Butcher keen for another for another crack at ultra-marathon

Graeme Butcher is thirsting for more after placing 55th in the open men's event at the World Cup ultra-marathon event in Japan late last month.
The 43-year-old Masterton athlete had aimed to complete the 100km in under nine hours so was "pretty happy' with his official finishing time of 8hrs 55mins 11secs and of being part of a New Zealand team which placed 12th out of the 20 competing nations.
For Butcher the Japanese experience was something special as it gave him a unique opportunity to witness first hand the preparation put into ultra-marathons by much more seasoned campaigners than himself.
"I learnt a lot about things like food and drink?.getting that right is so important when you are covering such a long distance," he said. "I'll be better prepared next time, that's for sure."
Just when that next time will be depends on Butcher's recovery from his latest excursion but he is keen to contest another ultra-marathon in Taupo next February.
"They say you should only do one of these events a year and I've done two in the last four months so it's a matter of waiting until the body is ready to go again ," he said
"Hopefully we'll be right back into the swing of it by the end of the year.".
So how did his World Cup adventure pan out for Butcher. Well, we'll let him tell the story:-
At 6pm on Wednesday June 22 I flew out of Auckland with the New Zealand ultra marathon team, headed to the World Cup in Japan with Sandy Barwick (team manager) and athletes Jack Koenen and Carolynn Tassie. We were to meet up with other teammates in Sydney, John Muskett (assistant manager), Martin Lukes, Val Muskett and Karen Neale. We had a men's and women's team but no reserves so it was important that all finished if New Zealand were to be included in the teams' results. The race was set down for June 26.
Three plane flight, two bus trips and 26 hours later we arrived at our hotel and the temperature was 32 degrees. We had been expecting 15 to 20 degrees so it was very different conditions to what we had been training in.
Friday started with a casual 6km run to get over any stiffness associated with all the travelling. Then another bus trip to different accommodation. This new accommodation was not so good. It included bunk beds, no chairs or towels, no cooking facilities and no way to make tea or coffee. Also the living conditions were very cramped
Sandy was not impressed but was able to sort a few things out. She may not talk Japanese but she made sure they understood. It was difficult to sleep and I was awake by 4am on most days.
We spent a last Saturday morning before embarking on seven hours of bus trips and official ceremonies. We were able to view the course which included hills and undulations which weren't generally marked on the pre-race information.
Following a manager's meeting which detailed all the race rules and conditions was a parade of all the countries and that ended with an official welcoming ceremony and light meal; more time standing on your feet which athletes don't really like the day before such a big event.
Leading up to the race itself we discussed various nutritional and clothing requirements for the runners and the difficulties caused by only having access to the managers at the 30, 65 and 80km marks. This would obviously pose problems once we were all strung out and we were very aware that for most of the day we would need to take care of ourselves and there could be no guarantees the managers would be at the official meeting points when we arrived there.
The following morning (Sunday-race day) we were up at 2.30am for a quick breakfast and to catch the bus at 3am to head to the race start. When we arrived there were over 2000 other runners to help celebrate what was the 20 th anniversary of the event.
The World Cup runners were at the head of the field and starting was very difficult as the masses surged forward. Pacing at this point was very critical for it would be easy to get carried away with the moment and go out too fast.
By starting slowly I was passed by many of the competitors but from 20kms onwards many of these fast starters were already beginning to fade and drift back through the field.
My intention was to run each 10km segment in 49 to 50 minutes for as long as possible (slow enough to ensure I finished) and then to maintain what pace I could once fatigue set in.
The early part of the race was easy, something to be expected considering the training I had put in. I went through the 10, 20 and 30km markers in 49, 48 and 49mins respectively.
The 30km mark represented the first time we met up with our managers. I needed to stop as I had a few niggles which had set in from holding back. I also changed shorts as some chaffing was starting to occur?unfortunately there was no time for modesty! Sandy Barwick gave one calf muscle a solid massage to free it up, I picked up some more food and drink and the whole pit stop lasted about one minute. I cruised through the first marathon in 3hrs 26mins, about what I had hoped for.
The 10km sections out to the 60km mark were all comfortably done in 49, 49 and 50mins respectively. While the body had been free of major problems the climatic conditions were starting to change. At 40km a head wind blew up and that was to be with us for the next 40km.It wasn't too strong but I was aware of it all the way.
By 50km the full force of the sun was starting to bear down, and race reports indicated that temperatures reached 28 to 30 degrees. Taking on enough water was going to be critical. I was taking in three to four hundred mils each aid station (5km apart) ,in between filling my hat with ice in an effort to stay cool and keep the body temperature down. This turned out not to be enough.
Despite taking care the conditions were starting to take effect and it took me 54mins to run the 10km leg into the 70km's. By 75kms I had stopped to a walk. I was now in trouble, experiencing dizziness, becoming unstable on my feet and at times the sky seemed to go dark. I vomited several times on my way to the 80km mark, a leg which was to take all of 64mins, running on instinct and thinking of family and all the support I'd received back home. That got me through.
I was hoping to meet the managers at 80km. I was really needing advice and attention to make the last 20km home. Unfortinately they weren't there.Sandy had already gone ahead for Martin Lukes, our lead man, and John was still behind looking after our women. I had another drink and carried on. It was to take another 58mins to reach the 90km mark, however I did have some respite from the wind as we now experienced the first tailwind of the race and that was to last for 10km.The second marathon was tough and took 3hrs 52mins and unbeknown to me then I was still to take another 96 minutes to get home.
The last 20kms was an out and back course so I was able to see the other New Zealand men. They didn't seem to be suffering like me, however it was hard to tell and noone is really comfortable after having gone that far anyway. During this period my shoulders were really stinging from sunburn?they were later to blister that night. At the 90km mark I turned to head for home only to face the head wind again all the way to the finish. That last 10km was to take 63mins and at the 92km mark I experienced more dizziness and vomiting, thankfully it lasted less than a kilometre.
During this last leg I was to see the New Zealand women. Val our leading runner looked shattered. Carolynn looked comfortable and Karen gave a big wave and was smiling like she was just starting out. She was to catch Carolynn and drag her through to the finish.
Immediately after finishing I needed help to stand and get to a recovery area. I wasn't in any pain like I had experienced in previous ultra marathons, just an overwhelming exhaustion, sunstroke and dehydration.
There was a huge sense of relief that all the New Zealand men had finished and our team was to count in the final results.
Going into the event we probably weren't expected to do well..In fact of the 20 teams we were favoured to finish near last so to place 12 th was satisfying.
And of the 102 men to start 96 had faster times then me, Jack was only slightly better than myself and Martin was probably ranked about 50 th.
A Russian Grigorig.Murzin was first home in 6hrs 24mins 14secs with Martin Lukes 25 th in 7.34.51, Jack Koenen 43 rd in 8.16.25 and myself 55 th in 8.55.11.
There were 48 starters in the women's race won by Hiroko Syou of Japan in 7.53.40. Val Muskett was 25 th in 10.19.13 , Karen Neale. 26 th in 11.05.40 and Carrolynn Tassie 27 th , also in 11.05.40.
The climatic condition did have a huge effect on the race with only 70 per cent of the starters actually making it to the finish.
The night of the race we attended the prize giving and then went home for light tea and early to bed by 8.30pm. The next day I was again awake at 4am and went for a walk to stretch the legs. It was a small chance to do some sight seeing and to obtain a souvenir flag of the event, then it was on to a bus by 8.30am, another two bus rides, three plane flights and 27 hours later we were back in Auckland.
The trip home gave us all a chance to discuss the event and how we went and there was a general realisation that we really had done quite well. We had all finished and not many counties had achieved that. Slowly discussions wandered onto next year's World Cup at Korea and all of the women mentioned trying to qualifying for the world 24-hour champs later in the year. Jack and I shook our heads and looked at them like they were strange.
It had been an amazing trip and opportunity to experience this type of event and to compete against the very best in the world, to see how professional runners and teams competed and to compare them with amateurs like us who had to pay our own way.
Sandy Barwick and John Muskett did a fantastic job looking after us, as did the Japanese who were there to meet us at the beginning and end of each flight or bus trip.
Some of the difficulties we experienced were with the food, living and showering conditions, sleeping, tiredness associated with travelling and the change in climatic conditions.
Meals at our accommodation were traditional Japanese and consisted of rice, soup, apples, bananas, eggs, bread rolls, fish, some fried stuff and orange juice or coffee for breakfast, lunch and tea. It was a very different pre-race diet from that I would have chosen and I did have to be careful that I ate correctly to be ready to race.
Looking back I think my training at home had been ideal, there was no soreness or pain experienced during the race as had occurred during previous marathons and ultra marathons and my legs recovered more quickly than expected. I know I need to drink more on the run and I understand it helps more if you have constant contact with a support crew.
I really do need to thank my many supporters??Athletics Masterton, Fagan Motors and Trust House, all who helped fund my trip. Without them it would have been very difficult to get there.
Knowing I had the support of those people back home was what really kept me going when the going was at its very toughest. I didn't want that support to be made in vain.!