14 replies to this topic

[aFrosty]

Training and Racing

After a huge race season last year and a massive break over the Christmas and New Year festive season I have had a slow start to my training. Everything has ached, my legs have been feeling like led and my mind has been lacking motivation for consistency.

Fortunately I have had this race to look forward to and with it creeping closer and closer, my urgency for gearing up the training has been just what I needed.

So from I what I have heard from fellow Salomon Australia athlete Stuart Gibson the first 15.5km is downhill with 5000 steps to pound down before the up hills begin. And going on previous race photos its going to be stinking hot! Luckily there are 17 water/fuel stops along the 45km track which means I am not going to carry anything extra. Just me, myself and my Salomon Speed Cross (oh and some light race clothing).

The record time for woman is Emma Murray at 3.37hr in 2008. This is a cracking time as she is within 10% of the men’s record 3.15hr in 2009 and generally top females aim to be within 15%. So with the 4hr time in mind I have been trying to excavate the mileage I did in November and December for the San Francisco TNF50 by getting out on my local mountains – Mt Cargill and Flagstaff. I have continued working on my overall body strength going to body pump, attack and balance classes at the gym as well as swimming and core strength conditioning. I have felt this to be a huge benefit in the final miles when the body starts to tire and the technique starts to weaken I can hold my form for longer.  

I have been hunting out runs that have some good steps in them to run down as the eccentric loading can lead to a lot of pain and lactic build up especially after 15.5km when we start the up hill. Often they go like ‘Jelly’ and it takes a bit of time to flush it all out. I am not known for running downhill especially well and always find it quite challenging but I will look forward to catching up lost time once on the way up!

What specific training have you been doing for the Six Foot Track Marathon???

Any great advise you can give me for my first race in Australia?

Frosty

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[AlunDavies]

aFrosty, on 25 February 2011 - 08:51 AM, said:

Any great advise you can give me for my first race in Australia?

Frosty

Hi Frosty

A bit late for training advice I think, whatever you have now is what you have pretty much (and I'm certainly not the one to be giving you advice anyway - this is my third and will find me underdone and nursing injury as per the previous two occasions!)

Either way, welcome and enjoy the event.  The last few km into Jenolan Caves is worth the rest of it.

Good luck

Alun

[henryjoseph]

Hi Frosty,

I've never run 6 ft (so am definately not someone to give specific advice), but would tend to agree that, with only a couple of weeks left, 'what you have already done is what you have done'! Saying that, there are a number of threads on this forum about the race (eg http://www.coolrunni...hp?showforum=28) which might be helpful to read through. There are also a number of videos on youtube which you could search for. And also info on the race website.

Good luck!

[MrD]

Hi Anna,

We met at Pikes Peak last year, I was one of the aussies there for the WMRC(the one that finished way way way behind you!)...not Andy but he is also in 6FT too.

I think it's a real bonus that you are coming over to do this run. A couple of years ago at Keswick I put it to fellow kiwi Jonathon Wyatt that he should come over and do our little run. I hope he makes it too one day.

I am certainly not going to put any pressure on you but since I heard you entered I have been  tipping you to go massive here and finish inside the top 10 overall. Whether you break the course record is not as clear cut in my mind, Emma Murray was certainly the best mountain runner in the world when she set that record, but one thing I think is that this course will suit your strengths.

The start is tricky, about 200m of firetrail before reaching the narrow steps that you talk about. Thankfully Wave 1 is small and if you get away reasonably well you won't be held up going down here. Don't know if Stu is getting confused but nowhere near 5000 steps, maybe 500 at most then a narrow technical single track for a couple of kilometres before it opens to wide firetrail. Runners generally take it 'easish' down the stairs. It is certainly not hell for leather, leg pounding descents. The stairs/terrain simply don't allow that so you won't lose any time through here. Muscles won't feel to bad either, it's more a rolled ankle that I'm always concerned about! After this tricky section it is pretty good sailing from there until the last couple of k's!

The rest of the course is described in detail here Course so I won't go into detail but definitely worth reading.

Don't worry too much about the heat, it's been beautiful conditions the last couple of years and quick times have resulted. You'r fitness and experience will see you through fine!

[Beaver]

476 steps

[Timbo76]

Can't give you any 6FT advice sorry, but I love the attached photo. Is that my old home town of Dunedin in the background?

[Mister G]

The leader at the river crossing usually is not the leader at the finish.

[undercover brother]

aFrosty, on 25 February 2011 - 08:51 AM, said:

Any great advise you can give me for my first race in Australia?

win?

[Coogee1979M]

aFrosty, on 25 February 2011 - 08:51 AM, said:

Training and Racing

What specific training have you been doing for the Six Foot Track Marathon???

Any great advise you can give me for my first race in Australia?

Frosty

I'd suggest you run in some trail shoes.  I highly recommend the New Balance MT100, so very comfortable and they come in multiple widths, so they're suitable for feet of all shapes and sizes.

[Mister G]

Then again, Emma Murray set the female course record in a pair of DS Trainers....

[TropicThunder]

Coogee1979M, on 25 February 2011 - 01:32 PM, said:

I'd suggest you run in some trail shoes.  I highly recommend the New Balance MT100, so very comfortable and they come in multiple widths, so they're suitable for feet of all shapes and sizes.

Anna is part of team Salomon - so may have the shoes organised   lucky lady

[aFrosty]

Thanks everyone for your help and comments.

I definately agree...there is not much more training I can do now, but it is always great to know inside info about a race. I am liking that there is under 500 steps...I think Stuart was just teasing me really!

Ill be wearing my Salomon Speed Cross. I find they give me extra confidence and grip on the downhills as well as close support to my foot. They are nice and light too.

I think it is amazing that there are so many water stops. That also takes a lot of pressure off thinking about what you need and how you will carry it all.

I am really looking forward to it.

Good Luck to you all, See you there. Frosty

[stug]

'5000 steps' ....sorry frosty that was a 'pish take' & my poor attempt at humour!

[Jogger]

Quote

Anna is part of team Salomon

really .. I never realised.
Other than the obvious Salomon plug in EVERY post - clearly a paid employee!

[judo]

Hi anna, good luck next week, I think you will love this race so much that you will become addicted and want to come back for years to come:). Was wondering if you would share a typical week of training you would be doing for a race of this length?
Regards judo