast! I was a little distressed, because had I known I would have held something back from the criterium run.
I was also a little relieved, because had I known I would have held something back from the criterium run.
So at around 8am I got to the start line for my last Champion Run of the weekend.
Happily, the weather remained cool for this part of the race. I got tagged off by a fellow Superhero and took off to the cheers of my team mates. Did I mention I had the most awesome team a girl in a cape could ask for? They stopped the bus along the road a couple of times to get out and cheer and screamed encouragement whenever the bus then drove past me. I don't know if I stopped smiling that entire run.
The lovely water truck was there at the first 500m into the run and every subsequent km marker. I didn't need the water, but I always take advantage of feeling like a champion runner, so I took what was offered.There was a slight hill going up into town. It wasn't steep...but it felt like it kept going.
And then we headed down into Gatton. This is where I reached my first and last conundrum of the race in the form of an uncontrolled intersection where my light was red. I was running along the sidewalk at this point, but what to do? Do I stop at the red light and wait for it to change, or breeze through?
Previously (as in, when I ran into Boonah) the local cops were stopping traffic for me. But with no cops at this intersection I hesitated, checking for traffic.
With no cars coming, I couldn't bring myself to stop and wait for the lights. I was running a race, after all!
So I continued on through after a brief pause and surged across the finish line a block later.
Total distance: 3.81kmTotal time: 20.11min (goal: sub-20min. I blame the traffic lights for this one!)
Total elevation: 32m
Average pace: 5.18min/km
What's this? Lassie's in trouble? Quick! Lightening Laura to the rescue!
I had breakfast as I philosophically debated: to run a third time, or not to run a third time?
Reasons to run a third time: Yesterday's run got cancelled, meaning I'd only run 5x (not 6x) so far this weekend, I haven't done this particular part of the race before, last chance to run in a cape! ... lots of positives.
Reasons not to run a third time: I was exhausted, and the more fun run of the day was finished in style. Superhero Style (see above!).
I sat on this dilemma, going back and forth in my mind. I think if someone had come up to me and offered to run my third leg, I would have agreed. But then it started to pour rain, and I felt that my opportunity to trade off this final run had passed.
To the start line, Lightening Laura!
The rail track was muddy, slippery, and washed out from the rain. Plus, it had become hot and muggy now that the rain had stopped right before the race started. I was happy for the first 1.5k, and then I regretted my decision.
The track was hilly and I had nothing left in me to run. For the first time, I regretted wearing the cape as I could feel it suffocating my perspiring skin. It was advertised as being a 4k run, but it was well over that as we climbed a hill (only to run back down it to the finish line).
As I ran down that last hill, trying desperately to catch the person in front of me, two young kids stopped their playing to point at me and scream, "it's a superhero running! Look, look at the superhero!".
Maybe I didn't regret the cape after all.
I knew I couldn't catch my target, so I grabbed my cape and billowed it out behind me at the finish line. With the wind factor, it became an excellent parachute at slowing me right down when I reached the crowds of cheering runners.
Not my finest run, but I was glad I did it. It showed me where my limits lie.
Total distance: 4.39km
Total time: 24.30min (goal time: sub-22min)
Total elevation: 38m
Average pace: 5.35min/km
Little known fact: When Superheroes aren't saving the world, they're running along the highway east of Brisbane.
What a race! What a description of the race. So fun to read! I do think the cape gave you magical powers. Yeah cape! Wendy T
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