The Orange Running Festival

Running can take you to visit different parts of the world, but it can also take you to interesting new places within a country. When a friend first suggested a road trip to the "Orange Running Festival", I had hoped that my leg would have been sufficiently recovered for me to take part in either the half or the full marathon. As it was, I wasn't even sure if I should attempt one of the shorter runs, but as we had decided to head up there anyway, I kept my options open by entering the 10k and the 5k (there were no entries available on the day) figuring I could take a view on the morning of the event.

We got up there on the Friday night and so, after a cheeky parkrun on the Saturday morning, we decided to spend the rest of the day sightseeing......ie wine tasting.....not exactly something I thought the "serious" runners would be doing! 

Saturday's parkrun

I was really undecided about what to do the next day......for starters, it felt like the parkrun had nearly killed me. Not my shin as such, but my (perceived) lack of fitness. Yes, it was hot and humid, but I was so close to stopping (even within the first mile) that I wondered what "the point" was. Still, although slightly short, it was an interesting testy course and I hadn't run too badly.....so several wines later, I'd put it to the back of my mind.

The wine tasting had an interesting twist to it, in that the lady host at the first vineyard had been at boarding school with my mother (in the same year but neighbouring houses) back in the uk, so I got to try more expensive (and just plain more) wine than the regular punter got. Another unusual thing was that we also found a cider orchard that offered tastings......and I've certainly never had a "dessert cider" before!

The 10K route

On the Sunday morning, I still hadn't quite decided what to do, but on finding out that there were 2 female Australian Olympians competing for the win in the 10k (as well as the lady who'd been the overall first finisher on a "leg stretch" at parkrun the previous day) I opted for that distance, as I knew they would take away any pressure I might put on myself for a podium finish.

There were a few sharp corners, speed bumps and pot holes to negotiate very early on....and I was also almost taken out by a man with a buggy, but as we turned on to a narrow path (paved though slightly irregular due to tree roots rising up), I'd settled into a comfortable pace. After passing the location of Orange parkrun, we were marshalled off onto an "undulating" rough gravel road. I guess that a slight positive of the headwind was that it made the humidity feel a few percent lower. 

Finishing the 10K

This rough section was several kms out and back so I got to see the race leaders (as well as some of the marathoners who'd started much earlier in the day but had the same run in as us). There was a small pack of men at the sharp end, but the leading 3 ladies were well strung  out and each running their own race. By the time I reached the turnaround I realised that I was 4th (and probably the first LV40). 

Running back in, I got to see all those still coming out in the 10k, and also to encourage  those marathoners I was now passing. Fair play to them, they'd been out a long time. Back onto tarmac for the last few kms (again, not the flattest kms you've ever seen), and finally I was turning into the finishing straight. 

I'd finished 4th (first LV40) in what wasn't exactly a good time for me, but it was actually a few minutes faster than the winning time from the previous year.....although a long way adrift of the speedy ladies on the podium this year.

The 5K route

I received my medal, some water and an electrolyte drink gratefully, and then a gentleman asked me where I was from. He was wearing a Scottish top (though he now lives in Orange) and had spotted my "home club" in the parkrun results from the previous day. As I wanted to go for a little cool down jog, he encouraged me to use my number and join the 5K race which was about to start. I was worried that the 5k was geared at juniors, but it was actually one of the most popular events with runners of all ages and physiques taking part.

The day's medal haul!!!

The start was quite crowded but I ignored everyone else and just ran to feel. I knew the route by now as it was the same as the 10k bar the gravel road, so I didn't worry about watching to see which way the runners ahead of me went. As there were still 10k runners on course, it became much more crowded after the gravel section and it was hard to know who had set off at breakneck pace in the 5k and was fading and who was in the 10k. I wasn't bothered about how I was doing as I figured that I'd be a long way back from any decent female 5k runners (and I certainly hadn't any in my sights) but I did make sure that I overtook a "race mascot" in the last couple of kms.

As it turned out, I was actually second female in the 5k....though first and third places were taken by 13 year olds (though I bet they hadn't spent the whole of the previous day drinking  wine and cider!) so a podium photo must've looked a little odd! I was over the moon to have managed to run a total of 15k without a big flare-up, but as it did feel tender afterwards, I erred on the side of caution and didn't run again during the week.

Possibly the Worst Value Race ever?

Adelaide parkrun

Having rested up with no running for what seemed like forever, I did a parkrun when staying with a friend down in Adelaide (her husband had registered for his first parkrun in my honour and so it seemed churlish not to run too). After that I decided to step up to a 10k, but I thought a low key trail run would be softer underfoot and give me no pressure to "run" a certain pace/time.

Manly Dam start line

I headed out to Manly Dam in North Sydney and manfully ignored the 12 and 21k options (though I was probably too unfit to get round them anyway) and entered the 10k. It seemed rather expensive for such a small event once I got there, but then again, I was on holiday and why not?

Lining up for the start

Low key was definitely the order of the day......the 10k and 12k runners lined up behind the gantry (after just leaving your bag/bottle/clothes lying around in the bushes) and everyone in front of an arbitrary rope they moved through the field started to run. They then started another ropeload a couple of minutes later, and then another lot after that again and so you didn't know what distance those people you were running near were doing, or if there were faster people who had been caught behind different sections of rope. 

Starting out along the road

Back past the start again...

We ran cross the scrubby grass and onto the road, up a hill and then down to a mini roundabout. After skirting the roundabout we headed back up the way we'd come, past the start line (and runners coming the other way, but they seemed to be in a continuous stream so the "waves" weren't exactly obvious) unto, we took a very sharp right hand turn back on ourselves off the road onto single track.

This track climbed steeply upwards and gave me my first clue that a "trail race" in Australia doesn't exactly mean the same thing as a trail race in the UK. It was impossible to keep running as there were huge steps and boulders to climb both up and down, and on occasion it was impossible not to use your hands. There were runnable sections, but also stretches of boardwalk/duckboards, the aforementioned boulders and steps, roots to avoid underfoot and tree branches to duck underneath. I did only slip and fall once on some wet rocks by a creek crossing and the guys near me did check to see that I was ok.

Some steps and a bridge..

The routes

There were occasional bits of tape tied to branches to mark the way and at one point a marshal was standing at a route junction waving 12k runners ahead and 10k runners to turn to the right. Everyone ahead of me went ahead but I turned round to my right onto a wide rough forest road which climbed steadily uphill. I hoped the marshal had directed me the right way as I couldn't see anyone else in front but as the trail steepened I spotted some flashes of a blue singlet ahead. 

I passed the owner of that singlet just before a few runners appeared from a trail to my left. They were doing the half marathon and so had started much earlier but we're going at such a lick as to suggest they were high up the field. I shouted at the girl I saw  that she should ignore me running behind her, as I was in a different race (as it turned out, she won the half marathon in a new CR).

I didn't feel much like stopping at the only water station I came across as I reckoned that I couldn't be far from the finish (though the jelly sweets were tempting), but it was hard to tell as the other runners had vanished again as the track narrowed, twisted and and turned and developed many more steps. I tried my hardest to always descend the steps landing on my left leg, but it wasn't always possible due to their spacing. 

The finish

A rather low-key finish funnel

I suddenly found myself out of the bush and running along a stretch of beach consisting of both soft sand and rough rocks designed to catch your feet, but then a piece of tape directed me up another climb back into the undergrowth. This twisted and turned again before I emerged onto a "bridge" across the bottom of the dam. It was rather springy underfoot and had some concrete steps at the end of it. The man in the blue singlet caught me up and passed me as I left the dam to head across a final bit of rough ground to the finish, but we had a really good chat afterwards (he said that he always saved a bit for the final run it, and just pipped me over the line, but I had the marginal victory on chip time).

Someone wanted to steal my breakfast roll!

A peaceful post-run swim spot!

The finish line was also low key with tables so you could help yourself to water, coke, dates and some fresh fruit.....and then you could queue up for a couple of slices of bread with a fried egg and bacon. I opted to wander off a short way for a quiet swim in the reservoir before returning for a very welcome second breakfast sandwich, and then hung around for prizegiving as it turned out that I'd been 1st lady and 5th or 6th overall in the 10k. Due to the cost of entry I figured it was probably worth hanging around as if you weren't there at the presentation, you didn't get a prize!

The prize giving was amazing as the race director obviously had his favourites. I can understand prizes being given in order as there were three races but as all had steep entry fees and the 10k had by far the most entrants, you wouldn't really expect to be an afterthought. 

My prize (with added contribution)

It started of with the top 3 men from the half marathon, then the ladies (I'd actually finished before the third lady in the half), then the 12k men and women, then some age group winners, then the men from the 10k....and then finally the woman. People won wireless headphones, Suunto watches, shoes, huge bags of sports nutrition, clothing such as running shorts etc......and I won......a sock. Well actually a voucher for a sock so the incentive was to make me give the race sponsors more money so I could actually have a pair......ridiculous but I did it as it did seem rather churlish not to.....but what a farce!

Anyway....1 sock or 2, I was glad that I'd had the chance to get out and run, especially as it was in a place I didn't know, that was recommended as a place to go bush walking in Sydney!

Cross training.....or resting....?

When I was in Australia about 18 months ago, I took a minor tumble in the Blue Mountains which ended up causing significant pain due to some bleeding into my knee joint. This had prevented me from doing any running and much walking on all the lovely trails I'd come to learn about. I had hoped that this trip would be able to make amends for that, but after the "run" in Hobart, I knew that my leg was a long way off being fixed and I really needed to rest it for considerably longer.

Not bad views on some of my walks!!

It was a tough thing to do but I decided that I must be "sensible" and avoid any "impact" on it, ie running, jumping etc. I have tried to ensure that I haven't been as idle as I could have been, as I've taken the opportunity (and time suddenly available) to go to some Pilates, weights and other classes. I'm never going to be the Queen of Flexibility but it may be that by the time I return home, I can actually do a chin-up and a press-up (but then again.....maybe they'll still be beyond me.....but my excuse is that my brain is too heavy and I'm sticking with that one!!!).

Walking in the Aussie bush

I've been out and done a few walks on the trails, especially along some of the route of the "Great North Walk" which stretches from Sydney right up to Newcastle through some lovely bushland. When you're more used to running, walking does appear to take a long time, but at least it means you get more of a chance to appreciate the lovely views and take in wildlife etc. To be honest, I found it so hot on a couple of walks that I was actually really glad not to be running (though it was less delightful to just miss the train home on a couple of occasions due to my stubbornness and hence refusal to run or the station). 

It's hot work walking in the summer!

Clip 'N' Climb

The plan will be to slowly reintroduce running, initially just short distances at a weekend (eg checking out a parkrun if I happen to be visiting somewhere with one) and then hopefully increasing the distance and frequency of running as my leg heals. Considering how long I ran on the undiagnosed fracture, to my mind, this has definitely got to be giving it the best chance of healing properly (I've even made sure that when I descend some of the big steps on the trails I always land on my "good leg" and I was also aware of which leg I was using to push off the walls and land on the ground with when we went to "play" at "Clip N Climb").

Fingers crossed that the plans works longterm and I don't just become lazy and unfit.....