2012 5000m Walking Race

Saturday 12 May

Today was the Caversham Club's annual 5000m walking race held at Forbury Park. It was a handicapped race based on your performance in the 1500m walking race held three weeks ago. I did not participate in that particular race but I was given a 7 minute handicap. The highest handicap was 12 minutes.

The weather was ideal as myself and two other walkers headed off at our designated handicap. Gordon, a particularly fine walker was given the same 7 minute handicap as he had not done too much walking in recent times. He took off and I never got close to him. When I do this particular event I try to get home before the starters behind me. This year three of the later handicaps passed me on the final 500 metres.

However I was pleased with my walk in a time of 35:40 and was placed 7th overall with the 6th fastest time.

Those North East Valley Hills

Yesterday we met at the Caledonian Ground and sorted ourselves into two groups. When Kieran announced we were doing the North East Valley hills, the fast pack suddenly reduced to 12 walkers. We car pooled to the Dunningham steps starting at 1.50pm. We walked up the steps and down Buccleugh Street back to North Road. We headed north to Blacks Road and this was our first descent. Once at Signal Hill Road we headed north again and down Dalmeny Street which is reputed to be the second steepest street in Dunedin. This street goes into Calder Street and back to North Road. Again we headed north and up and down Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world. It was north again for the last time and we climbed Arnold Street and back down to where we started the hill climb.

Kieran led us south back along North Road and we re-walked up (this time) Calder and Dalmeny Streets. Once we caught our breath we walked south along Evans Street and down Craigleith Street to North Road. It was a short distance to the Dunningham steps. We were caught off guard as we had to walk back up the steps and down again.

My legs were screaming when I got to the top of each hill. The 6.5km walk took around 70 minutes.

When I was dropped back at the "Cale" I wandered over to Logan Park to watch the Lovelock Relays. An annual event celebrating the gold medal effort by Jack Lovelock at the 1936 Olympic Games. Each Harrier Club enters teams of six runners. Each runner does four laps of the University Oval and my club Caversham has won the last two years and were after a three-peat. Caversham were 3rd after the first runner and moved to second place after the second runner. The team held this place behind Ariki until the last leg when Daniel Balchin overtook Calum Moody to win a great race.