…we joined hands are were able to manage one last 200 metre run.
At one point during the second last (and for me the hardest) stage Corrie and I were occupying ourselves trying to come up with titles for this post. Sorry to say that most of them were fairly unladylike and reflected the way we were feeling at that point in time 
Where to start? How to I write a report for a 100km event?
Ok, it is going to be a long one, there is a summary at the end 
Before the start
I arrived just before 7am because I wanted to see the start of the first wave, I quickly ran down to the start line to wish Clarkey and his Team Muttley team mates good luck. They were all looking lean and ready and just a little bit nervous. The rest of my team mates arrived shortly after and we headed off to register and pick up our race numbers. For such a big event (668 teams of 4) I have to credit the organisers from the get go, at no point did we ever have to queue for anything the organisation was spot on and incredibly efficient.
We carried our boxes of food and clothes down to the carpark and stashed them in Mark’s car as he was going to be supporting us through most of the checkpoints. My Mum also joined us here so she could see us off, she gave me some homemade ANZAC biscuits which were much appreciated further down the trail.
After about 100 more toilet stops we finally found ourselves a place in the start chute, as with the 7am start the 830am start was pushed back by 5 minutes due to teams registering late (because it is that hard to get yourself somewhere on time!).
We were blessed with amazing weather, it was about 26 degrees during the day and did not get cold at all during the night, the promised showers only amounted to a few spits of rain in the night which were quite welcome.
Start to Checkpoint 1 (Churchill Park) 12.5km
5, 4, 3, 2,1 bang! we were off, very very slowly, damn it appears that everyone in this wave is planning on walking this thing! Cursing ourselves for not pushing up to the front at the start we got into single file and started running around the outside and after a few minutes finally cleared the crowd and found ourselves amongst the lead teams. Though looking at the results there was a 830 start team who finished in 15 hours, we never saw them so they would have taken off and lead from the front the whole time.
We got ourselves into a very comfortable pace of about 6:30 kms tucked in just behind a team of boys. About 4km in 2 guys ran past us, we asked them where the rest of their team was and one said “they were boring us, we fucked them off” 
Um, OK, correct me if I am wrong but isn’t this a team event? Not long after we also had 2 other people next to us from a corporate team, apparently they had been drafted in at the last minute and had also run away from the other 2 team mates, we were starting to think that some people were missing the point of the event. Teams were also required to check in and check out from each checkpoint together so nothing was to be gained from streaking ahead.
Anyway, we made it comfortably to the first CP and only stopped for about 5 minutes to fill our water bottles, eat a banana and let Mark know where we were. We also heard a guy on the phone yelling “come back you dickhead, they won’t let us leave the checkpoint unless we are together” it’s going to be a long 100km guys!
CP1 to CP2 (Lysterfield Lake) 9Km
We set off running at our comfortable pace again and not long saw the 2 stray team mates heading back to CP 1, we taunted them with “Ha Ha you are in sooooo much trouble”. When we reached the first hill we stopped to walk, as agreed before we started. It was at this point that we started to pass walking teams from the 7am start, up until that point we had been pretty much alone on the trail but it was starting to get congested here. We stared running in single file letting people know we were passing right, everyone was really enthusiastic and supportive as we passed by. These stages were really easy for us and we were enjoying ourselves. We entered CP2 about 30 minutes ahead of schedule and stopped for about 20 minutes to change socks, I also changed into my Trail runners which were so comfortable I kept them on for the rest of the event. We also had a quick bite to eat, retuned some text messages and filled out water bottles and camelbaks. To this point I had been running with a handheld filled with Gatorade and a small waist belt with mobile phone and my lollies so I swapped that for the Camelbak waist pack which also had enough room for my lunch.
CP 2 to CP 3 (Grant’s Picnic ground) 13.3Km
I HATE the waistpack, seems I am never going to be happy running with hydration packs. We ran out the flat sections of this stage knowing that we would soon hit the hills in Belgrave. Although it wasn’t a checkpoint Mark was waiting at Belgrave railway station, about 3km from the next checkpoint. I took 2 minutes to dump my hydration pack and go back to the small waist belt, I was able to cram my packet of Saladas into it and Corrie was able to carry my tin of tuna in her back pack. Heading up a hill towards the national park we bumped into our recalcitrant friends from the start, still separated from their other two team mates. One of them was wearing bike shorts and was walking backwards up the hill so he could talk to us, this meant that his, ummm, errrr, crotch was at my eye level, I was looking at the ground and trying very very hard not to laugh. The last section heading down the to picnic ground was beautiful Mountain Ash forest and once the trail flattened out we had a good run down into checkpoint 3. We stopped here for about 30 minutes for lunch, Mark wandered down to see how we were and was very mean because he wouldn’t let me buy a Coke from the tea house 
Our fractured team had just caught up with all 2 members as we were leaving, I spoke to bike shorts boy briefly and asked they kept splitting up, he said they didn’t have a plan and were just trying to outdo each other 
CP 3 to CP 4 (Olinda) 11.7Km
Again, another beautiful section also taking in some trails that I have run on previously, there were a few hills though here so we also ran and walked this stage. Thinking back these were some of the more enjoyable stages for me, not as much running and some tough hills but truly stunning scenery and this is also a very familiar part of the world for me because I grew up in the foothills of the Dandenongs. About 1.5Km from the end of this stage we were again passed by the troublesome 2 who again had left their team mates behind. We ran into Olinda and only stopped for about 10 minutes, quick loo break, topped up water supplies, scoffed some lollies and posed for a photo. We left this checkpoint in 67th place and an hour ahead of schedule 
CP 4 to CP 5 (Silvan Dam) 8Km
More trail through the forest and ups and downs, we did some more running here along the flats, we also realised we were near the half way point and just as we were wondering if there would be a sign to mark it we turned a corner and lo, there was a sign to mark the halfway point. I realised that I felt about 100 times better than I did when we reached the 50Km mark of our 55Km training session on Labour Day about 6 weeks previously.
A few hundred metres before the checkpoint we bumped into our friend Sue who was waiting there with her husband and two lovely boys, it was so good to see some friendly faces and they stopped and had dinner with us. Jay’s Mum and Dad also joined us, along with her daughter Alanna, my other half also met us after getting a little lost on the way.
Corrie had been having some trouble with her ITB so dashed off to the massage tent from some attention. Thanks to the staggered starts the checkpoints where never swamped with people and she was able to hop on to a table straight away, while she was doing this Mark sorted her dinner out for her. I scoffed down two rolls with my tuna cakes and tomato sauce (I know, tomato sauce and tuna cakes sounds wrong but I love it), to be honest I was so hungry I didn’t even taste them and I was finally “allowed” to have my can of Coke.
After dinner we quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes, you have no idea how good even a fresh pair of undies feels after being on the go for 54Km. For me it was new undies, 3/4 Skins and a lightweight long sleeved top. The weather was amazing, we were heading into a part of Victoria that can be bitterly cold overnight at this time of year yet I doubt the temperature dropped below 15 degrees, it was colder when we did our night session at the start of March.
Corrie and I took care of some small blisters, quick pop and disinfect and cover with a bandaid.
We checked out of CP5 after only a 45 minutes break and were told that Team Muttley had checked out of the last checkpoint and were on the run for home.
CP 5 to CP 6 (Mt Evelyn) 8.5Km
It was well and truly dark now so it was time for the headlamps, we had covered this section a few times in daylight but never in the dark, it was a bit spooky. About 1km after we set off we received the text message we had been waiting for, Team Muttley had finished! And they had won!!! Over a minute faster than the Australian record!!!!!!! Woo Hoo, we scared a few other Trailwalkers with a big cheer and then rang Clarkey to leave a message of congratulations. They had trained so hard they really deserved their victory.
There was no running on the first stage of this section, it was dark and there were alot of tree roots and then the aqueduct section was very rocky, basically we did not want to sprain an ankle or take a tumble.
Coming up the Warburton Trail we bumped into Sue and her family again, as well as my OH and our mate Tony who had stepped in for Mark who needed a break (he had been with us from the start afterall). We hit the Warby Trail and ran down to the next checkpoint, maybe about 2.5km. We had not been to CP 6 in training and were not sure where it was so we were looking out for a sign. There was something on the trail near a foot bridge, there were supporters blocking in and we asked if that was the checkpoint but we got no response and kept going. It didn’t feel right and we then saw some other teams coming towards us, we all realised we had missed the CP, they had also asked the supporters if that was a CP sign and they had been told no 
we had only gone a few hundred metres off course but these guys had gone further. We were all pissed off and gave the supporters a serve, they said “Oh, we just thought you wanted to push through”, seriously!! Sorry, but we have to check in and out at every stop. It wasn’t just me going off, some of the other wayward souls went off as well. Though I am happy to say this was my only shit fit of the whole event. Though we also got a bit lost trying to find the check in tent and took the long way around, this was the only checkpoint that had not been marked very clearly.
At this exact point Clarkey also gave me a call, poor bugger then coped an ear load of my swearing because it was just a bad moment for me It was great to hear from him though and to be able to congratulate him on his great run and as per usual he was full of encouraging words of support.
Again we also ran into the team of boys who kept splitting up, by this stage it was becoming a bit of a friendly rivalry between us and them, unfortunately we did not get their team number so we don’t know how they ended up finishing.
Michelle’s gorgeous girls (of course, they have a gorgeous Mum) met us here which gave us all a boost, you just can not underestimate how great it is to see some friendly faces in an event like this. Tony was also joining the support crew for the rest of the journey, his boundless enthusiasm was going to prove to be a godsend in the closing stages.
We hung about here for about 25 minutes and escorted by my OH and Tony we got back onto the trail.
CP 6 to CP 7 (13Km)
Aghhh, the tough flat grind along the Warby Trail was beginning and here is where the mental battle was going to start, the good news was we were WAY ahead of schedule for a 22 hour finish. We ran most of the way to Wandin station, stopping just before for a walk break. Unfortunately Corrie and I were starting to have ITB troubles which reduced us to trying a run 1km and walk 500 metres routine. This was even too much for the two of us and Corrie and I switched to a fast march while Michelle and Jay would run/walk. This would work well because when they stopped for a walk break we would quickly catch them as our march was quite quick and they would go off for another run. Jay and Michelle were amazing, Michelle’s years of marathon training were holding her in good stead and Jay’s recent increase in volume in preparation for the Gold Coast marathon was also paying off. Corrie had started TW training after several months off running running due to some minor injuries and putting in long hours getting her business off the ground and I just didn’t have those long Kms in the legs having had a conservative recovery from Stress Fractures last year, these factors really started to tell for the two of us over the last 30km
About 4Km from CP7 we passed our rivals, they had finally come together and this was the first time we had seem them together as a team. They were very quiet by now and there was no more banter, they acknowledged us good naturedly as we passed them and that was the last we saw of them, they were not looking too clever.
Michelle, desperate for a drink after her hydration pack had run dry streaked into CP7. We were a couple of hours ahead of schedule by now and decided to treat ourselves to a 45 minute break to prepare for the final 24Km push. Corrie’s partner Paul caught up with us here and I could tell she was mighty pleased to see him and he was dispatched forthwith to sort out a protein drink for her.
Mark had also rejoined us giving us a full support crew. My OH told me that just before we got here he saw a participant stagger in and throw down his pack in disgust before being carted off in an ambulance, all I could manage was a “lucky bastard”
I received a text from Stu asking if it was a good time for a chat, it was so I gave him a call, he helpfully told me that the toughest bit was coming up, no shit seriously, again it was great to hear a friendly voice and have a bit of laugh.
The wonderful Paul also gave those of us who needed it a quick fix up massage, I was grumpy and didn’t want to walk down his car where the massage table was so just laid down on the grass. My hips and glutes on the left side were tight as a drum (the ITB on the left was also the one giving me grief) and the elbows were jabbed in, I just bit my lip knowing it was doing me good. I started to get the shivers though, even though it was not that cold so I rugged up, I also took the orthotics out of my shoes as I could feel the beginnings of a blister.
Just as were were heading out again Jo sent me a message to see how we were going, I simply replied with “I am fucked lol” and she sent back a lovely little pep talk text, thanks Jo!
CP 7 to CP 8 (Millwarra) 14.5Km
This was the longest and easily the hardest stage, frustrating because I just could not run. My heart and spirit were willing but the ITB was not. Mentally this was a very hard stage and I had not been looking forward to it, we continued on the same as the previous stage for a while. Michelle and Jay running slowly ahead and Corrie and I marching, the lead girls would stop for a walk break and we would catch up, it worked well. About 1Km before the Warby Hway crossing Tony and Mark had run down to join us (support crew were allowed to do this) and kept us company into Yarra Junction where we stopped for the loo and a stretch. While we were waiting to get going again we thought Jay was at the car having something to eat or drink, it turned out the poor thing had an upset tummy and was throwing up. Michelle went to see her while Corrie and I waited, we knew the last thing you want when you are being sick is to be crowded by people asking “are you all right?”
We got underway again and this time it was Corrie and I out front as Michelle supported Jay though the last part of this stage. It got a bit trippy here too, there were farms to our left and the cows were going nuts mooing, they could make some pretty impressive sounds. At about 130am we figured it was too early for milking and wondered if it was the activity on the trail disturbing them or whether or not this was normal behavior. My eyes also started playing some tricks on me and I was seeing things, not hallucinating as such but definitely seeing things that were not there. Most particularly I would think that there was someone standing on my left side (Corrie was on my right) or that there was someone just up in front or that there were people with no legs flitting across the trail up front. All stuff that would be a bit creepy if I were alone but not so bad when I had company.
We would wait at road crossings for Jay and Michelle and then march on ahead again. We wanted to maintain the habit of entering all the checkpoints together however at this point Corrie was busting for the loo so we pushed though. I waited for the other two who were only a couple of minutes behind and we went to check in together. We stated that we would be in and out, it was 2am and looking to finish at 4am a whole 2 hours ahead of schedule and wanted to maintain the pace.
I went to my car to have a little dark chocolate because I had hardly eaten since dinner at Silvan, I did not feel like food but knew I should have something. I also grabbed the matching T-Shirts that we wanted to wear for the last stage and headed back to where the others were. As I approached I realised that Jay really was in a bad way and was throwing up again. Michelle is a nurse and was pretty sure that Jay was suffering the effects of salt loss, particularly as there was so much salt showing on her top. Luckily Corrie had some Gastrolyte which Jay got into her, along with some Gatorade with extra salt added and a small packet of chips, she was also suffering from a very sore foot so while she got the salt sorted Michelle applied an ice pack. Jay is a trooper though and there was no bloody way she was pulling out now, I was getting fuzzy by now but I think we ended up stopping here for about 40 minutes. We changed into our T-Shirts and light jackets (there was a little bit of rain) and got back on the road with Tony and Mark accompanying for a couple of Kms.
CP 8 to Finish (Wesburn Park) 9.5Km
The first 2.5Km or so was on the last of the Warby Trail, this ran very gently up hill and was an easy section, Corrie and I got ahead and waited for Jay and Michelle at the turn off back onto the bush trail, they were only a couple of minutes behind. We were also totally alone by now with no sign of any other team near us, we were happy about this because we figured we would have the finish chute to ourselves
This was going to be a toughie though. We hit the steep backstairs track and showing a remarkable recovery Jay set a cracking pace to lead us in the climb up to the fire trail in a great time, thank goodness for those poles that we bought, we had one each and I found them a huge help. In fact I didn’t mind the climb at all it gave me a chance to change pace and stretch my hips out.
The fire trail was tough, mostly because it was littered with big rocks that meant for a bit of tripping and stubbed toes as tired legs started to shuffle, also a little hard to hold steady footing in the dark. Soon enough we came to the last 4km, this was particularly cruel because there was an endless rough down hill, very hard on knees and for those of use with sore ITBs and we knew this would be followed by another uphill and downhill. Mark and Tony had run out again to help us though to almost the end. Michelle and I plugged ahead just wanting to get to the top of that last hill, we also caught up with 2 teams of boys who were struggling though the last stage as well. We figured if we got up to the top of tanty hill we could point our headlamps down and provide a beacon for Corrie and Jay so they would know where the top was. As I neared the top I passed a guy who was doing it bloody hard, his knee had given out and he was in a lot of pain, he had another team mate with him who was really cheerful and was supporting his mate, the other two were slightly ahead. Jay and Corrie soon followed and after a quick breather it was time for the final push, not only could we hear the finish line we could also see the lights though the trees, we were almost there!!!!!!
There was just one more bitch of a downhill section to complete then we came out to the flat and soon found ourselves only 500 metres from the end. We had caught up with the 2 guys from the top of Tanty hill again as well, Tony and Mark told us to strip off our jackets, the guys thought they had told us to strip and had a right old laugh, “yeah” I said, “we are going to do a nudie run over the finish line”. So we gave the boys our jackets, poles and hydration packs and the final push was on. By now I was pretty much ready to sprint the thing
We passed the 2 guys and despite the pain one of them was in they both gave us a shout of encouragement and told us to go for it, this support from another team so close to the end was indicative of the type of support we experienced the whole way and I was getting close to crying by now. We saw the finish chute and about 200 metres from the end started to run, our support crew and my Mum were there cheering like mad, as were a heap of Oxfam volunteers, we held hands and ran over the line as the announcer was calling our team name, I was sobbing, we had finished an hour and 10 minutes quicker than schedule and 3 hours and 10 minutes quicker than we first thought we would.
We went straight to the checkin and the first words out of Jay’s mouth “where did we place”, no matter how bad things got we were as competitive as hell
My Mum poured us all a glass of Champagne and it barely touched the sides on the way down.
The Wrap Up
We originally entered this event hoping to finish in 24 hours, about a month or so prior we revised this to 22 hours, to finish in 20:49 far exceeded our expectations and we are pretty proud of ourselves.
Our provisional placing at finish was 82nd place, we made it in to the top 100! Amongst the complete teams to finish we placed 67th!! They have category results but for some reason they have only listed the top 3 The 3rd female team finished in 18:45, there is a goal for next time girls We were also the 5th team to finish from the 830 start (there were three waves, 7am, 830am and 10am)
Edit - I have just checked every team profile between the 3rd place female team and our team, it appears that The Girls were the 7th all female team to finish YAY!!!
This event is by far the hardest thing I have ever done, however I did better than I expected too, especially considering I have only been training up to 65km a week and have never run more than 26Km at a stretch. Sitting here a day after finishing I also feel much better in the body than I thought I would. There was a lot of stiffness yesterday but that has eased off, my hips are still sore but my feet are in good order and I got away with only a few minor blisters on my toes. My shins and calves also feel 100% which is great as they are usually my trouble spots. I have had a voracious appetite since yesterday morning and have decided to allow myself to eat whatever I feel like until Monday.
I had the pleasure of completing this event with the most amazing group of women, strong, stubborn and supportive we held it together though the good stuff and the bad stuff and I am sure everyone would agree that it was an amazing experience.
Full credit to Oxfam and the volunteers who had everything running perfectly, there was never a queue for anything, everyone was cheerful and helpful and the check in ladies at CP 8 even said that compared to most they had seen by that point that we all looked fantastic, bless them.
Finally thanks so much to our support crew, those who made donations and everyone who phoned or texted along the way and followed our journey on line, you have no idea how much your support helped during the tough times
For some pictures go and have a look at Jay’s blog.
Now for a rest before hitting the second round of the AV season in 3 weeks.
Just found some photo’s on the Oxfam flickr site, these were taken at CP 3 at Grant’s Picnic Ground where we had a lunch break.
