Jarad Kohlar
Stories
Race One 2007 Gold Coast Anaconda
By Jarad Kohlar
Adventure racing enthusiasts once again congregated on the Gold Coast for Race One of the Anaconda Adventure Racing Series. With a larger field of athletes, more prize money ($40,000) and better weather it was going to be a great weekend!
In short, the race involved the following legs:
1.9km 2XU Swim
14km Ozflyte Ocean/Creek Kayak
12km Keen Creek/Mountain Run
17km Continental Mountain Bike
2km Queensland Event Team Run
After finishing 5th last year in the solo male category in a time of 4:24:12sec, I returned again hoping for a top three finish and a time under 4:10:00sec. I have been braving the cold in Melbourne and training as much as work and my partner will let me! I was hoping to have a consistent race throughout all disciplines. It was set up to be a great race with some strong competition in the solo male category. The big names include: Guy Andrew former surf ironman ledgend, Caine Eckstein 2005 Coolangatta Gold winner and Ben Allen simply know as; 'Mr Fish'.
My pre-arranged race plan went out the window very early in the race. It was a sea of orange as Anaconda Man started the race. We all headed off from Tugun Surf Life Saving Club towards Currumbin Alley. After a number of seconds, I was swimming around the first buoy thinking to myself "ok good start, just maintain this rhythm and I will be looking at a 32min swim". As I approached the final buoy I moved off the feet of the swimmer in front and put in a big effort around the Currumbin Point to the beach. Approaching the transition I was informed I was 10 - 11 minutes behind the leading solo athletes Guy Andrews, Caine Eckstein and Ben Allen.
In the past I used to be able to justify having a poor swim, because I never did any swim training. However, since this time last year I have averaged two 3-4km swims sessions each week. I did swim faster this year, by 4:26 seconds, but the weather conditions where much quicker. No justifying this year - I had a shit swim!
Starting the kayak I knew I was 10 -11 minutes behind the leaders. It was a mind game now and I knew I needed to get myself fired up. I arrived at Tallebudgera Bar and found myself saying "come on, wake up and lift up the pace". I knew I was having a bad paddle – I just couldn't find the strength in my arms. There was no surf and the ocean was like glass making the Tallebudgera Bar very easy to navigate. I kayaked under the Pacific Hwy Bridge where I caught the leading solo female athlete Christie Sym. She was having a solid paddle and I was disappointed it took me this long to catch her.
After edging my way past Christie I finally started to wake up and pick up my pace. With a dead low tide of .08 meters during the race the Tallebudgera Creek was quite shallow and all racers needing to portage their kayaks over three 30 metre long portages. It was an interesting process for some people trying to carry their 18kg spec skis over the slippery rocks. As I was paddling a nice light 10kg Fenn Mako 6, I could just pick it up with one hand and throw it onto my shoulder and run :)
'Finally back onto land', I thought… now it was my turn to run and ride my way back to the leaders. The run constantly crosses the Tallebudgera Creek for 5 - 6kms. I was focussing on looking ahead, maintaining good balance and my running rhythm. Emerging onto Syndicate Road, with the mental strain of Tallebudgera Creek over, I found myself striding out along the bitumen with ease. Then, of course, I lifted my head and saw the hurt of the 5 - 7 minute steep climb up and over the headwaters of Syndicate Creek. It's a steep pitch - 250 vertical metres over 1km. I still had good spring in my legs and managed to maintain a high and powerful leg rotation throughout the climb. Gasping for oxygen as I ran over Trees Road I had a large smile on my face – Because I knew gravity was going to be working with me throughout the final kilometres of the run! The last 3 - 4kms involve a steep, rocky and grassy descent to the start of the MTB course. I let gravity take hold and really struggled to maintain my footing around the switch-back corners. However, my off road Keen running shoes made the difference here. The final part of the run is a steep decent down the relatively smooth ridge line. I believe I was the first Australian and possibly first white man to run sub 10 seconds for 100 metres :) I wish someone had been out there with a stop watch, maybe next year!
After passing a number of team runners during the run leg I was beginning to wounder if I was ever going to catch any of the individuals in front of me. However, just before I entered the MTB transition I managed to slip past Robert Pomie and Simon Manson. After a quick transition I was informed there were two other individuals; Caine Eckstein and Glenn Kirby, just starting the MTB. I was on a mission and was looking forward to ripping up the MTB course. This is a great MTB course and possibly my favourite of all in the Anaconda Adventure Racing Series.
You start off in the big ring and try and to rip the rubber off your tries for the first few kilometres along the bitumen. After turning onto Bains Road you are forced out of the big rig and straight into the granny. It was here I caught Caine. I felt like stopping and swapping phone numbers. I thought perhaps he could give me some swimming lessons and I could teach him how to corner on a mountain bike. Ha Ha.
Your lungs and legs are screaming as you're trying your hardest to push both you body and bike up Bains Road. You soon forget about the increasing lactic acid and decreasing oxygen in your body as you concentrate and work on pure adrenalin. As you emerge out onto a tight single track which follows the state boundaries of NSW and Queensland, it's important to maximise your speed on the downhills and maintain your momentum on the uphills. You reach an altitude of 240 metres above sea level and there are some million dollar views of Brisbane and the ocean. I managed to clock up 58.03 km/h on my speedo during the big descent and was forced to get off and walk three times on the three big technical ascents.
As I reached the high point of the ride at 240 metres I was informed I was in third place, 5:10 seconds behind second Ben Allen. Throwing everything into the last half of the ride I felt like I ate up the descents and hardly touched my brake pads. The light weight Schwalbe Nobby Nic tires gripped the track and saved my back on a number of occasions. Arriving into the final transition area I was only 38 seconds behind Ben Allen. I quickly sprinted off trough Currumbin Sanctuary and arrived back out onto the beach were I could see Ben in the distance, it was then I knew I was not going to be catching him today. I slowed up my pace and took in the atmosphere as I approached the finishing shoot at Tugun Surf Life Saving Club. I gave Anaconda man a high five and thanked John Jacoby and Sam Maffett for organising a great event with an even better course. In the end I finished 3rd in a time of 4:09:17sec and recorded the fastest individual mountain bike time.
I will be hoping to go sub 4hrs next year - see you then.
I would also like to thank my sponsors Keen Footwear, Schwalbe, Hammer Nutrition, Omara Cycles and Fenn Kayaks, because without their support I wouldn't even get to the start line. Thanks :)
Jarad Kohlar - 2006 Australian Adventure Racing Champion
A full set of results and race information can be found at the below web address.
http://www.rapidascent.com.au/Results/GoldCoast2007Overall.asp?e=5