Launceston 10 in 33.50

Really enjoyed my brief visit to Tassie. Arrived relatively early and was concerned as it was very windy and pissing down rain! Checked into the hotel and collected my bib and went straight to the flicks..! Timmy for one will want to know the movie, well went to a pre-screening of 'Brave'. To be honest I was checking it out for the kids, it's another cracking Pixar movie.
After that went to a small cosy Irish pub and watched the rugby, after a few pints of Guinness I had to remind myself why I was in Tassie. Same auld story for Ireland and Wales were no better. The only highlight of the Welsh game was Tuck's wife signing the Welsh national anthem.
Getting back to the race, the weather was more or less perfect. A little bit of wind but nothing too major. The start line was full of Olympians (Shelley, Dent, Jess Tregrove & Lisa Weightman). The 1st km is slightly downhill and I went through the 1st km in 3.08 feeling pretty good in a group of about 12 runners (including Weightman). The pace slowed for the 2nd km (3.15) and we went through the 3rd km in 3.19. At this stage, I was actually feeling good but fell off the back the group. This was a big mistake and Tom more of less told me in a very nice way post race as I went through the next 2km averaging 3.32 pace. So I went through half way 16.47 approx. At that stage I was joined by 3 other runners. Jess Tregrove urged a guy but he didnt go with her surge. I started to focus again and from there on in ran km splits 3.23, 3.21, 3.22, 3.22, 3.21 (i got the course 130m long, yep that's right Timmy). Anyhow I was surprised how comfortable it felt in the back half of the race but for the life of me couldnt go any quicker. It's probably related to the fact that a lot of my recent 10k efforts have bee run at this pace..!
2 weeks to the Gold Coast, it's time to taper now and get ready for the big dance..!!