Run for the Young Marathon 2016

Run for the Young – November 27^th 2016

Our 3rd Annual ‘Run for the Young’ is an exciting Marathon Charity Fundraiser

Located in the picturesque Yarra Valley, this event is run by Bridge Builders Youth Organisation. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Bridge Builders to assist them in continuing the valuable work the Charity already does in our local community.

Runners can choose to participate (walk or run) in a 5km, 10km, 21km Half Marathon or 42km Marathon. Location: Lillydale Lake – Swansea Rd, Lilydale. The 10km, 21km and 42km start at 7am and the 5km starts at 8am. The Marathon course will be open for approximately 6 hours, concluding at 1pm. More information can be found in the Runners Guide.

Bridge Builders is a non-profit youth organisation based in Lilydale, delivering youth services to the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and around the State. We aim to influence and grow the lives of young people, and we use events and business enterprise as a way of engaging and developing young people.

Pre-race –

This is another race report I left too long to write and I can’t remember much. 

Back story is… there is no back story!

Basically, I wanted to keep my long runs going in the lead up to Two Bays. Run for the Young looked interesting, I hadn’t run it before and I like exploring new areas. I ran Marysville marathon three weeks prior, so I was tired and certainly not planning on breaking any records. However, I did want to run a sub 4hour marathon.

I qualified for Two Bays using The Tan marathon (back in August) but I was undertrained and finished in 4:05. I wanted to improve on that. 

I looked up on the website and saw the course had a little bit of elevation (but nothing compared to Marysville). The race started at 7am and the weather prediction was typical Melbourne… might rain-might not, might be cool-might be warm… take three changes of clothes just to be sure! I decided to run in shorts but take a long sleeve top and gloves. And the usual calf compressions, Brooks Glycerin and Garmin (and iPod). I also decided to run with my pack and dissolve an electrolyte tablet in my bladder. I wasn’t sure what the trail or terrain was like and I wanted to be prepared.

Race day –

I set my alarm for 5:30am and when it sounded, I seriously considered staying in bed. Sleep was much more appealing than running 42km. I didn’t need to run it to prove I could manage Two bays… After all, I survived Marysville. But I knew I would regret not running it. So I snuck out quietly (trying not to disturb my family), grabbed my bag, muesli bar (breakfast-on-the-go) and pack.

It took about an hour to get there, there were no cars on the road and I arrived with time to spare. The marathon pack was small (about 80 people) which I loved. Obviously, some runners choose smaller races for better odds of a podium finish. I simply like less people, less fuss, less everything (except kilometres).

When the starting buzzer sounded, I was relaxed (maybe a little too relaxed) and happy to go for my Sunday morning long run. We began running through the carpark, across the road and straight up a hill. The hill wasn’t too steep but immediately my legs felt heavy. Although, my mind was keen to keep running (and training for Two Bays), my body (and legs in particular) seemed to be struggling. I was a little concerned (two years ago, I had over-trained, which resulted in adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues. I really didn’t want to go back there). I put my worries aside and focused on the task ahead. My first split was a slow 5:42min, followed by 5:19, 5:14, 5:23 and 5:16min/km pace. Around the 6km mark, the course began to go downhill a little. I didn’t feel energetic, but I managed to keep a sub 5min pace for a few kilometres.

The scenery along the trail was pretty, green and lush. The trail was easy and non-technical. It was a shared bike path. There were no overgrown areas, but beautiful ferns and trees either side. There were a few road crossings, manned by very friendly volunteers (they were so encouraging).

From about 10km-30km, my splits were around 5:20min (my default pace). In that time, I took two gels, water and electrolytes. My legs were weighing me down so heavily… I made a deal with myself that I could walk a little once I reached 30km. At the 30km mark, I walked and scoffed down a few chips from my pack. The walk was good! Too good… I needed to get moving again. That split was 6:30min but I was still on target for a sub 4hour marathon. I willed my legs to keep moving… left-right-left-right… just keep swimming. I listened to music on my iPod and focused on my long-term goals. My mantra was; How bad do you want it?

The last 10km were slow, ranging between 5:30-6:30min, which was a bit of a bummer. Yes I was disappointed but I was tired. My right hip flexor was giving me some grief, but nothing major. It was mostly fatigue. The last few kilometres included a lap of Lillydale Lake. I was hanging for the end. Eventually, I saw the finish and crossed the line in 3hours 50min… Thank God for that! 

I was really happy with how hard I worked for that sub 4hour! It wasn't pretty (or fun) but I was determined. There was no way I was giving up just because I was tired. I pushed on and achieved my goal. I finished 7^th female and 36^th overall.

Post-race –

After the race, I was handed my participation medal, and I found some lovely, comfy grass to collapse on! I was happy but exhausted. I chatted to others and eventually decided it was time to go home.

Lessons - 

1. I need to revisit my nutrition and recovery plan when training for an ultra. My body needs more than what I’m giving it!

2. Use anti-chaffing cream!

3. Get some sleep and recover properly!

Race feedback and will there be a next time - 

The event was great; undulating course, pretty scenery, super friendly and encouraging volunteers, plenty of aid stations, not too many people, low-key atmosphere and well-organised and planned.

Overall I rank this run 9/10 and I would definitely run it again! (BTW I'm beginning to wonder how helpful my scoring system is to others... I seem to like most runs!)

Marysville Marathon 2016

Marysville Marathon

Sunday 6^th November

http://marysvillemarathon.com.au

Brett Saxon from Trailsplus, is the Race Director of the RACV Marysville Marathon Festival.

History:

The Marysville Marathon Festival features running events of 4km, 10km, Half Marathon (21km), Marathon (42km) and Ultramarathon (50km) on scenic valley trails and forest tracks, bypassing sparkling rivers and waterfalls. The participants travel alongside the Steavenson River and Falls. The Marysville Marathon Festival was born from the ashes of the 2009 Black Saturday fires. Ultra Runner and Local GP, Dr. Lachlan Fraser, is passionate about his hometown Marysville and surrounding communities. His vision to create the Marysville Marathon Festival was about bringing people back to Marysville. He wanted to be sure the town and communities received the support they needed. He knew this wouldn’t happen overnight. The creation of Marysville Marathon Festival was never planned to be a once off event, it was to be here for the long haul.

The Neil McKern Marathon (1946 – 2014)

Dr. Neil McKern and his wife Carol lost their part-time home in Marysville in the 2009 fires, which they rebuilt in following years.  They joined in the community recovery, and Neil was instrumental in establishing the Marysville Marathon Festival.  Neil excelled at running in the late 1970s. In 1978, he came second in the Victorian Amateur Athletic Marathon Championships in 2hr 21min. He was an esteemed CSIRO scientist, accomplished musician and gardener, and a loving family man.

Pre-race - 

After running The Tan marathon in August, I secured my spot for Two Bays 56km in January 2017. My focus since then was hills! I started training at Lysterfield and on the Two Bays trail. I scheduled hill repeats and worked on leg strength. I entered Surfcoast Hell Run and Marysville. Marysville was an important run for me, but mostly it served a bigger purpose (preparation for Two Bays). The elevation for Marysville was 1600m (more than Two Bays) so I knew it was a good test! I trained hard on trails and hills during the weeks prior. I ran 35km on the Two Bays trail only two weeks before Marysville. I was prepared and excited! The other reason I wanted to run Marysville was the 2009 fires (as mentioned above). I remember Black Saturday very clearly. It was beyond heartbreaking. And once again, this would be a rewarding way to help a community in need.

My aim was to finish the marathon feeling good and strong (and take photos along the way). My injuries were generally OK, but both hips tend to seize from long, hilly runs. My left hip (operated one) was relatively good. However, my right hip had deteriorated significantly over recent months. I asked Brad to Rocktape both legs in an attempt to deactivate my hip flexors. I had no time goal but suspected I would finish somewhere between 5hrs – 5hrs 15min. Strangely, I wanted the extra time on feet so it was OK to go slow. My other goal was not to GET LOST! Somehow I managed to get lost at Surfcoast Hell Run and I was slightly paranoid about history repeating.

So, some of you might have seen on my 360 Running Facebook group, that I often surprise my husband (Brad) with race entries. It usually involves me suggesting a race that will help with another race… A couple of months earlier, Brad signed up for Two Bays 28km. All his idea! I suggested Marysville half marathon as a training run. It was an added bonus that we could drive up together and stay the night before in a local hotel. We booked The Black Spur – humble, country-style accommodation – and it was perfect. It was quiet and calm. I packed my hydration vest with gels, protein balls, rice bars, first aid kit (with snake bandage), space blanket, and dissolved a Nuun tablet in the bladder. I organised my compressive and Luluemon shorts, Trailsplus singlet, compression socks, sunnies, Garmin and Brooks Glycerin. I considered wearing trail shoes; I tested out my Saucony Peregrine a couple of weeks prior and they were OK. But my calves pulled up tight. I didn’t want to risk injury. I ran efficiently in Glycerin and decided to stick with what worked. The weather was the biggest factor when deciding on shoes. We’d experienced some rainfall, enough to soften the ground but hopefully not too much to make it slippery. Time would tell.

We had dinner in the restaurant but I started with stomach pain (I had some digestive issues from bad PMS again). I left dinner early and went back to the room to rest. Eventually I fell asleep.

Race day -

In the morning, I woke early with an uneasy stomach. The pain from the previous night had subsided but… lets just say I popped a few Gastro Stop! As mentioned in previous posts, I blame nerves (and PMS) for overactive digestion!

Once we got our shit together (pardon the pun)… We drove to the event registration area and arrived in plenty of time to organise our bibs, and mingle with fellow runners. The weather was fresh but surprisingly good for running. Before too long, we were called to the start line and misty rain began falling. Brett (Trailsplus) announced the countdown and we headed off to the right (and uphill).

The first 8km were a mixture of uphill and downhill with an easy, non-technical trail. I was relatively comfortable and maintained tempo.  The surroundings were green and Taggerty River was flowing freely on our left hand side. It was really pretty and I was happy! 

Around 9km, we hit Lady Talbot Drive (a loop) and started to climb. My pace dropped to over 6min per kilometre as I began to walk a little. I chatted to a fellow runner who was visiting from America. We talked about the fires, creepy crawlies, snakes and geography. The climbing continued without respite until the 16km mark… (Between 14-15km we covered over 130m elevation gain and my split was over 12min). From 17km until around 24km, we ran downhill. Now this is where I’ll stop and explain…

My memory is terrible and the run was over a month ago now (should’ve downloaded my thoughts straight away). So, I’m using Strava to jog my memory.

The downhill sections started as Lady Talbot Drive looped back around and were just as steep as the uphill. Steep downhills provide a different kind of challenge especially on a rocky trail. My mantra for this section was Concentrate – Concentrate – Concentrate! My brain hurt from analyzing every step. On these types of trails, foot placement is so important! About 21km we returned to the easier, less technical trail. I relaxed a little, soaked up the scenery again and took in some deep breaths.

Around 29km, we ran back through the start area and continued up the road towards our ascent to Steavenson Falls. The trail became single track and there were a few really tough kilometres… (Elevation gain was 90m, 119m, 95m and 120m and splits were 9min, 12min, 10min and 15min respectively).

Seriously people… It took me 15 minutes to cover 1-kilometre!

My mantra was God please help me – God please help me! After 30km, my legs were TIRED! I was strangely happy but tired. Along the way, I met another runner who wasn’t feeling great and I offered him a protein ball. I soldiered onwards and upwards until eventually I reached the lookout (and an aid station). HOORAY! I remember the aid stations along the way were more than adequate but I didn’t need anything. However when I saw the aid station at the lookout, I was so happy to see faces of support! I stopped and chatted, took photos and helped myself to some potato chips. I was feeling a little sick in the stomach (after 2 gels and a rice bar) and I needed something savory. I said thanks and returned to the single track. I ran about 100 metres and decided I wanted more chips so I ran back to the aid station (yes I’m a bit strange but damn those chips were good). I took another handful and with a spring in my step (or was it a limp), I started running again. Only 6km to go!

On the way down, I admired the greenery until I nearly tripped over a gutted wallaby! (Not a great sight for anyone, especially a vegetarian). I shook it off and continued twisting and weaving along the trail. I stopped to take more photos of the view (the damage from the fires remains so widespread). And a fellow runner caught up to me and said hello. We ended up continuing at a similar pace and practically running the last 5km together. I stopped a couple more times for photos (and a short video of the waterfall), and he would catch up. Then we would run together again.  We weren’t breaking any speed records (our splits averaged 6-6:30min) but the conversation was a great distraction. It was much easier to keep ticking my legs over. He told me Marysville was his first marathon (crazy but awesome)! As we came around the last bend, I saw Brad waiting to take some happy snaps. He encouraged me to keep pushing as we entered the race precinct. I was so happy to see the finish line! I crossed the line in 5 hours 11 seconds. I was happy and proud of my efforts.

Post race -

Soon as I finished, I congratulated my new running buddy (super job especially for a first marathon). I found Brad and he asked how I was feeling. My hips were sore and tired but otherwise I was OK. And I had some numbness and tingling in my left foot (nerve sensations from my hip/back) around 30km… (Yes something I need to manage better).

After hydrating (and purchasing an event top), I noticed some fellow RIOT friends. I knew sitting wasn’t a good idea (tight hip flexors) but I could lie down (prone) and still chat.

There were around 70 participants in the marathon; I finished 19^th overall and 5^th female. I was happy with my time and navigational skills (YAY I didn’t get lost)! 

Lessons -

1. Pack my own potato chips… they were the best!

2. Manage my hips better… I know what I need to do!  

Race feedback and will there be a next time -

The course was well-marked, and the race briefing and notes were thorough (as always from Brett). The aid stations and volunteers were great!

Marysville marathon is a tough course but the views, scenery and community make it worth running! I loved everything about it; the hills, waterfalls, people and more. I’m so happy I ran strong. I would highly recommend this event to others. I might have to return for the half marathon (or who knows maybe the 50km)!

Overall I rate this run 9.5/10.