Well - what a weekend.
It's 6pm Sunday afternoon & I've had 3 hours sleep since 7am Saturday morning - but gosh it was worth it!
Saturday morning I headed out for my long run. With only 5 days between long runs & a back/pelvis in need of a realignment (bring on Saint Andrew's return from holidays), I decided an easy (flat) 2 hours was the best idea. Good decision. It was the hardest easy run I've done in a long time. Funny, after walk/running my way through my last 4 long runs, I found myself missing my walk breaks today! It was about 8am when I left home & it was already hot. I felt really flat physically & mentally - probably not enough water in the last 24 hours - and it was a bloody struggle. Think I'll chalk this one up as an experience of staying on my feet & moving in a forward direction while completely stuffed. Finished with 17.6k in 1:56:07 (aver 6:35min/k).
Saturday afternoon I headed up to Gosford to lap score for Belinda & Horrie at the 12 hour Coastal Classic. I got to Gosford just before 6pm (kick off was at 7.30pm) to catch up with everyone. I helped Belinda organise their drink table before settling in next to Will at the lap scorers table on a rather uncomfortable plastic chair - I think my butt got numb during the course of the night 'cause I didn't notice it after a while! The only problem with staying up all night (sans the influence of dancing & alcohol) is the amount of food I ate - I got hungry at 11pm, and then 3am and then 6am and...
As I was feeling exhausted on Saturday afternoon, I was a tad worried how I would go staying awake all night but I need not have worried. Horrie, Belinda and HRH Eagle flew past at regular intervals & the concentration required (when bloody sugar levels are low at 3am) to answer questions like "how many laps til # kms" was more than enough to keep me awake! Not to mention trying to think of something new to say to them each time they passed us - Horrie, for example, ultimately did 275 laps! The universe unfolded as it should have when Belinda & Horrie were at the same point on the track when Horrie passed through the 100k mark :-)
7.30am rolled around surprisingly quickly (I can say that, I was sitting on my butt all night!) leaving Horrie in 3rd place at 115k, the soaring Eagle at 100k and Belinda with a sensational total of 80k (the magic 50m mark) in her first ultra. I am so pleased that I was able to help them in some small way - each of them have given me sooo much support, encouragement & advice over the years.
By the time the presentation had finished it was almost 9.30am before I started the drive home. I was hoping to get to the Regatta Centre to meet up with Ellie after her sensational triathlon debut but it was not meant to be. Up until I started the drive home, I wasn't tired. Luckily I made it home in one piece & after some (more) food, I was in bed within 20mins of walking in the front door :-)
A wonderful way to round out what has been an amazing first week of 2007!
MTD: 55.92km (my biggest week ever!)
* apologies to anyone who now has that appalling Lionel Richie sound stuck in their head
11 comments:
Now that's a decent weekly total! Rock and roll all the way to the track.
What a big day. The 12 hour sounds exciting - and what about Horrie and Belinda!
Your apology is accepted.
i'm glad you made it home too!! that was some night - i am tired even reading about it. in fact - time for bed :) seeya soon ;)
Yep - Lionel has now taken up residence in my brain. Thanks SO much.
Lol obvious that Lulu and I are same era - she stole my post - Lionel smionel...
I meant to tell you to take a pillow - oh well :-)
As for the run - good practice for Blacks Range ;-)
Nice work on the weekly total.
Lol obvious that Lulu and I are same era - she stole my post - Lionel smionel...
I meant to tell you to take a pillow - oh well :-)
As for the run - good practice for Blacks Range ;-)
Nice work on the weekly total.
Some of those long runs are a test of character. Careful, or you'll become one of those ultra-types too.
Thanks, just slipped Lionel's 12" dance mix on the stereo.
Congratulations on the highest week ever!!!!!
Now recover sleeping well. What a way to end your highest week, I'd be dead!
wow - you HAVE been a busy FHG haven't you! So glad you could be part of the ultra in that way - wonder if it's inspired you to declare any other silly goals recently ...
I didn't have the song in my head until you apologised for putting the song into peoples heads.
Glad you had fun out there looking after the others. I imagine after being there you want to have a crack at something similar yourself now.
Thanks again for your help and support Jen. I can assure you it wasn't just a small amount of help. It was HUUUGE! I would not have achieved the result I did if it wasn't for you and Will. You guys gave me so much energy and made sure I kept running until the 12th hour passed. As for your run, it is exactly what is needed for 6 Foot. Just get used to the idea of getting out there for those long runs each weekend. It doesn't matter how slow as it is all about time on feet and keeping the body in one piece.
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