Too old to start?

The longer an athletics career continues the more difficult motivation can become. The ability and desire to do the training can wane especially during inclement weather. Achievable goals need to be set and worked towards. Small steps in the direction of the ultimate. Records Motivate Muskett

Val Muskett knows about small steps, her little legs do many of them during a race.

On October the 2nd Sri Chinmoy had organised the 13th running of the 6, 12, 24 hour Track Races on the Sovereign Stadium, Auckland for athletes who wanted to find out just how much they could achieve.

Otago’s Val Muskett for once had entered a short race; the 12 hour had attracted her. But she had an ulterior motive.

Earlier in the year Andy Milroy, British Ultra statistician, had released an updated list of Ultra records that contained the World Age group records. Val being an avid reader checked them out and realised that some where in reach. A good 100k at Taupo on the road strengthened her determination to try to bring the track records to New Zealand from France and the USA.

As these were track records Val had to once again become a track athlete. Every Wednesday the 56 year old could be seen running around and around the Cally track in Dunedin whilst much younger athletes went through their sprinting drills and exercises.

A 50 km off road race was entered “The Great Naseby Water Race” to try and keep her sharp, and the camaraderie and organisation certainly help with her motivation.

Ultra running on the track is different to any other athletic event. Athletes can stop and rest, take in food and drink and go to the toilet or take a massage as they please. Every 4 hours they change direction and lap counters call to them on every lap to make sure a lap isn’t missed.

To break a world record stops can’t happen and food and drink is taken on the run, every second counts so less than two hours into the race it was a worry when Val required a toilet stop. She had to leave the track and go to the public toilets, to speed things up her crew got to the toilet first made sure one was free and kept guard until she arrived, just over a minute was added to the 2minute 6 second laps but this could be enough to foil the record attempt. Fortunately the race began in chilly weather and to try and get warm Val ran the first 6 laps quicker than she had intended.

A marathon in 3:47:05 meant she was still on track but the first of the records was only 8 km’s away.

At the 50 k mark the three stopwatches appeared at the track side and the chief timekeeper called the mark as she crossed the start finish line for the 110th time – all the watches agreed she had broken the World 50 k record for Women aged 55 – 59. Next up was the 6 hour record.

By this time the wind had come and gone and now returned with some taxing gusts. Head down and face set Val continued to circumnavigate the track having to change lanes to avoid the other athletes; some who claimed the inside lane for themselves whether walking eating or jogging slowly. Thoughtful athletes moved out to the second lane to let her through. These athletes along with the crowd now realised they were watching something special. There was only one person on the track running quicker than Val and he was New Zealand 100 k rep Greg Hannah.

6 Hours and no time keepers appeared, this time a track marshal ran alongside Val until the hooter sounded and there he placed masking tape on the track edge so the track could be measured with a steel tape to get the exact distance covered.

Still Val ran on, no stopping but by now lapping at a slower pace, her 2 minute 6 laps had become 2 minute 33, still on target for the next records.

The unofficial 50 mile record was the next in her sights, this would give her an indication whether or not the last two would be achievable. The track officials calculated the exact point where 50 miles would have been run if using the inside lane and then added a metre before marking it to be certain everything was acceptable.

The three time keepers lined the track alongside the mark and all agreed, another record broken.

The 100 k was now in front of the rapidly cooling athlete. No time for extra clothing just run on and cope. On the roads of Taupo Val gad covered the 100 k in 9:24:24 so was hoping to better that, but every ultra athlete goes through black spots and 80 – 100 km was Val’s. Whether the cold got to her or the constant bends but her right leg began to cramp and she was starting to shiver.

At the 100 km mark the time keepers all agreed she had smashed the old record but not by as much as she had wanted. Only one record left – the 12 hour mark set by the American super athlete Sue Ellen Trapp in 2001.

Time was taken to put poly prop and a jacket on the shivering athlete and spray on her leg and bruised ankle. This seemed to do the trick. Off she went again like a small machine purring round the track every 2 minutes 45. The record was surpassed but how much could be added. Val’s crew unwilling to push too hard but desperate to keep Val on the track used all the knowledge they had to motivate, feed and support her. They were ably assisted by the other athletes crews and the growing number of spectators who realised ultra history was being made.

With 11 hours 57 minutes 35 seconds gone Val crossed the start finish line for the 334th time could she do one more lap, spurred on she picked up her ace and went for it carrying her small blue marker block!

When the final hooter blew she was 17 metres from crossing the line to complete 122 Km the mark she had set herself so many months before.

What had been achieved? Below is a list of what the records were and the new marks set by Val. The records have now been ratified by the IAU.

And what of the future? Perhaps if Val tried to improve the 100 km time and increase the 12 hour distance without trying for the 50 k and 6 hour records more could be achieved, and what of the 100 mile record? There is the motivation

50 k was 4:30:46 P Echevarne (Fra) 1996 Val 4:28:30
6 hour was 64.800k P Echevarne (Fra) 1996 Val 66.041 km
50 mile 7:36.44 P Echevarne (Fra) 1996 Val 7:28: 03
100 k was 9:41:31 P Echevarne (Fra) 1996 Val 9:31:45
12 hour was 114:00 S E Trapp (USA) 2001 Val 121:983

She was overall first in the 12 hour race by almost 9 km.

Checkout Val's inspirational web site here .