I am a 27yr old ultra runner from Rockingham WA, married to Kate and we have a son called Noah. I run because I have a passion for it and I find freedom in pushing the limits of my ability.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Key Marathon Session this Week
This week I was planning on a 20k road run @ marathon race pace, or a little quicker. I had far from the ideal prep for it after eating some nasty Indian curry for lunch, which just didn't sit well with me at all. I felt really sick all afternoon, but by the time I'd started my run I was feeling somewhat better. It was extremely windy but I managed to push through 5k in 22.30 and then 10k in 44.20. At the 10k mark my stomach was not feeling good at all and by 12k I was vomiting in a bush next to the path. At this point I decided to just head home the quickest possible route and forget the 20k. Ended up with 17k in 1:19 so still an ok session even though not as good as I'd hoped. Oh well it happens, at least I'll be a little fresher in the morning.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The training begins
Well after the first week of my 8 week training block for the Caboolture 24hr race I feel fantastic. Although I didn't end up with as many k's as I thought I would, still very happy with 141k for the week. I didn't have any days with no running which I need to change this week. Looking to average about 150-160k/week over the next 8 weeks so although I didn't hit that this week was happy with the start. It was actually my second biggest week ever so didn't want to push things too much at the end. Confident that I can improve on that this week.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Finding Motivation
It's COLD in the morning these days and I am finding it really tough to get out of my warm bed for my regular morning sessions. This was a problem as I must do the training now for the Caboolture 24hr race, so I decided to leave my entry form on my bedside table. When the alarm goes off at 5am and I turn it off and think 'stuff it, it's just too cold this morning!' I see the entry form and think of how much it's gonna hurt running for 24hrs if I don't train for it. That always does the trick and I get up.
Main road session
Perth Marathon in a few weeks and although I'm not focusing on the race, I do want to put in a good performance. I've decided to include 1 targeted road session per week to prepare for it. Yesterday was my first TT in A LONG TIME so I really had no idea how it would go. I ran 10k hard and pulled off a 40:54, which is not far off my unofficial PB! What was even more surprising was my splits were 1st 5k - 20:54, 2nd 5k - 20:00, a 54 second negative split. Admittedly I was pretty tired after this but the 4k w/d really freshened me up and pulled up really well on this mornings run. Feeling more and more confident about a good Perth Marathon.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
My typical training week
'Typical' is changing at the moment, so I'll give you an idea of what my weeks will start to look like starting next week (after recovering properly from the 100k).
Mon AM - 20k PM - 6k
Tues AM - 12k (Tempo) PM - 6k
Wed AM - 15k (Tough hills approx 1:35 - Tempo)
Thur AM - 6k PM - Umpire training 3k (speed work + Strength/conditioning)
Fri AM - 6k
Sat - AM 50-70k Long Run (hills)
Sun - Boundary Umpire Football - 15k fartlek/threshold session
The aim is to not have any complete rest days although Thur/Fri are the times to recover before the run on Sat. I am still not entirely happy with this because I think too many of the weekly k's are coming from my long run so I might have to tweek it a little. Ideally I'd like a 60-70k long run and a 30k speed session as well (Maybe on the Tuesday?)
I umpire football which effectively gives me my speed work twice a week so I don't need any intervals/reps as such. Main Tempo run is Wed AM 15k, although it's probably a little far long but it's still a great session. Strength work is key to running Ultras, so things like push-ups, sit-ups, bridges, squats and lunges are included about twice a week.
The main factors with my training week is the Long Run and the total weekly k's. Based on my experience these two things play a huge role in be able to complete an Ultra well (key term is well, meaning to have a good race. Ultras can be done off less training but it will not be a 'good' race)
Training Benchmarks:
Goal Race Long Run Weekly k's (average, comfortably running)
42.2k 35k 60-70k
50k 40-45k 70-80k
40miles (64.4k) 50k 90-100k
50miles (80k) 50-60k 100-120k
100k 60-70k 120-140k
100miles (162k) 60-80k 140k+
24hrs (162k+) 60-80k 150-160k+
This should give you an idea of what to aim for in training. Long Runs with plateu at about 60-70k and after that it's really the weekly k's that take you further. Obviously people run these distance with less training, I'm certainly not saying it is impossible, but I believe the to have a 'good' race then these distances are a good guide. Personally I'm looking to enter into the final level, trying to move up to 160k/week for the Caboolture 24hr race in August. I'll post how my training in going every week.
Mon AM - 20k PM - 6k
Tues AM - 12k (Tempo) PM - 6k
Wed AM - 15k (Tough hills approx 1:35 - Tempo)
Thur AM - 6k PM - Umpire training 3k (speed work + Strength/conditioning)
Fri AM - 6k
Sat - AM 50-70k Long Run (hills)
Sun - Boundary Umpire Football - 15k fartlek/threshold session
The aim is to not have any complete rest days although Thur/Fri are the times to recover before the run on Sat. I am still not entirely happy with this because I think too many of the weekly k's are coming from my long run so I might have to tweek it a little. Ideally I'd like a 60-70k long run and a 30k speed session as well (Maybe on the Tuesday?)
I umpire football which effectively gives me my speed work twice a week so I don't need any intervals/reps as such. Main Tempo run is Wed AM 15k, although it's probably a little far long but it's still a great session. Strength work is key to running Ultras, so things like push-ups, sit-ups, bridges, squats and lunges are included about twice a week.
The main factors with my training week is the Long Run and the total weekly k's. Based on my experience these two things play a huge role in be able to complete an Ultra well (key term is well, meaning to have a good race. Ultras can be done off less training but it will not be a 'good' race)
Training Benchmarks:
Goal Race Long Run Weekly k's (average, comfortably running)
42.2k 35k 60-70k
50k 40-45k 70-80k
40miles (64.4k) 50k 90-100k
50miles (80k) 50-60k 100-120k
100k 60-70k 120-140k
100miles (162k) 60-80k 140k+
24hrs (162k+) 60-80k 150-160k+
This should give you an idea of what to aim for in training. Long Runs with plateu at about 60-70k and after that it's really the weekly k's that take you further. Obviously people run these distance with less training, I'm certainly not saying it is impossible, but I believe the to have a 'good' race then these distances are a good guide. Personally I'm looking to enter into the final level, trying to move up to 160k/week for the Caboolture 24hr race in August. I'll post how my training in going every week.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
How I got into the Ultra Game
Well after a comment on the WAMC website, I thought it was time that I wrote down how I got into Ultrarunning. I am not intending here to write a book, but just outline my journey from couch potato to Ultrarunner. Hopefully you all enjoy the read.
I was always kind of a sporty person at school, into footy, cricket, soccer and anything else that was going. Strangely enough I was not a good X-Country runner at all, in fact x-country was the only sport that I didn't represent my school at (It was a small country school so don't think that I was a superstar or anything). Due a minor heart condition (pulmonary stimosis) I was not able to run more than about 1k without being forced to stop, I still have this condition now but it has stabalised.
After leaving school I basically didn't do much, although I did start to go running a little bit, generally 3k at a time and after some time managed to get my 3k pb down to 12:34. Late in 2003, My girlfriend's (now my wife) brother suggested I get involved in the Mandurah Triathlon Club, where he was a member and I thought that I sounded like a good idea so I started training. I was a strong swimmer but not fast, a good cyclist but not great and an average runner - needless to say my Tri career wasn't looking too good, but I was enjoying them.
2004 saw me enter my first 10k fun run @ Rottnest. I went over with Dave, John and Marcus who were all doing the marathon. This was the defining moment in my running career. I saw those guys running the marathon and was so inspired that I said afterwards "I'm coming over to do the marathon next year!" This was met with mixed replies like "it's a big step to take in 12 months," but I was determined. Yeah, and I ran the 10k in about 45:30.
After getting some advice (Don't forget that at this point I was just a young fella 20yrs old without a clue when it came to running) I started to gradually train for the Darlington half marathon. One of my greatest memories was when I used to work as the floor manager at a restaurant and worked split shifts. I would use my afternoon break to go for an 8k run which completely trashed me for my night shift at work, but it seemed to make me feel strangely satisfied. I continued with my triathlons at this point and was dreaming of one day doing an Ironman. I got engaged in Jan 2005 which added some pressure (and joy of course) to my life but continued to train studiously and at the tri club I was becoming a back of the pack swimmer, middle of the pack cyclist and a front of the pack runner.
My long runs were slowly increasing and I'll never forget my first time doing 21k. It was between a split shift and I had planned to do a 10k run but because I was feeling crook deside to just go and run around a 1k loop outside my house until I wanted to stop. When I got to 7k I thought I may as well do 10k and when I got to 10k I didn't really feel like stopping so I said "Just 1 more loop then I'll stop." 12k, 13k, 15k, 16k and when I got to 17k I though "Man, I'm only 4k off a HM!" and there was no way on earth I was stopping now. So I did my first 21k run around a 1k loop (21 times) whilst feeling crook and this was still about 10 weeks before Darlington.
After this effort I started to think that the Busselton Half Iron Man in May was possible so continued training hard for that. Darlington came and I had a goal of going sub 1:45, I managed to run 1:42 so was stocked with that. I developed some back problems not long after but that was more due to cycling than running and my HIM training started to suffer. The thing about getting married was that I realised how much it cost to do an IM so that was (and still is) a major influence in my decision to stop my tri training.
I didn't really do any other major races then until Rotto marathon in 2005, I had been running a lot with Dave and interesting to note that my longest run before the race was 31k on gravel roads with hills (and this was a once off, rarely going over 28k). My weekly k's were around 50-60k. The 2005 Rottnest Marathon was (and still is) the hardest race I have ever done in my life! I had trained a lot on trails and for those who don't know Rotto is a 100% road course. My Goal (ambitious as it sounds) was to run 3:30 - but realistically I just wanted to finish. By the 30k mark my legs were trashed, every step felt like someone was belting my legs with a wooden pole and I still had 12k to go. One of my curses is my stubborness and I refused to stop until I had finished. I crossed the line in 3:44 and basically collapsed on the ground and yes, there were some tears because it hurt so much! Needless to say my mother and wife were both a little concerned.
It took a while to recover after that, but a few weeks later, Dave came up with the idea of the six-inch track marathon in December, a 46k trail run from North Dandalup to Dwellingup along the Munda Biddi trail. So 2 months later I lined up for the inaugural six inch and my first Ultra. I can't actually remember my time but I think it was about 5:30hrs, pretty slow and yeah it hurt, but from that moment on I was hooked on the trails.
I started doing more and more trail running and in January 2006 Dave and I went from Dwellingup to Mundaring (about 200k) over 5 days alternating between I day running and 1 day cycling. This was my first 100k running week. Darlington Half again in March and then I took the plunge and ran my first 'official' Ultra - Bunbury 50k in May 2006, where I completed it in 4:18hrs. Perth Marathon in 2006 was my first time under 3:30 (3:28) and also the first time I felt really strong over the last 6k. Later in 2006 Dave and I ran the Waterous loop (65k) and I completed it in 7:15hrs. The funny thing was that it was only after this point that I started calling myself an Ultra Runner. Rottnest 2006 was 3:29 and Six Inch was 4:36.
2007 was my first dedicated Ultra Running year and began with 'Triple M' in January. 3 days, 3 marathons (45k, 47k, 48k) all on trails. Bunbury 12hr (Feb) was next and I struggled between 7 hrs and 9hrs to finish with 96.3k. The 40 miler (64k) was next in March and I ran 5:51 after aiming to finish in under 6hrs and I was starting to feel more confident about my Ultra Running. My training weeks were peaking at around 100-110k but some weeks were down around 50-60k. April saw the inaugural MB100k and I finished in 14:28. Felt good for 65k then developed a knee problem and limped home, basically as soon as I finished and sat in the car (maybe 3 minutes after finishing) I passed out and my wife had to check my pulse to make sure I was still alive. To this day my first 100k is the proudest achievement in my running career, there's just something about running the 3 figures.
3 weeks after the 100k was the Bunbury 50k where I had a great run to finish in 4:09 and run 4th overall. This was the first time I had been amongst the top end of the field (although I was a long way off 1st and 2nd) but it felt really good. It seemed that the longer the race the closer I was to the front of the field. The next major race was the Dwellingup 100 mile trail race so I started to ramp up the training, mainly the long runs. I ran 3 or 4 long runs of between 50-60k in the lead up but my weekly k's were still only around 110k. Not surprisingly, I became aware during the first half of the race that I would not be strong enough to finish and pulled out after 86k (11:15hrs) and crewed for Dave. That was a wake up call to me as I realised that although I had had a good year, if I wanted to start hitting the longer race's 100k and 100mile I needed to work a little harder. My age was a large factor, being 24 at this stage I needed to build up strength in my legs, core and upper body to be able to cope with the stesses of running all day/night.
2 weeks after my failed 100 mile attempt I blew up at Rotto to finish in 3:34 after a great first 30k (3:24 pace). 2 weeks after Rotto was Relay for Life in Mandurah where I completed 117k in 23hrs, not really a race, just a excuse to run 100k. 2 weeks later Dave and I set out to run from the Beach to the top of Bluff Knoll down south (86k) which we completed in abou 12hrs. The rest really is history with Six Inch 2007 in 5:31 (Ran with Mark B) and I had developed a fairly serious knee injury that really hampered my running for the next 2 1/2 months. At the 40 miler this year I had only run over 40k once since December 2007 and still managed to get home in 5:43 for a PB.
My knee has finally come good after a few trips to the Podiatrist and my training is really starting to pick up with the results showing. Bunbury 50k 4:02 (PB) MB100k (11:18 - huge PB). The focus now becomes the Caboolture 24hr Track race at the end of August. I have 3 goals in mind for this race. 1st - complete 100 miles (162k), 2nd - if I have a good race 180k, if I have a blinder 200k+ (200k is the national selection benchmark and my ultimate goal). Training at the moment basically consists of between 120-130k/week (increasing) with a regular long run of 60-80k. The goal is to get up to 160k/week within the next 4-6 weeks.
Final thoughts on the transition to Ultra Running.
The most important piece of advice I could offer on this subject is that running an Ultra is nothing like running a marathon. At the end of all of my marathons I couldn't imagine running another step. Don't think of a 50k race as a marathon + 8k or a 100k race as running a marathon, turning around and doing it again, then turning around and running another 16k. The dynamic of Ultra's is totally different, they are longer and generally much slower than marathon pace. Secondly Ultra running is about the experience, not the race. I find it harder to do 50-60k road races because they are races and my pace is quite quick. A 100k trail race is not as fast so not as much pressure and you can enjoy the experience of being in the hills all day. Finally I would encourage you to jump in a give Ultra Running a go. I did my first one (Six Inch 2005) only 2 months after my first marathon with little training in between - it was hard but still a fantastic experience. There are plenty of reasons to hold off on giving Ultra's a go and it's easy to phsych yourself out but they really are a great experience, one that you won't regret.
Well that's about all I'll say, I'm hooked (some might even say boarder-line obssesed). I love the fact that there is no distance too far that it can't be run, If you train hard you can accomplish things you never thought possible. 3 years ago I would never have thought it was possible to run 100k, now I am at the point where I can actually race 100k - pushing for a good time. I hope this all makes sense, my running journey has really only just begun and I've certainly got a lot to learn. I hope that by reading my story might allow you to think of your own story and be inspired to start testing your limits - whatever they might be. If your looking for a good introduction Ultra, Six Inch Track in December is for you.
Break the Mould - Test the Limits
I was always kind of a sporty person at school, into footy, cricket, soccer and anything else that was going. Strangely enough I was not a good X-Country runner at all, in fact x-country was the only sport that I didn't represent my school at (It was a small country school so don't think that I was a superstar or anything). Due a minor heart condition (pulmonary stimosis) I was not able to run more than about 1k without being forced to stop, I still have this condition now but it has stabalised.
After leaving school I basically didn't do much, although I did start to go running a little bit, generally 3k at a time and after some time managed to get my 3k pb down to 12:34. Late in 2003, My girlfriend's (now my wife) brother suggested I get involved in the Mandurah Triathlon Club, where he was a member and I thought that I sounded like a good idea so I started training. I was a strong swimmer but not fast, a good cyclist but not great and an average runner - needless to say my Tri career wasn't looking too good, but I was enjoying them.
2004 saw me enter my first 10k fun run @ Rottnest. I went over with Dave, John and Marcus who were all doing the marathon. This was the defining moment in my running career. I saw those guys running the marathon and was so inspired that I said afterwards "I'm coming over to do the marathon next year!" This was met with mixed replies like "it's a big step to take in 12 months," but I was determined. Yeah, and I ran the 10k in about 45:30.
After getting some advice (Don't forget that at this point I was just a young fella 20yrs old without a clue when it came to running) I started to gradually train for the Darlington half marathon. One of my greatest memories was when I used to work as the floor manager at a restaurant and worked split shifts. I would use my afternoon break to go for an 8k run which completely trashed me for my night shift at work, but it seemed to make me feel strangely satisfied. I continued with my triathlons at this point and was dreaming of one day doing an Ironman. I got engaged in Jan 2005 which added some pressure (and joy of course) to my life but continued to train studiously and at the tri club I was becoming a back of the pack swimmer, middle of the pack cyclist and a front of the pack runner.
My long runs were slowly increasing and I'll never forget my first time doing 21k. It was between a split shift and I had planned to do a 10k run but because I was feeling crook deside to just go and run around a 1k loop outside my house until I wanted to stop. When I got to 7k I thought I may as well do 10k and when I got to 10k I didn't really feel like stopping so I said "Just 1 more loop then I'll stop." 12k, 13k, 15k, 16k and when I got to 17k I though "Man, I'm only 4k off a HM!" and there was no way on earth I was stopping now. So I did my first 21k run around a 1k loop (21 times) whilst feeling crook and this was still about 10 weeks before Darlington.
After this effort I started to think that the Busselton Half Iron Man in May was possible so continued training hard for that. Darlington came and I had a goal of going sub 1:45, I managed to run 1:42 so was stocked with that. I developed some back problems not long after but that was more due to cycling than running and my HIM training started to suffer. The thing about getting married was that I realised how much it cost to do an IM so that was (and still is) a major influence in my decision to stop my tri training.
I didn't really do any other major races then until Rotto marathon in 2005, I had been running a lot with Dave and interesting to note that my longest run before the race was 31k on gravel roads with hills (and this was a once off, rarely going over 28k). My weekly k's were around 50-60k. The 2005 Rottnest Marathon was (and still is) the hardest race I have ever done in my life! I had trained a lot on trails and for those who don't know Rotto is a 100% road course. My Goal (ambitious as it sounds) was to run 3:30 - but realistically I just wanted to finish. By the 30k mark my legs were trashed, every step felt like someone was belting my legs with a wooden pole and I still had 12k to go. One of my curses is my stubborness and I refused to stop until I had finished. I crossed the line in 3:44 and basically collapsed on the ground and yes, there were some tears because it hurt so much! Needless to say my mother and wife were both a little concerned.
It took a while to recover after that, but a few weeks later, Dave came up with the idea of the six-inch track marathon in December, a 46k trail run from North Dandalup to Dwellingup along the Munda Biddi trail. So 2 months later I lined up for the inaugural six inch and my first Ultra. I can't actually remember my time but I think it was about 5:30hrs, pretty slow and yeah it hurt, but from that moment on I was hooked on the trails.
I started doing more and more trail running and in January 2006 Dave and I went from Dwellingup to Mundaring (about 200k) over 5 days alternating between I day running and 1 day cycling. This was my first 100k running week. Darlington Half again in March and then I took the plunge and ran my first 'official' Ultra - Bunbury 50k in May 2006, where I completed it in 4:18hrs. Perth Marathon in 2006 was my first time under 3:30 (3:28) and also the first time I felt really strong over the last 6k. Later in 2006 Dave and I ran the Waterous loop (65k) and I completed it in 7:15hrs. The funny thing was that it was only after this point that I started calling myself an Ultra Runner. Rottnest 2006 was 3:29 and Six Inch was 4:36.
2007 was my first dedicated Ultra Running year and began with 'Triple M' in January. 3 days, 3 marathons (45k, 47k, 48k) all on trails. Bunbury 12hr (Feb) was next and I struggled between 7 hrs and 9hrs to finish with 96.3k. The 40 miler (64k) was next in March and I ran 5:51 after aiming to finish in under 6hrs and I was starting to feel more confident about my Ultra Running. My training weeks were peaking at around 100-110k but some weeks were down around 50-60k. April saw the inaugural MB100k and I finished in 14:28. Felt good for 65k then developed a knee problem and limped home, basically as soon as I finished and sat in the car (maybe 3 minutes after finishing) I passed out and my wife had to check my pulse to make sure I was still alive. To this day my first 100k is the proudest achievement in my running career, there's just something about running the 3 figures.
3 weeks after the 100k was the Bunbury 50k where I had a great run to finish in 4:09 and run 4th overall. This was the first time I had been amongst the top end of the field (although I was a long way off 1st and 2nd) but it felt really good. It seemed that the longer the race the closer I was to the front of the field. The next major race was the Dwellingup 100 mile trail race so I started to ramp up the training, mainly the long runs. I ran 3 or 4 long runs of between 50-60k in the lead up but my weekly k's were still only around 110k. Not surprisingly, I became aware during the first half of the race that I would not be strong enough to finish and pulled out after 86k (11:15hrs) and crewed for Dave. That was a wake up call to me as I realised that although I had had a good year, if I wanted to start hitting the longer race's 100k and 100mile I needed to work a little harder. My age was a large factor, being 24 at this stage I needed to build up strength in my legs, core and upper body to be able to cope with the stesses of running all day/night.
2 weeks after my failed 100 mile attempt I blew up at Rotto to finish in 3:34 after a great first 30k (3:24 pace). 2 weeks after Rotto was Relay for Life in Mandurah where I completed 117k in 23hrs, not really a race, just a excuse to run 100k. 2 weeks later Dave and I set out to run from the Beach to the top of Bluff Knoll down south (86k) which we completed in abou 12hrs. The rest really is history with Six Inch 2007 in 5:31 (Ran with Mark B) and I had developed a fairly serious knee injury that really hampered my running for the next 2 1/2 months. At the 40 miler this year I had only run over 40k once since December 2007 and still managed to get home in 5:43 for a PB.
My knee has finally come good after a few trips to the Podiatrist and my training is really starting to pick up with the results showing. Bunbury 50k 4:02 (PB) MB100k (11:18 - huge PB). The focus now becomes the Caboolture 24hr Track race at the end of August. I have 3 goals in mind for this race. 1st - complete 100 miles (162k), 2nd - if I have a good race 180k, if I have a blinder 200k+ (200k is the national selection benchmark and my ultimate goal). Training at the moment basically consists of between 120-130k/week (increasing) with a regular long run of 60-80k. The goal is to get up to 160k/week within the next 4-6 weeks.
Final thoughts on the transition to Ultra Running.
The most important piece of advice I could offer on this subject is that running an Ultra is nothing like running a marathon. At the end of all of my marathons I couldn't imagine running another step. Don't think of a 50k race as a marathon + 8k or a 100k race as running a marathon, turning around and doing it again, then turning around and running another 16k. The dynamic of Ultra's is totally different, they are longer and generally much slower than marathon pace. Secondly Ultra running is about the experience, not the race. I find it harder to do 50-60k road races because they are races and my pace is quite quick. A 100k trail race is not as fast so not as much pressure and you can enjoy the experience of being in the hills all day. Finally I would encourage you to jump in a give Ultra Running a go. I did my first one (Six Inch 2005) only 2 months after my first marathon with little training in between - it was hard but still a fantastic experience. There are plenty of reasons to hold off on giving Ultra's a go and it's easy to phsych yourself out but they really are a great experience, one that you won't regret.
Well that's about all I'll say, I'm hooked (some might even say boarder-line obssesed). I love the fact that there is no distance too far that it can't be run, If you train hard you can accomplish things you never thought possible. 3 years ago I would never have thought it was possible to run 100k, now I am at the point where I can actually race 100k - pushing for a good time. I hope this all makes sense, my running journey has really only just begun and I've certainly got a lot to learn. I hope that by reading my story might allow you to think of your own story and be inspired to start testing your limits - whatever they might be. If your looking for a good introduction Ultra, Six Inch Track in December is for you.
Break the Mould - Test the Limits
Sunday, June 8, 2008
MB100k race report
Well, I thought I should jot down some thoughts on the second running of the MB100k (I suppose this race is my baby, which makes me the RD). After only 2 runners attempted/completed the distance last year I had high hopes for a larger field this year however it was not to be. So Dave and I were again in for a long day in the bush by ourselves. The course runs from Sculpture Park in Mundaring to the general store in Jarradale, utilizing the Munda Biddi cycle trail. The maps give the distance as about 103k, however due to some re-routing the course is close to 100k exactly (maybe a few hundred meters over).
Last years run was very much a learning experience for both Dave and I as it was our first time over the distance. It became clear though that although we run together often, running together was becoming detrimental to our individual races. In 2008 we introduced a handicap start, which was designed to allow us both to run our own races without compromising the other runners’ race. The handicap was set at 30 minutes.
I got underway at 5:45am on Saturday and it was cold (roughly 6 degrees in Perth so possibly colder in the hills), maybe the hardest thing was leaving Dave and my wife (#1 support crew) warm in the car. The first few hours for me was all about getting into a comfortable rhythm and knocking off the k’s. I was looking to get to the first campsite (41.5k) in 4hrs, and was confident that I could do that and still feel fresh. One of the highlights of the first few hours was climbing out of the Mundaring valley to see the thick fog covering the valley – it’s truly amazing the scenery that awaits those who dare to go looking for it.
Dave began his run at 6:17 (late as usual) and immediately set about trying to run me down. I knew that he would catch-up a lot over the first 50k or so but was confident that I could hold him off over the second half of the race. I went through the first campsite in 4:02 and after a quick toilet stop was off again, looking forward to the first support stop of the race @50k. the time 4:55 when I reached 50k and I was glad that the first 50k was over – not that I was struggling, but I knew the 1st 50k wasn’t going to be the challenge, rather the second 50k was what the race was all about. I spent about 8 minutes at the car with Kate (My Wife), changed hydration packs, downed about 500ml of gatorade, some Pringles and I was off again. Dave surprised me by showing up just as I was leaving, he had made up about 25 minutes over 50k so the signs weren’t looking good for a victory. I consoled myself by reiterating the fact that I was confident of being strong over the last 50k so the race was still on.
The next section was about 23k to Albany Hwy where Kate and Bel (Dave’s Wife). I had a few stomach troubles during the first 10k and was forced to walk for 10 minutes and force down some more Pringles. One of the biggest challenges with Ultra running is trying to eat enough food. After 5-6 hrs you just can’t stomach food and start to feel nauseous but without it you won’t get enough calories to continue. This seemed to do the job and I started to feel strong again, knowing that Dave was only a few minutes behind me was good incentive to keep running hard, my goal was to hold him off until the next stop then see what happened over the last 27k.
I managed to get to the next aid station (73k) in about 7:50hrs and was still in the lead (taking into account the handicap). I knew I had to eat something so I sat down for the first time and chewed away at some chips and had some more Gatorade. After about 8 minutes Dave showed up and that was my cue to leave, so I got up and headed off again. A quick glance at my watch revealed the final challenge I needed to run the final 27k in 3hrs to break 11hrs for the course. It was going to be tough but I certainly wasn’t going to die wondering so I chugged down a caffeine gu and headed off into what has become known as the ‘Caffeine Quarter’ of the race. One of the tricks with Ultra running is basically to starve your body of caffeine during the race and then load up over the final stages which tends to give you body a huge kick and allows you to continue running strong. It definitely worked as I began running much quicker that I had been and was feeling confident that a sub 11hr time was within reach.
I was strong for the next 10-12k and Dave (who was running the race of his life and surprised everyone including himself) had caught up by this stage. We had a fantastic struggle over about 5k, where he would overtake me, then I would overtake him. This must have happened about 3 times until finally at the 86k mark he dropped me and I didn’t see him again. I was starting to struggle, mainly due to my stomach and not enough food. I had been drinking flat Coke and Gatorade for 1.5hrs and just wasn’t getting enough calories. I was forced to again walk and try and force down some Pringles. Why Pringles? Well I had 4 honey sandwiches in the first 50k and that pretty much did me for sweet food, after that I couldn’t stomach anything sweet. Pringles are savory and loaded with salt so they are quite nice to have whilst running.
The extended walk breaks allowed my body to cool down and coupled with the fact that it was getting later in the day I started to really suffer. When I arrived at Balmoral (11.5k to go and my time was just over 10hrs) I was aware that going sub 11hrs was gone, so I tried to find another goal. Having a challenging goal is extremely important in Ultra running. My goal before the race was to go sub 12hrs, it was clear that I would do this but you need to have a challenge to keep you motivated – especially over the last few k’s. The ability to modify your goals during a race is a learned skill that is vitally important. I was struggling to come up with a suitable goal when it suddenly hit me, last year I ran 14:28hrs, my new goal was to break that PB by 3hrs, I needed to go under 11:28. This was a challenge because I was struggling but it was just what I needed.
I ploughed on knowing that the end was within reach, with 5k to go I started to feel alright and was confident of being able to run the rest of the way in without walking. I reached a section of track that I knew was about 3.8k to go and I looked at my watch and it had just ticked over to 11hrs. I needed to run the final 3.8k in 28 minutes, an easy task usually but after running 96.2k’s it was touch and go. I always like to finish races strong and this was no different so I started to gradually increase my pace – ready for one final effort. I was continuing to build up speed and with 2k to go I saw Kate and the car. I decided to take off my hydration pack for the first time in over 11hrs and really try to hammer the final 2k. I actually started to feel really fresh, which was unusual and although I was hurting, I seemed to be doing ok. I reached the trail head to the toots of the car horn and photos but I still had to make it to the general store about 700m away so I continued. Coming into the carpark of the general store was a great feeling, made ever sweeter when I checked my watch 11:18.12, I had run the last 3.8k in 18 minutes to record a 3:10 minute PB and I was very satisfied with my effort.
Dave went on to finish in a blistering time of 10hr 30min to once again win the MB100k, but I didn’t care I was happy to come second to that! Congrats Dave, I must admit if someone had told me I would run 11:18 before the race I would have thought that the win was mine – I will never under-estimate Dave’s natural talent again. Well being a fatass race there was no presentations, although I did graciously present the trophy to Dave – a well deserved Jesters Sausage Roll, which was polished off swiftly.
All in all the race was one of the best I’ve been involved with, and I must attribute much of that to Kate and Bel who dutifully crewed for us throughout the day (especially Kate for doing the entire race). Both Dave and I were ecstatic with our results and the signs are good for the upcoming races. The MB100k is a great race and I would encourage everyone to seriously consider it next year. It’s a unique race because it doesn’t involve laps and you feel as if you’ve actually gone somewhere. Let’s hope next year a few more people will step up to the 100k and experience the highs and lows of the MB100k
Last years run was very much a learning experience for both Dave and I as it was our first time over the distance. It became clear though that although we run together often, running together was becoming detrimental to our individual races. In 2008 we introduced a handicap start, which was designed to allow us both to run our own races without compromising the other runners’ race. The handicap was set at 30 minutes.
I got underway at 5:45am on Saturday and it was cold (roughly 6 degrees in Perth so possibly colder in the hills), maybe the hardest thing was leaving Dave and my wife (#1 support crew) warm in the car. The first few hours for me was all about getting into a comfortable rhythm and knocking off the k’s. I was looking to get to the first campsite (41.5k) in 4hrs, and was confident that I could do that and still feel fresh. One of the highlights of the first few hours was climbing out of the Mundaring valley to see the thick fog covering the valley – it’s truly amazing the scenery that awaits those who dare to go looking for it.
Dave began his run at 6:17 (late as usual) and immediately set about trying to run me down. I knew that he would catch-up a lot over the first 50k or so but was confident that I could hold him off over the second half of the race. I went through the first campsite in 4:02 and after a quick toilet stop was off again, looking forward to the first support stop of the race @50k. the time 4:55 when I reached 50k and I was glad that the first 50k was over – not that I was struggling, but I knew the 1st 50k wasn’t going to be the challenge, rather the second 50k was what the race was all about. I spent about 8 minutes at the car with Kate (My Wife), changed hydration packs, downed about 500ml of gatorade, some Pringles and I was off again. Dave surprised me by showing up just as I was leaving, he had made up about 25 minutes over 50k so the signs weren’t looking good for a victory. I consoled myself by reiterating the fact that I was confident of being strong over the last 50k so the race was still on.
The next section was about 23k to Albany Hwy where Kate and Bel (Dave’s Wife). I had a few stomach troubles during the first 10k and was forced to walk for 10 minutes and force down some more Pringles. One of the biggest challenges with Ultra running is trying to eat enough food. After 5-6 hrs you just can’t stomach food and start to feel nauseous but without it you won’t get enough calories to continue. This seemed to do the job and I started to feel strong again, knowing that Dave was only a few minutes behind me was good incentive to keep running hard, my goal was to hold him off until the next stop then see what happened over the last 27k.
I managed to get to the next aid station (73k) in about 7:50hrs and was still in the lead (taking into account the handicap). I knew I had to eat something so I sat down for the first time and chewed away at some chips and had some more Gatorade. After about 8 minutes Dave showed up and that was my cue to leave, so I got up and headed off again. A quick glance at my watch revealed the final challenge I needed to run the final 27k in 3hrs to break 11hrs for the course. It was going to be tough but I certainly wasn’t going to die wondering so I chugged down a caffeine gu and headed off into what has become known as the ‘Caffeine Quarter’ of the race. One of the tricks with Ultra running is basically to starve your body of caffeine during the race and then load up over the final stages which tends to give you body a huge kick and allows you to continue running strong. It definitely worked as I began running much quicker that I had been and was feeling confident that a sub 11hr time was within reach.
I was strong for the next 10-12k and Dave (who was running the race of his life and surprised everyone including himself) had caught up by this stage. We had a fantastic struggle over about 5k, where he would overtake me, then I would overtake him. This must have happened about 3 times until finally at the 86k mark he dropped me and I didn’t see him again. I was starting to struggle, mainly due to my stomach and not enough food. I had been drinking flat Coke and Gatorade for 1.5hrs and just wasn’t getting enough calories. I was forced to again walk and try and force down some Pringles. Why Pringles? Well I had 4 honey sandwiches in the first 50k and that pretty much did me for sweet food, after that I couldn’t stomach anything sweet. Pringles are savory and loaded with salt so they are quite nice to have whilst running.
The extended walk breaks allowed my body to cool down and coupled with the fact that it was getting later in the day I started to really suffer. When I arrived at Balmoral (11.5k to go and my time was just over 10hrs) I was aware that going sub 11hrs was gone, so I tried to find another goal. Having a challenging goal is extremely important in Ultra running. My goal before the race was to go sub 12hrs, it was clear that I would do this but you need to have a challenge to keep you motivated – especially over the last few k’s. The ability to modify your goals during a race is a learned skill that is vitally important. I was struggling to come up with a suitable goal when it suddenly hit me, last year I ran 14:28hrs, my new goal was to break that PB by 3hrs, I needed to go under 11:28. This was a challenge because I was struggling but it was just what I needed.
I ploughed on knowing that the end was within reach, with 5k to go I started to feel alright and was confident of being able to run the rest of the way in without walking. I reached a section of track that I knew was about 3.8k to go and I looked at my watch and it had just ticked over to 11hrs. I needed to run the final 3.8k in 28 minutes, an easy task usually but after running 96.2k’s it was touch and go. I always like to finish races strong and this was no different so I started to gradually increase my pace – ready for one final effort. I was continuing to build up speed and with 2k to go I saw Kate and the car. I decided to take off my hydration pack for the first time in over 11hrs and really try to hammer the final 2k. I actually started to feel really fresh, which was unusual and although I was hurting, I seemed to be doing ok. I reached the trail head to the toots of the car horn and photos but I still had to make it to the general store about 700m away so I continued. Coming into the carpark of the general store was a great feeling, made ever sweeter when I checked my watch 11:18.12, I had run the last 3.8k in 18 minutes to record a 3:10 minute PB and I was very satisfied with my effort.
Dave went on to finish in a blistering time of 10hr 30min to once again win the MB100k, but I didn’t care I was happy to come second to that! Congrats Dave, I must admit if someone had told me I would run 11:18 before the race I would have thought that the win was mine – I will never under-estimate Dave’s natural talent again. Well being a fatass race there was no presentations, although I did graciously present the trophy to Dave – a well deserved Jesters Sausage Roll, which was polished off swiftly.
All in all the race was one of the best I’ve been involved with, and I must attribute much of that to Kate and Bel who dutifully crewed for us throughout the day (especially Kate for doing the entire race). Both Dave and I were ecstatic with our results and the signs are good for the upcoming races. The MB100k is a great race and I would encourage everyone to seriously consider it next year. It’s a unique race because it doesn’t involve laps and you feel as if you’ve actually gone somewhere. Let’s hope next year a few more people will step up to the 100k and experience the highs and lows of the MB100k
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
MB100
It's on like donkey kong this weekend - I CAN'T WAIT!
Looking for some redemption after a disappointing race last year. I'm starting @ 5:30am and hope to be finished by 5:00pm.
Dave will start @ 6:15 and hope to run me down - but I reckon I might just have him this year. Time will tell
Looking for some redemption after a disappointing race last year. I'm starting @ 5:30am and hope to be finished by 5:00pm.
Dave will start @ 6:15 and hope to run me down - but I reckon I might just have him this year. Time will tell
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Bunbury 50k was a few weeks ago and I must say that I really surprised myself. I was sceptical that I could improve too much on last years 4:09 because I hadn't done any speed work at all and had just returned from Cambodia where I hadn't done much running at all for 2 weeks.
Had a good run despite having serious stomach problems from about the 25k mark. I've become so used to eating during my long runs that trying to get through a marathon/50k on just gel doesn't work.
Went through 21.1k in 1:37, slowed a little towards the end of the marathon (due to stomach) and was passed by Phil Webb @ 37k so going through the 42.2k I was 3rd Male and 4th Overall. Came good after a Gu at 42k and overtook Phil Webb @ 44k never to see him again. Was in 2nd place until 47k when a 50k runner went scorching past me to snatch second with a 34min final 8k. I crossed the line in 4:02.12 to record a 7 min PB. Very happy with the run, although I remain convinced that if I had eaten something then I could have gone sub 4hr - Oh well there's always next year.
PS. I ran a marathon PB 3:21 during the race as well. My best 3 marathon times have been during Ultra's - 3:25 Bunbury 50k 2007, 3:25 40 miler 2008, 3:21 Bunbury 50k 2008.
Had a good run despite having serious stomach problems from about the 25k mark. I've become so used to eating during my long runs that trying to get through a marathon/50k on just gel doesn't work.
Went through 21.1k in 1:37, slowed a little towards the end of the marathon (due to stomach) and was passed by Phil Webb @ 37k so going through the 42.2k I was 3rd Male and 4th Overall. Came good after a Gu at 42k and overtook Phil Webb @ 44k never to see him again. Was in 2nd place until 47k when a 50k runner went scorching past me to snatch second with a 34min final 8k. I crossed the line in 4:02.12 to record a 7 min PB. Very happy with the run, although I remain convinced that if I had eaten something then I could have gone sub 4hr - Oh well there's always next year.
PS. I ran a marathon PB 3:21 during the race as well. My best 3 marathon times have been during Ultra's - 3:25 Bunbury 50k 2007, 3:25 40 miler 2008, 3:21 Bunbury 50k 2008.
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My first post
Well this is my first post on my blog.
Not too sure about this thing but we'll see how it goes.
Nate
Not too sure about this thing but we'll see how it goes.
Nate
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