Tim's Ultimate Verti-Cool Challenge race report...

Stolen from his website:

The 2011 Verti Cool Ultimate Challenge – Black Mountain, Canberra (some photos from the race are on Tim's website)

It seemed simple enough, start on the relatively flat ground near the National Botanic Gardens, trot up the hill to the Telecom Tower, then instead of the lift to the observation gallery, take the stairs……


In theory, yes that is what happened, but then some bright spark [yours truly] decides it’s a good opportunity to give the race gear for Morocco another hit out. An extra 10kg on the back, added to the near 45 degree incline made it a little more ‘interesting’!


The odd looks from the other participants lining up at the start, and the looks I received when passing ‘fit’ footballers along the way up the hill was kind of amusing. All I had to worry about was staying ahead of my ‘slightly’ competitive sister!


My sister had taken me on a reconnaissance of the area the week before, so I could get a good look at the rocky, uneven ground that even Rommel’s Afrika Korps would’ve avoided!


As the slope increased, so did my heart rate, until, like everyone else, I was reduced to a feeble power walk on the narrow trail. Had I lost my sister at the start? Had she pushed ahead through the masses of running shoe clad competitors without me seeing her?


The shouts of encouragement and the whirring of camera shutters revived the weary back into a jog, and then it was over the crest of the trail and a warp speed surge to the base of the Tower to gain a good position before hitting the 403 stairs. Still no sight of my sister.


The airless stairwell seemed to go on and on, making me feel like I’d been put in the family washing machine on a spin cycle! Only two other competitors passed me on the stairs – both male…would I be able to hang on until the finish?


The familiar beeping sound of the timing mat perked me up, the end is nigh!


I burst out into the fresh mountain air – bodies collapsed against the railing, desperately attempting to satisfy demanding lungs. I look left, no sister, I look right…no sister, I think I might have her on this one!


Less than a minute behind, my sister, Bronwyn, bounds up the last flight of stairs and out in to the open! We both smile as it was a good close finish.


We made our way down from the observation deck to the base of the tower, where a carnival like atmosphere was developing. Bbqs and drink stalls, all raising money for Camp Quality. The sun was setting, the birds singing and the wind calm, a magnificent summer's evening.


After a brief* bite to eat and perhaps a beer [sadly, only one] I hauled the backpack back into position. I prompted my sister to ready herself for the descent of the mountain to where we’d left my car at the start. “Are you mad?!” my sister said. “I’ve just run up a steep hill with a 10kg pack, I’m training for a run through the Moroccan Sahara…what do you think??’ I said.


With a smile and gravity back on my side, as I plunged over the edge, on to the downhill path, with fading sunlight over the rocky strewn slopes, I thought to myself…”Calver, you are just a little bit nuts!”

[BC's edit: *brief = two steak sandwiches!!]