Stand Up Paddle Surfing Magazine - 111 km: A Stand Up Paddle Ultra Marathon (Part 2 of 3)

111 km: A Stand Up Paddle Ultra Marathon (Part 2 of 3)

By: Stuart Murray

Saturday, 15 November 2008

It is bright and cheerful at the 4pm start. The afternoon sun is warm and a light breeze fans the surface of the river. There is still that buzz in the air. Away we go and I see the back of Inoke’s head fading into the distance. I begun to overheat. Maintaining core temperature at a sustainable level is a matter of layers and my thermal is a touch to hot. To take it off would mean removing and putting back on my personal flotation device and I am just not in the mood for that. I settle into my own rythym and do not stop to delayer. It’s a long race and it will get cold soon enough I figure. At this point I give up trying to keep in touch with Inoke.

I counter the heat by drinking at regular intervals from my hydration pack. As canoes pass me I get regular comments. Some are “you are a legend, you can get first place right now just for having a go”. I thanked those paddlers. Others would comment “ so how far do you hope to get”. I would reply through my determined face and smile in my eyes ” well when I close my eyes I can see this bridge”. I was referring to the Brooklyn Bridge that stands at the finish. I had been visualizing it for three weeks. I would receive a nervous laugh as a response.

     There are three stops in the Hawkesbury Classic. Sackville at 31.2 km, Dargle at 40.8 km and Wiseman at 65km. After that you are practically on your own till the finish at 111km. Being smart at these stops is critical to success. Here you can refill your hydration packs, smash down some food and get first aid for the rainbow of aches and pains that turn up.

     I had thought our plan was to miss the first stop and go straight to Dargle. I nearly run through Sackville at 31.2km.

    Linda Dickerson, one of our Land Crew, saves me and calls me in. Her voice is a welcome sound. Looking back missing Sackville would have been a big mistake. Here a freakish lady chiropractor jumps on me and cracks my back where it where it has never been cracked before. She whispers in my ear, “ make sure you use every stop, after Wisemans its along way home”. With that ringing in my ears I bolt back out onto the river. It’s getting dark and I’m on my own. For the first time I sense the rythym of the river. Inoke is out there somewhere.

    At Dargle and 40.8km its dark and I’m sore. Linda calls me in again. In the dark I hear people calling out “go 305”, my race number, and it gives my heart a lift. I figure all that Stand Up Paddle goodwill I shared at the pre-race is coming back, it feels good. I wander into the Land Crew area. People are everywhere looking lost and sore. I keep food intake to fruit cake, put another layer on for the cold and jump back onto the river. Inoke is still out there somewhere. It’s solo for me.