An Aussie running across France

Thought i should officially finish off the saga of this blog with an update of my running since returning home to Australia.
Funny enough did not run at all my first week back (but still did 13K's a day simply walking to work and back), basically little stiff above the knees but otherwise fine.
Finally dawned on me that possibly in my slower state i'd be a better chance of reasonably consistent 24 Hour track race so enquired about The Adelaide 24 Hours the next weekend, ran to work on the Monday and Tuesday and thought that it was a serious option, also decided i had better do a real race over a distance i know well (and hence know what time i should do) to check out whether i was really race ready, so set out that night for the 5K Gunn Run http://www.heartnsole.com.au/store/default.pl
at Albert Park (and hopefully something close to my standard 20 minutes dead), well first K had bit of a twinge from the left hip then that went away and was feeling fine, all the way to 4K's and simply the back went nothing more complicated than that. Did a rather painful last K to finish in 20:37 (third place sounds better though :-)), and realised that it was going to be enough of a challenge just to make it through the Melbourne Marathon the week after. After plenty of manipulation by my chiropractor on Friday (i really do had the electronic version of acupuncture but it does appear to work), was feeling a little more confident that Melbourne would not be as painful, embarassing run as i thought but again thought it best to test it out on the weekend.
So off to Coburg on Sunday for their regular 12K Fun run


Well i could say i won first male (second overall as i had a lady in front of me) and actually got a very impressive trophy, but frankly 51:16 for the distance (25:46 for the first half and slightly faster the second at least) and again a sore back on finishing as well as lacking my usual "Raceday Mongrel" just seemed to prove to me that Melbourne Marathon is probably it from me for the year.
Not sure whether i can blame racing 18 days successively for my lack of motivation since, but as a man who's usually champing at the bit on raceday have had none of that usual "fire in the belly" the last couple of starts, so i think i'll just rest the body, get rid of the niggles and enjoy a non-competitive life for a little while (well maybe all the way till 2007).
I'd hate to think that now i've done my running ambition "A multi day Ultra across a country" i now lack motivation but at this moment i'm wondering whether that may be the case.
I'd be honest this next part of the blog is for me (who knows i may get the motivation and race day excitement back after doing Melbourne and actually want to know what is ahead !!).
So potentially the rest of the year is as follows
8Th October - Melbourne Marathon
I'll be there for my 21st Spartan Number S849 and probably the beginning of the long rest
14th October - Fitzroy Falls Firetrail Marathon (NSW)

Love this race and have done it 5 of the 6 Times it's been on, just can't imagine backing up 6 days later this year
22nd October - Brindabella Classic (ACT 54K's)
A great run back to it's original one way downhill course, having done it 10 times am dying to try out my permanent race number (13) who knows maybe i'll get there
5th November (Melbourne Cup Weekend)
Choice of
Portland Marathon (VIC)
One of the toughest and most scenic marathons probably why it's one of my favourites having won it in 2000 haven't been able to go as good or as fast in the years since so it's always tempting
Bright Alpine Four Peaks (Nov 4th to 7th) (VIC)
One of the most enjoyable long weekends you can have running, and i've been promising to come back since 1999 for my tenth start, certainly 4 runs totalling just 45K's no longer sounds daunting.

12th November
Again a choice:
Great North Walk 100K and 100 Miles (NSW)

Australias newest 100 Miler, never made it there last year so there is some sort of temptation but somewhere in the month before i would really have to have found that will to race again
Victorian 6 Hour and 50KM Track Championships at Moe

Again a regular race on my calendar and certainly less chance of being lost than at GNW

10th December
Kurrawa to Duranbah and back (50K) (QLD)

Possibly the race with the course most familiar to me, have run every year bar the first in 1997 and last year but basically Burleigh, Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tugun are so familiar it's like going for a stroll down the road (yeah maybe i have spent too much time on the Gold Coast) always a marvellous way to finish the year, but of course there's always the chance i may get serious and do
Coast to Kosciuszko (246K) (NSW)

An incredible run and an awesome experience, but i wouldn't be putting money on seeing me there this year !!

All the above i can't imagine doing at present (well except Kurrawa have to get up the Coast for Christmas), but who knows i may get that "special something" back when i do Melbourne Marathon i may not (i'd like to think i get it back sometime at least !!).
Enjoy this last entry as my journal of the trip and before and after is now complete.

Kelvin

Now for a real early morning (normally it was breakfast at 5AM followed by the run at 6:30) as today being our last day was 3AM breakfast and 4:30 start !!!.
Anyway interesting start to the day in the confusion of early morning myself and Jim miss our truck (and get a lift with some of the crew), however first thing i do is accidentally kick a stone in the town square and the body being how it is just can't do something like that, leg reacts really badly with feeling of numbness not really a good start.
Probably one of my worst mornings, just can't get moving at all (thoughts of day 16 race through my mind) as i fall back to last again, shame i never gave a thought a but wearing my headlamp as it was pitchblack (no street lights on the roads here).
Finally after 20 odd K's i can finally feel my legs and am starting to pick up people, alot happier now although still over a marathon to go.
Hit the canal paths now, certainly was happy to run against the odd barge, and was running with Bernard and Phillippe for the most part, strange detour was up to the railway line over the bridge and then down a hill with steps (steps are not the thing at that point), keep on ploughing on to bustling down town Narbonne, a big town and just in time for traffic (at least it's Saturday), just could not run and follow arrows though so let Bernard pass me and follow him, very happy to get out the town and into a little road i know somewhere the beach (and end) is there.
Starting to feel good as i know i won't be doing this tomorrow, and pass him and see Hans-Joachim in the distance, starting to get the old racing feeling, pass him and then a great sight a flock of flamingoes in a lake one on the side and Gruissan in the distance. Finally hit the final path and then through the beach town and the beach, finally it's all over. 14th in 8:57 and at this point i've slipped to 11th overall (eventually Don comes in 40 seconds later than the time required to beat me in to tenth maybe now he regrets lending me his shoes ??).
A quick dip (and now to toss the water i have carried from the English channel into the Mediterranean) and words can't express how i feel.
Even get to have a look around the old town (the castle in the picture is from the 1200's and has heaps of steps but who knows whether i'll ever get there again so i had to see it.
Hope you've enjoyed my tale.

After probably my best sleep of the whole race (strange considering it was probably the worst hall), felt good (relatively speaking), very nice stage as we were again climing some decent hills (1,004 the highest), however as we started at around 300 Metres and finish at around the same height meant there would also be a lot of downhill to look forward to. Seemed to be a new refreshed me as spent alot of the day in the front half of the field, but was even more rapt to find the 11K's was basically 600 metres downhill, apparently you can see the Mediterranean on a good day but just a bit smoggy out the front today.
In short a good day, really loved the downhill, and was happy with my 9th in 8:24 just over 2 hours behind the stage winner. Totally different hall tonight really big, however i do manage to find the shower with a broken handle and have to bang on the door to get out (me and doors is an issue not sure what day now but i infamously managed to break a toilet door lock and had to have someone with a tool break in for me - apparently the same happened the previous year so it's just not me - would have been a very interesting 'DNS'). Now for dreams of the end.

Wake up and certainly feel better than when i went to bed, however i'm not sure just how the body will respond, nevertheless it's forecast to be a nice sunny day so i guess i'd better get out there.
Body gives me a simple answer, no running today !!, just can't get going appears the days of favouring one leg while letting the other get a little better have taken it's toll as now neither leg will let me run, tail of to last which is far from ideal, especially when i get to the first drink stop and Marcel is beginning to pack up. Basically no choice but to walk at least it's now a nice sunny day, but without a watch i'm not hopeful about making the cut off as i haven't seen another runner all day. Very picturesque, and at the speed i was going i got time to take it all in.
Got to to 1,000K mark where we had pictures taken (thinking to myself that extra minute will make me miss the cutoff), thankfully Don's crew (Jessica) had gone for her daily run (he'd been in for hours) and asked whether she could join me on the way back that seemed to get me walking a little faster (just needed someone to push me), and actually run the last 500 metres, absolutely stoked to find i've made the cutoff by almost 40 minutes (last in 9:04:11 compared to the stage winners 4:45 !!).
Probably our smallest hall, and with the showers 2K's away (we get a lift) and our toilets being the public toilets (one pit toilet and thankfully one handicapped one)not the most comfortable night ahead of us, very thankful our restaurant was just around the corner and they make beautiful lasagne.
Of course the question to myself now is i've totally stuffed up the 2 short days what'll happen on the last 2 long ones ???

Awake to a misty morning, at least no rain but very cold (2 Degrees), spend the first 20Ks on the very busy road to Rodez, not exactly a great way to start the morning although the regular sign saying McDonalds drive thru at Rodez (with my visions of a burger and shake !), is about the only inspiration, very thankfully to hit a bike path then for the last few K's into town (not past the Maccas though), and as it's now warm and sunny decide to take the glad wrap of my legs, seems to have helped but was beginning to feel somewhat warm. Interesting just how you lose road sense, a couple of massive roundabouts into town and i was really nervous (not like at home i'd just charge across), but was thankful to soon head into a little road, certainly the legs were a bit better and mentally seemed much happier than yesterday. Hit Cassagnes-Begonnes in 21st place in 8:16 way behind the stage winning time of 4:56, considering my lack of speed the first 20 K's was just happy to get there. Just happy to get a lift to the showers, but i come back and all is not well, hard to explain but i feel very faint, thankfully one of the runners Yves is a doctor and he has a look at me, blood pressure and heart are all right he says it's simply exhaustion so suggests i miss the Mayoral dinner and lie down (they will bring food back), i'm certainly in no position to argue and do so. Thoroughly enjoyed my "doggie bag" of spaghetti as well as a hard boiled egg, but who knows what i'll be like in the morning ??

Wake up to find my Streaks are still wet, that leaves me with the interesting situation that i no longer have any shoes that actually fit me !!!, thankfully i'd mentioned that to Don Winkley the night before and he'd said i could borrow a pair of his Fila Racers (at that point i didn't realise they had a neat little cut in one side for bunions - meant later i kept on picking up stones - still way better than no shoes at all). Certainly was a struggle for 5K's through Aurillac even at 6:30 AM (hate to think what it would be like at peak hour), but finally make it out and basically get through it, this was the day that i realised just how much Ultra running uses the mind, had so many mood swings during the last 30K's that i thought i was losing my mind (at that point i was very thankful i didnt have a crew as i'm not sure what my responses would have been). Beautiful downhill run from the 30K mark, but my mind was all over the place towards the end (10K's of very flat and road) apparently an area very important to religious pilgrims. My main concern was the 500 Metre (which felt like a K) walk to the swimming pool which had our showers, very tiny little town "Saint Cyprien sur Dourdo" but at least a supermarket, needed a chocolate fix (though unsuccessfully looked for Mars bars), at least the rain waited till we finished running 14th in 7:56 was good enough for me at that point by then the pointy end of the field was something i dreamed of (5:27 the stage winner). At least tonight the Mayor comes and has drinks with us (instead of us going out), also Sebastian has managed to arrange a flight back to Brazil, we'll miss him a good fun bloke and the last couple of days his handed me his IPOD and got me to sing along with him. As he's training to be a physio i get him to look at my bad leg (well the least worse one), and he rubs some stuff in (gives me the remains of the tube later seriously it is a Brazilian horse rub - vet supplies), as well as wrapping below the knee in glad wrap (i've noticed that on a few of the others apparently it works as long as it doesn't get too hot). At least tomorrow is only 56 K's.

After yesterdays 75K's was a bit worried to here that this was the hardest day with the highest point "Col De Legal" at 1231 Metres as well as numerous ups and downs around the Volcano country, at least the Nike Air Streaks had now dried so i had a choice in shoes (and the Frees are now retired from Ultras !!).
Having been told about this also being the most scenic day i must admit i was looking forward to scenery taking my mind away from pain, however the weather had different ideas. Rain was heavy at the start and basically continued the whole 64K's, apparently a highlight is the famous Medieval village of Salers, unfortunately to us running it was just this miserable soaked place with very slippery cobblestones (one day i'll just have to go back and see if i can say something positive). Certainly we ran through places that i'm sure would have been picturesque but weather was so miserable (at least it took my mind of any body pains), highlight was seeing the sprawling city of Aurillac (todays end) with about 10K's to go meant at least we were getting somewhere, certainly fired up a little towards the end when i could see the finish line in the distance (thankfully right on the city limits), 19th in 9:20 over 3 hours behind the stage winner was not doing me any favours in the overall race but by then all i wanted to do was finish (stuff the placings), had unfortunately run out of French mobile credits so was a little worried people back home would think i'd died out there.

Just when i thought things were going well, i have a miserable night just to set me back, the cold that had been hanging around me (probably not helped by regular rain and a few cold showers at some stops), had set in overnight, spent most of the night sniffing and feeling like rubbish (and filled both handkerchiefs i could find), i was amazed i didn't keep everyone awake.
So it's up in the morning feeling like rubbish, knowing i've got the longest day ahead of me (75.48 K's), at least yesterdays performance meant i had some confidence in the Nike Frees, how misplaced it was i found out later but i thought i'd see if JB could organise a hotel for tonight as i really needed a good sleep and i think the sleeping bag (too hot or too cold never quite right) was not helping.
Appears as though my swollen legs and feet had also grown during the night as after a few K's realised that the socklike structure of the Free meant it was cutting into my left ankle, all i could then do was take my sock off to decrease the pressure somewhat. Absolute struggle and the body really was telling me just to stop it still 10:50 (almost 3 hours behind the stage leader) and i was there and a hotel waiting for me.
Interesting night at the hotel, as we had no scheduled meal i ate there, however the lady there did not speak English and their was no translation for the menu so basically i bought something which appeared to have a fair bit in it (more food = more fuel for the run), only wish i'd written down the name of the menu so i could look it up. Two plates, one with a sort of mashed potato and one with bacon and vegies, i have no idea how i was supposed to combine these, though i have the feeling i made a right hash of it as the only other people there had a little boy who kept on watching me eat and absolutely killed himself laughing (i assume at the strange way this man ate whatever this local delicacy was !!).
Worse was to come i woke at 3 and found that having a blanket and sheets meant that i had put more pressure on my leg and it had swollen more (at least the cold seemed better), not having a fridge it meant i had to put my legs in the shower (sitting on the toilet seat) and put cold water on them - great way to spend an hour, had a feeling for a while that the luxury of a hotel stay may have cost me a finish.

Today was the day i woke up with an interesting problem, the shoes i'd worn the day before were still wet and my red racing flats no longer fitted my left foot (strange as that one is normally a size smaller - officially i have Size 12 right foot and size 11 Left foot which means i always buy Size 12), so it was either use the cushioned shoes (which frankly i had given up on or use the Nike Frees (they had been used for the run to Monte Carlo so at least i knew i could do 30 odd K's in them though i realised they weren't exactly designed for it).
So it was Nike Frees or bust, again a day for a rain coat but after a couple of K's i was actually getting warm and it was dry, so a bit happier about that, and even better the body was feeling somewhat better, a steady climb to a very large lake (apparently an artificial lake for the Hydroelectric industry), strange the difference a day makes only wish that instead of being the shortest day (only 49K's) it was tomorrow (the longest) as things change way too easily. Even got to the point that i heard footsteps behind me with 5 K's to go and i pushed harder, was rapt with 7th place in a time of 5:36 only just over an hour behind the stage winner.
We were certainly celebrities in Peyrelevade, had alot of the local kids coming up and getting us to autograph their race posters (not sure how they will understand my Australian though !!). Only downside being that the showers and toilets are not actually at our sports hall, they are around 200 metres away in the camping ground which would normally be fine but it's bucketing down raining !!. So instead of looking around spent most of the afternoon just sitting around reading.

As indicated in my previous blog Wednesday was my day to actually see (and enjoy rather than trying to stay out the rain), the spots that you immediately think of when that city is mentioned. Was rapt to wake up and see a fine morning, so got out my map and realised that first i should head towards the Louvre if i wanted to see Notre Dame and various other points along the Seine and then head back to see the Tower. Despite my reputation for getting lost i'd got to the point i was pretty much able to find my way reasonably competently (well with a map in hand at least), of course i was soon to realise there was one downside to a sunny day the actual fact that every time i wanted to take a picture the sun was in the wrong place (and ruining it). Still got most of the places i wanted but then realised that the battery level of the camera was low (one thing i did forget to do was charge the camera), and even worse just after Notre Dame (and just on my way back) and battery level would no longer permit pictures, so it was back to the Hotel room and a quick recharge (having spotted a second hand English book store was very handy as it now meant i had something to read as well - certainly handy for the flight back too), i guess after being on my feet for about 5 hours a break of an hour or 2 was probably a good idea too.
Two hours later and the camera charged and me revitalised, off to the last "must see" of my trip, however was distracted a bit by my map and thought i may as well go via Porte Maillot (essentially the city limits) where i'd been on the Metro before but had spent all my time dodging downpours, this would then take me via Longchamps (the famous racecourse) as well as Roland Garros (where the French Tennis Open is held). Probably nothing remakable on the tourist side but it was good just to get away from the crowds and into normal life, was impressed by the old Grand Stand at Longchamp and the course itself (don't know if it was making me homesick for Caulfield ??), and then hit the Seine, of course from then on absolutely everything points towards to Tower.
First disappointment was when i reached there, you could only walk up the tower till 6PM, was 7 odd by then and well i had really wanted to walk the thing, the lift wasn't something i'd even given a thought to (although the only way to the highest level), seemed strange as sunset was not till 8:30. Anyway i decided to at least get some pictures, doesn't matter how many times you've seen it on tv and pictures it did blow me away. More interesting was later when they lit it with flashing lights (certainly it sounds touristy and cliched but you have to be there to understand how good it looked), reckon i spent the next hour gobsmacked by it (don't ask how many camera angles i got as well as couple of pics with me in front of it as above - still wearing that Trans Gaule T shirt think it will need to be surgically removed !), finally dragged myself away and across the river to the Trocadero (and more photo opportunities), and then back via the Arc D'Triomphe, certainly a good way to finish my last day there, very thankful the local fruit shop was open till 11 (bag of apricots and a banana and apple would do as dinner think i'd eaten enough in Bordeaux !!).
Next day the beginning of the end, walk up the road to the local railway station (not a Metro one) Pont Cachonot for the trip to St Lazare (one of the main stations) and a couple of metro lines later the train to Charles De Gaulle Airport, 5 hours to kill but simply a case of making sure i got there. The rest is history, flight to Hong Kong (no typhoons this time), having only 5 hours to my next flight all i saw was the airport, and having only Euro's (no local currency) wasn't exactly going to do much !!, however smog appeared to blanket the whole city so i don't think i missed much. Much admit i enjoyed the "Resting Lounge" basically metal banana lounges set up for us tourists to lie down, was too tired to sleep but read and kept an eye on the free internet access. Funny thing is for a supposedly high tech city the airports free internet consisted of a dozen old Apple IMacs with an ancient version of internet explorer basically only 3 (or maybe 4) worked as the rest had gone to sites that needed refreshing and were simply stuck as the browser was not able to handle them.
Catch my plane, was looking forward to this flight as i'd noticed the Da Vinci Code was one of the movies available (i'd read the book during Trans Gaule - was the only English language book available in the little town i bought it !), so wanted to see it while it was still fresh in my mind. I'm no movie critic but it stayed pretty much true to the book and wasn't bad 3.5 Stars from me !. Have to admit i didn't mind the airline food, very nice curry with rice and crisp French white to wash it down. Still it was good when i spotted Melbourne at 5:30AM and half an hour later we were down, no lost luggage this time and an easy trip through customs, basically the end of my saga, once i have days 11 to 18 down that will be the end of this blog as well !!.

As my last entry said, i was quite happy to play tourist for a few days before heading back to Australia (i still don't believe that 6 weeks have gone but that's what my calendar says), first of all i have updated my comments for days 6 to 10 the feelings (and pain) are still very fresh in my mind.
However i think the body is still in a time zone of it's own, got home from Tullamarine at 8AM on Saturday 16th felt good though i had not slept at all during the flight as my sore knees meant i couldn't bend enough to get into a sleeping position, felt strange getting into my car (i hadn't driven for that long either), but had to get food in, off to bed at 10PM however i then woke at 3 and though "that's strange it's sort of light" 15 minutes later i got up and realised it was actually 3:15 PM, the whole day had gone - must have needed that sleep. Meant i didn't even get to do all the gardening i wanted to do, strangely that 15 Hour sleep now means i'm up at 2AM typing this blog as i'm now no longer tired (well it is a bit early to head off to work although i think it will be a slow run in !).
Monday was St Emilion one of the really big wine growing areas of Bordeaux, so of course we went to a couple of the local wineries, including one with age old "catacombs' where the wine is stored at a constant temperature, will admit to having enjoyed my tastings.
Lunch at a local restaurant, duck was the main course probably my best meal so far (did the animal rights thing and didn't have foie gras as entree however my entree was still delicious just wish i took notes as to what it was !!).
Then a 2 hour guided tour of the actual town, have to admit i find it hard to relate to the age of the place as essentially it was named after Emilion a Benedictine monk (who was a miracle worker - i think the story was he turned food into wood as he was not supposed to have food under his coat - for the poor - when he was stopped) who lived in a cave around the year 750 !!, we actually went into this cave (funny enough the statue of this saint in the cave is actually St Francis of Assisi - talk about false advertising) as well as other incredibly old places, it may sound like dry history but it was actually fascinating and on a warm day (30 odd degrees) his cave was the place to be as was the underground church.
Back to the hotel, and for our last night in Bordeaux another local restaurant (at least it was 2 K's from the hotel so it was a chance for some exercise), probably the most genuine real local restaurant i've been on this trip (La Tupina), family pictures on wall (who knows how old some were) and a 300 year old local version of a rotisserie !!! (i do have a picture but i'm still sorting out downloading all that so that may be put in later). Only downside was the menu would you believe duck (and frites) again !!, however any qualms i may have had about the menu were gone when i tasted it, even better than lunch (but let's face it that was the second time during the week in Bordeaux i'd had two 3 course meals in one day due to the fact they were part of the tour - talk about too much of a good thing), however i did have the foie gras for entree this time (simply as there was no choice of entree and the toasted bread given to us was too tempting !, however i still can't fathom the incredibly sweet wine given with foie gras possibly i just don't have the right taste buds ??). Anyway a great way to finish the Bordeaux trip and also to say good bye to others from our tour (they were leaving at 8AM whilst i didn't have a train till 2:30PM so i was unlikely to see them at breakfast), ceratinly a late night but an ideal finish to the day as it was beautifully balmy and all the monuments on the walk back were lit up brilliantly.
Tuesday was back to Paris, with a 2:30 TGV from Bordeaux had plenty of time to kill so was happy to see on the net that Paris was warm and 26, so much better than last time i hoped.
Certainly the fast train is, as it's name suggests fast, 2.5 hours for the 370K trip to Paris, and then a short trip on the Metro to my hotel (funny thing is i now knew the Metro and it's stations as well as the Met back home and had probably used it more often) in Wagram, finally a room with a double bed absolutely every other place i'd stayed at had two singles which frankly i didn't quite fit !!, basically a couple of miles straight down the road from the Arc De Triomphe, thought i should at least go for a wander down there and get some night time photos (it's a worry every time i see a McDonalds i go in and get a 0.95 Euro milk shake it appears to be the only place in France with milk shakes so of course i had to pop into the Champs Elysses Maccas on the way through), looked quite incredible as well as the Eiffel tower in the distance with sparkling lights.
Of course Wednesday was to be my big tourist day, as i had to finally get to the Eiffel tower as well as Notre Dame Cathedral and a few other places on the Seine, so i was just hoping for fine weather.
That i will continue in the next blog

Having played tourist for a couple of days, i suppose sooner or later my next run would soon appear (and hence almost the end of my trip).

Firstly i'd been to the Dune De Pyla, which i'd best describe as the French equivalent of Ayers Rock, a 117 metre sand dune sticking out of a forest which

basically everyone has to climb (you'll see at the bottom of the picture a bridge like thing that is actually stairs to the top), very impressive and certainly a popular tourist spot nearest to a town called Archaron. After working up an appetite going up it was off to this historic town and then a beachfront lunch, and then boat trip amongst the oyster farms (no eating of local oysters on this trip as apparently 2 people had died from them in the past week).

The next day was a guided tour of the many historic sites of the town of Bordeaux, most of which were older than European settlement of Australia.

That night was the Pre Marathon Pasta Party, as far as i can work out this was only the one for tour groups as we were all from overseas, strangely when the Australian contingent was introduced (10 of us) they played Midnight Oil's 'Beds are Burning' not quite the national anthem ??? (At least for the US they got Springsteen's 'Born in the USA' however i was mystified by some of the other selections). Very classy as Pasta Parties go with Salmon Ravioli, 4 Cheeses Ravioli and Tortelliini i certainly made sure i got my share.

Saturday morning and we were up for breakfast at 5:30 and left for Paulliac at 6:30, however unfortunately this was not because of an early race start but because there was to be a 90 minute parade of costumed runners before race start at 9:30 - Hardly ideal with a weather forecast of 20 to 31.

We were there bright and early, complete with our one costumed runner, Phil dressed as a Kangaroo, and it was a 1K walk to the start (Paulliac is the best part of an hour drive from Bordeaux). Some incredible costumes (hopefully i can get hold of some pictures later), but i had no idea how people would do 42K's in them in that heat.

I certainly had no expectations runwise, the knee was still sore, but fellow runner (and doctor) John from our group was confident it was structurally sound but there were muscular problems (and had given me a panadeine to deaden the pain). Certainly it was a long wait till race start at 9:40 and even then it was warmish.

I'd be honest and say that it was probably one run too many for me this trip, as i'd found a pace that was not too painful (but not particularly fast) but frankly the combination of heat (according to the local paper it hit 36 !) and what was actually a hard course made this more of a task than the fun wander between wine stops i'd envisaged.

Basically the course wound it's way between vineyards and to the chateaus where the drink stations were, however this meant we were on many different surfaces, sometimes roads, sometimes sand, sometimes gravel, sometimes grass and worse sometimes gravel with damned big white stones.

Certainly all the locals got into the spirit of it with bands and all the kids wanting high fives, only red wine at the drink stations (as well as water, fruit cake and dried fruit), really felt like i would have loved a nice crisp white so only 2 wine drinks for me, and heaps of water including one usually tossed over the head.

Have to admit i was very relieved the get to the finish line in one piece, knee was no better but no worse but frankly doubted it wanted to be out there.

Strangely enough it wasn't a personal worst though i was within a minute, officially i was 251st in 3:50:47 with the winning time being 2:28:07, there were 8,500 starters but at the Six and a half hour cutoff their appeared to be only 5,000 odd finnishers, certainly i had seen many of the more elaborate costumes appear to pull out after only 10 or so K's (and some didn't appear to have numbers so possibly were only there to add colour), all finishers get a souvenier bottle of red wine, a finishers wooden plaque, a pair of thongs (very handy as mine were falling apart) and a Medoc Backpack to put it all in (though we got our finishers T Shirt the night before !), strangely enough it looks like the knee needed the faster hitout as sure enough as i type it's actually pretty good.

By the time the last member of our tour party had got in it was well within 6 hour time so it had been a long day, though interestingly speaking to a number of people with Garmins looks the course was just over 44KM (not hard to believe as every K was marked and i swear some were extra long).

Funny enough as though yesterday hadn't been enough today was the traditional post race stroll through the vineyards we had run through so it was back to Medoc at 8 for a 9:30 start (this time limited to 4,000 starters), we were given a tasting mug (yet another Medoc Marathon Souvenier) and walked, never had a clue we would be out there for another 3 Hours though, would have been around 15K's through the vineyards with thankfully a winestop at 5 chateaus, certainly wasn't worried about the fact we had only reds today and usually had 2 different ones at each stop (and in some were able to look at the barrel and processing rooms), was very happy that lunch was under a shaded marque as though it was cooler than yesterday it was getting warm towards the end.

Was happy to get back to the Hotel at 3:30 and even better a soak in the bath, bit of a walk along La Garonne (the main river) and i think it's early night tonight as tomorrow it's off to St Emilion and it's wineries tomorrow.