I had a plan going into Ultra Trail Kosciusko, to do what I had set out to do last year but didn’t get to because of last minute course changes as a result of unseasonable snow. (recap for that race here)

I booked accommodation pretty much as soon as I finished last year. I wanted to come back and do the bit I missed.

I looked to cancel a few times throughout the year because I wasn’t that keen and getting annoyed at UTMB but the accomodation was non refundable and quite expensive. This is NOT a good reason to run 106km.

After a great result at Surf Coast Century, I thought I could do ok this year at Kosci. I was fitter, I had better strategies, I had invested in and was wearing my prescription running glasses. I had learnt so many lessons from the previous races.

I had employed a fuelling strategy last year that was really working for me. One clif blok every 20 minutes. I’d previously had my watch alarm set to every 3k but for long climbs I found myself a bit under fuelled for bigger efforts (like sitting on the side of a hill crying kinda underfuelled)

I thought I had found the sweet spot and I didn’t even think about it. The alarm went off, I put a clif blok in my mouth. Everything else on top was gravy. I planned the same strategy this year.

I signed up only a few weeks before the race, not a big deal, I have priors for that and I’ve found it stops me wasting money when work or life gets in the way. I signed up for SSC the week of the race!

I had everything ready to go and we went off to Crackenback a few days before the race.

I’ll refrain from questioning and complaining about the race organisation or organiser, let’s just say that do some weird things and have a lot to learn.

I packed all my drop bags and went down to the registration the day before as instructed.

That morning a crow decided it was friends with us and shared our breakfast. Probably not a good omen.

When I got to rego my name wasn’t on the wall of starters. I thought that was odd and was surely the last thing they printed but just figured it was because I signed up a bit late.

Maybe a second omen.

The rest of the evening went as usual, lots of sitting, drinking water and organising gear.

I had the same pre race dinner I always have.

I felt a bit off the next morning when I got up and my overnight temperature was elevated. I chalked it up to pre race nerves and the accomodation not having air conditioning!

I had my usual Brekky and headed off to the start line. There was no spare time for bathroom breaks or nervous wee’s, as traffic issues coming it had already delayed the start.

Being late, I just jumped into the back of the start group and off we went.

I had planned to walk the first 10k. I figured I didn’t have a choice. The first 5k was the steepest section up a ski run from Thredbo to Eagles Nest and the 5k after that was a mandatory walk section timed by officials at the start and end on the first bit of “cheese grater” metal walkway.

I thought from there I’d be able to run until we got to the next section of cheese grater at Charlotte’s pass (where I fell last year!).

After last years mess, I was committed to not running a single step on that walkway. It wasn’t worth it and people had done way worse to themselves that I did, like broken arms and ribs and facial injuries.

So I didn’t think anything of it as I settled into the group and started walking up the hill to Eagles Nest. I chatted with other folks as we exchanged race goals and previous achievements. I didn’t feel like the pace was too fast or slow. It was quite a leisurely walk, so it was probably a bit slow but I had all day.

Each time my alarm went off I diligently ate my clif blok. Turned out I came through Eagles Nest in over an hour, 1 hr 11 min. 5 non strenuous k’s and 3 blocs.

Onto the grater we went. I settled in with a lovely guy from France (who’s name I will butcher so have to check the spelling) who told me all about his running as we kept a solid pace across the mandatory walking section, taking almost the exact allocated time. Any faster and we might have had to stop and cop a time penalty.

The walk up to the Kosciusko summit wasn’t anything difficult either. I was still not overly sweaty but I’d been trying to drink the water in my bladder just so I didn’t have to keep carrying it!

In fairness, you could have run to the summit, I certainly ran down and was stoked to get a little bit of running in even if it was rock hopping style before the cheese grater was back. I didn’t understand, I thought that was done and I was so frustrated by it but there was nothing I could do so I kept moving forward to Charlottes Pass.

As I started running down the “hill”, I realised it wasn’t just my bladder in my pack that was sloshing about. My tummy felt bloated and tight. My shorts felt like they were chafing around my waist. It was uncomfortable but nothing major. I thought I probably didn’t have enough water for the amount of blocs I’d eaten.

The water just made it worse and my entire mid section felt like it was solid and bouncing with each step. It kinda felt like tight muscles under my ribs.

Clearly that didn’t work so I gave myself a break, I went three alarms, an hour, without eating or drinking anything. It didn’t get worse but not better either.

Eventually I got to the aid station at Charlotte’s Pass. I’d done the entire section I missed last year and I’d made the most of it, I walked almost the entire thing and took heaps of photos. It had been 4:30 hours for 25k.

I perused the aid station snacks looking for something but it all made me feel nauseous. I grabbed my food from my drop bag, more blocs, vafels, lollies and random gels, meant to last until 65k.

I filled my bottles and kept going.

To be honest, I really wasn’t sure what to do. This had never happened before. Had I over fuelled? Is that even a thing? I knew it wasn’t the caffeine because I hadn’t touched those ones yet. Usually not eating enough was my problem. I kinda just hoped it would resolve itself!

The section from Charlottes pass to Guthunga was a brutal slog in the heat with more cheese grater walking and some rock hoping along. I was still not eating and had resolved myself to going to the bathroom and getting something salty at the next checkpoint.

I could feel the salt crusting on my face.

With only about a km to the checkpoint the sky opened up with very little warning. It was raining, hard and sideways. I was soaked before I could even consider getting out my jacket.

I got into the checkpoint soaking wet. There were people everywhere inside the athletes only area, great now I’m going to get Covid on top of everything else.

I headed to the loo, washed my face, grabbed my jacket out and refilled my bottles. I had a piece of orange and thankfully didn’t feel like throwing it up.

I was ready to pull out right there but my crew were no where to be seen. Guess I’ll have to pull the pin at the next one.

“ it’s 15.9k to the next checkpoint” another runner said. I almost cried. Literally. It continued to rain sideways as I trudged along the road, my shoulders now sore from being hunched over my stomach for hours.

Then I saw my car, I’m pulling out I said or something similar. Like good crew should, they wouldn’t have a bar of it. “See you at the next checkpoint”.

I started walking down the hill that everyone else was running and thought I can’t do this for another 16k and I turned around and walked back up towards the checkpoint.

I called my crew and told them they had to come back and that I was getting in. It was pissing down rain. All I felt was relief, no determination, no grit it out and get it done, just thank god that’s over.

The ride back on the Alpine roads didn’t help my tummy problems. It was unsettled all day no matter what I tried to put in it.

Could I have sat in an aid station for an hour, recouped and kept going? 100%. Did I want to? 100% not!

This was a redemption run to get to do the parts of the course I’d missed. It was also a training and practise run for Tarawera miler next year. It wasn’t worth the possible consequences, even if that is just a week or two of training.

Whilst I didn’t finish, I did achieve my two goals of getting to see the top of Australia and not running in on the grater!

Now to work out some alternative food options for later in the miler when I’m not going too fast and can’t stomach blocs.

Also since we are talking about lessons, I loved my Lululemon trail shirt until it got wet! If I wear it in future it will be with a spare one in my pack.

Thanks to everyone who said hi, was polite when passing my slow arse on the cheese grater and followed online, and of course to Fitz and Megan for “crewing” for half a day. I owe them cake for the early rise to the start line but at least they didn’t have to wait until 4am for me to finish in the rain.

Massive kudos to everyone who finished that damn thing. It horrifically rained and thunder stormed for the rest of the day with only a brief break for it to get really hot again. You are all so bloody hardcore.

Onto the next one… Tarawera miler 2024.