Guest Blog #1 ------> DBontherun

Introducing David Bryant, an old friend and fellow fitness freak (DB to those friendly or already acquainted with DB, and now DB to everyone else). DB is a pretty remarkable sort of guy. We started getting friendly at around 14 when we had a common interest in fishing and surfing. We would have endless weekends pillaging waterways and lighting fires to cook our catch. I guess you could say our friendship was consolidated when DB started running. I still don't really know how or why DB chose running. I say this because DB running is like Rebecca Black without the internet or Josh A. without chocolate; it's just not seemingly possible. Anyway enough of me, read on to find out why.

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After many years of reading everyone else's blog I guess its time I repay the favour and write one of my own.

Who am I? DBONTHERUN!

I’ve known josh since back in the Nudgee college days. the days when we were keen fishermen and would ride down to breakfast creek estuaries (yes you can fish and catch fish there) with a crab pot on each handle bar and fishing rod and cast net on our backs. Throw in a few runs for Nudgee cross country team and our friendship was formed.

I no longer live in Brisbane, I've made the move over to Perth where I have been based since finishing school in 2006. Since then I have finished my nutrition degree and now work at a dietitian clinic. Josh would like me to post some regular nutrition performance tips, who’s keen? Be prepared I am one serious foodie, coffee enthusiast and cook!

Anyways, I am heavily involved in the triathlete and running scene over in Perth. In terms of training venues I think Perth is the most picturesque training ground in Australia. Endless array of beaches, parks and rivers to run and ride around until your heart is content. Oh and hardly any traffic like Brisbane!  Which brings me to my why i am briefly over in QLD. I am training for my first marathon which I am doing in Zurich on April 17. Training has been going strong, peaking at 130km per and and 35km long runs.

A lot of people look at me and wonder how I run. Why? because I have an inch and a quarter leg length difference, no right calf and 3 size shoe difference. It all stems back to being born with a club foot. I think I am a testament to the saying “anyone can run”.

With a 10km pb of 36:45 and a half marathon pb of 1:21 I'm hoping I can crack the 3 hour barrier for my first marathon. so as a tune up, on Sunday I decided to do the Brisbane Twilight Running Festival half marathon at the University of Queensland. Now every year I make the effort to fly back to the gold coast to do the half marathon in July. In 2009 I was feeling good until the 12km mark where I got a stitch, which lasted to the end of the race and finished in a time of 1 hour 25 min. Not a bad time but very unfortunate to get a stitch considering I never get them in training.

Fast forward to gold coast half marathon 2010, yet again a great first 10km feeling ready to attack the final km’s, then 12km a stitch, which yet again lasted for the rest of the race. This time a time of 1:21:50. A pb I'll take, but PLEASE, what is up with this stitch. 2 years of running and just 2 stitches on race day on the gold coast. Something in the water in QLD?

Fast forward to now, have not had a stitch since then, on the start line of the Brisbane Twilight Half Marathon, the thought of a stitch is far from in my mind, so surely I wont get one today?

So I got into a nice groove for the first 10km, averaging 3:55, being mindful not to bust my gut as the big marathon is in 4 weeks time. Josh was kind enough to meet me out on course with his bike and take some photos and well, yell and scream at me. past the 12km “demon mark”, no stitch, could it be that I've overcome this stitch race day curse?

13km, good, yippee. 14km oh no, this cannot be happening, the stitch had come on again. As the kilometres went by, the stitch got sharper and sharper. I was trying everything from focusing on breathing, to digging my fingers into the hot spot, to stretching my rib cage area. nothing was working. To make things better (or worse) at the time, Josh was by my side yelling/cheering, at this point I was ready to belt him! Finally I got to the final bridge and last couple of kilometres. By this stage the stitch was excruciating and I finished at 4:45 per kilometre pace. To make things worse, the finish precinct was a really good spectator finish and I would have loved to have crossed the line around the 1:21 mark feeling good about my run. NOT TO BE. The legs wanted to go faster, stitch wanted to go slower!

I’m trying to apply my nutritionist brain and relate it back to a stitch. but I'm not getting anywhere. My diet did not change over the past couple of days and I had powerade powder with the water i was drinking to maintain the electrolyte salt balance.

Any ideas anyone from across the globe?

Humidity? Tap water? Flight?

Got to go, just made a banana bread. No fat, made with pot set yoghurt and wholemeal flour, super duper pre/post training food. Stay tuned for the recipe....