10k 33.30 - NSW Road Champs!

Great day for running out in Homebush today, to be honest I really wasn't sure how I would run today and I really didn't care. I just wanted to get out there and run hard. I had a forced taper with very little running due to work, the parents in law in town etc.. So on Thurs and Fri I got throu' just 2 by 8k efforts followed by a few strides). After last weeks effort (17.10 5k coolrunning), I wasn't expecting much. Whatsmore Cara was all talk on Friday night which resulted in very little sleep before the race. In saying that i told Liv as I was leaving that I reckoned I would run well. What did that mean? Well I hooked up with Durante for an easy 3k warm-up and we discussed going out hard for the first km, running strong until 5k, holding pace until 8k and then go for our time goal. Anyhow Durante talked about aiming for 32.30 (making sure too dip under Tom's pb) and I told him I would be very happy with 33.30.
Pushed from the start of the race and ran side by side with Tucks for the 1st km which we covered in 3.06. I was pretty shocked and immediately pulled back (big mistake as I was pretty comfortable at 3.06) to get to 3.15-3.20 pace. So I let a good few people pass me (why did i allow that), ended up going throu' 5k 16.28. After that I don't recall anyone passing me and I ran on my own for the next 5k passing probably 3 0r 4 people. I like front running on my own but really need to start running in packs..) Anyhow I thought I ran stronger in the 2nd half but didn't as I finished in 33.30 (which in 17.02) for the 2nd half.
Some good runs from the HuRT squad - Durante I am delighted to say ran 32.07, must admit i always believed in the kid! Muz who ran in anger ran a super pb of 32.29, Tucks who's getting better by the week ran 32.37, Rich High 34.22, English Andy 34.26, Terence Bell 34.45 (first time under 35mins) and Jon Binfield in 34.55. Mike was crook today so wasn't really up for sub 35. Conor Hart my mate ran 42.41, Gerso my sis in law ran another pb in 45.30 and well done to Blue Dog 36.16 (a min pb awesome). Great to catch up with Rich Palmer, Timmy and Uncle Dave (who ran very close to his pb which is amazing considering his Canberra effort).
That's my offical pb, well my club Striders will recognise it...i know I have gone quicker but it was a low-key Twilight race (running 32.59) just before Dubai. Makes no difference as my goal for 2009 is 32.30....which i will get before the years out!
Where from here....well in I am in the middle of marathon training so it's all about building the kms and intensity over the next 6 weeks. Pretty happy with progress so far and talking to a few of the HuRT squad after the race, we all seem to be benefiting from running comfortably hard in training and NOT racing! I will taper for the next 10k and look for an improvement in North Head....lot of lessons from today....ended up running from Surry Hills in the arvo to Watson's Bay which took 60 mins...the build up of kms has started ;)