Victorian 24hr Track Championship - Coburg

8-9 May 1999

My training had been consistent during the year. Not a great deal of milege but I was averaging about 80km a week and and had some more morale boosting placings in local walking events. The aim for the race was to walk 100 miles and we had it planned to walk the same speed all the way!

This race was also to be the first one that my six year old daughter was going to be present for the whole journey. "Now Laura. If you see Daddy hurting during the race don't worry I will get better". Get the picture! We were hoping that she would be able to sign up as part of the Coburg Little athletics team for the relay which would provide her with some distraction for the period!

After the usual expenses spent on the Essam Car, the trip over to Melbourne was very uneventful except for the high number of roadblocks, oops I mean roadworks between Adelaide and Melbourne. I was beginnning to think that the roadworks were set up to deter Adelaide football fans from making the trip across to Melbourne. A friend of mine, Joe Wassenberg was also to make the trip over to assist with crewing for the weekend. Joe was the guy who put up the prizes for the 12 hr race that I put on last year.

We arrived in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon and after having our usual discussion on the merits of Melways as an atlas of any repute we eventually found our way to the Erickson family in Pascoe Vale who were going to be our great hosts for the next four days. Tim has been been a great source of information and help for me since my switch to racewalking and was more than happy to impart more knowledge during the next four days.

Friday was relatively quiet as we set the tent up at the track and did some last minute shopping at the local shopping centre. It was good to see that the field had grown to forteen which included a couple of fresh faces and the usual diehards of the sport. We got back to the Erickson's on Friday afternoon and Merv Lockyer had arrived for the weekend. I had been in the same race as Merv a couple,of years ago. He didnt remember me, but we were soon getting on. Merv was also more than willing to share his wealth of knowledge with the young student.

Saturday morning dawned and I was soon at the track catching up with my fellow competitors. The field included: Yiannis Kouros - the story going around the track was that he was only doing 12 hours, Helen Stangar - publicily made her intentions clear that she was only doing 100 miles, Cliff Young - who could beat Cliff's two thousand km warm up jog a couple of months previous, John Timms - has been rumoured that John would give the Dogs at Belmont Park a run for their money on a Saturday night, Peter Gray - who will still be running around every Ultra possible in another twenty years, Andrew Lucas - The Tassie Tiger or Terror! - Do you like that Andrew?, Michael Grayling - Top Victorian Ultra runner who was to display his love of certain nightwear in the small hours of the morning, Merv Lockyer - experienced Centurion and heart of gold, Tim Erickson - Racewalking legend - in this for a 40km run, Shayne Whalthers and Victor Hassell - Both in their first 24hr - Good to see new faces in the race, Phil Essam - First time Ultra walker , loves promoting the ultra sport and all round nice guy! Jerry Zukowski - Running at Coburg for first time - Very contented runner who loves running and has done 100 miles on the same day that Kouros broke the 300km. Isak Ketsakidis - Much read about him!

I also met up with an old friend in Bev Car before the race. Bev had recently had hip replacement surgery and was only just walking again. During the ensuing 24 hours whenever I was to think of Bev she would appear within the next five minutes. Wonderful lady - I would love it if we were to become Centurions on the same day

Laura was to meet up with her fellow Little Athletics relay team members before the start of the race and was very quickly made to feel at home. She was elected to run the first two laps of the race and was soon lined up at the starting line with the other two relay runners and the Ultra competitors.

The gun went off and we were soon on our way. I was followed around the first two laps by a determined Laura. The crowd , including my wife were trying to encourage her to go past me, but she wouldn't. What a good girl! I was walking well and ended up with 19 laps under my belt for the first hour. This was way ahead of my projected schedule - but was feeling good so kept it going.

The second and third hours went by and I had another 38 laps on the board. My crew seemed happy, I was happy and I was feeling good about the 100 miles. It was an overcast afternoon and just slightly on the chilly side. At least it was better than last year's weather.

The first withdrawel happened about 4.30pm when Helen Stangar withdrew with a hamstring injury. She was being very sensible in not pushing it and risking making it worse. Helen is a great Australian champion who always has a good word for everyone on the track. I hope I'm there to see her run some more good races in the next few years. What a pity the Adelaide 24hr isn't on a good track! She also has a great friend and crew member in Bill Hick( Chicken Legs - Belinda made me type that Bill! ) who is a great character of the sport.

Nightfall was soon upon us and by then I had walked with most of the competitors in the field. One runner who was running a very sensible race was Victor Hassell from the ACT. It was his first 24hr and he was plodding along at a very comfortable 7kms an hour. I nicknamed him the "Phantom" after a while, as you would only know that he was there because of his shadow lurking in the background.

It was about eight o clock that night when I paid the price for my execellant start and the wheels started to fall off. It was then that Belinda and I worked out that 100 miles was out of reach today and 100km was the next aim. I kept trudging on and the clock kept ticking. Andrew Lucas was in second place at this stage and waiting for Kouros's expected retirement at the 12 hour mark. As to be expected, Kouros was in the lead but it was nothing special and he looked a shadow of his former self compared with two years ago at Kensington.

By midnight I had 72.4km on the board and it was a new PB. I had walked 72km in a 12 hour period at the Prison two months early. Every step now was unchartered territory in my new walking career. It was at this point that I went in to see Michael in the Massage area. It was definitely a better experience than my break two years ago at Coburg. Great man with a Midas touch!

I was soon back on the track and plodding around. My slowest lap was ten minutes which was a definite improvement on a couple of years ago. Kouros was still running around which once again was going to leave the rest of the field to fight out the minor placings. Merv Lockyer was walking well and it was a great inspiration to see him walking so upright and at a constant pace. Jerry Zukowski was comfortably heading for his 100 miles, Cliff Young was shuffling along at his usual pace and Michael Grayling appeared in his pyjamas( which was an excellant idea to combat the cold of the night) .

I had my usual three -four lap surges during the night which was proof that I am slowly getting better at this Ultra business. By six o clock in the morning I had ninety kilometres to my name and Merv Lockyer had brought up his hundred and headed home for bed. This gave me the motivation to keep going and get past Merv's 100! I was to eventually reach my 100 km by eight thirty in the morning and was over the moon.

The race was developing into a very interesting situation over the last few hours with twenty kilometres seperating second to fifth. Jerry Zukowski was in second and Andrew Lucas, Michael Grayling, Cliff Young and Peter Gray weren't very behind him. I was probably guilty of throwing my support behind a couple of them over the last few hours. It was good fun and it gave me some reason to work harder for a while.

It was about ten o clock in the morning when my Laverton e-mail friend, Brian Hamer arrived at the track and was too walk a couple of laps with me during the last couple of hours. Brian has ambitions to complete the Centurion target in the next couple of years. The clock continued to count down and it was with ten minutes to go that I went for another surge and completed another two and three quarter laps. The gun went off and I fell into the arms of my great crew, Belinda and Joe. Once again I cried tears of joy and relief. I had completed 111.13km, which was 8kms further than my first run/walk Ultra two years previously. Good news for the future.

Yiannis Kouros ended up winning the race with 250km, Jerry Zukowski finished second with 170 plus kms and Michael Grayling ended up finishing third. Cliff Young also ran 151km which will probably be a new 75plus age group record. Definitely the inspiring run of the race!

The presentations were underway much quicker than last year. My daughter was called up to draw the raffle - she definitely left her influence on the Club. I ended up winning the walkers trophy for the event. I did win it by default with Mery going off after finishing his 100km , but it was still a great confidence booster. I guess I will have to pencil this event in once again next year as I will have to defend my trophy! All in all it was a great event. I hope Coburg can attract some more relay teams from outside the Club next year. Thanks to everyone, most of all my wife and my new Walking family( Tim, Merv and Bev), who continue to help and inspire me with my efforts. Now where's that Greek language dictionary!

Phil Essam
Adelaide 
Australia