Teaching an Old Dog a New Trick: Chasing Bikes

After my pre-race withdrawal from the Coburg 6hr on the 7th, I spent the next 48 hours on a google hunt. I was like a possessed woman.

I needed a replacement race.

I spied a few trail races around Oz and abroad. I even sent a message out to my TNF100 crew from last year - Paul Charteris, the race director of the Tarawera Ultra in New Zealand. It was slated to be run on the 16th. He was still accepting entries. My partner encouraged me. It was tempting.

And then reason - ahhh, precious reason - slapped me across the face and brought me out of my daydream. I wasn't trained for a 100km technical trail race. Although I'd been running distance and hills, I hadn't been honing the technical skills. In fact, I was running the downhill technical bits a little cautiously the past few weeks. My goal was a 6hr track race, so spraining my ankle on a trail would have been a silly thing to do. If I wanted to run that race and be pleased with my effort, I'd have wanted to have been hammering the descents over the past few weeks, really strengthening the neural connections that guide me spatially and the stability tendons in the ankles. Plus, I'd be an idiot not to have my own crew there.

Matilda Bay - around to the yachts for the turn-around point

Back to google.

But the answer was staring at me the whole time - taped to my wall above my monitor. The local marathon club's calendar of events. The "Perth 32." A strange distance. That pleased me. It was weird. It was also a 10 minute drive from home and was run alongside the pretty Swan River. My mates suggested I could run it twice. Ha ha.

So I had a not-quite-right taper, as I'd tapered the week before already. I ran a 3k solo race around my little lake on Tuesday when the track turned out to be closed for a junior meet. Then I ran my usual 15k of hills on Wednesday. Why not. The taper was a bit mucked up, anyway. Thursday and Friday I rested from running again. Saturday I did my normal pre-race 3k/3min sprint regime.

Sunday morning beetroot juice broke the fast. At the start line I didn't know which of the girls to keep an eye on. And there was a 10k race starting at the same time. So until the 10k turn around point, I wouldn't even know which race what girls were in. I saw 4 or 5 take off in front of me, but knew there could have been more in the pack out front.

A good running mate got in beside me and started with the abuse (he's one of my best "psychological" trainers, due to his penchant for heaping abuse on our trail runs!). I don't know if he knew I was a no-talker during races, though. So he got lots of abuse in over 5k before he finally dropped off, wishing me well.

Early temps were around 20 degrees, which was fairly pleasant, but it was also fairly humid. And I was running under a 4.30 pace (the plan). Actually, according to Garmin, because it's so bad for overestimating distance, I ran a lot of "4min23sec" kilometres. Not really, but by Garmin's account. I knew from experience that I had to keep the pace about 5 seconds lower by Garmin to give me an accurate near 4.30 pace.

Pointed back towards the finish line. Past the CBD. Don't look that far ahead!

Based on predictions, I should be capable of something between 2hr24m30s and 2hr25m30s. I figured I'd aim to hold just under a 4.30 pace and if I thought there was too much still in the tank with 5 or 10km to go (ha ha, but let's be optimistic), I'd pick it up a wee bit. Just in case there was a 2hr20 in there somewhere ;)

Well, there wasn't!

But back to the race....I did pass a few girls who made the 10k turn-around. But I knew there was at least one more in front in the long race and probably two. At 12k, I caught sight of one. I got to within 70 metres of her and - perhaps for the first time - she glanced back and saw me. She picked up the pace a bit. I stuck with my pace and let her to do her thing. It was too early to start a sprint for the finish. She only made about 10 metres on me, then faltered a bit. I got within 50 metres. She picked it up. And so it went for 3km. At 15k, I finally reached her, as she could no longer keep making the little pushes. I tried to be a bit decisive about my pass and she sent out an encouraging "Well done." I wanted to say something, but didn't know what. If I'd been passed, I would have said the same. But it seemed that there was nothing I could say that would sound respectful to a person racing hard when passing them. The most respect thing I thought I could do was to not say anything that might seem patronising like "Same to you" or "Good job."

Near the turn around (which was actually the 18.5km mark, as the course wasn't a complete out-and-back), a bloke on his way back called out to me - "First Lady!" Shit. Seriously? No, don't believe that. Run your race, Bernadette. A few more cheers. At the turn-around a girl on a bike says to the marshal, "See you later" and rides out in front of me.

I HAVE THE LEAD BIKE! Oh my dog. I'm 43 years old, running a bitumen "short" race and I have the lead bike! I pass two girls on their way to the turn-around too close for my liking. I want to keep putting the distance between us. But there's a long way to go yet.

The girl on the bike seems to go so fast. I can't keep up to her and I start getting mad. Then I have a little wake-up call and realise that she's going to attempt to stay 100 metres in front of me no matter what pace I run. If I kill myself trying to catch her, I will succeed in killing myself. I remember her job is to help me find the way and warn other users I'm coming. At least I think that's her job. I've never been with the lead bike.

Privileged to get my medal from AUS marathon champ Lauren Shelley

As I approach each aid station, roughly 5km apart, I play my usual game of trying to divvy up one cup of water between my head, the front of my chest, and down my back, leaving a few drops for the throat. I'm carrying a 200 ml handheld, but it's running dry. It's getting hot. We're into a headwind now, which provides a bit of a breeze, but the sweat rate is high.

With about 6km to go, I take 15 seconds to have a volly refill my handheld. My pace is suffering now because I am so bloody thirsty. Whatever level of dehydration I can go to without a performance hit, I've reached it. Joyously, with less than 2km to go, there's another aid station I wasn't expecting. I dump water on my shirt. Suddenly, it weighs a ton! I feel like I've just added a kilo of weight - so, am I running faster because I'm cooler now or slower cuz I'm heavier?!? Argh! I wring out some water from the front of my shirt with one hand and keep chasing that bike.

To motivate myself, I imagine a girl coming up from behind, taking the lead, and watching that lead bike pull away with her. It's a visual I refuse to allow into reality. Yet a few kilometres dip into the "4.37" on the Garmin. I see the 1km sign and flip the Garmin back to "Total Time." Throughout the race I've run just 4 minutes 30 seconds at a time. Now I see the total for the first time. It reads 2:21:05.

I cannot run a sub 4 minute km now. But I'll run as hard as I can.

2:25:25.

Time for a trail run.

All Trained up and Nowhere to go

Melbourne's having a heat wave. The Coburg 6hr race is in two days.

28th Feb: Masters 10k State champ :-) 

According to a formula I believe was developed by Jack Daniels, that means I'll lose 5 to 9 seconds per kilometre (more as the heat climbs through the morning).

The race director even moved the start from 8 AM to 6 AM. But with a cloudy night forecast to insulate things, night time temps are staying at 23-24 degrees. Then climbing up to 32 degrees and sunny. That means I should expect to lose at least a couple kilometres off my potential 6hr distance. Agonising.

I know everyone else at the start line faces the same challenge. But my goal for this race was to attempt some 6hr records. I know I can run 70.406km in 6hrs. My personal challenge was to run more. There are already a zillion things that need to go right at an event - nutrition, hydration, shoe selection (fit, tightness of laces etc), injury prevention, toilet stop needs.... to add heat to the mix stacks the odds too highly against me.

I waited until the last possible minute last night to decide - whilst I could still change my flight booked for this morning. I stood outside under the stars and imagined this would be my start line temperature. It was a perfect temperature ... for sitting under the stars.

I sacrificed so much and trained so hard for this. The costs and time for massage and physio weekly, for the hours of training, for the bloody brutal strength training and the speed work and track races, for being careful about my diet so as to not put on weight before the event.... Filled with all the greed of "I want this race!" that clouds rational thinking and the inflexibility of "But this is the plan!", I had once again to revert to science to tell me what the emotional brain didn't want to hear.

10k State Masters - these people have taught me a lot

Yes, I'm lucky to have this simple little problem. I'm lucky it's not injury. I'm lucky it's not cancer or heart disease. I'm lucky I don't live in a war-torn country. I'm lucky my family and friends love me.

But for the evening, I just needed to let myself feel sad.

Now, I'll find somewhere to go.

Run on a Treadmill... it's Patriotic

I've blogged before about altitude houses and altitude tents - a normobaric (normal pressure) environment but reduced with oxygen (hypoxic). It's a method that tries to simulate the effects to blood (and the oxygen carrying capacity of blood) that comes from really being at altitude. These effects can be beneficial to athletes. However, research isn't all that positive towards hypoxic as a replacement for hypobaric conditions.

There's currently a study happening in Perth where they are looking at what happens to iron levels in athletes who train in hypoxic conditions. This is important for our Aussie athletes, particularly, who can't go train at 3,000 metres within this relatively low-lying country. The Australian Institute of Sport puts top Aussie athletes in a hypoxic setting that reduces their oxygen to try to simulate what you get at 3,000 metres.

So, you, dear "endurance runner" can quite possibly help our Australian athletes and maybe even yourself, by participating if you're in Perth. The research study is investigating short bouts of hypoxic exercise on iron levels in the blood. You must be a runner (not cyclist-only), and can be in track, tri, trail and/or ultra. You must be 18-40 years old. You can possibly have a history of iron deficiency - talk to the researcher about this. You must be training at least 6x/wk and do interval-type work as part of your training. It involves 4 sessions at UWA with blood drawn (time to be tough!). You'll get your VO2max out of it and your iron levels. And the glory of helping advance science. Maybe that next Olympic athlete will be thanking you for what you helped discover ;) I'll warn you now, though, VO2max testing is NOT sexy! You will foam at the mouth, sweat more than any interval session you've ever done, and will feel like a beaten dog by the time you're done. After that, every time you do an interval session, you'll be grateful that you don't have to do it with a nose plug and a tube shoved in your mouth! In short, it's an experience not to be missed! :)

You can reach the researcher, Andrew Govus, at a.govus@ecu.edu.au.

Spread the word.

And tell him to let me come and play. I'm apparently too old :)

Adjunct or Essential?

Running. It's all about the running.

Ice cup massage, ahhhh!

Or is it? Or should it be? More and more these days I'm noting all these "non-running" things I'm doing that seem rather important to my running success.

In no specific order, here are some things I'm seeing as more essential than adjunct.

(1) Ice Cup Massage - paper cup of frozen water, peeled back bit by bit, actively icing whilst massaging. Has seemed particularly good for periostitis (shin splints), done after every run at a minimum. Done three times a day is probably better, particularly for nagging things like little tendons around the feet and ankles. Frozen water bottle rolled under my foot was incredible for the "Bib foot" issues and to help recovery after foot massages.

(2) Compression - calf guards and quad guards for the tired legs, whilst running or afterwards. To avoid over-use problems with the guards, like irritating a tendon around the ankle such as the peroneals or achilles, one can also use full socks. They don't have a 'compression' point like sleeves do if you're wearing them to the max on high training volumes. I have also found my periostitis shins like the full socks but didn't like the calf guards. As the physio says, "if it feels good, it's probably helping." Simple advice that makes sense :)

New yoga pose? The Resting Hedgehog?

(3) Needling - The first time I was ever needled was out of absolute desperation, one day before a race, when I was in utter agony over weeks of tight calves that got so I couldn't run 3k pain free. I really, really, didn't want to be needled, but I was that desperate. The day after that physio treatment, I ran 75k with no calf issues. Needling with the physio has continued to be useful, and just a few days ago I was made into a particularly cute hedgehog :) Or is it echidna now that I'm Aussie? I still prefer not to look when she puts the needles in!

Sports chiro - not just cracking backs

(4) Sports Chiro - So many people misunderstand what sports chiropractors do. I did, as well. I thought a chiro just "cracked backs," the sound of air popping between cartilage - not really doing anything clinically, but making a good noise. My first trip to a chiropractor when I was in my 20s in Canada did nothing to help get rid of the stereotype that it was quackery. He told me I had a leg length discrepancy (some people do, but I didn't - it turned out I had a tight hip rotating the leg up). He told me I should never carry heavy things, thought I might need a lift in one shoe, strapped me to some electric device and left the room for 20 minutes. None of it was workable solutions. I was a nanny - carrying small children was a day-to-day occurrence. I went to my GP who told me (in quite kind words) that I was getting overweight and out of shape and needed to go do some sit-ups. He was right. Years later, out of desperation again (another issue - I hadn't just given up on the core work!) I tried another chiropractor and she was awesome. It totally changed my view. Moving to WA, I was lucky to just "stumble" upon Jon Tan, who happened to be local in my area. He works with the state footy team and is a body builder type. When I see him, there's a lot he does that looks just like what my physio might do - checking hip movement and strength, the knees and popliteus, along with the back and neck. I run so much smoother at speed after his trigger point work. Thumbs of steel, just like my massage therapist!

Upper body needs strength for endurance running, too!

(5) Yoga - Here's another one I thought belonged in the "flaky" pile. Then about a year ago I was running with a mate - one who might even be said to be a "bloke's bloke.". No risk of low testosterone in him. And towards the end of the 30k hill run in 30 degree heat he says he's going to yoga that afternoon. Well, that floored me. So, I tagged along. And I met this German woman who uses all those crazy terms like "utacambasa position" and "vajra warrior number 3 position" (I still just look to see what others are doing), but she also uses words I DO know, like "hip flexors" and "rectus femoris" and "trapezius." We stretch and strengthen for 90 minute sessions. Awesome for my back, hips, and hammies, particularly.

Of course, there are more...like dark chocolate ;)

This is Not ... a Stress Fracture!

I was ready for it on Monday when I met the sports doc. I had already pictured 4 weeks of pool running. It was going to be a new challenge. There's no point in railing against the "injustice" of an injury. It's not something that's out to get me - it's my body telling me it needs something I'm not giving it. We're a team and I'm not meeting one end of the bargain. If I'm injured, it's very likely because I'm too much take and too little give.

This is NOT pool running!

Though I was extremely frustrated with the possibility that I could have a stressie due to being an undiagnosed coeliac and not absorbing calcium and other minerals/nutrients. In that case, I wasn't intentionally denying my body what it needed.

But, back to the doc visit. We're still calling this periostitis. But we need to do several things and I'm doing them all, quite seriously.

• Massage 1-2 x per week
• Physio with needling 1 x per week
• Sports chiro biweekly
• Ice massages at least once a day - after every run for sure
• Mentally stop fixating on the shins. The more I fixate and the more people ask me, "How are your shins?" whilst I'm running, the more I create a psychosomatic condition. I need to run and let the shins take care of themselves. If there's a stressie, it will scream out.

Calves after shins, just some "bonus" needling ;)

The result so far? Massive improvement! I even hit the track on Tuesday night, as per my program (immediately after being needled, which I was a little tentative about). And despite it being 32 degrees at 6 PM (really, it was one of those brutal nights), I set a 3 second PB :) The reason why? Well, there may be a few (including my new favourite Inov-8 shoes), but I really think it was watching an Australian M80 1,500 metre record being broken in the race just before mine. David Carr broke his own Australian M80 1,500 mtr record by something like 17 seconds, running 5min55s, I believe. Another 7 seconds and he'll have the World Record, too. Keeping in mind it was a 32 degree night and the guy was running out on his own - no pack to draft behind or crowds of thousands cheering or anything. Stunningly motivating. I was so honoured to be there, I just didn't even know what to say to the man. I was like a nervous kid with a superhero.

So, full steam ahead towards Coburg 6hr race in about 3 weeks. I might even book a flight now :)

I received the call about a week ago to tell me that I'd been accepted to the Australian 24hr team to go to the IAU World 24hr Championships in the Netherlands in May. It's an honour to be accepted after all the hard work over the past few years with training and lifestyle commitments. But it does come with a cost. There's the monetary cost, of course, because Athletics Australia doesn't fund ultra running (in a way, I'm glad, as I don't see the takeover of our sport by the "sub-ultra" business as likely to be a good thing). AURA, the ultra runners' association, is able to provide a tiny bit towards the flight (and more if you race well!). Then there's the mental cost. It means I'm not running for Canada, the place of my roots. International living has its advantages and I've been fortunate to spread my "branches" out to Australia. But it's rather bitter sweet.

David Carr, enroute to a new AUS record

Brutal strength training continues - I can't say yet what it'll do to my 6hr and 24hr form, but I can see new muscles everywhere and I definitely run more upright now (less ultra runner shuffle). Psychologically, I think it's very good for me, as I bloody well hate it. That's why it's called brutal training. It's hard and punishing and towards the end of the session I am typically laying in a pool of my own sweat, with matted wet hair, feeling like a shell of myself. I figure if I'm going through this, then I sure as hell am going to run hard at the 6hr and 24hr! No way I'm doing brutal training for nothing! And have you seen Ellie Greenwood's legs lately?!? Geez, I've still got a way to go!

Other PB last week I should mention - 6 vials of blood taken! Genetics testing for coeliac (no more gluten eating necessary, hooray), B12, folate, metabolic calcium absorption study, and carotene (she didn't like my orange hands - I love carrots, we better not be taking my carrots away!). Did you know that when you get blood drawn for carotene they have to wrap the vial in foil before drawing it so the light doesn't affect it? Cool. I hate blood work, but at least if I learn something new, there's a plus side. Results next week.

This is Not

Going through a tough time once, a special Buddhist teacher taught me the phrase "This is not mine; this I am not; this is not my soul (self)"

Indian Ocean at Perth

I found myself down at the beach the other night, alone, calmly watching the water, the dogs and their owners, and the setting sun and suddenly that phrase came into my mind. I had just finished having a lower leg bone scan.

Considering some of my current, ongoing, lingering, and new health issues and my obsession with running, it's really no surprise that such a phrase would come back to mind.

But backing up...I went for another iron test a week ago. Despite having what some would call an obsession with healthy eating (I know about things like cruciferous vegetable and the iron content of almonds and the GI of potatoes), and taking a mega-dose iron pill every day, my ferritin is still low.

This is not mine. This I am not. This is not my soul.

Good news, haemoglobin is still up, so not anaemic again...yet!

Event traffic controller class this weekend - I'm a certified lollipop holder!

My sports doctor queried coeliac disease back in late November and I went off gluten. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects 1/100 Australians and 75% don't even know they have it. Environmental factors can trigger it at any point in life (though you still might not know you have it). Now, I'm back on gluten because apparently you have to see some inflammatory marker to detect it when they do the blood test. Day 2 came and I thought I was pregnant with my distended "wheat belly."

This is not mine. This I am not. This is not my soul.

My periostitis worsened after last weekend, such that we decided to get a scan on Wednesday (another needle, yay, only with bonus radioactive dye!). It said that I have "anterior cortical reactions" (maybe there's a stress fracture).

This is not mine. This I am not. This is not my soul.

A quick search of the literature (naturally!) revealed that signs of stress reactions are found in up to 50% of asymptomatic runners who never go on to get symptoms (e.g., Bergman et al 2004 Vol 183 Asymptomatic Tibial Stress Reactions: MRI Detection and Clinical Follow-Up in Distance Runners). After all, bone is continually remodelling all the time. It's like my sports doc says...you scan/image things as a last resort often because you're always going to find things...in my case, I'm an ultra runner, in middle age. There will be "stuff." So then it's a case of trying to weed out the relevant stuff, if there even is any.

New racers! Okay, maybe these are mine ;)

But this got me thinking...what if I am coeliac (which destroys your villi in your bowel, causing malabsorption of nutrients). Well, that would explain why I can't get my iron stores up without massive doses. What about these supposed stress reactions when I'm so very good about my diet, training (taking running breaks usually at least twice per year), and gradual load increases? What if I'm not absorbing nutrients? Gee, calcium is a nutrient.

This is not mine. This I am not. This is not my soul.

Time to mega-dose on calcium. But, wait! Calcium inhibits the absorption of iron (so no more cheeseburgers for you, dear reader!). That means I have to time my pills so that I don't have any near morning tea (tannins also inhibit absorption), and not near each other. Yikes, how complicated!

This is not mine. This I am not. This is not my soul.

Next week I will see the sports doc to discuss the scan results and next steps. For me, query MRI, query bone density test, query nutrients like calcium, query coeliac.

How many runners with a history of stress fractures could be coeliac and have malabsorption issues? 1 in 100? Maybe in the end, this won't be my story, but it's got me telling a lot of people to get blood work done. Regularly, if you do what we do.

Blood, Sweat and ... Well, More Blood

It seems like my training program involves a lot of blood letting these days.

First of all, there's blood letting in my "brutal training" (the strength training program, which was aptly named immediately following the first session when I needed a title within my google calendar). At the gym once a week it's fine, but at home, it's usually about 30 degrees in my house. So that means I wait until it's slightly cooler and go outside. Which means...mossie time!

The home gym with 'natural' air conditioning

At the gym, the trainer encourages me at times to work faster...at home, the mosquitoes do the same! I'm very focused to not waste time between sets and reps as I am eaten alive. I must burn more calories, swatting wildly along the way, too. And there's the added mental training of keeping oneself doing deep one-legged squats with weights whilst a proboscis buries itself into one's skin.

This is going to be one of my secret weapons in my next race - mossie mental stamina training.

Ice bath and chocolate Recoverite - ticking all the boxes!

Additionally, as I increase the mileage with the goal of the Coburg 6hr event in March, my periostitis is whispering away at me again. Lots of ice and massage and stretches of opposing muscles seems helpful (and trying to up my Udo's Oil and other omegas like avocados). But last night as I ran home from a 26k easy run (meant to be 20k for me, but my running partner had a route in mind that provided her requisite 15k and me 26k!)...anyway, I was saying...as I ran home, I thought about my promise to myself to start ice bathing after big efforts. Only I don't have a bath. So a few days ago I bought an 81ltr bin. A km from home, I dug out my emergency cash at the servo and bought a big bag. And used my new strong arms and core to run home with a bag of ice!

Then it was into the bath....for some more mossie-therapy.

And finally, despite ultrasound, surgery, and numerous blood tests, I still don't have all the answers to my chronic low iron issue.... So I have been testing the hypothesis of coeliac disease by going gluten free since before Coast to Kosci. However, my experiment is rather flawed. Yes, I feel better and don't have wind (gas for the North Americans out there). But the only way to test for coeliac is to test a person who is eating gluten! Today I'm off to get a note from a GP for another blood test. But I think I need three. Because I've continued to take the horse-pill sized iron pills. A test now will tell me what my iron is like whilst on pills AND gluten free. Then I need to eat gluten (on or off the pills??) and re-test. Then I need another post-test once I know the results of those two tests and have more real-life experience (staying off gluten and not taking pills?).

Running is a simple sport, right?

Running hills in 30 degrees...good mates make the time pass better!

My mileage last week was up to 85k +1200 mtrs. Using the 100mtr gain = 1km flat rule of thumb, that puts it closer to 100k in the legs. This week I'm increasing that, though having to be more creative with the program, as it's a "PTS week" again with an event on Sunday. Hence, the reason I was okay with my 20k run turning into 26k. Really, it's pretty amazing to be to a point in my life's fitness that when a planned run increases by 30%, I don't even bat an eye. And that I can do a 3.5hr easy run on no fuel (go fat burning!)...but don't take away my water!