MARTIN'S JOURNAL
Cruising in 2nd gear Posted: Sunday, 31 January 2010 Eric, Jarrod and I met at the "Red Shed" at 7:00 and headed off for a gentle 20kms. There was lots of chat about logistics for the upcoming run and before you know it there we are ready to turn around.
The morning was hot and we all were thanking our lucky stars that the forecast for next weekend is 26ish degrees. A 37 degree day would take the wind out of our sails that's for sure.
So we trot back to the finish and we all are feeling good. Jarrod has a bit of a soleus complaint but he is as tough as an old boot so will grit it out I'm sure.
Things are very tangible now with the run only 5 days away. I am starting to get very excited and can't wait to get going.
Remember it's a bloody long way and if you have the ability to give a little then we will apprecite it very much. That's why we're doing it after all.
Bring on Feb 6th!
Marty Pull the reigns in Posted: Friday, 29 January 2010 A vital part of ultra running is to know when to hold back. We are at that time now and really we're as fit as we're gonna get before next Saturday and rest will be the key. At the same time you can go out and do 10kms here or there but really just keep the wheels turning and allow niggles to heal and tired muscles some respite.
This philosophy goes against the grain of runners thought process but it ain't like cramming the night before an exam. There is only harm to be achieved from now on with excessive distances so therefore I will do 15ish this afternoon and from thereon will confine myself to a few 10kms here and there and focus on logistics such as correct fuel and hydration strategy and song selection for the Ipod (you can only tell the same gag so many times!).
Removing myself from the obvious nervousness that comes before a big challenge like this I actually think it will be fun and interesting to see how we go backing up with 100kms after a 120kms the first day. I really am curious! I have backed up before in tough conditions on multi stage races and it's brutal but the ultra marathoners mind is a curious and stubborn contraption and I think it will be our greatest ally.
Bring on feb 6th!
Marty It's getting easier Posted: Wednesday, 27 January 2010 A well earned couple of days off and back into it! Hooked up with Eric down in Brighton and trotted into work. Both feeling good, yakking away about all and sundry, next thing you know we are there. Good signs.
Look forward to welcoming Jarrod back from NZ on the weekend.
Bring on Feb 6th
Marty Hot hot hot - 40kms Posted: Friday, 22 January 2010 Set out in the arvo for a 40km run being careful to hydrate and eat up before hand. Down from Fitzroy through Port Melbourne and then out to the North along Port Melbourne foreshore into the industrial area before heading South back towards bayside. Man that heat can creep up on you.
Carrying a camelback and plenty of powder to make up 6 litres of sports drink and stuffing my face full of gels I was pretty confident I'd manage the heat. Come about 25km and I had to run past my car needing to make up another 15kms. Oh how I wanted to dive in the water and then jump in my car and drive home. However that's not what we're here to do so I soldiered on making up the 40kms before enjoying a nice swim with my wife Amber and baby Chloe at Brighton Beach.
Bumped into a running mate Anne Ziogos on the way and enjoyed her conversation for 5 or 6kms so that made things easier. Thanks Anne.
Anyway we're a stubborn bunch and we keep going even when we want to stop so the Balck Saturday Run will succeed.
Bring on Feb 6th!
Marty Back to normal Posted: Thursday, 21 January 2010 After shaking the bugs off yesterday I headed off today for a run at lunchtime with my friend Simon. We took it slowly and ran through the streets of inner Melbourne and down past the tennis centre. A couple of good hills to keep us honest and then finished off with a couple of extra kms round the park near work. Rounded off nicely to 10km and felt good.
Bring on Feb 6th
Marty Crunch and off we go Posted: Wednesday, 20 January 2010 This morning the 3 monkeys met at Green Point in Brighton and had some photos taken. It was quite fun to jog around in nice new 2XU clothing posing for the camera. Jarrod seemed to have it down pat, must have practiced in the mirror I reckon.
So once we get that done we're all off in different directions, Eric has to have a meeting at 8:00, Jarrod off to the Lord Mayors office for 9:00 and I set off along the beach to run into work.
It's the first run since Sunday's 70km and the body creaks and groans a bit as I set off. The run turns out to be quite educational as I am reminded of previous ultramarathons and how the body is much more resilient than you give it credit for. After 2-3kms I am picking up the pace and feeling fine. On arriving at work I am disappointed to finish but satisfied with the morning's work.
Bring on Feb 6th
Marty Too early in the morning for 70kms Posted: Monday, 18 January 2010 4am and my good friend Eric is on the door step and off we go down to Safety Beach to meet Jarrod and head off for a 70km training run! Sounds ludicrous when you actually have to write it down but that's what we did. After a few bleary eyed hellos and a bit of prep we were off!
The biggest challenge is to maintain a slow pace and have the patience to stick with it realising that it is necessary to keep enough in the tank for 6 hours down the track. We battled a bit through the dark along the beach to keep the pace at about 5:10 min per km pace but after a while slotted into a bit of a groove. This is made much more achievable through the use of GPS devices (we are using Garmins). Don't know what we ever did before.
Anyhow Eric had just arrived back from South Africa 2 days before and we kept ourselves occupied with tales form his trip and before you knew it the sun was up and we were in Sorrento(approx 25kms in). All runners tracking very well and being strict about hydration and fueling with gels.
Running up though Sorrento and into Portsea I was reminded what a beautiful coastline it is and made a mental note to come down more often with my family.
As we headed out the back of Portsea we hit about the 30km mark and started to think we had miscalculated and may run out of land to get to 35kms. We hit Point Nepean before the park opened at about 8:30 and got conflicting bits of advice from various security people about trails and roads and whether we could use them. In the end we determined a road to head down and after a little negotiation with someone official looking in a ute we set off agreeing to buy tickets on the way out. There were signs everywhere indicating unexploded bombs and do not enter signs and we wondered exactly what the price of admission bought you! Needless to say another 2kms down the road we were stopped by another Parks Victoria officer who was reasonably annoyed with us. After we explained our predicament and agreed to pay him there for our tickets and pick up the change on the way out he became very helpful and friendly. I guess those poor guys have alot of fare evaders so fair enough.
Point Nepean was gorgeous and looking out across the coast and the bay was spectacular and there was some great hills in there too so good for training. Just before getting to the end of the road we hit 35kms, there we staopped took a few photos and appreciated our good fortune to be able to train in such a wonderful area.
The run back up until about 50kms was filled with lots of shooting the breeze and talk about nothing in particular. When we hit 50kms the rain started coming down! Up until this point the weather had been perfect at about 20 degrees and a head wind on the way down and a tail wind on the way back. We though maybe just a sun shower but it poured down for about 15 minutes or so and we thoroughly drenched to the bone but sometimes these things don't matter. We were all happy to be out there and still tracking pretty well. Average pace was still about 5:13 min per km and my heart rate had been consistent at about 133bpm.
At about 55km we stopped for a drink and it occurred to me at this stage I really did need something substantial to eat and the gels weren't cutting the mustard. Nutrition will be a vital part of our jaunt round the bay and runs like today are a vital part. I will plan for something big to eat at about 60kms on our first day. As far as fluids and hydration I felt good. I carry a hydration pack with 2 litres of sports drink in it and keep powder in my bag to make up another 4 litres. Jarrod has also introduced electrolyte tabsules which I think work very well - about 1 per hour.
The last 15km the conversation dried up a little and we focused on the job at hand. The rain came back in dribs and drabs and the some bigger showers. Once below 10kms you just tick off the kms and know your home. With the end in site everyone was still tracking remakably well, there had been know fading or down spots and when we ran into the driveway at the house Jarrod was staying at we all sat down had something to drink and felt good. This run was a nice confidence booster because we ran a good portion of our day 2 course but we also ran it without incident and all of some big kms in the previous days (Eric had come from a completely different timezone so hats off for battling the jet lag).
It's now Monday and I am amazed that I have pulled up so well. I ran for trains and to get out of the rain this morning and whilst tired the legs felt good. Confidence in the camp is high and I think we are going to have a great couple of days out come early Feb.
Bring on Feb 6th!
Martin
Hot and Happy! Posted: Monday, 11 January 2010 Jarrod and I met at 9:30 down at the "Red Shed" for a 40km plus outing. The sun was out and so were the Triathletes. After making our way through the Tri event and surviving grumpy officials chastising us we were off.
What a great day to be out and about! The beach trails that run from South Rd in Brighton up to Mordialloc are fantastic, it's like being in another world. On one side there is a barrier of about 5-10 metres between the trails and the road made up of tea trees and on the other you have Port Phillip Bay. It is such a great place to train.
The kms flew by and before you know it we had done about 14kms and alot of talking and find oursleves at Mordialloc. We had bumped into a nice South African couple on the way who we found out were iron man and ultra runners. They looked fit too!
Onwards past Mordialloc we headed East up the paths through the wetlands. It is very exposed up that way with not a lot of shade and the path reflecting the ever increasing heat of the day. We could both feel the heat at this stage and jumped at every drink stop on the way. By the time we hit the beach again up at Patterson River it was a welcome sight.
Once we hit the beach again we had to do a few kms on the road but then hit the tea tree trails which took us to Frankston. Here we parted ways and I headed back to Patterson River for a well earned family BBQ whilst Jarrod arranged to meet Jane at Frankston. My run back to Patterson River was hard work and God bless Bon Jovi and Thin Lizzy for making it a bit easier!
41kms under the belt in the heat of the day and felt pretty good. No real aches or pain and aerobically fine. Slowing the pace down from marathon training really means that coping with the aerobic side is pretty easy, it will be the fatigue that will be the challenge but the confidence is high at this stage and a nice 70km run next weekend will be a good barometer.
Bring on Feb 6th!
Marty
Training alone with sore bones Posted: Friday, 8 January 2010 Christmas break? No Christmas break this year, since Jarrod came up with this idea it has been all systems go!
As a brutal introduction to the year, last Sunday, Jarrod and I ran the Two Bays Ultra which is a 56km(turned into 57.5km due to a wrong turn) ultra marathon from Dromana up over Arthurs Seat Hill to Cape Schank and back again through the national park. Big Hills Ouch! Needless to say the last few days have been a bit tender around the quads! However this week we have been hitting the road and racking up the kms.
This morning we mucked up our meeting spot and missed each other so I dragged my weary bones alone from Hampton to Fitzroy. Definitely feeling a bit weary, will enjoy a day off tomorrow before launching into a big run on Sunday.
The word from Eric in South Africa is he is training hard and will be back training with us come the 14th of January.
Bring on February 6th!
Martin |
