Friday 25 March 2011

Finally an update







I know those few followers out there must by now think i've disappeared and raced of into nowhere, not quite it pretty simple i'm been either running or training and there are times i'm simply not interested in writing about it, particularly at times when i don't consider my race performances have been good enough and that frankly has been the way it's been so far this year.




But on Sunday i do my 400th race at a Marathon or further (more precisely it'll be 142 Marathons and 258 Ultra Marathons), and if nothing else it will be a milestone for me certainly way back when i did my first 25 years ago the last thing i was thinking was i'd knock up those sort of numbers, i know at the rate this blog is going i'll be needing a ghostwriter if i'm ever to write a book of my experiences which i must admit at some point is tempting, after all i've probably run more race than most of the the blokes who have read those books and as for memorable and often funny experiences they are too numerous certainly as i read one of great heroe's Keith Richards Autobiography (5 days in and i've almost finished all 550 pages of it - a great read, i've no idea just how he manages to remember some of those times), i do get ideas on some of the times that happen in a running career, like him maybe i'll have to wait till i'm getting up towards 50 years in the game, but anyway back to the present, i'll give a quick synopsis of my running year so far - well at least the first three:






The year started with the Glasshouse Mountains Hares and Hounds Race, basically this was the beginning of the great deluge in South East Queensland and with parts of the course flooded the race was shortened to 50K's i think, knowing this would be a bog decided to head out in my my super heavy 2005 Model Nike Trail shoes (as in photo), way too heavy for me but were really what i needed on the day, felt that extra weight on the way back and ran pretty ordinarily, basically doing what i needed to to get through it, Anna Maria ran as well and towards the end took a wrong turn meaning i had to run much further on my way back (after i finished) as i promised to join her on the way back . Ultimately 7th of 35 finishers in 4:47:37 way behind the winning time of 3:52:31.






The following week was the first ever official Two Bays Trail Race
down on the Mornington Peninsula a race i'd done twice originally as a "Fatass" and one i'd been in the original event in 2005.



Only problem was that the floods meant that i had to leave home a day and a half late (and via the Newell) as the Pacific Hwy was cut after Ballina, ultimately we hit Melbourne late Friday night and come race day felt good early and was well placed at the 28KM Turnaround in 2:37:54 but after that simply felt the tiredness in my legs and dropped further and further behind to ultimately finish 28th of 99 finishers in 5:51:00 way behind the winner who did 4:48:15.
The following Sunday was the 50K's at Mansfield to Mt Buller , but with Lachlan Fraser's wedding the night before and finally arriving at Mansfield around 1AM and unable to find accommodation this was never going to be a fast one, ultimately a good solid training run, finishing in 5:19:42 for 10th of 17 with the winner doing 4:35:56
Not a great start but things were to improve !!!







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