The mental build up to this 2nd attempt was different than last year. Last year I used my usual approach in Ultras of trying to have broad time markers for each of the sections I had broken the trail into. This time, I wasn't focused on time, just moving through the sections as efficiently as I could, without burning out too early.
Setting off was good. DT my running coach and Hesyen Trail legend, had driven down to wave me off. He only told me the day before, so it was a great start.
I had missed the full moon by a week or so due to logistics, but had a new moon to keep me company. The temptation to try and move quickly through the sand dunes just after the start was high, but I soon settled into a rhythm I was happy with.
Deep Creek came and I knew what I was in for. There are almost no flat sections in Deep Creek and this section was definitely about accepting the wildness of it all, in all its glory! From amazing views out to sea to feeling a bit like I was lost in a jungle in the valley sections. Getting to the other side of Deep Creek hours later was a good milestone to tick off. I had a stop off in Eagle waterhole for a water top-up. Last year I stopped for hot food here. I was trying to work on a 4hr cycle for main meals then, but this year I was planning on stretching them out further. It's a lot of work and time, getting the stove out and repacking the rucksack each time.
I waited until I got to Tapanappa camp ground before I had a hot meal. Still within Deep Creek National park, this stop is about 28km in from the start.
Carrying on from Tapanappa took me through dense scrub and bushes. Not very tall, but as I looked into the distance it was like a solid mass but I could just make out the trail here and there. Boat harbour beach was next and I knew I was getting close to the dreaded Tunkalilla beach.
For someone who is trying to make good time and be energy efficient, 4.5km of soft sand beach is a killer. I had passed this way on last year's attempt so I knew what to expect. Head down, consistent pace with rhythm and just keep shuffling. Don't look for the end of the beach too soon. There's a slight jutting out of the coastline about halfway along that looks like the end of the beach!
Sadly I saw a dead seal along here which didnt look like it had been dead for too long.
The climb up off Tunkalilla Beach is legendary. A 40% gradient meant that even just standing up straight I felt like the weight of my pack was going to cause me to fall backwards and roll back down the hill. So slow here but I did stop at the top, took off the pack and laid there for about 10mins.
I don't like the next section. The trail moves inland for a while and crosses farmland with rolling hills which are a drudge to climb, being just steep enough to make you work for it. When I got to Creek Campground I knew I was going to sleep here. Hot meal, charge phone and watch and get ready for some night work. It was about 20:30hrs on Day 1. I didn't sleep here last year but this time I was moving more slowly, trying to keep steady.
I set an alarm for 90mins (a full sleep cycle) but when I woke up I wasn't in a good frame of mind. I wasn't looking forward to the next lot of beaches in the dark. My recollection from last time is that they went on forever. I decided to have another 90mins and committed to leaving Creek Campground at Midnight.
A few times before the dawn I stopped for snacks and just laid back with the headtorch off, looking at the stars. It's amazing what you can see once you give your eyes time to adjust to having the light off.
As I dropped down onto one of the small beaches before Parsons Beach, I spotted a pair of green eyes off in the distance watching me. I'd move a bit further and they would disappear, only to pop up again a bit later. I thought the kangaroos had orange eyes so maybe it was a fox? I'd seen one earlier in the day shoot across the trail.
Last year I slept behind a wall at Muhan Point, which is between Parsons Beach and Waitpinga Beach. I had kind of forgotten about where it was and so as it popped out of the darkness, it was a nice surprise and spurred me on. Remembering my time there last year but more so that I would be pushing on this time.
Climbing up into Newland head Conservation Park, the sun started to come up on Day 2. I had already arrived at Kings Beach Road by this time last year. The trail follows the cliffs for quite a way here and I was treated to sights of the cliffs along this section. I was quite high up at this point and the sea looked a long way down, but the sun coming up was brilliant. I'm glad I got to see it all this time.
Kings Beach Rd - another milestone. All the beaches done. I know the next sections pretty well from races along the Heysen Trail so I knew I was in for some boring roadwork for a bit. Running the roads was a different kind of test. At least the trails have enough to keep the brain occupied.
Last year I didn't find Robinson Hill water point. It's one of those ones that's slightly off trail and there is just a bench with a tin lean-to roof over it, which drains into a rainwater tank. I topped up this time though.
Between Robinson Hill and Inman valley is the spot where I sat down for ages last year agonising about making the "gameover" phone call. As I got closer I knew it was coming and when I saw the spot, which i recognised instantly, I told it to "get f****d" and kept moving. I'd just won a little psychological battle. This made the next section into Inman valley a lot easier.
Inman Valley - hot food, change of gear, freshen up and then off. I couldn't find the water point at first and walked around the memorial hall about twice before I just followed all the arrows which clearly direct you to the tap!! The brain was getting a bit tired now.
I knew I was in for some road climbing next and that went on for ages. I just wanted to get to Myponga Conservation Park and get into it. A lot of Myponga is like walking up or down stairs, except sometimes the stairs decide to be loose underfoot just to make it a bit harder.
It was getting dark on Day 2 now and I was on Nunn Road. Another one of those unsealed type roads that just steadily climbs with a few dips now and then.
At about 20:00hrs I turned off the Road ( which has become James Track by this point) on to the trail again. I decided it was time for another sleep. I had crossed a couple of stiles and knew I was in a relatively enclosed section, safe from livestock. The last thing you want is to be woken by a cow licking your face. Or even worse, trampling all over you. The long yellow grass looked so inviting in the torchlight so I got into my bivvy bag and pulled the drawstring up tight so only my face was showing. I took my shoes off to give the feet a break and that felt good. I also put on my packable down jacket and leggings for warmth. I was aiming for 90mins again here. But, the rain on my face woke me before the alarm went off. It was only light rain but enough for me to think I need to get on with it. I unpacked my waterproof gear, put it to the top of my pack for easier access and started off.
Yulti conservation Park. I had a complete mental blank about this section. I know I must have been through here before (previous races) but I had no recollection at all. It's steep, rocky, dense, twisty, loose underfoot, rooty, narrow, full of flora debris and just enough cobwebs across the trail to make you want to frequently wave one of your poles out in front of you. I had a moment of disorientation in Yulti too. I felt like I was climbing to a peak, then coming down the other side. But I could see some farm building lights in the distance that I had seen a few times before. I felt like they should have been behind me, but I was still on the trail so just kept going. It's good to note that sometimes your mind tells you it knows better than a) the marker posts b) the map on the watch and c) the separate GPS device I was using as back up. Don't listen to you mind if all the tech and the physical signs are in agreement!! I'm sure there are circumstances in more extreme situations where you have to follow your mind, but I did have a moment there.
The next section was Hindmarsh Tiers and crossing the high open land in the dark was a challenge. It reminded me of being on the Yorkshire Moors back in the UK. The wind was picking up, coming in sideways, but was also gusting so that I was almost tripping myself up as my lifted leg got blown away. Then the rain came so i had to stop to get my gear on. I was now wearing my down jacket and waterproof jacket over my race vest. Leggings over my shorts and waterproof trousers on top. I had a warm Gore skullcap winter hat from back in the UK and my Montane gloves. So I felt prepared, warm enough and dry. It was a slog until sunrise on Day 3 and I remember thinking that although I had checked the weather forecast (not much sign of rain) you have to be prepared to be able to take care of yourself. There's no way I want to be pressing the SOS button because I'm getting hyperthermia due to not packing the right gear. And besides, how long would I need to wait in the middle of the night for someone to come for me. I never expected to use the waterproofs, but taking them proved to be a crucial decision. I'm glad I had them with me.
As hard as I tried, I couldn't push all the way to dawn without having a couple of microsleeps. One of them led to me learning a new, vital trick!!
I put my pack on the ground to shield me from the wind and tucked my upper body against it, using it as a little shelter. I fell asleep and was woken by my legs feeling cold. I got up, got my pack on and set off. About 2mins later (still dark, windy and rainy) I thought, "I recognise that tree". How many times do you do this as a trail runner, but this time I was convinced. The tree looked familiar because it had a distinctive set of branches. I had woken up and started walking back the way I came!!!!! One mild anxiety attack later, I decided that if I needed to sleep, I would leave my poles with the tips pointing in the direction I needed to travel. This might be common practice to some, but I nearly learned a hard lesson there.
Day 3. Not long after sunrise I crossed the main Victor Harbour Road for more unsealed roads. Long climbing sections which eventually got me to Finnis Conservation Park. Quite a small park, but a nice way to climb up towards Mount Magnificent.
Kyeema Conservation Park was really overgrown and the trail was hard to see in places. But as always, keep moving and look for the next marker post.
Kuitpo Forest - getting a bit excited now even though there's about 50km to go! I don't mind Kuitpo. It's a massive, managed pine tree forest. You can see for miles and its easy to get into a rhythm and keep moving at a reasonably regular pace.
Once I got to Chookarloo then Rocky Creek I felt very familiar with the trails. I've run round these parts plenty of times and could mentally see most of the trail sections ahead of me. That was a double edged sword though. I started trying to calculate how long it would take me to finish but when the brain is tired it doesn't like even simple calculations. After a while I talked myself out of doing that and decided that Mount Lofty would come to me when it was good and ready.
I got through the old gold mines at Jupiter Diggings during the light, enjoying the history of the place and was heading towards Mylor. The farmland before Mylor sometimes floods in times of wet weather and there is a series of boardwalk sections which are an interesting change. There hasn't been enough rain in Adelaide lately though, so all the ground was dry anyway. By the time I got to the road on the far side of the fields it was dusk, so headtorch on. The Heysen follows the roads for a long section here so I had to make sure I had turned on my rear red blinking light which i had zip tied to my pack.
Mylor to Bridgewater felt like it took ages. I had recced this part again just a few weeks ago so knew it was coming. The trail is off the road, up high on an embankment. It just felt long and my feet were starting to get fed up.
I saw a possum in the trees of Mylor Conservation Park. He was right in front of me in a tree, on the trail and just sat there. I made a little video for the young kids in my Sister's school back in Liverpool (England). So far i had managed to film Echidnas, Trail-spanning spider webs, Calfs wtih fluffy ears, a laughing Goat Kid, seals surfing into one of the beaches and small birds dive bombing a wedged tailed Eagle, so i had plenty for them!
I dropped down into Bridgewater and the trail skirts around the inside of Bridgewater Oval. The sprinklers were on. "Great" I thought. Trying to time my way dodging through the rotating sprinklers wasn't in the plan!
So close now. Getting through the underpass, below the main freeway was another mental marker that I had. From there I had to make my way through Mount George Conservation park and up into Woodhouse Adventure Park. The road sections through Woodhouse are so steep so the going is really slow. Before I started the ascent though, I called Wortho who was going to meet me at the finish and drop me back off at home. It was about 11pm on Day 3 by now and I reckoned I had about 60 to 90 mins to go. I didn't want to finish without him being there! I think i just didnt want to finish on my own! I was even prepared to wait if he was running a bit late!!
Once I got through the road sections I came to the entrance to Cleland National park. The trail runs up the back side of the hill, the front side overlooking the city of Adelaide out to the sea. Steep and gravely, I could almost count the number of switchbacks I had left to do before I got to the finish. Steady polework, a good rhythm, and a big smile on my face meant that I pumped through the main hill section in no time. Once I got on to the last bitumen path which leads up to the monument plateau I started shouting out Wortho's name. Then I saw his headtorch up on the plateau and could hear him shout me. I'm getting a shiver just writing this but it was amazing to finish. Up on to the plateau and then to touch the monument, marking the completion of the toughest challenge I have undertaken. What a feeling
Notes - Water management was pretty straight forward. I had capacity for a total of 4 litres. Although that meant my pack got heavy again every now and then, i generally had no water concerns. There was water at all of the campgrounds/ water points that i visited.