First Win for the Year –Woo Hoo!Well I would be lying if I said that I have had an easy start to the year. Whilst having a break from running is lovely. Trying to get fit again is just darn hard work. A few extra kilograms make for a nice healthy body but feel horrible when you try to go fast. The brain is willing. The body has a clear memory of how to run fast. But when you go to plant the foot down it just will NOT co-operate. It is easy to get frustrated and disheartened early on in the season when you are not running as well as you know you are capable of. However somewhere deep down inside you know that if you stay consistent and keep ticking off the training the form will be there when it counts later on in the season…or so you keep telling yourself!
Today was a great day to wake up super early on the Australia Day Holiday morning down the coffee and head back down the coast for the annual Australia Day Fun Run on the Mornington Peninsula from Safety Beach to Rosebud. I was very excited to be back in my hometown of Melbourne for the Australia Day Celebrations! A last minute shop after work at Coles and I had my new Australia Day Race Kit consisting of the “Land Down Under” running shorts (board shorts) and some boxing kangaroo and Australian flag tattoos!
There was a great turn out at the start line. The race is getting bigger and bigger every year. The gun went off and away we went racing down the coast on the sandy bush tracks alongside the beautiful bay. I ran out fairly hard from the start and tried to find a nice big guy to tuck in behind whilst we ran into the breeze. I had my eyes on several backs but they were too quick! Within 1km I was on my own and quickly settled into a comfortably hard rhythm with 2 other guys right on my tail. I always have a chuckle when big blokes use me as a wind break! We curved around the sandy bush tracks and made it to the second road section before ducking back into the caravan park trails. As we passed Dromana there was a great cheer from all the children –Go Girls!!! I did not dare look behind me but I thought bugger –the second girl must have caught onto the guys on my tail. I kept my head down and kept running hard. Just before we hit the boardwalk I put in a big surge and ran as fast as I could for the finish line. Finally after 4 years of coming 2nd or 3rd in this event I finally finished 1st place. It was the tiny little confidence booster and extra motivation I needed to continue with those hard sessions!
The finish line of the event at Rosebud is the best part of the race. There is a giant jumping castle and slide for the kids. There is a big beach market and your race bib gets you a free BBQ breakfast at the end (Damian’s favourite bit!). It was lovely to sit outside in the beautiful sunshine and listen to the young girls sing “I Still Call Australia Home”, the Australian Anthem and read Dorothea MacKellar’s “I Love a Sunburnt Country”. Thanks Australia for being such an awesome place to call home.
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