… or, how we won the Orroral Valley Classic 20km walk … or, the lads take grandpa for a walk
Orroral Training for CBR100Challange
Saturday 24 January: Orroral Training for Cbr100Challenge – AMRA Orroral Valley Classic 20km walk. 7am start at Orroral Tracking Station. See AMRA Orroral Valley Classic. The lads suggested we might as well do a bit more whilst we’re out there.
Sean, Richard and I met near the registration tables. Around 80 there for the event.
Summary
Distance: 33.1km | Climb: 950m | Time: 7.00am-1.25pm (6hrs 25mins), with 20 mins of breaks | Grading: L/E; H(12)
Track Maps
Track overview
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Profile
Photographs
Photographs are available, where you can start a large sized slideshow.
gpx File
Download the .gpx file here. (Right click, Save Link As…, Save – if you want to use it.)
kml File
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Track Notes
Walk 1 – Orroral Valley Classic 20km walk
Around 80 of us lined up for the 3km run, 5km run, 10km run, 20km run and 20km walk. I was a bit miffed at having to pay $25 to walk out and back along the Cotter Hut Road, but it was great to meet Sean (again) and Richard. As we walked, we discussed a little strategy for our Cbr100Challenge walk 21-22 March. What a great team we were today – we passed every other participant! … as they ran towards us on their return leg!! Well organised, with drink stations at 5km, 10km, 15km and 20km. Nice friendly people.
Sean set us a cracking pace and we completed the 19.6km (by my measurement) in 3hrs 10mins. Out the Cotter Hut Rd for 10km to just past the Smokers Trail intersection and SW of Mt McKeahnie. So we averaged around 6.2km/hr.
New Hoka Stinson ATR shoes certainly made a difference.
I’ll have to ‘fess up now to say that we were the only team doing the 20km walk, so the poor track marshalls couldn’t retrieve all the signage and drink stations until we’d passed by. We crossed the finish line as the last participants. The recorder said ‘yellow’ (my T shirt colour) was third, so I was the last of the last. Awarded a bottle of red for my efforts (as was everyone except, I assume, the 8 and 13 year old boys competing).
Results here and photos here. Some very fit people.
After a quick refuel we set off on:
Walk 2 – Granite Tors Walking Track
I learned a new saying from the marshalls. When one is dragging the chain, you’re not really doing that, but ‘spending time on your feet’.
So I did that as Sean marched us up the Granite Tops Walking Track. Gave some walking poles a first try today. Still trying to decide whether they are of use – maybe they helped me on the up bits. A nice red-bellied black with head raised on the side of the track. Had a quick look at the geodetic observatory and the view from NmC106. Returned to 2 of the 3 vehicles at the Tracking Station car park. 8.0km in 1hr 55mins. More water and half a sandwich later:
Walk 3 – Orroral Valley Heritage Walking Track
Ever the taskmaster, Sean had left his car at the Orroral Camping Ground, so we wandered down the lovely green Orroral Valley. 5.5km in 1hr.
A great day with fun guys.
Party
3 walkers – Sean D, Richard P, me.