Home Made Energy Gels

I came across the idea of making my own energy gels after looking at the Home Made Gels, Gu's and Bars thread on Coolrunning. It seems that the primary ingredient in energy gels is Maltodextrin, which is readily available from most chemists and also home brew shops.

The maltodextrin that I bought is comes in a 900 gram tin and is called Polyjoule. It costs around $14. Some guys get their maltodextrin from home brew shops in the form of powdered corn starch, but I'm not 100% certain about the validity of this comment saying that it's not wise to use the home brew stuff. $14 for a tin of Polyjoule still makes a lot of gels at minimal cost so I'll stick with it for the time being.

As for the recipe, well there's not really much to it all all. Throw some maltodextrin into a mixing jug and add some hot water to make plain gels. In my opinion the unflavoured stuff actually tastes surprisingly quite good. It will initially look quite milky but overnight it will turn into a clear gel so just be a bit patient. Some guys nuke their mix in the microwave but I don't really like doing that.

As for flavours, well try anything that you think might sound like a good idea. I've personally used quite a few cooking essences, with my favourite so far being chocolate and coconut. Go easy on the flavourings as they are quite concentrated and you won't need much at all. I've also used citric acid to give a tangy lemon flavour, but citric acid is very potent and I've found it hard to get a consistent flavour. You could also try adding in some Gatorade powder or any drink flavourings that you like.

The benefits of caffeine for endurance sports are well know and I briefly touched on some advice from a leading sports nutritionists in one of my other posts. Here it was recommended that 3-5mg per kg of body weight every 5 hours is all that is needed. I personally use Nodoz tablets and simply crush them up a bit, dissolve in some hot water and mix it into the gel mix.

I have also experimented with trying to add some healthy fats into the mix as this is something that we supposedly need during long endurance events. So far I have just added a dash of flaxseed oil. It does separate over time but a quick shake of the gel flask mixes it up fine.

My longest training runs to date where I have solely used energy gels has been 4.5 hours and I must say that they worked fantastic. I took some gel every 30 min with water and I didn't have any energy crashes at all. I actually think that my performance during my training runs using gels only has probably been better than anything else I've used so far.

How long it would take me before I get tired of my home made gels I'm not sure but the results are definitely encouraging.  They will most certainly be a part of my overall ultramarathon nutrition strategy.

Making your own gels is a fun, cheap and effective way of supplying your gel requirements. Give it a go!

Ultramarathon Nutrition - Part 2

Optimal Carbohydrate, Protein, & Caffeine intake during endurance events

A few days ago I posted a blog on my nutrition issues, and today when I listened to this pod cast with Asker Juekendrup on competitorradio.com, I was surprised to find out that it was all about nutrition.

So who is Asker Juekendrup? Well he is is one of the leading sports nutritionists of the Human Performance lab at the University of Birmingham. He has previously worked with the Rabobank professional cycling team, and is currently working with high profiled athletes such as Chrissie Wellington (Ironman winner) and Haile Gebrselassie (marathon world record holder). He has also personally completed 17 Ironman Triathlons.

The pod cast runs for 50mins but I think that it's well worth a listen. Here is a quick summary of the findings of his recent studies:

1. The optimal carbohydrate fuel source is made up of 2:1 ratio of glucose & fructose. Glucose alone can only provide around 60 grams/hour, but because glucose and fructose are absorbed differently in the intestines, it allows for a higher amount of carbohydrate to be absorbed. The approximate ratio of 2:1 allows us to consume approximately an extra 30 grams of carbohydrate per hour. An interesting comment that Asker made, was that because the digestive limitations are due to the nature of our intestines, and because both large and small people have similar sized intestines, then the amount of carbohydrate that is able to be absorbed is very similar for both large and small people. Also, whilst the absorption of the 2:1 mix is slightly impaired, it closely matches that of water alone.
2. According to his studies he doesn't believe that protein is necessary during endurance events such as the Ironman. Firstly, protein will impair the rate at which carbohydrate can be absorbed, and for events of Ironman distances he doesn't believe that the mechanisms claimed by many studies can work in that time period. From what he said in the pod cast, it's not clear if protein would be useful for events lasting over 24 hours or so.
3. Caffeine clearly has a performance enhancing effect. The recommended dosage is 3-5mg per kg of body weight. As caffeine has a half life of around 5 hours we only need to top up every 5 hours or so. Studies also show that more is not better, and it's a good idea to stick to the recommendation of 3-5mg per kg of body weight.

So there you have it. The findings of Askers studies are different to Hammers philosophy, but who is correct? As with a lot of this stuff, I think we need to test it out during training and figure out what works best for us. We are all different!

Ultramarathon Nutrition

My Nutrition Problem
During the 2010 Cradle Mountain Run I really struggled with my nutrition, and although I wasn't that much slower compared to the previous year, I'm almost certain that my eating issues affected my performance. I can't ever recall struggling so much to eat; almost everything tasted terrible, and I seemed to have a lot of low periods where I really struggled to get the body moving.

After a bit of researching I came across The 10 Biggest Mistakes Endurance Athletes Make on the Badwater website. Whilst Steve Born is obviously heavily marketing Hammer products, if you read between the lines there is a lot of great information that can be taken out of his article. I'll briefly summarise some of my biggest mistakes below.

Simple Carbohydrates Intake
Probably my biggest mistake was a high dependence on simple carbohydrates. The problem with relying on simple carbohydrates as an energy source is that they have to be at a very dilute 6-8% solution, and at this concentration we are only able to absorb around 100 calories an hour. This simply isn't enough for an ultramarathon. Most ultra runners will know that we can digest around 250-300 calories an hour, but unfortunately we can't if we are taking in too many simple sugars. Trying to consume 300 calories an hour of simple sugars will leave us feeling bloated and nauseas.  Another problem with consuming simple sugars is that they result in blood sugar spikes and crashes.

What we really want to focus on is getting our energy requirements from complex carbohydrates. With complex carbohydrates we are able to easily absorbs solutions of up to 15-18%, allowing us to have a much greater calorie intake.

I'm currently experimenting with making my own energy gels and I have had some very encouraging results using them during my training. After I've had some more time to tinker with my recipes I'll post what I've come up with.

No Protein
I have always made sure that I have plenty of protein after my hard training session or races, but I had never thought much about protein intake during an ultra. When we exercise beyond a couple of hours our bodies actually need protein to assist in supplying us with energy. If we don't consume protein then our bodies start to consume some of our muscles, which can't be a good thing!

I'm currently working on a home made version of Hammers Perpetuem, which includes protein and also good fats. I'll post the results when I come up with a recipe that works.

Too Much Solid Food
Well I seemed to get to a stage where almost all of my energy requirements were coming from solid foods. I don't plan to eliminate solid food because I can't imagine going for over 24 hours on liquid foods, but I need to more carefully include them in my training and racing. There is no question that solid foods taste good, and sometimes in an ultra simply eating something that you like can mentally make a big difference.

Glasshouse 100 (Sep 11th & 12th 2010) to be my first 100 mile attempt

Ever since I read Dean Karnazes' Ultramarathon Man book I have always been intrigued about 100 mile events. Of course the main question that someone thinks about when they first hear about 100 mile events is how on earth does someone actually complete 100 miles on foot? I suppose the second question that most people would ask is why would someone want to do it? Although I've never understood how someone actually gets through 100 miles, I have never questioned why someone would want to do it and I suppose that's why I've decided that I have to give it a go.

Whilst I've never questioned why someone would want to run 100 miles, I must admit that it does seem like a ridiculous thing to do, and I still can't get my mind around the concept of doing it. My longest ultra to date is 100km but it was a slow progression getting to that milestone. I went from the marathon to a 56km ultra, then to an 80km ultra and then onto the 100km ultra. All somewhat small baby steps. The thought of suddenly stepping up from 100km to 100 miles (160km) is just insane!

There is no question that the step up seems intimidating and overwhelming, but I've wanted to complete a 100 miler ever since I started running ultras. It's hard to know if 100 milers are something that I'll do a lot of, but I have to give it a shot and complete at least one. Hopefully it can be on my first attempt! As intimidating as 100 milers are, I am very excited about the challenges that lie ahead.

Part of the challenge was coming up with a suitable and well thought out training program. I was initially a bit lost regarding what my program would entail. I came across this web page that had quite a bit of information and a program that seemed to suit me was this one. It was for a newbie and for someone who's ultimate goal is simply to get to the finish. I started to rearrange that program, and also asked for some advice on the Stepping up to 100 Milers thread on the Coolrunning forum. After taking on board some advice from the experienced experienced folks in that thread, I came up with a program that suited my lifestyle and also hopefully my goals. Here is my 100 Mile Training Program (in kilometres). 

I might write another post on my training program once I'm a bit further into it, but just briefly; the 8.3km & 12km runs during the week are lunch time road runs, the Friday session will be made up of running to and from work and occasionally a trail run. I'm fortunate in that I finish work early on Friday's and can devote a good chunk of time to running. Finally, all Saturday sessions will be out on the trails.

So there it is, I've decided to have a crack at 100 miles and I've already started the training! Hopefully it will all turn out well! By the way, if you want an inspirational 100 miler first attempt blog to read then check this one out, and here is the Glasshouse website link.

Happy running.


Glen

Races Completed

I've managed to clock up a few races since I started running so I thought that it would be a good idea to actually write down what they all are. Here we go:

2011 The North Face 100km - 16:49:38
2010 Glasshouse 100 Mile - 27:24:44
2010 Adelaide 12 Hour - 101.093 km 
2010 Cradle Mountain Run - 14:09:26
2009 Yurrebilla 56km Ultra Marathon - 7:33:39
2009 Adelaide Marathon - 3:49:24
2009 Adelaide 6 Hour - 59.8km
2009 The North Face 100km - 19:01:28
2009 Cradle Mountain Run - 13:58:13
2008 Adelaide Trailblazer (50km) - 6:51:00
2008 Yurrebilla 56km Ultra Marathon - 7:59:00
2008 Adelaide Marathon - 3:19:02
2008 Adelaide Half Marathon - 1:30:31
2007 Adelaide Marathon - 3:24:25
2007 Pichi Richi Marathon - 3:26:35
2006 Adelaide Marathon - 3:22:39
2006 Pichi Richi Marathon - 3:39:01
2005 Melbourne Marathon - 3:36:33
2005 Adelaide Marathon - 3:41:54

2010 Cradle Mountain Run - Feb 6th

I had such a great time at last years Cradle Mountain Run that I had already decided soon after the finish that I'd have another crack this year. Having completed the run last year there is no question that The Overland Track wasn't a complete mystery but how well did I manage to take in what I learnt last year? One thing for sure was that the weather conditions were going to be completely different. According to some of the locals last year was one of the wettest Cradle Runs but this year was to be very dry. I was little concerned during the rangers briefing on the Friday night when he said that there wasn't much water out on the track, but I was reasonably confident that given the cool conditions I should be able to get by using the water tanks at the huts. At least this year I knew exactly what to expect at the huts.

I had a reasonable sleep Friday night and woke up at my standard 2 hours before run start on Saturday morning, thus I was up at 4am. I went through my usual ritual of having a strong coffee, breakfast, putting on the running attire and loading up my pack with food. Next I had to wake up my wife and mate Cliff as they were my ride to the start. With 20 marathons and a couple of ultras under his belt, Cliff has dodgy ankles that wouldn't quite be up for a full Cradle Run (they squeak...seriously they do!). So this year he wanted to check out a part of The Overland Track by catching the ferry from Cynthia Bay to Narcissus, walking out towards the Windy Ridge Hut until he met me and then running with me to the finish.

I arrived at Waldheim a bit before 5:30am but there really didn't seem to be much activity considering the first roll call was supposed to happen at 5:30am. As it turned out we didn't end up having the early roll call, rather we simply did it at the start of the track only a few minutes before the run start. It was cool to cold for the start and with only a few clouds in the sky it was shaping up to be a brilliant day weather wise.

Like last year, on announcement of the start the fast guys took off lightening fast. I reckon that the lead runner was at least 300 - 400m ahead of me before I even started running on the duck boarding.

This year my goal was to run 13 hours so I definitely ran harder in the earlier stages. I knew what the climb up Marions Lookout was like and I wanted to get up to the top in good time. The climb to the top starts out steady but eventually turns into clambering up over boulders whilst hanging onto a chain. There was a light breeze and it was a touch cold but the view was sensational. Light cloud covered the peak of Cradle Mountain and the sun was just sneaking up over the horizon. Thanks to the fantastic conditions there were views as far as the eye could see.

There really is some tough running up the top and it seemed every bit as difficult as last year. I feel that there may have been some more board walk this year but overall the rock hopping that was required made for some very slow going.

Kitchen Hut was passed and I then started running with Liz who is an accomplished marathoner and was struggling a bit on the rough terrain. Whenever we got to the good sections she would leave me for dead but I would catch up in the rough stuff.


I had some relatively uneventful running through Waterfall Valley (10km), past Lake Holmes and through to Windemere Hut (17.4km). I absolutely love the highlands of the Cradle Mountain area which in my opinion are easily the most spectacular sections of the Overland Track. I love the openness, the sense of seclusion and the uninterrupted views.




A few kilometres further down the track I arrived at the River Fourth Lookout (19.7km). This is an area where you go from running in open country to a short section of dense bushland. For me this part of the track feels very eery as all of a sudden you are all closed in and the track is very indistinct and difficult to see. You need to keep an eye out for the next trail marker before you move on. No other part of the track gives me that sensation. I caught up to Liz during this section and continued on through to Froggs Flats (27km).

About 500 metres before arriving at Pelion Hut (31.5km) when I was casually eating a Mars Bar I managed to roll my ankle, feeling a bit of a pop as it rolled. I couldn't believe that I did it here as I rolled my ankle (same one) only a couple of kilometres earlier last year. It was quite sore but I could manage to run without too much of a limp. Just like last year I started to analyse how I'd make it another 46km or so to the end. I made it to Pelion 47 minutes before the cut off, which was faster than last year so I at least knew I had some time up my sleeve.

As I left Pelion I met Paul, a runner who I hadn't seen at all on the run so far. This was Paul's first run of this type and he was finding it much more difficult than he originally expected (as all first timers do I think). We ran together for a while but eventually I told him to venture off ahead as my ankle was slowing me down through the rough stuff. Another runner who I seemed to be running with quite a bit was Steve, but even he was running much faster than me at that stage. One thought that was in the back of my mind was that Cliff was going to meet me in between Windy Ridge and Narcisuss so that motivated me to move along a bit quicker.

The kilometres kept on accumulating and my ankle seemed to be getting better the further I went, although it still slowed me down through the steep and rough terrain. I was soon taken by surprise when I came across a hut that seemed to be in the wrong place, but I realised that it was the Kia Ora Hut (40km). I had become so focussed on getting to Windy Ridge that I had completely forgotten about the Kia Ora Hut. How is that possible? Steve was here filling up his water bottles. I filled up mine and off we headed towards Windy Ridge.

The next 10km would turn out to be my most demoralising section of the whole run. I ran briefly with Paul, Steve and also a couple of girls (Karen & Karen I think were there names). Eventually they all out paced me and I was alone. I knew I only had to cover 10km to get to Windy Ridge but the kilometres seemed to be taking forever to pass. I could not remember this section from last year and I just didn't seem to be getting anywhere. At one stage I even had silly thoughts going through my head that I had taken a side track and had gone around the hut, even though I knew there weren't any side tracks. Eventually I arrived at Windy Ridge Hut (50km), but it sure did seem like 20km as opposed to the 10km that it was. Steve and the girls had already gone but Paul was at the hut filling up his Camelbak.

I left Windy Ridge before Paul and was now getting a bit excited because I was really looking forward to meeting Cliff somewhere between Windy Ridge and Narcissus. I wasn't sure when I would run into Cliff but it did give me some extra motivation to keep pushing on. This section of the track actually has some pretty good running and although it did seem to take a while, eventually I met up with Cliff. We said a quick g'day and he then filed in behind me on our way to Narcissus. For the next few k's we made some reasonably good time and I must say that it made a difference to be running with a mate who you talk to on runs about anything and everything. Other than the fact I had run 55km it felt just like any other run that we do together.

I didn't feel like running a whole lot as we got closer to Narcisuss. I knew I was going to be well inside the cut off time of 5pm, and I was content just to get to Narcisuss where I could finally relax and not have to worry about missing the cut off. Not long before the suspension bridge over Narcissus River Paul had again caught up with us and we all ran into Narcissus Hut (59km) together. We were greeted by the support crew and a bunch of tired and broken down runners. Narcissus is a welcomed stop as there is Coke, tea/ coffee, ANZAC biscuits and fruit available. I sat down for a couple of minutes to rest, have some Coke, an ANZAC biscuit, Cliff filled my water bottles and then we were off.

As we left Narcisuss there were around 5 runners still there and 5 still out on the track who hadn't reached the hut yet. Cliff had been talking to the support guys at Narcissus and they were telling him how difficult the last 17km section is. I knew it was tough but the memories of last year had somewhat faded so my recollection wasn't great. I remember lots of roots, small undulations, dark conditions and log hopping. Cliff did ask me if I thought I could better last years time for the run but my mind was pretty much only content to just let me do only what I needed to get to the finish, so I replied with "I don't care what time I finish in, I just want to get to the end".

I was really starting to have trouble eating. Anything I thought about eating seemed unappealing and anything I ate tasted like absolute rubbish. I would take a small bite of a bar and roll it around in my mouth like a little kid trying to get down a Brussel Sprout! A dash of water helped but I still found it really hard to eat. Bite by bite I managed to eat some food and get some calories in. Nutrition is something I definitely need to work more on.

I was now at the point of just maintaining forward motion. I did provide Cliff with some amusement as I would break into a run, and he would keep walking. Well I felt like I was moving fast! He also chuckled when I picked seemingly stupid places to run but I ran when I felt like it rather than when it was appropriate. My mind was so one track that I didn't blink an eyelid when he rolled his ankle or got taken out by a tree branch and almost busted his sunnies. Sorry Cliff but I think you would have had to loose a limb for me to show sympathy at that stage! I also knew I was going silly when I had to ask him if Paul was behind or in front of us.

Echo Point Hut was the next milestone and it took forever to come up. Cliff didn't believe me when I told him "It's just up the trail a few k's". Other than the toughness of the terrain in this section, because the forest is so dense and the light is low it has a touch of a depressing feeling about it. You feel all closed in and at the time we were running through it, with the sun going down you feel even more depressed; kind of like you a losing the battle with the track. Occasionally we'd get some rays of sunshine in the few open parts and it was like a breath of fresh air.

Eventually we got to Echo Point Hut and I rewarded myself by sitting down for 60 seconds. The next milestone was 13 hours and I again rewarded myself with a 60 second sit down. Around about now the girls passed us as we left before they departed Narcisuss. I saw a few horrendous splits on my GPS, with 15min k's and even one 18min k showing up. Yep, things were getting tough! Although strangely my ankle had completely stopped hurting so that was one positive. I got to a stage where I thought to myself "This is ridiculous, I'm never going to get to the finish." This spurred me on a bit and the pace lifted a fraction. We soon arrived at the end of the dense forest and entered the more open bushland. It made a massive difference to lose the claustrophobic depressing feeling and actually see some light again. I definitely remembered this section a knew that the end was near.


Even though we had made it to the road section of the track I couldn't be bothered running much, rather a power walk was mostly what we were doing, with the occasion 100m or so or running thrown in. We could now now hear the cheers and I could soon see the finish line. It was such a relief to see the finish line and my wife waiting there for me to finish. My official time was 14:09:26, putting me 5th from last in 52nd position. It doesn't bother me finishing at the back of the pack but I was a touch disappointed that I didn't better last years time.

I must thank Cliff for heading over to Tassie to run the last part with me. It definitely made a difference and did spur me on. It was great to have a good mate encouraging me to get through to the end.

So what did I learn about the Overland Track this year? Well here it goes:

1. It's NOT easier running it the second time.
2. Having run it before does NOT guarantee you'll run it faster.
3. Good weather does NOT mean that you'll easily take off time compared to running the track in the wet.
   
4. A dry track is a LOT tougher on the body. I was much sorer post race this year.
   
5. If you have dodgy ankles then TAPE THEM!!!
6. The Cradle Mountain Run is a brilliant, challenging and very rewarding run.
7. The run was just as well organised this year.
   
8. The Overland Track is even more spectacular in good weather; and
   
9. It reaffirms to me that the point to point secluded nature of this run really makes it what it is.

To sum up this years run, I do feel like the Overland Track got the better of me this year and that I have some unfinished business left out on the track. I guess that means I'll be back!

cheers
Glen (aka Wida on CR)

Yurrebilla 56km Ultra - 27 Sep 2009

Well this year for Yurrebilla it was really a new beginning; it was the first time that the event was being run as a race. Back in 2007 a few runners from SARRC ran the trail as a social event and last year it was more organised, but still was only a bunch of runners getting together in 3 differently paced groups to complete the trail from start to finish. In 2009, 112 runners lined up at the Belair National Park trail head with Australian Ultra Running Association (AURA) points up for grabs. Also, there were many runners from interstate and even a couple of international visitors. There was no question that it was well and truly now a race!

With some very fast goal times being thrown around prior to the start of the race I decided to change from the fast group and move into the middle group. The slow group was to leave at 7am, the middle group at 7:45am, and the fast group at 8:30am. The idea of having the different groups is so that the volunteers don't need to be out on the course for as long and it also means that a large number of runners finish at around the same time.

The slow group left in a somewhat disorganise manner, leaving one or two runners missing the actual start by about 30 seconds. The middle group was much more organised, with a group photo and countdown to the 7:45am start. Nonetheless, as most ultras are, the start was still quite relaxed compared to your typical marathon start.

My goal for Yurrebilla this year was to better my 8 hour 2008 time, but at the same time approach the race in the same manner as I do for all other ultras; and that is to pretty much run as I feel and take things easy on the climbs.

Even though I was in the middle group and I was not running any slower than last year, the pace seemed quite quick for the middle group. I thought to myself that there are either going to be a bunch of runners that blow up big time or they are clearly in the wrong group. Either way there were going to be some quick times.

The Belair section of the trail was as nice as always, and by the time we had made it to the descent down into Brown Hill Creek the runners seemed to have settled into their own pace. The various sections of the trail passed by with relative ease; McElligott’s Quarry, The Waite Institute, Kavel’s Lookout, Waterfall Gully and soon Cleland. With all of the rain we've had this year the hills are beautifully green.


As I approached the Cleland checkpoint I was starting to get quite cold and my hands in particular were absolutely freezing. There was plenty of food on offer but all I really stopped for was a quick drink, a bite to eat and to get my gloves out of my bag. I don't mind being cold, but I can't stand having freezing hands. As I headed further into Clealand my hands soon warmed up and it's amazing how much difference warm hands make.

I had now been passed by the lead runners in the fast group and they were literally flying. You could see by the look on these runners faces that they meant business; they were racing! In contrast I had slowed to a walk so I could munch on my sandwich and have a coke. The next half a dozen or so kilometers are just brilliant; running very runnable trails under the canopy of tall Eucalyptus trees. The trails were quite wet but it only added to the atmosphere of the run.

It wasn't too long before I was at the next major part of the trail, and that is the run down into Horsnels Gully. This is a section of the race that quite a lot of runners fear, and that's because it's a long and rough descent followed by one of the longest climbs on the trail. I always enjoy the Hornsnel Gully section and although I do dread the long slow climb out of the gully, it's definitely a very rewarding section that's for sure.

After exiting Horsnel Gully/ Giles Conservation Park section there is probably one of my least liked section, and that is the kilometre or so of bitumen where we have to mix it with the cars on our way into Norton Summit. Here we were greeted with sandwiches, pizza, bars, lollies and drinks. I grabbed a sandwich, piece of pizza, a drink and was off. Some people like to hang out a checkpoints, but I prefer to grab what I need and keep moving.

I was now almost at the best part of the trail, and that is Morialta. The gentle fire trails lead into the narrow gorge where you then run along the creek towards the Morialta Gorge. Having had so much rain the creek was flowing fast and I could here the first waterfall quite loudly. It was definitely the most water I've seen cascading over that particular fall. I knew that the big fall was going to be good. I could hear the roar of the large fall get louder as I got closer and I could soon see the torrent of water flowing over the falls combined with a spectacular view of the Gorge itself.

As I was running through Morialta I thought to myself that I had been running on my own for a while and it almost felt like I was just on a training run. I've run this part of the trail so many times and I almost forgot that I was in a race.

Those of us who ran Yurrebilla last year know all about the waiters at the Deep View Lookout so it wasn't a surprise to me this year, but nonetheless it was still a welcomed sight. The lady who served me the Coke said that I looked much better than most other runners that had passed through. I was taking it steady, but I definitely wasn't feeling fresh. For some reason I don't seem to show on my face how I'm feeling. During the Adelaide 6 hour one of the lap counters told me that I looked the same at the end as I did at the start. Once again it couldn't be further from the truth! I quite like reaching the Deep View Lookout as there is only a little more climbing and then I know there's a long downhill section that I quite like and after that there is only one last big climb. The Quarry track.


The cowbell signalled the start of the final big climb of the race. I never run this climb, even in training, so I definitely wasn't going to change that after having run around 50km. I know this climb like the back of my hand so I know all too well that the dreaded "reo" section lies ahead. No matter how I feel when I get to the reo section, when I get to it I always take a pause, have a deep breath and push ahead. It's not long but it does hurt. Probably a couple of minutes after I had cleared the reo and concrete block paved section I loud a clearly heard some expletives, "F@#$^%G Hell". I had a big chuckle to myself as I realised that some runners behind me just got to the reo section! That put a smile on face for quite a while.


I must admit that I was really starting to feel pretty ordinary going over the top of Black Hill but knowing that Ambers Gully was only just around the corner kept me moving along at a modest pace.

The Ambers Gully single track is a great section and I thought I was travelling well until I heard the thunder of footsteps behind me. It was Chilliman and he was moving so fast that I just stepped aside and let him go on his way. There are few trail runners out there that run downhill sections like Chilliman!

I was only a matter of 500 meters or so and I would be finishing. It really is a great finish as you seem to pop out of nowhere to see the finishing gates and cross the finish line with lots of cheers from supporters and other runners. I crossed the line in 7hrs 33min which is about 30 minutes quicker than last year so I was more than happy with my effort.


It really was a great event this year and I think the organisers did a great effort in running it run as a race for the first time. It was fantastic to see the interstate and international runners come over for the race, and at the same time have a fantastic day out. It was brilliant to see the determination of the guys who were actually racing, as apposed to most of us who just run the race. It was also fantastic to see the battlers who were out there for 10+ hours. It was also great to see so many head back to the Athelstone Football Club for dinner and the presentation.

I have no doubt that this event will only get better, especially knowing that the people involved with running this race have already started the planning for Yurrebilla 2010!

cheers

Glen (aka Wida on CR)

The Adelaide Marathon - August 30 2009

For the 2009 Adelaide marathon I had my most disorganised preparation of any of the 8 marathons that I have run. Given that I got married on 8th August and only arrived back from our honeymoon on the 22 August I think you can see why.

My main focus for 2009 has been my ultras, which in itself has seen me lose quite a bit of speed, but couple that with very little running in the preceding 3 weeks and it didn't forecast any great predictions for a good marathon time.

For the first time ever I didn't have any race plan at all other than to get to the end. I am certain that prior to the start I had almost resigned to the fact that I'd run a personal worst. This didn't bother me one bit as I was just happy to be running the marathon.

We lined up for the start, the gun went off signalling the start and I pretty much just aimlessly set one foot in front of the other. I must say that it's actually quite refreshing not having any goals at all.

The k's were ticking by quite nicely and I was comfortably running 5min/kms. I had an unplanned toilet break but other than that I felt great.

I soon however noticed something that was quite foreign to me and that was a general soreness developing in the legs after around 23km. It was the kind of soreness that I usually get in the very late stages of the marathon. The soreness really got to me and soon I seemed to be just ambling along at what didn't appear to be any great speed at all. It didn't phase me though as I wasn't running to any schedule at all. More than anything it was just annoying.

The k's ticked by at regular intervals and soon we were well into the River Torrens section of the marathon course. Here I experienced something else that was foreign to me. Usually on the marathon I can coast effortlessly down the undulations of the Torrens, but I was actually so sore that I was gingerly running the downward slopes. It was quite clear that my complete lack of long k's on hard roads, combined with a pretty much blown out pair of road shoes was really pounding my body quite badly. Usually I have a nice and freshly broken in pair of road shoes for the marathon, but this time I was really caught out with having to run in an old pair of shoes.

My progress really slowed and I could soon see that I was going to run a personal worst time. Normally this would bother me but this time I didn't care at all. I was just happy to be out running a marathon.

Eventually I arrived at Santos in a time of 3:49:24. This was some 30 minutes slower than last years time where I set a personal best! Things can surely change in the space of 12 months!

Given that I had a disorganised preparation for this marathon, and my focus on other goals this year, I was quite happy with a solid finish. The worst thing about this marathon is that in the days after the race I suffered from soreness far worse than I have ever experienced before, even after my North Face 100 race!

Adelaide 6 Hour - 18 July 2009

Well this is quite a belated blog, but I thought that it was worth putting some words to paper regarding this event.

Quite a few people know that the Adelaide 24 hour has moved to Queensland, and as a result there are no timed events to have a crack at in Adelaide. To try and somewhat fill the void, a keen runner, Ben, decided to see if anyone would be interested in a 6/ 12 hour run around the Uni Loop in North Adelaide. It turned out that there was not enough interest in the 12 hour, but 10 runners were keen to enter the 6 hour. I had often though about the 24 hour and thought that I may as well put my hand up.

Leading up to the event I really didn't know what to expect as I had never done a timed event before, and I wasn't sure if I would get bored running 2.2km loops for 6 hours. The 10 of us lined up at 6am in the dark and set off on what was for most of us something completely new.

I didn't really have a race plan other than to take it easy and make sure I had something to eat/ drink every 2nd lap. It didn't take long to see that time would actually pass by quite quickly. Soon the sun had risen and the Uni loop started to come alive with weekend exercise fanatics and dog walkers.

Everyone settled into their own pace, with Brett and Dave flying off into the distance. As the hour approached we got ready for a direction change. It may not sound that exciting but running in the opposite direction really did change the feel of the run. It also added quite a bit of interest as the faster runners passed us in the opposite direction and I passed those who were running slower than me.

As the day progressed the Uni Loop continued to provide changing scenery. And by that I mean that different people were now out exercising and different sporting teams were playing on the central sports fields; including The Adelaide United Soccer team. Other distractions included timing the turn around so that you didn't have to run in the anti-clockwise direction which had the "climb". Ok, those of you who run the uni loop may ask where the hill is but after 50km it feels like a hill!

During the run I didn't really have too many problems and I was continuously running calculations to see what distance I would achieve. As the final hour was upon us I was almost resigned to the fact I would not reach 60km and was just aiming for 58-59km.

Nearing the end of the run Cliff passed me and I told him "I was toast" and had nothing left. I was really starting to struggle to maintain a run until I happened to look at my GPS watch and figure out that I wasn't that far from hitting 60km. All of a sudden it was like someone had flicked a switch. I have never ever experienced such a dramatic change in the way I felt. I went from barely being able to run to not feeling any pain at all and running like an absolute maniac. I went screaming past Cliff and as I started my last lap I also went flying past Dave who just looked at me and started laughing, most likely wondering what drugs I had just taken.

About 20 seconds after I passed Dave the hooter sounded to signal the end of 6 hours and I went to the closest cone and took that reading to the lap counters. My GPS was telling me that I had covered 59.97km so I knew it was going to be close. Unfortunately, when the results came out I discovered that I had covered 59.8km...I was 200m shy of 60km!

Some people may think that I would be incredibly annoyed...well I was but I had such a fantastic time that I wasn't that bothered by missing out on 60km, besides it'll give me something to aim for next year.

To summarise this event I have to say that it was a big surprise to me. I did not expect that I could get so much enjoyment out of an event where you run around the same track for 6 hours. It was never boring and there was always something going on around the Uni Loop. To all those who may think it does sound too boring then I'd encourage you to give it a go and then make your mind up. I must give a big thank you to Ben for putting on such a great event and I hope that we can run it again next year.

Here are the results:

Brett 68.2km
David 64.1km
Glen 59.8km
Cliff 54.8km
Ben 56.8km
Graham 55.5km
Colin 55.0km
Kym 52.8km
Terry 50.6km
Sue 41.7km

The North Face 100 - 16th & 17th May 2009

I probably got interested in this race not long after I had decided to have a go at The Cradle Mountain Run. I followed the Coolrunning forum and there were only good things said about the race, and it just sounded like such a great experience in some great trail running country.

I actually put my entry in for this race before I had even completed The Cradle Mountain Run and for quite some time I wasn't really sure if it was such a wise decision to make. Even though I was somewhat unsure, I knew that I wanted to have a crack at a 100km ultra as it is such a significant milestone, just as it is for a cricketer to score 100 runs.

I used Cradle Mountain for a base and just continued my training once I had fully recovered.

Leading up to The North Face 100 I was quite nervous, unsure, and I didn't really seem to have all of my "ducks in a row", so to speak. Even the night before the race, after I had registered, packed my drop bags and all my other gear I still felt like I wasn't ready. I had an early night to bed and set the alarm for 4:15am to give myself plenty of time to get the body going and prep for the race.

Throughout the night it was blowing an absolute gale and I was hoping that it wouldn't be like that in the morning. However, when I awoke the wind was still quite strong. I did all of my usual pre-race stuff, crossing of my checklist and before I knew it, it was time to head over to the start of the race at the York Farimont Resort.

I dropped off my drop bags containing all of my supplies that I could access at checkpoints 3, 4 and 5, then headed off to the nice warm lobby in the hotel, soaked up the fantastic sunrise and waited for the call to head to the start line.

We were called to the start line. It was not until we lined up at the start that I actually felt ready. Speeches were made and then we were off.

The start was quite civilised, with the fast guys disappearing into the distance and everyone else trying to fit in to where they think they should be for a 100km run.

It wasn't long until we were into the bush and were greeted with some fantastic views over the Blue Mountains. The trail headed down, and quite quickly headed down very sharply, down steps that at times were almost like ladders. I had heard people talk about steps and stairs in this race, but I don't think you can appreciate just how many there are and how steep they are until you see them. Being only some 6 or so kilometres into the race I must admit I was bit concerned regarding just how many more stairs there would be.


The next few kilometres were quite frustrating at times, with faster runners wanting to pass me and slower runners in front of me that I wanted to pass, all on narrow single track. It wasn't until the Golden Stairs that it started to get tough; and real quickly too. To give and idea of how steep the stairs are, at times you are using the steps in front of you to pull yourself up. It definitely sorted a few runners out, and upon reaching the top we were at Checkpoint 1, Narrow Neck - 17km.

After leaving Narrow Neck, we had a tough climb which then levelled out to provide some nice consistent running. It was along this section that finally I wasn't being passed by faster runners and I wasn't passing other runner myself. It was nice to finally feel like had a nice rhythm and I also enjoyed finally being on my own.

The next major hurdle was the Tarros Ladders; two ladders that took us vertically down a shear cliff. The hurdle was due to a long line of runners waiting, and it wasn't until I got some way down the line that I could see it was going to be a long wait. It was blowing a gale here and in no time I had my gloves and gortex jacket on, but it was still cold. Probably the only positive aspect of the wait was getting to chat to other runners.

By the time it was my turn to descend the ladders, which was some 30 or so minutes later, I was starting to shiver so I was happy to be on the way down. The first ladder was simple but the second ladder was a pain because my pack kept on catching on the rope cage, and I had to almost put my chest on the ladder to stop it from catching.

Once down at the bottom it wasn't long at all until I had to take my cold weather gear off because I was getting too hot. The rest of this stage was rather uneventful with some nice running into Checkpoint 2, Dunphy's Camp - 38km.


Not long after leaving Dunphy's Camp there was a rather nasty sharp climb up onto Ironpot Ridge, where we would run the out and back leg on the same piece of single track. Once up the top we were greeted with some brilliant views and relatively easy running. However, as we descended Ironpot Ridge the trail turned into a very steep and loose surface that was exceptionally tough to keep traction on. My trail shoes had just enough grip to get me down without sliding too much, but other runners were practically skiing down the trail as their shoes didn't provide much grip.


I passed the 45km mark and soon I was thinking about the halfway point. A couple of creek crossings, a tough climb and I had passed 50km; the halfway point. Even running on the flat was starting to feel like hard work and I was trying to understand how exactly I was going to complete another 50km. I wasn't at all having thoughts of not making it, but it just seemed like such a massive effort and I was trying to comprehend how exactly I would survive another 9 or so hours. It interesting that as ultra runners, even for us the task ahead seems so difficult.

After passing through the 50km mark, the track went down and I actually wasn't enjoying it at all. It seemed that my downhill legs were getting a bit tired and I preferred it when the track went up. Soon I arrived at Checkpoint 3, Old Ford Reserve - 54km.

At Checkpoint 3 the marshals were doing mandatory gear spot checks. It's quite a pain having to open up your pack and show that you had thermals, maps, and phone, but I understand why they do it and completely agree that it should be done. I finally got around to removing some of my ankle strapping that had been annoying me for the last 30km, why I didn't do it earlier I don't know. I refilled my hydration bladder, restocked my food supplies from my drop bag and also had a sausage on bread. The sausage would turn out to be the nicest and most satisfying food that I ate all day!


As I checked out I heard a couple of locals saying how the next 8km was very runnable, however at the end of the runnable section was the dreaded climb up through Nellies Glen. It didn't take long for the last of the usable sunlight to disappear and I was finding it tough to pick my foot placings; so it was time to get the light out.

Never having run at night time before, other than in training on trails I know like the back of my hand, I was unsure how easy the markers would be to follow in the dark. It didn't take long to find out that the reflective tape used to mark the trail stood out from at least a couple hundred metres away, and it was going to be a piece of cake to keep on track.

I was now at the bottom of Nellies Glen and for a while it climbed gently, but quickly turned into some exceptionally steep climbing up steps. I did resort to using my hands to press on my knees and take some strain off my quads, but I was making reasonable progress and eventually came across some other runners. I think I must have passed around 4 runners on the climb so I was very happy with that given it was such a tough climb.

Next came the road section into Katoomba and I knew that the next checkpoint wasn't too far away. I must have mucked up my Checkpoint 4 distance, because I was sure it was at 64km and finding out that it was at 67km messed with my mind for a while, but I managed to stay calm about it and not get too uptight. In the few ultras that I've done I've learnt that losing your temper just ends up making you go into a downward spiral. You need to stay positive and calm. An extra few kilometres than I was expecting later, and I was at Checkpoint 4, Katoomba Oval - 67km. I didn't waste any time at checkpoint 4 as it was bitterly cold.

I was now on the way to the final checkpoint. I headed off towards the 3 Sisters not really knowing what to expect. As I started to negotiate the near vertical Giant Stairway, I was right next to the 3 Sisters and the light from my headlamp disappeared into nothing. It was absolutely spectacular to be looking at the 3 Sisters at night time and descending into at first glance what seemed to be a black hole. As spectacular as this section was, it was horrible on the body. I really had had enough of descending by now and the Giant Stairway wasn't any fun at all.

Finally I reached the bottom and was able to return to some run/ walk intervals. I knew that at the 80km there was the dreaded climb up to checkpoint 5. However, during my preparation for this race I didn't really give much consideration to the downhill sections. And running down into the valley turned out to be quite unpleasant. It just seemed to go on forever and the constant pounding from either walking or running downhill was just not fun at all. I was actually eagerly waiting for the trail to go up. I never thought I would say that towards the end of a 100km event.

I asked a local runner how far we were from the main climb and she told me that it started after the second creek. As I arrived at the second creek there were runners that passed me quite sometime ago putting shoes on after having taken them off to cross the creek. I couldn't be bothered taking my shoes off at that stage so I ploughed through the creek and actually found the cold water to be refreshing on the feet. I had also made up a few minutes on other runners.

I was happy that the trail was now climbing. Don't get me wrong though, it was still a bloody hard slog up the climb over the next 10km. I had a mix of running on my own and also with others. Not much was ever really said apart from the usual "How are you holding up" questions. On the way up I passed a runner who was wrapped up in a space blanket and another runner was helping him. The SES were on their way to pick him up. It was quite reassuring to see the SES so often up this climb and their camp fire half way up provided a nice spot for a moments rest and a bottle of water. Without the bottle of water I probably would have run a bit short on this stage. It was amazing that in such cold conditions I was drinking so much water.

Things were really starting to get tough now and I was not really feeling like eating much but I was forcing down what I could, and every time I did eat I always felt like I instantly got stronger and could press on. Sure enough though, a bad spell was never far around the corner, well that's how it seemed anyway. Soon I could hear generators and not long after I was at Checkpoint 5, The Queen Victoria Hospital - 89km. Once again it was bitterly cold here and I filled my hydration bladder as quick as I could, replenished some of my food supplies and I was off on the final 11km of the race.

The body, although not feeling overly flash, seemed to keep on plugging away and slowly covering the k's. I had been on my feet for 16 hours 23 min and I knew that I would sneak in under my 20 hour goal unless I did something stupid.

I passed a girl bringing up her dinner on the side of the road and when I asked if she was OK, she said that she'll be fine so I pressed on. Next I saw a guy running towards me and I jokingly said that he was going the wrong way (I thought he was a spectator) but he was actually in the race. He didn't believe us when we told him we were going the right way until we got to the next section of arrows. I was amazed that he wasn't able to follow the markers, but then again his light was quite ordinary and probably didn't pick up the reflective strips.

The final 11km really was quite horrible. There were lots of steps and at this stage my mind had switched off. I knew I was going to make it but I really wasn't interested in more than a brisk walk and I was still hating anything that went down. People seemed to be passing me regularly and progress was just so slow, but I was still moving forward and covering ground. Soon though, I could hear people cheering so I knew the finish was close and I picked the pace up a bit. All of a sudden I popped out onto the gold course; the finish was just around the corner. I picked the pace up even more as I could see the finish line and eventually crossed the line in 19hrs 01min 28sec. I had finished!

This race is by far the most rewarding run that I have ever done and I think the fact that it is the big milestone of 100km is one of the reasons why. It really is an amazing experience to complete something that (a) you never ever thought you would do; and (b) something that even for yourself seems like such a difficult task. The highlight for me would definitely be the night stages and probably from the 50km mark to the finish where it required a bunch of physical and mental toughness to keep pressing on.

I reckon that I'll be back next year!

Split	Race Time	Overall Pos
17k Narrow Neck	02:43:48	198
38k Dunphys	06:31:48	197
54k Old Ford Reserve-In	09:16:12	181
54k Old Ford Reserve-Out	09:30:05	175
67k Katoomba falls Oval	11:40:27	171
89k Queen Vic Hospital	16:23:49	163
100k Fairmount	19:01:28	164

Course Elevation Profile
Course Map