Finally sun

A short post as am exhausted and need sleep. We did have to walk the 500 metres to breakfast but worth it as finally cereal. Change of gear to ASICS DS trainers as i was a little sore after Humaras no tongue sock style had rubbed a little (otherwise great shoes). After 18 k's sun come out and unbelievably handed jacket in at aid station (at a guess most Europeans must reckon i was born in it - reckon i singlehandedly ruined any sponsorship deal with Mountain Designs :-)) . Next 30k's was mainly good bike paths but i could see our invaluable aid station people were getting to know me when station 3 had "Start me up" playing. Again the top 5 started at 7 and was passed by first male and then just before 46 by Hiroki. The picnic was then over 5k's of unrunnable stones. Lost rhythm walking and struggled on another busy road, took a 500 metre wrong turn
(confused by roadworks). Rapt to see last aid station (& 250ml's of local brew). From then on good bikepaths into town of Steinbech. Long run across town to finish which i did in just under 9.5 hours. Two serves of pasta bolognese should see me through tomorrow (66ks). No official results up yet but i need sleep more only know 29 of the original 4 0 can go all the way.

Another day another 80 odd K's

After yesterdays effort i can honestly say i was almost looking forward to a "short" 81.8 km run into Jerichow (i must be nuts!). Had a few problems last night, after my medical check had to sit down and needed to lie down for an hour typical me but it must be hell for race directors (probably explains my off the wall post which i sent off as soon as i found i had 3G access unedited). Lots of casualties today (at last count 7). The theory being complete the first 5 stages and you will finish (me i take it one at a time). Happy with run especially as was sort of sunny after 30k's giving me the chance to take off coat, beanie & gloves (a blistering 16 degrees by a locals thermometer!). Unfortunately yesterdays post must have cursed Hiroka as she was having shoulder problems and i was surprised that she was behind me as i was sitting down to my usual feast at the 51k checkpoint. Was more surprised to keep up with the next 10k's on one of my dreaded "B" roads but by the next aid station decided it safer to back off (she finished 2nd well over an hour in front of me). 68 k's i simply hit the wall, i hadn't noticed it had got colder and had no choice but to don the cold weather gear and walk to the 71k aid station whilst being passed by another runner (used my solitary GU and then discovered i was out of water). Heaps of food and drink at that station, thankfully discovered that the runner who had passed me was just leaving. Ended up chasing him all the way to the end. Spent endless time running on "rail trail" type bike path with the town church tantalisingly in view. Shame the finish was other end of town!. In short 6th in 9:58:21. 500 metre walk to dinner hall probably did more good than harm (but please not there for breakfast) and then another back massage by Ramona and new painkilling tapes. 322.2 km down now sleep time!

The sunshine bores the daylights out of me

Yep a Stones lyric (Rocks Off - at a guess a lyric written by Keef at his drug addled worst when daylight was not often experienced) but frankly if it was true must have had the most unboring day ever. Started in same gear as yesterday and still had the same 92.3 km (plus one short wrong turn - i was following!) and almost 12 hours later. Interesting start to day, took 20 minutes to feel my shoulder. From then on it was bike paths and thankfully lesser roads, 70ks a little rain but otherwise "just another day in the office". Not sure if being passed by yesterdays top 5 (who started an hour later but i will admit awe regarding Japanese lady Hiroki who did in 2hours what i did the first 3, surely the female Kouros ) was a highlight or a lowlight !

Better days

Short summary as am lacking 3G access. Clear morning gave hopes of better weather, bus to start and, as still cold, sheltered in opposite train station till 6. Same gear as yesterday but with running shorts (bike shorts dont work for my tree trunk like quads so only use when raining to prevent chafing. 3 hours on and sun comes out and coat, beanie and finally gloves come off and headband on, at that point running 4th. At 56km the wheels come off a little when we hit 'the highway from hell' the B road to Stalvenhagen. Semis and fast cars make this a nightmare and the breeze blowing me about further stuffs my sore back. Happy to run the last 3k's with a local schoolkid (who was later to be part of the nights dancing entertainment). Again heaps of food and the highlight a neck massage by our masseuse Ramona. Interestingly she put some painkilling bandages on my neck for tomorrow. Resultswise 8th in 9:22 for the 83ks but longest day to come tomorrow.

Glad to be here, glad to be anywhere!

I should be ashamed using Keef's line as my header but lying in a warm hall and with a full stomach after 2 helpings of meat, potatoes & sauerkraut pretty much it sums up my day. 7AM was on bus to southernmost point Kap Arkona, arrived at 8 for 9AM start most of this time being spent trying to stay dry & warm. Did do the 200 odd steps to the beach as well as seeing where the submarine bunkers were. Finally we were off, me wearing goretex top over CR top, bike shorts, Skins socks, gloves, beanie & Nike Considered Humara shoes. Yes i was freezing !, felt my hands at 5k's but then rain got heavier and by the ferry ride at 21k was freezing again (funnily enough i was in group of 3 at ferry by the time it left there were 14). Spent the next hours ploughing through rain & wind which was steadily my neck & back sore. Was rapt to finally see some sun and Stralsund in the distance over the bay. 4k's to go finally removed jacket and even better finish was closer than i thought not thankfully through town. In short 16th today in 7:43:22 with leader 5:44:10. 8PM here (4am Aust time same as the time we wake tomorrow for start at 6). Just hope Voltaren tablets kick in and i have a good nights sleep ready for a big day.

14 hours to D day

Well finally here we are at the Knieper West sports halls, despite them only being 3ks from my hotel it took most of the cloudy, cold, drizzling day Saturday (just look up the german Whereis and you will see Arnold zweig Strasse listed 6 times incredibly confusing, i'd actually been in the Aldi it was behind early in the day!). We are truly in the heart of old East Germany, endless blocks of what look like colourful housing commission flats. After settling i headed down to the beach but with 14 degree water temp wasnt tempted to swim. Medical checks (just hope they give me a larger capacity sample cup tomorrow!) and then the rest of the afternoon meeting people (including some familiar faces) and then to the official race briefing and media conference. A massive buffet there (sadly the pasta sauce a little rich for me) and now its back for hopefully a good nights sleep (even passed on a beer, after 1 with lunch yesterday promised myself that would be the last till i finished day one). Now for a deep dreamless sleep and then race day.

I do like to be beside the seaside

Knowing that with the race approaching this would be the only chance possibly for a long blog entry with pictures, here are some !!
Firstly the picture is the Hauptbahnhof for Historic Stalsund where i arrived yesterday afternoon after a 4 hour train journey from Hamburg, did it easy except for the fact that when i bought my ticket it said platform 6 and while i was sitting there wondered why there was a train to Rostock (my first stop) on the next platform.
Thankfully i asked the man there and he said my ticket was wrong, so had to maniacally dash up to the next platform. The trip itself was pretty much fields (some with deer) and windfarms and every 15 minutes or so a station, changed trains at Rostock (strangely changed from platform 3 to platform 7 and they were actually the either side of the same platform whilst 4 to 6 were quite a bit away - strange ???).
Finally at 4 arrive at Stralsund and am looking at my map to my hotel and after 5 minutes realise i am opposite it !!.
Of course there has to be some issue, i check in and find i'm double booked (that explains why one website gave me one cheap price whilst another dozen didn't have anything that cheap), apparently that had happened to a few people so that they had already arranged taxis and alternate (dearer at the cheaper price) accommodation, only downside a couple of K´s away from town (near the Tierpark - Zoo - actually), this brings me to the next two pictures just look at the size of the room for only €60 per night, absolutely massive (although disappointingly what looks like a double bed is two singles - i swear one day i will get a double bed !).
Even got to see "Die Simpsons" on TV, although i`m amazed that with 400 odd episodes to pick from the first one had Grandpa Simpson shooting at Hitler and Monty Burns stealing the Nazis stolen artworks, and the second one was about kicking illegal immigrants out of Springfield, both of these episodes dubbed in Germany were just too ironic to be true.
After that went for a stroll into town, still amazed by the number of cyclists, but finding that these ones appeared to be much more easygoing and stick to their own paths. Can't work out just why there are so many cyclists but it is a good thing (although at the back of my mind i wonder whether incredibly cheap alcohol - €1.49 for a 6 pack of beer - means nobody drives at night ???, as for me i just got to remember i'm here for a reason not just as a tourist !!).
Back by nightfall (9PM) and a great nights sleep, even slept till 8 (wont be doing that soon). As usual a great breakfast put on, heaps of cereal and bread and juice and coffee and boiled eggs etc, i'll be thankful i'm running soon or i'll put on weight :-).
Not sure if a reasonable knowledge of German language is a help or a hindrance, i can understand about half of what is said, but can't think enough to answer fluently (and the less said about my accent the better). As for the actual words everytime i think of breakfast i immediately sing to myself the chorus of the Stones Star Star (and you ask why - frühstücker (breakfaster) always sounds to me like a clean (well actually spoonerised) version of the chorus (and no i won't explain further i'm trying to keep this blog G rated, strange the way my mind works.
Anyway today it was off to the historic town itself, not sure it's actually the seaside (more a bay), but lots of boats and ships and seabirds etc and very tasty "Fisch & slips".
Ancient buildings from 1200 onwards and remains of walls and fortifications from there, so now back to wandering.
A little bit of housekeeping, i do appreciate the comments but can't work out in German how to get them on the blog without me giving authorisation (which i can only do from a pc not the phone), so possibly any comments from now to race end won't go on till later).
Anyway i'm off to explore (with thoughts of the Glasshouse 100 Miler on my mind - but can't be everywhere).