Firstly I would like to say yes, I'm still here. Secondly I can confirm that yes, I've still been running and thirdly I would like to declare that I returned to the Blue Mountains and finally claimed a finish in this monster of a trail race.
Before I recount my long day at the office I would like to cover some background. Obviously some time has elapsed since my last post on this blog. I would like to start out by saying that there is no specific reason why, I guess it is more that I lost my mojo / lost my way a little bit. My last post was before the Caboolture 12hr track race in February. Unfortunately I had a terrible race and ended up vomiting at about 66km. My stomach problems in ultras had continued and I didn't feel good right from the starter’s gun. I managed to run 78km in the 12 hours but that included quite a few hours with my feet up trying to sleep. After Caboolture I lost a lot of my motivation for running, where before the race I was running in the 120-160km per week range, afterwards I ran between 30-85km. I knew that I had two more ultras to run and in my mind I had decided that that would be the end of my ultra running adventures.
I was struggling to find the enthusiasm to get out there and run, thankfully I had my mate Sean (from: www.runpexrun@blogspot.com) to run with. As you may or may not know Sean and I have been training for TNF100 for quite a while and we had made the decision to run together at TNF100 and the final dress rehearsal, the Nerang 50km trail run in April. I had also found a new outlet for my energy and had become a CrossFit athlete. If you are unfamiliar with CrossFit check out their main site: www.crossfit.com and in particular their CrossFit games site: www.games.crossfit.com. Through CrossFit I have become much fitter and stronger which has helped me become a better athlete and better runner. I will spare the promotional spiel here because that would be a blog in itself but needless to say I am hooked and intend to follow CrossFit's principles which I am sure will help me become a better runner and take me to the next level of fitness, something that I cannot do with running alone.
Sean and I, together with Gavin, Raelene and Rodney from Rocky, ran the Nerang 50km trail run on the 1st April as what I call a "dress rehearsal" race. As a group we had mixed results but it was still an important run / deposit in the running bank, allowing us to fine-tune our preparations for the big one in May.
In 2011 I only made it to the 83km point of The North Face 100, dropping out of the race part-way up the Kedumba Pass climb. At that time I had nothing left and could not continue on. Having had a year to ponder this and improve my fitness and running skills I approached this race with a totally different mind-set. In 2011 my goal was to run hard, get a silver buckle for finishing under 14 hours and get as close to 12 hours as I could. This year my goals were have fun, enjoy the adventure and to finish the race in under 20 hours (receiving a bronze finishers buckle in the process) and to help Sean finish and receive a buckle. Sean and I made an agreement that we would run together no matter what. We had planned meticulously, set out and practiced our nutrition and hydration schedules and had dialled in a comfortable pace / effort that we could maintain without inducing stomach upset.
At approximately 6:56am on Saturday 19th May 2012 Sean, Marty and I stood together, squeezed amongst the other runners of Start Group 2, which was by far the largest of the self-seeded start groups. After a rather long pre-race briefing we exited the Fairmount Resort to hear Start Group 1 sent on their way. We barely had time to organise ourselves when they began counting down our departure.
We were underway. We began running up the resort driveway at a leisurely pace, quite different to my 4:50min first kilometre from last year. I typically start too fast, charged with excitement for the day to come. Thankfully Sean was there to keep a tight rein on me. We negotiated the suburban Leura streets surrounded by a seemingly endless supply of runners. The first obstacle of the day came much sooner than expected and presented itself in the form of a long and unmoving queue which had bottle-necked at the first off-road section. Scores of runners approached the trail section and were required to form a single line, this meant that we were walking slowly or even standing still for long periods of time. It was a little frustrating as I had not experienced this last year but I got my head back in the game and wrote it off as just another feature of this epic race.
After completing the first trail section and having our first photo opportunity we ran on some more bitumen for a while before hitting the trail proper and beginning our decent towards the Jameson Valley and Federal Pass. We were joined on this trail by Sean's good friend Luke who was also doing this race for the first time. I had met Luke at Nerang and it was great to have his company as we ran along. I really enjoyed this section and remembered many of the features and landmarks from last year. Once again I fell in love with the magnificent waterfall and had fun rock-hopping along the landslide section. Lots of runners passed our little trio and we once again got caught up in a queue of runners as everyone gingerly negotiated the landslide. We were having so much fun that I didn't really mind. We struck up conversations with other runners who were with us or playing leap-frog with each other including Tyler, a 19 year old who was running the race for the first time as well. He had been suffering from tight ITB (ITB stands for illio-tibial band which runs along the outside of your legs and is a common injury / ailment for distance runners) and would stop regularly to spray his knees, to lessen the pain and discomfort.
After a brief comfort stop we began the climb up the Golden Stairs which takes us onto Narrow Neck and towards Check Point 1. As we began the climb we saw Gavin, another one of the Team HRE Rockhampton runners. Gavin and Raelene had missed the start for Group 2 and had to start with Group 3, but he had already made up the two minutes and was with us on the climb. As expected we were caught in a queue again but even though it was slow we were moving steadily up the steep climb. With a slower pace I found the climb much easier than last year and used the time wisely to eat and drink. Positioned just a few runners ahead of me in the line I was surprised to see Jaci, what an amazing woman, last year she finished in 25hrs 55mins so was well ahead of last year’s pace. After making it to the top of the Golden Stairs I was amazed at the number of runners around us, so different to last year. The weather was a contrast to last year also, with much warmer temperatures and a beautiful clear sky, so I took off my gloves and arm warmers as I was beginning to sweat and overheat.
We made it to Check Point 1 in 2hrs 53mins 23secs which was within our target time range and about 45mins slower than last year. We took the time to refill our water and get some food on board. I ate a little too much consuming an apple bar and a Clif Shot Blok (each Blok has 6x squares and is the equivalent to 2x gels). Despite this rookie mistake I felt very good, I was relaxed and enjoying myself. We began our journey towards CP2 and were enjoying the panoramic views along Narrow Neck when Sean suddenly fell over. I'm not sure if he tripped on something but he ended up on his right side and lay there. I was a bit concerned as he did not say anything and was not moving, he had landed heavily on his right arm and lower right leg. We got him back up and assessed the damage, Sean was covered in dirt and shaken from the fall but after a short walk he was back running. Sean said that his arm and leg hurt quite a bit but he was able to manage the pain and run on. He showed great courage and determination but I could tell that he was annoyed about it and a little concerned about how it would affect the rest of the run, especially as it happened at 22km with such a long way still to go.
After some good consistent running along Narrow Neck we made our way to our third queue of the day, this time at the Tarro’s Ladders. The ladders were erected specifically for the event and allow the runners to negotiate a very steep and tricky section of the course with minimal risk of injury. There was a by-pass option which consisted of running 400m extra, but to get the full race experience Sean, Luke and I all decided to wait in line for the ladders. In fact only about three people took the by-pass option while we waited in line for about ten to fifteen minutes before it was our turn to descend. Once off the ladders we made our way down a little steep and tricky slope before running comfortably along some wide fire-trails making our way towards CP2 at 38km.
We arrived at Check Point 2 in 6hrs 05mins 45secs having taken 3hrs 12mins 21secs to complete the second leg and were only five minutes slower than our scheduled time. At this point last year I was 1hr 40mins quicker but felt terrible which is in stark contrast as to how I felt this year. I felt energised, I was excited to be there and was loving every moment. Sean, Luke and I had been having fun, laughing, joking around and chatting with other runners along the way. We were running at a pace and effort that was extremely comfortable and something that we could easily maintain. We completed the compulsory gear check and re-stocked our supplies in preparation for the next leg.
We walked for a short while after CP2 to let our food settle and in preparation for the nasty little climb up towards Ironpot Ridge. As we walked along Sean was eating a fruit bun and I pointed out the runners in a field further away, I explained that they had already made the turn at Ironpot and were on their way to Megalong Valley Road. We were on private land now and we could see a horse ahead standing on the track but he/she moved-on before we got there. It was at this point that we made our way onto the climb that would take us up to Ironpot Ridge. Now it is a steep hill and I don't know if it was our relaxed easy pace to this point or that I had built the climb up in my mind from last year but I found the climb really easy. I didn't run it but I took measured purposeful strides and began passing other runners as they stopped to rest and catch their breath. When Luke and I reached the top we looked back and noticed that Sean was a little slower and seemed to be struggling. We waited for him and he told us that he was feeling really tired and a little dizzy, Luke touched Sean's arm and remarked that he was icy cold. We rested for a minute or so and walked most of the out & back section along Ironpot Ridge. As we made our way out on this section I saw Jaci again who was running with Tylana and looking fresh having almost completed the return section. Sean was struggling a little and we figured out that the fruit bun had thrown him out a little. The real food was good but he had not had any gels or other quick-release sugar / carbohydrate and we thought that his blood sugar might be a bit low.
Sean ate another gel and managed to run for a little bit when he fell for a second time. We were at about the 44km point and descending another steep tricky slope when he cramped and fell again. Unfortunately Sean landed on his right side again further aggravating the scrapes and bruises that had developed from the first fall. Sean got back up and we managed to make our way to the bottom without further incident but I could tell that the damage had been done. Sean was in a pretty bad way, both physically and mentally. The pain and soreness prevented him from running and it hurt to walk. To add insult to injury Sean was angry and disappointed in himself. He had trained so hard and sacrificed so much and in his mind his race was over. Luke and I managed to get Sean to take some Neurofen for the pain and we walked with him for a while. Sean was not saying much which is a bad sign. Luke was in a difficult position, we were walking slowly at this point and it was looking doubtful that Sean would be able to run given his injuries. Luke spoke up and told us that he was thinking of running on, we encouraged him to go wishing him all the best. In the build up I had run with Sean a lot including when he was suffering and sick. I felt a little selfish but was glad that it was just Sean and I again and I used this time to try and get his head back in the game.
Sean is as tough as nails and he almost brought me to tears as he slowly but surely picked himself back up and despite the pain began running again. I whispered in his ear non-stop trying to stay positive and encourage him as he fought hard towards the next check point. Eventually the Neurofen did its job and the pain subsided as we continued running, even passing other runners in the process. We began the steady climb up Megalong Valley Road and passed the 50km sign, we were half-way and back on track. With four kilometres to go to the next check point we ate up lots of ground as we ran steadily on the downhill passing more runners and feeling good again.
We arrived at Check Point 3 at 54km in 9hrs 05mins 47secs having taken 3hrs and 02secs for the 16km leg. We were about 15 minutes down on our scheduled arrival time into CP3 but it could have been much worse and we were looking forward to the next leg. I was pretty much 2hrs and 01min down on my time from last year but I was focused and in the moment and feeling really positive about Sean's amazing positive turn-around. We were met at the CP by Leah and Raelene's dad Graeme who were there to crew for Gavin and Raelene. They were awesome, helping us sort out our drop bags and providing some very welcome encouragement. While we were getting ourselves sorted Luke came by to say hi as he was heading out. I think that gave Sean a bit of a boost, knowing that he had not lost too much time to Luke. I ate a bag of salted chippies and downed half a bottle of Gatorade and Leah grabbed Sean some hot noodles. We filled our water bladders and set out on the next leg of our journey after a snappy 13 minutes.
I was trying to keep a tight rein on how long we spent at check points as we had only budgeted a certain amount of time for each in our plan. From reviewing last year’s results it is easy to see that many people loose large chunks of time by wasting it standing around (or sitting) at check points. We talked about it before the race and didn't want to miss out on a buckle or a decent time because we had fluffed around. Our strategy was simple, grab what we need and get going. Sean ate his noodles as we walked along the 6ft track. Once his food and stomach had settled we ran at a nice comfortable pace along the runable sections of this leg. I knew that Nellies Glen was coming up and I knew that we would be walking the climb so while we could we ran. Leg 4 is quite short at only 11km but it contains Nellies Glen which is a short sharp climb with lots of short steep steps. Before we began climbing we stopped to put on our headlamps and then began power-walking the lower slopes. Once we hit the steps we were aware of the impact that Nellies was having on those around us. We passed numerous people who had stopped to rest, we could hear someone vomiting loudly ahead and we took a couple of rest stops ourselves. It was a new experience for me running Nellies Glen in the dark. Last year I didn't put my headlamp on until after the Giant Staircase. Again the relaxed comfortable pace meant that I really enjoyed the climb and thanks to a few rest stops with Sean I was not short of breath and found it pretty easy. Last year my calf’s cramped badly but this year I had no dramas at all and was continuing to enjoy myself. The climb took quite a bit out of Sean and we had a short rest and refuelled at the top. We walked the next undulating section until we got to the road where we stopped and put on our glow vests which are mandatory when running on the road at night. It was great being back in town and amongst civilisation again after going bush for over 11 hours. We ran the road downhills which brought us to the next check point.
Sean and I arrived at Check Point 4 at 65km in 11hrs 34mins 25secs. Leg 4 had taken us 2hrs 14mins 53secs. I was almost 2.5hrs down on last year’s time and it was starting to get quite cold. I had already put my gloves and arm-warmers back on but decided to put on my thermal top as well. When we entered the Katoomba sports centre Leah and Graeme met us again and gave us the splits of the other Rocky runners. Marty was smoking it out the front with the big boys and girls, Gavin was about 45 minutes ahead of us and Raelene was making her way steadily behind us. Luke had already left CP4 and was about 25mins ahead. Sean and I put on some warmer clothes, added our fleeces to our packs as directed by the CP marshals and got some more food and drink on board. I was getting tired but still feeling really positive and excited about the rest of the course. I finished the rest of my Gatorade, put a coke in my pack, refilled my water and sent another Facebook update. I had called Mel a couple of times and posted FB updates at every CP so my friends and family would know how we were going. It is a long day for the runners but it can also be a long day for our loved-ones and supporters. After 20 minutes I cracked the whip and Sean and I headed out on leg 5. The trek from CP4 to CP5 is the longest of the event at 24km and we had budgeted 4hrs 45mins for this leg. Despite Nellies Glen we had pulled back some of our previous time deficit and were now only 1 minute behind schedule.
Our high spirits from CP4 didn't last too much longer and after a short period of running we were resigned to walking. Sean was suffering and was starting to suffer stomach problems. I took the opportunity to call Mel and speak to the kids before they went to bed. Speaking to my family always lifts my spirits and it was great to hear their voices. It can be quite lonely out on the course especially if it's dark and you are running by yourself. Thankfully Sean and I had each other and despite his worsening stomach issues we were still quite positive that we could walk the rest of the course and still come in under the 20 hour mark. It is tough trying to work out mathematical calculations in your head, especially so when you are tired. I roughly figured out that if we kept to a steady 4km/hr walk we would get there in time. On a flat, even, straight course that would not be a problem but this is the Blue Mountains and nothing about them is easy. We began the slow decent down the Giant Staircase which is about 900 steps down and incredibly steep in places. This meant taking our time and making it to the bottom in one piece. When we got to the bottom Sean was smashed, he needed to rest for a while to help him recover. He was not talking and from previous experience I knew this was a bad sign. On top of that our pace had slowed significantly and the 20 hour mark was drifting further out of reach.
From this part of the course we gradually make our way down the Jameson Valley before we begin the big climb up the Kedumba Pass to CP5. The track is pretty runable here but Sean was in no condition to run at this point. I made sure that he was still drinking water, trying to make sure that he didn't become dehydrated but his stomach upset was getting worse. As we made our way along the single track I let Sean lead at his own pace but he began stumbling on some of the easy flat sections and was weaving from side to side a little. I was becoming increasingly concerned about his welfare and knew that a buckle would be very unlikely at the rate we were going. I began to internalize our situation and reasoned that if we had any chance to get a buckle we would have to start pushing hard now, but I knew there was no way Sean could go any quicker. I resigned myself to the fact that we would miss our goal of finishing under 20 hours and getting the coveted bronze buckle. I decided that although getting a buckle was important to both of us, ultimately our first goal was to finish.
Once the single trail opened up to wide fire-trail and gravel roads Sean told me that he was sorry but he couldn't go on. I knew this was coming, it was eerily similar to my own experience from last year and at a similar position on the course. Sean explained that he had nothing left, he couldn't stay awake and he had no energy left. I explained to him that all we had to do was finish, we didn't need to worry about time anymore, just put one foot in front of the other. Sean tried to convince me to go on without him but I stubbornly refused, reminding him of our previous commitment. I suggested that Sean take some No-Doz caffeine tablets and that they might help perk him up. He took a couple with water and I suggested that we give it some time to see if they work. We continued walking for a while but he had reached his limit. Sean could not hold it back any longer and proceeded to vomit on the side of the track. I hoped that he would feel better and that we could walk together to the end. I tried to keep his spirits up and convince him that he could do it and reminded him how much I regretted dropping out last year. Sean explained that he wasn't worried so much about dropping out, it was more that he just couldn't see how he could continue, he had no energy left, he had severe stomach upset and he was struggling to stay awake. I tried every trick in the book to get him to refocus his mind and concentrate on short term goals but Sean had made up his mind. I told Sean what options he had open; that he could walk with me to CP5 and either withdraw there or try and push for a finish or if he could not make it to CP5 then we would have to call race HQ and get picked up. I told him that if he wanted to withdraw now he would have to call his wife Belinda and best mate Jason and tell them. As well as being his friend (and an awesome up & coming A-grade cyclist) Jason is Sean's business partner (HRE - Human Race Events) and one of his greatest supporters. I hoped that this threat would make him pause and think about it for just a minute and was my last ditch attempt to try and get Sean to continue on. It didn't work and Sean said sure, he'll give them a call.
From CP4 we had been passed by lots of runners and as the night wore on and the field continued to spread out we found ourselves quite isolated with long periods where it was just the two of us. I called the emergency number on the back of our race numbers at 8:40pm and gave them a run-down of our situation. The event staff are awesome and they told me they would send someone straight away to pick Sean up but because of our location it would be 30-40 minutes before they could get to us. Three things happened next which convinced me that Sean had made the right decision. Firstly he vomited another couple of times, he must have been quite dehydrated because very little came up. Secondly Sean began hallucinating, pointing out to me a large white horse in the distance. Only there was no horse, nothing but trees and darkness. The third was when Sean started to fall asleep standing up. Sean was weaving more and more and one time when I looked up at him I noticed that his eyes were half closed. I looped my arm through his as if I was giving him away at a wedding and kept him propped up and moving. Given that we weren't going to be picked up for a while I didn't want him to get too cold. We shuffled along like that together for a short time but finally reached our end point. Sean had made it to 76km and couldn't go any further. I sat him down on a tree stump and made him put on all his warm gear. While we waited Sean called Belinda and Jason and gave them the bad news. It must've been hard to do and I could hear that they were both genuinely concerned for him and felt his pain and disappointment. I took the opportunity to call Mel and give her an update as well. She felt sad for Sean as well and couldn't help but draw the parallel our paths had taken comparing my race last year to Sean's race this year. I waited with Sean at the tree stump for about half an hour until his rescue ride arrived. What was even more Twilight Zone about the whole situation was that I think it was the same truck and same guy picking Sean up that had picked me up last year. The truck arrived at 9:38pm and Sean and I gave each other a big hug wished each other well and then I took off.
I smashed it. I don't know if it was my concern and disappointment for Sean, the easy pace throughout the day, the rest I had while waiting for him to be picked up or a combination of them all but I was on fire. I ran off like I was in a half marathon. My 77th kilometre was 8:31mins/km which was mainly uphill compared with the 11 to 20 minutes per kilometre that we had been travelling at for the last 17km. Kedumba Pass is generally considered to be a very tough part of the course and given the steep gradient and its late positioning in the race it breaks many people including me last year. This year was a totally different story. I tempo'd the downhill and gentle inclines and power walked up the steeper sections. I started passing scores of other runners, many of whom had passed Sean and I earlier on in the race or whilst we were waiting for the pick-up. I was telling myself over and over that I really wanted that buckle. I received many strange looks from other runners who were shocked to be passed by someone running so hard this late in the race. I was so focused that I didn't really care if I looked like an idiot, I was on a mission. I made sure to keep my balance when negotiating the cinder-blocks at the water crossings and ran past the scene of my DNF last year. With smile on my face I fist-pumped the air at 83km and passed a group of four runners into the unknown.
I had never run on this part of the course before and I had a little voice in the back of my head telling me to slow down, that I didn't know what was coming up and could not sustain this effort to the finish. So I did what I normally do and threw caution to the wind and ran harder. After downloading my Garmin GPS watch, from leaving Sean to CP5 my splits were:
8:39
6:29
6:14
6:16
9:10
8:41
7:40
9:39
9:16
11:10
8:07
8:07
When I got to the top of the Kedumba Pass climb I passed a group of runners that I remembered from the bottom of Nellies Glen as they powered ahead. I was really pleased to have caught them and as I ran along the two kilometres or so of flat ground before the checkpoint, and then I turned my mind towards Luke. When I passed the 85km sign I calculated in my head that I had about four hours to get to the finish under the 20 hour cut-off and was hoping that at this pace I would be able to catch Luke by CP5. But when I arrived at the check point he had already left.
I arrived at Check Point 5 in 16hrs 24mins 42secs having taken 4hrs 28mins 20secs for the leg. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I ran into the check point at what felt like my PB marathon pace (4:15min/km for 2:58:28). This was a really pivotal moment for me and I genuinely felt that I had conquered my failings from last year. I saw Graeme in the crowd and asked about Sean but he said that Sean had already left with Leah and they were on their way back to the resort. I know that hundreds of runners had already finished and that I had 11km still to go but I felt like a rock-star, an elite runner. I just felt so good and so happy to finally be at CP5. I entered the tent and said hello to Belinda who was running the race for the first time. She is a friend of my mate Andy who is also in the same job and I have gotten to know at many of these races. I had passed Andy on the climb, he was struggling a little but still moving forward. I said hi to his wife Julie and their kids and told them that he was doing okay. I filled my water bladder, grabbed a few items from my drop-bag, said a final goodbye to Julie, Belinda and their families and ran out of the check point after a snazzy 5 minutes flat.
As I made my way along the road section after CP5 I thought about last year and how Mel drove me home as runners made their way up the gentle climb. I sent a text to Mel and put an update on Facebook while I walked for a short time and multi-tasked by getting some more food on board. With those tasks completed I took off again in pursuit of Luke, a sub 20 hour finish and a bronze buckle. I found the road section easy and knocked out some quick kilometres including a 5:59. I had heard that the track leading up to the finish can be surprisingly difficult especially when tired. I didn't know what to expect so I followed my own advice and ran the runable sections hard and walked the more technical sections to ensure I didn't fall or sustain an injury. After a couple of kilometres watching my feet and head as I negotiated the mud and technical single track I spied two runners ahead. As I came up behind them I recognised that one of them was Luke, as he stood aside to let me past I said something silly like “make way for a good looking runner”. He was surprised to see me and we had a quick chat about Sean. I was still feeling good so after a pat on the back and word of congratulations I took off again. I continued to pick up other runners but was slowing quite a bit due to the terrain and my earlier furious pace.
After the 95km sign the distance markers begin counting backwards. I was covering new territory and loving every minute of it. I had caught up to two other runners and we were working really well together. I missed the 2km to go sign and voiced my opinion to the others that this felt like the longest 11km run in my life. I had been eating and drinking regularly but was starting to feel the first signs of an upset stomach. I think that it was more hunger than anything but with only a few kilometres to go I wasn’t going to worry about it. I gave Marty a call with 1km to go to let him know that I was approaching the finish and made my way to the edge of the resort grounds. I could hear the crowd celebrating in the distance and then the lights and buildings came into view. A marshal congratulated me as I started running on the grass with a couple hundred metres to go.
I followed the fairy lights, TNF100 banners and made the right turn into the finishers shute. As I ran towards the finish I spied Marty to the left and have him a running high five before crossing the line as a The North Face 100 finisher. Sweet sweet redemption.
I finished the 2012 The North Face 100 in 18hrs 23mins 56secs in 413th place overall. I ran the last leg in 1hr 53mins 53secs. The finish area was like a huge party zone with heaps of people still celebrating; I loved it and was soaking up the atmosphere. Marty ushered me inside and I picked up my finishers certificate and bronze buckle. I caught up with Gavin and Tylana inside and congratulated them on their great runs. I sent Mel a text and updated Facebook before getting some hot food. Gavin made me a cup of tea and I got us a couple of sausages. I was hungry and ended up having two sausages wrapped in bread with sauce and could've gone a couple more.
Naturally I was tired, my feet were aching and my body was starting to tighten up after being on the move for over 18 hours. I was so happy, I had finally finished the race that had beaten me 12 months ago. I swapped stories with Marty, Gavin, Tylana and was watching the faces of all those around me. Some of the other runners were in various states including some receiving medical attention. I had been thinking of Sean for quite a while and even though I finished the race for me, a part of me also did it for Sean. I figured that I knew how he was feeling somewhat, having been in the same situation last year. Marty told me that Sean was asleep in our room and that he had been assessed as being dehydrated and mildly hypothermic.
Marty went to bed and I hung around and talked with Gavin for a while before I got my things together and headed off for a shower. I saw Luke just after he finished and congratulated him on an awesome run. The shower was awesome but when I got to bed I couldn't switch my mind or body off. My body was twitching and I couldn't relax and lie still and my mind was stuck on a loop, replaying the whole day in my head. After two hours of drifting in and out of sleep I got up again at 4:30am and headed back downstairs. Gavin had estimated that Raelene would finish at about 5am and I wanted to be there when she crossed the line. I got dressed and felt surprisingly good. Sean and Marty were also restless and we talked for a while before I made it downstairs. Sean was feeling pretty philosophical about dropping out, again very similar to my experience last year. Having run the rest of the Kedumba Pass and the final leg I had a different appreciation for the course and how tough the last part is. Knowing what I know now and given Sean's condition at the time I can say with 100% conviction that there was no way he could have finished the race that day. Even though he had 28 hours to finish the race, the difficulty of the climb and the technical nature of the final leg would be too much for anyone feeling the way Sean did at 76km. That is why this race has such a high drop rate, it is very tough. After last year’s DNF when the memories of pain and misery had subsided I had thought that I could've finished if I had someone to push me along and stay with me to the finish. Now, having run the rest of the course I feel that I can say with a high degree of certainty that there was no way I could've finished the race last year feeling the way that I did.
I feel really proud of myself for going back and finishing the race, for supporting a great friend along the way, until he could go no further, and for never giving up the dream. Although the certificate is only a piece of paper, the buckle is only a piece of metal, they symbolise the effort, commitment and sacrifice I have given to become a finisher of this race. I will hold on to these memories proudly as they help to define me and what I am made of.
Firstly I would like to thank my amazing wife Melanie who has also sacrificed so much so that I can go off and have these adventures. I would like to thank my awesome children Holly and Ethan who like Mel have had to make some sacrifices too and are always so accepting and supportive of me. Hopefully I have given them some life lessons about patience, commitment, dedication and most importantly living your dreams and never giving up. I want to say a big thank-you to Sean for his commitment to me, his friendship and all those hours spent together training for this beast of a run. Thanks to Marty for our fast training runs, support and planning most of the trip and for letting me tag along. Thanks to Leah and Graeme for their support and encouragement out on the course. And finally I would also like to thank the rest of my family, friends and training partners who have supported me and inspired me along the way.
Sean, Andy, Dean and many other runners unfortunately dropped out this year but they should still be proud of their achievements. Andy and Dean finished last year and I know that it is little consolation but getting to the start line and attempting this race is a feat in itself. Many runners cannot handle the training required, succumb to injury and cannot start. Remember that it's the journey that is important not the destination.
I would like to acknowledge and congratulate everyone who finished and in particular:
Martin HACK - 13hrs 44mins 58secs (Silver Buckle)
Jaci RICHARDS - 16hrs 49ins 52secs (a PB by over 9 hours!!)
Tylana WOODWARD - 17hrs 26mins 18secs
Gavin BENDALL - 17hrs 40mins 23secs
Belinda HOLLOWAY - 18hrs 48mins 22secs
Luke EDWARDS - 18hrs 51mins 13secs
Raelene BENDALL - 22hrs 25mins 03secs
My apologies to any of my running friends I missed.
I would also like to add a quick note about the freak-show that is Marty HACK. For those of you that don't know Marty he is a running enigma, a paradox, something that should not perform the way that he does. Marty is amazing, if I can use the analogy of the bumble bee; it has been said that the bumble bee should not be able to fly because of his large body and tiny wings, the only reason he can fly is simply, because nobody told him that he couldn't. Marty's lead up was unconventional at best. He had only run in his backpack once and that was for all of 1km, he had been injured in the lead-up to the event and had a disappointing (by his standards only) Canberra Marathon. In the final month before the race Marty had only been running once or twice a week and only for short periods of time. He was suffering pain and discomfort and was really unsure how he would perform on the day. Marty has an impressive running history with a 2:51 marathon PB and knocked out 122km at the Caboolture 12hr track race in February. Marty did pretty much everything opposite to what is suggested and came away with a top 100 finish and a sub 14 hour silver buckle. He didn't eat too much and had about a third of the water that I had all day but what he did do was run and run well. Congratulations Marty on an incredible performance and outstanding result.
One of my running friends and colleagues Mat GRILLS was absent from this year’s TNF100 as he was running at the Cooks Tour 50mile trail run in the Glasshouse Mountains. Mat ran the whole race in his Huarache sandals and finished the race in an impressive time of: 9hrs 43mins for 9th place overall, well done Mat.
So what did I do this year that was better than last year? I guess there are a couple of differences, I was very relaxed coming into the race, I had a lot more running experience behind me and I was approaching the race with a different attitude. Running much slower with Sean helped me with my hydration and nutrition, I ate so much this year compared with last year which means that I had the energy and fuel to keep going hour after hour and did not suffer from the dreaded gastro upset that has plagued me for so many races. I also drank so much that I had to have about fifteen pee stops which means that I was really well hydrated.
What's next? I honestly don't know at this time. I am looking forward to getting back into CrossFit but at the same time I want to continue my running journey. I want to enjoy my running and have lots of fun and exciting adventures. Prior to this year’s TNF100 I said that finishing would be an end to this chapter of my running ultras, but sometimes having a bad race or a good race is all the motivation one needs to get back out there and plan bigger and better things. I am having a full week off any training and will just enjoy getting strong and fit again. There are many exciting running events to choose from on the calendar this year including: Rocky River Run, Gold Coast Marathon, Flinders Tour, Glasshouse 100, CQ Physio Spring Classic and many others. I'm not sure which races I will be a part of but one thing is for certain, I will....................
Keep Running.
