Cairns Ironman 70.3 Run Leg - my first sub 2 hour half marathon

This year I competed in the Cairns Ironman 70.3 (Half Ironman) as part of a team with my friend. I ran the run leg which is 21.1 km (a half marathon). As the runner of the team I got to wear the nice tattoo with our team number on!

I've run this distance a few times before, with my best time being 2 hours and 9 minutes in last year's Great Barrier Reef Half Marathon in Port Douglas.

This year I've been concentrating more on trail runs as most of the races we do are trails and I felt I needed more uphills in my training. As a consequence I've done fewer longer runs just on the roads than I did in my training for last year's half marathon.  

Road Running Vs Trail Running

I find running on the flat for longer distances harder than running up and down hills as I feel it's more of a mental challenge. With trail runs there is always variety in the terrain, incline and muscles you're using. It can be a relief to finish a flat section of a run and go into an uphill just for the change.

However, when road running there's no such change and variety, it's just flat, and flat, and more flat.

The half marathon in the ironman 70.3 was dead flat.  It was also a looped course with a couple of dog leg doublebacks in there too.  This made it feel like I was going round in circles a bit. At least the course was on familiar ground where I've walked and run lots over the past few years. Familiar courses are always easier to run I find.

The course was along the esplanade here in Cairns and the whole course was lined with people.  This again was another change from the trail races I'm used to where often I'm running totally alone on a bush trail up in the hills!

I enjoyed having the support of crowds along the way, people constantly cheering and holding up signs. I touched every sign that said, "tap here for power" ! I figured anything was worth a try!

Drinks stations

There were plenty of drinks stations along the road, offering water, ice, flat coke, Endura, watermelon, bananas, energy gels and protein bars! What a smorgasbord of delights! I mostly stuck to water with the occasional cup of coke. Again different to the trail runs where you have to take your own hydration and I now run with a CamelBak . 

Team race vs Individual

Another change was running as part of a team. When running as an individual, you start the race at the beginning and run for yourself. This time I just started when my friend finished her bike leg, so not with a crowd of other starters.  

Being part of a team also helped mentally when things got tough and my body wanted to give up. More than just my own time was at stake, I had to do the team proud.

Having just done one leg of the race also meant a strange feeling at the end in the recovery area. I'd given the run my all and was totally exhausted, yet I was surrounded by people who had swum, cycled AND run. I somehow felt a bit of a fraud having done only a third of what they had and felt that I shouldn't have been quite as spent as they were!

1 hour 59 minutes, 20 seconds

For my time in this race I was hoping to go under the 2 hour mark. From my training runs I knew I was capable of it but just had never actually done it.  

The day was cool and a little wet, and with a totally flat, familiar course I felt I had a really good chance to go under the 2 hour mark.

I started out really strong, and went through the first 10 km in just over 50 minutes. At that stage I was feeling great and that I was running at a pace I could keep going at for a long time!

However, by the 14 km mark I checked my time and realised I'd slowed quite considerably, but still was on track to go under 2 hours.  

By 17 km I was exhausted. My legs wanted to stop, everything hurt and it was only my mind that kept me going. I found myself chanting in my head, "don't stop, don't stop, don't stop."

When I reached the end of the race and the finishers chute was in sight, I figured it was about a 2 minute run to the finish. Checking my watch I saw 1 hour 58 minutes and dug as deep as I could to sprint (or so it felt) that last couple of hundred metres!

Crossing the line and checking my watch to find I'd done it was the best feeling - you can see how happy I was!

The medal is one I'm really proud of.

And one thing I was really looking forward to at the end was the cool towel they give to all race finishers!

I loved being a part of the Ironman this year, The atmosphere is amazing, the race takes over Cairns for the whole weekend, and after several years of being a volunteer at the finish line, it was a good feeling to cross the line as a competitor.

I'm so happy to have broken the 2 hour mark for my half marathon time. My goal is now to get that down to 1 hour 50 minutes - which would be to run the whole race at the pace I ran for the first 10 km of this one!

I'm already back on the trails though, with a race next weekend as part of the NQ Games.

Dirty 30 Sweaty 60

Yesterday our family drove up to Lake Tinaroo for a fun event - the Dirty 30 Sweaty 60.

This is the second year we've participated in this race and will definitely be going back for more next year!

The race is an obstacle course trail run that you do as many circuits as you can in either 30 or 60 minutes.  Our girls did the 'Dirty 30' and Euan and I did the 'Sweaty 60'. This meant that we could cheer each other on in our respective races - and take photos, which was great!

The race started down by the lake shore,

 with running through the water,

clambering over hay bales, 

ducking under tyres in the water 

and a larger hay bale to scale before heading up into the trees and the trail.

The trail then led up and up through the forest on trail and part sealed road, then down to the lake at the other side, where there was a small sand dune to climb up before heading back towards the start again along another short trail through more forest 

and a little on a section of beach strewn with driftwood.

Just before the end of the circuit you came to a choice of monkey bars, or climbing through 3 inflated inner tubes.  

I think most people chose the inner tubes! I certainly did - I don't think my arms can hold me up on the monkey bars these days - maybe something to work on for next year!

The end of the circuit was the most fun part of the whole race - a giant slip and slide. A black plastic slide with water being hosed down it and someone standing at the top squirting washing up liquid on to make you slide better! Awesome fun!

Our girls and their friend all did 2 circuits in their race and Euan and I managed to do 4 laps in our 60 minutes. Exhausting but so much fun!

The girls enjoyed cooling off in the lake afterwards too!

All in all a great race. We're already looking forward to next year's!

The Pyramid Race 2015 - from last to 2nd in 6 years!

Yesterday was my 6th year of running The Great Pyramid Race here in Cairns, Australia. 

I had a great race day, everything seemed to go well and despite feeling like I really haven't trained for the race this year I finished in my best ever time of 2 hours 9 mins and finished 2nd placed veteran female!

It was such a great feeling and amazing to see how far I've come since my first Pyramid Race in 2009 when it took me 3 hours and 15 mins and I finished last place in the Open Female category. 

In my 6 years of doing this race I've learnt a lot. I've trained hard and gone in knowing I had a chance to do really well, but stuffed up my hydration completely and cramped badly halfway through the race. I've let my mind get the better of me and given up mentally halfway through the race. But this year I really feel like I've learnt how I should run the Pyramid Race.

I went into the race this year with no expectations having done very little training.  

The run to the mountain

I knew from experience that the 3km flat run to the base can be my undoing, so I consciously took it easy and felt good at the base - warmed up and ready to go in just under 17 minutes. 

The climb up

The climb itself (922m) takes me about an hour. I knew my steady pace and stuck to it. If I needed to pass people to stick to this pace I did, but I also didn't worry about people passing me. I made it to the top at the 1 hour and 21 mins mark, so a little more than an hour of uphill, but I was pretty pleased with that and still felt good.

The run down

I now really enjoy this part of the race. The turn around at the top is a great mental feeling and once the uphill is over, my breathing becomes easier. The downhill is about speed with control and enjoying it.  I loved the downhill this year and came down in my fastest ever time of 31 minutes.

The run back 

The 3km run back after climbing the mountain is quite simply a mental challenge. My legs were so tired, but I knew my time was very good and I knew I could run all the way back - albeit slowly. 

 With a jelly snake from my watching daughters to set me on my way, I slowly jogged back. Pretty soon into this final run I felt my legs wanting to cramp, but wasn't going to let that happen and the last 12 mins of the race was spent chanting in my head, 

"you will not cramp, you will not cramp"!

With the finish line in sight, I was really hurting and just wanted to finish, but when I heard my girls shouting for me I managed to put on a bit of a sprint for the line. Although judging by the photos, my feet were barely making it off the ground, so I don't think it was much of a sprint!

So this year I feel like I finally learned how to run The Pyramid Race and I feel really positive and encouraged about my coming years of trail running. To see how far I've come in 6 years of persistence, training (which I've got better at over time in terms of consistency) and learning about race hydration and nutrition; gives me real hope and an excitement about what I could achieve in years to come!

I'm fired up to start training properly again and also to lose some weight.  This is something I talk about lots, start dong and lose 2 or 3 kilos and feel really good, then stop. I think I'm mentally ready now to stick to it beyond the initial couple of kilos, with the incentive of some really great times in my running.

I'm just about to start a 12 week training plan for a half marathon race I'm entered in in November, and there are a couple of trail runs in those 12 weeks too which will be fun.

I'm feeling focused, motivated and ready to take action to become a better and faster runner!

Great Barrier Reef Half Marathon Race Report 2014

A few weeks ago I ran in the Great Barrier Reef half marathon in Port Douglas. I've done a few half marathons before but only as 'fun runs' where I didn't train and just ran a bit walked a bit.

This time I wanted to train and be able to run the whole way.

It was early November and very hot and humid - even at the start time of 6.30 am.

The run started with around 5 km along the beach - good hard sand and a beautiful setting. The course then turned in through the houses and out onto the main road out of town. Under a bridge and onto a track through the cane fields and back out onto a small road to the halfway turnaround point.  

Coming back the same way along the track to the main road into town, which we then followed alongside basically all the way back and finished by the beach again.

I was so pleased that I managed to run the whole way which was my goal. The last couple of kilometres I may have been faster to walk and run but that wasn't the point!  It was a hard slog mentally, to just keep going and not stop.

I'd only gone 17 km non-stop running in training, so when it got hard in the race before the 17 km mark, I kept telling myself I couldn't stop because I knew I'd done at least 17 km before. Then once I'd passed that mark, it was only 4 km to go, and out of 21 km, that's a short way, and I wouldn't let myself stop then. Good logic!

I've done 18 km trail runs before (see my train race report from a few weeks earlier). But that's hard in a different way as there are up and downhills and lots of concentration on where you're putting your feet, so you tend to think less about the 'keeping going' part.

In this half marathon race, it was a straightforward flat run, so mentally the tough part was to just keep going - there were few distractions from the hard slog!

I finished in a time of 2:09.28, which was 21st in my age category.

I'm pretty happy with that - and with the beautiful medal we got at the end, which is also a fridge magnet and a bottle opener!!

Now I'd like to try a half marathon race in winter when it's not quite so hot and humid!  And my new time goal is to go under 2 hours!

I'll be entering this race again in 2015.

It was so well organised, great to be a part of - a beautiful place to run, lovely running shirt and as I mentioned - a very cool medal!

Cairns 2 Kuranda Train Race 2014 - Race Report

Last Sunday I took part in my 3rd Cairns 2 Kuranda train race.  This is an 18km race up a hill to try and beat the tourist train you can see in the background of the above picture.

Usually this event runs in winter, but due to unforseen events, this year's race took place in the heat of October here in the tropics.

Since the race is against the train, the race start is when the train leaves Freshwater station, which is around 9am.  By this time the sun was beating down out of a clear blue sky and the temperature was already about 32C. It was HOT!

The first part of the run is 5km on the roads. 

It is a nice run and this section of the run is the part I do well in. Just running on the flat!

Once I hit the uphill, that's when I slowed down.

I haven't managed to do a lot of uphill and trail running this year, and I really felt that, together with the heat on the 8 km trail part of the run.

Last year I did this race in 2hrs and 12 mins. This year was over 2 and a half hours, thanks to the heat!

Next year, hopefully this race will be back on in winter - and with more training, I'll be aiming to go under 2 hours!

Till then, I was very happy to find this video someone shot on the race last year.

When you get to around the 2 minute mark, the cameraman is coming up to the finish line - and in front of him you can see someone with a pink t-shirt and black shorts running - that's ME!!

In so far as beating the train is concerned, a handful of male runners have managed this - but as yet, no females. Since the train gets to Kuranda in 1 hour 30 mins, I don't think I'll be the one to break that record any time soon!  But hopefully a lady will beat that train one day! This is a great trail race in Cairns, so well organised, and despite having a very slow year this time, I was very happy to win a spot prize at the end of some muscle gel!
Lucky me!

The Great Pyramid Race 2014 - Race Report

For the past 6 years now, my husband and I have entered The Great Pyramid Race here in Cairns. The race is 12 km long and the mountain 922 m high (the worlds highest natural free standing pyramid).

 The race is described as:

“A never-ending uphill scramble and a ‘controlled’ downhill free fall”

 My report from last year's race, when I got my hydration all wrong and cramped badly, is here.

This year, my training was going well, I'd got my hydration sorted and was feeling positive...until I got sick.  It was a nasty winter cold that went to my chest and blocked my sinuses and I could not kick it!  So when the race came round (back in August), I was still coughing and blocked up, but decided to do the race anyway, just for fun and not worry about my time.

It was nice to run the race in a relaxed mode and I was surprised at my overall time when I was 'taking it easy'!  

So here's a few photos and comments on the race in general. I've used some photos from races and others from a walk we did up the mountain with our girls a few years ago, to give an idea of what the trail looks like!

Here's the start in the small town of Gordonvale:

To start the race you run all the way around the town square, with people cheering you all the way. I always go too fast on this part in the excitement of the start of the race. Once I'm past the square, round the corner and out of sight, I slow to my real pace!

First you have a 3km run to the base of the mountain, then the climb begins. It's basically non-stop uphill on a dusty, rocky track, which is sometimes a bit of a climb!

(the following pictures are from walking up the Pyramid with our kids - not race day!)

For the race, you have to reach the halfway up the mountain point under 1 hour to be allowed to continue the race. The first year we did the race, we made the cut off with just seconds to spare.  This year when I was 'taking it easy' I made it with 10 minutes to spare, which made me proud of how far I've come!

Going up, your legs and lungs burn. I can now go up the Pyramid in an hour. Coming down you use completely different muscles as you leap and bound on the rocks trying not to lose your balance! But I love that it's not hard on your breathing coming down! I can come down in 30 mins. 

(Incidentally, the race record is around 1 hour 15 mins - that's including the 3km run to and from the base, and up and down the mountain! Crazy!!)

Here's the view from the top 

(not that you stop to appreciate it on the race!)

Once you're back down the mountain, it's a relief to be running on the flat, but it's tough on your legs to keep them going for that last 3km back to the finish line!

Crossing the finish line is an awesome feeling. Especially the first year we did the race - not very prepared at all. We finished, but were basically in last place!

If you notice our time there from the first year we ran this race. It's nice to see our improvement. 

This year my husband finished in 2 hrs 12 mins; more than an hour quicker for a 12km race! Not bad.  This is a time I've matched in training but am yet to do on race day!!

It's always nice to get our finishers medals and certificates.

But what I really want is a top 3 female finish next year. I know I'm capable of it, on a good day, no illnesses etc.

Next year! I'll get there!

I love this race. It's tough and never seems to get any easier, but such a challenge and the best feeling when you've completed it!