Sunday, November 20, 2016

Feeling fast at the Fisher's Ghost 5k

Last Sunday (13 November) I was up at well before the crack of dawn, leaving Jim's place at 4.30 AM for the drive to Campbelltown for the Fisher's Ghost Fun Run. This is a very well organised and enjoyable event held on roads within the campus of Western Sydney University. I ran the 10k in 2015 at tempo effort (53:40) but this year decided to race the 5k.

The course is on rolling hills — thankfully only one lap of them for the 5k! It's a tough course, definitely not one for PBs, but good for racing. My goal was to run as fast as possible and finish ahead of Jim! Both races started together and we were positioned about 20 metres back from the front amongst 710 runners and walkers (446 in the 5k and 264 in the 10k). Jim must have run to the inside of the first corner as I lost sight of him. I thought I was comfortably in front. Then at the top of the first climb at 1k I caught sight of him about 50 metres ahead. Sneaky bastard!

I opened up my stride down the hill and drew beside Jim before we commenced the next climb. Without changing my effort I edged ahead and then ran with the fear of the pursued. I breathed a sigh of relief on the out/back section of the course when I saw that I had a significant lead. By this time I was running mostly with youngsters and had a good race over the last 1500m with the girl who finished 3rd in the F10-11 category. She was running with and being encouraged by her father, so that's my excuse when she beat me by 2 seconds in a sprint finish. My chip time was 24:23, with Jim coming home in 26:19. I was happy with the time as Jim reckoned the hills were worth a minute over a regular flat Parkrun 5k.

We waited at the presentations with Norma, who had run the amazing time of 37:24 at the age of 87! Jim placed 2nd in the 60-69s and I was 3rd in the 50-59s so it had been a successful and happy morning for all. My takeaway from the race is that the higher volume training is paying off already. We'll see where my 5k time is in a month or so but I'm pretty sure it will be faster, so that's exciting.

Winners are grinners at the Fisher's Ghost Fun Run
Norma wins the 70+ category at the age of 87!

12 comments:

Rachel said...

Nice one, Ewen! Taking a leaf out of my book by running the double, eh? I agree about high mileage. Keep it up!

Janene said...

Congrats on the great running.

Ewen said...

Thanks Rachel. All good so far, but only 3 weeks into what I call high mileage (over 50 miles/80 ks a week). I'm sure it's as helpful for 5k/10k racers as it is for marathoners.

Thanks Janene.

Running Raggedy said...

Constant reminders of the benefits of high mileage is a good thing. Thanks mate.

Tactically a great race. However, a nice touch might have been to whisper "SNEAKY BASTARD" in Jim's left ear as you drew level then accelerated past him in the race. That of course applies only if you had driven him to the race. One should always be prepared for a very long walk home if he'd had the car keys!

I'm looking forward to the progress you undoubtedly will continue to make over the months ahead. Keep it going.

Thomas said...

I had a good chuckle at the goal of "beating Jim" as well as your duel with a kid. Hey, we all pick our battles!

You definitely look to be on the up. Keep it going!

Ewen said...

Mark, that wouldn't have worked as Jim doesn't wear his hearing aid in races! LOL. And he was doing the driving, so I had to be nice :-)

Thanks Thomas. Yes, old folks and very young kids are my battles these days. Still fun.

strewth said...

Fantastic result Ewen - the best part beating Jimmy! Obviously your theory of lots of k's per week is working well! :)

Ewen said...

Thanks Ruth. Takes a while to see the benefits, but worth it to beat Jimmy :-) BTW, you need to update your blog!

Anonymous said...

Excellent racing. You used the terrain well.
Your duel at the finish brings to mind the delightful caption for that picture of you duelling with Lily (name?) in an 800m on the track a few years ago.

Ewen said...

Yes Canute, it was just like that 800m race - Lily 'du Maurier-Passante' back in August 2008! Not her real name by the way, but I did see her racing still a year or so ago.
http://gsxsuzuki.blogspot.com.au/2008/08/caption-writer.html

Lize Brittin said...

Awesome job! It looks like you are on the comeback trail and doing well. Yahoo!

Ewen said...

Thanks Lize. It's been a slow, unspectacular process. But good fun nevertheless :)