Six Inch Trail Marathon 46k (47k!)

What an interesting/fun day.

My leadup had been good, minimal niggles. I'd been a little anxious after the start list was published as I thought I might be in with a small chance of winning, but a last minute addition of Gerry Hill actually took some pressure off and I could relax re just running.

Managed 4hrs sleep overnight and left at 3am, getting a lift from my Dad down to North Dandalup.

I'd identified several runners around my level - Kevin Matthews, Brett Coombes, Lauren Shelley, Nate and Michael Barton.

The start is straight uphill for a couple of km, and unlike previous years I quickly found myself out in a clear second place. I dont necessarily love running in groups so I went with it and cruised along.

Unfortunately just 5k in I missed a turnoff and ran about 800m before luckily crossing path with Bernadette in a race control vehicle coming he other way - she stopped me, I jumped in and took me back to where I'd missed the turn. Garmin tells me I lost 5min10sec here and I rejoined with runners about 15th-20th.

Adrenaline got the better o me at this point and I ran like a man possessed through the field, such that by 13k I was second again, but had obviously had to run that 13k 5 mins faster than the others.

There was a pack of Nate, Michael, Brett,Kev and a German guy, but I decided to go past them and push on.

I stayed in this position through the 23k/halfway drink stop (1:45). Here I was told I was only about 5 min behing Gerry - so I guess if I'd not got lost I'd have still been near him at this point. I'd also gapped the others a bit.

Unfortunately at about 28k, coming on to Scarp road, I wasn't 100% sure which way to go, and spooked by the earlier experience, I waited for the others to make sure. Garmin tells me I lost 4min here, although only ran about 200m extra looking each way for arrows on the ground.

So I found myself back with the others at 30k, and again I tried to open up a lead. I was less successful this time, starting to get pretty tired in the legs. I hit the second aid station (2:44) and stopped briefly to exchange powerade bottles (50second stop on GPS). As I left the station, te others arrived. Brett didnt stop and was right on my hammer, whilst the others stayed for a while.

So I found myself with Brett with about 9k to go. I have to give him a lot of thanks here as I was really struggling with motivation and with hammered quads from the hills I told him to head off ahead. He wouldn't hear of it and cajoled me to keep pace with him, a pattern we maintained for the rest of the race. As in 2009, despite feeling pretty shot at this point, we were ran 5min km average for the last 7km. I had a faster running pace so would run for 500m-1k, stop for a walk and Brett would catch me running slowly but continously.

In the last 500m I pulled away - I suspect thanks to Brett letting me, and finished in 2nd place in 3hrs45min flattish. (Gerry did 3:31)

So it was an up and down race - big PB and second place. Had I not got lost or waited for the others, I still would have finished second. How much faster I would have finished is not clear. Probably not the full 9 minutes I lost in my 2 misadventures , but I would like to think I would have been under 3:40. I did benefit from running with Brett near the end, but also I think was forced to overdo things early to recatch the bunch.

Either way it was a great day. TB ran his 6th race in a big PB, Mark O'Keef who I gave a lift to ran very well. I overheard Lauren say she took the early going very easy, being her first ultramarathon, but she flew home to finish only about 3 min behaind me. I think BigKev sffered the effects of a big season and finished in a similar time to Lauren, and Nate just missed his sub 3:50 goal.

An afternoon sleep in front of TV is looking good about now.