Just for the memories: My 2007 GH Report (First go at 100 miles at GH)

For what it is worth here is the report of a very disappointing result.

My preparation was as good as it could have been and I really never had an option in my mind of a DNF. Maybe foolish or maybe just wise to be positive . 

I and some others had a pleasant Friday being driven around the area by UCB and Suzanna. Thanks for that.

Powerlines now that was interesting but it was all over in about 40 minutes.

I was fine up to checkpoit 8 at about 45k although I had a slight lean and some intermitent back pain caused by the lean. Managed the two loops and only got lost one one which was my first navigtional isse for the day. The weather was warming up and the lean and pain were getting no better. The next easy section of about 20k was very difficult - the lean was more pronounced and the pain increased and did little running and was slow. From 85 to 100 I was able to run steady but with quite a bit of discomfort.

Second navigational issue was going off course in the 4k along Hamburger Hill and taking almost 1 hour instead of 30 minutes. Arrived in 14 and half hours which was much slower than expected. A quick in and out and the last 60 was started. 

Again lost direction down Hamberger Hill and again took and hour. The discomfort was increasing and it was impossible to run. So a revised finish time was set and I gritted my teeth for a loooooooooooog walk. Thoughts of Horrie last year came to my mind. I got to Checkpoint 9 managing about 5k and hour and so it was just going to be a matter of keeping going. The discomfort was manageable walking but not so running.

Blue Dog was at 9 to 'run' with me out to 10 and back. He had other things to do early in the morning and a quick calculation meant at my pace he might notget back to do them so we agreed I would continue alone. His parting last words were 'don't get lost' !!!

Steadt walking got me to 10 still with pleanty of time to finsih under 30 hours. Left 10 about 2.00am and then about 5/6k into the loop lost the course and could not find it. It was a beautiful sstary night and some pain killers I tool at 10 kicked in and I was able to run and I must have got into a trance and I thought it was said atthe race briefing there would be a chalk line across the path and I was looking for that not the white tape course markers on the trees.

A sixth sense told me I had run too far. I went back the track split and I could not rememeer the split and I had to make a choice. I did and it was the wrong one as I went up that track and could not find any makers and when comeng back I was again presented with a divided track. I thought it was were I had been before so I went left but still could not find any markers. By now I was hopelessly disorintated and lost. I just kept moving hoping to see a course maker but didn't.

About 4.15am I phone Blue Dog to tell him I was okay but lost so that there would be no panic about whether I was injured.  I just kept moving and was waiting for the sun to come up so that I could get my directions. As it turned out I had run back to the start but on the otherside of Steve Irwin Drive.

I was bitterly disappointed    but I leanrt a lot from what occured and will not make the same mistakes again. First stay alert at all tiimes and concentrate on the course would be important but I am very new at this and so I guess you have to accept that through inexperince errors will be made. I have no idea how I managed getting lost when other runners seeing the course for the first time didn't. But thats the way it happens and just reminds me that you must stay alert all of the time.

Some positives - wet and muddy shoes for 140k do not cause blisters, what I ate and drank was fine as I had no problems in that regard, running at night alone on a course you have never seen before presnents no mental barrier and for some reason the early morning tirdness did not come. 

Geart course, great aid stations, great organisation, great bunch of fellow competitors and I expect to be back next year to smash the 100miler.   

And thank you to my wonderful travelling companions Blue Dog and Bernie G. Despite saying don't come out on the course they were and doing anything they could.