Notes
Wanted to give myself one last chance to crack 19 minutes. I really don't like this course and today it was run in reverse with the first half keeping south. This meant a steeper incline just before the turn around. Wind definitely cold have been worse; it was mostly from the west around 15 km/h so I felt it in my face running out. There wasn't really anyone to run with although at about the 1.5K mark I started passing hoards of 10k joggers that started 5 minutes earlier. This forced me to do a bit of weaving (maybe more than I have done in any previous race) until the turnaround.
First K felt ok but it seemed like I started slowing towards the end of it and despite my efforts just couldn't pick up the pace anymore. Legs were feeling sort of dead but nothing in particular was a bother. The incline just before the turnaround took a lot out of me and force my breathing to accelerate which lasted pretty much the rest of the race. I figured I got to the turnaround about 7 seconds off pace but was hoping my Garmin wasn't measuring the course accurately.
By the 4th K I was suffering but also aware that my pace had been increasing and I wasn't cramping so figured with a strong finish I could still get under 19. I passed by the 4th K marker with a 3:44 and my Garmin beeped a good 5 seconds later so I knew it was measuring the course short. This gave me confidence to continue pushing. I looked at my watch at 4.2 and 4.6, seeing that I was holding mid 3:40's. With 18:00 on he watch I could see the finish so knew I had it. Saw the cock at 18:30 and gave everything I had to the finish. Closed he last 400m in about 1:26. Despite not hitting the 18:30s I am pleased with the effort on this course as it is always windy and there is never anyone to run with + this race involved a lot of weaving.
Feeling very tired after and am ready for a break.