Hamseen Epic

Today Total: 8k
Week Total: 16k
Month Total: 33k
Year Total: 1310k

*Warning long post alert - but this run was a special*

Driving back from Bathurst through the occasional dust storm in very warm and windy conditions I knew if I stopped for a run up the mountains I was going to dry out quicker than a celebrity at a Betty Ford clinic. With only a 500ml hand bottle available for the actual run I set myself a 750ml suck water KPI for the car trip.

With the strong North Westerly blowing I briefly flirted with the idea of the Grand Canyon loop or doing the Six Foot stairs as both would be very protected - but I figured the long climbs out would be counter-productive at my current level of fitness. So I headed for the locked gate on Narrowneck figuring that though it is an exposed ridge the Southerly aspect from that point on should at least offer some respite from the howling gale.

It's nice to have theories :-)

But I wasn't going to die wondering if Schroedingers (sic?) Cat bit the big one or not on this trip - and let me tell you I know for a fact - the cat dies. The wind was truly horrific!!!

Heading off from the car I had butterflies in my belly but conjuring up an old mentors mantra of "don't let fear stop ya son - think it through" I reasoned the threat from deadfall given the wind had been blowing for some time was minimal. And to be fair the route selection did offer some respite (in some places).

My lack of fitness had me walking the hills sooner than I'd of liked and it was a commiting decision at the 3k mark to drop down into the deepest and steepest of the big dips on Narrowneck.

Climbing the otherside I became exposed to the full force of the wind from the exposed Westerly side of the ridge and by the time I hit the 4k mark the sandblasting and buffeting of the wind in my back was giving me full indication of what I was in for on the return. When one gust hit me like a shove in the back propelling me forward a few meters I decided enough was enough and pulled up stumps and headed for home.

And what an interesting experience that was.

Suffice it to say that as I sit in the car tapping this report out on the Blackberry my face is a mixture of burn and sting and my eyeballs feel like someone has rubbed them dry with a 12 year old chamoise that has been left out in the sun.

Anyhoo the coffee I thankfully brought along in a thermos is nice and I managed to miss the rain which is just starting to fall - small mercies.

Even though it was only 8kms I won't be forgeting this one in a hurry - what a hoot ;-)