The Real Goat...

In 2012 I finally got around to entering the Goat for the first time... only to have them change the course to the alternate course due to the threat of Mt Ruapehu erupting.

The mountain didn't erupt and I didn't particularly enjoy the alternate Goat.... but as the real course was listed as a Half Marathon, I was determined to run the real course at least once.

Down the Bruce Road

So Lainy, Kate and I arrived at the Top of the Bruce nice and early and I immediately wondered whether I had made the right decision. It was foggy, cold, wet and generally miserable. Lots of regulars there both runners and supporters. Keith and Christine Crook were both there just to support the rest of James Kuegler's Cadence Team.

The Goat usually sells out in a matter of minutes and as such the field is always full... I was in the second 'wave' of runners that they let go and I was glad because it meant less time standing around in freezing conditions. I made a last minute decision to leave my backpack with my medium jacket on and start the race in my ski jacket... yes, it was that cold.

Just before I put the Ski Jacket back on

So away we went, just under 2km straight down the Bruce Road, then off the side and more downhill, followed by a small up and more downhill to just about the 5km mark... about three quarters of the way down I shed the ski jacket and tied it around my waist.

However then we started to climb... 150m vertical over the next 1.5km and things slowed down. It wasn't long until the next cold shower swept over us and the ski jacket was back on and stayed on the rest of the race.

The going was tough, muddy, rocky and treacherous with the temperature about 4 or 5 degrees tops... the only plus was that the rain and wind were behind us, not exactly at our backs, but definitely over our shoulder.

It was a real battle, river crossings, muddy trails, difficult uphill climbs followed by dangerously slippery downhills. I wasn't passing many people, 8 events in the previous 4 weeks had taken the edge off... but I was in my element. This is what adventure running was all about. No perfectly manicured trails, just about no steps (there were a few, but fortunately mainly downhill, jus following a rough trail through some of New Zealand's most amazing terrain.

Even exhausted I appreciated how beautiful this was

Then when I had battled for about 18km you reach the most amazing waterfall... and then learn that you have to climb it. And I mean climb! Hands and feet as you pick your way up the slope next to the most beautiful falls. About halfway up the marshalls shepherd you through and over the river and then you continue the climb up the other side.

Halfway up the Falls

Then you keep climbing... 302 vertical metres in 3km... all in the last 5km of a wickedly hard run. There was a small respite, then the climb again, firstly up to the Turoa Skifield road and then up what is not so lovingly called Mama's Mile.

This was the first time all day that we had turned into the wind and rain. And it was biting, like needles into my face, I pulled up the ski jacket collar and rummaged around in my pack for my beanie and pulled it down tight... and still it was cold. This last section was walk-run-walk-run... although the run was more of a shuffle.

Mama's Mile

Sound like a nightmare day... anything but... one of the highlights of my running career so far. I loved it, to challenge the elements and get to the end to have that medal placed around my neck... priceless.

Then about 30 seconds in the tent with the disgusting smell of the concoction they make was

enough... I found Lorraine and Kate who were nearly suffering from exposure and we piled in the car an headed down to normal temperatures at Ohakune. I got changed and we met up with a few others for a feed and headed home... highly contented!

This is a must do for any dedicated trail runner.... at least once, and I think I will be back!