Wow! I have been off line for a bit. Apologies. I had network connection problems for 2 weeks, then went overseas on a family holiday, ran an ultra, bad flu, Christmas and chaos, and time has just flown!
There is to much water under the bridge to catch up, so I will have a chat about my 48k Ultra Trail Marathon than I completed on the 21st of December 2014.
As mentioned in my last post, I had the ongoing saga of replacement trail shoes. I eventually settled on some Innov8 trail rocs. Despite doing 80km of trail running in them prior to the event, I still could not get success. But what I had worked out was that I could get about 20-25km in the Innov8’s before my feet started cramping and hurting. My well worn out New Balance Minimus definitely did not have the grade and capacity to last 48km, however I figured I could get 20-25km out of them. Therefore the issue was neither shoe was fit for the Ultra trail, and real barefoot was not an option given the terrain, rocks, heat and pea gravel.
My solution? I worked out I would commence the race in the Innov 8’s to Aid Station 1, which was about 23km in. In my drop bag I placed my old New Balance shoes. I would then change out at the Aid Station to the New Balance. Having run the route on several recces, I was fairly comfortable that the last 5km of the event was possible to run barefoot as it was fairly shady so heat would not be an issue, and it was not a pea gravel track. Therefore I could run in my New Balance until they gave out and then finish off barefoot if required.
I will do a full race recce in a post of its own.
Post race:
Well there was Christmas, and me trying to get a little better. I took 6 days off from running. From walking. From living. Slowly I started to get better. Then started a few walks.
New years eve arrives and we have a club 8km NYE run. I decide, what the heck, I am on my own (Hubby back at work) so I enter on NYE and run the 8km. Now this is on our usual Wednesday group run course. And it was Wednesday. Well the body recognises this and says – ‘hey chick, whats with race pace? This is Wednesdays route?’ So first 4km’s I conned my body into running a close to race pace. Between coughing and my asthma pump. Blow this, the return 4kms slowed down to a Wednesday night run. What was I racing for? I was only here for the social! The last 500m looms, and I kick it up a bit, the finish shute should always be done in style. I charge down, and mow down about 30 runners between the 500m mark and the finish shute, I see the clock ticking 39 mins 25 sec and figure I have not done to bad at a sub 40min 8km in my state.
Huh. Mr Double Pram Runner ahead of me enters the shute and STOPS! about 3cm from the finish line! STOPS! Are you kidding me? The nose of his pram may be across the finish line, but add the length of the pram, the length of his arms belonging on a 6ft tall bloke, and I AM NOT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE! Mr, move out of the way! No way for me to get past him. I am dancing on the spot right behind him squealing like a stuck pig. The clock 39 mins; 58 sec..still dancing on the spot..39:59 secs..FREAK OUT!! 40:00 mins and Mr Pram Runner moves forward a fraction. I squeeze past and am across the line at 40mins 02 seconds…Okay.. I may have given into the body on the race pace, but this was a race and finishing under a decimal score point is MAJOR!
A social evening but could not last till the midnight fireworks so headed home an hour away. Tucked up in bed and a friend calls me to see the new year in. Another 6km of walking (3km out of the Old year and 3k’s into the New Year).
Finally in bed at 1:30am knackered. New years day run was a measly 10km, but it was about 8am before I hit the road, and my word was it hot. So very hot. I do not normally take water for anything under 15km. 3kms in and I had to re route back home to get water. 3km’s back out and had to re route to find a route with water fountains.
Slooww run..still recovering. Still coughing. Still need my asthma pump. And already this week I have clocked 50kms.
COMRADES MARATHON Training commenced 1st January. No rest for me..
realbarefoot 
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