Kurrawa to Duranbah Relay
This is one of my favourite events and this year was no different. The weekend got off the perfect start with Clairie and I doing the 1 hour road trip to the Gold Coast on Saturday arvo, laughing all the way - a bit like Santa :-)
My goal was 2:05 to 2:10 if the weather wasn't too bad, and 2:10 to 2:15 if it was hot. Last year I did 2:00.xx but the course was 1k shorter (24k instead of 25k), and I ran the first leg which is always so much cooler.
With a long line at registration the race, due to start at 5am, got going after 5.30am. Still, the sky was overcast and it was almost cool.
My relay patner Nick is coming back from injury was expecting to take around 2h30m(if 100% he'd be closer to 1h50m). Scotty's wife/relay partner Little Tara was thinking she'd do a similar time, so we drove the 25k to the handover together, crewing as we went.
We got to Duranbah at 7.50am. Somewhere along the way the weather had taken a run for the worse .... for running that is. The skies had cleared and it was hot.
The organisers had announced anyone who wants to take off at 7.30am (missed that!) or 8am could, and the times would be worked out later. Our runners were still a couple of kms away and Scotty decided to go at 8am, but I hung around and waited to watch Nick run in, that was about 8.10am.
The sun was really beating down by then. I managed to stick to just seconds over 5 minute pace up to 20k. With 2 1/2k to go I caught Scotty and was tempted to slow down and run in with him, but strangely was feeling okay so pressed on.
Until then I hadn't been passed by a single person. I'd passed quite a few, most of them ultra runners do the whole thing.
Suddenly 1k later I was ready to sit in the gutter, and that last 1 1/2k seemed to go on forever. I was sooooo tempted to walk, but kept checking the watch and thought I might make it in around 2:11 or 2:12 if I didn't. Also after getting this far without being overtaken I didn't want it to happen now.
Spotting the big blue Kurrawa SLSC a few hundred meters away was like seeing an oasis in the middle of the desert, the finish line is maybe 200 meters on from that. Glancing at the watch I figured I might just break 2:10 and so broke out of the slow shuffle into a fast shuffle.
After what seemed forever I got to the line and couldn't believe it - 2:08 :-))))
Next year I get to run first again, goal is sub 2 hours.
Kurrawa 2007 - bring it on!
My goal was 2:05 to 2:10 if the weather wasn't too bad, and 2:10 to 2:15 if it was hot. Last year I did 2:00.xx but the course was 1k shorter (24k instead of 25k), and I ran the first leg which is always so much cooler.
With a long line at registration the race, due to start at 5am, got going after 5.30am. Still, the sky was overcast and it was almost cool.
My relay patner Nick is coming back from injury was expecting to take around 2h30m(if 100% he'd be closer to 1h50m). Scotty's wife/relay partner Little Tara was thinking she'd do a similar time, so we drove the 25k to the handover together, crewing as we went.
We got to Duranbah at 7.50am. Somewhere along the way the weather had taken a run for the worse .... for running that is. The skies had cleared and it was hot.
The organisers had announced anyone who wants to take off at 7.30am (missed that!) or 8am could, and the times would be worked out later. Our runners were still a couple of kms away and Scotty decided to go at 8am, but I hung around and waited to watch Nick run in, that was about 8.10am.
The sun was really beating down by then. I managed to stick to just seconds over 5 minute pace up to 20k. With 2 1/2k to go I caught Scotty and was tempted to slow down and run in with him, but strangely was feeling okay so pressed on.
Until then I hadn't been passed by a single person. I'd passed quite a few, most of them ultra runners do the whole thing.
Suddenly 1k later I was ready to sit in the gutter, and that last 1 1/2k seemed to go on forever. I was sooooo tempted to walk, but kept checking the watch and thought I might make it in around 2:11 or 2:12 if I didn't. Also after getting this far without being overtaken I didn't want it to happen now.
Spotting the big blue Kurrawa SLSC a few hundred meters away was like seeing an oasis in the middle of the desert, the finish line is maybe 200 meters on from that. Glancing at the watch I figured I might just break 2:10 and so broke out of the slow shuffle into a fast shuffle.
After what seemed forever I got to the line and couldn't believe it - 2:08 :-))))
Next year I get to run first again, goal is sub 2 hours.
Kurrawa 2007 - bring it on!
posted by Tesso at 7:14 PM
17 Comments:
This was a great effort and you did very well! It's just gotta be so hard to run and run well, particularly when its hot. Well done, you should be proud :-).
That second leg is a killer. I remember feeling the same way for the last couple of K last year. Still 2:08 for a 'full' 25K is a great effort.
Woohooo that is one nice time for 25k 2nd leg Tesso - great work mate ;-)
Great stuff Tesso!!!
Slick time Tessooo ! Well done matey !
And as the photo's on my blog shows....you still had time to muck around the whole way!!
A great event and yes next year would be great to start it first! I think I prefer the run on the second leg but I prefer the weather on the first leg :)
It was wonderful to watch you come in - though I never saw any shuffle. You were running!
Well done Matey. I am sure you won't be able to read this as you will be at a speed session with Pat. CRAZY WOMAN!
Rest up...now lets party!!
How's that for the heart of a champion :)
Fabulous stuff Tess - although it was strange to hear about you getting close to hitting the wall - I always thought you were Ms indestructible (and you still are thanks to that 2:08!)
Sounds like a great race but hard work in the heat especially the second leg. I know what you mean about the last couple kms, sometimes they seem to be 10kms each!
great stuff tesso - sounds really bloody hard. hope you enjoyed yourself too!
Great work Tesso. Hot run doing the second leg, well done.
Great work Tesso. Hot run doing the second leg, well done.
Oh my god! Even Tesso thinks about walking sometimes :)
Well done in the heat.
Great run Tesso. Congratulations on an excellent time and gutsy run over those last few km in particular. I was sure that photo of you at Clairie's was at Duranbah, but apperently it is the hill at Miami. Oh well, shows you how long I have been away :-(
I thought that was Wonder Woman flying along in the photos on Clairie's blog ;)
Great run Tesso. Now I know what 'Kurrawa' is!
Nice work Tesso!
Great run, Tess! Fantastic time....congratulations!
Congrats. I really like the sound of this run. I may considering joining you next year.
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