The North Face 100 May 15^th & May 16^th 2010  Race Report :

WOW where do I start? Very very hard, the hardest thing or event that I have ever done. Most beautiful scenery and I did try really hard to appreciate it throughout the race, probably better that I couldn’t see some of it at the end because I’m pretty sure at some stages we were very close to cliff edges judging by the caution signs and the keep to the left sign.

What a day, we started off at 7am Saturday morning after quite a long race briefing at The Fairmont Resort Leura , first 5k was on streets around Leura until we hit the first walking track and formed a very long conga line (approx 600 competitors) up and down stairs etc. I think we probably either went up or down every set of stairs that exist in the Blue Mountains (mental note to self if I EVER ATTEMPT this race again remember how many stairs there are) throughout the whole course.

Checkpoint 1 was at 17kms, filled up water bag grabbed a bit of food and headed off to checkpoint 2 21km away. My plan was to walk all the uphills and run the flats and downhills, I must add I don’t remember there being too much flat. This was also a very spectacular section of the course running along the top of Narrow Neck with fantastic views to the east & west. At 27km we had to descend Tarros Ladders (extension ladders erected only for the event). I was looking forward to getting this section over and done with, they said we had a 5 minute wait or we could take an alternative track which would also take about 5mins down a very rough unused track, I opted to wait as did most others and rest. I decided I would not look down at all and just get on and get on with it, there were 2 ladders to descend joined together by a small platform, anyway I made it down very nervously and probably not quite as fast as some of the guys.

Checkpoint 2 was at Dunphy’s Camp 38km mark, pretty much did the same there, grabbed a bit more food, Endura  and filled my water bag. Headed off to checkpoint 3, 16kms away where I would see Kim, Sarah & Amy for the first time in the race, as support crew were not allowed at CP1 & CP2. Liam & Molly stayed home due to school, work, looking after dogs etc.  We picked Sarah up on the way through at Bathurst. It was great having them there and I am pretty sure I may not have made it if not for Kim at CP5.

Checkpoint 3 was at Old Ford Reserve 54km mark in the Megalong Valley, very close to The Six Foot Track. Here I rested a little, thought I would eat some of my fantastic noodles we didn’t pack a fork, now when I think about why didn’t I just use my hands who needed too many manners on day like today? I think by this stage I had been going for about 8hrs 30mins, with 46k to go I thought I would make about 16 to 17hrs.  Along the way I had my own supply of honey & vegemite sandwiches plus gels & gel blasts (I do not want to see or taste another one for a while).  Restocked supplies & farewelled the family & headed off to CP4, 13kms away. Not feeling too bad usual soreness in legs from long distance event & bit of a headache, stopped & took 2 panadol. Most of this section was on the 6 foot track just going in the opposite direction so I knew the course & the huge amount of stairs that were waiting for us to ascend at Nellies Glen, what a killer. You just knew in this race that every-time you went downhill or down stairs you would at some stage yet again be going uphill or up stairs. Before I reached CP4 it was getting dark so I had to pull out my headlamp (fantastic bit of equipment and a good quality is certainly needed).

Checkpoint 4 was at Katoomba Oval 67km mark. Here I changed a lot of my clothes and put on my thermals, it was really freezing when you weren’t moving. They also did a gear check here and checked for your space blanket and wet weather/wind jacket, I had to practically pull out all my gear to find them everything was so tightly packed. We also had to put on our safety reflective vests at this checkpoint and leave them on for the remainder of the race.  At this checkpoint it was important to make sure you filled your waterbag as CP5 was 22kms away with nothing in between. The course description said this was the longest section and steepest of the whole race, boy were they right. Again I farewelled everyone & headed on my way, feeling not too bad.

Kedumba Pass, Kedumba Mountain I kept wondering throughout the race where these were as I had forgotten what was on the course description by this stage, I found them on the way to CP5 they were my undoing. What a climb, long, long, lonely dirt road, pitch black except for the reflective vests, headlamps ahead and behind you, the field was certainly spread out, sometimes you wouldn’t see any-one at all for a while then you would shuffle past someone or they past you and you would mutter a few words to each other, it took too much effort to talk too much. I think it was at about the 85k mark I started to not feel too good, still 4k to go to CP5, struggled into CP5 hiccupping not a good sign. Sat on chair family provided I had tingling in my feet and hands, felt really lightheaded kept saying I couldn’t go on didn’t matter if I didn’t finish (but it did really, that’s why I was doing it, to finish). Tried drinking cups of hot tea, proceeded to vomit and was able to stand again after this. I think I arrived in at CP5 in about 15hrs something, I know it had taken me about 5hrs to complete the 22kms. Family quite concerned but all Kim kept saying was rest here and then I should be ok to finish only 11km to go. If it wasn’t for his encouragement I ‘m not sure if I could of kept going. Kim walked up the road for 2k to make sure I was alright and then they headed off to meet me at the finish.

I totally walked the last section, most of it was unrunnable anyway, took me 2.5hrs to do 11kms. With 2k to go I was feeling really sick again and felt better after I vomited again with guys running past asking me if I was ok and offering words of encouragement as it was such a short distance left. Anyway I FINISHED in a time of 19hrs 11mins, got my belt buckle, had to finish under 20hrs to get the buckle, that was my incentive towards the end I didn’t want to go all that way and only get a certificate. The cut off is 28hrs. Approximately 150 people dropped out of the race throughout the day.

Throughout the day I swore to myself that I would never ever attempt to do this race again and when I finished and was lying on the floor unable to get up vomiting into the rubbish bin I swore to my family that I would never ever do it again. I would make sure I never miss out on the 6 Foot Track again, 45km what a breeze. But of course now I’m a couple of days past the event I have these words creeping into my conversations with my family IF I and I MIGHT one day do this race again what I would do differently. I would start eating earlier in the race, wear a belt or something like that with easy access to my food supply and my mobile phone. It was such a hassle taking my backpack off all the time to access things, that’s why I don’t think I ate enough early on. Sarah said they found it very stressful not knowing when I might be arriving at the checkpoints, so in hindsight I should of kept in touch with my family more frequently to let them know where on the course I was. Of course they also said that they would now know more what the timeframes would be, having never done it before it is hard to know at all how you will go but at least if there is another time I know now what to expect . How to train for it, unless you live in The Blue Mountains or close by you can only train with what you have got and at this time I have Mount Bingar and Scenic Hill and virtually no stairs except the stairs I go up & down at work.

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