Race Recap: Run Forrest

Event: Run Forest
Date: 12th June 2016
Type: Trail Run
Distance: 20ish, 10km, 5km
Where: Barwon River Reserve, Forrest
Event Partners: Mizuno, HeadSox, Compressport, Hello Fresh, Southern Exposure, Forrest Brewing Company

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Run Forest is aptly named after the location of the run; Forrest.

Forrest is a hinterland township nestled in the heart of the Otway Ranges, Victoria.

This trail run now in its fourth year has been on my bucket list since its inception (2012).

Due to other events, or my birthday, I’ve never had the opportunity to run this event, so when entries opened up earlier this year, I made the decision to just do it. And let me tell you now, hands down my favourite event this year.

Held on the Queens Birthday long weekend, it was a perfect family getaway.

We had a rocky start to the week with Tom being hospitalised for appendicitis earlier in the week. He’s ok now.

Of course, I had to go injure myself on the Saturday before the run, I slipped and fell, not once, but twice on the rocks at Marengo Beach.  

It all happened in a matter of seconds.  Landed pretty hard on my right elbow and smashed the UV filter on my camera.

The camera and the lens are fine, thank goodness, the UV filter not so much.

My elbow is still sore and sensitive. Not broken, but bruised.  Thankfully it was only my elbow and not my knee.

Race day arrived and we left Apollo Bay and made the 40-minute drive to Forrest.

There was no parking at the event centre, so we parked on the main street along with everyone else.

Run Forrest happily coincides with Soup Fest.  What a way to wake up a sleepy town of 240ish people to 4000!

While I was busy running the kids had a ball at the Soup Festival.

Race day was foggy and cold, and I kind of regretted not wearing my long sleeve top or having gloves.

The first 1km of the run is around the race village.  I soon warmed up when I hit the first hill, tucked behind the race village out of site.

I actually was ok with a short sleeve top, but there were sections of the run where my arms did get cold and moments when gloves would have been nice.

At the 3km, we got to run along the Barwon River dam wall.  The view here was pretty special, as you could see how far ahead the lead runners were as well.

Having never visited the Otway Ranges before, I was really impressed, and will definitely be coming back to visit and explore some more.

Running through the Otway Ranges I got to experience the following:

• Natural beauty ✓
• Undulating Hills ✓
• Flowing rivers & streams ✓
• Fern Gullies ✓

My favourite part of the run would have to be running around Lake Elizabeth, which also happens to be the home of the platypus.

It was still as still and was just breathtaking. I didn’t get to witness a platypus while out running, it would have totally made my day if I did.

I knew though that I would have to bring the family back later that afternoon, to witness the beauty that I was experiencing.

My intention with this run was not to race it but just to enjoy it.  I knew I had the distance in my legs from Wings for Life, and with the Peaks & Trails run coming up in August, this race was going to give me a good base to work from.

I took it easy and kept to the middle of the pack.  I chatted with a few people along the way and overall had a great time.

Ran/Walked the hills, which I found to be highly effective as I was passing a lot of people by the 15-16km mark.

Some sections of the track were a mud fest and it felt like I had elephant/clown shoes on.  Wearing trail shoes helped immensely, as I wasn’t slipping as much as those that wore road shoes.

Surprisingly I had phone reception for 80% of the run. So I was able to get Siri to send a text message to Tom when I was nearing the event village.

The last km I chatted to a lady (Janine) who was completing her “run a half marathon in every state” challenge. She is raising awareness and funds for brain cancer, having suffered it personally.  She had never run this event before either but had thoroughly enjoyed her experience.

I crossed the line in a time of 2h30m08s.  Smack bam on my goal of 2h30.

Overall I’m really happy with how this runs with.  I could have gone a little faster, but hey it’s all a learning curve.

Collecting some fruit, I made my way back up the (cruel) hills, to the family.

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Top – RTG 16 (2XU)
Bottoms – Skins
Socks – Injinji Trail
Shoes – Mizuno Kazan with Polka Dot Trail Gaiters
Underwear – Bonds & sixty4