Alps 2 Ocean - Part 2

Day 2
Lake Pukaki to Lake Middleton. 53km

Day 2 - Stage 3

The day started with the usual alarm of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” song blaring out at full volume. 6am wake up time and still dark outside.

My routine was to pack my gear before doing anything else. Deflate sleeping mat and pack away, squish sleeping bag into a tiny pouch, roll up bag liner, place all soft gear into a compression bag and squash the air out. That bag went into my pack first followed by packages of food for future days. I took out running nutrition from the day’s food bag and popped it into a small Spi-Belt for easy access while moving.

Only when I was almost completely packed did I have breakfast. It's amazing how quickly two hours disappear and it's time to start running again. In fact, that morning I had to run to the start with my pack still open! The problem was I took too long to eat my breakfast.

Michael gives a daily briefing before each start outlining any hazards for the day plus a weather forecast. Day two saw us skirting the bottom of Lake Pukaki and then heading south to Twizel. We would follow the Ohau River and then go around Lake Ohau to finish up on the shores of Lake Middleton.

My strategy for day two was to be very conservative early on. I started at the back of the field and ran and talked with various people to pass the time. This worked really well and kept me in check nicely. The day started overcast, which was perfect, but the cloud later burned off and temperatures climbed.

The views of the mountains and lakes were magnificent. We were heading towards McKenzie country with wide open spaces and big skies - just lovely.

Photo credit - Eemon Marstella

The first surprise of the day was an impromptu aid station serving fresh salmon! Sadly I played it safe and skipped it just in case it upset my stomach. Others ate some and said it was delicious.

Immediately after the salmon we crossed a spillway with massive boulders that weren't all stable! Following that there was a steep climb up the face of an earth dam. Half way up was a mature apple tree with bright red apples all over it! I resisted  the temptation but there was the opportunity to boost one's calorie intake again.

The route followed alongside a large river with a spectacular mountain backdrop. The sun was beating down quite strongly by then but it wasn't too far to the next checkpoint and a water top up. I caught up to the youngest competitor at the checkpoint. 18 year old Sacha had special dispensation to run the event on the condition his dad, Simon, stayed with him the whole time. Sacha was feeling a bit queasy so was sitting in the shade. We advised that he take a couple of salt tabs because he had only been drinking water for the last couple of hours and that can cause the stomach to shut down a bit. Later I heard he came right and got going again.

Not too long after the checkpoint I caught up with Emma who I had run with a little on day one. We stuck together for the rest of the day and kept each other going talking about random topics. By the time we hit the trail along Lake Ohau we were feeling on fire and sped up, overtaking a number of people. It felt so much better than day one! We felt we were doing 5 minutes per kilometre but in reality probably looked like a couple of arthritic grandparents chasing kids off the front lawn.

This speed streak was rudely halted when we were directed off the tourist trail and onto a shingle beach for the final three kilometres. We could go no faster than walking pace! Thanks again, Michael ha ha!

Photo credit - Eemon Marstella

We finally left the Lake Ohau foreshore and were very relieved to see the picturesque Lake Middleton and our camp for the night.

What a turnaround from day one! This was how it was supposed to be! I finished with a big smile on my face. I had a lovely wade into the lake and washed my shirt and socks while watching a regular stream of runners head towards the finish gantry. There was still plenty of daylight left to get everything dry.

Dinner was a communal affair with tales of the day retold and perhaps even embellished a little. Most people had good days although a few were starting to suffer from bad blisters or shin pain. The physiotherapist and doctor worked late into the night patching up broken runners.

Day 2 stats: 53.34km 7h23m

Day 3
Lake Middleton to Loch Laird - “Long Day”. 89km

Day 3/4 - Stage 4

Long Day. They say if you get through Long Day you are as good as finished. That reassurance doesn't help much when standing on the start line with a daunting 89km ahead of you and a body that has already completed over 100km in the past 48 hours.

On the plus side, my pack did feel slightly lighter and the day started off overcast with a prediction of light showers mid morning.

A twist for the day was the top 20 runners would start two hours after everyone else. In a way I felt sorry for them because they didn't really get a sleep in because the tents were pulled down fairly soon after we gathered for the first start. Curly Jacobs called out to me that I had a target on my back and he'd be aiming for it later on. I didn't think he would take too long to reach that target :-).

Once again I decided to start very conservatively. Coach Jaime advised me to ease into the first two days with the aim to preserve the body for Long Day. She predicted that if I did that, and kept a consistent pace, I would start moving up the field.

The day started off with a short road run to the base of the first climb of the day. We were happy with the road because Michael chose it over a shingle beach start! Maybe he was getting soft, or more likely, he knew what the day (and night) ahead held for us.

Soon we were heading up a steep hill on some single track through some lovely mature bush. The higher we got the more we disappeared into low cloud. The temperature was good although the cloud contained some light rain.

Photo credit - Eemon Marstella

I walked most of the uphill to preserve my legs for the long day ahead. There had been some overnight rain so the track was wet and some crystal clear streams of water cascaded down the bank at the side of the track in places. We eventually came to an interim unmanned water stop marking the top of the climb.

The track headed downhill and I let my legs just take me. There were a few water crossings on this section so I used my plastic bag trick again. One bag had a hole so my right shoe got a little wet. I tied a knot in the corner that solved that problem. I attempted to jump over a creek and landed a little awkwardly. I felt like I had twinged an adductor so was constantly worrying about it until well after the first checkpoint.

At the checkpoint I topped up water and SOS electrolytes and shouted “377 out!” as I did when leaving all checkpoints. Calling out your number as you left indicated to the marshalls to note your departure time. One of the rules is no one is allowed to stay at a checkpoint for more than 20 minutes. My plan all along was to spend as little time as possible at each one anyway - just enough time to top up bottles, add SOS electrolyte powder, swallow a couple of salt tablets, and leave. Hopefully the time sheets will be published at some point so I can see how long I really stopped.

The departure from checkpoint one was unique as it was through a historic woolshed! I didn't stop to read the signs but it was another one of Michael's cool little details that really made this a memorable event.

Photo credit - Eemon Marstella

Checkpoint one (19.5km) to checkpoint two (33km) followed relatively flat gravel road that was very runnable. I slowly caught and overtook a number of people on this section and felt pretty good. The training had paid off very nicely.

Checkpoint two marked the entrance and exit of a big loop that was about 20km in length. The loop was mostly gravel road until about 9 or 10km in where the route abruptly headed across farm paddocks and fence crossings and up a steep hill. The other side of the hill was down a steep grassy slope and through some pretty thorny shrubs. This lead to the scenic Clay Cliffs which are tall eroded hills that look like gold miners have sluiced into a massive art form.

Photo credit - Eemon Marstella

The trail followed under the cliffs and through more thorns and eventually met up with the tourist trail that ran from a car park to the cliffs. There were a number encounters with  bemused tourists before the next checkpoint at the carpark.

My stomach started feeling a bit “squidgy” so I made sure to take a couple of salt tablets. At the time I couldn't remember the distance to the checkpoint but thought it was just over the marathon mark. I also popped a couple of paracetamol and headed off down the unsealed road in a direction that would complete the big loop back to checkpoint two.

The painkillers kicked in pretty quickly and I settled into a very good pace. A flat road helped as did all the food I had already taken on board all through the morning.

On straight sections I could see runners ahead of me gradually getting closer so I just concentrated on keeping an even pace. Slowly but surely I caught, exchanged pleasantries (in French where appropriate!) and passed a number of people.

There were quite a few people just starting out on the big loop. I was pleased to see Ange had joined up with another dear friend, Anneta, also coached by Jaime. A quick hug and on I went.

I topped up my bottles at what was checkpoint two earlier, but was only an aid station this time round, and glanced at the time recording sheet. I could only see a few names on it so assumed it was the top of a new page. I was pretty sure there were many ahead of me as I started right at the back at the start, despite the 20 late starters.

I continued feeling good so just went with it. I was now on sealed road but fortunately it had a small gravel shoulder which felt a little less like concrete. The road was pretty straight but there were a few things to look at on either side to keep me interested.

Clay Cliffs to checkpoint four was about 12 or 13km. I was completely by myself at that point but feeling good and running well. The countryside was pretty and the temperature was more on the cool side due to a slight breeze.

I spotted the familiar red pop-up gazebo tent in the distance that marked CP4 but had to awkwardly clamber under a main road bridge first. That was a bit tough. A woman was there filming me hoping, I suspect, that I would slip on the boulders and fall in the river :-).

I puttered into the checkpoint, got the all important passport clip, and sat down in a chair next to Jane from the UK who had already arrived and was eating some food. I was also pleased to see Alex, who was forced out on day two due to blisters and other not-so-pleasant reasons, because I knew she could check my darn toe that I bashed on day one. Alex is an air force medic so pretty handy to have around and I was very happy the organisers had allowed her to stay on as a volunteer.

After an examination we decided to leave my toe as it was and not drain the protective blister that had formed over the dislodged toenail root. The risk of infection was not worth the slight relief I may have gained.

By this time I learned I was only the second runner to reach CP4 (Jane was first). I was pretty surprised because I was sure there were many more ahead of me. I guess that made me 22nd if all the late starters were included. This was quite a boost and showed I was going very well. Another big silent “thank you” to Coach Jaime!

By now a few more runners had made it to CP4. This checkpoint is special because runners are allowed to rest for up to two hours although none of us wanted to be here any longer than necessary. Inia arrived but didn't stop for fear his knee might seize up. He joked with me later about realising he was actually “leading” the race at that point :-).

It was time to leave the checkpoint and the next race surprise greeted us - an inflatable dinghy crossing of the nearby river. Life jackets were donned and we were pulled across the swift river to the other side. I still had my plastic bags with me so used them when jumping out of the boat to keep my shoes dry. I needn't have bothered because about 50 metres later there was another river crossing that destroyed the bags completely. Oh well, good while they lasted! “Only” about 30km to go so my feet would just have to cope.

After the river crossings there was a little group of us going about the same pace so we stuck together, more or less, across some cultivated fields and paddocks. It was here that the first of the early starters caught us. James first, then Peter I think, followed by Garth.

We rejoined the cycle trail and followed it past a large reflective lake. The path dropped down slightly which was nice and the faster runners were very encouraging as they passed.

Now that we were in fairly open countryside and near a main road I needed to find a toilet -  urgently! Fortunately I saw some trees in the distance and managed to reach them with just enough time to move off the trail and dig a hole. Early starter, and overall leader Brendan, caught me just as I headed off trail. I made sure he went the right way and didn't follow me :-). As I was crouched off in the trees I saw Curly run by. I had a small chuckle because he hadn't seen me so would still be chasing that target on my back!

Ablutions taken care of, I could continue along the scenic lakeside trail towards CP5. I started to falter a little but forced down some food and got moving again. At the checkpoint, I was told that I should reach camp before nightfall. I found this a bit hard to believe but it was rather exciting news. The last section had a massive hill and we were promised spectacular views if we got up the top before dark.

It was 7km from CP5 to CP6 on the summit and CP6 to the finish another 6km. Only a mountain stood between me and my tent. After leaving CP5 the route went across some rocky ground with several watercourse crossings - wet feet again.

I was confused at one part where I couldn't see markers along either side of a paddock. Luckily fellow runners John and Andrew were there and pointed out some tape diagonally across the grass. Saved! I hoped some glow sticks would be placed there at night for the later arrivals.

The mountain loomed ahead but I didn't know what our route up would be. Just as I reached the foothills I saw Inia coming back toward me. Uh oh, we'd both gone the wrong way! We backtracked a little to the last tapes and decided they did, in fact, indicate we were on the right track. We tried again and found a marker further on. Phew. Long Day is long enough without unnecessary extra distance!

It was nice to have someone for company and Inia and I trudged up the ever steepening slope. We could see high above us a narrow track with switchbacks that lead to the highest peak around. This didn't seem like the way we would go because there were a couple of lower saddles that looked like good options.

After an hour or so of climbing it dawned on us that of course Michael would choose the steepest and highest route. I envied the runners following us who would hit this at night and not see the nightmare ahead. We trudged upward in mutual suffering. What a way to finish an ultra marathon! Little did I know then that things would get much worse.

Before long, John and Andrew went past. We decided their younger legs gave them an advantage but to be fair we were beyond caring at that point. We watched them pull ahead up each bend and saw them crest the top far above. We waited for the hollering that would signal their joy at reaching the checkpoint. They disappeared over the top without so much as a raised arm. What?! What's going on? Inia and I finally reached the same point and saw...nothing. Nothing but the track heading down and then up another peak. No sign of a checkpoint in the gathering gloom. A daytime finish was out of the question.

Photo credit - Alps 2 Ocean Facebook Page

Inia’s GPS indicated we should have finished by now if the published distance was correct. I wasn't using a GPS so fortunately wasn't expecting the finish for a while. That kind of thing can mess with you badly.

We headed down again and up again. We had to drag our tired bodies over locked farm gates while cursing Michael loudly. We had by now donned our headlamps and red flashing rear lights. It was cool on the tops but not unpleasantly so. Still, I wouldn't want to be up there in bad weather. All our compulsory gear would have been needed. I felt genuinely worried for the others who would have to follow in pitch black conditions over some quite high fences and gates. I really hoped Ange and Anneta would still be together over the mountain. I would totally understand if people turned back and pulled out at that point.

Early starter Paul came steaming past us and quickly became just a patch of light heading up, up, and down, down in the distance. Finally we spotted lights of the final checkpoint. It was a relief to get there but we didn't want to linger. Only 6km downhill to go! The marshalls recorded our numbers and then pointed to a ridiculously steep downhill slope and gave us a parting warning to be very careful. That was our route? Seriously?! Yikes!

It was fully dark by the time I left the checkpoint and I found myself alone. The descent was indeed very steep and care was required. Some people had poles and I think they would have been beneficial. I just had to go slowly and place each step carefully given I was wearing road shoes.

The route soon hit and followed a farm track. At first it was easy to follow but then started heading down at the same steep angle as the earlier paddock, with the added bonus of loose rocks. I could see headlamps ahead of me and thought it would be nice to catch up, especially as someone looked like they had super bright Ayups. I left my beloved Ayups at home in favour of a lightweight, but far less powerful, headlamp.

The reward of speeding up was to twice land heavily on my arse. Ouch! I backed off and just concentrated on staying upright and uninjured. I thought at the time that someone would be sure to break a bone there but apparently everyone got through more or less intact.

The descent seemed to go on forever. Every now and then I could hear the electrical hum from a power station and its welcoming but distant lights. It never seemed to get closer and the hill just kept on going down into a blackness punctuated every now and then by a soft patch of light from a glow stick.

After an eternity, the terrain changed slightly and tall trees loomed above. This indicated to me that I was nearing the lakeside. I could make out a few caravans and could detect the void of a lake. Yay! The stage finish can't be far away, but what are those red flashing lights I could see on a high hillside up to my right? Surely not another climb? Yup, another climb. All I could do was trudge slowly forward and up until it was over.

From the crest of the hill I still couldn't see or hear the finish so just plodded down the now improved road, resigned to whatever lay ahead. Eventually some trees appeared and I popped out on a road, a little unsure of which was to go. I spotted some cones and markers on the other side leading to a gravel cycle trail. I strained my ears and eyes for any sound or sights of the camp but could only see a distant car heading in the opposite direction. I looked behind me and saw a couple of headlamps emerge from the trail so thought I'd better do some running.

Thankfully the sound of music from the campsite reached my ears. The long day plus the final mountain climb and descent had left me a bit of a wreck and I admit to shedding a tear or two as I approached the finish line. As always, Michael Sandri was waiting to greet me. “Are you alright?” he enquired. “Yep, just a little emotional from the *#%%* mountain is all” I replied. I discussed his dubious heritage and sadistic tendencies before bizarrely thanking him for the day.

I finished at around 10:15pm which, on reflection, I was very happy with. The day had gone well and I ran most of the way where possible. I remember many times thanking coach Jaime for the training done over the last year - it was paying off in spades.

I couldn't help but think of the people still on course who had to endure that final hill with its crazy climb, gates, fences, and crazy descent. However, it was time to drink my Ultragen, lay out my bedding, and try to get some sleep. This wasn't made easy by the loud finish line music and shouted whoops let out every time someone arrived. I popped in my earphones and blocked it all out with some music.

Day 3 stats: 89.6km 14h16m

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Read Part 3 of Simon's epic story here.