My Lifelong Marathon - Angelena is 2!

Happy Birthday Angelena! As they say, time flies... I cannot believe that it has already been 2 years! Here's a little something that we put together. Enjoy!

UTMB-CCC DNF

So, I attempted this 100km CCC race, where I was allowed 26hrs to complete. Unfortunately or fortunately, I pulled out after 42km to record my first ever DNF (Did Not Finish). The mountains had triumphed over me. Not something that I am proud of, but definitely an experience / learning that will be staying in my head for a long while.

The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) has 4 races. They are (1) UTMB 100miles which is the main event; (2) Courmayeur Champex Chamonix 100km (CCC); (3) Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie (TDS); and the crazy La Petite Trotte à Léon 300km (PTL). See following link for more information

http://www.ultratrailmb.com/page/104/The_4_races.html

Have a look at the race course profile, time chart and map 

Source: http://www.ultratrailmb.com/page/38/Course.html

Source: http://www.ultratrailmb.com/page/39/Profile.html

Source: http://www.ultratrailmb.com/page/95/Time_charts.html

Race day -2, Wednesday, 28^th August:

The 3 of us (Lena, Angelena and I) arrived in Chamonix via Geneva at late afternoon. By the time we settled into our accommodation, registration was closed and I can only complete registration the next day. It is summer in Chamonix and there was still daylight up until around 8pm. We wondered around the village centre, soaked in the atmosphere, did some touristy thing, before heading off for dinner and bed.

The finish line

Nice view.

View from our apartment

Race day -1, Thursday, 29^th August:

Got onto the streets and headed to registration as soon as we finished breakfast. Already, there was a queue as UTMB runners were also doing their registration on this day. The processing was a bit slow and it took me about 40mins to complete the entire registration process.

Queue outside registration

Finally, some action...

Direction to the shuttle bus

Tagged

Spent rest of the day exploring the village centre. Throughout the day, there was constant flow of TDS runners coming through the streets for their finish. I can feel all the different emotions of the runners running towards the finish. The atmosphere was electric. People on the streets literally stop what they were doing and clapped and cheered them on. I have never experienced anything like this before and was a bit overwhelmed and touched by the support shown. It was unreal.

Race day, Friday 30^th August:

Woke up at 4:30am and do my usual pre-race routine. The start of the race was in Courmayeur, Italy and there was shuttle bus service for CCC runners staying in Chamonix. Left the apartment around 6am and got to the shuttle bus pick up point after a short 10mins walk.

Arrived at Courmayeur after 30mins of bus ride. From here on, it was a case of monkey see monkey do for me. I followed a group into a sports centre where everyone were either taking a nap or having a munch.

Rest

 At round 8:15am, people started to pack up and headed towards the start. It was a short 10mins walk to the start. Dropped off my finish bag and squeezed into my starting wave (9:15am), which was according to race bib number. I was filled with anxiety and excitement. I still could not believe that I am starting this race!

Time to get on for business

All in all, there were 1,900 runners with 3 starting waves. First wave was off at 9am, followed by 9:15am and 9:30am.

Are you ready!!!

Courmayeur to Tete de la Tronche (10.4km)

Ran along the streets of Courmayeur for the first 2km and it was fantastic. Supporters cheered us on with ringing of cow bells and the constant “Bravo” along the way. We then hit a winding road up before entering into the forest. It was basically climb, and more climb up the mountain.

Go go go!

This first stretch was congested. There was constant stoping along the way to wait for people in front to either cross a stream or go down some slippery rocks. I didn’t mind it, but was a bit annoyed with the occasion queue jumper. I was trying to enjoy myself with the amazing views.

Up, up and up.

After dunno how long, we were out of the forest and we were on single tracks where the trails opened to the sky. There was still a lot of climbing to do. My legs and my breathing were getting heavier with each step. The constant climbs sucked my energy bit by bit and before I know it, I was feeling hungry and weak. I shortened my feeding timing in an effort to replenish the loss energy. This was a constant fight all the way to the first check point (CP).

Looking back at my climb. 

There were sections where I can see what lies ahead of me and I was able to prepare mentally for the climb. There were sections where you can only see the upcoming climbs only when you arrive at the turns. Those ones drove me nuts! The constant “are we there yet” in my mind did not help. 

Tete de la Tronche after 3hrs

I was so damn happy to finally see the marshal. He scanned our race bib and I took a few moments to enjoy the view from the top. Looking at the elevation, I can understand why I took almost 3hrs to complete this leg of only 10.4km.

Another look before heading down.

Tete de la Tronche to Refuge Bertone (4.4km)

I was relieved that I got over the first big climb, and was looking forward to CP2 where there will be food and drinks. Although it was downhill, I couldn’t go too fast as I was still recover from the previous climbs.

Took me 30mins for this leg, but I spent at least 15mins at the CP, eating, drinking and resting. I was enjoying the stunning views and was so reluctant to leave this CP. 15mins is a long time to spend on a CP but I just couldn’t get my bum off the seat any earlier.

Refuge Bertone to Refuge Bonatti (7.4km)

This stretch was pretty “flat” in the sense that there was no massive up or down. Don’t get me wrong, it was still tough! I managed to run parts of it, but at a slow pace. The sun was smiling (or maybe laughing) at us and my feet began to feel warm.

I spent 1hr 5min on this leg. And again, I spent almost 15mins at the CP, just feeding and daydreaming. My mind told me to keep on moving, but my body just want to stay there a bit longer. So folks, mind over body did not work here.

Refuge Bonatti 

Can you now understand why I spend so much time at a CP?

Refuge Bonatti to Arnuva (5.1km)

Although this leg was only 5.1km, it still took me a little over an hour to complete. The last 2km of steep downhill took a toll on my feet. I could feel several hot spots developing on my feet. I had to slow down on the downhills (arggg!!!) so that I can avoid blisters being formed.

When I reached the CP, I sat down and put tapes on the hot spots. This time round, I was conscious not to spend too much time at the CP. But, I still spent 15mins here, which included taping and feeding.

Getting ready for the big climb

Arnuva to Grand Col Ferret (4.6km)

So, only 4.6km for this leg. But wait, this will take me to the 2^nd highest altitude point of the race. Wahahaha... Crossed a river shortly after leaving the CP and there she was, up, up and away.

2 freaking hours for a 4.6km stretch. Yes, I was slow. My legs were getting heavier and my feet were hurting. I was constantly hungry and thirsty. But when I got to the CP at the top, it was all worth it! I was amongst the clouds. What an awesome feeling!

Grand Col Ferret

I was feeling a bit cold but was manageable. When I saw people putting on their jackets, I decided to do the same. This proved to be a costly mistake later on. There was no replenishment at this CP, but somehow I still spent at least 10mins resting before heading off.

Grand Col Ferret to La Fouly (9.3km)

It was all the way downhill to La Fouly from here. Yeh right! But no, I could not run fast downhill and have to constantly break my pace with a bit of braking here and there. Although the taping helped to keep the blisters away, my feet were still sore and my ugly downhill technique made it worse. My knees also decided to join in the boycott and I have to stop occasionally to give it a bit of rest.

Think the cows were laughing at me.

Halfway down to the valley, I began to feel warm, then hot. I was cooking inside the jacket. Had to stop to remove my jacket and hydrate. The mind was wandering a bit and the body was ready to call it quits. I continued to put one leg in front of the other and see what happened when I reach the coming CP.

I made it to La Fouly after spending 2hrs for this downhill leg. The race cut-off for this CP was 20:00. I checked in at 19:47. Daylight was almost gone and I could start to feel the cold air settling in.

Switzerland - La Fouly

I was left with 13mins to organise myself and get back out there. I took out my gloves, headtorch, buff and jacket, refilled my water and food supply and kept my visor and shades. I then headed to get some pasta soup to fill the tummy.

Then I heard the announcement “Runners, you have 5mins to exit this CP”. My heart sank. I needed more time, I was not ready to move again. Many thoughts, both positive and negative ones clouded my minds. There were runners hurrying to get organised and get out there. There were also runners that were just sitting down, with looks of despair on their face.

With less than 3mins to spare, I made the tough decision to pull out of the race. I was weak, both physically and mentally. So that was it, the end of my dream of completing the race. Did the “walk of shame” and took the next bus back to Chamonix.

P.S. The bus was packed with mostly dropped out runners like myself (self consolation :p).

Race Summary:

Weather: I prepared for a cold race, but the weather was beautiful with the temperature around the high teens. No rain, snow or hail like the previous year.

Course: I will let the pictures and course information speak for themselves.

Check points, staff and volunteers: The CPs were well stocked with food such as cold meat, cheese, cakes etc. However, I could only get energy bars and not gels at the CPs. Maybe I didn’t look properly. Not all staff can speak English, but I pretty much did not have any problem getting what I need from the CPs. They were friendly and ever willing o assist. Thanks guys!

Click here for more pics. 

I have reflected on my race and here are my final thoughts:

·         Training. To really enjoy the race, I need to put in more hills or mountain sessions.

·         Need to carb load!!! I did not have my usual carb loading (I so missed my rice...) prior to the race. I was enjoying all the fabulous food in France and they proved to be not adequate for my race.

·         Bring extra pair of shoes. I should have brought an extra pair of shoes for warmer conditions. My Salomon Speedcross 3 CS is great, but somehow the heat and friction created from this course were cooking my feet.

·         Spend less time at CPs. I failed miserably in this race. Spent way too much time slacking at CPs.

·         Listen to my body. I was saving my fuel and sticking to my race plan. What I should have done was to increase my feed and hydration frequency much earlier on.

I was truly beaten by a worthy opponent. I am pleased to at least make it to Switzerland (La Fouly). Rest assure, I will be back for revenge / redemption hopefully sometime in the not too far future. For those who are thinking about doing the race, don’t think, DO IT!!! You will not regret it. Register for it and everything else will fall in place.

Although there is no future race in my calendar at this point in time, Gary will still be running... 

Obligatory Equipment for The North Face Ultra-trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB)

Back in November last year, Lena and I were talking about an Europe trip, one that has to involve France. After some fierce negotiation, I managed to get approval to do a race as part of the trip. I jumped onto the UTMB website and realised that I have sufficient points after my TNF100 Singapore completion to enter into the ballot for the Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix (CCC) race. Probability was 1 in every 2 entry. Lucky for me, I received confirmation of my race entry in January. Yes! (Fist pump!)

I am literally gearing up for the biggest adventure of my short ultra “career”... As with TNF100 Oz, each participant will be required to carry the below minimum equipment.

See below link to the rules and regulations. http://www.ultratrailmb.com/page/16/UTMB%C2%AE_CCC%C2%AE_TDS_Regulations.html

Here’s my list of gears for the required obligatory material:

-       mobile phone with option enabling its use in the three countries.
I will be using my Samsung S4. Battery life is a concern. Under normal usage, the S4 battery last between 16-18hrs. I think it will take me longer than that to complete. I thought of getting a spare battery, but have decided to borrow a rechargeable battery pack from Koonwei instead. I can also use this for my Garmin 910xt.

 -       personal cup or tumbler 15cl minimum (water bottle not acceptable)

Will be borrowing this from Collin. He got it from his HK100 race earlier this year. Something similar to the Sea to summit x-cup. http://www.seatosummit.com.au/products-page/kitchen/x-cup/

-       stock of water minimum 1 litre,

I find that bottles are easier to fill up than bladder. It is also easier for me to keep track of the water level. So I have decided to use 2 x 600ml bottles instead of the bladder.

-       two torches in good working condition with replacement batteries,

Once again, Led Lenser H7 will be my main headlamp.

http://www.ledlenser.com.au/products/high-performance-line/h-series/h7/

I will be borrowing the Fenix HL21. Super light weight and only uses 1 AA battery.

http://www.fenixlight.com/ProductMore.aspx?id=34&tid=13&cid=2#.Ugr6gZLWWSo

-       survival blanket 1.40m x 2m minimum

-       whistle,

My Salomon Advance Skin S-Lab 12 set (S12) comes with a whistle and an emergency space blanket.

-       adhesive elastic band enable making a bandage or a strapping (mini 100cm x 6 cm),

Pretty standard. Available at most chemist.

-       food reserve,

Powerbar gels. I will be packing 10 of these to start.

-       jacket with hood and made with a waterproof (recommendation: minimum 10,000 Schmerber) and breathable (recommendation: RET lower than 13) membrane (Gore-Tex or similar) which will withstand the bad weather in the mountains.

This should do the trick.

http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/men-39-s-venture-jacket.html

-       long running trousers or leggings or a combination of leggings and long socks which cover the legs completely,

Will be wearing my 2xu long tights all the way.

http://www.2xu.com.au/mens/bottoms/compression-tights-ma1967b.html

-       Additional warm midlayer top: One single midlayer long sleeve top for warmth (cotton excluded) with a minimum weight of 180g (Men, size M)
OR a two piece clothing combination of a long sleeve baselayer/midlayer for warmth (cotton excluded) with a minimum weight of 110g (Men, size M) and a windproof jacket* with DWR (Durable Water Repellent) protection

* The windproof jacket does not replace the mandatory waterproof jacket with hood

I could use a lighter one, but since I already have this one for TNF100 Oz, I might as well use it.

http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/mens-tka-100-microvelour-glacier-1_4-zip.html

-       cap or bandana

-       warm hat

Will be using a buff and a light beanie

-       warm and waterproof gloves

This should do the trick.

http://www.sealskinz.com/UK/gloves/kj751-ultra-grip-gloves-black.html

-       waterproof over-trousers

Hopefully I do not need to use this.

http://www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Technical-Apparel-and-Footwear/Mens-Clothing/Adults-Pack-It-Rain-Pant

Other stuff that I will be carrying / wearing:

-       Passport,

-       Sunnies,

-       Garmin 910xt,

-       Black Diamond Distance z poles,

-       TNF running top,

-       Arm warmers,

-       Drymax trail socks with Injijin toe socks as a base,

-       Bodyglide anti-chaffing cream,

-       Plasters,

-       Hammer Perpetuem Solids, Anti-fatigue & Endurolytes. Nurofen. GU Brew tablets & Chomps

-       Salomon Speedcross 3 CS,

-       Camera,

I am sure there will be something else that I will add between now and then... Hmmm... I better get back to packing... 

VTRC Race 3 – You Yangs 50km

This race holds a very special place in my heart. This was where I completed my first ultra last year. I was using this year’s race as training for the big one coming up later this month. I also tested out my fuel strategy, poles and Salomon Advance Skin S-Lab 12 “Mark II” at this year’s race. Here’s look at the “improvement” I made to the pack. The idea is to be able to carry my poles in front for easy access.

Sewn on velcro on the water bottle pouches

Poles fit nicely with minimal bounce

This year, I set a target of sub 7hrs and I was quietly confident about it. I was directed to the lower car park on arrival and caught the shuttle bus up to the Turntable car park. By now, the sun is out, but it was still cold. Dropped off my bag and went on to registration. Said hi to a few familiar faces and before I know it, we were ready to start.

The tireless RD, Brett giving pre-race briefing

First 15km

8:30am and we were off. I have been “secretly” training with few of the Surf Coast Trail Runners here, especially Dion. Managed to find him among the pack and we somehow decided to run together. His target was to complete the race in 8hrs, but knowing how he has been training, I “pushed” him to adjust his target to sub 7hrs.

I initially had my feed alert for every 35min, but decided to adjust it to follow Dion’s every 40min instead. It worked well as we kept each other in check with the feed.

Yes, we were having fun!

This section was nice and we cruise through it. Took us 1hr 45min and we are on track for sub 7hrs finish.

Next 15km

A quick refuel at the aid station and off to our first climb to Flinders Peak. Managed to hi fives some of the runners along the way and gave each other some encouragement. The trip is around 3km return and it took us 30min to cover it. We will have to do this climb again after 30km, while the 80km participants have to climb this peak 3 times.

The rest of the section was manageable and we were comfortable with our pace. Total time 3hr 50min and the target was still on track.

Last 20km

It was great to finally meet Liberty (Dion’s better half) at the aid station and know that she had completed her 15km race better than her target time. This was very inspirational and it provided some motivation for my second climb up Finders Peak.

It felt hard and slow this time round. By now, the field was well spread and we did not see many runners during this stretch. My knees were feeling it on the descent and had to slow down. Followed Dion’s advice to slow down and get down to the aid station safely.  This time round, it took us 33min.

Shortly after, we were faced with the steep climb up Saddle back track. Dion and I were saying, one day, we will run up this slope. But for now, we shall walk.

The next few km was on bike tracks and they are fairly flat, which means lots of running... By now, fatigue had set in. I have decided to adopt the run / walk strategy. Around 40km, I felt a familiar pain on my left knee. Damn you ITB! For the next 2km, I tried to change my footing a bit and stretch out the ITB, but at 42km and 5hr 46min into the race, I decided not to risk it. Told Dion to keep going and get that sub7hr while I walk the last 8km to Finish.

Me and Dion at the finish

Dion eventually finished 6hr 55min (sub 7hrs yeh!!!) and I crossed the line 7hr 11min. I may be a little disappointed with my results, but I am just as happy to be able to complete the race in 1 piece. And my "Mark II" worked brilliantly. Just the occasional rubbing of the velcro rubbed onto my arm when the poles were out. This went away after a small adjustment to the velcro. I was also happy with my discipline on the nutrition. It worked well. 

Next step, making to the start of my next race...

Ultra-trail du Mont-Blanc - CCC

The North Face 100 - Mission Accomplished

I had chosen the last start group for this race mainly because I wanted to take it easy so that I can hopefully enjoy the stunning and breathtaking views of the Blue Mountains.

Participants will receive a silver buckle if they complete the race under 14hrs, a bronze buckle if it was completed under 20hrs. Given the amount of training (or lack of it) that I had, my realistic goal was for the bronze buckle. 

Archer, Collin and Koon Wei (ACK) flown in from Singapore for this race. These guys are hardcore ultra runners. They have completed The North Face 100 Singapore in Oct-12 with me, and went on to complete Vibram Hong Kong 100 in Jan-13. We checked into No.14 and proceeded to Fairmont Resort for our registration. Caught a glimpse of the ultra stars on stage, providing us mortals with some insight of their success. After our registration, we headed back to the hostel after some fish and chips and packed for the big day ahead.

Elites sharing their race tips...

With the help from KW, we had analysed past results and came out with the below timing target that we thought would be achievable for a sub 20hrs finish. This has a 1hr & 25mins buffer for any unforeseen circumstance. Ok, let me rephrase, there will definitely be unforeseen circumstances that will chew up this buffer. If we were able to match or better this timing, we should be able to get the bronze buckle. 

Leg	Distance	Time-In	Split	Rest	Time-Out
Start					7:11
CP1 - at 18km	18km	10:01	2:50	0:10	10:11
CP2 - at 38km	20km	13:01	2:50	0:10	13:11
CP 3 - at 54km	16km	16:01	2:50	0:10	16:11
CP 4 - at 65km	11km	18:26	2:15	0:20	18:46
CP 5 - at 89km	24km	22:46	4:00	0:15	23:01
Finish 100km	11km	1:46	2:45
			Total time		18:35

These were my starting items besides the mandatory gears:

- running cap and sunnies;

- 2xu running t-shirt (free from completing the Hertz BRW 5km run);

- Arm warmers;

- 2xu full compression tights;

- Injinji toe socks as a base layer, covered with my trusted Drymax Trail socks;

- Salomon Speedcross 3 CS;

- black diamond pole (1 only because the other one was with Collin). 

- 1litre of Gatorade in my pack;

- 6 x gels mixed with water in a 600ml bottle;

- 600ml of coke with chia seeds;

- 2 Winners energy bars;

- anti-fatigue and anti-cramps pills;

- pain killers.

Saturday 18-May-2013. The race briefing was at 6am and we got up at 4am to do our pre-race routine before making our way to Fairmont Resort. Parked our car along Fitzroy Street and took a short walk to the resort. ACK were shivering even though they were all wrapped up. I was actually enjoying the air and felt ok.

The briefing got underway at 6am and finished around 6:35am. Not much time for the first start group at 6:50am to do what they need to do before the race. Given that we are virgin to this course, the 4 of us elected to start in the last start group at 7:11am. 

Race Director, Tom giving his pre-race briefing.

Wave by wave, runners started their race. I could feel adrenaline all around me. 1mintue to start and Archer was nowhere in sight. He must be “stuck” in the toilet. Oh well, the timing only start when you cross the line. So it does not really matter if one was a bit late for the start. 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1... 7:11am, wished everyone the best of luck and we were off! 

Leg 1 – 18km to Check Point (CP) 1

Time and time again, I made the mistake of going out too fast. This time round, my game plan was to maintain my heart rate at a comfortable zone that does not require me to pant. If I feel that my heart rate was about to spike or when I start to grasp for air, I will slow down.

The 4 of us were together for a while from the start, but knowing that we will hit single trail soon, Collin and KW decided to run ahead to beat the traffic while Archer and I stuck to our own relax pace. This was good because I can take more pics. ;p Whenever there was a traffic jam, I would take the opportunity to eat or drink something.

The Blue Mountains is truly magnificent and I would have taken more pictures if it was not for the “fear of falling off a cliff” factor. I will very much prefer to stay alive and complete the course as supposed to falling off a few hundred meters drop cliff.

Archer and I took 3hrs 5mins for this first 18km. Collin, 3hrs and KW 2hrs 54mins. Archer had some stomach issue and waved me on. This was to be a quick stop. Had watermelon, oranges and some water. Took 2 gels and a banana went on my way. Total time spent at CP 1 is less than 5mins.

Leg 2 – 20km to CP 2 

Coming out of CP1 onto Narrow Neck, the trail was wide and traffic was more dispersed. As I was a little bit behind my target time, I picked up my pace a little, trying to get my target timing back on track. From past experience, time can so easily be lost and so damn bloody hard to gain it back, especially at the later stages of a race where the mind and body are exhausted. I was a little disappointed that I already had to use my planned buffer from Leg 1... 

The air was still cold, but the open trail had the sun beaming on us. It was so nice to feel the sun’s warmth. I could also see runners probably 1km ahead around the bends. 

 Around the 21km mark, I saw a familiar figure in the distance walking up the hill with a trekking pole. It was Collin! After a few minutes, I caught up to him. Bad news, his ITB was playing up and he just couldn’t run. We still have a long way to go and Collin waved me on. I replied: “Let’s finish this together.”

At TNF Singapore, Collin gave up a good finish time and stuck by me for the last 10km where I was unable to run and had to walk to finish. Not wanting to let me down, Collin attempted a few times to run, but each time he had to stop just after a short distance. I could see the frustration in his face and told him that all I ask of him was to just keep walking with me. And he did just that. 

There was quite a queue at the Tarros Ladders (28km). We decided not to wait and took the alternate path, Duncans Pass. Talking to runners later on confirmed that we made the right choice. Our alternate route had saved us at least 10mins.

With 1km left to CP2, I left Collin. The plan was for me to reach CP2 first and sort myself out before helping him with the food and water. Arrived at the CP and headed to the mandatory gear check. The check was fairly quick. 

While I was replenishing my gels, Collin called out to me and told me that he had already refilled his bladder and was ready to roll after he through the gear check! Thought to myself “How can he be that fast?” He told me that he was actually not far behind me and the 2 poles helped him with the descent to CP2. I quickly refilled my water, took some fruits and continue on... 

Similar to leg 1, this leg took me 3hrs and 5mins. Although 2km longer, this leg had more runnable downhills. 

Leg 3 – 16km to CP 3  

Not long after CP2, reached the climb to Ironpot Mountain. Damn it was steep. Both of my hands were used. Toughest climb so far. Took us at least 1/2hr to cover about 500m of climb. 

Perfect music for the scene...

This was an out and back section along Ironpot Ridge. The track was narrow and we have to give way to runners who had completed the loop and making their way down. The scenery in this section was magnificent. It was also pretty cool running on big boulders so near to the edge. The marshal at the turning point marked our numbers and we made our way back down on to Megalong Valley Road. 

Stunning view. 

After our turnaround point at Ironpot Ridge.

Megalong Valley Road is a dirt road. It felt easy on the legs and just as we thought that we were able to pick up some pace, we realised that we are once again going up. The road was not closed to traffic and although cars traveled at low speed, there was still dust cloud after they passed us.  

A beep from my Garmin confirmed that we have crossed the halfway mark. Took us a little under 9hrs. Another 4km to CP3. We were very much looking forward to CP3 as this was the first CP where support crew was allowed. 

This leg took us 3hrs 13mins. Arrived at CP3 and Jerry came out of his car was ever so ready to “serve” us. I had 1.5 cups of instant noodles and a bread roll. Didn’t replenish my food and water as CP4 was only 11km away. Our support crew consists of Jerry (CP3,4 & 5), May (CP4 & 5), Andrew, Therma, Lena & Angelena (CP4 only).

As it was about to turn dark, I changed into my thermal top layer up with another running top. Pulled out my torch, put on the buff and left my cap, sunnies and camera with Jerry. My knees were feeling it a bit, decided to pop 2 Nurofen to help me with the rest of the journey. 

It was so good to see Jerry. Unfortunately, we cannot hang around too long and we continued with our race. Although we intend to only take a 15mins break at CP3, we were actually there for 25mins. 

Leg 4 – 11km to CP 4  

If you do not believe in second wind, you should. I have witness this time and time again with Collin. Coming out of CP3, the trails were wide and soft. Collin started running slowly, which made me think that we could still have a shot at the bronze buckle!

Last pic from my camera. Thanks to a fellow runner...

This leg has the most dreaded Nellies Glen “death” climb. After 6km of gradual hills, we reached the foot of the 2km climb up with an elevation of about 300m. It was already dark and we had our head torch and hi-vis vest on. 

These 2km was by far the hardest climb in my short “running career”. The steps were big and steep. Clearly the fella who designed it does not know anyone that has short legs. The trekking pole turned out to be life savers. While we have to take breaks along the way, we did also manage to overtake people on the climb. 

3km after the climb, we reached CP4, Katoomba Aquatic Centre. 2hrs 4mins was what we took to complete this leg.

The crowd applauded when we entered CP4. Felt like a rock star! Looked around but couldn’t find Jerry or Andrew. Instead, we saw KW! He was hurting and was resting in CP4 for the past 1hr! He felt better and was about to head off when we arrived. Among us, he has the best chance of getting the bronze buckle. Told him to press on and not wait for us.

Gave Andrew a call and found out that he and Therma had stayed at CP3 to wait for Archer while Jerry, May, Lena and Angelena were about to reach CP4. Collin and I went on to replenish our supplies and tummies while we wait for their arrival. 

We were almost ready to go when the guys arrived. It was so good to see Lena and Angelena. Having them around my arms for the brief moment gave me that bit more strength to carry on. 

25mins in CP4 and we were back into the darkness of Blue Mounains.

Leg 5 – 24km to CP 5  

This was the longest leg. It was pitch black. I was very happy with the performance of my Led Lenser head torch. One thing that annoyed me was the reflection of the hi-vis vest. I couldn’t go too near to the runner in front because my light will be reflected back into my eyes. I would have to dim my lights or give myself a bit of distance.

Collin was doing great and we were walking the ups and running the flats. We took the Giant Stairway descent with ease even though the stairs were steep and narrow. Our trekking poles helped stablise our footings, allowing us to descent faster. 

After the stairs, the downhill went on and on. We caught up to KW around 81km and stuck together for the rest of the race. While pushing our pace up Kedumba Hill, my stomach started rumbling. It was like you wanted to throw up, but nothing could come out. I could only burp what smelled like the Red Bull drink that I took earlier. 

I had to slow down. Collin and KW stuck with me even though I may have jeopardise the timing. Collin even “forcefully” removed my pack and carried it for a while. There was another mandatory gear check around 84km. Shortly after the check, the moment that I was waiting for finally came. I chucked! The stomach was cleared. Felt much better and press on to CP5.

We reached the CP5 after spending 4hr 9mins in this leg. Once again, Jerry and May were there proving us with undivided attention. Quick time check and we realised that we had about 3.5hrs for the final 11km. For the first time in this race, we believed that we have a real shot at the bronze buckle! 

We were sitting on the floor instead of the chairs in the tent. Maybe that was why a friendly and concerned staff came over to us and asked if everything was ok. Told him we were all good, just didn’t want to get too comfortable before starting our final leg. 

We gave ourselves 3hrs to complete the last 11km. Left CP5 after spending 27mins there. 

Leg 6 – 11km to Finish

We hit the final leg filled with confidence. The trails continue to be technical and challenging. There was not much we can do to speed up. We figured that as long as we don’t stop, we should be able to meet our target.

Then before 95km, disaster struck! We took a wrong turn! As if 100km is not enough, we did a bit of sightseeing by adding another 2km to our race. We had missed a turn off. Instead of going to the right, we went left. After going on the wrong trail for a while, we felt something was not right. There were no markers and the trails were very narrow and tight. We should have back tracked by we chose to continue. 

Lucky for us, the trail ended about 1km later at an open spot where the only option to continue was to jump off the cliff. We had no idea how much time we have lost, but we knew we have to go back and find the last seen marker. On our way back we bumped into another runner. Told him it was the wrong way and he back tracked with us. We found the last marker and were back on the right trail. We had wasted 38mins with this silly mistake.

We had switched from “cruise” mode to “panic” mode. The last 5km had a lot of single trails and it was slow climbing to the finish. Honestly, I was a bit frustrated by not being able to overtake at these sections. When allowed, the slower runners made way for us to pass. I was very appreciative of this because by allowing us to pass, they would finish just outside 20hrs and miss out on the bronze buckle. 

There were distance markers for the last 5km counting down to the finish. Every time I passed one, I checked my time and my heart rate went up a notch. It was going to be bloody close! At 99km, time check, 19hrs 36mins. 24mins for the last km. 

With a few hundred meters to go, we could see the lights from Fairmont Resort. Yes! Big load off the shoulder. Three of us crossed the line after an epic 19hrs and 46mins battle with the Blue Mountains. Although Archer missed out on the buckle, he did finish the race in 23hrs 14mins. 

Race Summary

Weather: Sunny, 2 to 13 degrees... A bit cold in the morning and during the last leg. But, I would very much prefer this to rain. 

Course: Tough... Never had I climb up and descent so may stairs in my life! The Blue Mountains is absolutely stunning and to be able to race on such a wonderful day, we were truly blessed. Course markings were very good. So not sure how we can miss a turn. 

Check Points: Well stocked with gels, drinks, fruits, bread, noodles etc. Drop bags were easily accessible. Having support crew provided me with added motivation throughout the race. Although the drop bag service is sufficient, you can’t take away the emotion part of having someone there you know cheering you on. 

Staff and Volunteers: Hats off to Tom and his army for putting up such a superb race. Thank you guys!!!

Nutrition: Other than the Red Bull saga, everything else seems to be working fine. 

Pat on the back for those who completed the race, and also those who have the guts to try. It was tough and I was truly humbled by the Blue Mountains. 

PS, there are a few more pictures from my race here.