These are only my thoughts.Running the GNW is like any game of sports where 2 people or 2 teams go up against each other,it is a battle of wills.8-9 hours yesterday with friends I actually spent most of the day running by myself.Cedar Brush Track Head to Congewai return it has 8 good climbs with some nice flatish running thrown in between.I managed the first leg ok with only drinking about 1.5 litres of water.At the halfway mark I think I was winning the battle and was confident that I had tamed the course I soon changed my mind by the time I reached the top of the comms tower and I was thinking only 26 km’s to go “SHIT”.The first hour after the turn around I had litre of water 2 hammer bars and 1 gel.I think this is where fittness has less to do with it than your mental strength to finish.Not bad running to Watagan creek where I was hoping AV had left a coke out for me BUT the cupboard was empty and as he always says thats when you have to dig into your cookie jar and take a sample. I filled up with water at Watagan creek going through just over 2 litres of water in the first 2 hours.By the time I reached Pig and Sow ridge I knew that there was only one more climb and about 10 km’s of flatter running.Thank God for Hammer bars and the thought of a large bottle of coke at the finish.The last 6 km’s along Kingtree is great,mostly down hill so it is a welcome relief.64 km’s of GNW pain and keeping in mind that the course is hard to be tammed all you can hope for is to survive and enjoy the ride.
Great report – one day in the off season I hope I can run with one or some of you guys to get to know the course.
Martin
Great little summary Darrel,
Gareth and I had a very similar experience. Just when you think you have tamed the course, the next climb reminds you how “ordinary” you can feel especially with a bit of thunder and hail thrown in up on the ridges. We both got to the top of the comms tower and thought “geez” only 26kms of trail and we can relax with a beer and pizza guilt free. The next 3 hours made us dig deep only made better by our secret stash of Coke and Gatorade which you missed 😉 As we descended back onto the trail to the Basin we seem to get a 4th wind and finally started to really enjoy the running. All up, no major land speed records but the fact that we toughed it out, briefly snook into the cookie jar and finished the day on a high was just awesome.
One thing for sure, we were both very excited about race day getting ever so close when we get to be challenged like no other course!
Martin you are more than welcome to come out when you get time.
To funny Marcus,i thought you would have had coke.
What is surprising Poppy is that you didn’t find our new hiding place 😉 It was stuffed full like a Coke vending machine masquerading as a tree.
Big Fella, I think you must be getting soft… Coke on a training run?
To quote AV: “please!”
Only kidding mate ~ nice report.
Looking forward to catching up with the gang for the big dance, although I’m only doing the fun run option (again!).
Cheers, Maggot
Mate I am feeling it at the moment,I need all the help I can get.
103.7 km’s on the GNW is like no other 100 km event in oz…
Exactly Maggot, coke on a training run, Please. If it doesn’t come in powder, pill or gel form then its too much effort.
I can confirm that AV turned down some of my coke at the top of a big climb on the way back.
Damn it was refreshing!
Nice Ewan,Could have done with it about then.
Seriously? Coke is the perfect fluid base for mixing in gels and powders to wash down pills – it’s as functional and lazy as it gets.
Nice run. Pushing the kms on that section is excellent training. I think you guys are pushing the GNW training to the limit, and setting newer standards. It pays to keep tune of the nutrition as you have seen, but when you run low it is interesting to see what the body does and how it feels.
I managed the section CP4 – CP5 return last weekend and misjudged the nutrition but it is funny how even a single gel will give us a push to finish.
Keep up the good reports.
Nice one otistr,nice climb going back to Yarra off Ourimbah creek road.