Stubborn to the end, I insisted on going to the Lake Tuggeranong Stakes on Tuesday, 17 April. Without access to a car that day, I jumped on my Mountain Bike and, leaving very early, took a very leisurely ride down to Woden where I met up with the PRB and then onwards to Lake Tuggeranong. Although concerned that we would be late, we arrived at the start of the race with no one in sight and plenty of time to lock up the bikes, change and still have time to prepare.

That was the good news. I started off my correct handicap (around 6:00 minutes from memory), I had a new far-faster runner with me at my side to show the route. This was not ideal, as the pain was acute when I started and I grimaced as I pretended to be going OK. Just over a kilometre into the run, I had to cease and desist, knowing that there would be plenty of people along the way to show her the way

I couldn’t stop my teeth from chattering and my body shaking as though the onset of acute hypothermia was well underway. I tried to run again, although the shivering (shock type reaction) just got a lot worse. I stopped, and slowly walked back, returning to normal somewhat although still concerned with how I was going to get home.

Despite the DNF in such inauspicious circumstances, after a break and coffee I felt far more human and decided to give the cycle a go. Strangely enough, a gentle cycle didn’t aggravate the condition and I felt OK on the 24-odd km home, slow though it was.

It was over a week before I was able to venture out for another run. It was the BBQ Stakes on Thursday, 26 April – one of the rare events deferred due to the Anzac Day holiday falling on the regular Wednesday running day. I left early, anticipating a difficult run of things, walking a little, especially up the hills. For some reason however, I felt good and fresh from the outset, being surprised when I passed Friar fairly early on, and just kept on going.

I know that a pace well in excess of 5 minutes per kilometre is hardly going to light up the running community. Yet, at the moment I am thrilled when I can put in a performance around the 5 and a half minutes pace.

Looking at my watch as I went around the course, I didn’t have the usual barometers of being passed by the back markers and others around my handicap to judge my performance having left early.

Towards the end I thought that I was going pretty well though, and thought that I had the chance of a decent run. Although unable to break 34 minutes for the undulating 6km course, I was closer to the mark than I had been for longer than I care to remember. 2006 was not a good year running-wise. And my PB of 24:21 is a lifetime away.

I did do 33:54 in late July last year and similar times in the 33 minute range early in 2006. I was so rapt at the end I was on a high for days. I never thought that I would be so excited with a 5:40 min/km pace run – I was so much faster on my easy training runs! I was very pleased though, and have come to accept (sort of!) my slow paced racing.

Hey, at least I’m running, and I LOVE to run!