It has been really weird for everyone to have a prolonged period with no races, no group runs (such as parkrun) and not even any social/club runs due to the distancing policy enforced by the coronavirus pandemic. Everyone was very jealous when parkrun restarted in New Zealand, and although Australia is not ready for that, it was quite exciting when races started appearing back on the calendar. When I say "exciting", it would have been very easy to get overexcited and do too much, but I tried to be sensible....or relatively sensible...as 3 races in 1 week would not be in the "coaching manual". Only one was actually a proper "race" and I will devote a separate entry to that...the other two just kind of happened.....and both were rather short and sweet (!).
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| The Elephant Trail races |
The first event was a 5K trail race near Port Macquarie, which is several hours' drive north (though it was actually quite interesting to drive up through areas that I had worked in some 20 years ago!). There were many races of different distances spread out across the weekend, but my main reason for being there was to support a friend who was running the 100K event. This sounded like an epic event, not for the fainthearted, as it consisted of 4 loops of just over 25km with an elevation change in the region of 1450m on each lap. As I was planning on being there the whole time, to see him through each loop and help with aid/support at that checkpoint/crew area, I also offered to be a volunteer for the race. (NB Don't ever offer to volunteer for them in the future - no goodies, no reduction in future race entries and I was even expected to pay if I wanted to eat any of the coffee and food I was "selling" to runners during my 6 hour - which became a 22 hour when they had no-one else - shift!!!).
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| The "Elephant" finish gantry/start position |
Having marshalled the car parking (edge of the dirt road) for people coming to run in various events, helped with people who had to pick up numbers, buffs etc, served a few bits of food to families/friends/supporters, there was nothing to do for a while whilst the runners were out on the course. There was a 5K event due to take place, starting and finishing from the feed station I was helping at, and so I decided to take part to fill in some time. Even though it was only a 5K, we still had to carry compulsory kit (a phone, a whistle, a bandage, a container for 500mls of water) which was rather funny as my water container became a ziplock bag that could hold the required amount of water if necessary (the rules didn't say you had to actually carry the water!!) and fit into my pocket. I was surprised at the variety of people taking part - of all ages, shapes and sizes - but was less surprised at the speed that some of the teenagers took off at the start.
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| Setting off down the forestry road |
We set off down the forestry road and were then waved off onto a rougher undulating track by a marshal. By this point I'd managed to catch and pass the speedy starters so it meant I could take my time mincing around the wet muddy section at the bottom of a steep dip. I try to practice what I preach and not look behind me, especially on a 5K that didn't really matter, but the steep uphill from the mud felt really tough and I was convinced some young whippersnapper would come flying past me again any minute! The route was officially marked with pink tape in the trees but some markers were few and far between so it was rather a relief to see the odd marshal who directed me down trail turnoffs. Some of the marshals were people I'd been volunteering with earlier in the day so it was nice to see familiar faces and get cheers of support.
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| Going "off road"! |
Somehow I managed to overtake the 4WD that was meant to be driving round part of the course ahead of the runners, but after another muddy gully I was sent off down single track so I knew it wouldn't be following me. Then it was back onto the original trail, down and up (no longer caring about getting dirty in the mud as I just wanted to get to the end) to the forestry road again and a long "sprint home". The finish gantry was marked by an inflatable elephant (well the races were collectively called the Elephant Trail races) and I was handed a medal as I crossed the line and then asked if I was returning to my volunteer duties :-)
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| The course |
As it turns out I had a big enough lead to manage a little cool down before cheering the next person finished, so I did it on the ultra course in order to encourage some of the runners in at the end of their first loop :-)
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| Coming through the finishing gantry (ie under the elephant) |
A few days later, when I was back on the Central Coast, I re-contemplated a track 5000m race that several people had told me about. Being neither a fast short-distance runner (OK, OK, I know that 5000m is long in track terms!!) nor a track runner, it was something I'd originally dismissed quicker than Usain Bolt would run 100m. Anne had said that she would drive up to the track with me and my friend Simone had also offered to come and support me - so I decided that I might as well give it a go as I had nothing to lose and it's not as if anyone would know me or I would know them. The fact that it was also a Masters' Race meant there would be fewer young whippersnappers lapping me multiple times. However, even with "no pressure", I was still really nervous about it (but then again, I get nervous before every parkrun) but I just figure that my nerves mean I'm taking it seriously and not being blase.
It didn't feel that warm as I jogged round the track to warm up, so I was very reluctant to strip down to shorts and vest (called a "singlet" over here).....then I realised that I could actually see my breath in the air, so it was actually cold rather than me having just "become acclimatised" to Australian temperatures :-) We were all called over to the start line on the far side of the track and briefed (at a distance) by the Covid marshal. Some of the guys tried to encourage me up to "the line" but I know that I'm a slow starter and so "social distancing" gave me the perfect excuse to hang back. I settled into my stride after the first 100-200m and by the second half of the first lap was starting to pass some of those who'd been way ahead of me round that first bend. You can tell that I'm not a seasoned track runner as I found it very hard to do the sensible things and tuck in round the bends and pass on the straights, so I probably spend a lot more time running in Lane 2 than I should have done (or maybe it's just because I actually wanted to run further to be closer to my comfort zone!!).
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| The finishing straight |
It was really nice to spot Anne on a couple of my laps as it made me keep going - she'd been kind enough to drive me up there and hang around in the cold, so I didn't want to have wasted her evening. I had also been a bit worried about losing count of my laps, especially as everyone seemed to be on a different lap, but Simone was at the finish line holding up fingers (in a nice way) to tell me what lap I was on, as well as offering some good support and encouragement. I was lapped by the leading man just after I'd passed the halfway mark so I wondered if he'd manage to lap me again before we finished. Meanwhile, I had lapped some others several times, so I had no real idea who was where - and nobody really knew who was what age so it didn't really matter anyway - people were just going as fast as they could. I think I ran a pretty steady pace, so the fact that I did still overtake a few guys later on, and close another couple of them down, didn't say anything for me keeping something in reserve for the final few laps, but more that they'd set off at a faster speed than they could maintain right to the end.
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| Not bad at all!! |
I managed to avoid being lapped twice by the speedy winner of the event, and just escaped the second placed man catching me heading into my last lap as he was completing his finishing sprint. I also had another man in sight as a target that I was getting ever closer to as the laps counted down but I ran out of race as he was still short way ahead of me at the end (I think there was 6s in it). My finishing sprint was nothing to write home about but it was all I could manage at the time....and I was amazed when I actually saw the time recorded - way faster than I'd thought I would run (and I was even more stunned when I looked at my watch to work out the time it thought I'd covered the 5K in - that'll teach me to learn how and when to pass people in track races......though that implies I might do another one sometime, so maybe not!!)! All in all, a great night - and I got to meet some other Central Coast runners, who all seemed lovely, welcoming and friendly, so what's not to love!! :-)
