The Blackwood Marathon - Blow By Blow

PREPARATION

I was up early Saturday morning. Surprise surprise.  Got dressed, fed the horse, and double-checked all my gear.

 

Guess what I forgot?  My swim crop top! Yeah, I know! How stupid was that?! So I had to do everything in my regular sports bra top and running/cycling shirts. No biggie, but an annoyance, with so much planning in place, to forget the top I was meant to wear for the entire day.

 

I packed the food for myself and my strappers, double-checked all the boxes. Nothing else would be left behind!

 

So, by 7am-ish, we were pretty much organised, having discussed who was going to be where and when, reviewing road closures and everyone seemed on top of everything.

 

We loaded the horse, but he was not very cooperative. This is a frustration when we all have places to be!

 

T&E took the horse and float off to the yards to prep for vetting.

 

Mat drove me to the race start, and then had to leave to get to the kayak start to ensure we were set up there. I checked in and got my numbers marked on my arms and my bib (418), and sat with Steve and Jan leading up to the start. I also met Alison (402) and Ryan (405) who were also doing Iron Person for the first time ever too! So good to meet them and a few others. There is definitely some camradarie amongst the competitors. Everyone is there for their own race, but isn't against saying hi and offering a bit of support!

 

RUN

 

We started off and did the lap of the oval. It's quite a sight, 200 people taking off. Just to watch everyone running, stringing along, it's quite an experience.

 

Everyone was warning me about this first big hill. Really, it wasn't that bad. I mean it, it wasn't. It was long, but it wasn't horrible. As they say "all hills are flat" - it's not like we were climbing a mountain!  There was water at the top of the hill (and every 3km), and I slowed to a walk, had a good drink, and headed off again at each water station. In all, I would say there were only 5 decent up hills. But it was the downhills that you had to watch out for. The last two big downhill runs before the end were quick and that's something really worth practicing - running downhill on gravel and grass. Finding how fast you can go and how much you can trust your legs will help choose how to tackle the descents. I really opened up on the gravel, but slowed down on the grass a bit, the footing was more uneven as you run through the paddock towards the river. Off-road running should be added to the training schedule if doing this again.

 

I wish I had a camera with me, one that can also capture my amazement at the sight of all these people lined up along the finish of the run. There were cars and people and kayaks EVERYWHERE. It was wild and intimidating. There were kids shouting words of support to all us runners and giving high fives. It was great! It felt wonderful!

 

KAYAK

 

Mat saw me through the timing chute, got me to my kayak, and helped me get changed, watered, and sunscreened (I could feel my knees getting sunburnt!). Then the race crew helped me get down to the water. It was a long and treacherous climb down over tree branches and a steep drop into the water. And then I was off like the proverbial shot.

 

Okay, I wasn't that fast. I was weaving all over the place, and struggling quite a bit at first. Then I got going and did alright.

 

Some points of reference for the kayak, should you ever try to do this yourself:

1. Gear makes a huge difference. All the practice in the world will not make crap gear go fast, but great gear even without alot practice will get you a lot further. Get good gear. Then practice in it.
2. Double-check your gear. The paddle I was using started to FALL APART! It wobbled and lost rigidity. The shaft was fine, but the paddle itself started to crumble!
3. Practice getting in and out of your kayak quickly. Practice dragging your kayak for long distances over uneven terrain LOTS.
4. Accept assistance when it is offered! At the big portage across the weir the volunteers on the edge actually carried my kayak up the bank, thank goodness, and then shared the load across the road and down to the next bank. They also helped me out at the finish line and started to carry my kayak until Mat came and grabbed it.

 

I am actually surprised I did as well as I did. I was not last, and I gained a little on Matthew (414) who was also on a pleasure kayak and did the run in about the same time. But he was way faster into the water at the changeover, and he was really quick getting in and out at the portages. Suzie (417) had only three practice rides on her friend's surf ski and was challenged a bit at first, but quickly overtook me and did a great time! Trust me, it's all about the gear in this sport!

 

I was afraid that my paddle might fall completely apart during the course. I kept hitting the bottom, it was SO shallow in spots, and I could feel the paddle vibrating as I pulled it through the water. I wondered if I would be allowed to complete by dragging or swimming my kayak to the finish line if I ended up without a paddle!?Luckily, I made it to the end, and the paddle survived! But it's turned soft and flexible, with crumbling edges. Terrible!

 

I came out at the finish and I was bleeding. I had fallen in at the weir entry and sraped the begeebers out of my left shin. I asked for a bandaid and got the full-meal-deal from the St John Ambulance crew! I don't know if I'm going to get a bill, but they were really nice, even though we were in a bit of a rush to get to lunch. But we had to get the wound covered, the flies were terrible and trying to eat my leg alive! I got a temporary dressing to take off before the swim, and more gear to clean it and redress it after the swim. It wasn't a bad cut, but a good bruise and scrapes. I just wanted some of that spray bandaid stuff. But oh well!

 

LUNCH

 

Darin and Rob and the kids were at the lunch spot with the horse. As was Jan. It was so nice that they had found the time to come down and support me! Mat took the float away to the end location and I ate and visited very briefly. I was still abuzz with the excitement of completing the first two legs and not feeling like I was going to die. I was, in fact, feeling REALLY really GOOD! The morning actually seemed quite easy, all things considered!

 

SWIM

 

Jan walked down to the start of the swim. She took my glasses and shoes and got them back to the horse leg, so I wouldn't be blind on the horse. So glad Darin and Jan thought of these things, I hadn't thought of or planned for the glasses or shoes! A barefoot walk across the paddock would have hurt alot. And a swim with glasses, or a ride without would have sucked.

 

We had been told at the breifing at 8:30am by the head race marshall that all Iron People would move up in the swim order so we didn't fall too far behind in completing. Times are times, but finishing late because of the changeover times was just a bit unfair. So, we were to go down to the swim and were to be staggered between the regular team swimmers. Unfortunately, the swim marshall hadn't gotten the message and was holding all us 400s back! We were getting a bit antsy when Alison came though, got in the water and told the marshall in no uncertain terms that 402 is LEAVING on the swim and she needs to get the Iron People in the water. And then we were in! Go Alison!

 

The water was a shock when I hit it, and I really had a hard time talking myself into putting my head underwater at first. But as I got settled in, I got into the groove. The advantage of breast stroke is that you can see where you are going! I set straight line targets - through the closest bridge pillars, along the floats to the bank. No extra swing around. Lots of people were swinging wide, to try to catch some current, but there wasn't really any to speak of, so no point!

About half-way through (I guess) I had to pop by goggles off and swim head up, since I could NOT see! The water was clouding and filming over my goggles. YUCK!

 

At one point we hit the ground, the water was so shallow we RAN through the river for about 10 meters or more! It felt crazy to be running the swim course. Man the water was LOW!

 

I thought I was taking an age. I couldn't judge how far I had gone. I had no idea how much longer there was to go. And then the end was there and I was up the hill and Darin met me there and helped me get dressed for the horse leg. So good to have a helper, because I was struggling to think. The swim was tougher than I thought. No edge every 50 meters, no way to know how you're doing. So when he handed me a new shirt, and it was inside-out, I had no idea how to get it on. Funny how the brain works! hehe

 

HORSE

 

T&E and Darin and Rob had all helped with the horse. TK was dressed and ready to go, and cool as a cucumber. I adjusted the girth just to make sure that all was well, Darin gave me a leg up and we headed out. At first it was a slow trot as TK gathered up his surroundings, tried heading in the direction of the float and then...

 

... saw the horses running along the course...

 

... and we were GALLOPING again and out of control again, and I had no brakes. Our lessons were gone and he was an f'ing maniac! I had to call out to so many people "Runaway coming up, runaway coming hard" and he nearly crushed us with others through gates. I suppose I should count myself lucky that he is steerable while running like that, but what's not so good is that he is fitter and stronger now than ever, and it took 4km for him to slow down. Basically, he only slowed down AFTER he passed everyone he could see. I lost a stirrup in the process of all this, and was so embarassed and frustrated and just happy to still be sitting on him!! I was ready to quit, I was so upset, but then...

 

... we turned onto Lodge Road, and started this canter. And it was divine! It was in control. We trotted downhill, we cantered up, we made it look like I had a horse that listened. Until ...

 

... we once again turned down the track where a walk or trot is CRITICAL due to footing. Luckily Clare (rider for team 7) and her horse Thorny (whom I met at Manjimup) were with me and actually blocked TK from tearing off down this killer rolly rocky hill! We rode together for awhile, but when we went through the gates and got back into open paddock, and TK was off again. Where did he find the energy!? A second hard gallop. I actually managed to pull him up again just before we got through a gate. Once again, we nearly crushed a horse and rider through a gate, but we all managed to get through safely. Gotta tell you, it is SO embarassing to have a horse you can't manage!

 

We got into a decent canter again and I tried to get him to trot a bit, but he was so fired up! My lazy horse was no where to be found! Instead I had a Pony Express Horse! We had four km to go and we had had only three or four nice kilometers so far, and I decided I was going to push him up every hill, and once again remind him that I was the rider. So we were cantering up, and trotting downhill and I had my horse back finally, until ...

 

... we came around a bend and crest of the last hill, and he could see the floats, the bunting the finish line, and he was pulling on me again!!! It was a fight with every ounce of my being to keep him from galloping to the end. We cantered in, pulled up and Mat found us once more. MY HERO!

 

He handed me a card, a tail bib, told me where to go, where my bike was and took my horse away.

 

BIKE

 

And then Terry was there at the fence with my bike. He helped me change, right down to tying my right shoelace for me while I drank, and ate (since I couldn't do much of that on the ride! Not a stitch of food went down this gob! DYING!)

 

I decided to walk/jog up the first bit of gravel hill, Terry ran with me and helped push me off as I finally got my butt in the saddle and I was off on my last leg!!

 

It wasn't long before I was off my bike again and walking up the 'first big hill'. People cruised past and shouted words of encouragement and I was back on and cruising along, eating and drinking on the downhill, and then up the 'second big hill' where both Ryan (405) and I got off and walked. I was panting hard and wondering if I would be able to catch my breath on this ride. I wasn't even sure if I had caught my breath yet from moving from horse to bike.

But after that second big hill, I got on and stayed on, and even caught my breath! I was passed my many people. I thought I was getting passed by everyone, in fact, and my calves were cramping and my shoulders were aching and I was really struggling, but then I just decided to take it easy, to not fight the hills and just keep turning the legs over. And I felt better and just rode my own ride. I like that feeling, when I can slip into the "I'm doing this because I want to, because it's fun, because it feels good" mode. My run was like that and I was finding that place with my bike ride. I realised that at this point it didn't matter one stitch how fast I was. I was on the last leg and I was NOT dead.

People kept saying things like "it's all downhill after this" and they were all lying! But there were some GREAT downhills and I was flying down a couple and managed to stay on my bike for every other uphill I faced. So I guess that first 5km was, in fact, the worst of it.

 

At one point there was a sign that said "13km to go" and I called out to the marshall that I was SURE I had been riding for a lot longer than that already! But then I saw the junction sign for the main highway and I let out an almightly laughing/whooping sound. It was so primal that I don't think I could ever repeat that sound. That sign meant it was just 5km to go, and it was only undulating hills. I positiviely let rip when I saw this sign. Wind and hills be damned. I knew I had enough in the tank to do this last stretch with strength. I was renewed! I was screaming along in the 30s (still getting passed, but it was going fast for me) and then we turned into the final track.

 

They warn you about this track. It's gravel. You slow down and change gears. And then you get on it, and you freak out and slow down more and change gears again and just try to not get bucked off your bike! You come around the race track and cross the finish line and I swear, I was so RELIEVED. I climbed off the bike, handed in my bibs and then suddenly realised just how sore I was!

 

THE END

 

Once I stopped, I realised I needed to keep walking because my legs were threatening to stop working. Darin found me, took my bike from me, and I met up with T&E, Steve and Jan, Rob and the kids. It was so nice to see them all there!

 

And although I was really really stiff and sore... I was litteraly sore all over... I felt really great. It was 3:15 in the afternoon, I was at the finish line over an hour before I planned, and I had all these great people there with me! Every few minutes I could not resist the urge to throw both my arms up in the air as if I had only just crossed the finish line! I just kept thinking "I did it!"

 

THE AFTERMATH

 

After a bit of visiting and much eating (I have never enjoyed an apple more than that afternoon) we headed back to Steve & Jan's to see how Mat fared with TK at the vet check and loading him on the float. TK was home and looked well, but we found out the bad news: TK had vetted out.

 

When it was time to come to the check, there were lots of horses in the lineup ahead and behind TK. He was calm until he got into the chase, and where, with four horses lined abreast, he snapped back into racehorse mode, looking for the start of the race. He refused to stand still for Mat and the vet and the vet called/guessed his heart rate at 80. No frickin' way. Even though he came in hot and even if he wasn't to requirement, he would have only been at 60. But the vet saw an agitated, high headed horse that came in quick. He didn't see the sleepy-eyed mellow cooled-down horse that was led into the vetting arena.

 

So, due to the vet out, our run was declared "Unplaced". All that work and no ranking. But that doesn't undo all the work!

 

I am an IRON WOMAN!

 

How cool is that!?

 

And I've inspired Darin to do the Iron Man next year! Woo hoo!

 

We have lots of work to do with TK, and I am going to focus on him and I think on running over the summer. I have many war wounds to show off. And I have lots more to say and do. There are photos on the way, and they will need to be posted. I have some scrapbooking to do (I scrapbook all my competitions). Recovery has been an interesting journey... but I think I shall share all of that other stuff in another post. It's nearly 9:30pm on Sunday, and I'm ready for a shower and a sleep in my own perfect bed!

Thanks for listening, supporting, and getting me to the Blackwood! 

Don't You Just Love Getting Mail?

I got my entry forms and information package in the mail today, which was awesome. But even better, it came with a great letter from the Competition Director. 

You see, I sent in a letter with my nomination forms:

To Whom It May Concern:

I first heard about the Blackwood Marathon when I was a teenager, still living in Canada. My cousin and pen pal would write me and tell me about this amazing marathon, and how he did the horse part of it, but the whole family was involved. Of course, I was interetested! It involved riding horses in a marvellously foreign and exotic place in the world! And I wanted to do it!


When, many years later, I finally moved to Australia, I insisted to the family that we put in a team! So in 2006, my family who had once upon a time participated as the “Pingelly Pee Wees” and their parents who were the “Woodland Wobblers” came together again to do the Blackwood. We called ourselves “Woodland Wobblers II” and with much support and advice from the orginal Wobblers, we ran, canoed, swam, rode and biked our little hearts out!


I did the horse leg on my lovely little mare, Cassie. We came through slowly, because there are no such thing as hills in Katanning, so we had to take it slower than we had trained. We had done the distanaces, the trot work, but those hills just knocked my little girl out! But I think everyone who participated was a little surprised by the effort that we all had to put in! I'm sure it all seems easier when you're young and fit! But the imporant thing was that we vetted through and everyone in the team finished!


At the finish line, I can remember Sarah Wiese joking about how she was happy that her husband had given her his horse 'because she was too slow' and was completely inspired by the Iron People. For some reason, that evening, the idea was born that I was going to do that.

I would be a Blackwood Iron Lady!

It took some time for everything to come together. Four years in fact.


I lost my lovely horse that I rode in 2006 and trialed three other horses, each proving unsuitable for one reason or another, until this year when I got my lovely gelding, TK. He's not fast either, but he's strong and I'm confident in our ability to complete safely.


I also had a long-standing knee injury that made it nearly impossible to run more than a few hundred meters without pain. It took well over a year of careful training and building up to finally be able to run 12km without pain! I am so happy to finally be able to call myself a runner!


In Katanning, our pool opens at the end of October, after the Blackwood Marathon, so getting any swim training in has been a challenge! So far, I have had three training swims leading up to the event. And to top it all off, I've been nursing a shoulder injury for 6 months, and can only swim breast stroke!


And as there are no real hills to speak of to train on, the bike leg is terrifying to me! The very idea of starting on tired legs and a worn body and pushing UPHILL for the first half of the ride is going to challenge every part of me, mentally and physically!


Even today, only 10 days before the race, I still haven't paddled a kayak in water yet! I know! What is this crazy lady doing?


But since the Blackwood Marathon won't wait for me to be any more ready than I am, I am going to do it! I will be slow, and I'm okay with that! Feel free to start presentations without me! But it is my intention to complete. I am confident that the training I have put in will take me through to the end, and if not, it will take me to my limits and I will know I have done my very best!

I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the finish line and then collapsing in a big happy heap!

 And in my information package there was a letter of reply:

Hi Andrea,  

Loved the letter you sent with your entry.

My sister-in-law has also entered the ironwoman section for the first time as Sarah and Tim Wiese stay with them for the weekend and have motivated her to do the whole event. She is SO very concerned that she will be in after presentations too but is determined to finish. She is also nursing a knee injury and is beginning to stress out about what she has got herself into!! Her name is Alison and her phone number is [removed for privacy]. I know she would love to chat to you.

Regards, Sue Doust, Competitor Director

How wonderful to get this letter! How much better is it to know I'm not alone out there? I feel relieved and happy.


I think it's time for me to make a phone call!

Kayaking! Finally!

So I finally got on the water! It was great!

Mat and I went in our borrowed two sit on top 'leisure kayaks' and my cousin and his girlfriend paddled their Canadian canoe. Yes, that's what a basic canoe is called here.

Leisure Kayak - Wide and Stable

Canadian Canoe

I played around with the paddles and technique and really got the hang of making sure I swung the paddle high and dug straight down along-side the boat. This makes such a difference to your ability to direct the boat straight along the course. Wide and low paddling means swinging along in a big zig-zag pattern, which is inefficent and a great waste of time. I also discovered that the straight aluminium bar is not very nice to paddle with, and the one with the light rubber coating for hand grips was really great to work with.

I'm sure that's fairly common knowledge for those who have kayaked before, but I haven't! :)

We moseyed along at a reasonably leisurly pace. We stopped a few times so my cousin could drop his fishing line in, they could show us a few features, and we could chat. We took about an hour paddling against the current (though it was quite still) to go about 4km. My cousin decided to fish a few minutes, while Mat and I headed about 1km further in about 15 minutes. I decided to see how quick I could head back to the fishing hole. It took me about 8 minutes.

We cruised back, but then the sea breeze came in and it really worked against our efforts, and the last 20 minutes were pretty much like riding a bike uphill and into the wind. It was a real challenge, and made the last kilometer seem an age!

All-in-all we were out for about 3 hours, over the 10km. But there were plenty of rest stops, making our average speed only 3 or 4 kph. Certainly not fast. But I felt pretty strong at the end of it. Yes, the wind challenge sapped me quite a bit, but my back and shoulders felt fine! If I can keep up that 8-10 minute km pace when I was 'trying' I reckon I'll be able to do the paddle in under 1.5 hours. That is really on-par with my objectives, so I'm happy about that.

But what I discovered I *REALLY* want is a sit on top surf ski! It's a long and narrow kayak, that is easy to get back onto since it won't fill up with water!

Surf Ski - Add it to the wish list!

I watched a guy cruise past us in one of these. It just slips through the water. Because it's narrow it's going to be easy to keep a true course. But it's also going to be less stable and would require practice. I learned that you can hire these for the Blackwood (if only I had known!) but with only 5 days to go, it's a little too late now! I would not have enough chance to master the machine before the race and would probably end up losing time climbing in and out of the darn thing! Oh well, next year! hehe

And Mat had SUCH a good time on the water. He could have kept going! He was loving the day the weather, and he was so much quicker than any of us! We definitely have to move to somewhere with hills and trees and WATER! Even if I don't do the Blackwood again, I think a nice kayak would be a great investment, since it's something Mat and I can enjoy doing together.

We kayaked Sunday morning, and it's Monday night, and my shoulders are no tighter than they get from sitting at the computer for too long. I'm pretty stoked about that! That must mean that my paddling in the living room, as odd as it may have seemed, did pay off! I had so many people telling me I would never survive the kayak, but I felt confident in my upper body strength and in my dogged determination.

Oh, in other news, it looks like I don't have a strapper. So I will take my aunt through the process of dressing and cooling TK, and see if we can talk someone into doing the rundown with him.

More news tomorrow, with only four days to go!

And I feel GREAT!!

Lucky Number 418

My name is now officially on the list. Right at the bottom. Pretty much where it'll be on the results page! hehe

So, my arms, legs, kayak, helmet and horse will all be marked with the number 418 for the Blackwood Marathon.

Trying to see if there's any significance to the number 418, so I did a search of the number and didn't come up with much of anything, so went browsing a Chinese Meaning of Numbers page on an astrology site.

According to this page, since 418 is an even number, it's a Yin symbol. Yin symblos represent: Dark, Matter, Earth, Female, Passive, Tiger, Down, North, Water, Winter, Shade, Receptive, Valleys, Moon, Cold, Death.

Not so happy about that last one! Sheesh!

• The number four seems to be about Earth and feelings of security.
• The number one is about initiation, beginning and conception. Also, 'One has a thrusting energy that surges forth new growth and potential.' Cool!
• The number eight is supernatural, it would seem. 'To the Chinese mind, number eight has that "anything is possible" feel to it.'

Well, it's not much to go on, but it seems my number might be working in my favour! Well, except maybe that death bit!

Normally, my favourite number is 25, of course, because it's my birthdate, but I think I'll run with 418 for awhile! :)

What's your lucky number?

What Would Bear Grylls Do?

If you haven't heard of Bear Grylls or Man vs Wild then you've probably been living under a rock somewhere.

Of course, if you've been living under a rock somewhere you might already have the requisite survival skills and not need Bear's advice.

But I'm starting near the end and not the beginning of this story...

We went in search of water.

Lake Ewlyamartup, as mentioned earlier, smelled like death and was was pretty shallow and gross. So, I, in my infinate wisdom, assumed that Lake Dumbleyung, being so much bigger and so much deeper.... and once upon a time, only a few years ago, in fact, I even swam in it ... I assumed it would have, well, you know... water in it!

Picked up the kayaks from Carl & Helen, and Mat and I headed to east Dumbleyung. We could have gone west towards Boyup Brook and actually rowed in the Blackwood River, but Dumbleyung was half the distance away, and that was definitely the tipping point in its favour.

When we got near, things didn't look promising.



Not much water in there!



But when we got down to the boat ramp. And we could see that there was water out there. Quite a long way out there mind you... I can remember swimming to that rock.... Anyway, we decided to go for a little stroll...

Yes, that's a boat ramp

Look! I'm wearing thongs in the snow!

That's not snow! It's SALT!

The water looked pretty shallow, so Mat decided to see how deep it was. We needed a bit more than ankle deep to do any paddling in, and it looked pretty shallow for as far as we could see. Hard to tell for sure though, so in he went!

If you can't go to the ocean...

And pretty suddenly it was deeper than ankles, and Mat was up to his knees in salty muddy crud!

Keen for a swim?

And this is where I started laughing and saying, "What would Bear Grylls do!?" And then laughed a whole lot more!



Mat had to sacrifice a thong to the depths, and then threw away the other one in frustration, but did a fine job of demonstrating the "spread your weight out and don't struggle too much" technique.

It was decided that the water was too shallow and the bottom too bottomless to risk going out. If we had managed to get out further we would have probably found deep enough water to paddle in, but if we got into any trouble - lost a paddle or boat or anything - we probably would have found ourselves stuck out there with no safe way back in to dry land.

So, instead of a paddle, we had a nice drive, a nice walk, a big laugh and a night in watching movies.

Long Weekend, In Short

It was a great long weekend!

Good weather, wonderful people, great horse, beautiful trails.

Pretty much couldn't have dreamed it better!

Day 1 - Mat drove me down there, set me up, and drove home, and I went off on a 7km ride. I decided to cut it short because TK had started out wild and crazy, but our lessons had paid off, and he had gotten mellow and happy by the time we had the choice to come in or carry on, and I wanted to reward him for doing so well!

Day 2 - 24km and an "Amazing Race" with fun little games. Loads of fun. Carman and I rode together and we did pretty well on the challenges. I managed to rope a peg after two tries and had never thrown a lariat/lasso ever before! We also got the most questions right about the cowboys in the trees :) Sometimes it pays to go slow!

Day 3 - Headed out for 11km with Kelly, but TKs feet were WAY too sore, and there was way too much gravel on this track. It wasn't fair to him, so I rode him for a very short while in the arena until he was loosened up. He got to eat lots and lots as I packed up and waited for Mat to come back and get me.

We headed home, I showered (no showers for three days!) and slept like the dead!

I met some incredibly cool people on the weekend:

Claire on Thorn, Sally on Tolkien, Kelly on Pip (who was the lady who rode in with me at the Mayanup endurance ride), and Carman with Dee (who is a former Katanning resident). And countless nameless others who were just awesome!

More stories and hopefully pictures to come.

10/10 weekend!