ANSW cross-country 4km relays
3.00pm, 4km relay, Scarborough Park Ramsgate
First a big thanks to my supporters who came out to Scarborough Park: Kerry, Kit, Ray, Deanne, Horrie & Belinda, Blue Dog, Bernie G and Cindy. I also got a few cheers and jeers from former training partner Michael from Bankstown. It was good of them to support a few other runners as well.
For me it was a new experience being in a relay team beyond 100 metres. The open, 35+ age, 45+ age category 4km relays were all run together.
I found the relay adds a bit more responsibility since no wants to let down the team, and I'm already a social outcast without unnecessarily wanting to add a sporting dimension. I've only played team sports for about 30 years so I handled this event pretty well without calling for the sports psychologist before the run. Striders is also blessed with plenty of talent in the 45+ age category to be going for gold in any team event.
I ran the second leg. Brigtshoes got our team off to a flying start and I think we were ahead of quite a few open and 35+ teams by the time I got the vitual relay baton. There wasn't much rocket science to running my leg of the 4 km, go out hard and hold it. I was lifted by the crowd and support on the 2 laps. I could feel a bit of tightness in the glutes on the run, but there was no malfunction. There was however a wardrobe malfunction a-la Janet Jackson: one of my shoe laces came undone which I'd specifically relaced before the run. The DS trainers are so tight around the foot that they don't move anyway so I got away with a loose lace without having to stop. Double knot lacing next time or bare-feet like Sean Williams.
By the second lap at the early hair-pin turn I saw Fats steaming along behind me so I had a bit of extra pacing 'help' to see how long I could hold him off. It was longer than I thought but Fats swept past me like I was the luckless coyote on the road-runner cartoon. At the finish I found our third leg runner Dennis and we effected a seamless interchange. Chris finished off the race and thinks we got gold, first place in the category, but we'll have to wait a few days to see the results.
I finished in around 14.20 which I was happy with. Off shortly to do the NOSH run.
posted by Don Juan @ 7:20 am
5 Comments:
What a brilliant effort!! We had a ball and had our footy voices on to give you guys a cheer :-)
You should blitz the nosh.... a walk in the park compared to 6ft ;-) Although a lazy butt wont help matters!
Good run at the relays mate. Although I didn't see it as I was in the neverending line to hand my number in. It was fun watching and running the relays. I think you should have the gold. Keith did a low 13's to start. Thats fast.
This is why we don't believe your attempts to hose down expectations! A Don Juan should always have some bling ;-)
It was very interesting the mens race, with the issues at the start. I am very happy we didn't have the same problems in the women's race. What a fun afternoon.
Well done DJ. With a cheer squad like that one would be too scared to run slow.
Hope the gold is yours.
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