Coast to Kosciusko Ultra Marathon 2008

As promised the much belated C2K 2008 race report.

Coast to Kosciusko Ultra Marathon 2008

This is it, the big one. This is the race a lot of runners on the ultra scene aspire to running and for those that have ran it before, they look for ways to improve on their times from previous years or are simply delighted to get to the start line once more. It’s an awesome way to round off the year. The coming together of our small but ever growing ultra running family.

The competition up front was hot this year with Tim Cochrane back to defend his title along with Jo Blake (a well credentialed runner and multi representative for Australia at 100km) popping his hat into the ring for a debut bout with the mammoth. Untested over 100kms though it could get very interesting. There were some other runners capable of a pointy end finish but again untested over the distance, Travis Trout Wayth who runs a speedy 100km and hails from an Ironman background could stir the pot. Add “Doc Loc” Lachlan Fraser, also coming off a stellar year into the mix. Then there is the usual suspects backing up from previous years…2006 winner Wayne “Dog” Gregory, Kevin “Brick” Heaton (4th last year) and NSW’s very own version of Kelvin Marshall- the well travelled and experienced Michael “Milov” Lovric and yours truly.
In total 24 starters with 11 first timers and a total of 5 ladies. The scene was set for a fabulous weekend running from “sea to summit”.

We all gathered on the eve of the race at the Fisherman’s Club in the small coastal town of Eden. Race director Paul ably assisted by partner Diane put on a feast and so with full bellies and last minute course instructions ringing in our ears, we retired for the usual restless night.

A beautiful still morning dawned with some light cloud cover at Twofold Bay, the start line for our adventure. Crews scurried around runners making last minute checks, a round of photos and we were off shortly after 5.30 am.
My crew this year once again was “Bangers and mash” Scott “Sub 50” Howells and Chris “Hamburglar” Yates. I was delighted to have them back again and knew the experience gained from last year would be invaluable out there. The value of a good crew cannot be underestimated. The plan was relatively simple. I would assess how I felt through the first 50 odd kms pace wise and try and put a dent into my 100km and 100 mile times. With some time in the bank and a stronger run/walk/shuffle from Jindabyne, I could hopefully knock some time off the PB of 33.07.
We took a bike along this year too, with the boys hoping to use it for some pacing later on. I did however instruct them that there would be no “muling” of provisions whatsoever. I would carry all my drinks and food whilst running. Although there is no rule stipulating this I just felt more comfortable with these terms.
Crew would stop every 4-5kms or so and have food and drinks ready. No stopping, grab and go was the creed. Constant forward motion…

I enjoyed the first few hours a heck of a lot more than last year with the cooler, less humid conditions making running seem effortless. The undulating first marathon through the Towamba valley is wonderful as it rolls along the rivers edge. I hit the (somewhat misplaced and long) 42km marker in 4.08, a good 14 minutes up on last year. I was probably in 5th position at this stage with Tim and Jo way up front and Dog and Lachlan behind them. I was surprised with the quick start from Doc Loch and Dog but was sticking to my pace plan and not getting involved in any early racing.

It wasn’t long before I arrived at the foot of the climb up Big Jack and I was now 30 minutes up on last year’s time. The cooler conditions were wonderful even when it rained periodically and I loved it. I enjoy the climb each year and made good steady progress up the mountain. I think it was along here that AngelicOne spun by winding his window down to say g’day. The boys were stopping a bit more frequently now of course and I was mixing Sustagen with water and some solid food at each stop. I wore my Nathan fuel belt this year and it was a big hit, in fact I dumped the handheld in preference to it. One bottle with sportsdrink and the other water, was working well.

The temperature was dropping now and so I opted for the spray jacket with increasing rain. The climb flattened out on the plateau above and along here I put the head down and ran hard to Cathcart. When I arrived Dog’s crew Sarge and Bernie were still there about to leave and informed me Dog was only 7-8 minutes ahead or so.
Chris and Scott had bought me a hot vegie pie upon arrival, which went down a treat. I ate half and saved the rest for further up the road. Crew were working really well and I was spending minimal amounts of time exchanging water bottles and getting some fuel on board. In fact I was not stopping at all…again constant forward motion…



I continued to run well crossing the Monaro Hwy still over 30 minutes up on last year. In the distance I spotted Lachlan and before long I had pulled up alongside him as our crews leapfrogged each other. We ran together for a while and then he pulled away for a few kms only for me to catch him again as he was having some chaffing issues, I think. It was raining quite hard I remember along here, so very different to previous runs where you could look across the wide open expanse, the clouds were now hugging the landscape. So I was now sitting in 4th position and according to Lachlan, Dog surged and was now putting time into us.


My feet were wet but not uncomfortable and although I had planned on a sock and lube stop at 100kms I decided to forge on. The dead tree came and went in 11.03, so now 54mins in the bank. I looked back and pictured the photo the boys took of this exact spot 12 months prior. It was my office computer desktop picture of choice for the whole year, my inspiration to do well here again. How different the 2 pictures were today.


The next section along the previously named Dalgety Rd was interesting. Even though there was a lot of road works happening as they were sealing sections of the dirt road, I don’t remember the road undulating so much. Right up to and beyond Allan Caldwell bridge over the McLoughlin river, I felt like I was on a different road altogether. My plan was to stop for tea here, as we did last year but I was over an hour ahead of projections and so continued. I can’t remember where exactly but we did eventually stop but it was way further up the road. I was cold when I stopped; it was the first time in 13hrs or so. I was in and out in 5-6 mins feeling a lot better, my crew were super efficient. I stopped again about an hour later to change clothes.

As dusk fell I decided to pop my ipod on for the first time. I am normally not a big fan of music in my ears while I run but felt it might help with the monotony of the run into Dalgety. Well it did, as I ran quite well along here. Colin pulled up alongside, I last saw him as I was climbing Big Jack. He mentioned Brick was about 5kms behind or so and that Lachlan had fallen off the pace. Kerrie was running strong and making her way through the field. It was good to get an update on what was going on behind me. At this stage most of the field is well strung out, each runner fighting their own battle with the mammoth.

Meantime I was enjoying all sorts from a smorgasboard of musical selection. I basically dumped all my mp3 files onto the ipod and hit shuffle, every song a new surprise. Not sure what was going on but I was way too happy coming into Dalgety. Doctor Billy asked me how I was feeling head to toe, ranking myself out of 10. I replied 9. That’s honestly how good I was feeling. I didn’t stop, just grabbed a cup of soup and as Paul escorted me across the Snowy River bridge I took off into the night leaving my crew behind. Of course my happiness was soon shot to pieces when my crew finally caught up to me only to inform me that I had taken the wrong fork in the road leading out of Dalgety. I stayed left and should have taken the right (less obvious) road. Bugger!
Scott reckoned I was about a km up the wrong road, so 2k all up. Stupid stupid.
Anyhow, made it back to the intersection quick smart. Of course I’m running harder at this stage coz I stuffed up. Scott decided to run with me as he was worried I would run too hard trying to make up for lost time and warned me to cool it else I pay the price later, he was right, so I backed off.

I hit the 100-mile mark at the base of the Beloka range in 18.40 (a PB for the distance) and a good 1hr50min up on last year. The climb was brutal and I definitely struggled more than I did last year, least I felt so. But I knew once at the top I had a good long winding downhill into Jindabyne. The sky was amazing, there was some scattered cloud about that made the temperature a bit milder and a bright full moon glowing, lighting up the night. I didn’t bother using my headlamp at all, it was so much better running without. Every now and again I spotted the crew cars of Joe and Dog off in the distance. The long winding road coming off the Beloka Range allowed this, but I never felt like I was closing in on them. My crew reported that Dog had overtaken a tired looking Jo for second place and was flying. I didn’t expect to see him again….

I always figured on a dawn arrival into Jindy but this time I was way ahead of schedule and so after a couple of really good night running hours, (it was around 3am) I approached Jindabyne.
As I roared (all relative really, but sure felt that way) down the hill to the roundabout coming into Jindy itself I noticed Dog’s crew pulled up in the distance. At first I thought I had just closed the gap on him and his crew were about to leave, but as I drew closer I realised it was Dog infact still there with Sarge and Bernie.
Something was wrong I figured or he was just goog through a bad patch. I was smoking’ in the purple haze of my running high and so accelerated down the hill, through the roundabout and straight onto the bike path skirting the lake. I had planned on stopping here and when Chris asked me if I wanted to pullover and change my socks as planned I shook my head and said, no way. I’m in race mode now and wanna put as big a gap as I can into Dog. J.
I ran hard around the lake, through the caravan park and up the first hill, still enjoying a rather good patch. Looking back there was no sign of Dog, so I figured now that I’m in race mode I can possibly catch Jo who had re-taken Dog for second place. My calorie intake was high as the boys kept feeding me; the regularity of our stops makes this one race where you shouldn’t have too many energy fluctuations if you are eating well. I was enjoying fruit and Sustagen again into the early morning. The sun rose over the still road and with it my spirits lifted but I knew what lay ahead. A long undulating road that just isn’t forgiving on sore muscles. The weather started taking a change for the worst not long after and the wind kicked up. I pulled the spray jacket on again and just plugged away concentrating on running as much of the rises as I could. I was still way ahead of last years pace but that soon changed. Within the space of an hour or so the weather really turned nasty. The wind kicked up even more now and I was finding it difficult to find any sort of running rhythm.


Scott and Chris were doing a great job trying to encourage me but I knew they too were just not enjoying this shitty turn of events. I can’t recall too much about the ski fields Smiggins and Perisher except all I wanted was to get to the top and back down as soon as I could. My spray jacket was totally inadequate for the conditions and only for Chris lending me his spare jacket I would almost certainly have recorded a dnf.

There was no sign of Jo’s crew although I think we did see them once along those long sweeping roads in the distance. Not long after Paul and Diane turned up informing us that the race would finish at Charlottes because of the weather. Only 10 minutes earlier I’d mentioned to Scott that I was doubtful we would be summiting.
Upon being informed of this decision, I was initially disappointed as I was on for a smoking PB for the full course, but it was the right decision. Curiously, what did happen thereafter was a total drop in my concentration level and focus. I was no longer looking to chase anyone down and wasn’t arsed about finish times anymore. I just wanted to finish this thing off and get some heat into the bones again.

At times for the next several hours we were literally blown off the side of the road, such were the conditions. I have been in some strong gale force winds growing up in Ireland but this was ridiculous. The rain was biting too, icy cold and it bloody hurt as it tried to split your face open. The kms were ticking away but very slowly until at last after what seemed like an eternal final 5kms we pulled into Charlottes. There was no one around only the 2 blokes in rain gear recording finish times. I stopped the clock in 28hrs and 47 minutes elapsed time, a long way from the serene beauty of Twofold bay to the rugged harshness of the Snowy Mountains. This was a very special C2K, one that all those involved will never forget.


Thanks Paul and Diane for once again putting on such a majestic run. My crew Scott and Chris, you crazy bastards were simply awesome and without your efficiency and support I would never have pulled that run out of the bag. Thanks guys.




Results:

1 Tim Cochrane 27:19:18 1
2 Jo Blake 27:38:44 2
3 Phil Murphy 28:49:23 3
4 Wayne Gregory 30:10:43 4
5 Kevin Heaton 30:41:56 5
6 Michael Lovric 31:58:57 6
7 Lachlan Fraser 32:48:05 7
8 Kerrie Bremner 33:08:04 1
9 Rodney Ladyman 33:56:27 8
10 Tim Turner 34:31:35 9
11 Kim Cook 35:05:30 10
12 Lisa Spink 35:20:27 2
13 Marie Doke 36:27:18 3
14 (4F) Allison Lilley 38:00:58 4
15 Glenn Lockwood 39:17:28 11
16 Louis Commins 40:29:04 12
17 Jan Herrmann 41:26:00 13
18 Brett Saxon 42:30:50 14
19 David Billett 42:41:10 15
DNF Robert Boyce 194km
DNF Travis Wayth 182km
DNF Andrew Hewat 153km
DNF Malcolm Gamble 147km
DNF Richard McCormick 147km