As I type this I am commuting from Brisbane to the Gold Coast area via the train, so I guess it makes a little sense to kill time by contributing something that I should have done more often. Apologies to the regular readers for the lack of activity, but hopefully the next couple of days will make up for it a little.
It’s the day before the second marathon for me this year, with memories of Canberra largely forgotten apart from possibly the lessons regarding pit stops. Those won’t be put into practice until tomorrow morning, which at this stage shapes to be a fine morning with ideal conditions. Heck I’ve been excited since the last substantial training run which was a couple of weeks ago. It’s incredible what a positive training experience can do for the mind, particularly after I felt I ran poorly albeit quicker than 2014 at the City2South some 3 weeks ago. Sure I would have liked to have another light training run but at this stage I’m satisfied with the physical conditioning, particularly in light of the hamstring troubles I’ve had a couple of months ago.
The race plan has been in motion almost since the entry was lodged but confirmed after the recovery from the hamstring issue finished. Pace runners often sacrifice their own run to help others, and it is on their expertise that I’ll rely upon once again. Basically I’ll be searching for the 4 hour pace runners in the start zone, and the plan is to stick to their pace for most of the journey before perhaps a little spurt at the end should the legs be in decent shape so I can improve upon last year (just outside the 4 hour mark).
Fortunately I’ve managed to purchase most of what I feel I need to buy prior to taking to the start line yesterday. As seems to be the case for the last few big runs I’ve purchased a fresh pair of socks, although I’m not sure if they will cause blistering like Canberra, when I probably should have checked if I put the socks on properly when I tied the laces. A new pair of sunglasses was also on the shopping list, given that the sun and breeze on this course has more of an effect than Canberra. In order to combat nipple rash, fresh band aids have been acquired so hopefully I won’t need to look down and try not to puke at the sight of dried blood where the nipples rub against the shirt. With the zinc cream still in plentiful supply the only items left on my list are fluids (which I’ll get before I crash tonight or on the way to the start line tomorrow) and a new visor which I’ll pick up at my next stop. the expo where the bib also needs to be collected.
As I’ve joked to work colleagues in the last couple of days, I’ve reminded everyone who is watching the webcast of the run tomorrow (goldcoastmarathon.com.au) that looking for me won’t be that easy. Don’t be fooled by the darker skinned people at the front of the field where the focus will lie. I’m not a Kenyan or Ethiopian, and being that far forward would either mean I’ve cheated or the run was changed to a handicap at short notice. If I make an appearance on the media outlets, I’ll certainly let you all know.
For those on the Coast who are also running tomorrow, I guess I’ll see you on the start line.
Last blog entry detailed the issues with injury that I’ve had since Canberra, which has been frustrating to say the least (there are other words that could describe it better but they are also unfit for publication). Yet dedication to the cause, showing faith in local events and the urge to at least do something with Gold Coast a matter of weeks away saw me take my place on the start line last Sunday for the Rocky River Run.
Forget smiling for the camera! CREDIT: Phil Spencer (Rocky River Run Facebook)
This event sees the earliest start time for any event that I regularly participate in, with the 21km run starting at 6:15AM. It’s a good lead in for those looking to do the equivalent event at the Gold Coast, for that start time is just 15 minutes earlier. It’s probably scheduled this way in order to fit all the events of the day in a reasonable timetable, for after this came a 10km event, a 5km run and walk/wheels without timing over 5km and 2km, and also to minimise disruption to the roads which are never that busy on a Sunday morning in Rockhampton.
Bandaging for the hamstring that has been giving me grief was applied 24 hours earlier to help me through football umpiring commitments (I was never going to play on the Saturday, and that was before the numbers were sufficient for me not to have to play). This seemed to help me feel more confident in the leg than I had at any stage post injury for I was able to run at a pace where I would be reasonably comfortable yet not over extending myself with bigger goals in mind. With that injury in mind, the aim of this was just to finish in a comfortable time which wasn’t excessively slow.
The first lap was actually very comfortable at a decent tempo. There was no restriction in my running action, and there was no discomfort in the hamstring. I was even relaxed talking to a few guys on the route about this, though I didn’t cross paths with the lass who decided to dress as though it was 1975 or the Belgian exchange student who ran draped in a Belgian flag.
Despite being in what I term as “No Man’s Land” (far enough behind a group to have to work excessively to catch them, too far in front of the next group to drop back without affecting the tempo), everything seemed OK until coming off the bridge on the 2nd circuit which was about two-thirds of the distance in. Having had a history of calf troubles in the years prior to starting my participation in running events, I was a little worried when I felt some soreness in the lower-mid region of the calf. From that moment all the only aim was to make it to the finish line regardless of time, so to wobble into the finish chute in a time just 3 minutes slower than last year was probably remarkable.
As of now the calf doesn’t feel painful to walk on, and the hamstring feels as good as it’s felt prior to the injury. Given the period of inactivity the quads are at the moment feeling rather second hand, but my experience tells me that this only lasts a few days before going away. This should mean the resumption of normal training during this week, with the City2South in Brisbane less than 3 weeks away providing the last race simulation training prior to Gold Coast. Hopefully I’ll resist the temptation to increase the training load to compensate too much, for the Gold Coast aim at this stage is sub 4 hours.
I’m sure if you had read my previous post regarding my desire to have an interruption free preparation into Gold Coast and the several lead up runs prior to it, you shouldn’t be shocked to know that yet again this hasn’t been the case. Issues away from the training roads haven’t helped, but now is not the time and this isn’t the forum in which to air the dirty laundry. Instead, this post is purely going to concentrate on the physical ailments that are derailing my preparations even this far out from the biggest mid year running goal of many including myself.
Whilst the times weren’t anything flash the beginning of training was going reasonably well. Perhaps doing a 10km training run the day before a full day of footy may not have been ideal, but I also figured that if I was going to be successful that opportunities to train wouldn’t come as easily as this. The full day of footy on the Saturday involved a couple of umpiring stints (planned well and truly in advance) and having to play a game (certainly NOT in the planning but with a lack of troops I had little choice). After the 2nd umpiring stint I did feel a little fatigued in the legs and sore in the groin area, but I put that down to a lack of running on grass which I find requires a different style of running to road running, plus the stop-start nature of the day with the first stint of umpiring from 8:30-9:30, the game from 12:30-2:15 and the 2nd umpiring stint going from 5:00-6:00, which thanks to a timekeeping communication mix up should have been from 4:45-5:30 (times are approximate).
Despite this I felt good enough to do a little footy training on the Tuesday night which I often use as a little cross training. This usually also helps me with quick bursts that the game requires so I can use them when overtaking in races. Everything was going well until the end of a long drill, when I was looking to kick with my preferred right foot when I felt a pull in the hamstring virtually upon impact of ball on boot. Despite hoping it was cramp initially I knew in reality that this was far more serious. Training for that night was certainly over, and any hopes of meaningful training for the week were dashed as simple rest and recovery became the order of the day.
At this stage I haven’t attempted to run for a week but I am looking to go for a jog in the next couple of days. With the local Rocky River Run in a little under a fortnight, I want to be able to at least complete that course and thus I want to have some training complete. That event was probably going to signal the real beginning of Gold Coast preparations, but unless the hamstring recovers this may be the start of the entire preparation which can’t be ideal (the preference is to gradually build up the distance). Certainly footy may be on the back burner for a while for bending over still causes discomfort although I’m hopeful with some stretching and compression this will go away by the end of the week.
At this stage, there’s no plans to withdraw from any event but should the injury persist then I may have to rethink the plan. I have run injured in the past, particularly in the 2013 City2South in Brisbane where I battled with a corked thigh, so it’s something I hope to avoid ever again particularly as the age continues to increase and recovery time similarly lengthens. Hopefully there will be better news when next I touch base.
The first marathon for me has been done and dusted for another year, and in some ways some personal demons have been exorcised. In many ways though they haven’t, even though circumstances in the lead in shouldn’t have made me feel a little disappointment. Yet there’s always a story or three to be told and I guess when I eventually look back on this day perhaps there can be some pride salvaged from the day.
Everything started positively enough compared to 2014. I was able to get a decent feed in at a reasonable hour prior to the event, and unlike the restlessness of the previous year I was able to sleep reasonably well before the alarms started to sound. Perhaps the sign of a bad day may have come with the booking of the taxi (“We’re not allowed to pick up on corners” according to the operator), although unlike the Gold Coast the cab arrived promptly and at the start area with plenty of time to spare. Almost too much in fact, because there wasn’t too many people in the expo area at all when I arrived, probably because of the time (5AM) and the temperature (a balmy 7 degrees).
It was these temperatures that meant the warm-up was disrupted. Obviously not wanting to discard clothing too early but conscious of the time needed to warm-up and utilise baggage drop, and also not wanting to warm up with excessive clothing (I had a jacket, a t-shirt and the running top on as well as trackpants, shorts and skins below) I felt I couldn’t warm up properly. Then as I was getting into a warm-up routine, the 50km event was about to begin meaning that the marathon was just 20 minutes away. After seeing off the soon to be weary warriors of the longer distance, there was time for just a few run throughs and an abbreviated dynamic warm-up prior to having to enter the start zone.
Strangely there wasn’t as much anxiousness to get going as I normally would experience. With a smallish field starting this event numbering just over a thousand, finding a decent spot would be easier than anticipated. Given the training loads had been interrupted due to cyclones and inclement weather curtailing key training events, the goal was simply to finish and anything close to sub 4:00 would be a bonus. With that in mind, I stationed myself reasonably close to one of the 4:00 pace runners who were also helping others achieve qualifying times for bigger events such as the Comrades Run in South Africa. Then after a moment’s silence to honour Richie Benaud, poignantly observed at 6:22 AM, it was time to set off on marathon number 5.
The first sign of trouble came at 9km into the event, when I had to take what cyclists refer to as a “Natural Break” into the bushes at the side of the road. I can’t understand why this would be an issue given my pre-race hydration was no different to other events I participated in (a protein shake and a bottle of Gatorade) and I had not stopped at any of the trio of hydration stations to that point which was a planned move that I had trained for. It meant I had to burn a little more energy than hoped to catch up with the 4:00 bus, but I was able to easily complete that task just before passing the 10km timing marker.
The next 15km passed without great incident, in fact I was keeping pace very well with the group feeling comfortable in my stride patterns and overall speed. It wasn’t until just after mid race distance where my stomach didn’t feel too great. Fortunately at the bottom of a section at around 24km was a dedicated toilet block, and after a quick pause for a “number 2” I again felt like I was going to feel alright for a 4:00 finish, especially as I followed the pace runner into the loo (he needed a leak). But 5km later proved disastrous. Again feeling something in the stomach not agreeing with me, I spied a porta-loo not far from a drinks station. Unfortunately the porta-loo needed to come about 40 seconds earlier, and the subsequent clean up and time spent in the loo cost me at least a chance to record a 4:00 time.
The ordeal wasn’t over after that, although I did manage to pass through the personal hell barrier of 31.5km where I suffered both hamstrings cramping 12 months earlier. Towards the 39km mark with the finish line seemingly within touching distance, I started to feel a little pain in my right foot on the outside and towards the ankle joint. There were a couple of moments where I could feel excessive pain meaning I could only walk quickly, but the adrenalin kicked in passing the final drinks point at 40km. Managing a reasonable pace at the end of the day, I spied the clock ticking over to 4:09 as I entered the finishing chute, and almost 70 seconds (and a couple of “That’s Gold’s” for the photographers and the NRL Footy Show) later I had crossed the line in a time quicker than last year yet short of my expectation.
After the race the pain in the foot kicked in as I waddled away from the race precinct in search of transport back to somewhere close to my accommodation. The pain in the foot lingered throughout Monday along with the usual soreness in the quads and thighs, and at this stage strapping hasn’t really helped the problem. This may mean that upon return to Rockhampton I may have to seek medical consultation which I hadn’t planned or budgeted for in the hope that there isn’t a fracture. Stay tuned for further updates on that, although I hope it won’t affect participation in the remaining events on this year’s busy schedule.
As for next year, if I return to Canberra it will almost certainly be in the 50km event. It’s not that I have goals in the 42km race in the nation’s capital that I haven’t accomplished. Rather this would be a new challenge and a very different adventure to prepare for and complete. That’s not to say that the traditional 42km events will be ignored, and in fact entry for the Gold Coast is one of the next items on the agenda to finalise. Plus there are other shorter distance events to enter, and hopefully complete pending this foot problem.
They always say there’s a first time for everything. Many such occurrences are or turn out to be memorable, others provide fodder for a slideshow at a milestone birthday bash. On Sunday I also experienced a first time that I don’t really want to revisit, yet I’ll never have any control over it. For sure it’s frustrating to start an event, feel in great shape and be told not to complete the course due to weather, but based on past experiences the event organisers really didn’t have much of a choice.
I wouldn’t say the alarm bells were ringing earlier on a personal level when I first took real notice of the weather forecast in the days before the event, but I decided to pack some long sleeves and the track top in case the weather closed in. The track top was not for running in, but rather for the journey to the public transport that would take me to the motel for the night should rain close in. The rain storm on the Saturday in a way calmed my nerves about the weather, despite the concerns from facebook posters wondering if the event would be postponed or cancelled. Generally I always felt that a day of heavy rain wasn’t followed up by another unless cyclonic conditions prevailed, and Cyclone Nathan was well to the North of Brisbane and shouldn’t have been a factor.
There was no rain in Brisbane as I landed in the Queensland capital on the Sunday morning, despite reasonable cloud cover overhead. There was a shower as I headed into the city to check into the motel room, but by the time I started to make my way to the event just after 2PM, that rain had cleared and the sun was even trying to poke through the clouds. It was a dry track as I arrived at the University of Queensland campus at St.Lucia, and hopes of a rain free event increased as other events commenced.
The mood changed though as we started to organise ourselves for our event, just after the kids were sent on their way for their 1km dash. I was shuffling back towards where I intended to start from amongst the half marathoners and 10km entrants and was just about to focus on the task at hand when the rain started. Not wanting to get cold after a warm up and hoping to get the bulk of the event in before the rain really set in, some were overheard saying “let us go” and “get on with it” as the Lord Mayor started to dribble some usual filth that dignitaries think they’re entitled to. Eventually at the appointed start time, as the rain started to tumble, we were released from the start house to start the journey.
The first sign of trouble would have come after crossing the bridge for the first time. Coming off the bridge there was a downhill section of left hand and right hand bends, but there was water running across the road at about top of foot depth. Fortunately there was a course volunteer braving the elements to at least warn us of the threat, but there was nobody at the bottom of the rise after going under the bridge where still water covered much of the road. Still the road warriors powered past an enthusiastic group at the nearby water station as the rain intensified. Despite this the split at the 5km marker wasn’t too far off what I had liked to achieve.
Race plans however were thrown out the window at about the 6.5km mark. A lone rider on a pushbike who would usually accompany a class leader or race leader slowly traveled past to relay a message of race “cancellation”. I’m sure some would have stopped to slowly walk back to the start area, others would have cracked it, but a few like me decided to up the tempo to at least complete 10km. There was little fanfare at the finish line, many who had gathered had sought shelter or had already departed, and many of the attractions for the kids had been packed away. The PA system was basically repeating the message to seek shelter in one of UQ’s underground car parks. Turns out that a Severe Weather Warning was issued from the Bureau of Meteorology about 7 minutes after we started. Another runner was a little confused about the situation, although at the time I thought there had to be lightning in the area which would certainly cause a postponement or cancellation. Typically though the rain had abated close to half an hour after the run was completed, and any threat of a storm proved fruitless.
Race organisers certainly cannot be blamed for taking the action that they took. A wilder storm had struck the course just 2 years ago, and a competitor was killed after a branch struck a fatal blow. Obviously they didn’t want anything like that to happen again if that situation can be avoided. Sentiment on their Facebook page echoed this, saying that the right decision was made despite the disappointment many would have felt, particularly those who also competed 2 years ago. I’m sure many will probably avoid the event in future years, and others have advocated a later date for the event. Personally I would be against the event being in April given this event is my main lead in for Canberra, particularly with my training ruined by Marcia.
There are now a couple of weeks before I hit the streets of Canberra, and with all the interruptions throughout training I’ll now just be happy to cross the finish line without cramping.
MHJeffrey027 Running 