In search of another trail run to enter, I jumped at the chance to complete another event in Warburton. An amazing area that I was keen to explore further.

After studying the elevation profiles for the different Warburton Trail Fest events, I decided on the Redwoods Rush 25 km. I did my best to memorise the elevation plan prior to the event – a manageable big climb at the start, then relatively flat along the aqueduct trail. I knew I could handle it.

Prior to the start, I had arrived early. I checked in at registration, then went to get changed into my shoes. I had not realised how cold it would be. I should have. I have been to Warburton many times but I had only packed the clothes that I had used at previous events (singlet and shorts). I really needed a short sleeved shirt to best suit the climate. I checked the car for anything I could find but to no avail. 

The importance of being prepared and over packing other clothing options should not be overstated. If the weather had deteriorated, things could have been much worse. In the end I made do with the singlet, which was fine.

I had played golf at the Warburton golf course many times previously, adjacent to the first main road that starts the event. When I played golf, I always made the conscious decision to get a golf cart. Lugging a bag full of clubs up and down those hills was not my idea of fun. With the knowledge of the hilliness of the area, I was able to get a bit of an indication of what the first few kms was going to look like.

I started toward the back of the field – something I do a lot in these slightly longer races (I figure the field will even out). However, each time I get frustrated trying to pass people. I follow the mantra, “start slow, get slower”, however sometimes it is just too slow. In my next races, I’d start a little closer toward the front. By starting too far back, it made it harder to “Find My People” (those running at a similar pace).

After a short run along the river, the course turned uphill. This was quite possibly the steepest slope I had ever faced during a race. Everyone walked except perhaps the leaders. We followed the road alongside the golf course prior to turning off onto the extremely muddy single track. This again turned uphill quickly and up through some paddocks. At the top of the hill, just prior to the 3 km mark, we reached the Aqueduct track, levelling out.

From this point, I gradually moved through the field. I hovered around the 5:00 /km pace throughout the first half of the race. This was a little quicker than I had planned, however the terrain was manageable and I was able to hold the pace with minimal exertion.

I spotted a couple of runners up ahead and decided to pick up the pace to catch up. They were moving at a pace which was slightly faster than I was hoping to do but I stayed with them. I reached them just before the halfway point at the redwood forest. After a few minutes of following, I ran alongside and asked them if they minded if I tagged along for a little while. Strictly speaking this is totally unnecessary. You can run with whoever or wherever you want (as long as you stay on the course) as long as you give others space. I learnt their names, Ash & Simon.

The directions around and through the redwoods were a little unclear. We stopped for a second but managed to find our way back on course. Although I had been to the Warburton Redwood forest before, it was a joy to run around. Not covering a vast area, the towering trees still had a presence in the area and on the runners. It was the most enjoyable experience of the event.

On the return journey, the group of us chatted and spoke about upcoming runs we had planned and what we do for work. I find that interacting with others often helps the kms to tick over and takes your mind off the pain you may be experiencing. Although I have not made any lifelong friends (yet) from doing this, I think boosting the morale of others around you can only be a good thing. If you encourage a good experience, often this will be passed on to others.

We were moving reasonably well on the return. The Aqueduct trail was becoming muddier as there had been significant rain in the days leading up to the event. Heading back down the hill in the final 3 kms, we had to move much slower than we would have liked. It was quite slippery with nothing to grab onto in case of a fall – other than the barbed wire fence!

As we approached the final kilometre, I overheard one of the competitors say they had forgotten to attach their race bib. I’d never heard of anything like this before! Fortunately, the race organisers included them in the final results and they finished quite well.

The Warburton Trail Fest – Redwoods Rush 25 km finished with a run alongside the river and a rewarding view of the hills we had just conquered. I was relieved to finish. It was a harder event than I had envisaged but a great opportunity to test my abilities and explore the area.

This event was the first race that my partner didn’t meet me at the finish line. I’m a big boy, I can manage. I asked a fellow competitor to take a happy snap of me at the end. However, there is something more satisfying about having your support team waiting at the finish expectantly. Whether it be friends, family or your dog, knowing that they will be meeting you can be all the motivation you need to dig a little deeper or keep going when you’re in the pain cave.

I loved running Warburton. The town. The nature. The scenery. The bakery on the way home. I’d be back.

Stats

Distance: 26.63 km 

Elapsed Time: 2:25:21 

Pace: 5:27 /km

Weather: Cool, 15°C 

Nutrition/Hydration: SIS Gels, Water. 

Gear: Ciele Cap, Garmin Forerunner 235, Salomon S-Lab Sense Ultra 5 Set Backpack, Patagonia Strider Pro, Nike running singlet, Injinji Crew Toe Socks, Asics Sonoma’s.

Finished: Position 28 out of 159

Strava Activity Found Here