Monthly Handicap at North Curtin

Today:
Race Distance: 6.3 km plus warm up and cool down 3.9 km
Race Time: 26' 10" plus w/u and c/d 21' 34"
Race rate: 4' 09" plus w/u and c/d 5' 32" ave per km
Altitude gain / loss: 120 metres
Finished: 42nd
Weather: cloudy, temp 12-17 degrees, humidity 60%, wind calm
Week: 10.2 km
Feb: 285.6 km
Year: 718.95 km

Monthly handicap, 2nd of the year, a kind of mixture of surfaces. Mainly a bike path course but for those like me that prefer the dirt under their feet, plenty of places to run on the edge of the track.
Started off group 37, moved back 2 group after a good run in January. A group in time is about 25 seconds so I needed to pick up 50 seconds to maintain parity with last month. However, this run has a nasty start, most of the altitude gain is in the first 2 kilometres, where the horses look over the fence as runners go by. I see them when on training runs, but not today, too busy to look sideways.
Really happy with the up hill section, running at 4'36" pace ave over the 1st 2 kms to the top of the hill to gain nearly a minute on CJ in that first part. That was the end of the catching, past Kelley, Maria and Elle on the down hill, speed has gone from the legs, lucky to average under 4'00" pace for the next 4 kms.
Failed by 150 metres to catch CJ and Strewth by the finish. The competitive spirit showed with CJ passing Strewth right on the line to finish one place in front. Hope now they both go back a group for next time, maybe I will again have a chance to get near.
Overall, a good solid run, very happy with the up hill performance, not so with the flat speed, but you can't have it all when most of the training has been hills and mountains. Speed will come back when or if I run Canberra marathon and ultra.
That was my 149th monthly handicap, new T - shirt next month.