2010 The Endurance Challenge

Much is happening in my life at the moment. Much of it good, some of it less so, but all of it is "life". Dealing with stresses and adversities can be a full time job, or it can be a distraction that takes time away from the important things that you want your life to be.

For me, the big picture is about having a memorable life. A significant part of that is challenging myself to achieve things... usually in an athletic sense. Often those challenges are about doing multiple events close together - I always like to have the "next goal" planned, often before the current goal has been achieved. So there is always something to look forward to.

So amongst all of the clatter that happens in day to day life, I have decided to make 2010 not just a year that I turn myself from Ironman to Ultra Marathoner, but have created what I think is a fairly significant list of events to complete in 2010. If I can get through all of these, it will have been a highly successful year.

This blog will capture the story of each event, with photos, memories, highlights and lessons from the journey.

So far the trip is going well. A key challenge is the Comrades Marathon in South Africa in late May. Having never run further than a marathon before, the step up to 89km's is a significant physical and mental test. To date, I have comfortably been able to get to my long runs to 3hrs20 to 3hrs25 for a hilly 32-33km run (ok a walk / run as I walk when my heart rate gets over 145 beats per minute). I am recovering very well from these and last weekend backed up that run with 10km the following day. Total distance covered for that week was a record 67km. Progress is being made.

This Sunday will be my first trail run event at Maroondah Dam. The early weather forecast is warm and 32 degrees and given its a 10am start for the 30km run (I didn't think I was quite ready for the 50k option - and I am keen to build distance slowly to reduce the risk of injury), it should be pretty warm out there on the run.

So here we are in mid February. The endurance challenge has been laid down, now its time to complete the challenge that I have set myself.

The First Challenge - Melbourne Marathon - October 2009

The first challenge on this new found goal of "just running", was to do the Melbourne Marathon. Bearing in mind this was only 6 weeks after Ironman Canada, I wasn't going to be in perfect shape.

Despite this, I had set a goal... sub 4 hours. My ironman marathon PB was 4.32 set at Kona in 2008, and I wondered whether I could go under 4 hours. My half marathon PB is 1.49 so I thought I was a chance, but I just wasn't sure how much the Ironman would have taken out of the legs.

Race day was perfect... weather wise, and I arrived at the start with only minutes to spare so there was no nerves and not much waiting around. Ok I'll admit it, I left home a bit late and was saved by a great car park.

There was a lot of people crowding the roads for the first 8km which was good to keep the excitement in check. But I was feeling great and when I hit the open roads around the Albert Park Formula 1 Grand Prix track, I "put the foot down" and scooted past the 4 hour pacer who I had been previously keeping in sight.

I rolled out the next 10kms at about 5.15 per km and was feeling very comfortable. I went through the half way point in 1.53 and all was looking good for a sub 4 hour time... assuming I didn't hit the "wall".

Then 27km came and the quads started to tighten.... By 30km the tightening was really painful. By 32km it was like... oh crap, still 10km to go. But go I continued to go... I wanted to get under 4 hours.

At 35km I felt like I was running on someone's else's legs, I couldn't really feel them. Then there was a slight downhill at about 38km.... oh my god... the pain, the insanity of running on blocks of wood that used to be legs!

Finally that enormous downhill slope (of maybe 1%!!) was past and it was shuffling along, still at under 6 mins per km, to the finish line, located in the mecca of sport in Melbourne, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Through the under ground entry and onto the arena and around to the finish. Four hours was well and truly covered. Finished in 3.51.42 and I was extremely pleased with the effort.

Compared to an ironman, I felt aerobically terrific. Normally I am completely shattered after an ironman, but after a marathon I felt fine. Sure my legs felt worse than they have even felt before... but they would recover!!!

So the test of running versus ironman... definitely the running bit was fun.

The next day at work... I had to step up a small step. I had to stop, and think my way through it. Two girls asked me if I was ok... it was extremely painful lifting my leg!! I had turned from 42 to 92 in one weekend!!

As you can see below, I wasn't looking that fantastic when I finished... the quads were completedly shot to pieces and there was definitely some leaning happening!!!

It would take me a month to get over this event.... but I did now have a sub 4 hour marathon to my name!!!

Definitely more marathons coming up in 2010!!!

A Moment of Clarity

It was August 2009 and I was doing Ironman #16 in Canada. The weather was hot, I was dehydrated and the smoke from nearby bushfires wasn't making breathing any easier as I was attempting to complete yet another ironman marathon.

I thought to myself.... this sucks! The run is my favourite leg, and I am not enjoying this one at all. Hell I wasn't even running. It was a walk / shuffle at best... although I was getting some high quality tan lines....

And then it struck me.... Why am I doing ironman's? I love the achievement of the event, mostly because of the run and the finish, the rest of the day is getting yourself to the run. Maybe I should JUST RUN.

I mean I can still combine my love of travel and sport... maybe just travel and marathons. There are marathons in some amazing places.... and then there are ULTRA marathons.... this is exciting!

The second half of the Ironman Canada marathon went a little faster as I was excited about the future.

After 16 ironman's in 6 years, the goal posts have shifted. Now its all about RUNNING!!!