This Saturday, January 11th 2015, the annual Two Bays Trail Run will kick off in Victoria with 28km runners starting at 0700 and the 56km Legends starting ten minutes later to minimise congestion. The weather looks to be perfect for trail running with Temperatures looking to be around 19-22 Degrees C with some possibility of rainy showers. I’m praying to every god available that the runners get some sort of sunshine, highlighting the views that this epic run gives you as you make your way from Cape Schanck to Dromana to Cape Schanck, it always makes me wow! This is my first year missing out as a runner, paying back some karma by volunteering and I look to watch in amazement as the field battle it out to take out the podium in the 11th running of this event. We had a very good analysis of the field this year by Nick Bryant, which I have poached and reworded but feel guilty about claiming his work! The women’s 56km Legends are straight forward in Nick’s Picks with previous winner Kirsten Bull (GOR Marathon 3:07) lining up alongside trail favorite Kellie Emmerson (Surf Coast Century 1st female, Maroondah Dam 50km 1st Female). Kirra Balmanno (Blackall 50km 1st Female, You Yangs 1st Female) gets a mention and Natasha Fraser who stood on the podium last year in third running an impressive 50km at Centennial Park in August (3:36!) The men’s is ultimately more difficult to pick, with some top ten runners from 2014 returning (Rennick, Langelaan, Muller) and 2012 runner up Magnus Michelsson lining up but we cannot ignore some of the big names up against the entrants from last year with Kevin Mannix, Andy Turner, Joel Fitzgerald, Dane West, Ross Kinsella, Sam Maffett, Rob Zwierlien and Cameron Hall all receiving a mention in the odds for the male Legend status. I’d like to take the time to say thanks to Rohan Day and his team (Kate Ablett, Michael Clarke) for taking the time out of their lives to ensure this epic race takes place. If you haven’t “done” Two Bays before, this is a race like no other. Maybe I’m biased because this was my first success at an ultra marathon (2012 in 7:51), but know this, with a preferred start if you wear the correct attire (board shorts or a Hawaiian shirt), volunteers that dress up and aim to win the “best aid station” and the Bell needs to get a special mention with the ringing being a statement that running across the peninsula once isn’t good enough for you and you are now heading back to claim the Legend status – the fun that you have on this run whether you aim to get a great time or just aim to complete and have fun is something race directors would love to clone! Rohan and his team work hard to ensure the field are safe and happy and you only need to look at the posts on the Two Bays Facebook to see just what this event means to the approx. 1000 people who turn up to run Two Bays (around a third in the ultra 56), and see the meticulous detail Rohan goes to ensure this run remains the epic race it deserves to be! Make this your aim in 2016 as at this last minute you may find it hard to gain entry in 2015 (sold out!), however if you feel you have what it takes, contact Rohan! Look out for close encounters with Kangaroos and Snakes – I like to run a bit slower and let the front runners scare them away! https://facebook/groups/146129888792978/
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 11:32:54 +0000
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