So, November 16th finally came around and BW@N was run and ran!
As ever, despite the best preparation, activity in the days leading up to an event are
feverish at best and last weekend was no different. We get to a point where
everyone’s there, they’re ready to start and you just have to manage the event.
Our biggest worry through the week
was the weather. Incredibly, after
lightning storms each day of the week
from Tuesday night, we were blessed
with an accurate weather forecast that
threatened a possible storm at worst
and possible showers at best
(depending on which day you tuned
in). As it turned out, despite horrific
weather within 50km’s to the north,
east and south during the event, we
had perfectly clear skies with a near full moon and perfect running conditions.
A small crowd the 50km starters lined up at 4:00pm and, as is typical of many ultras,
they took off in a businesslike fashion. The crew and runners from other events that
had already gathered ensured that atmosphere was starting to build, so there was
plenty of support to send them off and so they did with cowbells and applause
ringing in their ears.
Between the start of the 50km and the main
field (6:00pm), there was plenty to do. Crew
to be ferried to checkpoints, water to be
ported and the ever present ‘things that crop
up’ list to attend to.
In no time at all it seemed, we were gathered
at the start once more with 200 excited,
nervous … scared maybe … runners and
walkers waiting to get off.
We had
anticipated that we wouldn’t see a 50km
runner before the second wave but we
underestimated the talent at hand. Thankfully we’d made provision for them to get
past and the race briefing had a steady interruption of 50km runners coming
through.
Cameron Munro set the tone of the race, looking strong with the rest of the top five
behind him. They pretty much stayed that way until the finish. In the ladies race,
Jodie Oborne never looked like being beaten despite a steady run from Lisa Hussey
who’s spend much of the year injured and is coming back to fitness.
Anyway, off the 10, 20 and 30km runners went in a clamour of cheers, applause and,
yes … cowbells 
As we approached 6:00, the atmosphere took over the event.
10Km
A 10k road race is over before you know it. It’s a
different story on the trail and this course
includes one of the more challenging 3.3 km’s of
trail in the Glasshouse Mountains.
‘The
Dungeon’ - so christened by Glen Hendry during
the 2009 50km at the GH100 meet who,
incidentally, took part in this event with his son
Josh - seems already to have set itself as the
signature of the event. The 50km guys do it
twice! But, it’s only 3km and I’ve yet to see
anyone come out of there not feeling pleased
with themselves.
It didn’t curb the enthusiasm or performance of those taking part and some pretty
impressive times came in with the top three coming in under 60 minutes, impressive
stuff indeed. However, the stand out impression I have of the event is this comment
from Cherri Deutsschmann:
“I am so privileged to be able to go out into the bush and walk around the forests,
with someone to keep an eye on me, and organise the comfort bits, including the
fabulous bells and hearty welcome home.
The moon was just gorgeous, the sunset on the clouds, the night sounds as dark
progressed - it was all fabulous - the dungeon was quite unexpected and quite hard,
but added to the fun of it all.
I saw a nice lizardy thing, but best of all I saw a snake on the wide straight road …”
Cherri came home in a little over two hours and epitomised the mood of the event.
32
34
54
106
102
35
Laura
Mary
Emma
Tim
Beau
Donald
Moran
Mather
Skirving
Franklin
Davis
Mackay
5 1st F
7 2nd F
10 3rd F
1
2
3
01:06:51.23
01:10:47.66
01:12:12.50
00:55:22.00
00:56:18.94
00:58:18.19
Your
hosts!
20km
The 20km along with the 30km, traversed the same start as the 10km. Once out of
The Dungeon, they made the most of the open running to be had and set a blistering
pace up front. Yes, the course has some pinches and is rarely flat, but we weren’t
expecting the performances that some turned in. Tim Coles, the winner, would
finished in the middle of the 10km field such was his time and the rest of the podium
wasn’t far behind him.
Most of our team/family entries were in the 20km. It was a pleasure to here Geoff
(manning the 20/30km turn off) relay how they were going. Families and mates, all
having a blast.
227
210
211
228
245
259
Monique
Kathleen
Naomi
Tim
Jim
Ash
Pitman
Donaghey
Tutticci
Coles
Heaslop
Thorpe
6 1st F
7 2nd F
9 3rd F
1
2
3
02:01:49.67
02:04:51.27
02:10:58.12
01:36:08.87
01:44:03.98
01:55:37.26
30km
The 30km runners had the best of both worlds. They
got to experience every step of the course without
putting themselves through the 50km … smart
cookies!
Some fantastic runs, as with the other events, from
both male and female runners with the winners
setting a pace that suggests we should have made the course a little more difficult …
no?
Of worthy note is Matt Montague. One minute standing there behind the LED
Lenser stand, next minute bringing in 2nd place male in well under three hours. He
came in less than two minutes ahead of Marc Barallon (must be Welsh) who, in turn,
came in ahead of 1st female Liz Quade by only two seconds!
332
305
319
323
334
306
Liz
Kerrie
Kathryn
Brendon
Matt
Marc
Quade
Williamson
Bell
Woodward
Montague
Barallon
4 1st F
5 2nd F
14 3rd F
1
2
3
02:48:53.16
02:52:21.20
03:37:54.03
02:35:54.71
02:47:03.50
02:48:51.23
50km
Once into the realms of ultra-marathon distance, it’s a whole different ball game.
The best runners can be made to look like complete novices and those who are
dipping their toes in the water for the first time, can somehow pull of amazing feats
against all expectations. We had such a performance as the latter on the 16th.
While Cameron Munro
and Michael Rayner stuck
it to the field from the
start, and while Jodie
Oborne made it clear she
owned the event for the
evening in a small field,
what a pleasure it was to
see Julius Kieser.
Julius ran his first ultra
back in 2010 at the
inaugural Wild Horse
Criterium 50km.
A
baptism of fire if ever there was one. On that day, he was fortunate enough to fall
under the wing of one Keith Sullivan. Keith, along with Tammy Cobb, was your host
at the 20/40km checkpoint and is as stalwart of the national ultra scene. Glasshouse
100, Coast to Kosciusko, you name it. Either way, I think Julius would credit his finish
that day to Keith.
BW@N was a different story, however. He made up the top three from very nearly
the start and held it until the finish. At which, he was as ever, nothing but gracious.
A nicer bloke you wouldn’t want to meet.
Last mention has to be for Steve Lewis. We’ve made it clear that we’re not too strict
about the cut-off. If you look like you’re ok to finish and it’s not too late, then we
won’t ruin your day and pull you out.
Steve e-mailed me during the week prior and ‘warned’ me. However, he needn’t
have. From the first lap it was clear he wasn’t going to make it before midnight but
his pace, remained constant from start to finish. After the 20/30km checkpoint shut
down, Geoff was in the care with me and we followed his progress from point to
point. When he reached the last checkpoint we estimated a finish of around
12:30am and he didn’t let us down. He maintained the pace he had kept all evening
and came in at 12:28 and was as happy as the winner. Great job Steve.
511
519
518
507
506
527
Jodie
Lisa
Lauren
Cameron
Michael
Julius
Oborne
Hussey
Hill
Munro
Rayner
Kieser
8 1st F
14 2nd F
19 3rd F
1
2
3
05:31:58.07
06:25:38.06
08:18:12.05
05:08:20.38
05:12:36.04
05:13:46.68
The Wr@p
What a night.
WH@N was nothing to be sneezed at and was an overwhelming success for us but to
be truthful, was a safe bet on a known course. A known entity.
BW@N was our first foray into anything big. A new course that hadn’t been used.
Some trail that Brett and I had been itching to get people on since we first came up
with Run Queensland. With the dust settled and analysis complete, we couldn’t
have hoped for a better result. We’ve had some fantastic feedback of a nature that
That suggests we’re on the right track (or should that be trail).
The team has put a lot of effort in, but we have to thank our sponsors, supporters
and service providers. They make such a difference to our events as a whole: