I am writing part of this blog 9 days before the 65k run. This is the killer run which will break our body down. There is no doubt in my mind. Things going through my mind is what time to start the run and what is the expected time to finish the run? Do we attempt to run this without stopping at all. We have to run the first 45k in 5 hours and then cut the pace and go with the flow. 45k in 5 hours is the benchmark for being able to finish Comrades easily within 12 hours. To be able to do this, you need to run through the 45k without walking for a second. Its not that easy. So far in training, Danny and i have done this twice.
My estimate is that we will take about 7 hours 45 minutes provided the weather holds good. Estimated start time will be midnight, 12pm !!
This is really the last big run and then its all fun and race day on May 30th 2010.
Estimated Eating Schedule :
This is complex as we are running at midnight.
Breakfast : 8 am
Lunch : 10 am
Peanuts : 2 pm
Sandwich/ Soya Milk : 2 pm
Dinner : 4pm
Juice : 6 pm
Pre Race Meal (Muesli + skim milk): 10 pm
Run : 12pm
Date : May 2nd 2010. Start at 11.50 pm, May 1st, 2010
Some images before the start of the run.
Right image is Danny and Sanjay Dalal.
Location : Lonavla Dam and up to Amby Valley
Terrain : Hilly, Very Hilly. Quads on the down will kill us. Plus altitude running at 650 mtrs above sea level the air is thinner and tougher to run.
View of the terrain. This area is similar to Comrades climbs and drops.
On May 1st, didn't feel strong. Calfs hurt and the body felt weak. I guess the body senses the storm coming. To make things worse, i suffered from food poisoning on the previous Sunday and my body was a wreck for 48 hours. Not the ideal build up for a 65k.
The run : Danny, Satish and i set out to run the first 45k in 5 hours which we did in 5:05. Thats fine considering we had to control our pace to run the 65k. Running 65k requires you to concentrate right through the race. You need to check your pace all the time. Its real tough as we are running uphill and downhill all the time and hence its impossible to judge what pace to go at. I keep looking at my watch and do the maths to see if we are on target. Normally i get it right. In addition i need to check what i eat through the entire 7 plus hour run. Get that wrong and your history. How to mix the gel flavors in the right ratio and get the right ratio of gatorade and banana. Any mistake and you can through up as the stomach is very sensitive.
Danny messed his run this time on 2 silly mistakes. Wore his new hot compression shorts to test on this run!!! Crazy. His quads froze up post 45k and also he got sick earlier while running as he tried some new gel flavors. I warned him, but who listens. Satish's knee locked up and had to drop out. Both of them are awesome runners but you still have to be very careful when running in hilly terrain. One mistake and your gone.
Both Satish and Danny were out at 45 k and that left me to run the last 20k on my own. Felt bad as they had to sit in the car for over 2.5 hours. All i can say is that finishing Comrades can never be taken for granted. Some muscle is going to trouble you over such a long run in very difficult terrains. Last 56k my quads hurt and this time it was the hamstrings. As a result i had to cut my pace and run easy. I must have walked a total of about 10 minutes in this run and finished in 7 hours 38 minutes. Its an incredible and humbling feeling of being able to do this. Had i driven this terrain to see what i was running, i would not have attempted the run. Some climbs go 4k straight up and then drop. Then there are endless small and medium climbs and drops. Not bad. I guess i'm on track.
What to eat during the run :
Eating correctly during the run is critical as your body glycogen will deplete rapidly after 2 hours and the result will be build up of lactic acid and no energy in the muscle. Food and drinks is critical in 42k run and beyond. Any mistake can cost you over 30 minutes to an hour in running.
Posting these details as Tanvir (Delhi Comrades qualifier) ran 30k in comrades training and then consumed his first gel. The glycogen depletion got to him and he ran 40k instead of the 65K.
Consumption for the 65k run :
15 minutes : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
30 minutes : gatorade
45 minutes : 1st Gu Roctane gel
60 minutes : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
1 hour 15 minutes : gatorade
1 hour 30 minutes : 2nd Gu gel
1 hour 45 minutes : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
2 hours : gatorade
2 hours 15 min : 3rd Gu gel
2 hours 30 min : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
2 hours 45 min : gatorade
3 hours : 4th Gu gel
3 hours 15 min : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
3 hours 30 min : gatorade
3 hours 45 min : 5th Gu gel
4 hours : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
4 hours 15 min : gatorade
4 hours 30 min : 6th Gu gel
4 hours 45 min : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
5 hours : gatorade
5 hours 15 min : 7th Gu gel
5 hours 30 min : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
5 hours 45 min : gatorade
6 hours : 8th Gu gel
6 hours 15 min : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
6 hours 30 min : gatorade
6 hours 45 min : 9th Gu gel
7 hours : 2 carb booms energy chews or banana.
7 hours 15 min : gatorade
7 hours 30 min : 10th Gu gel
7 hours 38 minutes : run complete
I will consume 15 gels on race day. The carb booms are necessary as the first 30k there are hardly any food handouts in comrades. Also, too much banana and i tend to throw up.
Pills consumed : For the first time i took 2 combiflans during the run. The first at 4 hours and the next at 6 hours. This was because i started getting a little pain in my right knee which went. We also experimented with 2 salt tablets which we consumed. Each tab has about 250 mg of sodium and are suppose to lesson the impact of cramping.
Overall key runs :
42k ( 7th Feb, 4 hours 25 min, pace 6:19 per k), 56k (28th Feb, 6 hours 10 mins, pace 6:36 per k), 56k (21st March, 6 hours 16 min, pace 6:43 per k), 42 k April 11th, 2010 ( 4 hours 30 minutes, pace 6:26 per k) and May 2nd 2010, 65k in 7 hours 37 minutes, pace 7:03 per k. Its the compound fatigue of running a 42k plus run every 3 weeks which makes it very tough.
Add the altitude of 650 mtrs above sea level ( thinner air) and continuous hilly terrain makes it even harder.
Summary of the run.
Overall
| Time: | 07:38:51 |
| Distance: | 65.00 km |
| Elevation Gain: | 1,009 m |
| Calories: | 4,651 C |
Timing
| Time: | 07:38:51 |
| Moving Time: | 07:32:18 |
| Elapsed Time: | 07:38:52 |
| Avg Pace: | 07:03 min/km |
| Avg Moving Pace: | 06:57 min/km |
| Best Pace: | 04:55 min/km |
Speed
Pace
Elevation
| Elevation Gain: | 1,009 m |
| Elevation Loss: | 1,006 m |
| Min Elevation: | 618 m |
| Max Elevation: | 795 m |
Images after the 65 k run. Its not that tough as u can see. We are walking and smiling at the end of all this. Left : Sanjay Dalal. Right : Satish and Danny. In the background and the mountains we ran on.
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