Summer Holidays

Posted on April 9, 2019 by laurenhailey

How could we say ‘no’ to a week in the Snowy Mountains during summer? The answer is that “you can’t”. And with that in mind we had early Christmas celebrations with both of our families, packed up the car, threw the mountain bikes on the roof and hit the road.

We arrived in Perisher on a Saturday late in the evening, and drove around trying to find the Cooma Ski Lodge. Google had pin pointed it’s location but we couldn’t see a building in that spot. We drove up and down the street and I happened to see a light turn on in the spot were the lodge was supposed to be, it must have been hidden from the road. We rounded the bend and drove up the driveway, there it was!

After some hugs with our friends, and a quick unpack of the car, we settled down for a quiet drop of red. Although, we were all quite tired and headed for bed pretty soon after. There would be lots of time to catch up during the week.

On Sunday when we finally dragged ourselves out of bed we headed for the shops at Jindabyne to load up on supplies for the week. And of course to grab a (real) coffee and breakfast. We eventually got back to the lodge at midday and thought it was time for lunch, of course. After lunch we checked out some local maps and decided to go for a ride towards the Snowy Hydro plant. The ride would be about 20km out and back with quite a few hills, and boy where there some hills!

On Monday we organised to meet our friends at 9 am at Thredbo Continue reading →

A long weekend in the Victorian Mountains

Posted on June 16, 2018 by laurenhailey

A couple of months ago we noticed a new race was being held in Victoria on the June long weekend and we thought this would be a great opportunity to experience some solid climbs in race conditions. So we signed up, me for the 14km (1,150m) and Roger for the 27km (2,250m).

We both managed to get Friday off work too which meant we could drive down on Thursday afternoon, and we arrived in Tawonga South (near Mount Beauty) close to midnight. Roger accidentally missed the driveway, and as we did a u-turn we were faced with a large deer that has previously camouflaged into the surrounding trees. It was beautiful.

Eventually we made it up the long, steep driveway and into our cosy, shed-looking Air BnB. It had a fireplace and plenty of room for us with all our running and hiking gear. I wondered what views it might have when we awoke the next morning…..

Friday morning was cold and I got the air conditioner firing as soon as I stumbled out of bed. I opened the curtains to a misty view of Mount Bogong and its surrounds, this was going to be a great weekend!

Today I was going to do a short hike and Roger would do a few repeats of Mount Bogong. He is in training for the 100 mile Hardrock Endurance run in the USA in July and he planned to do a lot of running with elevation over the next 3 days. We geared up and drove to the Mountain Creek Camping and Picnic Area which was about 20mins away. We parked the car and headed about 2km up the trail towards the staircase that heads to Mount Bogong.

I waved goodbye to Roger as he headed up the staircase and I kept going on the flat(ter) trail for a light hike.

Ever since being given the all clear to start training again a few months back, I have been cautiously easing back into running. I’ve also still been recovering from the flu and throat infection that saw me DNS (did not start) at the UTA22 a few weeks earlier, so I was conscious to wear a few more warm layers than usual, and I was thankful because it was foggy and cold with sprinkles of rain every now and then.

The sound of Black Cockatoos could be heard overhead so I stopped to take in their beautiful melody. I walked along a few more km’s along and came to a creek which covered the trail. If I walked through the creek it would mean getting my feet soaked, so I searched for another way to cross and found a thin log that had been put over the creek. I cautiously put one foot on the log and it wobbled under my feet, I tried to gain balance on one foot but the log was also slippery and impossible.

So I made the decision to stay warm and dry and turned around to head back down the hill to the car. There was nobody around, not one single person or car at the campground and I worried a little that Roger would be up on that mountain in the cold (snow?) by himself. What if something happened? I know he is very experienced in harsh conditions and he had packed very sensibly for the cold, but you cannot help worrying sometimes. I assured myself he would be fine and the regular text messages that he later kept sending helped to ease my nerves.

When I got back at the Air BnB I had a (long) hot shower and settled in to read my book with a cup of hot chocolate. Tough life. I picked up Roger from the campground at 6pm as planned and later headed to Flour + Water for a hard earned feast. After dinner we readied our gear for Saturday’s Wandi Cross race and got an early night. Check out the sunset below with Mount Bogong peeking through the clouds on the left.

Wandi Cross 14km – Race Report

We were up early to get organised and the drive over to Wandiligong would take at least 45 minutes unless we got stuck behind a slow truck/bus/camper on the mountain towards Bright. It was foggy and the temperature got down to about 4 degrees on the drive over. We arrived, parked and walked over to the Alpine Park to register and use the toilets. We collected our race bibs and headed back to the car to get our gear.

Unlike most of the past trail races I had done I knew nobody and that was largely due to the fact that we were in a different state. Still, it felt weird. We readied ourselves at the start line for a quick briefing and then we were off, the 14km and 27km runners all started together.

The first section of the course was along a hilly road section for about 2km before we ducked into a trail and started to climb the first hill. Most of the road section had been quite hilly but we had pushed ourselves to run it because everyone around us had been running too. I figured they were probably locals and knew the course well, turns out most of them were.

Our first climb was up Goldmine Spur and if there had not been runners ahead of me and pink tape to mark the way, then I’m pretty sure I would not have been able to make out the trail. It had clearly rained for quite a few days leading up the race and the ground was very wet and slippery underfoot, but thankfully my trusty new Speedgoats were up to the challenge.

I overtook a few people going up this mountain and got into a rhythm with my steps even though the terrain was quite steep and uneven. There was no clear trail aside from where the runners had pinned down the long grass, and made way over the fallen branches and rocks. I think if I had been here outside of race conditions it would be easy to lose the trail.

Eventually we got to the top and I made my way downhill towards the first aid station. Here I said goodbye to Roger as the 27km course took off in a different direction, and headed down a fire trail which led to the first big descent. Talk about slippery! About 70% of this downhill section was slippery clay that meant you practically slid your way down the mountain. It was almost impossible to stay upright and I heard many streaks and groans from in front and behind me while going through that section. If you imagine the position you take while standing on a surfboard riding a wav, that was how I slid down the mountain for the best part. It’s a miracle that I didn’t land on my butt, as I noticed after the race most people came in with clay all over their legs and butt.

The course eventually looped back around towards the Alpine Park starting area where my race number was ticked off. I had carried all my own food and drink so I didn’t waste any time at the aid stations. Heading out of the park we took a right hand turn up a fire trail and then took a sharp left up into ‘The Goat’. The description on the race website said “hands in the dirt scrambling” and they were not wrong. There was actually a rope to pull yourself up the first section onto the trail because it was so steep. I had to really concentrate for this section as it was crucial to get your feet on the right surface/spot for every step up this mountain. One wrong foot and you would slide down and lose ground, banging your knees, ankles and elbows all over the place. This was really the toughest climb I have ever seen, and what made it harder was that so many other runners had come through here earlier today.

It got me thinking about the Tarawera Ultra Marathon in New Zealand that some of my friends and clients had raced in earlier this year, as they had completed 50-100 miles in conditions similar to (or worse than) this.

I passed a local going up ‘The Goat’ and he was starting to struggle big-time. We had a chat as I went past and I felt strong as I kept climbing further and further ahead. Surely it couldn’t be that much further to the top. It kept going, and going, and going. We would cross a fire trail and climb up the next section using ropes and whatever means possible. By the time I got to the top there was nobody around me, behind or in front and I kind of liked that. The view we had been promised was hidden by a curtain of mist and I could barely see 10 metres in front of me. There was a bell hanging from a tree at the top of Mystic Mountain so I gave it a ring and kept running towards the markers and the aid station. I rounded the cone, said hello to the volunteers, then smiled as I left because I knew it was all downhill from here.

This is the point where I got a bit excited and may not have been paying as much attention as I should have been. Somewhere as I pummelled down the steep first trail I missed a turn and ended up at the bottom of the mountain with not a pink trail marker to be seen. I walked back up the hill,, then down the hill, then up to another spot, then down. it was useless. I could not find a pink course marker anywhere. I was soo annoyed at myself and it upset me more than it should have. I looked at my watch and it said I had run 13.6km, my heart sank as I knew it was further than 400m to get to the finish now. I just hoped it wasn’t too much further as I had been pushing myself and wasn’t too sure how much was left in the tank.

Finally I got out my phone and worked out that the road below me should wind its way back to the Alpine Park and I hoped that it would link back up with the course. I ran along the road and thankfully it re-joined the course, however I had lost too many places to count and it made me disappointed with myself. I chatted to a guy who asked me where I had come from and I told him what had happened, I’d actually passed him going up the first hill and he had not seen me since then. There was another lady in front of me so I set my sights on trying to catch her, but it was useless as my legs didn’t have anymore speed to give. I felt like an idiot and had no-one to blame but myself for getting lost as I should have been paying more attention.

I tried to focus on the positives and snap myself out of the bad mood I’d fallen into. The trail followed the Horses Creek back which was trickling with water, a nice calming sound that helped improve my mood as it snaked its way towards Alpine Park. Once in the park we did a victory lap of the field and I crossed the finish line in 2hrs 55mins. My goal had been to finish in 2hrs 30mins, however my Garmin told me that I had run 16.5km so I’d say I would have been pretty close to that without the added kms. I’ll take it.

About 2 minutes after I crossed the finish line I saw Roger coming into the aid station at Alpine Park, great timing. He still had ‘The Goat’ to come and an another bonus trail that we did not travel on, so I wished him well and told him to be careful on the last downhill because I had missed the markers. He left in good spirits and I caught up with our good friend George Mihalakellis who had driven up from Melba to cheer us on and spend some time in the mountains. George and I then headed back to the car and off to get some brunch before heading back to wait for Roger’s race finish. Roger crossed the line in 5hrs 39minutes and we celebrated with a bacon & egg wrap and coffee.

The Wandi Cross organisers had advertised this as a ‘technology free run’ so I had decided not to take any photos while out on course, that is why I have not included any here in this blog. I did however wear my Garmin GPS watch during the run but I kept it hidden under a buff so I wouldn’t be tempted to use it, and the only time I looked at my watch was when I had gotten lost.

Once we were all back at the Air BnB showered and warm, I opened up a 13 yr old bottle of Sullivans Cove whisky that Roger had given me for my birthday. I had been saving it to celebrate my return to trail running/racing, and we even convinced George to have a glass too.

We went to Roi’s Restaurant for dinner on Saturday night and as always the food and service were top notch. We also found the Mt Beauty Taxi Service (a one man band) to be most helpful and friendly.

Sunday Hike – Mount Feathertop

On Sunday George and Roger were heading to Bogong for some more repeats and after looking up the local hiking trails I had decided to hike Bungalow Spur to Mount Feathertop. I drove about 45mins to get to the trailhead and the car told me that it was 2 degrees at the spot where I was starting my hike. I had worn a few layers of warm clothing and had some extras plus wet weather gear in my pack in case I needed it.

The first section of the trail was nice and flat and it followed along next to a small running creek, but the ‘flat’ would not last for long. The trail crossed the creek and started to wind up and up around the mountains before me. It was not too long before I had to remove my wind & water proof jacket because I was getting too hot. I stuffed the jacket into my pack and twisted my cap around so I could see the trail ahead and above me. About 2km up the trail I realised that my sunglasses had been on top of my hat and that when I had twisted the cap around I had dropped them. There was no way I was going back for them, or should I? I decided that I didn’t want to have to back-track and kept moving up the trail.

There was a large section of the trail that was overgrown with shrubs and I noticed as I pushed through them that it was soaking my clothes and making me feel a little cooler than I anticipated. I kept going and tried to steer clear of the branches but it was almost impossible. I decided I would just have to speed up and hike fast so my clothes would stay dry from the heat of my body. There was a small break in the shrubs and I stopped to look up….

It was about this point that it dawned on me I was actually hiking to the 2nd highest peak (1,899 metres) in Victoria, and that the entire trail to the summit would probably not have any flat or downhill sections. Great. My quads and calves had felt very stiff that morning when I had awoken and they were now reminding me that I probably wasn’t in as good shape as I could have been to attempt this, especially the day after my first trail race in 18 months. My coach had written ‘Easy Hike’ on my training program and I’m afraid this was nowhere close to being an easy hike. Sorry Andy!

Then I began to notice the ice had begun covering the leaves and the branches around me, and the trees were no longer green and flourishing. It was eerie and magical all at once.

The higher I got the more ice and snow I could see, and the temperature had dropped so much that I put my jacket and gloves on to keep warm.

My legs were burning by the time I reached the Federation Hut and thankfully it had only been about 8.6km to this point, not 10.5km as per the trail markers. I stopped at the Hut to chat to some campers so I could have a rest and take in the view while I also threw in some more food.

It was only about 2km from here to the summit so I put on all my warm clothes and wet weather gear and headed up the trail.

I passed a few walkers coming down the mountain and they commented on how lucky we were to be here on such a clear day. They were locals and had hiked this many times before but said this was the best weather they had ever seen. I felt lucky and sped up to reach the top.

I felt on top of the world. The couple at the top took my photo and then left me alone to enjoy the summit all by myself. It was magical. I felt like I was flying.

I must have taken a thousand photos at the top and I could have kept taking them all afternoon, but I started to get cold and knew I had already taken a lot longer than I had expected. I was not sure how long it would take me to get back down to the car so I took a final video and then made my way back down the slopes.

The trip down was painful. I felt like a robot as my quads and calves just didn’t want to budge, it was not pleasant. I tried running instead of walking and that seemed to feel better, for a little while anyway. I alternated between slow running and fast hiking back down the mountain and got back to the car about 5 hours after I had started. I was so relieved to get there.

Driving home was easy and I took in the views of the beautiful place I was in as I knew it was my last day before we headed home. I stopped halfway home to get a photo of Mt Feathertop from the road too. Today had been tough but it has been worth it. It reminded of the famous quote “The pain you feel today will be the strength you feel tomorrow”.

I slumped into the door at the Air BnB and spent what felt like a lifetime under the hot stream of the shower, then spent the next few hours with my feet in the ‘Air pants’ by Air Relax Australia. They help circulation to help speed up recovery, kind of like a massage for your legs. At some point I fell asleep and I woke when the guys returned. We had dinner at Roi’s Restaurant again which was another delicious meal, and we all crashed into a slumber exhausted from the day’s work.

I felt so good to be free and alive.

On Monday morning we said our goodbyes to George and packed the car heading for home. What a top weekend in the mountains! All I could think about was the next time that I would be in mountains, and that would be in July as we were heading to Colorado, USA.

See you on the trails…

Stage 4 – Port to Port MTB

Posted on May 28, 2018 by laurenhailey

Don’t try this at home.

I had been sick in bed for over a week with cold/flu and only marginally started to feel better, so I thought I would try and tough out 45km at Stage 4 of the Port to Port MTB. I had a back up plan, Roger was going to meet me halfway so I could drop out if I felt like death. I’d already missed out on riding the 3 previous stages of the Port to Port MTB and I also missed out on running the UTA22 last weekend, so I was going a bit crazy.

In hindsight I probably should not have ridden because I feel a little worse again today, but I was feeling really grateful for the friends and family who had donated over $2,000 to the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse who looked after my beautiful young cousin who passed away from cancer earlier this year.

So there I was at the start line with Roger and a friend Roccet who I knew from Runlab in Newcastle, he was going to ride with me and he had also ridden at this event before. I warned him of my slowness and told him not to wait for me if he managed to get ahead, I promised myself I would take it super easy and just enjoy the ride as much as possible. There were self-seeded start waves and I was going to be in the last group, so we sat back and waited for the other riders to start and took in the sunshine, good weather and great atmosphere.

It was soon our turn to start the race and we rolled out through the big blow-up arch and onto a small road section. After this we motored through the beautiful Belmont Golf Course and onto some flat fire trail past the wetlands. The first 10km was very flat and we managed to get a bit of speed up and overtake a few riders. We wanted to be at the back, but not last!

We eventually hit Redhead single trails and I lost Roccet who was riding much stronger than I was. I hoped he wouldn’t wait around for me too long as I don’t like holding people up and it’s hard to talk when riding on MTB trails anyway. This section was lots of fun and I played leap frog with a few riders while we twisted and turned through the trails. I could feel my lungs burning and I was coughing quite regularly, but I didn’t feel as bad as I had anticipated. I was surprised to see so many burnt out and rolled cars on the trails. Some of them were in quite obscure places so it was really strange, and they seemed to be everywhere.

I crossed Oakdale Road and into some more single track, you could see riders to the left and right on a few sections as we switched back and forth through the greenery. A rider came off ahead of me at one point and as she fell she twisted her ankle. I stopped to help her up and she tried to walk but sadly she was in too much pain even to stand. Eventually I rode ahead and got the medics sent back down the trail to her location, there wasn’t much else I could do to help so I carried on my way towards the half way point. I knew there was a beach section coming up too, and it was just before I would see Roger (my back up plan and exit strategy).

The trails were a hell of a lot smoother than Stromlo (thankfully) but still some technical and climby bits to get the legs and lungs pumping. I started to question whether I had the energy to keep going as my legs were feeling a bit jelly and my coughing was quite constant. I just told myself to keep moving.

Eventually I hit the sand section and the first part was quite rideable if you went down near the waves, but that didn’t last long. The sand got deep and boggy so we were all off our bikes and walking them, no pushing them through what felt like quicksand. I tried to keep my walking pace up to save time and because I was looking forward to seeing Roger, and I managed too pass about 8-10 riders.

I should mention that I had 98% decided that I was going to pull out here at Dudley Beach and get Roger to drive me to the finish line. That sand was super nasty and it left me feeling completely drained. So naturally when I saw Roger on the beach and told him how I felt, he replied with “Nah, you can do this and besides you don’t have far to go”. He checked with the course volunteers and there was only 16km to go from this point. I had made it way further than halfway and so with that I scoffed down some more Tailwind, got my bike cleaned to remove the sand from my brakes, and told Roger I’d see him at the finish.

As I was riding away there was a lovely course marshall with a big smile and a joke who sent me off with a better attitude than when I had come into the beach. Thank you whoever you were, it really helped!

This next section started with some fire trails and had some beautiful views of the ocean and the beach we had just ridden across, I mean walked across. I caught up to an older man and we chatted for a small section before I took off ahead of him to make up some time. The trail got technical again which always slows me down a bit, however I had gained a bit more confidence by now and was feeling more comfortable on the bike, so I sped up a little on sections I probably would have gone slower on in the past.

Then we hit a steep, steep climb that had loose gravel and leaves and I ended up off my bike pushing it up this climb as there’s no way I could have ridden. I caught up to a guy pushing his bike up the hill and we laughed about how the elite would have sprinted up here riding. I got to the top and a group of riders were stopped catching their breath and getting some food in, all I could manage to say in-between my panting and coughing was “Fuck that” (sorry Mum), which got high fives and a lot of laughs from the other riders. This was Glenrock Mountain Bike Park and it really was lots of fun.

This section went very quickly and soon enough I had hit Scenic Road which was the big downhill to the finish at Dixon Park. I motored along and checked for cars behind me, then gunned it down that hill as fast as I could. Strava says my top speed was almost 50km down that hill, I don’t think I’ve ever ridden that fast before.

The final ride along the road beside the beach was great, lots of people out and about and cheering us through and finally I was riding under the big inflatable arch to get my finishers medal. I had made it, wow.

I looked around to find Roger and couldn’t see him anywhere so I grabbed my phone and gave him a call. He had gone to the spectator point that was a few kms back because he thought I would be going slower, and he said he was holding a Ginger Beer to give me to cheer me up for the final section to the finish. He was bummed that he had missed my finish but impressed that I had done the last section so quickly. He arrived shortly after to help me celebrate the finish and I scoffed down the Ginger Beer, always my favourite drink at the end of a hard ride or run, it’s the best!!

This one was for you Dylan #restinparadise

Bike: Focus, Spine
Nutrition: Tailwind
Donations: https://give.everydayhero.com/au/hailey-rides-point-to-point-mtb

AMB100 MTB Race

Posted on May 6, 2018 by laurenhailey

I probably should have done some research about this event before I signed up as I was in for a few (nasty) surprises. A few of my friends from the Helensburgh Off Road Cycle Club (HORCC) had posted about the event on facebook and I thought it would be a good training ride in preparation for the big Port to Port ride I’ll be taking on in May.

I chose the 66km (2 lap) event because my longest day at Port to Port would be 60km, however I probably should have taken into consideration that the longest mountain bike ride I have (ever) done was less than 20km. But I never do anything by halves and I couldn’t drive all the way to Canberra just to do 1 lap (30km). So….. why not.

We stayed with some good friends the night before and had fun catching up over pasta and wine (carb loading). I got to bed a little later than usual but was happy to be spending time in great company.

The alarm went off and my nerves kicked in straight away. What was I thinking?! I can’t ride 66km on hardly any training. Shit, this is going to hurt. I had only done a couple of rides over the past few weeks but not enough to have me prepared for this. Holy crap.

I had some porridge for breakfast and realised that it was very cold and wet outside. It had rained quite a lot overnight and this was a bit of a worry as stupidly I had not packed for cold and wet. Idiot. I borrowed some arm sleeves/warmers from my friend and packed a windproof jacket, it would have to do.

For my hydration and nutrition I had decided to use a Nathan Hydration vest so I could use Tailwind nutrition, mainly because I don’t like to take my hands off the handle bars and the bladder meant I could ride and take on everything needed (water, carbs, electrolytes) at the same time. I also packed some GU Stroopwafel as I’d used these for nutrition on some of my recent runs/hikes and it was really tasty. I also had some gels as backup if all else failed.

We headed outside and stored the bike on the roof rack of the car and headed off to Stromlo Forest Park. I checked in and met with Mille and Celia who were from HORCC and also doing the race. We setup an area with our extra food/gear and got ourselves ready for the start. Millie was a gun and would start up the front with the fast riders, while Celia and I both wanted to be back of the pack as we were both newbies. The race director did his briefing and then Celia, Millie and I made our way over to the start line. Millie seeded herself up the front and so she should have, she’s super speedy and had a high chance of winning. Celia and I made our way up the back and fought for the last spot with a couple of other novice riders.

We had a few laughs with the other riders up the back as everybody wanted to be last, and eventually we were off.

I chatted with Celia as we rode along the first section which was a dirt road that wound its way up a slight incline until we hit a single track. I realised during this first section that my friend Brett was just ahead of us and I caught up and chatted to him for a bit too. I rode behind Brett for a while and tried to keep up with him, but as soon as the trail got technical I slowed down as I wasn’t confident and really did not want to fall off my bike. Celia and I rode together for most of the first loop and this gave me someone to follow which I liked because I could follow her line and relax a little.

However I took a tumble near a rocky secton and slid a few times going up and around the steep bends, I really did not feel confident and was more than just a bit nervous. This trail was much more technical than most of the ones I had ridden on and I decided to get off the bike and walk a few spots because it was too rocky and I did not want to break any body parts.

Rocky Trail Entertainment’s AMB100, Mount Stromlo, 2018

RTAMB10018-0293

I felt really slow and lethargic. I was being overcautious and it meant that I spent a lot of time riding by myself. My competitive spirit wanted to kick in and go barrelling down some of the trail but after spending 18 months recovering from my past injury I really didn’t want to push my luck.

There was a lovely man giving some directions near the last part of the loop and he was very supportive. He sent me down the easier section and eventually I got into my own rhythm and finished the first lap without too much difficulty.

I scoffed down some GU Stroopwafels and water and strecthed my back out some more because it was stiffening up again, this seemed to help and I hoped it wouldn’t get any worse during the next and final loop.

The next photo was taken on my second lap when I was just not feeling it. My back pain had gotten worse and after about 3km into the trail I almost turned around to go back and not finish the race. But I’m stubborn. So I kept pushing myself and I tried to smile for the camera (see below) but I couldn’t even fake that.

RTAMB10018-0542

I stopped about 100 times to stretch and give my back a break but thids wasted so much time and I just wanted to be finished. Why wasn’t I enjoying this? I love trails and being out on the bike exploring new places. Maybe it was the cold and wet conditions. Maybe I just needed to toughen up and stop being a pansy.

I thought about my young cousin Dylan who had just lost his battle with cancer about a month ago. I thought about what he had gone through and about how we should never give up. I put aside my negative thoughts and focused on the endless positives I have in my life, I really had nothing to be down about.

My smile returned and I gained some courage to go a little bit faster in the second half of the final loop. I could hear my coach Dave’s words in my head as I went over some large rocky sections, his technical expertise had helped me improve so much over the past few weeks and I really was lucky to have the HORCC crew.

Rocky Trail Entertainment’s AMB100, Mount Stromlo, 2018

Finally I rounded the last bend where Roger was perched to get a happy snap of me speeding past towards the finish (below).

I crossed the line and thanked myself for not quitting, for getting it done.

Celia (below) met me at the fnish line and she had come 3rd in her division, how awesome. She even got some beer with her name on it, even though she doesn’t drink. I did offer to drink it for her but she was going to give it to her son I think.

We saw Millie (below) again too and she had won the Elite category, what a champion!!

I had a quick chat with my friend Brett at the finish line and he had done well finishing quite a distance ahead of me. By this time it was really starting to get cold so we didn’t hang around too much, just long enough to scoff a burrito and a coffee to warm me up.

This was a tough course and the cold, wet conditions made it a little more challenging too. I’m going to put this one down as ‘character-building’ as I really felt like crap for most of the ride, but I think that’s my own fault for being a little under-trained. I’ll make sure in future that I’m better prepared both physcially and mentally.

Bring on Port to Port in just over a month, read more about my upcoming race and how you can support my charity here.

Hails x

Jetblack 24hr with HORCC

Posted on March 28, 2018 by laurenhailey

A few weeks ago I drove to Rydal (near Lithgow) to race in the Jetblack 24hr mountain bike event. I was competing as part of the ‘Burgherlicious’ team for Helensburgh Off Road Cycle Club (HORCC). To say I was nervous would be a complete understatement.

Originally I was to be part of the 6+6hr team which involved taking turns to ride laps from 12pm-6pm on Saturday, and again between 6am-12pm on Sunday. I was assured the course was suitable for beginners with an ‘A’ and ‘B’ line and felt the 9km course would be do-able, especially with an overnight sleep to recover. However after some last minute rider cancellations I was upgraded to the 24hr team with 5 other riders, and my nerves grew to slight panic as I realised what I had just agreed to.

Why not?!

So I arrived at Rydal and was greeted by the speedy Millie who showed me where to park and gave me the rundown on the course and race rules etc. This helped to settle my nerves a little, okay, not really. I wished I had been able to arrive earlier so I could have had a practise lap but with work commitments that wasn’t to be and I arrived after the race had already started.

I got my bike, gear and food supplies out of the car so I would be ready when they needed me for my first lap. We had 6 people in the team and I had been put as the last rider because they knew I was arriving after the starting gun. I had packed food supplies similar to that of my endurance running events and this proved to be adequate. I had several variations of heads lamps, gloves and clothing as there was a chance of rain and I was unsure what the weather would be like, or even what it would be like riding during the night on the trail. God I was nervous about that, riding on a trail at night – eeekkk!!

I met the rest of my team and other team riders from HORCC who were all very positive and helped to comfort my nerves. I wanted to make sure my team knew I was a total beginner who had only been riding a mountain bike for 7 weeks, that way there expectations were low. I secretly hoped that I wasn’t the slowest in our team but I knew I probably would be.

We picked up race bib and attached it to my bike. I had a little bit of time to get some food down before my first lap, so I got comfortable in one of the team camping chairs. They had a great setup with tables and gear, plus a big whiteboard so we could record all of the lap times and makes time estimates for the incoming riders. I was in good hands.

Finally the time came for me to ride my first lap and the nerves were in their highest gear. I started pedalling with a little apprehension and almost missed the first left turn as I made a rookie error and didn’t look far enough ahead along the trail. My heart rate soared and I reminded myself to take it easy and not brake any bones. The mantra of ‘Stay Upright’ would be repeated many times throughout the next 24 hours.

It was dusty and there were so many bends! Left, then right, then left, then right again, then down with a bend, then up with a bend, and many of the trees sat snugly next to the trail daring you to weave through them. The trees were so close on some of the corners that you could not lean into the corner at all or you would wipe yourself out. I found it difficult to get around those bends at any speed and often realised I was in the gear when it was way too late. There were also several speedy riders who came up behind me quickly on the first lap and I stopped to let them go past each time. Wow, they made me look like I was standing still. I hoped my team weren’t too sad that I was taking so long.

Thankfully the ‘B’ lines were clearly marked and I avoided having to do any jumps or tricks. There was a section with a few big tree roots but they ere easy to get over and I enjoyed them. There was a sign for ‘Hazard Gully’ in the second half of the course and it made me laugh, there were definitely some hazards out there. I had to put my foot down a few times from over steering, or sliding on the loose sandy course, but I managed to stay upright the whole way. I wasted so much energy on that first lap, but I loved it and tried to memorise as much of it as I could while I was out there.

38 minutes. That’s how long my first lap took. The fastest rider in our group had done it in 27 minutes, so I had a long way to go. I sat down to have a snack and I chatted to the team about my first lap. They were so supportive and a really fun bunch to hang with.

My second lap came around pretty quickly and I managed to knock off about 1 minute from my original lap time. I was happy with that and hoped that the minutes would keep knocking off each lap as I got more confidence, but I was sure the night laps would probably be slower, especially as I had never ridden on a trail before at night. Shit.

Its was at this point I thought I should probably inform my team that I had never ridden on the trails at night before. They took it well and Phil helped me to setup a light on top of my helmet so I would be able to see more than just the view from the light attached to my handlebars. Our team had decided to undertake double laps during the night so that we could all try to get a few hours sleep. I had some pizza and decided to setup my tent while there was still some sunlight.

My double lap started at abut 10pm and I set off feeling very hesitant. My hart rate soared again as I nervously took the twists and bends with apprehension. I felt slow but I was too scared to go any faster and I reminded myself to stay calm and ride smart. I began to relax a little and enjoy the course more as I went along. It was nice having less riders on the course now as I didn’t have to slow down all the time to let them past. The 6+6hr riders had long finished and were probably tucked up in their beds asleep.

About halfway through the first lap I noticed that my lower back was starting to hurt and the muscles were feeling very tight. I stood up on my pedals a bit more and this seemed to relieve some of the pain. By the end of the first lap my back was much worse and I contemplated stopping, but I really didn’t want to let the team down and I knew there would not be anyone else ready to ride yet because it was too early. I decided to suck it up and keep going. It was only pain. I just hoped it wasn’t anything too serious. I’d hurt my back once when I was wake boarding about 10+ years ago and that pain was very intense. I hoped it wasn’t the same.

I went past the tent and managed to say “Hey champions” to let them know I had survived the first lap. 43 minutes. Slower.

Before I had left for the first night lap we were talking about songs that get stuck in your head and I’d decided I would think of a good song during the lap so I could sing it to them when I went past, but I was concentrating so hard on the trail that I had forgotten to come up with a song.

I took some big breaths and tried to ignore the pain in my back again. I focused on the trail and felt much more confident the second time around. I used my body to lean a little more and hug the course a little better, and I stood a lot more because it eased the pain in my back. I kept telling myself to focus on something else besides the pain, but at one point I got pins and needles down my right leg and I was really worried I wasn’t going to make the lap. I was tougher than this. Come on Hailey!

I finished the second lap and felt very stiff when I got off the bike. I immediately took some Nurofen, had a shower, ate and then lay down in the tent to try and get some sleep. Sleep was not going to happen. There was a lot of noise and people walking around, and music. I think I nodded off for maybe half an hour, but I woke feeling refreshed and better than I had expected.

I chatted to the team and was told we were currently in 1st place in the mixed category. Apparently we had been leap frogging with the Newcastle Team and after my lap we had been second, then the rest of my team would do so well that we would go back into 1st place. Our young rider Jarrod had the fastest lap at 27 minutes, and speedster Mille had also done a 28 minute lap. The rest of my team were also around the 28 minute mark, so I was definitely the weakest link. Damn.

I was grateful when they said we were going back to 1 lap each and I actually offered to miss my lap and used the excuse of my back. I didn’t want to be the reason we lost our 1st place position but the team insisted I go out and have another lap and that they would just have to work harder to make up the gap. If they had not insisted I honestly would not have minded missing the lap, but in the end I’m glad I got to do another lap in the daylight.

At about 8am I sent off for my 6th and final lap. It was a new day and the second round of Nurofen had kicked in so my back was feeling a little better. I tried to savour every twist and turn, every uphill and downhill. I was starting to remember more and more of the course and I felt a little more at ease than on my previous laps. The riders coming past me where so positive and friendly, I tried to stick with a few and even managed to overtake three people (probably 24hr solo riders, they are incredible). When I got to the last section with the big berms I could see someone closing in slowly behind me. I thought I should try to ward him off and dug a little deeper to keep a bit of distance between us. My heart rate start6ed to soar again and I wished I’d worn my HR strap to record the workouts but thought it might have chaffed and gotten in the way. The last uphill pinch came and I gave it my all. Over the rocky section towards the barn and then over the thing mats towards the final bend.

I tagged Alex and he was off on his speedy lap. We were still in 1st place. Yes!!

Our team ended up winning the mixed category and came 2nd overall, what a great achievement for my first team event. Very exciting.

Massive thanks for. the Helensburgh Off Road Cycle Club (HORCC) for looking after me and making me feel so welcome, you guys have taught me a lot and I know we will have some great races together in future.

I’m currently training to take part in the 200km Port to Port race in May, my first ever 4 day MTB stage race and I”m raising funds for the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse who helped care for my young cousin who died recently from cancer. He was only 22 years of age. You can donate to this wonderful charity on my fundraising page here.

Happy riding!

Scaredy cat

Posted on January 19, 2018 by laurenhailey

Yesterday I rode my bike to work for the first time, ever. In the past I had always been too scared of inconsiderate drivers, but I had a plan.

I’ve been reading a book about a lady who loves bike riding and has completed some epic international races including a race across Alaska, that’s right Alaska! Her training included riding to work through snow and ice each day in freezing temperatures, and it got me thinking maybe I could ride to work too.

Being unable to run last year got me into cross trining, and for Christmas I managed to score the best present ever, my own mountain bike. I had not ridden for years and it brought back happy memories of when I was a kid and my brother and I would ride around the streets together. My father used to take us out on longer bike rides too and I remember enjoying that time together as my father was a pretty quiet man (aside from the Dad jokes).

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve become more confident again on the bike abut I’ve only take it on wide fire trails, nothing too narrow or technical. I struggled to keep up with why friends lightweight Cyclocross bike but I was determined to not let that stop me.

I sat ands thought about the best route to take for my journey to work and mapped it out in my head, I guessed it would be a little more than 10km. Sydney drivers are not very ‘cycle-friendly’ so I was feeling a bit nervous and scared. I decided to ride on the footpath as much as possible but there was one section on the Highway where I could not avoid the road, so my plan was to wear a hi-vis vest to make ensure I could be seen at all times.

Thursday morning came around and I got up, had my usual smoothie breakfast and headed out the door. All I could think about where the horrible bike crashes that I’d seen on the news and heard about through friends. I kept telling myself to “Stay positive” and be on the look out for car in driveways and turning cars, so my pace was constant but cautious. After the first 2km I relaxed a little and started to feel really good, my legs felt strong and the weather was still cool. I even managed to overtake a tractor as it slowly rolled along President Avenue.

I got to work in just over 35 minutes for 13km. I thought that was pretty good. When I looked at my Strava information for the ride I realised that most of the journey had been downhill, no wonder it felt easy!! That also meant my ride home would be mostly uphill and not so easy….

After work I donned the helmet, gloves, backpack and vest then headed out into the heat. The sun was blazing down on my face and arms and I wished I had packed some sunscreen. The first section was pretty flat and then it was not. On the hills I alternated between low gears with a high leg turnover, to low gears and standing up to pedal and keep my momentum going. The weight of the bike would stop me in my tracks as soon as it sensed a hill was close-by and the worst of the hills was yet to come.

I made it home in just over 55 minutes. I was sweating like a pig but I felt great. I had survived and had a deep feeling of accomplishment for getting myself to and from work under my own steam. This was definitely going to become a regular habit. Maybe I should sign up for a bike race…..

Happy riding 🙂

BOOK MENTIONED: Becoming Frozen – Jill Homer

The highs and lows of 2017

Posted on January 8, 2018 by laurenhailey

I have been a bad blogger. My last post was in September 2016 but I have a good excuse, I think, well…. not really. But sometimes life gets in the way and our circumstances change, and boy did mine change in 2017.

After a devastating DNF (did not finish) due to injury at the 240km Coast2Kosciuscko Ultra Marathon in December 2016, I took 6 weeks off running over the Christmas and New Year period which at the time I thought would help mend my injured foot. I caught up with friends and family and it actually felt good to not have any training pressures, or set schedule for my weekends. My relationship with my husband had worsened though, and even a few days away together did nothing to improve our relationship. I had run out of ideas. Our lives had been drifting apart for a long while and despite my efforts I was left feeling lonely, frustrated, sad and depressed. I was not myself.

In February I eventually went for an MRI on my foot which revealed a partial tear to the plantar fascia and edema (swelling) on the bottom of the heel bone, the reason for the pain I had experienced during the race in December. My Sports Doctor gave me the good and the bad news, it was something that I would recover from BUT it would be a long, slow recovery (12-18 months, or more). He proceeded to tell me that I would need to rest, wear a CAM (controlled ankle mobility) boot and come back to see him in 8 weeks time. Ummmm, what?! I spent my whole life on my feet, how was I supposed to rest? And a CAM boot! CRAP! Okay, I’ll admit there are worse things in life, but I had never had a major injury before and at the time it felt like my legs had been cut off. I left the doctors office being thankful that I had a diagnosis, however I couldn’t help but feel sad and this added to the depressed state I had been living in lately. I had been sleeping in the spare room of our house. My marriage was over. We had given up. There was nothing more that could be done and I had spent an eternity going through scenarios in my head, but nothing seemed right. Life sucked.

I had my first round of PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injections in March which were a non-guaranteed treatment aimed at speeding up the recovery of the tissue in my plantar fascia. Firstly they take your blood, give it a spin to get all the good plasma, then inject small amounts of the plasma back into your foot in several spots along the affected area. Thankfully they gave me a local anaesthetic first, so I did not feel anything after that initial needle. Now I just had to put my feet up and see how the body would respond.

After moving out I rented a granny flat in Sylvania and the couple who owned the place (and lived downstairs) were wonderful. The water views from the balcony were so nice to wake up to everyday and I could even see the water views from the bathroom when I brushed my teeth. The flat had been updated but still had a few original touches which made it feel cosy. I always felt relaxed when I got home each day and the sunsets and sunrises were amazing. Despite having to manoeuvre the spiralled entry stairs in a CAM boot everyday and the fact that I was missing my dogs a lot, I had started to smile again.

April was a bit of a blur. I was left puzzled after being un-invited to a Easter family get-together because ‘they now knew what I had done’. It turned out that a good friend (former) of mine had started a rumour of an affair, which he shared with my friends and family behind my back. My own family didn’t even call me to let me know what had happened, but a good friend contacted me as she knew it sounded like the lie that it was. I’m not sure if he will ever know the damage he caused to me and the relationships with my family, but I trust karma will catch up with him one day. I honestly believe that the truth will always be revealed, if you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to hide. I’m very lucky that I have some very good friends who I now consider family as they helped me through these dark times and more.

In May I was given a chance to assist the social media team for the UTA100 (Ultra Trail Australia 100km) running events in the Blue Mountains, by taking photos of the leading male runners as we chased them all over the course from beginning to end. I had a blast seeing all my running friends that I had missed dearly and even though I had a great weekend, it reminded me just how much I had been missing the trails. Running had been my release, my meditation, my stress reliever. I had been building up all this tension and stress, and I needed to find another outlet. I needed to make some future plans, something to look forward to that wasn’t running. I booked my first (ever) trip to Europe.

I had enjoyed volunteering at the UTA100 race so much that I volunteered at the Mount Solitary Ultra in June (organised by Running Wild). I was looking forward to giving back to the trail running community, and at seeing some of my running mates again. I spent the long weekend in Victoria with some running friends who were training for various (spectacular and scary) overseas races. I didn’t go running with them but I had packed my DSLR camera so I could do some short hikes and get back into nature. I wasn’t meant to be out of my CAM boot yet, but it was feeling better and I truly believed the positive mental gains from being out in the fresh air far outweighed the risks. So I donned my trail shoes and explored the mountains. It was just what I needed.

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July, what an incredible, eye-opening month. I travelled to Spain, Andorra, France and the Netherlands. I flew into Barcelona with a friend and we spent a few days sightseeing (Sagrada Familia, Gothic Quarter, La Rambla, Gaudi, Dali to name a few) then drove to Andorra for the Andorra Ultra Trail Vallnord. I was support crew for the 170km Ronda Dels Cims race in which only a few Aussies were competing. It was a spectacular place and I fell in love with the country from day one. After the race we drove to Carcassonne for a night and after a debacle with our accommodation we finally made use of the spa and got some down time. The next day we visited Carcassonne’s spectacular castle village and then drove onto Lyon where we stayed for one night. The final destination was Paris, the city of love. We visited the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and went to the Opera for a stunning performance of Carmen. It was such a gorgeous city and it lived up to all of my expectations. After a few days in Paris we drove to Eindhoven and went to the Dynamo Metal Festival, such a rocking night. The final few days were spent in Amsterdam shopping and people watching, there was such a large variety of people from all different walks of life. I was sad when the day came that we had to fly home, I wanted to keep travelling, keep learning, keep exploring. The day I arrived home we went to see Queens of the Stone Age and only a few days later I also got to see LCD Soundsystem!!

For more photos from this trip you can view my album on facebook here.

August brought with it a beautiful new home. I moved into a place near the Royal National Park and it would allow me to finally have my dogs with me, it felt like my life was finally getting back in order. I felt like I was on the right path and where I should have been all along. We celebrated the marriage of my beautiful friend Erita and her partner George, oh what a night! Then came the bad news, my boss had couldn’t afford to pay my holiday leave in future and was taking me off permanent and putting me on casual. Great, another kick in the guts.

It was another fantastic whirlwind of European travel in September. We flew into Zurich and drove to Zug, a gorgeous little town that happened to be hosting the annual cow show the day we arrived. We saw cows, tasted beers and had dinner with my cousin and his partner who took us to a lovely Bavarian restaurant. The next day we drove to Annecy to catch up with friends and after an exquisite dinner overlooking the lake, we drove onto Chamonix. The next day we queued early and took the cable car up Mont Blanc, I had never seen anything like it. I’ve been to the Australian snowfields twice as a kid, but it was nothing compared to this. This was a whole new world of breathtaking. The next day we drove to Courmayeur which would be our lodgings for the next week. This beautiful little town was abuzz with runners and families, and I prepared to be crew for the 330km Tor de Geants. Incredible. If I thought Andorra was beautiful, this place took my heart and soul to a whole other level. Every mountain, every stream, every day was more beautiful than the next. I lived in the car on the road for most of the race, but I felt very lucky to be alive, to be living this life and seeing these extraordinary places. I felt so connected and drawn to the earth, it was magical. After the race we headed to Rome, a place I’ve always dreamed of visiting since I was a kid. We visited too many places to list but the highlight would have to be visiting Pompeii and climbing up Mt Vesuvius. The artwork in all of the Roman churches was exquisite, and even though the Sistine Chapel was beautiful, I felt there were many other less-known churches that had a better display of artwork (and were free). And how could I not mention the Colosseum, it was bigger and better than my wildest dreams. Remarkable. Eventually the trip came to and end so we flew home already making plans for our next adventure.

For more photos from this trip you can view my facebook album here.

It was back to work and back to reality in October. I longed to be back travelling and felt like I was falling into a bit of a slump. I had started training at the gym again, and running, but I had been getting knee pain that was quite intense and pulled me up short every time that I tried to run. I saw my Physiotherapist and did some strength work and hoped that the pain would ease. I just wanted to be out running again. Would I ever be out running again?

I was still having knee pain so I went for an MRI in early November. Thankfully there was no tear but a few other minor issues that needed work. I felt optimistic and my Physiotherapist said that after some targeted strength work I should be back running again soon. Yay! Another highlight in November was at my work Christmas Gala where I received the ‘Employee of the Year Award’ as voted by our members. I was very honoured to receive the award and it was a great night out with everyone letting their hair down.

The highlight of December was crewing for the 240km Coast2Kosci Ultra Marathon. This is a special race that I hold close to my heart. I know it defeated me in 2016 but I will be back again to run it one day, when I’m more experienced and I’m stronger. I know I will be back to conquer that beast. This year our runner had lots of hurdles but he made it to the finish line. I got to catch up with many good running friends and I also scored 2 great new friends that crewed with me and put up with living in a car with me for a few days. Before I knew it Christmas had arrived and I was planning family lunches and dinners.

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2017 had so much to show me, so much to teach me, and I’m lucky to be in a much happier place having gone through it all. I have learnt to be myself, I have learnt to be strong, and I have learnt to follow my dreams.

Bring on 2018…..

Redemption at The North Face 100

Posted on May 27, 2015 by laurenhailey

Like most of my race reports this is a long one, so grab a cuppa and get comfortable while I take you on a ride through the 2015 North Face 100.

On the Friday before race day I picked up my running buddy Maria and we made our way up to Katoomba in my little Toyota Yaris. I wish I had taken a photo of the boot of my car as it was chockers with gear for the run. We looked like we were going away for a week!!

When we got to Katoomba we did a grocery shop and the amount of food that we bought could probably have fed a small army. It’s quite hard to know what sort of food you’re going to feel like eating when you’re out on the trail for such a long period of time, so you always end up taking more than you actually need. And we only ‘just’ fit the shopping bags it into the boot with our gear, ha ha

We then checked into the 3 Explorers Hotel which was old but very comfortable and cosy, as it had a working heater and electric blankets. Maria and I carted our gear up to the room on the first floor (and spoke of how much we would hate these stairs on Sunday, ha ha) and got our gear ready for race day. My sister (Shelley) who had generously put her hand up to be our support crew (for a second time) would arrive on race morning to drive us to the start line.

My training in the lead up to this race had fallen (very) short of the kms I would like to have run, but a few small niggles had held me back along with starting my own business and not having the time to fit in as much training as I would have liked. I had spoken to my coach Damon about these issues in the weeks leading up to the race and to be brutally honest we thought that perhaps I should drop back to the 50km event, which I almost did. But my stubborn Taurean nature kicked in and I decided to lower my expectations for the race, so instead of aiming for a time my goal of 18 hrs that Maria and I had previously spoke of, instead I would be just aiming to finish the race. This decision meant that perhaps Maria and I would not end up running the course together because I did not want to hold her back from her goal, especially when she had been running up a storm and smashing her running goals lately!

So Maria packed her drop bags in case we did not end up running together and then we caught up with our good friend Emma who was staying at the same hotel. I helped Emma with her drop bags too, as she was missing her ultra buddy Dominic (our team mates from Oxfam last year), and we all jumped in my car and headed to Registration near Scenic World. Both Emma and Maria had never run this race before and were very nervous, okay I was very nervous too but I was just trying not to thin k about it!!

We had a fun time at rego and saw lots of our running mates, it seemed everywhere you turned there was someone that one of us knew. I saw friends who were doing the 50km for the first time, a friend Todd from High School, some friends from old workplaces and other running friends I had met on the trails over the past couple of years. The excitement and buzz in the room was electric!

For some reason it didn’t feel quite real to me yet, that I was actually going to attempt this run again and I think I had been in denial about it all for the past week. Last year I got injured on Nellie’s Glen (halfway) and I pushed on for a long while, but eventually made the tough decision to pull out at 78kms or risk further injury, I was devastated. I had trained so hard for the run and felt more ready than ever to finish, but (like life) sometimes your run does not go to plan.

This year I was going to be rocking up to the start line with a race plan that i’d prepared the day before (last year I worked on it for weeks!!) and with no expectations, just the goal of crossing that finish line. My race plan is a document that I give to my support crew which has goal times and items needed for each checkpoint, and is usually 4-5 pages long but that’s because it also includes directions and maps to each of the checkpoints.

Now where was I? After a lovely welcome from the local Aborigines from the area, and some funny antics and information provided by the race director and the safety crew, we left rego quite late and headed back to our hotel for some much needed sleep. Setting and checking the alarm had been set a few times before our heads hit the pillow.

Our synchronised iPhone alarms went off at 5.00am, so we got up and prepared ourselves for race day. I had some breakfast (banana, muffin and a coffee) then dressed for the start. Shelley (support crew and sister) arrived at the hotel on time as planned and drove myself, Maria and Emma to the start line. Emma was starting in the wave before us so we let her out of the car close to the start line and then parked the car.

We made our way nervously to the start line and wished many friends well along the way. As we walked up I managed to see Andrew (a friend from my gym) and several of my Sydney Striders mates as they set off in the earlier wave. It was starting to feel real and I could not stay in denial mode for much longer.

Maria and I chatted to Leah and Liz and slowly made our way to the start area where all too soon the gun went off and we were running!!

The North Face 100 2015

Start 6.40am at Scenic World (10.5km to CP1)

The first section of the course is road and includes a few hills, it’s also an out and back which I like in this race because you get to see your mates running back towards you and wish them well for one last time before hitting the trails. It’s also nice to run back past the start/finish area and be cheered on by all of the many supporters, including my wonderful sister, as we would not see them again until we hit CP3 at 46kms.

After the road section you head down Furber step and then head right towards the Landslide and the Golden Stairs, before heading up to Narrowneck. Just after Furber steps somebody had managed to fall and was being taken care of by some other runners, and as I approached them I also slipped and managed to land on my (well padded) butt, cut my hands up a little, and ripped a hole in my tights! But thankfully I was not hurt and I’d chosen to wear black undies that day!! 😉

This section was lots of fun and we chatted to many runners through the different terrain. It felt cooler than last year and there was some cloud cover, and I hoped it would not rain. A man playing music and wearing a fluorescent vest (already) went past us up the hill, so we chatted to him and many others who were all in high spirits at this point.

CP1 at Narrowneck (20.5 to CP2) ETA 8.25am

Maria and I arrived at CP1 10 minutes ahead of schedule (8.15am) and it was nice to know we had a bit of a buffer up our sleeves, even if only a small one. We both had a quick toilet stop, I grabbed a band aid for my finger as it had been bleeding since my little stack earlier on, and then we got back out onto the trail.

This section had some magnificent views as we run at one of the highest points on the course, however I did not stop to take any photos this year as I wanted to keep my momentum going.

Maria and I enjoyed running together and were keeping the same pace, much to my surprise as I thought she would be much speedier than me on race day (but that came later, ha ha).

The North Face 100 2015

We took in the views and eventually got to Tarros Ladders to find a short queue and we waited for our turn. If you have read my blogs before you will know that I do not like heights, so I was a little nervous about climbing down these ladders strapped to the side of the cliff. Okay, I was VERY nervous about it!

It came my turn to climb down the ladders (after I let MAria go first) and I tried to calm my breathing and my nerves. And I was doing really well until I got to about halfway and had to walk the narrow ‘plank’ to the next ladder, which meant that I looked down and freaked out. I lost control of my breathing and water started coming out of my eyes, but I just kept saying to myself “One step at a time, keep moving and you’ll get there”. Eventually I got to the bottom, after some much needed encouragement from Maria who was counting the steps for me to let me know how far until it would be over. And when i got to the bottom Maria gave me a big hug and we carried on our way down the mountain.

CP2 at Dunphys Camp (15km to CP3) ETA 12.00pm

We got into Dunphys Camp at 11.10am which was 50 mins before our scheduled arrival time of midday. Woohoo!! We got some food, filled up our water and queued for the toilet. We spent a little too much time here queued for the toilet, but I did not want to have to go in the bush later down the trail.

After a quick chat with our friend Paul we left Dunphys Camp and headed for the next landmark, the Ironpot Mountain. Most of this section of the course is on Private Property so not very many people get to train on this section of the course.

There is a very steep hill section up to the top of the Ironpot Mountain and Maria is much better on the hills than me due to her smaller frame. My goal for this early stage in the race had been to just stick with her for as long as I could and so far it had been going to plan, but I feared she would move ahead of me soon.

Partway along the ridge Maria got ahead of me and I got stuck behind some runners. On top of the ridge there is an out and back section again, so you get to see many other runners coming back towards you and wish them well. I really like this and just about every runner gives you a smile and wishes you well. The camaraderie out on the trails is amazing.

On top of the ridge there was a gentleman playing a didgeridoo, the same gentleman who had welcomed up at the registration the night before. I didn’t stop to listen like last year, but I thanked him (both times I went past) and continued up to the turn around point hoping I would catch up to Maria again soon.

After the turn around point I eventually caught up to Maria and we headed down the slippery section off the Mountain and into the beautiful fields that greeted us at the bottom. Then it was onto some fire trail and up a large windy driveway which met the start of the Megalong Road. It’s a tough, continuous slog up that hill and every bend reveals another incline. So you just keep moving and pushing and praying it will end soon.

We got to the top and Maria started to run, I needed a minute to breath (or so my head was telling me) so I walked for a little while at the top before gathering myself and catching up to her again promising myself not to lose her yet.

Just before the checkpoint there was a professional photographer and we got some great shots (below).

The North Face 100 2015

CP3 at The Six Foot Track (11km to CP4) ETA 2.40pm

We arrived at CP3 at 1:48pm which was again 50 mins before our scheduled time and we could not locate my sister who was set to meet us there. I gave her a quick call and she was shocked to hear we had already arrived! She was just leaving the car and she sprinted up to meet us with food and clothing while we filled the water up in our packs.

My awesome trail running buddy Sarah-Jane was the first person I saw coming into the checkpoint and I have to thank her for the photo below. It was great to see a familiar face and seeing all the support crews waiting and cheering us into the checkpoint was such a lift!

I changed into some warmer clothes and we chatted nervously to my sister who was so happy that we were progressing as well as we were. She told us we looked fresh and gave us a big hug before we headed out onto the trail again.

We left the checkpoint after a 14 minute stop (longer than planned) but felt much better to be in warmer clothes. Maria and I both knew the next section of the course very well as it traveled along the Six Foot track, a trail we had raced and run many times. So we knew the joys of the HUGE stairs that awaited us at the foot of Nellie’s Glen.

Maria was looking strong and I was starting to fade a little. We ran together for a while and we collected and chatted to a lovely lady called Ellen who was from the Mountains (Glenbrook I think). Eventually we got ahead of Ellen and then I also had to let Maria go ahead of me. My head was telling me to walk (stupid brain). I was angry with myself for walking these flatish sections, but felt I needed the break to prepare myself for the 900+ muddy, uneven stairs that were coming up.

I ended up power walking with a gentleman who was doing his 6th TNF100 and another lady who was running it for the first time. We got to Nellie’s Glen together and I let them go ahead of me as I thought I would be quite slow on this section. Unfortunately I was right and soon I could not see them ahead of me, plus I got overtaken by some speedy runners who were doing some very heavy breathing as they went past. My friend Rob from Nike caught up to me at one stage too and we chatted for a while. He had taken a fall and was not doing too well, he wasn’t very optimistic about making it to the finish line, but I tried to change his mind and keep him positive.

To my surprise I caught up to a lady, but she was not in a good way and was vomiting on the side of the trail every 10-20 steps. I didn’t want to get to close for fear that it might make me feel sick too, but I kept an eye on her and talked to her to help her get up the stairs one at a time. Taking the focus off myself for this brief section seemed to make the time pass more quickly and before we knew it we were at the top of the stairs and celebrating!

It was about here that I realised how light the sky was. That might sound a bit silly, but at this point last year it had already gotten dark and I had needed my head torch to see the trail and stairs coming up the Glen. But today it felt like there was a lot more daylight left which really lifted my spirits as it reminded me I was well ahead of schedule.

At the top of the stairs there was a short section of trail followed by some road into the next checkpoint. As I ran along the street there were people out the front of their houses who cheered me on and wished me well, and I actually overtook some runners before I got to the checkpoint.

CP4 at Katoomba Aquatic Centre (21km to CP5) ETA 4.40pm

I arrived at CP4 at 3.55pm which was 45 minutes ahead of schedule, so I was still traveling quite consistently and on target to an 18 hour finish. Was that really possible!! I started cry…

My sisters smiley face was waiting to greet me as I came into the checkpoint and she helped me change and feed. I put on some dry clothes (thermal shirt) and picked up my AyUp headlamp (thanks Nigel). I also had some help from Sarah-Jane who came over to assist and got me moving and out the door again quickly to make the most of the daylight that was left.

I saw Maria just before she was leaving the checkpoint and I would have loved to leave with her but I still needed to eat! So off she went with my blessing and I stuffed some food down my gob. I think it was rice pudding and nutella sandwiches. I only stayed in this checkpoint for 12 minutes, much quicker than last year when I spent more than 20 mins here, and felt elated to be out the door with the sunlight still beaming through the trees.

How good was this!! I was so happy!! But this next section was one of the toughest parts of the course, full of stairs and I had bad memories of it last year when I had hobbled most of it in pain. But this year I was determined to run a lot of this section, even the stairs, and I really was feeling fantastic so I pushed it a little harder than I had all day.

The North Face 100 2015

And eventually (to my surprise) I managed to catch up to Maria who I think had stopped for a toilet break. I was so happy to see her again! You can tell by the smile on our faces below.

The North Face 100 2015

This section included some really pretty areas. We ran past Echo Point where you could hear runners being cheered over the finish line in the distance. The beautiful Leura Cascades where I had stopped many times for photos during training runs. There was also Lillians Bridge and Wentworth Falls but it had grown dark before we got to these and so the starry sky was now our only view.

There was a water point at 66km and we were delighted to see our friend Brad here to greet us with a smile. He had been following our progress after he had completed the 50km race earlier in the day (what a LEGEND!). I quickly made a toilet stop here, then grabbed some lollies and we got back out onto the trail again, into the darkness.

It was somewhere in this next section that I lost Maria again. She was still looking so strong and I was still struggling a little, so again I pushed her to go on ahead and kept moving my legs as fast as they would carry me.

The North Face 100 2015

This year there seemed to be much, much less stairs than last year. I don’t know why, but the mind does play tricks on you when you’re fatigued (and injured like last year). I kept moving at a consistent pace and hoped I would catch Maria at some point.

I was still feeling very positive about how I was travelling and even though the legs muscles were feeling tight I did another check of my body and was feeling much better than I had expected to feel at this point. I had changed into different shoes at the last checkpoint and so was enjoying the luxury of the extra foam in my Hoka One One.

When I eventually reached the end of the trail and hit the road section which I knew took me down into checkpoint 5, I started to cry. Last year I had started to cry at the same spot but for a totally different reason. This year I was still running, and I promised myself to run all the way down the hill and into the next checkpoint. And I did.

CP5 at Queen Victoria Hospital (22km to Finish) ETA 8.20pm

I sobbed my way into CP5 at 8.06pm which meant I was still on track to finish in under 18 hours, it felt like my dream was still within reach. Some of my beautiful Sydney Strider friends were waiting at this checkpoint for their runners and they cheered me in very loudly. Leonor and Margaret had a hilarious sign that said “F**k the wall” and I agreed!

Shelley and Brad greeted me with big smiles and were excited at how well I was doing. They told me that Maria had only just left the checkpoint before I arrived and I was thrilled to hear she was doing so well, she would definitely crack the 18 hour target. How exciting!

We got me into some more dry clothes and I put my CHeBA (UNSW Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing) singlet over the top of my thermal. I had been raising funds through this event to help Dementia research, as my grandmother has Alzheimer’s, and the singlet reminded me of her and would push me through the hard parts of the next section of the course.

I then scoffed down some noodles that I had been craving too and got myself moving again before I got too cold (and comfortable)!

Finish at Scenic World ETA 12.15am

I spent 16 minutes at CP5 which wasn’t too bad considering all that I got done and in the back of my mind I was trying to calculate whether or not I had a chance of making the finish within our original 18hr goal time. I headed out into the darkness up the hill towards the start of Kedumba. Kedumba is a 10km downhill section that would tear up your quads and knees if you let it. I had promised myself that I would run down all of this section and despite having some knee pain I stuck to that plan all the way, passing many runners as I did so. It felt pretty good to be moving past people and keep the legs ticking over, and it also meant that I kept warm.

Mos of the downhill here looks the same, wide fire trail with trees either side. There are a few small concrete sections but not very much.

I reached the clearing at the bottom of the mountain at 11.05pm and there was a water stop at the 91km mark. This meant that I had about 1.5 hrs to get to the finish line. It was do-able, but there was a lot of up hill to come so I would need to keep moving, no walking.

Here a girl called Ellen caught up to me, we had met earlier on the trail, and we chatted some more as I sat in behind her and just tried to keep up. We were moving at a pretty decent pace (or so I thought) and this section of the trail was very muddy and tricky in some parts. I managed to stick with Ellen all the way to the bottom of Furber steps where I proclaimed to her that I had 20 mins to get to the finish line within 18 hrs. She moved aside and I shot up past her to push myself and use up every last bit of energy I had. My breathing got really heavy and so did the legs, but I wasn’t going to slow down now, I was too close and had come too afr to give up now. A gentleman moved aside to let me past and nicknamed me “Darth Vader’ due to the sounds that were coming out of my mouth (not the first time hey Damon, ha ha). They seemed to be a bit longer than I remembered.

When I reached the top near the boardwalk I was completely out of breath and thought I still had about 1km to go. As I looked at my watch I saw there was roughly 5-6 minutes till 18 hours and my head dropped as I feared that I wasn’t going to make it.

But to my surprise as i rounded the next corner the finish line was only 50 metres away and I sprinted over the line with the biggest smile on my face! I had done it. I had come back and finished the 100km course in 17 hours 55 minutes!!

The North Face 100 2015

Getting to bthat finish line is one of the hardest things I have ever done. It had taken me 18= months of training and preparation, but I had finally beaten the TNF100 course. I did not let it beat me a second time! It just goes to show that you should never give up on your dreams, no matter how big they are or how far away they might feel at time, just keep striving and learning and planning and you’ll get there. Never give up! Here’s a pic of me holding my Bronze Buckle which is given to everyone who completes the course in under 20 hours.

And for all the statistics lovers, here are some more numbers for you:

Distance: 100km

Elevation Gain: 4,308m

Rank: 546th overall (out of 840), 95th Female (out of 187), 45th in my age group (out of 75)

The above results do not take into account the large amount of people who withdrew from the race on the day (DNF). There were actually 1,126 Entrants who toed the start line on Saturday morning but only 840 people who actually finished the race. That means 25% of people who ran did not make it to the finish line, a true testament of how tough this race really is.

So if you include all of the runners who started the race then my ranks looks more like this:

Overall: 546th out of 1126

Female: 95th out of 249

Age Group: 45th out of 102

Now I must say a big thank you to my beautiful sister (pictured with me above on race day) who was not only there for me at this race, but has always been my support crew and motivator at every big race in my life. It has meant the world to me and I will be forever grateful.

Thanks Shelley!

And a big thanks also goes to the generous people who have have supported my running and helped me raise over $5,000 to help UNSW Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA). They are:

Kristian, Ganesh, Leah, Don, Sharon, The Tracey Family, Keira, Brendan, Lisa, Rebecca, Anonymous, Carol, Duncan, Anonymous, Matt, Kelly, The Roland Family, Joyce, Angela, Claire, Toni, The Hall Family, Sam, Anonymous & Anonymous

If you would like to donate to Dementia research through CHeBA you had better do it quickly here: https://cheba2.everydayhero.com/au/haileyrunstnf100

Happy Running 😀

Striders 6ft training run at Narrabeen

Posted on December 8, 2014 by laurenhailey

Luckily I had some great company for our 25km run up at Narrabeen last weekend and thank god they were with me or I think I would have walked the last 5km.

Our Striders 6ft training group met for a 6.30am start and we had another great turnout for the run. Our organiser Andy has done a great job spreading the word about these runs and he even marks the trail with pink tape so we don’t get lost. This week we also had written directions and we managed to follow them without getting lost, 10 points Maria!!

The first section of the course was rather flat and there were only really 2 hilly sections during the run, with flats either side of them. So it went… flat, hill, flat, hill, flat. Sounds easy right? Well I can tell you it wasn’t. Okay so it wasn’t as hard a course as the week before at Quarry Road loop but I had not run more than 18kms in a while so my legs were struggling towards the end. In saying that, this was a very scenic run and i’d love to do it again soon.

During the run Maria, Carolyn and I shared some great banter and at one point instead of crossing a footbridge to avoid the slightly flooded road, instead we charged through the water living life on the wild side! (ha ha) We were also channeling our inner Emelie Forsberg (can you see the flowers in our visors in the shot below) to help get us up some of those big hills. If you haven’t looked Emelie up on google then you need to do so, she’s an amazing trail runner and seems like a really kind-hearted person to boot.

Thankfully there was some water at the end of your run so Maria and I eased our muscle pain with a quick dip, it felt soooo good 😀

Photos courtesy of Andy Stiddard.

Happy Running 🙂

Backing off the gas

Posted on December 3, 2014 by laurenhailey

During last Saturdays run I felt smashed. From beginning to end my legs were like jelly. I felt like there was nothing in the tank and nothing I could do or think or say was going to change it. Thankfully I had the pleasure of running with my Oxfam buddy Dominic and he allowed me to take my mind of running for while and got me to the end. Such a top friend and I wish him all the best for his next race, the 6inch in Western Australia on 21 Dec – go Dom!!

After that run it got me thinking (and worried) that maybe I’ve been overdoing it a bit lately and it’s time to back off the gas a little so that I can let my body recover to grow stronger. Every Saturday over the past couple of weeks I have felt that each run was a struggle and on reflection I don’t think it should be/feel that hard, it didn’t last year.

Sometimes i think I read too much about what the ‘elites’ do, or hear about how much other running friends train and I feel like i’m never doing enough. But we have to learn to listen to our bodies and mine is yelling out for a rest. So for the first time in a very long time i skipped a training session. I woke up at 5am on Monday morning and decided to skip my usual RunLab interval session and have a bit of a sleep-in. I felt awful for missing a session but I strongly believe that my body needed it and the last thing I want to do is over-train an get injured or sick now that i’m just getting back into the swing of things.

It’s hard for me to back off the gas, especially now that running has become such a regular habit that I don’t even have to think about it anymore. Which is great on one hand as nobody could ever call me lazy, but it means that I never sit still.

This week so far has been quiet on the running front, Monday I walked the dog after work, Tuesday I did a slow 6km with Sydney Harbour Runners, this morning I walked the dog, tomorrow I will do RunLab before work and Friday I have (social) basketball at lunch. Then it will be onto a super saturday with the striders crew at Narrabeen, followed by smaller trail run on Sunday in the local national park (I hope Melissa is free, better message her now).

So please listen to your body and take time to recover everyone, I promise you it will make you stronger.

Happy Running 😀

Hails Trails

I love to move and be outdoors, a lot.

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Summer Holidays

A long weekend in the Victorian Mountains

Stage 4 – Port to Port MTB

AMB100 MTB Race

Jetblack 24hr with HORCC

Scaredy cat

The highs and lows of 2017

Redemption at The North Face 100

Striders 6ft training run at Narrabeen

Backing off the gas