 Going into Painathlon week i'm never 100%, as organiser, if i'll be taking part or not. I always hope so, but it takes a few things to fall into place. Fortunately I had a great support crew together for the event so was confident enough to hand co-ordination over to them after the 7am start. Put myself into the Half-Painathlon, which would allow me to assist with the solo and team Painathletes finishes.
Very unusually, thanks to the help of Michael Parotte, I arrived at City Beach at 5am NOT sleep deprived. Had actually got to bed at 11.45pm which is a personal record for Painthlon-eve. Always exciting after months of hard work to see 80 or so peope plus supporters arrive at City Beach and set themselves up for the day. The carpark always fills so quick and there's an awesome buzz of anticipation. Unlike many, I know exactly what i'm in for with the half and will face my cramp-demons either at Mount Pain or the Bridges Run. Jacobs Ladder doesn't worry me too much as I have my 10 lap method downpat and it works for me
 Drawing toward 7am time seems to accelerate, before I know we're down the beach and Chantelle is counting down the final seconds over the megaphone. Feeling as fresh as I will ever today....and we're off!
Groyne Runs seem longer than ever this year. Brett Johnson races out to an early lead with pre-race favourite Michael Carroll in hot pursuit and Half contender Jason Dick just behind. I've done this run countless times and settle into a nice rhythm. Dave Kennedy passes me steadily and i'm up there exiting the first transition. My runners and toe-clips make for a speedy transition, which partly makes up for my ancient MTB which I persist in using (why change now!).
 Coming over the hill, and already having been stopped by the first red light of the day and overtaken by Team Woop-Woop, we can see Brett Johnson racing up the hill about to fork left up the Reabold summit walk. A handy lead at this early stage of the day, and I'm thinking 'he'll be tough to catch if he keep up that pace!'. I see on arrival that the racks have been set up across the road to usual, but it all works and the marshall team is well set up down the bottom and at the punch. My 2 acscents are really enjoyable. Making up for the fact I missed out on competing while race-directing last year, I high-five anyone who will stick their hand out, and encourage everyone by name if I can recall it (have met most people by now at familiarisers, briefing or by email contact). It's over far too quickly and i'm on my way to Kings Park.
 Just entering Kings Park, I witness the first breakdown of the day. Solo-ist Joe Cleasby has got his wheel off and looks to be replacing a tube. Feel for him so early in the proceedings having to stop for repairs. Manage to call ahead to 2 riders who turn left instead of right on May Drive and save them a long detour. Looks like there a few 'i don't need no map' mavericks out on course this year! Cardiac Hill is always deceptively hard. I feel like I should be able to sprint up but it's definitely more of a grind than that. The front of the pack is still within sight and Brett Johnson still leads Michael Carroll in the solo, Jason Dick is out front in the Half and Team Woop-Woop is representing right up there too.
It's just a short hop to Mount Pain and the 3 laps. Usually the first time Painathletes will encounter any difficulty during the day in terms of muscle cramps or fatigue. The field condenses again and that 10-15 minutes feels like an age which descending and climbing with everyone. Leah Glass looks way too fresh and must be leading the ladies (only female entries in the half this year) aswell as myself. Fortunately my pre-hydration during the week and several weeks of familiarisers pays off and I get away cramp-free this time.
 En route to the Causeway for my biggest test of the day, support car no.1 pulls up next to me at the lights and Christo and Rob seem to be having good fun and are on top of it all. I can rest easy and concentrate on my race. Lots of people ahead of me but not too many Half shirts. I'm aware of Jason and Leah aswell as Justin Lang (who through the first 4 challenges blasts past me on every single cycle leg!) but the rest are unknown to me for now. Coming to the transition area, I see that the rack crew must have been delayed, as I'm the first to be able to rack my bike despite 10 or so being ahead of me. Making sure the marshalls have my starting time, I race off towards South Perth, knowing full well that every year I cramp badly on this run, it's just a question of when. I aim to first make it past the left hand bend where I cramped in 2007 (just 2km in of 9.65km!) and manage it with ease running loose and easy. My second cramp in 2007 came just before the paddleboat wharf and i'm still going strong at this point. I whip into the bathroom to skull some precious H2O before continuing on to my benchmark cramp point just before the narrows bridge, where in 2008 I required an in-mouth berocca fizz plus numerous lollies to get my myself moving. Not only did I make it past this point but I grabbed a handful of snakes from Chris at the checkpoint and slowly dissolved them one by one in my mouth while running for an extra sugar hit. Almost, very almost forgot to punch off my card at halfway while talking to the marshalls but remembered in the nick of time, only costing myself 30 metres of so. Team PATathlon with support rider in tow passed me shortly after the Narrows looking strong and offering me extra fluids which I gratefully accepted. At this point my confidence was at an alltime high given i'd made it cramp-free to this point. Little did I know that just past the bell-tower would come my lowest point of the day!
 Most tragic - I just had the back 4.5km to do along riverside drive. 30m ahead of me, an elderly lady probably in her 60's (not a Painathlete) was shuffling along efficiently. Feeling strong and fast, I slowly but surely reeled her in for the kill (read overtake) but the nearer I grew the faster she seemed to be going. Despite an awkward skate with no heel lift she was moving like the clappers. Foolishly I surged to try and pass her but no sooner had I drawn level and half a metre ahead of her, hammy cramp set in and I was sent reeling backwards into my rightful place trailing a granny. How embarassing, she sure showed me who was boss.
Eventually I did overtake her but only with extremely careful pacing in order to not overdo it. Michael Parrotte came steaming past in good form and I desperately tried to hang on and NOT resort to walking for any stage of the run. The causeway was a welcome sight as I knew it was just a short ride and 10 laps of the Ladder before my athletic part of the day was over. Bidding farewell to the solo and team entrants, who's day of pain was just getting started, I rode alone back up St Georges terrace, over the bridge and up Mount St in one shot.
Just an easy 10 laps of Jacobs lay ahead or so i foolishly thought. Probably wasn't a great sign when I cramped up just approaching the top of the Jacobs lookout, that wasn't in the game plan. I if I could just find my rhythm, I would be ok. The first 3 laps were about as far from rhythmic as I could imagine, the legs were just not obeying my commands and it was like i'd started having already done 20 laps. Normally where i'd run the first few flights I was limited to a hopping hobble. However, slowly but surely I managed to gain some semblance of my form and despite being far slower than usual, ground out the next 6 laps with increasing confidence. Dom, Marsha, John and the girls at the top were in fantastic form keeping us going and counting off the laps. Before too long it was final lap time and turning at the bottom I thought to myself, I can afford one little sprint to finish off. No sooner had I thought this and put on a burst when my left leg locked out and I got up close and personal with the concrete steps. No glory sprint for me but I made it up top, punched off and raced up to the finish to take 6th place some 30 mins behind Half-champion Jason Dick.
 Really enjoyed the Half distance on a perfect winters day and although there are the pressure points of Mount Pain, Bridges and Jacobs to deal with, I finished feeling SOOO much fresher than after either of my full day solo efforts. Stands to reason i guess. Haven't given up on doing the solo again but would need to significantly raise my training load again to cope with the constant run-cycle switches of the full day.
Funniest moment of the day for me - Marek, every year claims this is the last time he'll take part (he's completed 10/10 within the cut-off 4 years running!). This year at the finish was no different but he sounded very sincere when he said "..no this is it.....this is really it for me.......You... win ....Michael Parotte.....You winnnnnnn" - note Michael Parrotte has also done every Painathlon so far but I had no idea that these two were locked in a Painathlon enduro battle for the ages. We'll see you again next year Marek, Painathlon wouldn't be the same without you!!
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