Your shoes

Your shoes are your story.

As I laced up my new asics trail shoes for the first time today.

I thought it doesn't matter what kind of shoes you wear, the colours, styles, everyone's shoes are unique but their shoes are part of them.

When you buy a new pair of shoes, free of mud, stains and scuff marks, you are beginning a new story.

However, soon enough they will become dirty and well worn, things you can’t clean, no matter how hard you try. Or things that you do wash off, but still leave a shadow of the mark you tried to remove.

Each forms part of the new adventures you will share in the shoes, the path will different to the shoes before, a new set of stories.

This pair's new story starts now...

The Virtue of Patience in Running

In January this year, I strained my calf during a group personal training session, as I was preparing for my first goal race of the year, the Mount Buller Skyrun 45km ultramarathon scheduled at the start of April. I immediately began rehabbing my injury. I was really keen to do this race as it was my first time racing up at Mt Buller and the added bonus of racing with my sister and two friends. Nothing like some competitive spirit and banter to add to the fun of racing!

The calf injury really interrupted my training for about 6-8 weeks, leaving me little room for error and preparation down to a concentrated short window of only a few weeks. Unfortunately this rapid build up didn’t go to plan with my last long run I did on the Sunday prior to race day I pulled up sore. I saw the physio that Thursday, with the hope of it all being of ok but to no avail. This was extremely frustrating as I had been training quite consistently for a period of months prepare for this ultramarathon (other than the injury phase). In the end my initial calf injury was truly a discovered, a damaged nerve in my calf.  I was now back to square one.

I had gone through months of frustrating short runs and many physio sessions to try and get my body right and get back consistently running after months of limited training to begin the year. I consistently get asked 'what's your next race?' and to be 100% honest I don't know. I thought about entering a half marathon a couple of weeks ago just for fun but I didn't feel ready and maybe it was the fear of missing out (fomo) driving me want to race.  

It's been hard and frustrating to not to run and you may say there are people worse off than you, yes that's very true. Does running define me - maybe? Do I love running absolutely, and when you're pushing your body hard to get right but dealing with setbacks and you're not sure when your body will be right for the next event. I've now been training consistently for quite a few weeks, my learnings and the virtue of patience in running I have taken from my injuries this year is about finding a better balance between trying to push your body but also sticking to a plan (but being flexible too) and seeking more enjoyment in the training ( I've added street orienteering to my weekly runs to change up running sessions) that you are doing when focusing on a bigger goal and not the short-term reward of racing so sometimes you need to take a step back to take two steps forward sometimes it might be about taking a day off training, get a massage, doing an extra Yoga or Pilates session.

For now, running is just for fun with an eye on a bigger and better on 2018.

How do you deal with patience with your running?

Related Reading

Why I Run

The Fear of Missing Out

Hiking on the trail: Wilsons Promontory lighthouse circuit via waterloo bay

After enjoying the East Prom Coastal hike last year, thought it would be great to head back and explore another section of the beautiful Wilson Promontory National Park.

We decided to choose the Lighthouse circuit via Waterloo bay as an overnight hike. The suggested direction is to hike in a anti clockwise direction for a more moderate gradient, but we chose to go in a clockwise direction due to plan complete a longer first day hiking to arrive at campsite at Roaring Meg.

We were up early and arrived at Tidal River at about 9am. The day was going to be a hot one with temperatures projected to hit the low to mid 30 degrees Celsius, slightly cooler along the coastline.

We caught the free shuttle bus up to Telegraph saddle car park and headed off down the hill towards Telegraph junction, we started a very solid pace completing first 6km to Telegraph junction in just over 75mins. We took a short morning tea break and then headed towards Waterloo Bay.

It was a perfect day with barely a cloud in the sky and a slight breeze as we arrived at Waterloo Bay. We all collectively gasped in amazement as we saw how blue the crystal clear water was at Waterloo bay.

The water was so enticing to go for a swim but with an 15km+ to go with decided not to. We continued our walk along the beach and then taking the trail up along the ridge line towards the lighthouse. However about kilometre or so into the climb i literally hit the wall, not sure if was the heat, not enough food or water but we decided to stop to have lunch break on the trail. The short break definitely re-energised me as we traversed the coastline and we finally got a view of the famous lighthouse.

We took a few photos and then hiked along the trail until we reach the point where the path split towards the Lighthouse and our camping spot for the night. It is about a kilometre with a very steep climb up to the lighthouse so we decided to leave our hike packs hidden off the trail and continue to the lighthouse. The lighthouse and the views were stunning, the cottages are now used for overnight accommodation and in a former life a school existed at the lighthouse.

We arrived back at our hike packs to find them strewn across the ground, with our food bags thrown on the ground. We were unsure if someone had gone through our bags, but nothing appeared to be missing.

We continued along the coastline for a short distance then headed inland towards our camp site at Roaring Meg. We arrived about 6.45pm and set up camp beside the local creek. There were a few other hikers camping nearby. We enjoyed a feast of rice and vegetables, it all tasted great after long day hiking. We all crashed into bed pretty early that night!

The next morning we didn’t rise super early, but enjoyed a quick breakfast with coffee and packed up our camp and were on our way. We headed up past the 2nd camping area at Roaring Meg and then along the walking track which meandered through the trees. There some short ascents and descents in this section as we joined the Telegraph track and the track opened up with views across the Prom. It was great to see some of the old Telegraph poles. Just trying to imagine how difficult it would have been to install the poles hundred plus years ago. The track opens up from being single track to a wider fire trail and we hike past Half way Hut campsite which positioned right beside the track.

We enjoyed a morning tea stop at Telegraph junction and funnily enough we saw the same group of hikers at this same spot as we did at morning tea yesterday.

We continue on the last 6 or so kilometres back to Telegraph Saddle car park, remembering the last k’s are a good ascent up the fire trail road, which i think we were all much better prepared for this time around. We were very happy to arrive at the car park an wait for the bus back into Tidal River.

When we arrived back at Tidal River we decided to report the incident with our backpacks and strewn food across the trail. The park rangers said it was most likely birds and has occurred quite a few times previously. That pretty amazing that’s the case as they managed to open the zippers and clips on our bags to get access to food.

Overall, another great weekend of hiking approx. 40km around Wilson Prom, such a beautiful place to visit.

Related Reading

Hiking on the trail - Wilsons Promontory - East Coastal Prom Hike

Hiking on the trail - The Grampians

Race Report: 4 Peaks

As regular visitor to the Victorian Alps each year, I had heard about the 4 peaks trail running event andhad been planning to do it for many years especially knowing it is an iconic with a great community feel trail running and hiking event in Australia, starting in 1979.

In the lead up to the event there was many reports about changed race courses due to logging and snow in the Vic Alps which unfortunately this was the case, but safety is of the highest priority.

The 4 peaks alpine climb event takes place over the Melbourne Cup long weekend, with a different peak to ascend/ descend each day with official distances ranging from 10km-15km each day.

Day 1 – Mystic Hill

Distance - 10km - 929m gain/descent

As informed in the lead up the Mystic Hill course was changed due logging of the local forest which almost double the original course elevation for the day. Mystic Hill is situated and overlooks the beautiful town of Bright.

The run was held in perfect sunny and mild conditions and followed mostly fire trails and unfortunately i tweaked my left calf on the first major descent when i lost footing underneath me. It was very tender for the rest of the run so decided to only run short section of the flats and hike the climbs.

As I found out the hard way some of the steep fire trails were very dangerous in perfect conditions like on the day we had and imagine it would be treacherous and possibly scary on a wet day!

The Mystic Hill course is the only day with start to finish in the same location of the 4 day trail running event.

Day 2 – Mt Feathertop

Distance - 10km - 1164m gain

The course for day 2’s ascent up to Mt Feathertop summit was shortened by 2km due to too much snow at the peak. The finish was revised to finish at Federation Hut. Mt Feathertop summit is the 2nd highest peak in the Victoria Alps at 1922 metres elevation.

The race started at Tavare Park in Harrietville and followed the Bungalow Spur walking track and is a continuous gradual climb to finish line at Federation hut. There was an eerie feeling as the fog and weather closed in around us as we hiked through the snow gums. It could have been a scene out of the film, Sleepy Hollow.

As we arrived at the finish line it started to rain and visibility was poor. I heard about 10 minutes later the sky cleared and you could see view of Mt Feathertop Summit under snow.

A good thing to note about this day is there is no transport access (at federation hut or usual finish at Mt Feathertop summit) to finish area so be prepared you need to descend back to the start, adding an extra 10km (or 12km) for the day!

Day 3 – Mt Hotham

Distance - 15km - 1288m elevation gain

The expected forecast for day was possible snow shower with a minimum -7 degrees celsius to maximum of 2 degrees.

The race started at Tavare Park in Harrietville and followed the Bon Accord Spur track with a river crossing at Washington creek challenging as the bridge had been washed away by flooding. However, the race organisers kindly arranged for rope to assist with crossing the river.

It was very tough and slow going climbing up the wall on the Bon Accord Spur especially in the last 2km with a 450m + elevation gain to reach the Razorback and finish at Dimmatina hut. The view and experience of running in the snow was breathtaking. It was unbelievable experience to see the snow especially at the end of October. The snow was very soft almost fluffy like in your hand.

The bus even experienced the tough conditions as it couldnt make it up to the finishing area to pick up the race participants, so after finishing we needed to descent 1km down the road to meet the bus but we were fortunately greeted by a heated tent with hot tea, fresh fruit and fruit cake which hit the spot!

It was minus 4 degrees when we finished.

Day 4 -Mt Buffalo

Distance - 10km -  1014m elevation gain

The forth and final day started at Eurobin Creek picnic ground at the base of Mt Buffalo. The trail goes straight up with a steep first 2kms along the track known as ‘The Big Walk’.

It then becomes a more gradual climb up to the start of the granite rocks which Mt buffalo is famous for, just after waving to my sister who I could see on the road below I had a nasty fall on the wet and slippery moss rock face and landed heavily on my hand, elbow and hip. It especially hurt my elbow which took most of the weight of my fall. I had to cradle my arm for the next few mins as I recovered, adrenaline was definitely pumping now.

I took it easy for the next section especially some more slippery rocks ahead. I felt much better as I cleared the rock section and started to reach the plateau and circumnavigate the top of Mt Buffalo around the famous chalet (which is unfortunately no longer open) and you climb the stairs and finish right in front of chalet. Sidenote - I remember enjoying hot chocolates in the chalet as a teenager after doing this hike many years ago in torrential rain.

The 4 Peaks was a well organised and fun trail running or hiking event, a great way to enjoy Melbourne Cup long weekend. I definitely plan on coming back to run this event again the future.

Related Reading

Race Report - Ultra Trail Australia 100km ultramarathon, Blue Mountains

Race Report - The Harvest Run, Healesville

Race Report: The Harvest Run, Healesville - Yarra Glen - Yarra Valley

What a beautiful place to run and perfect sunny conditions on Saturday Spring morning out in the Yarra Valley.

The Harvest Run is a 13.5 km point to point road run from Healesville to Yarra Glen.

The run commenced just off the main street in Healesville and the course follows the Healesville – Yarra Glen Road travelling towards Yarra Glen.

The course is very picturesque and offering stunning views as you weave your way through the local vineyards and local farms. The course had a few rolling hills especially in the first half, a great way to test the legs!

It felt great to be out running again for my first race after Ultra Trail Australia. I definitely lacked speed to push it after all my long distance training but felt I ran a steady pace throughout. The finish line was quite unique where you ran a lap around the Yarra Glen race course. The finish area was a see of activity with the opportunity to relax and enjoy the local wine, cheese, coffee and food.

The Harvest Run was well run by Sole Motive, only suggested improvement would be a few more toilets at the start line for the last minute nervous starters as there were quite long queues.

The event had a 6km run/walk offered around Yarra Glen too.

A great run all topped off by late morning breakfast in the Yarra Valley. There are not many better ways to kick off a weekend.

Related Reading

Race Report: Ultra Trail Australia 100km Ultramarathon

Race Report: Maroondah Dam Marathon

12 Things I Learnt On Preparing For My First 100km Ultramarathon

I have now has some time to think about and look back on my first 100km ultramarathon. Here are some of my thoughts about what I have learnt.

1. Training load - get the right balance for you. I have tried many different training frequencies and intensities over the years between run training and also when I was competing in triathlons. I have found this especially critical with preparing for longer distance events and based on past injuries. I found the right balance for me was to have at least 2 recovery/rest days a week, so I found a good mix was with 3-4 runs per week, plus a hike combined with Pilates was a good amount.

2. Specific training for the course – The Ultra Trail Australia 100km course has a large amount of stairs (including 951 steps in the last kilometre), so focusing on a lot of stair training or similar terrain to the course is a good idea in preparation to getting your body ready for this repetitive movement. If you can train on course you are planning on racing that’s even better.

3. Focus on consistent effort during the race – I felt struggled with this area a bit, especially with my previous longest race being a 50km and very limited experience running at night. I definitely planned to be consistent, but did spend more time in aid stations in the later stages refuelling.

On Course at Ultra Trail Australia 100km Ultramarathon

4. Nutrition – Practice your nutrition in training and pre-race event if you can. I found this worked well for me, even though I felt I should have consumed more fuel earlier on race day, I definitely did encounter any issues with stomach issues on race day. Find out what I consumed on race day.

5. Meditation – The ability to focus on your breathing and being present is a great benefit when running and the ability to concentrate on what is current happening during the race instead of focusing on the later stages (or the outside world) brought about a sense of calm.
6. Pilates and core stability – This is the first significant race I have done where I really dedicated to pilates and core strength work outside of some general stretches and definitely feel this contributed to me getting to the start line in one piece (combined with some physio and massage).

7. Test and use all of your gear prior to race day – I learnt this the hard way in my first 50km ultramarathon a couple of years ago with my hydration pack, but nearly had a similar issue even with testing my equipment. I used my head lamp on a couple of night training runs and seem to be playing up, thought it may have been faulty batteries, so swapped them out and next training all was working perfectly, but that was on the case on race day, lamp simply stopped working after about 10minutes of running, luckily I prepared for any issues with a 2nd head lamp at the ready when I needed it. It is also a good idea to train in the clothing you plan to wear on race day and I mean everything, socks, shoes, shorts, underwear, shirts, packs, hats, sunglasses. The last thing you want your day to be ruin by using something for the first time on race day.

8. Pick a key lead up long distance race or training session to do which hopefully is similar to race day terrain if possible. I think this was a critical step for a number of reasons; it provided me the opportunity to test out my nutrition plan, build some confidence and also to further test out my equipment (including getting a better understanding of weight in my pack by carrying the majority of mandatory gear in the lead up race I chose at Maroondah Dam Marathon).

9. Night Running – I experienced very little training at night in the lead up, so for my next long distance event I would plan some more night sessions to feel more comfortable running different terrain when experience very limited view of your surrounds.

10. Consistency – I mentioned about training load above which is part of consistency, but also factoring other areas of your life with family, work, family, training and other commitments and finding the consistency which you can commit to each week for your key training block in the lead up to the race.

11. Training for all weather conditions – A race such as the Ultra Trail Australia has an extensive list of mandatory gear which you must carry and use on race day, therefore it is great idea to test and use all your gear prior to race day using in different weather conditions if possible. This year we were blessed with very mild and sunny conditions during the race, but as with all outdoor events the weather can change quickly.

12. Adaptability – I started training for the race about 6 months prior to race day, but lost a key 6-8 week period due to an ankle injury when I was starting to increase my training volume, so I needed to take stock of where my training was at and reassess and adapt my training to ensure I would get to the start line as fit and healthy as possible, also consider any periods where you may lose some time due to illness or other commitments. Adaptability also applies on race day as you will most likely experience highs and lows on how you are feeling, injuries and changing conditions and it best to focus on positive thoughts and set new goals if required.

What things have you learnt when training for an ultramarathon?

Related Reading

Race Report: Ultra Trail Australia 100km Ultramarathon

Race Report: The North Face 50km