When we signed in we were presented with our race bibs and four timing chips (a new feature for this year's event) which would need to be scanned at each of the checkpoints and the finish line. Apparently these will be in use at this year's Kokoda Challenge as well so that our progress can be tracked electronically. We had enough time wander around trying to keep warm before one of the volunteers mentioned there was a sausage sizzle and tea/coffee outside; a split second later we'd relocated out to where the BBQ was, and Shane, Brock and Wayne were all making quick work of the food (Nicole still maintains it was too early for a sausage sizzle!).
Despite an expected 7am start time, the event didn't start until closer to 720am (hardly surprising given the number of people including all the on-the-day entries), and once we did start it took close to five minutes for the crowd of people in front of us to make their way through the narrow tail (read: one to two person widths) at the beginning. Oddly, the team closest to us as we walked through this part was actually a team we'd encountered during our last training session out at Polly's hill, and I spent the first 600m or so until we reached Chesters Rd chatting.
Once we reached Chesters Rd we noticed the crowd had spread out significanty, although the first hill of the day leading up onto the ridgeline in Numinbah Forest Reserve did see a lot of groups bunch back together due to the inevitable trudging. While a large number of teams seemed to take an opportunity to stop and remove some of their warmer clothing at the top of the hill, we continued on along the ridgeline, removing jackets while walking as necessary.
As we'd never managed to find the offshoot trail which is part of the course as we come off the ridgeline it was good that the course was marked and we had other teams to follow on Sunday. But at least we've all see the turnoff in daylight so hopefully we'll have some chance of finding it in the dark for the Kokoda Challenge in another month. The narrow path which leads back down towards the "entrance" end of the loop was less steep and more defined than I remember from last year, but this may also be that I've never seen it in daylight. We followed another team across the road and around the back of the Environmental Centre to the checkpoint.
A new feature this year is that while we still have race numbers attached to shirts/bags, we were carrying a timing chip which is scanned at the checkpoint to register our arrival (thankfully with no accuracy required on our part). I had mine tied to the very top of my backpack (as it's out of the way) but this meant I had to remove the bag and tip it upside-down to scan the chip which will get more than a little annoying during Kokoda if they do the same thing. Will need to find a better place to tie the chip so that it's accessible and I won't lose it. The official times show we checked in after 1 hour 9 mins (1:09:33 - 1:09:40 to be precise). We stopped for around 10 minutes for a bathroom/snack break before heading on our way.
The challenging part of the Mini Kokoda is what's known to most competitors as Polly's Hill. I'm sure it has a real name, but with Polly's Kitchen (a local cafe/restaurant) being both a landmark on the road and a major checkpoint for the Kokoda Challenge and being situated at the foot of the hill the name seems to fit. This part of the section is around 7 kms, and from the wnvironmental centre around 4 - 5 kms of this was to be uphill. The section starts with a short stroll on flattish terrain before skirting along the edge of Pine Creek Rd and down towards the creek at the base of the western side of the hill. There must have been rain through during the last week or so because the re was quite a bit of mud around, and having around 140 people in front of us at this point it had been churned up a little. This creek crossing, like those in the waterfall loop, can be done by standing on a series of stones, and we all made it across with dry feet.
Once across the creek, the trail leads almost unrelentingly up the hill. It's not as steep an incline as from the eastern side, but it's longer and just as draining. As per usual, Brock seemed to bound up the hill (seriously... what is he eating and where do the rest of us find it??) with Shane generally managing to stay just behind. Wayne and I just plodded our way along (although we did manage to pass people on the way which is always good for the mental space.
Around 55 minutes after leaving the Environmental Centre we found ourselves at the summit of Polly's Hill and stopped for a food break for a few minutes before tackling the downhill. We again split up for most of the hill wi th Brock and I being the most comfortable skirting down the hill and Shane and Wayne finding it a little more difficult on their knees (although Shane managed to point out that the hiking poles are better than the tree branches he used last time we attempted this descent). I spent a large chunk of the downhill talking to someone from another team (surprise, surprise) about the gels which Brock seems to be extolling the virtues of. Apparently GU Espresso Love and Tri Berry both come recommended. (And good luck to whoever you are with the marathon on the Gold Coast). Once at the base of the hill it was only a short stroll along the road to the back of Polly's Kitchen and our second checkpoint. We clocked in at 2 hrs 44 min (and persons number 104 to 107) which means it took around 95 mins to get from the Enviro Centre to Polly's which is considerable faster than either Wayne or I (the two KC veterans) have done previously.
We elected not to stop for a break at the checkpoint, instead heading back towards the hill to get the ascent over with. This side of the hill is the steeper ascent, and we found ourselves just plodding up slowly but continuously, and 45 minutes later we found ourselves at the summit. Having not stopped earlier at Polly's we decided to break for 5 minutes to eat food / change socks, and Shane and Brock spent a few minutes chatting with an ex-colleague who was also participating in the event. But once we'd been stopped long enough to begin to cool down it was deemed time to head back towards the Environmental Centre. We again split up a little, with Shane and Wayne walking slower down the hill (both had already taken some form of painkiller by this point to try and pre-empt any further knee issues).
Trying not to get too far in front, Brock and I ended up walking just behind a couple of high school kids (from I-don't-know-where) who were entered into the Kokoda Challenge but today was their first time out on the course. Given their age (or lack thereof), we suspect they'll bounce through it fine.
We eventually made it back down to the creek which signalled it was about another 10 minutes to the Enviro Centre. I always like this last little bit because it's mostly flat and it's always a nice psychological boost to know you're that close to the Checkpoint. We made it back without any issues and checked in at 4 hrs 23 min (and persons 98 - 101), stopping for a short 7 minute break (the usual bathroom and locating of food routine) before heading off on the last 7.2km.
The wander out of the Environmental Centre felt tougher than it did walking in, perhaps it was more uphill than on the way, but more likely we were just tired. By the time we made it to the road crossing we'd begun to splinter a little and found ourselves stopping and starting a little to keep the group together. This last section is predominately flat but is punctuated with eight creek crossings during the first four or five kilometres. The last time we did this loop in practice (after the Border Track) I'd landed in the water in two of the crossings, and today was no different. Managing to clear the first with no issues, it took me until the 3rd and 5th crossings to get both my feet wet, and at some point hesitating enough on the next step forward that Shane and I ended up balancing on the same rock... Perhaps I need to travel further to the back of the group during this section!
We found along the way that we had different paces on the flat parts between the crossings; Brock still bounding along in front, Wayne suggesting his "cruise control" setting wasn't as fast as everyone else, and Shane and I somewhere in between. But once we hit the hill at the sharp right heading towards Chesters Road, it all evened out again. Mostly. Brock still appeared unfazed and distinctly not tired (which after 5 - 6 hours can just be annoying!) :)
Once at the top of the hill we had around 2.5km left to the finish, mostly downhill, but I believe "undulating" is the term commonly used. This section is new for this year, and is also part of the new Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk that opened recently. There's not too much of distinction here - plenty of downhill coming off Chesters Rd, and a small creek crossing along the way, but it seemed to drag out because we were so close to the end. Eventually we came across the clearing a few hundred metres from the end and could see the hall, and both Brock and I bounced forward (because a finish line is always exciting!). Shane and Wayne, however, could not be prodded into walking any faster than they already were (which was a decent pace) and the four of us met up (properly) at the finish line, stopping for a photo before swiping out timing chips and checking in.
The official time? 6 hrs 15 min (or 6:15:01 - 6:15:13 to be precise). All in all, a really good time seeing as we went in with the expectation of around 8 hours :)
