Trail run

Well its been a while since the Worlds and it is about time that I got back into training... I have put on a few kilos and need to start training again. So the big news is I am not training for a triathlon this time, I have decided to do an ultra marathon run. 55km of running... eeekkkk! Its a big race and stepping into the great unknown for me. My longest run to date as been about 35km off road... so an extra 20km on top of this will be a mission.

The race is on in New Zealand in March when we are over there for a wedding in Rotorua and is called the Tarawera Ultra Marathon. Jason was a bit mad at me for finding a race for our next holiday but it wouldn't be me right???

Anyway, it will be the biggest challenge in the world for me I think!! But I am looking forward to it.

Anyway as part of my training I did a local trail race on the weekend just been. It was just 11km in total but it was a wicked race. I LOVE running in the bush (even Australian bush- with snakes rustling away from you).

The great thing about this race was that it was an awesome local race, with very few competitors and wicked homemade race identifiers... check this out, written by a 4 year old, yip thats me.
When I said before that there was very few runners in this race I wasn't lying, and here's the proof. I am at the start line waiting for the other 2 (yes two) competitors to turn up.

And the three of us are off for a wicked 11km of trail running. I definitely heard to snakes in the bushes (scary) and I had a few roos cross my path... which was cool
The organiser told me that even though it was only an 11km race it was pretty hilly and technical and that I couldn't expect to finish in under an hour... Well you all know how competitive I am with these things- I was out to make sure no matter what, I finished in less than 60 minutes hehehe!!! So even though there was no competition (I won be 45 minutes... the other girls were just out for an easy day) I still had a great run and I had about 3 minutes to spare under the 60 min threshold. Here I am speeding to the finish line.
And here's the finish line... don't blink or you will miss it! For my efforts I got a really nice t-shirt. So all in all a great day out....
Well nearly a totally wicked day out... unfortunately very early on in the race I took a bit of a fall on some loose gravel and did a bit of damage. I didn't realise it was bleeding at first which is good and it never hurts when you are racing... only when you finish.
This next bit is a bit gross, but the race finished out in Dwellingup and as it was in the middle of the country there was LOTS and LOTS of flies, which were very attracted to my wound!!!!
Post race... a day on from the race and my knee is really swollen now and hurting like crazy! Hopefully I can run on it tomorrow and that I haven't done any major damage, as it did hurt at swimming this morning.