Ran 1.26.09 at Gold Coast HM, a soft PB
Target was to run 4.00 flat pace and followed the 1h24m pacer, but I felt extremely FLAT on the day. Could only keep up with the bus only for 5km, before letting the bandwagon went off. Slowed down the pace a bit but still did not fell good. Legs were stiff and breathing wasnt smooth. Ran the remainder of the race at not so painful pace to finish in 86 minute and change.
Not sure what went wrong. One possible reason is that I might run too hard leading up to the race. As usual when I went to cooler climate countries, I sometimes went overboard due to the easier running conditions. Did 20k of 5k ez, 5k tempo, 5k ez, 5k tempo on the Noosa Triathlon Route and National Park 7 days before and also ran 4*1km hard against strong headwind 5 days before. Didnt take any rest days, and on other days, ran on beautiful trails in Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast which were occasionally hilly.
The strange thing, two days after the race, I ran 20km along Brisbane river and did a good progression run (1/3 at 5.00 pace, 4.30 pace, and sub 4.00 pace), with the last 1/3 at pace faster than Sunday's race despite limited recovery period. It seems that the Sunday race wasn't my day and I probably mis-timed the peak.
I was also tired from driving the day before. Went to the Natural Arch National Park and Tambourine Mountain on Saturday (~160km return trip). While the distance is not too far, but the driving was a bit stressful due to twists and turns as well as uphills and downhills, which required full concentration. The next time we go on holiday/racing trip, probably I'd try to arrive only a day or two before the race and then start the vacation/sightseeing after the race.
Anyway, what's done is done. My sessions in Oz were:
Sun: 20k in Noosa (5k ez, 5k tempo, 5k ez, 5k tempo)
Mon: walked in Australia Zoo and Glasshouse mountain
Tue: 10k incl 4*1k intervals in Noosa
Wed: 10k in Noosa National Park trails
Thu: 8k on Federation Trail, Gold Coast
Fri: 8k in Burleigh Heads Natioanl park (including 2 climbs of Tumgun lookout)
Sat: 5k on Surfers
Sun: Gold Coast HM race in 86.09 (soft PB)
Mon: off
Tue: 20k in Brisbane (6k ez, 6k mod, 6k tempo)
