Hounslow Classic Ultra 2016

For me the lead up to this year's Hounslow Classic Ultra (68km, +/-4500m) had been some what relaxed. After my efforts at the BUFF Epic Trail and lingering leg issue I wasn't sure if I should register for the Hounslow Classic. Consequently I bided my time and left it quite late to enter the ultra distance race.

Running off Lockleys Pylon. Aurora Images.

The weeks between the BUFF Epic Trail and Hounslow Classic I continued to run as I usually do, racking up my usual mileage on the trails. There was no intensity in these runs and I enjoyed a lot of them with my people friends and my fury friends. The issue I had with the leg from my European trip remained but I was able to avoid aggravating it during this time. Better still, was that I hadn't committed to run yet and I didn't feel depressed about my casual lead-in to the race. I still managed however to get onto the Hounslow course regularly on weekends and familiarise myself with the steep descents (more like drops) and ascents (more like climbs).

The descent off Du Faur Head (Lockleys Pylon side) down to Blue Gum Forest. Training Run.

My commitment to finally register for the ultra came from a number of decisions. The year was still far from over, though Christmas decorations have already started appearing in the shops. I didn't want to end the year without doing one more event. So far in 2016 I hadn't done an ANZ Skyrace. Brian wanted to help out Mountain Sport by sweeping the shorter 21km course, so we were likely to be up at the event anyway. I had no other race lined up for the foreseeable future, so could risk aggravating my leg before having a proper rest period afterwards. So after weighing it all up I committed to the challenge of competing in Australia's toughest ultramarathon, as appointed by Ultra168.com.

The tree bridge crossing Govetts Creek at Blue Gum Forest. Training run.

Although the preceding week to the race was a short week due to the Monday being a public holiday, I made it seem even shorter by heading up to Katoomba after work on Thursday night. It's always an awesome feeling to sleep in Katoomba knowing that you are already at your destination and that the travelling is already done. I found it so relaxing that I risked sleeping the whole of Friday away. Once I finally managed to motivate myself, I travelled up to Allview Escape, Blackheath, which was this years event race hub. The uninterrupted views from this location gave runners and spectators spectacular view of the Grose Valley. The lawn at Allview Escape extends to the top of the escarpment from which there are direct lines of sight to many of the course's prominent features, such as Evans Lookout, Junction Rock, Pulpit Rock, Lockleys Pylon and the Pinnacles, the course's halfway/turnaround point. Each of these locations were tantalisingly close (within 8kms as the crow flies) but would take many hours of concentration and hard work to reach.

The Hounslow Classic Ultra is an out and back course, which is far from boring. The course sees runners drop in and out of the Grose Valley four times. Each descent and subsequent ascent is unique in its own way and just as much concentration is required going down as it is going up, though going up definitely takes longer to do. The technicality of the terrain is a good leveller bringing those who can run fast back to those that can run the technical trails, with the biggest advantage given to energetic hikers. 

Andrew Layson (Berowra Bushrunner President) and me before the ultra start.

Come race morning we were greeted with perfect weather that revealed the gorgeous views that would accompany us runners throughout most of the day. Even though I've seen the view hundreds of times before, I'm still mesmerised by it. Unfortunately I wasn't at the start line to gaze, but to race, and when we all finally headed off the pace was sensibly dictated by eventual race winner Loughlinn Kennedy. After a short section of fire trail to allow us to self seed, we dropped down onto the single clifftop trail and followed it towards Govetts Leap, last years race hub. I found myself running close to the ever cheerful Lou Clifton. Race previews had ousted local girl Lou as a potential podium finisher and rightly so as she is having a stellar year on the ANZ Skyrunning circuit with strong results. Even though this was a race and technically we were competing, we still managed to keep a pace where we could run together and chat like we would during a training run. It was really quite enjoyable to be able to do this on the trails with a friend.

The start line at Allview Escape, Blackheath, is spectacular.



The well formed clifftop trail continued past Govetts Leap along to Evans Lookout carpark, then around to Neats Glen before starting the first big descent down into the Grand Canyon. Arguably one of the most picturesque walking tracks in the Blue Mountains, the Grand Canyon track slowly deteriorates the further you descend. There are sections that are well landscaped, then there are sections that have succumbed to land slips. All this is easily traversed but care needs to be exercised. As the trail started to become more technical I stuck to a pace that was comfortable for me. My conversation with Lou ended near the landslide section where I passed her then started to edge ahead. Once at the bottom of the Grand Canyon I followed the level single trail and the river down to Junction Rock, which marked the start of the days first big ascent back up to Govetts Leap via Rodriguez Pass. Joseph Dorph caught me at this point and took off out off sight. I'd spend the rest of the day trying to catch him. This ascent up to Govetts Leap gets steeper and steeper, starting with a gentle grade which turns into more frequent series of steps which in themselves get steeper and steeper, before arriving at the base of a vertical cliff and a trail which cuts across its face. On the ascent I caught and passed Jason Martin, but not before having a brief chat. Ahead I could now see Joseph, whom I knew I could catch and over took him at the falls. Joseph stayed right behind me all the way to the top. None of this happened quickly as the motion of running changed to a jog, then hands on knees power walk until finally reaching the top. I had a long day ahead and there was no use going out too hard at this early stage of the race.



Lou Clifton and I having a chat while running through the Grand Canyon track.

After completing the first big ascent and reaching Govetts Leap, the route retraces the clifftop track back to the race hub at Allview Escape where I met up with Brian to refuel. This first loop (21km) took me 2hrs 36mins to complete and was just a warm-up for what was to come.

Coming back to the race hub. Junction Rock is in the valley below. Ben Duffus.

I left the check point before Joseph and it wasn't long before he caught up again and we ran together for a while until Pulpit Rock where he left me for good. This next section of the course around to Perrys Lookdown is really the only runnable section of the trail as it follows a reasonably well graded dirt road. It's one of the few opportunities for the faster runners to stretch their legs and not be hindered by rocks, tree roots, branches, tourists, shrubs, etc. I was expecting to be passed by runners along this section, especially since I have a habit of slacking off when running by myself, but even with my relatively slow pace I managed to keep my position in the field.


The "runnable" part of the course between Allview Escape and Perrys Lookdown. Scott Hawker.

Most of my training runs on the course occurred between Perrys Lookdown and Lockleys Pylon. The two points are only 5kms apart, however between them is a 600m descent down to Blue Gum Forest then another 600m ascent back up the other side. This section of trail provides one of the best training grounds in the Blue Mountains for vert vs distance. On the climb up to Lockleys Pylon I could feel the effects of the Spring sun on my body. The day was reasonably warm and much of the trail up to Lockleys Pylon is exposed. The usual energy I have at this point on my training runs was starting to diminish and my lackadaisical training routine for this race was starting to show. Shortly after reaching Lockleys Pylon I was passed by Loughlinn Kennedy and Danny Garrett travelling in the opposite direction. They looked like they were running on top of each other and neither were relenting. Both these guys were leading the race and were on their return journey towards the finish line. Joseph was the next person I saw, in third place, on the out and back which meant he must have over taken a couple of runners. The 3km run out to the Pinnacles, turnaround point, was becoming a chore. I could feel my feet starting to become heavy and although the trail was reasonably flat, the exposed rocks were hampering my stride. On a few occasions I felt that my issues from the BUFF Epic Trail were preparing to make a come back, but I felt that I couldn't go much slower else Lou would surely have caught back up to me.

The volunteers at the Pinnacles checkpoint were very helpful.

The return journey from the Pinnacles back to Perry's Lookdown took 9mins longer than the out journey. At the time it felt like a lot longer as I was sure that I slowing down. As I'd passed Lou between the Pinnacles and Lockley Pylon on the return journey I knew where I sat in the field relative to everyone else. I didn't want to reduce the intensity, but at the same time I could still feel the weather sapping my energy. My nutrition plan was out the door by the time I was back at Perrys as I was finding it difficult to force food down. By the time the sun finally started to abate on the return journey to Allview Escape, the effects on my nutrition had done its damage. Solid food was no longer an option and I was left to my trusted cordial.

Sean Greenhill (RD) checking that I was alright before heading out on the last loop.

The final descent back down from Govetts Leap to Junction Rock was slow going. The spring in my step had gone. From Junction Rock there was just one more substantial climb back up into Grand Canyon. There wasn't much running going on along this section. My movements were coarse and I felt like I was in a hike-a-thon. At the back of my mind I wanted to finish the course in daylight and I used this as my motivation to keep going.


The hike-a-thon back up the Grand Canyon track. Ben Duffus.

It was a huge relief to emerge from the darkening Grand Canyon track and see that there was enough daylight to get back to Allview Escape. The weather had changed while I was in the canyon and the sun had been replaced with a cold heavy air as a cold weather front had come through. Along the clifftop track I was forced to start running in order to keep myself warm, such was the sudden drop in temperature. To my disappointment the cold air had brought a light fog that now concealed the view. At least I got to enjoy it earlier in the day when I was fresher and could afford lifting my eyes up from the trail. Now in my exhausted state my eyes were firmly focused on the trail ahead.

Yes Sean, those mountains look much bigger from my perspective. Maggie Jones.

After 10hrs 24mins I finally made it back to Allview Escape for the fourth and final time that day, 1st female and 4th overall. The final loop had taken me 44mins longer than the first time. I felt spent. I apologise to Sean Greenhill, Race Director, for not being more accommodating in his finish line interview, but to be honest all I wanted to do was have a spew, and I didn't think that it would be appropriate to do it in front of everyone. On the bright side, it is amazing how good you can feel after purging the system.

Hounslow Classic Ultra Podium. L-R Lou Clifton 2nd, me 1st, Lucy Bartholomew 3rd, Danny Garrett 2nd, Loughlinn Kennedy 1st, Joseph Dorph 3rd. La Sportiva Australia.

For anyone looking at a stand out Skyrunning event that is different to anything on the Australian trail running scene then this is my pick. It has big climbs with technical trails that reward runners with more technical running ability over those with flat out speed.

I found it easier to carry the food rather than consume it. Aurora Images.

Gear
La Sportiva Akasha shoes.
La Sportiva T-shirt
La Sportiva Snap Short
La Sportiva Trail Gloves
La Sportiva H9eadband
Ultimate Direction Adventure Vesta 3.0.

Ultimate Direction Body Bottle.
Ultimate Direction cap

BUFF Epic Trail Aiguestortes 2016

The third and final race of my 2016 European trip was the BUFF Epic Trail Aiguestortes, Spain, which also doubled as the biennial Skyrunning World Championships. This three day event had vertical kilometer (VK), 26km, marathon and ultra races on offer. I'm a big fan of the longer "value for money" type of events so chose the ultra with its 105km, +/-7950m. What I didn't anticipate was how much "value" I was to get on the mountainous ultra course.

BUFF Epic Trail course profile.

Two weeks prior to the BUFF Epic Trail I raced in the High Trail Vanoise VK and Petit Parcours races in the French Alps. Their purpose was to help me acclimatise to the altitude and big European mountains. Following the High Trail Vanoise event I travelled with Mum, Dad and Brian down to Spain to check out the BUFF Epic Trail ultra course prior to race day. Firstly we spent a few nights in Taull (Vall de Boi ) to check out the first big ascent and last big descent of the ultra course. We then moved to Espot for a few more nights where we checked out the middle part of the ultra course. Although these recce runs were short in distance, they generally involved a VK up out of the valley which was a lengthy exercise, but each effort was rewarded with gorgeous Pyrenees view and the occasional bird of prey sightings. I often wondered if they were circling Brian on his way up the mountain side to meet me. All up we managed to check out about half the ultra course, but as it turned out, these sections were the easiest parts of the course.

Prior to the "business end" of my trip we all drove to the Spanish Costa Brava coast where we spent a few nights in the white washed coastal town of Cadaques, Spain. It was a refreshing change from the mountainous regions we had been in for the last two weeks. The change in location also minimised the temptation to overexert myself before the big race. Essentially I had nothing else to do but sit back and soak up the suns rays while enjoying the Mediterranean views.

Tapering may as well be enjoyable. Cadaques, Spain.

When we returned for the BUFF Epic Trail, the race hub village of Barruera in the Vall de Boi valley, had transformed itself into a trail running mecca. A number of temporary structures had been erected for the event. This seemed to attract a myriad of trail runners, like moths to a bright shining light. Everyone seemed to be busy doing something somewhere.  It was a big change from the quiet little village I had visited just a couple of days earlier.


The VK kicked off the long weekend of Skyrunning races. While spectating the start I managed to catch up with a few of the Australian and New Zealand Skyrunning team members. It was good to meet some new faces and catch up with others. During our discussions they relayed to me that the ultra course had been modified. As confirmed during the prerace briefing, a 10km section of the course was to be "neutralised". From what I could gather, permits were not granted for this section of the course. The solution was for us to traverse this section of trail as "day hikers" and a percentage of our overall time would be deducted. All very confusing, but the general consensus was that the race would go ahead regardless.


The ultra trail, including the neutralised section, is 105kms. The lowest part of the course is the race start/finish town of Barruera at 1100m elevation. From here it is all up with four major ascents and descents accumulating in +/-7950m of elevation change. The highest part of the course is just under 3000m elevation, which I was hoping would not disadvantage me after my earlier acclimatisation in France. I had done as much as I could to be ready for this race and all that was left to do was the race itself.

Come race morning I once again lined up with the well styled European trail runners in the predawn light. There was just enough light to see without a head torch, but by the time we all started running I found myself jostling for position next to someone with a light. The pace was quite fast to start with. Much faster than I was prepared to run. After the first few kilometres the trail switched from following the relatively flat trail up the Vall de Boi valley, to ascending up the steep alpine slopes on the route's first big ascent (+1000m). The earlier enthusiasm of the other runners around me was quickly reeled in and the pace dropped dramatically to a mix of power walking and a slow jog where the grade allowed. This pace was much more sustainable and more to my liking.

Upon reaching the top I followed the other runners over the pass and started the  long runnable descent down to the village of Senet and the first crewed checkpoint beyond at Refugi Conangles (22.9kms). I'd done this leg of the course with Brian so knew what to expect and how to approach it. I was only a shorty way down the descent before a sharp pain quickly developed from my left glute down my left hamstring. Since arriving in Europe I'd had what felt like a deep bruise in my left glute. I suspect it was from sitting for too long on the airplane seats. It hadn't been restricting me on my previous runs, but just incase I'd been taking it easy where possible and had a few massages, but seemingly it wasn't enough. Now that the dull sensation had emerged as a noticeable pain I reigned in my pace, stepped off the trail and started walking. Almost as suddenly as the pain had appeared it started to fade. I tried lifting the pace back up to a run again, but the pain re-emerged. I spent the next hour finding that point where discomfort became pain as most of the field that was behind now started to trickle past me.



The less technical section of descent down to Senet.

In previous ultras I'd occasionally come across some pretty talented male runners during races. The fact that I'd caught them was an indicator that they were not having a good day. The guys that stand out most in my mind were those that managed to compose themselves and soldier on to the end, sometimes repassing me before the finish line. It's these guys whom I admire, who don't look for excuses to pull out, regardless of the expectations placed upon them by others. I've often wondered if under the same circumstances would I retire during a race. I've never seriously considered DNF'ing (did not finish) during a race, but I was now. I felt that my time of reckoning had arrived.


The remaining kilometres to Refugi Conangles checkpoint were slow and uncomfortable. I was able to jog the flats and ascents with some discomfort, but it was the descents that were causing me the most grief. I arrived at the checkpoint where Mum, Dad and Brian and been waiting for me. The look of sympathy on their faces said it all and I didn't have to tell them that something was wrong. Brian asked if I was alright. "Yeah, I'm OK". No, not really, but what could he do? I explained as best I could how I felt. Brian asked if I wanted to pull out or continue on. He reinforced that he, along with Mum and Dad, would support me either way. I stood there thinking about my options and what I wanted to do. We'd worked and saved hard to afford the trip over to Europe. I had trained hard to get myself ready for this race. Although I've had a few DNS's, I had never DNF'd a race before. My race might have been done, but my run (jog) was far from over. I refilled my bottles and replenished my pockets with food before announcing that I'd continue on. I was in a bit of discomfort, probably too much for this early stage of the run, but I was prepared for a long day and a long night on the trail. 

Brian restocking my supplies before I departed Refugi Conangles.

It is almost guaranteed that during an ultra something will hurt, eventually. I often find in ultras that the brain can only focus on one source of pain at a time. The level of pain is relative to what else is hurting in the body at the same time. If something hurts more then that becomes the minds focal point. My logic for continuing on was that the discomfort I was feeling at the moment was restricting my running but wasn't preventing me from continuing on (jogging, hiking, walking). There was always the possibility that something else would start hurting more and that I might be able to lift the pace a little. This might sound a little strange, but I'm sure that ultra runners can relate to it one way or another.

Heading up into the clouds.

The section of trail beyond Refugi Conangles was all new to me. I hadn't made it this far in my recce runs. The trail ahead and what it holds would be my reward for continuing along the route. I was still well in front of the sweeper (if there was one that is) and I wasn't last, though I felt like I wasn't far off. The trail headed up the mountain behind the refugi, into the low lying clouds. The climb was massive (+900m), which was a predominant feature on this course as there were a few big climbs. There were few sections that could be considered "flat", though there were sections where the grade on the ascents slackened off and became runnable. Unfortunately for me the runnable sections proved to be of little advantage. At the top of this next climb I could spot the first of the perched lakes, for which this region (Aiguestortes and Sant Maurici Lake Nation Park) is renowned. There are over 200 lakes in this area and the course was about to run past many of them.

The alpine lakes were spectacular and there were so many of them.

The checkpoints on this course were reasonably well spaced. As my crew could only get to two of the checkpoints (Refugi Conangles, 22.9kms and Espot, 71.0kms)) I was dependant upon the provisions supplied by the race organisers. As time in the checkpoints was no longer a concern for me I found myself gazing at the array of food and beverages on offer. I'm not sure if it was the altitude or what, but I definitely had an increased appetite. I found myself filling my pockets with food, along with two handfuls, before departing the checkpoints. I never eat this much at checkpoints, but if my body wanted it then I was happy to oblige.

Part of the trail down to Espot.

Shortly after departing the Colomers checkpoint (47.9kms) I arrived at the start of the "neutralised section". A marshal was there to ensure that our race numbers were hidden before we continued on. The course markings disappeared along this section of the course and we were instead flowing a string of marshals who marked the way for us. Prior to arriving in the Pyrenees for my course recce runs I'd loaded the ultra route onto my GPS watch. The one million waypoints had been reduced to ten thousand in the process, which led to some confusing interpretations of the route during the recce runs, especially when there was no trail in sight to follow. I'd slowly got used to it so knew what to expect if I had to rely upon it. Now, running with a watch for the first time in a race for many years, I was glad to have the add reassurance that I was on the correct route, even though there was little chance of getting lost.

Walking into Espot with mum.

At the end of the "neutralised section" I was once again on familiar trail as it descended down to Espot. I'd done this long descent with Brian and knew how runnable it was, however I had left my running legs way back at the 5km mark. Meeting me at the bottom of the descent at the Espot checkpoint was Mum, Dad and Brian. Although it had been almost 9 hours since we had last seen each other it looked like they were relieved that I'd finally turned up. Brian let me know that I'd made up 43 positions since we last saw each other. I don't remember overtaking any where near that number of people, so most of them must have been DNF's. This checkpoint was by far the biggest to date, and was housed in one of the village hotels. Laid out along one wall of the hotels dining room was a smorgasbord of food. I was like a food obsessed dog, starting at one end of the room, eating my way to the other end. I have never been so hungry in my life, but like I said before, I needed to listen to my body.

Espot was an awesome checkpoint with delicious food and a change of socks.

It was 6:20pm by the time I left Espot for the biggest and longest climb of the day (+1300m). Last light for this part of the world was just after 10pm and I was keen to make use of all the natural light as I knew that my pace would drop substantially when using my head torch.

Almost at the top of the final "big" ascent.

By the time the sun set I was on new trail. I hadn't made it this far on my recce runs and it was disappointing to be missing out on what I'd heard were spectacular Pyrenees vistas. When it gets dark there are a lot less distractions for the mind and it is easy to focus on those parts of the body that are hurting. My leg was still causing me a discomfort, though dropping the pace had helped considerably. However, being out on the trails for this long meant that other parts of the body were hurting just as much, like my toes from all the rocks I'd kicked. I tried to block all of this out and just focus on my headlight illuminating the trail ahead.

View of the final descent from the last pass. This is Brian on one of our recce runs.

Summiting the final pass of the route I was once again back on a familiar trail. I'd done this section with Brian and even in my exhausted state of mind I was eagerly looking out for familiar landmarks to count down the last few kilometers. I emerged from the trail onto a road at a small aid station manned by volunteers and anxious crew, one of which was mine. I almost didn't recognise them. I initially ignored them until they awoke me from my daze. By this time I was a girl on a mission. I wasn't looking for a distraction, just the finish line so that I could say that I'd conquered this epic run. I slowly counted the villages off the lower I got down the mountain, Taull, Boi and finally Barruera, again with its long awaited finish line.


Arriving in Barruera was a huge sense of relief. I had initially set out with, what I thought, a realistic expectation. Early on in the race my goals had to be reassessed, taking into account my current circumstances. I then stripped away my earlier expectations and just focused on the single goal of finishing. So after almost 22hrs on the trail I finally made it across the finish line with the official time of 19:46:06, to the applause of maybe a dozen sleepy spectators/support crew. 


Looking back at what I'd done, I am glad that I had decided to continue on. I felt then, as I do now, that had I DNF'd then I would have regretted it. There would have been this nagging voice questioning, "what if?". Though it might have been a long uncomfortable and arduous task, I can confidently say that I have an answer to a question that I didn't have to ask myself. To end on a positive, I've now completed a full course recce of the BUFF Epic Trail.

I ran the last few hundred metres to put on a show for the assembled crowd.

Gear
La Sportiva Akasha shoes.
La Sportiva T-shirt
La Sportiva Snap Short
La Sportiva Trail Gloves
La Sportiva Headband
Ultimate Direction Adventure Vesta 3.0.
Ultimate Direction Body Bottle.
Ultimate Direction cap 

BUFF Epic Trail route (neutralised section "missing").

Hounslow Classic, 68km, 2015

These race reports of mine are written primarily for myself, so that I can reflect on events surrounding trail races. I think it's important to remember what worked and what didn't so that faded memories don't distort the real story. I'm writing this report so that I remember to give Hounslow Classic the full respect that it deserves! There are so many aspects of this course that are intimidating; the 68km's, the technicality of the terrain, the +/-4100m shared over the 4 major ascents balanced with the 4 major descents. This course has the potential to chew you up and spit you out. 

The Hounslow Classic is located in the Grose Valley, just north of the upper Blue Mountains town of Blackheath, NSW, with the race hub at Govetts Leap. This part of the Blue Mountains are synonymous with imposing vertical sandstone cliffs which the course negotiates numerous times in several locations. For these reasons alone I just had to throw my hat into the ring and sign up. I love running in the Blue Mountains, and the lure to run in an area of the mountains I don't usually focus on was irresistible.

Justine Medin showing how big the valley is on a training run.

None of the climbs out of the Gross Valley are easy. From the valley floor they start rising at a respectable grade which can be considered as runnable, to an extent. This runnable grade wears away at the legs quickly and the pace slowly grinds from a high cadence run to power walking strides up these lower valley slopes. The further you ascend the steeper the grade, until you reach the bottom of the spectacular sandstone cliffs. The trails cutting through these cliffs are narrow and steep. To ascend these sections you often need to resort to a mix of hands on knees to help push yourself up and hand over hand using the available balustrades. Opportunities to run are extremely limited, until you reach the top of each climb. Every time I trained on the course I'd try to run further up the slopes before having to walk, or practice a better line to descend. I slowly discovered the places where I could push a little harder and areas where I needed to back off and either recover or conserve myself.

View from Lockley Pylon.

The Hounslow Classic was my first race following a fairly lengthy southern hemisphere winter break, with my last race being Mt Difficulty in New Zealand. Pretty much every second weekend I’d be up on the Hounslow course doing reps of Perrys Lookdown, or reps to Lockley Pylon, occasionally mixed with a few reps up to Govetts Leap or loop through the Grand Canyon. During every training session on the course I felt like a yo-yo running down into the valley before climbing up out of the valley. To ensure I did the desired amount of climbing I would drop down from Perrys, then do two reps from Blue Gum Forest up to Lockley's, which ensures that the last ascent of the session would be back up to Perrys and therefore the car. I find it best to remove unnecessary distractions during training, like returning to the car half way through a training session.

A bit of pre-race nervous chatter and sand bagging.

For me the worst part of any race is race morning. I often have a restless night’s sleep before a race, and the early morning starts means no sleep-in.  Then there’s the tough decision of “what do I wear”, as the clothes I picked to run in the night before no longer seem suitable to wear come morning. There is also the rechecking of the race pack, as if items that I’d previously packed the night before had disappeared and I have to guess the missing item. This series of events happens before I leave the house, again as I exit the car, and occasionally just before the start. The only thing that settles me down is the call to the start line.

The end of the first short loop. Hounslow Classic Facebook

The first couple hundred metres of the Hounslow Classic is up a bitumen road (the only bit of bitumen on the course), followed by another few hundred metres of descent, which sets the tone for the rest of the race, up down, up down, you get the gist. This part of the course is generously wide which allows runners to spread out and find a little space for themselves. The starting pace was nice and leisurely which allowed me to slowly warm up and loosen up. It normally takes me about 20 minutes of running to start getting into race mode so I had no complaints about the early pace.

After this little loop we started on the course in earnest. Being an out and back course, every descent would become an arduous ascent on the return. The race morning could not have been better. After early morning reports that it was raining in Blackheath, the weather cleared before the race to reveal this part of the Grose Valley’s spectacular beauty. As the first part of this course meanders along the cliff towards Evans Lookout the views over my left shoulder revealed the large ascents and descents that lay ahead. It is a natural beauty that us runners would respect in a very unique way, namely blood, sweat and/or tears.

The trick to trail running is to not touch the ground, like Maggie Jones and I.

I ran the first part of the race with Maggie Jones. I wasn’t expecting her to be up the front, but she kept a comfortable pace and there was no need to push any harder at this early stage. The open trail along the cliff line ended abruptly at Neats Glen carpark, where the trail turns sharply left, marking the descent into the leafy Grand Canyon track. This is where I thought I would pass Maggie but she was surprisingly quick on the descent and through the valley floor. I started feeling a little out of breath trying to stay with her. The first part of the descending trail is nicely landscaped, which gives you a false sense of security and draws you further down. It is not long however that the trail slowly changes and gives way to a more technical trail. The canyon is very picturesque and a nice place to dawdle in, though not so in the early stages of an ultra trail race. Generally I kept my position on the trail as it followed the river down to the valley floor beyond. There are sections of trail that cut in under overhanging rock formations where the head height is reduced and being small has its advantages. A little further down the trail, still on the descent into the valley, the trail is interrupted by a landslide which makes the trail almost indistinguishable. A little “local” knowledge helped in this area as the “better” route is loosely marked with red and white flagging tape.

One of the creek crossings in the Grand Canyon.

Shortly after the landslide section, the trail becomes more runnable and I enjoyed the feeling of gliding through the valley floor, listening to the babbling river beside me, while keeping a wary eye out for snakes. The rest of the trail back up to Govetts Leap is mostly runnable as it follows the Govetts Leap Brook from Junction Rock via Rodriguez Pass. The trail here slowly rises at a moderate runnable grade. The further you go however the more stairs start to appear and the steeper it gets. The defining point is at the base of Trinity Falls, as this marks the ascent up the cliff face. It is not a vertical ascent, but a tough slog up a track which cuts its way through the natural features of the sandstone cliff. It was at Trinity Falls that I edged past Maggie and tried to gap her on the ascent.

Coming up out of the Grose Valley for the first time. Hounslow Classic Facebook.

As I neared the top of the cliff, and the race hub at Govetts Leap, I could hear the cheers and cow bells ringing for the runners ahead. Once at the top I located Brian at the checkpoint who resupplied me then I did a quick check-in/check-out before departing for the long out and back section to The Pinnacles, via what seems like the most indirect route, probably because it was.

Feeling relieved that the dirt road section had come to an end at Perrys Lookdown. Hounslow Classic Facebook.

The next three kilometers were much like the first, where the trail meanders above the cliff line, this time with the views over my right shoulder. After a quick loop around the Pulpit Rock monument the trail goes up onto a dirt road. This is the section I liked least. All my training had been on the hills and technical trail. While running on this dirt road out to Perrys Lookdown I felt as though my speed was not much faster than the earlier climb up Rodriguez Pass. Although it is fairly flat, with little variation in elevation, I expected to be overtaken any moment by the rest of the field. I took consolation in the thought that I could make up any lost time on the following leg. It was around this time that the field started to spread out and I spent most of the time running by myself.

A bit of hands on knees action while climbing up to Du Faur Head. Clarke McClymont Facebook.

Between Perrys Lookout and The Pinnacles the trail descends down in the valley once again to Blue Gum Forest, where it crosses Govetts Creek via a natural log bridge (large fallen tree) and ascends the other side to Du Faur Head and Lockley Pylon before flattening out for the remaining stretch to The Pinnacles. The descent down the sandstone cliff from Perrys is very steep and a slip or trip could result in dire consequences. Given the amount of practice I'd had on this steep part of the course I ran down in a pretty reckless manner and managed to catch Ewan Horsburgh who was suffering a bit with cramps but seemed in good spirits. Once at the bottom of the cliff I opened my stride and cruised down the groomed trail as it descends down to the valley floor. Once across the log bridge my goal for the climb up to Lockley Pylon was to reach the top before the leader came back through on his return journey, half way up the climb I caught up with Loughlinn Kennedy who I'd meet on an earlier training run. It was Loughlinn's  longest distance race to date he was struggling a bit in the heat as it was starting to get very warm on this part of the course. I managed to scramble my way to the top of the climb before meeting Ben Duffus (eventual race winner) just after Lockley Pylon. Behind Ben there was a reasonable gap before I started seeing the chasers. I was keen to get the last bit of this section over as soon as possible. The trail on this side of the valley is comprised of lots of loose sharp rocks which make running difficult as you need to dance around in order to find suitable footing. It is also a section that I find goes on and on and on, hence a section that I tended to avoid during training.

"Do I really have to do it again?" Rebekah Markey Facebook.

At The Pinnacle checkpoint I was greeted by the Markey Family from my local running club Berowra Bushrunners. They were manning The Pinnacles checkpoint, which is also the turnaround point on the course. It was good to have familiar faces which goes a long way towards helping ease the anxious and quick checkpoint turnaround. I headed out for the return journey back over the same trail that I’d just completed, crossing paths with every other runner still out on the course, on their way to the Pinnacles. To keep myself motivated I played a game on the return whereby I wanted to reach a particular tree, or hill, or rock before seeing particular people. The next girl I saw was Maggie, followed closely by Lucy Bartholomew. Judging by the gap I guessed they would be having a good tussle on the return.

What I like most about trail running is how friendly we all are as a collective group. It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you are in the field, people are equally supportive. It makes it a pleasure to participate in events such as these where you are toughing it out on the same course together. There were lots of positive and encouraging comments being exchanged on this return trip and it made the return journey just that little bit quicker and more enjoyable. Meeting the sweepers while ascending Perrys marked the end of the field and a return to solemn running.

Feeling and looking a little exhausted on the return to Perrys Lookdown checkpoint.

There was a small but supportive crowd of spectators at Perrys Lookdown and after another quick refuel at the checkpoint it was onto the dreaded dirt road section again. Edwin Perry managed to reach the checkpoint just ahead of me, but I managed to transition quickly and left ahead of him. He put his long legs to good use and soon caught me and then sped off. Not long after Loughlinn reappeared and he looked a lot better then the last time I saw him. Loughlinn and I ran a bit together until he got to fast and I had to drop back. About halfway along the road section rain drops started to drop lightly out of the sky. Up until then the day had been almost perfect. In typical Blue Mountains style, the weather changed rapidly, this time with rain that slowly developed into a deluge, and briefly hail. I’m fortunate to have an awesome raincoat, so I put it on and it managed to keep everything above my waist dry, until the rain eased, and eventually stopped completely.

When I reached Pulpit Rock I was expecting to encounter more bushwalkers on the trail, but the rain had deterred most of them and the trail was generally free for me to run freely. I arrived at Govetts Leap once again for a final refuel before heading down into the valley one last time. Mentally this was the most difficult part of the race, to leave a checkpoint in which I would finish some 2.5 hours later. I can only imagine how hard it would be for those runners who were struggling to leave the checkpoint to complete the last loop.


I didn't see anyone again till the bottom of Neates Glen when I caught up with Andrew Lee. Andrew was struggling, but he hid it well with his positive attitude. We had a little catch up before I pushed ahead to finish what I'd started.

As I emerged from the Grand Canyon track I was greeted by my young nephews who had been prowling the trail waiting to see me come through. They don’t often get to see me race so this was a novelty for them. Their expectation was that I’d stop and have a chat or play with them on the trail. They were not impressed when I continued running up the switch backs and they couldn’t keep pace. I kept hearing their voices call out " Aunty Beth, please slow down". They unsuccessfully attempted to cut large sections of the switchbacks. It proved to be very amusing in this late stage of the race. They did manage to sort themselves out and get a lift around to Govetts Leap just in time to see me finish.

That was one welcome finish line. Clarke McClymont

After all the ascending and descending the last 50m of course is a gentle incline up to the finish line. As much as I wanted to walk it the gathered crowd kept me honest and I jogged up to the finish for the win in 9:45, 7^th overall.

Post race debrief with Lucy Bartholomew (2nd) and Maggie Jones (3rd).

Mountain Sports continue to put on fantastic events and this is certainly no exception. Race Director Sean Greenhill managed to put together a truly challenging course surrounded by some of the most stunning views in the Blue Mountains. I'm sure he pulled strings to ensure good weather too. To top it off the flora was is full bloom, including numerous waratahs.

Hounslow Classic, 68km podium. Hounslow Classic Facebook.

My win at the Hounslow Classic also allowed me to secure the Oceania Skyrunning Series for 2015. I’ve really enjoyed participating in the series and competing in 4 new Skyrunning events:
The Hillary, 80km, NZ
Buffalo Stampede, 75km, VIC
Mount Difficulty, 43km  NZ 
Hounslow Classic, 68km, NSW.