Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Hmmm feeling ho hum today....had a massive weekend.
Ran on Thursday at track 1 mile warmup 3km in 11:28 without sprint finish and 5.4km "cooldown" as i have decided if i run i might as well run at least 10km whenever i can as a time factor thing.Finished these on my own with abot 4 laps of "fartlek" style hard on the straights and jog the bend.

Friday 1hr walk with Jacob...walked to the top of very steep Brokers road and we were invited in to Jane's house for a coffee...hadn't seen her for ages since i changed departments at work...she was great and didn't mind Basil my doggy running about!
Jacob loved it too once he had warmed to her and young Charlotte(4).Left and kept walking until i had to avoid the firebrigade attending a gas leak a block away from home.Got home and in the arvo manage only an hour sleep in prep. for nightshift that evening.After Nightshift i came home had some breaky and went back out to race the Brokers Nose Goat Race as mentioned in this edition of Runners World.Came 6th in 30 mins something for the 5km.Very tough race i was alone in the self seeded 5 min handicap start as the bulk took off at scratch only Fats leaving last off 15mins and 2 others off 10 mins.

Went home had 5hours sleep and back to work.In the morning Sophie and i had planned our long run from Towradgi Beach to Headlands Hotel (approx. 23km)
I had invited Darren a guy i had recently met along (17:30/5km) we ran at a decent pace out 4:40ish most of the way but i really struggled to keep as it escalated on the way home.With about 2km to go my right knee just tightened on me suddenly...i decided this was a wake up call to slow down,Sophie and Darren were already well ahead but turned back to see if i was ok.I explained the situation before starting to run again .... 3,4 steps ugh no good.I told them to go and i would catch up.Walked next km,had a stretch out and felt good enough for a slow trot.Got to about 21.1 km in 103mins (Half marathon PB 104:57)
Sophie and Darren had come back for me...i was so tired i had started to sing silly songs to myself ( a sure sign i was buggered )
Got there and layed on the concrete driveway....it felt so comfortable!

Sophie suggested we all go for a dip in the Ocean...good idea i thought.Told Darren i wasn't a real good swimmer though i know Sophie is.
I jumped right in and it felt good on my tired legs.
Before i knew it Sophie and Darren had decided to go back to shore.They were about 20metres closer than me at this stage.

I headed back too.I was padling but i didn't seem to be going anywhere...they had reached the beach and were chatting,it took me a few minutes in my addled state to realise that i was caught in a rip.I tried not to panic...i tried to swim across it but it was no good.I waved my right arm frantically I think Darren waved back.I was panicking.
I thought i was finished, i was scared.I have been caught in a rip before but this was different.That time i thought that if i went under someone would rescue me.This time i felt 1 million miles away and nobody could save me.There were no life guards no flags nearby...Darren and Sophie were chatting away just 50metres away.
And i was drowning.My legs were so tired from the run my arms weren't taking me anywhere.I really thought i was fucked as the big waves started to crash on me.
I heard a bell ... a surfing contest was on ... a surfer was making his way out back the quickest way he could...through the rip!
Oh my god he's seen me!
Shit no mellow drama here he gives me a hand up onto his board and takes me in.

Cant remember much from then on.Regained my sense of humour quickly and was making jokes again...Darren and Sophie thought i was showing off by going so far out...
Was shaking for ages.

Went home and slept the sleep of the dead and went to work that night exhausted again.Drained just by the thought of it all...Monday i had the day off all physical activities.

Tuesday sort of recovered no rest for the wicked must mow my lawns today...
Race tonight at 5:45pm 5km XC.First i may go and see Stalky at Bulli for a training session but take it really easy.

Thats all R2B

13 comments:

2P said...

Geez R2B that was close!

Hope the knee and the nerves recover soon ;-)

BTW nice long run.

Samurai Running said...

Holly ---- R2B

That was a close call. I'm a surfer and I know how easily one can get in trouble. As they say, what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger.

Takecare!

Lulu said...

What a way to recover from your long run! Glad you made it back safely.

Becky O said...

Isnt it great when you crack a PB in training. That will give you confidence the next time you race.

What a scary story, its amazing how powerful the ocean can be.

Good luck with the KJ's race tonight. Amazingly the Albion Park venue is the only one I never competed in and it was only down the road.

Glad to hear your considering the Coastal Classic. Should be lots of fun :)

Tesso said...

Oh crap! That is really scary. Really really scary. I can't begin to imagine what was going through your mind out there.

So were you 'between the flags'? I guess you must've been close if there was a surfing contest on.

Anyway, back to running. You need to enter a half marathon and offically smash that PB of yours!

Good luck in the 5k.


PS I'm still freaked out about the near drowning thing.

Ewen said...

Bloody hell R2B - we might have been reading "Runner drowns after long run" in the papers!

Glad you're still with us.

You'd better stick to paddling knee-deep in the surf, or sleeping on the comfortable concrete.

Spark Driver said...

Wow that is freaky. Gave me goose bumps and tingles as I read it.

No Triathalons planned for the near future i suppose??

Anonymous said...

For starters, nice long run and surely that half-marathon pb wont' be a pb for much longer.

Serious stuff there in the water and I'm glad things worked out.

Clairie said...

You have just outlined my worst nightmare - being taken by a rip and drowning in sea. I see/hear of it happening all the time here in QLD and always think it will be me. After a big scare like yours a few years back I now stick to where my feet touch in the ocean. Only deep end I go in is in the local pool!!!

TD said...

Thank god that story had a happy ending there R2B. As Tesso said, very very scary. Just wonderful for us, and especially for your family, that you are still here to tell the tale!

Black Knight said...

Nothing can defeat the Primo Assassino. Now you are also the first seal of the Black Knight Army.

runliarun said...

Glad you're still among us :). Quite an experience. Did you feel different since?

speedygeoff said...

No lack of thrills and danger there. A tad too much danger I'd say. Maybe the lake is OK after all, full steam ahead and damn the algae.