One of a Kind

So this blog reawakens. Like Smaug, the gold hoarding dragon from The Hobbit, one eye opens as changes are detected in it's environs. And the change here? A chance conversation with a friend of a friend about what we get from running, and giving it back. Which prompted me to think back over the last 4 to 5 months.
Saturday 27th February was Roller Coaster Run at Mt. Dandenong. I have run this twice before, the single loop race which is 21.5k's of no flat running, and about 1100 metres of vertical elevation. Run on trails, it is probably the toughest course in and around Melbourne. I was meant to be running the 2 loop 43k race, with a friend who I set a plan for 4 months previous (more on that later), but instead find myself dressed in clown garb, standing at the finish line handing out finishers medals. Not the gig I was expecting, but pretty good all the same.
The conversation was actually away from the start line as I was filling up water bottles for the finishers area. Steve Brennan, well known and respected runner/coach in the Melbourne area came up to say hello. We have a mutual friend, and he came over to inquire how I was going. Seems my injury woes were the subject of speculation across the wider trail running community. Steve commented on how wonderful it was that so many people were happy to volunteer, and wasn't it great to put something back to the running community. See, he coaches a number of athletes, takes no money. As he says, "I have a paid job, don't need anything more". He just gets the enjoyment from seeing the improvement of other runners.
Talking to Steve reminded me that I was also here on this day to see a friend of mine finish her first ultra. Chrissy Good has been a friend for the last couple of years, having met when I offered to pace her at Run Melbourne back in July 2014. A successful day (sub 1:45 for the first time for Chrissy, and another friend Chris), it made me feel like I was finally ready to put something back into running. I have got a lot, and will still get plenty of enjoyment from a sport that has captured my heart and soul, but it feels great to help others out.

Chrissy and Belle after finishing. Thrilled for Chrissy,
and loved that Belle stuck with her the whole way.

Around Melbourne marathon last year, Chrissy and I discussed a number of things running; doing an ultra together was one of them. We had both signed up for Roller Coaster run 43k, and it seemed an ideal opportunity to train together, and then maybe run together. I say maybe, we run at different paces; one of us would feel the pressure to pick the pace up, the other feeling the frustration of slowing down. Regardless, it never happened, as injury finally caught up with me. But Chrissy stuck to the plan, with a couple of detours along the way and was getting into the best shape of her life. A rolled ankle 3 weeks out dented the confidence, and as her mentor, my work was to focus her on rehab, make sure she understood that a rest here wasn't a disaster, and generally just be a positive companion. All was going well, then.....
Her parents arrived the week before from interstate for a holiday, where they would also come up to Skyhigh to see her finish the race Unfortunately for her and her family, her Dad had a significant heart attack in the terminal at Melbourne airport. The following week was a blur of emotion for anyone close to her family. As close as Thursday night she still hadn't committed to running the race, and whatever her decision, I supported her all the way. We hadn't come this far to make a rash decision, family came first, and unless they were happy for her to run, and Chrissy felt okay, she wouldn't toe the start line.

Great to be there at the finish.
Couldn't help but get emotional.

History shows she did, and ran all the way with a good friend Belle Campbell. Finishing 20 minutes within cut-off and getting that all important medal to show her Dad, who was recovering in hospital. It was an emotional moment for all of us, plenty of her trail running friends staying back after their race to watch her finish. And although I couldn't run, I was so thrilled to be there at the finish to present her medal and see her achieve a goal.

It's the giving as much as the running that attracts me to this community. So many other people volunteered that day to help make the race a success.

And Finally....
When I mapped out my training plan, it was a series of long slow weeks of build up. Get the legs and body back into shape before taking on any of the difficult races. My first race initially was planned to be at Plenty Gorge in the Rapid Ascents series. But cue an approach from Jon Lim, working on behalf of the Trails+ team for Macedon, and an offer to blog about my previous races there, and what I am doing for the up and coming 30k event I have entered. Last year was a freezing mudfest, interested to see what awaits us on 29th May.

Until next time....