Di Bichard conquers Inca Trail marathon – Port Lincoln Times

news, local-news,

How hard could the Inca Trail Marathon be, I asked myself? It was a normal 42.2-kilometre marathon, through spectacular scenery, at altitude with mountains thrown in. How hard? Extremely hard! In June, Rex, my husband and I travelled to South America, Peru where we spent a few days acclimatising at the city of Cusco situated at a height of 11,100 feet ( 3383 metres) above sea level. We were there so I could line up to race the Machu Picchu marathon. We drank a lot of coca tea, which the locals consider to be the miracle plant for acclimatising. I am not sure if it helped but we didn’t think it could do any harm. I decided on arrival not to do any running but rather walk each day to allow myself to get over jet lag and become used to the altitude. I had spent 10 days training each day in an altitude chamber just prior to leaving Australia. Having raced in the mountains before I knew that it was important not to rush into things. Other competitors arrived from various parts of the world a few days later; I felt fine and as a group we went for downhill runs, ranging in distances of 10 to 12km. There were 15 athletes competing in the full marathon distance, which would normally take hikers four days to complete, camping out as they went. We had 11.5 hours to cross the finish line at Machu Picchu, as the park entrance closes each day at 3.30pm. For those who did not make it they had to camp out on the trail or take a path down to a different finish line below Machu Picchu, something I desperately did not want to do. There were another 20 athletes who had decided the 30km distance suited them better and although we all had the same start line, they had one less mountain (Chakrachay) to run over. Everyone was excited to be there, though a little nervous. I had trained solidly for four months in preparation for the event spending up to four hours at a time on a stepper machine and numerous hill repeats to Winters Hill, along with weight training and long runs of 40km. Some people experience significant issues with altitude, nausea, headaches, decreased appetite and fatigue. The only trouble I had was lack of sleep. I went almost three days without any and was becoming a little stressed. Thankfully I sent out a SOS to Mike Bourne, my personal trainer and mentor back here in Port Lincoln, and he texted through some wonderful tips on how to cope. With two nights to go I was very grateful to finally be able to sleep and get the rest needed for what I knew would be a gruelling event. The day before our race all non-runners, Rex included, travelled by train to Machu Picchu where they would spend the night so they could be at the finish line for us the next day. Meanwhile the competitors needed to hike 8km to the start line to spend the night camping, before our 2am wake up call. Not the best preparation for a long race but we were given a beautiful Peruvian breakfast of porridge and banana pancakes which was definitely good, before the 4am start. One of the obstacles for us was that at 4am it is very dark, so you needed to use head lamps to run with. Fortunately I have raced through the night before so had no trouble with this and rather enjoyed it, others however found this a challenge. Throughout the course of the day we climbed about 10,400ft (3170m) and descended 11,000ft (3350m). I experienced some swelling and tingling in my fingers and a little nausea that was particularly noticeable as I reached the top of the mountain called Dead Woman’s Pass at 13,800ft (4200m). This quickly went away as I began to descend. With high elevation racing it is very important to keep your electrolyte fluids, race gels, water and food intake high or you will get sick very quickly. It is quite hard as your body does not want to take any in but it is absolutely crucial. I had to constantly remind myself of this as running at this elevation is not the same as sea level. Having raced now in a few different events like this, I have become very good at listening to my body and adapting to the different challenges I face and importantly changing my race strategy as I go. I race with a hydration back pack and water belt as it is easier to see how much I am actually taking in and to keep on track; even if I did not want to drink or eat I made myself. Pacing yourself and running to your race plan is also essential. It can be very easy to push out hard too early or try to stay with others and pay for this later in the event. I have seen lead runners not make it to the finish line, which is devastating after the many months of training. This was not a race where the only challenges were distance and time, obviously the altitude played a big role. It affected all of us to varying degrees during the race especially as you were trying to run to the top of the mountains as quickly as possible. Those mountains – what a mind game – just when you thought you were at the top, you turned a corner and it kept going and then it would do it again and again! It was also the 2ft stone steps that line the Inca trail, which honestly seem to go on forever, crushing your hamstrings. The climbs were tough but the downhills were just as evil. Your knees and quads were getting a pounding. My legs felt good though and stayed strong throughout the race, they never missed a beat. The hard training I had put them through paid off. There were runners whose legs were shaking as their muscles were fatiguing, they were having trouble. My finishing positions were second female and fifth overall, which is thrilling. The memories I take with me from these types of events is overwhelming. The ability to push my body and mind as hard as I can, to overcome injuries and stay strong and focused is what drives me to the finish line. The friendships formed and the camaraderie I experience not only out on the course but before and after these events last a life time.

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/jJsmL4xXZBFzAjutT57ZMg/c9dd10d1-5c4a-4ff2-8d57-b9ce9536dbe1_rotated_270.jpg/r0_1174_3024_2883_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

ON TOP OF THE WORLD: Di Bichard after finishing the Inca Trail Marathon.

How hard could the Inca Trail Marathon be, I asked myself?

It was a normal 42.2-kilometre marathon, through spectacular scenery, at altitude with mountains thrown in.

How hard? Extremely hard!

In June, Rex, my husband and I travelled to South America, Peru where we spent a few days acclimatising at the city of Cusco situated at a height of 11,100 feet ( 3383 metres) above sea level.

We were there so I could line up to race the Machu Picchu marathon.

We drank a lot of coca tea, which the locals consider to be the miracle plant for acclimatising.

I am not sure if it helped but we didn’t think it could do any harm.

I decided on arrival not to do any running but rather walk each day to allow myself to get over jet lag and become used to the altitude.

I had spent 10 days training each day in an altitude chamber just prior to leaving Australia.

Having raced in the mountains before I knew that it was important not to rush into things.

Other competitors arrived from various parts of the world a few days later; I felt fine and as a group we went for downhill runs, ranging in distances of 10 to 12km.

There were 15 athletes competing in the full marathon distance, which would normally take hikers four days to complete, camping out as they went.

We had 11.5 hours to cross the finish line at Machu Picchu, as the park entrance closes each day at 3.30pm.

For those who did not make it they had to camp out on the trail or take a path down to a different finish line below Machu Picchu, something I desperately did not want to do.

There were another 20 athletes who had decided the 30km distance suited them better and although we all had the same start line, they had one less mountain (Chakrachay) to run over.

Everyone was excited to be there, though a little nervous.

I had trained solidly for four months in preparation for the event spending up to four hours at a time on a stepper machine and numerous hill repeats to Winters Hill, along with weight training and long runs of 40km.

Some people experience significant issues with altitude, nausea, headaches, decreased appetite and fatigue.

The only trouble I had was lack of sleep.

I went almost three days without any and was becoming a little stressed.

Thankfully I sent out a SOS to Mike Bourne, my personal trainer and mentor back here in Port Lincoln, and he texted through some wonderful tips on how to cope.

With two nights to go I was very grateful to finally be able to sleep and get the rest needed for what I knew would be a gruelling event.

The day before our race all non-runners, Rex included, travelled by train to Machu Picchu where they would spend the night so they could be at the finish line for us the next day.

Meanwhile the competitors needed to hike 8km to the start line to spend the night camping, before our 2am wake up call.

Not the best preparation for a long race but we were given a beautiful Peruvian breakfast of porridge and banana pancakes which was definitely good, before the 4am start.

One of the obstacles for us was that at 4am it is very dark, so you needed to use head lamps to run with.

Fortunately I have raced through the night before so had no trouble with this and rather enjoyed it, others however found this a challenge.

Throughout the course of the day we climbed about 10,400ft (3170m) and descended 11,000ft (3350m).

I experienced some swelling and tingling in my fingers and a little nausea that was particularly noticeable as I reached the top of the mountain called Dead Woman’s Pass at 13,800ft (4200m). This quickly went away as I began to descend.

With high elevation racing it is very important to keep your electrolyte fluids, race gels, water and food intake high or you will get sick very quickly.

It is quite hard as your body does not want to take any in but it is absolutely crucial.

I had to constantly remind myself of this as running at this elevation is not the same as sea level.

Having raced now in a few different events like this, I have become very good at listening to my body and adapting to the different challenges I face and importantly changing my race strategy as I go.

I race with a hydration back pack and water belt as it is easier to see how much I am actually taking in and to keep on track; even if I did not want to drink or eat I made myself.

Pacing yourself and running to your race plan is also essential.

It can be very easy to push out hard too early or try to stay with others and pay for this later in the event.

I have seen lead runners not make it to the finish line, which is devastating after the many months of training.

This was not a race where the only challenges were distance and time, obviously the altitude played a big role.

It affected all of us to varying degrees during the race especially as you were trying to run to the top of the mountains as quickly as possible.

Those mountains – what a mind game – just when you thought you were at the top, you turned a corner and it kept going and then it would do it again and again!

It was also the 2ft stone steps that line the Inca trail, which honestly seem to go on forever, crushing your hamstrings.

The climbs were tough but the downhills were just as evil.

Your knees and quads were getting a pounding.

My legs felt good though and stayed strong throughout the race, they never missed a beat. The hard training I had put them through paid off.

There were runners whose legs were shaking as their muscles were fatiguing, they were having trouble.

My finishing positions were second female and fifth overall, which is thrilling.

The memories I take with me from these types of events is overwhelming.

The ability to push my body and mind as hard as I can, to overcome injuries and stay strong and focused is what drives me to the finish line.

The friendships formed and the camaraderie I experience not only out on the course but before and after these events last a life time.