2018 Australian Ultra Long Championship
Over Wilmots, QLD
NOL M21E
2nd place, resident champion.
Map 1 of 3
Map 2 of 3
Map 3 of 3
My left heel was a bit sore throughout. It was bearable, and didn't get any worse. After about an hour I didn't notice it too much, as it seemed to be ok on the flatter ground.
I had a good start, keeping up with Nathan until #7. Then he pulled away across the open paddocks.
At the end of the major forked section on map 1, I punched at exactly the same time as the 3 QLD runners. We then stayed together pretty much all of the way until the next pivot. I had the right fork, and they all had the other fork!
It seemed that the 3 QLD runners had mostly the same forking for the entire course. Luckily for me, they all made a mistake together in the middle of map 2, and I was on my own in 2nd place at the end of the second map forking. In fact at #10 on map 2 I must have been within about 30 seconds of Nathan, but not close enough to see him.
My biggest issues after that was crossing a fence on map 3, where I cramped in my left hamstring. I had to stop for 30 seconds, and then run a bit more conservatively to the finish, to ensure that I could maintain my 2nd place.