Six Foot Track 2008

I started training for 6 Foot with two goals in mind:
1. to break 5 hours
2. to finish in the top 20 women
I knew from past events that if I achieved goal 1 then goal 2 should be attainable.

I woke up on race morning with a sore lower back. It had been playing up for a week, then the flight and 2 hours in the car the day before didn't help. I had a long hot shower before which seemed to help and we headed off in the fog to find the buses.

The start line was buzzing! I chatted with a few of the guys from Melbourne and got myself into a great position to watch the Wave 1 starters charge off. What then seemed like just a minute later they were calling us into start Wave 2. I started in the front 'half' of Wave 2 and made a good steady progress down the stairs chatting with the guys in front and behind me. At the bottom of the stairs when the road opened up everyone in front of me seemed to sprint off! I tried to get into a good pace but for some reason my head just wasn't in it. My back was sore and I was running with a slightly different posture to compensate, which in turn had started to tighten up my hamstrings.

I felt like I was running on my own until the 8k mark and [scarily] this early on I was struggling for motivation. Up to Pinnacle Hill and here was where I first realised that I may be in for a bit of trouble. As soon as I started up the hill my heart rate went nuts. I have no idea why, but it left me a feeling light-headed and sick. Down the other side I recovered quickly except for now stronger back pain going down hill. Despite all of that, my run down to Cox's was just lovely. I had no one in front of me the whole way and so I got into a groove, ignored my back and hammys and just tried to enjoy myself. I crossed the river in 1:27 after stopping to take off my shoes - pathetic I know, but this year I just didn't feel like having wet shoes for the first climb. With hindsight I should have just run through it!

Mini Mini was just ugly. Again as soon as I hit the hill my heart rate went crazy again. I was walking sections I should have easily been running but I could not keep my heart rate under control. Added to this was that my hamstrings had tightened up and even walking uphill was painful. I kept going though (thanks to the encouragement of other runners) but approaching the aid station at Alum Creek I was seriously considering pulling out of the event. I popped a couple of panadol and decided to walk to the top of the hill anyway. Yes I am a masochist.

Up Pluvi and along the way I walked with a guy who was doing his 4th race, but this year just out enjoying the day. He unwittingly motivated me by saying that my sub-5 hour goal was completely gone and we were on pace for a 5:45 finish. No bloody way! I didn't do all that training for 5:45. The last section of Pluvi I managed a walk/run strategy and made it to the top in 2:56. It took me nearly 1:30 to the top and it was horrible most of the way - slower than last year too. I said to myself as I grabbed another banana that I could still do a sub-5 if I didn't walk from here to the end.

It wasn't pretty but it I was running. I can proudly say that I ran 90% of Black Range and tried to push the downhills too which I run well. I crossed Caves Rd at 4:23 and knew I had to go all out for the last 7k but I could still do it as I can run downhill pretty quickly. The last 3k, when I realised I was going to hit my sub-5 goal were just sensational. I could not wipe the smile off my face. I was running in total agony as my back seized up on the downhill sections, yet I continued to overtake people. So many runners that I passed were giving me encouragement to keep going.

I do not believe there is any better feeling than that final km of Six foot when you can hear the noise from down below and you know it is almost over! I looked down at the finish line from the last hill and saw my friend standing there waiting for me. I had a huge smile on my face, yet at the same time I just wanted to burst into tears.

4:58 - 18th female.
Happy & proud; frustrated & sore.
Pretty much sums up Six Foot for me!