Shoalhaven Summit

I had been thinking about running the new Shoalhaven Summit 55K race as it was one of the ones suggested suggested when the 6 Foot Track was cancelled way back in March, but unfortunately it was also delayed a couple of times due to Covid-19 restrictions. Unfortunately the final date that they moved it to was just a week before another big run I had entered, so I didn't think it would be a sensible thing to do in any way!

However, I did still get to experience the event, as my friend Simone decided to enter it, and so I offered to go down and support her for the weekend. We were going to head down on Friday as soon as I finished work as the race started fairly early on the Saturday morning, but at least that meant we would be able to get back home on the Saturday night. Another friend of Simone's (Julie) also decided to join us so it became a nice girls'' trip away, as we stopped for dinner and a drink en route.

Outside help was not allowed during the race, so I offered to volunteer for the organisers whilst the girls were running, as there were shorter distance events starting a bit later on so they needed people to help with car parking and registration as well as being able to drive people out to swop volunteers at aid stations. I had a brief thought of running the shortest distance on offer (13K) whilst there, but it was due to start at 1:30pm and I thought that the girls might be finishing around 2pm so I didn't want to risk missing them coming in, and hence dismissed it.

With Julie and Simone
before they headed off

The forecast for the weekend looked rather horrendous as there was a heatwave coming through the area, but the decision was made that the event would still go ahead, but that start times would come forward. This meant a 4am alarm for us, as Simone and Julie were now running at 6am instead of 7, and I was volunteering on registration from 5am....the coffee van in the field was a godsend (when he finally got set up!!!). I waved them off and then carried on dishing out starter packs and hoodies to those taking part in the 40K, the 23K and the 3K races who were all due to go if within half an hour of each other. As the girls weren't going to be back for ages - and there was no further volunteering to do at that point, I decided to run the 13K after all - as it was now starting at 7:30am rather than 1:30pm.

I didn't want to tire myself out or end up completely dehydrated and so "racing" was not the order of the day, but as soon as I started I realised that there was no danger of that! It was sooooo hot, and soooo humid....and we started straight up a rather steep hill, which seemed to go on and on. I took it nice and steady and managed to keep "running" of sorts all the way to the top, passing a couple of people but watching others move away ahead of me. Once I finally reached the "crest" there was a lovely view down the other side, and as I knew that enforced "braking" would be worse for my quads, I just let myself go down the hill. There was a water stop at the bottom, but I didn't think I really needed to use it as I'd only gone a few KMs, but I regretted that later. 

The race leaders were far out of sight, but I had overtaken a youngish looking lass (Paige, aged 20) and another young lad on the descent. It got slightly confusing after that as we started to catch up with the tailenders on the 23K race who had set off 30minutes ahead of us. There was another steep descent down to a creek but we'd been warned that the ford was rather slippery due to moss and that the stepping stones were safer, so a funny change of stride was involved in getting to the far side, especially as I was now stuck behind one of the aforementioned tailenders. The climb back up from the creek was my first walk of the run, but as the gradient lessened, I did then manage to run all the way to the 13K turnaround point.

Simone's car was feeling the heat!

For some reason the way back seemed an awful lot harder....but maybe that was because I was hotter and more dehydrated by then.....but I found it much harder to keep running. I reminded myself that I had nothing to prove and so "allowed myself" (not that I could have done much else) lots of walking breaks. I found myself doing a dance on the stepping stones with a runner coming the other way - backwards and forward trying to work out who who step off first - and then did detour via the aid station to take on water before starting the climb back up and over again. 

I decided that I would walk up most of the hill, with the occasional short running break when it was less steep, so Paige soon flew back past me and disappeared out of sight as she powered up it. The young lad I mentioned earlier was an interesting study in odd run tactics as he seemed to run past me up the inclines yet walk the flats and so I'd overtake him again - though again he disappeared off ahead of me as that last hill climb was over a kilometre long. By the time I reached the top there was no-one in sight either in front or behind, and so you would think that the logical thing for me to do would have been to just meander down it gently. My brain had other ideas, as I just wanted it over and done with, and to get top the finish as soon as possible, and so I powered down it (randomly taking a Strava crown in the process) even though my legs felt like they'd buckle at any minute.

2nd lady and 1st in age group :-)

At the bottom of the hill, I came across the young lad again - his tactics had unfortunately gotten the better of him in the heat of the day, as he was having to be helped to the finish field, which was so close....just a few hundred metres down a rough single path into the field (I reckoned that would catch a few people out in the longer events...trying to pick up your feet on such a rough surface when you were knackered). I felt so sorry for him, but he was definitely the worse for wear.

As for my own run, I'd closed up a lot on Paige down the hill but she needn't have worried about me catching her as there was still a good 30seconds in it......but I was still so hot and bothered at the end that I needed lots of cold water and coke before I could even think about the scones that were on offer! Unfortunately Simone had also suffered in the heat and pulled out after 20K, but Julie ran/walked the whole distance, and so I did several more hours of volunteer duties as we waited for her return.

Presenting Julie with her
finishers' medal!

All in all it was a fun girlie trip away, but I;m not sure that any of us did ourselves any favours by running in those conditions.....and my quads were sore for days from that long hard descent....but all self-inflicted so I ask for no sympathy!