Bonshaw Cup 2007

The Bonshaw Cup is the name of an event held on an out and back course at HMAS Harman over a distance of 6.4km.

For those who have been wondering whether this long standing event is to be held this year, hold your breath no longer.

The event this year is to be held "on the morning of Friday 23rd November"

I have asked for further details, and will post them ASAP.

I have now posted further details in the comment attached.

The Bonshaw Cup this year will be the 43rd occasion for the event, the inaugural run being in 1963. A walking category was added to the event in1995.
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There is only one other race in the ACT that has been held for longer than the Bonshaw Cup. That event is the ACT Cross Country Champs for the R.G. Menzies Trophy started in 1962.

Until Next Time.

Padlocks can help.

Tuesday of this week I went out to the Nature Park people and left a map of the Vets Handicap course and a request for a key to the first gate.
I got the key alright, and left a map and description of the course, and indicated the location of the gate we required to open for the event.
On Saturday when checking out the padlock, found (by luck) it had been put on the wrong gate.
So the ranger was rung on the mobile and a description of the problem and the solution was given and discussed over the phone.
Sunday morning arrived at the location, and walked down to the first gate, together with Audrey, who was the marshall at that location, and found that the padlock had been put on the first gate.

Made a big difference on the day to have that gate open, while we were running.
Phew!!

Until Next Time.

Bulls Head Challenge DNF

It was a hot day, and standing around near the registration area we could feel the Sun blazing down. Even under the shade of the tents, it was hot.
Heard several reports of sensible runners deciding not to compete because of the heat.

The two buses for the Bulls Head arrived and were soon full and we were off, no turning back now.
On the trip to Mt Genini, we later heard that tree branches had been thrown up from the road and came through the floor of the bus.

No such drama on this trip.

Bulls Head arrived and we visited the loo, and had plenty of time for a leisurely stroll over to the start area at DS5. Sent off, and held back on the first 3 km downhill start, felt really good, Chris developed a crook knee at 100 metres into the run, but kept going, the guy in the yellow shirt was passed and then the female who was supposed to run with him, waited for him to catch up. I was in front of them now, first 5kms in 26:44. At 7km drink station, the guy and girl were together but she had raced ahead now, and left him behind.
Realised that my pace was dropping, but couldn't do anything about it,
second 5km took 38 minutes compared to 27 minutes for the first 5km.

At 12kms, decided with some persuasion that a rest, a sit down, a few drinks of water, and some jubes, were the best remedy for my apparent wandering from side to side on the track, and looking rather beat. Thanks to the advice of the drink station person, this worked but didn't work wonders.

Jogged the next 5kms (49 minutes) to the final relay station change point (with Bernie and Chris and recorded a DNF.

Thankfully got a lift back to the finish with George, much appreciated, who was looking after a relay team.

Replenished the inner self with staminade, a sausage, and a drink from the car.

Still trying to work out whether it was the heat which caused the problems, or a lack of recovery from numerous long training runs over the past several weeks.

Until Next Time (Maybe no next time in such heat.)

Orroral Valley 20 kms.

Orroral Valley 20kms.

First 10km were great, and then I faltered.

Although, looking statiscically, it wasn't all that bad.

10kms in 1 hour 15 minutes. 20kms in 2 hours 30 minutes 35 secondes.

Saw Vanessa and the two Emmas before the run and spoke to John who had come from Sydney for the run

Started off maybe a little faster than what would have been sensible, Nick and Rad were in our little group, and at the "back of the pack" we were plugging away and just behind Norma who we forged ahead of just after all the climbing to the first drink station at 6km, manned by Carol.

At the drink station, Norma took off before us, and put in a big lead of something over 200 metres when we managed to spot her again, after which I didn't see her again until after the finish.

At the turn off from the main track and the downhill stage felt good again, but took it steadily, at which stage, Rad took off to have a great overall run, I didn't see him again until after the finish.

Nick caught me on this downhill, after I had a "pit stop", and Jenny nearly caught us both further down the hill.

After the next turn which was manned by Martin, a drink was welcomed, and the Garmin read 11.7kms.

The delightful grassy track on the final run back the valley, was great underfoot, with a few goat track sections, all of this was dry compared to a couple of years ago when it was wet, and marshy, and required detouring slightly around the wettest spots.

Stuey at the 16.3kms mark was there with more drinks, and wished us well for the rest of the run home. This was uneventful, except for righting a couple of cones which had been blown over by the wind.

Finished to the applause of those who had stayed around, and had a piece of fruit cake, and a drink.

Until Next Time

Orroral Valley Classic - Namadgi National Park ACT

Orroral Valley ClassicNamadgi National Park ACT
Sunday 14 December

Weather: sunny, small tailwind down the valley.

Veteran runners dominated today’s Orroral Valley 20 km Classic in Namadgi National Park with M40 Curtis Bailey of Bruce taking victory in 1 hr 27 mins 39 secs from M45 George Mason of Conder in 1:29:50 and M40 Campbell high school teacher Simon Krantzcke of Evatt in 1:32:30. Bailey said it was his first win in a race and his decisive move came on a long downhill section nearing halfway when he took the lead. “This proved energy sapping in the long grassy-trail run down the valley but I was fortunate enough to hang on for the win”, he said.
Other outstanding veteran males included M50 winner Colin Heywood who was 4th in 1:33:29; M55 Jim White in 1:40:24 and M65 Bernie Millet in 1:41:06. M80 Rad Leovic, recently returned from winning his age group in the World Veteran Triathlon Championships, completed the course in an inspiring 2:22:39.
Vanessa Haverd of Hackett, who finished 28th in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship last month, was fastest female in 1:31:59. Former world champion Emma Murray of Watson was second in 1:35:42 and Emma Adams of Yarralumla third in 1:42:52. The dominant veteran performer was W50 Cathy Crompton who was 4th outright in 1:43:46. Haverd said it was a good hit-out for her next run, the Bright Alpine Four Peaks early next month. Many other runners were focussing on next weekend’s Brindabella Classic and using the Orroral race as an enjoyable Sunday hit out for Parks Week.
Kambah M55 runner John Kennedy won the 32 km run in 2:53:07 from Oceania M50 orienteering champion Geoff Lawford in 2:58:57 and ultra runner Victor Hessell in 3:49:53.

ACTRun footnotes:
The course records are held by Puffy (1:13:40) and Aunty Jac (1:18:43) and were not threatened.
Many thanks to Dr R and Flyer for helping at drink stations.
I saw about 500 kangaroos while signing the course the previous day.
The Black Mountain Run Up this Tuesday is also a Parks Week event. Could be quite a few starters. Encourage workmates to run or walk up the mountain. 12.45pm Clunies Ross St, 100m east of the Botannic Gardens entrance.

John H

Melbourne Marathon

Marathon results:SAMSUNG MELBOURNE MARATHON - Male
1 Rowan Walker ACT 2:19:16
2 Josphet Gatiiya Mwangi 2:20:55
3 Trent Harlow VIC 2:21:58
4 Antony Rickards VIC 2:23:46
5 Scott Rantall VIC 2:26:18
7 Anthony Haber 2:27:46

SAMSUNG MELBOURNE MARATHON - Female
1 Hanny Alston TAS 2:40:34
2 Helen Stanton QLD 2:41:51
3 Billinda Schipp NSW 2:42:22
4 Karen Natoli VIC 2:45:15
5 Angela Bateup NSW 2:46:40
Great times by the ladies, and a good win for Hanny in only her second marathon.

Brief results of the Half M and 10k are already displayed on the website http://www.melbournemarathon.com.au/ ACT featuring well in the 21K and VIC featuring well in the 10K

21.1KM
1 Brett Cartwright 1:03:02
2 Martin Dent 1:03:44
6 Philo Saunders 1:07:23
8 Scott McTaggart 1:08:35

Lauren Shelley 1:14:57
Hisako Koguro 1:15:11
10KM Mark Tucker 0:30:27
Roderick De Higden 0:31:04
Sarah Salmon 0:35:33
Kelly Jarrett 0:35:58
The event organisers certainly have lifted the bar, setting a new benchmark for major marathon events.Once again, please include your views on the sachets in your comments.
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Until Next Time

Time for Recovery

Earlier this year, I ran the Vets Half Marathon.

That was run following the Bush Capital 25kms event.

Now their are events quickly following each other:-

14th October - Orroral Valley 20kms
21st October - Bulls Head Challenge

So there is not much recovery time from one weekend to the next.

However, last Saturday, I ran West and Central Basin 20kms, today I ran 23 kms, which leaves 9 days recovery time for Orroral Valley.

Now, to plan the runs in between the weekend events, so I'll be left reasonably fresh on the day.

Today, was a milder day, so the long run was at The Cotter, lots of families at the playground both before and after the run, not much wind at the top of the trails, and cooling water in Padovans and Vanities Crossings, good to drink (I have a cast iron stomach) and to help cool the head. Noticed that the trails which previously had a good gravel cover, were a little lacking in gravel, could not be rain washing it off, the gravel must have been blown away by the wind.

There were also some puddles along the way beside the trails, but the bigger puddles (small dams) didn't have much water.

When climbing out of Vanities, wondered what it would feel like at the end of the Bulls Head Challenge on 21st October.

Will find out for real in a couple of weeks time.

Until Next Time

One Small Leap

Track laying at the AIS this week on Tuesday had been "completed" to around near the water jump.

Of course after the laying, the track will have to be marked with lane markings and the finish line and lane numbers set up.

Passed by there on Tuesday on a detour to Mt Ainslie Run-Up.
Held on the first Tuesday of each month, this week the winners were Scott McTaggart by 4 seconds from Mark Bourne, and the last in the fiels were Doug and Nick.

Dave Osmond was seen running towards the start, following a casual remark by sorepit that he had not yet seen DavO the start was thus held up until he arrived and then we were off. Velcro was spectating today, having cycled over.

Until Next Time

Labor Day 10km Run was a Labour

Ran this event, and arrived before 8:30 am for registering, so had plenty of time for stretching and a little warm up jog.

Started towards the back of the field, but on the recreational path.
Went up the first hill through the underpass fairly well, had a drink at the 2km point, and kept going.

Wind was distracting but was running with the acompaniment of a young lady, who kept pace almost the entire race, she put a gap on me up the hills but was slower down the hills which enabled me to catch her again.

Passed her before the 7km mark, but stopped for a Gel and drink at the 8km station, where she kept on going, but I caught her at the straight leading to the hospital hill, and held on despite her final sprint.

66 minutes was about all I could have hoped for two days after a 20km run (refer previous post).

Pancakes were provided together with fruit, and many stayed around for the awards presentations after the run.

Until Next Time.