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Pichi Richi Marathon
Posted by
42junkie
,
26 June 2012
·
414 views
My fifth Pichi Richi and it did not disappoint. Despite rain in Adelaide and Melbourne in the days leading up to the marathon, Port Augusta put on lovely weather for us. No wind and lightly overcast.
I reckon I know the course fairly well by now and I have learnt to bring along my own drinks ( this is a reference to my book "Passion for Distance" where I relate the problems I had one year during this race) so I am pretty much guaranteed a solid race.
I ran the first 30 kilometres with Wedgetail, my usual companion Sally having zipped past me in the second kilometre leaving me a huge challenge to catch up with her and get the year's news. Sadly I never made it and I have to wait until next year's marathon for our annual chat.
Wedgetail and I chatted for 20 km or so and then ran in companionable silence. It was nice. This is such an iconic event, out in the Flinders Ranges with endless views and vivid colours.
A couple of females provided some light entertainment for us when they announced they could see camels in the distance. "On the left" they said. I checked with them that I was looking left, because by the stage in a marathon I have no idea which direction is left and which is right. But I never saw those camels, and I am fairly sure there weren't any although we did see some horses. I would have liked to see camels, as it was I was pleased to see the steam train as some years I have not seen it.
The race was under a new organiser this year - thank you Rotary for taking this on. Nothing had changed, including the absence of a bus to take us back to Port Augusta after the finish in Quorn. As in prior years I had booked a seat on the bus back to PA when I registered, and as in prior years the bus did not materialize. Except that this year they managed to claim there was a bus, they sat us down on it and then when we were 10 kilometres out of Quorn the driver said he was not going to PA. Bit of a let down, really. Rob and Mary came to the rescue, thank you very much for that.
I reckon I know the course fairly well by now and I have learnt to bring along my own drinks ( this is a reference to my book "Passion for Distance" where I relate the problems I had one year during this race) so I am pretty much guaranteed a solid race.
I ran the first 30 kilometres with Wedgetail, my usual companion Sally having zipped past me in the second kilometre leaving me a huge challenge to catch up with her and get the year's news. Sadly I never made it and I have to wait until next year's marathon for our annual chat.
Wedgetail and I chatted for 20 km or so and then ran in companionable silence. It was nice. This is such an iconic event, out in the Flinders Ranges with endless views and vivid colours.
A couple of females provided some light entertainment for us when they announced they could see camels in the distance. "On the left" they said. I checked with them that I was looking left, because by the stage in a marathon I have no idea which direction is left and which is right. But I never saw those camels, and I am fairly sure there weren't any although we did see some horses. I would have liked to see camels, as it was I was pleased to see the steam train as some years I have not seen it.
The race was under a new organiser this year - thank you Rotary for taking this on. Nothing had changed, including the absence of a bus to take us back to Port Augusta after the finish in Quorn. As in prior years I had booked a seat on the bus back to PA when I registered, and as in prior years the bus did not materialize. Except that this year they managed to claim there was a bus, they sat us down on it and then when we were 10 kilometres out of Quorn the driver said he was not going to PA. Bit of a let down, really. Rob and Mary came to the rescue, thank you very much for that.
