Running down hills!

[Kent]

Last year I completed (stumbled) the event in 26 hours. As a first timer I found myself unprepared for the hills. In training I concentrated on the escalation but did not spend nearly enough time preparing for down hills. I was travelling really well until I go to the fist checkpoint. It was then when my upper thigh muscles where just killing me. From this point on I could not stand the site of any decline. Going down stairs was extremely painful.

I strongly suggest any newcomer whom trains predominately on flat surfaces to find stairs and use that in your training.

Having said that.......does anyone know of some good trail tracks or stairs to train on in the South Brisbane/Gold Coast area?


K

[ranga]

YEAH i suggest you walk up the hills,stairs and run the rest.It took me 17hrs doing it this way.

[Matt]

Kent;

I'm very south of Brisbane too and have struggled to find some good stairs without driving for 45mins to get started. I have recently hit up the local Uni to use their staircase (although internal and stuffy) it is better than nothing. If you can get into Brissie city there is absolutley stacks to chose from. I had a weekend in there staying at a hotel a few weeks back and found stacks outside in garden areas that really gave the calves a good workout.

As for the Gold Coast, i would go and see management of one of the many high rises and ask to use their internal stair cases. You may have to sign a waiver but imagine running up Q1 or similar.

All the best with it.

Matt.

[Kent]

Cheers Matt,

I have found the Springwood suburbs hilly enough to train and then ran through the Daisy Hill Forest to get some more trail experience in.

I would love to get into one of those high rise buidlings. That would be great training!

Do you know where in Brisbance city has the most stairs?

[Matt]

Am dropping the daughter at school tomorrow and then hitting Daisy Hill for a long trail run. Not too hilly but better than nothing and a lot closer than going to Mt Cootha (for me anyway). There's a good set at Kangaroo Point cliffs but I've found these get too crowded as they are narrow. There is a good set of red stairs (86 if I counrted right made up of about 10 flights) at the corner of Turbot and Edward Streets and a set of about 55 on an esclator just around the corner in Ann Street just down from the intersection with Edward St (almost opposite a 24hr conveinence store). I hit both of these on an arvo run an ended up doing over 5000 stairs. Boy did the calves know it for about 3 days.

Hope this helps. If you want to get together for a Daisy Hill run at any time, drop me a line at melmattstevens@bigpond.com or send us a text on 0414459119. I'm a 24hr shift worker so the phone can be off or I can be unreliable for set times if my shifts change. Will be there tomorrow morning for a plod.

Matt.

[Dean]

I agree with all the points here.  Up hills is just a matter of slogging away and adjusting your stride (whether you walk or run) to suit.  I'm fortunate in that I can walk the hills at the same pace as I run them (and the same as my Partner who runs hills too).  Down hills is a different kettle of fish;  pace needs to be adjusted to slope and forefoot/ midfoot/heel strike techniques may need to change according to slope and effect on legs.  Obviously your pace increases (this is where you can make up a little time), and I become aware of my balance cause the surfaces vary so much from shale to gravel to clay to mud to slippery logs to bloody great rocks.  My Partner sprained her ankle on our last training run along a Blue Mtns trail and we had to walk up the stairway to get out - plus wasted 20km of a trail run.  It's just not worth being blaise about the downhills; take it easy and you'll make it out!!!  This is just from my limited experience in trail running.  My philosophy on TNF is what we have been doing in training, to paraphrase Ranga, 'Walk uphill and run (carefully) downhill and on the flat'.  All the Best to you all,

Dean

[Mark]

Depending on how far you would like to travel there is a great set of stairs that is on the last section of the gold coast hinterland great walk. I think it is close to 900 stairs and covers about 300-400 metres ascent from memory over about 2-4kms.

They really drill you.

To get to them you just go up springbrook rd and its on the right hand side starting at "Apple Tree Park".

Good Luck all!

[Kent]

That sounds perfect! I actually just read on another post that there is an event in Nerang for a 50K. I think I may just jump on that one too. Hope I am not underprepared though.

Anyone else giving it a go?

Kent

[ranga]

HI KENT,do you still want the shoes i sent my bank details to you but no reply yet.

[Kent]

Hey mate,

Just sent you a text. Have not got the email but still keen

Kent

[Andrew]

Hey Kent,

I know that there are at least 5 of us that are doing the 50km at Nerang this weekend. Should be a great training run.

Andy

[Rudol]

MT warning is great