I'm back and I'm here!

I'm writing this on the flight to Geneva, with just over six weeks to go before the CCC at the UTMB.

I should be excited, but right now, trying to get my thoughts together - I'm not quite there yet. 

When I found out in February I'd been drawn in the lottery for this event, I wanted to do it justice. I decided I wanted to have a similar preparation as if had for the GNW100 last year. I wanted to be as fit as I'd ever been. I wanted to be ready. 

I wanted to be many things, but now I'm looking back wishing.

I wish I hadn't sprained my ankle in February. I wish I had have lost a couple more kilograms. I wis I had have gotten up in the cold a few more times. I wish I hadn't gotten sick a few weeks ago. 

But that's all done now and I'm on the plane and I'm telling myself I still have time for some good solid training. And that's true. 

I can also feel satisfied that I made my last weekend in Brisbane count. 

On Saturday I ran one of the city's most popular cycling routes, the river loop. It was a solid 36 Ka on the road. I felt strong and I felt fit. It's a run I have up my sleeve for when I need the confidence boost that comes from knowing I was running what must others ride.

On Sunday I covered 22ks out at Bunyaville. It wasn't really enough - I should really have gone for 25 - 30ks. But it was the first time I'd really attacked a trail run since my injury. I didn't make excuses, I just ran the way I want to in my upcoming event - consistent on the flat, confident in the downhills, and steady and strong up hills. 

In retrospect, I think what I was trying to do last weekend was rule a line under all this doubt so I can start fresh for my last training push, unencumbered by work and by winter. 

The forecast for our first stop, Morzine, doesn't guarantee the latter, but I've promised myself some adventure and some space to reconfigure my thoughts and energy. 

Digesting GNW100

If you want a blow by blow of how my attempt at the Great North Walk 100s (GNW100s) went down, read my previous blog post. It's long but worth it (I might be biased).

This post is a little more reflective, but most importantly answers questions I've been most frequently asked about my experience at the Great North Walk 100s.

"Normal people are in bed"

I completed 87ks in training last weekend - just two runs, 37ks Saturday and 50ks on Sunday.

I only have one weekend of hard training left before the Great North Walk 100 - today I'll run 24ks home, tomorrow I'll run 40ks (via the new Chermside parkrun), then on Sunday I'll run 50ks on trails.

I am trying to remind myself that this has become a new normal for me... but I keep thinking about the dude that passed me on the trail early on Saturday morning, and grinned back at me over his shoulder, and said, "normal people are in bed you know."

Loop after loop after loop

Last weekend was the biggest running weekend I've ever compeleted - 82ks in two runs.

On Saturday I met up with a friend who dragged me halfway around the river loop before I headed for home a little slower.

On Sunday I started in the dark, and took in this view on a loop around Enoggera Reservoir at the Gap.

Beerwah @ Night

This weekend saw the first of the Run Queensland day/night series - Beerwah@Night.

It was my first event of the year, first trail run for a while, and first time out in the dark since the Glasshouse 100. I was happy to find out last week that for once I'd have some reinforcements. Daggy and Matt, who both trained in the same triathlon squad as me many moons ago, were having a hitout too.

Ask me: what's it really like to run 100 ks

I have answered so many questions about running 100ks at the Glasshouse 100 last weekend that I decided to write them up into a blog post.

Some of them even have interesting answers.

Glasshouse 100: I'm an ultramarathon finisher

There's always a first time for everything. Last weekend I did my first real ultramarathon.

Technically, my 50ks at Kurrawa 2 Duranbah last December counts as my first ultramarathon, a term which describes any foot race of over 42 kilometres. But when you up the stakes to 100ks on trails, somehow 50ks of road running seems remarkably different. I felt like what I had ahead of me was more significant.

I didn't know what to expect but as the event approached I was hopeful that I had trained enough to be physically and mentally able to get through 16 or so hours on the trails.

Committed, with a sprinkling of crazy

This is how tribron described my efforts on the weekend before last. The hangover marathon was... something. Even I'm not sure exactly what it was.

This weekend just gone was something else entirely. With four weeks til the Glasshouse 100, it was slated to be my last big weekend of training.

So what did I do, and how would I describe it?

Optimistic / Pessimistic

It sounds a bit pessimistic, but in preparing for my first trail ultramarathon I've focused a lot on my frailties, my limitations, and the unknown.

I've never attempted to cover 100kms on foot before. Preparation has been drilled into me by all the coaches, so I've tried to visualise all the things that the event might throw at me, and incorporate a bit of all of these things into my training.

It's my experience that preparation brings optimism - and that's my natural outlook.

(Wo)man up and run like a machine.

This last week has been hard.

My body has been starting to remember what it can be like to train for a marathon. Ah yes. I remember now. Why didn't someone remind me sooner. It can be painful.

This time last week I was sluggish and sore and just couldn't bring myself to do much. I sucked it up in time to get back on track for the weekend. Things are back on the up.

Something old, something new

I don't know whether you've noticed, but I've been a bit quiet on the blog front lately.

Part of it is that I've been a bit short on time. But mainly, I've been telling myself I don't have anything interesting to say. But this isn't true. After all, I'm preparing for my first 100k trail ultramarathon in eight weeks time.

Which is why I'm a bit short on time. But mainly, it's the reason why I've been quiet. I'm scared.

Birds in the bush

Running in the bush is peaceful. Delightful.

The trees, the sunshine (well let's be honest, you can get the sunshine anywhere), the birds.

Let's focus on the birds.

A Wild(horse) run

Surprise...  I did my first trail running event this weekend.

I got to the Wild Horse Criterium in plenty of time to register and was delighted to receive race number 226 - the number of kms you complete in an Ironman triathlon. I thought immediately that it must be a good omen, not only for my ever approaching eighth iron-distance at Ironman Cairns, but for my ambitious plan to become an ultramarathon runner.

As I attached number 226 to my race belt, I had no way of knowing that the day would unfold in a most unexpected manner. But as wild as the ride was yesterday, it isn't all bad.

Off road and out of the comfort zone

So I plotted out this 24k trail run around Mt Coot-tha Forest reserve a few weeks ago. I'm not going to lie. The very thought of it frightened the crap out of me.

Yesterday though, I packed up my Camelbak (otherwise known as my running handbag) and did it.

The first Boundary run

Since deciding I want to be an ultramarathon runner, KKB has set me the challenge to run up South Boundary Road to Mt Nebo.

I'm still a little way off running all the way to the top - that's a 42k round trip - but I recently pulled off an out and back long run that I'm pretty proud of for my first effort.

Paying it forward

Befriending older gents is nothing new to the Athletic Powerhouse. I've previously documented on the Triathlete Chronicles how Lake Tinaroo local Bob provided me with ridiculous amounts of outside assistance at my first Half Ironman, and the way an unnamed Belgian man coached me through my ascent of Col du Galibier.

This morning I had the opportunity to pay it forward to a 50 year old woman I encountered trail running at Bunyaville state forest.

Lost in navigation

Good Friday today so to earn the Humpty Dumpty egg KKB gave me I launched with gusto into the trail run that was set as a bit of a change to my regular Friday water run.

My coach is at home off road, but me not so much. Still, I had a map, on which I'd highlighted the route I was to take. I was running less than 10ks from the City at Mt Coot-tha so not much could go wrong.