Clairies Caboolture Race

I’m not sure where to start…..so much happened in the past 24hrs.

How’s this? - I will summarise first and then go into detail – that way if you don’t get through the whole post (this is an endurance event *grins*) you will still know the basics!

Summary:
I completed 34.029km in just under 2hr 58mins.
As I was on a relay team and was the second runner in the 6hr relay I had to stand at the start at 9pm and wait until Karen came around and tag me before I could start – hence a couple of mins short of the 3hr run. The gun went off at 6hrs (midnight) and you had to stop where you were and drop your bag of sand…hence the measurement of 29metres past a completed lap.
I started out strong and managed my goal for more than 20km, then the wheels started sliding but with the support and Eagles coke recipe, I managed to get back on track and even did a 2:05 lap to finish it off. I have never been so glad to finish as I was then. It was a hard run which now I realise was not only due to the pace I tried to set but the heat as well.

Full Gory Details:
I was up early Saturday and it was a very busy day for me. First out to the airport to drop off the guests who had been staying with us. Then off to the shops for a big grocery shop (most of which was for Dusk till Dawn event). I also got some cardboard and paints to make some signs.
Home again and then it took about two hours to get the esky, wash it, take seats out of the car, load the beds, linen, food, drinks, running gear. Phew. This took way longer than expected. I got to sit down and paint the signs and have a huge bowl of plain pasta for lunch before Hubby got home at 1pm.
We left home just after 2pm and arrived at Caboolture at 3:30pm. Allan was groaning because we were so early but when we actually went through the gates we saw at least 30 people already there!

We got a good position and shortly after Boonarga and Anne arrived and put up their rather large (thankfully) tarp. We needed this at 1am when it started to rain for the next 3hrs!!!!

Tesso got there and unloaded her table and made me feel inadequate. My truckload full of stuff just was not sufficient compared to her esky’s and bags full. I had to remind myself I wasn’t out there for an ultra….

All too soon it was 6pm and the cow bell went off and the runners were doing their stuff. I was so excited and cheering everyone on. There were some fast runners and slow runners and even walkers – 53 on the track at any one time, 105 competitors in all. A Great turnout. Tesso was churning out some fast kms (not fast for her but fast for her required pacing) so I told her to slow down – which made her smile at least!!

Chundachick arrived and brought the family for a picnic. She even gave me a pre-race massage which sorted out the legs and any race anxieties - Big thanks to Jodi :)

It was very hot and I tried to drink a lot of water prior to the race in preparation. Karen my relay partner was looking very hot out there so I knew it was going to be a hard night.
By 8pm I was fully dressed in my race gear and keen to get out there. I was not nervous but trying to stay focused and remember the plan – 5min Km’s!!!

9pm and my turn was up. Karen came around the corner at 9:02pm and touched my hand. She looked terrible and I remember thinking “oh my what was I thinking telling everyone what I wanted to do”.
Off I shot and before too long I caught up to Tesso who gave a big hoot to see me out there – running at long last.
It didn’t take me long to realise that I had done everything wrong. This wasn’t an ultra for me. I should have been wearing my fuel belt and carrying everything I needed like I would in the marathon. Instead I had my esky beside the track and now had to stop and get drinks as I needed them.

Now why didn’t all you experienced runners tell me something…if I wanted to run 35km in 3hrs that meant 5min km….but I would need to actually be running faster than that to allow for drinks/gu etc. I figured this out early on and maintained a 2:25/2:28min pace for each lap. This got some mins in the bank. I felt strong and great for the first 20laps but the thirst was really taking over from here. I had some Endura and lots of water. Then at around 70mins took the bottle of enervit (?). This was a trial and well….now I know. It doesn’t work for me. Within 15min I had gut ache and cramps. I threw away all the electrolyte and maintained water consumption but after passing the pub just over 2hrs I pulled over and threw up on the lawn beside my hubby. He was very concerned and wanted me to pull out. But I grabbed the water he offered and said I felt great – which I did! Amazing how great it was to run without all that crap in your belly!!!

So I did a few more laps and then I got to 50. I don’t remember much from 50-60 laps. This was my black spot in the race and I feel very sorry for those who showed concern and tried to get me to stop running. I was very determined to see this out and I had only discussed this with my husband. I should have spoken to a few others as well. Then again I did not expect to get so confused. I had so many numbers in my head…laps I had done, kms I had done, laps to do, km to do, times, pacing, it was all a bit confusing so I will definitely write my targets on my hand for the marathon so I don’t actually have to think during the race.
I recall weaving on the road but I don’t recall running into someone which I apparently did. The weaving didn’t bother me – is that part of the state I was in? – as I felt better for bending the legs a bit and moving side to side. Mmmm
So it was that I had a few great friends try to grab me and pull me off the track. I started crying and asking them to leave me alone and I recall at this stage I had 14 laps to go. That’s 7km. Not that I could calculate at the time but I was sure I could fit it in the time slot. Allan gave me my coke mixture on the next turn as everyone was asking him to get me to stop and walk or finish early. Shortly after taking the coke/water I felt a jolt and realised this is what I needed. The clarity of what I was wanting to achieve came back and so did my commonsense. I walked for about 50m on 2 of the laps as I tried to take on fluids and stretch the legs. Then I was able to get going again – without the wobbles or weaving.

Soon it was so close to the finish. By this stage I honestly had no idea how far I had run I only knew the clock and the crowd were all cheering that it was going to be over in 15mins. My legs were in a lot of pain, I was sore all over. My hips and lower back were very tight. As legs were just sore all over I could not pinpoint if it was the calves/hammy/glutes etc. They just all hurt. My toes hurt too – the little pinkies in my shoes. Man, and to think I need to run a further 8km in Canberra :)

The hooter went off and I stopped and collapsed in Allan’s arms and it was the best feeling in the world.

I had no idea until 30mins later what I had done mileage wise. Despite my few walks, being sick, wobbling and running for only 2:58hrs I managed to do just over 34km. That meant I had done a fair majority of it faster than planned race pace of 2:30min per lap (5min/km pace). Gotta be happy with that. In fact the further in time I get from the end of the race the better I feel about what I achieved.

I hugged everyone I could, had a shower and put the skins on. Never ever before after a race have I felt so unwell. This time I was not able to stomach any food or drinks and I struggled to swallow the protein drink that I normally crave at the end of a long run. I just wanted to curl up and die. Allan made me keep drinking water and I love him for that. Then he made my camp bed for me to lie down on but I felt I should walk around a bit.
After the presentations – Karen and came First Females and third relay team overall (that was more exciting!!) so we went up and got our awards.

I thought I would sleep then at 2am and tried to go down. Matty said he would wake me at 3am but I was tossing and turning and looking at the track and waving to Tess and going through my own run in my head (cringing) so I could not sleep. I left hubby there and went back to the track and joined Matty in seeing Tesso in for those final hours of slog. Oh and I managed to get some potoato chips down, an apple and some of Tess’s choc coffee beans.
The best part of the night was watching her do the 100km. It just got soooo exciting and soo much fun. I was goose-pimply as soon as I realised she would do it – and damn that girl – do it in style!!!! Sub 11hrs for her first 100km. That is just typical Turbo Tesso.
It was a truly wonderful event – like a big family gathering. All my running friends were there or had sent messages or comments on my blog. The advice before was all appreciated (and used) and I really felt my achievements for the night was thanks to everyone else. The cheering and clapping and smart arse comments were all fun. The updates from Matty, the lapscorers and hubby were great. The best was the runners themselves clapping or commenting as I went around whilst they were doing their own races.

Thanks to everyone, from the bottom of my heart.

Next – Canberra!!! 9 weeks to go……….