Sharp to sluggish

Urghhh, last night was the same route in reverse and Jesus was it tough. all week it's been sticky and humid and muggy over here. As a guide it's 36 degrees today and 80% humidity, not even any sun. I'm about to go for lunch and fear I'm going to walk straight into an oven when I go outside!

Anyway's I sweated like a Beaver last night and was only going slowly. The legs were totally drained and it was tough, but hey all in a day's work really.

There's some interesting comments going up now on the Cool Running forum over here in oz about the race next weekend, I thought this one was hilarious so thought I'd post it up:

i have run about 50 ultras.

4 of them being 100 mile and one being 246km.

The Great North Walk 100 is the only race that I have lost consciousness in when i suffer heat stroke between check point 2 and 3.

It is the only race where my shoe has been full of blood from leeches.

it is the only race where I found laying on the middle of the road a relief.

it is the only race where I felt like I was lost 50% of the time.

When people like David Waugh, Rachel Waugh, Ian Wright, Jonathan Worswick and Jan Herrmann DNF you know it is going to be tough!

Hmmm, also, here's the course profile just for a bit of fun too:



People are getting slightly worried now, it really is a bitch this one and the more I think about it, the more just to finish is going to be an achievement!

A sharp 10km

It's amazing what two whole days of rest can do for you. I decided not to train Tuesday night, partially because I needed the rest, and also to time my 2,000th mile as the last mile of the GNW 108 miler next week.

so last night I headed out for a quick-ish 10kms, covering it in a nice 47mins. not pushing it really hard, but enough to get the heart rate pumping, and taking the hills quicker than I normally would. It also helped get one pair of trainers back into shape after washing them. Something you shouldn't really do, but they needed it. I'm also deliberating which trainers to take. I have two pairs of kayano's that I'm planning on using, but wouldn't mind another pair also. I have another pair of light asics, which I may use for the final stretch as they're very comfortable, but the tread is wearing thin, so don't know if that would be a good option of not. The reality is that I need to buy another pair, so may head down the shop and get spanked for $225... plus all of the extra socks and stuff I need to buy for this race!

Some more thoughts...

God I'm in a philosophical mood of late - I think this GNW 100 is really getting to me. Not in a bad way, but really making me think. I totalled up my mileage since I started running last night, and I'm around 1,850 miles in the last year - pretty much where I wanted to be. So when I hit the GNW next week, I'll move through 2000, very fitting! In fact I may look to time it smack on so that my last mile in the GNW is my 2,000th so far. That would mean a 30 mile week this week, which is probably a bit more than I would want to do, but still OK, as I can get proper rest next week.

But lots to think about for this one - it's such a huge challenge and needs the proper care and respect to make it a success. Food is going to be critical on this, and I'm already drawing up a wish list which includes:

- Pizza
- Coke
- Sausage rolls
- Chocolate milkshake
- Ham and Cheese sandwiches

Need to think of some other things as well, but more thoughts over the coming week I'm sure.

A nice tough week

So after a bit of rest following the overnighter 9 days ago, last week was a ramp up again with 84kms covered in 4 days. Thursday and Friday were gentle 16km and 12km respectively and then the bigger stuff at the weekend. So on Saturday I buggered off at 5am with training partner Beaver for a meandering 30kms, partly in the bush and partly on the road. By the end of the run, my feet with in a lot of pain, as the difference of running on the road to starting in the bush was amazing. We both found it a bit tougher than we first thought I guess. But we took it very easy on the way back and finished off with a look at one of the hardest checkpoints, The Basin as it's known.

Then yesterday Melody and I took off for the 7 Bridges walk, a 25km harbourside walk over the 7 bridges of Sydney harbour, funnily enough. I donned a full backpack of around 7kgs and off we went. It was very pleasant actually to be walking and taking it (relatively) easy, and before we knew it 5 1/2 hours later we were back in Rozelle for a well-deserved ice cream.

So a nice 55 miles for the week, and these have been very much the norm for the last 4-5 weeks now. Things have been going well since Glasshouse, where 2 weeks before the race I was doubting if I could do it with the injuries I kept on picking up. However it appears that doing that 100kms really sorted me out somewhat and I'm feeling good. The plan now is to taper slightly for the GNW 175kms, and then it's full steam ahead to around 65 miles a week in December, then peaking at around 90-100 in late February. Yikes!

Getting on with it...

So after the toenail episode, it's calmed down somewhat and seems OK, so it's been a hard couple of days with a 16km on Thursday night, 12kms on Friday night and then 30kms out on the GNW track today. It was a tough one today as my running partner Andrew and I did an out and back on the road section, which really did the feet in come the final couple of kms, such as we're now so used to running on the trail.

It's amazing how much difference it makes. I can't stand running on road now - I really need to buy a car to get out on the trails now for the next 6 months. Anyway, another 25km walk planned tomorrow, which will take the total for this week up to 90kms, a nice show, before 2 weeks or taper ahead of the race.

I met up with a seasoned professional today for a little bit of advice on what to expect at GNW. No matter where you are in the world, the advice in any ultra remains true... start slowly and finish slower. The reality is that this course is such a toughie and if the weather gets hot, then all times go out of the window, it really is a case of survival of the fittest. There's a very low success rate in this race and it's known for being one of the toughest. The race started 4 years ago with 12 people entered. The current entry list will probably hit 85 this year - an outstanding recognition of just how tough and well-spoken about this race is. However it's almost not a race, it's about getting through it, and everyone knows just how bloody hard it is. I can only hope that I have the toughness to get through it.

Hmmmm

So I got 100 yards down the road last night and decided that it was a no go. The toenail is properly buggered. Seems such a silly and simple thing that can affect your running, but hey ho. Instead of pushing it I decided to not risk it. It's a bugger though, the toenail is dead and needs to come off, but its in that in between stage. Going to try another run tonight in my softer pair of trainers and see how we go with that. Then a trip to doc trotters me thinks on Saturday to whip it off maybe. Nice... can't wait.

Back onto the grind...

So after the highs of trail running, it's back to the concrete of Sydney. It really is such a bind running on the roads now that I'm running serious mileage in the bush now. However last night was a gentle 4 mile run into the CBD from my delightful office in St.Leonards, or slough as we English like to nickname it... if you ever come here you'd know why. Oh how I long for Darling Harbour again :)

Anyway's 4 miles of dull concrete along the Pacific Highway. Tonight will be a 15km run, oh and I have two black toenails.. I might put a bet on which one comes off first, bloody Melbourne marathon that was, busting a gut! Anyway, here's a picture of a leech to brighten this post up, something I'll become very familiar with in three weeks time:



Bastards!