Wave of Mutilation

Trails+ Macedon 30k trail race.

Background

I paid for the privilege of plodding through mud for 3 and a half hours to get a shiny finisher's medal, knackered legs, and filthy, wet, cold race kit. And I wouldn't have it any other way! And the fact that I shared those trails with over 200 runners in 3 separate races, added to the overall enjoyment, and achievement on the day. It takes truly atrocious conditions (coming from the sky, and on the ground) to make a memorable race. May 31st, 2015 for the running of the Macedon Trails+ races, was just one of those days.

I'd competed at the same event (same race even) the previous year. Recorded a time on a very tough course that I was immediately proud of, yet recognised that I could probably take 10 or so minutes off. That is, given specific training, and the runners holy grail of no injuries, good health, and a dose of good luck. Unfortunately, my good luck ran out with a major injury in August last year, so I was behind in where I expected to be coming into this race. Undeterred, I signed up. Given that I also needed to do a qualifier for Wonderland race in August, this seemed the perfect one to do. My rose tinted images of sunshine, balmy weather, and relatively dry trails was fresh in my mind in the weeks leading up to race day. On such grand visions, lie the crumbled ruins of a thousand runners dreams!

Lead-up

After a successful run at Roller Coaster, I was keen to capitalise on some good form and strong legs. In the 8 weeks between the 2 races I ran nearly 460 kilometres, and climbed 6000 metres in the process. Not huge compared to some people I train with, but certainly more than I would normally do. My ankle injury from last year, although healed, was never going to be 100% again. It was put to the test through this period and, for the most part, came through with flying colours.

2 weeks out from race day, I had decided I needed to get some serious hills back into my legs, cue a run in the Dandenongs. There is a route in the Dandenongs called Quadruple Bypass (4 major climbs, hence the quadruple bit...). 27k with about 1700 metres of vertical elevation thrown in for good measure, seemed like the perfect lead up! Happy to say I gave it a good crack, but recognised that after the 3rd climb that I was not going to achieve anything other than potential injury. So I bailed and trotted back to the car. Still resulted in a 21.5k run with 1300 metres, bigger than I have ever done before.

3D image of the Dandenongs run, The darker the colour (either end of the spectrum), the greater the gradient!
(Source: www.veloviewer.com)

Another 53k week, then into the race week where I once again didn't really taper, just throttled the pace, not the distance. Some hastily arranged accommodation in town with Chris Spano, and the weekend was upon us! A few beers at the local pub (relaxed!), a nice home cooked meal, then final gear check, and bed.

Race Day

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
                                    Wilfred Owen - Dulce Et Decorum Est
From the Poems of Wilfred Owen.

Forecast all week had predicted rain, and cold westerly winds. We knew conditions weren't going to be great, but were pleasantly surprised when we woke up and the streets were dry. Driving up the Calder Freeway, Chris and I remarked on how everything was dry; the roads, the grass on the lawns, the trees etc. We allowed ourselves the luxury of thinking that the trail was going to be in an okay condition, not too much rain in the last couple of weeks. As soon as we rounded a bend near Gisborne, and got our first look at the mountain shrouded in cloud, we realised that good feeling was well and truly gone.

Drive up through the township of Mount Macedon, roads wet, trees wet, no autumnal colours as the leaves were all on the ground, was a healthy dose of reality. Arrived at the start, low cloud pushing strongly across the car park, volunteers rugged up like Antarctic travellers; what had we got ourselves in for? Stood around in warm clothes as long as possible, greeting fellow runners, and friends alike, all of us with a look in our eyes somewhere between steely eyed determination and WTF! Race brief from Brett Saxon (RD), final strip off and into race kit, and a warm up jog to the start line.

Pre-race, rugged up against the Antarctic blast,
 in the dark light of morning. David, Chris, & I.

Worst part about having raced here before was;

1. A knew how brutal the course was,
2. Having set a time, there was a big temptation to try and break it, and
3. Not being in as good a fitness as this time last year, I was lacking in confidence.

Race starts, and after the usual hectic bull at a gate start, most of us settled into a nice easy rhythm. First part is gently downhill, but on a rough track, rocks, tree roots, and already a bit muddy in places. Struck out on a good steady pace, and soon found myself running alongside Kris Harris. I had met Kris (and his friend, Cam) here last year as we climbed up Anzac road (about 21k in), and struck up a friendship. A year later, we find ourselves back here again.

I won't go into a course description here, for a recount of last years race, see my race report. There was a slight deviation from last year, a section of single track was replaced with more running on a fire trail, otherwise business as usual. The one major difference; the track was wet in places, and the weather was much colder than last year. Initially it was fine running. I was in a thermal, and race tech tee, and felt quite comfortable. Sipping water at infrequent intervals, I never felt thirsty, and didn't push myself to drink more, trusting that I wouldn't get too thirsty, too soon.

Elevation profile of the 30k race.
Almost looks worse than it is, almost....

Kris and I ran together for the most part in the early stages, occasionally one of us getting ahead as the other lagged, or one of us surged, hard to tell really! Chatting away, we were enjoying the run. That was until we hit the first gnarly descent at the 11k mark. Very slippery mud, it was treacherous underfoot. Not worried about getting mud all over the clothes etc., worried about turning an ankle! It was at this point that I realised just how worse the trail condition was to last year. Any chance of getting near last years time was suddenly an optional extra.

Mid race selfie, Kris behind me.
Top of Barringo climb.

 At the bottom of this descent, we turned right, and headed right back up again. It was here that the advice of the RD about the folly of wearing road shoes hit home. Watched a few runners in front of me in road shoes spend nearly an extra 5 minutes climbing what should have been an 8 minute trip. Even my grippy Salomon Soft Ground shoes lost traction at one point. This was the climb up Barringo, a legendary part of the course. Up here I assumed a bent leg stance, trying to hold an even distribution of weight on each leg, hoping like hell not to go arse over tit! I started to look like a New Zealand rugby player, mid haka, complete with tongue out, and surprised look on my face. Really tough going up here. Eventually made it to the top, and the 12k aid station. Pre -race banter had Jon Lim supplying me a glass of scotch, and a bacon sandwich. Neither was on offer. Disappointed, I grabbed a few pieces of chocolate and continued on my way. Not really Jon, was great to have a friendly face at that point! And hats off to the vollies on this course, conditions were not great for us, must have been horrible standing around for hours in that. Made sure I thanked as many volunteers as I could, not always easy when hurting and focused.

Snaked around for 3k, then found ourselves back at the same aid station (now to be addressed as the 15k aid station!) By now Kris and I were back running together, down a nice steep bit of single track, out onto Hells Hole Track, and the climb up to Mt Towrong. We were still making steady progress, but as we neared the turn off to the lookout, the wind picked up, and conditions deteriorated very quickly. I stopped to put on my shell jacket thinking that I would just use it to get down to Anzac Road. Kris got ahead, and I thought that was the last I would see of him.

30k in the green, 50k was the 30, plus the red section.

The climb back up Anzac Road, is basically gentle, but long. And at the 19k mark, it seems harder than it should. Slowly pegged back Kris, wasn't trying to, just found that I could climb uphill marginally better. We ran/walked the length of this road to the next section called Zig Zag. About here I got past Kris, put 50 metres on him before he slowly pegged me back again! Clearly we were pushing one another, and just as one of us would falter, the other would push on, adding incentive. Finally Kris surged, and my HR was climbing into the horribly high zone. I made the decision to hold back, we still had at least 6 to 7 k's to go, most of that uphill.

Back out onto Barringo Road, and the 23k aid station (was the 8k on the way out), and the final push for home. By now the rain is coming down harder. Before this it was debatable whether it was water dripping off the trees, or light misty rain. Now it was just rain, and persistent. I still had my shell jacket on, as much for wind protection, as to keep as much of the rain out as I could (and getting cold, despite my exertions). Back around the Sanatorium, and then head back towards the finish line. Once we crossed The Mount Macedon Road, and climbed back towards Camel's Hump, the track got decidedly worse. By now, 3 races had run back and forth along here; it was chewed up, muddy, still with the rocks and tree roots to trip the unwary, or just plain fatigued. I got to within 30 metres of Kris, and the 2 runners he was shadowing, but that was as close as I got for the rest of the race. The next downhill they took off, and I had nothing left.

3D elevation profile, the ugly bits are on the right (Source: www.veloviewer.com)

The last 4k's I was travelling on my own. Alternatively running or walking the uphills, I was just trying to push for home as quickly as my body would allow. Passed a few of the 50k runners, slower than me, but pushing gamely forwards. After what seemed like an eternity, I came out on to a cleared section, next to the main road, and within sight of the communications tower next to the car park where Chris and I had parked nearly 4 hours previous. Home! Just as I ran up to the perimeter fence, a friend appeared, running the other way in the 50k event. Michelle Shannon (aka @supershelley) greeted me with a warm hug and a hello; we always only ever meet up at races! Great to see a familiar face, and massive kudos on heading back out for a further 20k in those conditions. Rounded the comms tower, then a short run downhill (thankfully) to the finish. So, so glad to finish. Quick look at the time, almost identical to last year. Even though the course was shorter fractionally, the trail conditions meant that, effectively, I had achieved a better result.

The Aftermath

Cold, wet, muddy, hungry; I was all of these and more. immediately bumped into Kris, congratulated him on a great race. He had gamely hung on to the 2 other runners, also finishing in a similar time to last year! Bumped into my friend Cheryl, only 2 days back in Australia after being OS for 4 weeks, jet-lagged and slightly ill, she had come in 4 minutes ahead, a sterling effort. Slowly, one-by-one, the rest of my fellow runners came in to the finish, also cold, wet, and muddy! But ultimately satisfied with their efforts. Get dressed, get warm, get coffee, and get the hell out of there! But not before I won a bottle of wine in a spot prize!

Some of the many runners I knew (inc. me...) running the Macedon 30 (Photo credit: Malcolm Gamble)

Postscript; just before we left, doing a headcount of DTR and LTR runners, and we realised that David Boulton hadn't appeared, After 4 and a half hours out on the course, he hobbled over the finish line. And I mean hobbled. Rolled ankle at the 2k mark, he gamely continued on! Having suffered the same injury last August, can only marvel at someone carrying on after that.

AusRunCon ambassadors, Ashley Raymond Bennett, and Cheryl Martin finishing the 50k and 30k respectively.
(Photo credits: Malcolm Gamble, and Simon Roberts)

50k winner, Dan Langelaan, and Michelle Shannon's finish victory jump! (Photo credit: Malcolm Gamble)

So, just what have we learnt?

Wine & bling!

So, looking purely at my time, I am at where I was this time last year. Given the trail conditions, I am certainly stronger and tougher, although maybe not faster. Given that I have spent the best part of 6 months trying to rehab a badly damaged ankle, I will take it that, at the very least, I can still compete in races like this. Still some way to go to regain complete strength and fitness, but at least I know I am on the right track. Aaannnnddd.... I won a bottle of wine!

Next race: Traralgon half marathon. Last year I missed a PB by 40 seconds, the result of a fast start that I could not sustain. Not this year.....

Until next time...

Without awesome vollies, races like this would  never get off the ground.
DTR runner Jacqui Carter, once again running sweep on a course.
(Photo credit: Brett Saxon)

PS, a special thank you to all the volunteers standing out in the awful conditions for hours on end, just to help us through the race. Very much appreciated by me, and all the other runners. And a thank you to Brett Saxon, for generous use of photos from his web page.
And lastly, a shout out to all the other runners. If ever there was a day that trail love was needed by all, you supplied it!