Ok, Bush Marathon report for real! (Warning, long post)

Sorry about the doodle, but it explains it well. As much hill work as I did couldn't prepare me for the climb. It went up, then it went more up, then it turned and got steep, then it got steeper and the rocks became looser...

My original aim was to see if I could maintain a 5 minute k pace, and hit the first k at 5:45, which apparently was still going out too fast considering the course. I faded badly at around 4k and that's when people started to pass me in droves. I had to face some pretty personal demons in this run from this point onwards as I realised that no PB was going to be possible, but there was more than this with my mind beating beating myself for no real reason, and I'm not going to explain this here other than a low self esteem thing, but sure enough, with each person that went past I slowed dramatically behind them because 'I'm not as fast as them, I'll just run over to the really uneven places so they can get past me on the nice smooth part of the trail.'
6k was psychologically really tough for me, and again, won't go into it, but am recording it so I know about it...

Then my physical problems hit. The hills were so steep, and my quadriceps screamed at me, people in front were walking faster than me (you have no idea how demoralising this is when you're already upset) and the hills didn't stop coming. Worst still was a pain around the left hip area which is the good old adductor again. My goal switched quickly from 5 min ks to just getting up the hill without walking! Right at the worst part of the hill CR Exzopay (sp?) went bounding past and encouraged me by telling me the hill would break soon.

Then a new physical problem hit. The steep downhill combined with my heavy footstrike caused a fairly sharp pain in my right foot. Despite this I offered to help a fallen runner who told me to keep running, that he'd be all right, and so I did. The downhill got steeper still, with runners flying past me as all I could do was hope to grim death that I wouldn't fall too, and kept my eyes and mind on the trail. I got down in one piece to a nice flat (well, downhill) gravel trail where the impact of the foot and adductor hit, particularly the foot. I slowed right up, and now casual runners were easily passing me and disappearing into the distance, and I went into 'I need to finish because I can't turn back' mode with 'I will stop at the next aid station and DNF.'

The next aid station came, and runners in hot persuit zipped past me as I stopped for a long drink, trying to decide whether or not to continue. I saw a 11k marker and thought I might as well finish what I started, so I jogged off behing this runner who kept looking back at me as if afraid I would pass her. I was annoyed at her continually looking back since I had given up racing and was just going to slog it in. But she annoyed me so much that I decided to put some more pace on so gritting my teeth I put on the speed, passed her on a down hill and powered up an uphill so she wouldn't think of passing me again (I sneaked up on her by quitening my breathing and running on my toes) then I decided to keep going, and caught up to the people who passed my on the grey trail before who were surprised I had come back. I passed them by running on my toes too and on another uphill bit. Then there was another runner going hard, and so I passed her... etc.

When I hit the 1k to go marker I turned on the speed more and finished hard, almost missing the finish line since I was running to the large group of bystanders instead, who helpfully pointed me in the direction of the line. I did it in the grand time of 1:32:00, heh, 10 mins slower than the last 16k I did.

And then I found myself in the medical tent with ice and a compression bandage being extremely fussed over by the St johns people (Just give me the ice and i'll go away so you can get on with the more serious people...) Unfortunately because of this I missed CJ and Flashduck's finish (Wombat and Exzopay were already on their cooldowns) However I cheered Friar and a few others in before I went to the tent. It was also great to meet the iconic Ray James and talk to Phibes about his prep for the 60k today. (Phew!) Even better was the talk to Julie Quinn, female winner of the 60k today, and hear about how she felt and that when she first started running. A very fascinating, if short, talk to her. I have a new hero...

All is not lost, I won a subscription to runners world! Still I am having to look after myself tonight and the foot is still unhappy. What happened in the last 5k has also given me a greater confidence and the talk with Julie really helped too. All I have to do is get better.