My main goal for this run was to get in under the 24hr mark, the FKT as a plan B and "just survive" as plan C.
The plan was Dad would be the primary support up until Mooney where he'd chuck the shoes on and pace me until at least Patonga drive. My wife would pick up the supporting duties from there through to the finish. To give her a manageable time to work with I decided the start time would be 12PM, so if I was on track for the 24hrs I'd be getting to Patonga drive at around 7:30AM.
Set out from Maitland at 12PM with a mate, and Dad would meet us at Frost Reserve for the first checkpoint. Trails were pretty busy, and the weather was warm but thankfully not the 40 degrees we copped the previous weekend. I did my best to go slow, but nerves/anticipation got the better of me and I was moving quicker than I should've been. Spent a few minutes refilling bottles at Frost Reserve, grabbed a banana and some muesli bars, and headed back out with the next checkpoint being in Wyoming.
Feeling the heat going up and over Kincumba mountain, kept smashing the water/tailwind which I had 1.5L all up on me. Checkpoints were spaced on average 2hrs apart, so I was using the hydration vest rather than the pack with a bladder. Ended up going through all of my fluid a few kms before getting to the next checkpoint. Another quick checkpoint at Wyoming, had a cup of Endura, refilled bottles and grabbed some bananas/muesli bars again. Next stop was Mangrove Rd near Strickland.
Once again got through my fluids before hitting the checkpoint, I was taking on close to 1L/hr but still didn't feel great, I think I'd half cooked myself on the hills in the heat. Body felt really warm coming into the 3rd checkpoint near Strickland, ended up sitting down for 20mins here as I was feeling a bit queasy. I was trying to change my mindset to stop focusing on the 24hr goal and pull it back a bit so I didn't throw the entire run. Wise words from Dad when leaving the checkpoint - "Respect the distance".
The body started to bounce back in the next leg as the temperature was dropping, and I smashed a few cups of Endura in the 3rd checkpoint which probably helped. I'd been wearing the trail shoes up until this point, which were Altra Lone Peak 9s, and my forefoot was really feeling it. Possibly a combination of the road sections and lack of cushioning in the Altras, so coming into the 4th checkpoint on Scads/Red Hill Rd I was desperate to change the shoes up.
Earlier in the month I'd ordered a pair of Altra Torins, though due to the Christmas period my order had been delayed and wasn't expected to arrive until the afternoon of the 27th - the day I was planning on starting this run.
So, despite the old saying "Don't do anything you haven't done in training", I decided I'd risk it and put the Torins on. Loaded up on some Dominos pizza Dad had picked up, a few sips of coke, some fruit and then I headed out for the next leg.
It was completely dark at this stage, I ended up playing the Hamish and Andy podcast out loud on my phone, both to pass the time and stop my mind from being too spooked in the night.
I no longer felt nauseous and the change of shoes had paid off as my feet didn't feel nearly as sore as they did earlier. I was in a good rhythm, getting plenty of food down in the checkpoints and feeling strong physically/mentally.
Lots of wildlife out and about throughout the night section and spikes to the heart rate when they'd unexpectedly start crashing through the bush.
It was 3:43AM when we ( Dad joined me for this leg ) set out from the Mooney checkpoint. As I was crunching the numbers in my head, I realised I was in with a good shot of the 24hr goal. Legs were feeling really good and the HR was sitting lower than it usually would, so I pushed it a bit through this leg, and even ended up dropping Dad about half way to Patonga.
I got to Patonga Drive at 6:50AM, 40mins earlier than the projected time and spent 6mins refilling bottles/grabbing some food.
~130kms down, ~30kms to go and 5hrs to do it if I wanted to hit the sub-24hr goal, it felt so close...
Cruised the downs into Pearl Beach and across to Umina. It was through these flat road sections that I started to feel the mental fatigue. The legs still felt reasonably good - they were sore, sure, but nothing that wasn't manageable or felt like an actual injury.
Spent 3mins in the second last checkpoint near the Rip bridge, usual routine here - refill bottles, couple of cups of Endura and grabbing a banana/muesli bar/gels.
I was joined by a couple of mates for the last few checkpoints, and the company took the edge off the mental drain I was feeling.
Got into the last checkpoint at Wagstaffe with 10kms to go until the finish, and by this point I was mentally checked out, I just wanted this damn thing to be over with.
Spent 6mins in this checkpoint, though in hindsight I think I would've benefitted from sitting down and spending a bit longer here/in the previous checkpoint. I was paranoid ( possible due to the lack of sleep ) that if I spent too much time taking it slow, or sitting down in checkpoints that I'd blow the sub-24hr goal, despite being nearly an hour ahead of schedule.
Crossing the sand at Putty Beach was when I first felt the elation of knowing it was almost over and I was actually going to achieve the sub-24hr goal. Hiked up the last climb of Maitland Bay stairs, and was greeted by family and friends at the bell where I was finally able to stop the watch at 23hrs 6mins and 31 seconds.