Hoping for a better 2014 A.D. after the 2013 anti-climax

After managing to shave a few minutes off the marathon PB in 2012 with a 3.49, despite being sick on race day, and getting the weight down to 77kg, I had high hopes for 2013... Started 2013 with a disappointing 1.51 in the Busso Half, but managed to get off to a ripping start at Six Foot (reeled in wave 4 before the bottom of the steps, got to Coxs River Crossing 6min quicker than in 2011, and then got up Mini mini and Pluvi about 20min quicker than in 2011 before blowing up in the 3rd section throwing away the 26min advantage I had in the first 4 hours and missing my PB by about a minute...

A disappointing 40 miler attempt a week or so after Six foot resulted in a slow DNF at 39km....Money troubles intensified, and the weight ballooned out to 85kg, managed to save up for a $130 Garmin in May, and got back some motivation via Strava. Had my best ever start in my 10th Perth Marathon getting through the first 400m at about 3.15 per K pace, despite a slow reaction time playing with 2 watches. Sensed Gerry on the Left and Chris/Roberto/Brandon on the right and was fired up... BK didn't go with the hot early pace..., and Roberto and Brandon (podiumed at Gold Coast with a 29min 10k later that year I think) destroyed the entire field early as soon as I took the foot off the accelerator at 400m, they went straight past. Roberto ran a 2.24 marathon for one of the fastest times ever seen in Perth...

Ran ok for 18k and then the new hill and the concrete and being overweight and other stuff got me, and any PB chances went out the window as I struggled home for a 4.19 but more importantly etched my name into the Spartan list as Spartan #104... BK won his agegroup but it was Robertos day with the 2.24...

Went over to Gold coast a few weeks later in search of a Half PB again (3min short in 2012), but very short of money only managed to get the trip organised about 3 days before raceday, and ended up staying too far away from start line, and ran 7km in warmup, to start on tired legs... Ran well early (5k split 22, 10k split 47, 12k 57min), then the tired legs had enough and struggled home for a 1.47 (my seasons best, but well short of what I wanted...).

Lost a few kg, and 2 days before city to surf I decided to enter the marathon as a long training run... Had some quality time chatting with BK in the first 600m as the Kenyans were taking it very easy early on...Down to 82kg, and the training run became a bit "raceish" and felt really strong on the hills this time, and put in a few bursts and ended up with a 4.13 (my best time on that course)...nothing incredible, but a much better 2nd marathon for the year. Training going ok for Melbourne but could only get the weight down to 80kg, and spent the last few days before the race getting very little sleep and having a lot of hassle with work and kids, so that I arrived in Melbourne with about $10 to spare, very little sleep and thoroughly frazzled... A lap around the Tan settled me a bit, but did too much walking around Melbourne, and was very flat/worn on race day... Started ok, but from 25km onwards just lacked any intensity and the weather was a bit stiff towards the end too, but mostly just my body was too worn out from the week... Managed a Seasons best of 4.12 but was very disappointed...especially with my last 17km... After the anti-climax of Melbourne which was supposed to be my biggest target race for the year, I decided a few days before to enter Rottnest Marathon and go run out my frustrations for the year, try and get my 22nd marathon done, and have a shot at my PB on a tough course early on and try and hold onto it... Got adrenalised at the start, and found myself leading very easily, so despite being back out to 82kg+ kept the pace strong, and put a big gap on BK, Dave and others including the eventual winner Tom. 800m into it starting to feel the lactic buildup a bit, but some encouragement from BK and the 1k marker beckoning, stuck at it , and got to 1k in 3.44 my 2nd fastest K for the year (fastest was a 3.40 on a steep downhill). Then stopped to get Garmin satellite working, and then settled into a fairly attacking race... Went well for about 25-30km and was on target to go well under 4 hours and maybe even give the 3.49 PB a shake, but just ran out of strength on the last lap or so and shuffled through the last 10k for a 4.16, a big course best beating my 2004 4.33... so a solid run 2 weeks after Melbourne, but not in PB territory at the end... Pleased with some of my attack in the middle section of the race, and of course at the start... BK and Dave ran fantastic races and Tom was only able to get past well after 30km. I thought BK was unlucky not to win after doing most of the work in that race, but Tom is emerging as one of the best from Perth. Was good to see Dave finish with a 2.47 PB breakthrough despite like me only entering at the last minute on a whim...

Struggled to get any long runs done after that and came into 6 inch very underdone, and stacking on the weight again...had about 2-3 hours sleep Friday night and no sleep at all Saturday night, but still managed to gap Brendan Scott, Gerry, BK and the other 150 or so to the base of Goldmine Hill at the start, and ran well within the PB ballpark for the first 18km. First aid station was fading but still a reasonably good split. Then fell apart big time in the second half of the race and got hammered by 35-38 degree temps, but managed to finish my 7th 6 inch (47km this time)...

So 4 road marathons and 2 ultras, and 2 reasonable halfs (Busselton and Gold Coast)...did Joondalup and Perth as well but they were shocking races for me. , some promising runs, but overall I think I mostly went backwards in 2013, although did arrest the slide a lot at certain times, and salvaged enough out of the year so that I am primed for a big 2014, if the opportunities to build training and racing momentum eventuate, and I take them... I want to get my hands on a pair of Hokas this year and need a GPS with longer battery life. 2014; hoping to do PTS Walyunga (DNS yesterday) or Serpentine maybe... (probably going to be another DNS)... Busselton Half tradition I would like to continue (but thats looking like a DNS at this stage)... Race 1; Have Six Foot track coming in March. Logged 242km in December and did my first ever 100km week in mid January, including some interesting hills... At Six Foot my aim is firstly to try and get to the end in under 7 hours and secondly I'd like to try for a PB and 3rdly try for under 6 hours... Race 2: Gold Coast. One of the fastest and flattest courses in Aust, and I hope to be back again and shooting for a PB. Race 3; Melbourne Its been my main target race since 2008 and for the 7th time will be again. Anything less than a PB is a fail. I'd like to do a lot better than 3.48 though been wanting under 3.20 for years... Sub 3 is my dream, but so far its remained a totally out of reach dream. I think I've learned more about whats required to get close to that zone, but knowing it and doing it are two different things... Perth Marathon (to hopefully see Epi? and BK gain entry to the Spartan club), City to Surf Marathon and Rottnest Marathon are all possibilities... Another shot at the 40 miler? Kep attempt in 2015 maybe?... John Gilmour, Joondalup 10k...Bridges TNF? Mt Solitary? Comrades? CCC? Chicago? Houston? Berlin? Badwater? Pikes Peak? Appalachian? London? Triathlons? Hiking the Bibbulumun? Every year I wonder if this is the year my body might break down, but 10 years done now, so God willing will go for another year or three or beyond hopefully...Although racing is not as much fun when the results don't come....