Anyway, today was my first visit to the Six Foot Track. Apart from the fact that the company was great & I didn't see any snakes, it was pretty farked.
I woke up feeling flat, tired & unrested. I'm not sure why - I made sure that I was properly hydrated cause I knew it would be hot. Just one of those days I guess...
Got to the Explorer's Tree just before 7am after getting every red light between Penriff & Katoomba and within about 5mins, we were off. Moh, Ine, 2p & someone else whose name I didn't catch quickly took off leaving me at the back of the pack with Terry.
The steps down Nellies are a bitch - differing heights & widths. I'm sure there is a technique to running down them (quickly) but buggered if I know what it is. Having no fear & long legs perhaps. Unfortunately I was too busy trying not to bust an ankle to take in the view but the few glimpses I saw were pretty spectacular. The soaring sandstone escarpment which disappeared from view as we passed through the 'rainforest' section. Bewdiful.
By the time the course had started to flatten, 2p suddenly appeared - dropping back to check up on me. After dropping about 500m in the space of 2kms, my legs were (surprisingly) feeling pretty good at this stage.
At the first gate, we climbed through the fence which I didn't handle particularly well. It's been a few years since I climbed fences! Contrary to 2p's cheeky suggestion, it wasn't that I was too fat too squeeze through but that I over-rotated on the landing. You had to be there ;-)
Terry, 2p & I continued to run along the firetrail when 2p started to entertain us by telling 'snake encounter' stories. No doubt part of his campaign to desensitise me to snakes. His attempt to distract me worked too well - I almost went A over T thanks to a stick at about this time.
The rest of the run down to Megalong Rd was pleasant and different - from a wide firetrail, through a dry creek bed & then across a paddock. By this time it was starting to get bloody warm. The pace had been pretty comfortable for me but I was really pleased that I planned to turn around at the road rather than continue onto Cox's River as the rest had planned.
On hitting Megalong Road in 57mins, we stopped for a quick chat & I had a GU before we parted company & I set out for home by my lonesome.
Unfortunately I had absolutely nothing in the tank on the way back. The GU made no difference whatsoever. I couldn't catch my breathe no matter how much I slowed down, nor could I get my heartrate down. At about the 10k, I found that I wasn't absorbing any water - it was all sloshing around in my tummy & before I had made it to the Nellies Glen sign, I was feeling lightheaded & faint. About this point I had another GU which made bugger-all difference again. FYI - I had drunk just on 2ltrs of water by the time I made it back to the car.
Finished in 2:16 (splits of 57 & 1:19).
Positives to come out of it - I have strong quads which don't mind downhills. It was 'time on my feet' and (more) practice at moving forward (albeit slowly) when the tank is bone-motherless-dry.
'Nuff said. Time to rest, recover & refocus.
MTD: 125.61kms
17 comments:
Rest and recover now and you'll be ready for a re-match soon enough!
I'm sure the heat had a lot to do with it and once you get overheated like that it's pretty hard to do much about it.
It's not a pleasant feeling when your body can't absorb the water and it just sloshes around. You are dehydrated and can't do too much about it. Just treat it as a valuable learning experience.
Nicely done Jen - don't be hard on yourself - it was tuff out there today.
Fun innit?
Sounds like a tough day Jen. I'm sure it was just 'one of those days'.
Don't worry about not getting down the steps quickly - you won't be able to on the day anyway.
Moving forward slowly is a technique that will come in handy after Pluvi ;)
Good I need some notes on the trek down from the tree to Megalong Rd. Hope you managed to rehydrate later in the day Jen. It's all good training for the big cahuna in 7 weeks anyway. Good run in the heat, and is it really that steep going down the stairs. Argh!
After THAT run in those conditions and up those hills, I'll expect to see you in the 10k not 5k on Friday...
Good to see you made it out of the cauldron (sorta) OK matey. Cripes !
I'd love to know the technique for going down steps too - I am useless at it!
Time on your feet is important so every long run is important no matter how slowly you go.
Now, about your visit in Feb - maybe a gentle jog up Mt Tennant?!!!!!!
Nice going Jen. Pity about the heat, it really does zap you of energy.
When's the next trip out there?
Sounds like the glutes held together OK. Well done!!
Good stuff toughing it out.
When it comes to the steps in a race, you get slowed down by other people in any event and it is just a matter of getting to the bottom in one piece.
Mr G. has a few insights on the course in his six foot race reports on the website. Well worth a read.
Like the post title. I had my hopes up for a massive 'breakdown' during the first 5km.
Well done for getting out there Jen, on a day most were wanting the comfort of air conditioning (me included).
It sounds like you coped with the hills really well again. You know the area a bit now and will be able to tackle it next time.
that elevation profile looks like a smiley face :)
feeling flat/dehydrated?
good training for 6ft.
well done.
Good time to try another option besides GU and hydration before the big day.
Recover well and drink lots of water before your next run.
Like 2p says,
Fun innit?
Sounds like a really tough run, but great experience :)
oooh - nice effort miss FHG. That profile reminds me of my high-school geography and resembles a traverse across a glacial valley.
Looks like it was a tough day across the entire state, so you've hopefully seen the worst of what may be on offer. Hope the recovery is going ok :)
Well done Jen. I think it's awesome that you ran part of 6'. At least you'll now have an idea of what to expect on the day and it won't be this hot in April!!
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