Mt Helena 40miler and 17th Bridges 10km disasterpieces

13km into it holding about 5.20 per KM and going well at this stage...             

 40 miler 2013 DNF again (39km this time) 4hrs 51min.

APRIL FOOLED/beaten by the 40 miler again...Basically just too slow from about 15km onwards...But I think I am better off for having been there and lots to thank the Creator Triune God for...

7km 34.21 10km 53.26? 14km 1hr 14min.53 (40min 32secs 7km split) 23km 2hrs 24.05  26km 2hrs 47min 32km 3hrs 49min 00secs 36km 4 hrs 20min. 39km 4 hrs 51min 32secs .
The splits in BOLD are official splits. The others are my wristwatch as best as I remember them...

Managed to fool myself into thinking I might be able to finish the 40 miler today for a few hours, but by about 27km I knew it probably wasn't going to happen. Had some annoying hammy problems towards the end of the first 32km for a few minutes (I think I just stepped on a rock on a small incline that upset the balance a bit and gave me a small hamstring strain), which had me wondering if I'd have to hobble the next 7km back to the start area, but after about 5-10minutes the pain disappeared and the hammy came good...Heel excellent for the most part today, so injuries not a significant factor today.

First 7km (slight downhill) was right on target in 34.21 under target A of 35minutes, and well under target B (42 minutes)...Next 7km (slight uphill) I wanted to try and hold onto about 37-42 minutes, and I managed 40 minutes exactly. 

Had hydration pack loaded up with the full 3L of water in the bladder and 1.6L of other drinks (mostly Gatorade), so was carrying about 5kg on the back, but hit 14km in 74min 41 well under my 84 minute target, and maybe a bit too fast. Was about 7th-10th-15th for most of this section, although I did have some fun in the first Km and hit the lead at 1km (1st place), so got to say hello to all the big guns... My quads didn't like that, so didn't play that game very long...

So was very happy with the 74min 14km, (about 5.20 per K pace on trails even an easy trail like this one is pretty good) but figured that was probably unsustainable, and that I'd need to drop down to about 6min per K pace... Got passed by a few people, and was making heavy weather of it, so took a toilet break at Chidlow, and grabbed a GU chomp and tried to get going. That seemed to work for a bit, but I was still getting passed by a lot of people, and I was a bit disappointed to get to the Ash Rd turnaround (23km) in 2hrs 24min when I was hoping for about 2hrs 03min- 2hrs 18min.  However I figured the next 16km was all downhill, and I should be able to get some momentum going on that... Saw a lot of BT runclub shirts and heaps of people I knew in the first 26km or so, so really encouraging situation in many ways... 

33km into it and knowing that in the 29 degree heat (33-37 degrees in the direct sunlight), it was thumbs down time as it was mission impossible to get through the next 13km in under 60 minutes...

Almost 39km into the 2013 40miler April 1st...knowing its not my day... But FUN!, a 74min first 14km, and 4hrs 51min done.

Thanks to Bernadette and Susan for the 40 miler photos.

Unfortunately from about 27km onwards the body was sluggish as anything and wanted to walk, and even though I was forcing a jog/slow run, I was finding it hard to sustain anything under 8 min per K and that is just too slow, it needed to at least be under 7 min per K...and on the downhill maybe a bit quicker to have any chance of getting back on track and getting to 32km in 3hrs-3hrs 30min and giving myself a chance of making it to the 46km cutoff of 5 hours... Just couldn't get going, the body was not up for it today, maybe thats poor training and me kidding myself that I would be ready, or I used too much energy in the first 14km, but either way, nothing was really working. It was nice being on my own, but in hindsight I probably should have tried to latch onto one of the relay runners coming past me... When I jogged/shuffled into 32km in 3hrs 50 minutes I was thinking thats its time to DNF now, no point in going on no way I can make the 5 hour cutoff... But I refueled, threw some water over the head as the warm temperatures were starting to become a factor, and fired up for one last attempt at some faster running. It worked a bit.....for a couple of K's, and I was running about 6.45s for about 3km, and got to 36km in about 4hrs 20 minutes... Started to think maybe if I could step up the pace a heap in the next 3km I might be an outside chance to go close to sub 5 hours for 46km... But then the heat started to drive the body temperature up, my motivation dipped and I found myself back to shuffle mode. The next 3km took me over 30minutes, and involved a lot of walk breaks... the muscles seized up, and I gave up at 39km and 4 hrs 51 minutes, with 0% chance of doing the next uphill  7km in 9 minutes...

Stopping the watch at the 39km turnaround 

 I think in the end the body just wasn't ready today... I was close to being up for it, and I'm pleased with the first 14km, but I'd like to get some good results on the board before I chase any tough targets in ultras again... At least I have a pretty solid long run done for April, and I had heaps of fun for the first hour or two. 

 I am glad I had a good shot at it, but like 6 foot track, I came up short of hitting any big targets, so I'll have to go back to the training track for a few weeks at least, maybe a few months... Thanks to all who encouraged me out there appreciated it. 

Some fantastic results with 40 miler records from Claire Broadway and Todd Ingraham on a day when the mercury fired up from about 3-4 hours onwards in mostly direct sunlight. Not a very shaded trail, but is a fast fairly flat terrain on the old railway tracks...James Roberts, Scott Hawker, Louise and Kate filled the podium spots in the solo 40 miler. Really good catching up with heaps of runners on course and afterwards. Keen to see BBC's photos... Full results of the 40 miler including splits of all who made it to 7km,14km,23km,32km,39km,46km, and 55km are HERE or at the WAMC website (http://wamc.org.au) HERE

Good to see at least one PHATTie finish the 40 miler...Maybe next year...  BT runclub took home some silverware with 2nd place from the BenB/BenM relay team not sure who all the people in the team were...

Way too sick to be running Bridges 10km, but did it anyhow in a Personal Worst of 54minutes 45 seconds , to extend my consecutive streak to 17 years... Found a few sub 5min K's in the first km and the last 2km, and my first 5km in 25.12 was almost half decent... but a forgettable race mostly...Was nice to be there though...Before the race I was thinking I might find it hard to get under 60 minutes, but it wasn't that bad...

Have massive money troubles and not training much at the moment, hopefully things turn around soon, and that can happen quickly, but its getting a bit scary at the moment, living on the edge in a big way now...Anyone want to lend me money let me know ASAP.

 My 17 year history at the Bridges funrun documented briefly HERE are the Archives

Bridges 10km run results @ HERE

My 10km Bridges splits;
 5k splits 25.12/29.33 1k splits; 4.33, 5.07,4.51,5.41,5.00,6.31,4.58,8.35(getting a blister from a tiny rock so stopped to get it out), 4.56, 4.36.

Thanks to Simon, Callum, Audrey and BT Runclub for the photo...