The North Face 100 2012- The Race

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I was a lot more confident going into this race this year- then I started to worry I was too confident. It turns out I was both right- I’d forgotten how insanely hard the race is, but I am also a much more experienced runner.

Crazy runers, or Facebook addicts? Both!

 

I attended a funeral on Friday morning, picked my wife up from work at about midday and drove to the mountains. We had a burger at Plucked and arrived at the Fairmont just before 2:30pm. A fantastic number of my Facebook friends were already there and it was great to finally meet some crazies that I’d been swapping stories with all year. That was the last bit of peace I had all weekend, from then on it was all go!

Helped Sarah show off the new Petzl Nao headlamp, then as soon as registration opened I was off! 3rd in line for my paperwork and managed to be first through the gear check. Very nervous about getting my teeny weeny torches through because Tom the Race Director was standing right behind my gear checker! Everything was fine- we found out later that people had been trying to get strapping tape through as a compression bandage, and one guy turned up with 2 iPhones and said they were his main and backup light!

I hung around for a few more hours talking to people and then it was time for dinner. The pasta buffet at the Fairmont was better than last year and as I was getting a large piece of pavlova one of the employees remarked ‘that’s 4 of those pavlovas we’ve gone through tonight’. They were massive, and delicious.

Adam Darwin's crew chief

Back to the room for a final gear check and laying out of clothes and in bed by 10pm. As you’d expect, I didn’t have a great sleep, but that’s pretty standard the night before a big race. Up at 5am, breakfast loaded with chia seeds, black coffee and grabbed a Powerade to sip before the start. We arrived at the Fairmont to organised chaos and quiet desperation. We all filed into the hall for the competitor briefing, which as usual went late, so by the time that finished and we raced outside to the start I only stood around for a few seconds before the gun went off!

Thanks to Wendy Chung for this image

The first few km are around the streets and are meant to allow the runners to spread out- unfortunately the event has become so popular that the only wave without major holdups this year was wave 1, the fasties. It was here that both my best and worst fears were realised. I figured that it wasn’t possible to hit a sub 14 hour time with the times we were getting in these first km, so I relaxed and went with the flow. In truth, I was never in a position to go sub 14, so this saved me from doing anything (more) stupid.

After passing the Scenic Railway I was opening a gel and fell flat on my arse- the gel squirted a long way! No major damage and I got into checkpoint 1 in 2:42 (sub 14 hour time for this section is 2:10). Grabbed 2 pieces of watermelon, filled my bottle, drank, filled again, picked up a mandarin and placed in my pocket and I was off. The run down Narrowneck was fantastic as usual and I had a great chat to several people- many of whom I would be constantly swapping places with during the day. Annalisa Meryment took off after a quick chat looking like she was doing it easy, then we hit a choke point at Tarro’s Ladder. A volunteer was sending people along a 400m diversion to bypass the ladders, but I decided it was more important for me to rest, eat and talk. The weather here was lovely, last year people were pulling out thermals, it was bloody freezing. I pulled out my mandarin and ate that, finished my bottle of Endura and did a quick gear check. Down the ladders, up a couple of evil spurs and then back on to some fire trail which we follow in to checkpoint 2. Lots more familiar faces at cp2, but a mandatory gear check slowed me down as hey asked to see our maps! How bloody rude, that’s the one item I KNOW I won’t use during this race as the course is so well marked. Of course they were at the bottom of my pack. I had written out my checklist on my iPhone so I consulted that, checked in with Facebook, grabbed a fruit bun and headed out to the dreaded Ironpot Ridge.

I could probably get a bit better at racecraft here-I couldn’t go faster than a walk as I was eating the bun, but the bun wouldn’t go down fast enough- too dry. So I had to bite, take a drink, wet the bread then get it down. It took me too long to work this out, lesson learned. I paused at the bottom of Ironpot Ridge to have a gel and another runner passed me saying ‘I thought you were having a spliff and I was about to ask for some’. Now I’ve seen and heard some pretty odd things while running, and that’s right up there. Ironpot is a pig of a section- you can’t get in any sort of rhythm, it has big ascents and worse descents, you constantly have to slow or step aside for other runners and as it’s an out-and-back, you don’t even get any real sense of accomplishment from doing it.

A creek crossing, lovely trails past farms, and oh yes, more huge f/ing hills! It was about this time that I started to notice other runners flagging. We’d covered some picturesque but brutal and unforgiving landscape, and hadn’t even reached halfway! As much as possible I tried to make sure everyone was ok but there was clearly a big pain monster stalking the crowds. One guy wearing bright green shorts I’d seen earlier on and asked ‘do you have a volume control for those shorts?’ I passed again and tried to get him to run with me into cp3. ‘Why?’ he said and I replied that I wanted to make sure he was too tired to hit me for the comment about his shorts. I made up 15 places on this leg, then lost 15 places by the time I left, symmetry at work…..

Yes I look sick- it's Instagram's fault.

Coming in to cp3 I got a cheer worthy of a real runner, it was awesome! I’m not sure what everyone else thought about a middle of pack runner getting such a rousing reception. I’d been looking forward to cp3 because this is where my first real stop would be. I came in, drank 2 cups of Endura, filled my bottle grabbed my checkpoint bag and went to sit down with Sarah. I ate a boiled egg, and got stuck into some macaroni and cheese. Unfortunately I ate too much and had too much fun talking- I spent 18 minutes in this checkpoint! Quickly shoving down a Newman’s Ginger Treat bar, I left and headed up the Six Foot Track for my date with Nellie. I think it’s worth mentioning here that I had published my nutrition plan for comment and most people said I didn’t have enough real food on the plan, so I’d added the fruit bun and probably ate more of the Mac N Cheese than I should have. It’s nobody’s fault but my own, however I will be careful in the future- the commenters were right that I didn’t have enough ‘real’ food but I was wrong thinking I could fit it in!  I’d eaten so much I couldn’t run properly, I was probably nervous because it was going up Nellie’s Glen last year that I had my low point, I had decided to pull out and it was only the care of my wife that got me through..

For those unfamiliar, Nellie’s Glen is a bunch of stairs going up towards civilisation- more than 500 of them. They’re uneven, often wet and slippery and it seems like they never end. This year I let a couple of people past so I could concentrate on keeping some sort of rhythm. It didn’t work very well, but I had one major advantage- last year the light fell just as I was at the bottom- this year I made it all the way to the Aquatic Centre (Checkpoint 4) before light fell. I really feel this section cost me about 30 minutes- if I’d had a 10 minute transition at cp3 instead of 18, and been able to run a bit more I could have done much better. Coming into CP4 I saw Martyn Dawson who had run despite an awful cold. He’d had to pull out at CP2, but don’t forget that’s 38km and harder than a road marathon! He came along to cp4 to support other runner- thanks Martyn! Into the sports centre I had a quick cup of noodles, some Endura, filled my bottle and had some Coca Cola. That was the best tasting Coke I’ve had in my life, and the noodles were obviously some form of ambrosia. Back out into the (now) night, and about 300m from the cp I remembered something- sh@t- I’d forgotten to fill my bladder. I hadn’t been drinking much water as I’d been supplementing with the collapsible bottle, but I’d just left for the longest section in the whole run without checking a basic requirement. This could spell real trouble. I’d been playing leapfrog with David Madden all day and found him again on Federal Pass getting a bar out of his bag. We had a great chat, and I was making him run little bits (probably should have made him eat his energy bar, that would have been more help) and we met another runner called Scott (I think).

Then behold! It was Adam Darwin finally catching us after 80km, his tardiness caused by a toilet stop at the start! The four of us crossed Leura creek, then Jamison creek together and began the long slog up Kedumba walls. Just after I’d told everybody not to stop at the campfire halfway up, we came to it and discovered a mandatory gear check. I got my stuff checked in double quick time and just as I was leaving Adam D yelled that they had water! I came back and filled my bottle then yelled for Adam, intending to continue with the others. Hearing no reply I looked ahead and thought I saw him climbing the next hill so I took off in pursuit. It wasn’t Adam D but by then I was too far ahead and made the decision to bust my boiler and finish strong. I should have made that decision 80km earlier at the start, but I’m a bit timid sometimes.

A quick note about the Petzl Nao headlamp- I was lucky enough to have one for this race, a few months before they are available to normal people! It behaved flawlessly after I read the manual properly and got my minor niggles worked out. You can read more on this review. I kept the headlamp on the lower regulated setting, putting out about 80 lumens which was nice and bright, and lasted the entire race with some battery left over! One of the guys I was running with up Kedumba muttered to himself ‘oh my lamp does work’ after I got ahead- he’d thought his wasn’t working because mine was so bright!

only 11km to go!

Covering my headlamp, happy I've just finished the biggest hill on the course

Another rousing cheer when I came into checkpoint 5, and I decided not to fill my bladder for the last 11km, I would take a bottle of Powerade and one of Endura. My quickest cp at only 5 minutes, ate a gel on the way out and hooked on to another runner for the ride home. Pretty uneventful until Conservation Hut cafe where I had my last gel, then the massive ups and downs past Lillian’s Glen and up beside the golf course for a strong finish. At the ‘1km to go’ sign I looked at my watch and figured out that if I could do a 9 minute km for the last km I would come under 16:30. I can’t even list how many things are wrong with this logic, but let’s just say I was wrong. My final time of 16:33:58 was more than 2 hours under last years time, and a big relief. Even more fantastic was that David Madden and Adam Darwin both finished in under 17 hours! This time is significant because it means you finish before midnight i.e. on the same day you started. A sub 20 hour finish also means you get a bronze belt buckle. This is a great achievement as the stats show- 990 solo entries sold, 634 total finishers = 356 DNF and DNS. 1x Gold buckle to Ryan Sandes for winning, 111x Silver buckle for under 14hours, 419 Bronze buckles for sub 20 hour finishers.

When we got back to the hotel room I had a shower and read for a while. My wife turned off the light and I suddenly remembered I’d forgotten to eat! She caught me rummaging around in my checkpoint bags looking for uneaten food. Next morning I got up early and went to the hotel dining room. Pretty sure they regret including breakfast in the room rate because I had 3 breakfasts and then went back with my wife later for more……

How bashed around am I? Well I came through with no blisters, and only mild muscle pain in most areas. I went for a short run on Monday night and it loosened up my legs nicely, they were very sore! I’ve had 2 nights sleep of 12 hours or more and I’m starting to feel human again.

 

So what worked? Having the collapsible bottle and taking it full of Endura worked really well. Also the removable arm warmers from my cycling kit were great- it meant I did not have to remove my pack and go looking for extra clothing several times during the event. Swapping sunglasses at CP4 with a pair with clear lenses means I didn’t have to worry about getting hit in the face by branches at night.

What didn’t work? I took a lot of food that wasn’t used, I ate too much at CP3, I forgot to fill up my bladder at CP4, forgot to have the final growling dog bar- must read the checkpoint instructions!

Congratulations to all runners, whether you made it to the end or didn’t make it to the start, we’ve all had a life altering experience. Or at least stomach altering.

Do we look fresh, or manic? Fantastic effort guys!

North Face Non Mandatory gear

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Here’s a list of a few things I’ll be carrying in next weekends North Face 100. They’re not on the mandatory gear list, but don’t make life hard for yourself- if it will make your race easier, take it!

Sunglasses- I’ll be wearing Serfas Portal sunnies, thanks to the local importer VeloVita for getting them in on time! Why wear sunglasses all day? Lots of reasons- you won’t get a headache from the sun, if you get hit in the face with a branch on the single track you won’t get an eye injury, and if you get photo chromatic lenses they’ll adjust to the available light.

Garmin 910XT– how else will I know how slowly I’m running?

Nipple tape– You may not need it, I do.

Spibelt– I’ll most likely have my 2 pieces of spare food in the pocket, and hang my race number on the front using the optional elastic toggle thingys.

Socks- I’ll be wearing Injinji socks. The higher versions because I’ll put anti leech stuff under the socks so the little blighters can’t get inside

Skins- Most likely I’ll wear a long version of the Linebreak compression tights

Shorts with a pocket- I love the Patagonia Ultra shorts. Sadly unavailable now, however they are great because they have nice big pockets on each side. I reserve one pocket for rubbish and clean out at each checkpoint, the other pocket for stuff I need close to hand.

iPod- I’ll use the iPod Nano 16GB. Anybody who knows me understands that my first priority is chatting to other runners, but last year when leaving checkpoint 4 I was alone and loved putting on some choons as I descended the Giant Staircase.

Headphones- the Sennheiser PMX-680i are very comfortable and pretty easy to route the cables.

Bodyglide– it’s not fun to put lube where the sun doesn’t shine- if you don’t, it’s going to hurt bad. Insert prison joke here.

Gloves- for me, something like these is ideal, they have a mesh back so my hands don’t get too sweaty but they give some protection. Yes I know they’re ugly.

Salt Stick capsules– this is very much a personal ‘feel’ thing. In a road marathon I’d have one at 20km and one at 30km to stave off cramps. During TNF I’ll probably have a couple more but can’t really predict how many I’ll need. I always take a few extra, because I ALWAYS see someone on the course who needs them. You should consider what you’ll be taking for cramps! By the way- the super huge ‘this will last me for 10 years’ bottle was only slightly more expensive than the ‘3 marathon’ bottle.

Aspirin- I’m a simple bloke so a simple solution for headaches seems in order. Might be some Panadol in the first aid kit too but I’m mostly looking to follow Jane Trumpers advice and steer clear of drugs. Unless someone lights a joint up Kedumba, then I’ll try to warm my hands on it.

Compeeds– These things are like magic on blisters and hot spots. If you get a hot spot, stop immediately and slap one of these super sticky things on, the pain will go away and you can carry on- an absolute must in your kit. I gave one to a guy on Kedumba last year and I think he would’ve named his children after me. Poor kids.

Ventolin inhaler – I would never have survived childhood if it wasn’t for Ventolin, and while I’ve only had one asthma attack in recent memory, cold weather can cause EIA- exercise induced asthma. I’d be silly not to carry it.

 

Petzl Nao Headlamp Review

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Here’s a brief overview- full review to come. I’m very lucky to have been sent a Petzl Nao headlamp for testing and review. What makes me so excited? Well, it truly is a new technology applied to an old concept. For a full description, check out this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZb3k_x067w

It’s an ambitious goal, and it mostly works well as I’ll explain. I’ve been using the Nao for over a week both in  built up areas and in the bush.

The Good-
It’s amazingly bright- my Petzl MYO RXP has about 140 lumens, the Nao is 350 (and the MYO RXP is pretty bright to start with!). Even on the low setting straight out of the box other runners were saying they thought a car was coming up behind them. The battery pack is lighter than the MYO RXP. The reactive circuits work as advertised, and they’re amazingly fast. The headlamp is held on to your head by a new system that puts less pressure on your head than the old elastic strap, and it’s easy to adjust.  It has a square, rotating momentary switch on the front that allows you to turn it on and adjust easily even with gloved hands- this is a major improvement over the RXP- I loved that lamp but the ‘on’ button was a pig to use. Running at the front of the group along some quite technical single track was just a joy- I’m not a fast runner but others in the group were calling on me to slow down- it was a great feeling. I don’t think the lamp makes me run faster, simply that I had more confidence than the others because of the light output. OK, maybe a little bit faster? It has an uncanny ability to adjust when you swing your head around and up the trail. When standing around in a group, it turned itself down so that it didn’t annoy others. It’s particularly good when there isn’t much light ‘pollution’ around, or bright spots (reflecting packs etc).

The Bad-
The Nao initially doesn’t feel ‘right’ when I put it on- the cable that leads to the battery hits the top of my ear which is very annoying, and it’s not long enough to re-route. It doesn’t feel symmetrical on my head, but perhaps that is my head! After a while, I forget about this and it’s no problem but I’ve experienced this every time I’ve put it on so far. There’s a few circumstances where the reactive lighting is incredibly annoying. Running along partly lit streets at night, the Nao keeps on making wild adjustments to the light output which is disconcerting to watch. Also when in a group, if you’re travelling along single track and you have someone in front of you, the sensor will detect any light reflecting from that person and turn your light down! Have you noticed how much reflective stuff is attached to the back of your gear? The effect can be vicious, making you work harder to see the trail than if using a normal headlamp. On wider tracks, you can avoid this by simply running to one side of the person in front, which is best practice anyway as you can see more of what is coming up.

I should point out though that this is simply the way the Nao works- you can program the light modes using your computer and a program called OS by Petzl, which is a free download. Unfortunately it doesn’t recognise the Nao battery yet, meaning I could not change the reactive lighting modes or simply use regulated mode.

(UPDATE- this is why I’m not a real journalist. If I’d given the instruction manual more than a cursory glance I would have realised that you can easily set the headlight into regulated mode by simply holding the momentary switch for 2 seconds. I also found that Petzl have a way to re route the battery cable so it doesn’t hit my ear. So I’ve gone from cranky to amazed, and all it took was a bit of RTFM). So that’s 2 out of my 3 grievances with the product gone, time to give it a higher score!

Regulated mode means that the headlamp regulates the power output (and therefor the light output) so that the lamp stays at the same brightness, without dimming as the battery runs low. So most of my concerns about this headlamp can be fixed by simply programming a mode that does not use the reactive mode. This might sound counter intuitive to not use the technology available in the lamp, but it’s pretty obvious that it’s strengths lie in being in front, or not in suburban streets! One mode for bush running, one for street running- perfect! Using the instructions provided, I have figured out that this sequence will be best for me during the North Face 100- turn it on, then hold the switch for 2 seconds to put it in regulated mode, then one more click to put it in level 2 (approximately 88 Lumens output). This will give me a burn time of approximately 8 hours, and I should only need about 6-7 hours. Perfect!

The Ugly-
It’s not available Nao, er I mean now! Official release date is July. I’ve already had several offers of cash under the table to part with it. And I’m wondering if I can keep it long enough so I don’t have to be without one for long. Before I used this headlamp I wondered why I could possibly want another one- we’ve got others in just about every room in the house. But this is definitely a headlamp that will be added to my collection. If not Nao, then soon!

North Face 100 Nutrition Plan & Drop Bags V2

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Well it’s only 20 days to go so I’m trying to figure out what to eat on the day. This will all go out the window as soon as the gun goes off, but it pays to be prepared……. Basically I’m writing this because in the later parts of the race I won’t be able to think for myself, but if I know what I’m SUPPOSED to be doing I’ll be ok.

After talking with a friend today, I realised it isn’t very clear where all this stuff is coming from-
Checkpoints will provide-
Endura sports drink (pre mixed)
Water to fill bladders
Fruit
Bread/buns
Gels are available at some checkpoints, but you can’t depend on them, and if you do, you might have to take grape flavour, which is quite vile tasting. Other items I will have to carry.

Start to Checkpoint 1
1x Banana
2x Gel
At CP1- Drink 500ml Endura at checkpoint, take another 500ml with me when leaving.
Chia seeds
Do not fill bladder

Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 22x Gel
1x packet Gu chomps
1x Salt tablet

At CP2- Drink 500ml Endura at checkpoint, take 500ml with me plus 1x Growling Dog bar. Take a piece of fruit, maybe a bun
Fill up bladder

Checkpoint 2 to Checkpoint 3
3x Gel
1x packet Gu chomps

At CP3- Macaroni and cheese 2-300g. Chia seeds, 500ml Endura, take 500ml with me when leaving plus  1-2 boiled eggs and a banana
Check bladder, don’t fill up too much

Checkpoint 3 to Checkpoint 4
2x Gels
1x Banana
1x Gu chomps
1x Salt tablet
Important- must eat Gu part way up Nellie’s Glen!

At CP4- 500ml Endura, fill bottle to take with me
check bladder, fill up to 1.5l!
Take a cup noodle with me

Checkpoint 4 to Checkpoint 5
Important- eat 1-2 gels going up Kedumba!
4x Gels
1x Gu chomps
1x Growling Dog bar
1x Salt tablet

At CP5- check to make sure you don’t have too much water. Drink 500ml Endura, take a 500ml bottle with me. Eat a piece of fruit if you can. Piss off and finish the race.

 

This means I’ll need to carry from the start of the race to checkpoint 3-
8x Gel (1 spare)
3x Gu Chomps (1 spare)
small flask with chia seeds
1x banana

And I’ll need to pack the following
Checkpoint 3 bag
3x Gels (1 spare)
Macaroni Cheese
Chia seeds
2x boiled eggs (peeled, in a sandwich bag)
Banana
Gu Chomps

Checkpoint 4 bag
4x Gels
Gu Chomps
Growling Dog bar
fruit?
Chips
Proper headlights (will be carrying low weight versions during the day)
Clothing for night time
Leave sunglasses in bag here

extra mandatory gear if required

Checkpoint 5 bag
Lemonade/ Coke
Gels
Gu Chomps
Chips

Race Day Prep and Nutrition

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Breakfast of Champ- 'Back of Packer'

Please read this with the usual disclaimers- I’m not an experienced ultra runner so as my race craft improves I’ll change some of these things, and what works for me might make you violently ill. Remember- don’t try new stuff on race day!

Sleep- I never sleep well before a big race, but get as much quality sleep as you can. It will make you calmer and you probably won’t forget quite as much important stuff…..

Let’s assume you’ve trained your bum off, carb loaded correctly, snipped your toe nails and slept well. You’ve laid out the night before all the stuff that you need in the morning, and you’re staying somewhere near where the race starts. If the race begins at 7am, I’m going to get up at 5-5:30am. Here’s what happens next-

5:30 Breakfast. Four Weet Bix (or non toasted muesli) topped with chopped apple plus other fruit if available, a bit of yoghurt and some skim milk. Black coffee (a little stronger on race day if possible, maybe 20%), and a bunch of vitamins. For a short race (half marathon or less) I’ll add a tablespoon of chia seeds to breakfast. Read the paper online

6:00am Off to the bathroom for various reasons- hey you don’t want to ruin your race before it starts right?

6:10am Put on socks, shoes, body glide, compression gear, shorts, nipple tape, heart rate monitor, singlet. For longer races I’ll add extra foot care- strapping, compeeds, lubrication. For trail races I’ll add a layer of anti leech stuff on my lower legs.

6:30am arrive at start. Begin sipping a 600ml bottle of sports drink- Gatorade, Powerade or Endura if I’ve remembered to make it up.

6:50am Two puffs of a Ventolin puffer- as an ex asthmatic this helps my breathing a lot. For a shorter race I’ll have a gel at this point. Hand over excess gear to wife, line up for race!

Note- Chia seeds are one of those things that tree hugging vego hippies like to proclaim as a ‘super food’ and there’s nothing more likely to turn me off something than calling a ‘super food’. In this case though, there seems to be something in it. These things seem to give me a boost of endurance- not energy as such, but ability to carry on longer than normal. They don’t taste bad, and in longer events I’ll sometimes take an empty 300ml flask with a tablespoon of them inside. I fill up at a checkpoint and drink immediately. Tastes better with honey but not too hard to get down if you’ve been slamming down gels all day. I don’t fill the flask early because they absorb the water and become gluggy, with the risk that you won’ be able to get them down your throat.

After any hard session I try to get some protein down as soon as possible- be careful with protein powder as too much makes me very farty, much to my wife’s disgust.

What’s your plan?

Mount Solitary Ultra 2012 Preparedness

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Hi all, to those doing Mt Solitary this weekend I’ve made a few short notes about what to take.

Note- if anything said here disagrees with the official website, the website wins……
http://www.runningwildnsw.com/mt-solitary-ultra/

All entrants were emailed this yesterday advising that you will need to have all of the mandatory gear available at the race. Depending on conditions you may have to carry it during the race, so don’t forget!
Here’s a few things that may make your day more pleasant
– spare shoes and socks for the end. There is at least 2 creek crossings, one of them about 3-4km from the start
– spare (warm!) clothes for the end
– deodorant (if you’re car sharing this may prevent you being left at the side of the road at Blaxland)
– sun cream (yes this is another race that could require both sun cream and fleece all in one day!)
– old credit card to remove leeches
– money to spend at the food stand after the run, alternatively-
– food for after the run
– a drink for after the run
– money so you can stop at Macca’s at Blaxland
– salt tabs or a source of salt/ electrolytes
– plenty of gels/ food to take with you
Remember that we’ll be out there for a fair while, maybe take a camera because you’ll be passing some unbelievable views. The top of Mt Solitary is a pretty magical place.
Leech protection
There’s likely to be a few of these but don’t be concerned, be prepared!
If it’s cold wear long skins and tuck them over the tops of your socks to keep the creatures out. Otherwise I use a roll on bug killer- I apply from just under the sock line to just over the sock line and sometimes on other exposed skin areas like back of knees etc. Since doing this I haven’t had a single leech problem, but that could be luck. Also if you stop, don’t go off the trail or sit down anywhere that you haven’t thoroughly inspected. Keep moving or stand in the middle of the trail.
Leech removal
Take an old credit card or use a long fingernail to lever them off. They’re very hard to kill, but I’m usually upset enough to try.
Last thought- I’ve had some emails from people freaking out because I took 8:37 to finish last year.
1. Every one of those people is a stronger/ faster runner than me
2. last year I was training above my ability and was sore and grumpy before the race even started
3. I’m sure each of you can beat that time with no trouble, just like I expect to

Canberra Marathon/ 50km Ultra 2012

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It was 5.5 degrees celsius when we got up at 5:30am for the Canberra marathon. I had to make a decision whether to wear my NRG singlet, or the Mt Solitary top that has pockets and sleeves. Easy decision right? Of course I had to wear the singlet! This turned out to be the right decision and the weather was just about perfect.

Packed a bunch of gels in and off we went. Maria took a pic of most of the runners, and we lined up for the start. What did I expect? Well, I generally have 3 goals.

1. A stretch (outperform) goal

2. a ‘very happy’ goal

3. a ‘good enough’ goal.

In reverse order these were

3. Finish

2. 3 hours 55  minutes

1. 3 hours 45 minutes

Honestly after a bout of man flu last week I rally doubted goals 1 and 2, but anyway…..

After the gun went off I tried to settle down into a rhythm, and felt terrible. I now realise that this is normal- I don’t seem to feel comfortable until about 8-10km in. At 8.5km I felt better and proceeded to watch my pace and nutrition, slowly getting past the 3:45 pacer yet knowing that he would get past me by the end! Had a great conversation with a guy who wants to resurrect the Sydney to Melbourne Ultra, but no thanks, I’ll be happy to cheer the starters. He took one look at me and said ‘you’re a skinny bastard and I’m a fat c@nt’, but it didn’t take long for us to work out that I weigh 5kg more than him, he was just a bit more ‘compact’. At 24km I was starting to get scared of the pain when I hit the wall but seemed to be coming along quite well, still doing 5:10- 5:20 pace, until we hit the 30km mark and I was running out of people to talk to, put the headphones on at 32km and tried to pretend that it didn’t hurt. By this time my pace was getting a bit raggedy, and slipping to 5:40s and the 3:45 bus went past. Strangely enough it took them a long time to get away from me, but I’d decided to do the ultra and not kill myself in the marathon. At the back of the 3:45 bus was Leah Evans, one of the people training for The North Face 100. I was great to chat to her for a while, but I stopped to have a salt tablet, ran too hard to catch up and eventually had to let her go chase the bus. She did really well to finish in 3:45, just behind the pacer, well done to her!

By the time I finished she was just out of sight (exactly 30 seconds in front of me), and my finish of 3:46:05 put me just about at my stretch goal- actually only 6 seconds outside of a 3:45 finish. Whoa. Fantastically happy, but it wasn’t over yet……

It’s a bit weird to be hitting the ‘lap’ button on your Garmin instead of the ‘stop’ button at the end of a marathon, but that’s what I did. I was hunched over, gasping into the dirt and a medic came up to me and asked me if I was alright ‘yes I’m fine’ I replied, ‘I’m just trying to figure out if I’ve got enough energy to do the 50’. Then a few gasps later I heard the announcer say ‘and here comes Michael McGrath across the finish line’ and I thought to myself, he’s a tough bugger, I can’t let him do the 50 and not do it too. So I trotted 50m up the road while thinking ‘you could have stopped, this is the worst decision you’ve ever made. Think of the simple beauty of sitting in a freaking CHAIR right now you idiot’. An NRG runner (Brett I think?) offered me some gels which I accepted, and about 300m later I caught up with some other competitors ‘are any of you Michael McGrath?’ ‘no’ they all replied. It seems I had let my brain order my body around for no reason. Oh well, it’s only 8km, how bad could it be?

Honestly? Pretty bad.

I’d promised myself I wouldn’t do the extra 8km unless I had a good chance of finishing in under 5 hours. So I practised left, right, repeat until my rapidly dissolving brain threatened to send me sideways into nice folks walking in the park (the extra bit for the ultra is along the side of a body of water, and you share the path with walkers, cyclists etc). One of the walkers said in a hushed voice ‘look at the colour of him’ but I didn’t have the energy for a chorus of ‘bitch I’m faaaabulous!’ I started to cramp, and immediately realised that in my desire to finish the marathon, I’d forgotten a couple of salt tablets and missed a nutrition slot. One salt tab and gel later, I walked for about 1500m until the cramps went and then tried to start again. A final km of apx 5:50 and I came through the gates a very happy man in a total elapsed time of 4:42.

 

in case you’re interested I had gels at 8km, 13, 18, 23, 28, 33, 38, 45. Too many? Probably, but the one time I missed a slot (43km) I bonked badly shortly after.

Yes it's as painful as it looks. No I did not need to go to the toilet

 

Statistics

Garmin

Marathon

Ultra

 

North Face 100 Mandatory Gear

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Update 12.4.2012

–Lowes sell a hi-vis vest that complies with the required standard for $14.95. Yes I know this one says $9.95 but in the store it was $14.95……….

–Anaconda seem to have 20% off North Face fleece at the moment. I now own my first piece of North Face gear, and it’s very nice- $80 marked down to $64

–Anaconda also have a combined whistle and compass for $2.99 though make sure the compass works before you buy one, it’s not the best piece of gear you’ll ever buy, but you’ll never lose it. it’s huge. And yellow.

-Most current Petzl headlamps include a whistle. If you have a Tikka XP2 or similar, have a look at the headband tensioner- you might be surprised to find a whistle moulded into the plastic. I certainly was!

-I also want to acknowledge the huge help I’ve gained from others. In 2011 I was crapping myself at the huge task I’d jumped into, and probably the best source of info was Nick Weinholt’s Enduroexplorer.com website. I’ve since found out that he’s a helpful and approachable bloke too. You should read the website and particularly the training and gear list he did for the 2010 race. And although the Ultra168 guys are a whole new level of crazy (er, I mean commitment) you should read their adventures too- lots of good info there. You should also check out the gear thread on Coolrunning. Pasty has put another good summary there, and you can ask questions too!

 

I’ve seen a lot of discussion on various sites about the mandatory gear for TNF100, so I thought I’d share a few insights I gained last year in the hope that it will help some other competitors. Following is a list of the gear taken directly from the event website with my own explanations and links etc. It will be updated if the gear list changes, or if someone provides an interesting view that we should share here. Description of the mandatory item in italics, explanation below-

1 x long sleeve thermal top (polypropylene, wool or similar). Cotton, coolmax, lycra and any compression garment will not be sufficient even if the compression garment is called a “thermal compression garment”. You may still use compression garments however they do not replace this mandatory item. Refer to this link for an explanation.

My wife’s work distributes a New Zealand brand called SilkBody. After much searching I found that silk does have the thermal properties required, and so I used a piece of this. I had to email the Race Director Tom Landon Smith to have this approved. For the record, I love silk, but I’m going to save up for something nice instead of the fashion crime that I wore last year. Weight: 151g

Update 2 (12.4.2012)- My wife has just been to Patagonia in Sydney and purchased for me a Capilene long sleeved top. In her words- the silk weight version probably does not comply, and the lightweight version is ok for summer but probably not a Blue Mountains winter. The Midweight probably best matches the polypropylene specified in the mandatory item description.

I had an email from Tom the Race Director indicating that the fleece needed to be synthetic and that silk or wool was not appropriate. I’ve moved it to the bottom of this article because I made the mistake of thinking he was talking about the thermals however he actually meant the 100 weight fleece top. D’oh!

1 x long leg thermal pants (polypropylene, wool or similar). Cotton, coolmax, lycra and any compression garment will not be sufficient even if the compression garment is called a “thermal compression garment”. You may still use compression garments however they do not replace this mandatory item. Refer to this link for an explanation.

 I used a pair of polypropylene thermals I had purchased for a trip to NZ. Fairly lightweight, these were purchased from Khatmandu- they are from the Ultracore range- linkWeight: 173g

1 x waterproof and breathable jacket with hood (plastic rain poncho etc. not acceptable)

This is probably the item that causes the most discussion. It must meet the international standard for ‘waterproofness’, have a hood and actually fit you. Yes, people have tried to get through check in with child sized items to save weight. Don’t do it. I can confirm that the lightest jacket that meets the spec is the Montane Lightspeed H2O at 132g. However- in an email from the Race Director Tom Landon Smith, he says that although this jacket will pass, he would recommend going up to the Montane Minimus which weighs 227g. Why? Because the Minimus contains Pertex fabric which is much more breathable. I’m sure the Minimus will probably last longer too! In 2011 I used a Mont jacket (different brand) which weighs about 450g, so you can save a lot of weight here. I’ve ordered the Montane Litespeed H2O Weight: 132g

1 x beanie, balaclava or buff

at Trailwalker 2010 I was given a buff about the halfway point, and it was the most glorious feeling to be putting on something so warm- it has a drawstring so it can be made into a beanie, and I’m going to use that instead of the achingly expensive snow beanie. Remember you lose a lot of heat out of your head, and it’s going to be bloody cold. Weight: 46g

1 x full-fingered lightweight thermal gloves (polypropylene, wool or similar)

I borrowed some lovely powder blue coloured gloves from my wife, it’s not too hard to find these. The borrowed gloves stayed in their packet, as I have a personal preference for non sweaty hands, and covering them up makes me very sweaty. The best compromise I have found here is some old leather weightlifting gloves that have an open mesh back. Lots of protection for your hands if you fall, but not too sweaty. Weight: 34g (nylon cycling gloves)

1 x High Visibility Safety Vest that complies with Australian Standard AS/NZS 4602:1999 -N Class for night time wear.

*I borrowed one of these from my wife’s work. You might have contacts who can loan you one of these, or you can buy them from Bunnings/ Masters Hardware etc. Not expensive, but make sure it meets the specs- and it use go OVER your pack so you can be seen from behind at night. Weight: unknown

1 x headlamp (test your headlamp on bush tracks at night prior to the event to make sure it provides enough light to both see the track and the course markings)

* My main light here is the Petzl MYO RXP. It outputs 140 lumens (160 in boost mode) and has lots of options, the big bonus being it has regulated output- this means that as your batteries wear out it will keep a constant light output- your light doesn’t get dimmer over time. I also used the hideously expensive Lithium batteries, and they lasted for several months after the event was over- I could almost view them as good value! During the day I will carry 2 small cheap lights from a $2 shop. I’ll have the good lights in my bag for checkpoint 3. Update- ‘cheap’ didn’t work- I walked into Khamandu and they had exactly what I wanted, at 5x the price I wanted to pay- I picked up 2 tiny ‘Keyring Mini Hand Torch‘ at $10 each- and that was 50% off! Yes I felt dirty paying $10 each for a 9g torch that would sell in Shenzen for 20c, but that’s life. *I have asked the Race Director for a ruling on the torch vs headlamp description, will update when I receive a reply. Weight: 10g  (light until CP3). Weight: 134g (Petzl MYO RXP with batteries)

1 x small backup light in case of headlamp failure but still bright enough for you to walk by and see course markings

* I will use a Petzl Tikka XP2 for my backup light. it is perfectly ok for an event like the North Face 100 as your main light, but I’m lucky that my wife works for the local distributor so these things breed like rabbits in our house. Weight: 10g (light until CP3). Weight: 88g (Petzl Tikka XP2 including batteries)

1 x mobile phone (Telstra Next G is strongly recommended as coverage on the course is far better than any other network)

*Yes Telstra aren’t my favourite people either, but my phone is with them and the network is pretty good. Weight: 150g

1 x compass for navigation in the very unlikely event that you get lost (while we recommend a good quality compass such as the Silva Field 7, you can bring any compass as long as the magnetic needle will settle quickly and will point to magnetic North. A watch compass is allowed as long as you can calibrate it and use it correctly)

 another key item with lots of questions. Yes I actually saw a few people last year get through by explaining that their iPhone has a built in compass, and you may be able to convince someone that your phone won’t run out of battery when you need it. HOWEVER- don’t go trying to bend the rules just because you can. Get a real compass. Raid your kids toy box, go to Toys R Us and have a look. Find a small compass that works and isn’t too crappy and you’re done. I bought my 2011 compass from an Australian Geographic shop- it looks a little like the Silva, but was half the price. It isn’t truly crappy and may make the cut for this year, but it weighs 48g, I’m sure I can get something smaller……. No link, does not seem to be currently available. OK, I’ve just bought this from eBay, should weigh about 10g, Weight: 48g (to be updated with a lighter one….). Weight: 10g (this is the lighter one for 2012)

UPDATE- just got an email from the Race Director which says the following- Can I use an iPhone as my compass?  Answer is no.  ‘It can be a watch as the gear list states but you need to be able to calibrate the watch compass correctly.  The phone is no good as it is needed for calls and the more use it gets the more chance of getting wet and not working any longer.  The compass is most likely to be needed if it was wet so big chance of drowning the phone especially when trying to make a call at the same time.’

1 x whistle

*most Salomon packs seem to have a whistle built in, so I have 3. You should either borrow one from someone who owns a Salomon pack, or buy one from a toy or sports store- Rebel Sport will have these. You can go there after you’ve been thrown out of Toys R Us for being disruptive. Weight: included with pack

1 x emergency space blanket, light bivvy sack or equivalent

* Salomon Advanced Skin XT Wings Super Nuclear Speedcross Blah packs have these inside, or I bought one for about $5 from Khatmandu last year. Hint- Khatmandu seems to always be on sale……Weight: 55g

1 x compression bandage for the treatment of sprains or snake bite (crepe compression bandages are fine but they need to say they are compression – for sprains and snake bites)

I asked, but never got to the bottom of what makes a suitable compression bandage- common sense says that it’s the elastic in the bandage that will provide the compression. Supplied by my wife from our medical box, but you can buy these from Chemists. Weight: 45g

1 x full box of waterproof & windproof safety matches (provided by organisers)

1 x firelighter block for emergency use only (Jiffy Firelighter provided by organisers).  You will need to provide your own zip lock bag or container.

*pretty self explanatory- there will be a table at check-in with these items on it. Grab a small amount and stash them in a zip lock sandwich bag that you have brought along. You’ll need a couple of extras for this and following items. Weight: no idea, say 30g

1 x lightweight Dry Sack to keep your compulsory clothing dry (plastic bags or zip lock bags are fine but Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil dry sack is recommended)

*I bypassed buying a dry sack, and put everything in individual zip lock sandwich bags. I also wrote on the outside of each bag what the contents were, and found that I never had to look far for anything. This is important and could save time when you are cold and mentally shattered. Weight: 3g each, you’ll need about 10 of these

Capacity to carry 2 litres of water (water bladder or water bottles)

* the Salomon Super Advanced XT Wings Wooshka Skinbag comes with a bladder that holds 1.5 litres, so it doesn’t technically meet these requirements. I bought some Platypus bendy bottles and a 2l Platypus bladder and now I have more than enough capacity. Indeed, I could smuggle a cheeky red and some fine cognac on to the course. But won’t. Weight: 2l water = 2Kg, Weight: 157g (bladder)

2 x bars / food portions

* When you pull everything out of your pack after the event, you probably won’t remember why you have 2 squished muesli bars at the bottom. These were your emergency food items. Equally important- if you get into trouble, don’t forget they are there! Weight: 39g (muesli bar) Weight: 33g (packet of Gu chomps)

1 x Ziploc bag for your personal rubbish

*Oh no! You’ve just added 3g to your running weight! Don’t worry, you’ll sweat it out.

1 x set of maps and course descriptions (provided by organisers). At registration, you will be provided with one set of maps and course notes.  You will need to protect these from getting wet (using item below)

* provided on A3/ sometimes A4 paper, you will put these in a safe place and forget they are there. It’s unlikely you will refer to the maps- the course is very clearly marked. Weight: 62g (I weighed another competitors handout from 2010)

1 x waterproof map case or any other way to keep your maps protected such as map contact

*The best of these I’ve seen is by Sea to Summit. I have a Sealine one that is big and bulky. The Sea To Summit should be available from most of the camping stores around Kent St in Sydney- Update, purchased this 4.4.12 for 15% off at Paddy Pallin, $25.50 apx), Weight: 128g (Sealine from 2011). Weight: 53g (Sea to Summit 2012)

1 x A5 Participant Emergency Instructions card on waterproof paper (provided by organisers)

*self explanatory. Don’t need to memorise it, just know where it is if you get in trouble. Weight: 6g (pretty sure this info is on the back of your race number, so I weighed one from another race)

1 x timing band to be worn on your left ankle (provided by organisers)

**don’t put this on too tight. Having blood gush out of your leg because the timing chip dug a hole in you is not a good look. Yes, I’ve done it. Weight: if you really want to know, email me and I’ll ask Tom the RD

1 x race number to be worn on your front and visible at all times (provided by organisers).  A recommended method of securing your race number is to use an elastic waist strap like a triathlon band which allows you to easily have your number visible over the top of your outermost item of clothing.  You will need to provide your own elastic waist strap if you choose to do this.

*remember if you aren’t near the front of the pack you will most likely experience a few weather changes during your event, and you’ll probably want to change clothes. If the extra fleece and waterproof pants are declared mandatory during he race you could be changing both your bottom and top clothing, meaning that the best way of having your race number visible at all times is to have it on a special belt or a SPI-Belt. For some unknown reason Running Wild NSW were giving these away at the Knapsack race, so I have one- but if you don’t you should find them at Rebel Sport/ Performance Sport or other sports stores. By the way- you should join Running Wild NSW- they have some great events! Weight: 6g as noted above + race belt weight. Weight: 60g (SpiBelt with 2 pockets)

1 x long leg waterproof pants

* I bought mine from Rebel Sport for about $40,  they are Team brand. You can get some for about $20, but they were non breathable plastic and looked easy to rip, and very heavy. You may not have to carry this for the whole race, see the explanation on the website. Weight: 191g

1 x 100-weight long sleeve synthetic fleece top

* I borrowed a piece from my wife in 2011. 100 weight polar fleece is not very heavy. You may not have to carry this for the whole race, see the explanation on the website. An example of a 100 weight fleece top here, but I actually ordered this 200 weight one here because it was lighter and cheaper. Weight: unknown. Don’t want wife to catch me raiding her closet. Again. (2011). Weight: 346g (2012 bought my own)

UPDATE- I’ve just had an email from the Race Director which says this- Does the synthetic fleece have to be synthetic or can it be wool? ‘ The answer is it does need to be synthetic as synthetic fleece doesn’t get wet fibres whereas wool fibres do absorb water and can end up being wet, and therefore clammy and colder.  Even though equivalent weight wool tops are probably warmer when dry.’ I’ll need to look at some polypro clothing to substitute for my silk. No big deal.

Other things to remember-

There will be at least one random gear check. Don’t try to skimp on any of the mandatory gear, it could ruin your race if you have to wait for a crew member to drive one to you- which is the best case scenario.

In 2011 we were required to carry a first aid kit. I use an Aide Void kit which is very small and has lots of worthwhile stuff in it. Declaration- yes my wife works for the company that distributes these but I will carry one anyway in 2012…….

All of the outdoor shops seem to be on sale right now (Khatmandu permanently!) and I saw some of the mandatory gear at great prices where they all cluster around Kent St Sydney.

 

Recommended items:

  • Vaseline, Body Glide or other body lubricant
  • Sunscreen
  • Cap or sun hat
  • Spare socks
  • Spare headlight batteries
  • Additional warmer clothing at supported checkpoints
  • A spare headlamp in case your main light stops working.
  • More substantial first aid kit (sterile dressings, roll of strapping tape, blister care such as blister block patches, Compeed or Fixamol, antiseptic wipes, painkillers, and any relevant personal medications).

I’ll do another post soon about the non mandatory items you should consider……….

Six Foot Track 2012

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When the race was officially cancelled, my first thought was to miss going to the Blue Mountains that weekend and instead go to my best friends son’s birthday in the Southern Highlands. However I figured that since the room and meals were paid for I might as well get some value out of the weekend. Glad I did, because the weekend turned out to be a fantastic time, and also because our car broke down, preventing my wife from going to the 5y olds party……

Shoes before Six Foot Track

We arrived in Katoomba about 2:30pm on Friday, checked in and I had to do a small job for a client, then it was off to the pub. It was at this point that my weekend became a little more challenging. Not mentioning any names, but the conversation went like this-

Michael Hahn ‘I’m doing Six Foot anyway’

Martyn Dawson ‘if you do it I’m doing it’

Me ‘No way, I’m going to run with the club’

One beer later…..

Me ‘I’ll think about it.’

I think you can guess what happened after that. So we went back to the YHA and booked the bus back from Cave’s House at 3pm. Lady behind the counter knew exactly what we were up to, and was a member of the Bush Fire Brigade. She was at pains to tell us that the Vollies would never call off the race no matter how much danger there was. And I replied that I felt the correct decision had been made and I wasn’t looking for anyone to blame- I’d hate to be a race director!

Mere minutes later one of the committee members from our club sat down opposite me and said ‘So you’re running Six Foot tomorrow….’

Our cover was blown- turns out we hadn’t told the YHA lady that it was a secret and she’d asked this person to give us the receipt for the bus trip. D’oh! Luckily he knows how to keep a secret and we agreed that it would be bad if this information got out.

At the Start, sun coming up....

So at 6:44 on Saturday morning someone shouted go and we hit ‘start’ on the Garmin. It was nice not having to elbow people out of the way in the first few hundred metres of fire trail, and the trip (sorry, run) down Nellie’s Glen seemed normal- that is wet but not dangerous. The single track after that was sloshy in places, but much better than I’d expected, I actually managed to keep my shoes mainly dry for about 10km.

It was fantastic running along the fire trail in the first section- sun just coming up, nice crisp air and good company. Until the bastards got me lost. I mean honestly, those 2 guys have more than 10 Six Foot Tracks between them- how could they just let me run blithely up a road and miss a bloody great sign? Anyway, all sorted and a few minutes later we were crossing the first of many stiles.

Up past the blackberry bushes (no fruit this time) through a couple of gates and into the single track beside cox’s river. Wow, what a roar, the river sounds really angry. A few KM later we got to the suspension bridge, and the group who got past when we were lost had beaten us there, so we had quite a wait. I took some pictures, had a snack (bite sized pikelets FTW!) and had a bit of a stretch.

Scary suspension bridge

The bridge is scary. If you’d told me it was 15km and back over the bridge, or 50km to home I would take the non bridge option. Then we ran around to Cox’s campground, took some photos and video, refilled our water and continued on. As you can see in the video here the crossing point that would have the rope stretched across was flowing quite fast, and based on that I’d say you could not guarantee the safety of all runners. I know quite a bit of discussion has been happening online but it’s all armchair speculation- the correct decision was made to call the race off.

As usual, the first water crossing along the road up to Mini Mini Saddle was unavoidable, and a little bit deeper than I’ve seen before. I struggled up Mini Mini which was a bit of a slap in the face after all the hill training I’ve done- and of course this had nothing to do with the beer consumed the previous afternoon….

Regroup at the top and a bite to eat, then off down to Allum Creek. Spotted some trail bikers (well they were hard to miss- the bikes make an incredible racket) they warned us that the creeks were well up, and off we went again. There’s a couple of creek crossings in this section (sorry can’t name them) and true enough they were at knee height rather than normal ankle height. No big problem but they were flowing quite fast, you had to be very careful where to put your feet.

one of the creek crossings- yes I should have removed the phone from bag

Up the Pluviometer I fell into the same sufferfest hole as before, so I just tried to keep my heart rate down and not blow up. This meant that the others got several hundred metres in front by the top, but one of us had developed a groin strain. I was feeling good and pushed on Black Range Rd to the Deviation and waited for the others in the shade. Soon we came upon an unofficial drinks stop for the Berowra Bush Runners, who informed us that there was water at the camp ground just around the corner. The tank was in shade and it was glorious fresh tasting and cool. We met another couple of runners  here and ran with them off and on till the end. After the road crossing I was bitten by some angry wildlife, but the rest was uneventful. Our injured mate was begging us to ‘p@ss off and leave me to die on my own’ which of course we couldn’t do, but with only 3km to go and wanting to try out the steep descents with my new Salomon Speedcross shoes I took off. I figured if he didn’t turn up I could probably have enough energy to go and find his body later. Last year during this section I was in agony- my whole body was rebelling and my quads were on fire. This year I felt in control, happy smashing the descents generally loving the energy that I’d lacked earlier!

Coming down the final footpath/ steps there were a lot of tourists, but I didn’t get too many filthy looks- one little girl asked why I was running so fast. Say that again please kid! Off the steps on to the driveway and about 20 people cheered and clapped! The buggers made me run down to the stop sign though. I took off my shoes and socks and washed them out then gingerly walked up to the cafe to wait for the others.

In they came. Martyn to sore to bend down and remove his shoes, Michael keeps running- he wants to do an extra 4km to make an even 50km for the day. I have extremely high regard for Michael, but he is a crazy as a bag of snakes.

Colin Jeftha, the Six Foot Track Race Director was at the finish, and as soon as he heard that I had video of Cox’s river, he rushed over to have a look. Everybody was reassuring him that he’d made the right decision to cancel the race, but it was obviously a heart wrenching decision for him. One person did ask him about the sinkhole that prevented drink stations being set up, and he replied that the big sinkhole was on one of the access roads, not on the Six Foot Track. He was really pleased and touched that a number of people had chosen to run despite the cancellation. You can imagine that as RD he can’t support those runners publicly, but it was great to see him in a non pressured context. I have previously thought he was a bit of a bastard sometimes, but let’s face it- he’s a guy who is placed under enormous pressure for very little reward simply to provide us with a safe and enjoyable race. I have really changed my mind about Colin, I think he is tough but fair, and I won’t be asking for my money back for the race. I’d still kind of like the shirt though……. And no way do I want to be a Race Director. Ever.

By dinner time word had spread that we had done the run, and here’s the answer to the question we were asked all night-

Why didn’t you take me?

If we’d told anyone, word would have spread like wildfire and everyone would have wanted to go. It would have not only ruined all of Randy’s hard work on a backup plan, but it would have become unworkable. We couldn’t involve any of the committee, we couldn’t ask anyone faster, or slower. Michael, Martyn and I have run hundreds of km together and know each others weaknesses and strengths very well. They weren’t concerned when I was dragging my arse up hills, just as I knew our injured runner would get home because he’s a tough bastard. We couldn’t take any newbies for similar reasons- it’s an extremely tough run which is why it’s so iconic.

How did we go? Well, if we hadn’t been lost, we would have just beaten the sweep. All the extra time we took with photo ops, water stops and waiting for the bridge put us in a bit after 2pm. You can see the Garmin trace here

How could you be so irresponsible and go when the race had been cancelled? Well, the track wasn’t closed, and in fact most of it was in very good condition. I only got muddy in one section of Black Range Rd, all the rest of it was as good if not better than normal conditions. The reason the race was cancelled was concern about getting the worst runner across the river, and being able to set up drinks and first aid. We didn’t cross the river that way, and we were completely self supported. Here’s another reason we were a bit slow- this is a list of all of the stuff I carried on the day- remember this is just me, the others had lots of gear too-

  • 2l water
  • 2x 600ml sports drink
  • 9x sports gels
  • 4x muesli bars
  • 3x packets of Gu chomps
  • first aid kit
  • compression bandage
  • rain jacket
  • long sleeved shirt
  • space blanket
  • compeeds (2 packets/ different sizes)
  • Panadol
  • Ventolin
  • sports tape
  • mobile with GPs in waterproof bag
  • spare socks
  • money

 

Shoes after Six Foot Track

And it was great to party with everyone at the hotel Gearin on Saturday night. For such a healthy bunch, you guys really enjoy your booze!

Salomon Advanced Skin S-Lab 12 Set

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Skinbag 12 (L), Skinbag 5 (R)

I’ve owned the 5 litre version of this pack for some time, but there’s enough differences to make a review worthwhile. The ’12’ in the description refers to the load capacity of 12 litres. Well, I can tell you that there’s bugger all chance of fitting 5 litres of stuff into the ‘5 Set’, and no way to fit all of the mandatory equipment for The North Face 100.

The 12 Set looks much more like it will fit everything. I used a Salomon XA-20 in 2011 and it easily fit all my gear. I’m becoming much more of a ‘weight weenie’ this year in an attempt to make my race a bit easier. Paradoxically, both the ‘Skin’ packs seem to weigh more than the XA-20 but they are much easier to carry on long runs. A note about the name- I took the name of this post directly from the Salomon website, but have a look at the url- it’s really called the ‘skinbag 12’! That’s a much better name….

http://www.salomonrunning.com/us/minisites/skinbag/skinbag-12.aspx

To the details-

The 5 litre has one zippered pocket on the back that can hold a mobile phone, wallet and a few bits and pieces. The 12 has more pockets, and the outside one has a zipper that goes down the side as well, allowing you to open it up completely. Another difference is that the lower side pockets that are difficult to access on the 5 are a little easier on the 12. They also have a large ‘bin’ on each side where these pockets are. There’s a closure system whereby you can pull a string to keep things inside, and a handy pocket to insert the excess string so it doesn’t get in the way. I’ve done a long run with a 500ml collapsible bottle in each side and barely felt the extra weight. At a rest stop, I removed each bottle and dumped the contents into the bladder, then rolled the bottles up and put them back in the side pouches. Worked like magic.

Platypus Soft Bottles

http://cascadedesigns.com/en/platypus/water-bottles/softbottle/product

The pockets on the front are good for storing gels, but I’ve found that sharp ones can poke out the side of the thin mesh and scratch your arms on long runs.  One other very good but poorly executed detail is the spare pockets that attach by velcro to the front left hand side of the pack. Two are provided, but there’s only one spot to attach, so you can pre fill the other and slap it on at a checkpoint for a quick fill up of whatever will fit in it. Or alliteratively you could put something like a phone in it and switch packs- to move your phone across just rip it off one pack and slap it on the other at a checkpoint. Oh, look, it’s about the same size as an iPhone……. but no, an iPhone doesn’t fit! No, I don’t really have 2 iPhones, or the need to swap mid race, so I suppose it’s not really a design fault. Might be best to put the gels there, but they aren’t quite as accessible- salt tabs? Ventolin?

The Ugly

Both the 5l and 12l nominally have a 1.5l bladder. I have an early version of the 5l which comes with a ‘Source’ bladder. The Source will actually take about 1.7l, the closure is decent, it comes with a quick release tube which is insulated. The tube has great flow and doesn’t add taste to the water. Unfortunately it has started to leak, and based on photos of the leak, my supplier has asked me to return the bladder. On the other hand, the 12l ‘Skinbag’ has a Hydrapak 1.5l bladder with strict instructions not to overfill. It’s closure is great, easy to use, but we’ll see when it’s as old as the 5l- it was easy at the start too! Unfortunately it added a nasty plastic taste to the water, the (removable) tube is non insulated and the valve won’t flow as much as I need. Bottom line- the North Face 100 requires the ability to carry 2l of fluids, so I’ll be looking to swap this bladder for something else. Update- another runner (Geoff Evison) has purchased a couple of 2 litre Hydrapak bladders that will apparently fit into the pack. I tried the ‘Source’ bladder from the 5l pack but the 12l pack seems to have a narrower opening- you can’t get it in when really full, and it isn’t easy to swap out.

The Platypus Big Zip SL

Update 2- I bought a 2l Platypus Big Zip SL and it fits really well into the Skinbag 12. I think I’ll buy another one for the 5l pack and ditch the ones they came with. It has a nice high flow valve too. the only issue is that the tube exit is on the wrong side of the bladder- I’ll have to get a ‘U’ shape piece of pipe to modify the outlet. I think I’ll have to forget about swapping bladders mid race- it’s too hard to remove and re fit when there’s other stuff in the pack. It will be best to fill from bottles or fill the bladder while it is in the pack- and now a bit easier that the Platypus stick out a bit further. And it now means that I can meet the requirement of being able to carry 2l of fluid for the North Face 100.

1.5l hydrapak on left, 1.5l Source on right

Also the pack is a multi purpose adventure race pack, and includes a bunch of elasticised ties hat Salomon call their ‘4D’ attachment system for ski poles etc. I personally don’t like having things attached to the outside of my pack, it costs energy to have them bouncing around, and even a soft item can get very annoying if it hits you for hours…… I’m going to investigate taking these bits of elastic off, or at least tucking them away. Surely there’s an aero advantage there? No?

Overall I love both packs, they’re pretty close to perfect for trail running. It’s obvious that  people with lots of experience had a hand in creating them.

If you’d like to know more, have a look at the review by the Ultra168 guys at-

http://ultra168.com/2011/09/21/review-salomon-advanced-skin-12-l-s-lab-pack/