First of all profuse apologies are in order for not updating everyone from the week before the Melbourne Marathon. Things there and at the other events I completed in November didn’t exactly go according to plan, and I certainly wasn’t alone. More on that will come (HOPEFULLY) in later posts. Also I hope the festive season regardless of religious faith you believe in brought some sort of joy into a miserable life that seemingly is around us.
As many of you are aware if you followed my Twitter (@MHJeffrey027) and Facebook feeds you will know that following Melbourne, and despite a below par performance from a personal standpoint, the time I ran was good enough to ensure I passed the qualification clause to enter the famous yet gruelling Comrades Marathon in South Africa next year. To cut the long story short because many others online will tell you what the story is, the start line for the 2017 edition is at the town hall in Durban, with the finish line at the racecourse in Pietermaritzburg, a mere 5 major hills and 87 kilometres away. It probably sounds like I’m making it look like a casual stroll, but in reality it’s the toughest test I’ll probably ever do short of losing my brain totally if I convince myself to enter a 24 hour race.
The training for this event will be a long road trying to get what many see to be the necessary kilometres under the belt to succeed on the first Sunday in June next year. To that end, this blog from now until mid June will with a couple of exceptions become almost a diary like journal or log of the week or fortnight that will build up into what I hope to be something to hang my hat on when I join almost half of the entertainment industry that has passed on in 2016 (I’m not anticipating joining them). That’s not to say that there won’t be anything on lead up events such as Canberra in April, they are now part of the training regime that will hopefully lead me to the most satisfying experience that life can bring.
The start came earlier yet later than anticipated. When I first entered I promised myself that I would begin training on January 2 to give myself a good 5 month build up to the big day. Then upon booking accommodation in Melbourne over the Christmas period, I was hopeful of getting up early on the 27th of December to charge into a couple of laps of the famous tan track, but in the end I was lucky to get up in time to only miss the first couple of overs of play at the cricket. The start of training for this came on December 28 at Rydges on Swanston, using something I really prefer not to use, a dreaded treadmill. It’s unlikely that I’ll be using another for the remainder of the time in training for this event unless I book a motel that has a fitness space incorporating gym equipment, more on that a little later. It was nothing more than an eye opener to the rest of the program, only 30 minutes at varying speeds and inclines before a 5 minute walking cool down, but at least we’re up and running. Distance was nothing special, but it was the time on the feet and being active that I was seeking.
Important weeks in the training program will come starting January 23 and March 6, when the plan is to fly down from my Rockhampton base to Brisbane to do a week of running at another venue. There’s only so many times I can pound the pavement of the local roads, plus there’s a chance I’ll be able to do a few runs with other like minded individuals who are making the trip across. Running with others who are also doing Comrades this year may help me address what I see as what may well be the big challenge in training and as a consequence race day, early pacing. If I repeat what I do so many times in marathons and 10km races and show impatience by trying to run too fast too early, then some of the cut off times that are strictly enforced may become too great to overcome, let alone the 12 hours to complete the course.
In terms of lead up races, there are 2 definitely confirmed and perhaps a couple of others that are in the maybe stage. The plan at this stage is to head to the country Victorian town of Wangaratta late in February for a half marathon, if only to get myself used to race day scenarios. Due to the distance of the major goal this year requiring pre-race fuel beyond mere fluids that I am used to taking prior to marathon distance and shorter events, Wangaratta will be the first chance I’ll get to try to at least eat something before race start. I’ll also be venturing to Canberra for the 4th consecutive year in April, and based on advice of those who have followed this road I’m on for the first time on several occasions, I’ll try to actually complete the 50km event that I failed to finish in 2016. Redemption won’t be the primary motivator, but if I use it right then that event will give me the boost I’ll probably need in order to get through the last tough portion of training before a 2-3 week taper in May. Not sure of my status in other events such as Twilight Run (although the prospect of 2 training runs in the one day given the timing of the race has some appeal) and even the local Rocky River Run (possibly going back in distance to 10km as I believe this will be a week before Comrades and 2-3 days prior to departure). Final decisions will be made in January.
A January program will go up on New Year’s Day. I’m looking to mix things up a little in the realisation that incorporating a walking cool down/recovery will be of more use to me this year than in previous years. This will probably enable me to do the types of sets I was easily doing a couple of years ago, where I did something like a 26 minute/5km set followed by 4 minutes active recovery, then 24/5 with 6 recovery, then 28/5 with a recovery lasting until I reach home base. Some training will be done on grass ovals, but the bulk will be done on road or concrete surfaces. Naturally at least one day of hill climbing will need to go into the schedule where I’m planning to also schedule a minimum of 3 days rest. Whether someone is crazy enough to follow this program is up to them although being a rookie to this event it’s unlikely that anyone will contemplate using my template for at least 12 months when it’s at hoped that this gets me to the finish line. That’s all I want to do out of the event, time apart from the final 12 hour cut off and perhaps one or two intermediate sectors won’t really matter.
In terms of logistics, the passport was the first item of business in order to even lodge an entry from outside of South Africa, and a successful submission of the form the day after the Melbourne Marathon and subsequent acquisition in late October was about as good as it got in the late stages of the year. Hotel bookings were made before the passport was sorted, with payment due in May. It’s not a 5 star hotel by any means, but it looks like doing that job required (here’s hoping). Flights are due to be booked in a month’s time, but I have the funds to be able to book whenever I desire. The issue of local currency is being constantly helped thanks to being a frequent flyer and the perks that come with it (thank you Global Wallet), and I’m hopeful of getting close to 10000 Rand in the kitty upon departure.
The planning will be made formal this week, the long journey has already begun!
It’s that time of year yet again. The footy has come and gone (and for me, boy was it worth waiting all those years for! WOOF WOOF WOOF!), Daylight Savings dominates political talk in Queensland (no thanks), and preparations for the last of the main marathons in Australia conclude before race day in October. Don’t worry about Mike Brady singing One Day in October, for thousands of runners from across the country this really is the one day for us, our Grand Final if you will.
A lot of planning and preparation goes into running big events like this. Sure Gold Coast is probably more glamorous with the attraction of sand, surf, sheilas and a greater elite presence, and Sydney has the free to air TV coverage for those who love saying “Hi Mum”. But Melbourne has the historic value and the bigger numbers of participants, and for that this needs more respect in so many ways. That’s not to devalue those events in any way, Gold Coast is always like the All-Star game for those American readers, but the lure of a Grand Final type event in my home city will always see me come back.
With the training phase basically done and dusted (a few more 10km efforts and maybe an interval session this weekend should see me through), it’s time to go over the long term planning for the weekend. Many like to go with the flow and just approximate. Personally I worry too much about missing things so I just try to plan everything out as much as possible. Here is what I would consider a personal itinerary of my 2016 Melbourne Marathon campaign, my 4th time starting this event. NOTE that all times are AEST unless stated (that is NOT Daylight Savings time)
THURSDAY 13 OCTOBER 2016
5:00AM: Last 45 minute session before Sunday. Won’t get time to do it on the Friday which is travel day or Saturday which has a crowded schedule.
6:15PM: Finish my last shift for the week sorting mail, leave has been booked in advance so that I don’t need to return to work until the following Tuesday afternoon so flights and accommodation have been booked accordingly.
7:05PM: Board the bus bound for Brisbane. Meal stops are planned along the way as per the Greyhound Australia timetable, sleep likely along the route.
Last year’s bib and medal, perhaps some motivation for this year?
FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2016
6:05AM: Arrive at the Brisbane Transit Centre located at Roma Street, top up Go Card, perhaps stop for a coffee either at McDonalds or across the road at a nearby 7-Eleven
6:32AM: Take Gold Coast line train to the Coast, arrive at Broadbeach South Bus/Tram station at 8:12AM. This is the only real part during the travel component where the schedule is open ended thanks to the departure time from Gold Coast Airport. Probably have a recovery swim from about 8:40 till just after 9:15 or so depending on conditions/tide.
10:50AM: Bus from Broadbeach South to Gold Coast Airport, check luggage (check in process to be done prior). Won’t be too upset if I’m 15 minutes late which is when the next bus arrives.
2:05PM: Depart to Sydney. Strange you may think to have a stopover but the only cheaper flight would have got me into Melbourne just before 11:30 AEDST (Australian Eastern Daylight Standard Time). Much prefer to get in as early as possible.
5:15 AEDST: Depart for Melbourne. May not be shocked if I get put on the next flight as Sydney can often be delayed more than any other capital city airport.
6:50 AEDST: Arrive at Tullamarine, collect baggage, take Skybus to City (will decide if I want to prepay before bus departure)
8:00 AEDST: Check into Space Hotel, Russell St in Melbourne. More expensive than I thought until I checked my booking upon payment today and instead of a single room I am in a Queen. In fact for my first Melbourne Marathon I booked a Queen room so perhaps this may bring more luck.
11:00 AEDST: Sleep (hopefully)
SATURDAY 15 OCTOBER 2016
5:00 AEDST: Wake up, don’t have to get out of bed but just wake up.
8:00 AEDST: Walk through city, purchase personal drinks for drop off later that morning, making sure I have a permanent marker and perhaps even some Red White and Blue tape. Yep I’m still in celebratory mode (I did tell some this would be a 42km victory lap!). Will also be purchasing biggest band aids I’ll find to cover the nipples, when they start bleeding from the friction against the top not only is it painful but it can be very distracting from the task.
9:00 AEDST: Collect bib from the MCG. Drop off personal drinks. Think I’ll only be using a single station this year instead of 2 last year, so I’ll be looking for the 23.5km station.
10:00 AEDST: Brunch, usually a Subway footlong Chicken Teriyaki with bacon, lettuce, carrot, onion and mayo. Small drink. Put on a few bets for the Caulfield Cup meeting that afternoon.
Remainder of afternoon open ended, may head somewhere in Melbourne. Given the course basically hasn’t changed in my 3 previous runnings (the second was slightly altered with the finish being outside the MCG rather than inside). May need to find a sports shop for fresh socks.
4:30 AEDST: Pizza or Lasagne, depending on how I’m feeling.
7:30 PM AEDST: put gear out for Sunday, Bulldogs jumper with top of choice.
8:30 AEDST: Lights out, early night!
SUNDAY 16 OCTOBER 2016
3:00 AM AEDST: Wake Up, alarms will be set from 3AM on both tablet and phone (and alarm clock will be set at 3:30) in 15 minute intervals until 4AM
4:00 AM AEDST: Shower, change into gear. gather bag. Need to be out the door by just after 4:30AM if possible.
4:30 AM AEDST: Walk to MCG, stopping at 7-Eleven for pre-race drinks (GATORADE, perhaps even a Protein drink if I feel like it)
5:30 AM AEDST: Enter bag drop area at MCG below Ponsford Stand/Members, wait until at least 6AM to peel warm clothing off before dropping off gear bag. Fortunately gear bag area is written on bib so I won’t forget.
6:05 AM AEDST: Stretch, walk across footbridge to starting area outside Rod Laver Arena.
6:30 AM AEDST: Quick Dynamic style warm-up, get the legs moving.
6:45 AM AEDST: Enter start area, ready to execute race plan.
From there it’s simply a case of executing the race plan, and going from there. Post race massage hopefully will help this year, unlike last when a bandage over the knee buggered everything up. Those Meniscus in both knees better hold up or else I may be in the Wheelchair event next year when I chop a leg off! After that I’ll have a feed in the CBD somewhere and perhaps if I have the energy I’ll head back to the precinct to watch the Basketball that afternoon. Flight home is not until 8AM AEDST Tuesday although I will be changing motels on the Monday (worked out cheaper than flying home Monday).
RACE PLAN
So to the bit I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for, the race plan itself. Naturally it won’t be overly detailed, but there is a Plan A and a Plan B.
Good spot to start Plan B?!
PLAN A
In training I have been easily doing 5:20 kilometres and in the last lead up run (the Twilight Bay Run) I was getting through most of the journey averaging 5:20/km. If I use Plan A then I’ll be looking to use that plan until the personal drink marker at 23.5km, then slightly picking up the tempo until 10km to go. A check of the watch will determine how the last 10km will go, hopefully the legs and the motivation will see me continue to do 5:30 or quicker per kilometre.
ANTICIPATED FINISH TIME: 3 Hrs 45 Minutes
PLAN B
Start just behind the 4 Hour pacer and run their pace until mid distance (usually signified by an inflatable gantry). Run a quicker couple of kilometres to get to the personal drink station, then fall back into their pace and hang on until late in the run.
ANTICIPATED FINISH TIME: 4 Hrs
HYDRATION PLAN
I anticipate taking drinks at the following drink stations (I will likely have a little water if available at the start precinct)
- 8km (Station 3, Albert Park Drive behind the Lake Oval/Athletics track, water)
- 13.7km (station 5, Village Green Drive, sports drink)
- 20.3km (station 7, Beaconsfield Parade, sports drink)
- 23.5km (PERSONAL DRINK STATION 2, Orange Lucozade)
- 28km (station 9, Point Ormond, sports drink)
- 31.1km (station 10, Fitzroy st, water, perhaps to cool rather than drink so may even take 2 cups)
- 37km (station 12, Birdwood Ave, sports drink, walk through station if needed)
- 39.8km (station 13, St.Kilda Rd, sports drink or water, last drinks before finish)
I have trained to run at least 8km before needing to take on board fluids so I am able to run that distance comfortably. The anticipation of the bulk of the field taking on drinks at the first 2 stations and the traffic associated means I can make up a little time that I’ll probably need when the hurt kicks in during the back end.
Hopefully this gives a little insight into my plan of attack (or defence) for next Sunday. I hope to catch up on the start line with you if you are there!
As runner knows processes of getting to goals can’t be achieved through shortcuts. The countless hours on the roads, trails or tracks all add up to trying to reach a set goal. Planning for this is made easier these days through a plethora of online apps meticulously plotting a course towards a sub 4 hour marathon or a sub 2 hour half. Yet these plans always seem to overlook something that I know I use to aid my preparation for the bigger events that I always circle on the calendar for a coming year.
It’s no secret that my aims revolve around marathons and even further distances. Yet getting there for me wouldn’t be possible without running smaller, shorter events several weeks out from the event. This blog hopefully may answer a few questions based on my experiences as to why running in an event before the big days of the year is more helpful than just another dull boring training weekend.
REASON 1: THERE’S NOTHING LIKE RACE PRACTICE
It sounds rather obvious when you think about it and put it into practice. Sure there’s a buzz when you run for long distances by yourself or with others leading into major events. In theory it’s also the cheap alternative when these smaller events given half marathons in Australia can cost anywhere between $A50 and $A75. Yet replicating race pace when all you have is an open road, an open app and perhaps a cheap pair of earphones is a whole lot different to doing it when there are hundreds sharing the same surface at varying speeds.
Of course these smaller events (gee it sounds almost disrespectful saying that) are often run in the same manner (and sometimes better) than your goal event. It can be intimidating to some to use shared toilet facilities, or being confident enough to utilise bag drop. The enthusiasm of those at water stations can often be better motivation than trying to reach a distance because an app says you have to run this far to reach this goal. Finally, if you are a little more advanced and have game plans set for later runs, this is the best way to test them.
REASON 2: GET OUT AND EXPLORE
Familiarity and comfort can certainly assist in training, after all running the same paths in order to gauge your progress has been effective for many (I know I’ll be running a 10km course sometime this week that I ran last week to see if I have improved fitness levels for example). Yet there’s always a part of you that has that sense of adventure and running elsewhere, particularly under race conditions, can be liberating. It’s incredible where some runs can take you, I know the second ever race run that I did was in Geelong, not all that far from Melbourne where I was born yet a city that I had very limited exposure to. You may even see parts of cities that you may only ever visit through sheer boredom, yet discover that this area has its own charm!
Of course it does help being based away from major cities that I have to travel in order to use events as training. If you find that where you are residing is about as exciting as staring at mould in the bathtub, then there’s nothing like heading elsewhere for the soul. Plus it also helps with the frequent flyer miles!
REASON 3: PASSING THE CHECKPOINT
Every year the City2Surf in Sydney is a goal event for the majority of the 80000 that take part, and with the iconic status and the start and finish precincts there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. For me however this event usually signifies the beginning of the tilt towards another Melbourne Marathon. Other times you may do events such as Brisbane’s Twilight Run in March to kick off the tapering period in anticipation for Canberra’s suite of events. It’s so easy to get carried away in building up the distance in the legs that you forget when events actually are (as opposed to entering events and forgetting to train before realising there’s 3 weeks to go, that’s another story).
REASON 4: EXTRA GOODIES!
I know there are some that enter events motivated by picking up freebies. Some are satisfied with a free feed like they have after Point to Pinnacle where I am once again amongst the entries. Others look for free or discounted vouchers to businesses such as massage parlours. A number of events have merchandise thrown into the price, although as I mentioned last blog entry I’m still confused over why an event would send you a finishers T-Shirt BEFORE you even cross the start line. I know I still have finishers T-Shirts from the Gold Coast that I wear often, and train in Twilight run singlets (and this year’s long sleeved top) which do the job as effectively as an expensive muscle top from a so called big brand name company.
Which brings me to the main reason why I’m doing this blog entry, the Bay Twilight Run at Wynnum which kicks off again this Saturday. The fact that it returned to a Saturday run as opposed to a Sunday run last year lured me back. The fact that work commitments prevented me from doing the Sydney Half Marathon last weekend means this so called small event takes on greater significance heading into Melbourne. I anticipate performing better this weekend that I did at the “Brother” event (well if the event spawning from similar runs are known as Sister events then why can’t I use this terminology?) given the relative freshness compared to March when football and training for Ultra Marathon distances didn’t help. Like Perth’s City to Surf I have a goal in mind in terms of time, although this time this will relate to the finish as opposed to the midpoint of the event. Training has been a little sloppy at times, not getting the distances that I want in a single run until the last couple of weeks, but this event will likely be one of a trio of runs beyond 20km that I anticipate doing prior to October 16. Therefore the motivation to do well is there, knowing that I need to hit this distance in order to get close to the sub 4 hour goal in Melbourne that I’m desperate for. Expect a debrief of some description sometime early next week folks, and feel free to remind me if I don’t come up with the goods!
When many people think of the City to Surf, they’ll probably and rightly tell you that they’ve either never heard of it or they’ll associate it with the iconic event in Sydney that I’ve now completed 4 times. Yet last weekend I was able to do it all over again, this time over a longer distance and across the other side of the country. Sure there were fewer participants, but I wonder how many can say they’ve run both August runnings of the City to Surf on either side of the continent? (Yes Darwinites, I’m aware of your City to Surf and one day when the schedule allows I’m coming to conquer that as well)
The journey to get there was my typical exercise in mismanagement. Getting a train to Brisbane less than an hour after having worked a full shift sorting mail was bad enough. Then waiting around in Brisbane all afternoon before it was early enough to get to the airport with 13kg of luggage was worse. At least I got a row to myself on the big A330 although the rain upon landing at Perth on the stroke of midnight didn’t fill me with confidence. Well maybe I’m lying a little, I don’t mind a little rain, but the winds that came with it were what got me concerned.
It was a positive Saturday even though a plan to join in a local parkrun fell through (I loved the little sleep in until 9:30 local time, and I forgot my barcode anyway that would have recorded the time. Funny how I’ve never done the local parkrun yet have joined in the Cairns version once and may do the same in other cities). At least part of the mission for the weekend was accomplished. Like last year I am going to be wearing a pair of shoes not previously worn in a race (rest assured the breaking in process has begun however). Unlike last year when I opted for a New Balance pair of clogs, I found a nice pair in the Asics range that hasn’t cost me an arm and a leg. Obviously I was going to use the well worn NB pair on Sunday which served me reasonably well throughout the year.
Sunday dawned dry but cold and windy, and unlike other events I also had to pack my room given the schedule wouldn’t allow me to return before I was scheduled to depart Perth that evening. The process took longer than anticipated, and despite the short distance from apartment to baggage drop I felt I had to run in order to get a decent warm up in as well as get the baggage sorted before it blasts off to the finish area at City Beach. I always intended to leave an older jumper at the start area as well so the top would at least stay warm until about 15 minutes to go time, so hopefully someone less fortunate than myself is enjoying a little warmth from my generosity.
At almost precisely 6AM WST, the gun blasted and the small field compared to many of the other runs I do set off for the whole 42km. It is a course of contrasts, the first half basically flat although exposed in many areas to the Swan River, the sections within the carparks of the University of WA being the main exception. Then after passing through the start area with the crowds building before the half marathon and the main 12km event start, it’s basically rolling hills through Kings Park and onward to the finish. With Melbourne being the main goal and the fact I was using this as a training run, the aim was to post a decent split at the half way mark then coast to the finish without expending too much gas.
The first part of the deal was pretty easy to accomplish. Thankfully the winds that were strong in the warm up were not as bad as I anticipated and I was able to get a decent mid race split. I even remembered to lower the shades from the visor to the face as the sun rose, something easy to forget when in the midst of the run. Rather than try to sprint kilometres 19-21 on the course as I did last year, I decided to try to maintain the steady tempo to get what I wanted yet leave a little for the second half. The official 20km split came in at 1:49, which equated to a 1:54 first half. My Strava app comfirmed that the tempo was nice and consistent, so mission accomplished…..
At least the first half anyway. Now for the coast to the finish at my own leisure. I decided to walk up many of the hills before trotting gracefully down at a slower tempo. The plan worked OK with other like minded participants alongside for the ride (he sounded like an Englishman). There were also times where I came to a standstill in an attempt not to impede the lead competitors in the half marathon, whose course was much like ours for a number of kilometres. About a 8 kilometres from home I started feeling some pain in my knee, although it wasn’t the knee I was expecting to feel pain from. Before the Sydney City2Surf I actually had trouble waking up thanks to pain in the right knee. Figuring that prevention was better than the cure, I decided to go a little old school and put a brace over the knee. Little did I expect that the pain in my left knee would make the uphill sections approaching and passing the Challenge Stadium complex more than challenging. I did manage to jog some flatter sections of the course but the finish line couldn’t come quick enough.
Amazingly I even managed to reach the line a minute quicker than the previous year, but then the issues really began. Bending the knee became a near impossibility, although I somehow managed to find terra firma on my posterior. A quick session with a masseuse at least gave me some movement in the area, although the pain was still present when I limped for a coffee (I still shake my head over why I drink it) then towards the buses which were better managed this year compared to 12 months ago. It took the best part of a week before the knee became relatively pain free, and Melbourne is still on the agenda, but if the problem reappears in any of the last 3 events on the 2016 agenda (Point to Pinnacle and City2Sea are the others I’ve entered) I may have to swallow some pride to seek professional advice. In the interim the knee has pulled up well from some of the training runs I’ve managed to do, and hopefully a torture test this Saturday (2 hours plus) will ensure I can pass my own mind’s fitness test.
First of all let me apologise for the lack of content recently. Maybe as I get older I get overly forgetful in doing what I do best for the readers out there. Now that the schedule is opening up a little away from the running I should be able to keep everyone updated. The build up to Melbourne, which is as usual the Grand Final for me, is well and truly on so stay tuned here for all the latest.
Last Sunday saw yet another running of the world famous City2Surf. This year’s renewal was buried by a small time event in Rio de Janeiro which I doubt will take the world’s attention as it claims (JUST KIDDING!). Heck this year the entry process was condensed with the early bird period that usually opens in January not opening until April. Still for many it meant that it was harder to forget that you actually entered and it took the mailing of your bib to remind you to head to Sydney.
By this time having raced the course a number of times I didn’t really need any course familiarisation. At least that was the case until a few days prior to departure when the course map indicated a change to the final approach. Instead of taking the whole road adjacent to Bondi Beach, the left hand hairpin turn was brought forward from the roundabout to an area before an intersection into Bondi Mall. Still that wasn’t going to cause concern on race day, with where I would be planning the final kick the only alteration needed.
The routine was usually well-rounded, but unlike the last couple of years when I used basic budget accommodation, I splashed out on an apartment in Pitt Street close to Wynyard station. It meant that instead of walking to the start line as I had done in previous years, I would take advantage of the bib being a train ticket, to travel 2 stops on Sydney’s city loop from Wynyard to St.James skipping through Circular Quay. Again I didn’t see this as an issue.
My first sign of trouble was when I woke up on schedule at 4AM. Sure I have tried to manage niggles throughout the footy season as well as anyone, but with everything relatively healthy (an Achilles issue having been overcome earlier in the week) I wasn’t anticipating having pain in my knee on race morning. There were no warning signs of it happening, for I had walked with no impediment the previous day. A shower and the walk to Wynyard freed the knee up to walk, but there was still pain by the time I reached the Hyde Park precinct. Fortunately a small convenience store stocked some Nurofen to at least put my mind at ease.
Then came an issue that would have a bigger effect on the younger generation than older runners. Normally I would listen to a playlist on the iPod to both serve to pump me up yet calm my nerves. There were problems however getting the earphones to properly connect in the jack. In my desperate attempts to listen to some tunes I tried to squeeze the area around the input with my teeth…..and a crack confirmed the screen had been tempered with beyond its limit. I’ll probably purchase a replacement in the coming days, having that Nano for about 2 years was a good run anyway.
Thankfully on what was a cool morning the warm up freed my knee up to the extent where I was able to perform final stride throughs behind the start area in Park St. It was probably a waste of time waiting for about 25 minutes in the pack waiting to start, certainly I still had the earphones in whilst The Veronicas were trying to get people interested in them. I guess the organisers didn’t learn from the RedFoo disinterest from a couple of years ago, but perhaps those in later start waves may have been stimulated better than I was.
We started on time and I ran according to plan pre-Heartbreak Hill. Whilst many others were either utilising their superior top end speed or looking to go like the clappers early wasn’t my concern. All I was looking to do was to get into a comfortable fast rhythm and find space by the time I reached the Kings Cross tunnel. As per the plan I steadily ignored the drink stations that many others crowded around. As is usually the case in my training, my aim is to be able to run comfortably for at least 8-10km before looking for refreshments, and it is something that if others are looking to replicate I suggest that you train to do it first before trying it in a race.
Heartbreak Hill usually arrives about half an hour into the run. For many it’s time to slow down to crawling pace if not slower. From my perspective, it’s time to keep a good tempo and pick my way through the traffic. Usually I tend to take about 8 minutes or so to complete the climb, and again this proved to be the case. The trickiest part is not so much the climbing and the elevation change, but trying to pick the quick lines up the hill whilst negotiating the slower runners and/or walkers. I know I dislike running up the middle of the hill preferring to choose one side of the road, but when hundreds of people are in the way going at variable speeds that generally are slower than your own, the ability to run close to the middle of the road is important. Practising for this however is almost impossible unless you know of a secluded hill where traffic seldom occupies the road.
Unfortunately like last year it was the section coming off the peak of the climb which cost me a decent time and has caused me disappointment (and that’s being kind). It can be a battle to find a tempo to run effectively but basically coming to a standstill at the drink station following the hill wasn’t in the plans. It was anticipated that this would be the only drink stop during the entire run (although in future years I may even consider trying to do the whole lot without a drink), and although I didn’t consume the entire contents of the cup of Hydralite, the delay probably cost me at least a minute in slowing, walking and then regaining the running tempo required.
The last few kilometres was both as expected and not as planned at the same time (if that makes any sense). I expected to make up a little time on the downhill sections in the 12th and 13th kilometre. However I wasn’t able to increase the tempo as I had liked and by the time I glanced at the clock as the final stages approached, I knew I had to try to basically sprint the last kilometre but as I usually do on this course I had spent too many pennies too early and could only retain tempo around the hairpin turn whilst trying to stay out of the way of the North Bondi lifesavers carrying their apparatus as a unit.
When I saw the clock at the final turn before the short chute to the finish, the reaction was one of anger and frustration. The goal time had passed, my efforts were as successful as an Australian swimmer in Rio, and having to run a qualifying time elsewhere to remain in the Red wave for the next year became a reality. Even though the chip time upon later scrutiny of the official times read a 1:10 rather than the gun time of 1:11, both times were not satisfactory to me. Sure I put on a brave face as I accepted a medal more befitting of the event than the guitar pick knock off from 2015 (and I gave the lass who gave me my medal the customary kiss, my tradition it seems is to pick out a lass that hands out medals in order to kiss them). Yes I restrained my disappointment as I collected my gear and wandered across the road for a light breakfast (calling McDonalds a light breakfast isn’t exactly accurate mind you). The bottom line is this was a performance that pride wasn’t an emotion I felt and no person can change that feeling.
The questions and possible answers that arise from that run I suppose are as follows…
– SHOULD I HAVE PAID MORE ATTENTION TO RUN SPECIFIC TRAINING?
Certainly shift rotation and interrupted sleep patterns during a working week don’t help and the distraction of training for and playing footy means endurance training can go out the window. Perhaps I need to manage it better in future years although I do realise that getting enough sleep to be effective in work and recreation is vital. The fact that I had a hamstring problem a month out from the event didn’t help but I was able to do a 5km Parkrun in Cairns a week later without any pain blows that injury excuse out of the water.
– IS THIS RUN GOING TO BE USEFUL WITH REGARDS TO FUTURE EVENTS?
The result certainly isn’t going to alter future plans to tackle events for this year. Physically I am OK and training will resume shortly. Melbourne is still the main goal but there are a couple of other race runs to come before that and there are goals in those runs I’m looking to achieve. For example in Perth I’m looking like last year to run a strong first half with a good time at 21km (around 1:55 would be useful) before coasting to the finish.
– WILL I BE RETURNING TO SYDNEY FOR REDEMPTION, IF ANYTHING ELSE?
Certainly the long term plan at this stage will be to have another crack at the City2Surf. At this point I haven’t looked to see if anything overseas comes up at the corresponding time for future years, given I’m looking away from Australia for events. But this event usually is the opener to the Melbourne Marathon preparations and as long as I am committed to doing that every year then I can’t see why I won’t be doing this either.
– WAS NOT STARTING BRISBANE’S CITY2SOUTH A FACTOR IN THE POOR RESULT?
A date clash with the local Rocky River Run prevented my participation in Brisbane for the first time in that event’s history (this year was the 4th running). The fact that the local event was a longer event made even longer with a marshalling error was better preparation for Gold Coast, which is the main reason why I often do Brisbane. It was more a case of reduced training on hills that didn’t help in the lead in to Sydney.
– SO WHAT IS NEXT ON THE AGENDA?
Next weekend I’ll be in Perth doing their City to Surf Marathon. Naturally I’ll be underdone in terms of kilometres but again I have goals that I would like to achieve that have nothing to do with a finish time. Then comes the Bay Twilight run in September which has thankfully moved back to a Saturday run by popular demand. After Melbourne will be the now annual trek to Hobart for Point to Pinnacle (complete with trip to Bellerive for the Cricket) and a return to Melbourne and the City to Sea just a week after having missed the last couple of editions.
MHJeffrey027 Running 