running long (Hallett Cove stair run) 1:37:00 [3] 15.8 km (6:08 / km)
shoes: Asics Gel 2150
I had really been looking forward to this run - Brighton to Hallett Cove with all the Road Runners, and all the stairs - but was already aware that I might struggle with it because of the way that my hamstrings were last night (worse after some of my core/strengthening exercises, it consistently seems) and the fact that I was pretty tired already just from riding to Brighton.
Started off on the beach but everyone else took the road so I had to try hard to keep up for the first 2km, then was doing okay with the stairs through the first couple of big ups & downs but coming up out of the 3rd one my legs just wouldn't carry me forward. I stopped to stretch for a few minutes while about 47 people went past me, then plodded onwards feeling very empty (apple + banana maybe not enough for breakfast?). I'd manage a couple of short flights of stairs in a row but then the lactic feeling would hit and I had to haul myself up the railing hand over hand. I know my hamstrings have made stairs a problem lately, but this was so much worse than I expected. A Nutrigrain bar at the turnaround point helped a bit. When Bridget re-passed me I tried to watch her motion to see what I was doing wrong but all I could determine was that she was much more fluent with her legs and confident with her feet. I couldn't face the beach on the way back so took the road, and tried hard, but Brighton Jetty seemed to take forever to come up...
Got thoroughly wet in the ocean afterwards which was very pleasant, then John/Simon/Bridget & I breakfasted at the place with all the Marilyn Monroe photos on the wall. Last year I mentioned that the post-run coffee was bad but didn't specify where; I think it was the same place and I should have remembered this - not that I could complain about getting croissant, coffee, chocolate slice and soft drink out of a $20 note (which was all I was carrying). Dropped past parents' place when riding home and unearthed their maps of Melbourne & Sydney to tell them about my respective weekends there; also gave them the dates of NOL & other races this year so they know when I'll be away!