Don't Look Back in Anger

This was the year I was supposed to go back to Melbourne to atone for my 2013 marathon, the year that I laid to rest personal issues about dealing with long races. To a degree, I dealt with my capacity to race longer distances (for me > 21k), but failed in my attempt to get back to the marathon. Many will say I didn't fail, certainly not through lack of trying. I planned 2014, up to October, with a fair amount of detail; races, training, nutrition, core and leg exercises, I did what I deemed was necessary. It seemed the perfect opportunity to do it all. A part time job, that gave me plenty of hours to train, access to some great and demanding trails in the Dandenong Ranges, many other experienced runners willing to give me advice. It was almost too good to be true. The fact that I never got to Melbourne Marathon, was just one of those things; a chance in a 1000, 10,000...

The 2014 medals. L to R, Two Bays 28, Roller Coaster 21.5, Macedon 30, Traralgon 21, You Yangs 30, and
 Run Melbourne 21.

So, this is the year in review. It was a year in 2 halves, as they say! Actually the first half was 7 months, so technically it was a year in 7 months and 5 months. Can I start again? This is the year in review, a year of 2 distinct parts. Headings are courtesy of my love of all things musical.

The Cruel Sea – Fangin Hoons (January)

Berwick Springs parkrun,
New Years day fast 5k

Year got off to a flyer at the New Years day Berwick Springs parkrun. 10:00am start made for a leisurely drive from South Gippsland. Met up with a few friends beforehand, so I was nice and relaxed at the start. Went out a good hard pace, and ran my second fastest 5k time ever, and my fastest parkrun time at any venue (to date). 20:50, and I knew that the issues that had plagued me after MM 2013 had well and truly been put past me.

At this stage I was training for a half marathon in late February, but was also mixing it up in preparation for my next race, and my trail debut at Two Bays.

The Beatles - The Long and Winding Road (January)

Two Bays Trail race, 28k Dromana to Cape Schanck. Going in with zero expectations, other than to just run a controlled race and finish, it was my first major race since Melbourne, 3 months previous. Only having run on a trail for training once previous, I was under no illusions as to the task. But what a great race I had. The first 3k's are a steep climb, so steep that walking is often the only option, so I conserved myself. Beyond there it gently drops back to the coast, with many ups and downs along the way. Had an absolute ball, running with many other groups until in the last 5k's I found I had plenty of energy left to overtake lots of flagging runners (thanks to an unplanned drink of coke at the last aid station, my no added sugar diet taking a hammering!). A fast finish was a great way to prove that I could train and race at these longer distances. As an added bonus, the mixed team I was in ended winning, by a narrow margin

At the finish line after Two Bays, dirty, but happy.

XTC – Making Plans for Nigel (February)

The only race for me this month was a solitary parkrun at Berwick Springs. Rest of the month spent consolidating training, and planning the rest of the year through to October (race wise).

Ben Harper – How many miles must we march? (March)

Nothing like a local half marathon to get me excited. The Kilcunda, Keeping the Kids on Track half, (on the Bass Coast 40 minutes drive from home) was the perfect opportunity to gauge how training was going. In the lead up I was confident that I could get close to my PB. Nothing like a really bad race to drag me back to reality! Started out a bit hard, then found the going a bit tougher on the gravel surface than I expected. Add the lack of shade, a harsh early morning sun, and I faded dramatically the longer the race went on. It was humbling to say the least. Worse, after my stellar run at Two Bays, I had signed up for another (harder) trail run in the Dandenongs. It was only a fortnight away, what had I done?

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Rollercoaster (March)

So much elevation, so little time.... Interactive link can be found at http://veloviewer.com/route/2147483985

Roller Coaster Run. There are 2 options, 1 loop of 21.5k, or 2 loops of 43k. Considering the elevation profile, the 1 loop was enough for me! Starting at Skyhigh on Mt Dandenong, and descending to The Basin, before returning back up to Skyhigh, this race must represent one of the harder 21k races to do, trail or otherwise. A lot of training leading in was specific to this race, hill repeats, running up as well as down, an actual run on the course (helped understand the task at hand), as well as generally increasing my weekly mileage.

Started off with the intention of running about 2:30, a time that seemed achievable given past events and runners times of my ability. Spent a lot of the race running just under my threshold level, only to find the climb back up fairly soul destroying! Finishing in 2:20, I was surprised, happy and totally spent; barely able to stand up as a volunteer placed a medal around my neck! But after the dust settled, I realised just how well I had done in this race, my best of the year to date.

Death Cab for Cutie - Soul Meets Body (April)

After Roller Coaster Run I took a week off hard training and sat down to map out new training plans and races, and give the body a bit of a rest. I was keen to run some longer trail races, in order to improve my endurance,and prove my ability to race longer. A friend suggested the Trails+ 30k Macedon race, reputedly the toughest 30k trail race around. It was at this time, early April, that I started to gradually increase the distance and intensity of my training programme. The last couple of years had me averaging 35-40k a week, fine for racing up to 10-15k, but simply not enough for >21. Also started throwing in some regular hill work, not just stuff targeting a race, but consistent weekly sessions on a fairly steep hill 10 minutes from my house. It was also the month that I started to run in the Dandenongs on a fairly regular basis, Recognising that the terrain, elevation and being pushed by faster runners was benefiting me hugely

As luck would have it, towards the end of April, I snagged an entry to Puffing Billy race. 13K hilly road run to beat the famed steam train. Only catch? Running under a woman's name!

The Cure - Jumping Someone Else's Train (May)

Puffing Billy. By now the weather has cooled off considerably, and I am taking to wearing beanie and gloves on late afternoon runs. Fronted up at Belgrave in the foothills of the Dandenongs, on a cold overcast morning in early May. Didn't know what to expect from this race with training targeted at longer distances. Speed on the road was going to be tested.

As it was, I ran my fastest ever 13k time, much to the urgings of a friend, Narelle, yet failed to beat the train by about 50 seconds. So close, yet so far away! But I was really pleased with the speed in the legs, considering the emphasis in training was on endurance.

First crossing of Puffing Billy with the runners.

Stone Roses - Made of Stone (May)

Finishing Macedon, and crossing my arms in reference
to my football team, West Ham United.

Macedon 30k trail race. The following week was Macedon. Not much training during that week, just recover and get to the start line. It is a tough race, exceedingly tough. Mainly the elevation, but some track was more than just single track, it was a bush bash! This was my first race using a new hydration pack, and trail shoes. Both passed the muster. One section of the trail was so steep going down, it was little fairy steps to stop falling over. As soon as we hit the bottom, we turned and climbed up another hill as steep, if not steeper. As conservatively as I had approached this race, I was still spent at the 23k mark. Initially disappointed at a 3:30ish finish, was surprised to find out I finished 15^th, and not as far behind the winners as I had expected! Final 2 weeks of May were spent training hard, a decision I was later to regret!

The Smiths - Nowhere Fast (June)

Traralgon Half marathon. The first week of June was spent overcoming a minor calf issue, a result of not taking it easy after Macedon. Thankfully it was quick to heal, meaning I could get to Traralgon with enough training in the legs.

Happy finishers at Traralgon Half marathon.

As close to a local race as I would find, Traralgon was the perfect race to assess how I was going approaching the start of my marathon preparation. Unfortunately, despite ideal running conditions, I fell back into old habits; hard at the start, but couldn't hang on to that pace, and crashed somewhere near the 14k mark. In spite of this cock-up, I was only 40 odd seconds outside my PB! So the issue now revolved around finding out how to overcome this.

An offer to 'tweak' my marathon training programme by Peter Mitchell (a 2:14 marathoner in his day), resulted in a root and branch change to ¾ of my sessions. Already by the last week of June, I could feel the benefits of this approach, focusing on endurance over shorter speed work. Peter also impressed on me the need to target specific races, and to work towards specific targets for training. I was enjoying meeting and sometimes exceeding those targets.

XTC - King for a Day (July)

Powering up to the saddle at You Yangs 30.

You Yangs 30k trail race. Entered this late, as I was already committed to pacing 2 friends at Run Melbourne. YY was another 30k trail race, same organisers as for Macedon, but a significantly easier course. The trick here was to run my race at YY, but not injure myself, or completely shatter myself so that I couldn't run properly the next weekend. I was, by now, getting very confident about my abilities as a runner over longer distances. The pace goal time of 1:45 or better for both Chris and Chrissy was very attainable for me, IF I was in good shape!
You Yangs 30 was a cracker of a race. I paced hard, but with the knowledge of the terrain/elevation, and the wisdom of previous races like this. After a slow start I moved gradually through the field and into the top 20 by the time we ran up to Flinders Peak and back. The second part of the course took us through MTB tracks, windy, cambered and through a forest that was remarkably 'Blair Witch Project' in look and feel! Finished in 2:45, 18th place, and fully 15 minutes under my goal time. To say I was happy was an understatement. As an individual achievement, that was the highlight of the year.

Stone Roses - Don't Stop (July)

Pacing Chrissy (yellow top), and Chris (white top) to PB's
and a sub 1:45 at Run Melbourne. 

Run Melbourne. The following 7 days was spent with me in denial that I had tweaked my left calf at You Yangs, and steering the conversation away from Chris and Chrissy that I was okay to run on the Sunday. It wasn't really until Friday night that I knew I was okay to go, a very tight timeframe! Run Melbourne ended up being THE highlight of the year, hands down. I got the pacing spot on, such that Chris went ahead at the 14k mark and ran 1:43 a massive 10 minute PB. Chrissy struggled at this point, I dropped back to give her some encouragement and support, and we both crossed the line in 1:44:30. Having never paced before, I was truly ecstatic to get a great result first up. Will think of offering myself to pace officially in the future.

REM – It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (August)

Salomon Series Race 3, 21k Olinda. I had entered this race last year as prep for Melbourne. Unfortunately I got sick the Friday night before and there was no way I could front the start line. Probably a blessing in disguise, having not really run a trail to that point, I would have been blown to smithereens attempting that run! So, as part of this years marathon prep, and having trained and raced trails consistently, I decided to have another crack.
The week before, I lead a reccy run of the course. Weather was foul, raining, cold, so much mud on the trails, water running down the trails etc. It gave all of us a good understanding of the task at hand. The worst section was the 3k downhill start, a pleasant way to smash quads with 18k to go!

Just before the start of Salomon Series race 3, at Olinda.
Smiling here, wasn't 10 minutes later...

Race day dawned, weather similar at home in South Gippsland as it was the week before. Get to Olinda to be met with nipple freezing conditions, high wind, and the start line shrouded in this fast moving low cloud, Not the most inviting of conditions. The start was frenetic. Barrelling down the disused Olinda golf course, I was shitting myself that I was going to roll an ankle in an unseen divot. Glad to get on the trail. Then disaster. On the steepest section of trail, a bit slippery, I know, I inverted my ankle. There was a sound like someone snapping a twig across the leg, no real pain, but I stopped immediately. Had a feel around the ankle, felt okay, so I jogged on for another 50 metres, Realising I had no lateral stability, and it felt terrible. I stopped again. Many runners behind me stopped, concerned, many people I knew and are good friends.
At this point I realised, that not only was my race stuffed, but maybe Melbourne was also heading that way. Limped into physio first thing Monday morning (lucky to snag an appointment), the first news was positive. But as the month wore on, the prognosis became darker, and the realisation was seeping in that I was in serious trouble.

Radiohead – In Limbo (September - December)

Peter Mitchell (only one in running gear)
after finishing Surf Coast Century, Anglesea.

By now in the full throes of rehab. That classic roller coaster of lots of swimming, lots of cycling, try a bit of running, breakdown, wish I'd taken up darts as a vocation etc. etc.
Early September, and I have already bailed on Ross half marathon, my second of two target races leading up to Melbourne (first being Olinda). I helped crew a DTR team, and Peter Mitchell at Surf Coast Century, an event that I should have been running (in a relay team), but derived a lot of satisfaction from helping others. Early rehab went well, swelling went down quickly, I could support full weight on ankle within 3 days, albeit with very dodgy lateral control. Building up frequency and intensity of rehab exercises, I was given the conditional all clear to start some short duration runs (minute on, minute stuff, no more than 10 sets of). Started well, progressed nicely until I foolishly ran on some undulations (I refuse to call them hills after running in the Dandenongs!). Going up, fine, coming down, not so good. Back to physio, restructure of rehab, another comeback to running in early October.

At least Inverloch parkrun has filled a hole that no running has left!
Picture of all the Run Directors.

By now I have bailed on Melbourne Marathon, having realised that I might not even make the distance if I could have resumed running in late September. A friend commiserating with me said, "But think just how awesome the first part of the year was", and yes, it was great, but I needed to get to the main event, and that was just not going to happen.
Marathon came and went, my friend Narelle ran under my bib, and ran a cracker of a race (3:31). I'm going to have to pull out all stops to beat that in 2015! Finally, with healing stalled I sought out a Sports Physician, and got an MRI. The report back was a litany of damage, to not just my ATFL, but 2 other ligaments, a cartilage, and throw in some severe bone bruising to the mix, and it was a wonder I could walk at all.
Finally in December, cortisone shot to the ankle in a bid to get on top of the swelling to ligaments around the ankle joint. So far it is debatable whether it has done anything at all. Stiffness, some swelling; it still all exists....
If there is no discernible improvement in the next month, exploratory keyhole surgery has been discussed, depending on what my expectations on running are. A path I have yet to contemplate in any detail.

The Doors - The End

This is the first long term chronic injury I've had through running. At times it has been a real struggle. Support of family & friends has been brilliant. But it is a double edged sword; for every supportive runner, there is the ignominy of me constantly hearing of their continuing running exploits. At times it has driven me nuts, I get really down, then realise that what I have is a first world problem.

At least my football team have been winning.
(and this is the way I want to finish the marathon on the
 MCG later this year!)

The upside is that I have realised how important swimming, cycling and core work are for running. When I am back, I will continue to incorporate these activities into my training programme. I have also realised that as important as running is for me, it isn't the only thing. A trap that many runners can fall into, is the single-minded focus we apply to training and racing. Family ARE important.
And lastly, a few friends have supported me beyond the normal call of a friendship. They know who they are, I have told them personally. But without their support, enthusiasm, compassion, and understanding, I may not be as sane as I am today. Good (if not great) friends are worth more than their weight in gold. I have vowed to repay them in some way or another.

Until next time....