View across Naseby Forest
After 10 years of running and walking ultramarathons this would be my 30th finish. Here's a few impressions from the day:
Conversation at the cross-roads: Heather and Gene
stop for a chat
I ran the first two laps with Heather, and the last three largely by myself. Lap three ended up being perhaps the most eventful of the day, or at least has the most moments that really stick in my mind. Heather had neglected to eat on the first two laps and by the end of lap two she needed to regroup. We both restocked at the start/finish aid station, and Heather set off with Maegan Koedyk. For some reason I don't recall - but possibly a stop for panadol - I left started the lap a minute or so behind Heather. Pizza in hand, I was about 100m down the track when I felt the remnant of a tooth break on the pizza crust and I fished a rather large piece of tooth out of my mouth!
I caught and passed Heather and Maegan, ran for a bit up the 1km hill then started to walk. Dwight Grieve was running up, a lap ahead of me, and when he caught me up I ran with him for a km or so. It felt good striding out as we ran down Wet Gully Road, but I was severely under-trained and would pay for this later... Dwight ran the 3km hill but I walked it, the last time I would see Dwight for the rest of the race.
 Heather running around Coalpit Dam on Lap 2 |
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I was still feeling good at this point, taking it easy on the ups and opening up on the downs. Around Coalpit Dam again and into the aid station for a drink and chippies. Starting to feel the edges of fatigue here, as this was the full extent of my longest training run since June... and we were only half way through!
At about 38km, muffin in one hand,
camera in the other.
Photo: Richard Healey
Heather's mum was parked up at the cross-roads of the figure-eight loop, and as I was starting to flag it was time to make use of the assistance. Towards the end of the fourth lap I grabbed a chocolate chip muffin to eat as I walked the climb back up to the water race... but there was a photographer there so I had to run again!
Just up ahead was Carla McDonald, who I understand was running her first 100km. I caught up after a few hundred metres and we exchanged the usual greetings of "what lap are you on?" This was her 7th, so nearly 70km done and 30km to go. About 800m from the start/finish her three children came running out to meet her with a very excited shout of "Mummy!" from her little girl, and the oldest asking if there was anything he could do for her or if there was anything she wanted. They were such delightful kids, she should be proud.
Carla running with her kids
I was well and truly slowing on the fifth lap and was wondering who might catch and pass me. As it turned out, very few people, but I was managing to catch a few. Past Heather's mum for one last time (2km to go) and she passed on a message from Heather to bring salt tablets...
It was a run/walk for the last 2km, and then done! 5:57:09, I was happy enough with that given my lack of training.
Naseby water supply
A quick drink and something to eat then I got Heather's salt tablets and walked back to meet her, taking photos along the way. I met up with her about 2.5km back, and she seemed perfectly fine!! Again run/walk back to the finish, Michael Rodliffe came through on his way to his 2nd place finish in the 100km, and Carl Laffan also came through and ran with Heather for a bit.
Prize giving that evening was good; I was very happy to score the curling vouchers!
The next day we braved a short morning run through the Naseby streets, calling in to say goodbye to Grant and Jane Guise on the way. Then it was back to the campground for an excellent cooked breakfast of mince on toast with an egg on top (plus baked beans for me), a farewell to Dwight and his cohorts, then off to go curling!
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