Mount Mee Marathon May 2 2010

Finally it was May and i was due to run a marathon so it was off to Mount Mee, this year the "downhill course" to Dayboro.
Up at 3AM as i was planning to leave the car at Dayboro to get a lift to the start i did at least get that part right.
This was the scene of last years slowest (and only 4 Hour) marathon so i knew this wasn't going to be an easy one and definitely not a PB although in theory should have been the reverse.
Took off well, in dull morning light and as usual coolish conditions and typically here wanted to take the lead, had it for around 4K's and was then challenged by a girl, no idea of her credentials (can't say i do too many races as short as a marathon nowadays !) but was keen to push her and also another bloke hopefully breaking them on the upcoming steep hills.
Didn't quite work that way so thought i'd better stick to my own raceplan rather than trying to run someone elses race so let them (and another fellow) scoot ahead frankly planning to pick up the pieces as the course got the better of them later, wasnt to realise until post race that the girl was a 2:40 Marathoner Roxie Schmidt and one bloke a relay team ! .
Lot's of good downhill but still plenty of uphill and i passed the half in 1:49 hardly world shattering but a big improvement on the other direction.
Had seen glimpses of at least one of the runners in front at various points but Roxie had well and truly flown away, though still had designs on at least being first male.
After finally getting off the trail and onto real roads was told that the next fellow was only 5 minutes ahead and that certainly gave me a boost, but around 35K's in was told by the race director to move to the other side of the road from then onwards and admit i took my mind off the job momentarily just doesnt feel right running with the traffic as opposed to against me and i'm quite convinced that the next runner saw that mental weakness and swooped.
Suddenly i had someone to chase but for once that failed to move me quicker and whilst we were now on roads and heading mainly downwards i just couldn't close the gap ultimately finishing in 3:32:34 4th solo of 33 with Roxie winning in 3:09:50.
Good solid run but already i was having thoughts of my next race, trying to defend my title at next Saturdays DELXC 6 Hour Trail run

Gibraltar Washpool World Heritage Trail 54KM April 18 2010

After an early flight back to the Gold Coast it was now time to grab the tent, grab more gear and hop into the car and go for a 4 hour drive to Gibraltar Range National Park between Grafton and Glen Innes. With Trailwalker on the Friday i always knew this was going to be a tough ask but also remembered just how good this area was when last i hiked it so thought it was worthwhile.
After the Trailwalker frustrations a long drive and another race sounded like the perfect remedy so off i went, finally putting the tent up in the dark (after first going into Washpool NP across the road and seeing the most lyrebirds i have ever seen !). Was happy to see plenty of familiar faces around the campsite and get stuck into some pasta before an early night.
A bit of rain overnight and a little cold but still pleasant weather but simply my tired legs didn't want to be there the first 5 miles or so and it was only once we'd crossed the highway into Washpool (where i'd mistakenly been the night before) and finally i felt i was getting somewhere.
Was getting cool and drizzling more and was very happy to see ANZAC biscuits at the next manned checkpoint (thanks Jane).
Once back into the Gibraltar Park started catching up with some other runners and making up good ground whilst eventually finishing way behind the incomparable David Waugh (with 4:33:10) was content enough with 6th place in 5:46:18 just hope i can do it with fresh legs next year.
As for the drive home (after much socialising as the rest of the field of 24 came in) best said it was long !!!

Melbourne Oxfam Trailwalker April 16 2010

With possibly no overseas races this year i had slightly different goals this year and the Melbourne Trailwalker was probably the one race to the forefront.
With 5 previous starts (for 3 frustrating podium placings) my ambition was simply to finally win one and then i could retire gracefully from team races, not so much because i didn't enjoy them (which i do) but simply because i find them so hard to exert control over, i can run as well as i can but can't do anything about the whole team getting through and there is nothing to me more frustrating than spending a couple of hours walking during a race as team mates have bad patches.
So in short a win in a race of over 700 teams (admittedly with a "pointy end" of around 20 teams) always seemed the appropriate swansong.
Our team had one change forced upon it in February with Michael Lovric being unable to run due to National World 24 Hour race commitments, but we had picked up a worthy replacement in Bryan Ackerly a member of 2008's winning team and teammate in 2007.
I flew down to Melbourne on the Wednesday afternoon looking to have a rest before the race on Friday but all came apart that night when reading emails before heading to bed found that team organiser Rob Hall with injuries sustained 2 weeks prior was a very unlikely starter.
To be honest i unravelled somewhat as i tried to find a worth last minute replacement eventually relying on Facebook and when confirmed that Rob would not be running (15 hours before race start !!!) was fortunate to get Sydney based Keith Hong.
Come race day we had a team kitted in matching uniforms and looking fit and by 20K's we were in the lead, from then on until over half way we ticked along perfectly running easily and steadily and i admit i was feeling confident particularly as i had been running at a very conservative pace and really hadnt needed to worry much about food intake.
Then my least favourite part of the course, the Warburton Rail Trail and Bryan was beginning to have reflux problems (a problem he's had little success with in other events after a certain distance).
Once we hit the school checkpoint we had lost lots of ground and with a bit of waiting necessary i decided it was time for some sandwiches and more food wanting to use this as my last fuel stop with less than 30K's to go.
We now had a new bit of course and looking around at times could see the next 2 teams not far behind, Bryan was gamely hanging on but trying to solve his problem by picking up speed to get the race over and done with as soon as possible was always going to be a risky gambit.
Ultimately around 87K's in he slowed to barely a walk and Mal stayed with him as me and Keith (beginning to feel the oncoming cold dusk) kept on moving steadily.
This was a long section without crew access and it wasnt till 90K's in that we reached our crew vehicle and all getting cold sat in the front of the car.
Bryan was looking deathly pale and shivering and wisely decided that his race was won, we'd spent 20 minutes at the car and two teams had passed us, as far as i was concerned there was only one aim, get across the finish line first and as far in front of those teams as possible.
The last checkpoint was around 94K's and we were around 8 minutes behind those teams by then as we had ran maniacally downhill once the decision had been made, either we'd get there real fast or else end up real injured !.
By now it was pitch black (later in the year than last year when we finished in daylight) and probably my greatest weakness running on trails by headlight but adrenalin was pumping through and we took the others before the summit of Mt Little Joe and crossed the line in 12:24:16 at least 5 minutes in front of the next team. I'd be pushing to actually call this a win but i was rapt to actually be first across the line and i think it's very possible this may still be my last Trailwalker, unless made an offer i "can't refuse", overall a bit of an empty feeling but i was very thankful that Saturday morning i'd be back home and heading off for a 54KM race, maybe that would bring greater joy.

No, i'm not lost in the middle of some mad run !!!

I'm sure there are casual readers of this blog who having not seen any action for months think that i must have finally gone for one big run and bitten off more than i could chew, the answer is no.

It's simple, sometimes i enjoy writing race reports but sometimes i don't - and to be honest i don't enjoy writing about myself - and for the last few months that's been the case, however i've had a number of emails so i thought i should bring my running up to date.

Firstly 2010 has not been a great year firstly healthwise and then racewise.
After a great Christmas spent with Anna Maria, i started the year with a mouth ulcer on my tongue, once it got to the point that i was taking 2 hours to eat a meal i decided that i needed to see a doctor as i also was very lethargic (basically being exhausted by 4PM every day).





















The doctor reckoned Bonjel would fix my ulcer and that it wasn't an issue but did send me off for a myriad of blood tests, but i was soon down to the point of only being able to eat baby food (and only the stuff for 1 to 6 month olds - the others were too lumpy for me !), so got some special "pharmacists only" stuff from the local chemist.

So my first race for the year was meant to be The Hares and Hounds 55K's at Woodford in the Glasshouse Mountains (link here: http://runtrails.org/articles/?p=1017 ), and i was not going to miss this as this would also be Anna Maria's first Ultra (she'd had a hard learning curve arriving on Christmas Eve from -20 Degree temperatures in Montreal to find a steamy Queensland Christmas).

Results for me are best summed up as this, 9th place (33 starters) in 5:31:03 against a winning time of 4:14:48. I was actually reasonably happy, couldn't push myself as i simply couldn't get in enough calories from baby food pre race and was unable to eat during the race, so cruised through the the first 40K's and then just did what i needed to finish once i'd run out of energy.





















Another week or so and finally i was back on track ulcerwise, but no closer to a conclusion regarding the lethargy as the test results came back with nothing of note (other than an abnormally high level of potassium which apparently shouldn't affect me).




Two weeks later it was Mansfield to Buller (link here: http://www.aura.asn.au/MansfieldToBuller.html ), and i was pretty sure i was back in shape, but ultimately not one of my better results there 8th of 23 in 4:58:37 way behind the winner in 4:11:22. Not sure what went wrong, felt good, ran reasonably but wearing a new pair of Nike Lunaracer II's (purchased the Tuesday prior) i seemed to feel strain on the right inside foot, probably the arch, when going steep uphill which caused me to ease back at times. Haven't had that problem since with those shoes so can't explain it at all.




Having driven south i decided to go home via the Blue Mountains and run a "Fatass" run on the Australia Day Tuesday, The Glenbrook Fatathon.
(link here: http://www.coolrunning.com.au/forums/index.php?showtopic=25924 )



Around 43K's (and a little more for me with a wrong turn towards the end), good run but no idea whether i ran well or not felt really good but was i fast ??, although was amazed to see so many starters for a non official run.

The week after was my shortest race of the year, Mt Glorious 32KM

(link here: http://runtrails.org/articles/?page_id=255 ).

With pouring rain the night before i knew this one would be interesting as the early stages turn easily to mud, ultimately i did run well, at least until half way back when i took a wrong turn which cost me around 20 minutes, probably made the race distance more to my liking but did nothing for my results (finishing 16th of 65 starters in a time of 3:52:29 with the winner doing 2:58:44). Probably my best run for the year up to that point, only have myself to blame for my navigation. Strange thing is that post race i just couldn't get enough Cola no idea if that was why i woke up that night and i had a shocking toothache.

When i'd been to the doctor earlier in the year he'd said that possibly it was a dental problem but having had enough of dentists way back when i broke my jaw (in June 1989) i wasn't keen on going down that path, but this time i had no choice as otherwise i was going to be living on painkillers (and booze :-( ).

Ultimately it was found to be my upper right wisdom tooth and i was slotted in for an operation on the Friday.

Not great timing as in previous years i'd done the Caboolture 12 Hour Race (link here: http://www.aura.asn.au/CabooltureHV.html ) which meant that i would be running less than 30 Hours after the operation.

Ultimately i downgraded myself to the 50K event and running very cautiously ended up second of five in 4:39:13, almost a lap behind the winner with 4:33:51.

Quite possibly i was almost relieved to not win this as many people in the longer events had passed 50K's in way faster times so it would have have been very much a "Claytons" victory but let it never be said i don't run to win, so there was disappointment as well !.

The week after was Maroondah Dam Trail Run (link here: http://www.aura.asn.au/AURADamTrailRun.html ). Having run all 14 of these i'd be honest and say this was one of my worst results (in figures 12th of 54 starters in 5:53:35 against a winning time of 4:41:26) but moreso by the way i ran, managed to cramp around 35K's in and from them on it was a steady diet of S! Caps and other salt tablets and basically waiting to cramp.

Can't quite put my finger on it but my body was hurting, i know i was a couple of kilos under normal race weight after the problems earlier in the year but simply i was giving my body commands and it just wasn't responding correctly.

The next few weeks were spent ostensibly resting and simply having a holiday in Montreal, but the reality was i was enjoying temperatures of -4 to -8 and rugged up appropriately found i was getting in some great mileage and was having a good time with Anna Maria's running group (http://www.phoenixrunners.ca/)

Returned to Australia a few days before the Six Foot Track Marathon (link here: http://www.sixfoot.com/ ) and felt i was in great shape, though possibly jetlagged.

This is always one of my goal events and i was looking forward to running a good one (after last years PW in my 18th there), started well and once we'd hit the Pluviometer (26KM and the end of the long climb) was feeling very strong and finishing it off well. Simple the wheels fell off, i ran one of two ways, either very well or cramping and hobbling, quite possibly the most frustrating part being the downhill section from Caves House Rd, usually my favourite part where i can usually expect to pass numerous runners, believe me this time i knew how those runners in previous years felt.

So obviously my body still wasn't quite right finishing 107th of 821 starters in my 3rd worst time of 4:38:42 way behind the winner with 3:20:49, basically my race year was going nowhere fast !.

The week after was Red Rocks to Coffs Harbour (link here: http://www.aura.asn.au/WaterWorld_RR2CH.html ) and basically i was just looking for redemption from the previous week.

Didn't start well, missing the start by a couple of minutes but ultimately i finally ran a decent race coming 4th of 37 in a time of 4:06:55 with the winner doing 3:37:48. (pictured below with Peter Gray quite possibly the only Aussies with more ultras than i, this being his 250th)

Finally i was back in some sort of shape, for the first time in years i had a couple of blisters only myself to blame as i was wearing my 2006 Model ASICS DS Racers for the first time in two years, obviously my feet have grown (back in 2006 i was only size 12 now 13), but that hadn't really affected my race other than making me run rather gingerly on the headlands and roads at times.

Two weeks to the next race the Inaugural Wild Horse Criterim (link here: http://www.wildhorsecriterium.com/ ) and i thought that finally in 2010 i was ready and fresh for a good one. Best summed up as 3 good laps (lap being 10.7 K's), one night one (so did as best as i could manage) and one rubbish one.

Very happy until around 3 laps started to feel an upset stomach and made use of the portaloos but was feeling no better and was often reduced to walking hunched over, was very thankful for Coca Cola at the halfway checkpoint as many loud burps later i was beginning to feel better, no more Endura for me after that i stuck to Coke and came home well.

Ultimately 5th of 15 in 5:16:10 way behind Don Wallace in 4:04:40, great runner though that Don is i'd have to class being lapped by him just short of 3.5 laps as one of my career lowpoints my aim all along was to not let him lap me and for me to be hobbling at that point as he flew past was incredibly demoralising.

That was just over a week ago, since then i've churned out the K's (170 for a 5 day training week) and am now in taper mode for Melbourne Trailwalker, after being second complete team across the line last year (and my third placing in 5 TW events), this is my big chance of a win, details are here http://www2.oxfam.org.au/trailwalker/Melbourne/team/361 and race updates will be here on Friday: http://www2.oxfam.org.au/trailwalker/VIC/results

A Good Year

Sitting here still owing 2 race reports to my blog (Badwater and my last event Coast to Kosci), the long runs demand long reports and sometimes i have no interest in writing them, hopefully soon.

Anyway my results are on the above link, my shortest year race wise since 2005 with only 1991K's but with no Trans Gaule or Deutschlandlandlauf that was to be expected. Essentially ran without injury right up until the last 6 weeks when back problems sent me backwards, and it became a race against time to be ready for Coast to Kosci, but overall a good year.

Marysville Marathon (and 45K Ultra) 8th November

After the 4 Peaks i had decided to stay in Bright an extra couple of days and do a couple more mountains, first of all Mount Bogong (Victorias Highest Peak and probably my favourite trail run up Staircase Spur) and the next day Mount Porepunkah which had been day 1 the previous 9 times i raced here and deserved a 10th outing

from me.

In theory i was either going to be superfit for my next race or worn out, as it turned out i was somewhere in between. Running (maybe that's an overstatement - walking quickly might be more accurate) a steep uphill 0n Porepunkah i disturbed one rock and the one behind it crashed onto my left ankle, nothing much but i seemed to get an immediate bruise and bit of a "sting" from it, not enough to worry me at the time but just enough to remember it and two days later begin to feel it when do two laps of the Tan (at the Monthly Victorian Road Runners Tan Time Trial, that would make this twice here this year probably more than when i was living in Melbourne !!).

With a 9AM start it meant we virtually had a sleep in before Marysville, i was driving my car giving Robert Boyce a lift as had plans o drive straight back to the Gold Coast from there (and Robert to get a lift home), with the shorter races not on till much later was somewhat shocked to find large crowds at the registration area (whilst there were only 90 in the marathon there were 2,000 pre entered in the other events and ultimately another thousand entered on the day).

Still got my number and ankle chip quickly and still had an hour before race time, walked over to the start area (a few hundred metres from the finish) and had a chat with a number of familiar faces as we waited for the race briefing.

Lachlan (who was not only Race Director and inspiration behind the event was also competing in it) gave the race briefing but when asked about how we would do the extra 2.8K's to complete the Ultra came up with, what seemed to me, a vague "it will be obvious when you get there", certainly the rest of the course sounded good but i now had lingering doubts about the Ultra.

Soon we were off, with the race started by a set of Bells, one of two sets that were all of remained of Lachlans' Marysville House, and was comfortably away on a good road, settled somewhere in the top dozen and still continuing my chat from the Tan with Steven Barker (we'd ran together most of those 8K's to finish in around 35:10 the previous day where i just outsprinted him at the end), with the obvious leader Traralgon Harrier John MacKenzie (a 2:30 Marathoner) leading a pack of 3, and more surprisingly a runner with a running stroller (and child) making good time a couple of places in front of me. Also saw early starter, walker, Brian Glover coming towards me, we had a good 11K before the turnaround, only problem i had was having to stop at the first drink station as the Sports Drink was at the back (water in front).

Once we turned i lost Steve and was making ground on the two in front and feeling good, was definitely going to be a warm day so it was best to make use of the easy running on the road whilst i could as apparently the course would get harder.

8K's on the return and we then turned onto an unsealed road, a bit like the Melbourne Marathon a month back i ended up running straight into a herd of Half Marathoners but with a much smaller field this wasnt a great problem, soon the unsealed road had deteriorated into a road with large rocks and my ankle wasnt really appreciating this, nevertheless i was beginning to make good ground, last drink stop before the other runners turned and it was too crowded to make the effort to get a drink so i was relying on our turnaround not being too far after. Can't say it was that far away, but with heat and no shade i was beginning to struggle and really look forward for the turnaround and was relieved to get there, was soon back to the drink station and had a much easier go at getting a drink as well as now passing the runner with the stroller (hardly a bit of road for a stroller so he was doing it hard).

By now i was regularly passing the runners in the Half and getting a good pace going was just looking forward to getting of the rocky road and soon enough we were, grabbed a GU although at that point didnt see the drink station just needed something and then it was a run towards the oval where we would finish complete with steep downhill section.

By now it was very hot and with the bushland decimated by the fires there was no shade to be found, best thing was the sight of the creek as we ran along, i had no idea where we were heading next as i knew that although we would be passing the finishing line we still had at least 10K's to go.

We were sent along the road towards Steavensons Falls and again i was confronted by a herd of runners, the 3 & 10K events, thankfully with witches hats in the middle of the road i simply stuck to the wrong side of the road with no one returning yet i had a very comfortable run.

I'm sure years ago i'd been to Steavensons Falls but with a totally different landscape now nothing was familiar and every time we went around a corner i was dismayed to see still more runners ahead, reached a drink station where i was informed they were out of water but had sports drink (what a relief!, other way round and that would have been a disaster in my eyes) and still we kept on going, soon we could see the beautiful, refreshing falls in front of us and so knew where we were headed (only wish it was possible to run under them !!), now it was just a case of heading back, thankfully mostly downhill, i'd seen the leaders in the marathon and also had a good idea now of who was around me, so it was a case of run as hard as possible then see what was needed to make it an Ultra.

As we hit the oval i was passed by a runner who i was pretty sure was in the marathon but with only a few hundred metres to go didnt want to take him on as i knew i still had 3 or so K's to go and conserving what little energy i had for that was my plan.

Ultimately i crossed the line in 3:24:59 or thereabouts by the clock (which doesnt seem to agree with my chip time of 3:25:14), far from fast but when you consider John won in 3:02 (A PW for him) you can see this was no ordinary Marathon !!!.

The question then was where do i go for the Ultra ???, and that i asked and the officials didn't know, i thought i should at least have a drink while someone found out but even that was thwarted as they were just getting water in (hot weather and the bigger than expected on the day crowds made organisation very difficult), eventually speaking to Brett Saxon (who was there as photographer rather than runner and who took most of the above photos, thanks) i was told to continue out so decided the logical thing to do was simply add on the 3K run although in theory that made the 45KM Ultra long, so it was back up the hill to Kevin Cassidy's turnaround and i then found a new lease of life as tried to chase down Trailwalker Team Mate Robert Hall who was finishing the marathon (after winning the 50KM Upstream Challenge the day before !!).

As i reached the oval it was announced that Malcolm Gamble had just crossed the line to win the Ultra, so a few muffled curses and i crossed the line in 3:47 and went straight over to the timekeepers to lodge a protest.

Spoke to Mal straight after and seeing that he'd run two minutes slower than me in the marathon and been given a totally different extra run to me decided i was the winner, even more curiously Robert then finished his Ultra by running laps measured by his Garmin until he had 45K's up, so ultimately as first 3 had all done different courses after the marathon.

Despite the very strange finish after the Marathon (and i have yet to find official times for the Ultra in theory it really shouldn't exist on the records ???, but yes i will take the win), this was a great run and a triumph in terms of support for Marysville and congratulations to Lachlan and all his team, will definitely try to make it back next year.

Certainly one of the hardest marathons i've ever done made harder by the weather conditions, ultimately not making it home until Monday evening (was worried by reports of flooding on the Mid North Coast of NSW but thankfully rivers had subsided over my next day of driving), and as i type still troubled by the bruised ankle, still got to commit to my next start.

Mount Buffalo Day 4 November 3

After 3 days in the 30s i knew that the fine hot weather would eventually end and sure enough during the night i heard the gentle pitter patter of rain on my corrugated iron cabin roof, definitely not as hard as some i have experienced here over the years but finally the meteorologists were right !.

Woke in the morning to find it a little cold with some drizzle but really there wouldn't be too big an issue here as this is the easiest of the four runs (in my opinion), although the question was would i take my non compulsory rain jacket or just get it sent to the top ??.

Ultimately decided i'd send up the camelbak with my gloves, jacket and bandanna and travel light, had time to check out yesterdays results (2:16, not flash but around what i was expecting), and also noticed i'd just sneaked into the first page of the results (right at the bottom in 25th place !).

Plenty of time to hang around and chat at the start and also have a toilet break, but by the time i was ready to go the guns were leaving last thing i wanted was to be in a group where the other members left me looking like i was nailed to the floor !!.

Did eventually leave before Twitey but was expecting him to pass me before the next intersection and sure enough that was he case as well as another runner, although at least i caught up with some walkers.

Bit of running and more walking and a constant though light drizzle, meant that by the time i hit the exposed face of Mackeys i was beginning to feel the cold, passed a number of walkers as i zig zagged across the bare face and was looking forward to getting off the rocks and heading back into the bush.

Finally reached there and it was getting seriously colder so once i hit the very runnable last 2K's i took off and did as close as i could to a sprint !!.

Finally reached the steps of the Chalet but my cold addled brain meant that i actually went the wrong side of the tape to the finish line (a tape was dividing the BBQ queue from the finishing line), somewhere between 90 and 100 minutes off hand.

After a chat with a few people i headed off to find my camelbak and warmer clothes really needed the gloves, and not having brought any money with me decided i was best to head back as the weather was deteriorating almost sleeting.

Thankfully this only lasted a couple of K's and by Mackeys there was a bright sun and warmer conditions so i relaxed and took pictures.

Very vague on results, but i know Dave Osmond was overall winner and Hanny Alston First female (and i think second overall), two very prestigous names to add to the perpetual trophy.

Thoroughly enjoyed my weekend and will have to make it back sooner than another 10 years, big thanks to Reg and Elaine and all the helpers, as for me i'm thinking of making Mt Bogong my 5th peak tomorrow dependent on the weather before i head south for Sundays Marysville Marathon.