Sonia O’Sullivan: Running in thin air a breathless task

Another year gone, another year to look forward to, and for most people that means thinking about ways to make changes and better themselves, to be happier, more content, in their lives.

Most athletes do that by default, are programmed to think about the changes they need to make in order to improve their performance, their level of success. For me, it was usually about being more committed in some way, finding those extra little edges – the ‘one percenters’ – which when added together could bring me to fresh heights, faster times.

This new year took me back there, having spent a few days at Falls Creek, the high altitude centre of Australia, a five-hour drive north-east of Melbourne. Set within Alpine National Park, it’s where many of Australia’s elite athletes go to help begin another year on a positive note, and a lot of athletes from other countries are now coming there too.

I never imagined that nearly 20 years after my first experience of altitude training, I’d still be coming back to the thin air, enjoying what the mountain top has to offer beyond the daily and trusted training routine.

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There’s also a lot more to explore when you’re not restricted by the parameters of a strict training regime: hiking trails to cloud nine and beyond, down the packhorse trail, followed up with a sneaky walk up the newly built Flowtown mountain bike trail at dusk, when most of the bikers are off the trails for the day.

The back road to Falls Creek attracts the triathletes and road cyclists, who tend to forget what lies ahead for the return journey, as they race downhill to Anglers Rest, then turn around and start climbing back to the village – a loop that would be more attractive to me if it didn’t take all day, or some 250km of cycling.

All around there seemed to be an increased uptake in all these outdoor activities, people getting away from the normal day-to-day routines, accepting new challenges, training that bit harder to make these more achievable, while realising the great sense of satisfaction one gets by simply stepping a little bit outside their comfort zone.

Anyone who has been to high altitude will know that feeling you get when walking up steps or hills, the shortness of breath that even the fittest athletes experience when they first arrive on the mountain top.

Aqueduct

I can still remember my very first run here, in 1998, starting out gently along the aqueduct, then across a stream, and then suddenly fighting to get a clear path up the increasingly steep hill towards Fitzty’s hut, where you could take a short break to sign your name in the book.

Along the path across the snow plains, clear of snow in the summertime but often faced with a stiff headwind, the altitude certainly took its toll, that run seemingly never ending before the drop down left along the rocky path, returning to the cars at Langfords Gap, 10 miles completed.

All I was told was to join in and run along, but this run is notorious for losing athletes, so I was working hard to keep up and not lose touch when the pace increased. I remember making it back but also having a searing headache for the rest of the day. This was my first experience of altitude training, the lack of oxygen, the need for water, the benefits certainly felt later that season.

These days I adapt a little easier, knowing what to expect, but still get that unavoidable feeling of breathlessness going up steps and hills.

Everything is more difficult at altitude, even at the relatively low 1,500m at Falls Creek, and although some argue this sort of height has little benefit or effect, the training environment certainly does, just being away from normal day-to-day distractions and being a part of the group training sessions.

I also had the added benefit this year of bringing my daughter Sophie along, with some of her friends, on a sort of introduction to the life of an athlete, sharing in some of the training sessions, taking turns cooking meals, and gaining some independence in a safe environment.

It’s a great way for the younger athletes to get close to some of the best athletes in Australia, and this year, some international visitors from Ireland, Sweden and Greece. It’s easy to be inspired and learn by observation alone.

There are many stepping stones to success as an athlete, and when you can see firsthand what it takes then every new step is one step closer to achieving your dreams. Even if here the logistics can be complicated, given you also have to bring most of the food you will eat up the mountain, the benefits can be enormous.

The Christmas festivities are also quickly left behind, and though the New Year’s Eve gatherings and shenanigans still go on, they fizzle out pretty quickly after the countdown, no one wanting to miss out on the 9am start to the first run of the new year.

Old traditions

There are many old traditions at Falls Creek, runs created by the pioneers, runs that many were afraid to change down through the years. Still, the pattern is essentially the same. One thing that never changes is the starting times: 9:30 for the morning run, 5:30 for the evening run, and 9.0 on a Sunday morning for the extended run through Pretty Valley.

I wasn't running that much this year, and on Tuesday morning, rode my bike out to Cope Hut, changed shoes, then ran down to have a look at the latest crop of runners. It was reminiscent of the film Field of Dreams, with that memorable quote, "if you build it, they will come".

Only this was a word-of-mouth gathering, around 200 runners lined up and ready to take on the repeat 1,000m efforts along the narrow aqueduct, out one side of the narrow track, and back the other, just about enough room to hold your stride.

There was actually no one there in charge, no one shouting out times or instructions, yet everyone fell in to line and somehow it worked. As the waves of runners set off I couldn’t help but think that some of best things never change, and are always worth doing over and over again.

Driving the five hours back to Melbourne, that feeling was magnified, that it is still something special to be a part of the training camp at Falls Creek, seeing the efforts that so many athletes put in just after Christmas each year. It also got me thinking that as much as we like to make changes in the new year, there is a lot to be said about simply increasing the consistency of regular things, and just getting better at them.