The plan was to run three laps of the One Tree hill killer loop, with Monty joining me for the first lap before he headed off some other roads. I devised this loop 2 years ago with a length of 14.5km which can be added to (or cut short) in a few ways. I wasn’t sure of the ascent per lap before I started but do know it is VERY hilly, featuring two particularly tough hills – Belview Terrace which starts off each lap with 3.5km straight to the top, climbing 340m, and then the godforsaken Chandlers Track which is only just 1km long but climbs 170m – plus a few other hills of various length and steepness. The only flat part of the loop is where the tracks change from up to down (or vice-versa)!!!
Monty and I started at 7am straight up Belview Tce, and my climbing legs felt pretty good, to my pleasant surprise since I spent all night high in anxiety about this run. In his first run real in the hills, Monty was found out a bit, but ran strongly over the top and down Tyson Trk, Outlook Rd, Mystic Rd and Hansen Trk (great names!!) down to the base of Chandlers Trk commenting that he noted we’d been running downhill for 10mins, with a strong hint of worry for what was ahead...which is well founded!!
Chandlers Trk is steep from the start, but has 3 upward kicks in it that get steeper the further up you go. It feels a LOT longer than 1km because it is so steeeep and slow. I was still feeling good and ran up strongly, noting the park benches along the way there to tempt the weak!!! Anyway we made it, and continued further to the top of One Tree Hill which is a little oasis with a water tap (often surrounded in wasps) and from where all roads lead downwards, which is where we headed back to complete the first lap which for me was 15.5km (a few double-back parts) in 1:18hr. Running this loop is slow, where on a good day my average pace at 5min/km will be 45-50sec per km slower than a similar run on the flat – did I mention this is a hard run??
Monty and I went different ways at this point and I headed out on lap 2, running strongly to the summit, down to Chandler’s Trk and back to the summit maintaining my pride at not walking any of the hills – this is small victory!! Lap 2 was 14.5km in 1:12km giving elapsed total of 30km in 2:30hr. As I started the third lap I assured myself that this was the “money” lap, which would count for most in fitness terms. To this point I’d also had 3 gels with 2 more in my pockets.
I was getting tired by the third lap, and Belview Tce was getting steeper but I was still running until I finally wilted to take 5-6 walking steps – this was hard. But as hard as I was finding it, I still caught and passed 2 guys on mountain bikes who were both very surprised and I think a little embarrassed to be passed by a runner. Onwards to the top and my time to summit was slow (20:50min compared to 20:30 and 19:45 for laps 1 & 2) and most notably, my hip flexors were tight and tired making it hard to lift my legs. I stopped for a drink and a gel and shuffled off down to Chandlers Trk for a final battle up it today.
Oh. My. God. I ran the bottom stretch without stopping but then I bonked. I stopped. Walked the steep parts. Shuffled the less steep bits. Then stopped again, teasingly beside one of the park benches which looked like a soft sofa at this stage. I was getting light headed and just no energy. My hip flexors hurt so lifting my legs to walk, let alone run, was hard. I just had to get to the summit of the hill where I’d have my final gel at the water tap, which was still 2km away. I walked a lot of the hill, slowly. I was worried the walkers I’d passed earlier would catch up to me...that would be embarrassing!!
There was still 1.5km and 110m ascent to the summit from the top of Chandler’s Trk, but I was shattered and struggling to move. The stars in my eyes were getting brighter and even a small incline was hard to even walk. I stopped many times, but the worst part was the final 200m to the summit where I stopped about 3-4 times, having to summon the will to push on...I was completely empty and just aiming for the water tap and final gel. I can’t remember ever bonking this badly on a run before.
Anyway, I got to the tap, had a long drink, my gel, sat down for a while to contemplate the final 4.5km – all down – to the finish. I cut out an optional 1km, which I would later regret a little as it would have got me to 2000m ascent. The run down was OK with some new energy in my veins, but this was a really hard run – the type of run I’ll remember (and fear) for a while. Nonetheless, I want to do this again and run the whole thing well. The final lap was 13.5km and took 1:18hr.
Total stats – 43.5km, 3:48hr, 1981m ascent.
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