Gone Troppo

23.9k 2:02:25. HR Avg 163 Max 177
Course: Duranbah to Kurrawa.
Start Time: 7:10am Temp 30C.
Session Type: Race

It was up at 2:55 am this morning for me and My Wife Kathy. Hardly felt like I had been asleep. Off to the Coast for the Kurrawa 50k relay. At the start meet up with my partner Mark who was running first.

My race plan was to go out at around 160-165 HR which based on current form would give me a pace of around 4:35. I have done lots of 15k training runs recently at around HR 155 and 4.40 pace so thought this was realistic for the first 15k at least. The last 10k was either going to just maintain that or go up into the HR 170+ zone to maintain the pace. The only other factor was how would I handle the heat?

The race got under way a little late and we followed Mark as he made his way down south. I organised two places where Kathy would hand me water bottles on my return leg.

Waiting at Duranbah, for Mark to come in I could really notice the sun getting strong. 7:08 am I was off but not exactly flying as the first thing to negotiate is a steep hill up to Point Danger. Passed Clairie (who was looking ver strong) and Tesso going up the hill.

Settled into a comfortable pace at around HR 160 and was doing around 4:40 pace.

Managed to keep this up until the short climb onto the Currumbin bridge which took at bit out of me. But it was all slighty down across the bridge. I was starting to heat up so was looking forward to the water bottle at 3rd Avenue. There was a drink station just before this where I was handed a lovely icy cold cup of water. Knowing only 400m up the road I would get my drink I chose to pour this over my head and it was a cooling respite from the sun.

I got to the designated spot and Kathy wasn't there. Doh. She had to drive Mark back to the start as he had to get back to Brisbane and she hadn't make it back to the drop off point in time.

Tried to convince myself that this was not a disaster but my body was crying out for a drink. There were a few wonderful couple on bikes offering water form waterbottles and I was more than happy to take up their offers. (Thank you whoever you are.) But over the next three Ks I gradually slowed down to 5:15 pace but still at the same HR160. The sun was really burning on my back and there was just no shade to get away from it. I was really hanging out for the next water station. It was outside the Fitness Camp and I stopped and downed two cups of water and put a third over my head. I wasn't feeling good. Worst of all there was a large cheer squad there, Tesso and I think I heard ;-)Clarie leading the way giving me great encouragement. Sorry I couldn't be more responsive. The next challenge was the Burleigh Hill and I slowed right down to get over it. My next pick up point was to be just past the Burleigh SLSC. I was just hoping Kathy wasn't still back at the last drop point waiting for me to come through there.

She was there and I got my bottle but I had real problems drinking it. I was not feeling well in the stomach but just knew I had to get it into me if I was going to make it to the end. I consumed about half the bottle by the time I got to Knobby's. But my pace had dropped to 5:25. Before going over the hill I stuck my head under a shower which was lovely. I should have done more of that along the way. Could only manage to walk up the hill and down the stairs but getting to other side it was about 5k to go which seemed manageable. My singlet was absoluetly wringing wet, so I took it off and my cap as well and carried them. I think I made me feel a little better also the water was kicking in, and I picked up the pace slightly to around 5:15. I actually passed a couple of people on this stretch , which also gave me a boost.

Finally I arrived at the finish in 2:02:25. Boy was I glad to stop. Made my way directly to the showers and stood underneath for a couple of minutes. Really should have taken my shoes off first. After this I went down for a wade in the surf. I then laid down a napped for 20 minutes.

Must say I didn't handle the sun and heat well today. I have done lots of training when it has been hot but usually in the late afternoon and not in direct sun. It will take a lot of convincing for me to attempt a race under these conditions again. You just got admire the people who did the solo 50k race not matter what time they did.

I drank about three liters of Gatorade after the event but still did not go to the toilet until I got back to Brisbane around 1:30pm. Quite shocked to see myself passing bright red urine which I could only imagine was blood. Seems to be back to a more normal colour now but just a indicator of how tough it was for me today.

Interesting that my Polar measured my run at 23.89 Km which backs up what Tesso recorded. Also the course description of flat is a bit misleading in my book.

The funniest thing to happen to me today was when I meet PunterMatt for the first time. He said he kind of knew the photo on my Blog couldn't be me. Had to reassure him that it in fact it is me. I could have understood his confusion if it had been after my run but this was before.

Scored another CD from Tesso today. Put it in the player this afternoon, laid down on the couch to listen and promptly slept for 90 minutes. I should go and listen to it again, I hear the couch beckoning.