anthony melov (#1333) - ultra-trail australia · pdf filecast a spotlight on a fat funnel web...

AnthonyMelov(#1333) UTA100(2017):Mycalfhurtatthestartingline... It’skilometre75andthemusicatQueenVictoriaHospital ispumpingthroughtheheavynightair. There is excitement about and I quickenmypace from fastwalk to trot speed; countingwitch’shatsandstaringlikeadeerintotheheadlightsofoncomingtraffic.Yes,atthisspeedthescreamingcrowdwilldefinitelythinkI’maneliteathletewhohaslosthiswayforapproximately9hours.(FormonthsIhadbeentellingmyfamily,friends,work-mates,strangersonthebus–anyonewho’dlisten–thatIamaneliteathlete.Theywereoverit.) IarriveatCheckpoint5elatedandamthentoldIcan’tstop.“Youhavetokeepgoingandcomeback in3kilometres”,saysthefriendlymarshal. Ipaintedamaniacalgrinacrosshis face,andcontinue on into the night. I try to convince those near me that he was lying for personalentertainment’ssakeandthereturntripisactually1.5km. ThetripfromheredowntowardsKedumbaremindsmeoflastyear’sUTA100.BackthenIhadthe feeling I was walking into the unknown. Here be dragons. My headlight battery wasvirtuallydeadandIwalkedforseveralhoursundermoonlightindeepJamisonValleysilence.Itwaswonderful. Thistimewasdifferentandequallywonderful: I turnaroundandreturntothegarish lightsofCheckpoint 5. This time I am welcomed: “Wow, you’re looking fresh”. (I love these kindvolunteers but am now deeply suspicious of the word “fresh”. Other accounts confirm thissuspicion.) Iheadbackintothenightand,unlikelastyear,knowwhat’sinstallonthemodifiedreturntripto the finish line. Except that I’d convincedmyself that therewas no possiblewaywe coulddescendfromtheclifflineonlytoreturnuptheFurberStepsastraditiondictates.Yes,theracewillbeshorterthisyear!RightasIwasthinkingaboutthis,ataboutkilometre85,myheadlampcastaspotlightonafatFunnelWebspidercrossingthetrack.Ipaintedamaniacalgrinacrossitsfaceasitspoketome:“You’reindenialandyouvolunteeredforthisyouclown.” Reflection on my UTA100 experience this year confirmed the reason why I participate: theeventguaranteesatime-compressedmelangeofhighlycontrastingexperiencesthat,summedup,drawsoutsomethingspecial.Acontrastbetweenpre-raceanxietyandupliftinghighfivesfromkidsonthesidelinesjustminuteslater.BetweendrivingFridaynightrainandfogunveilinga massive sunlit sandstone vista just hours later. Between that same vista and the worldreducedtoabeamoflightthatverynight.BetweenthosewaitingatTarrosLadderandtheeliteUTA50sbarrellingdownthehillatthem.BetweenthoseheadingtoQueenVictoriaHospitalandtheeliteUTA100sbarrellingatthemonmuddytrack.(Eachsaying“you’redoinggreat”totheotherImightadd.) Thereispainpunctuatedbythesmilesandwordsofencouragementfromthosealongsideyou,behindyou,infrontofyou,waitingforyou.LikethestrangerwhoofferedmeajellybeanatthetopoftheSixFootTrackrightasawaveofstomachnauseawasgettingtome.Likemyamazing,lovely wife and boys waiting for me at Katoomba Aquatic Centre - tying my shoe laces, myconcerned9-yearofferingmeVitaminC.

Contrast:Thereisalotofsufferingbutonlypositivity.Theexperienceis100%self-inflictedbutyoumustnotstop. It’s after1 AMand I turn to descend deeply towards Leura Forest on steep, slippery steps.Bugger.NotsureI’llgetthatstinkin’beltbucklenow.Igiggleatthestupidityofthethought.AwhilelatertheinterminableFederalPassTrackendsandIlabouruptheFurberSteps.Veryslowbut feeling surprisingly easy at kilometre 99. At the topmusic is again pumping through theheavy night air. And again, I quickenmy pace and run hard towards the ScenicWorld finishline.Yes,atthisspeedthescreamingcrowdwilldefinitelythinkIamaneliteathletewhohaslosthiswayforapproximately11hours.Myfamilyiswaitingandtheydon’tgivearipaboutmytime. AndyesmycalfhurtbeforeIstarted...itstilldoesabit. AMelov(#1333)withthankstoSadieandtheboysandWarrenEvansofKarmeaFitness