Rimutaka Incline Run - November 2011

I wanted to enter this race as a walker as I wasn't planning to run this course. It is 17km after all and I hadn't trained since the 10k race back in mid September. But the deal is if you plan to run any part of it then you're classified as a runner. So a runner it was!

The forecast for the five days preceding the race was rain, rain, rain. But luckily on the day it was overcast and very still.

I made my way to Upper Hutt to meet the bus to the starting line. The bus was full of super fit looking people with flash clothes and gadgets. And it only got worse at the start line - I was only there in my t-shirt, running pants and camera, and felt very out of place and unfit. At this point I really wondered what I was doing there (at this point I was just hoping to beat a walker in - they had started two hours prior)

I joined the horrendous line for the toilets, then did a rough warm up (hard to remember all the exercises to do without Steve there), and then it was time to line up for the start. Here's the worst thing to hear on the start line - "we measured the course the other day and it's not 17km, it's around 18 or 19, something like that". Ugghh! Then a quick countdown - "three, two, one" and we're off.



The old trains at the summit



First up I talked my self into going to 4km without stopping, and it wasn't feeling too bad by that mark so then the goal was 6km, and by that marker I talked myself into at least getting to 10km. According to the one blog site I had found about the run 10km was the summit so I thought that was a pretty good goal to go for.



Near Siberia Tunnel



From the 8km mark there was a noticeable climb up to the summit, not too bad compared to Maungaraki hill though as trains had to be able to go over it. I got to the 10km mark but couldn't see any marked summit, though it had started levelling out somewhat. I ran on for a bit, and still no summit, so then I walked about 1/2 km to the summit and water station. The happy happy water person said I looked exhausted, and I definitely felt exhausted.

The run was pretty amazing with birds singing, bush and hills all around, and a stream / river to run beside. I had to tell myself to often to focus on how beautiful it was (and this took my mind off running too - ha ha).

There was a number of tunnels after the summit. The longer ones were lit, but they were all muddy and wet. I run straight into a huge muddy puddle in one of the tunnels (uggh) so all other tunnels were taken with a bit more caution.

Just passed the Siberia Tunnel were some old slips and a gravel track, there was no rushing through this bit. And the climb up the other side brought everyone to a walk for 50m or so. But apart from this the downhill part felt pretty good, and I was surprised that I could keep on running. The marker signs stopped after the summit so I had no idea how far there was to go. It was a couple of km passed Siberia that the first walkers started to turn up (great comfort here, that I wasn't going to be last).

Finally, at last, a sign that there was 2.2km to go. What a relief, and at that point it would be crazy to give up and walk when I was so close. The last couple of km were through farm paddocks, not bush, so lots of sheep / cow poo! Mmmmmm!

It is amazing what a burst of energy you get once you can actually see the finish line, some hidden strength from somewhere kicks in and I got passed a few people! The final time was 1hr 54m 55s which I was so rapt at. I will definitely have to train next year and come back for another go.