I was woken
at 4:30am by the sound of rain plummeting down the drain pipes outside
my window. The wind was howling, the weather was as wild. “Are you going
to call it off?”. Mikey, my hubby asked. I did not answer. I had spent
the last two days trying to organise 11 people to do this 28km run from
Manly to Long Reef return. 5 of my clients running that day have never
run further than 21km, 1 had never run more than 15km before, so it was a
huge event for everyone.
My race the Glenbrook Marathon was
cancelled on Sunday due to flooding, so I thought it was the perfect
opportunity to get my 3 Coastrek 50km Teams together for a solid
training session. I did not think that the weather would stop my
training too. Bugger, I’m so busy with all my races and training for all
my events, that I have trouble fitting in all my training sessions, and
then try and train my clients and team mates too. I know that everyone
one else is busy too, and what is the likely hood that I will be able to
get everyone out again on the same day to train, it just was not
possible. We had to train no matter what.
I got up and checked the weather on my
iPhone, we were going to get hit with so much rain it was unbelievable.
But, there was a dry patch just about to arrive. So hopefully this will
prevent too many people from pulling out of the session and they will be
lead into a false sense of security, thinking that the worst had
passed. (I giggle to myself at this thought).
One person pulled out due to sickness,
another pulled out because she was just going to run it for fun, and she
was not in one of our teams. It was best that she stayed home, there
was no need for her to be out in this potentially dangerous weather. We
were down to 9. Cool, the attrition rate was not so bad, and we now fit
into 2 cars.
Mia and Zandra met at my house, we had a
coffee and left and picked up Brian, who rode his bike to Cleveland
Street, I put is bike on my bike racks on top of my car. I can’t believe
how handy those very expensive but trusty bike racks have become. We
drove to Manly and parked near the Wharf and waited for the others. It
was just before 6am and it looked like everyone was arriving on time. It
was raining, but it was warm, so we were not in danger of hyperthermia
unless someone got seriously injured. I made sure everyone had an
emergency blanket and a wet weather gear. I offered everyone a choc
cookie, I have been told to eat more by my nutritionist, and a VLA
reading showed that I had lost a kilo of muscle since August, so I get
to eat again, more slow burning carbs and protein! Yay!!! We sorted out
our gels, and without to much fuss, I handed 6 girls, my clients a map,
and we were off.
I was running with 2 guys, Jeff and
Brian, Renae was sick and was resting. Brian is a Irish 25 year old male
with red hair, who is extremely fit, Jeff is in his early thirties,
strong as an ox and I am always in disbelief with his athletic
ability.He just should not be able to move like he can, he is just an
agile machine.
It was going to be so much fun running
with the 2 boys today. The group had to split up, 9 people running
together was just too many, so I ran with my team, Jeff and Brian. Mia, a
client and my 2nd placed Oxfam Team Mate, and winning Coastrek Team
Mate, lead the girls in the other group. She is just a reserve at the
moment, but wanted to come along to help out and have a great day in the
bush.
With a few words, we were off.
I ran along slowly setting the pace,
trying to keep the boys slow for the first 10 minutes, so their joints
could warm up properly. It was our first training session with Jeff. We
were so happy to have him venture out with us, the early morning starts
had been getting to him a bit. We really appreciated the extra special
effort he made to get up on this revolting day. We ran along the
course-way, up over a hill in the burbs of Manly, and descended down to
Little Manly Beach. We then climbed into the Sydney Harbour National
Park, dropped down into Little Collins Beach then climbed for 1km up the
the North Head. This climb always bites, especially when you have just
started, but we hit a rhythm that we could all manage, usually this
meant that we go no faster than the pace I am able to talk the whole way
up then hill, if I stop talking we are going to fast. We crossed the
road and threaded our way through some heath scrub on metal grates. I
find these grates really fun, they are slippery, but I find the faster
you go the better, I can bounce my way along these types of paths. We
crossed another small road and hit a small trail that followed the
sandstone headland around North Head, we ducked through a stone tunnel
and ran down some bush stairs and onto Shelly Beach.
Instantly we were exposed to the full
force of the wind and rain. We had a direct head wind, and that head
wind was going to stay for the next 10km. Damn the head wind!!! We
crossed Shelly beach then hit a footpath past Fairy Bower, ran around a
point and hit the sand on Manly. In training for Coastrek, I encourage
my Team Mates and Clients, to hit the sand, grass, or soft ground where
ever possible. I want to avoid any unnecessarily high impact injury. So
for all the training we run the sand along the beaches.
The wind was so strong that we felt like
we were running in a wind tunnel, piercing rain and sand was stinging
our exposed limbs. I hit the front, finding the stride rate of the boys
too slow for me. I am only 5 foot 2 inches, so I have to turn my legs
over much faster than the guys to remain at the same speed. Being out in
front meant that I could set my own rhythm. Damn you head wind!!!! We
ran on the sand, searching for the sweet spot, just on the edge of the
tide line, where our feet could get traction without sinking too much.
These were tough conditions. I really could not think of a time when I
was wetter. The rain was pelting down on us, and I really thought my
running singlet was a useless piece of clothing that I really did not
need at that moment. The beach was littered with countless blue bottles,
and tangled on the tide line. The wind was so strong that the Blue
Bottles were being blown down the beach like tumble weeds. I have never
seen such a thing. We now had moving balls of venom to dodge as well as
stationery blue bottles, plus the floating Bluies, that were still being
washed up by the sea.
We ran past the Pool at Queenscliff,
then hit the steepest climb of the day, straight up the headland between
some apartment complexes and up to the headland. This one hurt, and
forced the boys to walk for a bit. We were already tired from the beach
running into a headwind and we needed to rest for a while and wait for
our bodies to switch back into aerobic.
I had been very lost around this area
before and I showed the boys which route to take. Without a map around
this area, you can end up going off a cliff. We found the walking track
and descended into Freshwater Beach. Freshie was a relief, as it was
protected from the hollowing wind, we made great time across this beach
and headed over the headland, around the point, where the path switched
to a beautiful broad walk along the cliffs edge for the next kilometre.
On the pathway to Curl Curl beach the waves were monstrous, crashing
violently against the rocks below.
What a better way to spend a Saturday Morning I thought. What else could one be possibly be doing?
This was madness. The tide was high,
there was a storm surge of water making the seas fuller and more
ferocious, and the rivers and lagoons will be full. I was starting to
worry about what was ahead of us. Shit I forgot to tell the girls about
the rules of water crossings. I hope Mia will guide them through and
water crossing safely. That they should not enter water that is deeper
than their knee height.
We hit Curl Curl beach and again we were
greeted with a cyclone strong head wind. I hate running on Curl Curl
Beach. The sand is deep and soft, what’s more is that the beach is set
on an angle, so it puts uneven stress on your limbs. Damn you head
wind!! It better not change direction for our return. I am looking
forward to the tail wind I will be getting for our return.
We dodged Blue Bottles, passed a dead
baby rat, washed up logs that were covered in shell fish and were
bemused by live fish that had been flung out of the water. Man it does
not get any more wild that this. The sea was angry, and we were feeling
the full brunt of its force. Jeff lead, I tried to hide behind him. He
was running so fast I could barely keep up. Brian hung back with me and
kept a steady rhythm.
We waded into Curl Curl Lagoon, and
waded straight back out again. We have had so much rain over the past
week,the lagoon was flooded. A brown rapid of a river had formed at the
mouth of the lagoon. The tide was high also, added to the depth of the
crossing. The water was up past my chest. I took my back pack off, not
wanting to submerge my iPhone in the water, then waded across the Mouth
of turbulent the Lagoon. Far out, it better not get any worst than that.
I looked at the headland at Curl Curl, and remembered our experience of
this section of the track from last years race. At high tide the
headland track is un-passable. The waves are too big and there is not
enough dry path to follow around the rocks. I decided that it would be
too dangerous to follow the track so I went to the Curl Curl SLSC and
asked for directions
“Hi, is there a path to Long Reef?”, I
asked the weather harden surf life saver. “Where do you want to go? Long
reef, yeah, just head up to the traffic lights and follow Pittwater
Road, you will be there in no time.” He replied. “Is there another path,
through the bush?” I ventured. “Oh, you want to follow the head land,
yeah, just follow the path to the right, and walk up the steeps”. He
replied. Cool, we were off. We got to the top of the head land, I found
some shelter and I texted the Team of Girls following us the directions,
and that they should not try and follow the track around the head land
due to the tide being so high. With this done we were off again. Brian
lead through this section, followed by Jeff and I hung at the back
having a little rest. We were protected by heath scrub in the reserve,
it was so nice to be off the dreadful beach and running on a single man
track. We passed some amazing houses, with equally amazing views as we
winded our way down to Dee Why Beach.
We passed the pool, the SLSC. The
Weather was so horrendous we could not see Long Reef Point only 2km
away. This was our last beach crossing that we had to do before we had
to head back. We ran along the grey foggy beach and then waded into Dee
Why Lagoon. We waded straight back out again. “Shit, this is deep”, and
with that we took off our back packs and held them above our heads and
started to wade across the rapid filled lagoon mouth. I walked in, and I
was soon in head deep with the water swallowing me. I was going to go
under, it was too deep for me. Shit. I turned over onto my back so I
could float, then started to do back breast stroke across the divide of
fast flowing water. The current was so strong it was pulling my legs
under into a whirl pool. I lifted them up and started to kick my breast
stroke harder, using my legs only, whilst holding my back pack up out of
the brown storm water. My iPhone was in my pack and I did not want to
drown it, so I held my pack up as high as I could. Jeff was out first.
He dumped his pack then ran back to get me, fearing that I was going to
be swept away with the current. By the time he came back to me I was
already out of the water dripping wet. We then looked for Brian. He was
making his way out of the torrent. “That was really hairy, I’m not a
strong swimmer” The Irish Team Mate said. Jeff and I looked at each
other in shock, f*cK we almost could have drowned our team mate. Us
Aussies take it for granted that everyone is a strong swimmer. Whoops.
(Technically you should not enter any water of a river that is above
your knee height, please don’t do this on your runs, I’d hate to hear
that one of you got injured).
On Long Reef Beach, I found a surfy
watching our crossing. I asked to be sheltered under is umbrella, it was
raining heavily and I wanted to text the other team to tell them not to
cross Dee Why Lagoon, but to take the Road. I chatted to the surfy, he
said he use to be a runner, and that he is 53. I almost fell over, he
looked so young. The running and the surfing has kept him in the best
shape. Finding out this just reforms all my thoughts about exercise.
Knowing that there are people in their 50s, 60s and 70s still living
healthy active lives is one of my main motivators.
The rain was coming down, and we were
over the head wind. Jeff took off running, Jeff was a machine and ran
ahead, whilst Brian and I did our best to keep up with him. He hooned up
the hill to the top of the point gaining 100m on us. At the top he
rested and waited for us to catch up. We hit the 14.5km point and we had
some food, and headed straight back down the hill again. I was looking
forward to the tail wind all the way back to Manly. This took us 1 hour
44 minutes.
On the return we decided to take the
road instead of the rapids at Dee Why Lagoon, and headed along the path
past the SLSC at Long Reef and out onto Pittwater Rd. There was only a
narrow path of about 50cm between the forest, us and the 3 lanes of
traffic, it was unnerving suddenly being so close to civilisation. I
felt vulnerable. The cars were speeding past, splashing us. Jeff was at
the front setting the pace, stretching his legs. We ran for about 1.5km
and then turned onto a cycleway that headed back to Dee Why Beach.
At the beach I had another gel, then
looked for the other team. I could not see them along the beach near the
lagoon, they should be around this area, they should not be that far
behind. Bugger. Oh well we will just run into them later I thought.
The tail wind was fantastic. With is
added help we were blown down the beach, it was making our return on
tired legs so much more enjoyable. We past Dee Why Beach, then hit the
bush again at Dee Why Head after a steep climb, Jeff lead us again
through the bush. It was his first time out with us and he showed us
what he was made of. I was having troubles keeping up with him. Brian
was right on my tail, so I had no choice but to speed up. It was great
to be pushed by these 2 guys. I was rising to the occasion. We took the
turn off to Curl Curl SLSC, and on doing this we spotted some walkers
that I’d seen earlier in the day. “Have you seen any girls wearing a
singlet singlet like this?”.I asked pointing to my singlet, wondering
where the others had gotten too. We should have passed them by now. “Yes
back there”, the guy said, pointing towards Freshwater. With this
knowledge I had the shits. How could they have turned back so soon? They
better not have whimped out I thought. They should have told me they
were having problems. The weather was not that bad, or so I thought.
Bugger. The girls really needed to complete at least 25km today to keep
them on track for their 50km.( I am a tough trainer, but it was not cold
out there, it was really warm).
With these thoughts we headed down to
the crossing at Curl Curl Lagoon. We waded into the water, and waded
straight back out again. The water had risen since our last passing only
1 hour ago, it was brown, dirty fast flowing and unpredictable. We took
off our back packs and waded though the shoulder deep water. I had to
swim for a section of it as it was too deep for me to stand. Okay if the
other team did turn back because of Curl Curl Lagoon, fair enough. It
was bloody dangerous, and I would not suggest that anyone goes into
water that they did not feel confident that they could cross with out
any danger.
We ran down Curl Curl Beach trying to
avoid the blue bottles, picking the sweet spot in the sand, enjoying the
tail wind that we were receiving. On the pathway between Curl Curl and
Freshwater Beach the tide had risen some more and the waves crashed into
the rocks and splashing us as we ran along the clifs edge. This was
madness. I have never been in such conditions, the seas were monstrous
we were wet from the rain, and wet from the sea. My allergies were
feeling fantastic. The salt water was clearing out all my sinus, there
had to be some perk to running on a day like that. My chest had been bad
ever since The GNW 100km, when in the last 10km I inhaled smoke. But
the sea side air and spray was helping me so much.
We flew down the steps onto Freshwater
Beach, crossed the beach with out much fuss, hit the stairs on the south
end of the beach and started one of the final climbs of the day. This
one stung. I lead up the stairs, knowing that we were so close to our
finish, and push on up feeling really strong. We had been on our feet
for over 2 and a half hours and the boys were starting to get tired. At
the top they wanted to walk to catch their breaths. But after only a
minute or so they were off and running again back down the hill, around
the apartments and down to a flooded rock baths at Queenscliff. The rock
pool was under water by about 20cm.
It was the last long beach we had to run
along. Jeff again hit the front, just wanting to get the hard work over
and done with. Brian and I did our best to keep up. After a few hundred
metre of running, I noticed that my groin was starting to show signs of
a strain. If mine felt like this, the others may be feeling it too. I
watched the boys ahead of me avoid the blue bottles in the ever rising
tide. Jeff narrowly avoid being stung by one. There was not hard sand
left to run on, only the soft sand was available for running.
“Jeff, Brian off the sand, let’s rest up
and take it easy, lets not get injured now, and lets avoid getting
stung by a blue bottle”. I said. I this this made the guys day. We ran
onto the broad walk, and stopped and stretched our groins, ate some food
and started running down the beach towards Shelly Beach. It was great
to be back on solid ground, I stretched my legs, hit the front and I
felt great. I strided out, feeling my niggly hamstring have a stretch
and warm up. This is when I enjoy my running to most, running at top
speed and feeling my body flow naturally with every step.
The sea became angry again, the pathway
between the SLCS at Manly and Shelly beach was being pounded by the
waves crashing onto the rocks. Even blue bottles were being thrown up
out of the sea and onto the footpath. This was again crazy conditions to
be running in, but nothing will be this bad for a long time.
At Shelly beach I stopped and had
another gel, Jeff had a power bar, and Brian ate spiced hot pepperoni
sausages. This I personally find repulsive. I don’t know how he can eat a
protein and run on it. I am a pretty vego, only eating fish 2 times a
week at the most. If it was me it would be vomited up the pepperoni
sausage after the first hill I run down. But everyones body works
differently and what works for me may not work for someone else. After
our little snack, we hit the last major climb of the day as we headed up
to North Head. I still felt great, I’d been eating every 30 minutes,so
my energy levels were high. Here, on this climb was when the guys
started to feel it. We had been on our feet for about 3 hours. They were
eating 50% less than me and it showed. We slowed to a walk. Jeff felt
sick. The power bar did not agree with him. If I am going to eat
something that is not a gel I usually eat it early on in the session or
race, so my body has time to digest it. Or if I am hungry in a long run I
only take a tiny bite at a time, then wait 15 minutes so it does not
shock my stomach. Jeff, ate too much too late. But hey, this is why you
train, so you can learn what works and what does not work.
At the top of the hill I started to run
again, trying to motivate the boys. With this Jeff regained his
strength, soon followed by Brian and I stayed at the back. Letting the
boys set the pace. We were on the home stretch and they knew that it was
only 2km more to go. We ran along the metal grates, crossed North Head
Rd, and headed down the beautiful steep hill to Collins Beach. I hit the
front again, and was amazed that the pathway to the walking track to
Manly was under 50cm of water, next to a beer coloured water fall. We
waded through the water, meandered through the small bush track of
Spring Cove, past Little Manly reserve, rolled our legs down to Little
Manly Beach .Yay, our last beach was crossed and we started the last
climb for the day. With this Jeff could no longer run. He had to walk.
We walked up the last hill together, then before too long we were
running again. Jeff hit the front, again just wanting to get the run
over and done with, he was cramping. I suggested that we did a cool down
jog. But Jeff just wanted it over with. So Brian and I ran along side
him, keeping him company and keeping the team together. The rain was
still pissing down, it had hardly stopped all day. We passed the wharf
at Manly Cove and ran back to our cars.
Training Session Done. The 30.5km took us 3 Hours 34 Minutes.
I opened the car, grabbed some cookies
and shared them out. I gave Jeff and electrolyte mix to have to help his
cramping, and Brian went and bought some warm clothes from the shops. I
checked my phone, I saw nothing from the girls, I texted to tell them
that we had finished. They must have gone all the way to Dee Why Lagoon.
Cool, they have probably completed about 27km. Excellent. This made my
day knowing that my other clients were still out training making the
most of their opportunity.
Jeff and I
walked into the water at Manly Cove to aid with our recovery whilst I
waited for the others to return. We were soon joined by Brian. I made
everyone stay in for at least 15 minutes. Jeff was cramping really
badly, so we sent him home to be properly fed and to recover. Brian and I
jumped into the car and waited for the others. I turned the car engine
on, with the heating on full blast to warm myself up. I was freezing.
Suddenly I heard some giggling and chatting, it was the other group.
They had survived these awful condition with energy to burn, happy
faces. “That was the hardest thing I have ever done”, Jayne and Kellie
said. But their faces were glowing, almost contradicting what they have
just said. They looked like they that a ball. The ran the 27km in 4
hours 4 minutes. “I am so proud of you guys, you made it here faster
that your schedule by over 30 minutes, well done!”. I said, truly stoked
with their effort. I tried to dry out Jaynes phone that Curl Curl
Lagoon drowned, and Brian and I waited while they hit the water at the
beach for their recovery. Sweet, they made my day!!!
