Bellarine Rail Trail '09 Options

[PonderStibbons]

This tells me I better pack my winter woollies, but maybe not my rain coat.

Its been 30ºC up here all week.

I heard about the 35C the other day. We are certainly used to, nay even prefer, running in about 10C down here. I wear some running gloves until I am warm, but since you are coming from 30+ you will need some woolies.

See you on Sunday.

[maryclaire]

Maryclaire - 34km seems a big jump from 23km 4 months ago. Be careful!!

Thanks for the concern. I am running more weekly miles now than when peaking for MM last year, so figure if i go really slow, i will be fine. Running under the tight leash of an accomplished coach also helps keep things in perspective, and he's given the ok. See you at the start (and hopefully finish)

[peterpan]

Hi there!

I'm not sure if your weather website updpated as of late, but the people at the bureau (www.bom.gov.au) have this to report about Geelong's weather on Sunday:

Cloudy. Isolated showers, tending scattered near the coast with possible hail during the morning, then contracting southwards during the afternoon and clearing at night. Snowfalls above 900 metres until the afternoon. Winds westerly averaging 30 to 45 km/h, tending west to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon. Overnight temperatures falling to around 6 with daytime temperatures reaching between 9 and 15.
Shower or two.
Min 6 Max 15

HAIL?????

GAH!!

I wonder if the bus will be going from Geelong to Queenscliff, too..



If I don't see you all during the race, I'll most certainly see you at breakfast.

This post has been edited by peterpan: Aug 28 2009, 05:38 AM

[rohan]

but did you notice the forecast for the winds... looking like tailwinds.

[BostonCalling]

Course found on Map My Run. Looks relatively flat. See you all there Sunday!

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/australia/geel...123760228591521

[KevinCassidy]

Good luck all and enjoy the day. Gee, I wish i could be doing this run again.

Presumably, Tiger Boy has been honing his steeplechase skills over the past 12 months.

ShufflingLea.....beware of strangers lurking behind you with diet coke bottles.


Also, beware of one Maureen Wilson. In the last month she has managed to lock her keys in the car, then blow up the engine in the said car, fall off her bike when stationery, put her wheels on backwards for a triathlon therefore rendering her computerised odometer useless, remove a flat tyre mid race then get confused as to which was the good and bad tyre before fitting the new one. God only knows what train wreck will occur on the BRT.

[PonderStibbons]

Good luck all and enjoy the day. Gee, I wish i could be doing this run again.

Presumably, Tiger Boy has been honing his steeplechase skills over the past 12 months.

ShufflingLea.....beware of strangers lurking behind you with diet coke bottles.


Also, beware of one Maureen Wilson. In the last month she has managed to lock her keys in the car, then blow up the engine in the said car, fall off her bike when stationery, put her wheels on backwards for a triathlon therefore rendering her computerised odometer useless, remove a flat tyre mid race then get confused as to which was the good and bad tyre before fitting the new one. God only knows what train wreck will occur on the BRT.

I am definitely looking forward to it. Just about to mix up my drinks for tomorrow and label everything. Hope everyone gets a good night sleep, because most of us will be up early to get there.

Cheers,
Ponder

[maryclaire]

Presumably, Tiger Boy has been honing his steeplechase skills over the past 12 months.

last week at The Basin group run, I spied TB jump a small hurdle at the end of the run and quietly assumed he was practicing for BRT this week. Given that this is now part of BRT/CR lore as it happened before my time, I thought it prudent not to make public note of his practice attempt.



This post has been edited by maryclaire: Aug 29 2009, 08:17 PM

[PonderStibbons]

I take my hat off to Brett and the "volunteers" he roped into helping put on one of the best organised training runs I have ever had the pleasure of attending. I had a great time and kept the 5 minute bus within sight for most of it, but decided to stride it out a little more for the last few km.

Many thanks to Mrs Ponder too who met me at each aid station with a smile and my drink & goo ready to go.

Breakfast was great too - I am truely inspiried by anyone who has attempted Comrades now, and it is now firmly on the 5 year plan.

[rohan]

now that raises the bar for fatass organization!

thanks for a great event brett, and all your helpers.
special thanks to wendy who gave a lift to a couple of us who arrived in qcliff on the ferry. she chauffered us to the start.

2;15;57, 33.62km @ 4;03/km courtesy of a tailwind.
finished 4th, after leading for 20km.
headed out at 4;00/km and was surprised that no-one was with me at that point, so there's at least a few people who negatively split that run.

sorry not to be able to say howdy at the start properly to a some people. was a little pre-occupied with getting the logistics done inside 10 minutes.

great weather for a run. cool temp. a bit of sun and a tailwind.
nice to see a new (to me) run location.

[PonderStibbons]

I started a photo album for today's event with a few photos.

BRT 2009

Cheers,
Ponder

[maryclaire]

Today was so well organised that there is really no faulting it whatsoever. And to add to the great organisation, I am also quite pleased with my run, given I've not run more than 23km all year, and that was 4 months ago.

It was soooo cold at the beginning - 6C according to my car. But once underway, I was grateful for the tailwind, and managed to just scrape in under 3hours. This is a good result for me and I am feeling quite proud of myself. There were some dark moments at the 30km mark but a bit of self-talk (HTFU) worked a treat.

Arrived home to a bombsite and probably spent more energy cleaning up after 7 kids than running 33km! Can't wait to hit the hay tonight.

[pbig]

Thanks again for a great event Brett and co, and especially for the tailwind . Enjoyed the brekky and the Comrades talk (thanks Digger) - 2011 is the plan! Many thought I was crazy to be only wearing a singlet at the start (5-6 degrees and biting wind), but after a few kms of running with the wind and the sun in our faces, I felt quite warm and had to remove the gloves - must have been hot for those in sleeves and layers . It felt cooler after half way when the sun went behind some clouds and the wind was blowing across us.

Faded badly over the last few kms to miss the opportunity of a sub 2:30 finish, but pretty happy with the time, finally (I think) bettering my first attempt of many years ago (mind you, I did run 38km the day before back then).

Bus logistics worked well but it made for an early start and a long trip all up - may consider taking the lead of another finisher I spoke to, and take the family for a (Sat) night stay in Queenscliff next year .

[GrizzlyBear]

What a day for a run - awesome!

Thanks to Brett and the team of volunteers and helpers. This was my first time running this and it didn't disappoint.

Great organisation, great scenery, great course and great company - what more could you ask for? Well great conditions and with a tail wind we got that as well.

I didn't have too high an expectation for the run. Basically I just wanted a solid hitout for Melbourne to hopefully give me some confidence that I was on track. My plan was to run at 5:30/km.

I thought I could run the course in about 3:10 and set out with that in mind. A good run for me was to be able to run the whole way and finish feeling like I had another 8km in me!

I started off a bit quick but managed to pull it back. Went through 5km in about 26:10 so a bit quick. The next 5km were inabout 27:40 so much better. So around 54 minutes for the 1st 10km.

Around this time I had started running with Peterpan. We didn't chat the whole way but it was good having someone there for company - thanks Ivan!

The next 10km were done in about 57 minutes I think. Our pace was good and we still hadn't passed any other runners although lots had past us. It felt like we must have spent some time running with the enrtire field! And everyone was so friendly!!

Got to the 25km mark and we still hadn't passed anyone. I could sense Peterpan was starting to struggle so I tried to keep talking to him. Hopefully it worked.

At around the 30km mark (in about 2:50 so a 10km split of 59 minutes I think) we passed our first runner. Peterpan dropped back and I felt strong so I went with the flow. Sorry to leave you Ivan.

I was craving some water for the last 2km but I was relieved to see the train station! I ended up crossing the finish line in around 3:12 although with crossing the road stops it was probably close to my 3:10 net time. Although I must admit I forgot to stop my watch at the end!

I also felt like I could have kept going so I was RAPT in that. Hopefully I have another 8km in me but we'll find out in 6 weeks.

There are so many positives on a day like this. Obviously there are the running related ones but here are some others:

Feeling of anticipation on the bus to Geelong,
Catching up with so many runners who have become friends,
The friendliness amongst runners on a day like this,
Volunteers who were amazing,
The encouragement from spectators,
Getting to spend time (albeit in the car) with my running buddy where we could just chat and not worry about anything other than each other's company.

For people considering doing this,I'd say definitley do it.

See you all soon

Dave

[runizzyrun]

What a great event!! A brilliantly organised run, and the weather was perfect! Thanks to Brett, and all the volunteers!

[HughB]

Brett,
This was my first BRT - it was brilliant !
I had set my sights on doing my first marathon this year (Melb Marathon, Oct) and this was just the run I needed to see if I was on track .... I hope I am not being too optimistic as I do recognise the effort to do the BRT today might have been quite different if the wind was coming from the opposite direction ....
The breakfast at Gustos was also most enjoyable - lovely to meet some fellow CoolRunners. The only problem with the breakfast is that like many people I suspect, I've now got a secret fantasy about running the Comrades..... !!
Again - many thanks to you and all the helpers you had.
Cheers,
HughB

[Grechy]

I agree with you all, it was a great day and thanks to Brett Coleman. I will definitely be back.

I ran a time just under 2.30 which I was happy with. Sadly I didnt get to meet too many of you before or after the race. If only we all knew what everyone looked like !!!

[Tiger Boy]

Thanks to Brett and his band of helpers. This event is getting bigger and bigger, but the organisation hasn't suffered through it.
Well done to everyone out there today.
Unfortunately my run didn't go quite to plan, a niggly ITB forced me to have a few short walk breaks from about 28km and I ended up running about 2.56. Not too bad considering, but nothing exceptional either.
Will probably be back next year, but have no ambitions of running Comrades. A standard length marathon is more than enough thank you very much.

[parklife]

A huge thank you to Brett and anyone who gave up their sunday to assist in the seamless running of today. It was my first BRT and I was mighty impressed. Will be booking a tailwind like that for all my runs from now on. Due to the wind, i ran a lot quicker than intended but kept things pretty relaxed. Started at 4.45 pace and gradually picked up to 4.30 pace and did the last 5k in 4.10 pace for a 2.31 overall time and felt pretty good at the end. I think today was the first run i have ever properly hydrated throughout, mainly by using bottles rather then sipping out of a small plastic cup on most races and i think it made a difference to how i felt. A lesson learnt. Feeling a bit more confident about MM now but wary that we had perfect conditions today.
Thanks again to all who assisted, much appreciated.


This post has been edited by parklife: Aug 30 2009, 08:40 PM

[peterpan]

Greetings all.
First of all, I will agree with everyone: for a fat-ass run, the support, organisation and commitment from everyone who volunteered was beyond anything I had expected.
So thank you, and well done!

From a personal perspective throughout the run: It wasn't the best.
Due to work commitments, a sick son and a sick girlfriend, my last run was a 23km run last Saturday which ended abruptly due to stomach cramps.
No idea where they've been coming from, but I started feeling them after about 15-18km and stayed with me for the rest of the run.
I did keep reassuring myself that it'd be okay .. That if I didn't run all week I would just go into the run with a fresh pair of legs..

Well, unfortunately, as the day would prove, it wasn't the case.
I had the intention of running 5min/k for the first 21km or so, and drop back to 5:30 thereafter.
So I took off thinking I was doing so, and feeling like I was really pushing it, but could handle the pace for at least a couple of hours .. Knowing that a: I would be dropping back the pace soon, and 2: the course would start going downhill soon.

I met Grizzly with whom I ran most of the course and was glad I did. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes when you run with someone.
From the 8km mark to 24km (the last drink station) the time just flew by. I was heading strong and felt like I could keep going for a while longer.
We walked through the last drink station where I had a gel, and when we got to around 26-27km I started feeling the stomach cramps again.
I think I stayed with him until 30km (not sure what time we crossed that).. And I started to drop back.

I had him in sight for a while; when he was around 20 meters in front I made an attempt to catch up. I think I pushed as hard as I could and could only shorten the distance to around 15 meters..
When he was around 50 meters in front, again, I pushed for as hard and long as I could, and only managed to maintain the pace that he was going.

No idea how I finished, but I know I didn't have another 8km in me.
Which, really, is a shame and somewhat un-monivating.

But certainly gives me a perspective of a: what to expect come October, and 2: That I should perhaps do a few more runs before then as there's still a month and a half to go.

Again, thanks to all, a big thank you to Grizzly who kept me in pace (I would have dropped way back had it not be for him), and I'll see you next time!

[rohan]

results are up. http://www.brtrun.com.au/reports_2009.html
dammit the alphabetical format puts me back a position.

[BostonCalling]

Well firstly thanks to Brett and all the volunteers for putting on a great run yesterday. It was my first, and I will be back. Also, great brekkie at Gusto, although I wasn't that hungry after having 20 snakes at the finish.

My plan was to head out conservatively and hopefully get to 27km around 5.00 km pace, then come home in sub 4.40 km pace over the last 6.5km. From about 13km, I had Tiger Boy's 5min bus in sight, but they were hard to catch. When I did at the 24km drinks station, I pushed on and was feeling pretty good, courtesy of the tailwind. As planned, I picked it up at the 27km mark and managed to stick to plan, which was a massive confidence booster for October.

Well done to everyone yesterday. Every runner I spoke to along the way was good natured and very supportive. Finally, to those that are worried about the tailwind giving them over-confidence for October, don't forget you will have the benefit of a taper and a huge cheer squad on the big day that will keep you going.

[MattO]

Add my thanks also!
Not much to add to the reports - had a very good run, just on 5 min k's and only a couple of niggles today.
Great organisation, super volunteers and a very friendly atmosphere.

...
Unfortunately my run didn't go quite to plan, a niggly ITB forced me to have a few short walk breaks from about 28km and I ended up running about 2.56. Not too bad considering, but nothing exceptional either....

Tiger Boy, thanks for the tow through to the last drink station, now I know what happened to you - I was in the orange top at the rear of the 'mini bus'. I kept on with Renee & Belinda to about the 30km marker then fell off the pace a little. The girls both finished strongly and couldn't talk you and your running mate up enough (sorry that I didn't catch his name). I was planning on getting involved in the chat in the last stage to help distract myself but didn't get the chance - will make sure I introduce myself early next time.

Again really enjoyed the day, fitness permitting I'll add the BRT to the Calendar every year.

[RunnerMick]

My first BRT - and such a great little event - Brett and everyone else involved have done a fantastic job. Big thanks.

Will definitely be back next year!

[PonderStibbons]

My plan was to head out conservatively and hopefully get to 27km around 5.00 km pace, then come home in sub 4.40 km pace over the last 6.5km. From about 13km, I had Tiger Boy's 5min bus in sight, but they were hard to catch. When I did at the 24km drinks station, I pushed on and was feeling pretty good, courtesy of the tailwind. As planned, I picked it up at the 27km mark and managed to stick to plan, which was a massive confidence booster for October.

I was keeping an eye out for you, but didn't notice you as you must have passed me somewhere near the 24km drinks station. Good to hear it went well.

The girls both finished strongly and couldn't talk you and your running mate up enough (sorry that I didn't catch his name).

Well done Matt. You are probably talking about Mark or Mark (The other Mark stuck with Tony much better than I did, but I was running with you and the girls for a few km after the 24km drink station as well as most of the first half). We didn't chat for long but it was still nice to meet you and the girls.

[luckyguy]

...........Arrived home to a bombsite and probably spent more energy cleaning up after 7 kids than running 33km! Can't wait to hit the hay tonight.

When I read this MC I had a bit of a chuckle to myself, as unlike you, I came home to home cooked pizza and cookies and a welcoming wife.

Echoing others here, I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to run this trail again. The day was fantastic due to the brilliant organisation and efforts of Brett and his cheerful volunteers. A big thank you.

My day was planned for a moderate hit out and happy to have achieved that. With a sensible taper and race plan I should achieve my MM goals this year.

Nice to catch up with CR friends and chat to some new faces.

I'm sorry I couldn't hang around after the run but I had a game of footy I was keen to watch.

Cheers, Michael.

[courtlylove]

I'd be interested to know how you all found the surface to run on. I did this one last year and most of it was fine gravel. I believe the Geelong City Council paved it all the way.

Any comments?

CL

[rohan]

I'd be interested to know how you all found the surface to run on. I did this one last year and most of it was fine gravel. I believe the Geelong City Council paved it all the way.

Any comments?

CL

paved sections with asphalt, but less than a quarter? of total length.

[chilliman]

paved sections with asphalt, but less than a quarter? of total length.

That's great to hear, was worried that it was the whole way.

Thanks for the reports guys and girls, and well run all !


Edit: And DianeE what happened to the planned slow pace ? Coach won't be happy.


This post has been edited by chilliman: Aug 31 2009, 03:29 PM

[peterpan]

Well, according to the results I finished at 3:16.
Considering the events of the day, the way I felt, and knowing that with a little more preparation I could have done better, I couldn't be happier.
I had thought I finished anywhere between 3:30-3:50.

I think I can definitely improve on 3:16 and work toward my marathon goal!

This post has been edited by peterpan: Sep 1 2009, 07:11 AM

[courtlylove]

Thanks Rohan - good to hear as I plan to do this one again next year.

CL

[pbig]

This has got me wondering, from Brett's run report......

Look out for the run in 2010 where we will be back bigger & better than ever with a brand new course.

... just hope it's not in the reverse direction!

[Digger]

I just got back, there is nothing like a 4 day week end in Antarctica.(Well thats what it felt like to me), and this morning the wind at Queenscliffe this morning(Monday) actually appeared stronger.


To Brett and his crew, well done, I think the only thing which needs attention is the Drysdale Road Crossing, but we spoke about this, a solution will befound to make it faster/safer.

To those who liked my video's at Brunch, thank you.

To those who had never heard or understood Comrades, and now want to go, I accept no responsiblty if you turn out like me.

To the CR(Sorry I didn't get his name), who with his partner sat at the table where I had to set up the projector(and hence had to move), Sorry. I didn't get a chance to apologise properly, as it was all a bit frantic, but next time you see me, remind me of how rude I might have appeared , and I'll buy both of you a drink. (I sometimes forget the nicities of life when things have to be done.)

[BostonCalling]

Further to my earlier thread, I would like to add that I thought it disappointing the amount of water bottles strewn along the trail, as some runners couldn't be bothered using the supplied bins. This is a Fat Ass event, and as such the littering is not called for. Who was going to pick the bottles up?

Also, no disrespect Rohan. Well done on your time, but is the finishing place really critical in this run? It is meant to be a training run, not a race.

Sorry maybe I am a bit grumpy this afternoon.

[rohan]

Also, no disrespect Rohan. Well done on your time, but is the finishing place really critical in this run? It is meant to be a training run, not a race.

it's not critical, but we all like our little successes.
some people even like to make a long signature out of them.

as for run/race,... whatever.

This post has been edited by rohan: Aug 31 2009, 06:25 PM

[BostonCalling]

Sorry Rohan. I was grumpy earlier this afternoon. If coming fourth meant a lot to you, I wholeheartedly congratulate on your achievement, which I must add was a really good time. Just because I treated it as a training run, doesn't mean everyone else has to.

[maryclaire]

I was also concerned about the littering - thinking at one point where there were bottles left near houses, the residents might ark up and possibly put future events in jeopardy. For this reason, I stopped at drink stations to drink and dispose of my bottle figuring that the extra time on my results would just have to be borne as part of the privilege of taking part of the event. Having said that, I might have acted differently if I was running anywhere near the front!

As for Rohans' comments about alphabetical order throwing out his placement by 1 notch - I just read that as tongue-in-cheek. I think if you can run that fast, you've earned the right to insist on bragging rights.

Edit: to correct misspelling of "jeopardy" - I was going to also edit out sounding like such a tool about the littering but figure I probably am a tool, so left it in there

This post has been edited by maryclaire: Aug 31 2009, 07:22 PM

[peterpan]

To the CR(Sorry I didn't get his name), who with his partner sat at the table where I had to set up the projector(and hence had to move), Sorry. I didn't get a chance to apologise properly, as it was all a bit frantic, but next time you see me, remind me of how rude I might have appeared , and I'll buy both of you a drink. (I sometimes forget the nicities of life when things have to be done.)

Alas, the CR and partner whom you so rudely kicked out from the table (which, by the way, was clearly labled 'reserved'.. oops!) were my partner and I.

May I just point out.. When we got to the cafe and I pointed my girlfriend to the direction of the table.. She said.. 'No, we can't sit there.. It has a reserved sign!'
To which I replied.. 'Well..... Surely it must mean it's reserved for us.....'

Perhaps a little presumptuous in my behalf. It's obvious that I'm not as yet so well known in these parts of the world.

So no need to apologise..... Though surely next time our paths should cross I will certainly remind you of your promises to buy us a drink.

[BDC]

Well done to all who ran on Sunday & thanks for coming down to support the run. All up somewhere between 145 & 150 runners which is a great turn out especially when the weather forecast said something about thunderstorms & lots of wind! Report, results, photos, etc on the website.

Rubbish - must clarify a little! It is important obviously that we leave the course clean. My brother was responsible for the photos but also had the tricky job of trying to keep ahead at the 16km & 24km drink stations to put the bins out up the track as he was on his bike. The speed of the runners (thanks tailwind) upset the process & he was a little late at 16k & very late at 24k. At the latter, I started a little pile on the side of the track (as there were only a few runners ahead) when I realised the bin was not out. I hoped others would drop their supplies in the same spot & my brother would ride with the bin til he found it. Not sure exactly whether that worked. One other helper had the job of sweeper at the back of the field and made sure that all rubbish & signs were picked up - so the course was clean at the end. I must congratulate the 2 runners I saw ahead of me at that point who actually held onto their bottles until the end 10kms later!

Thanks to Digger again for his presentation at Gusto Cafe. Well done to Rohan on finishing 4th!! I will clarify the course change for 2010 very soon!

Cheers, Brett Coleman

[nicstaar]

Another huge thank you to Brett and all the friendly volunteers who helped make this a great day out.

From the bus trip, road marshalls, drink stations, jelly babies at 24km's, to the snakes & drinks at the finish - everything was so well organised. The breakfast and presentation at the end were the icing on the cake. It's hard to believe this is a fat ass event when you can pay big dollars to enter events that are nowhere near as well organised as this one. It was definitely worth getting up at 4.15am to travel down for.

The course itself was terrific as were the friendly runners I met before, during and after the run.

Thanks also to the weather Gods who provided us with a lovely little tailwind for much of the course. Sorry Digger for the 'Antarctic-like' conditions. Loved your presentation by the way.

Congrats to everyone who achieved whatever goals they had set for themselves yesterday. And for those that may not have had everything go according to plan, there's still 6 weeks to go before Melb mara if that's your main goal.

I'll definitely be putting this one down on the calendar for next year.

See you all in Melbourne - happy training until then.

[BDC]

Change of Course:
All has been revealed in terms of the new course and is accessible from the link on the homepage - I'm excited already!

[chilliman]

Change of Course:
All has been revealed in terms of the new course and is accessible from the link on the homepage - I'm excited already!

Nice work Brett, I like it.

[BostonCalling]

Change of Course:
All has been revealed in terms of the new course and is accessible from the link on the homepage - I'm excited already!

Good idea Brett, but could I perhaps suggest medals for the top 4.......or 5 finishers?

[Digger]

Brett,

Just read you 2010 proposal, and it looks great.

My only suggestions would be to consider running the 1st 3km on the roads, as the rail crossing at about the 600metre mark will become a traffic jam with 200 runners, and the track is a little bit narrow for a mass start.

Can Cafe Gusto cope with increased numbers?

Are there enough toilets at the start?, or will the start/finish be better at an oval/waterfront park etc

[EatEm]

I had a plan and managed to stick to it .....just

Ran with TigerBoy and we just wanted 5min kms ....
Had plenty of company and better still - some of these people were wearing Garmins ...

TB & I walked thru the 24 km drink stop as I needed to down a gel .. left the others to continue on.
TB did his own thing later on and I finished in abount 2.53.xx including stops - so that was okay.
To the people that used this as a training run for Melbourne - all the best.

Also a great run from Duckgirl, running a 28 min pb .... backing up after a very tough day on the Saturday riding 110kms in wind & rain - a fantastic effort ....

[PonderStibbons]

To those who had never heard or understood Comrades, and now want to go, I accept no responsiblty if you turn out like me.

I was in the category of having heard of Comrades, but did not understand it, and thanks to you I now want to go. Luckily Mrs Ponder was there so at least she also understands and she knows a couple of people who completed it, and a couple of people from South Africa that she has spoken with since the weekend who also confirmed the status of the race. I am holding you accountable for all inspiration conveyed

Rubbish - must clarify a little! It is important obviously that we leave the course clean. My brother was responsible for the photos but also had the tricky job of trying to keep ahead at the 16km & 24km drink stations to put the bins out up the track as he was on his bike. The speed of the runners (thanks tailwind) upset the process & he was a little late at 16k & very late at 24k. At the latter, I started a little pile on the side of the track (as there were only a few runners ahead) when I realised the bin was not out.

I did use each bin provided but couldn't see one after the 24k aid station, so when there was a neat pile next to the 25k sign I added to it thinking that someone would be along to get the sign. The whole aid station and bin situation should be easier with the new coarse. Thank you again for doing such a great job this year and commiting to do it again next year. We really can't stress enough how you have done a better job than half the paid races we have been part of.

Ran with TigerBoy and we just wanted 5min kms ....
Had plenty of company and better still - some of these people were wearing Garmins ...

It was good to catch up on the TB bus and be one of those people offering GPS approximations. Good luck with the 100K run in October

[EatEm]

Brett ... fully understand the reasons for the course change in 2010 ....

Having run this event for the last 5 years I can attest to the growth in numbers ....

Just one comment - just for the sake of it ... is the run getting a bit far removed from the "FatAss" concept ?
I know that it has always been your intention and desire to offer a level of support to runners .....
And yes - a runner can always decide to 'do it on their own' and not use the support provided .... it is just a thought
(But keep the jelly snakes at the end .... )

Ponder - thanks - Iwill let you know how it all goes ....

[BDC]

Thanks for all the fantastic feedback here & on email. It is appreciated by myself, the volunteers & all the sponsors. A 3min Youtube clip of the event is finally up after a few teething problems with uploading.

In terms of the new course, Digger you raise some valid points. I think the toilets will be fine if you know where they are! I will have to look at the start. If there is any easy way around that crossing at the start I will use it but I doubt that I will be looking at running down roads as that almost certainly brings in some major traffic management headaches. That narrow section is still further away than the first set of barriers you need to weave through on the old course anyway & it just reinforces that it is a training run!

Thanks BostonCalling for your thoughts. If I stick to medals for just the first 3 I should be fine!

Eat 'Em, yes the run is far from a traditional FatAss run but it's origins lie there. I might look at ditching that link though for next year if I remember as it may take away from true Fat Ass runs & set unrealistic expectations for them.

Cheers, Brett

[laotze]

What a pleasure to be back running relatively injury free. not fit yet, but on the way.

What a pleasure to see so many Coolrunners, especially those who recognised and greeted me warmly after the eternity I've been on that lonesome road to recovery. I hope you all ran well. Aside from dianeE and eatem at the start, and TB my apologies tto those I didn't see or recognise, including Rohan up the front. Maryclaire that must have been you who passed me just coming into the station.

What a pleasure to run the BRT once more (and not turn around and run back again).

What a pleasure to be able to run a reasonable time (for me).

What a pleasure to have such a well organised 'Fatass' run. Brett and helpers congratulations. And I also was concerned about discarded bottles, but I was slow enough to see the person (who must have been Brett's brother) on a bike picking up those visible ones aong the way.

Whilst I like one way runs very much, I understand the change for next year, not that crossing the road was a problem for me, and in fact I caught TB's pace group as they waited, but then let them go as I changed the water at the station.

Now next year, I reckon I could start at Drysdale, run to Queenscliff for the start then do the out and back, making just over 50. Aaah how quickly a good run leads to hubris!

[BostonCalling]

I was keeping an eye out for you, but didn't notice you as you must have passed me somewhere near the 24km drinks station. Good to hear it went well.

Hi Ponder, just realised I did pass you (after seeing your updated Avatar) and we had a brief conversation about how your body was struggling because you have a desk job. I was wearing a GC Marathon white cap and red shirt. Sorry I didn't recognise you through my buggered haze. I am actually in the photo taken by your wife at 24km, between Tiger Boy and yourself.