Well, I think that one was harder than Willy to Billy- and it was 4km shorter! This is seriously off road trail running, and I believe a bunch of you have done it in training for 6ft. You truly are a tough bunch. Well the contrasts were exceptional- amazing picture postcard views offset by gnarly roots, head hunting tree limbs, sharp drops, black foot sucking mud, brutal climbs and grass that rips your skin. I felt like I’d been out for a big night with Max Mosley (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8305628/Max-Mosley-speaks-about-his-interest-in-sado-masochism.html) after that!
Have a look at the video done by runner Nick Wienholt and his wife Linda
http://youtu.be/DJDnLxhjkic
(Nick saw a snake out on the trail a couple of weeks before the race too)
As far as I know there were only 4 NRG’ers at this race
Martin Pengilly (16th overall and 2:38)
Richard Bettles (29th overall in 2:50)
Nick Lledo 3:33
Adam Connor 3:39
And David Brown, who took a novel approach and ran with the sweep. At least he would have had a little extra time to absorb those gorgeous views.
Well I’m tantalisingly close to finishing in the top 50% of the field. In days gone by Nick and I have been very evenly matched, but lately he has gained some speed- or I’ve lost some. Great work Nick, it’s going to be fun trying to catch you in the future.
In a strange twist of fate, we got to spend some time with Margareta (Gretel) Fortmann. She mentioned that she wasn’t running as she had just done a hundred miler, but was going to do some interviews for the next issue of Trail Runner Mag. I didn’t ask her how she went as I thought it would be a bit rude if she’d had a bad experience. Turns out I shouldn’t have worried- it wasn’t just any hundred miler, it was the UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc). And she finished 10th female, the first time an Australian female has ever placed top 10…….
http://margarethafortmann.blogspot.com/
Now about that name. Coastal Classic is nice, but it evokes thoughts of seagulls and waves. It goes from Otford to Bundeena, known as Bundy to the locals- how about we add 100km to it and call it The Bundy Death Race?
http://youtu.be/VYNtFx391Gk
All the photos in this article were stolen from a Trail Runner Mag post. Please visit and support this new venture. You can download the first issue for free and it’s a great read (click on ‘E-Zine’ in the header)
