#TNF50RaceReport

Ode to “The Face”, by Cath Hall, race # 5676, finish time 11hrs01min

 

Twas the night before North Face, when all through the house;

Not a creature was sleeping, not even the mouse. ^(*1)

 

My race pack was sitting, right beside the front door,

To make sure I remembered it; since my memory is poor!

 

The morning came quickly, with coffee and food;

And I recalled Tom’s warning,  about having poo’ed. ^(*2)

 

I was there in Group 4, aiming for steady – but slow.

I had all the right gear; but was it all show and no go?

 

The pace was quite calm; we ran happy and light.

I tried to be strong, chanting “relax, you’ll be right!”

 

We went up, we went down; views were great – what a blast!

We went over and around, and HELL YEAH! I wasn’t last!

 

The checkpoints came quickly, with cheers from the vollies;

Piles of chips and a loo – and a GIANT box of lollies.

 

I ran when I could, but mostly I walked;

I saw people I’d seen, and made friends as we talked.

 

The track took us down; down down to the creek;

Then up up and away, up up up up up … eek!

 

Through a calm grassy glen, the finish within reach;

‘Till I looked at my legs, and found ….. *gasp* a leech!!  ^(*3)

 

The darkness came quickly, through the forest I blundered;

More people ran past me, fast to finish the hundred.

 

Forest trails were a treat, creek crossings so nifty;

But my legs were like jelly – and I was just doing the fifty!

 

The Furbers approached, and I summoned my mettle;

Step by step I ascended – lights like breadcrumbs to my Gretel.

 

Finish line! Yay! Round the corner I sprint!

It’s over! I say – ‘till next year……… hint hint.

 

Is it fun? Yes it is! It’s the float for my boat;

There’s some that don’t get it, but that don’t get my goat.

 

We live and we love, we feel pain – most won’t win it.

But the road less travelled is TRAIL, so c’mon y’all, GET ON IN IT!!

 

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Authors notes:

(*1)  Might have been a possum.  Or even a rat.  But it stayed in the ceiling. 

(*2)  Tom is the Race Director, who spends an inordinate amount of time talking about competitors wee’s and poo’s – owing to the fact we were racing in a World Heritage Area. 

(*3) Might actually have been a slug.  But it was getting dark. It was black, slimy, had no legs, and was on MY leg.  I wasn’t about to give it a physical exam.  

 

And for next year – a lightweight North Face fleece for mandatory gear