Goals achieved

Well, on Saturday 19 May at 06:00 I arrived at the start of the TNF 100 in Leura NSW. Both my knees had been sore in the last few weeks of training and I was quite concerned they would cause me problems. I was much more nervous than my previous attempt in 2011.

As the gun went I settled into a good pace and made good progress towards checkpoint 1 at 18k. Just before the checkpoint I reached the Golden stairs 1600 steps leading up to the narrow neck plateau, this is where I started to hit problems. Upon reaching the top of the steps I had severe cramp in my left quad and I limped into CP 1.

From CP1 to 3 the cramp became a real problem particularly up the larger hills and there were a number of occasions when I thought I would have to drop out as I just couldn't bend my legs.

Eventually I managed the cramp with some salt tablets, gatorade and regular stretching. I pushed through to CP 4 (64k) at the Katoomba Aquatic Centre where I met my family, this gave me huge lift.

Leaving the aquatic centre I set out on the longest and hardest leg of the race, 24k with an 8k hill covering 1000m of elevation. The cramp had eased at this stage and I felt confident to push on. I completed most of this leg on my own and amazingly pushed through to the last checkpoint 50 minutes quicker than I had the previous year, setting myself up for a sub 19 hour finish.

Knowing I was close to sub 19 I spent just a few minutes at CP 5 to take on some food and drink. I then pushed on with the remaining 11k. It had been a roller coaster day physically and mentally so seeing he 1k to go sign was a huge lift and quite emotional.

As I came out onto he clearing near the finish line I could hear the announcer calling out times of other finishers and knew the sub 19 hours was on. I stuck my head down and had one final run to the line crossing in 18:56, almost two hours quicker than last year.

The experience was hugely challenging both mentally and physically, it's very difficult to put into words.

The support from friends and family was also amazing. The messages I received on the course and prior to the race really helped keep me going.

Thank you to everyone that supported me or has donated to Diabetes WA.

Finally thanks to my family who allowed me the hours to train for this event and got out of bed at some very unsociable times to support me.

Adam

Thanks for Supporting such a Great Cause!

Just over a week to go until I stand at the start line again. Training has gone well and I'm excited to get this challenge underway. Indications are that the weather will be good, but cold and the trail is in a reasonably good condition.

It's been an amazing couple of weeks in terms of donations to Diabetes WA bringing me within $50 of my target to date.

Support and interest from people has been quite overwhelming and I shall carry that with me around the course.

Thanks once again

Adam

Why am I doing this?

In 2011 I made the decision to take part in The North Face 100. This event is a 100km ultra run through the Blue Mountains national park In New South Wales, Australia. The course is virtually all off road and covers around 5000m of accent and decent. Last year I completed the race in just over 20 hours.

On 19 May 2012 I’m returning to compete in the event once again. However, this time I would like my efforts to raise some money for a worthwhile cause.

Diabetes WA provides and a range of services and support to those suffering with Diabetes in Western Australia. They also educate the community on diabetes prevention and raise funds for vital research.

Diabetes is a chronic condition which can cause many different health complications and impact on quality of life. Around 1,000,000 people suffer with diabetes in Australia alone and it is one of the top ten causes of death.

I have family and friends who have been diagnosed with the condition and have seen how their lives have been altered through the treatment required to manage it and the associated effects of the disorder.

Thanks for visiting this page and I hope you are able to contribute in some way to my fundraising effort.