Finished my fifth Freo Half despite blister fiasco

Sunday 10th June 2007; Ran Fremantle Half Marathon (21.1km) in 2hrs 11minutes.
Heart rate at end 156. Splits 52min/79min.

Coming off 4 hours sleep, with a broken watch, shoe problems, barely enough petrol to drive to the location, and as usual leaving my heavily pregnant wife at home, combined with my failure to get any reps done in the last 2 weeks, it would have been very easy to just stay at home and not run today. I had plenty of excuses not to run. However I wanted to keep the streak I started in 2003 alive, and run my fifth Freo half. More importantly I need some racing mentally and physically to improve, and its the best race opportunity I have close to the Perth Marathon to do a half marathon and get a feel for where I am at in my marathon preparations. Plus I was keen to see how Epi and others would go. Another major reason to be there was because its a beautiful location to run in with the ocean, ships, and islands alongside all the way, and some truly beautiful views, which didn't disappoint.

Its also a relatively easy course, so a fast time is always a possibility. Arrived 15 minutes early, and was able to warm up a bit which was good as the wind chill was noticeable, although nothing like as stormy as it has been in some previous years. Decided to put some black ducktape on the holes in my sole inserts in my shoes which appeared after last weeks 34km long run. The other inserts I ran with on Monday for the 5.25km I figured would be too heavy to race in. This proved to be a very foolish decision which destroyed any chance of a good time today, and made it tough,tricky and painful to just finish. Although the ducktape holding my watch together has done its job as a temporary measure to keep the watch operational in the last few days, until I make it to payday. Wore my Freo hat again, and they negoiated a stubborn bunch of tiggers, who fought to the end that afternoon. Freooooo way to go! Hit 'em real hard send 'em down below...

Got a fairly good position in the bunch and worked fairly strongly, to hit McTaggart Cove (a street), in 8min 54secs. Went through 2.5km in 11min 33 which was a few seconds slower than I wanted but still not too bad (my target time was 11.15) at around 4.39 per km. Then the course modifications for this year kicked in and the loop turned out to be a lot longer than I expected... Started to get passed a bit during this time so suspect I started to drift out towards 5 minutes per km so running at a similiar pace to my Challenge 10k a few weeks ago (about 4.40's and 4.50's), which is what I expected given the lack of reps in the last 2 weeks. Was hoping the distance work I had done would be enough strength to get me deep into the 1.40's for the Half, and maybe even a PB and/or a 1.39.... Went through Mctaggart Cove again at the end of loop ONE in 25min 12. Decided to try and target about 45-48 minutes for the turn near Woodmans point which is roughly about 10.5km. Felt good for a few km, then started to struggle a bit and stopwatch (which was taped onto an old watch to keep it there) said about 35minutes as I passed a Coogee jet ski hire sign. About this time my feet also started to feel a bit sore on the balls of the foot where I had my thorlo socks sitting on top of the ducktape repairs. About 39 minutes in I decided to drink half my powerade, and save the rest and my GU for about 80 minutes in. Felt a lot better after that 200-300ml or so of powerade Started to find a good rhythm again, and had high hopes of going at least sub 1.50, and hopefully sub 1.45 at that stage, although the 1.39 was starting to look unlikely.

Then my feet started to get very sore, and the pain was starting to get a little too intense and constant for my liking. Pushed on but lost rhythm a bit, hoped it would go away by itself, but in the back of my mind I knew I was in trouble. When I rounded the turn in 52 minutes (about 4 minutes slower than I had hoped), I knew that sub 1.50 was starting to look a bit of a challenge now...
Eight minutes later as my stopwatch hit 1 hour my feet were very sore, my pace had dropped right off, and I knew I couldnt keep running like this any longer, unless I wanted cut feet, and a lot of pain. Mindful of the need to keep my feet in good nick for work and training in the next few weeks for the marathon, I decided to stop fighting the pain, and see if taking the inserts out would help. Stopped and did that, and walked for awhile like that, but running seemed to be too painful, and soon walking with no sole inserst was getting very umcomfortable and painful too. So I put the inserts back in near the drink station, and decided to try walking it out. After walking briskly for a little longer I started to find the pain subsiding, and decided I would make sure I did not DNF even if I had to walk/hobble all the way to the finish. However I could see that walking the last 6-8km would keep me on the course until about 2 hrs 30 or longer, and as most of the back marker runners passed me, I decided to try and run/shuffle again just to try and get to the finish a bit quicker, ran on outside of my feet (deliberate pronation or whichever one it is) mostly and shuffled my way up to a decent pace. Soon I was passing the odd slow runner, and my splits through the McTaggart loop section were 1hr 37,1hr 48 at the turn and 1hr 59 with about 2km or so to go...
During this loop section I got a good pace going passed a number of runners and the pain was mostly avoided although it was a rather awkward way to run, at least i was no longer walking. Found a half decent rhythm, and the last 2km or so alongside the beautiful ocean views went by fairly quickly at just over 6minutes per km. Finished in 2hrs 11 well under the revised target of 2hr 20 that I set when I got to McTaggart Cove in 1hr 37. Heart rate was very!!! low for a race in 156, and I was pretty fresh apart from my blistered feet.

So a very disaapointing result timewise, but still a valuable race session, despite the disaster with the blisters. I estimate I am in about 1hr 44 condition at this stage, but my endurance is superior to the last 3 years so a 3.40-3.50 looking likely still at this stage. Four big missions for the next few weeks though is 1. buy new shoes, or run with my heavy inserts, or maybe buy new light inserts 2.
buy new watch, 3. do lots of reps and some decent time trials maybe!!! 4. a couple more long runs/rides to ensure the endurance base I have is maintained.

WEEK 12 (04/06/07-10/06/07);

Volume; 321min + 24hrs MR. Sessions; 3 +MR Best RHR;48 bpm Sleep; 41.25hrs! *36


OD/LSD/LFD sessions; Cycled 47km in 2hr 44.

Races/Time trials; Ran Freo Half Marathon (21.1km) in 2hr 11

Reps sessions; NIL.

Comments; Race was a big disappointment, have to sort out some logistical issues there, other than that going well still. Indications from race are that I'm looking good for a sub 4 at this stage. Enjoyed getting out to race again in a beautiful location despite the blisters... Urgently!!!!!!!!! need to do reps though. Failed to do that again after a very tricky week at work...Its getting a bit wearing just now for me, but hopefully some major positives ahead...Overall looking good for a 3.29 to 3.49 I hope. The next two weeks are crucial with reps, 13k-21k timetrials, an easy 32km and an easy 22km. Although I could do the Perth 32, I will probably do both long ones in the hills, as I do know "the excellence of trail running"!
Have to activate my WAMC membership, and if everything goes to plan, and the baby doesnt come on the wrong day, a 3.29 to 3.49 is what I will be aiming for.