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| Saturday runs in October between Kalamunda and Discovery Centre |
Training for delirious has been more a journey but not a journey about ultra running.It has morphed into everything . It is now 2 years and a moment of reflection. I came upon MFR mind focused running after my spectacular DNF at Feral 2020.That was as the 2019 100 miler was cancelled and so I carried my race to 2020 but in the meantime did little or no training and as such the DNF at Sullivan Rock 42km into the race.Not unexpected. I had not physically trained for it but more so I had pulled out of races I had trained the minute something was not going the way it was planned. Unlike life , races were always supposed to go to plan.
Thats when the journey of discovery with Rob Donkersloot (I signed up with MFR) started with meditation and a structured run programme. A year later I finished Feral , just , and then at delirious 2021 had lessons learnt with nutrition and just being as prepared as I could be. But like life there are lessons to be learnt in failing.In fact looking back it was far better to have the experience of a DNF as I learnt so much about myself the race and the experience.
Delirious mark 2 is just as daunting but the first lesson is to embrace the experience and not have expectations even to finish ...if we can truly let go and it is just more then saying it , we can really enjoy the moment , the experience. Somewhat like the Buddhist 4 Noble truths and that act or desire to cling to anything and everything is what causes us dukkha (loosely translated suffering)
Upādāna is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means "fuel, material cause, substrate that is the source and means for keeping an active process energized".[1][2] It is also an important Buddhist concept referring to "attachment, clinging, grasping".[3] It is considered to be the result of taṇhā (craving), and is part of the dukkha (suffering, pain) doctrine in Buddhism. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na
This year staring in July , the training has also included trying to work out my nutrition and having a regular weights program and it has helped with the running getting the weight down and endurance.
In October I had Saturday and Sunday long runs averaging about 43 km for the 2 runs. Last Saturday I was the sweeper for Feral from Sullivan Rock to Brookton Hwy intending to then follow the sweeper back to Perth Hills Discovery Centre but did not get to Brookton until 30 minutes after cut off and the aid station was packed up and the sweeper had left .Without food or water it was not worth the risk of trying to get to the next aid station especially if they assumed after the sweeper left they would pack up.
It was a good experience following the last runners as they tried to make the cut off .The 32km were hard in seeing the suffering and not really being able to do much . I saw my first Feral pig just after Canning Camp on the course. I was disappointed I could not do a long run but again planning for the unforeseen is possibly something that should be in all ultra runners toolkits possibly everyone in life.
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| Sweeping at Feral 100 mile between Sullivan Rock and Brookton .The climb up Mt Vincent. |
That meant a long run the next week 12 November 2021 .I had nine hours for the weekend but ended up running for 8.45 hrs on Saturday doing Disco to Waleigh Campsite ...about 43 km and 1500m of elevation .On Sunday a local run to the gym of 16km return and 30 mins at the Gym.Legs were tired but fine.I did have my first encounter with a juvenile tiger I thing black and shiny I ran past the just over half metre snake and he did not move fortunately.It slithered away and on my return was on the path again but I saw him and stopped allowing him time to move off.I did trip just before I started my run and had a stiff left knee for the run which did not help with the long climbs.
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| Views from Saturdays run between Disco and Waleigh Campsite |
As we head into the last 3 months before Delirious I am feeling good with training , with where Iam and most of all accepting of everything. With acceptance comes peace and my mantra seems to be Present Moment , Perfect Moment.
