Been a year since my last post, that one was the 2015 Blackall 100. Time for a new post, and now the 2016 version.
2015 didn't go quite to plan, so the deal this year - come back do the 50 and smash it!! As much as you can smash 50km on a trail run anyway. Yep, doing half what I did last time around. But half of this run is still longer than a marathon and in some tough terrain, so planning required.
Starts with the usual over planning of what goes into the bags to leave at checkpoints. What I think I will eat and drink during the run. And since it usually ends up being something different on the day, the bags end up a bit full! Down to even bringing along spare shoes.
Weather forecast 15-29 with late rain. Estimated time of 5-6hrs so will probably miss the rain. But 29degrees, with a finish around the middle of the day I will cop that one. Prepare for hot weather!
Day before, course change. Smoke in the area, cant do the bluff section. Bit disappointing, that was the monster hill where I gained some time last year!
Night before. Checking out the updated course. Feel far more relaxed
this year compared to last. Probably because the people are I am talking
to are doing the 100k for the first time, and seem nervous as hell! I
know the feeling... Second year running picking up a random draw prize. This could be a good weekend...
Short drive from the caravan park to the start. Long enough for one song to kick the confidence in, and 'fire up', so to speak. Haven't loaded much onto the stereo. Find this one - Warumpi Band - From the Bush. "Listen to me, I'm from the bush, I'm talking to you, from the bush". Loud guitars, straight to the point lyrics. Yep, that will do!!! ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq6UjA7M8Pg )
Race day, kick off at 7am. Faint smell of smoke in the air early on, good decision to change the course. After the first few k's probably about 20 or so in front of me. I'm usually a slow starter so I might catch some later.
6k in, log across the track. I go left. The runner near me steps over the log and keeps going. Good thing I saw that, might have gone off track otherwise!
10k in people are passing me. Was the one who started too quickly??? No idea where I am in the field now.
Some technical downhills , in which I get passed again, but at least I regain it on the following uphill.
1st checkpoint. Going for a time this year, so no time to stop, grab my drink bottle from the drop bag. Even in the space of time to see my bag, grab a bottle and keep running, 2 runners go past me.
Next runner comes to say hello and have a bit of a chat. Scott from our local parkrun! That now makes 5 parkrunners from our area in the race - awesome!!! Then I lose another place....
Fuel up, first energy gel for the day. Mojito flavour apparently. I don't know what mojito is supposed to taste like. Perhaps it was called that, because the more realistic description of 'toothpaste gone off', isn't very marketable. Anyway, its functional, gives me energy. If eating rotten toothpaste makes me cover the distance faster, I'm up for it!!! A few more of those in the backpack for later on... Something to look forward to.....
By km 16, the road starts going up. This is the opportunity to make up time. Think about how often I will have breaks from running during the race this year. Answer - use it tactically. The steep hills cant be run up anyway. Keep the heart rate up on the uphills. Now I start making up places.
Run around the dam now. Seems rather peaceful here. Running on my own for a bit. Go past the cameraman in the back of the ute, give a wave and move on. Be interesting to see how that turns out in the race photos. Now onto the 4wd tracks and some more uphills. Come up to a pack of 3. Have a bit of a chat, and keep pushing hard. One goes with me, bit more of a chat about how the day is going. This is the great thing about ultras - the chance to do this! Cant do that in a 5k!
30km in - under 3 hours! The target of 5-6 hours looking well and truly doable now.
Down the hill into checkpoint 3, U turn and back up. By now, past a few more runners.
35-40km - all uphill. Looking at my GPS data - up to a 75m elevation gain in 1km. Nothing like the 173m gain of kilometre number 43 in last years 100k, but still enough to get my attention. Here I catch up to the leading female runner. Quick chat about how things are going - but now I see an opportunity to finish in the top 10. Maybe even sub 5hours is possible?
Final checkpoint - feeling good - going straight through - no filling water up here - only 10k to go.
Back on the single track. I remember you from last year...... In 2015, by the time I made it this far, it was cooling down, raining and saw lots of little frogs looking back at me as I went along. You're not going to beat me this time around!! Technical nature, dodging obstacles means slowing down a bit, probably wont get under 5hours. Fatigue setting in, and the last thing i want is to take a stack in this section. But hey - getting close to 5 when the goal was somewhere between 5 and 6 is awesome!
Out of the last of the single track, up up the last big hill. Manage to run it--- a bit. Came up to another runner. A few encouraging words, but he simply says 'I cant run'. Obviously struggling with fatigue. When I get to the finish - I'm not going anywhere. I'll be waiting by to say a big congratulations on finishing when he crosses the line.
Time for some more water - hang on - none left!!! Maybe I should have topped up at the last checkpoint. Not long left now.
Right turn into the QCCC and down the bitumen road to finish. Time to ring the crap out of that bell!!
Thats it! 9th place, 5hour, 1 minute 8 seconds. Unfinished business from last year - Done!! Great to have a run where not just everything goes to plan, but better than that. End result much better than expected.
A few hours time, now to see the first 100k runners come through.
So did the 50k feel like halfway? No - 50k off road, up steep hills it always a tough ask. Same area, but different race. 50k meant keeping up an intensity which just couldn't be done for 100k.
Back at the caravan park, everyone staying in block was also a competitor. Plenty of war stories swapped over breakfast, and great camaraderie amoungst all. Walking like penguins, yoga mats stretched out, and doing our best to manage any kind of stretch! Be feeling sore on Monday!
What is in store for 2017? Make sure I have the weekend spare. Time for 3 in a row. Maybe the 100km calls again.......
And before I go!
A big thank you to the organisers, and volunteers who make the event possible. Big thank you to the QCCC who kept bringing the food out afterwards. Having gluten free available was much appreciated
