And so the madness begins as today saw the opening of entries into what is Australia’s most popular trail ultra marathon, 6ft track. This is a truly iconic race, run across the old supply route to link the upper mountains with those inland in days gone by.
For ultra168, this is one of our traditional hunting grounds for training and we know it like the backs of our hands. I personally love this race. While I adore the mental challenge of a 100 miler, one of my first loves when it comes to running is the ability to go out hard and smash yourself over 45kms trail goodness.
This race has it all, speedy downhills, mammoth climbs and uphills, along with gradual inclines when your legs feel as though they are dead and buried along the Black Ranges. For me, the race begins on the Black Ranges after you’ve had the joy of smashing yourself on the gentle downhills to Cox’s River and then the slog up Mini Mini and Pluvi. You hit the top, then you have an agonizing 8kms of gentle undulating uphill where the legs are begging you to walk and take a break.
The reality though is this is where you push on and push hard, before being rewarded with a smash downhill to the cheering crowd at Caves House, and some beers with your mates.
Theres also the added bonus of Marcus and I running in the infamous beer bet. It’s fair to say that I’ve torn the field apart in the recent years in this race within a race 🙂 and this year will be not different I’m sure!
Much debate has been had around the entry procedure and how ‘fair’ or ‘unfair’ it is. All I know is that I’ve seen far worse. It’s a shame that this race can’t accommodate double than are currently allowed as it would be sure to fill with 1500 people. However there is only so much of a good thing you can have I guess and it’s also good to have something to aspire to too.
In terms of favorites for the race, we’ll have to wait and see who is entered, however there are a few names that we’ll drop here and now as a starter for ten:
Andy Lee, Brendan Davies and Rob Walter are sure to be back to bang heads against one another as the leading three from last year. Also in the mix will be former winner Alex Matthews, Anthony Scott and rising star, Mick Donges too. Watch out for wild card Julian Spence and 2:18 marathoner Rowan Walker, podium getters for sure.
In the ladies, if Anna Frost is down our way again we cannot see any lady getting anywhere near her to be honest. That’s no disrespect to any of the ladies running, but Frosty is in a class of her own over this sort of distance, being one of the Salomon elite athletes. However we do hope that the likes of Venessa Haverd and Beth Cardelli can get amongst it again and on the podium.
But for now, we do hope that you’ve managed to get a spot for this race if you tried to enter. If you have entered and been successful, it would be great to hear from you. Tell us how many 6fts you’ve done and what you enjoy most about the race.
yes I am in, see you all out there. now is my time to ramp up the speed work
Anna Frost is running the NF 50 miler. Should be a fantastic race
Looks like she won!
Woo hoo way to go frosty.
You forgot Andrew Tuckey in the men’s race
If current record holder can hold off injury, Im tipping him to take more time off his record in 2012 🙂
feeling a little nervous about getting an entry but I am up for the challenge I think. six foot rack virgin and open to all the advise I can get from you all 🙂
Awesome that you got in Tym. Come and train with us, we’ll get you ready. Train, train and train some more… Hills, hills and more hills too!!!
I got my entry as well! I’m a fellow virgin Tym 🙂 Just finished Marlborough Marathon in NZ last weekend to get the qualifier. But I definitely need to spend more time on the trails from now on…
Nice one Daniel… welcome to the website. Yep, definitely get on the track as much as possible or if you can’t on the trails. Lots of hills and lots of long runs for the endurance too along the Black Ranges. Stay strong there and you’ll pick up all the carnage that went out too hard!
thanks Dan, back in blighty for xmas now but will definately hope to join you boys for a few runs in the new year, now I just need to get out into the cold here and get a bit of kent countryside underfoot. Keep us posted Daniel with your progress, and I will do the same
T
How are Sleeptrain’s chances?
Not sure thomo, those mountain boys keep themselves pretty tight-knit, what with all that moonshine and inter-family marriage 🙂 Only joking… if he’s fit and ready then he’ll surely be ready to rumble the top of the podium! Looking forward to seeing the entry list.
Hey guys, looks like there is lots of 6ft track experience here. Is the track accessible by car from anywhere else other than Explorer’s tree or the finish at Jenolan Caves? I was wondering, if I think about a long and slow training run on the course, it is difficult to carry enough water to stay hydrated. And chance you can get to Coxs River Camp by car to store some water there?
Hey Dan, a good option is to drive down megalong valley road and start roughly 7.5 Kms down the track. From there you have another 7.5 Kms down to the river. I’d say that with all the rain right now, the water tank down there is likely to be very full. From there, you have another 20kms until the next water tank at the deviation camp ground. If you do that as an out and back that’s a good 55km run. I would take a backpack with you and carry at least 2 liters between coxs river and deviation. Alternatively, you can carry a waist pack with 2 x 600ml bottles and take some sterilizing tabs with you and refill at the creek just before the climb up pluvi. You can always chance it and drink straight from the creek. I have before and I won once, the other time I was sick for 2 days after. It totally depends if there some road kill in the water further up stream or not 🙂 personally I wouldn’t risk it… 🙂 hope that helps.
Thanks a lot Dan, that really helps. And congrats on the new additions to the family btw!