Fats Festive Fatass Run
This run is from The Gap to Jolly's Lookout, and beyond and back for some (not us!). Glenno, Lizzle and I decided a while ago that we'd take two cars to Jolly's and then one back to the start. They were planning a one way trip (22k). I was going to play it by ear, though I thought I'd probably just run an out and back, maybe up to an hour each way, depending on how I felt. Anyway, this whole driving arrangement meant getting up at 3.25am - yikes!
It was great to see such a roll up - there would have been about 30 of us there. The run is all on fire trails and is hilly as hell. In fact it seemed way worse than last year. Then again, this year was several degrees hotter and probably twice as humid.
The first couple of kms I was at the back, happy to be taking it easy. But those around me started walking up the big hills and I just kept on running so got away from them. Dunno why but I was feeling strong and eventually passed maybe half the group as they were all doing the walk/run thing. We had a regroup at around 9k before we were off again.
After an hour I was still going great, though by this stage was basically running on my own as the group ahead were way faster, and those behind were throwing in a bit a walking or had turned back for home. As it turned out for the rest of my run I was alone. It got to 1hr 20min and I figured I might as well keep going another 10 mins before heading back.
The trusty Garmin told me I'd done just over 14k when I turned around. Shortly after I passed Robbie heading up the hill, he said he couldn't see anyone behind him. It must've been another km before I met up with a group including Lizzle and Glenno. Gee, I'm never in front of these guys in a training run :-) They suggested I forget about running back to the start, the finish was closer, but I kept going on my merry way.
Needless to say around the 20k mark I started to struggle. It was so incredibly humid, and by then I'd drunk most of my water. I worked out a rationing system, just a couple of mouthfuls every 2k. And funny, it seemed almost the whole out journey was uphill, but obviously not, there were some killer hills on the way back as well. For a while there I thought I must've taken a wrong turn and was heading back to Jolly's!
It was a welcome site to see that first house right at the start of the trail, even if there was a giant black dog in there going nutso and looking intent climbing over the fence and eating me.
The trusty Garmin showed just over 28k and 2hr 55min by the time I finished, so the return trip was 5 minutes quicker. My legs were really killing me. My shoes were so full of sweat they were squelching. I was dying of thirst and was so nauseous I couldn't even look at the protein bar I had in the car. But oh, what a feeling :-)
It was great to see such a roll up - there would have been about 30 of us there. The run is all on fire trails and is hilly as hell. In fact it seemed way worse than last year. Then again, this year was several degrees hotter and probably twice as humid.
The first couple of kms I was at the back, happy to be taking it easy. But those around me started walking up the big hills and I just kept on running so got away from them. Dunno why but I was feeling strong and eventually passed maybe half the group as they were all doing the walk/run thing. We had a regroup at around 9k before we were off again.
After an hour I was still going great, though by this stage was basically running on my own as the group ahead were way faster, and those behind were throwing in a bit a walking or had turned back for home. As it turned out for the rest of my run I was alone. It got to 1hr 20min and I figured I might as well keep going another 10 mins before heading back.
The trusty Garmin told me I'd done just over 14k when I turned around. Shortly after I passed Robbie heading up the hill, he said he couldn't see anyone behind him. It must've been another km before I met up with a group including Lizzle and Glenno. Gee, I'm never in front of these guys in a training run :-) They suggested I forget about running back to the start, the finish was closer, but I kept going on my merry way.
Needless to say around the 20k mark I started to struggle. It was so incredibly humid, and by then I'd drunk most of my water. I worked out a rationing system, just a couple of mouthfuls every 2k. And funny, it seemed almost the whole out journey was uphill, but obviously not, there were some killer hills on the way back as well. For a while there I thought I must've taken a wrong turn and was heading back to Jolly's!
It was a welcome site to see that first house right at the start of the trail, even if there was a giant black dog in there going nutso and looking intent climbing over the fence and eating me.
The trusty Garmin showed just over 28k and 2hr 55min by the time I finished, so the return trip was 5 minutes quicker. My legs were really killing me. My shoes were so full of sweat they were squelching. I was dying of thirst and was so nauseous I couldn't even look at the protein bar I had in the car. But oh, what a feeling :-)
posted by Tesso at 8:05 PM
9 Comments:
This has to go down as another Tesso triumph .... we (Phil, Kieren & Tara) turned at about 12km. I made it with my water and gatorade but there was none left at the end, Tara was out and Phil had finished off his little bottles. I'm glad I took this one easy and had some energy left for gym and an evening run with Katy.
I thought you'd go all the way and catch a ride home. I must have just missed you at the end. Thanks for helping me decide to come along.
Sounds like it is a tough day from the start, getting up at 3.25 am included. I agree it was a hot one yesterday, there is a fine line between carrying too much water and feeling uncomfortable or not carrying enough and paying for it later.
28 km at a good pace in tough conditions, is a great effort.
3hrs out running in that heat is an awesome effort! I know the feeling about having sweat filled shoes - I experienced that for the first day a couple of days ago. I think its the reason I got my first ever blister as well.
Glad it wasn't just me who felt the humidity yesterday. After reading all the reports on this run, I'm even more glad I gave it a miss. You sound like how I felt at Kurrawa a few weeks ago.
Full marks though for a massive effort.
I was feeling a bit guilty for not running over Christmas before I read your blog Tesso....now I feel a big bit guilty. Do you ever stop!!!!!!!
Great run Tess! All this hard work will pay off for you 12 hour debut!
Tesso, these early starts...soon you'll be getting up before you got to bed.
Aah yes, squelchy shoes. I remember those from three or four short (or is it long?) months ago. Temperature range in Tokyo today: -1 to 6!
Great run Tesso, you are a machine. This is the training that will have you cruising for 12 hours at Caboolture.
Monster run in the conditions.
I also fail to remember those easy downhills until they become uphills, funny about that.
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