Training Log Archive: andyhillIn the 7 days ending Sep 25, 2017:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| « | » |
| » now | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | |||||||
Sunday Sep 24, 2017 #
Event: Beach To Brother Marathon
7 AM
Run race (Beach to Brother Marathon) 4:08:00 [5] 42.1 km (5:53 / km) +1000m 5:16 / km
shoes: Asics Kayano 22 (Black)
Great scenic course along trails and beaches starting in Port Macquarie and finishing on top of North Brother.
Knew we were in for a hot one and it was already supposedly 29 degrees at the start. First 8km was mainly trails with small patches of beach. I sat in 2nd place with the first guy getting no more than 400m away and two other guys about the same distance behind. I had been on these trails before and was feeling pretty comfortable.
From 8-10km was along the beach, and almost missed the turnoff as the marshalls didn’t seem ready to send us off into the trails again. Probably lost a little time having to backtrack slightly. Hit the first stop at the end of the trails at 12.5km where I caught the first guy. We had to carry a minimum of 250ml so carried around a soft flask. I was expecting food at each of the stations but that wasn’t the case, whoops….so I only had 3 gels for the whole thing.
The next 8km was along the beach again which occasionally turned into rocky outcrops which those sections were really slow. I was now out in front on my own and could see I was pulling away from the others behind me. At the halfway mark, the marshall wasn’t ready and I never got pulled into the last bit of trail to get to the drink station. I had to ask a few spectators how to get to it and in the end got there.
Back on the beach again for the next 5km to the 26km mark and I see behind me that I was pulling right away. I was still maintaining the same pace as I started at less than 5 min/km.
The next 6km was some great undulating trails. Didn’t feel like I was in a race at all as I hadn’t seen any runners. I got to the 32km mark and the fourth drink station and by now I was baking in mid-30 degree temperature. Instead of the 500ml I had taken at the first few drink stops, I now was taking 1L.
The next 6km again along paths were lonely with only tourists. It was HOT but I was still sticking to roughly the same pace. But then from the 38km mark the final trails up North Brother. I was really cooking. I was expecting the last drink station at 40km and rationed for it, so I was getting slower knowing I had a huge lead and got to the 40km mark but no drink station. For the next km I thought it was just going to be around the corner but it never came. It was so humid too in the rainforest of the mountain and the last 2km is pretty much stairs the entire way. I was out of breath, so dehydrated and hunched over every 100m or so. If I was in any other place but 1st I would have taken the time to rest it out but knowing this could be my only chance ever for a marathon win kept pushing on. The last km I was getting cramps everywhere too. I’ve been dehydrated before but never nearly to this extent. As I turned the final bend I could see the crowd at the finish. I got those wobbly legs and almost collapsed which I’ve never experience before. Then a few seconds later Zach came running down the straight which picked me up for the last 50m and we (I) stumbled across the finish line. I had to be escorted away for recovery as my legs would hardly work. Such a strange feeling. I’m not sure how much longer I would have lasted but I must have been so close to my absolute limit before having to keel over.
Approximately a third of the field didn’t finish. Organisers were 1 degree off cancelling the race which would have been a huge bummer (they claim it was 39 degrees). Also reckon heat added at least 30 min to everyone’s time.
Watch has flat battery so can't download route. Left charger at home :(
Knew we were in for a hot one and it was already supposedly 29 degrees at the start. First 8km was mainly trails with small patches of beach. I sat in 2nd place with the first guy getting no more than 400m away and two other guys about the same distance behind. I had been on these trails before and was feeling pretty comfortable.
From 8-10km was along the beach, and almost missed the turnoff as the marshalls didn’t seem ready to send us off into the trails again. Probably lost a little time having to backtrack slightly. Hit the first stop at the end of the trails at 12.5km where I caught the first guy. We had to carry a minimum of 250ml so carried around a soft flask. I was expecting food at each of the stations but that wasn’t the case, whoops….so I only had 3 gels for the whole thing.
The next 8km was along the beach again which occasionally turned into rocky outcrops which those sections were really slow. I was now out in front on my own and could see I was pulling away from the others behind me. At the halfway mark, the marshall wasn’t ready and I never got pulled into the last bit of trail to get to the drink station. I had to ask a few spectators how to get to it and in the end got there.
Back on the beach again for the next 5km to the 26km mark and I see behind me that I was pulling right away. I was still maintaining the same pace as I started at less than 5 min/km.
The next 6km was some great undulating trails. Didn’t feel like I was in a race at all as I hadn’t seen any runners. I got to the 32km mark and the fourth drink station and by now I was baking in mid-30 degree temperature. Instead of the 500ml I had taken at the first few drink stops, I now was taking 1L.
The next 6km again along paths were lonely with only tourists. It was HOT but I was still sticking to roughly the same pace. But then from the 38km mark the final trails up North Brother. I was really cooking. I was expecting the last drink station at 40km and rationed for it, so I was getting slower knowing I had a huge lead and got to the 40km mark but no drink station. For the next km I thought it was just going to be around the corner but it never came. It was so humid too in the rainforest of the mountain and the last 2km is pretty much stairs the entire way. I was out of breath, so dehydrated and hunched over every 100m or so. If I was in any other place but 1st I would have taken the time to rest it out but knowing this could be my only chance ever for a marathon win kept pushing on. The last km I was getting cramps everywhere too. I’ve been dehydrated before but never nearly to this extent. As I turned the final bend I could see the crowd at the finish. I got those wobbly legs and almost collapsed which I’ve never experience before. Then a few seconds later Zach came running down the straight which picked me up for the last 50m and we (I) stumbled across the finish line. I had to be escorted away for recovery as my legs would hardly work. Such a strange feeling. I’m not sure how much longer I would have lasted but I must have been so close to my absolute limit before having to keel over.
Approximately a third of the field didn’t finish. Organisers were 1 degree off cancelling the race which would have been a huge bummer (they claim it was 39 degrees). Also reckon heat added at least 30 min to everyone’s time.
Watch has flat battery so can't download route. Left charger at home :(
C • NICE! 14