Dan... you're back in play

That's the phrase used by well-known gameshow host Roy Jenkins (amended Carroll!) of catchphrase. Although I'm sure only my British readers will know of him and his funny Northern Irish accent as he tells one contestant who'd given up hope of getting something right to discover that he's got a chance.

Last night was the Narrabeen 12 hour ultra/100km, which consisted of running around a lake on a 2.5km out and back course - as many times as you could. I entered the 12 hour race with a view of staying on my feet for 12 hours and to also, if things went OK with the leg, knock off around 80kms. Things went better than expected, covering 91.25kms (57 miles) in the 12 hour time limit. The plan was to initially walk the whole thing, but after a brisk start and 10kms, I got bored so thought I'd see how the 'Sahara Shuffle' would work. This is a mix of running/walking, but as time went on, it's fair to say that I gradually ran a fare old chunk of this. Indeed from 10kms onwards I pretty much ran to 65kms. However I was suffering from blisters pretty badly. Not being a walker, within those first 10kms I could feel the blisters coming on, and this was to be my downfall in not reaching 100kms.

I started the race with a full pack of around 9kgs, which felt pretty good until about 35kms where I decided that I was potentially on for a 100km in the 12 hour time limit, so made the decision to discard it after I'd gone through marathon distance. After that, running was good, but every 10-15kms I was having to stop and make running repairs to the blisters. By 75kms I ha resigned myself to walking the last 2 hours as the leg was hurting, but walkng because a little too painful on the concrete, so I went back to the shuffle. This was fine, and into the last hour where the 5kms loop was reduced to 1km loops, I burned off 6kms in 45mins, celebrating my 90th with a sub 5 minute kilometre, having bet my crew that I could knock it out!

Overall, it went better than expected and was a good mental test. Never once did I want to quit or had I had enough. I think after the DNF at GNW, I was very focused on this one. The only way I was not doing this one was if the injury took over. Thankfully the leg seems 'OK' - but we'll have to wait a few days I think to see what its likes. I don't think it's done it any good if I'm honest, but it's not in a really bad way at all. I needed to do this one to see how the leg would cope with a hard 90kms and it seems to have come through, even with a 9kg backpack on for the first 42kms too. I'm a little stiff now, and the blisters aren't too hot, but they'll go in a few days. I'll rest up now for 3-4 days and then see how I'll structure training now for the next few weeks. If I can carry on training at a shuffle then so be it I think!