Training Log Archive: nmulder

Mac Mac 200 Miler Ultra

Mac Mac introduced a new 200 miler to the event this year, essentially starting at the finish point of the 100 miler (Sabie), then running to the 100 miler start point (Pilgrims Rest) and back. There were about 15 entrants, 9 people on the start line and 5 finishers.

Ruan vd Merwe went out hard from the start, pulling out his trekking poles right at the bottom of the first incline. I settled down and had a good chat with Guy McKechnie before he pulled away after about 3-4kms.

My painful right calf muscle finally disappeared on the penultimate training run before Mac Mac, about 4 days before. But I wasn't going to stress it, so the plan was for a very easy pace until 100 or 160km. Changing shoes definitely seemed to have done the trick, but I didn't have a 2nd pair of the new Sense Rides, so I was hoping I could run the whole race in just the one pair. I had back-up options in my bag drop points (Mac Mac hut and Pilgrims Rest).

I was pretty much on-pace up the first big climbs up the escarpment above Sabie. Got to Mt Anderson just as it was getting dark after, having gone faster than expected up the trail through Maritzbos. Refilled with water for the first time at Stables, and on through the dark to Mac Mac Hut at about 55km. Got in about an hour behind Ruan. Guy had just arrived and was about to take a sleep.

Headed out on the Graskop and Mac Mac Falls loop in 2nd place as a result. Felt decent around the whole loop, but pace generally off from what I wanted.

Got back to Mac Mac Hut a short time before dawn, had a quick refill from my race bag and left at first light. Lots of frost on the ground in the valley going down to Pilgrims Rest. Started walking a lot as well as I got really despondent. I was way off my original, conservative pace. I knew realistically I couldn't beat Ruan unless he had a major blowout, but I still wanted to get through the race in about 58-60 hours and that was obviously becoming impossible. I was not as fit as I had hoped, the reality was that I'd only done 420km of training since the beginning of the year due to the recurring injuries, and little of that was quality.

I'd pretty much decided I was pulling out when I got to Pilgrims, but a quick chat with Stephanie and a very pleasant stop at the restaurant that doubled as the 3rd assistance point of the race gave me time to reassess my goals. I decided to keep going, with the goal of enjoying myself, finishing and holding onto the 2nd place. Time goals themselves went out the window.

Pilgrims were dishing out very good vegetarian lasagnas, so I started the loop on the Prospectors trail much refreshed. I left at about 9am. At the bottom of the indigenous bush going from Black Hill hut to Morgenzon I met Ruan going backwards on the return trip. This was a lot later than I had expected to see him, so it was good to see other people also suffering... :-p

Got back to Pilgrims and the 160km turnaround point some time in the night. I decided to take my first sleep here as it offered a stretcher bed inside the restaurant. Ended up sleeping for 90 minutes before heading back up the hill through the zama-zama mines out onto the Prospectors trail again (same steep hill for the 3rd time, 1 to go!).

The return leg in the Prospectors loop dawned very different as there was a serious cold front about to pump through. The wind was howling on top of Black Hill which was well above 2000m altitude. It was cold to start with but it soon developed into a proper Berg Wind and the rest of the loop was spent in very hot and dry temperatures. The good news was that the smaller aid stations had started to open up for the 160km athletes, so I had a few more refreshment stops along the way. I started the Morgenzon-Pilgrims section for the 4th and final time just after midday, and thus encountered all the 160km competitors on their first section of their course, the vast majority of them going way too fast for their own good up this first hill, especially given the almost 30'C temperatures.

I was back in Pilgrims for a late lunch (mushroom lasagna this time) and then on my way back to Mac Mac hut which I reached just after last light.

I started the Graskop loop after a short stay, but added a bit more kit as I knew the cold front was about to arrive. About 1 hour after leaving the hut it got cloudy and another 1-2 hours it started drizzling. I had hoped to get to Graskop hut before it started and have a good 90 min sleep there, but I came short by about 1.5km, so spent about 15 minutes in the heavy drizzle, but not long enough to get cold and properly wet.

I had a good sleep on a nice mattress. I had also taken my AR bivvy for this leg so had been quite warm when sleeping. Not much in the way of interesting food at this waterpoint, so left almost immediately. The drizzle continued for most of the way to Mac Mac Pools. Whist asleep, the first 3 guys in the 160km had come past, so I was very surprised to see one coming back just after I had crossed the Mac Mac river and was climbing out of the gorge. I had a fleeting chat with him where I informed him he was going the wrong way. He was insistent that he was going the right way and that I was going the wrong way around the course. Despite me being on my 3rd night and he on his first, I was very confident that I was correct and he was wrong, but he was in a hurry, so he was going to have to hear the same comments again from the next 160km competitor coming up a few kilometers behind me.

Mac Mac Pools support station was the best one on the course. It was run by Grant and the other organizers of the Graskop Park Run, and they were were well sponsored by the Graskop Spar. I got cheered in from about 500m away, despite the heavy mist and drizzle I had to contain myself to 2 milk tart cakes, a chocolate muffin, and a few helpings of other stuff that I can't remember. The milk tarts won hands down. Just what you need at 2am in the morning (Day 4!). On the ascent back up to Mac Mac Hut I was caught by Rhys who was now in 3rd place on the 160km. We compared notes and agreed that we were both going in the right direction. ;-D

I was super keen to finish the race off before sundown on this day (Day 4 - Saturday). I thus didn't spent too long in Mac Mac Hut and left about 1/2 hour before dawn. I was about 1 hour behind where I was in the 160km race two years ago, so I got to see a little bit more of the climb out of there this time.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. I kept pushing the pace a bit, aiming for the pre-sundown finish. I knew I was fairly safe now for 2nd place and I had more or less stopped looking over my should for Nicky in 3rd place (the aid station marshals had been quite helpful showing my the GPS tracking on their phones so I knew she was about 6 hours behind). I had a bit of company around Stables Hut from both the 80km lead runners as well as the mid pack runners on the 40km. Mt Anderson felt like a bit of a slog again, but after getting back down to the top of Maritzbos I felt good again and tried to pick up the pace once more. I pushed a bit, and wasn't too far off my time from 2019 on this section, where I had flown.

From the bottom of Maritzbos to the finish it was quite lonely. There were a small handful of people making up the tail of the 40km race, but there was a gap and no runners from the 80 or 160 were catching me any longer. It made pushing a bit tougher, but I kept at it. The hardest bit mentally was the final 12km, where the course had been lengthened by about 4km from 2019. I kept going faster and faster here as the light started fading quickly. I finally got into Merry Pebbles at about 5.15pm, about 20 minutes before full dusk.

Overall I am very happy that I decided to continue and finish the race. Definitely felt the satisfaction of completing a 320km course and still felt good at the end of it. Ruan finished about 4am that Saturday morning and Nicky finished about 2am on Sunday morning. Five finishers in the end.

Shoes held out perfectly and I got my nutrition spot on. Slept 2 x 90 minutes plus a 5 min power nap between Mac Mac and Graskop Huts.

C • Insane 2

C • A journey 3

Garmin Watch battery failed about 25k from the finish. Attached is the full route from my GPS, but which wasn't as accurate as my Garmin watch.

Another easy run around the Estate. Got a nice 6km route now.

Last run before Mac Mac Ultra starts on Wednesday.