MDS 2009 - Keith

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Dundee Running Adventure Marathon 2008

So, with tactics figured out and having had a good nights kip I felt quite happy going in to today's race. I followed the advice of the doc to the letter.

I set the alarm for 7am and had a breakfast of a slice of bread and peanut butter along with 500ml of water. Feeling quite good I weighed myself in the house, this would be crucial in determining my overall weight loss during the run. The scales read 14st 11lbs.

I got to Camperdown park in plenty of time where I met James, who was a last minute entry, he had been battling an injury since the Devil O the Highlands, however on the advice of the physio he had the all clear to take part in the marathon.

Just before the start I drank 500ml of Powerade as per the advice and then got kitted up with my back pack, front pack, water bottles etc. At this time I also met our friend Mike, who is the MDS forum creator and manager.


Me, Mike and James at the start line.

I had already told James that this race I would do on my own, with no one else for me to worry about I could focus completely on my pace and hydration. I plugged in my Ipod and set off near the back of the pack.

We trotted out of the park and were soon separated with James leading the way and Mike just behind me. I tried to relax and enjoy the scenery and the miles passed reasonably quickly.

As I passed the 6 mile or 10K marker my performance was as follows,
Start - 6 miles
55 minutes
9.10min/mile pace
1025 Calories burned.
Avg Heart Rate 157 Max Heart Rate 172

I felt pretty good and my fluid consumption was bang on target. I was able to "zone out" and listen to my music which helps with passing the time.


Running at about 6 miles.

At the 9 mile marker crowds had gathered as this was the 1st relay swap point. As well as those runners doing the race as a whole, there were also several teams of three who were running one stage each.

As some runners peeled off to their support crews I kept my pace and passed straight through. This area is pretty much my usual stomping ground so I felt comfortable running in this area. I had mentioned to my mate Mike who lives along the route that I might be passing, so I was delighted to be verbally abused by him from his upstairs bedroom window as I passed his house.

The route passed Monifieth and dropped us down at the beach front. As the path joined the Esplande I met Fiona who had refills for my water bottles. This was at mile 13 and my performance was as follows,

From 6 - 13 miles
Distance - 7 miles
Time- 1hr 6 minutes
Pace 9.28 min mile
Calories – 1191
Avg HR 169 / Max HR 179

TOTAL FLUID CONSUMED BY THIS STAGE = 1.2 LITRES

The route from mile 13 flattens as it follows the riverside towards the city. For some reason, I noticed my heart rate was slightly higher than I would have liked and I was not able to bring it down.

The next 5 miles were fairly uneventful and I spent most of my time admiring the view across the river. The weather was overcast but when the sun broke through the clouds it was quite warm.

It was during this stage that I began to pass quite a few runners, those that maybe started too fast or those who were part of the relay team that weren't quite as strong. I found this quite encouraging as so many times in the past it was me who has been passed.

I passed through the second relay checkpoint and onwards towards riverside drive and the 2 bridges. This was my readings for the next 5 miles, you'll notice that my average HR is particularly high.

From 13 miles – 18 miles
Distance – 5 miles
Time- 49 minutes 30 secs
Pace 9.48 min mile
Calories – 863
Avg HR 174 / Max HR 180


Mile 19, With the Road Bridge in the background


Same spot this time with the Rail Bridge in the foreground.

As I continued along the riverside I passed beneath the rail bridge and to my surprise I saw James walking in the opposite direction. I knew instantly that he must have quit due to injury. He confirmed my suspicions as I passed him and a quick phone call to Fiona arranged his collection. I guess this made me more determined to finish. From the airport, mile 20 to the finish line is pretty much all uphill. It's not like the north face of the Eiger however it is never ending and is relentless.

I started to feel a bit "iffy" at mile 21 as I approached Invergowrie. A combination of fatigue and exhaustion. I did feel very tired, not muscular tired but sleepy tired. I have been here before and recognised my symptoms.

I plodded on but I was slowing dramatically as I tried to keep some sort of pace up through the technology park.
As I said the hill is particularly steep but there is little recovery. I looked at my Garmin HR monitor which showed my pace at 4.5mph and HR at 181. This was stupid, I started to walk in order to bring the HR down but I was able to keep my pace higher than 4mph. I broke into a light jog at any flat stage and when my heart rate came down slightly

The last 3 miles along the Kingsway and through the park were pretty similar, I had been leap frogging a few runners, they would pass me then I would pass them, however my experience came through as they would be running uphill so I would pass them on the flatter sectons. As I entered the park there was only one runner in front of me that I could see so I made him my target. It was a pretty horrible finish as we climbed through the park, however the course eventually levelled and then dropped down towards the finish line. I put in a final burst to catch and pass the guy in front of me, as I entered the home straight my calf muscle cramped and I somehow managed to limp over the line.


Stopping the watch and crossing the line!

My last set of readings were,
From 18 miles - finish
Time- 1hr 33 minutes
Pace 11.44 min mile
Calories – 1242
Avg HR 177 / Max HR 188

FLUID DRANK IN SECOND HALF = 1025 MLS

You'll notice my pace has fallen badly and my HR is through the roof.

My total race results are as follows:-

26mile 30 yards
4hrs 24minutes 29 seconds
10.9 minute mile pace
4321 calories
Avg HR 170
Max HR 188

Position 48 of 75 Solo runners

Now comes the stinger,

I weighed myself at the start of the race and came in at 14st 11lbs.
I weighed myself at the end of the race and came in at 14st 3lbs 2oz.

Once the maths have been done between fluids consumed etc etc my actual weight loss during the course of this race was exactly 1 stone. If my maths are correct this works out at 6.8% of my body weight. This is fluid loss though exercise and sweat in my opinion this is far too excessive to say the least and is certainly something I will be addressing with the doc on my next appointment. Again, this type of condition is not sustainable in the desert and over multi-day events.

By the time I got home I was sick then I slept for about 3 hours, after this I felt slightly better and was able to eat and drink.

As for my performance on the day,

I was happy to be within my projected time of 4 1/2 hours.
I was not happy at how I was feeling towards the end of the race, I acknowledge that I would obviously feel fatigued but I still think there was a fundamental issue with my system, - why was I feeling so sleepy? My heart rate was too high for this type of event and my sweat rate was very high for a reasonably cool day.

As for what happened when I got home, this confirms to me that there is something else wrong other than just being tired.

I took a picture of my running shorts, you can see the type of salt loss I experienced during the run,




So another marathon completed, not entirely to my satisfaction but not bad I suppose considering I was carrying my kit. I also have some great data to take to the docs.

Friday, September 19, 2008

The day before the Dundee Marathon 2008

Well it’s the night before the Dundee Running Adventure Marathon and I nervously type this pre race dity, not because I'm not sure if I'll make the distance but because I'm going to trial the doctors advice for nutrition and hydration for the first time in an attempt not to "bonk" half way around!!
The race is a standard distance marathon, around the cycle route of Dundee.

As I've mentioned previously my intention is to wear pretty much all my race equipment, that is my OMM32 litre rucksack, Raidlight Front Pack + 2 x 800ml drinking bottles. The pack weight itself won't be too heavy, it's packed with towels and my sleeping mat, this gives bulk but not too much weight. Half the marathon is on road/pavement and I don't want to risk injury to my knees.

I had a really good chat with the sports doctor this week and I've got a clear plan in my head as to what I'm going to TRY and achieve. At this time the feeling is still one of a gastric emptying problem, probably due to my own system, exacerbated by the wrong levels of carbohydrate that I consume prior to, and during the events.

For the marathon only, we decided to strip things down to the basic level. Meaning, I shall live on fluids alone for the duration of the race. If you put too high a concentration of carbs into your stomach it can slow the emptying process which can cause bloating and sickness as well as resulting in extreme fatigue. For example, the recommendation is for a fluid concentration of no greater than 10% carbs to be consumed at any time. I usually scoff a few energy gels during my runs, each gel has a concentration of 36% - clearly that hitting my stomach is having an impact.

The Mission:-

1) Consume about 2800mls of carbohydrate drink at a strength of 5-6%, in this case SIS PSP22 energy drink during the course of the run.
2) Run non stop
3) Don't hit the wall.

To achieve this, I have made up 4 x 800ml bottles of the correct strength of drink. I'll carry 2 bottles and at the half mark I'll meet Fiona who will top up my bottles from the other 2 pre made.
My pace - this is a bit tough to judge, the course starts pretty easy, a bit of a climb through Templeton woods but then it is downhill or flat to the Ferry, a little lumpy to Monifieth, then flat all the way to Invergowrie where it climbs for the last 4 miles to the finish line.

This route will probably catch a few people out who will start fast and die on the last few miles. My last road marathon at Loch Ness was a 4hr 15min effort with no pack although it was pretty hilly. I suppose if I can wobble round in about 4hrs 30min, and complete my mission I'll be delighted, anything better would be a real bonus.

I'm taking my mp3 and hoping to "zone out" for most of the run, completely focussed on my target.

That’s the plan. Fingers crossed.

Watch this space for the post race report.

Friday, September 12, 2008

The Training Continues.

So, I'm still waiting for the doc's prognosis however the world doesn't stop turning and training must continue. So obviously the thing to do is enter a marathon right??

Well September 20th will see me participate in the DRAM,the Dundee Running Adventure Marathon 2008. It's a circuitous route around Dundee using the well established 26 mile cycle route. It's the first time this event has been hosted and as I sit a type this blog, I will be the only representative of Hotrunning taking part. Seamus is working like a dervish prior to his stag and wedding doos and James has picked up a niggling injury off the back of the Devil O Highlands.

My intention is to trot around the course in full battle gear, that is back pack, front pack, and 2 x 800ml water bottles complete with new straws which I have modified from consumption grade plastic. Because over half the route will be on tarmac/concrete I can't afford to have the back pack too heavy as this will impact greatly on my knees and hips but I would think the total weight will be about 5-6kg's which is about half the weight of the final MDS pack.

My goals for this one are:-

1) Finish
2) Non stop
3) Don't hit the wall
4) Even pace
5) Under 4 1/2 hours

If I can monitor my pace and maintain hydration/nutrition they should be achievable. My only other road marathon I have participated in was the Loch Ness Marathon last year which was completed in 4hrs 15 mins, I wasn't carrying all my kit and I had completed much more marathon specific training.

The last 5 miles of the DRAM are pretty much all uphill so that will be a nice sting in the tail and will probably catch a few runners out. The entire route is well known to me so I'll hopefully be able to manage the effort.

The best thing about the marathon is the tapering down and feeding up in the 2 weeks prior to the race : )

So that was a bit of a cliffhanger!

To say I was disappointed with my performance in the Devil is an understatement. That is pretty much every single ultra marathon I have participated in, I have vomited and crashed my system miles from the finish line. One positive I can take is that I have never failed to finish a race.

This proves I have some kind of mental determination, however the realistic outlook is bleak, as I would undoubtedly finish day one of the MDS but what about day 2,3,4,5,6,7??? Simple - Absolutely no chance, not in this condition. What is so frustrating is I have the physical fitness - muscular/heart and lungs etc. But my internal system just doesn't want to know?

Believe me when I say I have researched this thing to death. I am now at a stage where I am in information overload. For every suggestion one way I find another suggestion giving an equal and opposite reason why you should do something different!!

Here is where I am, since the Devil I have had full blood analysis carried out. All my readings were either exactly where the readings should be or slightly above average levels, e.g. red blood cells and haemoglobin.

I have had a resting ECG carried out - again a good reading.

This pretty much means I am fit enough and my heart and lungs are in good working order.

I have consulted with a sports specific doctor who is currently analysing all my test results and those taken by Dundee University - lactate levels, VO2 Max etc I am currently awaiting his prognoses.

A possibility is that I have issues with a condition known as poor gastric emptying. Basically, my stomach shuts down when exercising. This would account for running out of energy/dehydration etc and the fact that my stomach feels bloated and eventually results in vomiting I fill my stomach with fluid and food but nothing happens to it, it just remains in the stomach and is not processed. There may be other factors but this would seem a strong possibility.

I have made a decision on my participation in the MDS.

Firstly I will go flat out to find a solution to my problem, initially I await for the docs recommendation, then a visit to the nutritionalist for the best solution to the problem. If I can fix the problem then I'm back in the race.

If no solution can be found I'm still going to the desert only this time as a walker not a runner. It was always my ambition to cross that finish line, whether that was by running/walking/crawling. My objective had been to strictly pace my progress throughout the race, walking uphills and trotting the flats when I was comfortable. However, if my stomach is going to dictate that I can only walk the route then so be it, I won't be throwing in the towel because of it. This option is not to my liking but maybe all I've got.

Anyway, enough of all these negative thoughts, bollocks to that! the beach party is still on one way or another!