Chris Truscott – 100KM Selection (again)

It’s been over a month since my last training and racing update so apologies to the few of you that have been on the edge of your seats waiting the next instalment!

The big news is that I have once again been selected to represent Australia in the upcoming World 100km championships. To be staged in Doha, Qatar on Nov 21st and involving a 20 lap grind around a 5km circuit of the planned World Cup soccer precinct, you may be thinking hmmm, Middle East and heat. Well the short answer is – so was I.

However I have studied the Smart Traveller website and it all looks relatively safe. I also now know that the race will start at 6pm in the dark and continue through to 1am ish. The historical average temperature has been 20-22deg at the start time so I’m really looking forward to seeing what a year of solid training and racing post toe surgery can produce over that distance. We also have a team of 4 men and 4 women competing which will be fantastic.

So over to what else has been happening. The reason I have been selected was due to my 2nd place result at the Southern Highlands 50km trail race at the end of August. Coming in behind up and comer Dave Byrne in 3:28, I managed to impress one of the selectors who also happened to be racing the event. This run was quite a challenge given the nature of the course – mostly single trail, switchbacks, gullies and sharp hills. Not exactly the terrain I’ll be running in Qatar but enough to get me across the line.

Post 50km it took a good 5 days to be running freely again and I was happy to manage a 34km long run that weekend. My weekly mileage has been around the 130km mark with some really solid speed sessions thrown into the mix. 2 weeks ago myself and several other rejoovfitness runners ran a 20km marathon paced effort in preparation for our forthcoming trip to Melbourne for the marathon. I managed 70:00 on the dot which was 3:30 per km. I felt reasonably comfortable but not quite enough, so I have since shifted the goal time to low 2:30’s rather than sub 2:30.

The Blackmores Half marathon the following week started well enough but ended quite the opposite. I felt great through 5km (16mins) but began to feel tired out past the Art Gallery and the 10km mark (33mins). I tried to fight it but succumbed and faded to run 72:44. That night a heavy head cold hit me so I was at least appeased as to why I had no energy or strength when I should have. 3-4days later and I again bounced back to full training.

I have tried to maintain consistency at all times. It’s rare I take a day off and I try for at least 2 if not 3 fast sessions a week. Recent sessions have included 3x2km reps in 6:10’s, 2 x 3.6km efforts in 11:34/11:39, 2x20mins (6km each), and 45mins tempo (13km).

I race the Melbourne Marathon on Oct 12th and as much as I am hoping for a solid performance, I’m mindful of what’s to follow a month later. Qatar will test us all and if we’re up for it, who knows we may snag a team podium medal.

Catch you soon. Keep stretching yourself.

CT