Hares and hounds trail run 2012

Hares and hounds 10km fun run. Woodford, Queensland. 8^th January 2012.

Woodford is a quiet country town on the D’Aguilar highway, about 75 km north by northwest of Brisbane. It is the home of the Woodford international folk festival which this year saw visits by ex-PM Bob Hawke, singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie, and artists from all around the world. In previous years many others including Bibak and foreign minister Kevin Rudd (Queenslander ex-PM) have attended. My friends from Bibak-Queensland appeared at the festival two or three years in a row before going on a hiatus. This year’s event had a bit of controversy about some sponsorship money from a mining company. The festival starts on the 27^th of December and proceeds through to new year’s day, culminating with the New Year’s eve fireworks. I went there a couple of times before and loved every minute.This time I am a few days late to attend the festival, though I did not come for that.

Early Sunday morning, I put on my best Sunday running clothes (shorts, singlet and worn-out shoes) to take part in the ‘hares and hounds’ 10km trail funrun. The course takes in forestry tracks and fire roads which are sometimes used by trail bikes and 4WD car enthusiasts.

The race venue is at the Woodford pool at the edge of a forest.

I greeted the morning up the Bruce Highway to Caboolture and soon got to the verdant hills of Wamuran, D’Aguilar and Woodford. I’ve been through these parts many times before but I never get tired of seeing the pleasing green forests and rolling meadows of the landscape. If it was a mere 10 times steeper here, it would almost be like my other home in the mountains of the Philippine Cordillera. But this is not the time for sentimental reminiscing. This is serious business. I’ve got to run 10 kilometres of winding and undulating trails.

See the Glasshouse mountains over there? One day I'm gonna run them trails. When I grow up.

At the Woodford pool, I registered and signed the race waiver. The girl at the desk said she liked my name. Thinking I misheard, I asked her to repeat herself. The cat must have got my tongue - I did not know what to say. But there’s just something about the name ‘Martin.’ It just rolls off your tongue. Or maybe she was meaning someone special. But I always knew my name was unreal. I came to my senses when I pricked my chest while pinning on my race bib. The pricking prick of a pin is a-hurtin’ Martin.

There was a good turnout for the run (the field was restricted to 200 runners and many thousands missed out). I met some running mates from Bunyaville trail runners and others from the coolrunning forums.

Photo from Dreamsport Photography.

Soon we were asked to get ready.
Got set.
And then ‘Go’. 
So off we hared.

Photos from Dreamsport Photography.

It was good to see the mix of runners there. There were kids from very young to teens. Mums and dads have turned up too. It wasn’t just the veteran trail runners. People from all walks of life joined up and everyone was having a blast participating in this fun activity of trail running. Like me, some were aiming simply to finish. Or was it just me?

Photos from Dreamsport Photography.

We snaked along the trails of this forest in Woodford. The course itself is in the midst of the Beerburrum State forest which stretches up to 27km east past the Glasshouse Mountains and beyond to Beerburrum. The trail changes constantly from dirt to soft sand, and then from loose gravel and sharp-edged rock, to muddy soft-edged water holes. The protruding rocks are often sharp and took some negotiating. It was cloudy at the start but soon the breeze blew the clouds off as the sun rose higher. In the midst of the forests, the thick stands of tall plantation pines and eucalypts stood as if impenetrable walls blocking out the breeze. I laboured up the hills, rested down dales, turned the corners and then repeated the drill a hundred times. At 2km the speedy runners have disappeared from sight. At 6km my mother called, my other mother that is. I answered her call and lost precious time. Mother nature sure knows to call at a good time. At 7km I had finished my water and limped to the finish.

An ultra runner at the finish. Well done mate. Top finish!

After the race I walked around the very inviting Woodford pool where kids were splashing around and some of the runners were warming down - by cooling down. I would have jumped in, if only I could swim. The barbeque had lots of food and fruit and drinks and everything. Thanks to the volunteers there and at the course and everywhere. Also to the organisers for a wonderful event.

The route went anti-clockwise forming like a wonky figure 8.

On the way back, I went past the junction to Mt Mee in D’Aguilar, a fresh fruit stall on the roadside, a cafe in Wamuran, and then the turnoff to Campbells Pocket. And from the bypass overpass I sighted the bustling Caboolture markets. Another day I could have easily stopped at any of these, or went for a Sunday drive to Mt Mee. Back home I rested for a bit but got roused from my kip, roasted when the heat of summer hit. Awsh*t.

This was the  5th edition  of this run. The annual Hares and Hounds Trail Run has a 5km or 10km fun run option, as well as team relays of two to four (hounds) chasing down the solo runners (hares) on a 55km ultra-run to Beerburrum and back. The event is part of the Glasshouse Trail runs conducted by the Trail Running Association Of Queensland.
The winners are all the participants of course. But making up the numbers are the following (results extracted from HARES and HOUNDS -2012 results):

50km Males                                                                   

Place                          Name                                            Time

1                                 RICHTER, Adam                            4:43:21

2                                 McKAY, Keith                                4:46:09

3                                 ANDREWS, Robbie                       4:53:04

4                                 WRIGHT, Daniel                             4:55:34

5                                 BANFIELD, Antony                        5:05:51

50km Females                                                               

1                                 BANAGHAN, Glenda                      5:12:54

2                                 GAGE, Danielle                             5:54:56

3                                 AYERS, Natalie                             5:59:15

4                                 WILLIAMSON, Kerrie                      6:05:05

5                                 RIEMER-SORENSON, Signe          6:08:00                                                               

5km                                                                               

1 M                             ABREY, Dave                               0:21:34

2 M                             PATIENCE, Stuart                          0:25:04

3 M                             SCOTT, Martin                               0:25:05

1 F                              ANDRONOWICH, Patty                  0:29:10

2 F                              EGLANTALS, Robyn                      0:30:29

3 F                              TELFORD, Tamara                         0:35:47

10km                                                                             

1 M                             McKEE, Ian                                   0:42:36

2 M                             CLAUSON, Michael                        0:44:57

3 M                             VAN DER MAAT, Nic                     0:45:34

4M                              O'ROURKE, Dan                           0:45:41

1 F                              BLABER, Lucy                              0:46:57

5M                              HANDYSIDE, Andrew                    0:47:17

2F                               SCHROEDER, Sarah                     0:50:40

3F                               RAYNOR, Danielle                         0:51:45

4F                               WARD, Belinda                             0:52:23

5F                               SMITH, Wendy                              0:54:39

6F                               JACKSON, Kate                            0:55:43

2-Person RELAY                                 

1T         SCROOPE, David/ MULLAN, Allan               3:59:27    Alex Runners - 1

2T         BAMBER, James/ HARRINGTON, Benson    4:25:42    (Bamber, Harrington)

3T         BLAKEY, Dave/ CROOK, Dave                    4:57:09    The League of Daves

4T         BARALLON, Marc/ HOBLEY, Christy           4:59:15    Greyhounds

5T         KELLY, Stephen/ KELLY, Vince                  5:01:28    Sesagoya Bros

6T         REDMOND, Andrew/ HENDERSON, Sean   5:06:34     Kelvin Grove Kelpies
Other 2-person teams are: Porn Stars, Linde M H, XTC, River City Runners, Thunder Chickens, Team Tomlins, Yogi and Bobo, Wynnum Wombles, Toowoomba Road Runners, Lisa &Kylee, Shadazzle, Fast and Furious

3 or 4-Person RELAY              

1T         LEGGATE, Lauren/ RONEY, Ken/ GRAYLING, Alistair/ JOHNSON, David 4:16:40 Sons of Bitches

2T         BRADFORD, Dean/ COGLAN, Paul/ MARTON, Steve                             4:33:49 Three Bean Mix

3T         ALDOUS, Matt/ GOONAN, James/ MILLER, Anne/ BOYLE, Sean           4:39:18 Lady and the Tramps

4T         PAGE, Adam/ PAGE, Amy/ KEMP, Lee                                               5:50:28 Rush Hour Personal Training

5T         RUSSELL, Carol/ LEWIS, Glenn/ SMYTH, Andrew                                 5:14:33 Active Stride

Other 3 or 4-person teams are: When Drop Bears, PCYC Girls, Run Inn, No Rush Up Front and Alex Runners – 2.