Run Auckland 5 - Almost Speedy

Nice weather for Run Auckland 5 in Western Springs on Sunday morning. Made a big change to last year when it absolutely hosed down.

At the back end of last week I could feel a cold coming on and wasn't really looking forward to this. It's not all that much fun during a run when you aren't feeling 100%.

This course features two laps around Western Springs and the Auckland Zoo. The first 1.5 km or so is a gradual climb, followed by a flat section along Surray Cres, Old Mill Road, and then a sharpish decline, and another flat section past the Auckland Zoo.

Saw Andrew E and his wife near the start, about to start the 5km version.

The hill climb wasn't so bad and I felt pretty good after the first lap. The second lap started to feel a bit ragged to be honest, the cold was catching up with me near the end. Down the home straight I heard Andrew shout out "give it a burst Aaron!" so of course head down and bit of a sprint finish for the last 100 or so m. Managed to haul in three people. It absolutely gassed me though and I came close to throwing up in the chute! Lovely.






Almost speedy...

9.91km / 42:57 / 4:20 min/km. (gun time 43:15).

Not too far off my PB for the 10km. I figure it was a good race really especially with running with a head cold. What I thinked help a lot was the hill training I've been doing the last few weeks. This hill is pretty gentle compared to Jacob's ladder and Western park so found I could maintain a reasonable pace immediately after cresting. Not sure I could maintain 4:20s over the half distance (although in the ADRA half I did last year did manage 4:30s). Maybe a pace in between might be possible :)

Run Auckland 6 in three weeks which is a half marathon. There is a free 12km run (called the "ringstinger") in two weeks which might be worth a look.

Electing to Run

Our New Zealand elections were this Saturday. I voted early in the morning (9am) at Maungawhau Primary and then went for a 5km hill climb run at around 11 in the morning. It was hot!

Saturday : 5km in 23:30 for 4:42min/km.

Then I did two hills on Sunday. I call this route "Two Ticks" as a nod to our Mixed Member Proportional system here in NZ.

Sunday : 17.1km in 1:25:36 for 4:58min/km.



Here is the elevation - not getting tired of the nerdy graphs (yet). Mt Eden is still the toughest hill around these parts - the view is magic once you get to the top. "Big" King is a baby in comparison.



I kept it slowish on purpose. Got a small cut just under my big toe on my right foot that niggles a bit. I think it made me favour my left foot ever so slightly. I might have to tape it up to help it heal.

3 Weeks until ADRA (i.e. 2 weeks of more focused training to peak for it and then one week of tapering). Feeling pretty comfortable about it.

In other running news:

I've entered Run Auckland 2009 (5 x 10km and one half marathon). They are doing an early bird special where you get a free 2XU running shirt. The price is pretty good too $90NZ for the 6 races. Thoroughly enjoyed Run Auckland 2008 this year. My little sister T has entered as well.



Also nearly finished a book called "Through the Wall" which I'll be posting a review on shortly.

Run Auckland Race 5

Run Auckland 5 was interesting to say the least. Not my best race by a long shot. Still I feel pleased I started today and get through what was fairly miserable conditions.

Time hasn't come in yet but not expecting anything flash at all - in fact I'll be pleased with anything under 50:00 but not holding my breath. Will update here once the provisionals come in. UPDATE: Better than expected 44:47 17th out of 51 in 30-39 men category. Pretty much 4:30 min/km pace and considering the stomach cramps I got in lap 2 (see below) makes me feel pretty good in hindsight.

The forecast was for crap weather last night and it was hosing down intermittently before the start.

My little sister T was going to do the race as well and we had planned to go in her car (taking turns I drove last time). Somewhat predictably my phone goes at 7am and got some feeble excuses about running in a storm. When did a little rain ever hurt anyone eh? So it was a bit of a lone effort from our family today.

For half an hour before the start I was trying to shelter underneath a tree. Not so many people lining up today (funny that!) and the rain was dumping down pre-start. It did mean there wasn't so much congestion at the start but running with squelchy (not sure if thats a word) shoes/socks and a soaked top is certainly different. It is all mental but it does make you feel like you are being weighed down. I guess the trick is to ignore this feeling.

There is a map on the race details page

Lap 1 felt pretty steady if very wet. The initial hill wasn't too bad found the very steep downhill around the 3km mark more tricky and had to be very careful not to take a tumble.

Lap 2 started ok and keeping pace with a group up the hill. The rain had eased off quite a bit by then. Round about 7km I got hit with stomach cramps, don't know if it was something I ate, and that was quite bad. For about 300m I had to slow right down but managed to keep going. Good to keep in theme with this blog title :) Got passed by half a dozen people which was a bit tough. Luckily the cramps went after maybe 300m soon after and got back to a reasonable pace.

Finishing Racecraft
The finish was probably the highlight for me. Caught up with a bloke that had passed me at cramp time. Towards the home straight we ended up neck and neck. Exciting stuff. In the diagram I would be the red egg* shaped runner. Couldn't pull away because my pace was being matched but luckily had the left which was handy because the finish chute was also a turn to the left. Essentially blocks you from being passed. Shades of Schumaker taking the inside...vrroooom!


The lesson's learned for me out of this race is twofold. Don't cramp up your internals (it is pretty painful to be honest) and ignore the conditions as best you can.

Hope others racing today had a good day out...

* I'm not shaped like an egg but did have a red top.

Run Auckland Race 4

While the weather was very nice I'll just say that combining hills with a head cold isn't much fun. Provisional results are in and considering how crap I was feeling last night a pretty good time in 43:14 (Placing me 21st out of 69 in my group 30-39 Men. Getting into the top third of the field which is something I wouldn't have thought a year ago when I was struggling to run longer than 5 minutes at a time).

Aside from the hills the most interesting part of this run was the coastal walkway with the tide coming in. I think this was a slight change from last years run auckland and therefore the course was probably only around 9.4km. Still Run Auckland Race 1 was about 10.5km so I guess it evens out.



Whilst I didn't have a camera with me today here is a good photo I found on Flickr. The coastal walkway is the stretch on the right.



Run Auckland Race 5 is almost a month away and I'm going to train hard out for this. The half is then shortly after on 13 July.

Run Auckland Race 3

Flat, fast, and furious?

Provisional results in : 42:49 placed 22/66 in 30-39 men. A PB and quite pleased with the time compared to the last race!!! :)

The course itself was 4 laps of this scenic route. Dead flat aside from judder bars and traffic islands.



Course map is here:

Run Auckland Race 2

Pretty cold for the run this morning - but it was an improved result from Race 1.

49:07 placing 29th out of 81 for my group (30-39 Men).

It was quite a nice course in terms of scenery. Click here for a course map:



The atmosphere was good too lots of people getting out and giving it a go.

Quite a lot of congestion at the start and a couple of the foot bridges. Might try and start a bit closer to the front for the next one. That and run faster of course.

Unfortunately the marshaling and course layout was woeful. Some of the 5km runners even headed up the wrong way part way along the course. Hopefully the next race in just over 2 weeks time is a little better.

Run Auckland Race 1

2 laps of this course. Quite hilly especially in the second half.

Time of 53:32 which was a bit average. It is close to 10.5km so pace was a touch over 5min/km.
Although having just moved house the Friday before the race (which was on Sunday) and training was a bit lacking.

Placed 112th out of 569 entries in the 10km.

Next race is in a couple of days time. The course is quite a bit flatter and I've done some hill training...so lets see. Bring it :)

Run Auckland 2008

Yesterday I entered the Run Auckland series for 2008.



The early bird rate is $75 NZ for five 10km races and entry into the North Shore City Half Marathon.

Something to train for.

Race 1: 30th March 2008
Waiatarua Reserve, Grand Drive, Remuera

Race 2: 20th April 2008
Te Atatu Peninsula, Te Atatu

Race 3: 11th May 2008
Eastern Beach, The Esplanade, Pakuranga

Race 4: 25th May 2008
Milford Reserve, Craig Road, Milford

Race 5: 22nd June 2008
Western Springs Park, Stadium Road, Western Springs

Race 6: 13th July 2008
Takapuna Beach, The Strand, Takapuna

My sister T is doing these as well but choosing 5km for the first 3 and 10km for the last 3.

Should be good!