A Week in the Heat.....

The Weekly Recap

- For more detailed recap, interviews with the athletes and coaches corener, click in the link for the Podcast Beve with Benn Epesiode 3 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6OXeb894t8gZV765xg5FKM

Another week of solid session, the heat was on with a a lot of the week in + 30 degrees and humidity through the roof.. There were also a few in recovery mode from Sx Foot, but its good to see the progressing in the sessions over the last couple of weeks.

Welcome to the following Althetes

• Dillon Rinn (the man himself - 50km in 50km for Beyond Blue with the a new focus of conquering the Elephant at the Elephant Trail Race

• Anissa and Pete Storey - welcome back from the adventures in NZ and Canada, excited for the UTMB journey

• Andy Georgiou - We welcome you the team and excited to see you develop and what races you choose to go ULTRA

• Adam Moore - From Sydney and has a few targets ahead in UTA and UTK with a few Marathon's as well

We kicked the Monday off with the new Strength Session @ One Tribe Fitness, building now into the races ahead. Tuesday morning at Lambton and in the afternoon is at Maitland. Speed session involving some 800m with 300m . Settling. The groups are a good mix for all levels, adapting to each level and the Thursday Trail session is the same for the AM and PM groups. The Trail Session was a hilly tempo 2 x 3-4km, the athletes that had raced six foot were able to get more recovery and didn't hit any thresholds. Wednesday Strength is continuing to grow and was a great workout mixing it up from the Monday. Friday's are for mobility to which we had a good stretch and release. Sunday Long run took us back out to Sugarloaf, only a few were brave enough for the hit of the hills :) well done to Brett and Linda, conquering the hill repeats!! Most of the group had different events on a celebrated some friends birthday's :0) Letting the hair down once in a while we won't hold that against them :) especially when some recovery was needed form past races.

This week we are on the program - Tuesdays speed work is 1000/400/400/1000 and Thursday Trails is a specific 2km circuit for tempo's. Sunday long run will in Wakefield for a set course with different start points.

Look out for the posts on socials in regards to the UTA training weekend and the Mt Buffalo Running Experience.

Here is the interview with Linda Stanborough covering off her experience with Six Foot Track - 5:04:16 - 11th Female and 4th in her age group.

LINDA'S RACE

The day started well with a 5.20 alarm jolting me awake! Had breakky and then Mark dropped me off to do a a nice warm up run down to the start with Benn and some others. This beat the bus options that suggested getting to bus stop at 5.15 am! OUCH! Poor Jason and Linda Mende did just that we saw them later on.

I was allocated start wave 1 which was great to get out early given the heat predicted for the day BUT despite telling myself not to many times I got caught up and ran a little harder down Nellies Glen than I should have probably a little too fast in the first 15k not too bad though and I felt pretty good until running across the river. There were about 4 different little sections to cross before going through the main section which was up to my armpits. I didn’t stop and take off my vest just ploughed through, I’m not sure if that was good or bad idea as coming out of the water I felt heavy with wet feet and a wet pack, I had also packed an extra full soft flast (which I did at Tarawerra and it was ok) but could I have just refilled for this one as there were so many aid stations and that would have reduced the load at this point.

After the river the long climb started and the sun was hot. I ran at first but feeling heavy and out in the open sun I started hiking when my heart rate increased. The climb seemed to never end and at about 20k I could have quit, I was done. A few people started to come past me running but I kept hiking as knew there was a long way to go and at this point, and I actually thought I might have to walk the rest, I felt that crap. I focused on my breathing and started my music which helped a lot to get a rhythm to my hiking steps. Chris Rash caught me at this point from wave to and we had a chat before he kept on running.

Once this climb finally ended and we had some runnable sections I came good and started moving along ok. I was shocked but took it and went with it running along nicely. I caught some of the people who had passed me on the up which gave me some momentum, this happened a bit more throughout the race, I hiked the hills, kept heart rate ok, people slowly jogged passed me and then I passed them on the runable and down sections. Along one section I stopped to help a lady who cramped in front of me and another lady passed us ( can you imagine what I thought.. I’m so catching her! Lol) and I did eventually.

For nutrition I don’t like strong tailwind so rely on it pretty weak with gels to supplement. I used Hi 5 and Koda this time, had watermelon at some of the aid stations and one coke at one. I usually am ok with coke but it made me feel crap this time so I didn’t have it again, and didn’t eat again either for a while after just drank water as my gut felt off. I think running harder than usual and the heat might have impacted. I had a pack of electrolyte gummies I wanted to have to break up the gels and the bloody pack would not open, there were a few F bombs then I gave up trying to get it open and had another gel. Next time I will snip before I start to make sure I don’t have this issue. I think I’d also pack something savory to and easy to get down like a GU waffle, or chips or a sandwich to break up the gels the aid stations didn’t have much at all.

All was ok then until about 4k to go, I’d had enough and there were way more hills in this section than I bargained for I ran into Carlos again, I saw him at the river, and we ran together on and off with him faster on the ups and me the downs, the last few k’s he was a great support keeping me going and having a bit more in the tank than me finished stronger. My watched clicked over 45k pretty early which messed with my head. I ended up having 46k on my watch, and the end was brutal people told us there was less to go then there was and there were different area’s where you thought yes that’s it, but no it wasn’t! Then when we finally ran down the hill and the finish was in sight it had us make a left turn then up a slight incline before coming back around to FINALLY finish. I’m sure you saw the pics of how that ended. I did not want to take another step!!!

I had intended to take this a but easier after such a great run in Tarawarra but as happens race day took over and I really pushed myself and am proud of the result. My legs sure have paid for it they are sore sore sore!

WELL DONE LINDA :)

For a listen to Colin Minters Port Macquarie experience - you can listen via the podcast.

Thanks team.. See you all out there this week !! #desire #determination #disicpline