Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Grand Finale - The Blue Mountains North Face 100. Long day, Long Blog

We departed Christchurch in the early hours of Friday with a small tremor farewelling us a few hours before. The Customs Officer at Sydney Airport greeted us, on seeing our destination of Katoomba on our declaration form,  with "its cold there , they had snow last night." 

As we had a day to explore, we looked at some of the stunning landscape that I was going to run through. The support crew were all keen and ready.


The pre-race briefing on Saturday was introduced at 6.10 am with a welcome from  an elder of the local Guddungarra people giving hints about what to do if approached by an emu ( stand next to a short person as they always attack the shortest)  and some suggestions on which plants we could and could not eat. We were advised that 150 of us were not expected to finish.


The 900 runners self selected themselves to start into four waves  (elite/fast/average/slow)


I set my watch/GPS to start in the slow group, and at 7.02am we were off.


We soon caught up with the average group as the large field concertina-ed into a single file once we bottlenecked on the single track at 6 km.


The morning temperature was 2 degrees C with a moderate wind. Thermals were worn from the start. The rising sun reflected off the sandstone cliffs of Mt Solitary as we ran underneath the cliffs of  Leura and Katoomba


14km saw the runners having to pick their way through the debris of an old landslide.  So far I was feeling good as I had not really run much yet. Pleasingly  I was managing approx 6 km/h on this tricky track.


At 16km a steep staircase , (Golden Stairs) took us up to  a broad 4WD track, and the first Check Point at Narrow Neck (18km). The terrain was high and gently undulating with a fantastic panorama.


The early chill disappeared so I rolled up my sleeves on Narrow Neck Plateau


Fixed ropes were in place for the  descent of the Tarros Ladder at 28km. Because of the queue, I decided to take a 300m alternative route which gained me a couple of places.


This is the welcoming sight of Check Point 2, Dunphy's camp (38km). There was a gear check to ensure that we had a head torch and a back up.


Iron Pot Ridge was the next feature, and these Gundungarra people encouraged us with drumming sounds whilst we climbed uphill, and again as we passed them on the way back down from the ridge. This was now 43 km and I was smoking the trail with my new grippy trail shoes sticking like glue on the firm but dusty downhill track. I even temporarily caught up with Lisa Tamati (a famous NZ ultramarathon runner) !


The support team were cheering in full voice at Checkpoint 3 (54km). This is  the intersection with Six Foot Track ( route of another well known Aussie run) and I was pleased to have hit the time of an average runner ( 8 hrs 17min). Tepid noodles never tasted so good.


The next stretch was 11km  back to  Katoomba. This consisted of 7km  of gently rising track and then the 2 km of brutally steep steps going up Nellie's Glen to get back onto the plateau.


I got to the top of Nellie's Glen just as it was getting dusk to look back across the country I had spent the past 10 hours traversing.


Check point 4 ( 65km) saw the team help me prepare for the next stage with a change of shoes and socks and  arranging the compulsory fluoro jacket. 


I was all set now for a style attack on the night life of Katoomba. The next leg of 24 km to Checkpoint 5 was the longest. This started off well enough with 5 km of  jogging along the flat edge of the plateau in the dark. The view would have been  stunning but as it was dark that had to wait to be revisited the next day from the comfort of a car. The steep  Giant Stairs of 900 steps started to make an impact on my thighs as I dropped down to the Jamison Valley. A lot of people began to pass me on the first  of  two bad spells on the run. Although the rest of the downhill was not very steep, my thighs became very sore on the descent. This was compounded by a feeling that something was not right and I tried to eat and drink as much as I could handle, to remedy that feeling. Only when I came to a  marshal point with a gloriously burning brazier did I realise that I was actually very cold ( it was -1) and no sooner after putting a fleece top on, I was instantly better.  This was a big relief as I then fast walked the 600m uphill, in the company of another runner much more positively, as we both encouraged one another to get back up on the Plateau. 


Check Point 5 saw a lot of cold people being warmed up by gas heaters and blankets. Having got this far, the next 11km ought to have been easy - of which the next 5 were . The last 6km however presented me with the most demoralising  " short " run I have ever encountered. Usually towards the end of a run you experience a growing sense of anticipation as you nudge to the finish line. WRONG! This was down,  then up, then down , through mud, then up then down then up and then,  I think,  I finished. In 18 hrs 39 minutes and 56 seconds. Bronze buckle. Yay.


Down but not beaten. 


So what now?

10 months of running and training are now at an end. That has added up to 3286 km and 376 hours on my feet since August 8th 2010.

There are 3 endings to this adventure and they are all happy.

The first is that for me, running makes me immensely happy, content, and very fit. The converse is that not running makes me grumpy and  and suprisingly stiff. There may well come a stage that I won't run but hopefully that will be a long time away.

The second is that running for Beating Bowel Cancer Aotearoa has helped raise some very useful money in order to increase peoples awareness about combatting this very common disease, and which in many many circumstances can be cured. My sincere thanks to all of you who have contributed to this cause.

The third ending is that my sister, Carol is nearly a year post-treatment, is back working and sailing, and is now disease free.

And that for me is the best ending of all.  

Kia Kaha.





Wednesday, May 11, 2011

50 Hours to go. New nationality

I have just returned from my last tapering jog in mild nor-westery conditions. My next run will be in the Blue Mountains. The pre-race tension has been overshadowed by anxiety over my expired passport which was seen to be out of date when I went to sort out visas last week. Getting a new passport in 3 days has been a touch and go challenge - I never knew bureacracy could be such an extreme sport.

Everyone else is all excited and the family are eagerly anticipating 5 days out of school. The weather for Saturday and Sunday in Katoomba are forecast as cool, possibly slight frost but sunny during the day. It seems strange to go to Australia for it to be cooler than it is here in NZ.

All things are lookng promising. I feel good, I have no injuries, I have remembered to pack my shoes and the rest of my checklist is now ticked.

All systems go.

Ka kite.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Tapering again


The last 2 weeks have been a bit up and down as my long mileage weekend was tougher than expected. The training plan has been mostly adhered to  but I omitted one long 5 hour run at the end of  a 120 km week as I was just too stuffed! I think I have made up missing part of that with a few runs and mountain bike sorties in the Twizel area over Easter, although not for 5 hours. The picture above is of the Lower Hopkins Valley by Lake Ohau which is an area we have never been to before.

Fundraising has gone up to $3500 which is greatly appreciated given that every other run has coincided with an earthquake.

It has gone all frosty the last few days so have my dark morning runs have been at minus 2 with plenty thermals.

There are 2 weeks to the North Face 100 Blue Mountains Run. From here I will have a few 2hour max runs with 5-12km runs during the week. 

Kia Kaha

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Staggeringly Stunning Arrowsmith Thee

The second of my long runs this weekend was the "Arrowsmith Thee" mountain run. This is in the high country of the Ashburton river source and lakes. There was a frost in the valley as we drove to the start.  


The frost and mist soon burned off in the morning sun

The start of the run climbed quickly in the first 12km. Not much running was done by me from here

Richard Green and Andy Macfarlane near the high point

Stunning views towards the Arrowsmith Mountain Range

The run dropped down to the Ashburton River valley.

Not much running now - more of a stagger

View down to the river gorge

10km to go

The finish at last. 6hrs 45min later. Speedsters there to greet me home.

The day was just stunning with  another windless sunny day and 360 degree alpine scenery. Slept for 11 hours afterwards.

Ka kite.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Yabbadabbadoo . The Bedrock 50

Today I took part in an inaugural 52km running event in the foothills near Oxford. The day started chilly but the cloud burned off after a couple of hours to have a brilliantly sunny and windless autumnal day.  40 competitors assembled which was a promising turnout for this event.

The first 10 km involved a steady climb through bush. Plenty of bellbirds singing.


At 24km the run followed flat straight gravel roads for approx 15km


The flat road was followed by this killer of a hill going up 600m  over 1km


The top was followed by a mostly steady downhill to the finish. A few bogs had to be negotiated. The winner managed this in 4h38m. I felt pretty pleased coming in at 7h55m

Yet another event which has to be done again next year! The "Bedrock 50" Rocks!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Pretty picture


Just thought I would post this picture from a Hill run up the Mt Hutt Ski Road this morning. Just Beautiful.

Ka Kite

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Getting back into training


It is 2 weeks since the Tarawera 100 km. A combination of walks , aquajogging and just ambling about for 72 hours after the run helped me escape any disabling stiffness such that I was able to jog 12 km 1 week later. I also think use of walking poles during the Tarawera run helped reduce a lot of the strain and enabled a quicker recovery time.


These animals reminded me that what a horse looks like on the outside, is the way a  man would like feel on the inside. I am not there yet but at least it gives me something to aim for. 

The last of New Zealand Summer time has passed  with mornings being much lighter for the time being. Being light at 6.20 am makes it much easier to go out early.

This weekend has involved  a couple of 3 hour runs, one of which was back in my favourite haunt of Mclennans Bush. Mileage has been 84 km this week which is quite respectable.


View towards Banks Peninsula from Scott Saddle track


Mclennans Bush

Next weekend I will take part in a couple of events to make up a big mileage weekend, 5 weeks out from the North Face 100 run. This will be the Bedrock 50 ( 52 km) race at Oxford,  North Canterbury on Saturday, and the Arrowsmith Thee Run ( 42km), in the Ashburton High Country, on the Sunday.  I hope to have enough energy for these. The intention is to complete rather than compete. The terrain and scenery should be awesome, and with the NF100 in my mind all the time, the hill work should provide a suitable workout.

Kia Kaha

Monday, March 21, 2011

Tarawera Dark / Light / Dark Run

The weekend was one of contrasts starting from our arrival in hot  muggy North Island from cool clear Canterbury on Friday. The day before the run was ominous as heavy rain fell just 10 hours before the race.

My support crew of Moira, John , Chrisanne and Maggie were all well versed with the course  and projected target times to supply me with encouragement and changes of socks/shoes along the way.


Bleary eyed in the dark at 6.30am in the Rotorua Redwoods. Must have had too much porridge.


After 30 mins we emerged out of the gloom of the forest. The start was mostly walking as 300 or so runners sorted themselves out along the narrow trail.

 The first of several lakes at 9km - Blue lake - and the first of the aid stations. All the food was like a children's party platter with jelly beans, jet planes, water melon, fizzy drinks, water, jam sandwiches etc. Crystallized ginger was very digestible  


 This is Lake Okareka at approx 20 kms into the run. The day was unfolding to be sunny and spectacular.
Support crew cooling their heels


Offloading some gear to John at Lake Okataina aid station, 37 km

Tarawera falls at 57km. This was a welcome sight as the track had started to gently go downhill as it followed the river gorge from here. The previous 10 km had been really hard with picking my way over roots and rocks on the banks of Lake Tarawera. I had arrived at the Tarawera Outlet Aid station at 55 km really doubting my ability  to finish. For some reason it had seemed much harder than last year  - which I think was because I had run most of this stretch on my own this year. The GPS later showed that this section was certainly my slowest spell -being mostly at a fast walk pace of 6.4kmh . The aid station would have been in danger of running out of food if I had stayed much longer as I was ravenously hungry eating peanut butter and marmite on hot cross buns - a new experience for me. The arrival of Malcom Sewell a couple of minutes behind me telling me to stop stuffing my face and just get on with it also spurred me to get back on the trail.

 The 60 km runners finished at the Tarawera aid station, and the run changed to broad forest roads which was easier underfoot and with fewer sharp hills except for......

the route up the dusty hill of the Awaroa Loop at  80 km. This is the view as the sun was setting on the descent. This was where I pulled out my secret weapon of WALKING POLES. With Malcolm Sewell questioning if I had meant to bring my Zimmer Frame,  I determined to show that this technological marvel was worth every cent. They enabled me to use my upper body to propel my legs into a faster pace, as by now my legs had lost their "oomph". By virtue of these I managed to run the last 40 km a full 33 minutes faster than I had done the previous year.

Moira and the family were there with a beer and clean clothes at the end and I was relieved and delighted to have crossed the line 43 minutes earlier than I had done the previous year.

Many thanks to everyone for all the messages of support and above all to Moira and the children for their support on a very long day. Special thanks also to Malcom Sewell for "keeping me honest" - his words not mine!

Ka kite.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Keeping it Brown

This weekend has involved a trip to Twizel supporting  Ashburton College with the South Island Secondary Schools Rowing Championships. They did well to gain a few placings in the boys and girls fours and pairs categories. Good test  before the national champs in 2 weeks.


I managed to sneak off for  a few hours with 2 of our other children on their Mountain bikes to run 18km beneath massive skies on the Dusky Trail.


The local conservation message is curiously "keep it brown" as the proposed irrigation schemes will transform this beige landscape into a fawn and Lincoln green check with fertile irrigated paddocks next to naturally dry dessicated tussockland. It is 6 days to the Tarawera Ultramarathon, and the landscape could not be more contrasting. Great training run with a cool soak in the river afterwards.

Ka kite.