Amongst them were 2 Team FiveFingers, one mixed and one male. The team event is a 2 person relay - 50k each.
It was a fearsome challenge. The terrain included picking our way through treacherous rocky ridges, up and down near sheer inclines, a total of over 3000 stairs and rope ladders hanging off a vertical cliff. The number of casualties was incredible. 393 made it to the end. Injuries ranged from broken ankles and feet to concussion and trauma from falls.
Team FiveFingers (Sally and Jase first 50k, me and Scott the second) ran shoulder to shoulder the whole 100k. 2 running in KSOTrek, 2 in Trek Sport. The Fives were amazing over the incredibly technical terrain. Loose rockfaces, creek crossings, steep wet rocky ridges were all sweet.
Even the night running was awesome.
Scott and I pushed the pace pretty hard, getting from the halfway point to the 89k checkpoint in 4hrs 35min. But the pace and a broken headlight made the last 11k real tough. The sadistic organisers also kept some of the steepest (both up and down) and most treacherous/technical running for the end. We were hoping to break 6hrs but poor visibility, cramp and tired legs saw us take some big hits on the toes as we tried to keep the pace up (but not our feet
)Scott especially took some huge hits, with a suspected broken small toe and several others very close to. I was luckier but still copped some beauties, one sending me flying off the track and over the edge, narrowly saved by spiky tree branches that I managed to hang onto. It was too dark to see just how big a drop it was. Probably best too.
Coming through the finish line at around 9.30pm was one of the best moments of my life. A great victory for Team FiveFingers and for the simple belief that we are all born to run. We just need to keep our feet on the ground and believe in ourselves and our bodies.
By doing so we start a positive chain reaction that can reach further than any of us can imagine. Our support team, Steve the photographer who filmed us during the event, all out there day and night ensuring we had water, supplies and the warmest and loudest of welcome at every checkpoint. It was amazing, inspiring, and the initial spark that brought all these fantastic people together was obvious to anyone who looked down at their feet.
Loving the Fives!!
BTW, some of the other gear we raced in is worth mentioning because it was just amazing.
Zensah calf compression is the best in the world without a doubt (RW mag in US said so but now it's official
)X-bionic top and shorts, swiss designed, made in Italy. It sure isn't cheap but we ran in 25 degree heat and then at night in -4 degree cold in shorts and a short sleeve top and it all felt the same.. not hot, not cold, just perfect.
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