BAR Shoe Road Test

Before anyone misinterprets the title of this post, no i haven't hopped back onto the booze when injured, i'm actually talking about the shoes i recieved from the Badwater Sponsors (and not having a keyboard that has German "Umlauts" can't get the name right).
Firstly the shoes fitted (real strange, i'm quite sure that nowhere in the Badwater Application did they ask shoe size) so i decided that being relatively not stiff (a couple of painkillers last night seemed to do the trick and neck and knee felt reasonable on waking) it was a good chance to try the shoes.
I'll admit that they are a little heavier than i'm used to (ie Racing Flats and Nike Frees), but otherwise pretty good, comfortable on both feet (always an issue with my right being a size bigger than my left) and did an easy 26K's (following the Gold Coast 100KM Course), doubt i'd use them in marathons and other short stuff but quite possibly they may be the way to go for Badwater, certainly i'll give them a few more runs before heading over.

Injury Update

Just back from the chiropractor, get the feeling yesterdays good hit out did me way more harm than good, not only was the neck very ordinary but as briefly noted yesterday the left knee was also affected by this (sounds strange but believe me i know what parts of my body are connected together now !).
Fair bit of manipulation on the neck and mid back but i know with this stuff it's really not until the next day that i know just how it's all gone.
I'll see him again on Monday, but it's making Warwick look more unlikely i fear, just hope i wake up tomorrow morning and it's all gone.
Was reminded of Badwater when i find a UPS Parcel at my front door BAR Shoes from the race sponsor, i've no idea how they have guessed the sizes (and fear they may be a size or so small - the box says 12), considering the wrapping and plastic around the box will confirm this later, for now it's a nice glass of red and a chance to put my feet up.

Tally Valley Today, Death Valley in 7 weeks time, will i notice a difference ????

Recovered well from Sundays race with an easy 10K's on Monday along the coast, knew i'd get a chance for a long run today and thought it was worthwile just to see how the body had recovered. Decided i'd find out just where Trees Road got to (and decided that doing it in reverse was much more tempting than going up that hill i'd turned back at last week - later found it was a 22 degree slope !!).
No running through Fleays Nature Trails today as there was a sign they were shut for trail maintenance (at least they told us at the start this time, back when they were working on them January you only ever found out when you got to taped over tracks at the end !!), so looked like it'd all be road this time.
Found that Syndicate Rd was only a further K along Tallebudgera Creek Rd than when i'd run that really bad Sunday last month and turned back, great winding road actually the perfect training for Mansfield to Mt Buller (except nothing like the altitude) and eventually up to Trees Rd (apparently it goes on a few more K's and dies in the middle of nowhere), another mile of uphill and then the extremely steep section (road sign says 22 degree slope and to apply brakes), for my own sake will have to do this in reverse sometime as this was brilliant just down and down for a mile or so (funny enough saw a runner with a camelbak on the way up but she was too breathless to reply to my gidday), from then on rolling hills and was beginning to feel a little stiff (still the neck and it giving grief to my opposing knee) so decided i'd take the easy way in, via Kornhauser Park and 19th Ave basically all flat. 2 Hours 56 Minutes, pretty happy with that for 31K's two days after an Ultra but stiffening up further as i type, think i'll wait another day before entering the Warwick Half.

And to think people came up here for the weather !

Had a nice easy 20K's along the beachfront on Saturday as well as a good bodysurf out in the waves after (now if only every day could be like that), still not %100 convinced that i wouldn't get the urge to drive up to Glasshouse in the dead of the morning and upgrade to the 50 Miles.
Had problems getting to sleep, which wasn't helped by the storm (first rain for 3 weeks) that was going on, to some degree it really worried me that the rain would go further north (and some of those trails are a quagmire once rain hits) but also to some degree making me want to head up there just to see what was happening.
Thankfully sleep intervened so my alarm woke me at 2:45, time for my bowl of Vita Brits etc and then off for the two hour drive to Woodford.
Thankfully no rain during the drive and i learnt the storms had pretty much stopped a few k's south at Caboolture, so all was good except for a biting cold squally wind (having done 8 events at Glasshouse before can't say i can ever recall wind at all).
Was initially going to use the 1.5 Litre Camelbak Bladder and my small camelbak but obviously my new drinking nozzle (hastily put together Saturday arvo) was not successful as i found everytime i let it hang water dropped out (the nozzle that came with it i've run with a number of times however have yet to be able to actually open it to drink !!), so it was a 600ML Bottle and my larger camelbak as it looked as though i'd have some clothes to store later. Originally was wearing short sleeve bike top and headband and possibly gloves but the cold wind convinced me to put long sleeved polypropylene top and beanie on as well as gloves, with any luck sooner rather than later i would have warmed up enough to ditch them.
In total a field of 16 but with 5 starting an hour early only 11 toeing the start line, down the road and then onto the trails, basically just following the leader although a few k's on was passed by one other runner. The first manned checkpoint was a welcome sight as were egg sandwiches, chocolate slices and endura talk about e feast. Di & Anne, manning this checkpoint were certainly having longer days than as runners as they'd arrived 7:30 that night and sent two runners (Ann's Husband Joe Raftery - Coolrunner Boonarga - and Rodney Ladyman - CR Hermie) off at 10 as they were both on the comeback trail.
After a quick chat and stuffing my face with delicious egg sandwiches i was back out there, i'd seen a few 50 Milers coming towards me on the way there (as well as some of the early starting 50K runners) and now was seeing the rest of the field heading towards the checkpoint giving me a better idea of how i was going.
By now the sun was out brightly but it was still quite cold and the strong cold gusts were enough to keep me fully clothed for the time being.
It was next off to "The Powerlines", basically a hardened mud trail following under some electric powerlines, sort of a poor mans Grand Canyon, never an easy part of the trails to run but thankfully dry. As usual that part of the course felt longer than it actually was (and seemed to go on forever) but after passing Glasshouse veteran Kerrie Hall (an early starter) was happy to see the road leading to checkpoint 8. It was then off to this checkpoint, familiar faces and a bit of banter and some coke and i was pretty content, 50 Mile race leader David Waugh was coming out of the first of 2 loops when i was heading to loop one so i knew he was in for a fantastic performance (i'd seen second place onwards previously but he was that far ahead i hadn't seen him before). Off on loop 8B, the course of an old railway line, so relatively flat and easy and i caught up with (and passed) Michael Lovric (CR Milov) who i had run with for a large percentage of Wilsons Prom. Back up checkpoint 8 seeing a number of other 50K and 50Mile runners still on their way to the first loop, a quicker drink (after all i knew i'd be back again) and then the harder loop 8B, passed a fellow with an arm in plaster doing the 80K but couldn't help him by telling how far left to go (without looking at the map i had idea).
Long haul up "Cooks Hill" and then put the foot down on the downhill back to checkpoint 8, again some more coke and a quick chat and i was off. (that's where the bottom picture was taken, the top one is heading down to loop 8B).
Was running along nicely until 13 (i think was what i counted) trail bike riders came along and found i was starting to really eat dust, pretty sure it wasn't related but around this time i started having a few gut aches (a problem that seems more likely for me in track races - still have never worked out why?) and very soon i was looking around for bushes, a quick pit stop (and as good a time as any to swap beanie for headband and take the gloves off) and i was off again.
Made it to the last checkpoint and was told 5K's to go and only a few minutes behind second place so took off quickly (just having a cup of Endura), and found a number of runners just ahead, assuming that many were early starters just made sure that i passed them all the same way (swiftly and not looking back), ultimately this did put me into second place in a finishing time of 5:04:03 for the 53.3K's (33 Miles), 17 minutes behind John Searston in 4:46:42. Pretty happy with that, well all bar the last few hundred metres up the road where left leg simply cramped up. Not a great one for milestones (but i keep an eye out for 100's etc) all in all wasn't a bad way to finish my 200th Ultra (was 3rd in my 100th, so logically i'm looking to improve to a win for my 300th just don't expect me to still be doing a blog then !!!).
A cold beer (thanks Nic) and all was good, bit of a leg dangle in the pool (a swim was tempting but really water needs waves to get me excited) and a very quick cold shower (no hot one's there) and it was then time for a feed (great barbecue) and a chat, getting up occasionally to cheer runners in.
Time flew and by the time i'd caught up with lots of people (and provided my eating talents to help clean the food) it was 2:30, off to Bribie Island to see some relatives.
Interesting footnote, the shoes i wore were the old Nike Free 4.0's, old favourites and a shoe i'd done 2,000K's in however i hadn't worn them since that memorable stack at Six Foot Track March 2007, they were ideal shoes for the Glasshouse Trails (worn out velcro ties held down by safety pins !) maybe they'll be my specialist Glasshouse Shoes.
As i type i'm having a few neck problems, had them immediately after Coffs last week but was too busy to see the chiro, looks as though i'd better take it a bit more seriously this week and get it done, reasonable chance of doing the Half Marathon leg of the Warwick Pentathrun on Saturday, and then a small taper before the Gold Coast 100KM's (the Gala Premiere of the Rolling Stones Movie "Shine A Light" http://www.shinealight.com.au/ on the 28th, followed by the Broadbeach Blues Festival that weekend may be just what i need to freshen up for a good 100K).

Better make it a 50

One more long run for the week and i now knew i was in pretty decent shape, still the question is would i be doing 50 Miles or 50 K's at the Glasshouse Mountains?.
Eventually decided to do 50K's, more because it starts at a normal racing time (6AM) rather than the 50 Milers 3AM start, i admit i don't mind running in the dark but i much prefer doing it after working into it from daylight rather than the other way around. Certainly had less than fond memories of the first hour of the 55K Hares and Hounds race back in January where i was essentially just following the people in front until daylight broke, basically if i want to race this thing (rather than just run it) 3 and a bit hours of following people isn't a good way to start.
Certainly a big weekend for Ultras in Australia with the first running of The North Face 100KM in the Blue Mountains (great area, but have spent lot's of time there around this time of year over the years freezing in the bush sounds closer to the truth !!), and the 4th running of the Great Ocean Road Marathon (45KM) yet another streak i've broken this year (having run the first 3) probably the best Australian Road Marathon scenery and course wise with the only thing to detract from it being that extra 3 odd K's !!.

On the road again

Two days to recover from the Coffs 50 Miler seemed to show i'm slowly getting back to my old indestructible self (it's taken 6 months so far), so a longish run was in order. Personally i can never be bothered doing a long run in the rain on purpose, but when you're 20K's into it and the heavens suddenly open up there's not alot of choice. Typical Gold Coast Tropical style storm brought very heavy rain and lightening, but within 30 minutes after being totally soaked was dry again was actually quite refreshing. An area i've run in a little but mostly ignored simply because ultimately all the roads lead nowhere, other than Trees Road, and unfortunately Trees Road goes off at such an angle that i refused to believe i wasn't still on it (until i got home and read my street map).
So i have a bone to pick with Trees Road and have the feeling that next long run (sometime after Glasshouse - still tossing up between 50K & 50 Miler there - on Sunday), will follow it the whole way through, actually had almost made it as far as the through section (Ducats Rd becomes Syndicate Road and ultimately hits Tally Creek Rd) when a combination of rain getting even heavier and a very steep ascent seemingly going for miles in front of me, made me decide that i'd done enough for the day. Think the rain assisted on the long run good as despite spending 2:50 out there was quite fresh on the return home (get the feeling the rain was rather localised my two transplanted rather poorly looking trees didn't appear to have received a drop !!).
Bring on Glasshouse !

Now i remember why i love this course

Full report to follow soon on the Bananacoast Ultra Marathon (Grafton to Coffs this year), but in short, smallish than usual field this year with only 6 Starters, Myself, fellow Western States 2007 runners Robert Boyce (Coolrunner RB) and Glen Lockwood (Coolrunner Horrie), and Queenslander Bruce Webber as well as a local lady Meredith (i think) and another bloke who's names escape me as i type (i swear i knew them yesterday !!).
Definitely my favourite direction on this course (mentally much harder running through the last 30K's of nothing heading towards Grafton) and assuming that my fellow Western Staters would be the ones to beat made sure i ran out hard and essentially kept on running hard the whole way there.
Very cold early on and spent first 30K's wearing gloves and long sleeve top, but once the sun got bit of a sting in it couldn't asked for better conditions.
Had Robert's wife Pitsumi crewing for both myself and him, which must have been a terrible task as i'd gained a good early lead and was approx 5K's in front of him by half way, one of those times i just had to apologise for my style of racing (go out as hard as possible and simply blow the others away and assume that i can keep it up all the way to the finish line) as it definitely made crewing hard.
Finished in 7:14 (my 4th win in 5 starts there since 1996 although a few minutes outside my best time of 6:50), Glen was second in 8:17, Robert Third in 8:44, Bruce 9 Hours+, First Lady 10 Hours+ and the other runner dropping out after 25K's.
Really great course to run on (although i'm sure the road has grown progressively busier over the years), shame that there are simply so many Ultras in May and many of the people liking 50 Milers tend to prefer them on trails, as for me, point to point 50 Miles is what Ultras is all about !! (one day i'll work out just where Russell Crowe's farm is, i saw no evidence of broken phones along the road only "TOFOG" Football Ground :-)).
Big thanks to Steel and Lyn for organising (and the sandwiches and showers at the pub at the end) and for helping me out when it the distance between me and my crew was becoming too great.
As i type this, still physically shot (and a little mentally as well), have to admit i'm struggling to get my head around Ultra Number 200 next Sunday but i'm thinking a week long taper may be enjoyable !!.