Spectating Six Foot Track Marathon 2013

Can't believe it has been 24 months since my last race, the Six Foot Track Marathon 2011. I had such a good run then, feeling strong, controlled and enjoyed the race from start to finish. It was my third 6FT race and I had ended up with stonking PB to boot - it couldn't  get better. So with my health issues over the intervening period and the cancellation of last years race I was curious to see what my reaction would be this year as a spectator this year supporting Hammer in his 6th race.

We left home at 4.30 am to drive up to the Blue Mountains, arriving at 6.20. Plenty of time for Hammer to get ready and for me to mingle and experience the buzz. Hammer was not feeling confident after a great season training he got the flu (from me) and missed training for about 3 weeks in February. All the really big runs. I tried to gee him up a bit, reminding him of his terrific form before the flu and maybe the forced rest would have done him some good.

Conditions were perfect. Cool in the morning with sunny conditions predicted with top temperature in the low 20's.  I have to admit the atmosphere at the start was electric. It was the first time since my  troubles started that I felt the hunger to race. Not in  a melancholy way, but a kind of joyous, celebratory kind of way that we as runners test our bodies and our minds against our limitations, our training, the conditions and the course.  I could see it in the faces of runners around me. Nervous expectation was evident regardless of status, fast or slow, novice or veteran.  To train without injury all through summer, approach the race with a plan and manage to have it go to that plan is a race well run regardless of finishing time and placing.

The Black Range is where this race really starts. What will it have install for runners today? I guess my hunger for racing was reawakened this morning remembered how much I looked forward to this section. Never being sure how my body and mind would react. To go deep inside and face your innermost self, to bargain, to persevere and eventually emerge into the pine forest feels either triumphant  or shaken or stirred. But always feels like you've conquered a monster.

Wave 1 just before the gun.

I was taking photos at the start - limited by low light. Interesting the official race photographer asked me to move when I squatted low on the ground in front of him. He said my head was in the way. Pretty sure it was not true as he provided plenty of shelter for me. But I moved anyway, he was there to do a job and make money while I was just playing.  I took all the start line photos using my nifty fifty 50mm f/1.8 - great for low light but not so good for action.

I had serious lens envy.

The wave starts worked seamlessly. An interesting observation that of all the waves the most dangerous place to start this race is in the front of wave 2 - it was definitely breakneck and take no prisoners.

A mad rush to the stairs in Wave 2

After all the waves were under way and the spectator buses started to load I drove around to Caves House at Jenolan Caves.  Stunning scenery with mist shrouded valley stretching out. I wanted to stop to take some photos but soon realised that if I kept stopping I may not get to the finish before the first runners started to arrive. It took about one and a half hours to get around to Caves House. I walked up Mt George to maybe have a vantage for pictures but realised that I was extremely unfit and was lacking in confidence to tackle the steep terrain. The narrowness of the path would make it difficult to get back to the finish line without getting in the way of runners coming through.  I decided to walk back to the now ready finishing area and got a volunteer pass to come into the finishing chute to take pictures. Spent the next 3 hours photographing finishers.

 The best part was developing the images the next day. So many images made me smile, I was happy not because the photos were good but because in my mind I captured the spirit of the race and the joy on the faces of the finishers.   I know that feeling, I know where they've been. I know what they had to do to get across that finish line.

"Life is not about making other people happy. Life is about sharing your happiness with others"