Running for Fun

After Great Ocean Walk I had nothing in mind. After 4 events, 2014 was done and I knew I'd run an event early 2015, but had no intention of locking anything in yet. We had a family holiday booked for mid November and it was going to be a great opportunity to finally run the trails and relive the experiences I'd had as a kid hiking with the family so often up there. I think it's these memories of those trails that really got me hooked on trail running, trying to find that same freedom and inherent beauty in as many places as I could. The running worked out really well, with most days short runs with two bigger runs thrown in, meaning I'd usually be back for breakfast or worst case lunch on the long days, and then I could take the kids in the afternoon to the pool or for a walk. Made it the holiday we all needed. And those trails... if you haven't already signed up for the Wonderland Run, you should. If you can't, just get out there. It's a truly amazing place (although I may be biased).

Over the week I ran 111.1km with 5,142m elevation gain and yet still felt great. I think my recovery had a bit to do with the wood heated pool that I spent so much time in with the kids (a pleasant 30 something degrees). I managed to run pretty much everything in the Wonderland walking trails (as shown above). Each run was pretty spectacular, but also a way of reconnecting with some of my favourite memories, and nothing about those trails disappointed. There were amazing views, beautiful glens and waterfalls, rocky outcrops, predominantly technical trail every where, and all of it within not much over 15km to see it all.


The Wonderland course itself is quite amazing, taking in the trail to Splitters Falls, then up through the Wonderland car park along the Grand Canyon (seen right) to the Pinnacle. From there you head across some (comparably) flat trail past Sundial car park, through Rosea car park, then begin the 4km grueling climb to the top of Mount Rosea (above). I had never been to that point before and the climb itself was beautiful, but finally reaching that was incredible. A nice flowing descent from there and you are down at Borough huts and then heading back along the trails to the east around the lake and back into Halls Gap. Overall it has a decent amount of elevation (about 1600m over 37km by my records), but the toughest part is the terrain which is often not overly runnable for long stretches unless you are pretty good on technical.
Throughout the rest of the week I hit all the old spots we would hike to, including Chatauqua Peak and Boronia Peak, the latter which you may recognise by the marker from my original post when I hiked it with my brother quite a few years back. I remember a lot of them being tough walks, particularly Boronia, as it tooks us hours in the heat, but early morning running a large part of it made for a moderate hour and a half of awesome trails. I finished up the week by taking the alternate route to the Pinnacle (over hundreds of steel grate steps) and across to and down from Sundial - what a rough descent! Towards the start I detoured up to Boroka Lookout. Simply the most spectacular view I've seen up there yet, but it certainly makes you work for it up a rough and steep goat track that threatens to constantly throw you over the edge.

Prior to all of this, my new-found running buddy was still training her arse off for her 80km back near her home town in Taranaki. She had put in literally thousands of kilometres and had the most consistent training block of anyone I was following on Strava. I knew she would be able to finish and that she would do pretty well. When the day finally came for her event I was out running Currawong Falls with a few other SCTRs and I was checking Facebook for updates at every stop, even while running. She started out at 6 min/kms and was holding on strong. Every update she was still keeping pace. By this point I was freaking out that she was going to over-do it, but I had to trust that she knew what she was doing - not that I could change anything! She finished the race in 8 hours and 12 minutes with slightly over a 6 min/km average for 80km, and not entirely flat. I was completely amazed by her effort, and learned later that never once did she stop moving for that entire duration. Of all the highlights I've had running, this will always be one of the best moments for me. I obviously can't take any of the credit for her effort, but to be a part of someone not only achieving, but completely smashing something they previously thought may have been impossible doesn't compare to anything else.

That ended 2014 on a very positive note and I was very happy with the balance I'd struck between training and enjoying the events, although to be honest it was less formal training and more about smashing out a great run every now and then with a lot of nice social runs thrown in. A nice way to do it though if you can make it work. :)