I'm Back Baby!

me and tim arriving at cp7 (tim had run 10.8km further than me)


'feeling it' by cp6 (80km) just wanting to get my night gear and be on my way!

glasshouse 100km 12.9.09 15.52 6th/14

well what can i say.
hadn't done an ultra for 18 months.
tacked together some solid time on my feet recently though admittedly a lot of this was walking or on skiis!
the physio just shook his head and many of my friends/relies didnt think i would make it.
both the physio and massage dudes said 'well if things hurt just pull out'.
and no, neither are ultrarunners ;)

i was pushing the limit a bit to attempt 100km but was going to rely on experience developed over 26 previous ultras over 8 years to get me through.
set a conservative plan for 15-16 hrs (thinking more 16hrs) and things pretty much went to plan.
had trouble settling into a 'rhythm' early it all seemed too fast or too slow but felt good at the 3-4hr mark.
comfy on the narly goat tracky bits and 'cruising' on the flat fire-trail.

was waiting for the brief 'what the hell are you doing' body reaction at about 5-6hrs (hadnt done anything over 4hrs in 18months) but it occured later at 55km (8hrs)and for longer than hoped (for about 2hrs).
during this time the quicker/potential sub24hr 100milers were heading back from cp8 so i just walked along and as taff and dom and then tim passed i hung with them and chatted for a bit before letting them go again.
basically i just felt sick and disinterested in pushing the pace.
was struggling with food even from this 'early' point but actually managed to survive on coke and jellybeans for much longer than planned - the last 40km or so!!

realised later it was probably also the heat to a large degree.
25 degrees on the powerlines with no cloud cover is quite warm really.
i am not a good heat runner at all - much prefer the cooler stuff.
my last stop at cp8 had me struggle to go a bit so decided that i would not stop at cp's after that! :)
on the way to cp6 (80km) things were cooler/darker and i seemed more relaxed and could run again.
felt happy once i had changed into my night stuff and ran parts of the beerwah loop.
its just so nice running at night.
caught tim again just before cp6 and unfortunately he was close to pulling out there :(
quick light change at cp5 (90km) - the led lenser h7 kicked arse power-wise but was flapping about ?need to just superglue it?!? and headed home.
felt strong over the last section.
just sore feet++ and the understandable urge not to hurt something in the last 12km holding me back.

it was a funny glasshouse weekend.
like most i am busy with one thing or the other beforehand: 'le tour' or getting filming/video stuff ready etc...
this year in honour of the 20 year anniversary of ghouse i made up 16 posters with results/photos/newspaper articles etc... which took me half the week.
but once the pre race tour was over this weekend was all about me.
was staying away from the usual runners throng.
ran my 100km completely uncaring about anyone elses race.
well ok i did wonder where bernie was just once ;)
finished, ate some pizza (thanks whippy) went back and had a sleep.
didnt go back to the school until the presentation when i only knew a few results by checking CR from the room on the phone!

usually wouldn't bother with crew for only 100km but very pleased that TOH crewed me this year.
we had our own checkpoint at 8 (cars werent allowed to cp8 this year - gets too busy up there) which was nice as i could just relax without other runners problems entering my headspace.
i could see the look on susannah and whippets face evertime i saw them during the day.
gee i hope bro pulls through.
well i did.
this weekend was all about me.
and i'm back.