Paul Petch

Kepler Challenge…I did it!

Ok….an epic post for an epic day………you best go get a coffee :) First things first- I want to thank my wonderful Wife Amy for all of her support during the past 6 months- without it I would not have even got to the Kepler, never mind give it everything on the day! And also to Dorothy- who has worked her “massage” magic on this feeble body- once again without her help and support I would have caved months ago. Finally, there is Elenor- who’s blog I discovered while undertaking this craziness- that was an endless supply of laughter and encouragement that made me realise that I was not alone while training. THANK YOU!

Getting there

Amy & I drove to Te Anau on Thursday which turned out to be a great idea with our spirits lifting as we left rainy old Christchurch. A stand out “leg stretch” was a brief  stop at Lake Tekapo with a kookie little church and fabulous iridescent blue water. Health wise, I was feeling okay- but still not fully over a virus that found me bed ridden for the past 4 days. The further we drove and the bigger the mountains became, the more energized I became. Spending time with Amy and having no distractions of home and the “sick bed”  was the best medicine that could have been offered. By the time we came upon the massive snow covered and jagged mountain range heading into Te Anau we had been driving for more than 9hrs. I looked up at the highest point and declared that in a few days we would dance, and dance all day!! We checked in, went for a stroll that was the first physical exercise that I had done in nearly a week and then had an early restless night sleep. The following day started with a cooked breakfast, sauna and spa followed by some lazy strolling throughout Te Anau vast cafes and shops. I felt considerably better than I did just 24hrs prior…..so things were looking up.

Briefing

After a huge pasta tea on Friday night we headed to the pre-race brief at the local hall. It was breath taking to walk in and see so many runners, supporters and organisers… and it was buzzing with energy. There were the happy locals, who just seemed to “live” for this time every year with endless enthusiasm and energy. If the locals were not running, they were part of the organisers / helpers at feed stations /  or out in the middle of nowhere screaming at runners when they needed it the most.  I’ve never seen such enthusiasm for an event before..EVER…and the stories that I had read before arriving about how this local bond is what makes the Kepler Challenge so special was already clear. Then there were of course the experts with no meat on their bodies at all who had done the Kepler more times than you can imagine!  And then there were the “Kepler virgins” or “average Joe” like myself who were there to give it all that they had. As Elenor describes in her Kepler blog “The difference between the two was obvious – if the smile was relaxed and comfortable they were local or experienced. If it was slightly panicky and you could see the whites of their eyes…”  I was most definitely the panicky one…..and still fighting a killer headache.

The brief explained that some work had been undertaken by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and consequently the track was in the best condition that they had seen it in years. But the bad new was that it would be the full 61.7KM not 60KM. At this news I laughed along with the hundreds of crazy people in the hall…what the hell were we in for? After some comedic speeches from various organisers that included a verbal “highlight” of the dangers and the waiver against death that we have agreed to (that resulted in laughter from the crowd!) we were ready to register and then head off back to get some sleep. A highlight of the brief was meeting  Malcom Law who entered to a standing ovation with his brightly dressed support team. He and his support crew had run 6 of NZ’s great walks in 6 days and were finishing with the Kepler Challenge– a total of 359.7km all to raise money for the NZ Leukaemia and Blood Foundation ($90k and counting). This guy is nothing short of a legend in my eyes and I remember thinking that if he could run 360KM in a week- that I could do the measly 61.7KM even if it killed me!

Getting the show on the road

Weather wise, Te Anau had seen several days of dry leading upto Friday with a forecast of fine and 25 for race day. Apparently, to have more than one day of sun back to back is a rarity in these parts, but upto 5 is  unheard of. Awesome stuff.  With about 4 hrs sleep we arose at 4am to get ready for the 6am start. Thankfully, with everything packed and double checked the day before, Amy & I were out and on our way with minimal hassles. I was feeling pretty good, calm and looking forward to getting the show on the road. All the way to the start, in the back of my mind I was trying to ignore the fact that I had done NO exercise for 7 days due to being sick, aside from a stroll around the town the day before. I knew it was going to be a bigger day than I anticipated, and that I was not as fit as I had hoped, but I was there and ready to give it what I had.

On arrival, it was kinda magical with a full moon hanging in the sky and a gorgeous sunrise to greet us all. It was about 5.45am when settled and after checking in and a last minute gear check and a photo or two….the jam packed bridge full of loonies were off! Just like that.

The Run

Thankfully, I headed out with Elenor (who I had bumped into 2 minutes prior to the start) at a perfect speed thanks for my Garmin with a cadence of 90 steps/ minute. Interestingly everyone else seemed to be running much faster than me- but I stayed to my plan and warmed into it at a pace that I had become accustomed to during my training. I gave way to anyone who wanted to pass and thankfully, unlike cycling events- it was always a pain free and courteous passing. I chatted and laughed nervously with a few people but felt pretty good. My legs were working and I was moving forward…what else could I ask for?

I pondered over my race plan as I “tip tapped” through the beech forest trying to ignore the 6+KG pack on my back. During the 61.7KM run there were 10 drink stations / check points throughout the course and my plan was to access what I needed at each rather than making decisions now.  My only other “plan” was to not overcook it to much in the first high mountain section and save something for the last half….that was a foot numbing 30+KM away. The first check point was upon me before I knew it. I did not need anything so with a thank you I kept running and chuckled at a sign that read “5km done – only 55km to go!”.  Everyone’s a comedian at these events aren’t they? :)

And then pow! the hill started and that’s the last that I saw of Elenor as she pulled over to strip off some layers. I would loved to have stopped, but I was nice and warmed up and my little body does not like stopping and starting when it’s cold. Upwards and upwards the track went with many sections to steep to even consider wasting valuable energy on while running, so I switched to power walking.  There were folk stopping here and there to take off layers, others running like loons while others complained and huffed and puffed. Considering that I had been sick for the week leading to this day, I felt pretty damn good.

More switchbacks, steep pitches, roots, rocky bits it just kept going. I chatted to a few runners, but we were just trying to get up this thing…with minor complexity to the conversations. When I declared to a few that I had only been running for 6 months they were amazed. “Done this before?” Nope. I’ve only been running for 6 months so this will be my first marathon and ultra wrapped up together. “wow”. I ran a bit, then power walked, ran and power walked….up…and up. Running some parts actually felt easier than walking so I just went with it….and before I knew it…I saw blue sky and light as we came out from under the trail canopy. I then felt a burst of energy and excitement as the snow capped mountain views hit me of the Fiordland National Park. It was bloody breathtaking…..and a bit fresh too :) Grabbing my gloves and camera was easy due to the Saloman pack and after a few snaps, I was running along in anticipation of what was coming next. About 30mins later I arrived at the Luxmore Hut (feed 2) and after a drink or two and the second kit check, I thanked the volunteers and I was on my way. It had already been 2 hours. Runners who were doing the smaller “Luxmore grunt” would turn about at this point and find a fast knee/ quad bashing back to the start. Meanwhile, us “ultra runners” continued the climb without much respite, fuelled with mind bending views and now the helicopters hovering around with sight seekers and video cameras. It was an awesome sight.

There were runners spread right across the trail and we continued to climb upwards and then traverse the rockyish and off camber track. One thing that I’ve learnt since residing here in New Zealand is that “rubber necking” at the wondrous views is your worst enemy when you are navigating terrain! So I tried to keep focussed on where my feet were taking me, with one wrong potentially being the end of the run. I was like a kid in a candy store by now….with snow (yes snow!) and huge lakes filling my view. The track was now getting a little more rockier and loose too and at this point the tunnel vision started and I plugged in my iPod and just ran.

Although Mt. Luxmore is the highest point of the Kepler, we did not actually go to the summit but wound our way around the back of some other peaks, and down some steep zig-zags to  Hanging Valley. By this point I was flying along and grinning uncontrollably…while attempting to keep my runners high at bay. I knew that my race plan was to take it super easy on the first half and then let it go through the Beech forest but it felt so good that I just went with it. I passed a photographer who managed to take a great photo of me fooling about and then after a final crest…. the downhill started….and I just let it go! I passed more runners on this part of the track than at any other…and it was electrifying to be up so high and with arms out for balance just hammering it down and over stuff. I was that guy that passes you on the descents…..the mental-bordering on loosing control….and it felt awesome as I got faster and faster….

A bunch of us were now plodding along at a similar pace with many powering runners up stuff, for me to pass them on the rocky/ technical stuff or descents. Obviously the running in the Port Hills had paid off somewhat as I felt great…the more technical it became….the better it felt. I could not help but watch the other runners technique through the rocky stuff with their arms tucked in tightly, with many loosing their balance.  With a real high happening and the adrenaline pumping….everything just aligned…the sunshine….the track on my iPod….my technique…..it was effing awesome! At this point I remember thinking to myself that I was going to be fine- that I could pull this off, and that was a great feeling. I was starting to believe again after such an awful week…….and I was running an Ultra marathon!

At one point I hit  steep a wooden staircases on the ridge line. They were also very wet and slippery with large drop offs at their end or in between them, and boy they were tricky and required alot of concentration. While attempting to muster up some concentration it dawned on me how mentally tired I had become navigating this terrain at speed. And then mental relief came in the form of the famous switchbacks…I’d heard alot about these 87 zig-zags down to Iris Burn Hut (marking the 1/2 way point) through the beech forest, and I was hooting along so never really gave them much thought as I galloped downwards. Once more I was “that bloke” you see on the trails that just runs down stuff…..and folk were letting me pass left right and centre. It was an awesome feeling…until my feet got so hot that I thought that they were going to combust….and then I felt some pain in my toes. Hmmmm. The steepness of the descent was not over cooking my quads, but was infact causing both feet to smack up against the front of the shoes. If I attempted to slow down using my quads then they got hammered more, and if I let go my toes got hammered. I could not win as it went on and on and on…..

Hurting

I was doing fine considering the carnage unfolding in my shoes, until I met a bunch going far slower than my speedy pace. With about 8 of them nervously navigating the slippery beech forest it was impossible to just slip past them. I became transfixed like a startled rabbit in head lights and had to consciously refrain from watching their feet….as it became kind of hypnotic.  For at least 4 KM I sat at the rear and I had to use far more energy that I wanted to – because I was constantly braking and anticipating  the front runners  line choices. My quads and calves where now starting to feel the descent more than ever and with the frequency of drop offs and technical roots increasing- they would often buckle slightly if not kept under check. Now this was a new and clearly due to my in experienced muscles descending for so long. And then things started to even out a bit…..and it was clear that my poor toes, legs and calves had been hammered. The infamous switchbacks had bitten me…..and it was clear that the lack of hill training in the weeks leading to the day had back fired a bit.

200m out from Iris Burn Hut and feed stop the balloons appeared, then messages of welcome and support.  It was really trippy at this check point as I was greeted by Rudolf ringing his bell, and high fiving all the runners who came in! Father Christmas offered to fill my pack, while the angels wanted my race number. I just ran though past a sign that read “30KM half way….” without the need to stop.  I knew from my training that the 30 – 42KM mark was the hardest part for me and with the sand flies biting I started to drop into a negative state of mind. Had I trained correctly? Had I used the calves enough during the taper and that’s why they are toast? Is it me or is it really hot? have I wasted my time tackling such a huge run with such in experience? ……And I just headed onwards….running when possible and then power walking up the really steep stuff. I was hurting bad and I had on my come half way….

I also suffer form a bit of claustrophobia when it comes to beech forest. I’m a mountain man and love nothing more than huge panoramic views- which make me feel energized. Running in beech forest is beautiful, but looks the same the whole way. And boy oh boy…I was feeling the effects. I reminded myself that as long as I was moving forward- that was good enough.  Luckily,  I had  experienced this mental state before when pushing the marathon distance….and I reassured myself that it was just a glitch in the matrix. One thing was for sure, being sick leading up to the day was now showing its ugly head as my calves felt like they had not run in ages…which was true. Even so, I stood up tall and just kept at it. It was not going to beat me.

I’d heard that the real race starts at Iris Burn and it was completely true. Folk that I had steamed pass on the mountain stage were now “tip tap tip tapping” past me and it was a total head fuck. Looking down at my watch I was sitting on 90 steps and these folk were way past that and looked so fresh. The real head games had started so part two of the Ultra took hold…..where my mind was the issue. I’d mentioned to Amy that I expected to finish in under 10 hours which was still looking good…..so I was happy. I pulled over for a toilet break (thank god that I carried some paper!) and to take off a few layers. I then cracked open the Coke. Yep…..Coke. On the track side, I stood with Coke in hand while other runners gawped in amazement that someone would even carry a 700ml Coke in never mind savor it for this part of the run. With the characteristic Coke Buuuurp and a bit of stretching I was on my way once more and looking at my Garmin I had covered about 34KM. Taking that little break helped my mental state a lot, and I was back chugging along.

Unfortunately,  I ran out of water soon after this point because I had not stopped to fill up at the Iris Burn. More effing mind games! Normally my rational mind would have concluded that it’s only a few KM away and that I’m fully hydrated, but rationality was mocking me at I approached marathon distance. This part of the run was the hardest for me and by the time I hit the Rocky Point check in I was mentally exhausted. This stop was the most anticipated of the whole day…and I filled up my bladder, inhaled some bananas and jelly beans before heading onwards feeling relieved that I had not totally blown up due to dehydration and stupidity. Things were back on track.

Waking up

Running onwards I was in another world, the wall was creeping towards me and as much as I threw down food and water…I could feel it. For me the wall is where your body ignores what the brain is telling it to do….it just refuses to move forward. The locals call this part of the run the “death march” where it is a case of mind over body. The track had glorious ferns, mossy rocks and a feeling of total magic- but I did not care as I had a battle to win…where my brain was telling my limbs to keep going and they were literally starting to ignore the signals. My battered toes were also becoming an issue as I hit them on the occasional root or mossy lump……with pain. Subconsciously I was now running more on the outside of my feet to combat the toe pain and that was not good at all…..as all it did was slow my pace. I was afraid to actually check what the problem was too,  in fear of finding loose “bits” rattling around in my runners. I had heard that long distance trail runners often loose their toe nails but I did not need this reality with at least 20KM to go…so just ignored it. I’m great at ignoring stuff it seems :)

Overall, I had been sure footed all day until at one section that was steep and covered in limestone I came un stuck and fell down hard on my left knee. Of course, the right toe hit the ground hard too, which gave me a massive jolt of pain for good measure. I had been mentally beating myself up for to long and was distracted. At this point I woke up and stopped feelign sorry for myself. I voiced “for f%$ks sake Paul you only started running 6 months ago and you are going to complete a f%c*ing ultra marathon…that many folk train for years and never finish!” I had a damn ultra to finish!!

By the time I hit the Moturau Hut at 44.6 my Achilles and calves were so tender that even stretching them was painful. This hut was tempting me to stop, with runners and trampers basking in the sunshine …..and the vibe was good. I did not sit down though as I was confident that I would not be able to get back up. I had a good feed, some salt and cramp eze and with lots of encouragement from the volunteers, lazing trampers and more runners off I went. I walked from this hut munching on a banana and it felt so so good to walk…..so good in fact that my brain was telling me that walking would be just as fast so just go with that. I was struggling to get the legs to fire- never mind keep running- but after an initial discomfort in the calves I broke into a trot. I was concerned but confident that I would finish. By now my Garmin had died- I had run out of gels and I was over the iPod…..I just had to keep moving. With runs on the flat and downs with some steep climbs requiring walking (not power walking at this stage) I just kept on trucking….with the sound of the forest and other runners feet keeping me company and distracted from the pain.

I had met a heap of trampers out on the track during the run and now I was starting to meet supporters…which meant that I was getting closer to the finish. With “come on you are doing great” and loud clapping as I passed them I felt so so proud of how far that I had run that it gave me enough of a buzz to keep going. I just could not get over how much my calves and Achilles were hurting and slowing me down though….with everything else feeling pretty okay. Head down and keep going. Jog, walk, jog, walk. Repeat.

The end

Then finally into Rainbow Ranch I stumbled. This marked the 50km mark with heaps of supporters lining the track side. The clapping and shouting supporters were electrifying..  I remember reading a book called Extreme Running that was one of the inspirations for me to get into ultra running and I was one of those runners that I had seen in the pictures….with folk cheering me on. It was a dream come true! “Only 10km to go” they screamed. It’s amazing what onlookers can do to ones state of mind isn’t it? I would have loved to had these screaming loonies all along the last 10KM, but alas the praise and encouragement soon stopped. And it was back to look up…..run…walk…run….just hold it together Paul, just hold on.

Brain tells legs to move. Legs ignore brain. Stop and stretch a little…..take a mental break. Awesome…I can run. Brain tells legs to move. Legs ignore brain. Stop and stretch a little…..take a mental break. Awesome. 5km to go – another cheeky checkpoint. Pow! 2km checkpoint. Legs ignore brain. Stop and stretch a little. 2km run from home – close. I could hear a tannoy announcing the arrival of runners….the effing end. But where the hell was it? It sounded like it was KM’s away to me and I was struggling to even keep moving never mind deal with more mental games. I then saw the final checkpoint and I could not believe that I had carried this battered mind, body and soul so far in just 9.5 hrs. I took a minute to compose myself for the finish and swapped the race number to my front and put on my wind blocker. I had read somewhere that the finish is important…that I had earnt it and should try to look as good as possible for that damn photo. The photo that I would look at time and time again. This article also said to never run across the finish line with runners in super hero or chicken suits as that is not a good  look. Hehe. I was just breaking back into a trot and Jane comes running up the track! Jane was the lady that I had met on the Crater Rim run back in October on the Port Hills! Wow what were the odds of that?

We hit the final checkpoint together and then onto the control gate bridge. Holy shit….I had done it! This was it. Jane & I ran down the bridge together and I felt no pain and suffering. The tannoy was rambling on…and then we crossed the finish. Hugs and medals, and an epic day in the mountains of 9.35! Amy was there with camera in hand and I gave her a huge hug and a kiss before we headed very slowly down to the river for a cold soak & protein shake. I could not believe it…I was in a dream like state….I had ran my first ultra marathon. There were runners and supporters everywhere- and all runners were hobbling about wearing their medal with pride. We all congratulated each other as we passed…..and it was an awesome feeling…I felt so special! (Elenor and her running friend came in about an hour after me which was an awesome effort.)

The Aftermath

Every slight raise to the path felt extreme, and every small pebble or grassy verge could have sent me downwards to painsville. We laughed out loud as I hobbled about like a 97yr old man to the car. My body had held together until the finish line, but no more. Back at the hotel, the stairs were a nightmare and I had to literally shuffle “and drop” to move. Both big toes were also bruised and battered beyond belief….I’ve never seen anything like it. A brand new pair of socks were thrown into the bin, as they has worn though..and literally falling off my feet.  I mentioned to Amy that she might need to get a doctor as “this the pain did not feel normal” before Chinese takeout, antflams and sleep.

The next morning over a huge breakfast I then voiced that next year I would be back and train differently to build “super power walking muscles!” Amazing what a nights sleep can do eh!!? We chuckled at how fresh everyone looked, until they got up from the table and then the aches and pains kicked in as they hobbled like old folk. It was quite comical……until I had to get up that is! We spent the next few days being lazy with a few walks near the lake and cafe lounging before driving back on Tuesday.

Notes to self

Being new to running, never mind ultra running I’ve picked up quite a few insights/ experiences/ personal preferences over the past 6 months and they are:

1. Mini gaiters to stop trail litter in the shoes (aka sand paper socks) are on my to “buy list”.
2. Orthotics. I ran it without them. Ha!
3. Get some wide toed trail runners. My Brooks Adrenlines are way to narrow and cause toe carnage.
4. Take more leppin gels instead of the Power Cookies. I was so over solids by the 30km mark.
5. Resist the iPod and socialise more next time & listen to nature.
6. Try a different taper. This one did not work out to well for me….as I really felt like I had lost my edge somewhat in the 3 weeks leading to race day.
7. Have a good think and plan the day a bit better. I nearly messed up with fluids.
8. Carry two water bottles instead of a bladder. With water bottles you can determine if you need more fluid! They are also easier and quicker to fill.
9.  Invest in the lightest compulsory gear available as it all makes a difference when the wall is looming.
10. Do lots more all day tramps and train in the mountains with lots of ups and downs. My overall muscle fitness in my calves let me down.
11. Walk lots of steep stuff during the training.
12. Get another 12months running under my belt and come back in 2010 and nail this beast!
13. During the tapering stage- run on the hills not just flats. This was the biggest mistake of my training. It never stopped me completing the Kepler- but it made it a lot more painful than it should have been.

So there you have it- I’m now officially an ultra marathon runner and proud as hell. My aim was to complete an ultra with no prior running experience- and the in particular Kepler in under 10 hours which I did. I never expected it to be easy and yes I hurt more than I expected- but I did it :)

Related posts:

1. Four days to the 2009 Kepler Challenge
2. Kepler Challenge – some ultra marathon training tips
3. 2009 Kepler Challenge Photographs
4. First week of Kepler training DONE :)
5. Port Hills Crater Rim 30KM trail run

This entry was posted on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 1:58 pm and is filed under Running and tagged with amy, brooks, kepler challenge, salomon XA25, te anau, the wall, trail running, Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.