Dolomite Vertical Kilometer 2013

The next race in my 2013 'Living the Dream' trip was the Dolomite Vertical Kilometer (VK), which also doubled as the European Skyrace Championship in that discipline. I was attracted to this event for a few reasons; it is a style of race that I have not done before, it goes higher than any race I have done in Australia, it is short but very steep and I get to test myself against some of Europe's best.

In the lead up to the event Brian and I stayed at an Austrian town called Schruns, nestled in an alpine valley just shy of the Swiss boarder. The mountains around Schruns were big like most of the mountains I had seen so far in the Alps, but to my luck there was a good place to practice my straight mountain climbing skills in the form of the Europatreppe 4000. Essentially this is a series of 4000 steps running almost continuously up the side of a mountain following a now disused pipeline. The total climb is 700m and the stair does it in 1.35km of distance,  with grades of up to 86% (I didn't know what that was,  but I do now having climbed it). My first attempt was 32min. The following day I returned and  did it in 31min. Not a great improvement,  but it was better than my first attempt and I now had a feeling of what this vertical kilometer was likely to be.

 Halfway up Europatreppe 4000 looking back towards the start at the bottom.

Europatreppe 4000: all the stats, which do not make it any easier.

Turning up to Canazei, Brian and I started scoping out the slopes trying to identify where the VK will be held. On the day before the event we went in search of the start area,  which wasn't all that hard as it was already marked with a little yellow sign and if that wasn't a big enough giveaway then we only needed to follow the procession of runners with really long poles. As the race would be held less than 24 hours away I promised Brian that I would walk it,  but not necessarily stick with him. I got to the top in a casual time of 55min. I wasn't particularly disappointed with this effort. On this attempt I chose a shoe which didn't have much grip, I wasn't being pushed, didn't have poles (don't use them, don't have them and they are more likley to be a hindrance to both me and the people around me if I started using them for this event). I descended off the lofty heights of the VK course feeling confident that I could possibly do 50min, going off my improvement from the Eurotreppe 4000.

The afternoon before the VK it started to rain, a lot. I was wondering how the course would stand up to the downpour. At the race briefing they informed us that there would be start waves with groups of runners going off at 4 minute intervals. The last two groups would consist of the elite VK runners.

Come race morning the skies had cleared and it was a beautiful morning for trail running. We were organised into start groups based on our bib numbers. While we were being organised a guy with an Aussie accent comes over to me and asks if I was Beth. It turns out that there would be another Aussie in the race in the form of James Stewart from Canberra. After our brief introduction I wished him good luck before watching him line up in wave 1 an then heading off up the mountain in a flurry of poles. Looking around it appeared that I was the only person without poles. No, I lie. I did spot a few people without poles, but that was because their poles were on the ground or being held by friends who already had their own pair of poles. Well poles aren't mandatory equipment but neither are shoes and everyone had shoes on. Perhaps you needed poles for this type of running?

The finish is just 'there'.

I lined up in wave 5 as dictated by my race bib (these really were race bibs,  not just a race number). I placed myself at the back of the group, out of respect for those around me who all looked like seasoned VKer's. My expectation for this race was to just beat my time from the day before and try my best. In another flurry of poles my wave started on up the hill. I gave Ian Corless a wave as I ran past him chasing the others ahead. He seemed to look concerned and gave me a sense of urgency, something I'm unfamiliar with given my style of running. I soon caught and passed the second last runner in my group then the next and so on.

The VK course starts in a farmers paddock. The race organisers were kind enough to have mowed it prior to the race. From the start area the trail goes up, up and up. Firstly following a narrow strip of mowed grass and wild flowers on a cambered upward slope. The wild flowers quickly give way to pine trees as the hill gets stepper. There was a small bit of downhill in this section where we lose maybe 1m of elevation,  however this is brief and isn't repeated again on the course. The trail narrows as it ascends up through the pines to a narrow dirt trail. In sections this trail has foot holes cut into it to help with the ascent. Without these foot holds you would just slip on the grade. In other sections temporary stairs had been constructed using branches from the surrounding pines. As the trail continues to ascend and the pines start to thin out there are rocky outcrops that require negotiation. These would have been easier if it was just rock instead of the layer of dirt which covered them. It was also around this section that the marmot burrows started appearing. I wonder what the marmots thought as a few hundred runners with poles (me excluded) came running, tapping and panting past their front door? The pines finally gave way completely to grassy alpine slopes and a wonderful view across the valley Val di Fassa. The top section of the course is a little deceiving as the trail goes to a sadle between two grassed rocky outcrops in which the race organisers place a large blow up arch. Unfortunatly this arch is not the finish. The finish is further up on one of the grassed rocky outcrops.

1000m above Canazei.

During the race spectators had lined most of the course. They yelled,  screamed, rang cow bells and even gave runners a push from behind. It was great to have this level of support on a trail run.

I was happy the way I paced myself for this run. I started conservatively and spent the whole ascent overtaking people who were clearly tanked. My shoes clawed at the ground and held firm. I ran with gloves to help pull and push me up hill using anything within reach; rocks, trees, even grass. Don't get me wrong in thinking it was easy. It was far from an up hill walk in the forest. My breathing was labored, but under control. My legs were burning. I was pushing on both my knees with every upward step. I absolutely loved it.

As I neared the finish I could see another girl ahead of me who started in my wave. I closed in on her and although we were both very close at the end I finished a whole 9 seconds behind her. At the finish gate I grabbed a recovery Coke from the refreshment table then checked my time on the live timing TV screen that was rigged on the side of the steep slope. My time was 43:53, second behind the girl that finished just ahead of me from my start wave. James finished in 42:51 and was looking good sitting amongst the fast guys, at least that was the way it remained until the elite VK runners started their ascent. The elite men started first with the elite girls starting last. I watched the first girl (Antonella Confortola) come across the finish, then a full two minute wait for the second girl (Emelie Forsberg) then more girls started trickling over the line. James went and checked the TV screen again then came back and informed me that I'd finished 6th female. I was pretty happy with my performance, far exceeding my initial expectations. Plus I was just 52 seconds from second place, so it was a tight contest.

James Stewart and I at the top waiting for the Elites to arrive.

That afternoon I was presently surprised to find out that my exertion wasn't particularly taxing on my body. Everyone I had spoken to regarding the VK said that I'd recover in time to run the Skyrace in two days time. I'd placed a lot of trust in other people's faith and was glad that they were right.

In reflection I don't know if I could have gone faster in the VK, particularly on that course which is almost entirely power walking. Perhaps if I'd started with the elite girls they would have fought harder for their positions, and possibly me mine. Apparently poles give you a distinct advantage when climbing but that requires skill, technique and some upper body strength. I suppose the only way to find out is to give a VK another go!

I would highly recommend the VK race format to all my running friends. It is a worthwhile experience that just about every trail runner/walker is capable of competing. It is less about speed and more about determination.

Check out the Dolomite Vertical Kilometer video below. The only problem is that the video does not do the course justice. It doesn't capture the cross camber of the course on the grassy slope at the beginning or the steepness of the assent. It does however give you an indication of the effort that everyone puts in to get to the top. You might also see a shot of me at the beginning doing up my shoes.

Ice Trail Tarentaise - Altispeed 2013

My entry into the Ice Trail Tarentaise Altispeed race wasn't exactly planned. Brian had entered me into three races prior to our departure to Europe. My first race, Lavaredo Ultra Trail (LUT), was shortened from 118km to 85km due to late snow falls. Following the LUT Brian and I discussed the idea of doing another race to 'make up' the race distance I had lost due to the altered course. We looked at a Skyrace, the Ice Trail (65km, +/-5000m, highest point 3653m) in Val d'Isere, France, which looked pretty extreme (for an Aussie girl that is). It was 64km long, run at altitude, had snow and even ice in the form of a glacier. The distance didn't concern me, although I had come to discover that distance in the mountains is negligible, it is time spent covering the distance that is all important. It was the altitude, snow and ice that concerned me most. Just about all my running is done between sea level and 1000m. I've only previously raced above 2000m at LUT and Western States. My experience running in snow had been limited to a few kilometers at Western States and more recently at LUT. The Ice Trail had a shorter version called the Altispeed (32km, +/-2500m, highest point 3386m), but although half the distance it still looked to be a challenging course. Brian and I had a friend, Marcus Warner, entered to do the Ice Trail, and to fill in our holiday we decided to head towards Val d'Isere to check out the area and even spectate at the event. After a few red wines, Brian took my interest in the event as being serious so quietly disappeared to enter me online in the Altispeed.

 

Altispeed course profile.

The week before the Altispeed race we stayed in Annecy, France, checking out the area and meeting up with people. We had the opportunity to chat with a few runners who were running the Ice Trail and others who had experience in this type of racing in snow and at altitude. The conversations I had concerned me and generally went along the lines of;
Runner: "Have you run on snow or ice before"
Me: "No."
Runner: "I would suggest you use poles to help with your stability when running on the snow."
Me: "I've never used poles before."
Runner: "Never?"
Me: "Never."
Runner: "OH........"
To say that these conversation made me a little nervous and concerned is an understatement.

The trail up to Tunnel des Lessieres

The Thursday before the event we arrived in Val d'Isere and met up with Marcus in the afternoon. Marcus had arrived a few days earlier so when we arrived he drove us straight up to Col de l'Iseran, +2770m, to start acclimatising. Col de l'Iseran would be one of the checkpoints on the two courses (Ice trail and Altispeed). From here we followed the race trail up the hill through the snow to the Tunnel des Lessieres at 3000m elevation to start the acclimatisation process. Marcus explained the science behind it while I sat down and enjoyed the view.

Acclimatising with Marcus Warner, me, Brian Cardelli

The following day Marcus had another adventure lined up for us. This time we would head up the valley to Refuge du Prarinod, then beyond up a hill until we reached an elevation of over 3000m. The start of the run followed a narrow valley before opening up to a wide grassy valley. It was here that Marcus and I decided to run up a random slope. It started off OK but quickly got steeper. Marcus stopped at about 300m of vertical climbing and I continued on a little further. We both descended on our backsides. A little further on we passed the refuge, then climbed the hill behind up into the snow. Marcus was kind enough to give me some pointers about traversing snow so I spent this time practicing. On the decent we stopped by the refuge to have a light lunch.

Acclimatising on the French/Italian boarder. Acclimatising with Marcus involves a lot of either standing and chatting or sitting and chatting. No arguments from me. It seemed to work.

Race day soon arrived and I lined up with the other runners at the start. I wasn't paying much attention to the pre-race announcements, as they were all in French, when I heard my name being called out.  I'm not sure what was said but I found myself being pushed towards the front and there I stayed briefly before the start, when I quickly got swamped by all the other runners. The first section of the run followed the road up the valley. The grade wasn't particularly taxing but after a few kilometers we quickly turned and the climb began. We climbed up out of the valley following a dirt trail with grassy slopes either side. The climb went for a while and by the time I had reached the top of the first section I'd passed the lead girl. From there we climbed further into the snow. I used my newly honed snow running skills to get to the top of the climb where we joined up with the runners doing the Ice Trail. From this point on we shared the same course until the finish line. We crested the first climb, Col des Fours (2976m), then started the decent down the other side where Brian said he would be waiting. As he promised he was there waiting for me. As I approached he gave me encouragement and we both started running up the tarred mountain road together. Other guys around all started walking on this road section, but I was determined to run as I was sure my efforts running in the snow had allowed the girls behind to close the gap. It didn't take very long for Brian to drop off and start walking too.

Photo courtesy of Ian Corless, iancorless.org

The road section was soon over and it was back to climbing the mountain proper. This next climb would take me to the highest point on the Altispeed course, Aiguille Pers at 3386m. The climb was a little surreal. The grade was too steep to run, so everyone around me was walking. As we were ascending there were skiers descending beside us on groomed slopes. Also the more I climbed the more labored my breathing became. I remember thinking to myself that this was the whole reason for coming to Europe, to run in races that are completely different to what I had run before, and that is exactly what I was getting.  

Aiguille Pers at the top middle.

The decent was pretty easy compared to the climb and I could feel my breathing improving as I went. The trail skirted around the side of a mountain, then over a few small hills before arriving at the final checkpoint, Col de l'Iseran. There was a big crowd gathered, whether because of the race or because it was a place of interest, either way it was good to get the cheers. Brian was there again cheering me on and letting me know how I was doing. The last big climb was up to the Tunnel des Lessieres, a section that I was familiar with. I knew now that I could finish strong and hold my position to the end. The climb was short, compared to the two previous climbs. When I reached the other side of the tunnel I was surprised to see the trail just drop off in front of me. There was no gentle grade down. I watched a guy in front of me start running then drop onto his bum and slide down. Obviously this was a genuine technique so I followed suite. This bit of sliding was over too quickly, and the trail veered off in a different direction so it was back to running in the snow, over another small hill, more snow, then grassy slopes towards the chairlift. The trail followed the chairlift down the hill, though less direct, with a series of switchbacks down to the valley floor and the town centre.

Tunnel des Lessieres.

I was happy with my finish time of 4:01:49. I went into this race with no expectations other than to finish. I hadn't seen much, if any, of the course. My technique and confidence on snow is next to nil. I can say that having completed the course I do feel more confident running on the snow. I also think that doing the short race was a smart move as my time at altitude was limited, minimising any effects I may have had otherwise. Just before presentation concluded Marcus Warner staggered across the finish line in 13:57:41, perfectly timed to take a photograph of the mens Ice Trail podium for his Ultra168 post.

I'm glad the MC answered his own questions because I didn't understand a word.

Below is a short video showing what parts of the trail was like. I'm in there at about 3:01. My climbing skills are just like everyone elses however I do have a unique technique when it comes to descending on snow.

Lavaredo Ultra Trail 2013

I have to start out by thanking Gretel Fortman and her race blog from last year's Lavaredo Ultra Trail for drawing my attention to this run. My plan for 2013 was to wait until the Western States lottery was drawn to find out if I would be going to California or elsewhere. As it turned out for 2013 I would be going elsewhere. Elsewhere turned into the Lavaredo Ultra Trail, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The course looked appealing (118km with +5740m) set in the Dolomite Mountains.

 

Tre Cime already had plenty of snow before the snow fall that cause the course to be altered.

Brian and I (Brian really) organised our trip so that we would get to Cortina two weeks before race day. Arriving early would give us a chance to explore the area and acclimatise. It worked out even better because Mum and Dad would be finishing their 4 week holiday in central Italy before joining us for the race before heading back to Sydney.

Arriving in Cortina I was overwhelmed by the size of the mountains. I know I've been told that the Blue Mountains, Australia are really just small hills, and that the Snowy Mountains, Australia are just as insignificant, but having seen real alpine mountains, well they are impressive. The trails around Cortina are well set out and easy even for me to navigate, all you had to do was follow the numbered trails and the red and white trail markings. Even someone as navigationally challenged as I could do that. On our first afternoon in town Brian and I set out on the start of the Lavaredo Trail for a short run without any navigation problems. Everything about the area was just brilliant. For the whole week Brian and I logged lots of kilometers on the official Lavaredo (my race) and Cortina (Brian's shorter 46km race) Trails. To get to the far reaches of the course we utilised the local buses which were easy to use and allowed us to extend our range.

Forcella Giau which was another part of the course that still had snow on it during my earlier training runs.

On our trip we scheduled a forced taper period in the form of a few days in Venice. It was hard going from a region like Cortina where the mountains are constantly calling out to be run, to a place like Venice where running at times other than first light in the morning is impossible because of the crowds. The only benefit of Venice was that I got plenty of practice using the navigation menu on my Suunto Ambit 2 GPS watch. There was plenty of extra kilometers logged trying to navigate my way around Venice's crazy layout.

When I returned to Cortina on the Wednesday before the event we found out that they had had a recent now fall of around 30cm up on the higher sections of the course. This wasn't helped by another follow up snow fall before the event which was causing race organisers grief. On my previous recce runs I was already aware that there was plenty of snow still on the course and that in parts the race organisers had cleared sections of the course. These more recent snow falls however were jeopardising the race itself. The race was originally scheduled to start 11pm on Friday night. All day Friday there were updates being posted on Facebook (mostly in Italian which added to the confusion), but before the 6pm briefing it was announced that the course would be altered and the start delayed until 8am the following morning. In my frustration I went for a run, which in hind sight probably wasn't the best idea as I went further than was planned. At briefing the race organisers said that they had to concede to the course conditions and in the interests of all competitors shorten the course to 85km, +/-3000m and avoid certain sections of the original course that were heavily affected by the recent snow falls.

There was no snow up there when we left for Venice.

I was hugely disappointed that I wouldn't be racing the entire course. I also felt sorry for the race organisers that through events completely out of their control they were forced to make such drastic changes to both their events; Lavaredo and Cortina Trails. I didn't feel entirely robbed however as I was fortunate enough to have traversed the majority of the course on some pristine days.

So on Saturday morning I lined up on the start line with all the other anxious runners ready to run. After a short musical piece the countdown began then we were off. The race was a real community event and from the start line in the centre of town the race heads up the main street of Cortina which was lined with more people cheering than at any other event I had been to to date.

The start/finish chute in the centre of town.

It wasn't long before we headed up on to the trails and in to pine forests. We climbed up several hundred meters before the trail leveled out and skirted around the mountain with glorious views of the d'Ampezzo valley. At this stage I was sitting comfortably with the other lead girls in the race, but as the race developed I felt myself starting to lag. I was just starting to feel flat. At first I thought I could run it off, so that's what I did for the next 10-15km's, but it wasn't working. I thought about the food and drink I had been consuming and it wasn't any different to what I normally do in training and in races. It couldn't have been the altitude as we weren't that high. Even so, I had been training at a higher elevation the weeks before the race and the highest points of the course had been removed, so the average race elevation was lower. I just wasn't sure what was happening. I had in the back of my mind, Western States 2011, where I felt sick, although there I thought I knew the reason and also the solution. The result in this race was that I started to slip back down the field.

Lago Ghedina, one of the checkpoints.

I'm a strong believer that ultra events go long enough that when disaster strikes you still have the distance and time to sort yourself out. In this instance I pulled back a gear to help compose myself. It was frustrating having other girls run and even walk past me but I just couldn't push to stay with them. There was one section of the trail at about 55km where I had had enough. If there was a checkpoint there and then I probably would have called it quits. Instead I did something I had never done before in an ultra which was to lie down. I walked off the trail and found a small patch of soft grass under a tree and just laid down. Gee it felt good. Laying there with my eyes closed it felt like 'nap time', and for those that know me well, that is an important part of my training/day. After a few minutes I got up, brushed myself off and was ready to make up some places. Running back on the course felt remarkably different. It was as though the gun had just gone off, only now it was a 30km race and not an 85km race and the girls ahead had a good head start. Looking ahead I could see a girl ahead and focused on closing the gap to her. I passed her on the climb and she must have thought I was running a different race. She had passed me not too long before my nap and saw the way I was feeling. Now I felt different, rejuvenated.

Lago Misurina with Tre Cime in the background.

The last 20km or so of the altered Lavaredo Trail joined up with the last 20km of the Cortina Trail which we shared to the finish line. It was refreshing to have this second wind while passing other runners. As we passed each other I would encourage them in English while they would encourage me in Italian mostly, I think?. We didn't have to understand what was said as it was the way we were saying it that conveyed the message. We had all shared the trails and had similar journeys, and given mother natures recent medelling we were just glad to be participating.


I managed to move my way up from 7th to finish on the extended podium in 4th place with a time of 10:16:10. Brian finished his first ultra in more than 2 years, covering the 46km Cortina Trail in 6:37:08.

Presentation.

In reflection I would like to think that I could have run faster and done better. I've had some time to think about why I was feeling flat and I still don't have an answer. I didn't have the same problems in the following races I did in Europe. Even though those other races were shorter I had none of the symptoms  during or after the races. I've since spoken to some other Aussies who were racing in Europe and they said that they'd experienced similar issues. I suppose that is the nature of ultra running. You are pushing your body to the extreme to test the limits and when doing this sometimes unwanted things can happen. When I start having consecutive 'perfect' races I'll think about doing some other sport. 

Here is a short video of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail by The North Face.  

The North Face 100 - 2013

What really impressed me with this year’s TNF100 event was the sheer number of PB's from repeat offenders and top performances by newbies on this course.

I have a certain affinity with this event. It is in the Blue Mountains and I love the Blue Mountains. It traverses some of my favourite locations with stunning views. It was my first 100km event and first big ultra. I ran in the inaugural event (2008), which was held shortly after I started running. During the first event all I could think about was just finishing and perhaps getting a silver belt buckle (then available for sub 20hr finishers). I trained as hard as I could and was absolutely stoked to finish, and more so to have done it in 15:30. The lead guys and girls in that year’s race managed to finish in 10:22 and 12:45 respectively. I was in absolute awe of their athletic ability and couldn't comprehend how people were capable of traversing such difficult terrain in the times they did. They must have been exceptional athletes to accomplish such incredible times.

After the first year there were rumours that the event might have been a one off, but I was thrilled when entries opened and I was once again training for this epic event. I must have been one of the first to put an entry in. The number of entrants grew and along with it the sport. Reflecting on it people trained harder, gear was more developed and people in general became smarter in the knowledge of how to tackle this beast. This particular year my goal shifted from just finishing to getting another silver belt buckle (now only for sub 14hr finishers). I wasn't sure what I was going to do with a second belt buckle, as I only have one waist, but I wanted another one for what it represented and a new PB in the process. I suppose what I really wanted was to achieve a new goal that I felt was within my reach. My finish time that year was 13:36 and my goal was realized. To top it off I was lucky enough to make the podium to claim second place but I was still a long way from Julie Quinn who was out front pushing the limits to set the first of her female course records at 12:13.

Come the following year the event was building a solid base of runners. My goal was once again simple; as always to just finish. I had trained a little more for this race and was confident of another PB. I was a little shocked when I dropped down into Jamison Valley with Julie in equal first. I had never been in this situation before and wasn't too sure on quite how to handle it. My approach was to keep running within my own limits and what ever happened so be it. Climbing out of Jamison Valley I spent the whole time power walking/running scarred thinking that my lead would be gone in an instant when Julie caught me but she didn't. I was over the moon with my result. At the time it was the pinnacle of my running career. I didn't care that I had fallen short of Julie's female course record by 3 minutes as I had achieved something which just a few short years before I had thought was above and beyond anything I could attain.

The following year in 2011 I was sidelined with injury. It was probably the worst year to miss running TNF100 as the race had attracted a good contingent of international trail runners in the form of 'Team Salomon'. I watched the race from the sidelines and what really impressed me was Julie Quinn's performance. She ran the whole day behind the leading females only to dramatically close the gap in the second last leg, then to capitalise on her gains by taking second then first place to secure the win and the female course record in under 12hrs (11:39). Julie's performance that year reinforced in my mind how important it is to focus on your own race in order to achieve your own goals.

My goal this year was to focus on myself and try to finish in a time that I thought was attainable. I felt during this year’s race things went a little better than in previous years. My running felt more fluent. The gear I had performed better. My serviced checkpoints were measured in what seemed like seconds instead of minutes.

If you look hard enough you can see my legs.

Race morning was pretty chilly, no different to any other year. The Fairmount (race HQ) was buzzing with runners full of pre-race nerves. It was great to see so many spectators along the road cheering us on. The first section is quite technical with lots of stairs and single trails which makes it difficult to pass. Hanny Allston was just behind me and polity asked the guys in front if she could get through. I pulled over to let her pass but she declined the offer and said I was fine, how sweet of her. Hanny finally had enough of being behind me and took off shortly after CP1. She flew down Narrowneck. She looked so strong and powerful. I felt so weak in comparison. Shona was out in front at that stage and Hanny was not far behind. I wondered as I lost sight of them both how long Shona could hold Hanny off. I caught my good friend and training buddy Shane Simpson near Tarros Ladders, the same spot I caught him last year and at the same Shona. It’s funny how the years repeat themselves.

Ironpot and Megalong Valley passed without any problems and I ran into CP3 to the cheer of my supporters. Mum and Dad were there along with Brian, my aunt and uncle (Sally and Martin) along with the Berowra Bushrunner crew who were out supporting other runners on the course, and the rest of the friendly faces who form the ultra running fraternity.

Going up Nellies I caught up to Hanny where she informed me she was pulling out with an injury and wished me luck for the rest of the race. Hanny had only just decided to step up to the 100km at the last minute to give it ago. With her A race being the Orienteering World Championship in a few weeks’ time she made a wise decision to pull out. It was great to meet Hanny and I hope to race with her again in the future.

In the later sections of the race I found myself catching up to some of the top guys. A few of them had a disappointed look in their eyes as I neared them. I think it was the fear of being chicked. Coming up Kedumba Pass I caught Grant Guise who by this time had lost the spring in his step. Grant wasn’t going to let me go on the steep fire trail so we stuck together which made the climb a lot more enjoyable. We Passed Mick going up Kedumba, he didn’t look amazing but better than when I saw and passed him at a similar place last year.

Grant and I moving too fast for the cameraman. 

Chris Truscott and Matty Abel passed us near the top of the Kedumba climb but Grant and I were very efficient at CP5 and left before both of them. This was the first time I talked about my race goal with Brian, my husband and crew. He said I was still on target but would have to run hard to get it. The last leg is very technical and really does drain the last of your reserves. I put in a massive effort on this last stretch trying to keep with Grant, Grant found a second wind and started flying off and Chris Truscott caught us again. I told Grant to leave me and chase him but I guess my company was too good and he chose to stay. I didn’t want to lose him and he didn’t want to drop me. Together we made it to the finish line and literally fell over it (in a poor attempt at a leap-frog) in 11:01. Thanks Grant!

My run-up before crashing into Grant Guise.

When I talked to runners following this year’s TNF100 I feel a real affinity between their successes and mine on this course. As tough as this course is, it’s the feeling of overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles that gives us the biggest rewards. For me it is going from a simple goal of finishing in my first attempt to my most recent result. Though finishing with a time if 11:01 is oh so close to my ultimate short term goal. Oh well there is always next year.

Well done to Brendan Davies who scored a massive PB and CR (amazing!). Also well done to Joanne Brischetto placing 2^nd Female in her first ever 100km.

Ladies Podium, Shona, Beth, Jo. 

Tarawera Race Report 2013

This time of year I would normally be inclined to have done what most Sydney trail runners do, but recently there have been so many new trail running events added to the calendar that I decided to mix my race schedule up a little. That is why I decided to enter the Tarawera Ultra Marathon in Rotorua, New Zealand.

At the beginning of January I made my regular pilgrimage down to Mt Beauty for the Bogong to Hotham race. There was speculation that this race would be called off due to the extreme risk of fire danger in the National Park. As race day loomed and the daily temperatures kept peaking over 40deg the inevitable became reality and the race was sensibly called off. My trip down to Mt Beauty therefore turned into a training camp. Was trail racing going to be disrupted the same in 2013 as it was in 2012? I certainly hoped not!

Shortly after my return from Mt Beauty a pain in my lower back/hip area started to emerge. This was a new injury unlike anything I had had previously. I could feel it constantly and it was excruciating when I tried to run. After some tests I placed myself in the hands of a highly recommended chiro who helped the healing process. He was good but he was still unable to get me right in time for Cradle Mountain, which for me went down as a DNS.

In the lead up to Tarawera my recovery had been enough to allow me to run but not without discomfort. My training had mainly consisted of 2-3 short daily runs. My nett weekly mileage was high, but I wasn't able to do any long runs. I did have some things to look forward too though. One was the support from Salomon Australia who provided my race outfit. In the lead up to the race Salomon Australia had given me shoes and waist belt to train with, which I really enjoyed using. The other was that even though the original Tarawera race course had to be altered due to extreme fire danger, the race looked certain to proceed, and with me there to enjoy it.

The Tarawera pre-race activities (see earlier blog post) were fantastic. It is a real highlight in my running career. It was a good opportunity to mix with some serious international talent while also a good opportunity to check out the competition, only it was difficult to know who exactly the competition was. I had entered the 100km event, however there was also 85km and 60km and relay events on offer as well. To make it more confusing entrants were able to amend their distance during the race. Then to add into the mix the fact that the trail for this years race had been altered due to drought and extreme fire danger in the area. The 100km course was altered so that entrants ran 60km out then 40km back, with the shorter distances being a variation on this. It was all very crazy and confusing. The approach I took into the race was the simplest approach, which was to run my own race at my own pace.

In the predawn light under the giant red woods outside of Rotorua I lined up on the start line with all the other runners. I felt totally out of my depth standing there with all the international elites. The countdown to the start began, then we were off and running, uphill, guided by glow sticks and our head lamps. This was not an easy race start. Not as hard as Western States, but the mix of fire trail and single trail that we followed just kept climbing. The views over Rotorua at the top were spectacular and set the tone for the surroundings we would run in for the rest of the day. As the shadows slowly dissipated I became more aware of where I was amongst the foreign field. Running in local races I have an idea of how I'm going judging by the people around me. In this event I didn't recognise anyone so had no idea if I had gone out too fast (though I was pretty sure Shona was still in front) or too slow (though Brian definitely hadn't caught up). The pace that I settled into was one that I thought I could manage for the rest of the day. I could still feel discomfort in my back while I ran and thankfully it wasn't getting worse.

The first few legs were lots of fun with plenty of people to run with and pockets of supporters cheering us all on. The trail kept changing constantly from tared road to gravel road to fire trail to single trail to what seemed at times a made up single trail and variations of all these. The second major checkpoint was at Lake Okareka, which was also the 100km finish, approximately 20km into the race. Everything I was running beyond this point I'd be running again. In my mind this played horrible games. Every downhill I enjoyed I knew would be a dreaded uphill with tiering legs on the return.

By the time I arrived at the Okataina Lodge checkpoint there were people everywhere, music blasting over loud speakers, it was the place to be. This checkpoint was also the main finish area for the 60km and 85km runners. It was awesome to hear all the commotion from about a kilometre out as we ran down the hillside towards the Lake Okataina shore and checkpoint. As I quickly transitioned through the checkpoint the announcer said that I was the third woman to come through. My guess was Ruby 1st, Shona 2nd, then me. On I went around the lake, I could hear the sound of the checkpoint slowly dissipate as I went in pursuit of those in front.

Somewhere around Humphries Bay I saw Sage Canaday (eventual 100km race winner) heading towards me. It meant that he had reached the out and back section and was on the return journey. I cheered him on, as well as all the other runners I crossed path with on this out and back section. There was a long break before the next lot of lead runners started filing past.

I eventually caught up with Shona shortly after the Humphries Bay checkpoint and we ran together for a couple of kilometres. She was looking a little stressed and said as much. Shortly after she took a heavy fall behind me. I stopped to make sure she was alright before helping her up and get her going again. We kept together for a little while longer until I started to pull away. Ruby passed by, pretty close to the lead guys and I knew that she was untouchable.

Somewhere along this leg I made the startling realisation that I no longer had any pain in my lower back. For almost two months I had been dealing with this constant discomfort and now after more than 40km it had disappeared. I went through the checklist of what hurts more. If my back doesn’t hurt any more then there must be something that is more painful. I could feel a blister or two starting to form, but other than that nothing.

On the out and back section. Courtesy ultra168.com

 

I eventually made the turnaround point at Tarawera Outlet where we were met with another checkpoint and the always present media contingent covering this race. I had spent the last few days around these guys as part of the pre race activities and they were full of encouragement as I came in and left. Now came the first of the mind games, the return run over ground I had just covered. Other than traversing the same terrain backwards, the only variance this time would be passing all the other runners on their way out to Tarawera Outlet. The further I ran back the more exhausted the people were who were heading out. I didn't mind this more technical part of the trail (though it is not nearly as technical as the trails in the Blue Mountains) and I took pleasure in knowing that I could leave it all behind me.

I passed Shona again on the return and she said something about pulling out. I hoped she was ok.

Heading into the Okataina Lodge checkpoint I was turning over in my mind the possibility of stopping short at the 85km race distance. I had passed all those runners doing the 85km and 100km distances and knew that I was safely in 2nd place. I eventually convinced myself that I had come over to do the 100km distance and that anything else would be a lazy option and a DNF in my mind. Plus nothing was hurting and I could physically still complete the distance. As I emerged from the trail into the checkpoint I was greeted by Brian, who had predictably stopped short. He grabbed my little water bottle to refill, then urged me out of the checkpoint with a few words of encouragement. There was not time to think about the shorter option so on I went.

10km Finish Line

The hill going out of the Okataina Lodge checkpoint was the only hill I really walked all race. Safe in the knowledge of where I was in the field I relaxed a little and enjoyed this luxury. Once at the top, the highest part of the course, the terrain slowly dipped back down towards the road and finally the Lake Okareka checkpoint and 100km finish. It was a good feeling crossing the finish line for the first time in 2013. I finished in a time of 11:43, 2^nd female, which I was happy with given the training. It didn’t matter how hard I tried today I would never have been able to stick with new wonder kid on the block, Ruby Muir. Ruby’s run was a standout world class performance.

In summary, I really enjoyed the course. I think I enjoyed it more than I would have if I’d run the original course as this race had more elevation gain and loss on lots more trail.

Presentation with Ruby Muir. Courtesy ultra168.com

Tarawera Pre-Race Report 2013

This isn’t my usual race report. Instead it is a short reflection of the pre-race activities leading up to the race which I believe deserves equal recognition.

Nature walk. Courtesy irunfar.com

The Tarawera Ultra Trail Marathon has in my eyes raised the bar in regards to professionalism in trail running, especially in Australia/New Zealand. The Race Director, Paul Charteris, should be recognised and complemented for what he has pulled off at this year’s recent event. I’m not sure exactly how he managed to pull it off, but he successfully attracted some seriously talented trail runners, both locally and from around the world, then capitalised on their attendance with a host of media personnel (backcountryrunner.co.nz, irunfar.com and ultra168.com). In an ultra trail running event where competitors have invested a lot of time training and finances leading up to and attending the event it was good of the RD to help extend the atmosphere of the event (not just the run) to make it an unforgettable experience.

Just before general entries for this event closed I threw my hat into the ring for the 100km event and was surprised by the social media comments from both the general public and the RD. Still months out from race day and already there was banter and speculation galore about who had entered and who was about to enter and amongst those names who would finish at the top. As these online discussion continued, more and more high profile names in the sport got added to the start list, and before I think anybody could believe it Paul could rightly compile a pretty impressive list of Elite Athletes. It must have done Paul’s head in trying not to miss any dark horses amongst the 400 odd entrants.

Group shot following welcome onto Marae. Courtesy ultra168.com

 

Paul could have stopped with the Elite’s list, but instead he took it to another level by organising some pre-race activities for the elites and general entry competitors alike. I felt honoured when an invite went out to include me in the closed invite activates which entailed; a BBQ dinner at Pauls house in Rotorua, a welcome onto a Marae in the traditional fashion by the people of Ngati Whare, a guided nature walk in the Whirinaki Forest, and formal media conference at Te Puia cultural centre. This was a great opportunity to showcase the regions cultural side while capitalising on the fact that such talent has assembled for this particular event.

An open invite went out for the 7-8km trail run/walk in the Whakarearewa Red Woods where people were able to rub shoulders with runners of all levels. This run was awesome and got to show off the race start area, which would be shrouded in darkness come race morning.

Red Woods Run

The above activities were followed by a hugely successful Q & A session with some of the Elites chaired by Grant Guise and Marcus Warner on Friday afternoon for all to attend. This fantastic initiative proved to be a casual but hugely entertaining session by a group of grounded trail runners who reflect the general good nature of those in the sport of ultra trail running.

Q & A Session

It would be great to see more high profile trail running events take on a similar approach to the one that Paul did. He was successful in turning a race into an event for entrants and associated parties alike. The whole experience proved to be a great opportunity to not only sell the race but to allow all entrants to get more out of the event than just the bit between the start and finish lines. All race directors should take note.

A Nice Surprise

What a year 2012 ended up being. It started off with a lot of rain, throw in some PB’s, a bit of travel, excitement, anticipation, trepidation and a few niggles (although not always in that order and the measurements were varied). Mix these ingredients up for 12 months. The end result was an unexpected reward.

As all my new years have started out since I started running, I turned up for the Beyond The Black Stump Fat Ass run. It’s always good to have a large social run around the local trails and it is a good indicator as to how well I have prepared for Bogong to Hotham which is usually held the following week.

As it turned out I should have been doing survival training for Bogong to Hotham. The weather forecasts for the event indicated that it would be wet. So at the start line we all had the full race packs and we stood around in a light drizzle. The race started and the conditions got worse the higher and further we went. The weather eventually got so bad the race was called off at Langford Gap (about the half way mark). The wind was so strong it felt like it was pushing me back and the rain was like needles hitting the skin.

Australia Day for me was a very busy day. I started the morning by doing the 6hr Knapsack trail run (around a 5km course) followed by a night at Darling Harbour celebrating my mother-in-law’s birthday. Around and around I went on the Knapsack course, lapping Brian until he finally stopped. Shortly after the heavens opened up and I got wet. This was two races in a row that were wet. Surely it couldn’t happen again.

The next event on the calendar was Six Foot Track. I had a pretty good run the year before and wanted to give it another good crack. In the days leading up to the event the weather had been wet and the forecast looked no better. The Ultra168 boys summed the conditions up pretty well on their website. No matter how many prays were said the flooding at the river crossings was in full swing and the race was called off. Race day was fine though and I joined a large group who did the Narrow Neck/ Megalong Valley loop, so the weekend wasn’t wasted.

In April I had plans to do Mt Solitary. This was postponed until August due rain and I missed this event also. Was it me causing all this rain? If so it wasn’t intentional!

With pretty much no racing so far in 2012, heading into The North Face 100, Blue Mountains, I had no idea how I would fare. I had done some pretty good low intensity training in the lead up to the event and was pretty keen just to race. Everything turned out pretty good during the race and I was pleasantly surprised when I crossed the finish line with a new PB and course record.

Two weeks after TNF100 I made my way back up into the Blue Mountains and then down to the Wolgan Valley for the inaugural Glow Worm Tunnel Marathon. It was lots of fun and I enjoyed the challenging course. More surprisingly my legs were able to last the distance, just.

Following my last Trailwalker I vowed to never do a Trailwalker again but the opportunity to join team No Roads Expeditions was too good to refuse, so I vowed never to never say never again and upped my training. Heading into race day I wasn’t feeling 100% and was substituted with Shona Stephenson, which worked out well for the team who managed a well-deserved win.

The same weekend as the Sydney Trailwalker was Willy To Billy. This is a run I really enjoy doing but as with most races so far in 2012 the event was cancelled, not due to nature but this time due to bureaucracy. 2012 was not the year to be a trail runner.

My first race in the second half of 2012 was the Nepean Odyssey. This is another race that had to be rescheduled due to bad weather earlier in the year. Brian’s cousin, Stuart, was going to do this multi-sport event as a solo entrant but decided to change his entry to a team entry. He had a friend to do the mountain bike leg, Stuart was doing the paddle leg and in the quest to fill the vacant running leg he recruited me. I arrived when the event was well underway and expecting to see a few competitors return from the paddle leg before needing to run, I was in a great rush to organise myself when Stuart arrived in second place at the transition zone. So with a quick change over I headed out for the 19km trail run. I ran my pants off (not literally but you know what I mean) knowing that none other than Brendan Davies would be hot on my heels running for another team (No Roads Expeditions). I managed to keep him at bay and take first place to be the first team home overall, though a solo competitor managed to beat all of us home. This will probably be the first and last time that I finish ahead of Brendan, so it is a cherished moment.

 

With a large gap to fill before my last ‘A’ race for 2012 I entered the Centennial Park Ultra 100km. My loose targe was to qualify for the Australian 100km road running team with a sub 9hr time. I didn’t manage my goal but I still did the distance and wasn’t too far off to target time.

My last big race for 2012 was the Great North Walk. I had to sit on the side line for this race the previous year and I was looking for a good result. Originally I entered the 100mile event but my training wasn’t where it needed to be and my heart wasn’t in it, so I dropped down to the 100km event. This proved to be the right choice and I renewed my training with vigour. Come race day I managed to get lost several times, one time for about 45min, on a course I thought I knew. In those instances all you can do is laugh really, then get on with it. That aside I still managed a reasonable time to the finish, with room for improvement next year.

A few weeks later I teamed up with Shona Stephenson for the 30/50km Team Challenge down on the Mornington Peninsular in Victoria. We were doing the 50km together. The race consisted of three parts; the first chasing Shona, the second running through soft sand, and the third battling the heat. All up it was a fun run and we managed to get first in our division.

I have been following Coast To Kosci for a number of years with some mixed interest. This year I was supposed to be crewing my buddy Shane Simpson in his quest to run and finish this race for a second time. As things turned out I couldn’t get away from work so missed the opportunity to experience the race close up, but I’m glad it didn’t affect Shane’s performance.

And of course, throughout 2012 I regularly joined Berowra Bushrunners’ on their regular bush runs and 10km Road Handicap.

All up I was happy to be injury free, although there were a few niggles that I didn’t want to test from time to time.

I thought I had had a pretty good year, then on the way down to Mt Beauty for the 2013 instalment of Bogong to Hotham I got a phone call from AURA (Australian Ultra Runners Association) saying that they had awarded me Female Ultra Runner of the Year 2012. It’s an honour to receive this award and recognition, and to be considered along with current and previous recipients.

I couldn’t think of a better way to top off 2012. Thanks AURA.