The Painathlon is a day long running / cycling / orienteering challenge which includes 7 of Perth’s toughest hill runs, sand and off road runs and plenty of stair running. The total cycle distance is 120 km and total running distance is 44 km. Money raised from the event is donated to Variety WA Children’s Charity.

Sixty Painathletes gathered at City Beach for the 2008 Painathlon. It was dark, it was very cold and it was very, very windy. We checked in our bikes and helmets and two drink bidons which would be taken to the fifth challenge for collection.

At 7 am we started with three laps (3 x 800m) of the City Beach / Floreat groyne run in the soft sand. This year I did the first four short rides in my running shoes. It certainly saved time on the transitions, however cycling up Oceanic Drive was hard work.

It was a short ride to Reabold Hill. We had two laps (2 x 2.34 km) of Reabold Hill to warm ourselves up. We then cycled through Subiaco to the Adventure playground at Kings Park. We ran from the playground, up the grass and to the top of the DNA tower and back to our bikes (1 x 4.23 km).

A quick ride brought us to the top of the dreaded Mount Street. Three laps (3 x 0.81) got the heart racing. My planned route to the Causeway was blocked by a crane, so it was a quick detour onto the foot path as I weaved my way down to the river. We left our bikes at the Victoria Park end of the Causeway and started the Bridges run (1 x 9.68). My legs appreciated the flat running and I resisted the urge to run too fast as there was plenty of hill running to come in the afternoon.

It was then off to Brigadoon, a mere 35 km into a very, very strong and gusty Easterly wind. Drafting is allowed in the Painathlon. Unfortunately for me I never found anyone to ride with on the three long cycles. It was a hard grind out to Brigadoon. My lowest moment was cycling just over a kilometre at 13 km / hr into the wind (memo to self – get some hill riding in before IMWA). I appreciated the 5 minute rest I had when the police forced me to stop and wait for an over width vehicle on Great Northern Highway.

For me the Truth is the biggest challenge of the day. It is 8.54 km of steep hill running. The scenery is spectacular and the hills never ending. I managed to run most of the way, just had to walk the steeper parts of some of the hills. At the transition area I grabbed my two bidons and a jam sandwich and headed off to Bickley.

There was also a head wind on the 37 km cycle out to Bickley. I started to cramp on the way and took some extra salt tablets. The Quadcruncher and Valley runs are 6 km of off road, hill running. Parts of the track were so badly washed away I was forced to slow to a careful walk. At the bottom of the hill is a creek crossing, I managed to keep my right shoe dry but the left shoe went for a swim.

It was then a 21 km cycle to Canning Bridge. Fortunately there was a tail wind, as I was starting to cramp up badly. My legs seemed to recover during the 7 km Canning / Mt Henry bridge loop and I made good time. There was then a short 8 km ride to Jacobs ladder. The final part of the ride is up Mount St, I put my head down and pedalled – there was no way that I was going to push my bike up the hill.

I work at a remote gold mine. This year I had been training for the race by running up and down the stairs to the top of the mill in full PPE – steel capped boots, hard hat, safety glasses, jeans and long sleeve flouro shirt. Many of my fellow workers thought that I was mad! I was confident and felt that I would be able to do a faster time on Jacob’s than last year. However the cramps set in again and I was reduced to walking (staggering) up the stairs. There were some pained expressions on the faces of my fellow Painathletes as we struggled to complete ten laps.

Finally it was over and I was able to stagger up the hill and over the finishing line. As a "cool down" I cycled back to City Beach and picked up my car. It was then off to the finishing party and prize presentation.

On a positive note I didn’t get lost this year, so didn’t have to cycle an extra 10 km (real men don’t stop to ask for directions!). On a negative note this year’s race took me an extra 40 minutes. The strong Easterly added to my cycle time and caused me to cramp up much more than last year.

Congratulations to the winners Piotr Baizert 8:24 and Jenni Tibbits 9:48. Thanks to all the fantastic volunteers and to the organiser Jono Hague. See you next year.

I wonder if we will ever see a Painathlon as an Olympic event?

I’m going to take it easy for a few weeks and then get stuck into training for IMWA.