This was my second UTA50 and like last year the race briefing was exciting and the atmosphere electric but the announcement that we were now running the first part of the 100km event was daunting and terrifying. The race directors were predicting huge storms and the NPWS and NSW Police were not allowing the 50km coarse to be run, the positive was we were going to experience Tarros Ladder and the infamous Nellies Glen. 

Race day I drove to Katoomba and parked on the shuttle bus route, the transport is awesome at this event, and made my way to the start line to meet friends. Due to my fat arse I get to see them off on their race but it’s quieter for me starting in the last start group and it’s a casual walk across the start line. With my MAF base training running is almost out of the question these days so power walking it is and at the first hill I’m cruising past others at a happy pace with the turn at the top I start jogging down hill back past the start and start the descend to Furber…. and here is where is turned to shit.

Traffic, traffic and more traffic. There were times when I was standing still for 10 minutes and this only got worse at Rock Slide and equally worse at the Golden Staircase. It took me 2hrs 15min to arrive at CP1, I had gone 9.5km! And as shit as I am I thought to myself I’m not even this bad so I walked through CP1 grabbing a banana and had a GU coffee shot and some water thinking to myself fuck it’s going to be a long day. It was only going to get worse.

The next 8km went better than I had hoped and the training was working well, it helped that the day was amazing and at the top of Bushwalkers Hill I got a panoramic shot of Megalong Valley, I wished my family was with me at this point to take in the beauty of this country.

My heart rate was comfortable at about 145-150bpm, slightly up but was steady on the hills and downhills as I managed a constant 9:10min/km pace, I went through the 17km timing mark and descended the first ladders then stopped.

There was a queue of people as far as I could see and the talk in the line was that they had been there for over an hour with only small movements forward, I had arrived at Tarros Ladder.

It’s here I met two Malaysian girls who had planned their entire Sydney holiday around UTA50 and they weren’t shy to show their utter disappointment that the course had changed. That dangerous storm cell that had cancelled the original course never eventuated but instead we had perfect weather, I also met Richard. Richard has his own company in Queensland looking after fire systems and this was his first ultra, he had come down with his wife and she was spending the day in the mountains with friends while he tackled UTA50. The wait to get down Tarros Ladder would be 1hr 20min and I thought to myself this is going to be a really long race and that my poor wife and friends hopefully aren’t waiting at the finish for too long.
After descending the ladders Richard and I stayed together finally arriving at CP2 where the officials are handing out hi-visibility vests and dusk is starting to fall. I changed in to my thermal top and beanie and donned the head torch, refilled my bladder and ate some fruit. Honestly I was feeling OK but Richard was experiencing cramps so I gave him some salt tablets I had and we set off. His pace matched mine with the power waking and I was still averaging a solid 9:10min/km pace and overtaking people shuffling along wasting their energy. Night had fallen and the temps were dropping but I was warm and making good conversation with Richard.

You could hear CP3 volunteers about 2km out, maybe more as the night was still and it was a great feeling knowing that you weren’t that far away from the aid station. I can’t thank them enough as it was awesome having hot noodles and coffee on hand and the vibe at CP3 was electric. So much positive energy for the climb out of the valley that was ahead and it prepared you mentally for Nellies Glen. Richard and I steamed out of CP3 knowing we had our work cut out for us but the end was at the top.

At the base of Nellies Glen Richard was struggling with cramps in his legs and I helped him up the first stair section but he insisted that I go on, I remember him saying this was his race and let me finish my own race. He thanked me for my support and friendship and I reluctantly parted ways and continued up Nellies passing people that were sitting on the stairs crying you could see they were in pain, and honestly I was too but the night was dragging on and I couldn’t help but think of my wife and friends at the finish. I remember seeing the sign at the top of Nellies Glen and thinking I hope Richard is OK and a couple of kilometer’s later I was on the road and eyeing off CP4 at Katoomba hall. 

I came through CP4 grabbing a cup of coke and walking straight out and heading for the finish. The last 3km was a bit of a blur but you can hear the noise at the finish and it pushes you along. There was no finish like last year where I stole the thunder from Beth Cardelli as I finished the 50km just in-front of her (she placed 1st woman in the 100km) and I took the finish line banner 🙂 but I saw my gorgeous wife standing there cheering me on with my friends not knowing they had been there for 3 hours waiting.

11 hours and 35 min on course, moving time 9 hours 13 min which was 50 minutes quicker than last year but its not moving time that counts. I have to say I was pissed off with the organizers and believe start group 6 should be broken up in to those that have run before but aren’t that good and those that are doing their first ultra and are not comfortable on the trails. The standing around and bottlenecks were horrendous. Next year I’ll try to qualify on the course for start group three or four.

Huge thanks goes to my wife and friends who stay around to see me finish. I’m not sure I can ever repay them and I often wonder why they do? I guess they love me because I’m not that special in this sport and at the moment I always feel my average performance isn’t worth anyone’s time other than my own.

-Wastey