The Winery Ride with Orica Green Edge or That Hill and That Heat belong in HELL!!

To quote directly from the event website...

Ride alongside the ENTIRE 2014 ORICA-GreenEDGE Team & members of ORICA-AIS through the beautiful Nagambie winery region and challenging Strathbogie Ranges.

As part of the preparations for the 2014 season ORICA-GreenEDGE and ORICA-AIS would like to invite you to join them on their training camp and ride through one of their favourite regions in Australia. Reminisce on the 2013 season that was, the Tour de France stage wins, the 4 days on the coveted 'Malliot Jaune' and help welcome some new faces to the team. 

There are new rides this year - 138km, 48km and 24km as well as the Children's ride around the Winery - so there really is something for everyone.

With my Ironman training well underway, this seemed like the perfect event to kick start my long rides.  It was my third hilly mass participation ride of this year, the previous 2 being the Great Ocean and Otway Classic Ride and the Amy Gillett Ride.

I had a look at the map and the profile of the climb, and thought that there was absolutely no way i was going to be able to climb with the gearing i have on the TT bike...so the roadie got to borrow the race wheels for the day! (Note the compact chain ring...that was a god send at certain stages of the climb - but more about that later)

I really didn't think the logistics of this through when i entered, so it was a very early start! But hey, i love a road trip!!

Alarm went off at 3:30 am, on the road by 4, and coffee & sunrise at a roadhouse by 5:30...brilliant start to the day!

I arrived at Mitchelton Winery at about 6:45 and was greeted by the early morning sun warming all this potential wine...

So the ride itself.  The first thing i did before the ride was check out the climb.  So onto Strava i go.

The main part of the climb was as follows...7.2km in length, 426m elevation gain, average 6.1% (remember that word average!) Which on paper didn't seem too bad... Oh, and there was also a 2.7km, 99m gain, 3.6% on the descent (and here was i think descent referred to going down!!)

The general consensus was that The Climb was a Cat 2 climb... with the ascent on the descent being Cat 3.
Here's the link to how Strava categorises climbs -->> Click Linky

As you can see from the pic below, The Climb starts at about half way through the ride. And from the top, the trip home is mostly downhill into Seymour, before the relatively flat ride home.

Just as an aside, i'll also put the temperature during the ride in...

As you can see it was a pleasant 20 degrees at 8am for the start, got to 30 just after i started the climb, peaked at 39at one stage, before returning to 35 for the run home.  I think those 3 little dips on the last 45 minutes are when i stopped under trees to try and cool myself down, but thanks to the hot northerly wind that really didn't work...

Now to the actual riding...

The first 70 km or so was largely uneventful, with some gentle rolling hills and wonderful views of the countryside.  The serenity was however broken every now and again by impatient and inconsiderate sods in cars who were less than impressed to see hundreds of cyclists on their roads - but on the whole the car drivers were quite good.

My plan was to use the ride as part of my IM training program, so Zone 2 HR and try not to sit in packs and draft.  Well...that was the plan...until i left my HRM at home, oh well.  I figured I know my body well enough to distinguish between 6hr pace and "ride like you stole something" pace.  With that in mind i went out relatively easy, remembering that i had a nuts hill to climb at the 70 km mark.

By the time i reached the bottom of the climb my average pace was above 30kph, and i still felt fresh...

<<cue dramatic music>>

BOTH OF THOSE THINGS WERE ABOUT TO CHANGE!!

As i mentioned earlier, the climb was 7.2 km long, averaging 6.1% grade.  It soon became apparent that, as with most climbs, every time you came across a section of easy climb (i.e. less than 6.2%) you would be paying for it later!

I can't really remember every detail of the climb, but there were bits that were hard, bits that were punishing, bits that were very punishing and then the other bit! 

I was going pretty slow at this stage, maybe in the order of 6km/h, the i rounded a corner and the road got steeper...i'm not going to print the words that came out of my mouth - but about 7 seconds later, as the rider behind me rounded the corner a similar sentence was yelled!

Ok...go! I gave it absolutely everything i had, and for a while managed to not slow down...then i slowed, i looked at the Garmin, and it was slowly dropping 5.5km/h, 5km/h...ok time to get out of the saddle and drive the bike up. Yeah...Nah...just at that point my quads gave me an ultimatum...they would either hold me up, or power the bike, NOT BOTH! So down i sat, 5km/h, 4.5 km/h...ok, this is getting stupid. Looking up the hill about 20m i see two other cyclists - 1 walking, 1 riding...both at the same pace. Back to the Garmin 4.1km/h - that's enough...off the bike i get... I started walking, i managed a huge 4.5 km/h - i was walking faster than i was riding!! 

I reached the break in the slope, where the road eased from insanely steep to ridiculously steep, so back on the bike i got. And off i rode at a super fast 7-8km/h!!

(Just as an aside, on roads that steep snaking up the road from side to side it is a great way to keep going. However, in this case as the roads were open to traffic, and there were numerous blind switch backs - it just wasn't a safe option.)

I've had a quick look at the ride data and the best i can work out is that grade was at 23.5% at that point. (The section of road that was at 18.5% i actually managed to ride - not fast, but i stayed up right!)

And then after 44 minutes and 36 seconds...it was over! I'd covered 7.2 km at an average speed of 9.7km/h. I can fairly confidently say, that was the toughest hill i have ever climbed!!

Then it was time for the descent...but that wasn't all down hill! Huh...WTF...why is there a 2.7km section which rises at an average of 3.6% on a descent - i thought descent meant down!!  Compared to the previous climb it was actually quite an easy climb ... but having said that the 16% pinch did hurt a little!! 

The descent finished at around 102 km, which was followed by a 12 km stint due west, back through Seymour. With a howling north wind, this section was tough. I was basically riding alone, which was mentally tough after 5 hours, but i was still going forward.

At about 114 km the road turned around to the north, the wind was probably blowing about 20-30kts and it was 39 degrees!  IT WAS HOT!! And I had 24 km of this left before the finish!

There was an aid station at about 118k, at which point i sent Claire a text saying "Hey ya, 20k to go. All good."

Well, i spoke to soon! Just after i left that aid station, i started getting stomach cramps and couldn't ride. So off the bike i got, I really didn't know what was going on. There was nothing i'd had that i hadn't used before - but that didn't matter, i just needed to get to the finish. I was too scared to eat or drink anything for fear of vomiting. So i got back on the bike and started again.

This on the bike, feeling like shit, getting off the bike, resting, getting on the bike...repeat...went on for about 45 minutes until my stomach finally felt ok again.  So i started drinking water (with electrolyte) again.  By the time i reached the entrance to the winery, i actually felt good again and maybe could have continued... ;) 

In short, the last 20km took 1 hr and 5 minutes! Very slow going for a flat stretch of road!!

Here's the Strava link to the ride.

Looking back now, i think i was dehydrated and that was causing issues.  I was good with fluid intake for the first 70k, but i don't think i drank enough on the climb, the descent or the stretch back to Seymour.  That was 2hr 45min and i think i probably drank 2 full bidons, so about 1.5 litres. I probably should have been drinking that much per hour!!

Looking back at the ride, i was very pleased with both my general fitness and cycling fitness.  My nutrition went according to plan, as even toward the end when i felt crap, i didn't feel low on energy.  I just need to ensure i have enough hydration for the conditions.

I really enjoyed the challenge of the climb.  I'd like to have a crack at that climb again - but think i'll do it on a cooler day :)

Oh, and i also got to have a bit of a chat with Matt Goss, Simon Gerrans and Daryl Impey which was pretty cool.

Weekly Update and The Kids Run with Thomas

Seeing it's only Friday, i'm going to include last Sunday in this (first) weekly update. And it's getting late on Friday, and i'm falling asleep so it's going to be brief.

Last Sunday began with a trip to the hills so the kids could do the Run with Thomas (the Tank Engine) Fun Run.  The runs were pretty short, but the kids had a great time anyway!

And yes, it was damn cold!!!

My training since then has been:

• Sunday arvo - 1.5 hr run
• Monday - 1 hr bike on trainer, followed by 15min run
• Tuesday - 1 hr swim
• Wednesday - 1 hr trainer ride in the morning
• Thursday - 1.5 hr run
• Friday - 1 hr swim

A couple of the sessions i've struggled, but most of it has been targeting low HR endurance work, so i was just concentrating on holding form and keeping on keeping on!

Saturday is supposed to be my long run and an hour ride, but i'm thinking an easy ride/run brick session of 1-1.5 hrs, so i'm relatively well rested for Sunday's 140km Winery Ride with Orica Green Edge.

Also, I'm tipping i'm going to be a little sore come Monday morning, so i've booked in to see my physio first thing Monday.

The one thing that i may need a little assistance with is my diet.  I'm happy that it's pretty well balanced as far as Carbs, Protein and Fats go - but i'm still a little unsure on how much i should be eating and when.

Also pretty happy with the energy i'm using while training.  I'm trialling a mix of things in solid, liquid and gel form so i can see what my stomach likes and dislikes.

Until next time, happy training!!

Update - My Ironman Training Plan.

If i've done my maths correct, it's just over 18 weeks until my first Ironman triathlon!!

In the past few months my training has been a little spasmodic, with a niggling injury which required a bit of time off running (and missing the Melbourne Marathon), a week away for work, the 3 week road trip to the Sunshine Coast to do the Noosa triathlon -->> Linky to blog post! ... and as i write this, i'm just getting over a few days of stomach bug which has left my with absolutely no energy at all! (Oh, and we're away for the weekend, with minimal scope for training).

Hopefully come Monday, i'll be feeling fresh and ready to go!!

I've based my training program on the plans presented by Don Fink, in his book Be Iron Fit.

 

The main thrust of the program is that you will spend your day racing in your endurance / fat burning heart rate zone, so make your body effective at burning fat. This is achieved by doing 90% of your training in that HR zone.  

The program builds from 12 hours a week to 20 hours a week, before tapering over the final 3 weeks.  I believe the key is the increasing length of the zone 2 training, with an also increasing zone 4 (verging on anaerobic) intensity slotted into the end of most sessions.

I really have no idea whether this program is going to be sufficient to get me through or not. But apparently it's tried and tested, so i just have to believe it will and follow it! 

Three weeks before race day, the program calls for over 5 hours on Saturday backed up with over 7 hours on Sunday. If i can get through that and be fresh (?) enough for my next session, i'll know i'm ready for the Ironman!!

As well as the physical training required, nutrition is also VERY important...but that's for another blog post!

Progress, Injury and a DNS waiting to be...

Let's recap the last line of my previous post...

And most of all - fingers crossed i can remain injury free.

...when will i ever learn!!!

Those who follow my Facebook page... gratuitous click here for link to my Facebook page ;) ... will be well aware that recent weeks have been injury riddled... Nothing serious, just recurring injuries that i can't seem to shake.

Apart from my dodgy knee (which i'm hoping tomorrow's physio visit will fix) things have been progressing well.

I've been spending a bit of time in the pool and my swim is feeling better than i can remember.

I haven't been spending long hours on the bike, opting at this stage to work on some short sharp high intensity trainer sessions. The few times i have been on the TT bike, it's felt good - love the Trinity, it feels so fast and smooth. I'm looking forward to getting some long rides happening pretty soon.

And the run...well apart from the injury...i'm really pleased.  I'm starting to get some nice distance without pulling up too sore.  20k runs through the trails and hills are becoming the norm, and the progress toward the Melbourne Marathon is on track... 

I really believe the splitting my running between the Vibrams and the pseudo-minimal Brooks is paying dividends.  I'm comfortably running 8-10k in the Vibrams and really notice the change in style to a more natural fore to mid-foot strike.

Unfortunately, due to the knee injury i'm not confident that i'll be racing at Hazelwood this weekend.

Fingers crossed i'm running at full tilt again soon and can continue to build toward the Melbourne Marathon and Noosa.  I might even try to convince a few other people who are competing at Noosa to do a practice Olympic distance race in late September / early October... It's not that cold in bay, surely i'm not the only crazy one ;)

Until next time, happy training!!

Starting to tick the running boxes...

After the last nine days, i'm finally starting to feel like my run is getting under control, and feeling almost natural...

To summarise, last weekend was made up of 19.2 km around the hilly trails at Lysterfield, followed by 3 km off the bike on Sunday.

And this week, i managed 59.5 km, comprising:

• Monday - 6.2 km off the bike (in the Vibrams);
• Tuesday - 15.1 km (low/endurance HR)
• Thursday - 8 km (just got out and ran in the storms)
• Saturday - 3km with Jamesy at Kid's Run Melbourne (did the run ahead, take photo, repeat thing - which is getting harder now that he's running 5:05 min/km) followed by 22.2 km around the local, soft, flooded, local trails in the pouring rain... (low/endurance HR)
• Today (Sunday) - 5km Run Melbourne with Claire (easy run in Vibrams)

 The long slow runs are feeling good. Although i was pretty much shot after 22 km, i was feeling like that with a bit more time and a few more km's under my belt i could have kept on going for another hour or two - which is kind of lucky considering what i've got planned.

As i sit here and type this, my legs are feeling a little tired and sore - but nothing a day's rest and a few sessions with the foam roller won't fix!

Also, since i finished reading Christopher McDougall's Born To Run, i've wanted to find out all i could about barefoot / natural running.  I found, and have recently started reading Danny Abshire's Natural Running: The Simple Path to Stronger, Healthier Running and have also got Scott Douglas' The Runner's World Complete Guide to Minimalism and Barefoot Running: How to Make the Healthy Transition to Lightweight Shoes and Injury-Free Running...

No doubt, i'll talk about these two books once i've finished reading them!

It was great to do the Run Melbourne 5 km with Claire. She put in a hard fought run and ended up beating her goal time - i'm so proud of the effort she put in! And to finish off here's a Selfie of Claire and me after Run Melbourne...

Time to drop the "Of course I can eat that, I'm an athlete" attitude...

Since forever, i've pretty much eaten whatever i like. 

And my morning tea, more often than not, resembled something like this...

I've always been fairly active, and when combined with a fast metabolism, i've never had weight issues.

A few years back i realised i'd stacked on a few pounds. Ok, so peaking at 88 kg at age 38 wasn't too much of an issue, but it was 10 kg heavier than i was 10 years earlier and i knew if i didn't get active the weight would keep on adding up...

So long story short, i ended up semi-seriously running and doing triathlon.

Within a year my weight was back down to a more respectable 75 kg.  And it kind of oscillates between the low and mid 70's depending upon what i'm up to.

With my weight back down to a manageable level and training more than every other day i adopted the "OF COURSE I CAN EAT THAT, I'M AN ATHLETE" attitude...

However, now my training is getting more serious, and i'm trying to enter the realms of ultra/endurance events it's time i re-thought this strategy.

I'm trying to become A Finely Tuned Machine...ok, a semi-serious MOP (middle of the pack) athlete, and accordingly i should treat my body as such.

I've been reading about Paleo, Clean Eating, etc, trying to work out what I "should" and "shouldn't" eat...

So it appears that "The Rules" are pretty simple...

1. Reduce Alcohol...yeah, ok...i'm currently doing Dry July, and even when i'm not 5am training kinda sux when you're hung-over... TICK!
2. Reduce Processed Sugars...step away from the sweets jar...TICK!
3. Reduce Salt...don't really have salt, still need to look into salt tabs to reduce those lost during training...can i get them salt reduced ;) ...TICK!
4. Reduce Saturated Fat...main culprits - apart from the obvious "treats" are apparently dairy and meat - don't do dairy (lactose intolerant) and we eat lean meat...TICK!
5. Reduce Refined Grains...steer clear of white bread, white rice, white pasta, and go for "whole" grain varieties...NOT TICK!! Can improve here!!
6. Reduce Processed Foods...not too bad here, eat mostly fresh...Breakfast Cereal...???...PARTIAL TICK!
7. More Fruit and Vege...pretty good here, snacks are generally from this area...TICK!
8. More Water...happy with my water intake...colour chart says i'm well hydrated most of the time...TICK!
9. More Green Tea...generally have Green Tea on the go most of the time...TICK!
10. More Whole Grains...kinda will be taken care of with 5...???...ALMOST TICK!

So looking at that i really don't eat too bad. Just need to:

• swap the white pasta/bread/rice for whole grain alternatives, 
• keep away from the lolly and treat jar, 
• show some restrain when Dry July is over, and
• sort out breakfast!

One thing i'm going to need to see if i can find are some alternatives to energy gels...but on the other hand, if i'm in need of an energy gel, that's because i've used all my stored energy and need the energy from that high processed sugar right then and there!! (Maybe???)

If anybody can help me out here, please feel free to comment. 

Why am I training, and why have i entered an Ironman....Putting it all into perspective!

I read an interview with successful triathlon coach Brett Sutton on First Time Ironman (firsttimeironman.com) Linky Here and i thought i'd share his answer to the first question...

Thank you for taking the time out to chat with us.   Your training philosophy has been called different to a lot of other coaches in the sport, could you explain the core principles that have made you such a successful coach?

My philosophy is very simple there is no difference between a pro and an age grouper. Its just the time one has to train, and the speed at which one goes. Everything else is the same.

So we first need to work out if you’re a pro, or you’re an over exuberant age grouper, or someone that is doing the sport for the benefits that the three interconnecting sports can provide us with. In enhancing our life style, all three are very different . Somehow triathlon has grown as all three are one and the same under the life style heading 

This is very misleading to the participants themselves. We have life stylers thinking they are pros, we have age groupers who act out their life as pros to the detriment of those around them and we have those who do the sport for its health benefits.

Our philosophy is to look as a life coach at each athlete’s circumstance then manufacture a program that enhances their abilities with in that frame work. We do that from a nicola spirig, down to the slowest age grouper. The philosophy stays the same.

This got me thinking...

Firstly, why do i (triathlon) train?

Secondly, why did i enter Ironman?

Thirdly, which of Brett's groups do i fit into?

So, why do i train?? 

A few years back i realised that between the ages of 28 and 38, i'd put on 1 kg each year - i know...massive! Yeah, not really, but i could see a trend starting which i knew i needed to arrest.  So i started running a little more regularly.  I'd always jogged and rode my bike for a bit of fun, but thought i should get a bit more serious.  Soon i realised that my knees couldn't handle too much running.  I'd done some tri's in my distant past - why not give that a crack again... So, yep...GO!!

Over the past few years i've done a handful of fun runs - longest being a 28k trail run, and a few triathlons - most notably 2 Olympic distance races.  

This leads perfectly into the next question...

Why did i enter Ironman??

There's a number of reasons i decided to enter an IM...some valid / some not...

• because it's there
• growing up loved watching Mark Allen and Dave Scott at Hawaii
• inspired by this year's "everyday people" competitors
• do it now while my knees still allow the training km's required
• life can only get busier
• i enjoy swimming / cycling / running
• the challenge
• and it doesn't hurt for the kids to see me being active

Notice that i haven't entered for such reasons as:

• break x hours
• qualify for Kona

They are valid reasons...but they're not for me.

So, which of Brett Sutton's groups do i fit onto??

We have life stylers thinking they are pros, we have age groupers who act out their life as pros to the detriment of those around them and we have those who do the sport for its health benefits.

I fit well and truly into the third group - i do the sport for its health benefits!  

I need to remember this, and not get sucked into the second group...

I can and will get up early on the weekend to do my long runs and rides, leaving the rest of the day free. 

And I will train, before and after work, during the week when commitments allow.

But what i won't do is worry if I miss a training session...

My family comes first!

My 2 Bays 2013 Trail Run Experience (or If you can't be good at it, at least look good doing it) - REPOST

This was first posted on my other blog - but it thought it was worth a re-post here for obvious sporty reasons.

First a warning: I didn't know whether i was going to write this because it's very self indulgent in a "look at me, i injured myself but still finished" sort of way... But that was my race, and i wanted to record it.

The 2 Bays Trail Run is an event which is largely ignored by the mass participation event runners - but carved into the calendar for all local, and some interstate, trail / endurance / adventure racing types. 

It's a run of either 28km or 56km, depending upon your level of endurance or insanity. (My kids refer to my mate Graham, who came down from Qld to run, as crazy Graham - because he's doing the 56km...AGAIN!) 

The run, as the name suggests, follows the 2 Bays Trail - commencing at the Information Centre in Dromana and finishing near the lighthouse at Cape Schank. Well, it does for the 28km participants, the 56km runners start and finish at Cape Schank, dropping in at Dromana to turn around!

Apart from the trip up Arthur's Seat, which climbs in excess of 300m in 3km, the remainder of the trail would be best described as gently undulating (another ~360m of gain and ~600m of loss, in 25km).  The trail itself comprises numerous conditions underfoot, including shifting gravel, loose sand, boardwalk, fire trail, and packed sand with tree roots.  Just enough variation to ensure you spend most of the time carefully placing your feet to avoid coming unstuck...

The course and profile dump from my Garmin

The race itself commenced at 7am, and with my mate Graham (down from Qld to race - so Claire and the kids were his support crew also) running the 56km, required two drop off points prior to the start.  As his start was also the finish, it made sense that i'd get dropped first. So hello Dromana, it's not quite 6am - how you doing?

Luckily Steve from fstop5.com was also at Dromana early to catch me looking excited, nervous, clean...but most of all bright, in my Hawaiian Shirt. Little did i know, that would be the last time i smiled until the end was in sight... 

Looking nervously excited pre-race
Most photos courtesy of fstop5.com

Why on earth would you wear a Hawaiian Shirt to run 28km? i hear you ask (after asking why i would run 28km in the first place - why not)

To add a little colour and fun to the trail run, those wearing beachy type gear got to start at the front of the pack. So i figured i'd follow my sporting motto of "If you can't be good at it, at least look good doing it"...and off to the front row for the start i headed.

There i am...front row LHS - ready to race!

I'm in the far left of shot, looking over my shoulder just to check i'm not about to
be overtaken by any kinder age children ;)

And as you can see, after going about 10m about half the field had already passed me - but that was all part of my strategy...

So here i was starting a 28km trail run...let's look at my running career for a second...

Number of trail runs i've competed... 1, 15km in length with 330m gain...

Number of times i've run more than 20km... 3, 1 1/2 marathon race and 2 training runs...

How often i run hills...hmmm, i live in a reclaimed swamp...

This could really hurt!! 

To be fair, i've done a couple of triathlons which took in the order of 3 hours (probably should've taken closer to 2:40, or so...but we'll overlook that) so i knew if i kept my HR under control, and didn't trash myself in the first 3km dash up Arthur's Seat i should be OK. Hence my slow conservative start.

OK...now i'm finding my rhythm...

OK...going alright, i've made it up Arthur's Seat. 

There's no other way to describe that climb except brutal - with an average grade in excess of 10%.

But on the upside that's half the elevation gain done with, just gotta get through the other 25km or so and i should be OK...how's that view!

Note my elbow is free from blood and my LHS isn't covered in dirt...this is about to change!

The view from the trail was simply amazing.  The path cuts just below Seawinds Gardens, so the view which is normally obscured by trees is open to enjoy...

However, when one is running along a path covered with loose shifting rocks i strongly recommend stopping to enjoy the view...unlike i did...

Photo from http://twobayswalk.blogspot.com.au/

One minute i was running along - watching the path in front of me - feeling quite strong, the next i was looking over the Mornington Peninsula...within a split second i was in the middle of the path, blood streaming (nah - let's not get too dramatic) trickling down my arm and in pain, unable to move my ankle.

I must say that the support and concern from my fellow runners was fantastic. For the next minute, or so, as i lay on the side of the path wimpering, almost everyone who passed asked if i was OK, could i walk, did i need a bandage, etc - it was great to see! It was only later that it was suggested i was probably in the way and slowing them all down, hence the concern was a polite way of saying "Get the &^%$ out of the way!!" ;)

So after feeling sorry for myself for a while, i decided i'd trained hard (well i'd trained) for this and was going to finish.  The fact i was 25km from the line, and i'd never run that far before, let alone with an ankle that wouldn't move, was completely irrelevant.

So tentatively off i set. It wasn't long before i realised that i could only run hobble/jog with a flat foot, which mean't walking sideways down all the hills and doing some hybrid limp-jog-shuffle on the flats and uphill...but i was going forward...

Nearing the 10km mark, saw the photographer so put in a bit of a jog

10km down in about 75 minutes...my slowest 10km ever, but i was making progress. Only 18km to go. I've run 18k before, i can do this...

At about the 11-12km mark, the leaders of the 56km race (having done 16-17km) started coming from the other direction - man, these guys and gals were flying!!  I remember seeing Graham, luckily i was going uphill so i could actually run - once again, it's all about how you look when your mates see you. He was looking strong - a well inside the top 10!

It was great to see and hear the top 56km runners yelling support as they passed by. Having your name on your number bib is great...running along hearing "Go Tim" or "Go Hawaiian Shirt Dude" definitely gave me a lift.

There were also a few aid stations and road sections where you got contact from supporters - although most were there to support "their" person, they were generally cheering everyone.  You could hear the noise building from about 5 minutes away, and when you passed by the cheering, combined with your name was fantastic!!

So on i struggled, through some amazing scenery, just ticking away the km's...

20km down in about 2 hours 30 minutes...all i was thinking here was if i can get home inside 4 hours, it'll be auto entry next year! 8km...90 minutes...seemed achievable...

Now my foot really started to hurt. Previously i was able to do more limping-jog than walk, but now it was shifting - it was definitely more walking. The 6/7/8 min/km were being replaced by 8/9/10 min/km... just keep going forward... 

What was really frustrating was that as my foot was worsening i could no longer run on flats either, so it was walk on downs and flats, and jog uphill - which was pretty much the opposite of what everyone around me was doing - but on the upside, my energy levels were good and my legs were otherwise good, so when my ankle let me jog - i could!

25km down, 3km to go - those last 5km have taken me 43 minutes...oh look, the photographer...Run - ok, Jog...Smile :)

Bushranger's Bay - 25km gone...3km to go.  

The last 3km, took me over 27 minutes...i turned the final corner and i saw the finish gantry, then I saw Claire and the kids....i made it! 

Two thirds of the support crew!!

YEAH!! FINISHED!!!

Distance:     28km
Time:          3:37:18
Ave Pace:    7:49 min/km

I was hoping to go sub 6 min/km - so about 2:48...but i'd finished...

Bloodied and bruised...but very, very happy!

And enjoying putting the race medallion to good use...

CHEERS!!

The below video comes from http://wildplans.com/ and gives a great overview of the trail and the fantastic spirit of the competitors...

Thanks to everyone involved in putting on the race: the organisers, volunteers, and fellow trail runners, it's a fantastic event!!

As I write this, with my ankle ligaments trashed and hobbling around on crutches, I don't know whether I'll be around for the event next year, due to it being our normal family holiday time - but i'll definitely be running the trail again, i've got unfinished business!!