20th March 2021
As the brisk wind blows the cold rain onto my bear arms, I shiver at the start line next to my fellow competitors. Race director Matt welcomes us all to Duncan’s Run, he explains the origin story of the races and he explains the course markers for the day, and lastly he counts us down to our race start.
The 50km course is broken up into two loops, the first being an anticlockwise 23km loop up to Mt Tassie then returning to the Tarra Bulga visitors centre, the second being the remaining kilometres through the Tarra Valley. Check out the course here.
With this race being one of my ‘B’ races I was holding back my excitement as much as I could, but it didn’t work… As soon as Matt called “go”, I let out a loud “Wooooooooo!” and bounded forward close behind the two lead runners for the day John Dutton and Corey Milner.
I set off reasonably fast doing my best keeping John and Corey in eyesight who were running sub 5:00/km paces. I enter into the dense jungle of Balook and onto beautiful stretches of single track, a trail runners wet dream, this brought such a smile to my face that I could not help but let loose another “Wooooooo!”. This delightful technical single track continued for several kilometres in where race director Megan Harper was hiding out taking photos of the runners, I happily gave her the biggest grin as I flew past. I also rolled my left ankle in this section, at the 8km mark, I was grateful the roll was superficial and did not hinder my pacing.
The jungle opened up revealing the sky around the 10km mark, it was still raining, it was grey and it was filling me with positive energy. The terrain changed from jungle single track to a grassy four-wheel drive road. This grassy road took me up to the Mt Tassie Lookout where I snapped a quick photo and had a momentary appreciation for the view around me. The descent from Mt Tassie was somewhat technical and I rolled my left ankle a second time, I promptly slowed, mentally checked on how felt and there was zero pain… Grateful that my ankle held strong I pushed onwards faster than before flying down this 4km downhill section with several sub 4:00 kilometres. As I ran down, I said to myself “Injuries be damned, embrace the suffering and get this done”.
Continuing through the first loop I smashed the remaining downhills and was strong on the uphills until cruising into the Tarra Bulga visitors centre at 23km.
Spending a few minutes at the aid station I refilled my bottle with Tailwind and chomped down a banana, then I hear Matt over the speakers “You are spending too long in the aid station, get out of here!”. I promptly gather myself, smile and turn away cheekily giving him the middle finger.
Reflecting back on this, this may have come off pretty rude. I apologise Matt.
Leaving the first aid station I begin to pass several runners who are running the 21km race. I pass these runners and I yell out “Good stuff” or “Well done” as all of our shoes are squelching and slipping in the mud. I receive a few responses and am invigorated by the energy. I make a hard left splitting onto the back end of the first loop a section of downhill so I turn the pace back up. On this section I give the other 50km runners big smiles, thumbs up and encourage them to stay strong and work hard. I make a sharp left onto the second loop and continue downhill until reaching 28km where my direction changes from downhill to uphill. I climb this uphill strong as I remember there is another big downhill section starting at 30km.
I summit the uphill with my lungs and legs working hard, I slow only for a moment and then hit the gas flying down gravel fire trails. My legs working hard on the downhill I thought about how strong my quads felt considering the fast downhills already in my legs, and how my glutes and lower back was on fire. I take in the views of the surrounding forests and notice how green the trees are, the rain sparkling as the sunshine brakes out of the grey cloud sea. My watch beeps, the direction changes to uphill and I suddenly feel a blanket of fatigue fall over me as I reach 34km.
I drink a mouthful of Tailwind, a sip of Red Bull and place my hands on my knees hiking. I breathed deeply bringing my heart rate down and oxygen back into my body, my quads seizing up. I bring my hands up running again for a short distance, I switch back to hiking and back again to running. I alternate running and hiking until I reach 40km where I am grateful to summit this uphill section. I gulp down more swigs of tailwind. Feeling revived after the tailwind and alternating running and hiking my energy picks up.
Click here to watch a short video of my adventure.
Running through the next bit of jungle I begin to doubt myself and my abilities, not being able to catch up to Corey currently in second place. Reaching the last downhill section, I do my best to shrug off my doubts telling myself “I am strong”. My watch beeps again noting I reached 44km, knowing there is only 5km until the end I dig deep and push on uphill. At 46km I hit another wall my energy plummeting further as I thought about lying down in the mud and taking a nap. My head spun and eyes darted everywhere as I alternated between hiking and running. I finish the last of my water and Tailwind. I check the distance on my watch it ticks over, 47km, 48km, 49km. I say to myself “1km until I finish, you can do it.”. I make turn after turn thinking the finish has to be around the next corner… My watch ticks over to 50km and say to myself, “What’s another few kilomiters? I’ve endured a lot worse a have gotten through it”. I receive a short relief making my way downhill again. My watch beeps again, 51km… I continue to run through the dense jungle like scenery, not taking in much as my head still spins and eyes cannot focus. I cross one of the roads close to the end, my spirits are lifted knowing I am closer to stopping. But I cannot stop I am in a battle, a battle against other runners and my own self-doubts. I look up as I pass the road and see a steep single track leading upwards back into the jungle. My hands on my knees I push down hard, my glutes on fire and my quads seizing up. I reach the top of the steep section, my watch beeping signalling 52km, “how much further” I ask myself. My head spinning and eyes darting everywhere I continue to alternate walking and hiking through the jungle until I reach a familiar trail which I know has less than 1km until the finish. I push on. I brake into a clearing and out of the jungle, light bursting everywhere, the finish line in front of me and cheers from spectators and other finishers. I let out a loud and what felt like a drunken “Wooooooo!”, I crossed the finish line, gave Megan a drunken like smile and slammed down a delightful cup of Coke with a banana in the other hand.
I spent the following hour sitting outside the first aid tent with Dan (1st place) and Corey (2nd place) then the next 2-3 hours cheering on other finishers, drinking a couple of juices and chatting away to as many people as would listen to me.
I love this shit. The purposeful suffering, I put upon myself brings out the best qualities of me and I truly believe it builds a stronger and better me.
A great deal of thanks is deserved for the race directors, Megan, Matt and others behind the scenes. Also, a big thanks to the volunteers, especially the first aid volunteers who were called in on short notice because other volunteers couldn’t make it.
In summary Duncan’s Run was fun, energetic, challenging and scenic. If you are a trail runner looking for a sweet single-track race, this race is one to add to your wish list.
Wins
1. My left foot has been on a rollercoaster ride of rehab and recovery. I have not pushed this hard in a while, I am grateful my foot held up without injury.
2. I placed 3rd overall scoring another podium finish to my resume.
Challenges
1. Poor nutrition planning led to me bonking twice. I tried home made rice bars I’ve been using for the past months. They are good if kept in a container not in a sandwich bag where it turns to mush and slightly warm.
2. The hills. I feel like I have lost a part of my hill fitness since my injury after the Sri Chinmoy back in 2020. Sounds like a perfect time to add hill repeats back into my training.
Highlights
1. I met up with a few running friends which I haven’t seen in a while.
2. I made a bunch of new friends and was able to share my story with an awesome dude named Dylan.
3. I ran through some of the most amazing single track scenery.
Home 