Tower Trail Run 56 km, Mount Gambier

I’m not a big fan of loops so it’s surprising I signed up for the Tower Trail Run 56 km ultra in Mount Gambier with four loops of 14 kilometres. In its favour I’ve never been to 'The Mount' as they call it and secondly I figured that the loops were sufficiently long that I would have forgotten what the loop was like by the time I started the next one, so it would all be nice and fresh for me.

Race day was cool and clear, in great contrast to the previous day when it had rained intermittently all day. I ran 17 kilometres in the morning on the rail trail that begins from Port Fairy, and while I enjoyed the pretty countryside I got extremely wet.

The race started right by my hotel, a bonus, and there were only 22 starters in the ultra. I was surprised to see what Mt Gambier was like: a normal town on a large plain, but then a steep slope to one side and an enormous drop off beyond the slope with two large lakes at the base, Blue Lake and Leg of Mutton Lake. It was actually quite weird but made a great setting for a trail run. 

Blue Lake

The loop was a mixture of trails deep in the forest filled calderas, sealed access roads to the lakes, a path around the outside of the Blue Lake, and a climb to the centenary tower which gave the race its name. So it was very varied, and it was also very hilly. I had seen the elevation profile on the race website and also studied the results for the 42 km race the previous year so I suspected the race might not be flat, but I was surprised to see how hilly a route they had concocted. It was quite obvious, standing above the lakes, that there would be a big descent down to them and a big ascent up to the tower, but the race route took in plenty more climbs than this. It was a tough course with very little that could be called flat. And lots of steps, both up and down. Lots of tree roots on the steep descents. All good fun.

It was a cloudy day, then the sun came out for a while and the Blue Lake looked blue. Then there was a splash of light rain and then the air was a perfect cool temperature for running.

The field spread out quickly but I played cat and mouse on the first and second loop with a trio of local runners. Nice for me, as I knew I wouldn’t get lost: one of the guys had marked out the course. I had thought I would have plenty of company on the run because of all the other distances taking place concurrently but in fact I rarely saw anyone from the other races. 

I actually found the loop thing pleasant. The first loop seemed very long. The steep descent into the forest near the start was muddy and slightly treacherous. The climb to the tower was not the final hill, as I had expected, but was followed by a worse hill. (On this first lap there was a child standing handing out lollies at the foot of this bonus hill.) The steps down from the tower were so shallow that I couldn’t run them individually, so I tried taking two at a time and then I tried running down the steep slope beside the steps (ok, I had several chances later on to perfect my technique). 

On the second loop I tried to recall what I would be seeing but I had forgotten quite a bit, although it seemed to pass more quickly. By the third loop I remembered almost the entire sequence and I was constantly thinking about what was coming next. I tried to conserve energy on that third loop but at the same time I knew the fourth loop would be less challenging as it would be the last. 

I split the fourth loop into two halves, up to the Blue Lake and after the lake; so in my mind I just had to get round the Blue Lake and I knew getting home would be a given. The marshal at the underpass where the Blue Lake circuit started said to me "Just get that Blue Lake out of the way" and that expressed my feelings exactly. But funnily, when I emerged from my circuit of the lake I almost started out on another lap as the exit point looked different to me; that was the only time I almost went the wrong way. About a kilometre before the finish two women standing at a junction asked how I was going and started walking with me (it was an uphill portion); one asked me what I was having for dinner, which I thought was a lovely and appropriate question, so I was able to ask for schnitzel recommendations.

At the end of each lap I received vociferous clapping at the start/finish area as I started out on a fresh loop. The marshals all along were wonderful, and the folk at the one aid station who were out there all day for a relatively small number of runners. In the end I finished second female and I was pleased with my time of 7 hours 29 minutes. My lap splits were fairly even. However, climbing onto the podium was a challenge. Stepping down was even worse.

Cleland 50, South Australia

The Cleland 50km was a bit of an unknown for me. The route map looked very complicated but the elevation chart wasn’t too daunting and I knew that last time I’d run there in the Cleland Conservation Park near Adelaide (when I did the Yurebilla Trail on my own in November 2016) it was freakishly warm, which would be unlikely this weekend. I felt very calm beforehand, looking forward a lot to the run. I had studied last year's results and added an hour for my finish time to the time of someone I knew who had run. The day before the race I drove into the park to check out the start line and parking. It was thick fog and that real cold damp feeling. 

Race morning the weather had improved. It was windy but I didn’t need tights to gloves. Everyone except me and two others (including the guy I knew) wore an ultra vest; I was slightly spooked about not wearing mine but I double checked on the frequency of the aid stations: very frequent. And you could send drop bags to the aid stations, so I sent on my head torch and a jacket because the website warned you could be out there after dark.

The course was indeed complicated and not always signed well. A couple of times I had to ask hikers if they had recently seen any runners, and twice I had to wait for runners behind me so I could be sure I was going the right way. But I didn’t actually go wrong, phew.

Most of the race was in the forest and sheltered from the wind. It was a mix of single track and fire trails. There were little red wildflowers. We did a nice stretch on hillside single track on Mount Osmond with excellent views over Adelaide. We climbed to several lookouts, including going over Mt Lofty twice. I thought it was all fine going, not too repetitive, not too hard. The field spread out and after the first hour I was running alone without seeing anyone else for long stretches at a time.

We returned to the start/finish area after 23 kilometres, where a solicitous first aider asked if I was drinking, eating and weeing ok. Yes to the first two, and I was very keen to wee but hadn’t seen anywhere sufficiently secluded!

Lap two was not only longer but harder. After a while we ran up to a lookout and on the way down some girls were muttering "I know what’s coming...". What was coming? I turned onto a reasonable downhill on a gravelly trail; but just before I turned off to run it I had spotted a runner in the distance going on straight uphill, so I asked someone (who happened to be standing at the turnoff) why I was being sent downhill and it emerged that I would be coming back this way later. So from then on I knew whatever I did I would be doing in reverse in due course. And it was worth knowing that.

We went down down down into a gully, followed the creek for a while and then started on what was going to be a very long and extremely steep uphill. It was mostly grassy and was tough going for a long time. There would be a bend, maybe a brief respite, and then more climbing. A few runners were hurtling downhill and I wasn’t sure I was looking forward to that either. We went back into the forest, and there I saw my friend chatting to an emu through a fence. I hadn’t seen him since the opening few kilometres and I was expecting to finish long after him, based on what I knew of his marathon times.

Eventually I got to the next aid station and continued into a loop. I think it was along here that I saw what looked like a furry rock just off the trail; some hikers were fumbling for their cameras so I guess it must have been a koala but I didn’t have time to stop. I got back to that aid station and had a cup of black coffee. It was delicious. I also collected my drop bag with my head torch; I didn’t know what time it was but I didn’t think it was getting dark any time soon. 

There were five kilometres to go and I was tired. The emu had been joined by lots of kangaroos. The steep downhill was really hard for me. It wasn’t slippery but it was so steep I felt out of control the whole way down. I just made myself keep running and I was relieved when it was over. The following climb back up the gravel trail was not as bad as I had expected (nothing could be bad after that awful descent) but the bit from the top to the finish line was agonisingly long. The trail undulated along and around every bend I wanted to see the finish line. I passed a woman and made it my goal to remain ahead of her. I was really running on empty by then.

Just before the finish I saw a kangaroo by the trail. Soon after I rounded another bend and the finish line was right there. The clock showed the time of day rather than elapsed time so it took me a while to work out how long I had been running. In fact I couldn’t work it out but I asked that woman whom I’d been keeping ahead of, who finished right after me. I had done 6 hours 49 minutes which was a lot faster than I had expected based on my review of last year's results. My friend finished five minutes later having run the same time as last year, give or take. The first aid lady was again very attentive, which was nice because usually nobody actually asks how you feel after a race.

I hung around for a bit then got in the car and drove to Hahndorf. What a contrast to the serenity of the bush! Sunday of a long weekend and the place was jam packed, people and cars everywhere. Nice scones, too.

Traralgon Marathon 2018

I had a lovely day at the Traralgon Marathon today, although I’m pretty tired now. It was a beautiful morning for running: about 5 degrees, foggy and still. I hadn’t done the new course on the rail trail and I wasn’t sure it would be all that exciting but it turned out that I liked it much more than the previous course.

I took the early start option for slow runners, 7am, mainly so I could get back to my hotel room for a shower before checking out, but also because you never know how things will turn out. There were about 20 of us who left early. I had decided I would try to start a bit faster than I usually do, of course not super fast, and see if I could hold onto it. Luckily my pacers of choice, Chris G and DS, were there. But Chris was running way too fast for me so I ran alone for the initial kms until DS caught up to me and then I vowed to stay with him. It was very pleasant running along, sometimes chatting and sometimes in silence. He was a tiny bit faster than me but I made myself stay with him; he took a few toilet breaks and I had an opportunity to slow a little until he caught up to me again.

It was perfect conditions. The first kms as we left Traralgon were not all that special but once we turned onto the rail trail we had bucolic scenery, cows, stillness. It was so good to be away from the road, and while the rail trail had long straight stretches there were also enough bends to prevent monotony. The fog was thick in places but the sun was clearly going to burst through at some point. My hands were cold and I didn’t take off my gloves until about 30 km.

At half way we passed Chris, and soon a couple more runners. The race leaders came roaring past not long after (having started an hour after us). I was feeling ok and able to plug on. I intended to push for as long as I could. We ticked off the kilometres (actually there were no race distance markers but the rail trail had a few signs showing the distance to Traralgon). After the 31 km aid station DS was suddenly not with me. I didn’t see him again until after he finished. Now it was up to me to keep up my very reasonable pace. Luckily I ran into the back of the half marathon and I could focus on trying to pass those runners; even though they weren’t in the same race it still helped to have targets.

Then I was back in the urban area and just a bit of parkland to cross to reach the finish. I couldn’t speed up much but I didn’t feel I had slowed either. I was pleased with my 4:10 finish. I was also delighted to find egg sandwiches among the finish line food: my favourite. I grabbed a plateful and went back to my room to shower. I came back to the race venue for the presentations, being fairly sure I would have won my age group. 

I wasn’t wrong - I was the only female in my age group and I got to stand atop the podium. I waved my arms like I’d won the whole race; it was a joke to me really, to make fun of being all alone there. My prize was a copy of the book about the Traralgon Marathon that was written for the fiftieth edition of the race last year, and I immediately looked for the 2004 results to see my third placing. I finished in 3:30 that year. A la recherche du temps perdu.