AUSTON CONQUERS TARAWERA, SECURES SECOND FEMALE

Contributed by Stephanie Auston, 2nd Place Female at the 2019 Tarawera Ultra 102kms

In November 2018 I had started back with some consistent running after a stress fracture and I got the opportunity to pace my friend Lou Clifton in her 100mile run.

Doing the final 56km with her I was so inspired to go long; I had nothing to lose and thought it was a great way to prove to myself I was back and my body and mind was strong again.

So Tarawera it was.

I knew it was a runnable course so suited me; it was close by location and it was a stacked line up with Courtney Dauwalter, Amanda Basham and Cecilia Floria to name a few.

I had heard magical things about the trail too, through the forest and lots of single track, that the aid station had themes, that there was the Haka at the start…plus it was before the 6 Foot Track (a good lead in) and I could use Two Bays as a training run – perfect.

My training had gone pretty well despite my best efforts to hurt myself. The day before Two Bays I had fallen off my mountain bike and hurt my ribs – not broken but so sore and the Two Bays run had been in extricating back and rib pain.

It had gotten better over two weeks but then the Sunday before Tarawera, after swearing I would be careful and not do anything silly on my bike in taper week, I rode a new trail and went over the handle bars, ending up with two stitches and a glued arm.

But thank goodness it was only my arm.

Aside from a sore hip, my legs were functioning and by Thursday I was pretty good. I could run with stitches! I had also managed to get a killer cough in the week before but I was okay, I just sounded bad. My flight had then been cancelled the night before we were meant to fly, but thankfully it could be changed.

With all these bumps though I stayed positive throughout and was proud how I had remained so calm despite the little hiccups. Nevertheless, I was relieved once I got to New Zealand.

Mum and I got to NZ on the Thursday and we picked up our camper to have two days exploring the course.

On race morning, it was a 4:35am wake up in our free camp site 1km from the start. I made a cuppa, had breakfast, got changed and walked to the start with mum. A quick photo and hug with mum before I lined up one row back. It was still very dark and I was initially regretting not taking a headlamp, but we started with the Haka which was cool and gave so much energy.

Next minute it was go time and we start running through the fields before we hit the trails after 4km. I had to be sensible though – everyone told me don’t go out too fast or I’d cook myself for the end, so I just ran very comfortably and went through the 10km mark in third place.

I had let Cecelia and Courtney go, I could see them up the road, but thought to run with them would be a sure way to blow up and have a bad experience. The other advice I stuck by was to eat as much as possible early when I felt good (thanks Lou!), so I settled and the kilometres just rolled by. I ran alone, then with people (Joe and Andy) through the open forest and all of a sudden two hours/25km were done.

At 35km, I ran past the waterfalls which me and mum had visited earlier and got to the outlet checkpoint and was told I was eight mins down (which I thought was good) before we got on to more navigation-focused trail with a fella named Kyle sticking to me like glue. I ran comfortably and lightly through the forest track; it remind me a lot of the Kokoda Trail and I had to concentrate on my footing and going the right way.

I still felt good and I was running, looking forward to seeing my mum at the 58km checkpoint. I’d worked out by now that my watch had been out too, perhaps by 5kms, and it was like super positive splits making me feel like I was running faster. I passed Cecilia who was walk-running and said she had hurt her leg but was okay. This was a mental boost as I was now second!

At 58km (or 65km according to my watch), I turned up at the aid spot me and mum had visited the day before, it was the one before the big climb (it was called Everest base camp which I thought was funny before the big hill).

Mum was there and I filled my water bottles and grabbed more sandwiches.

I had felt good but it was hot and I knew the real race started here. I said bye to mum and started up the hill.

I ran the next part alone, and I was good up the first hill and the first bit of the main climb until about 1km from the top where it really kicked up, and I started to feel sick. I kept thinking about moving forward, and hiked a bit until it was runnable, and even though I felt yuck I started to jog and after a few minutes I felt better.

There was 14km between checkpoints here, and it was the longest part of the race for me – it was hot, I was alone, and it just seemed to go on, but I finally reached the aid station and felt so relieved with the team there sponging me cool.

It was time for the downhill, and I just thought about the next aid station and seeing my mum again. It was quite warm by now, so I kept my fluids up and tried to stride out (to use other muscles). After zig zagging streets, we popped out at blue lake and I realised I was only 5km to the checkpoint, and I had started to pass 50km runners.

I ran the next bit fairly strongly (no stacks either so far which I had been proud of) and was relieved to pop out at the horror checkpoint with 14km to go.It was hot, and I filled my bottle, and asked mum how far the girl was behind – she said ages, and that Courtney had been through maybe 15mins earlier. It was positive to me and I ran out of the aid station, I was getting close.

For the next 5km I ran strong, but hit the wall again with some uphills and stairs before we dropped into the final aid spot.

I was starting to feel sick again with 2km to go, so I slowed a lot, but I could see the event centre getting closer. I was finally on the final stretch and they were saying my name. I smiled a lot here, and was so relieved to cross the line in 9:49:22 overall and second woman.

Only 21 minutes behind first placer Courtney Dauwalter (9:28:03).

I got my medal and sat down for an interview and mum came over for a big hug. I was so happy and relieved; I knew I could do it, and had proven to myself and the world how good a runner I could be.My legs hurt a lot though, and I felt washed out, but so happy as I hobbled into the recovery area.

I was weighed after the event – in shoes before the race started, I was 47kgs. Even though I had eaten sandwiches, bars, watermelon, lollies and drank so much, I only weighed 44kgs at the end.

But I felt good, and my energy had been good throughout the day. I’d raced, not just ran, the 102kms and I was smiling and chatting to all the others as they came in. It doesn’t mean I can’t improve, but I had done not too bad for my first 100km.

The aftermath is always funny – I’d walked like a tinman to the shower (chafing is not good) and I got a smoothie before hobbling back to see a local runner from Cooranbong. Walking afterwards is better than stop starting, and I got some ice for me to eat along with yogurt and frozen fruit.

It’s with big thanks to everyone for all their support – my family, James, my running family and friends on the Sapphire Coast, my sponsors Salomon, Suunto and Wilderness Wear, my workplace, Dr Nott…so many, it means a lot.

So where to from here?

Initially my goal was to run every day of 2019, but after 100km and the year I have ahead, I’ve decided to right now focus on recovery, easy jogs, cycling, swimming and stretching, then building on intensity and speed before a taper into 6 Foot Track.

What does the second half of the year hold? Who knows! Until May, I am organised and planned, but after that I will see where my legs take me.

And what is my take away advice after my first 100km?

Eat a lot and eat early.

Sandwiches, bars, fruit, whatever works, just keep putting fuel in as long as you can. I had a normal breakfast of yogurt and fruit and coffee, I then started eating at 40 minutes. I think I then ate two bars, at least three or four sandwiches as a mix of jam, peanut butter, vegemite, honey, and Nutella (whatever I could grab), one gel, two handfuls of lollies, two revvies, lots of watermelon, water, and I till think I needed more than that.

Don’t worry or think about the whole distance; just think about the next aid station. But also expect to feel horrible multiple times. Sometimes your legs hurt, sometimes your feet hurt, sometimes you just feel plain sick, but it is normal and it will pass. Try and keep moving forward.

Visiting the course before the race was a good way to mentally break up the run as well, and I also looked forward to seeing mum at each aid station.

Always believe you can make it, and be grateful for what your body can do – 100km is a long way.

Just get out and play.

Pictured: Stephanie Auston competing at the 2019 Tarawera Ultra in NZ. Photograph – Supplied.