Dead Runners society race
report
Eastern Vets AC track and field championships,
Ware - Sunday 13th June 2004.
After my
EVAC league win next I tried the same tactics at a more serious racewalk competition. This race took place on
a rare warm English summer's day.
Evenin all
Greetings
from warm and sunny England, we have had warm sunny weather for two whole days,
phew what a scorcher :-)
Yesterday
the beautiful Shelley and I competed in the Eastern Veterans AC track and field
championships at Ware in Hertfordshire. Shelley competed first in the 1500m,
she ran her fastest 1500m of the year in 5.51.1. She was 7th/8 in the race but
she won a medal for first (and only) W50, most of her fellow competitors were
young kiddies in the W35 and W40 category. Yet another W50 club record for
Shelley.
Then it was
my turn to go for a little walk. I jogged 1/2 mile and then racewalked 1000m to
warm up for the 3000m racewalk. Only 5 competed in the walk at last years
championship but there was a much better turnout this year, 8 men and 7 ladies
lined up. As this was a championship it was going to be a category A race (no
bent knees at contact), one of the two judges explained the rules and off we
went.
There was
only one walker in this race who I wasn't sure I could beat and sure enough he
zoomed off into the lead, I followed him and we very quickly left the others
behind. The race leader, Peter, is an M60 walker but is also a very important
official in the English Race Walking Association and has been walking for many
years, I had never beaten him in my 18 month walking career. We went off almost
as fast as in my victorious mile racewalk 11 days earlier, first lap in 1.54
and 2 laps in 4.00. I was working very hard to hang on, I could feel my fingers
tingling as I was working my arms so hard. Just before 1000m (5.04) I got my
second warning from the judges on the same lap for bent knees and decided
discretion was called for. Peter zoomed off and I slowed down. 3 laps in 6.13
and 4 laps in 8.48, I went to sleep a bit in this part of the race, by now I
was spending more time in lane 2 than lane 1 as I was lapping people, at 5
laps/2000m the time was 11.12 and I realised unless I woke up a chance of a pb
could go begging. I could also hear 3rd place catching me up,
Pushed on a
bit harder, they rang the bell for me at 2600m in 14.41, picked up pace a bit
more on last lap. Coming down the home straight I could see one of the judges
coming towards me, I thought she was going to send me to the Dairy Queen but
only to said well done as I approached the finish. Over the line in 16.56, a
new pb for 3000m by 2s! Peter finished almost a minute ahead of me, 3rd-6th all
finished in a rush between 17.13 and 17.27. Very tired at the end, not the best
paced race I had ever done but I got away with it in rather warm conditions.
1 lap very
easy walking to cool down followed by 1/2 mile jog. My official time was
16.56.7 and I was 2nd/15 and first and only M40, Before this race my best 3000m
times were 17.09 (road) and 17.10 (track) although in a very well paced 10000m
race I went through 3000m in 16.58! My next racewalks will be at the British
Masters championships in Birmingham the weekend after next, more even pacing is
called for than in this race. If I had gone at the pace I think I am capable of
it would have meant the whole race in isolation so it was worth a try seeing
how long I could stick with Peter. The previous 3000m race against Peter he
beat me by 90s so I got closer this time!
Then we
spent the rest of the afternoon getting sunburnt, socialising and watching
everyone else do there stuff. I helped measure the distances in the triple jump
and Shelley went round publicising the Bedford vets grand prix series which she
organises.
ORN see earlier post
tony....
--
Tony Bell - tony.bell2@ntlworld.com
Midweek - Warrington, Cheshire.
Weekends - Milton, Cambridge.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tony.bell2/tonyhome.html
previous race report next race report