Yearly Review

Yearly Review

Favourite race of 2014 - Mt Arthur Wellington

November & December 2013

No races due to injury in right ankle. Spent a lot of my time on the bike and rehabbing the injury with a return to full load late in December.

January 2014

Skycamp: Got my first look at Bright and the Buffalo Stampede course……

Knapsack 6hr Lap Race: 4^th male 60km 6hr 7min. First race and long hitout for 2014.

Results http://s132369.gridserver.com/files/Knapsack-Lap-Race-2014-Category-Results.pdf

February 2014

Running Wild Wentworth Falls 16km: 2^nd place 1hr 24min 37sec new PB. Poured with rain but was fun and fast.

Orange Colour City Marathon: 4^th place 2hr 59min 44sec. Snuck a sub 3 in a last minute decision to run.

March 2014

6 Foot Track Marathon: 26^th male 3hr 56min 41sec new PB. Ran a planned and smart race to allow a good finish. Will be my last 6 Foot for a few years.

Results

http://www.multisportaustralia.com.au/Home/QuickResults?clientId=1&raceId=1012&raceName=Six%20Foot%20Track

STS Manly Dam: 3^rd place 1hr 34min 9sec. Tough run but managed a good result.

Results

http://www.sydneytrailseries.com.au/sydneytrailseries/results

Lithgow King of the Mountain: 1^st place 22min 5sec 1^st win ever!!! Up a big hill and back down. We ran way over distance but I managed to get my maiden victory by getting away on the descent.

Orange Volcanic Mountain Challenge: 52min 17sec 7^th place. Finished well in a deep field.

Results

file:///Users/room/Downloads/ResultsByTime14.pdf

April 2014

Buffalo Stampede Ultra Skymarathon 2014: 12^th place 10hr 32min 34sec. My big "A" race for the year. Very happy with my performance and I am coming back with the intention of shedding some time and going sub 10hrs in 2015.

Results

http://www.buffalostampede.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/2014-Ultra-Results.pdf

STS Big Trail Run 46km: 1^st place 4hr 3min 58sec. Dress rehearsal for the TNF100. Was battling a hamstring problem and felt pretty good until I kicked a rock up into my leg and corked my calf.

May 2014

Bathurst Half Marathon: DNF. Hamstring went at 5km. Very disappointing and the start of rough times ahead.

STS Kamay Short Course: 1^st place 30min 3sec. Ran quite restricted but no mishaps with hamstring.

TNF100: DNF. The writing was on the wall after 3km and my hamstring went out at 31km, pushed on to 36km but eventually turned back to CP2. Very disappointing and a big reality check for me.

June 2014

Glow Worm Tunnel Ted English Bolt: 1^st place 26min 52sec. Hamstring was good and I was starting to feel better at this point. Fitness at pace was quite poor.

July 2014

Mt Arthur Challenge: 1^st place 39min 29sec setting course record. A true mountain run, flat-up-down-flat, favourite race of the year.

Results

http://www.racetecresults.com/results.aspx?CId=16253&RId=195

STS Manly Dam: 2^nd place 40min 48sec new PB for the 10km. Happy to sit back and wait until the back half to push it along. Nice little battle and a strong finish.

Results

http://my1.raceresult.com/details/results.php?lang=en&page=6&eventid=29637&contest=2&name=Result%20Lists%7CFinisher%20List&format=view

August 2014

Centennial Park Ultra: 50km Mixed Pairs 1^st place 3hr 51min 46sec. I popped late on but happy to get a good fast longer run in. It was great to run in a team with Kel.

Results

http://my3.raceresult.com/details/results.php?lang=en&page=6&eventid=29941&contest=0&name=Result%20Lists%7CFinisher%20List&format=view

RunningWild Glenbrook: 25km 1^st place 2hr 14sec. I was in second for most of the 27km but pushed the downhill and managed to reel in the win. Close to the best executed race of the year for me.

Results

http://www.runningwildnsw.com/results/

September 2014

Edgell Jog: 26min 53sec 5^th place and a PB. Hit the hill a bit hard and blew up a touch towards the top. Felt confident throughout the whole race I’d hold 1^st local and managed this prize. Will have to keep knocking time off in the future to get that podium!

Results

http://tiktok.biz/list/bathurstedgelljog/2014/run/

STS Duffy’s Forest: 1^st place 1hr 19min 40sec. I enjoyed the familiar trails of St Ives and really enjoyed a controlled and fun 20km run in the bush.

Results

http://my1.raceresult.com/details/results.php?lang=en&page=6&eventid=31343&contest=3&name=Result%20Lists%7CFinisher%20List1&format=view

Canberra 101km Trail Run: DNF injury. I was going to plan and had worked through a rough section when I kicked my foot and fell. Unfortunately the pain never subsided and I pulled after persisting for 15km, very disappointing and grounding.

October 2014

Sky Camp – I attended this time as a coach. I had a blast and we saw the entire course across the weekend. A new perspective and view on the Stampede was built and it is again my "A" race for 2015. I enjoyed rubbing shoulders with everyone across the 3 days, it was an opportunity to be sponge to soak in the knowledge.

STS Big Coast Run: 2^nd place 2hr 14min 26sec. Ka-boom I went on the sand. Put to the sword but happy with the run on beautifully tough course.

November 2014

Carcoar Cup Half Marathon: 2^nd place 1hr 17min 59sec. On my own but pretty happy with the run. All boxes ticked with a view to run much quicker in 2015.

So that’s the wrap for 2014. Plenty of races and new trail found. I had a good year but it was up and down due to injury and form drops. I’ll learn from everything and aim to come back better each time. I can’t wait for 2015 and I’m kicking my training off this weekend at Narrowneck where I’ll be running with Kel to the finish.

At a glance;

                        Races – 22 (4 ultras)

                        Wins – 8

                        Podiums – 4

                        DNF’s – 3 (2 ultras)

                        Best Performance – Buffalo Stampede Ultra 12^th overall

Big thanks to the following for doing what they do;

Kel - best wife ever!

Family - no way we'd be able to run without your support and time.

Up Coaching/Brendan Davies - Brendan has supported me from day one and continues to. Not going to get a better mentor in my opinion.

Mountain Sports - big supporters and great friends. Can't wait until 2015's events!

Sydney Trail Series - I love my monthly trail race in the city, new trails await next year.

Hammer Nutrition - backed me again at Canberra, looking forward to potentially working together on a permanent basis in the future.

Bouncing Back

Bouncing Back

So with my current situation regarding running I have been able to refocus, refresh and redirect my energy towards my running for the back half of the year.  Gone are the macro and micro cycles, peaking and periodisation. I have simplified my approach to getting key sessions done and doing more quality k’s leading into my events and speeding things up to improve the top end.  This program is scheduled to start in full by the end of June with this month being about building time on feet, increasing my typical training load and schedule as well as strengthening my legs.

I have been doing 5+hrs of core and strength working weekly and this will progress in difficulty as the months go by, and then gradually decreasing the time to around 2-3hrs a week once I am able to run more.  I have been riding a lot, well a lot for me anyway!  9hrs last week and 7 the week before, I am trying to replicate hard days and easy days and keep my normal load time wise. As my running increases my riding will decrease but I have been lucky to be able to get some solid rides in without being run over (its been close!)  Running has been introduced in the week just gone and will become more intense as I progress with the injury, the pain has now dampened down and there appears to be no negatives from the introduction of running.

Kel and my new kicks for the back half of the year
thanks to Pace Athletic

I am working in 3 rehab phases with my return to running;

Phase 1 – Day on day off.  All on grass track at an easy pace running within my stride.  Max distance 5km for 7 x 5km runs in the fortnight.  Progress if no pain is present.

Phase 2 – Day on day on day off.  Road/Track then Trail/Track at an easy pace but increasing the stride.  Distance between 5 – 7.5km with 5 runs in total in the week.  Incorporate some hills.  Progress if no pain present.

Phase 3 – Return to normal schedule.  Begin at 50km and increase by 15km a week.  Run 6 days a week and complete normal sessions increasing distance/intensity as week’s progress.  Aim to be at full load by week 4. Progress if no pain is present.

This schedule should have me complete a 100km week by the second week in July. From there I will be back into full training and hopefully free of injury. I want to get my body right and am being very careful to ensure I come back ready and strong.  My back half of the year will now aim towards some targeted events with my prep starting for 2015 in November.

My races for the next while will be;

Glow Worm Tunnel: 6km Bolt and Mystery Mountain Challenge, 14 June.

Mt Arthur Challange: 9km, 13 July.

STS Middle Harbor: Long Course, 20 July.

Mountain Sports Centennial Park Ultra: 50/100km relay option, 4 August.

Running Wild Glenbrook: 25/35km, 24 August.

Edgell Jog: 7.5km, 7 September.  “A” Goal Race

Kel rocking her "lairy duds"
@ STS Kamay.

Canberra Centenary Trail Race: 101km, 29 September.  “A” Goal Race

STS Kamay Big Coast Run: 35km, 19 October.  “A” Goal Race

Carcoar Cup: 60km Ultra, 2 November. “B” Goal Race

Obviously Glow Worm will be a race to how I feel and a bit of fun, but if it is feeling good I will be racing and pushing it along.  The next few weeks are going to be tough, sitting out is something I have never liked doing but it is something that has to happen.  I love the atmosphere at Newnes for the Glow Worm weekend, it was my first trail event where I fell in love with the sport and I am looking forward to being a part of it again.  The next few weeks also marks a return to serious racing for Kel, she has been training well and should put up some races in the coming months.  I can’t wait to watch her at STS and seeing how her year progresses towards her goals that are set down for later in the year.

2013 - It's a wrap

2013 Review

To those that are wondering why a yearly review in November, my season ended at Carcoar and I have been on a recovery fortnight the past week and a half.  I started my training for this year of racing around the end of November last year when I began working with Brendan Davies as my coach. We worked on my program, setting achievable training base goals and began working towards 6 Foot Track, TNF 50 and the Kanangra 50 Trail Ultra as my A races for the year.  Since then I have been supported and encouraged by my family and friends, both old and new, and by Kellie my amazing wife.

My training has become very serious, there is no other way of describing it, I have taken it on with my everything I have. I honestly think I have only missed one session for no reason and trained smartly throughout my first year of competitive running.  I train with purpose and direction and in the coming year my plan is heading towards my big goals for the season, this time my training program will be more specific and periodised to maximize results.  I will continue to put hours in each week while I love running, it gives me solace, security, an outlet and most importantly enjoyment.

My training goals are outlined best in my phases throughout the program;

·      Build Phase – develop aerobic endurance, get my long run longer and more comfortable.

·      Sharpening Phase – establish lactic tolerance and anaerobic condition, begin racing quicker and increasing intensity in certain session (track work!).

·      Competing/Peaking Phase – race well, perform to my ability, achieve my goals and learn.  Enjoy this time as this is what the hard work has lead to, big races.

So with that in mind my big races for next year are;

            Jan – Knapsack 6hr Solo Lap Race

            March – 6 Foot Track

            April – Buffalo Stampede Sky Ultra & Mt Solitary Ultra

            May – The North Face 100

            June – Glow Worm Tunnel Marathon & Mystery Mountain

            Oct – Kanangra 50 Trail Ultra

            Nov – Carcoar Cup

I will turn towards the road a little more in the later part of the year aiming for a 2:4X marathon.  I think a practice attempt at Mudgee and then a crack at Western Sydney is the likely scenario at this stage, although Stromlo is penciled in for October as well.

Looking back now my year has been busy, thanks to my family, mum and dad and Kel’s folks in particular, as they have supported us with the kids on our weekend trips to races.  Kel and I have done a lot together this year, more than any other year in our marriage and I have so much admiration and love for her and this time is so important to me.  I have had races with Kel and times when she has supported me, I always know she will be there for me and I hope to be able to do the same for her.

My schedule has been full and I have performed well, only having a couple of disappointing races, I have top 10 results in every race but two and finished on the podium on many occasions.  I have set a few pb times, run a 100km race and cracked the 3hr mark in the marathon, these were all goals for the year and I’m happy to have achieved them.

I have raced some of the best runners in country, guys like Tony “Fats” Fatorini, , Vlad Shatrov, Mitch Dean, Alex Matthews et al.  I have also been able to get to know Brendan, Ewan Horsbourgh, Mark Lee, Jo Brischetto and Andy Lee well through either racing or training with them.  All these runners are superb athletes and I am far better for running around them, in particular Brendan Davies, who as my coach has been monumental in my development.  He puts far more into the sport than people know and he will go down as one the best ultra runners in Australia’s history.  I’m so grateful and am looking forward to seeing him launch UP Coaching in 2014, a venture which I will be supporting and can not recommend more highly.

Not only has Brendan been a massive help but Sean Greenhill and Mel Parry at Mountain Sports have backed me all year.  I have been made an ambassador and part of the Mountain Sports Team at Buffalo in April.  They have offered advice and support and both Kel and I value their friendship greatly.  We have been lucky enough to see a new member of their family arrive with Abigail been born not to long ago, I’m sure she’ll be a great little friend to our boys Charley and Beau and a smiley little face at STS events.  I look forward to continuing to be associated with Mountain Sports in the future, hey maybe in the next year I can win a Mountain Sports event!

So where to from here, this hills I’m thinking.  I’ll be running longer and up and down more hills this Summer.  I aim to get the k’s in with the elevation this time around, perhaps an area I shied away from a bit this year.  I’ll spend time on the trails, mainly around Hassans Walls, with the trips to the mountains, both the Blue and Snowy thrown in, as well as the roads around home and up at Mt Panorama, all with the focus on becoming a strong runner and a decent mountain ultra trail runner.  A few things I know for sure, it’s going to be hard work and take loads of dedication, I’ll have Kel with me all the way, I will continue to enjoy the new community I have been embraced in and I’m going to have fun.

I am now a part of NSWIB and the beer bet for 6 Foot and the NSWIB will be my nominated club at races from now on.  It’s perfect for me, I love a beer when I get the opportunity and the institute has a ready supply at races, perfect!  Seriously though, it will be a bit of fun and good to be part of the rivalry V BMMC and add to the atmosphere at races.

So “onwards on upwards” to quote the coach.  Look out 2014 because I’m coming with clear goals and an extra 12 months under my belt.  Happy training and stay safe.  I maybe running at the STS on Sunday, depending on how I go at my mates wedding the night before, if I do it'll be the 6.5km I'm thinking.

Yearly Summary Report for WesGibson981

Count:	434 Activities
Distance:	5,087.75 km
Time:	409:27:02 h:m:s
Elevation Gain:	93,933 m
Calories:	341,881 C
Avg Speed:	12.5 km/h
Avg HR:	137 bpm
Avg Distance:	11.72 km
Avg Time:	56:36 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain:	219 m
Weekly Average	118km
Weekly Time	9.5hr
Weekly Elevation	2186m

Carcoar 2013

Kanangra 2012