halfway DNF in 40 miler race, but fun...

Meant to do a whole stack more sessions, once I recovered from the 32k on Monday, but got tied down at home, and just never managed to get out there...so RUBBISH effort from me, maybe next week...

Sunday 19th April Ran approx. 2.6km in 13min 32 (hr 165)...
Nocturnal run around 1.3k course with my sister sharon on bitumen surface...
7min 30 first 1.3k taking it easy with Sharon, then 30 second break and 5min 30ish for second 1.3km...so 13min of running, felt a bit better after that...

Thursday 16th April 4km run in 18.56, HR 165?, 5 laps of oval, solid, but nothing incredible, achieved my aim of going under 4.45 per k (if course distance is accurate, which I am wondering about), and felt like a million dollars doing shopping with wife 15 min later, then off to my night job...
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40 Miler report;

40 miler winning time this year about 5hrs 15-17min won by emerging ultra star Michael Baldock
sensational pics from Kathy are here...

Monday 13th April 2009 AD;
Ran 32km in 3 hrs 44min 52 secs...

Good news is no major injury problems, and about 16km-23km of good running, bad news is legs just got too weary (and was underdone and/or too tired from 4 hour run on Saturday/fast start today) to carry on, and after taking an hour to walk/run 6km, I knew it was time to DNF, as I had no chance of beating the 4hrs 48min for 46km from last year.

Also lost time getting gravel out of shoe at about 16-18km...Walking kicked in in a big way from 23km, and certainly 26km onwards...

Time is about 3 minutes slower than the 3hrs 41min I did for 32km in 2007 on this course, and despite almost identical 7km and 14km splits (compared to35min and 70 min in 2008 ), about 45min slower than the 2hrs 59min I did for the 32km split in 2008, and adrift of the 2hrs 3min for 23km I did in 2008 too...

Split times;
7km- 33min 10 (4.44 per km), 10km- 50min 59 (5.06 per km), 14km- 71min (5.06 per km),
approx. 19.8km 1hr 49min (5.30 per km), 20km 1hr 57min (7 minute toilet stop)
23km 2hrs 16min, 26km 2hrs 41min. 32km 3hrs 44min.

Overall a bit of a disaster for me in the 40 miler this year, but the first 14km-23km was good, and the first 19km was excellent exactly what I wanted...

Nice to see Suzy out ther on the MTB, and the Commando type (think biggest loser) type tones of "the abusive marshal from hell", reminding me that "They're getting away(Dave and Michael Baldock)...,cmon Trailblazer"...ROFL LOL hahaha, I half took him seriously and dreamed of chasing em down and leading the 40 miler for about half a second, but then told myself to get real...in the first few km I could see the leaders in the distance as I was siting in 3rd place...

Had a lot of fun, and enjoyed the morning immensely, not regretting going now much, so glad I persisted, and thanks to all who encouraged me on this one, Nate, Suzy, Jane, Dave K., etc for example... Injurywise some ankle soreness in the first few km, but it didnt affect me, and the pain disappeared as mysteriously as it started by about 3-5km, so not much of an issue. Some left hip soreness again about 21km in, but very minor compared to Saturdays run, more of a faint niggle. Hammy a little tender towards the end, but overall it seemed to last the entire 32km without too much trouble, although I think I will continue to ban myself from steep hills for a long while yet at least, so I think injurywise, I can give myself a big tick, and say I passed on that front with flying colours today, so will continue to ease into some regular long runs, if things stay the same or improve...

did a big leighton hewitt C'MON! to half the chase pack as they struggled to catch me about 8-9km in...hahaha *LOL* :-)
Ran in 3rd, then 4th spot for awhile until the chase pack caught me and quickly relegated me to 8th, battled to hold off Bernadette for many km, and then eventually meter-reading Matt (and 3.37 marathoner at Hobart this year) passed both of us, I struggled to keep Matt in sight for awhile, then Bernadette got in front courtesy of me stopping to get gravel out of my shoe, I kept her in sight for awhile, but after the Chidlow unscheduled toilet stop my race plans started to unravel, and by 23km my legs decided they were knocking off for the rest of the day, just getting very tired/weary, couldn't find any drive anymore, by 26km was reduced to shuffle run and long walk breaks...

Missed start a little as I was busy with toilet stop no 3 of 4, (no 4 wasted 7 minutes! at Chidlow) for the morning...got stuck playing word challenge on facebook last night to calm my nervous apprehension last night and didnt get off it until 0230, so had a big pasta dinner at 0300 which was way too close to the race...Also meant I came into this run on 90 minutes sleep, so was mentally a bit like that U2 song Numb, which is good, cos I was able to focus on running fast early, and having fun too, when I couldnt run anymore...
Cranked up on the way to start with some New York rapcore from EDL (every day life) (1999 moment of clarity album) (some tracks from their other albums include Jetstream (2001) and Electric starter(1997) or Transcend (1997)) in the car stereo on the 45minute drive (just made it there by 0615)...

Had to get gravel out of shoes twice (first time cost me the slim lead on Bernadette I had at about 16km), second time, allow Jane, Kate, and co to catch me just after 26km...
Great to see fellow meter reader Matt out there, and heaps of other cool people including Steve and Sal (support not running), and Jane and Kates group, pretty much everyone was friendly and said G'day at some point, a lovely mornings running, saw two horses and a "Gloucester Park trots" style cart (which my Grandad S did, and Uncle Ian still does I think) out there again too...

So where to now after another unsuccessful 40 miler attempt..well I think some promising signs early, (didnt have enough strength today to test out my drinks modifications properly, although I think the "more drinks, less gear to carry" strategy worked very well...) suggest it might be worth another attack next year, although only if I do the 40-50km (or 4-5hours +) training runs which I failed to do enough of this year...Too little too late this year...

After todays DNF, I will have to say I am NOT doing Kep 75km in 2009, (or Kep 100km for that matter contrary to what you might read on a certain official site...:-) *LOL*), although maybe another year...

Time to try AGAIN to build a consistent training regime towards a good Perth Half-marathon in June I think, and If I can continue to keep the injuries at bay (big thanks to Chiropracter Dr Janine) as I have started to do in the last couple of weeks, maybe this year might finally start seeing the some PB's threatened...pretty happy with the 4.44 per km first 7km today, which suggests my short stuff is starting to work...

Although big disappointment to DNF so early (I had hoped I might hang on for 46km or longer) today, I think the thoughts of retiring from running should be shelved at this stage, but I want results in the next 2-7 months otherwise I will find it hard to stay motivated to race...
The injuries concern appears to have abated a little based on this weekends efforts especially and the sub 50min Bridges 10k last weekend, but will need to continue to do my daily hammy and gluteal stretches, and when finances and time constraints allow, explore further medical intervention on the ankle, and maybe the hammy for starters, and eventually both knees if I am to continue running for much longer...

So all-in all some promising signs (a bit like the Dockers game yesterday), but not ready yet, perhaps will be in the next few months, and certainly looks like we are getting some slow progress have something to work with...

Looking forward to seeing the official results of people like Bernadette,Rob D.(update;he did 6 hrs 38min), and Roy, did they all make it all the way???