Soft 10K at Striders Homebush Homecoming

7.00am, 10 km - 38.39, Homebush

A homecoming to Homebush, returning to the site of my first or second striders 10K exactly 2 years ago on six foot track eve 2004.

A more relaxed build-up to this 10km with excuses galore for a bad one: tapering, resting for 6', marathon program preparation, and watching for frogs. I've stepped on a few frogs at Centennial Park hopping around in the lush grass underfoot.

A good crowd at Homebush including an impressive cheersquad of Deanne, Ray, and Lowana, and most of Sean's squad seemed to be there running.

I got away cleanly in a congested car park start. I thought a 39 minute finish was on the cards, and went out a little bit easier than Lane Cove last month. I enjoyed splitting up the race into 2 laps, and kept a steady pace, although seemed to struggle a bit in the first 5km. For a change I was pace maker at 5km for one guy sitting right behind me for 4 kms, and we managed to reel in a handful of people on the way around. Then a larger group formed at 8km and soon afterwards The Colin cruised past. I then followed Colin around quite content to sit behind him because he was running a well judged pace and the group started to splinter. At the 9km mark I had a bit in reserve and happily chewed up the km sitting behind Colin on a good pace rather than go for broke. Up on the bridge in the final straight Colin surged a bit and then I surged for a strong show-pony finish: either saving a bit for next week, or showing a lack of pace judgment.

Finished in 38.39, 2004 time was 43.20. A course PB! Woohoo!
Also a 4 second 10km pb.