Double Rainbow Race 2017 Report

Report by Sandra Jensen

If you want to know about a running event, don’t ask me. I will give you a brutally honest and slightly glorified report focusing mainly on the cons more than the pros. It will possibly involve much hand gesticulating and the odd swear word or 10. But there are few events that I’ve run 4 times now and Double Rainbow is one of them.

I don’t like hills, they are my kryptonite. I lose all hope, momentum and generally the will to live when attempting to scale them. I’d be faster walking them backwards than trying to run them but on a cool Saturday morning my hungover, untrained cousin and I (she’d had maybe 2 hrs sleep) trudged off to Rotovegas for my 4th attempt at the Double Rainbow. Weather was dubious on the way but cleared sufficiently for it to be a cool but pearler day.

I said to Lou that I wouldn’t judge her if she downgraded to the 10km –  nor would I judge her if she curled up and went back to sleep in the car. But the 17km we signed up for and by golly gosh did we do it. I’d once attempted the 25km, not for me, so I stick with the 17km. That’s ONCE up the hill.

I like this event, it’s still small. It’s kind of homely and chilled and Shaun the organiser is like a happy leprechaun, most often sans shoes, and it’s hard not to smile when he’s doing the briefing.

It’s a bit of everything this event, trail, farm, mud, cow poo, forestry road, soft forest trail, up…up…up and then down.

Even with my time this year being 10mins slower than last and a small course change not being to many people’s liking, I’ll go back. The finish line rocks, the pot of gold at the finish and the best darn pumpkin soup I’ve ever had. Lou had 2 cups and contemplated a third. I managed an age group placing though at 40 years old I’m disputing being considered a “Vet”. Blimmin heck. Us Hawks managed a fine turn out and I think, just maybe, we like this event.

My hungover cousin Lou finished with a smile and is considering the same race prep next year as she did seem to think it worked.