My relationship with Duncan’s Run in Vic didn’t start well – it was in 2016 when some friends and I had entered for what was promising to be a great day of trail running. My friends had a great day. One friend Regan finished second male and third overall in the 100kms, friends Shane and Dez came first and second in the 50kms. I rolled my ankle about 2kms into the 50kms, it was nasty and after trying to convince myself that it would come good if I just walked for a bit, I eventually had to accept that my race was over and I hobbled out on the 6km course.
The stories I heard from the guys and what I read about last year’s race had me wanting to come back and it was a great fit in this year’s calendar.
The day started like most other races (Saturday March 24, 2018), a mixture of familiar faces and new ones. The call came for the 50kms entrants to line up. I like to start these easy and warm up but I found myself standing with Stuart Hughes, Shane Winzar and Mike Cardiff, just behind the young guns, Nicole Paton to my right. We all gave each other that grin, knowing that once the countdown was over, the race would be on.
As we started I found myself a bit closer to the front that I’m used to, but the pace felt comfortable so I sat tight. As we wound down the path I was remembering 2016 and wondering how I did so much damage on such a nice path. We hit the bridge, and my demons were gone and so was the downhill start. We began to wind up the other side. I always find these bits intense with the pack still very close. I mostly sat tight, checking the breathing, and not wanting to go too hard at this early stage.
The lead pack disappeared into the trees. I tried to guess how many, maybe four or five. I was surprised to find myself in a good position to witness the early battle for first and second female. As we climbed and climbed, Jo Noesgaard was running strong, Nicole held her ground, and Shane Winzar and I swapped positions amongst it. Eventually I passed Jo, then Nicole and Shane passed me. My calves started to get tight; I was expecting this though, as I had experienced the same thing in recent training runs doing hill work at Glasgow and Donna Buang. I entered Duncan’s Run as a training race, so I didn’t taper at all.
I was waiting for Stuart Hughes to pass me but surprisingly, I didn’t see him. It’s still early, I thought, just keep slogging away. As we got to the top of Mount Tassie I found that I’d caught up a bit, or was it just that it was open and I could see further, I couldn’t be sure.
There was more climbing to come a long hike and I’d brought my poles, so I pulled them out. As I started heading down I found that I had almost caught up to Nicole, but then the track tightened up and I lost sight of her again. When we crossed the road I expected to see her. But she had disappeared. Man, she’s put the hammer down, I thought.
As I came into the aid station at the end of loop one, I had to stop. I threw down a banana, half a can of Red Bull, and swapped out my soft flasks for two fresh ones. I headed towards the officials, yelled ‘535 out’ got the thumbs up and headed off. Out the grass shoot, up the road a bit and then onto a beautiful green, tree lined track. It didn’t seem to go up for long before winding down. It was good running, and I soon saw Shane in the distance. Eventually I caught him, and we asked each other how we were traveling: ‘Okay’ we both lied, then I found myself running ahead of him.
This was a beautiful place to run, gentle down winding trail, leaf litter and bark from the towering gums lined the path. I was slowly catching Nicole. We rounded a bend and the water was running down the rocks on the right, and I couldn’t help but smile and breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the moment. Nicole and I ran together, chatting for a bit. I asked about Mike, and she said he was running well, but wasn’t sure how far ahead he was. We’d been running downhill for what seemed an eternity. I pulled ahead a bit.
When we hit the bottom, the change was instant, the wall was on the other side and I could see a UD pack over the top of a blue VUR shirt in the distance, already going up, it had to be Mike. I know he had been doing a lot of hill work, and would be strong here. As I pondered this, I heard Nicole behind me, no need to ask, I moved aside and she flew past. It wasn’t long before Mike did the same, and I was close enough to hear him say, ‘There you go long legs’.
Soon they both disappeared out of my sight. I was at nearly 30kms, and my glutes were screaming. The path had levelled off. I had to run, the transition back to running had to be forced and it took a while to settle in again. I was low on water and feeling thirsty. Eventually there was a road crossing and a bit of an aid station. I made it there just in time to see Nicole disappear, Mike was filling up with water. He looked up to see me approaching with my flask out ready to fill up. I’m pretty sure I saw a little smile when he knew I had to fill up too. With the help of the guy at the aid station, I filled one, and half-filled the other. I would later regret not filling both, but I was desperate to get going and I didn’t want to carry any more weight than necessary.
I headed off, the path straight forward and wide, but I suddenly realised that I hadn’t been looking for trail markers. When did I last see one? But then, ahead on my left, a yellow and orange ribbon. Yes, keep going.
The track opened up again, it was both rocky and muddy, and I could see Mike ahead, and Nicole ahead of him. Slowly I felt I was making some ground while the terrain was undulating.
As I caught Mike I felt the need to push on, and then as I approached Nicole, we were coming down onto the road, hitting it together, but it was clay and it was wet. I tried to let the legs go, and I found I was pulling away. Looking up at the next hill, the first crest wasn’t too far away. It was flat for a while and then went up again, so I checked behind me – no one in sight.
All I could do was keep going. I didn’t have my poles this time so plan B, hike the crap out of it and don’t stop. Hike I did, it seemed longer than the first time, at one point I started to doubt myself again, did I miss a marker, this doesn’t look familiar, get the phone out, check Avenza Maps, but as I pulled out the phone I spotted two ribbons.
Phone back and go, still no one behind me. I pulled out my flasks and drew every last drop from them both. I rubbed my hair and felt the cool water from the rain run down my neck, it wasn’t raining much, but just enough that I could repeat this a few times.
Finally I was going down again. There’s the road, no cars, left, friendly faces, ‘535’ I yelled out ‘which way?’ last time was left but no markers there, they pointed right and there was the arrow, as I hit that path is was sharp up for a bit, I walked for a moment, bending down peering through the trees and looking back across the road from where I came, no-one.
Right, what are you doing, run! As I started to run I noticed that the path was gentle, and running was easy. Oh, another aid station, witches hats, no, what? This is the finish! I heard a bell, that beautiful bell, fist in the air, I jump through the finish, I was so stoked, and you could be forgiven for thinking I’d won the damn thing. Even though the winner had come through the finish line some 48 minutes earlier, this was still a great result for me; sixth place and I’d finally managed to finish ahead of a couple of runners that I have an enormous amount of respect for.
Nicole soon came around the corner, taking out first female. This was the first time I’d been able to see her finish and it was great to see. I gave her a high five and waited to see if Mike was far behind her, but who cames around the corner? Stuart Hughes, always the strong finisher. He’d passed both Shane and Mike, as well as Jo at some point. Shortly after Mike came through, he’d had a great run too. Stuart told me that Shane had some cramping. I paced Shane and Mike for 80kms of the 182kms race that was GSER, so I know how tough these guys are. Come on Shane, top ten is still up for grabs, bring it home I thought. I was getting cold, so I had to move inside to warm up with some of the beautiful soup and missed him coming across the line but came out shortly after. He’d done it, top 10, just in front Jo, who took out second female.
What a fantastic event, the course was marked well, the vollies were awesome and the overall atmosphere was fantastic. Food at the finish was just what I needed, and I heard many compliments about it. Thank you to Matt and the other organisers for such a great event.
Pictured: Dave ‘Dingo’ Sutherland running at the 2017 Two Bays Trail Run. Photograph – Supplied.
Pictured (Centre): Dave ‘Dingo’ Sutherland with mates Mike and Shane at the Great Southern Endurance Run in 2017. Photograph – Kath Payne.
