Hillary Trail solo/unsupported 19/6/2012

With the record set at 10:10 for a supported run and a 10:25 for unsupported, this was always gonna require a big effort. Both these runs had be laid down in good track/running conditions and  I knew that my attempt would be in the worst possible track/running conditions. My training had encompassed a myriad of intentions. I had been out on long runs (4+hrs) with minimal fuel and only water to condition my body. I had raised my long runs gradually up to 7hrs. Over the last three months I had started training with a pack containing far more weight than I would be carrying and had gone out and ran the course in three sections including 2 loops. I got advice from those who know the trail well and experimented/risked giardia, by drinking from the streams along the trail.I gathered information on nutritional/calorific needs and experimented with these over 6 months.

The middle of winter would see either a start or finish in the dark. I weighed up the pros and cons of either and opted for a start before daylight. The morning was hot and humid and a mist obscured the track initially but  cleared slightly as I entered Hamiltons. In the daylight I am able to pinpoint, accurately and quickly connection points and hop at speed through this treacherous trail. It soon became apparent to me that this was not gonna be the case this morning. I was unable to work out the 4 or 5 connection points in advance that allows me to maintain speed. The obvious answer was to slow down, which I did slightly and reluctantly. I must have been about 500 metres from the end of Hamiltons when my left foot slid away to the left. Usually my body is able to respond quickly to any unwanted movements and auto-correct but under these conditions there was nothing. My foot twisted and jammed and I was sent slamming knees first into tree roots. I managed to smack my elbow and wrist and recieved a blow to the head which sent my lamp flying.

My first thoughts were of my children. I swore there and then laying in the mud that I would never attempt running through here at speed in the dark ever again. I knew I had recieved a blow to the head and reached for my lamp which was just infront of me . I washed my hand in a puddle and dried it on my vest and checked for blood......there was none. I slowly started to move my legs to check their function and then got to my feet. I walked a few paces through the mud and to my relief realised that I was not seriously injured.

I made my way to the Ascent at Karamatura knowing that I was in some pain from my left foot and right knee but hoped that these would fade by the time I reached the top. The descent to the Whatipu road was awful. The easily run tracks of the summer were gone and the feet were constantly re-adjusting to maintain balance. By the time I reached the Omanawanui ridge the pain in my foot had not gone away. I didn't stop at Whatipu (3hrs) and ran over to the Pararaha Valley. The tracks were in the same condition and being unable to move as I usually would on slippery surfaces due to the pain in my foot and now knee to improve on my speed bored me beyond belief.

I replenished my water supply at the Pararaha stream and changed my socks after the crossing, hoping wildly that this might make my foot feel better. Never in my life had I been so pleased to be running on sand as I made my way to Kare Kare. I didn't stop and climbed over to Piha (6hrs). Here I seriously thought about stopping and contacted my emergency support. I decided to strap everything that hurt and continue. By the time I reached  the Kuataika track it was obvious this was over. I contacted my emergency support (top tip: at the gate of Whites there is cell phone coverage on the track side but none on the otherside of the gate) and told them to meet me in Bethells. I slowly walked and limped my way to Bethells.

So lessons have been learned. The obvious about dangerous running but a great lesson in stamina. I knew I could just have easily dropped back into Piha but psychologically felt it would be better to go on to Bethells (10hrs). I used a walking stick so was able to keep the pressure of my foot and strolled along like some happy tramper. I had felt great all day, apart from the injuries, and the nutrition, water and calories were perfect.

We are tough but we are fragile, we are many but we are few, we are stupid but we are also amazing.

Sept to the end of 2011

No races for me sadly life has got complicated. I have still been training but have only done 5km road races (around the 19 min mark). Still try to get a long run in on the weekend. Things will get better.....runnning demads it. On the upside though, I can say that running has kept me sane, focused and has provided me with tools that I am learning to use to beat the well poisoners.

Give me a break

22K run at Hunua yesterday. Last year I injured myself when overtaking on a narrow track and would you believe it... I did the thing again. About 28 mins into the race I decided to overtake a few runners to keep up with my mate Wattie. As I passed a girl I had to go off track and kicked a stump at full pelt. My foot gave way and I landed on one knee but was travelling at such speed that I instinctively forward rolled back into an upright position and straight into running. Amazingly I finished the race. My knee, which had gushed blood throughout the race only had a few deep cuts but I had broken two toes in the collision. Still, felt strong and finished in 2:30 something. A good rest is great.

Bare minimum

Just managing to get out a few times a week and an hour run on the weekends.......life......don't talk to me about life. Hopefully can return to some normality soon.

June....Fail

Life getting in the way of training for the Midwinter Madness run in July. If I run it, it'll be the least amount of training I've ever done for such a big event.

Riverhead 21k

As usual the first race of the X terra series found me with a heavy cold and in no way race fit. I started the race not knowing if I'd be choosing the shorter long course at the split with the superlong. I felt sluggish and ill for the first 10k and it was a stuggle to keep going. My training of late has seen me not using gels anymore but getting my body used to using the food and fat supplies within it and I sure could have used a gel after 10ks. When the split came I decided against wimping out and was starting to feel a little better (psychologically that is). The next 5k I concentrated on picking up my pace and was getting close to my usual race pace for the last 6k. I finished in 2:11. The usual cramps on the last km were the only signs that I had been running a race (and the mud). Back to back long runs continue for the Hillary trail run in July.

Minimus - the verdict

So I had the minimus for about two weeks before I attempted to run a 100 km race with every type of terrain you could ask for, from tarmac to gnarly mountain trails and stoney forestry roads. I broke the shoes in during my taper and put about 100 kms on them over two weeks. The longest run I did in the Minimus before the race was 30 kms on dusty angled single track trails. The shoe felt great and made you want to run lightly, improving the overall fluid motion of running. The night before the race it rained heavily ensuring that there would be enough slippery slopes to give the Minimus a good test. Race day started with a forestry road ascent that turned into single track then descended on single track to a tarmac section of about 8kms, then climbed to a forestry road. This was the first 20 kms or so and the shoe felt great, especially on the tarmac. The next section was a technical single trail ascent. The lightweight minimus made the ascent effortless with enough grip on the descent to make the slippery trail no problem. Next was a real technical runners dream, 20 kms of root infested ups and downs, rocky, slippery drops and switchbacks. This gave the minimus a real good sole test. I have been running in Inov 8 X-Talons for over a year so am no stranger to harsh underfoot conditions. My feet loved the contact that the Minimus allowed on this type of trail. Like a light footed ballerina I danced my way over and in between the roots. I played it safe on wet rocky drops as I did feel the shoe give once or twice. Alas all good things come to an end and here is where the shoe, for me, fell down. The minimus had performed well over soft trail, even gnarly roots and large stones, for 55kms but the next 15 kms involved long sections of stoney forestry road. I found myself looking for grassy patches or where the pine needles covered the track to run on and at one point yelped in pain as a real sharp stone poked into the soul of my foot. At the 70 km aid station I was told that the next 30 kms would be much of the same so I changed shoes. So for soft, grassy and even tarmac tracks the minimus is fine and would probably be ok over stoney ground for short periods when the footfalls are fresh and light, and are able to counter the harshess of sharp stones. They performed well over technical trail and their lightness was a great asset to fast uphill ascent. The day after the race I had no injuries or discomfort that I would normally have if I had used shoes with much thicker soles but my midfoot sole area was sore after thousands of strikes in this area. A great training shoe and brilliant sole toughener, I foresee an entry level shoe for minimal running but no 100km all terrain racer.

The Tarawera 100km Ultra

Done and done. 12:32. I pretty much stuck to my plan of taking it easy for the first 60kms with some walking at the start. My choice of using the minimus running shoes was a good one, but my tiredness in the last 40 kms didn't allow me to be as light footed as the shoe require, especially over the hard packed gravel roads in the last 40kms. This caused me to have to change to the shoes provided by Smiths, which were total road shoes with no milage on them. Hence the blister (first one ever) and imminent loss of a toenail. I drank plenty of fluid and replace along the course but got mixed up with my gels and missed 3 or 4 out (doh!). My pacers Mark and Rohan were great with Mark becoming more of a life support machine in the last 30kms. It was all I could do to run a few kms then walk then run etc... My quads are not to bad but ankles are swollen and there are general aches and pains but I'm otherewise pretty good. Although I did not have the envisaged energy to race the last 10kms I am still very pleased at my stamina in my first attempt at a 100km run. I have learned a lot and plan to return to Tarawera next year and attempt a sub 12 hour time. Longer training and more time in my minimalist shoes will hopefully help me achieve this.

Minimus

Ok so NB provided me with a pair of the new NB/Vibram 'less is more' trail shoes -Minimus. These guys are as light as a feather. There is no separate insole and I suppose should be used without socks to get that 'Barefoot' connection. On first fitting (my size 9.5) they felt a bit tight. I am used to this having quite wide feet and shoes usually give a little as they are broken in. Apart from the 'new shoe' tightness they felt good. I started using minimalistic shoes (Inov-8 x-Talons) last year and weaned myself onto them slowly, having run in cushioned shoes all the time I have been running. The Minimus comes with a caution tag that lets runners know that this shoe should be introduced to your running routine gradually as it will put strain on the foot, calf and Achilles tendon; sound advice for those who have predominantly used cushioned shoes. I took these shoes for a 5k trail run so I'm only reporting on the initial feel. I got no pains or aches and in fact the shoe felt as though it were healing the damage of a 21k road run I'd done recently. The grip was good on angled dusty trail and the sole thin enough to get a good feel of the running surface. Being a relatively new runner (3years) I didn't have a lifetime of bad habits to break in order to run with minimalistic shoes and have read a lot about barefoots v's cushioned running lately. This shoe has been designed to give a natural (neutral) running experience from its upward toe curve to the low drop from heel to toe (4mm) and it certainly delivers this. I felt very lightfooted and the running motion felt quiet and effortless, the shoe reinforcing the pratice of fluid running. I'll be using these shoes to taper for, and run, the Tarawera Ultramarathon after which I'll be able to give a fuller account of their performance. But my first impressions are that New Balance and Vibram have come up with a winning formula.

Taper time

Ok so been out for some long runs over the last 2 months. Built up to 6 hours of mountain running, constant ascent and descent. Even spent 2hrs running road, never again if I can help it. After using minimal running shoes for over a year don't think I can run in anything else now. Cushioned, supported and raised heel shoes cause me pain and feel uncomfortable and heavy. Tarawera 100k is 3 weeks away so it's time to taper. New Balance are supplying me with their new Minimus trail shoe, a shoe developed with Vibram addressing the need to get back to near as barefoot running.

Totally Tropical

First 30km race for me yesterday. It was so hot and almost 100% humidity. Started off at a good pace and settled into what I thought would be a good pace for the majority of the race. Ran with Simon and Graham for a while but Watty shot off and Simon gradually pulled away. With 10 k's to go I started to pick up my pace and caught a few people. Had one runner chasing me for what seemed forever and ended up catching two other runners on the last hills. This meant that I had to engage my hill sprinting technique. It was hard work but paid off and I came in 16th in 3:01. Must get new inov8's....NB's great for slow runs but not for racing or getting wet.

3hrs and building

Up to 3hrs on mountain running. Will build to 6 then taper for the 100k. Have been running in my xtalons but they are getting a bit thin now, maybe time to go back to the NBs for this race.

Whatipu run

Hot day for running. I stuck to my method from last year. I ran the first hill then walked about 5mins of the second and ran the rest. Came in 3 mins faster than last year which might not seem much but with minimal training means I'm fitter than I've ever been. I came in at 2:30. 1st in age group, 7th overall.

Training in the sun

Whatipu 21k in two weeks. Long runs for ultra up to 3hrs so far.

Build up

2hr run in the lovely rain today. Start of build to 6-7 hrs for Tarawera Ultra. 40 mins extra each week.

The Goat

A long Taper and a few good nights sleep made all the difference for me at the Mt Ruapehu 21k run that is 'The Goat'. I had decided to run in my Inov8 212 raptors. This was a bold move as these lightweight trail shoes might have meant the death of my ankles on such a treacherous trail. However they proved to be the perfect choice. They dealt with the terrain amazingly and were light enough to make uphill bursts an easy option. The 1km downhill start, at 1600m above sea level, on a tarmac road spread the field out so that by the time we hit the trail there was no bunching. We started in waves and I was in wave 1 in about 70th place when we hit the trail proper. The sun beat down mercilessly and the 2 litres of water I carried were adequate but with plenty of freshwater streams along the route I could have taken a small bottle and refilled it on the run. The trail was by no means dry and there were plenty of runners slipping and sliding on the muddier uphill sections. My raptors dealt with all of that and I slipped once. After attacking the first big hill I layed back on the descent and had several runners pass me including 5 or 6 from wave 2. I took it easy on the next ascent but made a move on the downhill overtaking about 15 runners. I keep up the power on the next big hill and made another 10 places. Taking it easy up to the big waterfall climb I sustained a moderate climbing pace. I had enough energy to pick up another 10 places on the downhill and ascent to the Last mile where a tarmac road ascent to the finish awaited. I was exhausted by this point and it was all I could do to walk, run, walk, run. Halfway up I was given some water by a spectator and some jelly beans by a young girl.....they were just what I needed. I ran the last 500 metres and was able to pick up another place on the flat to the finish cheered on by some Welsh supporters in the crowd. This was a mighty tough race. I finished in 2:46. I was 49th overall (out of 500) and 4th in my age grade. This was my first race as a Port Talbot Harrier.......result. Quads not to bad but calves are screaming......

Goat is upon me.

Ok The Goat is one week away. I've done a nice long 3 week taper so we'll see how that works out.

The Goat behehehkons

Tapering for the goat starts next week. Although paradoxically this means more running but less long runs. The sun is torturing me but hopefully all this punishment will pay off.

Feeling hot hot hot

Ok so the Sun has returned with a vengence. I have cut my training down to 4 days with most of the sessions in the heat of the day. I'm trying to get used to running in the heat. I've also cut back my sessions by 15 mins.....cos it's hot out there.

Light training

Bad cold reduces training but better to rest. Recovered now and will start goat training on Tuesday.