JUST A BIT MORE DETAIL HALF MARATHON REPORT

OK, the race started at QLD 6am, (4am Perth time). That meant I got up at 4am QLD time, (2am Perth time). Then had brekkie, got changed, walked out of apartment and down a couple of blocks to catch the free shuttle to where the race started!

Brekkie was 2 rice cakes, half a low sugar/low fat carton iced coffee and water. I chose one of the cheapest apartments on Orchid Ave to stay in. However all evening there seemed to be a few guys having a mega fighting match, (lots of abuse, swearing, smashing stuff, abuse etc). I was fearing walking out of the apartment complex to even get to the street at 4.20am! That and nightclub music and race nerves kept me awake, (don't think I would have even got one hours sleep the night before the race)!

All had luckily settled down by time I had to leave apartment complex. I had a 5 mins walk through the main nightclub area of Surfers at 4.20am. Luckily it was populated though with lots of drunk people rather than isolated seedy feeling so all good!

Made it to bus stop and to race start area by 5am. Then mission to was check 'left luggage' in after taking off jumper. COLD now! Then visit loo a couple of times before lining up for race. I decided to line up just in front of 2 hour finish tag. There were 1.24, 1.30, 1.40, 1.50, 2.00, 2.10, 2.20 pacers.

I was nervous, the morning was cool enough, (not cold).

The race started off well. I felt my comfortable sustaining pace was somewhere between the 1.50 and 2 hour pacers. I maintained that till about 11km. Then started to feel buggered so my running slowed. At just on 15km the 2 hour pacers passed me. I kinda tried to catch them but had hit a wall. My main focus was to keep on running, - not stop! While the last 6km were a real struggle I managed that and my net time was 2.03.05. Gun time was 2.05.32 which was just 6 seconds behind Melinda Gainsford-Taylor's gun time so I discovered today, (if only I concentrated enough to spot her!) Melinda is an ex Aussie 100m-200m Olympic Sprint champ but has now retired, had children and is in her late 30's but decided to try a long distance race.

Lesson: - long distance racing requires long distance training :-) But am happy with my result!