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Little (Beach) hiccups

Looking towards McMasters Beach
For today's blog post, I was planning to write about one of my favourite local 10km runs, the Little Beach circuit, and set off to walk it with my camera.  This was to be my longest walk since I stopped running two weeks ago, but I reckoned that provided I didn't push it I would be OK.  Going clockwise, the first section of this course goes along the beach to the village of McMasters Beach.  It was a beautiful sunny Sunday morning and the beach was busy with holidaymakers walking and jogging its length.  The fairly steeply sloping beach meant walking up on the softer sand to avoid getting my shoes wet by the occasionally larger incoming wave and I could feel I was working harder than if I had been walking along a road.

McMasters Beach
I didn't slack off, keeping up a good pace and left the beach at McMasters to climb a steep concrete path that would take me towards Bouddi National Park.  I walked quickly up the short hill, but near the top began taking huge gulps of air and could feel my chest pounding, as it had done on a few runs in the week before being diagnosed with Pulmonary Embolism (PE).  Not good!  Only a month ago, I would have run up this hill without even noticing it.  I slowed to strolling pace and decided to cut my walk short and head home.  On more gradual gradients at an unpressured pace, I was fine and got home without further concern, but the whole episode was quite depressing.  Not knowing whether the problem is the PE or Atrial Fibrillation (AF) or both, and what can be done about it, just compounds the problem.

I know I just have to be patient, and although I'm determined to keep walking up to 10km a day, this morning's episode reinforced the need to avoid pushing the pace.  According to my Web research, there's no standard time for blood clots to dissolve, whether in the legs or lungs and I must resign myself to several more months of limited exercise, at least.

Cockrone Lagoon at the end of today's walk
Today was also the day on which the 64km Bogong to Hotham race was held in the Victorian Alps, an event I had been training for before the PE hit.  Several times during the day, I thought enviously about where the runners would be on the course, and that hasn't helped my mood.  I have a consultation scheduled with my GP tomorrow, and although not expecting any new revelations, I do anticipate getting referrals to specialists where I'm hoping for more clarity about my condition and prognosis.  However, it won't be a speedy process.

More theories

I unexpectedly struggled midway through a long trail run
near the Barrington Tops four months ago.
The longer it takes to see specialists about my Pulmonary Embolism (PE) and Atrial Fibrillation (AF), the more time I spend on researching the conditions on the Web, talking to other people, retrospective self-analysis and theorising about my prognosis.

I was quite depressed following the surprise (to me) AF diagnosis, but after researching athlete experiences for yesterday's blog post (see Endurance athletes and A-fib), I'm starting to feel cautiously optimistic that I will be able to resume running.  Maybe I have had Paroxysmal (occasional) AF for some time, triggered by exercise fatigue.  Many people have AF and are unaware of it.  Maybe AF explains the unexpected and sudden onset of severe fatigue during some long runs in the past six months, including the Melbourne Marathon (see blog post Reality check).  I had put them down to lower back issues affecting my stride, for want of a better explanation.  When AF occurs, the heart beats inefficiently and less oxygen reaches the muscles causing fatigue.  The long runs when I had trouble were all at a time when I was building from a lay-off and possibly going a bit too hard for my level of fitness.  Later long runs, when I was fitter, but running within myself, were faster without trouble.

Struggling in the Barrington Tops
This is all amateur conjecture, and perhaps there will never be certainty, but it does make me think, that once the PE and Deep Vein Thrombosis conditions are resolved through time and Warfarin, I will be able to make a return to running, much more aware of my situation and more able to manage it.

It was a beautiful summer morning for the regular Terrigal Trotters Saturday run.  I was there early to take care of runner registration as Kev, the Club Registrar was away in Parkes for the Elvis Festival, and enjoyed greeting the 100+ runners who turned out.  Many kindly asked after my health and I later had the benefit of talking to a couple of club-mates who recently had surgery for similar heart issues.  My regret at not being able to join everybody for the 11km "Round Drive" run was somewhat tempered by a pleasant 6km walk with some great coastal views and the usual post-run bonhomie.

Endurance athletes and A-fib

Greg Welch
My diagnosis with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) has had me researching the subject of endurance athletes with heart conditions.  My friend, Dr. Jon, forwarded me an article called "Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter in athletes" when he heard of my diagnosis.  It reviews a number of studies of the subject and concludes "There is growing evidence that long-term endurance sports participation can result in.......the initiation and maintenance of AF......although the mechanisms explaining the relationship between these conditions remain to be elucidated".

It's not hard to find examples of endurance athletes who have had to deal with heart problems.  Just in Australia, high-achieving triathletes, Greg Welch, Emma Carney, Erin Densham and Chris Legh have all had treatment for serious heart conditions and, in some cases, been forced to cease elite competition.  It can sound scary!

Emma Carney
But they are all a lot younger than me (making it much tougher for them, of course) and maybe they were predisposed genetically to their problems.  Nevertheless, without having any personal knowledge, I doubt that they would change much about their competitive lives, and particularly the intensity of their training.  They achieved great things by maximising their potential through hard and disciplined effort, and I admire them.

Erin Densham
We are all individuals and the medical studies point out correlations, possible explanations and areas for future study with respect to cohorts.  There are no certainties, or even probabilities, that long-term endurance runners will have dangerous heart problems affecting their quality of life.

I would like to see a study that quantifies the enhanced quality of life enjoyed by endurance runners over the course of their careers.  I believe the benefits would far outweigh any costs.

Perseverance is not always good

Deep Vein Thrombosis is the formation
 of a blood clot (thrombus) in a deep
 vein, predominantly in the legs.
There are whole worlds out there that I know little or nothing about.  I'm a bit of a current affairs nut, and an avid reader on a wide range of subjects, but there's nothing like a new injury or illness as motivation to expand your knowledge of a subject.

During my running life I have had serious injuries to my Achilles tendons, knees and lower back, as well as the usual torn and strained muscles, tendons and ligaments.  In each case, I've learned a lot about those injuries, including through missteps I have made in dealing with them.

I like to think that my own experiences allow me to offer soundly-based views on the running-linked injuries of friends when asked.  In the case of soft tissue injuries, I generally advise patience and the avoidance of activities that worsen the symptoms.  If something seems more serious or inexplicable, I usually suggest starting with a doctor.  They have a range of diagnostic tools at their disposal and a broader range of knowledge about the possible causes than ancillary or alternative health care professionals.  I'm not a fan of starting with the latter because I believe their field of knowledge and the tools they have available make it less likely they will consider all of the possible sources of a problem.  This can lead to misdiagnosis and a delay in recovery.

Pulmonary Embolism  is a blockage of the main artery
of the lung or one of its branches by a substance
 that has travelled from elsewhere in the body
through the bloodstream (embolism).
In the last two weeks, through doctors, the Web, and articles given to me by others, I've become a lot wiser about the subjects of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Pulmonary Embolism (PE) and Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), and their associated symptoms, treatments and prognoses.  Of course, there's much more I don't know about these subjects, but one thing I have learned is that runners need to be much quicker in seeking the opinion of a doctor if they start to feel inexplicably short of breath, dizzy or light-headed, or experience chest pains, hyperventilation or persistent leg pain.  There can be life-threatening medical conditions underlying these symptoms and endurance runners are at higher risk of developing them, especially if they have a long background of endurance training.

Atrial Fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia
(heart rhythm disorder).  The normal regular electrical impulses
generated by the sinoatrial node are overwhelmed by
disorganized electrical impulses usually originating in the
roots of the pulmonary veins, leading to irregular conduction
of ventricles impulses which generate the heartbeat.
Many runners, and particularly males, think seeking medical advice about these symptoms is a waste of time and/or a sign of weakness.  All endurance athletes get used to dealing with fatigue and injury "niggles" and there's a strong temptation to dismiss them as a "cost of doing business".  Two friends, both distance runners, have recently been diagnosed with PE, but only after persevering with their symptoms for much longer than me and ending up in hospital emergency wards.

I will now be quick to advise any runners suffering from the symptoms described above to urgently seek the advice of a doctor.  Early intervention is important and delay could be fatal.  It's just not worth the risk of persevering.

After mentoring this morning's track session at the Terrigal Haven, I walked for about 6km, feeling fresh and healthy the whole way, and wishing I could be running my usual post-track session 11km.

Mental adjustment

The MacPherson Forest loop was my last long trail run
It is a challenging (character-building?) time for me.  I find myself constantly re-evaluating my situation, looking for plausible positive scenarios (while trying not to fool myself), and fending off the darker morbid thoughts that must come to anybody who suddenly finds they have a potentially life-threatening medical condition.  I always assumed that my serious running career would be brought to an end by some major joint failure.  I did not expect it to be threatened by a cardio-vascular event, and it's taking time to get my head around the consequences.  With joint failure, there were always going to be alternative forms of endurance exercise such as cycling, hiking or kayaking to fill the running void, but a cardiac problem will be just as much of an issue for those activities.

MacPherson State Forest trail run
It's amazing how quickly your perspective changes, especially with the resources of the Web and Google to inform you.  I'm already thinking about changing the title of this blog to "The Futile Pursuit of a Last Sub-3 Hour Marathon" as it's hard for me to believe that I will ever be able to subject my heart to the stress necessary to run that fast again.  New goals are formulating.

Of most importance to me is the ability to exercise most days and feel good about my health, well-being, and quality of life.  It would be great to include occasional long "no pressure" trail runs, and be able to go for extended hikes/rides in remote places.  Compromises will be needed, along with patience.

MacPherson State Forest trail run
I have already decided I'm willing to reduce daily and weekly distances, give up the pursuit of age-group podiums, and even walk up hills.  If it seems likely to reduce the risks, I'll cut out caffeine (despite my well-known penchant for Diet Coke and Pepsi Max) and stop using my asthma inhalant, Symbicort.  All of these things - too much endurance/hard running, caffeine, steroid-based asthma medications - are statistically correlated with Atrial Fibrillation and cited as possible risk factors.  Age (I'm 63) is another significant risk factor, but I can't do much about that.

There will be more tests and doctor consultations to come, and there are still plenty of "unknowns", but it will help me deal with the situation if I've started mentally adjusting to the life-style compromises that may be required.

Trotters

Terrigal
Last night was the monthly Terrigal Trotters Committee Meeting at the Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club.  I always get a sense of privilege rocking up to the Surf Club on a Monday evening during holiday season.  Terrigal is a very popular holiday destination and during the summer you have to make your way through throngs of holiday makers knowing that by next month's meeting they will all be back at work or school and you will still be here, continuing to enjoy the delightful beach, hinterland and weather that have attracted them for their vacation.

Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club
Over my athletic career, I have belonged to a succession of running clubs - Melbourne High School Old Boys (defunct), Kew Camberwell District (defunct), Croydon Harriers (UK), Colchester & Tendring (UK), Watford Harriers (UK), St Louis Track (US) - and now Terrigal Trotters.  Along the way I have served in various Committee positions in some of these clubs and Terrigal Trotters stands out as unique.  Most Clubs seem to rely on two or three people to do much of the work assisted occasionally by other club members.  At Terrigal Trotters, without counting the numbers, I would guess that there are 20 people who make a very significant contribution to the Club's activities and many more who are willing to help out with particular events.

Terrigal Trotters Santa Run
The Committee is energetic and the Club inclusive.  Membership is growing and there are new people showing up for every Saturday's run, many of whom soon become hooked on the format and camaraderie.  It's fun to be a part of and volunteers enjoy involvement in professional and successful events.  Such success feeds on itself, drawing in more volunteers and participants.

Each month, one of the Committee Meeting agenda items is to nominate people who have made an exceptional contribution to the Club in the previous month and then select a Club Person of the month.  It is illustrative that there were 30 members nominated for their efforts in the past month.  Surely a sign of a vibrant club doing it's bit to promote fitness, health and fun.

Terrigal Trotters Christmas Party
My exercise today was another 5km walk around Copa.  I felt good and really wanted to be running.  Unfortunately, resumption still seems to be some way off.  My Echocardiogram this morning revealed significant Atrial Fibrillation in my heart and the specialist immediately sent me off for an Electrocardiogram (ECG) which confirmed his diagnosis.  The results still have to be reviewed by a Cardiologist, so I don't have a detailed report, but Googling the condition makes it plain that I have been lucky, will remain on Warfarin to reduce the risk of Stroke, and will need to consult some specialists before daring to run again.

The Prom

The boardwalk through Sealers Swamp on
Wilsons Promontory
Not unexpectedly, I was unable to get my Echocardiogram done today.  The first day back at work for the clinic after the Christmas/New Year break was always going to be busy.  I was lucky enough, however, to receive a call from the clinic later in the morning to say they had a cancellation and I'm now booked for the test tomorrow.  The chest X-Ray last week found that my heart was "borderline enlarged" but it seems reasonable that it would be in an endurance athlete.  If I did an hour of chin-ups most days for 45 years, my biceps would be "borderline enlarged" as well.  There is a condition called Athletic Heart Syndrome (AHS) that would explain the size, but it's hard not to be a bit anxious about what they will find.

Refuge Cove, Wilsons Promontory
My exercise today consisted of a walk around my usual 5km in Copa listening to an audio version of "The Economist", one of my favourite reads/listens.  Walking by the beach on a nice sunny morning, it was easy to think about better things and I recalled one of my favourite long training runs that included some great beaches.  I have only done it a handful of times, because it is on the remote Wilsons Promontory, the most southerly point of Australia's mainland, and one of Australia's best National Parks.

Oberon Bay, Wilsons Promontory
There are a number of running routes available on The Prom, short and long, and over the years I have spent weekends and weeks camping there with family and friends.  All of the runs are worth doing, but my favourite is a 43km loop that includes beaches on the western and eastern side of The Prom and two climbs over the spine that provide views and some quintessential Australian bush trails.

Tidal River, Wilsons Promontory
Going in a clockwise direction the run starts with a steady climb up to the Oberon Car Park along a tarred road for 4km before joining the walking track to Sealers Cove that starts with some hillside running, crosses Windy Saddle, and then descends to boardwalks across an eerie swampy world behind the spectacular Sealers Cove.  From there the trail follows the coast southwards past Refuge Cove to Waterloo Bay, offering some fabulous views over the pristine coast before turning westwards, back across The Prom to Oberon Bay.  It's easy to imagine that nothing has changed here for thousands of years as you run along the flat hard Oberon beach with the breakers to your left and the imposing Mount Oberon ahead.  The last section of the run returns to the starting point at the Tidal River campground around a rocky cape and you can finish along the beach or along a trail through the ti-tree.

I have run the course quite quickly in days gone by, but it is just as enjoyable at my slower pace of today, and I look forward to my next visit.

Mixed feelings

Ultra-running legend, Pat Farmer, running
with friend, Dina, near the end of the
"Round the Bay"
Today was Terrigal Trotters' "Round the Bay" run, which is traditionally held on the first Sunday in the New Year.  At just over 37km of roads and concrete bike paths, and usually in humid conditions, this a tough run.  Three weeks ago, I had been planning to use it as a long training run, but the Pulmonary Embolism diagnosis a week ago changed all that.

The event, which circumnavigates Brisbane Water, and is followed by a picnic breakfast, has become increasingly popular within the running club, and today was no exception.  Fifty-five people completed the circuit, including one group of walkers who began at 2:00am!  Some slower runners started at 4:00am while the main bunch set out at 5:00am.

Despite injury, Wayne nears the end of
his 13th consecutive "Round the Bay"
To get some exercise, I drove down to the start in Gosford and then walked 4km out and 4km back along the last section of the course with my camera, photographing the runners and walkers as I encountered them.  It was inspirational to see so many of my friends out testing themselves, including some suffering from injuries and/or a lack of preparation.  In just about every case, I managed to coax a smile out of them, despite their exhaustion.  My friend, Wayne, who is the only person to have run every one of the twelve editions so far, and has had a bad couple of years with various injuries, still found the determination to finish and preserve his record.  We have had a few good tussles on this course in past years.

Trotters gather for breakfast and a low-key presentation
after the "Round the Bay"
The inspiration provided by my friends this morning was, sadly, somewhat offset at frustration with my own situation.  It was only eighteen days ago that I ran the same course on my own without pressing the pace in quite a reasonable time.  I need to remind myself that eighteen days is not that long, and that I was still running up until a week ago.  Assuming next week's Echocardiogram is clear, I may be jogging in another week, and won't have lost much fitness.  Other people with my condition would just be thankful to still be vertical, and I need to remember that too.

Lost opportunities?

Boney Mountain
I joined the usual throng of Terrigal Trotters at Terrigal beach this morning for the regular Saturday 6:00am run.  I was sad not to be joining them for "Bob's Hill", another of my favourites, but reflected that I was lucky to be there walking and sharing time with friends.  Several Trotters who share my demographic are dealing with significant health issues, including one who recently suffered a more serious and life-threatening episode of Pulmonary Embolism than me.  Fortunately, he seems to be on the road to recovery, but it's another reminder to live for today, particularly when you get older.

A year ago, almost to the day, I enjoyed one of my happiest racing experiences for some time.  Sharon and I were on the last day of a three-week vacation in the western U.S., and ran in the Boney Mountain Trail Half Marathon west of Los Angeles.  After a steady start, I worked my way through the field in the second half, which included a 2000ft climb, and after a helter-skelter descent, finished in 18th place in a field of over 300.  The next runner in the 60+ division was 33 minutes behind.  I didn't believe I could still run so fast and thought then that it was likely to be the racing highlight of 2013 for me, and that's how it turned out.

Reaching the bottom of the descent
from Boney Mountain
I do get frustrated when I miss races and other running opportunities, but know that physical brittleness and vulnerability come with age.  I can accept the injuries and illnesses, so long as I don't feel I have given up my quest to be the best runner I can be, and don't incur them through making stupid choices.  All runners have those moments when injury strikes and they just wish they could have a "do over" and avoid whatever caused the problem.  Sometimes it results from doing something foolish, but often it's just plain bad luck and could not reasonably have been foreseen.  The challenge is to strike a balance between testing your limits and being foolhardy in pursuit of your potential.

I would like to think I didn't make any poor choices leading to injury or illness since Boney Mountain last January, but know I have learnt a few things about myself, particularly the growing need to warm up longer and/or start slower for anything fast.  Good choices or bad, I still had plenty of downtime and failed to produce any performances comparable to Boney Mountain.  However, it was only a year ago, and common sense tells me that not too much athletic potential can have been lost in just one year.  I still believe that if I can string together three or four months of consistent and smart training and racing, there's no reason why I couldn't get back to that form.  This is what keeps me going.

Some cause for optimism

Near the start of the Dubbo Gully Run
As the early test results come back, I'm becoming more positive about a return to running.

So far, no evidence has been found of more sinister underlying conditions that could have led to a blood clot forming in my veins and migrating to my lungs.  However, I still need an Echocardiogram early next week to rule out any heart disease or other heart issues, so am not out of the woods.

On the other hand, an Ultrasound Doppler examination of my right leg yesterday, found a small clot just beneath my right knee and close to the site of severe knee pain I experienced following a 30km trail run on the Dubbo Gully course three weeks ago.  There is no pain there now, and there hasn't been for several weeks, so it seems reasonable to surmise that the clot may have been larger when the pain was greater.

Crossing Mangrove Creek on the Dubbo
Gully Run
What led to such a clot forming, and why didn't I pay more attention to it?

Firstly, I have had significant right knee pain for more than six years now (see Post titled "Adaptation"), so I expect it to be sore after a long run.  However, I recently switched from wearing Nike Pegasus shoes, a model I have worn for decades, to another brand that promised more cushioning.  I was wary about changing shoes because I know different brands and models can change the stresses and strains imposed on the legs making you potentially more vulnerable to injury.  However, I have also been struggling with a painful chronic right Achilles tendon injury and been stymied on several long runs, including the Melbourne Marathon, by lower back pain and associated sciatica.  A shoe offering a softer ride and different pressure on the heel was worth trying and I bought a pair.  After a couple of weeks and several long runs in the new shoes, positive signs were that my Achilles tendon was less painful and there had been no back trouble.  Offsetting this was a minor worsening of my knee pain, which seemed to have moved to just below the patella on the inside front of the leg.  Following the Dubbo Gully run, the pain was particularly intense, especially on the hour-long drive home, and was sufficiently painful to cause sleeplessness the next two nights.  It now seems likely this pain was associated with deep vein damage.

Part of the Dubbo Gully route
Three risk factors probably compounded the development of a clot in the vein.  I was dehydrated after the run, but drank sparingly in the next four or five hours, increasing the viscosity of my blood.  Unusually, I had a three hour nap (while still dehydrated) on my bed when I got home, during which my heart rate would have dropped to its usual low resting rate (~45 bpm).  Finally, I have low blood pressure anyway.

My guess is that the coincidence of the new shoes changing the stresses on an already damaged knee, dehydration, a post-run nap, and low blood pressure led to Deep Vein Thrombosis.  The next ten days saw parts of the clot break off and travel to my lungs and the development of Pulmonary Embolism.

Through gradually increasing the daily dosage of Warfarin, my International Normalized Ratio (INR), a measure of the clotting tendency of my blood, has reached 2.1 (the desirable range is 2.0 - 3.0) and the daily Clexane injections have ceased.  I'm still not allowed to run, but I played golf this morning and have been walking about 5km per day this week without ill-effects.  I haven't discussed it yet with the doctor, but I'm hoping I can resume unpressured jogging after a scheduled visit in a week's time, provided the Echocardiogram doesn't yield any concerns.  Fingers crossed!

A new challenge

Terrigal Trotters gather after their Santa Run
The New Year has brought some additional challenges in my quest to run a last sub-3 hour marathon.  When I started this blog, I thought my goal was possible rather than probable, and now it seems closer to impossible than possible.

Following my underwhelming Melbourne Marathon effort back in October 2013 (see post), my training was consistently around 100km per week up until Christmas and I could feel my fitness improving significantly.  Enough, in fact, to begin plotting my race calendar for 2014, culminating in another sub-3 hour marathon attempt at the Gold Coast Marathon in early July.  I entered races such as the Bogong to Hotham 64km in January and the Six Foot Track 45km in March, optimistic that, barring the unforeseen, I would do well in both.

Unfortunately, "the unforeseen" has arrived.  At the Terrigal Trotters Santa Run, on the Saturday preceding Christmas, I struggled around the 10km course for no apparent reason, breathing particularly hard on the hills.  It was warm and humid, I was wearing an Elf costume, and I had run 37km (comfortably) in training three days earlier, so I wrote it off to a combination of those factors.  Over the next three days, I ran just 10-15km daily, and didn't push the pace, but still felt fatigued and short of breath.  I even walked up a couple of steeper hills, a rarity, and quite demoralising.  I survived a long-planned 35km Boxing Day trail run with friends by running conservatively the whole way, and hoped that successful completion might have signalled some kind of recovery.

Me (centre) getting ready for the Trotters Santa Run,
unaware of my Pulmonary Embolism and how hard I
was going to find the run.
Sadly, two days later, I could only shuffle around the monthly Trotters 10km Hill Time Trial in 56 minutes, some 13 minutes slower than I should have been able to manage.  This convinced me something was wrong, and not getting better.  On returning home, I spent some time Googling my symptoms.  The most likely explanation seemed to be Pulmonary Embolism (PE) a condition that can quickly become fatal and requires urgent medical attention.  I didn't feel "on the edge" so resolved to visit my local Medical Centre the next morning.  The duty doctor thought PE unlikely, since I had no symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT),  but alarmingly, thought some kind of heart condition probable.  Nevertheless, she took my concerns seriously and prescribed a series of tests to check for heart and lung issues.

Being the Sunday between Christmas and New Year, I had to wait until the next day to get the first tests done and a Pulmonary Angiogram found evidence of PE in both lungs.  Often this would lead to immediate hospitalisation, but since I seemed otherwise healthy and stable, I was sent directly back to the doctor where I was given an injection of the anti-coagulant Clexane in the stomach and prescribed another anti-coagulant, Warfarin.  More tests were prescribed to try and determine the source of the original clotting, which I gather could include cancer, heart problems or injury.

Now, three days later, I'm still trying to come to terms with how this is going to change my life.  After more extensive Googling, it seems the best case scenario is that the clots are resolved by the anti-coagulant and I cease taking the Warfarin in three months and return to my pre-PE life.  The worst case scenario is that the PE is symptomatic of a more serious condition.  I feel healthy, when not running up hills, and have a sort of instinctive confidence that there is nothing seriously wrong.  On the other hand, I strive to be a rational being and know I'm getting older, I frequently test my body to its limits, and some time, barring accidents, a medical condition will lead to my demise.

I'm restarting this blog with the intention of tracking my progress through treatment and towards the Gold Coast Marathon in July.  At this stage, I really have no idea whether I will be running.  Chances are that I won't bother unless I feel fit enough to threaten 3 hours.  Right now, this seems a very slim chance, but I'm keen to try.

New plan

After finishing a woeful 2004 Six Foot
Track Marathon (296th, 5:33)

Today has been another day for contemplating what next.  Do I still want to try and run a sub-3:00 marathon?  If so, what is a reasonable time frame for another attempt?  Do I want to keep writing a regular blog about running?  What of my other "bucket list" ambitions such as the Pacific Crest Trail and the Te Araroa Trail?

Also, it is now less than four weeks to the annual Great North Walk 100s (GNW100s), for which I am the Race Director, and most of my time in the next month will be devoted to preparation for that race.  I don't really want or need the pressure of keeping to a serious training program during this month when time will be frequently tight.

These are "First World Problems" of course, and I don't pretend otherwise.  Over the weekend, another good running friend from Terrigal Trotters was struck down with an unexpected and serious illness.  It looks like he will be OK, but it's a reminder to me to keep my issues in perspective.

Finishing the 1979 Canberra Marathon
(2nd, 2:23)

A tentative plan has evolved.  For the next six weeks, I will still run most days (and average about 100km per week), but won't train to a specific plan or for a specific race.  This will improve my fitness significantly, assuming I don't get injured, but will be without pressure.  I will not post any updates to this blog.  Apart from not having a "project" to write about, I will need the time for GNW100s preparation.

From the start of December, I will work to a training plan that prepares me for the Six Foot Track Marathon (45km trail race) on 8 March 2014 and the Canberra Marathon on 13 April 2014, with the goal of running a fast time in the latter.  I will resume posting to this blog at that time.

See you then.

Reality check

The start of the 2013 Melbourne Marathon
Last night's eleven hour drive back from Melbourne to Copa, punctuated by a collision with a large kangaroo just north of Gundagai which provided a few seconds of drama, gave me plenty of time to contemplate my woeful Melbourne Marathon performance.  In the lead up to the race, I never considered the possibility of running over four hours.  My finish time of 4:08 was so off the radar, it almost feels unreal.  But maybe that's a good thing, because I know in my heart that I'm still capable of running much faster than that.  However, I'm not sure in my heart that I still believe I can run a sub-3:00 marathon.  Maybe I'm fooling myself, and making a fool of myself.  But I'm not giving up on the idea just yet.

Soon after the start of the 2013 Melbourne Marathon
It's hard to put my finger on exactly what went wrong with yesterday's race.  My conservative start went as planned and it did take me a few kilometres to feel warmed up.  But contrary to expectations, I never settled into a free-running pace after that.  The adductor muscles (top front of thighs) of both legs felt strained early, and I believe this shortened my stride.  I held my 3:20 marathon pace to half way, but was running inefficiently and tiring.  As my running form deteriorated further, my lower back tensed up and soon I was just shambling along..."You can make it, Old Timer!"  The lower back problem has occurred in some other long races, and once it starts tightening up, my race is over.  My conclusion is that I wasn't really fit enough to run as I hoped (3:10 to 3:20).  Three weeks ago, I had thought those times were unlikely, but my training picked up recently and maybe I got carried away.

It was a humbling, demoralising and frustrating experience, but part of a runner's life.  Not every race is a good one, and some are downright bad.  I know my potential is not defined by such races.  I'm capable of running a faster time right now, and I know I'm a few months short of being in peak condition, so faster times lie ahead.  How fast, remains to be seen.

Last minute anxieties

Anticipation as the field lines up for the start of the
1978 Australian Marathon Championship
at Caboolture in Queensland
The anticipation for tomorrow's Melbourne Marathon is building, and as usual, some small hiccups are being encountered.

On checking my gear this morning, I discovered I had forgotten to pack my Terrigal Trotters singlet for the trip to Melbourne.  It's not a big deal, but it's a colourful and recognisable design making me easily identifiable to club-mates and others.  I may miss a few cheers along the way.

The weather forecast for tomorrow also looks a little dicey.  A cold front is forecast to move through some time during the day, and could be heralded with strong winds, rain showers, some thunderstorms and possibly hail.  Of course, this is Melbourne and there's every chance it could be fine.  If I thought I was a borderline chance to break three hours, I might be concerned.  However, without that pressure, I won't mind battling the elements if that's what happens.  Some of my most memorable running experiences involve outrageous weather.

Going OK (second from left) in the early stages of the
1978 Australian Marathon Championships
It's easy to lose your perspective as a big race approaches, and it's important not to be derailed by hiccups, or try do do anything special and/or different.  I have made mistakes in the past, and would hope I have learned some lessons, but still feel tempted to worry about little things or do something different.

I met yesterday with a friend's son who will be running his debut marathon tomorrow and much of our lunchtime conversation revolved around last minute race preparation and plans.  As usual, I'm good at telling other people what to do in such situations, and my advice was not to use "Goo's" during the race if he hasn't tried them before, not to buy some new socks for the race, not to drink too much, not to go out too fast, and so on.  He's a naturally talented athlete and I'm sure he will do fine and have some good stories to tell.  No doubt, within a week, he will be planning how to run a Personal Best in his next marathon.  There's no substitute for experience and we are all different.  He will work out over several races how best to get the most out of himself in a marathon.

Exhausted at the finish after a disappointing 1978 Australian
Marathon Championship (13th, 2:34:28).  [Three months
later I was 2nd in the first Melbourne Marathon in 2:23.]
For my training today, I walked an easy 5km.  My right Achilles was stiff and sore for the first kilometre or two, but loosened up after that and I enjoyed a sunny breezy Saturday morning.  I'm expecting the Achilles to be troublesome for the first 5km of tomorrow's race and I will need to avoid forcing it.  Hopefully, once it warms up, I will be able to settle into a good pace.

While walking, I thought about my race strategy for tomorrow.  If I feel I have lost ground in the early kilometres because of the Achilles, it will be tempting to try to make up time.  Overtaking runners can become addictive if you are running well, and I will need to avoid expending too much energy between 5km and half-way.  A guide will be the pacers provided by the organisers.  There is a group for every ten minutes between 2:50 to 4:30 (I do wonder about how accurately these groups will be able to judge their pacing given they are so close together), so my goal will be not to fall too far behind the 3:30 group at the start, and not to get ahead of the 3:10 group if I'm feeling good after the early kilometres.  This translates to no slower than 5:00 per kilometre average and no faster than 4:30 per kilometre average.

Now I just want the race to start.