Campbell Maffett: King Island Imperial 20

It was 12 months ago I crossed the time warp to King Island for a weekend of fun, entertainment and running in the King Island Imperial 20 race. As with most great trips it wasn’t any single thing about the trip that made it great, rather the combination of the Beach Run, Free Willies dash, Saturday night Calcutta, the Imperial 20 running race on Sunday and the Awards night that evening which made it memorable.

Last year was my first time down there, where I learned a new pace of life that is part of the King Island experience. Yes, things happen, and get done, but all in good time…no rush. It was a refreshing change from the hustle-bustle of Melbourne life, complete with no mobile phone coverage and no Sunday newspapers!! My god, how was a suburban lad like me to survive??

Last year my saviours were the local family I stayed with, a salt-of-the-earth family who were so generous, friendly and a source of endless entertainment and insight into life on King Island. This year I brought down a friend from our running group, Michael “Monty” Montgomery, and we booked ourselves into the Boomerang By The Sea motel, situated beautifully above the golf course and a stunning coastal view from our window. It was a bit more sanitised than a home stay, but meet our needs.

Our first adjustment back into King Island time came at the airport where our King Island airways flight finally left, all in good time. No rush. There really was no rush, and the best part of the flight was sitting in the co-pilot seat with the steering wheel, pedals, levels, dials and gauges right there in front of me!!! Wow, this was more amazing than the cockpit flight last year – the most amazing part was coming in to land, literally like looking over the bonnet of a car as we drifted in to land. My finger nails might eventually grow back…

The weekend of activities starts at British Admiral beach for the Beach Run, an easy jaunt out and back on the beach where you nominate your time and then run it without a watch – quite a novel concept and a beautiful visit to the beach in some wonderful weather, with a light breeze blowing onto the beach. This was followed by the Free Willies a run, a dash for cash sans clothes!!! This year the men went first, and after a slip on the start line I brought up the ar*e end of the field; I really can’t sprint…

While the dash ended beside the 4WD with our clothes in it, all the guys ventured into the surf for a quick dip – very liberating, and actually a really refreshing in the nice water. The women followed in all their splendor, but only once the guys were far out of sight!!!

The Saturday night Calcutta is basically a betting night on the outcome of the following days handicap race, on the winner, second and third, plus the fastest male and female. It was funny seeing a copy of the special gambling license stuck to the wall, which clears the way for the wagering going on inside. At least now they’ve got a license to bet on the island for another 12 months!!!

Anyway, the real deal of the weekend was the Sunday morning Imperial 20, held over 20 miles (32km) from Naracoopa on the east the Curries on the west coast. Last year I came to the race in ordinary form and fitness, and paid the price dearly in the last 10km. This year I was a lot fitter, benefitting from training for the Six Foot Track marathon the following weekend, so was hopeful of a better run. Monty came down fit, but still in a build phase for the Gold Coast marathon so this was going to be a test for him.

The handicaps had been set from previous results submitted by each runner, set so if each runner ran true to form we’d all at 3:15hr. But like all handicap events there’s “smokies” who outperform expectations – I’m not sure if there’s ever been a stewards inquiry into results, but I think there should be!!!

The handicaps had Monty starting at 60mins, me at 79mins and then 3 runners behind me, spaced at 2, 3 and 7 mins. Worst was the 14mins from the runner starting in front of me, ensuring it would (another) lonely run across the island…more of an individual time trial than a race. The weather forecast was promising, with clouds and an easterly breeze that would push us along if it picked up – it was very slight as we started.

I tried something new in this race, popping a couple of No Doz pre-race with the main apparent benefit being to wake me up from the lethargy of the last couple of days!!! Apparently caffeine is proven to help performance, so time would tell if it helped any. Finally time ticked around to my start and I set off, feeling pretty good.

In last year’s race I basically ran too fast for my fitness in the first 20km, and died in the last 12km. Fearful of a repeat I was respectful as we headed up the Naracoopa hill (the biggest on the island, apparently), over the dirt roads and eventually onto the flatter roads. I felt smooth and comfortable, although sweating a lot in the humidity of the morning, and no benefit from the wind. Early 5km splits were 18:30 (18:51 last year) and 18:01 (18:32).

It was a lonely run, apart from the odd car passing, and the aid stations each 4km which were an oasis of relief plus water, jelly beans, sponges and encouragement. I passed an injured runner at about 12km – he was struggling – and then it wasn’t until about 18km until I passed another runner who’d started earlier. I was feeling good and running comfortably and smoothly, but still very “gun shy” of the carnage I ran into last year in the last 12km. The next splits were 17:42 (17:34) and 17:53 (17:56), passing ½ marathon point in about 76:05min.

I thought that if I got to my second gel point at 22km still feeling good then I was on for a good day…until then I was rather tentative. Then, as I approached 22km, I caught sight of Monty just ahead, and soon ran past with a quick word of encouragement…which also settled a bet in our running group about if/when I’d catch up the 19min handicap!!! Monty was in a bit of hole at that point, but picked up soon after to finish strongly.

As for me, I felt I was over the “hump” and felt that I’d run strongly to the end. All the while I was mindful of the guys behind me, who all caught me last year, and when they’d catch me today. I didn’t look behind until 29km which is just as well since two of them got to within 42sec - a far different outcome to the previous year!!

By this time the wind had picked up a bit, which we benefitted from as we turned into a cross-wind section, and then a nice 3km with the wind – it felt great to have it at our backs, especially when you’re feeling strong. I cranked up the effort – and pace – and felt great despite the distance we’d covered. My splits reflected this, running 20-25km in 17:50 (18:25) and 25-30km in 16:59 (19:14) – I was flying!!

The trick/trap with this race is that you run past the finish before going around the block to eventually finish. This bit includes a nasty uphill, into the wind during which it felt quicker to walk than how I ran, but nonetheless pushed on and finished the 32km in 1:54:08hr, about 4:25min faster than last year and I’d held off all the back markers behind me (16km splits – 57:48, 56:20). I was wrapped with how I’d gone even though I’d only recorded the 4th fastest time on the day. Monty crossed in 2:20hr – a little slower than hoped, but some positives from his run.

Some “down time” in the afternoon was fantastic, before the Awards night – a smorgasbord of King Island produce, from cheeses to crayfish, roast, water and wine. A banquet fit for a king (and queen)!! It was a great conclusion to the event, to share stories and tales from the race, and I even picked up the award for 40+ category…some benefit in being old!!

The weather across the weekend was superb – warm, calm, blue skies and comfortable, a far cry to what Melbourne experienced!! King Island is magnificent island to visit, for a change of pace, beautiful coastline, friendly people, tranquility and more. Plus they organise a great running race each Labour Day weekend in March. Just remember to change your calendar to a different era; you’ll remember your visit for a long time.