https://www.runthroughtrails.com/beat-box-hill
When a friend asked if I was still running and suggested that we do this race, I wasn’t really that keen to start with. A very hilly and tough half-marathon which wasn’t in my training plan and didn’t really fit into any of my goals, did I really need to do this? But I enjoyed it immensely and am really grateful that they did suggest it. I’ll be looking to do more similar events in future. I’m also very grateful that I took up running and did that first half marathon back in 2022, opening up the possibility of doing events like this.
All my previous races have been on the road, with minimal elevation. I’ve gone into those races planning to set a PR, and have set pace targets to achieve that goal. I’m running looking at my watch, constantly calculating if I’m on target or not, assessing how I’m feeling, wondering if I need to push or back-off. This was completely different.
Around 700m of climbing on muddy trails meant PRs were not ever in question, and really I just wanted to enjoy the run. I couldn’t stop myself setting some sort of goal and had in my mind a 2:15 target, but there was no way to know if I was ahead or behind that target until the last few kilometres so it was academic really.
The weather was really almost perfect. It had been raining earlier in the week but the course wasn’t too muddy at all and there was just a touch of mist in the air. It was cool, not too windy and generally perfect conditions for autumn. Maybe there were good views on the course, I was head down most of the time!
I ran most of the way just on heartbeat and feel, trying to make sure I was under 170 for the first hour. I know from experience that I can red-line for about 40min so needed to stay out of the top zones until later in the race. There was one section around the middle which felt pretty flat and I pulled my pace back then to try to make sure I didn’t blow up. I didn’t try to push the hills, since from my research I understood that it would be a lot more fatigue for not much extra time. I did try to push the downhills a bit more though. I know how much better it feels to finish strong, so I was wary of going too hard too soon.
The race started at the top of Box Hill, with a bunch start. The starting section was quite narrow and also downhill which was a bit frustrating. I didn’t want to start too fast, but I did want to make the most of the downhill and let gravity help me out. After a while though things spread out and we got to the first section of uphill steps in any case. There were several sections of steps and nothing to do on these but walk.
I saw one person on a steep slippery section but generally the course was in good condition. It was mostly well marked as well apart from one section where I started following the 50k course before the marshall turned me around. I was cursing that extra 300m!
The aid stations looked great, but I was carrying 1 litre of DIY energy drink plus a few gels so I didn’t stop at any of them. Would rather reduce the weight I was carrying.
Our course numbers had a basic elevation profile printed on them, and I was trying to look down at that to work out whereabouts I was on the course and how many hills I had to go. I never managed to work it out though and just had to take whatever the course gave me. Walk the steps, and the steep hills but run as much as possible, then open out on the flat and push the downhill as much as safe. Such a difference from a flat road half where you’re constantly looking at the clock and thinking where you are compared to the pace targets. This felt more like a training run really.
So I was feeling really good about the run, legs felt reasonably strong but then I started to get cramps in my calves and shins. This was really annoying and there was nothing much to do except stop and stretch or walk until they went. There was a horrible section of steps towards the end that I went up ok, but the cramp was worse on the flat or downhill. It was frustrating that just when I wanted to open out my legs and stretch for home, I had to walk or do something to get rid of the cramps.
I even had to stop a couple of times when in sight of the finish, just to get my legs to bend properly. But I managed to get across finally in 2:11, so within my target time.
So the lesson for next time is to take more electrolytes before and during the run. Overall though, it was a really fun race. I found not having to worry about the time very liberating. It was one of the hardest races I’ve done though. I saw some blood in my urine later in the day (“runner’s bladder” apparently), and my wife was ill so I was on childcare duty in the afternoon and took the kids into town. I probably should have respected the effort a bit more as I didn’t sleep well and was in bits the next day as we flew away on holiday.
All in all a great experience though. Next time just take more electrolytes, and respect the recovery a little more!
