UTA100 2023 race recap - Nic

In October 2022, Kevin and I finished the UTA100 on an alternate (easier) course. After having a great run on the other course, I was buoyed with a (false) sense of achievement and signed up to tackle the original course. A legendary trail with stunning scenery, approx. 1 million steps () and over 4000m vert-the biggest trail run in the Southern Hemisphere …. How hard could it be?? The only way to know if you can do hard things, do UTA100, is to stand on the start line. So, there I was, standing at the wave 6 start, alone and terrified. Doubts started to creep in looking at the other super fit starters- I’m too old, too slow, my body is to broken from injuries and two cancer battles…NO I am going to do this!!

I remembered my consistent training and the hard training runs I’d completed. I remembered the joy and strength I get from running and how I’d found myself in trail and ultra running, after life’s many curve balls and I hoped I’d done enough. Kev and I were supposed to be doing this thing together, but a torn labrum just before 6 foot hadn’t healed in time. Kev became my bossy crew chief; making sure I had all the mandatory kit packed and hydration, salt and nutrition organised. I also had the Scarborough family: Mark (Mark Scarborough), Nic (Nicole Scarborough) Elise and James as my awesome support crew - thanks guys

At the race start I waved to Kev (who was tearing up as he checked my pack for the last time and sent me down the starting Shute with a kiss).

Start wave 6 was away; I passed Nic (on crutches due to a stress fracture, but still out there supporting me) and settled into the first road section. I then saw Sam (Samantha Ashen) another running friend who couldn’t run due to illness but was out volunteering – she was yelling encouragement and right behind her was Mark and the kids taking photos and hi-5ing as I ran past. Grateful that I could run when Kev, Nic and Sam couldn’t I realised that maybe I’m not alone in this after all!

The first road section is an out and back, so back past Mark and the kids and Sam….the race was on!! Sam took off and raced me down the road, giggling like a couple of kids the whole way!

Back past the start where Nic and Kev were waiting with more encouragement and Hi-5s. Stoked with the realisations I wasn’t alone I headed down into the trails. I would need to remember the smiles and cheers of Kev and my friends 10 hours later….

I really enjoyed the first part of the run. The trails and scenery were beautiful. I hit the landslide section and there was a bit of rock scrabbling, but it was kind of fun. We hit the Golden stairs and it was getting pretty hot and very sweaty! Sweat was freely dripping off my hat visor onto the dusty trail and the climb was tough, but it was nothing compared to what was coming! At the top was a water point. At first, I went straight through, but I remembered what Kev had told me about making sure my water was full as it’s a long way to the next check point. I turned around and filled up with water and I was very, very glad I had. Anyway, I messaged Kev and #845 to let them know I’d reached the first checkpoint – CP1 10km in 1:35 at 9:06 am

We headed off along Narrow neck on fire trail. I looked up to see the intimidating site of runners way off in the distance running along narrow neck above me.

I pulled my poles out because I thought it might save my legs a little. It wasn’t as bad as it looked, and I just kept on running and hiking the hills with my poles. We left the fire trail and started heading down single track.

The track quickly started getting technical and I stuffed my poles into my quiver (slightly shocked that they slid in easily on the first try). There were runners in front and behind all pushing me through Duncan’s pass. I was probably going faster than I normally would because I was worried about holding runners up. In one section there was a rope to cling to going down the sheer rocks, so it felt like abseiling. I don’t really like these technical sections and my heart was in my throat for most of it. I was really glad when it was over, and we hit fire trail again.

It's 22KM between CP1 and CP2 and now we were heading into the middle of the day and it was getting really hot! runners around me were saying they had run out of water and I was getting quite low too. I was super glad to hit CP2 at foggy Knob, after a short sharp climb (31Km in 4:32 at 12:03pm). I filled up my bottles and downed a couple of cups of water and headed off, naively, to Iron pot.

I’d seen amazing footage of iron pot, with beautiful views and indigenous digeridoo players…but to get there was straight up slippery, rocky, steep singletrack. A tough, tough, climb! It was pretty cool up on top, but just as I started to enjoy being in the beautiful bush again and the magic of the didgeridoos, the downhill started, and we fell out of the sky. The track was steep and slippery with loose dirt and dust that filled my shoes; I virtually skied down hoping I didn’t break an ankle on the rocks that were jumping out at me! It was quite hard to move out of the way for the faster male runners zooming down the hill – one was even wearing thongs!

With much relief and a few deep breaths, I started the undulating trails to CP3. I knew that Kev and my crew would be there and I just set my mind to meeting them. I don’t really remember much about this section except for a few creek crossings and the Mountain cows!! The ones that graze on the sides of steep hills so that they have shorter legs on one side than the other () . Just like being in my home town Casino – The Beef Capital (not you, Rockhampton – go away!!)

I heard the cow bells and jazz band first and knew I’d soon be at CP3 and I was stoked!! (no petting zoo though!) I saw Mark first who told me where to go, and where to find Kev and what the CP had. It was a pattern that we followed at all the future check points and it worked really well. Talking to Mark on the way in meant I could go into the checkpoint and not be blindsided by all the people, lights and activity and I didn’t have to search for Kev, I could go straight there and get started. All I wanted at this point was a drink!! I’d drunk my bottles dry again in the heat of the day. I grabbed a cup of coke from a volunteer who said coke was a popular choice! I sat down and drank a whole orange PowerAde. Kev swapped my bottles over with fresh tailwind and water and gave me a new food pack with gels and chews and munching an ANZAC biscuit, I was on my way. I reached CP3 (6 foot track, 45km) in 6.53 at 2.24pm.

For nutrition I followed a plan that works for me of having a gel every 10km and then in between gels at the 5km mark I’d have two salt tablets and some energy chews. At the aid stations I’d have some banana and orange, coke and when it got dark and cold, some salty soup. This worked well until Fairmont (CP5)….the low point….but we’ll get to that later…

For now, I happily trotted along the trail on the way to Nellie’s Glen. I knew this was going to be hard because I’d done it before – but not with 50 km already in my legs! I grit my teeth and took on the climb. The poles were awesome climbing out of Nellies and I was heading up with a group of guys who were ‘enjoying’ the climb as much as me. A French guy in his charming accent kept reassuring us and himself that the climb was nearly over….it wasn’t.. and it was all down hill after this…..it wasn’t….and then it started to pour with rain. Another guy was reassessing his life choices as he'd already entered UTMB (171km/10,040 meters elevation). We ran more (mostly up) single track in the pouring rain until reaching the road on the way to the Katoomba Aquatic Centre (CP4). There was one family out in the rain, cheering the runners on, their house decorated in flags. I didn’t know them, but really appreciated their effort!

Heading to CP4, I saw Mark out the front again with instructions on where to go once inside. I headed to Kev (passed the tempting ‘withdraw here’ sign), got a full change of clothes (because I was sopping wet) and headed to the change rooms and toilet.

Waiting for me was Mark and he reached for my stinky old clothes. Wanting to maintain our friendship, I kept the clothes and gave him the ‘lube’ to carry instead – he loves it when I call anti-chafe “lube”! . While I was changing, Kev swapped in fresh bottles, food and added the mandatory gear (waterproof pants and fleece) and packed away my poles. It was starting to get quite dark, so instead of having to rifle through my pack on track, I put on my head torch. I put my rain jacket on because it was still raining, grabbed a cup of soup and headed off. I don’t think I ate any food at this check point which was probably bad… I had reached CP4 (Aquatic Centre, 55km) in 8:59 at 4.30pm I took 15min here because of the change of clothes.

I left CP4 clutching my soup with the well wishes of Kev, Mark, Nic and the kids keeping me warm and happy, and headed down to Echo Point….Lookout!! It’s Evan!! (from the ‘Evan’s Lookout’ sign in Blackheath…IYKYK) Surprised me at Echo point. Evan had just completed his fist 50KM that morning as was now an Ultra runner! It was great to see him before descending the Giant’s Stairs.

This is where it started to get tough for me….climbing down the steep stairs was hard and slow. The stairs were slippery from the rain, and it was getting quite dark, and I was still adjusting to my head lamp. Lots of guys passed me on the stairs, but I couldn’t keep up. And I knew, the further I went down…. the further I’d have to climb out. I started to go into a dark place.

I was struggling with my footing in the dark and felt pissed that the earlier start groups got over an extra hour of light! What I would give for an extra hour of light right now! I also wanted to be at CP4 (aquatic centre) at 4pm, but I was way behind that; I’d given up my dream, though unrealistic goal of a 16hr finish and was hating every step! The stairs and pain continued going up Fern Blower (actually Fern Bower, but I like Kev’s name better ) and the dark place continued. I promised myself I would never, ever, ever, do UTA100 again. At one point I promised myself I’d never run again!!

I finally reached CP5 (Fairmont) and saw Mark who shouted, “She’s Here!!” I ran up to Kev and he asked me what I needed…. and I broke straight into tears, shaking my head…. I just want to go home…

Kev forced me to sit in the bean bag Hoka chairs (that I worried I’d never be able to get up from) and gave me a stern talking to (yelled) about not eating enough. Maybe he was right, but how do you eat when you don’t want to, in the dark, on technical trail, up and down a million never ending stairs?? Mark came and told me to reset. And I think this helped. I reset while drinking some soup. Pulled myself together and reluctantly headed back into the night, still with over 30km to go… I had reached CP5 (Fairmont 67km) in 11:44 at 7.15pm.

I don’t remember much about the next section – just one foot in front of the other on the dark slippery rock. I ran with another lady for a while who was having a great time. She told me she had 5 children and running in the dark was relaxing in comparison!! I wholeheartedly agreed! She was having bladder problems, stopping every 10 min to wee…. I soon learnt not to shine my head torch down the intersecting trails she took!!

I made it to CP6 Queen Vitoria Hospital – the last checkpoint.

Feeling better than I did at CP5. Kev Mark, Nic and the kids were still there, and I forced myself to be strong because I didn’t want to disappoint them – especially the kids being out in the cold and dark for me. I needed to use the toilet but had to wait in the que for 1 of 3 porta loos. Kev repacked my pack and changed the battery on my light. I changed clothes again, putting on my fleece because I was cold. I hit CP6 (QVH, 76km) in 13:50 at 9.21pm.

I headed off again into the night – to the cheers of Nic and the kids, Mark and Kev and Lucy Bartholomew! Lucy is one of my running inspirations, she doesn’t know me, but she was there cheering on all the runners, and it was awesome!

I knew what was coming in the last 22km – 8km of downhill and then up! I tried to force myself to run, but all my legs would give was a slow jog. It’s fine, I thought, they just need to warm up…. but they didn’t. It didn’t help slamming my head into the gate going down in to Kedumba! I’d actually hit my head so many times that day, on tree branches, rocks and overhangs and now the gate. I found my own clumsiness funny!! Still, all I could manage was a slow jog. I must have blown my quads out earlier in the race. This has never happened to me before, usually my legs reluctantly respond, but now, they had nothing.

A few people passed me here, flying down the hills. Even the pee lady…. before she took another trail to pee…. I tried moving as fast as I could. Even looking forward to reaching the creek where the climb out of Kedumba starts. Once on the uphill I started marching up with my poles. Picking out the shiny X on the vests and passing people. I was working so hard on the uphills that I started to get hot and had to take off my fleece. One guy behind me started blowing raspberries with his lips on every step. I was glad when he stopped due to a cramp!

I reached the forest and then passed the 5km to go sign – just 1 parkrun to go!! Although it was only 5km, it felt to me more like an insurmountable distance. I really had to force myself to keep moving and not just sit on one of the old mossy wooden benches and stay down there for ever and ever…. It was about then that my light started to flicker and then went dim. Maybe it was the fog messing with the light sensor, or maybe it had gone flat, but it made it really hard to see. I told the guy behind me to pass because my light was dull, but he refused, so I trudged on with old mate’s light casting my own shadow in front of me to make it seem even darker. A couple of ladies caught up and ran past us. They told me to stay with them, but my legs just couldn’t go that fast, so I watched their vests disappear in the distance.

I finally hit Furber Stairs. The volunteer at the bottom kindly helped pack my poles in my quiver and up I stomped. I had a few little rests to catch my breath, but overall, I made it up quicker and better than I thought.

I got to the top and I think I had trouble convincing my brain that this was the end…. not just another CP. I then saw Mark!! It was so good to see my crew!! And then suddenly I was in the finish Shute – I saw Kev and grabbed his hand (I’m in trouble for not giving him a kiss, but my brain just wanted to cross that finish line!) I also saw another couple of friends SJ and another Nic – out at 2.20am to see me finish.

I ran across that finish line with my hands in the air! I ran to Kev and he got his hug and kiss and I told him I didn’t want to go to the recovery area – I just wanted to be with my people. While I had finished my 100km run, the people around me from my crew, my friends, my supporters on social media and Strava and my Kev meant more to me than they will ever know. I crossed that line in 18:53:40 at 2:24:45AM.

I was so happy to hear that my training buddy, Lindsay finished 10th woman and 3rd in her age category in a smidge under 14 hours…what an amazing run!! My friends Bec and Dee also had terrific runs smashing out 50km!!

One of reasons I love ultra-running is that when I’m out on the trails, everything gets stripped away until I’m left with me. Just me. But this time, just me wasn’t enough. In my dark place, just me wanted to stop. In that dark place I needed more than just me. I needed Kev. I needed Mark, Nic and the kids. I needed my friends that were here in the Blue mountains at the Pizza meeting and back in Canberra. I needed my kids, my family and Kev’s family. I needed my training buddies and those sending messages of support (Hayley, Dors, Leah, Liesl, Mim, Tracy, Danni and more). Without all these people I would have stopped, but I kept going thinking of them all. Especially Kev, who I knew was thinking about me. So maybe I needed the dark place to show me that I wasn’t alone. And that means everything. 

UTA100 2022 Race Recap -Nic

You only live once. So I wish for my life to be filled with love, friendships, adventure, testing limits and seeing amazing beautiful things……. Bring on the UTA100 2022!

Kevin Dodd is the brains behind the planning and organisation of the run (just thinking about running 100km was enough to start my panic attacks!). Unfortunately, his careful planning was thrown into chaos just days before the event. With a new course and only one supported aid station at 87km, Kev did a fantastic job planning fluid and nutrition for the drop bags and organising and packing ALL the mandatory gear – which included a Fleece, much to everyone’s surprise. I couldn’t have even started the race if it wasn’t for Kev!!

Our amazing crew of Mark Scarborough and Nicole Scarborough arrived to pick us up from our accommodation at 6.45am and we were both trying to swallow our peanut butter and jam toast amid the nerves and excitement. Hefting our massive packs – complete with the much-maligned fleece, we walked to the boggy start line at KCC oval. Ours was the last 100km wave (wave 7) at 7.54am and the atmosphere at the start line watching the previous waves was equally exciting and terrifying! My uneasy relationship with running and some horrible recent training runs were forgotten.

Starting to cheers, cowbells, smiles and adrenaline we started uphill – my legs wanted to run! We spotted our friend Tracy Watson up ahead, so I put in a brief uphill sprint to say Hi! We seemed to fall into a bit of a groove, running and chatting and enjoying the early atmosphere –it felt like being a celebrity with the cheering and running back past the start line – that was really cool!

I lost Tracy somewhere along some boggy single track as she ran strong ahead, so I settled into a comfortable pace to wait for Kev to catch up. I then came to an unexpected stop on some narrow single track going down into a gully. Hundreds of runners were waiting, and I didn’t know why or how long we’d have to wait! I spotted Kev in his bucket hat across the valley – I pointed him out to the runners around me and we all tried shouting to get his attention! He replied bellowing across the valley with “raise your hands if you’re sexy!!” – which cracked everyone up! After that we filled in the next 30min doing the wave before finally making it to the creek that cause the bottle neck.

I climbed out of the valley and made it to CP1 (18K). I refilled my bottles (even though I hadn’t drunk much Kev had told me to make sure my bottles were full – thanks Kev!) grabbed a banana and waited for Kev. After waiting a few minutes, I realised that Kev was probably another 15-30min behind based on the time I spent at the bottle neck. I decided to keep moving and eat my banana, hoping Kev would catch up.

Maybe it was the banana, because for some reason I felt really, good! I was passing loads of people – mostly the 50 runners. At one point I was worried I was somehow in the wrong race because I couldn’t see any other 100 runners. I hit CP2 (31km) and saw Tracy who was just getting ready to leave. I quickly filled my bottles (I knew Kev would kill me if I didn’t and it was so lucky I did, because it was about to get really hot and water was about to get really scarce!). I quickly grabbed some suncream from a volunteer and ran out of the CP2 with Tracy! I was still feeling inexplicably, really, really good! Apparently, my skin was a nice shade of red and I may have been a little manic – but I was feeling good! We headed along the Andersons out and back – the out being mostly downhill. As I was feeling so good I ended up running ahead of Tracy and down to the turnaround (that didn’t have any water, much to some others bitter disappointment). Tracy had been told to use poles coming up from the Anderson’s turnaround, so I followed that advice an pulled out the poles. I’m new to poles and so far, the poles and I have not been friends. But from here on in – I love you poles!!

On my way out from Andersons turnaround I saw Kev!! He said he was good, but hurting – he said I should keep going, so I did! I fell into a rhythm of walking up hills and running down them – sometimes I kept running when I didn’t notice an uphill. It was hot. Really hot!! Lucky I was carrying that Fleece!! Lots of runners around me seemed to be struggling and complaining about running out of water, but I was doing OK. My nutrition strategy was alternating between a gel and cliff blocks/jelly dinosaurs every 5km and I had a little sip of water to mark each Km completed.

Excitedly I spotted the blue and pink UMROC colours and the red beard…. complete with crusty salt marks – Brendan Codrington!! Us rangas have a mutual admiration society going and it really lifted my spirits to hear words of encouragement!!

Nearing CP3 (58km), the first of the drop bag CP’s, I knew there was orange Powerade waiting – that stuff is magic for me. I concentrated on just getting to CP3 and not thinking about what lay ahead. The aid station was chaotic, but I managed to grab my drop bag to find my craved for powerade. I changed my shirt but not my shoes. I think I should have really changed my shoes…. – lesson learnt! Leaving CP3, my heart started to race!! I think my body thought I was finished and was protesting running again! I took some selfies with the lake and tried to calm down and start again.

I got back into the running/walking groove again figuring that I would get to see Kev soon…and there he was. I lost track of time, so I told him he was almost at the CP…apparently, he still had quite a way to go…sorry Kev! He told be not to wait, so I kept going!

Nearing CP4 I noticed the sun was setting…. When did that happen?? The native flowers on the side of the trail were suddenly stunning. But where was CP4? – it seemed I would never get there!!

Finally, I made it to CP4 (78km) and this time I went straight for the Coke!! I changed into my long sleeve shirt because it was starting to get really cold and a volunteer helped find my light (because I’d forgotten to take it out before I put on my pack and reflective vest…doh). A brief stop at the port-a-loo (I really needed that – it’s a bit harder for us girls to pee in discreetly in the bush) and I walked off into the night.

Suddenly it hit me – what lay ahead…hours of stumbling through muddy trails, alone in the dark. But I new that Mark and Nicole were waiting at CP5, so I kept telling myself just 10km to Mark and Nicole….you can do that…you can do that…

My feet really started hurting on this leg. There were some road sections but also some gnarly rocky steep down hill trail. Every step causing pain…but it got worse. The trail led into the forest and to the never-ending stairs! I found myself catching a group of guys who were trudging silently on like zombies. Out of habit I started calling obstacles like the low overhangs that appeared suddenly out of the dark to decapitate us and the guys ahead stopped, let me through and told me to go first because I knew what I was doing?! If only Kev could see this!! So I found myself leading a group, in the dark, up the steps to CP4 – not my strong point!! . I just have to mention that spiders started coming – great big black ones out of Harry Potter!! I pointed them out to the guys behind, who started swearing, which was pretty funny. I knew we were passing all the pretty things like the views and the waterfalls, but I couldn’t see anything in the dark and I couldn’t help thinking how ridiculous this was!

Finally, we made it to CP5 (87km) and I saw Nicole and Mark and they were fantastic!! They took me inside to a chair. Mark filled my bottles while Nicole got me coke and soup. My brain wasn’t functioning properly so I’m so grateful they were there to make decisions for me! I was shocked when they said Kev was 1.5 hours behind me but stoked to learn that Brendan had almost finished!

Nicole walked me out of the checkpoint and down the road to send me on my way…then it was all up to me again.

This leg was the hardest for me. I think I spent too much energy leading the zombie guys up the stairs. I was exhausted and my feet were really sore. Running felt more like hobbling and the trail kept going into the forest with the spiders, demented owls and stairs…..so many stairs….Every Km took forever. It’s at this point where all the layers of myself – mum, partner, employee, ball juggler, runner, getting older…… were stripped away and it was just me, the real me, determined to put one foot in front of the other.

I was putting my poles up onto the stair above me and then pushing myself up. This worked well until the pole slipped and smacked me straight in the face! I guess I deserved that after hating on the poles in training!

I could hear the bells and cheers from the finish line and I knew I had to be close….but cruely, back into the forest the trail went and down the stairs. Every step painful because I new I had to climb back out…finally I reached the last set of stairs and I suddenly felt great, because I knew I’d almost done it. I climbed up to scenic world and started to speed up….i couldn’t wait to get to that finish line! I saw the Gunrunners and Mark and Nicole cheering for me and I crossed the finish line! 16 hours and 54 minutes after I left this morning.

I was presented with my bronze buckle and its almost embarrassing how much that meant to me. I then went to gear check and presented my buff and hi vis vest. Inside the finish tent the volunteer got me to have some soup before I left. Leaving the tent Mark and Nicole were waiting! And I was so happy to see them! Somehow, I’d missed Tracy who finished right behind me…but I had no idea she was there!

Nicole Drove me back to Blackheath…through the potholes of death, the dodgy spooky, narrow laneway, and the bizarre clifftop parking platform, in the middle of the night for a shower. During the whole car ride, I couldn’t stop talking! I was so happy I had finished and the runners high was in full force! I was so happy! Poor Nicole…. Sorry!

One of the best bits was sitting in the stands, waiting for Kev and then, all of a sudden, the announcer was calling his name! I was so stoked to see him finish and knew he must have made great time in the last leg of the course. We did it!!

It’s the full journey of the ultra-marathon that has impacted me the most. From feeling nervous and apprehensive at the start and not really believing that I could do it. To building in confidence and strength through the run. When it got hard, I had to dig deep to keep pushing myself though the dark. Finally, the incredible feeling of the finish line!! I am so proud of myself, Kev, Tracy and Brendan for finishing! Our friend Lindsay Hamilton finished in an amazing time and I had loaned her my spare fleece (stupid fleece!!) - now it’s my lucky fleece because it can run faster than I can!!

But it’s the people who have made this special. From the other runners to the volunteers and the supporters along the way. And to my people – Mark, Nicole, and the Gunrunners cheer squad, I couldn’t have done it without out you! Nicole and Mark: thank you .

The hugs the next morning at Echo point were just the best!!

UTA100: my body is spent, my feet are sore but my heart is full.