On Friday the 21st of July I finally ran the Mornington Peninsula Walk, a 100km looped course that shows off the stunning Mornington Peninsula. Connecting the popular Two Bays Walking Track (Dromana to Cape Schanck), The Coastal Walk (Cape Schanck to Point Nepean National Park/Portsea), Point Nepean Walks and The Bays Trail (Portsea to Safety Beach) (Although the Mornington Peninsula 100km Walk ends at Dromana not all the way to Safety Beach). The Mornington Peninsula Walk loop is scenic, overall quite flat but undulating, and made challenging by some decent stretches of soft sand running.
The course is pretty much in my backyard, Dromana Visitor Centre (the start) is a 20 minute drive from my house, and I regularly run parts of the course during training. So it was only a matter of time before I took on the course. In fact it’d been on my bucket list for a couple of years, but it wasn’t until now that the timing worked. I was lucky enough to have my partner (Mel) and good friend (Peter) crewing me. Mel, my partner has crewed me for countless races and knows how I operate when running ultras. Peter, my close friend is the local legend of the Mornington Peninsula trails, he’s a walking encyclopaedia of the course, knowing most of the course like the back of his hand. So having his knowledge was invaluable, he’s also my running buddy and was keen to run parts of the course with me! These two legends kept me going all day, supplying me with food, water, company and good vibes.
Going for the Fastest Known Time (FKT) wasn’t the main objective of the run, the main objective was just to finish it. As I said above it’d always been a bucket list run, however the timing of the run made it a good opportunity to try some new fuelling strategies (mainly using primarily gels, and carb drinks as fuel rather than mainly food) in preparation for an upcoming race (Surf Coast Century 100km). I only decided I’d have a crack at the FKT after researching the previous time, and then believing I could have a chance of beating the time without pushing too hard if I had a good day. It would provide me with a solid time to strive for, and it would add a little more urgency and motivation to continue moving at a good pace when times inevitably got hard.
So….a little more about the day. I (really we, as it really was a team effort as these things usually are) started at 6:15am on a cold, wet winters Friday morning. A typical morning during winter on the Mornington Peninsula. The start would be at Dromana Visitors Centre, from what I understand you’re able to start anywhere along the course for an FKT, however I wanted to start and go in the same direction that seemed to be most common. It was also the way the previous FKT holder had run it. I was also keen to finish in Dromana as it was closer to home, and the last 15km would be “easy” running along the flat Bay Trail.
So I took off in the rain at 6:15am, starting off with the biggest and really only “significant” climb on the course, up Arthurs Seat. After a few kms of uphill road running I hit the trail head where I was greeted by a kangaroo who was keen for a race. Seriously he’d hop up the trail wait for me to catch up and then start hopping up the trail again! To his disappointment though I was not there to race, I took the climb easy, walking parts, I wanted to enjoy the run and was taking it on in a relaxed approach. Racing a kangaroo up the first climb on a 100km course is not a relaxed approach!. When I finally reached the top of the approx. 300m climb the kangaroo stopped and waited as I passed, letting me continue on my way. Well that was a cool way to start! Once up the top there was a good 2-3km of undulating terrain before starting on the descent. By the time I hit the bottom id been running a little over 30mins, the rain had subsided and I’d just hit 7km. This marked the end of the Arthurs Seat State Park part of the Two Bays Walking Track and upon leaving the trail I was greeted by Mel and Peter who gave me some gels and water as I passed. It’s here I should note that because of Mel and Peter, and having access to them so frequently throughout the day I was able to run without a pack, which is extremely beneficial! I was able to stuff some gels, a 250ml water bottle and my phone in my running shorts, which is all I needed! Anyway continuing on with the run, I ran the undulating and epic Two Bays Walking Track in a conservative yet purposeful pace through Greens Bush and Bushrangers Bay all the way to Cape Schanck Lighthouse, a total of 28kms. Meeting up with Mel and Peter two more times along the way.
The Cape Schanck Lighthouse marked the end of The Two Bays Walking Track, but also the beginning of The Coastal Walk. The first few kms of The Coastal Walk takes you down to Gunnamatta Beach, a long and undulating descent on a track thats quite slow due to being quite overgrown. I was having to often duck and weave under, and around small trees and shrubs, the ground often got quite soft and sandy as well, which made slowed me down a little. Like all things though that part of the track ended and eventually opened up to Gunnamatta Beach, which provides you with awe inspiring views of the coast! So beautiful but…..also punishing, well having to run along the sand is anyway. 10km, thats how long I’d be running on soft back beach sand, all the way to Number 16th beach in Rye. It was beautiful running along the back beaches, stunning coastal views the whole way, I was even greeted by a seal who ran off into the ocean as I passed. After only a few km’s of this 10km sand running stretch my hip flexors started complaining and fatigued quickly. I tried adjusting my gate to take some pressure off my hip flexors but it was just inescapable. Eventually for the first time during the run at about the 40km mark my mood dropped, I could feel I was starting to bonk. Luckily though Peter and Mel came to the rescue, coming down to the beach to say hello. Peter ran a little bit with me and also brought me a chocolate cupcake, Mel came equipped with a hug. The combination of these things lifted my spirit and got me through the last few km’s of sand running before reaching Number 16th Beach. Where not only did I get to say goodbye too majority of the sand running but I got to say hello to Mel and Peter again! Once off the sand I was back onto similar terrain to when I was descending to Gunnamatta Beach from Cape Schanck Lighthouse. Undulating with plenty of small trees and shrubs to dodge, parts of the trail became quite sandy and soft too, there was also a few sections of cliff running which showed off the coast. It was like this all the way to Sorrento Lifesaving Club, I found it hard to get into any rhythm because of the inconsistency of the trail, and to be honest found it quite exhausting, I was happy to see Sorrento Lifesaving Club at kilometre 53. I met up with Peter and Mel Once again at Sorrento Lifesaving Club and Peter ran with me for the next 2-3km all the way to Portsea Lifesaving Club. A combination of concrete pathway running, cliff running and sand running. When I hit Portsea Lifesaving Club I’d ran 56km in 5 hours 20 minutes, this was good news as I was on track for the FKT time. Majority of the climbing and tough terrain was within the first half of the course. The Two Bays Walking Track and The Coast Walk were considered the more difficult of the walking tracks, as Two Bays Walking Track had majority of the climbing and The Coast Walk had the long stretches of sand running. A couple kilometres after Portsea Lifesaving Club marked the end of The Coast Walk and the beginning of the Point Nepean Walks.
At Portsea Lifesaving Club I said goodbye to Peter and hello to Mel who gave me some more gels, some lamingtons and refilled my 250ml water bottle. From there I head upwards to London Bridge, and into Point Nepean National Park. The trails within Point Nepean are predominately gravel and road, well at least the well established ones I would be running on. Like most of the course I’d run so far it was quite undulating. Running through the National Park I eventually met up with Mel and Peter again at Quarantine Station at about the 61km mark. From there Peter would run with me to the tip of the Mornington Peninsula and back to Quarantine Station. The out and back was around 10km of road and gravel running, Mel waited at Quarantine Station with more food and water. It was so beautiful running along this section, the sun was out, I was able to run at a faster pace due to the terrain being gravel and road, and I had Peter running with me. It was perfect. I was definitely feeling it but the beautiful views of Point Nepean, the sun and the company made it a very enjoyable section to run. It was also nice to know once I’d run this section I was onto the Bay Trail which is by far the easiest part of the course, being flat and mostly concrete trail.
70km done, I’d run to the tip of the Mornington Peninsula and back to Quarantine Station were I was greeted to Mel who gave me a banana and some of my SIS electrolyte and carb drink. From here I’d be running out of Point Nepean National Park along a dirt trail that ran alongside the road, and then into Portsea. Ironically this is where I started to struggle, it’s ironic because this is the part I’d been looking forward to all day! The Bay Trail pretty much starts as you leave Point Nepean National Park at around kilometre 72. I’d been looking forward to this part all day, as its the easier part of the course and also beautiful as you continue to run along the coast. However what I forgot is before it gets flat its actually quite undulating and hilly from Portsea to Rye Pier. I was exhausted at this stage; my hip flexors were taxed and I wasn’t mentally prepared for the little ups and downs I’d have to run. If you’ve ever run an ultra you know these little ups and downs are killer this far into an ultra, especially when running them. So although I had the luxury of seeing Mel and Peter every 3-5km from Portsea all the way to the finish, and had Peter run significant chunks with me, I really suffered mentally for the next 14km or so until I got to Rye Pier. I was still running at a decent click though, averaging a 5’20’’ to 5’30’’ pace, and I was within the time I needed to beat the previous FKT. All day I’d always felt in control and confident I was making time to get the FKT, which was nice as it’s not fun stressing over time. Anyway I suffered the 14km all the way to Rye Pier, Mel and Peter would stop to give me water refills and gel refills, and Peter ran at least a total of 5km with me over the 14km to Rye Pier. I was no longer eating though, I could smell the end and knew I could make it off gels and water from here on out. I was feeling nauseous and didn’t see the need to force myself to eat with not much longer to go. Sugar drinks and gels would get the job done. At kilometre 86 I hit Rye Pier with a huge sigh of relief, I knew from here it was all flat running to the finish at Dromana Visitor Centre. I run lots of my tempo sessions along this stretch of trail so knew it well. It’d been 8 hours 20 minutes at this stage, so I had about one hour and 10 minutes to run the next 13km which felt very doable with the upcoming terrain. So still sunny I continued on, moving comfortably but with purpose, not overly exerting myself. I believed I had time to beat the FKT without flogging myself. Luckily I was right, for the next 13km I was able to hold a 5’10’’ to 5’20’’ average pace. Making things even better I had my good mate Jordan jump in the last 7km with me, reminding me to stop complaining and winging about my exhaustion and sore hip flexors. Peter then jumped in again for the last 4km. It was the perfect way to finish, running through Rosebud and then into Dromana via The Bay Trail in the sun with two good mates. A little frustrating and highly amusing was with 2km to go as we ran into Dromana Jordan passed me a soft flask full of flat coke, which I sculled down. Only a couple minutes later I was having to stop between two boat sheds, squirting diarrhoea out my a**. I only had a a couple more minutes left of running to go!! Anyway, moving on with Peter and Jordan by my side we ran to the finish at Dromana Visitor Centre, greeted by Mel. It was done, 9 hours 19 minutes and 29 seconds. I’d beaten the previous FKT by about 10 minutes, a result I was absolutely stoked by!
A huge thank you and so much gratitude to Mel and Peter who gave up there whole day to pull off this team effort. Following me around the whole course in Mels hatchback, stopping to feed me gels, carb drinks, lamingtons and chocolate cupcakes. And another thank you to Peter who ran 30km+ of the course with me. Lastly another thank you to Jordan who came after straight after work to run with me at the end. This run would not of been doable in this fashion without everyone. A team effort!