The Guzzler Glass Half Full Race Report

The morning was brisk and with the familiar sense of anticipation for the race to come. I arrived just in time to see the 100km (The Guzzler Full) runners take their place at the start line and within minutes they were away.

As the briefing wrapped up for the 50km (The Guzzler Glass Half Full) runners it was now our turn to make our way to the start line, Positioned between Ben Duffus and Christophe Manchon, my plan was simple run my own race. We were away.

Leg 1: Start (Hoop Pine) 0km to Checkpoint 1 (Walkabout Creek) 16.8km

With very little time to get the legs in it was across to the Powerful Owl trail to begin the 3.1km (220m vert) climb up towards channel 9, This section is mostly wide fire trail and also happens to be a race within a race, the Suunto King Of The Mountain!. I have had plenty of experience on this section as it features regularly in my training and also at the beginning of the Mt Cooth-tha HighTail trail race which I participated in earlier on in the year, I knew exactly what was ahead of me and had decided well before the race began I would not be challenging for KOM, however I was stoked to find later I had got 8^th place. It was now down Jacksonia and on the way towards Gap Creek and out towards D’Aguilar National Park where a variety of single track and wider paths awaited. I had run this section the week before in training and kept a steady yet comfortable pace and before I knew it I was greeted by the crowds and had arrived at Walkabout Creek checkpoint.

Leg 2: Checkpoint 1 (Walkabout Creek) 16.8km to Checkpoint 2 (McAfees Lookout) 23.1km

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After a quick water refill and a cheeky piece of watermelon I was on my way. I took my last look at the stunning Enoggera Reservoir as I headed towards Mount Nebo Rd Break to begin the reasonably short stint to the next checkpoint. With the advantage of knowing a lot of this course from the previous fortnights Brisbane Trail Ultra I took to the rolling hills that were before me,

This section of the track not surprisingly referred to as “The Roller coaster”. The track is wide yet the loose gravel and gorged out sections meant a main ‘single file’ route was my path of choice to navigate most of this section. I was greeted with open arms (and Gus hugs) as I made my way into the BTR checkpoint, a quick stop to refill, a quick show of the bandage for the mandatory gear check, some words of encouragement from my BTR family and after a quick wave to my folks I was down the shoot to begin the decent into Hell Hole.

Leg 3: Checkpoint 2 (McAfees Lookout) 23.1km to Checkpoint 3 (Gold Creek Reservoir) 30.7km

So far things were ticking along nicely the body felt good and the mind was clear, I knew this was the section that I needed to focus through, I eased off knowing what was ahead to conserve my energy. This section also encompassed The Hell Hole Hustle another race within THE race I later found I had came 8^th in this, yet as before my mind was on the bigger picture. Runnable downhills were met with a refreshing creek crossing and then the steep burning incline out of Hell Hole. By now things were heating up and I don’t mean my legs…. As the temperature climbed I began to talk myself through my plan, and focused on my nutrition intake, starting to wonder whether forgoing the camalbak was a mistake….. Gold Creek checkpoint beckoned and as I made way down the gentle slope of Gold Creek road, a high five from my coach Ben Duffus as he was making his way back up saw me enter this checkpoint strong.

Leg 4: Checkpoint 3 (Gold Creek Reservoir) 30.7km to Checkpoint 4 (also Gold Creek Reservoir) 35.6km

An amazing single track section with some fantastic views, not at all familiar with this section I adjusted my pace so as not to let the technical single tracks through this part of the course get the better of me. Looping Gold Creek Reservoir I found myself back down in the checkpoint for the second time, cheered on by my folks for the final push to the finish.

Leg 5 Gold Creek Reservoir (Check Point 4) 35.6km to Finish

Once again with familiar areas ahead in the last section confidence was high, I began on the home stretch, a what normally would have been a relatively easy runnable 2km climb out of Gold Creek Reservoir had become a combination of a slow paced jog and hiking, once back up to South Boundary Rd I began to open the legs and allow the pace to quicken slightly being pushed along by the runner slowly beginning to make themselves visible behind me in the distance, gradually over the time I made my way up South Boundary Road and into Brisbane state forest and towards Gap Creek this ever encroaching figure passed me. I knew I still had something left in the tank so I just continued to my plan, I made my way up Bellbird track and to the final of the big climbs Kokoda my legs were defiantly at a point where it was just a case of getting to the top, as I made the climb I had managed to gain and overtake the runner that passed earlier and as I looked at my watch I knew that only 2km was between me and a 50km PB, my legs recovered quickly as the trails turned flat onto Powerful Owl, and down Eugenia’s Backside Descent. 

Silence...... the last few minutes in my own thoughts savouring what had been a great day on the trails, just the sound of my breathing and my feet against the ground…. “Here comes a runner!”. The silence was broken my thoughts dispersed, the cheers and bells began to ring louder as the shadows of Simpsons Falls Track opened and the finish line was insight.

Results:

Finish time: 5:31:30

Place: 7/246

Category: 6/46

Gender: 7/143

Thank you to my Family, my coach Ben Duffus, my Physio Mat Britton and my BTR family (with a special shout out to Ben Bergan), Tailwind Nutrition Australia, Inspire Athletic and Huck Nutrition. The support from all of you makes this journey so much easier and fun along the way.

Anthony Gordon