The Guzzler Brisbane
Myself and Lisa travelled over to Brisbane to do the Guzzler Ultra in July. Lisa did the 50km and I did the 100km. I didn’t know too much about this race and had never been to Brisbane before.
We stayed in Chapel Hill which was a great location to be only 10 minutes from the start.
Friday was race day pack pick up at the Trail Co. A great little shop and lovely helpful people. We met a local who had attempted the 100km before and was back this year to finish it. He recommended a change of socks (I totally forgot about this till during the race and the first creek crossing)
Friday was spent carb loading, relaxing and getting everything ready for the race. We went out to the start and walked a little bit of the course, the trails looked fine, wide, recently cleared and nothing to crazy.
Race Day was an early start and a bus ride to the start; the buses ran really regularly and were a short ride to the start. The night before the race the weather was wet and stormy, but by the morning everything was dry and the forecast was no rain. We were allowed 4 drop bags for the 100km but no drop bags for the 50km, so poor Lisa had to carry everything with her. The weather was not too cold, the start hub was fun, not too many lines and they moved quickly if you did have to line up. I opted to take poles for this race and I am glad I did. Everyone had poles but I decided to wait until the first check point to get them out (not sure why and if this was a good idea or not, but it did feel good to have them after the first pit stop). I farewelled Lisa who was starting 30 minutes after me and got into the start chute. I think we had around 220 runners doing the 100km. We left the Start line with a beautiful sunrise just starting to pop up.
We are off the start was fine not too hectic, all the hills at the start are runnable and the trails are wide fire breaks. The first 18km to the first water checkpoint were nice, rolling hills with lots of parts being runnable. It was nice to run into the 18km with lots of spectators and people cheering you on. I didn’t stop at this checkpoint. The next part of the course becomes very hilly I still didn’t have my poles so found a long stick to help me, the hills were not technical they just kept going up. The next checkpoint at 24km was a welcomed stop and I got my poles out. You leave this checkpoint straight into Hell Hole Hustle which you have to do twice on the 100km course it is steep down and up but still not technical and this is also the start of the many creek crossings. I lost count at 25 creek crossings all had enough water to get wet to mid shin and couple were past the knees which was nice to cool the joints, and the water was not too cold, it just meant wet shoes and socks for a long time and unhappy toenails. The next checkpoint is nice running around the lakes and some single trails you can hear the pit stop from a while away so it takes a little while to get there. I reached the 32km checkpoint feeling great, the checkpoint was great with female only toilets and all the things females need, the volunteers were great at every pit stop. I headed out back along the lakes and then the 50km runners left us and veered left as we turned right. It got a little lonely for a while with no 50km runners on the course it was spread out between people, I managed to see some runners in the distance and started to catch them, this part of the course was great again hilly but not technical, some nice flat running, lots of creeks, and the sun was nice and warm but not too hot. A little bit of mud on the course but the poles helped heaps with this.
The next pitstop was 57km I came into this feeling really strong, running felt great and I was having a great time. Unfortunately, my pack broke so I only had one side I could put food into without it falling out, but this was ok I managed to not lose any food. Food Nutrition was going well everything was agreeing with me and no cramps, I was taking a pickle juice shot every pit stop just to keep cramps at bay and I was not bored of any food or drink. The 57km pit stop was a nice stop and then the next 13km were very hilly with hills that just kept going but still runnable on the downhills. I was having a great time and hit the 70km checkpoint feeling good had a little dance at the pit stop with the crew and then noticed everyone was getting head torches so good idea I had that prepped ready to go. I phoned Raf as promised said I was feeling amazing, strong and having a good time on a great course.
Then it all changed for the next 15km you leave the checkpoint which is then the end of the wide firebreak trails, you take a little trail just behind the pit stop and then you hit Township Break “This lesser-run break stretches over just 3kms, but will take even the fastest runners around 30 minutes to traverse. And half of it is down hill…
A fast and loose descent leaves runners with a grueling climb out from the creek bed, that will challenge the tired mind as much as it taxes the battered legs.” The website had this right it was grueling I am not the best at descending and I ended up on my bum, sliding and falling I started this descent in the light it took me so long to do it, it was dark by the time I hit the bottom and then the climb out from the creek was rocky, hard and I felt like I was going to fall backwards, This part of the race was really unkept with loose rocks, rained out tracks, fallen trees that made running near impossible as you were always tripping. This is the hardest part of the course and mentally was draining it took me 4 hours to complete 15km and I was getting so frustrated with the trees, falling over, not knowing how to get down the hills apart from on my bum, it was reassuring to see others sliding down on their behinds. At one point I was sliding down a hill and had to reach out for a tree to stop me, I was angry at the organisers for adding this part on the course it seemed so unnecessary after such a great 70km but that is trail running and it is the challenge we chase. This was a challenge. I was sad to have two other runners who I was back and forth with decide to stop at the 80km mark, it was nice to have company out there. A lot of the people I passed or passed me were losing their high spirits of earlier in the race and everyone was over the climbs. I just had to get to the next checkpoint was all I kept thinking.
The checkpoint at 84km which is the same checkpoint at 24km was such a welcome site and I was blessed to see Marie a past gym member who had moved back to Brisbane, She came to this checkpoint which was a great suprise and really lifted my spirits, she helped me get organised and I got her to check my pants as I was sure I had worn away the backside of them due to the amount of time I spent on my backside on the last part of the course. I wrapped up with warmer clothes that were not really needed as the temp didn’t drop that much. The volunteers assured me the technical stuff was done, and we just had Hell Hole Hustle and Kokoda to do then we were home. So, I wished Marie goodbye and back to Hell Hole Hustle it was not surprising I was slower the second time around, but it was still fine and a lot nicer than what we had just done, the trails went back to wide fire breaks and were a lot less technical and more runnable. I started to enjoy myself again but was not feeling very well in the belly which is a first for me I usually don’t have any belly issues, but this was turning out to be the longest trail run I have done. I could stomach liquids coke was great, but food was starting to get unappealing, so I did start eating less than normal, but still no cramps.
The last part of the course had a lot more runnable parts and I was feeling a lot better and on my way to getting this run done! It was nice to have runners around me and you were never by yourself for long amounts of time. My watch which is meant to last for 20 hours ran out of battery at the 97 km mark so I had to be very vigilante in not getting lost a hard task for me. But I did not get lost and even though I had to ask other runners how long we had it was nice to not know what was coming up. At the 100km mark you hit Kokoda (yes this course is more than 100km) “This hill is the sting in the tail for all our Guzzler runners.
Coming up from Gap Creek, runners will experience a gentle rolling rise before turning left onto the infamous Kokoda track. While only 1km long, it packs 120m of elevation gain with some steep sections that require grit.
The top signifies the end of the course’s climbing and the start of the descent to those finish line feels.” Kokoda was brutal and I found myself making grunting noises and huffing and puffing out of breath. It was incredible steep and had little mounds you could stop on that were reasonably flat I would aim to get to a mound, have a breather and carry on. I was so grateful for a volunteer who ran down Kokoda to help me get up the last two mounds he was great pushing me on, and nearly pushing me literally up the hill, once I was up he ran down to support another runner, he was amazing! I made the top of kokoda the end is in sight only 5km to go, the volunteers at the top of Kokoda were great they had a little party happening and were so supportive. They had put signs up all along the course on the way to the finish line. Finally some single track on our way to the end and a very runnable course, it was nice to come out towards the road and get my bearings I knew this part of the course and the end is really close by, a downhill finish into the finish chute. The Guzzler guzzled me up for a little while out there but I was so happy to finish this race!
The race is great apart from the technical part I did not enjoy but it was for me a mental challenge and harder than other races I have done, I found it harder than Blue Mountains 100km and it took me 40 minutes longer than Blue Mountains I was on track to do the race in 16.30 but that went out to 18.00 after the hard part of the course. But I am so happy with the result and 8th female.
The trails are beautiful for 90% of the race, the volunteers are amazing the effort they put in is outstanding especially at Hell Hole Hustle the girls there had lights, heads on sticks, ghost ghoul things hanging in trees and a great vibe. The food pit stops were all awesome with so much help, and drinks and food on offer and my drop bags did not get lost this time not like at Blue Mountains. The organisers do a great job; pack pick up was easy and the t-shirt and medal are really nice.
My body felt amazing on the course, I was worried about the lack of hill training I had done due to a hamstring tendinopathy, but that started to come good two weeks before the race, so I got some hills in and incline treadmill sessions. My strength training paid off I felt strong and capable I was really happy that I got to experience a mental challenge rather a body challenge on this race.
I was so happy to see Lisa at the end of the race and hear all about how great she did on the 50km, she killed it did a better time than expected and was probably one of a few people who did the course without poles and was overtaking people on Kokoda and didn’t have to stop on Kokoda she said her strength training had paid off and she felt great and this is after a ITB tear. She did amazing!!
We got home about 1pm we left straight away from the finish line, it was not too cold which was great. Now time to check out what is left of my toenails, eeck they don’t look great but at the moment they are still intact. A shower after a race is the best thing ever, and I was glad to not have to much chaffing on my back from my pack and nowhere else for chaffing. I went to bed at 2am attempted to sleep but it is never comfortable, and I always wake up hungry. The next day we were both not moving terrible just slow and stiff, but both feeling queasy probably from all the sugar and lack of sleep. The queasy feeling for me will last a day but then disappears and I just have to eat whatever the body feels like this time it was Chinese food from a food court, Honey chicken tasted amazing! I cannot do coffee for at least 4 days after a run, but all other liquids are fine. We were so lucky to have a sauna in our accommodation, and we did two nights of sauna and dipping in the cold pool and it worked wonders we recovered really well, we were both walking normal after 3 days.
I would recommend the 100km Guzzler if you want a tough hilly course. Brisbane is a great place to run, and I am hoping to try some more races in Queensland. I am always so grateful I have the opportunity to do these runs and I still enjoy running and the body feels up to it. I have to thank everyone at home who held the fort whilst I was away, Raf, Mum and Dad and staff I can’t do these events without you. The running crew for coming out with me, keeping me company, helping to navigate and just being great people to be spending a long time running with! Coral for the amazing massages and Jono for the chiro adjustments, Simon at Forte Physio and Mark at Formotion Physio, and Raf for needling me even when I whinge and moan about it.
Now time to rest and plan the next adventure.
