How tough is the Coburg classic billed as ‘Australia’s toughest’ 15km run?
The hills take it out of you and the terrain isn’t easy. Reporter Josh Barnes has provided a step-by-step guide to taking on the Harold Stevens Bluestone Classic or as the locals call it, ‘Australia’s toughest 15km race’.
North West
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WHEN I told my friends I had signed up for what the Coburg Harriers describe as Australia’s toughest run, I was mostly met with one question: why?
The 15km race around Coburg, named after former Harriers club president Harold Stevens, just about lives up to its billing.
Starting with laps around the athletic track and onto a 4km stretch on a bike track, I was already puffing as female winner Bec Rosel tore past me within a couple laps.
Ms Rosel said she used the race as training, with her eye on the Sydney marathon in September.
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“I think it’s probably one of the most fun (races) … I love the variety, I love going from track to the trail to the cross country,” she said. Fun was not a word that entered this runner’s mind as he trudged up and down the hills.
Harriers coach Brian Delaney said pre-race that the conditions for the cross country section were drier than he had seen in previous years and given much of that 8km section — broken into two laps — took place on grass, it was lucky we didn’t come tumbling down the biggest hill, near Photography Drive.
That cross country section is where the burn sets in, particularly the hill and following runs on the grass.
Slight inclines and uneven surfaces genuinely hurt and accidentally kicking a rock with about 4km to go resulted in a bloody right sock.
This amateur runner gives it a tick as the toughest 15km he has run after he spluttered over the line about 21 minutes behind the winner, in 14th place of about 30. I am still in recovery mode.
I don’t think I could face those hills again but I recommend the race for any runner looking for a real test.
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