For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about: http://www.fetcheveryone.com provides the answers. This wonderful site where runners can log their training and racing, chat, swap training details and even bet on PBs(!), has occasional 'events'. This time around it's "Run for your soul", celebrating, if that's the word, the 6th day of the 6th month of the 6th year. It's fiendishly simple. You pledge to run a race within a week of 6/6/06, stating your anticipated finish time. You give your soul to Gobi, run your race, and if you beat your time you get your soul back. Fail and be eternally damned!
"But who is Gobi?", I hear you ask. Some say his feet never touch the ground when he runs. Others say they smell lavender and jasmine when he farts. Some claim he had his horns removed at age 6. Perhaps more reliably it is reported that Gobi is running the Comrades Marathon next week: 90km of hellishly hot, humid and hilly running - how appropriate!
Actually that description would describe the Purbrook Ladies 5 quite well; perhaps not quite Comrades Marathon standards but hot and hilly enough for me!
I soaked myself in cold water, lined up 2nd row back behind Shona Crombie-Hicks, and we were away.
Shona was Scotland's representative, with Hayley Haining, at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games marathon. It's always an honour to run with such quality - I still had her in sight a whole half a mile in! I wonder who's going to win?
I was running in around 10th place feeling comfortable, but knew that this relaxed cool feeling wasn't going to last long. In fact it lasted a mile, before Gobi, realising that I was well ahead of 36 minute pace, stoked up the furnaces a bit.
Things were going well though as I passed a runner or 2. I passed Cheryl who'd finished a place behind me in the Isle of Wight marathon 3 weeks ago. I wonder how her legs felt? Mine were feeling pretty good!
With the heat though I had to resist the temptation to slow down. I was beating Gobi still but now I sensed an evil cackle or 2 as he put a few more coals in the fire.
At 3 miles I approached a Gosport runner who was walking up the first of the steep uphills. I'd soon overtake her as I powered along. Maybe she heard me, but she picked up her pace and kept her distance. Maybe this wasn't going to be so easy.
At the next hill she started walking again. This time surely? No - she powered away at the top of the hill. Is this advanced technique?
Gobi was now looming large in my race as I looked at my watch and realised the impact of the hills. I had trees for cover though - you haven't got me yet Gobi!
Final hill: same story with Gosport lady, but now this is me versus Gobi. I just need to push hard and Gobi will be grovelling at my feet. What's this? Cheering crowds? They must know that I have Gobi in retreat. I feel strong as I fly down the last hill, knowing the finish is just up the next rise and round the corner. Ah yes, I forgot about that hill!
"Go Susie" shouts Kevin. I feel powerful as I push hard up the incline. There's the finish, push, push. There's the clock! Oops!
I should have known from the howls of booming fiendish laughter that my calculations were off. I looked down at my Garmin: 5.01 miles. 36:45. Oh dear!
Erm, about that soul of mine Gobi: can I have it back please? Let me give some reasons why I should have it returned:
A PB by 40 seconds - under the circumstances I'm pleased with that.
7th place - I'm very pleased with that!
1st over-40 prize - even more pleased with that! Prize money too!
1st vet's team - really really pleased with that. Gina did a fantastic job in 3rd, and Marilyn seemed completely unaffected by the heat a minute or 3 behind me. Wine!
Pretty please Gobi?
The winner: Shona Crombie-Hicks.
To the victors the spoils: the Victory vet winos.
3 comments:
Great report Susie - you really sound like you love your running - your soul sounds intact.
Christine
Fantastic report Susie and mega well done.
Marianne
great report as always!
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