Back to the Six Inch for my 5th run - a pretty tough day out there
My preparation had been a bit limited - a 3 week holiday largely on a cruise ship meant I mainly did 1 hr runs (struggle to go longer on a treadmill), and then in the 2 weeks on return thought it best not to try to catch up long runs that late. That meant my last 20k plus run was a couple of months ago. So I tapered a little and knew I was probably going to struggle even more than usual towards the end.
Up at 2am, off at 2:30, race start 4:30. the thermometer said 16 degrees at the start but there was a fresh breeze chilling that down and I think it was only about 21 at the end, so heat wasn't an issue.
Despite a bigger field (near 200), the 5k uphill start meant that people spread out quickly. Gerry/Chris/Todd went out togather, then a solitary 4th (?James Roberts) and then a 5th-8th group including myself. Behind us was Big Kev and his cadre.
Things moved along pretty well to the 23k station, with only one near wrong turn. I knew at this point though that I was going to struggle later. I pushed through the station and decided I'd take a walk and gel going up the steep conveyor belt hill a couple of km later. 1hr 43 at half way - a bit quicker than last year, but that had included 5min getting lost.
I fell to 7th here, but found myself briefly back to 5th & 6th at oakley Dam where they took a wrong turn. They quickly gapped me again and I was going pretty slowly - aiming to hold off Big Kev & Brett at least until the second aid station (34k).
Just like last year they caught me at the station. last year I decided to really push myself and stayed with brett to eventually come 2nd. This year the same thought passed my mind, but also did my wife's suggestion that I not 'kill myself' this year. I took her wisdom on board and let them go (in retrospect I would have been competing for a podium spot had I tried to stay with them).
The last 10k was really just jog/walk territory. I did enough to keep Jockster at bay behind me -I did see him about 300m behind with 2k to go and knew I was safe where I was.
I came through the finish in about 3hrs 47 min - a couple of minutes behind last years time. I thought I was in 9th. I was a bit surprised not to see any of the top finishers around, and as a friend had kindly come to pick me up I didn't stay around and chat.
Subsequently I found out 5 of the first 6 runners went the wrong way and were disqualified -making james Roberts (3:32), Big kev (3:38) and Brett the top 3. I ended up 4th officially. Looking on facebook quite a few others went the wrong way.
I think this is a bit of an issue for the event. Whilst it started as a 'fat ass' event with a handful of runners who were expected to navigate themselves, now it is much bigger, and people are paying a decent entry fee, I think more needs to be done in terms of signposting. There were several points where there really should have been an arrow on the ground (and had been in previous years) to alert people to the right route. Despite having a GPS, if you are racing and following someone, you're unlikely to stop, let them go and check your GPS. A decision probably needs to be made whether the event remains small and navigationally challenging, or gets bigger and has better signage. To be honest I'll still run it either way, but i really feel for those who deserved to be on the podium and weren't.
My preparation had been a bit limited - a 3 week holiday largely on a cruise ship meant I mainly did 1 hr runs (struggle to go longer on a treadmill), and then in the 2 weeks on return thought it best not to try to catch up long runs that late. That meant my last 20k plus run was a couple of months ago. So I tapered a little and knew I was probably going to struggle even more than usual towards the end.
Up at 2am, off at 2:30, race start 4:30. the thermometer said 16 degrees at the start but there was a fresh breeze chilling that down and I think it was only about 21 at the end, so heat wasn't an issue.
Despite a bigger field (near 200), the 5k uphill start meant that people spread out quickly. Gerry/Chris/Todd went out togather, then a solitary 4th (?James Roberts) and then a 5th-8th group including myself. Behind us was Big Kev and his cadre.
Things moved along pretty well to the 23k station, with only one near wrong turn. I knew at this point though that I was going to struggle later. I pushed through the station and decided I'd take a walk and gel going up the steep conveyor belt hill a couple of km later. 1hr 43 at half way - a bit quicker than last year, but that had included 5min getting lost.
I fell to 7th here, but found myself briefly back to 5th & 6th at oakley Dam where they took a wrong turn. They quickly gapped me again and I was going pretty slowly - aiming to hold off Big Kev & Brett at least until the second aid station (34k).
Just like last year they caught me at the station. last year I decided to really push myself and stayed with brett to eventually come 2nd. This year the same thought passed my mind, but also did my wife's suggestion that I not 'kill myself' this year. I took her wisdom on board and let them go (in retrospect I would have been competing for a podium spot had I tried to stay with them).
The last 10k was really just jog/walk territory. I did enough to keep Jockster at bay behind me -I did see him about 300m behind with 2k to go and knew I was safe where I was.
I came through the finish in about 3hrs 47 min - a couple of minutes behind last years time. I thought I was in 9th. I was a bit surprised not to see any of the top finishers around, and as a friend had kindly come to pick me up I didn't stay around and chat.
Subsequently I found out 5 of the first 6 runners went the wrong way and were disqualified -making james Roberts (3:32), Big kev (3:38) and Brett the top 3. I ended up 4th officially. Looking on facebook quite a few others went the wrong way.
I think this is a bit of an issue for the event. Whilst it started as a 'fat ass' event with a handful of runners who were expected to navigate themselves, now it is much bigger, and people are paying a decent entry fee, I think more needs to be done in terms of signposting. There were several points where there really should have been an arrow on the ground (and had been in previous years) to alert people to the right route. Despite having a GPS, if you are racing and following someone, you're unlikely to stop, let them go and check your GPS. A decision probably needs to be made whether the event remains small and navigationally challenging, or gets bigger and has better signage. To be honest I'll still run it either way, but i really feel for those who deserved to be on the podium and weren't.
5 comments:
BIG effort mate!
Well done Epi! Anything over 2 hours without some 32km+ runs has got to be very hard.
I agree with your last para. If it's a race for runners (not orienteers) then the least that should be provided is an appropriately marked course. Even the Boston Marathon course has had some minor changes over the years so this obsession with sticking with the original course instead of an easier to follow one seems a bit misguided. So I guess I disagree with you one thing - I won't be doing it :-)
Great stuff congrats.
Well done! Truly Outstanding result on that kind of buildup! Congratulations.
There is no need to change the course IMO, and changing the original course would not have helped in most (if any) of the navigation mistakes. The only part where it deviates from the MundaBiddi is where there was fire damage near Oakley Dam. At race briefing people were specifically told to follow the flour arrows at Oakley Dam turnoff, if they don't recon the course, don't use a map, dont use a garmin map and dont follow the flour arrows that they were specifically told to follow its their own fault.
However the amount of navigational mistakes this year was significant. Its a great pity that the top 3 and 2 others in the top 10 took wrong turns late in the race. I agree more needs to be done in the Marrinup Maze section of the last 5km to ensure that section is traversed correctly. I think the marking was more comprehensive and better 2009-2011. Some of the known trouble spots seem to have been missed this year. I think one of the organisers was left with too much to do at the last minute... Hopefully the marking will be better in future years AND the runners will be better prepared to navigate. It was an appropriately marked course this year, and the vast majority of 152 finishers didn't have any major mistakes. Only 5 so far have not been listed in placings. Its a sad day when the top 3 are the ones, and the race is at a crossroads 8 years into it, where the demand/popularity is exceeding the organisational preparedness. The race has become a victim of its success at this point in its history a little. However just as 6 foot organisers and other race organisers respond to issues, hopefully 6 inch organisation can respond. Its one thing to organise a race for 7-10-30 mates, and totally another thing when its 150+ people... I hope the marking and other isues are addressed better next year. Scores of people are very happy with big PB's or first time efforts, and most of them navigated correctly all the way
I hope you make it back for a red spike as I did last year. There is still less than 20 people who have had the courage, persistence and brave characteristics combined with navigational and obviously considerable running performance to get under 3.50 and without doing the final stats I'd say less than 30 under 4 hours so far. Less than 10 that have gone under 3.40 twice. You are truly one of the 6inch alltime greats and elites. All the best for 2013! whatever is ahead.
Even though I had no role in the organisation, I totally feel upset that 3 runners who were clearly in a class of their own by a long way for just over 3 hours and run the correct course for over 40km, dont get to be official top 3, and Im sure the RD feels the hurt as well. I agree the course needs better marking than it had this year if it continues with fields of more thn 50 people.
Post a Comment