Hello Walt,

and the rest of the WVJSers.  I did not write a Christmas letter this past
year to fill you all in on my running exploits in Kiwi Land.  The most
notable accomplishment of 2007 would have been a 10k I ran in a time of
37:29, which using my age graded tables I count as my first ever sub 33
minute 10k.  I finished in 8th place in the 50+ category of the Tasman Road
champs which got me named to the 8 person Tasman Tigers 50+ team to contest
the national road relay championship, but then I managed to injure my knee a
week later.  They managed a silver medal without me.

I am sending this note though because I am 'chuffed' as we say here because
I managed to win the Queen Street Mile held in Richmond on Sunday morning.
Only the 2nd time I have managed to win a race outright.  Competition was a
bit thin, there were only 16 entries in the division we jokingly called the
elite division.  I think most of the studs opted not to run this as there
had been a 5 and 10k in Richmond on Saturday afternoon.  So I managed to
finish 5 seconds in front of a teenage boy in a time 4:51, which would have
tied my lifetime best for a mile.  Unfortunately because one road could not
be closed to traffic the course had to be shortened, they said the distance
was .98 mile.  That extrapolates to a 4:57.  Sounds pretty good, but this
was a Danny Moon mile, downhill, and I am a bit suspicious it was a bit
shorter than they said.  10 years ago I managed a 5:03 on the course when it
was an accurate mile.  Substantial prize for first place, vouchers from the
two athletic shoe stores in town worth $50 each, a steak meal at the
sponsoring restaurant, plus a nice trophy.  So I guess I am a professional
athlete now.  Even with the short course I missed the race record by a
little bit.  In 1983 Rod Dixon of Nelson (Olympic Bronze Medallist in the
1500) recorded a 3:48.  Some of you oldies may remember the fact that later
that year he won the New York Marathon, the same day as the Hayward Half
Marathon was run, that race being a racer of the year event if I remember
correctly.

Don't think I will manage a visit this year, but I may be in the Bay area in
May of next year.

Cheers


Bob Rea
aka Thumper