I really enjoyed my running this week and it got me to thinking about what motivates other people to run. People run for a variety of reasons; to lose weight, to become healthier, to achieve a personal goal, as a social activity, training for another sport or purely because they love to run. As it inevitably does when I'm around, many conversations turn to running and I have noticed that most people fall into one of two categories;
1. Those that love running
2. Those that hate running
As each person is different, some people fall outside these definitions into what I think of as undecided sub-categories. Some people may run to improve their fitness or because their sport requires it, but if given the choice they would most likely do something else, such as a football or netball player. Then there are those that don't mind running but due to a variety of factors such as weather, time availability, work and their current level of fitness, they find it more difficult and therefore do not enjoy it as much. I myself have had long breaks from running and exercise and found the weeks or months getting my fitness back extremely difficult and on many occasions I have not enjoyed running. However, when I am fit I find it easy to motivate myself to get outside and run, even if the conditions are difficult or if I am tired from work, it is my enjoyment and love of running that drives me to get outside and just put one foot in front of the other.
I had some really good sessions this week and mixed them up quite a bit. I strongly believe in the benefits of doing double runs in a day when trying to build volume. Although it is important to build up the time spent on your feet in a single session there are huge gains to be made by splitting the sessions into a morning and afternoon session on the same day. I also increased my hill work this week summiting Mt Archer four times during the week instead of my usual one. On Tuesday morning Sean and I ran from his place to the summit and back. It was such a great run thanks to the rain and mist, it felt otherworldly reaching the top in a white haze, just us and the hill. Wednesday's run was my tough undulating run at 10am in high heat and humidity again. This is a good run but has five short but testing climbs including Benny's Boulevard, which is a short but steep rough track up to a water tower. Thursday was Australia Day so what better way to celebrate the day than running a triple Mt Archer.
I met Sean and Rodney (who had a very impressive Ultra debut at the Hares & Hounds) at 4:30am at the bottom of the main climb. We ran together for most of the climb at a comfortable easyish pace. The climb is about 5km from the stone sign at the bottom to the highest lookout point where the antennas are. After descending to the bottom and refilling our supplies we began our second summit. By the time we started, darkness had been replaced by an overcast sky with high humidity again. However this did not deter us in our mission or those of the other people we saw cycling, running or walking up the hill. I was feeling pretty good so after a kilometre or two together I ran off at my own pace and stopped to wait at the saddle, the gap and at the summit. Rodney who had his arm in a cast, as a result of a recent cycling crash, called it a day after two as his arm was becoming sore from all the jarring of running downhill. Sean and I made it to the top for the third time just as it was starting to get a bit warmer. To assist in our claim for a triple summit we saw quite a few of our running and triathlete friends on the hill with Mel and Rachael heading up as we were coming down from our first summit and again when we met at the top after our second, and with Scotty, Spotty and Jason riding up when we were on our way down from our third. All in all a great day out on the mountain and another sizable deposit in the running bank. In fact I felt so good later that day I had to convince myself not to overdo it and go for a run in the afternoon.
After a rest day on Friday to re-charge I left home at 3:30am on Saturday as part of my long run. I ran solo for about 16.5km before meeting the group in what turned out to be another extremely humid day. The temperature was mid to late 20's but the humidity was oppressive. My lovely wife later told me that when she checked the weather on the internet at 8:00am the humidity was at 93%. I ran at a reasonably comfortable pace on Saturday and just enjoyed the run despite the conditions. I followed my nutrition and hydration plan and tried to drink more water than usual to compensate for the higher than normal sweat-rate. I popped at about 41km running through the marathon point in 3hrs 47mins. I guess that the heat & humidity go to me and I'm pleased that I managed to last as long as I did. I walked up a short but nastily steep hill before grabbing some lovely cold water at the CQ Uni with Michael, Pete and Crowie. They left me to head back to their cars and after a short rest to re-gather my composure I ran off to finish my 50.10km in a little over four and a half hours. Not fast for a mainly flat road run but another great training session completed.
I must be doing something right because after a protein drink and a little nap I joined Mel, Holly and Ethan for a dance competition on their Wii game 'Just Dance 3' coming in a close second to Mel after a round-robin competition. I felt that I could have gone for another run but once again common sense prevailed and I saved myself for Sunday.
My local club, the 'Rockhampton Road Runners' were having an informal race on Sunday morning and I was undecided if I would run or not until I woke up early on Sunday morning. Because I felt good and because I love to run I again mixed up my training by entering the longer of the two events, the 6km race. There was a pretty good turn-out despite the extreme humidity (yes again with the extreme humidity). I lined up near the front after a couple of kilometres warming up and was surprised to find myself in the lead at the first turn. I couldn't maintain the early pace and after a 3min 55sec first kilometre I just tried to hang on to the lead group of seven. The course is pretty much flat with a couple of very slight rises. I worked on keeping a long strong stride and managed to go through the first lap in 3rd place. Which is where I stayed. I lost contact with the top two runners including Michael who led for pretty much the entire race, but also managed to put quite a bit of distance on the others behind me to take the last podium spot by a comfortable margin. I am pretty pleased with my race considering my week of high volume, increased hill work and long run the day before. To top off the week and to ensure another 100 mile week (161km) I ran with the group on Sunday afternoon. The humidy was still as thick as soup but thankfully it rained to make it somewhat easier.
Week 4 Summary:
Mon am - 10.10km - 54mins 35secs - easy recovery run
Mon pm - 8.15km - 42mins 56secs - easy run
Tue am - 21.15km - 2hrs 06mins 03secs - Mt Archer triple treat hill run
Tue pm - 10.11km - 50mins 30secs - flat to undulating
Wed - 15.25km - 1hr 22mins 57secs - undulating run in hot weather
Thu - 31.12km - 3hrs 19mins 34secs - triple summit of Mt Archer
Fri - Rest day
Sat - 50.10km - 4hrs 33mins 23secs - long run in very very humid weather
Sun am - 2.44km - 13mins 06secs - easy flat warm-up
Sun Race - 6.41km - 26mins 32secs - 3rd place in very humid weather
Sun pm - 12.10km - 58mins 44secs - tempo run with group
Week 4 total: 167.03km - 15hrs 28mins 24secs
Monthly total: 538.92km - 50hrs 34mins 03secs
YTD total: 538.92km - 50hrs 34mins 03secs
I start my two week taper tomorrow in preparation for the Caboolture 12hr Dusk to Dawn track race which I'm really looking forward to. I will need to reduce my volume to help with recovery and to ensure that I am relatively fresh for the race. It will be a very good test to see where I am at and if my nutrition and hydration strategies work. I hope that everyone is happy and healthy and remember to...........
Keep running.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Guilt and missing sessions
I started the new week running well with a gradual increase to all of my sessions, I added in some hill work and ran my first double of the year. I was looking forward to running about 145km for the week and was on target having run 86km by close of business on Thursday. Looking back I think that Thursday's run was the turning point.
I got up on Thursday morning and headed out the door a little before 6:00am. The sun was up and the temperature was in the mid 20's or so. I was wearing a t-shirt instead of a singlet after an unfortunate case of sun-burn from Wednesday's run. On Wednesday I ran for 1hr 20mins leaving home at 10:00am. I briefly considered putting on some sunscreen but didn't, I thought that with my base tan and it only being a shortish run that I would be alright. Wrong. I later found out that that time of day is when UV is at its highest. I have learned my lesson and will endeavour to wear sunscreen when running during the day from now on.
Getting back to Thursday, I decided to take it easier as I had started the week well and although the temperature was not excessive, the humidity felt above average. After a few kilometres my muscles were loosening up and relaxing but I was sweating more than usual. I kept my pace slower and kept ticking off the kilometres on a relatively flat course. I kept drinking to keep my hydration on track especially considering my sweat rate in the oppressive conditions. Unfortunately by the time I got home I was struggling and my stride was barely more than a shuffle. I was breathing hard even though my pace was slower than normal and I was saturated with sweat. I had a shower and tried to hydrate as much as I could but I still felt cooked. Due to my shifts, Thursday was my only chance to mow the lawns. We live on a corner section meaning that it takes about 1.5hrs to mow my lawn. I covered up and set about my work. By the time I was finished I was totally spent. I had sweated out another 4 litres or so and had to think about getting ready for my afternoon shift at work.
Friday was my normal day off running and even though I was working I hoped to recover in time for my long run on Saturday. I set my alarm for 3:00am on Saturday but when it went off it took a huge effort to get out of bed. Physically my body was okay but mentally I was trashed and was extremely sleep tired. I had set out all my gear and prepared my nutrition the night before so I felt that I should get out and run. The thing was, I felt like I couldn't face it. I sat on the couch for 20-30mins debating with myself about the pros and cons of running. For one thing I was already up, my gear was ready and I thought I should just get out there and see how I felt. On the other hand I kept thinking about my previous posts on running when tired and the benefit of resting. I guess that the main point I was considering was the need to balance training with all of the other variables I have in my life. In the end common-sense prevailed and I went back to bed. I sent a text to Geoff to give my apologies to the group and would later apologise to Marty who would have already left home and would fail to find me along our designated route.
After a sleep-in I was still in two minds. Essentially I knew that I had made the right decision, however I still felt guilty about missing the session, especially as it was my long run and the omission would greatly affect my overall weekly volume. I knew that I was tired, that I needed more sleep and that due to my volume for the week so far and the high humidity, that I would not have a very good run. The general rule that I TRY to follow is that, if I find myself struggling to get out the door, or if I am running and am really struggling physically and/or mentally, then I should call it a day or miss the session. I guess that as an endurance runner I can get caught up in numbers and stats and that it is times like these that I should listen to my body. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is rest or miss a session but in the long term it may mean the difference between having a good run or race and being overtrained and having a miserable run. The extra sleep helped and I got to spend the entire day with my lovely wife and wonderful kids without feeling tired and needing another sleep. I ended up having a really great day and was pleased about making the right decision.
As the day wore on I kept thinking about the weeks ahead and my ambitious schedule for this year, and on Sunday I was rewarded with a great run with the group. Having the two consecutive rest days allowed me to recover sufficiently to the point where I was able to run really well and cover over 20km at an average pace of 4:51min/km. I still managed over 100km for the week and now I am ready to have another great week of running.
Week 3 Summary:
Mon - 20.63km - 1hr 50mins 22secs - hill run up Mt Archer with Marty
Tue am - 15.05km - 1hr 25mins 51secs - flat recovery run with Sean
Tue pm - 10.25km - 51mins 56secs - flat to undulating solo run
Wed - 15.05km - 1hr 20mins 14secs - Undulating run solo at 10am
Thu - 25.05km - 2hrs 15mins 39secs - Mainly flat in high heat & humidity
Fri - Rest day
Sat - Rest day
Sun - 20.55km - 1hr 39mins 44secs - run with Sunday RRR group
Weekly total - 106.59km - 9hrs 23mins 49secs
Monthly total - 371.89km - 35hrs 05mins 39secs
2012 YTD total - 371.89km - 35hrs 05mins 39secs
I guess that the main thing I have taken away from this last week of training is that I cannot expect to have a great run every single time I lace up my shoes, that I should listen to my body and that it is okay to miss a run or two if I am too tired or do not feel up to it. Remember to have fun out there, spend time with your loved ones, do a good deed for no return or reward, smile and say hello to a random stranger (you never know it might make their day and be just what they needed) and ......
Keep running.
I got up on Thursday morning and headed out the door a little before 6:00am. The sun was up and the temperature was in the mid 20's or so. I was wearing a t-shirt instead of a singlet after an unfortunate case of sun-burn from Wednesday's run. On Wednesday I ran for 1hr 20mins leaving home at 10:00am. I briefly considered putting on some sunscreen but didn't, I thought that with my base tan and it only being a shortish run that I would be alright. Wrong. I later found out that that time of day is when UV is at its highest. I have learned my lesson and will endeavour to wear sunscreen when running during the day from now on.
Getting back to Thursday, I decided to take it easier as I had started the week well and although the temperature was not excessive, the humidity felt above average. After a few kilometres my muscles were loosening up and relaxing but I was sweating more than usual. I kept my pace slower and kept ticking off the kilometres on a relatively flat course. I kept drinking to keep my hydration on track especially considering my sweat rate in the oppressive conditions. Unfortunately by the time I got home I was struggling and my stride was barely more than a shuffle. I was breathing hard even though my pace was slower than normal and I was saturated with sweat. I had a shower and tried to hydrate as much as I could but I still felt cooked. Due to my shifts, Thursday was my only chance to mow the lawns. We live on a corner section meaning that it takes about 1.5hrs to mow my lawn. I covered up and set about my work. By the time I was finished I was totally spent. I had sweated out another 4 litres or so and had to think about getting ready for my afternoon shift at work.
Friday was my normal day off running and even though I was working I hoped to recover in time for my long run on Saturday. I set my alarm for 3:00am on Saturday but when it went off it took a huge effort to get out of bed. Physically my body was okay but mentally I was trashed and was extremely sleep tired. I had set out all my gear and prepared my nutrition the night before so I felt that I should get out and run. The thing was, I felt like I couldn't face it. I sat on the couch for 20-30mins debating with myself about the pros and cons of running. For one thing I was already up, my gear was ready and I thought I should just get out there and see how I felt. On the other hand I kept thinking about my previous posts on running when tired and the benefit of resting. I guess that the main point I was considering was the need to balance training with all of the other variables I have in my life. In the end common-sense prevailed and I went back to bed. I sent a text to Geoff to give my apologies to the group and would later apologise to Marty who would have already left home and would fail to find me along our designated route.
After a sleep-in I was still in two minds. Essentially I knew that I had made the right decision, however I still felt guilty about missing the session, especially as it was my long run and the omission would greatly affect my overall weekly volume. I knew that I was tired, that I needed more sleep and that due to my volume for the week so far and the high humidity, that I would not have a very good run. The general rule that I TRY to follow is that, if I find myself struggling to get out the door, or if I am running and am really struggling physically and/or mentally, then I should call it a day or miss the session. I guess that as an endurance runner I can get caught up in numbers and stats and that it is times like these that I should listen to my body. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is rest or miss a session but in the long term it may mean the difference between having a good run or race and being overtrained and having a miserable run. The extra sleep helped and I got to spend the entire day with my lovely wife and wonderful kids without feeling tired and needing another sleep. I ended up having a really great day and was pleased about making the right decision.
As the day wore on I kept thinking about the weeks ahead and my ambitious schedule for this year, and on Sunday I was rewarded with a great run with the group. Having the two consecutive rest days allowed me to recover sufficiently to the point where I was able to run really well and cover over 20km at an average pace of 4:51min/km. I still managed over 100km for the week and now I am ready to have another great week of running.
Week 3 Summary:
Mon - 20.63km - 1hr 50mins 22secs - hill run up Mt Archer with Marty
Tue am - 15.05km - 1hr 25mins 51secs - flat recovery run with Sean
Tue pm - 10.25km - 51mins 56secs - flat to undulating solo run
Wed - 15.05km - 1hr 20mins 14secs - Undulating run solo at 10am
Thu - 25.05km - 2hrs 15mins 39secs - Mainly flat in high heat & humidity
Fri - Rest day
Sat - Rest day
Sun - 20.55km - 1hr 39mins 44secs - run with Sunday RRR group
Weekly total - 106.59km - 9hrs 23mins 49secs
Monthly total - 371.89km - 35hrs 05mins 39secs
2012 YTD total - 371.89km - 35hrs 05mins 39secs
I guess that the main thing I have taken away from this last week of training is that I cannot expect to have a great run every single time I lace up my shoes, that I should listen to my body and that it is okay to miss a run or two if I am too tired or do not feel up to it. Remember to have fun out there, spend time with your loved ones, do a good deed for no return or reward, smile and say hello to a random stranger (you never know it might make their day and be just what they needed) and ......
Keep running.
Monday, January 16, 2012
The heat is on
Running this last week I was reminded of the song 'The heat is on' recorded by Glenn Frey. The song was written by Harold Faltermeyer and Keith Forsey for the 1984 soundtrack of the very popular film 'Beverly Hills Cop' starring Eddie Murphy.
On Monday I set out on an easy recovery run after my first ultra of the year (see previous post: 'Hares & Hounds Race Report') and the long drive home. I worked an early shift and tried to avoid the heat by heading out at 5:40pm. Unfortunately the temperature was 36 degrees and the wind was blowing thick clouds of smoke from a nearby bush fire. I had to amend my course to avoid inhaling too much smoke and due to the heat of the evening I was sweating profusely.
I handled Monday's run reasonably well but Tuesday was considerably tougher. The smoke haze was even worse so I drove to the South Side of town and ran some undulations around The Range / Hospital area before running out to the Airport. The temperature was still 38 degrees with above average humidity and I could still smell / taste the smoke. I had a hand-held water-bottle that I refilled regularly but I was struggling. My right calf was very tight and I had to stop a couple of times to get my breath back and recover from the oppressive conditions. My original plan was to run 25km but I decided that 20km would have to be enough, I was hungry, tired and hot.
Training and racing in locations with high heat and / or humidity can have a significant and detrimental effect on performance and in some cases our health. I'm no doctor or sports scientist, so I will refrain from inferring that my insights are in any way factual but the amount of effort required to maintain a pace in hot conditions compared with a similar pace in cooler conditions is exponentially more difficult. I have read that it takes at least 10% more effort to maintain the same pace in warmer conditions and our bodies spend more energy trying to regulate our core temperatures thereby affecting our performance.
To illustrate this point there are extreme ultra races like the Badwater 135, in Death Valley U.S.A., where the temperature can be as high as 50 degrees with runners putting themselves at serious risk of severe heat stroke and organ failure. To prepare themselves for this race many competitors will train in multiple layers of clothing, run on a treadmill in a sauna and train their bodies to consume large amounts of water and fluid to help with hydration. During Badwater runners will wear white long sleeved tops and trackpants, run on the painted white lines (to prevent their shoes from melting) and take regular ice baths in an effort to maintain a healthy core body temperature.
This brings me to the point that when the outside temperature is higher than our core body temperature (37 degrees Celsius) any form of exercise will limit our ability, affect our performance and place ourselves at risk of heat related illness and severe dehydration. I will continue to run when it's hot but I will make sure that I will take a sensible approach and carefully monitor my effort, the effect the conditions have on my body and my nutrition and hydration intake. Who knows, as I continue along my ultra journey and acclimatise to running in the heat, I may even run the Badwater 135 myself one day.
As the week progressed I felt better every day. I managed to have a much more relaxed recovery run on Wednesday in 35 degrees and on Thursday I finally got in my 25km run by running to the Rocky Road Runner's group, running with them and then running home again. On Thursday the temperature started at 33 degrees and thanks to some dark clouds and a cooling wind it had dropped to a comfortable 27 degrees by the time I got home.
I ran early on Saturday morning leaving at 3:30am and ran with Marty for 17km before meeting our group. I managed to knock out 46.25km for the day but my energy levels fluctuated quite a bit meaning that I still have quite a bit of work to get back to full fitness. Nevertheless I really enjoyed the run and company and am pleased that I ran my second ultra of the year after only 14 days of 2012. In fact, due to the Hares and Hounds being on a Sunday and my long run this week being on a Saturday, I have managed to run 170km in the last 7 days including taking a rest day on Friday.
My recovery run on Sunday was great fun. The weather had taken a drastic about-turn and I was running in the rain in 24 degrees. Much better.
Summary:
Mon - 12.50km - 1hr 06mins 13secs - Solo flat to undulating
Tue - 20.10km - 1hr 46mins 19secs - Solo undulating
Wed - 12.55km - 1hr 05mins 04secs - Solo flat to undulating
Thu - 25.26km - 2hrs 09mins 46secs - Mainly flat with group
Fri - Rest day
Sat - 46.25km - 4hrs 08mins 15secs - Long run with group on road
Sun - 14.05km - 1hr 13mins 11secs - Solo flat to undulating
Weekly total: 130.72km - 11hrs 28mins 50secs
Monthly total: 265.30km - 25hrs 41mins 50secs
2012 YTD: 265.30km - 25hrs 41mins 50secs
Only 15 days into 2012 I have made a very good start to my 5200km/per year - 100km/per week challenge and my fitness is slowly starting to come back. Most of all I am really enjoying my running after my 7 weeks off full training. I've also entered my next ultra race, the Caboolture Dusk to Dawn 12hr track race in February. This will be my first timed track ultra and I'm sure that it will push my physical and mental limits. The race is run from 6pm until 6am and is run on a 500 metre gravel track. I am hoping to develop my ADP (all day pace), work on my mental strength and
fine-tune my fluid and nutrition strategy.
This week I will try and add in some hill work, add some more distance to each of my runs, have fun and..........
Keep running.
On Monday I set out on an easy recovery run after my first ultra of the year (see previous post: 'Hares & Hounds Race Report') and the long drive home. I worked an early shift and tried to avoid the heat by heading out at 5:40pm. Unfortunately the temperature was 36 degrees and the wind was blowing thick clouds of smoke from a nearby bush fire. I had to amend my course to avoid inhaling too much smoke and due to the heat of the evening I was sweating profusely.
I handled Monday's run reasonably well but Tuesday was considerably tougher. The smoke haze was even worse so I drove to the South Side of town and ran some undulations around The Range / Hospital area before running out to the Airport. The temperature was still 38 degrees with above average humidity and I could still smell / taste the smoke. I had a hand-held water-bottle that I refilled regularly but I was struggling. My right calf was very tight and I had to stop a couple of times to get my breath back and recover from the oppressive conditions. My original plan was to run 25km but I decided that 20km would have to be enough, I was hungry, tired and hot.
Training and racing in locations with high heat and / or humidity can have a significant and detrimental effect on performance and in some cases our health. I'm no doctor or sports scientist, so I will refrain from inferring that my insights are in any way factual but the amount of effort required to maintain a pace in hot conditions compared with a similar pace in cooler conditions is exponentially more difficult. I have read that it takes at least 10% more effort to maintain the same pace in warmer conditions and our bodies spend more energy trying to regulate our core temperatures thereby affecting our performance.
To illustrate this point there are extreme ultra races like the Badwater 135, in Death Valley U.S.A., where the temperature can be as high as 50 degrees with runners putting themselves at serious risk of severe heat stroke and organ failure. To prepare themselves for this race many competitors will train in multiple layers of clothing, run on a treadmill in a sauna and train their bodies to consume large amounts of water and fluid to help with hydration. During Badwater runners will wear white long sleeved tops and trackpants, run on the painted white lines (to prevent their shoes from melting) and take regular ice baths in an effort to maintain a healthy core body temperature.
This brings me to the point that when the outside temperature is higher than our core body temperature (37 degrees Celsius) any form of exercise will limit our ability, affect our performance and place ourselves at risk of heat related illness and severe dehydration. I will continue to run when it's hot but I will make sure that I will take a sensible approach and carefully monitor my effort, the effect the conditions have on my body and my nutrition and hydration intake. Who knows, as I continue along my ultra journey and acclimatise to running in the heat, I may even run the Badwater 135 myself one day.
As the week progressed I felt better every day. I managed to have a much more relaxed recovery run on Wednesday in 35 degrees and on Thursday I finally got in my 25km run by running to the Rocky Road Runner's group, running with them and then running home again. On Thursday the temperature started at 33 degrees and thanks to some dark clouds and a cooling wind it had dropped to a comfortable 27 degrees by the time I got home.
I ran early on Saturday morning leaving at 3:30am and ran with Marty for 17km before meeting our group. I managed to knock out 46.25km for the day but my energy levels fluctuated quite a bit meaning that I still have quite a bit of work to get back to full fitness. Nevertheless I really enjoyed the run and company and am pleased that I ran my second ultra of the year after only 14 days of 2012. In fact, due to the Hares and Hounds being on a Sunday and my long run this week being on a Saturday, I have managed to run 170km in the last 7 days including taking a rest day on Friday.
My recovery run on Sunday was great fun. The weather had taken a drastic about-turn and I was running in the rain in 24 degrees. Much better.
Summary:
Mon - 12.50km - 1hr 06mins 13secs - Solo flat to undulating
Tue - 20.10km - 1hr 46mins 19secs - Solo undulating
Wed - 12.55km - 1hr 05mins 04secs - Solo flat to undulating
Thu - 25.26km - 2hrs 09mins 46secs - Mainly flat with group
Fri - Rest day
Sat - 46.25km - 4hrs 08mins 15secs - Long run with group on road
Sun - 14.05km - 1hr 13mins 11secs - Solo flat to undulating
Weekly total: 130.72km - 11hrs 28mins 50secs
Monthly total: 265.30km - 25hrs 41mins 50secs
2012 YTD: 265.30km - 25hrs 41mins 50secs
Only 15 days into 2012 I have made a very good start to my 5200km/per year - 100km/per week challenge and my fitness is slowly starting to come back. Most of all I am really enjoying my running after my 7 weeks off full training. I've also entered my next ultra race, the Caboolture Dusk to Dawn 12hr track race in February. This will be my first timed track ultra and I'm sure that it will push my physical and mental limits. The race is run from 6pm until 6am and is run on a 500 metre gravel track. I am hoping to develop my ADP (all day pace), work on my mental strength and
fine-tune my fluid and nutrition strategy.
This week I will try and add in some hill work, add some more distance to each of my runs, have fun and..........
Keep running.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
2012 Hares & Hounds Race Report
Bubbling anticipation, thrumming heart, the unknown awaits
Twinkling lights bouncing, inky blackness, anticipating dawn
Footfalls forging steady, navigating earthly scars, toward the unknown
Determined stare, questions within, chasing dreams
Internal struggle, fight or flight, running on empty
Broken body, iron will, sanctuary awaits
Ultramarathon finisher
Ode to an ultra runner
Sean's first Ultramarathon
By Ben Cornelius 2012
On Sunday 8th January 2012 I ran in the 54km Hares & Hounds trail run in the Glasshouse Mountains. It was my first ultra of the year and although I had minimal training I had an alternative motive for entering. The race was to be the first ultra marathon for my friend Sean Peckover. I have gotten to know Sean and many of the other runners and triathletes in Rockhampton since moving here in 2009. Sean has developed a healthy desire to improve his running and challenge himself. He has completed a few marathons over the last couple of years and has entered the 2012 edition of The North Face 100. I have helped Sean where I can by giving him some advice and help with training etc but he has worked really hard over the last few months, put in some very solid training and was ready to enter and complete his first Ultra. I will let Sean tell his story and if you are interested he has a blog which talks about his running adventures. You can find it at: www.runpexrun.blogspot.com
Going into this race I had a less than ideal build-up. I had taken two weeks off following the 74km ultra from Cairns to Port Douglas and after that I was only running two or three times a week. I managed to get in some good hill runs in New Zealand, as mentioned in my earlier post, but I had not run more than 25km and my total volume was about half of where it had been earlier in the year. I entered the race just over a week before race day and only when we returned to Australia and I found out what my shifts were for the week. I had a more important reason for running.
Other runners have recounted how satisfying it is to run for something or someone else, a reason other than for yourself. Some people run to raise money for charity and some run with others to motivate and inspire them and to help them achieve their goals. I have generally run for myself but I felt that I really wanted to be there with Sean and share this exciting journey with him.
I drove down to Woodford on Saturday morning and checked into the motel with Sean and his crew chief sister, Monica, arriving a couple of hours later. Sean was understandably nervous. After dining out on pizza for dinner I got a few hours sleep before waking at 2:30am for a 3:30am race start. We arrived at the Woodford pool and registered, receiving our race numbers and listening to a pre-race briefing.
We took our place at the start and said hi to Mat and his father Stu who I have raced with at five of my six ultra races. Mat was wearing his sandals for the first time in an ultra. Mat has moved away from the confines of shoes and has embraced a more naturalistic approach by running exclusively in sandals or barefoot. We joked a little about how different our choice of footwear was, me in my Hoka elevator shoes and Mat in his ode to the romans, I even remarked during the run that he should run in a skirt to complete his ensemble.
I had never started a race where a form of illumination was required. It was a different experience and actually quite fun. Most of the runners wore headlamps but some carried a torch or used both to help light the way. As the race progressed and the field spread out it was quite an interesting sight to see groups of lights stretching out into the black ether of the early morning darkness.
The course is relatively easy for a trail run and I was using the day as more of a training run and to experiment with my nutrition and hydration which has previously given me significant issues. I had run five times that week for a total of 68km prior to race day. The morning was quite warm with what felt like moderate to high humidity and not before long I was sweating. The early pace was very relaxed and comfortable. Sean and I occasionally chatted amongst ourselves or with other runners who joined us. I was glad that I got a chance to run with Mat and Stu at various times as in my previous races I have taken off too quickly.
Although quite warm, thankfully the sun remained hidden behind clouds for the early part of the morning. I enjoyed running on the wide trails and was reminded of the 100 mile race I entered in September with some familiar landmarks. Our pace remained reasonably constant averaging around the 6 to 6:30min/km mark. I continued to follow my nutrition and hydration plan and together with the slower pace I felt remarkably good. I was having fun, enjoying the company, taking in the scenery and chatting to other runners and check-point volunteers.
As you would expect in an ultra, there comes a time when fatigue begins to set in, muscles tighten and energy levels fluctuate. This is when you draw on your training, your mental preparation and those deposits you made in your running bank (see 'Running Bank' post). As we approached the half way turnaround Sean was beginning to tighten up and we slowed a little taking a few more walking breaks. Walking breaks in ultras are quite important and are a good time to stretch out a little and get some food and fluid on-board. Being an out and back course we had the opportunity of seeing other runners on the return leg. The trail and in-particular the ultra community are very supportive of each other and everyone exchanged pleasantries and positive comments as we crossed paths.
The Hares & Hounds race is based on solo runners (Hares) who depart at 3:30am and are followed an hour later by the relay runners (Hounds) who run in teams of 2, 3 or 4. The first Hound caught us just before the turn-around running at a pretty quick pace. We reached the turn-around just over the 3 hour mark and were on target for a 6 to 6.5hr race. We refilled our bottles, posed for some photos and talked to the crew chief and some other supporters and headed on our way back to Woodford.
From this point Sean got to experience what ultra running is all about, running long, dealing with the course, dealing with the weather conditions and challenging himself to keep going to achieve his goal. Unfortunaetly Sean struggled with his nutrition and hydration plan which in a race like this can have drastic consequences. To someone who has not experienced the feeling of constant nausea, dehydration and sapped energy levels it is difficult to appreciate how challenging it is to keep moving forward when every part of you is urging to stop. The talking had stopped (well on Sean's behalf anyway. I kept yabbering on (sorry Sean)), I would look to Sean and he would give a little shake of his head and look down. He was broken but he was NOT beaten. I was glad that I was with him to help him through this as I had been in his position many times before and could appreciate how he was feeling. I tried to support Sean as best I could by setting small goals such as running to the next marker or a certain point on the course up ahead. Sean showed me what he was made of and forged ahead, jogging when he could, walking when he had to and never giving up.
The sun had burned away what was left of the clouds to provide yet another challenge, as if the distance was not enough. We continued to click off the kilometres and slowly but surely we put one foot in front of the other. With about 5 kilometres to go we were joined by Roger who ran with us to the end and provided moral support. Roger is a great guy and has a wealth of running knowledge having completed around 75 marathons. About two kilometres from the finish we took advantage of a photo opportunity to commemorate the day and pushed on to the finish. As with many things, the promise of achieving a difficult task lifted our spirits and with the finish line in sight Sean squeezed out what little reserves he had to run to the finish and become an ultramarathon finisher.
We finished the 54km trail run in 45th and 46th place overall in a time of 7hrs 29mins and 46secs. After crossing the finish-line we gratefully accepted a bag of ice which we placed on our necks to help cool down. At the time we thought that we were the last of the Hares but were later surprised to find out that there were another 12 people behind us with the last official finisher coming in after 8hrs 40mins. There were many casualties on the day, as there inevitably are in ultras, with quite a few people failing to finish for whatever reason.
I felt really good after the race and with a new application of sunscreen, a change of clothes and some more supplies I could have continued on for some more fun and adventure. However all good things must come to an end, and I still had to drive over 620km that afternoon. I grabbed a couple of sausages and bread from the free BBQ (provided for runners as part of the minimal entry fee) and couldn't resist a bit of showing off running around as if I had limitless energy. I had a quick chat with Mat who pulled up really well running in his sandals and managed to run a negative split coming in under 6 hours. Inspiring stuff as always Mat.
We drove back to the motel and I had a shower, changed clothes and packed the car. I presented Sean with a gift, my Glasshouse Ultra finisher's mug which I received for my first ultra in September 2010. For some reason the Hares and Hounds is the only Glasshouse race where they don't hand out a pottery mug to finishers. I have two others and wanted to acknowledge Sean's awesome effort by giving him the mug in recognition of his achievement.
After almost 7 hours of driving I made it back to Rocky in time to relax at home with my family for a while before Holly and Ethan went to bed. I don't know what was worse, running in the heat for over 7 hours or driving for that long in a car by myself. Actually I would rather run than do that drive any day.
I am really pleased with my own performance, I was able to really enjoy myself and my nutrition and hydration plan worked out really well. The run also brought my weekly total up to 122km which is not bad for my first week back. I would like to thank Monica and Roger for their support and say a huge congratulations to Sean, although the race did not go to plan you showed true spirit, courage and strength. I hope you can recognise what you have achieved and be proud of yourself.
I don't have any ultras planned for the next couple of weeks so I am going to try and concentrate on building my strength and stamina. I will try and get back to my weekly updates but most of all I want to have fun and....
Keep running.
Twinkling lights bouncing, inky blackness, anticipating dawn
Footfalls forging steady, navigating earthly scars, toward the unknown
Determined stare, questions within, chasing dreams
Internal struggle, fight or flight, running on empty
Broken body, iron will, sanctuary awaits
Ultramarathon finisher
Ode to an ultra runner
Sean's first Ultramarathon
By Ben Cornelius 2012
On Sunday 8th January 2012 I ran in the 54km Hares & Hounds trail run in the Glasshouse Mountains. It was my first ultra of the year and although I had minimal training I had an alternative motive for entering. The race was to be the first ultra marathon for my friend Sean Peckover. I have gotten to know Sean and many of the other runners and triathletes in Rockhampton since moving here in 2009. Sean has developed a healthy desire to improve his running and challenge himself. He has completed a few marathons over the last couple of years and has entered the 2012 edition of The North Face 100. I have helped Sean where I can by giving him some advice and help with training etc but he has worked really hard over the last few months, put in some very solid training and was ready to enter and complete his first Ultra. I will let Sean tell his story and if you are interested he has a blog which talks about his running adventures. You can find it at: www.runpexrun.blogspot.com
Going into this race I had a less than ideal build-up. I had taken two weeks off following the 74km ultra from Cairns to Port Douglas and after that I was only running two or three times a week. I managed to get in some good hill runs in New Zealand, as mentioned in my earlier post, but I had not run more than 25km and my total volume was about half of where it had been earlier in the year. I entered the race just over a week before race day and only when we returned to Australia and I found out what my shifts were for the week. I had a more important reason for running.
Other runners have recounted how satisfying it is to run for something or someone else, a reason other than for yourself. Some people run to raise money for charity and some run with others to motivate and inspire them and to help them achieve their goals. I have generally run for myself but I felt that I really wanted to be there with Sean and share this exciting journey with him.
I drove down to Woodford on Saturday morning and checked into the motel with Sean and his crew chief sister, Monica, arriving a couple of hours later. Sean was understandably nervous. After dining out on pizza for dinner I got a few hours sleep before waking at 2:30am for a 3:30am race start. We arrived at the Woodford pool and registered, receiving our race numbers and listening to a pre-race briefing.
We took our place at the start and said hi to Mat and his father Stu who I have raced with at five of my six ultra races. Mat was wearing his sandals for the first time in an ultra. Mat has moved away from the confines of shoes and has embraced a more naturalistic approach by running exclusively in sandals or barefoot. We joked a little about how different our choice of footwear was, me in my Hoka elevator shoes and Mat in his ode to the romans, I even remarked during the run that he should run in a skirt to complete his ensemble.
I had never started a race where a form of illumination was required. It was a different experience and actually quite fun. Most of the runners wore headlamps but some carried a torch or used both to help light the way. As the race progressed and the field spread out it was quite an interesting sight to see groups of lights stretching out into the black ether of the early morning darkness.
The course is relatively easy for a trail run and I was using the day as more of a training run and to experiment with my nutrition and hydration which has previously given me significant issues. I had run five times that week for a total of 68km prior to race day. The morning was quite warm with what felt like moderate to high humidity and not before long I was sweating. The early pace was very relaxed and comfortable. Sean and I occasionally chatted amongst ourselves or with other runners who joined us. I was glad that I got a chance to run with Mat and Stu at various times as in my previous races I have taken off too quickly.
Although quite warm, thankfully the sun remained hidden behind clouds for the early part of the morning. I enjoyed running on the wide trails and was reminded of the 100 mile race I entered in September with some familiar landmarks. Our pace remained reasonably constant averaging around the 6 to 6:30min/km mark. I continued to follow my nutrition and hydration plan and together with the slower pace I felt remarkably good. I was having fun, enjoying the company, taking in the scenery and chatting to other runners and check-point volunteers.
As you would expect in an ultra, there comes a time when fatigue begins to set in, muscles tighten and energy levels fluctuate. This is when you draw on your training, your mental preparation and those deposits you made in your running bank (see 'Running Bank' post). As we approached the half way turnaround Sean was beginning to tighten up and we slowed a little taking a few more walking breaks. Walking breaks in ultras are quite important and are a good time to stretch out a little and get some food and fluid on-board. Being an out and back course we had the opportunity of seeing other runners on the return leg. The trail and in-particular the ultra community are very supportive of each other and everyone exchanged pleasantries and positive comments as we crossed paths.
The Hares & Hounds race is based on solo runners (Hares) who depart at 3:30am and are followed an hour later by the relay runners (Hounds) who run in teams of 2, 3 or 4. The first Hound caught us just before the turn-around running at a pretty quick pace. We reached the turn-around just over the 3 hour mark and were on target for a 6 to 6.5hr race. We refilled our bottles, posed for some photos and talked to the crew chief and some other supporters and headed on our way back to Woodford.
From this point Sean got to experience what ultra running is all about, running long, dealing with the course, dealing with the weather conditions and challenging himself to keep going to achieve his goal. Unfortunaetly Sean struggled with his nutrition and hydration plan which in a race like this can have drastic consequences. To someone who has not experienced the feeling of constant nausea, dehydration and sapped energy levels it is difficult to appreciate how challenging it is to keep moving forward when every part of you is urging to stop. The talking had stopped (well on Sean's behalf anyway. I kept yabbering on (sorry Sean)), I would look to Sean and he would give a little shake of his head and look down. He was broken but he was NOT beaten. I was glad that I was with him to help him through this as I had been in his position many times before and could appreciate how he was feeling. I tried to support Sean as best I could by setting small goals such as running to the next marker or a certain point on the course up ahead. Sean showed me what he was made of and forged ahead, jogging when he could, walking when he had to and never giving up.
The sun had burned away what was left of the clouds to provide yet another challenge, as if the distance was not enough. We continued to click off the kilometres and slowly but surely we put one foot in front of the other. With about 5 kilometres to go we were joined by Roger who ran with us to the end and provided moral support. Roger is a great guy and has a wealth of running knowledge having completed around 75 marathons. About two kilometres from the finish we took advantage of a photo opportunity to commemorate the day and pushed on to the finish. As with many things, the promise of achieving a difficult task lifted our spirits and with the finish line in sight Sean squeezed out what little reserves he had to run to the finish and become an ultramarathon finisher.
We finished the 54km trail run in 45th and 46th place overall in a time of 7hrs 29mins and 46secs. After crossing the finish-line we gratefully accepted a bag of ice which we placed on our necks to help cool down. At the time we thought that we were the last of the Hares but were later surprised to find out that there were another 12 people behind us with the last official finisher coming in after 8hrs 40mins. There were many casualties on the day, as there inevitably are in ultras, with quite a few people failing to finish for whatever reason.
I felt really good after the race and with a new application of sunscreen, a change of clothes and some more supplies I could have continued on for some more fun and adventure. However all good things must come to an end, and I still had to drive over 620km that afternoon. I grabbed a couple of sausages and bread from the free BBQ (provided for runners as part of the minimal entry fee) and couldn't resist a bit of showing off running around as if I had limitless energy. I had a quick chat with Mat who pulled up really well running in his sandals and managed to run a negative split coming in under 6 hours. Inspiring stuff as always Mat.
We drove back to the motel and I had a shower, changed clothes and packed the car. I presented Sean with a gift, my Glasshouse Ultra finisher's mug which I received for my first ultra in September 2010. For some reason the Hares and Hounds is the only Glasshouse race where they don't hand out a pottery mug to finishers. I have two others and wanted to acknowledge Sean's awesome effort by giving him the mug in recognition of his achievement.
After almost 7 hours of driving I made it back to Rocky in time to relax at home with my family for a while before Holly and Ethan went to bed. I don't know what was worse, running in the heat for over 7 hours or driving for that long in a car by myself. Actually I would rather run than do that drive any day.
I am really pleased with my own performance, I was able to really enjoy myself and my nutrition and hydration plan worked out really well. The run also brought my weekly total up to 122km which is not bad for my first week back. I would like to thank Monica and Roger for their support and say a huge congratulations to Sean, although the race did not go to plan you showed true spirit, courage and strength. I hope you can recognise what you have achieved and be proud of yourself.
I don't have any ultras planned for the next couple of weeks so I am going to try and concentrate on building my strength and stamina. I will try and get back to my weekly updates but most of all I want to have fun and....
Keep running.
Monday, January 2, 2012
2011 - A year in review
2011 marked my first full year of running ultra marathons. My first official ultra was a 50km trail run in the Glasshouse Mountains in September 2010, however 2011 was the year that I truly embarked upon my ultra journey. 2011 was a year where I ran a 5km and 10km road race, a half and full marathon and five ultra marathons. Of those races I had two significant failures, my first DNF's in any races and although I failed to achieve my goals on those occasions I have learned so much. It has not been easy and I have 'retired' from running ultras a couple of times in response to getting sick during these endurance footraces. However, if these events were easy they wouldn't be worth doing. After my last race, where I suffered through the last 44km of a 74km run in very hot conditions, I thought that I was finally finished but once my body had recovered and the pain became a distant memory I could not resist the lure of running long again.
Some people ask me why I do this to myself and compete in these events and I struggle to give them an answer. I don't run long for fame or reward but because I love the feeling of freedom, the sense of achievement and satisfaction I get when pushing myself outside of my comfort zone to achieve great things. I believe that we are all capable of greatness and have the innate ability to extend ourselves beyond what we perceive as our limitations. All we need is the courage to believe in ourselves and the strength to lay it all on the line when it matters the most. This attitude is not just limited to running or sport in general, I believe that it applies to all the areas of our busy modern lives. Too many times we find an excuse to give up because something has become too hard, we miss the opportunities because we are scared to try, and scared to fail. I continue to make mistakes and I have failed but I will not give in, I will continue to get up again and it is because of these failures that I will prevail.
At the time of my DNF's at The North Face 100km and the Glasshouse 100 mile races I was tired, I was sore, I was dehydrated, I was sick and I didn't think I could continue so I quit. In hindsight and disassociated with the pain and feelings I had on those occasions I know deep down that if I really really wanted to I could have finished those races. Although I couldn't see it then, I know now that I needed those failures to motivate me and to allow myself to understand that I am stronger than that. So this year, in 2012, I am giving myself the mantra of 'NO EXCUSES'. I will also think about Aaron Ralston and about the immense strength of character he displayed in 2003.
Late last year I saw the movie 127 hours which is based on the book 'Between a rock and a hard place' written by Aaron Ralston. The book relates to an incident in 2003 when Aaron was hiking through canyons in Utah (U.S.A.) and fell down a crevice resulting in a large boulder crushing his arm and pinning him to the canyon wall. Aaron was stuck in that canyon for five days and on the morning of the sixth day he amputated his own arm by breaking the bones and then using a small and somewhat blunt knife from a multi-tool to cut away the skin, muscles, tendons and tissue. Severely dehydrated, bleeding profusely and in shock he managed to climb out of the canyon, rappel down a rock wall and hike his way out of the canyons before being rescued. In the future whenever I think that I am suffering and unable to continue I will try and think of Aaron Ralston and know that we can overcome almost anything, all we need is self-belief and the strength and courage to never give up.
In 2011 I ran a total of 4,163.98 kilometres which is an average of 11.40km's a day or 80.07km's per week. I had some very good blocks of big volume running with consistent weeks of between 100-175km. I also had a couple of periods where I took a couple of weeks off or had very low volume weeks. In 2012 I hope to run somewhere in the range of 5,000 to 6,000km and improve upon my consistency.
In 2011 I ran at least a marathon 17 times in training or racing. The majority of these sessions were in the 45-55km range with the two biggest training runs consisting of 60km and 68km. My three biggest races were the 74km Cairns to Port Douglas trail run, The North Face 100 trail run where I ran 83km and the Glasshouse 100 mile trail run where I managed 127.5km.
I have just come back from a three week family holiday to New Zealand for Christmas. I did some running on some of my old favourite courses which was great fun. Wellington is inundated with a huge variety of exciting and challenging trails and hills. I didn't run often and only when I felt like it. We were generally pretty busy catching up with family and friends which was the main reason for going over in the first place. I ran in the Eastern hills of Lower Hutt along the firebreaks. The views of the Hutt Valley are wonderful and I took a few rest breaks to admire them. I ran up to the top of the Belmont Trig via a bush trail with a few stream crossings and some steep sections. When I got to the top it was very windy and cold (11 degrees) so I was surprised to see a couple of mountain bikers up there and even more surprised to recognise one of them as an old triathlon training buddy of mine. I also got to run around one of my favourite courses on Mt Victoria which was the location of the 2005 World Mountain Running Championships. I also managed to get in a couple of flat runs around the Petone foreshore and Wellington Bays as well as a 12km round the block run from Karori to Wadestown and Wilton before returning to the start.
The break away has helped me recover from a big year of breakthroughs and exciting adventures. I'm really excited about what 2012 has in store for me and I'm looking forward to catching up with familiar faces, meeting new people, seeing new places, completing unfinished business, and continuing to challenge myself, but mostly I want to..............
Keep running.
P.S. - Stay tuned for next week's post which will contain a bit of a surprise report.
Some people ask me why I do this to myself and compete in these events and I struggle to give them an answer. I don't run long for fame or reward but because I love the feeling of freedom, the sense of achievement and satisfaction I get when pushing myself outside of my comfort zone to achieve great things. I believe that we are all capable of greatness and have the innate ability to extend ourselves beyond what we perceive as our limitations. All we need is the courage to believe in ourselves and the strength to lay it all on the line when it matters the most. This attitude is not just limited to running or sport in general, I believe that it applies to all the areas of our busy modern lives. Too many times we find an excuse to give up because something has become too hard, we miss the opportunities because we are scared to try, and scared to fail. I continue to make mistakes and I have failed but I will not give in, I will continue to get up again and it is because of these failures that I will prevail.
At the time of my DNF's at The North Face 100km and the Glasshouse 100 mile races I was tired, I was sore, I was dehydrated, I was sick and I didn't think I could continue so I quit. In hindsight and disassociated with the pain and feelings I had on those occasions I know deep down that if I really really wanted to I could have finished those races. Although I couldn't see it then, I know now that I needed those failures to motivate me and to allow myself to understand that I am stronger than that. So this year, in 2012, I am giving myself the mantra of 'NO EXCUSES'. I will also think about Aaron Ralston and about the immense strength of character he displayed in 2003.
Late last year I saw the movie 127 hours which is based on the book 'Between a rock and a hard place' written by Aaron Ralston. The book relates to an incident in 2003 when Aaron was hiking through canyons in Utah (U.S.A.) and fell down a crevice resulting in a large boulder crushing his arm and pinning him to the canyon wall. Aaron was stuck in that canyon for five days and on the morning of the sixth day he amputated his own arm by breaking the bones and then using a small and somewhat blunt knife from a multi-tool to cut away the skin, muscles, tendons and tissue. Severely dehydrated, bleeding profusely and in shock he managed to climb out of the canyon, rappel down a rock wall and hike his way out of the canyons before being rescued. In the future whenever I think that I am suffering and unable to continue I will try and think of Aaron Ralston and know that we can overcome almost anything, all we need is self-belief and the strength and courage to never give up.
In 2011 I ran a total of 4,163.98 kilometres which is an average of 11.40km's a day or 80.07km's per week. I had some very good blocks of big volume running with consistent weeks of between 100-175km. I also had a couple of periods where I took a couple of weeks off or had very low volume weeks. In 2012 I hope to run somewhere in the range of 5,000 to 6,000km and improve upon my consistency.
In 2011 I ran at least a marathon 17 times in training or racing. The majority of these sessions were in the 45-55km range with the two biggest training runs consisting of 60km and 68km. My three biggest races were the 74km Cairns to Port Douglas trail run, The North Face 100 trail run where I ran 83km and the Glasshouse 100 mile trail run where I managed 127.5km.
I have just come back from a three week family holiday to New Zealand for Christmas. I did some running on some of my old favourite courses which was great fun. Wellington is inundated with a huge variety of exciting and challenging trails and hills. I didn't run often and only when I felt like it. We were generally pretty busy catching up with family and friends which was the main reason for going over in the first place. I ran in the Eastern hills of Lower Hutt along the firebreaks. The views of the Hutt Valley are wonderful and I took a few rest breaks to admire them. I ran up to the top of the Belmont Trig via a bush trail with a few stream crossings and some steep sections. When I got to the top it was very windy and cold (11 degrees) so I was surprised to see a couple of mountain bikers up there and even more surprised to recognise one of them as an old triathlon training buddy of mine. I also got to run around one of my favourite courses on Mt Victoria which was the location of the 2005 World Mountain Running Championships. I also managed to get in a couple of flat runs around the Petone foreshore and Wellington Bays as well as a 12km round the block run from Karori to Wadestown and Wilton before returning to the start.
The break away has helped me recover from a big year of breakthroughs and exciting adventures. I'm really excited about what 2012 has in store for me and I'm looking forward to catching up with familiar faces, meeting new people, seeing new places, completing unfinished business, and continuing to challenge myself, but mostly I want to..............
Keep running.
P.S. - Stay tuned for next week's post which will contain a bit of a surprise report.
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