So, with the enthusiasm and nervous excitement of a kid starting school plus the naivety that comes along with it, I found myself setting the alarm for 4am last Sunday morning.
Having never done over the magical 21.1km half distance, I thought that a 25km race would be a great way to see how my fitness is progressing.
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| Zoey and I ready to run . During the week I'd arranged for Zoey, someone i'd met through Running Mums Australia, to meet me at my house for a lift up to the race. It was the first trail race for both of us so we could be nervous together.. |
This run, I rationalised, was going to be an experiment on my ability, my endurance, and my 'fuel' needs.
At the start line I felt the part with my borrowed hydration pack. The fact that I had only borrowed it 3 days earlier and had not really run with it did worry me a little, but I went with the 'glass half full' on this one and simply hoped for the best.
Someone gathered all of the runners around and explained that the course was marked and that we "should be right". He also casually mentioned that the first 2km were uphill.
This is where ignorance comes in handy - I hadn't investigated the course only to ask opinions of a couple of people I knew who'd run it. They used words like "evil" and "brutal", which possibly should have been a good indicator of what I was in for but it didn't deter me.
And we were off.
When my Garmin buzzed to let me know we were at the 2km mark I silently noted that there was still quite a bit of uphill to go. Mr Race Explainer at the start line was right I guess - the first 2km was all uphill; but so was the next 2km!
Having only done large halves in cities I was surprised at how quickly the pack thinned out, which meant that at some points in the race I could see no-one in front or behind me.
When there were people near me there was little chats. The main question seemed to be if I'd run this course before. When I explained that I had never run a trail race before I did sense that some people found it amusing that I had decided to start with Nerang State Forest. But, at the same time, I got the impression that they thought it was a great thing to see a newbie out there.
I'd love to say that I remember the course better, but I don't. Somewhere around the (I'm guessing) 7-8km mark there was a really steep decline. There had been a couple of declines by this stage and my aptly designed road shoes (Asics Kayano's) had been holding up ok in the grip department. But they were not ready for this one.
I was surprised at how quickly my feet had been getting away from me and I really didn't give the dry terrain enough credit.
At around the 50 minute mark I had to walk up a hill and so I thought it was a good opportunity to have my first Gu. To be honest I didn't feel like I needed it but I really wanted to fuel properly and what I'd read about fuelling always seems to say that you should do so at somewhere between the 45 and 60 minute mark.
"Heartbreak Hill" was the next encounter. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a couple of photos so I quickly whipped my phone out and snapped a couple of images. Like many landscape shots though, the photos don't do it justice. It was so steep in points that I was in almost a crawl position to get up little ridges.
After Heartbreak Hill it was a couple of flattish km before the aid station. I gulped water and scoffed a couple of snake lollies. I wasn't sure how snakes (or lollies in general) would sit in my stomach but I am a sucker for lollies so couldn't pass them up.
The next thing I faced was the aplty named "Gutbuster" You know a hill is steep when you are being passed by people on horseback and the horses are struggling to get up the hill.
But the view from the top was beautiful - It alone made the race worthwhile.
And all I could think was, well if this is the top then a good portion of the last 11km should be downhill. Yahoo.
A guy I'd spoken to earlier in the run passed me around this point. He and I had chatted about this being my first trail and first time over the 21.1km distnace. He gave me a pat on the back and told me that I was doing "really well. Really, really well"
My second Gu went down at this stage. Again, I didn't feel that I needed it but in hindsight I think both of them were well spaced.
In the few days before the run I had calculated that in order to finish in under 3.5 hours I would need to maintain an average pace of 8:24 min/km.
A couple of people (the same ones who used the words brutal and evil) did tell me just to aim to finish and that 3.5-4 hours would probably be a better time frame.
While I never went in to this run to 'race' I am someone who still needs personal goals and mentally I like to finish strong. So I did just that.
In the last 6-7 km I played the mental game of reeling in the runner in front. I managed to pass a few people and stay on my feet.
I crossed the finish line and stopped my watch at 2:46:13. I was elated.
I don't know how to articulate this run other than to say it was fun. There wasn't any pressure, people who passed me or people who I passed wished me luck.
I ran, I walked, I chatted, and I smiled. I grinned actually.
I enjoyed running. I couldn't see if I was front of the pack, middle of the pack or back of the pack.
I didn't need to, because it didn't matter.
Back home that afternoon I felt wonderful about the whole day and just when I thought the day couldn't get any better, the official results were released..
and I had placed 8th female, and 29th overall.
My first trail race, my first time over 21.1km couldn't have gone any better.
A couple of days have now passed and I think i've picked up a bug... the trail running bug that is.
Its a bug I'm happy to have, and I can't wait until the next time
Some things to note:
* I had approx 1.5 litres of water in my hydration baldder - I couldn't have calculated that better if I'd tried. I literally had the last sip just past the finish line
* I had brought 4 Gu gels with me. My initial plan was to have them at the 45 minute mark, 1 hour 30 mark, 2 hour 15 mark and 3 hour mark. I ended up having one at the 50 minute mark and one at the 1 hour 40 minute mark, with some lollies from the aid station at the 12km point. I haven't ever really felt much benfit from Gu's in the past but I do truly believe they helped this time
* I need trail running shoes if I am going to do this again. My road shoes didn't grip very well and I fear I may lose some toenails due to the downhills.
* Trail runners, in general, were friendlier than road racers. Granted, I've only done 3 road races and I wasnt exactly a conversation starter myself on any of those but this run felt more (i really don't know the right word here so I'm going to go with) community-like.
* I mentioned at the start of this post that it I was running with a friend when I decided to do this run. That friend completed the 50km race on the same day, and placed 9th female. Amazing stuff. I am so glad that I got to see her out there on the course too as she was heading out for her second loop of 25k.
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| Jill in beautiful contemplation phase. She rocks! *Also note runner in 'sandals' behind her - I passed this guy on his way out to do his second 25k. I'm still baffled as to how he did such a rocky course in those shoes |
