2024 The Guzzler 100k
Had this on the potential plate most of the year. As it came right in the middle of selling the house. But with needing a break from dealing with that, and in need of a social session - along with a cheap ticket - it was good to go.
Not having trained for this, but with a the recent Black Mountain 50k in the US, I was relatively confident that all would be ok.
At the start line, with all the other 100k and 50k runners - it was so good to catchup and share some usual pre race banter / laughs.
Top of first hill done, witha little mandatory jumpshot to celebrate. Only 20 more hills to go...
With an initial plan of running with Miriam (as it was her first 100k), I knew it was also a perfect pace for me to start out at. We also managed a jumpshot for the photographer.
After leaving Miriam at The Gap toilets (the female queue was too long to wait for me to wait for her), I was on my own. Relatively happy 5kms in and near the back of the pack.
Having a few chats to other runners on the way, and making up a few spots - body and nutrition was behaving well. Still taking it relatively easy heading up Heading up Mt Nebo Rd
and down at Hell Hole
Heading down to Gold Creek and the long loop to Lake Manchester had a few good chats to pass the kms.
Relatively quick stop at Lake Manchester aid station and toff to complete the 2nd half of the couse feeling relatively good.
Job 6 took longer than usual to come around, but once it did - felt good at this points and with some chats - we powered to the top of it for the next aid station. It was a bit of a war zone witha a few other runners pulling out - but not staying too long - it was time for the most challending section of township and over to McAffees.
This section always breaks the rythem of the course. A slow slide down the hill - and a beast of a climb back out. The section wasn't as bad as I remember it, not as muddy as previous journeys on this section which made it easier - and I had a good light - not like last year at the same part of the course.
From the last checkpoint at McAfees with the awesome Brisbane Trail Runners for a chat around the fire, I was starting to time I would need to calculate to still get in under 20 hours. Here I was starting to run back down Hell Hole, in the dark trying yto do the maths of each section - how long it would take and how long I left - all while being tired from 17 hours of running* already done!
* Running - also known as shuffling / walking with purpose on the hills.
So the final section, trying to run at speed along South Boundary Road, even running up some of the hills, then through Gap Creek - making the most of the Vollies spare high vis vest crossing the road so I didn't have to stop to get mine out - then up Kokoda using the nicer path but still mentally powering through. At this time I knew it would be close as I still had 2.5km along Litchfied and then half way down Mahogany to the Finish.
Running along Litchfield at a reasonable pace - super happy with the energy reserves (not so much the body fatigue, but it was ok) - I managed to stack it (as most people have) on the track. Landing on my hands and some good gravel rash - I slowly got up and walked fora bit to get my composure back - and then started to pickl up some speed.
Coming down Mahogony and to the finish - I made it with 4 minutes to spare!
Super excited - and happy to do the sub 20 again.
Kudos to Jay and Kat from The Method Pilates - for keeping my moving well over the lst few months.
Molly from Inspire for the body rehab and maintenance
Katelyn from Inspire for the updated nutrition plan with the super charged carb loading! It certainly helped
With another Guzzler down, that makes 450k of The Guzzler courses. Looks like i will have to do it again next year to crack the 500 club!
