Jumping Someone Else's Train

Everyone's happy
They're finally all the same
'cause everyone's jumping
Everyone else's train
          The Cure - Jumping Someone Else's Train

So "Race the train", they said, then "Run back to the start", they said....
Seemed like a good idea at the time. Race Puffing Billy from Belgrave to Emerald, 13.4k road race with a lazy 255m of elevation gain thrown in, then turn around and run from Emerald back to Belgrave. It would be downhill, right? No, not quite. Try 235m of elevation gain.....

I had raced against Puffing Billy last year, under another runners bib, and missed beating the first train by around 40 seconds. Not deterred, I planned then to give it another crack in 2015. Hadn't quite factored in the 6 months with injury in between races, but I was still happy with my form leading into this years run. So, I was a little disappointed when my bib arrived and I found myself in the last wave of runners, with not a great chance of beating the first train (the one I had nominated at entry)
In the fortnight leading into the run, I decided not to taper as such for the race, but to train through, only backing off the mileage and pace a few days out. Then a friend, Chris Spano suggested he would like to run back to Belgrave, was there anybody crazy enough to join him? Answer: 7 of us decided we were, so the #craZycrew was born!

DTR's meeting outside the CFA at Belgrave. Narelle (pic right) our support crew, and chief cheerleader!
(Photo credit: Cameron Baillie)

The race itself was 'interesting' for me. Before the start a group of us had decided to meet outside the CFA in Belgrave. Great, as always, to meet up with a number of fellow runners that I only get to see every so often. I love the social aspect of running, as much as the running itself. We assembled into our respective wave groupings, but not after one of our crew swapped his blue (or was it green) bib for a red one! Sing of the national anthem, then after much anticipation, the flag dropped, and the runners were on their way. Well at least that is what happened at the head of the race. Meanwhile, back with cattle class, we remained stock still, chatting away as if in a queue for bus tickets! Took me over a full minute to cross the start line, I was struggling to contain my frustration.

The next 2k's was spent ducking and weaving, running along a gutter balancing like a ballerina (cue tutu jokes everybody), and generally trying to run myself into clear space. Kept spying other DTR members in shirts, either passing, or being passed. I bit of pre-race banter had me paying wine to those who passed me, and receiving wine from those I passed. Let's just call it a draw, shall we? I finally hit my straps at the 5k mark and the climb up Selby-Aura Road. This gravel road is 2 kilometres, at 5% gradient. Not insignificant if you don't train on hills, but as I do, I was prepared for the effort required. Plenty of people here walking, or shuffling just faster than walking pace.

At the top of this climb the run flattens out (Menzies Creek), and there is a short downhill section to the railway crossing. I was aware at this point that the train was ahead of me, no doubt because I couldn't hear it, and being a dry (read, no rain) day, chances are it was going faster than usual. Get to the railway crossing at the 8k mark, and a race officials calls out to us, "First train went past 7 minutes ago, you are still ahead of the second train". My first thought was, "Shit, driver is already parked at Emerald, and having his first ciggie!". Second thought was, "I can throttle back now... Race over." At this point I am thinking of the run back.

From Emerald station to the finish is 3k downhill, the last 2.5 inside the park, on a trail, and adjacent to the rail track. Running down here I started to speed up again, as other runners came barreling down the descent. I could faintly hear the 2nd train far behind me, but knew I could beat it into the finish. And finish I did, 1:06:46 on my watch, but knowing that at least a minute of that was trying to cross the start line. So, at least 5 minutes slower than last year. But considering that I could barely run a parkrun in early January, I took it as a win.

The finish line was the usual mixture of chaos, and well, chaos! 3000+ runners, with supporters and race officials crammed into a small area made for difficult times. My phone would only receive calls, no data, so social media was out of action.

6 of the 7 who would run back to Belgrave, the #craZycrew. Andre, Chrissy, me, Connie,
Chris (behind Connie), Brett, and Jonathan (only one here not crazy enough to run back with us!).
At Emerald Park, all smiles after the race. (Photo credit: Narelle Lagergren)

Briefly caught up with Nicky and Jordan who had come out on the second train. She'd had fun watching the runners as the train went past, something that her and Jordan hadn't been able to do last year. She offered to get me some food, but all that was on offer was an egg and bacon roll. Nice after a run, but the thought of having one sitting in the pit of the stomach for the return journey didn't thrill me at all.

Get back, get back,
Get back to where you once belonged
          The Beatles - Get Back

So now I had to start wrapping my head around running back to Belgrave. I was a little fatigued, but still on that runner's high, post race. Andre and I were standing in the bag drop area, grabbing mouthfuls of food, when Kellie Emerson, a local trail and ultra runner came up to see if we were running back. Seems word had got around.

After obligatory photos, we decided it was time to start heading back. 7 of us were making the trek back; Chris (the original ideas man!), Chrissy, Andre, Connie, Brett, Kellie, and myself. Trying to get out of the park was a logistical nightmare. By the time we worked it out and got on to the road leading to the entrance (had to avoid the trail in), time was a wasting, as they say. The downhill finish to the race now necessitated a long uphill haul out of the park; got the lungs and legs working hard from the first step! A quick detour along a road, then we found ourselves back on the race course, but heading back in the opposite direction.

Yeah baby, beat the train 'back' to Menzies Creek!
Stopped here to regroup, just as the first train 
returned to Belgrave from Emerald Park.
(Photo credit: Connie Schroeder)

Basically we knew that the majority of the run was going to be downhill, or so the elevation profile would lead us to believe. But the first 4k's seem to be a lot of uphill, not much flat, and very little downhill. One serious 'pinch' at the 4.5k mark had us walking, and wheezing, but after that it flattened out.

Stopped to regroup at Menzies Creek, just as the train returned on it's way back to Belgrave. Mandatory selfies (pictured), and stand and watch the people look back at us in bemusement. Then back onto the gravel road of Selby-Aura. Running down (now that was a nice change) we noted the houses, and gardens; details that we failed to take in during the race, unsurprisingly! Also noted the stunning view to the south-west, yet again details lost in the head down, totally focused zone you get into during a race. Talk down here lead to the different breathing styles of other runners; how some runners will be panting, and puffing, when you and others around you are breathing reasonably normally. Brett mentioned one guy who even called out "Oh God" at one point. Comment was made that even though we like running, it maybe is not THAT good! My comment that, "each to their own, whatever turns you on etc...", lead to a morass of innuendos. Geez we talk crap when we run sometimes! Sorry all, I'll keep my thoughts to myself next time.

At the bottom of Selby-Aura we returned to the bitumen, and the climb back up to the main road. Hadn't realised that this was a reasonable downhill section during the race. The second train returning to Belgrave passed us along here, clouds of diesel smoke hanging in the trees for our benefit (yep, big train, needed diesel!). The final section when we came back onto the Belgrave-Gembrook Road was the hardest. Narrow, almost non-existent shoulder, with normal Sunday traffic, made for a difficult last couple of k's. And, those k's were mostly up. My legs by now were very fatigued, result of a fair bit of mileage during the week.

Finally reached the end (what was the start line of the race) at Belgrave after nearly an hour and a half. Final regroup and congratulations, and goodbyes to everyone. I went off in search of Nicky, and Jordan. Found them at a bakery, one look at Nicky made me realise it was time to go home! It had been a long day for all of us!

So, a great day; race, then a run back. Total distance of 25k's, coupled with a beautiful Autumns day, made for a trip to remember. Although slower than last year, I wasn't that disappointed. Up to Sunday, I had run 50k for the week before the race, not my normal taper week by any stretch of the imagination. Time on the watch was 1:06:46, net time (time from crossing the start line, to crossing the finish line), was 1:04:53, a difference of 1:53.

Next race is Macedon 30, a hard trail race. It is (hopefully) my qualification race for Wonderland in August.

Footnote: After the return journey to Belgrave, my weekly total was 75k's, biggest weekly distance since August 2013. Happy with that.

Until next time...