Where the lake lets go and the coast takes over
Words & Photography: Amanda Ramplin
On Saturday I ran a 23-kilometre trail race I wasn’t ready for. It wasn’t pretty, and I definitely wasn’t fast. But I finished and I came away with a few lessons and a plan, because this race was never really the goal. It’s a step toward a bigger one.
Before the gun
I picked up my bib at 5pm the day before at Raffertys Resort, where the race starts and finishes. That’s just how I like to do things — if I’ve already got everything I need, race morning stays simple.
Worth knowing: parking is very limited. We’d had so much rain in the lead-up that the roadside spots people usually rely on were too wet to use, and with roughly double the field from when I ran this a couple of years ago, space was tighter again. Great for the community and for trail running generally — just plan for it. My husband usually waits with me at the start line, but this time he dropped me at the gate and I walked the five minutes down on my own.
One more practical note before you go: it’s a cup-free event, so bring your own. A soft cup tucked into a vest pocket weighs nothing, and you’ll want it at the aid stations.
All that rain, and then the day itself turned it on. Beautiful. Perfect for running.
The first half is cruisy
Out of the resort, through Murrays Beach, back along the lake shore on flat, easy ground, then up the fire trail, across Murrays Beach Road and over the footbridge to the first aid station at 5.5 kilometres. I breezed past it — I still had enough of everything and I was feeling good at my steady pace.
From there it’s out along Scenic Drive toward Caves Beach and the ocean, with views in both directions along the coastline, down beside the water on rocky trail, across a small creek, and out onto the rock platform south of Shark Hole with the waves crashing alongside. It’s a genuinely spectacular stretch. It’s also where I started quietly wishing for a cloud or two — not overly hot, but out on the headland there’s nowhere to hide from the sun.
Course · 22 km loop
The second half collects the debt
Two big climbs, then a short but steep downhill into Middle Camp and the aid station, where I grabbed some water. A long 1.4-kilometre uphill follows — easier grade, but long — and then a steep, very wet, very slippery clay descent back into the forest that demanded full attention on every step.
Some more uphill after that, winding back through the fire trails. Keep an eye on the course markings through here; there are 4WD tracks coming in from every side. Then you meet the road again and cross back over the footbridge, and from there you’re only three kilometres from the end.
Sometimes the race you’re not ready for is exactly the run you need.
Would I recommend it?
I wasn’t ready for this run. I hadn’t trained for it, and the back half made sure I knew it. But honestly, that’s part of what makes this race worth recommending. The cutoff is five and a half hours, so there’s room to take your time, and the course rewards you whether you’re racing it or just getting around it. It’s a great one for newer trail runners, or for anyone who wants that first step back out after a long break or an injury.
A big thank you to the volunteers who made the day what it was, and to everyone out there giving it a go and cheering each other on the whole way round. That’s what trail running is all about.
