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Relay results (Female/Female category):

3^rd Sydney Striders (Amanda Dawson and Margaret White 5.30.41

Report number 1: by Robyn Flemming (an honorary Strider for the day)

At Bulls Head, the second relay change and approximate half way point on the 54 km descent from Mt Ginini, it was cold, damned cold. But not so frigid as at the top, where a little over two and a half hours earlier we had watched the start of the race.

I was an honorary Strider for the occasion and second runner in a two woman team with Breeda Kelly. Breeda was hoping to overcome a bad knee and run the second half with me, but as she climbed up to Bulls Head she shook her head: "You're on your own, kid" she said.

I had run the distance (27km) only once in training, but my inexperience proved to be an advantage. I had resolved, above all, to have as much fun with the race as I could. I was in luck: just ahead of me as I took off down the hill was Paul, Keeper of the Reptiles at Taronga Zoo and an experienced marathoner and ultra runner.

I ran with him for about 10km along a dirt road through dense bush and felt perfectly fine. If it hadn't been a race, I would have wanted to be there anyway. The next stretch of 7 km to the Seventh Heaven aid station was on my own. Apart from a quick duck into the bushes, I kept up a steady pace which was faster than I had planned but felt comfortable.

At the third relay change point I was delighted to see Breeda recovered enough from the first stage to join me for the final 9.9km. This was through more open country, with young forest and my first real hills for the run.

It was getting hot, damned hot. We were soon joined by Mandy Dawson. Breeda, who was suffering from her knee again, muttered Irish curses at my right elbow, while on my left Mandy impersonated a drill sergeant.

The finish appeared a kilometre or so before I expected it and Breeda and I were able to dig down and sprint to the finish in a combined time of 5.02.50.

Many thanks for Sydney Striders Kevin Tiller, Mandy Dawson, Breeda Kelly, Cathy Dunworth and Margaret White for welcoming me as a team member. Congratulations to Dawn Tiller for her great win!

Report number 2: by Jim Screen

That beguiling lady of the southern mountains, Brindabella Classic showed she has lots of class as she displayed her usual array of moods for the running of the 10th Annual Classic. "Australia's toughest downhill mountain race" is a must for distance running buffs as it combines all of the elements of toughness, great organisation and a the beautiful Aussie mountains.

There are lots of ways of describing the scene at Mt Ginini just before the start of the race. For one it was so cold that visions of brass monkeys and so on hardly seem to do justice to the wind which snap froze everything (and I mean everything) it could get a go at. Groups of runners huddled around the bus motors to extract whatever warmth there was and the hearty souls who stripped down well before starting time were soon involved in tight knit groups trying to benefit from the heat of humanity.

Mike Ward claimed he was suffering from exposure and was engulfed by a group of female runners which was the envy of many of us left out in the cold. Amanda Dawson was feeling a little chilled out because she managed to move her parked car into the path of a bloody great bus, the driver of which claims he didn't see her because she wasn't there. Amanda claims it was not her fault but then don't they always. Murray Town says it wasn't really cold giving some credence to those who claim he is a slice short of a loaf.

If trivia records were kept ,the record for stripping down for the start would belong to the Brindabella Classic. At least 90 % of the field still had warm up clothes on with 10 seconds to go. The starter was encouraged to stop talking and get the show on the road and then away we went.

The race was won by Glenn Paterson in 3.43.51 followed by Trevor Jacobs in second place in 3.44.01 (First Strider). Kelvin Marshall (up from Melbourne & keen to set the record for the most kilometres travelled getting to ultra events) was second Strider in 4.09.17 . He was followed by the in form Strider, Dawn Tiller who in her first attempt at the Classic was first female home by a country mile in 4.29.08. Second place went to Pip Thorn in 5.03.56 followed by "move over or get sand in your face".

Paula Whitehouse in 5.38.15.who was third lady in this her third Classic. Well done Paula for a great effort.

Dawn's time was the third fastest ever for a female and according to the race report she looked very comfortable at the finish. Dawn and Kevin also took out the prize for the Husband & Wife Team event. The race report unkindly even if factually pointed out that Kevin finished almost an hour behind Dawn but we wouldn't repeat that in the Blister.

Alf Field and Michael Wilson didn't fall over. Indeed Alf finished strongly in 5.30.33 just ahead of Derek Smith. Michael when he stays on his feet , even with a pair of the blackest big toe nails ever seen , was a true mate and ran with Jim Screen who should have had a Did Not Start but who was not going to have a Did Not Finish. Both finished equal 50th place in 5.54.44.

The official race report made mention of the great effort by Greg Wright ,a diabetic who completed the full distance whilst continually testing his blood sugar levels. Michael Wilson is also a diabetic and carries a clever little gauge which every so often he produces to do his own testing. It is not unusual to hear Michael utter an expletive about the read out being too high or too low. The good thing about running with Michael though is he carries the best little selection of glucose tablets which he is generous enough to share at the appropriate times.

Cathy Dunworth figured out the origins of the "loneliness of the long distance runner" and retired at drink station 8 with only about 10 kms to go. Breeda Kelly teamed with Robyn Flemming to set a race record in the Female/Female relay section in the snappy time of 5.02.50 while Amanda Dawson and Margaret White came in third in the same section with a time of 5.30.41.

For those interested, as well as developing into a fine runner , Amanda has this ability to change layers of clothing while on the run without first taking the outer layers off. Very clever number 99, very clever.

Mike Ward and Brian Colwell achieved the distinction of finishing 10 Classics and were honoured with the presentation of permanent race numbers. This is a great achievement to be able to front up each consecutive year for 10 years and finish. Brian had to make a dash back from overseas to be able to compete. He had not much training but looked fine when he crossed the finish line in a time of 6.17.35 which was well below his standard.

Brian didn't look half as good as the glam. Trudy Rae from the Terrigal Trotters who finished in 6.24.33. Trudy had the spectators heads turning as she finished without a hair out of place, lipstick perfectly applied and a smile for everyone.

Congratulation and thanks to Trevor Jacobs, Race Director and Peter Johnson, Assistant Race Director for another fabulous Brindabella Classic.Thanks also to all the volunteers who turned out to make the event possible. The Wireless Institute, St John Ambulance Brigade,the Army, SES and the Om Shanti Masseurs. Special thanks to those who looked after us at the Aid Stations. You're worth your weight in gold. See you next year.