Spar Ladies Race 2011 & RESULTS

I ran my 6th consecutive Spar Ladies Race on 10 April. The 2006 race was my very first 10km event. I have managed to improve my time steadily every year, apart from a slight dip last year, not sure why I was slower then, but I suspect my emotional state at the time played a role, I'd just gone through a break up and was very heart broken. Anyway...

This year the boys wree keen to try the 5km event - mostly so they could get googie bags but still. So the 3 of us got up bright and early and went off to the BEllville Stadium to join the close to 20 000 people who had enetered. It was by far the biggest crowd they have ever had, and they pretty insanely decided to start BOTH the 5km and 10km at the exact same time this year. It was a little mad. Still I was fortunate (or cheeky?) enough to seed myself right in the front and just behind the serious competitive athletes. I was aiming for a PB so wanted a fighting chance of achieveing it and starting with 10 000 people in front of me was just not going to cut it. So I got off to a good start and had a good run. They reveresed the route this year which I was not thrilled about. I prefer it the other way where you end up with a lovely downhill run for the last 3km. I am really able to gain speed and make time on that. Unfirtunately this year that hill was at the 2-5km section, but I made the most of it. I'd mislaid my watch and had NO IDEA of the time while I was running, and when I saw the leader clock reading 28mins when I was at 6ish kms I calculated that I was not doing brilliantly. Still it was just 5 months post-broken ankle so I was just aining for a sub-60 mins if I could manage it.

So imagine my surprise when I slogged up the last km, rounded the corner in the stadium and saw the clock reading 50 minutes!!! I surged forwards and crossed the line at 50:45. A new Personal Best by 45 seconds! WooHoo! I was THRILLED!

best of all my mat Sean was commentating and was standing right there and he announced my PB to the crowd. I was a great race.

 

 

The boys had a fabulous time too, although they took it easy and finished in a comfortable 1:07.I love this race.

The official results of the Spar Ladies Race 2011 are now out.

My results over the 6 years I have run this race are as follows:

Spar Ladies Race 2006:
Total number of 10km finishers = 4351
- Me - #469 = 00:58:12 - so I just missed the top 10%.

Spar Ladies Race 2007:
Total number of 10km finishers = 3957
- Me - #204 = 00:54:16 - so I shaved nearly 4 minutes off my time, even though the course was tougher. I finished in the top 5.5% :)

Spar Ladies Race 2008:
Total number of 10km finishers = 4847
- Me - # 177 = 00:52:26 - top 3.65%

Spar Ladies Race 2009:

Total number of 10km finishers = 4667

- Me - # 148 = 00:51:35 - top 3.17%  

Spar Ladies Race 2010:

Total number of 10km finishers = 6509

- Me - # 212 = 00:53:02 - top 3.25%

Spar Ladies Race 2011:

Total number of 10km finishers = 9093

- Me - # 158 = 00:50:45 (officially listed as 51:01) - top 1.75% <--My NEW Personal BEST :)
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I am very happy with my result on this one. :) My friend Candyce finished 34th in a very impressive time of 41:08 !