Well – 1st attempt at breaking my PB and I came close, but fell just short. I finished 9th in the Briggs Classic in 14.12 and to be honest, I never felt I would break my PB, despite coming close in the end. The race started slowly for the lead pack with a 2.53km and I stayed with the pack until about 2.5km where they started to gap me and I found myself leading round the 2nd pack (just like my last race – Zatopek 10km…!). I hit 3km in about 8.33 and so was still within PB touching distance (my PB is 8.30 pace though 3km) and while I tried to pick up the pace, I actually slowed a bit. I rallied reasonably well with a 63 last lap and held off the young bucks behind me (again like Zatopek 10k), but tweaked my hamstring in the final few metres.

I had one of those moments where you see someone coming back to you (in this case Swede Mike Ekvall) and although sprinting hard already, wondered if I gave it EVERYTHING I could get past him, and indeed, if I really cared about giving it everything. I was coming 10th, and I knew I wasn’t going to get a PB, so what was the harm in cruising in 10th? I got angry with myself for thinking about it, so went all out for the final 30m, and then felt a little ping in my hamstring. That’ll teach me…. At least I beat him though.

1 Brett Robinson 91 VICTORIA 13:43.13
2 David McNeill 86 VICTORIA 13:45.56
3 Ben St Lawrence 81 NSWIS 13:52.51
4 Jack Rayner 95 VICTORIA 13:55.14
5 Mitchel Brown 88 VICTORIA 13:59.73
6 Brenton Rowe 87 AUSTRIA 14:02.50
7 Duer Yoa 89 VICTORIA 14:04.05
8 James Nipperess 90 NEW SOUTH WALES 14:10.10
9 Ben Moreau 81 GREAT BRITAIN 14:12.31
10 Mikke Ekvall 89 SWEDEN 14:12.73
11 Riley Cocks 95 SOUTH AUSTRALIA 14:13.88
12 Stewart McSweyn 95 VICTORIA 14:14.74
13 Nick Wightman 85 VICTORIA 14:15.53
14 Craig Appleby 84 VICTORIA 14:20.97
15 Ethan Heywood 92 WESTERN AUSTRALIA 14:22.66
16 Reilly Shaw 95 VICTORIA 14:24.43
17 Joshua Tedesco 91 WESTERN AUSTRALIA 14:32.93
18 Alan Craigie 83 ACT 14:34.75
19 Dylan Evans 92 NORTH LAUNCESTON 14:41.56
20 Toby Rayner 86 VICTORIA 14:45.29
21 Grant Page 82 NORTHERN SUBURBS 14:58.04
— Michael Marantelli 87 VICTORIA DNF

The training build up:

Monday – PM – 69 mins home from work at 6.45/mile and 132bpm/148max  (10)

Tuesday – AM – 40 mins easy at 7.19/mile at 125bpm/137max (5.5)

PM – Track session – 3 x 2k alternating laps at 64/74 (5.40 per rep if we get it dead on), off 5mins . Felt really comfortable and ended with a 60 and got told off. We shared the pace but reps were 5.48, 5.43, 5.39. 153bpm/188 max. (8.5)

Wednesday – PM – 73 mins very easy with Nipper at 7.21/mile. Nipper always does a good of making me run slow so I choose to run with him on race weeks! 126avr/145max (10)

Thursday – AM – 35 mins jog into work. 7.17/mile and 136bpm/163max (5)

PM – 45mins back home from work again! Put 7mins pick up in at about 5.34/mile and in the 150s HR. (7)

Friday  – 30 mins easy at 7.18/mile and 127bpm/136max (4)

PM – Flew to Hobart.

Saturday – PM – 25 mins easy and some strides. (3.5)

Sunday – 5,000m Briggs Classic – 9th in 14.12. (8)

61.5 miles