BenCornelius's running Move 3.11.2012 - Move at Movescount.com

BenCornelius's running Move 3.11.2012 - Move at Movescount.com

3 marathons in 3 days

A few weeks ago I was approached by the one they call 'White Caviar', Marty Hack, about running 3 marathons in 3 consecutive days. Given that I am building my training up for my second crack at a 100 mile trail race I affirmed my intention to join him on this adventure.

Since the Flinders Tour my training has been going pretty well. The week before last I ran 136km including some good hill work up Mt Archer. Initially I was hoping to knock out 160km for the week but was feeling quite tired from work so did the sensible thing and took a couple of days off training. Due to my shift pattern I had worked 7 days straight, had 2 off and then had to work another 9 straight finishing at 10pm on the Friday night before Marathon #1.

This past week I had a pretty solid week running 60km in three days including a double summit of Mt Archer on Tuesday and a 25km med-long run on Thursday. On Tuesday I parked my car on Frenchville Road near my children’s school. As a warm up I ran the 2km incline to the base of the climb. My legs were feeling a little tired and heavy and it was my first outing in my new Hoka One One Tarmac Evo road shoes. Because I was not 'feeling' it on the day I ran up at a comfortable pace reaching the summit after 33mins 15secs for the 5km climb. This hill is a popular training ground for runners, cyclists and walkers with the summit generally considered to be the top car-park area. My summit is slightly different, there is a sharp left turn once you get to the car-park and this path leads up to a look-out amongst the various antenna's. It generally adds about 30-45 seconds onto my run and means that it is exactly 5km.

On the 5km run back down the hill I felt really strong so that when I reached the bottom for my second summit I decided to run a bit harder. I had seen some cyclists doing 1km reps and a couple of walkers heading up so I used them as bait and set about trying to catch them. My PB for the climb stood at 31mins 48secs and I had come to within 1 second of that the week before, so I was hoping that I could get a new personal best on my second summit of the day. I set about running at a strong but comfortable pace. I generally run the climb at a sub 7min/km pace but was recording very low 6's on this summit attempt. I felt so strong and was becoming increasingly confident with each step as I powered my way up the hill. I reached the summit in 30mins 34secs, a new PB by a whopping 1min 14secs. I was very pleased with myself and headed back down after my compulsory look-out loop. All up I ran 25.5km in 2hrs 05mins 32secs, a great way to spend my afternoon.

MARATHON #1
The first stop on our marathon adventure was Great Keppel Island which is situated off the Capricorn Coast near Yeppoon. Marty and I caught the first ferry across to the island and were running by about 10:20am. The sky was perfectly blue and it was already starting to get quite hot. After a little bit of sand running we began our first climb on a meandering path of loose rock and tree roots. Marty set the pace at the front and I tried to keep up. After a few kilometres we made our way to Long Beach which is one of the islands beautiful beaches, finding ourselves sinking with each step into the sand. We climbed back into the bush before a nice downhill which took us to the islands only paved (that I know about) road. We found a sign pointing in the direction of the lighthouse and set about trying to find it.

I was really enjoying the run with great trails on a superb day. It was starting to heat up quite a bit and after little bit of sand running at Butterfish Ba, Marty and I began climbing the ridgeline which would take us to the Lighthouse. I found the climb difficult with the added challenge of the loose rock and many exposed roots. I was still having fun but it was tough going and I had to walk for short periods due to the gradient. My confidence took a bit of a knock too, after having a really good week and getting a PB on my Mt Archer summit I felt annoyed that I was struggling while Marty galloped on ahead.

When we finally reached the outcrop that led down to the Lighthouse I was lost for words. It was truly a remarkable view with a worn path through the rocky outcrop down to the Lighthouse itself. Marty was also taken with the stunning vista and remarked that it felt like he was on some Greek island somewhere. We enjoyed the view, had a gel and had to leave a short time later. I would have loved nothing more than to park my butt and just soak up the view but our ferry was due to leave at 3:45pm and given our slow pace I didn't want to fall short on distance.

Once back on the technical single-track I had the misfortune of rolling my ankle as I took a drink. It hurt but thankfully I could still run on it. I have rolled my ankles many times and have found that as long as you can still put weight on it then running is actually the best thing for it, keeping the blood circulating etc. Unfortunately this was not my only issue, the heat had really gotten to me and I was suffering big time. I had gone through most of my water and was in the hurt locker from then on.

Marty and I retraced our steps to the beach where we had left our bags only to discover that some arsehole had gone through our bags. Thankfully we had all our valuables on us and they only took my protein bars that I had reserved for after the race. I sat down and was debating with myself if I had the ability to finish. I had only run 27k and had another 14k to go, but I had nothing left in the tank and was reduced to a shuffle. I couldn't fail at the first hurdle so I got myself up, we re-filled our fluids and set about completing leg #1. We were worried about running out of time and/or missing the last and only ferry home so we devised a multi-lap route which included some road as well as off-road sections. Considering our time restrictions and given that I was reduced to a walk / run we kept the last 14km to the flat.

I'm not really sure how I did it, and to be honest I had to dig really really deep to summon the energy and desire to go on, but we made it. We finished about 20 minutes before the ferry was to depart so we had a quick dip in the cool clear waters of Fisherman's Beach. I finished marathon #1 in 4hrs 33mins 41secs with a total of 946m elevation gain, I was proud of myself for finishing when I had nothing left and wanted to give up but this was day one of three and I had to re-gather myself and prepare mentally for the next day.

MARATHON #2
After a relatively restless sleep Marty came over to my place and we set off towards Yeppoon. Today's run was totally on the road and was on a point to point course with a few undulations. On the Sunday the Mercure Resort was hosting the Yeppoon 70.3 Half Ironman triathlon and I had a few friends competing in the individual and teams events. I was really keen to watch the race and thankfully Marty was happy to run there as part of our marathon adventure.

Both Marty and I were quite surprised at how good we felt considering yesterday's tough effort. The first kilometre was run at about 5:24 pace but then the white horse took point and we began running 5:02 uphill. I didn't want to disappoint him again after my poor performance the day before so I ran hard to keep up. It was a cool start to the day but my legs felt strong and I found that I could stay with Marty on the flat. As each kilometre ticked on our pace increased until we were knocking out regular splits in the 4:40 region.

At about 15km we ran into Gavin who had seen us as he was driving to the race in which he was a team runner. We stopped to have a quick chat and then carried on with our fast pace. We went through the half-way point in about 1hr 41mins and I was a little worried about blowing up, however, I still felt good and decided to remain relaxed and just go with it.

We reached Yeppoon and I was tired but still feeling good, we had run about 34km or so and carried on without stopping towards the resort. A few kilometres later we came to the far turn-around point for the bike ride. It was amazing watching the seemingly never-ending stream of bike-riders. The bike course is a multi-lap course consisting of 5 laps which they complete on the two-lane eastern section of road meaning that some of the slower riders would be lapped multiple times and given the various start times it was difficult to determine who was in what position. I got a real boost and yelled out to anyone I could recognise (which was a bit of a challenge given the number of people and speed at which they were travelling).

By this stage I had finally hit the wall and had slowed quite a bit on our early torrid pace. We had run very strong and I was content to jog out the last 5km or so and call out to my friends as they went past.

We finished marathon #2 in 3hrs 22mins 17secs. The elevation gain was only 205m and we had an average pace of 4:47mins/km. I was really pleased with how my body held up and that I was able to sustain a solid pace throughout, only slowing near the end. This means that my training is on the right track and I am coming into form at the right time. After the run Marty and I hung around the resort to cheer on our friends as the continued to battle themselves and the course in the 70.3 half-ironman. Congratulations to everyone who completed the full event or took part in a relay team.

MARATHON #3
I felt really good on Sunday night but at bedtime I was asking myself, why didn't Marty stop at two marathons in two days? We had arranged to meet at my place at 6:30am. We couldn't meet any earlier because we had to be online at 6:00am to enter another race. The Great North Walk 100's opened at 6:00am and with a high demand and limited spots I figured that I needed to get in early or risk missing out. Now don't be put off by the title, the GNW100's which begin in Newcastle and head south towards Sydney are generally considered to be Australia's toughest 100km and 100mile races. From all the stories that I have read and heard about this race it is quite formidable and to be honest I am a little intimidated by it. I'm not one to turn my back on a challenge or adventure so I submitted my entry at 6:01am and hoped that I would get in. I later found out that I was successful and will be standing on the start line on the 10th November to run the 107mile (173.7km) race.

Marty arrived and we began our Tour de Rockhampton road run. We had originally planned to run off-road again in Byfield but were wary of the added travel (over an hour each way) and the later than normal start. So we headed off on tired legs for the third and final marathon.

Although my legs and body felt tired and heavy I found that I could still maintain a steady pace around 5mins/km. I started to feel quite fatigued from about 10km but pushed on. Marty as per usual was steaming away in front making it all look easy. I envied his abilities but as I have learnt, from many ultra races and hard training sessions, being an ultra runner is a very individual experience and it is important to be true to yourself and run within your own abilities. So I heeded my own advice and ran hard but not outside what I thought I could handle.

Where Saturday was hot and sunny and Sunday was cool and clear, Monday was cloudy with higher than normal humidity. Rain was threatening and we received a couple of brief showers on the run. By the 20km mark I was beginning to suffer and I knew that it was a matter of just trying to maintain good form and get to the end without too much damage.

Marty was obviously feeling good as he stretched out in the distance knocking out some 4:30min kilometres. I kept to my hydration and nutrition plan but the cumulative running was beginning to take its toll. I had done the figures in my head and worked out that once I completed marathon #3 I would have run 145km for the calendar week and 186km for the seven day period ending with this run.

If I thought I was doing it tough at 20km, by the time I reached 30km I was in the hurt locker again. Although I was not as bad as I was on Saturday I was working hard to maintain a 5:15min/km pace. I was not out to break the time from the day before but I did have an optimistic but achievable goal of running 3:45.

So when we finished Marathon #3 in 3hrs 34mins 10secs I was happy and relieved to have completed our mission to run three marathons in three days. In order to complete the distance we had to run past my house and continue down the street for another kilometre which was a peculiar but necessary form of torture. Marty, having been fleet of foot all day had run an extra kilometre or so. Bloody show-off.

Having started with a cloudy day, by the time we finished the sun had burned off all the clouds and the mercury was rising steadily. When combined with the lingering humidity I fell to the grass in my front yard having spent much of my balance in the running bank. Funnily enough it did not take me too long to recover and I was up and about feeling back to normal quite quickly. The thought of a fourth marathon disappeared almost as quickly as it entered the mass of white stuff between my ears.

So we had done it. I am very grateful to Marty for the inspiration and support to get me through this awesome adventure. I have completed a variety of races and training sessions but had never tackled anything like this before. I feel that this training will provide a huge benefit to me as I aim to finish both the Glasshouse 100mile and GNW 100mile in the coming months.

This week was the last week before I begin my taper for Glasshouse. I took the Tuesday off and rewarded myself by going to two movies (The Campaign and The Bourne Legacy) and eating ice-cream. I surprised myself and my training partners by running strong on Wednesday (12.5km in 1hr) and Thursday (25.5km in 2hrs 01min) and did not feel any lingering effects from the marathons. I had Friday off and planned to run on Saturday with the group but decided to take an extra rest day to help recover and begin the process of tapering. Today found me running 6km to meet a group of runners before running the Turkey Trail up to the summit of Mt Archer. The pace was on and after a pit-stop to clear a stone from my shoe) I was running on my own for most of the 12.5km to the top. I eventually caught the runners in front of me arriving at the top car-park about 15secs behind a very talented young Rocky runner Miles. At the top I chatted to a few of the others for about 5 minutes before heading back down the trail to home again. All up I ran 35.5km in 3hrs 46mins 10secs with 832m of elevation gain.

Tomorrow I have another day off as I begin my taper in earnest. I am very excited about the miler and am very much looking forward to my second redemption run of the year and "knocking the bastard off". Having dropped out at 127.5km last year, in order to be successful this year I need to follow my race plan, run for and within myself and get to the end for my first (of many) 100mile finishes.

Once again I would like to thank everyone for their support and am looking forward to writing a race report which regales everyone with my valiant completion of the Glasshouse 100 mile trail run.

Stay tuned and keep running.

Flinders Tour Race Data

Check out the link below for all the details of my run at the Flinders Tour on my Suunto Ambit watch. Enjoy.

BenCornelius's trail running Move 29.7.2012 - Move at Movescount.com

2012 Flinders Tour

On Sunday 29th July I returned to the Glasshouse Mountains to race the 51km Flinders Tour trail run for the second consecutive year. Last year I had a pretty good race finishing 12th overall in a 50k PB of 4hrs 50mins. This year my goals were to place in the top 10 and record a new PB.

I have a lot more experience under my belt compared with this time last year. Since last year’s race I have run a marathon and 6 more Ultra's learning a lot about myself and endurance running in the process. After some disappointing results I feel that I have finally fixed my nutritional issues and have fine-tuned my pacing to the point where I am capable of producing some great race results.

I stood at the back of the pack at the start line feeling relaxed and confident in my abilities. As we waited I was chatting with a shivering White Caviar and introduced him to my mates Andy Sewell and the 'Tattoo Runner' Mat Grills who was standing in all his inked glory sans shirt and wearing his Luna Sandals.

With a holler and shuffle of feet we were off. Within a couple hundred metres we made a right turn from the bitumen path onto the gravel track that leads us to the imposing climb up to the summit of Mt Beerburrum. Almost immediately the field began to spread out with pre-race favourite Julian Spence taking an early lead.

By the time we reached the concrete path that takes us to the summit I found myself in 10th place with Marty a few spots ahead. This climb is short but very steep. I settled into a brisk walk / jog combination and passed a few people so that I made it to the summit in 7th, a few seconds behind Marty. That would be the last I would see of one they call "White Caviar" as he galloped his way down the hill, until the turn-around at half-way.

My strategy for the race was to run comfortably for the first 30 or 40km and then pick up my pace so that I finished strong. In the past I have had a tendency to start too quickly and end up fading badly, losing places and lots of time.

After passing the school for the anti-clockwise loop I settled into a comfortable rhythm. After about 5k I was passed by a runner who was going at a pretty quick pace. I was sitting on about 5mins/km and I was not prepared to go any faster to stay with him. A few kilometres later another runner passed me but again I resisted the urge to race him this early in the race. I went through the 10k point in about 56 minutes and felt relaxed and comfortable.

For the race I ran with two 600ml handheld bottles of water and had 6x Hammer Gels with me. My nutritional plan consisted of drinking a mouthful of water every 10 minutes or so and a gel every 45 minutes. It has taken me some time to dial it in correctly but this plan works really well for me and as long as I run at a comfortable pace I do not suffer from gastrointestinal upset anymore.

After about 20k I began to make up some ground on the two runners who had passed me earlier. They had only been a minute or so ahead of me for the majority of the race. I was still running at a comfortable pace around 5 to 5:15min/km depending on the terrain. I was feeling really good and had adjusted my goal to try and make top 5.

What I love about these events are the people, there was an option for slower runners to leave an hour before their respective race (25k/50k) if they felt that they were in danger of missing the course cut-off points. As I was nearing the turn-around I had a chance to see the early runners and leaders in my race and the 25k race, almost every runner had a smile or kind word to say. It feels so good to see people having almost as much fun as me and say hi as we pass each other.

At about 23k I caught the guy who had passed me around the 5k mark. He had slowed quite a bit as he reached for his drink bottles on his waist-pack and I went past into 8th place. I guess he was in racing mode because a short time later he caught me and then put on a little surge. Once again I ran to my plan and let him go. His early pace must have been too quick because it was not long before I passed him back, this time for good.

As I approached the turn-around at the school I had seen the leaders and counted back to confirm that I was still in 8th place. Julian Spence looked like he was really pushing it and was ten minutes ahead of me in first. Marty looked like he was running quick and was in 4th about 7 or 8 minutes ahead. I had been steadily gaining on the guy in front of me for the last few kilometres so that when he stopped to get a drink at the end of the first lap I turned around and moved into 7th while he was still at the checkpoint.

I had been running a bit quicker, with my kilometre splits dropping below 5min/km, as my energy and spirits lifted seeing all the runners in the 25k race who were well into the clock-wise loop. I was racing now and set about picking up two more places. It was beginning to get warm but I was well hydrated and my nutrition was bang-on so I started knocking out regular kilometre splits between 4:30-5min/km.

I refilled my bottles at one of the aid-stations, took a comfort stop and ran on as I sought out my next target. I caught the runner in 6th place at an aid-station around 38k or so. Again he stopped for a drink as I powered through without stopping. I was having so much fun and cranked up my speed to discourage him from any thoughts of trying to stay with me.

I was continually monitoring my pace and gauging how I was feeling. I told myself to keep control and refrain from pushing too hard. My right thigh was tight, similar to how it felt at the Gold Coast Marathon three weeks earlier, but it was not affecting my stride. I walked a few of the smaller hills and kept drinking and eating to plan.

I was regularly catching runners in the 25k race but it wasn't until the second to last aid-station that I caught Jimmy, the runner in 5th position. I had been catching him steadily and when I arrived at the aid-station he was having a drink. There were a number of 25k runners who were running loosely together so that when I filled one of my bottles and took off it looked like I was briefly part of their group. I thought that I would be able stealthily sneak past with Jimmy thinking I was part of the 25k group but the aid-station volunteer called out my number as he recorded it on the running sheet.

All the 25k runners have numbers in the 200 or 300 range and all the 50k runners have numbers in the 500 range so when he called out 548 I thought that any hope of subterfuge was lost. So after I filled my bottle I took off at pace to discourage any thought of him following me.

I was convinced that he was marking my move but I didn't want to look over my shoulder. As a race tactic it is important to focus your energy forwards, unless you are marking a move in a sprint finish looking behind is generally a sign weakness, that the runner is struggling and worried about being passed.

I had run about 44k when I moved into 5th place and was confident that I could hold that position until the end. The faster pace on the second loop meant that I was getting increasingly tired but I wasn't slowing down too much and even wondered if I could catch Marty in 4th or Jeff in 3rd.

At 50k I started to slow as the quicker pace was starting to take its toll a little. I was still having lots of fun and remained upbeat saying hi to the 25k runners as I went past. One of my pre-race goals was to get a PB and after moving through the marathon point in 3hrs 41mins I knew that I would do it comfortably. I had thought that 4:40 or 4:45 was possible but secretly I was aiming for 4:30 to 4:35.

As I rounded a corner I ran towards the finish line giving my mate James' kids a high-five as I passed. I crossed the line in 5th place overall in 4hrs 30mins 58secs. I had done it, I had run a great race with good pacing, spot on nutrition and hydration, finishing strong and achieving my two pre-race goals. I was met and congratulated by Marty who finished just over 5 minutes ahead of me in 4th place in 4:25:26.

Jimmy Tee came in next about two and a half minutes later and I introduced myself as Marty and I talked about our races. After stopping I took stock of my condition and realised that my legs were pretty sore. I was tired but not overly fatigued. I was still on a runners high and set about getting some fluid on board before calling Mel to tell her my news.

Marty, who had travelled from Brisbane with his sister who was running the 10k, went and got something to eat as I chatted to third place-getter Jeff Hannah and waited for Mat and Andy to arrive.

It wasn't too long before Mat arrived with a huge smile in a fantastic new PB of 5:31. He had a great run in his sandals despite getting lost and running an extra 2km or so. I was pretty hungry so while we waited for Andy I grabbed my free vege burger, drink and muffin from the bbq area and found a cosy place in the shade. A short time later Andy came in comfortably under the six hour mark in 5:55:42. He was a bit tired and nauseous but had run a good solid race.

For those that don't know, I am newly vegetarian. I have been struggling with my general nutrition over the last couple of years and have suffered from regular bloating and other stomach problems. I gave up my addiction to V energy drinks in March and after discovering that I had recently developed an allergic reaction to seafood I did some research and read some books about benefits of a vegetarian diet on athletic performance and general well-being. I have not become a vegetarian because I don't like meat, because I do, I'm not a hippy now and I don't want to grow a beard and hug trees all day. It is still early days but I am committed to improving my health and fitness and will be a vegetarian as long as it continues to benefit my overall health.

Once again I would like to thank my wonderful family; Mel, Holly and Ethan who are always so understanding and supportive of my crazy adventures. I would also like to thank and acknowledge all my friends and awesome running partners who continually offer words of support, companionship on training runs and the continual inspiration to get out there and make great things happen.

I would also like to thank in particular the Sadler-Barker family for being great friends and an amazing family. Whenever I come down south to race they are always willing to put me up, even at short notice. I had a really great time catching up again and enjoyed seeing you all. Thank you so much.

My legs are still a little sore and to ensure that I recover properly I am having an easy week this week before I begin my final preparations and fine-tuning for my second redemption race, the Glasshouse 100mile. This is the second of my three major races for this year and I am really looking forward to recording my first 100mile finish. I did not really taper for the Flinders Tour running 63k earlier during the week and had a nice hour-long walk through the Noosa Headland area with the JSB clan the day before the race. I have a few training goals to achieve in my build-up and I will endeavour to post them on here in the coming weeks.

I hope that everyone can find an adventure or activity that they enjoy, remember to be safe, have fun and...............

Keep running.

2012 Gold Coast Marathon

On Sunday 1st July I finished the 2012 Gold Coast Airport Marathon. The race marked my 8th marathon and 25th race involving running 42.2km or more (including Ultra's and Ironman races).

I stood on the start line squeezed in with those people aiming for a Sub 3hr marathon. I stood next to Michael who has been in excellent form and has steadily reduced his PB over the years with this race being his 10th consecutive Gold Coast Marathon.

Before the race my goal times were between 2:57 and 3:05. Last year I ran 3:12 which was my worst marathon by 10 minutes so I was eager to make amends. I was feeling quite relaxed but I had a few niggles with my upper right quadricep muscle giving me some discomfort. I think that I had pinched a nerve on my last training run, it didn't really affect my stride but was annoying. My thoughts were that if I had a great race I would achieve my time goal and record my second Sub 3hr marathon, and if I had a bad race I would just try and enjoy myself and as I say to other people, there is always another day and another race.

7:20am - We're off. Somehow there are already a couple of hundred runners ahead of me, many falling off the pace in the first minute. I spend the first couple of minutes trying to weave my way through the throngs trying to find some space and get into my own rhythm.

1km - 4:05 - Too quick. Legs feel okay. Concentrate on breathing. Relax. Catch up to Michael. Say hi. 3hr balloon is already far ahead. Let it go. Run my own race.

2km - 4:07 - Still too quick. Catch up to Aaron. Tell Michael it's a bit quick for me. Move to left of road. Avoid the thick crowd of runners. Need to relax.

3km - 4:11 - Almost at early target pace. Michael and Aaron pulling ahead. Relax. Breathe. Already starting to sweat. Other runners pulling ahead and dropping off. Still trying to find my comfortable rhythm.

4km - 4:15 - Great. On my target pace. Crowds are awesome. GPS watch is out of sync with course markers. So are everyone else’s.

5km - 4:12 - 20:59 official 5km time - Slightly too quick. Feel good. Not working too hard. More relaxed. Breathing in control. Can't see 3hr balloon.

6km - 4:14 - Good. Finding my rhythm. Can see Aaron again. Have had a couple of small drinks of water. Running happy.

7km - 4:09 - Too quick. Feel good. Could push harder. Hold back. Relax. Breathe.

8km - 4:09 - Too quick. Still running happy. In a rhythm. Relax. Breathe. Catch up to Aaron. Give him thumbs up and word of encouragement.

9km - 4:13 - Good pace. Can see 3hr balloon far ahead. Large group of runners with Mona. Leave them alone. Run my own race.

10km - 4:14 - 42:20 official 10km time - 21:21 5km split - Sitting around goal pace. Grab bottle of water. Consume gel. Drink water. Slow to eat and drink.

11km - 4:18 - Within pace range. Relax. Breathe. Try and find rhythm again. Hold onto water bottle. Runners passing me. Let them go. Run my own race.

12km - 4:15 - Bang-on target pace. Right quad starting to tighten. Forget about it. Relax. Breathe. Everything else feels good. Starting to warm up.

13km - 4:18 - Still in range. Pace still good. Don't panic. Concentrate. Watch leading runners heading back to town. Flying. Big crowd on corner.

14km - 4:10 - Too quick. Feel good on slight incline. 3hr balloon has slowed. Seems closer.

15km - 4:13 - 01:03:31 official 15km time - 21:11 5km split - Better. Legs feeling a little tired. Breathing good. Not too laboured. Still relaxed. Right leg feeling tighter.

16km - 4:08 - Too quick. Surged a little. Trying to stretch out right leg. Feels better striding out. Have made turn. Saw Michael. Looking good. 3hr balloon closer.

17km - 4:07 - Too quick. Running strong. Still striding out. Feels good. Hold this pace. Leg still tight. See Jacob. See Leah. See Chris. See Sean. All look good.

18km - 4:09 - Too quick. Have caught the end of the 3hr balloon group. Working hard now. Breathing heavier. Right leg hurts. Need to focus.

19km - 4:12 - On target pace. Still with balloon. Working hard. Getting warmer. Breathing good. Not relaxed.

20km - 4:25 - 1:24:40 official 20km time - 21:08 5km split - Too slow. Not worried. Have consumed a gel. Slowed to eat and drink. Leg sore. Can still maintain pace. Run my own race.

21km - 4:07 - 1:29:12 official half-marathon split - Too quick. Trying to stretch out leg. Working hard. Breathing steady. Within limits. Drifted from balloon. Let them go.

22km - 4:07 - Too quick. Running hard steady pace. Need to focus. Runners dropping off pace. Getting quite warm now. Tightness still in right leg. In hamstring now.

23km - 4:14 - Good. On target pace. Harder to focus. Breathing still good. Not relaxed. Great crowd support.

24km - 4:10 - Too quick. Leg tight. Can still run hard. Catching more runners. Passing more runners. Taking more effort to concentrate.

25km - 4:11 - 1:45:41 official 25km time - 21:01 5km split - Too quick. Starting to struggle. Want to walk. Keep running. Both legs tired. Right hamstring very tight. Making some withdrawals from my running bank.

26km - 4:17 - Upper end of pace range. Unable to maintain earlier pace. Try to focus on relaxing. Try to focus on breathing. Not easy. Begin distance countdown in my head. 16km to go.

27km - 4:16 - Good. Can maintain this pace. Cannot go faster. Legs tired. Right leg in pain. Getting very warm now. 15km to go.

28km - 4:16 - Good. Still on target for Sub 3hrs. Cannot see balloon. Don't care. Running steady with others. Still want to walk. Getting hungry. Taking water at drink stops. Right leg very sore.

29km - 4:20 - Too slow. Still on target. Don't need to panic. Getting quite hot. Still passing runners. Really want to walk. Keep running.

30km - 4:17 - 2:07:14 official 30km time - 21:32 5km split - Good pace. Running over bridge. Feel good on slight incline. Slow down on other side. Consume gel. Need water.

31km - 4:22 - Too slow. Still have time. Slowed to get lots of water. Drink. Pour water over head. Getting very hot. Feel sluggish after aid station. Stride is much shorter. Pace is much slower. Tightness preventing an increase in stride. Tightness preventing an increase in pace.

32km - 4:23 - Too slow. Run past accommodation. Huge crowd. Awesome buzz. Cannot run faster. Focus on maintaining pace. Can still make a Sub 3. 10km to go. 44mins. I can do this. Only a steady training run left.

33km - 4:27 - Too slow. Struggling. Tightness moved to inner thigh of right leg. Hot. No shade. Still passing other runners. Push. Focus. 9km to go.

34km - 4:28 - Too slow. Same pace. Still on target time. Right leg so sore. Hot. Other runners dropping like flies. Carnage out there. Keep pushing. 8km to go.

35km - 4:33 - 2:29:34 official 35km time - 22:20 5km split - Bleeding time now. Unable to go faster. Grab lots of water. Drink. Pour over my head. Catch Pete on over-bridge. He's injured. Keep pushing. 7km to go.

36km - 4:41 - Dangerously slow. Struggling a lot. Still running. Still pushing. See Michael. Looking strong and relaxed. See Mona and balloon. Mona yells "you can still make a Sub 3". Last turn-around point. Keep pushing. 6km to go.

37km - 4:35 - Still too slow. See Pete. See Gavin. Over-bridge. Drink stop. More water to drink and pour. Can't do maths in my head. Keep pushing. 5km to go.

38km - 4:35 - Maintaining pace. Legs very tired. Right leg very sore. Trying to hold it all together. Passing more runners. Keep pushing. 4km to go.

39km - 4:35 - Still same pace. Too slow. Cannot go faster. See Leah. See Jacob. See Chris. So hot. Feel hungry. Legs sore. 3.2km to go, 12 minutes to go Sub 3. Won’t make it. That's okay. Keep pushing.

40km - 4:37 - 2:52:45 official 40km time - 23:10 5km split - Pace doesn't matter now. Try to hold on. Don't want to fall apart. Keep pushing. Grab water at aid station. Feel like I'm going to vomit. Stop. Grab railing. Head down. Under control again. Continue running. Damage control mode. 2km to go.

41km - 5:11 - Long straight. Stomach is settling. So hot. Legs smashed. Right leg in pain. Keep running.

42km - 4:43 - Recovering a little. Trying to hold it together. Crowd is huge. Crowd is awesome. Left turn. 200m to go. Feels longer. Smile on my face. Arms raised. Finish.

42.2km - 3:03:33 official net time - 223rd place - 5,109 finishers - 200th male - 53rd place in M35-39 age-group.

After the finish I was met by Michael. He handed me a bottle of water and told me his great news, that he had finished in an incredible 2:57:28 for a new PB. We waited for a few of the other Rocky runners and handed out bottles of water. I missed Pete coming in but saw Gavin (3:07:59), Leah who was ecstatic with an 11 minute PB in 3:17:11, Jacob likewise with a double-digit PB in 3:17:51, and Chris with a great debut marathon in 3:21:29. We were all hot and everyone was lying in the shade trying to cool down and rest their weary bodies. My legs were sore and uncomfortable and I just wanted to remain horizontal.

After a few minutes I had recovered a little and was walking around trying to ease my aching muscles. Michael and I grabbed some food and drink and brought more bottles of water to the finish while we waited for more runners. Aaron came in looking pale, followed by Luke who looked pretty spent. Sean came flying down the finish shute roaring like 'The Hulk' leapt in the air to high-five the timing clock finishing in 3:45:37, a massive 20 minute PB. A short time later I met Andy who finished in a PB of 3:52:04.

It was getting increasingly hotter, I was tired, hungry and needed to get my bag from the gear tent. I grabbed some more food and drink, collected my finishers t-shirt and medal and joined the throng of people outside the finishers area. We met Sean's sister and cousin outside who both had great runs in the half. Monica showed great courage and determination to finish the half-marathon with a cast having broken her arm just before the marathon. After grabbing my bag we met Greg who had finished his debut marathon in a time of 4:23:45 despite carrying a knee injury.

There were so many stand-out performances on the day with many Rocky runners finishing their first half (Renee) or full marathon (Chris, Greg, David), or posting PB's. Paul Tucker was the quickest of Rockhamptons runners finishing with a fast 2:42:12 for 34th overall. My crazy barefoot runner friend Mat finished the marathon running with a friend in 4:06:31 completely barefoot. I don't know how he does it but am very impressed with his dedication and spirit.

I am very pleased with my race. Even though I was 5 minutes short of my PB, I improved 9 minutes from last year. I am proud of myself for continuing to push myself when all I wanted to do was stop. Mainly I am just happy to be running and to be a part of such a huge event.

Stay tuned for the second half of 2012, it is going to bigger, better and longer. Love life, live, be happy, be healthy, have adventures and.......

Keep running.

2012 TNF100 Photos

My race number



Pex, Benny Boy, White Cavier

Sean, Tylana and I on the first road section

Early morning view on leg 1

Leg 1

Leg 1

Early morning Leg 1 with Sean and Luke

With Sean and Luke on the trail approaching the Golden Stairs on Leg 1

With Sean and Gavin on Narrow Neck towards Check Point 1

Three members of H.U.R.T. (HRE Ultramarathon Racing Team) with Sean and Gavin

Following Sean and Luke on Narrow Neck Leg 2

Prepare to launch

Launch

Coming back down to Earth

And he's up again



Descending the rocks around Tarros Ladders - leg 2 - with Sean and Luke



Running on a little bit of flat ground after Tarros Ladders



Feeling good and having a great time



Almost at the turn-around point on Iron Pot ridge - Leg 3



At 53km point on Leg 3 with Sean



Almost at Check Point 3 with Sean





At the 55km point on Leg 4 with Sean



Sean eating his noodles after leaving Check Point 3



Crossing a small wooden bridge after Nellies Glen



Running through the night - final leg



Less than 10km to go and still running



Getting close to the finish line



2012 The North Face 100 Finisher



The bronze buckle for finishing in under 20 hours

2012 The North Face 100 Race Report

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.