Last month Kylie and I heard the Australian Mountain Running Championships will be held in our backyard on 8th April this year. Further investigation revealed the course includes our favourite section of the Back Yard Loop. As if to entice us even further they have a non-championship section, presumably for social runners like us, which has the added inducement of wine and chocolate as random prizes. (There's no mention of wine and choc for the championship runners!)
So... We're entered.
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| kunanyi / Mt Wellington (on the left) as viewed from the start line at Glenorchy MTB Park |
Between us we've now done several practice runs. The actual event will start at the Glenorchy MTB Park and end at the kunanyi / Mt Wellington pinnacle after which organisers will somehow magic us back to the start. Here's a detailed description of the course.
SPOILER ALERT: If you want the course to be a surprise look away now!
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| North South Track |
The first 400m up Tolosa Fire Trail gently gains 40m. After swinging left onto the Merton Fire Trail the next 600m ups the ante with a further 100m gain. A well earned reprieve at the 1km mark passes through the delightfully flat '5-ways' junction at the top of Glenorchy MTB Park before climbing incessantly on Priests Fire Trail. To the left our National MTB Downhill track ducks, weaves and frequently plunges down seemingly impossible slopes - well beyond the capability of mere mortal MTBers like me!
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| Sandstone outcrops on Old Hobartians Track |
A further 180m height gain is celebrated at the 2km mark where the route suddenly becomes only slightly undulating for the next 1.5km. The short (350m) Kangaroo Fire Trail leads on to the North-South MTB Track and heralds the start of single-track which endures for the remainder of the course. A delightful section of forest leads to a clapper bridge crossing of the New Town Rivulet.
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| The recently upgraded (and still sloshy in places) Organ Pipes Track |
The next 3km adds 590m to the altimeter along the Old Hobartians and Hunters Tracks. The climb initially follows the rivulet before swinging away on a series of switchbacks. The first zig and zag feature impressive sandstone outcrops while further up a pair of waterfalls are crossed either side of the Lost World junction. (Care must be taken not to go straight ahead onto the Lost World Track soon after the first waterfall!) After joining the Hunters Track the route crosses Pinnacle Road at The Chalet where fresh mountain water is conveniently piped to a road-side tap.
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| The Organ Pipes |
Behind The Chalet the Organ Pipes Track levels out for a fast, rocky and, at times, sloshy 2km traverse under the spectacular dolerite cliffs. If the weather is fine there are likely to be climbers overhead taking advantage of the dozens of routes on the vertical columns which feature 120m of vertical drop.
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| Hobart from the Zig Zag Track |
At roughly 8.5km from the start the Zig Zag Track poses the final challenging ascent with a further 220m of height to be gained. By this stage running will be a tall order for all but the most elite runners with high steps adding insult to injury. The final 500m only climbs 30m in height so any remaining energy can be spent on a spectacular sprint finish to impress the tourists who marvel at our madness.
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| Summit selfie - Wind speed was 130kph that morning! |
