18 replies to this topic

[Capitaltocoast]

We are holding a staged running event from Canberra to Nowra over the mid August weekend this year. It will be under the auspices of Nowra Athletics Club  -  details are on www.capitaltocoast.com.au . We would appreciate any comments that runners may like to pass on via the forum about such a staged running format.

Edited by Capitaltocoast, 20 April 2012 - 10:28 AM.

[PinkSkirt]

Actually, since you're asking, I've tried to sign up, but I can't find an option for Individual with bus. The one that's there is actually for a team of 3 and your only option is to select 0 or 3. I assume there is some way individuals can ride the bus, too, isn't there?

Looks like a great event, and I'm excited to participate in the inaugural year!

[Capitaltocoast]

Hi Pink Skirt, We've fixed that, you can now tick the bus option till the cows come home!
We have several runners from Nowra who are keen to match strides with you.
Hope to see you there.

Cheers
Bob Red (race director)

[Jogger]

good luck - its a great concept.

(but please don't post multiple topics in multiple forums - just the one please - appreciate its hard to work out whether to put in ACT or NSW or Ultra etc)

[Capitaltocoast]

Keeping score in the Capital to Coast:
Runners standings will be notified each day and will be based on "elapsed times".  
Stages 1 to 6 on Saturday and Sunday will all be mass starts (non handicapped).  
The Canberra 9km prologue (start time 5.00 PM Friday August 17th) will be in an aged/gender staggered start handicap format.  
Note: for our event "elapsed times" for all entrants in the individual event will start from when the first runner (ie: the oldest) starts on the prologue.  
This could mean that the older/faster runners may be the leaders in their respective catagories in the individual event going into Stage 1!
Bob Redenbach - Race Director

[ninjette]

Capitaltocoast, on 20 April 2012 - 10:24 AM, said:

We are holding a staged running event from Canberra to Nowra over the mid August weekend this year. It will be under the auspices of Nowra Athletics Club  -  details are on www.capitaltocoast.com.au . We would appreciate any comments that runners may like to pass on via the forum about such a staged running format.

I think it's a great idea to hold a staged event like this, as it's a way for beginner distance runners like me to be able to get a sense of what it feels like to run 100km.

I have looked at this again and again on the website with a question mark in my mind, but I don't think I'm ready to sign up this year; not enough kms in the legs this year, and just starting to feel comfortable with backing up long runs on consecutive days. Also, at the pace I run, I feel I would be running just ahead of the cut-off for many of these stages, which would be a stressful way to spend two days.

But if this is on again next year, I think it could be the thing for me.

Or if there is anyone out there interested in sharing this as a 2-person relay this year, please let me know!!

[Capitaltocoast]

Hi Ninjette, thanks for your positive comments. We hope that you get one or two team mates to come down and try out our event.
As mentioned on our website we calculate that we can allow for a ten minute grace period past the stage cut off time (aprox 7 min/km) and still get those runners to the next stage start points in reasonable time.
One of our event marshalls will stay back with anyone who may have a problem with the cut off times - we're not gunna leave anyone marooned on top of Monga Mountain!
A footrace thought it may be, our main aim is to have everyone safely and enjoyably complete the course.
Cheers
Bob Red - race director

[ninjette]

Capitaltocoast, on 09 June 2012 - 10:26 AM, said:

Hi Ninjette, thanks for your positive comments. We hope that you get one or two team mates to come down and try out our event.
As mentioned on our website we calculate that we can allow for a ten minute grace period past the stage cut off time (aprox 7 min/km) and still get those runners to the next stage start points in reasonable time.
One of our event marshalls will stay back with anyone who may have a problem with the cut off times - we're not gunna leave anyone marooned on top of Monga Mountain!
A footrace thought it may be, our main aim is to have everyone safely and enjoyably complete the course.
Cheers
Bob Red - race director

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the reply. I really will think seriously about this for next year.

I think your write-ups for each stage on the website are great--very descriptive!--and the maps are good too, but what would really help in getting an idea of whether I could do this or not would be an elevation profile for each stage.

Would there be any chance of posting one of these for each stage on next year's website?

Cheers, Ninjette

[Capitaltocoast]

Hi runners, you can now see stage profiles for each stage of the Capital to Coast on our website (capitaltocoast.com.au)
Happy training!

Bob Red - Race Director

[ninjette]

Capitaltocoast, on 16 June 2012 - 03:23 PM, said:

Hi runners, you can now see stage profiles for each stage of the Capital to Coast on our website (capitaltocoast.com.au)
Happy training!

Bob Red - Race Director

Thanks Bob,

That's really useful information. A couple of scary stages in there! Now I have a better idea of what I would be in for I can start to think about next year's race and train for it!

[Capitaltocoast]

Glad that you liked the course profiles.All that talk about "next year"makes me wanna weep,but I appreciate that runners have to plan their own programmes.And by the way,whilst the 950m summit on mt.monga may appear a tad intimidating,if you click onto the stage 2 profile for a larger view,you'll see that that stage starts at 700m elevation.
Thanks Cool Running for your help with our run-stoked with the 600+views!
Bob Red-race director

[Corriander]

My husband and I are looking forward to conquering Mt Monga, we have been doing hill training and hoping that will get us through! Looking forward to the scenic running routes and competing in such a unique event!

[Capitaltocoast]

Just one week left to enter for the first staged running event from Canberra to Nowra via the coast during the weekend  from 17th to 19th August-entries closing July17-look forward to seeing you there!
Bob Red Race Director

[PinkSkirt]

Anyone driving down from Sydney?

How many individual entrants are expected? How many teams?

Looking forward to this - it'll be a challenge to get the pacing and nutrition right for this event and it'll also be a challenge to get the logistics right! Pretty complicated setup, but I have my fingers crossed that it's going to work!

[Lizzyb]

Any chance of a bus being hired to transport Canberra runners back to Canberra from Nowra on the Sunday night? Happy to pay reasonable cost. There are no hire car or commercial bus or train options. This will be the "make or break" issue for many Canberra participants methinks.

[Capitaltocoast]

The Capital to Coast is getting close now with only 22 days until the adventure begins!
There is still time to enter with 5 days left before entries close. Enter today and be part of the very first Capital to Coast!
Bob Red - Race Director

[Lorax]

Just back from catching the last two stages of the Capital to Coast...

I can say without reservation that I have never seen a better organised event.

Keep in mind that this party started Friday evening (in the snow) in Canberra and ended - after six stages and 100km - yesterday afternoon at the Nowra showgrounds (in glorious sunshine).  The finish made me think of Comrades as the runners made their way into the oval and did a victory lap before crossing the finish line.

The course markings were accurate and simply made it impossible to get lost; there were more volunteers than blades of grass; each finish area had a warm kettle, cold water and fresh fruit; and there was a porta loo on a trailer that went from stage to stage!


I'm sure that PinkSkirt will post something from her perspective as a runner but I just wanted to congratulate the entire Capital to Coast team for turning a great idea into a top rate event.

[PinkSkirt]

Awesome event, guys. This was one classy act. As an inaugural year with serious logistics to consider, I didn't have any expectations for this race, to be honest. But I didn't know the race director. He was a FORCE. Everything was perfect. The locations were stunning and so varied. The distances were ideal. The timing was exact. The bus was where it was supposed to be every single time. I just can't think of a single thing that could have been done better.

For other runners considering doing this, here's my main conclusion at the end of my first 100km staged footrace: much harder to get through a 3-day, 7-stage event than just doing it all at once. I found that as an experienced ultra runner, I am much more comfortable warming up  and then just running all day. Doing the start-stop-drive-stretch-start-stop-drive-stretch-later-rinse-repeat was very hard on my poor old body. That said, my overall time was slightly better than it was for my last 100km nonstop race (by about 30 mintues) and my legs feel absolutely fine today, less than 24 hours after I finished the race.

Would I do it again? Definitely. It was one of the best race weekends I've ever had. I made heaps of new friends and loved every minute of the adventure.

Huge kudos to the Race Director - it's not easy to convince people to try a new format, especially at this distance. This is a race that deserves to continue and grow for years to come. It's sure to be as popular as Coast to Kosci one day.

Thank you to everyone who made it possible.

[Long Arms]

well done on being first female Pink Skirt!

The only comparable running format I can think of in Australian running history is the now extinct Great Otway Classic which was around in the 1980s and early 1990s (may have gone back further in time than that). However the Otways Classic was  a relay race for 7 teams of 7 and each runner averaged around 6 or 7 relay legs and time trials over the weekend; plus one race on Friday. Most runners would have covered between 50km and 75km, so not as much as in the Capital to Coast. They did run very fast. The top runners like Mal Norwood and Monners used to averaged around 3.00 per km on each of their legs. Many of the legs were over the mountainous Otways roads. The 49 runners were chosen from around Australia with several from overseas, with many in the field each year being sub 30minute 10km runners and just about every runner being in sub 32.00 shape. Every leg was filmed and shown on TV and stories were shown in major Victorian newspapers after each day as well. Teams were sponsored by major corporations.

Edited by Long Arms, 21 August 2012 - 07:48 PM.