half 'n half

This is a super-quick post on the eve of just my second event this year, the inaugural Queenstown running festival half marathon. I'm under-prepared but in a way that has me feeling strong, just not fast. The coolest thing? Being here with Mr B, who is running the full distance, our girls who are doing 3 km, and my utterly inspirational mother in law who is doing her first ever event, a ten km walk, in her seventies.
Yes it will be raining, but we will be out there in force. Update tomorrow...

Tarawera Ultra 85km race report: Brig's big day out.

Quiet moment at the start

Where were the nerves? It felt really weird, the morning of my longest ever run, to not even need to go for a nervous pee. Minor panic - am I dehydrated already? The two weeks before I'd been scared as all get-out, complete with that whole "what made me think I could do this?" playing on a loop in my head. But suddenly, it was all gone. Head empty. Lining up for the 85km version of Tarawera Ultra, in the darkness and the light drizzle, I felt strangely comfortable. I remember smiling as we started off, and the tone was set for the day.

The event is split into four different stages: (you can see the race map here)  
Start to Okareka: 18.5km (about 2.5 hours for me)
Okareka to Okataina: 17.5 (3 hours)
Okataina to Tarawera Falls: 23.8km, and, with the Tarawera Forest closed, back again: Falls to Okataina (about 8.5 hours in total).

The trail quickly narrows, so those of us in the middle of the pack were walking and chatting pretty early on. As the sun started to rise and the field spread out, it was good to finally stretch out a bit along forestry roads toward Blue Lake. What a beautiful sight: still, stunningly clear water, and with an aid station after some sweet single track through the bush and wide, easy tracks. Yeeess!

Thanks to my sponsors!

I saw my crew for the first time at Tikitapu. My girls ran me in, and then cheered as I went on my way. There were also got cheers for the Collective, my fantastic sponsors. I was wearing a branded shirt, and had a few brand tattoos. It was a talking point - turns out the Collective products are favs in the ultra-running community.

The next short section to Lake Okareka was steady and easy, and then  the haul up Miller Road and onto the Western Okataina Walkway. Although I was right on time and feeling very comfortable, I was hesitant about this section. I'd had a huge blow-up here a month before (see A Beginner's Bonk), but on the day it couldn't have been more different. There were plenty of people around and moving through the groups was great fun. Topics of conversation: the price of avocados; Nissan Nivara vs Ford Ranger; IRD tax policy; bets on when we'd see the elites coming back the other way, a group planning a 40th birthday party at the 40km mark for one of their friends, and Ross Steele running in his Hawaiian shirt, a joyfully trippy tropical ultra-beacon, complete with leis.

At around the 35km point I found a comfortable rhythm. I hit the Lake Okataina aid station right on time for hugs, vegemite sammies, restock of Perpetuem and electrolytes, then off onto the bush tracks. It was a huge boost to see everyone; however the first few kilometres after Okataina were mentally the most difficult. I was running into what I'd mentally broken down into six stages, one between each of the three aid stations there and back.

A couple of things really helped at this point. I set back into my rhythm, and had 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 (repeat) in my head, one number for each step. Simple but effective! Secondly, I had my watch set to beep every 20 minutes to remind me to take a sip of Perpetuem, the liquid food I was taking that day. I went from sip to sip, 20 minutes to 20 minutes. 3 makes an hour done - that seemed manageable.I walked most of the uphills and focused on staying in control. A bit puffed? A bit thirsty? Take a moment, walk it out, have a drink, then trot off again.

From Humphries Bay to the Outlet, then on to the gorgeous Tarawera Falls, the field really spread out.  From about the 50km mark, I ran almost entirely alone. I had worried a bit about this, but found myself totally absorbed in staying upright on the jumbly rocky and tree-rooted sections, and making sure I ate and drank enough.

Arriving at Tarawera Falls and the flowing downhill to the aid station was great, but I knew that it would be a tough slog back up the hill. I decided to walk it and look after myself and it went really well. Back to the 20 minutes, 1-8 routine, and the kilometres ticked away. I was stoked to see the Outlet aid station and the volunteers and other runners. By the time I got to Humphries Bay I realised I was going at least at the same speed as the leg out, and that was really encouraging. The reception at Humphries Bay was wonderful. A quick shirt change, lots of encouragement from Jonathan, the Collective's biggest on-course fan (including a tweet to the Collective!), and I was away again.

In the gathering dark, on a quiet and still evening, the run back was incredibly peaceful. I was now going along with the confidence that I was going to get this done, and I was going to do it in good shape, just as I had hoped. No nausea, no injuries, and tired but very, very happy.

The finish, after 13 hours 14 minutes, was emotional - I was laughing and crying at the same time as I crossed the line with my husband and daughters. It was overwhelming, and that feeling continued for some time afterwards. I'm still getting the random happies - spontaneously bursting into a huge smile. It's a good side-effect of running a long way in an awesome place, and it guarantees a spare seat next to me on the bus in the morning.

I have to send out a huge vote of thanks the the organisers, the volunteers, all the other runners, and most importantly, my family for their encouragement, support, and expert vegemite sandwich management. Also sincere thanks to the team at the Collective, and to Malcolm and Shane who were great training partners, and their supporters for their help and cheers. Will I go back? YES!

Basics:
Fuel: Hammer Perpetuem - 70 grams mixed into a gel paste, a sip every 20 minutes, lasting 3 - 3.5 hrs. Perpetuem solids for variety (used 5 during the day). Vegemite and white bread sandwiches (2 in total).
A few chips and pretzels, 1-2 orange quarters and 1-2 watermelon chunks at aid stations. No other solid food. Hammer electrolyte Fizz tablets, 2 tabs per 2 litres in my camelbak, at all times throughout the day.

Kilometres run in training: 1207 over 5.5 months.

Raised for Kidscan: $1023. You can still donate here