2007 Australian Mountain Running Championships - Report by Mark Bourne
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After a stupid last-minute decision to try a different route out of Canberra and getting stuck in the backstreets of Gungahlin, the adrenalin was already running a little high with not much time to spare before registration closed. I didn't really need the adrenalin to be pumped up another level…
Stopping at the turn off to the event parking area on Majura Road to wait for three cars coming the other way, I got a bit of a shock looking at the rear vision mirror. A P-plater was coming up behind at quiet a speed and didn't seem to be moving out of the lane to the verge to pass. Suddenly, they realised I had stopped and quickly braked, locking up the wheels, and started to slide at an angle behind us. I said a couple of words (which I'm sure wouldn't be suitable to air on this forum J), and moved the car as much as I could towards the centre as there were cars coming the other way. My friend in the rear seat turned around to see a car sliding sideways behind us. Then, the P-plater did a pretty good job of straightening the car up just as they went around us (within 50cm) and then overcorrecting back towards the other lane (and cars) before straightening the car up again and slowly driving off. So that was enough warm up for me! I should have started the race then and there.
Anyway, some quick points on the race. I was pretty happy with how it went over all. I felt like I was going fairly conservatively on the first lap but was not that far behind Scotty and Stephen Brown, so it wasn’t a surprise that my splits showed the 2nd and 3rd laps being over a minute slower than the first. I felt like I had had it at the start of the 3! rd lap, but after the first steep section and the brief section of flat running, my legs seem to warm to hill again. The first downhill was good, but the 2nd two really hurt with my big toes getting quite sore from hitting the end of the shoes, something I’ll have to sort out for next time.
I will also add my thanks to John Harding, the helpers at the event and the spectators.
Mark Bourne
