Against All Odds

In May 1997 at the age of 43 just a month after her mother had died of lung cancer Val Muskett was selected to represent her adopted country, New Zealand, in the World 100km Challenge that was to be run in Holland that September.

May is etched into Val’s mind for another reason, for May was the month that she underwent the first of her two major lung operations.

For several months Val had been suffering with spontaneous pneumotharaces. Once a month as regular as clockwork Val would feel a sharp stabbing pain in her back and would become breathless. She was diagnosed as suffering from a partially collapsing right lung. The top 25% of her right lung became detached and the chest cavity filled with air. The reason for this was simple, a small part of her lung leaked, the reason it chose to leak was a mystery. We were told that there was a 1% chance that the surgery wouldn’t be successful. The simplified plan was to open up Val’s tiny back, get at the lung, rough it up, make it bleed, put it back to the chest cavity and reinflate the lung, a bulectomy. Unfortunately, the operation wasn’t successful and Val was back into hospital for a quick chemical pleurudesius – again agonisingly painful – but unsuccessful.

All this time Val was trying to train for her first ever international competition. Losing one week out of four to her lung problem. September came and Val went to Holland, she managed 60km of the race then had to withdraw due to the pain.

1998: more surgery related to the reoccurring lung problem, D&C tubal ligation. Again Val was selected to run in the 100km World Cup, this time in Japan. A team of three women, Val, Lilac Flay, and Margaret Hazelwood were accompanied by Richard Tout and Val’s husband John.

The night before the race a typhoon passed through the area, flattening trees and covering the mountainous course in debris. A small bulldozer was sent ahead of the runners as they toiled in the oppressive heat. The race was a success for the Kiwis: Lilac Flay finished second, Val 21st and Margaret 29th, the team was 5th, the best placing ever by a New Zealand team. But still Val had lung problems.

Val was again operated on by surgeon Mr Burton, who miraculously reopened the 9-inch scar on her back and stapled the top of her lung. This time the lung would not be able to detach. For 18 days Val was connected to suction point in the wall of Dunedin’s hospital but the lung refused to fully inflate, a blood pleurudesius and still no success. This time the bottom of the lung was detaching, too close to the diaphragm for surgery so what next. Eighteen months of asthma treatment proved that Val didn’t suffer with asthma.

Val continued to run but gave up her international aspirations until 2002. As a swan song to her running career she entered the New Zealand 100km championship around Lake Benmore – the dam run was well known to Val having won it twice before. In 2002 there was no change, Val won again and was selected to run for New Zealand in Taiwan.
The Taiwan race was probably the hardest race Val has ever run in, the course would have done credit to mountain running, the weather was hot and humid and starting late meant the end of the race was run in darkness - not the best for Val who is visually impaired.
In 2004 the New Zealand 100km team was off once more to Holland, and Val and John were going, this time determined to compete and complete. Val finished first New Zealand lady.
June 2005: Northern Japan was the destination. Sixty-five kilometres into the race the humid conditions took their toll and Val had a 25-minute recovery under a table to get some shade, before continuing and finishing sunburned tired and again as first New Zealand lady.
Now in her 50s Val decided she couldn’t run fast enough to be competitive when taking on the best 100km runners in the world. She was still the New Zealand over-50 Marathon Champion but although her speed was going, her stamina and determination remained. Carolynn Tassie was also running for New Zealand in the 100km team but her preferred distance was 24 hours and over.
October 2005: Val and John travelled to Auckland for Val to take part in the Sri Chinmoy 24-hour race. For the first twelve hours all went to plan then another competitor trod on Val’s heel making her kick herself in the shin; starting an internal bleed that would blacken her lower leg and stiffen her ankle. Val struggled on finishing second to Carolynn and setting a new New Zealand over-50 record of 186.175km.
After a month of quality care provided by Otago University Physiotherapy Clinic Val was able to return to her training regime.
Determined to crack the magical 200km barrier Val put a year’s training into her second attempt at the Sri Chinmoy. Again all the best laid plans can be undone by an upset tummy. Her legs were strong, her lung had settled but her tummy was rebelling. Leaving the track after 16 hours for a rest, both Val and John fell asleep. With only four hours left Val rejoined the race and covered a credible 36km, not enough to make up for the four hours lost!
New Zealand Athletics selected an inaugural women’s team to run in the World 24-Hour Championships in Canada in 2007. The team was all well known to Val. Lilac Flay would move up to the 24-hour challenge and Carolynn Tassie would try and repeat her 212km from the 2006 world champs.
Three weeks before the team left Carolynn injured her foot and withdrew. The team of Val and Lilac, supported by Sandy Barwick, John Muskett and Peggy Morrison left for Drummondville, Quebec.
The race started at 2pm in hot humid conditions. After the first lap the Kiwi girls were close to the back of the pack. They looked good but were slower than was expected. Thirteen-minute laps; this carried on for three hours, same pace same place and the first official positional update showed they were on target. The course was 200 metres longer than was first thought so their timing was perfection. The Kiwi girls were clicking off 10km per hour, not fast but what was required to break 200km.

The marathon came and went, as did one or two athletes who found the course and weather too demanding. Laps were now taking 14 minutes and the Kiwis were moving through the field. Then the weather tried to ruin things again, this time sending two thunderstorms that soaked the athletes, the crews and spectators.

Val’s 100km was completed in 10 hours 30 minutes, which meant for her, everything was going to plan. Fifteen hours gone and it was 5am when the sun rose on the athletes, Val was clicking off the laps at 17 minutes with the precision of a metronome.

It has been said that a 24-hour race doesn’t start until the 16th hour, so at 16 hours
Val came off for her last 3 minute 20 second pit stop; a cup full of noodles and instructions she hadn’t to stop again, only 8 hours to go. The equation was simple for Val - keep the laps to 18 minutes and the goal would be achieved! But there could be no stopping and no change of pace.

Nineteen hours and it was now or never - five hours and just over 36km needed - every second became vital. The crew was doing all they could to get sustenance into Val whilst keeping her moving. She was now in 12th place and closing in on the ever-tiring Swede.

Fluids went in, ice went on, soaking neckerchief, and legionnaire’s cap full of ice, bite of banana, or spoon of honey and on again, her legs kept pumping but the time kept ticking. Up to 11th now and shortening the gap between the 10th placed girl.

For Val and crew it was getting tense. Ten minutes to go – 1100 metres in 10 minutes, just possible, and then the bombshell, the Italian manager calling ‘Nine minutes to go.’ No time for water or ice just run. Run as fast as the aching sunburned legs could go.

The start line came in sight, no walking the rise this time, over the mat look up at the clock – 23:54:00 - six minutes to go! It was all on now, through town, down on to the bridge and then the siren. Put the marker down and wait for the measurers. She had done it 200.478 and 11th place.

All that remained now was to get back to the New Zealand tent and sit down! Back to the tent and the team congratulated each other and had for the first time in 24 hours time to reflect on what had been achieved.

What had been achieved?

Both girls were still running and running well at the 24-hour siren. Last year’s champion was behind the Kiwi pair, no major injuries, and both girls in the top half of a field that included 11 women who had personal bests of over 220km.

In the total field Val was in the top third. She had beaten all the Brits, Italians and Americans, all but one of the Germans and one of the French. There was only one Commonwealth representative from Canada in front of Val and Lilac, had this been a Commonwealth Championship a silver and bronze would have been coming home to New Zealand.

So what now? In October 2008 the 24-Hour World Championships are to be held in Seoul, and at the age of 54 Val sees no reason why she shouldn’t take part and do well.

Most days you will see the diminutive lady running up and down the gorgeous Waikouaiti beach, sometimes with trotters for company and sometimes her husband John cycling alongside but always with an easy gentle style that gives no indication of the pain and mountains she has had to conquer.

In the past Val has received funding from Athletics New Zealand along with ongoing assistance from EAS, Horleys, Balance, Neat 3B, Dul-x, and Manuka Health Honey.

Due to the Olympics 2008 is self-funded. The Skeggs Foundation of Otago is helping with funding but any further help would be appreciated. Please contact jmuskett@xtra.co.nz.