A Brief Summary
The last time England cricket team toured Australia, they were wiped 5-0. It was the 2103/2014 summer and in mid-January, I was introduced to trail running at Two Bays 28k.Roll forward 4 years, England tour again (this time 4-0), and I once again toed the start line (this time the 56k).
Frustratingly though I have not competed in the intervening years. All lost through injury. If it means I can only get to Two Bays in an Ashes year, so be it. But gee that is gunna be tough if it means every 4 years. They say your first is always the one you hold closest to the heart, and this race has that hold on me.
To say my build-up has been bigger than Ben Hur would be an understatement, except that while the Ben Hur thing (the movie) was anything but an understatement, it was grande, on a grande scale.
Anyway, what was I saying? Yes, the build up. Early bird entries opened in July, special pricing after 9:00pm on a weeknight. Might have been slightly overexcited and jumped in to enter the 56. I didn't have a qualifier, no problems, been here before. So many friends were in parts excited or anxious, but supportive; this was going to a big 6 months lead-in.
As previously blogged, I had a pretty good last 6 months of 2017. Wonderland 36, Surf Coast Century 50k, and Melbourne Marathon. A break after MM, then a slow build-up with the intention to hit peak distance in mid-December. Never quite got there, new house taking up a lot of time. But still, as the New Year rolled in, I felt I was ready. A 41k training run on the flatter sections of the course 2 weeks out was a real confidence booster.
Race Day minus 1
Stayed with my friend Grace in St. Andrews on Saturday night. Rain belting down most of the night, wind howling through cracks in between the window and the sill. This was not the summer weather I had been training through for the last couple of months.Race Day
Morning dawns a bit calmer, although the weather still very unsummery.
Drive to Cape Schanck, meet lots of people, many wishing me well on my return. This has been talked up a fair bit. But I'm quite calm, trail races don't hold the same fear factor as a road marathon.
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| DTR crew ready to roll at Cape Schanck. Stephen, Nick, Narelle, myself, Ross, Cassandra (reporter extraordinaire), Majid and Belle. Photo credit: Cassandra Gash |
Jumper off, race kit on, watch fired up, countdown and then off we go. Well for 30 metres before the first bottleneck gets us! Lots of chat, nerves, ego, attention deficit, whatever, as we make our way along the path with Bushrangers Bay over our right shoulders.
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| Race start, and off we go. Photo credit: Cassandra Gash |
The First 16
The first photographer on the trail, people jumping, me thinking I'm not wasting energy that early!
Down the steps at the newly named Stairs of Spontaneous Poetry (love your work Cam Baillie), everyone laughing how they wouldn't be (laughing) on the way back.
A beautiful single track, still in large groups but most of us content to stick to the group pace, plenty of places to pass later on. The pace is fine, 6 to 6:30 pace. We are mostly in a long line, the occasional overtaking manoeuver to keep everyone on their toes. But mostly it is all good, no incidents, no-one getting upset, we are all settling into the rhythm of the race.
Hit Boneo Road aid station at the 34-minute mark. I knew a few people here, and it was here that my great friend Chrissy had a massive smile, and her arms spread wide for the BIGGEST hug ever! I'd only run 6k, what was the return in 5+ hours going to be like? It was a great way to send me on my way. Chris and Michael from Lysterfield Trail Runners also here, as well as Kim Day, Race Director Rohan's wife. She had chatted with me at Wonderland last August about how happy she was going to be seeing me come back through there on the way back. Trusting I would be happy too!
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| Exiting Boneo Road, 6k in. Photo credit: Andrew Ross. |
Cross the road, lots of peeps spectating, several friends there shouting out, photos being taken etc. Back into the bush and onto the diversion. This is in place to avoid congestion, head-ons etc. as the 28k runners run south, and we run north. Another friend Nigel is marshalling here to direct us up the correct path. Another hug (Nigel has had a torrid 2017 for him and his family, was just brilliant him and Jacinta came out to volunteer), and off we head up Long Pt. Circuit. The first section is through a climbing single track, a bit overgrown in places such that we get sprayed with wet foliage. A right turn, sharp left then we are on to a graded road, come rough track.
By now the groups are thinning somewhat. Some of us are electing to walk some of the steeper sections, knowing what's coming up, many others keep running.
The next aid station at the 10k mark pops up around a corner. Although we could hear them a mile away. Kerry Schilke was there spectating, cheering us all on. She would keep bobbing up all over the place during the run, following a group of runners from the very popular 'Running in the Burbs' group. They were ahead and behind me for most of the day, hence why Kerry was there lots.
Started finding empty gel wrappers along here. One looked old, maybe from our run here a fortnight ago, another was clearly today's. I stopped to pick them up when I could, fully intending to get rid of them at the next aid station (or the one after that, or the turnaround, or maybe on the way back, or ..... Yep, carried them all the way to the finish line). The weather has cleared after early drizzle and the sun is warm but race conditions are near perfect. Second gel, more sports drink. Stop 5 minutes later to eat some Cliff Bar and then think I should have done it at the aid station, that is, had a yak with the vollies (dumb...)
Roads and Suburbia
Hyslops aid station marks the start of the roads, bits of suburbia, sections of small reserve before we get to the back of Arthurs Seat. A couple of friends here at the aid station, Grace who I stayed with the night before, and Kat, one of the founding RD's at Inverloch parkrun. Both ushering the runners to the marquee, telling us what was on offer. I decided I had enough water and food, so went running through. Only to bump into Danny Burgess. He'd stopped to get food in and realised he'd started a bit too fast.
Danny and I ran down Hyslops together, across Browns Road where there were lots of spectators and into the bush section beyond. Nasty little climb at the end of this bush then back out on to a gravel road again, heading towards Coolgowie Bushland Reserve. This is the back end of Rosebud, and a bitumen road looms ahead, a few cars, spectators (Nicole and Toni from Victorian Ultra Runners, VUR, taking photos, calling out names). Most of us are still having a few chats with one another, the pace is deliberately cruisey as we have a fair few k's left to run (and a double date with Arthurs Seat).
Through Coolgowie Bushland Reserve, past the Aid station here (someone telling me my board shorts were great, matching my legs, or some such statement..) and more bitumen as we climb Coolgowie Road to turn right up Waterfall Gully Road, heading to Arthurs Seat NP. DTR Diana was marshalling at the entrance, taking photos, accepting hugs, and then we were through and our first date with Arthurs.
Climbing finally stops. By now Danny has got ahead of me, Mark Liam is with me (another VUR) and we are chatting with a girl doing her first ultra. What a great way to tick that one off. Turn into the trail proper and now is the waiting game to see when the front-runners return in the opposite direction. Wasn't long before on a section of flowing single trail runners in front were calling out "RUNNERS!!" Well yes, we were runners, but... Then Ash Bennet, Francesco Ciancio and another runner came flying around a corner. Myself and 2 other runners neatly side-stepping off the track before rejoining it. Closely followed by Majell Backhausen and then the first women, Lucy Bartholomew flying past and looking super strong.
And then it was a steady stream of runners coming back. A few saying hello, people I know, and people who know me. Gave me quite a boost. Then finally hit a pop-up aid station, a VUR had set up with coke, potato crisps and lollies. On the way back I would avail myself of this.
Then the descent towards Dromana. had a female runner pass me down here. She knew me, knew my name (wasn't on the bib), knew my running and injury history and my history with this event. Which was great, except when it came to her it was 'bar of soap' territory. I'm really sorry if you're reading this, I'm shithouse with names (and faces in reality), and feel terrible. Halfway down bump into fellow BBR runner Colin Hart gamely climbing back up. A quick hello, he tells me I'm looking strong (well thanks, but I am going downhill at this point!) and down I go. Start seeing lots more runners now, many I know on their way to PB's, strong runs etc.
Finally, I come to the end of the trail and hit the bitumen section on Lachlan Parade that leads us directly to Dromana. Now I have an issue with this section. As discussed with Nick Cimdins, why does it seem to take longer to run downhill to Dromana, than it does to turn around and hike major sections of that back up? The run down took forever. Those black clouds out over Port Phillip Bay 25 or so minutes ago? Materialised as a light shower along here. My mood darkened accordingly, and I just wanted to get into Dromana and see friends and refuel and get off the sodding road (and have a piss, busting most of the way down Arthurs, too many other runners to stop. Then HELLO suburbia...)
Then after a millennium of running, Dromana aid station came into sight. Baw Baw Runner Carolyn was there directing us left to go across the timing pads, Matt Veenstra was there (slap on the arse probably needed when I was leaving aid station, not entering 😁 ) and Jamie Smith, all there to help me out. One of the icons of Two Bays is ringing the bell at the turnaround. And gee I gave that bell a bloody great bash! Stopped, grabbed some replacement sports drink (thanks, Warick King for the help there), gels and ran off to the toilet. Crucially I didn't pick up a spare bottle of Pickle Juice, thinking I was right. Would later pay dearly for that decision.
Mental state better, partially recovered I left Dromana and headed back up Arthurs Seat for the 2nd of 2 dates today. Still lots of runners coming in, hi-5s and greetings as we all passed. Passed Kate Smith along here. She was volunteering, ringing a cowbell loudly and cheering us all on. Was a nice throwback to me, don't really know Kate well but met here through a mutual friend in 2014 when she ran the 56, and I ran my first 28 here. Further up at the end of the road before we returned to the Arthurs Seat trail, gun ultra runner Kath MacMillan was also there with a cowbell. But I was walking this section, "bell only rings for walkers!" I was told. "Douche grade hill" might also have been mentioned. Thanks, Kath...
Back up the trail and bumped into fellow DTR's Majid and Stephen. Majid looked like he wanted to get on with it, Stephen looked like he was picking his way deliberately and slowly up the trail. We soon all separated again. The most I remember about climbing here was hoping that my legs would be able to run again when the gradient flattened out. When it did I was able to run, but the sections over Arthurs had taken their toll. Still with 24k's+ to go, things weren't looking flash. Nevertheless, I've been here before, I knew I needed to just keep moving as moods change, the body adapts etc.
Exited the trail, then the downhill section that was the bastard uphill section that was (still is) the road to Maclarens Dam! The final steep section involved a number of us tip-toeing down on the road. Either that or run on the grass verge, but that didn't look any better, to be honest. Finally onto the dam wall and then back out onto Waterfall Gully Road. Backtracking to Coolgowie on roads that gently descend was fine for my legs, but on Coolgowie Road I felt the first tentative twinges of cramp in the right hamstring and left calf. Suddenly realised I hadn't grabbed the extra Pickle Juice but thought if I keep my gels and sports drink up I would survive. Stopped at the aid station at the bottom, friend Lou helping me out, everyone asking me how I was going. One of the frontrunners of the race had pulled out here. Franky was hanging around issuing orders, encouragement etc.
Through Coolgowie Busland Reserve, then back onto another road. It was along here, and into the next reserve that I was spying more empty gel packets. Picked a couple up before working out that I couldn't bend over to pick them up. Actually, barefaced lie. I could bend over, standing up was going to be the weak link in the chain.
It was in here that I ran alongside several runners, leap-frogging one another for most of this section. Jason, Kay and one who I shall refer to as 'Runner in yellow shirt'. Actually, his name is Andrew, I just didn't know that at the time! This section gently descends, for the most part, through the beautiful bush. Lots of tree ferns, eucalyptus, bird life. The dappled sunlight streaming through the canopy made it humid in here, but it wasn't hot, just a bit warm. But it really was perfect running conditions. Just a pity my legs decided this was the section to pack it in...
Cramps came and went. Run, cramp, massage, walk it out, run again, rinse repeat. It was a slog. All the way through here was the same. But still I pushed on, every step is a step closer to finish, every time you run it happens quicker. Our little group leapfrogged, we chatted, encouraged one another and just kept moving forward. Andrew (from Brisbane, did I mention that?) were side-by-side in sections here, nit chatting, juts running and getting it done. As I've said, this section is wonderful, and it helped to salve the mental battles I was waging. There are a couple of short steep little climbs, not much, but these really started to make the cramps come on strong.
It took me 1:15 to get from the top of Hyslops to Boneo Road. All that time running, walking, running again. Keeping our little group in sight. Sometimes getting ahead (as we were all battling some issues of either fatigue, cramping or injury etc.), but we never got too far ahead or behind each other. There was a small aid station somewhere near Long Point Road that had coke, water and various goodies. Stop here, a quick chat with Jac who I met at Wonderland, and then on I pressed to Boneo Road. I was really setting my sights on getting to Boneo. I'd been using each aid station as little markers to aim for. No more than 10k apart, their appearance a blessing, the leaving a sad but necessary fact if I wanted to get this done. About 2k from Boneo, I lost sight of my friend in yellow (Andrew, from Brisbane, apparently we'd met before!). We'd been urging each other on for the nearly an hour, but he was clearly stronger and was running faster.
Now Boneo was next, and a bit special. Last aid stop before the finish, set in a pleasant grove of trees just off the road, and I have special memories of this place. First Two Bays in 2014, 22k mark of my 28k run and I hit this station having run strongly through Greens. But I had needed water, and or sports drink desperately. Grabbed the first cup I saw downed it, then realised that it was coke. Not normally an issue, but I was 2 months into a no added sugar diet, and the combination of sugar and caffeine had the required effect as I mowed down 20+ runners on the way to Cape Schanck! Following year, as a volunteer there I witnessed the (what I thought then as) superhuman feats by many runners in the 56. And I was on hand to help my friend Chrissy in her first Two Bays after she'd had a pretty bad race. 2018, and roles are reversed as she is there, and I'm running in.
After the gentle descent through Greens, the path comes out of the forest into open plain grassland, and then the trail climbs to Boneo Road. Traffic noise becomes evident, then still a kilometre out, the noise from the volunteers can be heard. Shouting, yelling, a horn of some description, cowbells; a grin spreads across my face. That last climb was a struggle, but before I knew it, the exit to the road appeared, and across the road I ran to the aid station.
The noise was full-on. Spectators lining the path in, my friend Rose who I haven't seen in years is there, having run the 28k in the morning. Friends Chris and Michael were there on hand to greet me as I got to the table. Other vollies came over, offering water, sports drinks, coke etc. I was a bit dazed here but in good spirits. But I was also hurting pretty hard, the cramps and the fatigue really getting to me. Chrissy was busy attending to another runner, but was soon there to see me and get me all that I needed, give me the biggest hug and send me on my way. Was just the boost I needed. A few kinds words from Michael and Nigel, and zooper dooper from Kim Day and off I went again.
I'd had high hopes that I could run most of the way to Cape Schanck, but 2 minutes down the track, another eye-watering cramp hit me. More sports drink, one last gel and I continued on. In my mind's eye, I was slowing down and being passed by plenty of runners along here. And that may well have been the case, but a look at the results shows that I pulled back many places over the 2nd half of the course! Finally, I reached the horrid steps up the far side of Burrabong Creek and hobbled up them. By now even walking up these steps raises the heart rate. From here it is 2.5k to the finish. I don't care about the distance, I just keep going until I start registering markers like the first sighting of the lighthouse, the several benches along the way, the road that comes in from the right.
Then, as with Boneo, the noise of the finish line can be heard. Is it a trick of the south-westerly breeze making it seem closer? Another runner looms up on my right and passes me. She looks stronger, but we both walk the next hill, I stay close behind, using her as inspiration to keep going. Hoping she doesn't think I feel slighted that she's passed me. I'm beyond that, finishing is the only thing. Kate Smith appears from around a corner, cowbell still going, still yelling encouragement to me.
And all of a sudden we enter the wide open area just before finish line. People are still lining the path in. Lots of yelling of names, people holding out their hands to hi-5 me and other runners. Such a great feeling, all the pain suddenly forgotten, all the cramps suddenly disappeared (I hope...), and the speed picks up as we turn right and climb the final stretch to the finish line. The sun is out, people are yelling out, a volunteer is there waiting to place a medal around my neck. There is nothing I wouldn't give at that very moment to be bottled and brought back at times of trouble.
Cross the finish lines arms aloft, then stop the watch and receive the biggest hug from friend Karen who'd been getting anxious wondering where I was. She placed the medal on my neck and then directed me to food and drink on the table. Honestly couldn't eat or drink anything, but an ice cold can of coke did the trick. The only time I'll ever drink the stuff, during and post ultra. I was walking around for a bit, under cover of the finish line, mainly because I didn't think I could sit without cramping.
Standing in the finish line area, can of coke in hand, my friend in yellow comes over to say hello. Turns out we'd met before. He'd run Warragul parkrun several weeks back, then the 2 of us had met on the Two Towns trail between Warragul and Drouin 3 weeks before the race. His sister-in-law recognised me from parkrun on the day. Small world indeed.
Such a great event, I will be back next year for sure.
A big thank you to all the organising crew, Rohan Day, Michael Clarke and Kate Ablett. As well as all the volunteers (the aid stations are the best), and lastly all the other runners. Always run in the great spirit of companionship, and friendly rivalry it is the perfect start to the racing calendar year.
Next event is Tarawera 62 in New Zealand.
Then Roller Coaster 21 2 weeks after that. Recovery the key between events.
Until next time....
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| Danny (far left of picture) and I travelling well down Duells Road. Photo credit: Toni Mackinlay. |
Through Coolgowie Bushland Reserve, past the Aid station here (someone telling me my board shorts were great, matching my legs, or some such statement..) and more bitumen as we climb Coolgowie Road to turn right up Waterfall Gully Road, heading to Arthurs Seat NP. DTR Diana was marshalling at the entrance, taking photos, accepting hugs, and then we were through and our first date with Arthurs.
Up and Then Down...
But before the date proper we had to deal with his bastard brother 'The hill at Maclarens Dam', a short pinch of 1.4k that starts very steep, then flattens out. So steep at the start, that as soon as the gradient gets to about 10 degrees, the natural tendency is to run. Then stop when you realise you can't really run this. It dips down, you think "Bewdy, climbing at an end", but no. Fecker goes on a bit longer, on road, all the way. Views across to Sorrento and Nepean Point on this day are wonderful (excepting those darkish clouds over Port Phillip Bay).Climbing finally stops. By now Danny has got ahead of me, Mark Liam is with me (another VUR) and we are chatting with a girl doing her first ultra. What a great way to tick that one off. Turn into the trail proper and now is the waiting game to see when the front-runners return in the opposite direction. Wasn't long before on a section of flowing single trail runners in front were calling out "RUNNERS!!" Well yes, we were runners, but... Then Ash Bennet, Francesco Ciancio and another runner came flying around a corner. Myself and 2 other runners neatly side-stepping off the track before rejoining it. Closely followed by Majell Backhausen and then the first women, Lucy Bartholomew flying past and looking super strong.
And then it was a steady stream of runners coming back. A few saying hello, people I know, and people who know me. Gave me quite a boost. Then finally hit a pop-up aid station, a VUR had set up with coke, potato crisps and lollies. On the way back I would avail myself of this.
Then the descent towards Dromana. had a female runner pass me down here. She knew me, knew my name (wasn't on the bib), knew my running and injury history and my history with this event. Which was great, except when it came to her it was 'bar of soap' territory. I'm really sorry if you're reading this, I'm shithouse with names (and faces in reality), and feel terrible. Halfway down bump into fellow BBR runner Colin Hart gamely climbing back up. A quick hello, he tells me I'm looking strong (well thanks, but I am going downhill at this point!) and down I go. Start seeing lots more runners now, many I know on their way to PB's, strong runs etc.
Finally, I come to the end of the trail and hit the bitumen section on Lachlan Parade that leads us directly to Dromana. Now I have an issue with this section. As discussed with Nick Cimdins, why does it seem to take longer to run downhill to Dromana, than it does to turn around and hike major sections of that back up? The run down took forever. Those black clouds out over Port Phillip Bay 25 or so minutes ago? Materialised as a light shower along here. My mood darkened accordingly, and I just wanted to get into Dromana and see friends and refuel and get off the sodding road (and have a piss, busting most of the way down Arthurs, too many other runners to stop. Then HELLO suburbia...)
That Was the Easy Bit
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| Entering the aid station at Dromana. Slap on the arse from Matt. Closely followed in by friend Drew Dunstone. Photo credit: Paula Pettingill. |
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| Colin Hart just before Dromana aid station. Photo credit: Paula Pettingill. |
Back up the trail and bumped into fellow DTR's Majid and Stephen. Majid looked like he wanted to get on with it, Stephen looked like he was picking his way deliberately and slowly up the trail. We soon all separated again. The most I remember about climbing here was hoping that my legs would be able to run again when the gradient flattened out. When it did I was able to run, but the sections over Arthurs had taken their toll. Still with 24k's+ to go, things weren't looking flash. Nevertheless, I've been here before, I knew I needed to just keep moving as moods change, the body adapts etc.
Exited the trail, then the downhill section that was the bastard uphill section that was (still is) the road to Maclarens Dam! The final steep section involved a number of us tip-toeing down on the road. Either that or run on the grass verge, but that didn't look any better, to be honest. Finally onto the dam wall and then back out onto Waterfall Gully Road. Backtracking to Coolgowie on roads that gently descend was fine for my legs, but on Coolgowie Road I felt the first tentative twinges of cramp in the right hamstring and left calf. Suddenly realised I hadn't grabbed the extra Pickle Juice but thought if I keep my gels and sports drink up I would survive. Stopped at the aid station at the bottom, friend Lou helping me out, everyone asking me how I was going. One of the frontrunners of the race had pulled out here. Franky was hanging around issuing orders, encouragement etc.
Through Coolgowie Busland Reserve, then back onto another road. It was along here, and into the next reserve that I was spying more empty gel packets. Picked a couple up before working out that I couldn't bend over to pick them up. Actually, barefaced lie. I could bend over, standing up was going to be the weak link in the chain.
Just Plugging Away
The section from Duells Road to Browns Road is a phytophthora free area. Wash down pads at either end for us to scrub our shoes and for me a reminder of the fragility of areas we run in and the impacts we can have. Crossed Browns Road and then contemplated the climb up Hyslops. I was well aware when Danny and I ran down this 4 hours previous how steep and long it actually was. Running back was just confirmation really. Ran/walked until it got too steep, then walked all the way into the aid station. Grace and Kat and Bernie Hughes all here, all checking us out and giving us what we needed. I stopped here for just over a minute and a half, recovering and mentally preparing myself for the next section through Greens, and my favourite section on this course. |
| Baw Baw Runners finished the 28k. L to R: Ash Buchanan, Paul Myers, Catherine Mckenna and Paul Fallon. Photo credit: Linda Myers. |
Cramps came and went. Run, cramp, massage, walk it out, run again, rinse repeat. It was a slog. All the way through here was the same. But still I pushed on, every step is a step closer to finish, every time you run it happens quicker. Our little group leapfrogged, we chatted, encouraged one another and just kept moving forward. Andrew (from Brisbane, did I mention that?) were side-by-side in sections here, nit chatting, juts running and getting it done. As I've said, this section is wonderful, and it helped to salve the mental battles I was waging. There are a couple of short steep little climbs, not much, but these really started to make the cramps come on strong.
It took me 1:15 to get from the top of Hyslops to Boneo Road. All that time running, walking, running again. Keeping our little group in sight. Sometimes getting ahead (as we were all battling some issues of either fatigue, cramping or injury etc.), but we never got too far ahead or behind each other. There was a small aid station somewhere near Long Point Road that had coke, water and various goodies. Stop here, a quick chat with Jac who I met at Wonderland, and then on I pressed to Boneo Road. I was really setting my sights on getting to Boneo. I'd been using each aid station as little markers to aim for. No more than 10k apart, their appearance a blessing, the leaving a sad but necessary fact if I wanted to get this done. About 2k from Boneo, I lost sight of my friend in yellow (Andrew, from Brisbane, apparently we'd met before!). We'd been urging each other on for the nearly an hour, but he was clearly stronger and was running faster.
Now Boneo was next, and a bit special. Last aid stop before the finish, set in a pleasant grove of trees just off the road, and I have special memories of this place. First Two Bays in 2014, 22k mark of my 28k run and I hit this station having run strongly through Greens. But I had needed water, and or sports drink desperately. Grabbed the first cup I saw downed it, then realised that it was coke. Not normally an issue, but I was 2 months into a no added sugar diet, and the combination of sugar and caffeine had the required effect as I mowed down 20+ runners on the way to Cape Schanck! Following year, as a volunteer there I witnessed the (what I thought then as) superhuman feats by many runners in the 56. And I was on hand to help my friend Chrissy in her first Two Bays after she'd had a pretty bad race. 2018, and roles are reversed as she is there, and I'm running in.
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| An aid station that was an oasis in a world of hurt for me. So great seeing these guys and girls. My 3 friends are from far left, Chris, Chrissy and Michael. Photo credit ? |
An Oasis in my World of Pain
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| Finishing. Photo credit: Tony O'Connell |
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| Finishing. Photo credit: Rose Fuller |
Then, as with Boneo, the noise of the finish line can be heard. Is it a trick of the south-westerly breeze making it seem closer? Another runner looms up on my right and passes me. She looks stronger, but we both walk the next hill, I stay close behind, using her as inspiration to keep going. Hoping she doesn't think I feel slighted that she's passed me. I'm beyond that, finishing is the only thing. Kate Smith appears from around a corner, cowbell still going, still yelling encouragement to me.
One Day Son, This Race is Gunna End
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| Smiling, at the end of an ultra... Photo credit: Matt Veenstra |
Cross the finish lines arms aloft, then stop the watch and receive the biggest hug from friend Karen who'd been getting anxious wondering where I was. She placed the medal on my neck and then directed me to food and drink on the table. Honestly couldn't eat or drink anything, but an ice cold can of coke did the trick. The only time I'll ever drink the stuff, during and post ultra. I was walking around for a bit, under cover of the finish line, mainly because I didn't think I could sit without cramping.
Standing in the finish line area, can of coke in hand, my friend in yellow comes over to say hello. Turns out we'd met before. He'd run Warragul parkrun several weeks back, then the 2 of us had met on the Two Towns trail between Warragul and Drouin 3 weeks before the race. His sister-in-law recognised me from parkrun on the day. Small world indeed.
The Aftermath
December 2017 marked my biggest ever distance and vertical climbed since I've kept records. Yet that alone wasn't enough to get me through Two Bays 56. Yet I don't think I'm too far away in terms of strength and conditioning. Continue training, strength work in the gym, and avoid over-training injury and the gains will come. And eat early in the race, I'm still leaving it far too late, when the point of no return has passed.Such a great event, I will be back next year for sure.
A big thank you to all the organising crew, Rohan Day, Michael Clarke and Kate Ablett. As well as all the volunteers (the aid stations are the best), and lastly all the other runners. Always run in the great spirit of companionship, and friendly rivalry it is the perfect start to the racing calendar year.
Next event is Tarawera 62 in New Zealand.
Then Roller Coaster 21 2 weeks after that. Recovery the key between events.
Until next time....
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| Victorian Ultra Runners (VUR) group shot. Big representation will look great when VUR colours are on display. |
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