What's Timbo Up To Now: Graham's Surf Coast Century in Pictures...

Watching others undertake crazy adventures, is what drives me to continue on my path to craziness. And not just the actual event, but also the training.

With the advent of "social training media" such as Garmin Connect, Strava, run keeper, etc, i can keep track of what my crazy friends are doing, whilst i do similar.

At present i've got friends training for marathons, and all sorts of triathlons...

But at present the Captain Crazy Award goes to a good mate of mine, Graham Whittaker, who over the weekend competed in the Surf Coast Century 100km trail run.

Linky to race details --->>> CLICK HERE

It's a run through along the Surf Coast beaches and through the near coastal parts of the Otway Ranges, linky to the course --->>> CLICK HERE

To quote from the website...

The Surf Coast Century will lead competitors through an incredibly diverse range of beautiful landscapes across the complete 100km... from running below towering ocean sea cliffs to weaving between towering tree ferns, competitors will run past lighthouses, waterfalls, scenic lookouts, renowned surf beaches (heard of Bells?), surf life saving clubs, remote wilderness and almost everything in between. This will be a 100km journey where no two footsteps are the same.

Graham has never ran a 100km ultramarathon before, his previous longest run was the 56k Two Bays Trail Run. And it's fair to say that this year he smashed it!

And Graham being the kind, giving person that he is decided to raise money to help a local (to Graham) Ipswich boy Blaise, who is suffering from Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy --->>> CLICK for more info or to donate to Blaise.

I could go into heaps of detail about the race, or i could just post pictures. Because as all runners will know you can tell a lot about how someone is going physically, mentally, emotionally just by their running form and expression.

So, on with the show!!

If you need to wait somewhere for the runners, looking from Point Addis toward Bells Beach & Torquay isn't too bad a spot!

Entering the 10k checkpoint at Point Addis.

And you thought the rocks were fun...welcome to the world famous Bells Beach, here's some soft sand!

No Graham, you can't go for a surf until you've run another 85k...

Leaving Bells Beach...

Graham and fellow BTR runner Michelle, playing up to the cheering crowd at Torquay, about 21km in.

Thumbs up! 21k down, 79k to go...

On the trail above Bells Beach, about 27k down.

Damn it's hard work sitting in the sun watching and waiting...

Little creek crossing at Anglesea, approaching half way...Graham charges through, while the bloke behind looks a little sceptical...

Creek crossed...thumbs up - all good!

49k checkpoint done, let's go!!

70k down, and getting stuck into some AmazeBalls!

Powering out of the 77km checkpoint... Mentally strong, physically...hmm...well mentally strong!

86k down, heading into Airey's Inlet, hurting but still positive. Graham was starting to doubt whether he'd go sub 12...

92k down, struggling down the hill onto the beach. The second he saw the tide was outgoing and hard sand awaited, he was happy (in a thank god it's not soft sand sort of way!)