Another year where I never felt good but somehow produced a performance I was quite happy with and met my goals, a satisfying tenth Six Foot Track.
Overview of recent years....
2002- 4.50 (PB, stoked)
2003- 5.44 (flu)
2004- 5.06 (cramped on Insult Hill)
2005- 4.51 (so close)
2006- 5.41 (glandular fever)
Recent training had been hot and cold- some good weeks and long runs, but also some weeks where work got in the way and I did bugger all. With this sporadic base, I aimed for a sub 5 hour finish. 4.59.59 would have been fine by me.
On race morning I got a lift to the start with regular training partner Shogun, who was making his debut but is a strong bugger and I was certain would do well.
I had a good start- there were the usual elbows and jostling as people rushed to beat the logjam on the stairs- I found myself descending with Spud and Sub50 right behind me. We hit the Nellies Glen sign in 12.18 (about eual to my best) and at around this point the Garmin completely died. From here on I pretty much relied on getting the time from runners around me.
Spud and Sub50 went on ahead just after the stairs and I cruised on more or less by myself for a few Ks before others began to come by- fast runners from later waves or people freed from the queue of the stairs. Coaster and Shogun went by just before Megalong Rd crossing, which i reached in 44 minutes- I suspect a PB for myself.
The run down to the river went well- I was with John Van Yzendoorn pretty much all the way and we reached there in 1.25, spot on target for a 4.50 or so. However, once I started walking up Mini Mini, everyone started going past (including John) as I really battled to get any sort of pace or strength going on the big ups.
I reached Alum Creek aid station in 2.17, with 2.08- 2.10 being the bracket for a 4.50. I'd lost 90 seconds a kilometre on that hill and started contemplating 5.20 or worse as a final finishing time. Going up Pluvi I felt no better but only lost another minute or two against the splits, reaching the top in 2.59 and there still being some sort of chance for a sub 5, although it felt marginal at the time.
For the first kilometre or so along Black Range I felt fairly rotten and barely ran at all, but then tried jogging up some of the inclines and surprisingly felt fairly good. I began setting myself small goals of reeling in a particular runner or running to a particular landmark without walking. By the time I emerged into the Pine Forest and approached Deviation I started to wonder if sub 5 was still on- I figured I had to be a couple of minutes under 4.00 at Deviation for this to be possible.
3.58 was the split at Deviation and from here I used my 90kg weight to full effect on every downhill, charging along the slope at full speed, then really slogging the uphills with no real "oomph" at all. By now I was starting to pass a few people who had left me behind on the big hills and we had a loose "sub 5" bus happening, including Brian from Bathurst and Shelley from Striders.
Just before Binda Cabins I passed SoLucky and also caught John again; I asked him the time, did some quick maths and ran away from him muttering about missing the target and doing 5.01.
Into the last 3K I still figured I was a minute or two too slow and would just miss the sub 5, but once the big downhill started I put all my weight into it and flew down, passing Hamburglar, Coaster and a few others. Hit the paved path and passed Uncle Dave and Amjan, then Moh, and right on the steps at the end, passed Blue Dog (complete surprise) and, with a fist pump, sprinted under the banner in 4.56.40.
Target attained!
From Pluvi to the end took me 1.57- when I ran 4.50 the split was 1.59 and when I did 4.51 the split was 2.03.
I washed off in the lake and Shogun (4.43 on debut!) and I thumbed a lift back to Katoomba to collect the car, then back home.
Some very good runs on the day from Fats, MPH, Spud and others. Not sure what to make of my own run, still feels odd to meet your goal but feel so lousy in the process of doing so.
