Two Bays Trail Run

The Parks Victoria brochure says "The Two Bays Walking Track from Dromana, on Port Phillip Bay to Bushrangers Bay near Cape Schanck is the longest continuous walking track on the Mornington Peninsula." The Two Bays Trail Run follows this track over 28km which traverses a wide range of dirt roads, single tracks, boardwalks, through gates and over stock barriers. Not only that, as part of the event runners can choose to do a return trip back to Dromana, making it a 56km ultra marathon.

It should also be noted that the same brochure goes on to say "Many visitors will not wish to walk the entire length of the track on a single day. However it is well suited to being completed over a number of visits by the use of formal and informal circuit walks. The grade and surface of the track varies from steep gravel sections around Arthurs Seat to an undulating grassy track through Greens Bush." Not an easy trail to run...

After a number of years as an informal event, this is the second year of being run as a well organised race by a local organising group which has proved very popular filling the field capacity of 750 months out from race day. Along with a few guys from our running, including my brother Sam, I'd also signed up for it partly as lead-in race for the 6ft Track Marathon 8 weeks later. From the entries there looked like being a good field headed by defending champion Dan (a 2:19 marathoner) and Jay (2:24 marathon). I'd be happy with top-5 but had a time goal of sub-1:55hr based on times of people I know ran the year before.

Logistics for the day meant a god-awful early start for Sam and I to head-off from home at 4:15am, which got us (in directly) to the start line at the foot of Arthurs Seat about 6:35am with enough time to collect our race numbers and do a brief warm-up. It was a welcoming and low-key atmosphere with a mix of ultra die-hards and keen road runners making up the field on a perfect day with cloud and coolish temps, perfect for running.

With a blow of the hooter by some dignitary we were off at a rather relaxed pace along a stretch of footpath before we got to a road to begin the upwards trip towards Arthurs Seat. Immediately a fellow I also noted on the entry list, Barry, took the lead. I last ran against him at Puffing Billy where he outran me in the last 3km after the second stop at a rail crossing. He is a front running athlete who, like me, is not scared of pushing the pace and running hard from the get-go so it was no surprise to see him pushing the pace early...with me right on his heels.

At about the 1.5km mark we turned off the road and onto the dirt trail, quite a bit steeper with the odd step and other hurdles...it was hard running. Barry kept pushing the pace uphill and I was working hard to keep up, but wanted to stay as close as I could...as hard as it was. Nearing the top Dan eased his way past us to the lead, with Jay also joining our group in 4th place as we ran along some great trails complete with tree roots, over hanging branches...not to mention some great views over Mornington Peninsula in quick glimpses to the right. This was great and exhilarating trail running at pace, risking ankles as we ran through the bush.

We then came to the first descent...phew...which started gradually and steadily got steeper. I was surprised how easily the others took it and eased myself to the lead and opened up a gap without really meaning to!! Maybe they were all out for a Sunday jog...either way, I led us down some steeper parts to where I took a wrong turn for 10m or so (corrected by a shout from behind) and turned to see Sam coming up closely behind having ripped out a great descent also, making up gallons of time - I think it might almost have been brothers 1-2 for a brief moment!!!

Soon after, though, Barry caught back up and we ran shoulder-to-shoulder, swapping the lead...Barry generally leading the uphills and me the other parts. It was good to be running, racing, this close with someone else. We were pushing the pace out pretty well but due the course it was not consistent around the corners, up hills, over ditches, through ferns and bracken, along boardwalk and associated steps and more. The trail was fantastic to run along requiring concentration but not overly technical. It was well marked with quite accurate km markers along the way.

We reached halfway in about 61mins, but with the second half being more down than up our average pace was increasing. I started to wonder what we'd do if we stuck together to the finish - would it be a "sprint" or something more physical!! Whatever, Barry and I were making good progress until the 17km point where Dan & Jay just cruised up to and past us, which surprised me since I didn't even hear or sense them coming. They were going faster, but not too much faster so I tagged on and we managed to drop Barry - phew - during a gradual downhill section. It was good to break the 'elastic' band that had been holding us together for so long.

Jay & Dan were running really well, and I managed to hang on for while despite nearly tripping badly at least twice!! Finally around the 21km point I died. It took a little uphill and some steps, and I was dead gone and starting to look behind for the looming figure of Barry. Dan was pulling away from Jay ahead, both looking strong in these latter stages, with me posing no threat to the now top-2 runners...I was more worried about clinging onto 3rd.

There is a final road crossing at about 23km mark where I stopped to refill my drink bottle...and only succeeded in getting sports drink all over my hands. Yuk. The path then reached the coastline at Bushrangers Bay and wandered down towards Cape Schanck lighthouse. The view to the bay was beautiful and we were way above on the cliff-top. The trees changed to smaller bushes, often making a closed canopy and tunnel to run through...where a small sign of encouragement read "There's a lighthouse at the end of the tunnel". Amusing.

But still there were ups - where I dragged my feet - and downs - where I was slightly better - and was really struggling and praying that Barry was too. Checking the time and distance on my GPS watch it looking like I'd miss my sub-1:55hr goal by 1-2mins, unfortunately, which wasn't helped by a cruel, cruel set of steps at 25km...a post-race survey revealed that no one ran them!!!

The 27km marker came earlier than I expected, and putting my goal back on track - not sure if my GPS was wrong or the course markers. Whatever, I was in the last few mins of a hard race and a good look behind showed that I was safe in 3rd. The lighthouse came into view, and then the car park and finish line...I crossed in 1:54:48hr by my watch (official time had me at 1:55:00hr). Phew. That was really hard and my legs were aching and sore.

Dan won it 2:26min ahead, Jay in 2nd 54sec up and Barry in 4th 58sec back. The next runner was my brother Sam, who had a great run in 1:58:57hr, with Joel, Monty and Shaun from our running group coming in with good runs. Post run is always good between the stiff and sore steps, talking with other runners in a language perhaps only we understand about parts of the race we each experienced...it's nice to know there's other like-minded people out there!!!

We car pooled back to the start where a few race officials were waiting for the leaders in the 56km event. This race and my epic training bonk a week earlier has served to reinforce that I won't be joining them in that ultra event/distance. Short, hard and fast suits me better...but there's still the 6ft Track Marathon to come...