Race report 4
NEW SOUTH WALES – THREDBO – KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK – AUSTRALIA – 51 km, 2000M+, KOSCI 50 🌏
PLAN FOR THE AUSTRALIA RACE
Planning a Trip to Australia: The Masterpiece by My Life Manager
You've met him before—my husband. Imagine this: a multi-step mission involving endless finger-walks across maps, digging through reviews of places and accommodations, and crafting the ultimate itinerary. His goal? To ensure his wife could run a race in Australia, visit New Zealand (because, let's face it, being so close yet skipping it would be a crime), and still find time to relax in Thailand. This included revisiting Bangkok for the umpteenth time and lounging on our beloved Koh Lipe, a cherished destination for many years.
And so, from the moment I hit "register" for the Kosci50 at Ultra Trail Kosciuszko, I found myself on a journey to the land of kangaroos.
If you're reading this, let me remind you that Australia, as a continent, is a vast giant, covering an area larger than all of Europe. Yet, it's home to only 22 million people—just over half the population of Poland. As a European, this ratio of land to population was a shock to me. And you feel it. You feel it in the streets, in the towns—except, of course, in bustling places like Sydney. It's one of the unique advantages of this vast land.
This fourth leg of the trip, under the guiding motto "running through sightseeing," was another step toward earning medals on all the continents. Join me as we journey through this story, transporting you from wherever you are to the Australian mountains, into a land of geological history and extraordinary flora.
PRE-TRAINING IN THREDBO
It's worth mentioning the visit to the starting location and touching the surrounding area of the first few kilometers before the actual race. Two days before Zero Hour, on December 5, 2023, I decided to see exactly where the start was.
Honestly, filled with fears and wild imaginings, I came here to check if the earth was still round and if gravity worked here the same way—because, well, maybe things are different on the antipodes of our location. 😊
So, I explored the starting location and the first few kilometers of the course. The ground held firm—I didn't float away 😉. I was captivated by the magic of the tranquility, the vastness, the greenery, and the harmony in the landscape. Take a look for yourselves on the video—it's worth it, as even Google Maps won't let you dive into this terrain.
The town itself, Thredbo, is also a special place. As I read, it hosted the first Men's Alpine Skiing World Cup in 1989—quite recent in my opinion 😉. The name of the town is tied to the Aboriginal inhabitants of the Snowy Mountains. I'll admit, I've never associated Australia with mountains. But here I was, running a race in the highest mountain range in mainland Australia, located in the northeastern Australian Alps, with the opportunity to run right past one of the five highest peaks in Australia: Mount Kosciuszko. Yes, Kościuszko—as in Tadeusz Kościuszko, the Polish national hero. What's the connection, you might ask? Well, around 1840, the Polish explorer Edmund Strzelecki was conducting an expedition here, studying the climate, geology, and highest peaks. Strzelecki named the mountain in honor of General Tadeusz Kościuszko, a hero of the fight for freedom. He was inspired by the mountain's supposed resemblance to the Kościuszko Mound in Kraków.
But let's get to the point—this is a post about the pre-training, and there were still two days until the race. For my reconnaissance, I ran 8 kilometers along the race course.
Everything felt new, different, and fascinating—I kept stopping to take pictures and absorb the scenery. I already knew there was no point in stressing out. The terrain was soft, and the trails were narrow, so I figured everything would naturally sort itself out at the start. 😊
START: 7.12.2023 - Bullocks Flat – 6:30 a.m.
The organizers advised leaving your accommodations earlier than usual, as they anticipated "unusual" traffic jams at the starting area (check it out here: (https://maps.app.goo.gl/MgP4AXPbkXtsYaJk8). Our accommodation was in the charming town of Jindabyne, right by the lake of the same name—about 21 km away from the start. Navigation showed it would take us 18 minutes to get there, but… life had other plans.
Even though we left early and seemed on track to arrive in plenty of time, about 2 km from the starting line, we hit traffic. And then we stayed in traffic. Runners began getting out of their cars and jogging to the start, as 6:30 a.m. was approaching fast—and, of course, there's always this and that to take care of before a race.
By the time we reached the start, there were just a few minutes to go. My watch wasn't set, and the line for the Toi Toi stretched for what felt like 1 km. It turned into a full-on sprint of logistics. Somehow, I "politely wedged myself" into a forgotten, discreet spot, and then, as I was finishing up, I heard the announcement: The start is in just a moment! 😱
I had originally planned to line up with the second wave, as the organizers, fully aware of the narrow trails at the start, had wisely predicted "traffic jams" and arranged for a wave start. This made perfect sense given the circumstances. After darting out of my discreet "rest stop," I had to make a quick decision: Should I join the back of the line for the start or…? A slightly open barrier near the front caught my eye, and the impulse to "politely squeeze in" once again kicked in 😊. So, there I was, in the first wave, with a few seconds to spare and a mischievous smile of triumph, knowing I'd managed to escape the crisis of starting without a proper Toi Toi stop.
Take a look at this photo—it says it all! 😊
START
Starting with the elites was an invaluable experience—it brought me so much joy to comfortably jog along at the back of the "speedsters." Since I was already familiar with the route, I started this adventure calmly and confidently.
That said, as I observed the ambitious pace of my fellow runners, I couldn't help but wonder if they realized what lay ahead. Because, well… this course was truly something else. Take a look at the elevation profile. There's about 20 km of "flat terrain" with a "gentle incline" up to around 30 km, after which there's 15 km of climbs totaling 2,000 meters of elevation gain. Going full throttle right out of the gate? Pure madness.
Meanwhile, as my husband would say, I had a "banana smile" plastered on my face and gently rolled forward. We meandered along the Thredbo Valley Track—a beautifully arranged network of trails, with paths, bridges, and signage everywhere. It was impressively well-maintained and orderly, seamlessly integrated into nature.
Did you know that before entering the trails, there are shoe-cleaning brushes provided? Yes, really.
Surrounded by eucalyptus forests and tree ferns, moving at a cheerful snail's pace and taking countless photos, I eventually reached the first checkpoint at Ngarigo. 😊📸
1 POINT – NGARIGO
In the valley of the National Park, I stopped at the checkpoint to refill my flask with water. I won't lie—it was warm, around 20 degrees Celsius, which I hadn't expected at all. Refilling my flask was an absolute lifesaver.
The 2022 edition of this race took place in completely opposite conditions. Back then, runners were trudging through snow up to their ankles, and everyone was wearing warm gear. Preparing for this trip, it was genuinely hard to predict what conditions I would face, so I packed for both snow and heat. Of course, my Night Runners Club tank top was with me as always—I hope it lasts until the end of all my races on every continent.
Back to the trail 😊—after refueling and exploring the checkpoint, I headed out for the next stretch. Keeping the course profile in mind, I thought to myself, Finally, the good part is coming! 😊 But the section between Ngarigo and the first reach of Eagle Nest was anything but easy peasy. Half of this stretch was particularly "nasty." It wasn't flat, but it wasn't a steep climb either. It was the kind of terrain that required angelic patience to make steady progress up the "gentle" incline. These 10 kilometers felt like a real test of character. Running on this type of terrain, with the knowledge that the "real" climb was just around the corner, took some serious willpower. My average pace for this section came out to around 8:30 min/km, and I was quite satisfied with that. The terrain, as I mentioned, was pleasant—soft and surrounded by eucalyptus 😊. By this point, I wasn't at the "back of the pack" anymore. I had lots of people around me, and I felt that I was about to catch up with my earlier "speedsters" 😊.
And it turns out I wasn't wrong. The most enjoyable part of my 7 Ultra Continents Club journey in Australia had begun—the climb. Here's the thing—my heart rate tends to drop to unbelievably low levels during climbs. Not only was the terrain beautifully maintained, but I also felt absolutely wonderful. Climbing has this calming effect on me; it evens out my heart rate. I don't run uphill—yet. Who knows, maybe one day I'll take the plunge—but for now, I go with steady, brisk, rhythmic steps. Sometimes, if it's exceptionally steep, I'll pause briefly. And here, on the first climb, I apparently overtook more than 100 people. Impressive, right? It's such a confidence booster 😊—though not for long, because as I climb, I'm always aware that I'll eventually have to go downhill… and that's a nightmare 😊.
The first climb to the second checkpoint turned out to be a fantastic experience. Our goal was Eagles Nest. 🦅⛰
2 and 3 POINT – EAGLES NEST
I had already visited this spot the day before. We took the Kosciuszko chairlift up there, and while that in itself wasn't particularly extraordinary, what happened next was: my husband's hat fell off during the lift ride, and he had to climb down several meters to retrieve it. He returned exhausted from the short climb and had to lie down for a bit to recover 😉.
I felt so sorry that he got so worn out, because for me, climbing there would've been pure joy. While waiting for him, I took the opportunity to examine the ground closely—and let me tell you, the rocks there were absolutely stunning. They sparkled in the sunlight, and the path looked like a shimmering carpet. Truly breathtaking.
From a bit of "internet research," 😉 I learned that the formations might be quartz or gneiss, and the granites in this area were formed during the Paleozoic era, around 400 million years ago. So, the stones you see in the photo are nothing less than a testament to millions of years of geological evolution!
And so, I joyfully ran across this ancient history. It was an extraordinary experience. 🏔✨
Leaving Ngarigo and experiencing the calm that comes with climbing uphill, I transitioned out of the forested terrain into an area known as tussock grassland. Being the "research enthusiast" that I am, let me share that tussock grasslands are a type of vegetation formation dominated primarily by clump-forming grasses. They occur naturally in Australia and New Zealand.
Though the terrain might seem "ordinary," it was so striking that I paused to capture it—and, as luck would have it, I was also caught by a photographer 😊. The path, in addition to its sparkling rocky ground, was surrounded by golden clumps of tussocks nestled within the rugged mountains. As I ran along the trail, I was enveloped by the wind, which played with the fluffy tufts of grass. With the majesty of this landscape, framed by a cloudy sky, my banana smile captured exactly what my eyes were taking in at that moment—a boundless sense of inner joy at being right there, right then 😊.
This wonderful trail led to the checkpoint at Eagles Nest, the same spot where the lift ends and where you can "conveniently" sit down in a restaurant. Having visited the day before, I had seen the preparations for the checkpoint. During this climb, I had already gone through half of my cola and was dreaming of sipping some here, as I had seen a stockpile of it earlier. I ran into the checkpoint, and the first thing I noticed was—no cola. I immediately started shouting, "Where's the cola? Where's the cola?" Someone answered, "There's no cola." I asked, "How come??? I saw you unloading cola here yesterday—what's going on?" A lady or gentleman—I honestly don't remember—seemed flustered as I refused to let it go. Finally, they admitted, "Yes, we have cola, but it's not for this distance. It's for tomorrow's runners doing the 100 km race!" Oh, come on! You should have seen me—what a disgrace! It felt like a cultural shock the size of the distance from Poland to Australia. 😤 Thankfully, I still had a small reserve of my "power potion," but the bad taste (metaphorically, not literally!) lingered. 🥤
The silver lining of this cola incident was that, grumbling under my breath about the world's unfairness, I momentarily forgot to curse my way down the granite-studded, rocky carpet descent. However, I quickly got back to my usual flow of complaints when the trail transitioned from the rocky carpet to short, wooden beam-like steps, which I absolutely detested.
The steps were high, and my whole foot couldn't fit on them. This situation—and everything else that comes with descending—sends my blood pressure skyrocketing, easily three times higher than when climbing. My stomach clenches, my eyes water, my vision blurs, and my nose starts running. It's a full-on disaster 😊.
The only thing that keeps me going in these moments is the thought that either the finish line is near or another climb is coming 😊. This time, it was another climb, so I held on, knowing it was worth it to make my way back up to the sparkling carpet and golden fields.
My second visit to Eagles Nest was at least free of any illusions about finding cola this time. 😉
FINISH – THREBDRO RESORT
In summary: I wholeheartedly recommend this race. It's a chance to see a different world, a different part of the earth that operates in a way that's completely unusual for me. To feel the tranquility, to see unfamiliar road signs, to know there are people around you but not actually see them, to witness kangaroos hopping along railway tracks, and ostriches wandering on farms.
And, of course, to touch a continent that is larger than the entire EUROPE!
Ahoj! 🌏✨