Ballbuster March 2012

[Marek]

55 195 Max Ramirez Male 35-39 U40 3:19:59 0:54:34 0:02:54 1:19:51 0:01:58 1:00:41
80 197 Marek Siwicki Male 35-39 U40 3:25:29 0:56:36 0:02:33 1:18:47 0:01:55 1:05:36

Yesterday was the spring Ballbuster. This is the pleasant mix of an 8 mile run loop taking you up box hill, 3 laps of the route on the bike so 24 miles with 3 more ascents of Box Hill, followed by another 8 mile run back up the hill. This is to say the least a tough race. When I first started riding and running this was actually my first ever multi-discipline event and my old training partner and I decided this year to race each other around this horrific course as we did in our first ever event.

Much discussion prior to the race about the flu we had both had a few weeks ago and the not so good preparation of me doing a half marathon the week before over in hilly tunbridge wells.

8am, horn goes off and everyone sprints off the start line to get to the narrow first section onto the road. Then into stride. I was straight away feeling my calves and hamstrings from the week before, so decided to try and just tick along keeping Max in my sights but not going too close so as to put him under any pressure which may get him to speed up.

First run in and Max got there 2 mins ahead of me, he did a 54.34 run and I did 56.36 run. Max was still getting his bike kit on when I came into transition which spurred me on. I got changed a bit quicker than I would normally have done and off I went, Max was now about 2 mins ahead of me. Onto the bike and I really went for it, hammering the flats and tapping up the hill at a manageable pace. 3rd lap and it rained really hard so had to take it a bit easier on the corners.

Managed to do a 1.18.47 with Max losing just over minute to me with a 1.19.51. I now was almost of top of him as we both arrived in transition very close to each other for the final run. Got changed and off I went. I could now see Max up the road on the run about 15 seconds ahead.

As we came off Box Hill onto the flat section I put in a bit of a spurt and managed to catch Max just after the drinks station. We were now together for about a mile or so. Max then put in a bit of a quicker pace, nothing too brutal but enough and then that is when it all went wrong. I could not respond and Max gradually pulled away. By the time I got to Box Hill I was crawling. Nothing left in the energy stores and the legs were done. I was well and truly beaten. I crawled up the final climb lots of people came past me which really hurts. Ben Fancourt from ACC came alongside me on his bike and cheered me on which really did help me to get up as I had been walking in parts I was so tired.

Came to the finish and was 5 mins down on Max. Is probably the closest race we have had in terms of seeing each other on the course and knowing that we were on top of each other. Was good fun in hindsight, but can tell you that last climb was horrific.

Cheers

Marek....

[Snoop Doug]

Great write up thanks. Sounds murderous - well done

[simon Lythgoe]

Good race report and great times on a very tough course

[Ben]

Good effort Marek

[higg]

Well done, you've come a long way since you started. You now mention stringing together a half marathon and bullbuster on consecutive weekends.

By the way, what happened to the barefoot/low heel running shoes you were trying when you started. Are you still using them ?


Aodan.

[Marek]

Good question on the running shoes. Has been a mission but have ended up on an inbetweener. So for the half marathon I used Saucony Fast Twitch 5 shoes. These are a flattish running shoe and I find they don't give me so many issue as some of the really flat shoes with no stability, they are a good halfway house.

I also got myself a pair of Newton running trainers which I use every now and then, these are great as they get you on the front of your feet but have some cushioning to help you. If you are thinking about moving to this type of running then I would recommend these as a good way to start making the transition.

Good thing about the forefoot/mid foot running is that I have no knee issues at all, which is why I moved to this in the first place. It does get the calf muscles working a bit more and hence you do need to transition slowly else you will hurt a lot. I still get a bit of muscle soreness now and then if I run hard on the flatter shoes.

So for the half marathon I used the Saucony, but it did hurt in the last part of the race (to some degree this was due to the fact I hadn't run for a week or so due to having the flu beforehand). Due to the aches and pains after the half I ended up reverting back to my Nike Pegasus which have a bit heel and loads of cushioning for the Ballbuster. Basically my legs had not recovered enough to hit them with the flats again.

What I have learnt is trainers are like bikes there are times when you use the fast aero dynamic ones and times you use the comfy ones. Over time I think I will be able to get to use the flats all the time, but I think it takes a long time to build up the strength to get to this.

Has it made me any faster, not really, but the pain has gone from the knees.

Cheers

Marek.....