My First Six hour run (Yumigo)

After my first Yurebilla 56K in 2013, I took some well deserved rest. Went to India for 5 weeks with family and spent time with my parents. Holiday = good food. Need I say anymore and that too during the Hindu festival of Diwali.

My mum loves cooking and I love eating, both a very good combination Not!!!.  Back from my holiday added few kilos not much running, so it was time to get back in to my running again and set some new goals for 2014.

Run injury free has been the Matra for 2014. With this in my mind I was back in to my routine training runs. Also have seen more than a few runner friends on the injury list. Sadly as a runner it is kind of depressing when he or she can't run due to injury. Also this year I decided to change my fueling habits. No dieting while training!!!

First event for 2014 was Barossa Marathon and this was completed in 4:10. Personal best by 23 minutes. I was extremely happy this time. Been more sensible right through the training and event, compared to my first Marathon in 2012.

Registered for new event this year Yumigo 6 hour run. This is very interesting, runners have to go around in circle (2.1k loop) for 6 hours .Some were participating in the 12 and 24 hour at the same location. My personal reason to do this event is to stay focused and not get frustrated for 6 hours. Also I had planned to run 105K Heysen trail later in the year. And this 6 hour run was perfect to test my body and mind.

I cannot say it is great fun to go around in circle for 6 hours. Some of the people around the area probably wondering at the runners if we are trying to find something that we have lost or trying to catch our own tail or don't know when to stop!!!

Event was scheduled to start at 6.00 am.  First problem for the day I got lost trying to get to start location of the event. At 5.00 am cold and dark winter morning there are not many people around to ask directions. Okay so decided it is good idea to use GPS in my car and get to start before the event starts,

Now that I managed to find the start location of the event and a car parking on the course, it was time to collect my race bib and say hello to other runners who also were happy to go around in circle for 6 hours and some for 12 hours. It was good to see Heather from SRG also participating in the 6 hour run. My goal was to complete 60 k in 6 hour.

Perfect running condition, I chugged along slowly. Had to stop after 2K due to GI (Gastro Intestinal) distress. Okay time lost here but did not worry about making up the time so stuck to my pace.  Going around and around for 3 hours and there was  a siren for us to change the direction and go anticlockwise direction now.  At least something different. Probably passersby thinking what are these runners up to running around in circles.

I managed to run most of the time and clocked 55K,  5 K below my target goal. But at least I was not in any major pain, this was more of experience to stay focused and not get frustrated.

Another event ticked off for this year!!!