This year's Painathlon was blessed with fantastic weather. My role in it was that of Support Car and, with Rob Perry in my car as the event doctor, it was our job to follow competitors around the stages to make sure they didn't need medical or mechanical assistance. We had plenty of spare tubes, tyres, some electrolyte and first aid kit.

The nerves at the City Beach carpark were palpable as individuals and team entrants sized up the task ahead of them. People arrived from around 6am - it was dark and cold.

With a 7am start looming, last minute adjustments were being made to bikes and backpacks. Competitors also got to leave some water bottles with organisers who would take them up to 'The Truth'. 

The event started on time with lead runners seemingly 'dancing' aross the soft sand making the effort look ridiculously easy. Thankfully there were plenty of others to show exactly how hard soft sand running was as they completed their 3 Groyne laps.

It's odd but getting the bike up that small little hill was the first test for competitors who were stuck in too big a gear. As we followed them along Oceanic Drive, the painathletes made steady progress to Reabold Hill with a searching 700m run up to the top of Reabold Bolt and again for good measure. We had a lot of North Coast Running Group coming past wondering what the heck was going on.

The ride to Synergy Parklands in May Drive at Kings Park was a little more eventful with lead competitors losing their way and some mechanical issues rearing their heads (a puncture and loose pedal crank from memory).

The run up the long grassy Heartbreak Hill up to DNA Tower is probably the easiest stage (if there is such a thing). We managed to call in a replacement punch card for a competitor who was mortified to find out her original card had fallen off at some point. The cycle up May Drive toward Mount Street is a deceptively hard climb that , again, catches out people trying to grind too big a gear. Already, the need to tie shoelaces at each stage was costing time to those who hadn't thought to buy elastic laces for their running shoes.

I'd noticed some nice deep dish wheels (Zipp 808s)  but I was also aware that there were only really 2 or 3 good cycle legs to take advantage of their aerodynamics. We had Jono Hague sidle up next to us at the Belltower as we skipped Mount Pain and looked for a crank tool to fix one of the Cervelo bikes. I dropped Dr Rob off at the Causeway bike rack area and flagged down a group of cyclists at Albany Hwy Vic Park in search of the crank tool. My sincere thanks to Dave Kitson who kindly lent me his Topeak multi tool and I was off to the Causeway to tighten a crank and then take Rob and I off to 'The Truth' , around 37kms away in Brigadoon.

At last year's event, as part of a bike rack crew, I had stopped off at a servo in Great Eastern Highway for a coffee, only to see the lead Painathlete cycle past, threatening to beat our arrival at the Truth. No such danger this year as we arrived near the corner of Camargue and Campersic Rd to help the bike rack crew set up. Lots of snacks and, of course, the competitors own drink bottles had been successfully transported here.

Mike Carroll arrived fresh-faced but had faced a pretty stiff headwind on the way out as had all competitors. You forget how long and hard that 37kms is, especially if you're doing it by yourself. I drove up to urge on the first dozen or so competitors as they tackled the brutish hills of The Truth. I had some electrolyte on hand at the very top of Boullonais Drive, the turnaround point. That last hill is incredibly steep and it seems a bit unfair that you have to again run down it and up another huge hill before the left hand turn at the roundabout on Campersic Drive.

The views over to the Avon River are spectacular but I'm sure none of the competitors even knew they existed. After taking few photos and videos, Rob and I made our way to the Zig Zag. The last hill up Ridge Hill Rd from the roundabout is a punishing way to finish this 35km leg off (actually it finished off a few legs, truth be told). We had a moment when we thought an alien was going to explode out of Marek's calf muscle and another who simply couldn't unclip out of his pedals and we 'caught' him just in time to avoid the dreaded sideways flop.

Steve Doyle and crew did a sterling job at both the base and top of Zig Zag as other cyclists and motorists were made aware of the approaching painathletes. It’s a fairly busy traffic spot so volunteers did well to keep everyone safe. The chocolate eclairs were a godsend as well.

On to the Quadcruncher and the final little dig at Hardinge reminded people that this was essentially a hilly event in the cycling discipline as well as running. Rob and I decided to traverse up the Quadcruncher and to the end of the Valley run. A lot of competitors were pretty well spent at this point but pleased to punch off the stage, knowing that the cycle to Canning Bridge was quick and that the end was near (literally). We noticed this was the stage at which race leader Mike Carroll was overtaken by Josh Randall - a rivetting battle between those two.

We waited for the last competitor to punch their card at the end of Quadcruncher and made our way precariously back up the Valley Run then down the Quadcruncher. There's just no easy way to do this challenge. The track has gullies and soft edges and little rocks everywhere. Whatever you do, just don't look up at the rest of the hill that awaits you. Very depressing. I challenged most competitors to pull out a 40kph cycle to Canning Bridge and I think the tailwind ensured this was pretty close to the mark.

We didn't see the Painultimate 6.66km run between Canning Bridge and Mt Henry Bridge but the body starts to let you know its had enough at this point. The quick cycle from Canning Bridge to Mount Street is not the end of the pain. You are challenged to cycle up Mount Street (very hard as a standalone effort) then knock off 10 ascents of Jacobs Ladder.

It really has developed into an iconic event and, with 70 competitors, is attracting increasing interest every year. This was the fourth year of running Painathlon. Sadly for the females, there were no solo female Painathletes but I'm sure this is temporary and we will see them reappear next year.

The day is made by the volunteers I reckon and there's a lot of people that help to make this a very successful event. I'm pretty sure there were no significant injuries. There may have been a private stumble or fall on Quadcruncher or coming down Zig Zag. No real bike issues (not any we were made aware of and we were itching to help change a tube or tyres. I did hear of one competitor with a tubular tyre issues however if you're packing 'singles' you really need to have your own spare tyre.

I was most impressed with the sheer determination and strength of spirit of all the Painathlon competitors. Nutrition and hydration were crucial and most competitors looked after themselves in this regard.

Koops (Dave Koopu) had a light-hearted attempt at showing how the event could be 'shortcutted' however most of his bold and cunning plans were exposed. He has photo and video evidence of his 'creative' use of the course and stage punches. His masterful diagonal run from the start of the Truth was spectacularly successful as he traversed a bridle trail to beat around 5 others to the control punch. I trust his blatant attempts at cheating were not taken seriously by other competitors.

Well done to all involved on another highly successful Painathlon, especially to Jono Hague and his Notre Dame 'cronies'.

Now all that's left is the pain….and the duck walking….and the pain…….followed by some granny walking. And, to finish off, as a tribute to the Painathles, a quote from Dr Smith from "Lost in Space". No, its not the one about pain. Don't try to second guess me here. I think Dr Smith described the painathletes best as 'bumbling, bobble-headed boobys'

But, seriously, as a tribute to you all who entered the Painathlon, let's revive the famous 'Man in the Arena' quote again from Roosevelt.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat

There were certainly lots of people spent at the end of what was a very worthy cause. Viva La Painathlon!!

CHRISTO