IB Live

At the awards ceremony on the Tuesday after the event, it was announced that Bruce Hall has finally won the event overall (after 42 years), in part due to them winning Divs 2 (despite a lost hat), 4 & 5 …

Wamburun div 7 team has arrived at EP safely after being picked up after DNFing. A huge congratulations to all teams that participated in the event whether they finished or not your efforts truly make the event what it is.The commitee is headed home too after all their hard efforts to make the event happen and should hopefully get some well deserved sleep…

Thanks so much for following along on IB Live with me! I hope you’ve enjoyed watching our teams navigate through the course this weekend. We’ll keep uploading content over the next few days so keep your eye out for photos and videos from the course…

We will upload photos from the devil's Gap CP here with more to be available soon via a shared drive link…

B&G has had all their final team (Div 3) sneak into EP 7 minutes before the cutoff meaning they will be the only college to have 7 divisions arrive at EP via their own leg power before the cutoff…

With Burgmann Div 1 arriving at EP, hey are the first college to have all their teams arrive (although they did not enter a div 3), it goes to say this is a far batter effort than last year when only their div 7 team finished …

Watching these dots is making me nervous!…

There are going to be teams arriving at Endpoint right until the last minute this afternoon…

The next (and, hopefully, final) team that has fallen victim to thinking “oh, I’ll just take a shortcut this way” is Wamburun Division 6, who are making their way south at the moment. This bush bash will save them less than 1 kilometre, and take more than 1.6 kilometres to complete. That is not a good ratio. In fact, that is a very bad ratio…

Division X’s KUWC got the memo about needing to pick up the pace. They absolutely stormed through the Orroral Valley, overtaking Griffin Division 5 who seem to have spent 40 minutes climbing up one of the gullies to the north east…

Making their way towards Endpoint from the northern direction, we’ve got Burgmann 1, Johns 1, Wamburun 1, Johns 7, Lodge 7, and Ursies 7 all spread across a couple of hundred metres…

It’s Burgmann 6 vs Burgmann 7 in a footrace to Endpoint from the northern direction. Hopefully these teams are working together to push each other on home!…

Sheeesh it’s close to the wire this year…

Ursies 3 has just begun heading north. They are less than 1 kilometre away from the Link Track that every other team has successfully followed to Endpoint. It seems they’re planning to climb directly over the spur up a 450m slope rather than take the path around it. This is a 2 kilometre bush-bash. If they pull it off, it will save them 2 kilometres…

Can Fenner 6 hold off B&G 6 and reverse the fate of their Division 7 team? They’re just over a kilometre away now!…

We just saw an incredibly tight finish between B&G and Fenner’s Division 7 teams. Now, the battle is playing out again in Division 6. They’re almost at Endpoint… who will make it out in front?…

Bruce 5 is the first and only college entrant to finish Division 5 so far. They join Division X’s IBSC, who absolutely stormed into Endpoint earlier in the day…

It’s almost 2:00pm. That means that race cut-off time is just over three hours away…

B&G Div 6 made a wrong turn and briefly headed up towards Mt Tennent however they have recovered and are now back on track, however Bruce and Fenner both over took them in the 20 minutes that this route diversion took…

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again - I am so impressed with this team’s grit. They’ve still got a difficult task ahead of them - the faster teams have taken 5 hours to get from Yukeembruk’s current location through to Endpoint. They have 4.5…

It's Bruce's race to lose in Division 4 at the moment. Wamburun still have a LOT of climbing out of Orroral Valley to do and look to be in a race for second against Fenner approaching EP from the north…

B&G Divisions 3 and 4 have been in close proximity for the last half hour. Will they run to Endpoint together, or will B&G 3 continue to outpace them in the back half of the course?…

After over 30mins of no tracker pings in Div 3, it looks like Wright is going to pull off an astonishing win from Yukeembruk!…

Bruce 6 has made the same mistake as B&G 6 and has overshot a turn-off along the Endpoint approach. It looks like B&G were able to recover fairly quickly. Let’s hope Bruce can too…

Burgamann 5 looks to have taken a risk and gone for the bush bash near Orroral Valley tracking station, and it might well pay off!…

For the whole race, it’s looked like Bruce 1 has been safely in third place. Now, I’m not so sure. It looks like Lodge have absolutely sent it up the southern route and may just beat them to Endpoint. Bruce wouldn’t be expecting this. Exciting!…

Never got such a thrill watching dots on a screen. Get the stopwatches out EP vollies, this could be a sprint finish!…

Div 4 is also shaping up to be very tight. Wamburun has 13km and 500m elevation to go, but on much nicer and faster moving trails than Bruce, who have 12km and 400m elevation to go…

B&G 6 seem to have missed a turn-off and are heading directly for the excluded section of Apollo Road. They’re so close to the end here…it can be difficult to maintain focus for such a long period of time…

Meanwhile, Bruce 3 appear to be trying to navigate in a straight line to EP. They haven't changed trajectory since they left the track 2.5hrs ago and seem insistent on continuing this way…

And just like that, Wright 3 has reclaimed the lead with only 7ish km to go, and they don't look like relinquishing it…

Surely they'll be able to see each other by now...wonder if they'll play any mind games??…

Division X Team 3 have taken a cool route out of the Corin Road crossing. Rather than crossing the Orroral River and following the trail that every other team has followed, they traversed around the edge of the open grassy area and continued directly on to the Link Track to Endpoint. This is a nice route choice…

With some really tight racing in the middle of the pack for Div 5, navigators have one last big decision to make...to bush bash or not to bush bash?…

ADFA and Yukeembruk 5 have finally realised that they were going the wrong way and are retracing their steps back in the direction of the Boboyan Road crossing…

They’re going to have to either turn around once they hit Corin Road, or do a nasty bush-bash to avoid entering the exclusion zone…

Burgmann 1 have been doing circles in the same approximate area for 40 minutes now. In the past ten minutes, they have commenced a bush-bash in the south-east direction. There is absolutely nothing out that way…

Burgmann 1 have been doing circles in the same approximate area for 40 minutes now. In the past ten minutes, they have commenced a bush-bash in the south-east direction. There is absolutely nothing out that way…

The following teams are getting seriously close now. In order of proximity, from the south:…

Yukeembruk Division 5 and the ADFA Divison X team are still heading north - that makes it an hour of travel in the wrong direction. The only way that these teams can make it to Endpoint without crossing an exclusion zone is to use the allowed road crossing that every other Division 5 team is currently passing through…

Div 7 is also heating up. After hitting Devil's Gap in 3rd, Fenner 7 have managed to flawlessly navigate a part of the course that a lot of teams have struggled on and hit Booromba Rd in the lead…

Div 3 is shaping up to be one of the great IB battles. After missing their turn and coughing up a strong lead, Wright Div 3 has absolutely powered down Smokers Trail into Orroral Valley…

Bruce Division 2 and Division X IBSC have made it to Endpoint!…

It looks like Griffin 7 are finally heading in the right direction and should be back on track soon…

Bruce 3 still seem to be making a direct line for Endpoint… it’s been an hour since they left the Smokers Trail intersection. They have travelled about 1 km in this time. If we generously assume that the vegetation doesn’t get worse, they remain directly on bearing, the 550m of elevation gain they’d have to climb doesn’t affect their pace, and they don’t fatigue, they could possibly make it the 7.2 remaining kilometres to Endpoint by about 7pm (well after the 5pm cut-off). Surely they aren’t really trying this…

There are three teams in contention for first to arrive at Endpoint…

Yukeembruk 4 had a really tough start to the race. After having to backtrack a few times, in the first 4.5 hours they had only moved a net 5 kilometres down the road from Dropsite…

While running through Booroomba Station, Griffin 6 came across a young lamb all alone in the paddocks. They were able to alert on-course volunteers who have now co-ordinated with the property owners to make sure the lamb is okay. How lovely 🥰 …

Yukeembruk 5 has diverted to the north - this is very much not the way to go. They seem to have confused the ADFA team they ran into, who are now heading north as well…

In case you missed it: ADFA attempted an intriguing bush-bash that has saved them about 3 kilometres but cost them a lot of time. Before commencing the bush-bash, the only Division 2 team in front of them along the eastern route was Ursies. By the end of the bush-bash, they were near dead last…

Bruce 3 appears to have overshot the turn onto Smokers Trail. They’ve been heading directly through the bush in the south-east direction for 20 minutes now. There is nothing in that direction. Unless they’re attempting a very lengthy bushbash to Endpoint?…

It seems Griffin 7 don’t know quite which way to go here. They’ve been travelling back and forth in this same area for about 40 minutes and now seem to be heading south-east into open bush (there are no valid routes in this direction). Have they misplaced themselves on the map? Are they going to attempt to bush-bash directly to Endpoint?…

And this one looks like it’s really paid off…

Bruce 6, who were mere metres away from the Corin Road exclusion zone, have made a successful recovery. They have lost a lot of ground, but that’s a far better outcome than disqualification…

Wright Division 3, who initially missed the turnoff onto Smokers Trail, have successfully landed back along it. They have well and truly been overtaken by Yukeembruk 3, who are now leading the Division convincingly. This is huge for a college in just their second year of IB!…

Bruce Division 2 is now just 8.17 kilometres from Endpoint. For the next 3.3 kilometres, they will slope gently upwards, before enjoying a nice 400 metre smooth descent into Endpoint (much nicer than last year’s final Endpoint approach…)…

Did you think there would only be a bush-bash in Division 5 this year? Well, surprise! The ADFA Div X team have turned off Gudgenby Creek Fire Trail and seem to be attempting a bush-bash across to Half Moon Creek Fire Trail! Will this pay off?…

It has just claimed Johns 6, Yukeembruk 7, and potentially Fenner 1. Unlucky!…

Bruce Division 6 are playing a very dangerous game here. After falling into the Devils Gap Trap, they’ve been following a (valid) track that is very, very close to the excluded section of Corin Road. They have now reached the end of that track. Will they make the right decision and change course? Or will they enter the exclusion zone?…

Teams are certainly getting closer! At the moment, it looks like the first team will probably arrive at Endpoint in just under two hours. Who will it be? Let’s look at contenders in three main directions…

Division 3 and some Division 1 and 4 teams are reaching one of the last substantial decision points. Teams have two options: head south along Smokers Trail, or continue east (avoiding private property) through to Blue Gum Creek Fire Trail…

Please turn, please turn, please turn…

Despite getting a bit lost on the way to the Corin Road crossing, Bruce and B&G Division 1 teams seem to have recovered, while Griffin moved slowly through the pine…

It looks like Wright 3 are a bit unsure at the moment - they’ve doubled back on themselves a couple of times. At the moment, they have a decent lead so they may be able to remain in front, but these mistakes have definitely cost them. Hopefully they’ll figure out which way they want to head sooon…

If you’re following along at home and trying to spot Burgmann Division 7, you might notice they’re not currently on the map. We promise this is purely a technical error that will be fixed shortly - the team are doing well. Their location is still visible from our end and they are currently about 100 metres behind Johns division 7. I’ve attached a picture to this post…

Just like their Division 1 counterparts, they’ve missed a turn-off here. Hopefully they catch themselves at the upcoming intersection!…

Bruce and B&G look to have recovered and are back on track to Endpoint. If you’re watching the trackers closely, it may look as though both teams are potentially along Corin Road, and exclusion zone. Satellite imagery makes this situation a little more clear - both teams appear to have followed a track that is unmarked on IB Live. Phew!…

Ursies, who have been running solo for the majority of the race, having branched away from the rest of Division 2 very early on, have reached Brandy Flat North Fire Trail ahead of Division X Team 3…

Extra climb, longer route, easier nav. Did it pay off for Johns Division 7?…

Division X team IBSC has just about reached the point where the east and west Division 5 routes reconnect. They have a formidable lead - it will be very difficult to catch them…

Bruce Division 1 have joined B&G in missing the Devils Gap Fire Trail turn-off. Will they run into each other?…

…isn’t always a good idea, as four Division 7 teams will likely find. Ursies, Yukeembruk, Lodge, and Wamburun have all inexplicably headed west, where they should have continued in a straight line south…

This year runners are fortunate to be able to run through the picturesque Booroomba Station, which we are very grateful to its landowners for affording runners this privilege. If they are particularly lucky teams might also be able to encounter these baby sheep we saw when course vetting…

B&G Div 7 is really moving at pace, with them seemingly well ahead of the rest of the division and forecast to finish 1 hour before anyone else in their div, can anyone catch up there is still a long way to go…

B&G 1 are in a bit of trouble. They missed the Devils Gap Fire Trail turn-off and are heading straight for a section of Corin Road that is out of bounds. They are about to hit a T-intersection, which should hopefully be a warning that something is not quite right…

Wright Division 3 have made it to the base of Stockyard Spur. Behind them are Yukeembruk, who still have 500 metres to descend. Bruce is currently in third position…

The first Division 5 team are about to pass through the southern Boboyan Road crossing point. This is an interesting part of the course because teams must bush-bash to reach Brandy Flat Firetrail…

10 hours in, the Griffin Division 1 are just 620 metres ahead of B&G. Bruce are in third place, another kilometres behind…

It looks like we might get to see how the Tidbinbilla Range route-choice plays out after all. The Johns Division 7 team have already made it 100 vertical metres up the spur - they’ll have another 200 to go before they reach the top…

I guess they’re alWright!…

B&G Division 4 seem unsure about whether they want to ascend to Tidbinbilla range. They were near the front of the Division 4 pack, but have lost quite a lot of ground through these navigational choices…

It seems that Yukeembruk Division 4, who have been left behind by the rest of the Division, may have accidentally missed the turnoff onto Flat Rock Spur Fire Trail and headed down to part of the Cotter River…

With a western group, an eastern pair and a (potentially) heroic bush bash all going on, it's hard to know who's actually in front in Div 2..…

Looks like some tracker errors have tricked us all in Div 7...B&G does in fact have a jump on the rest of the field!…

After quite the southern adventure, it looks like Wright 6 have got back on track (or trail?)…

Moves have been made in Div 7!…

Pierce's creek strikes again! It looks like the Div 4 teams at the head of the race have begun to split as they enter Pierce's Creek. …

It seems as a result of their detour Griffin Div 1 are neck and neck with B&G Bruce is also not too far behind…

This is probably the most isolated of the race checkpoints of which teams elect one to pass we only expect some Div 2 teams to pass through here unless a div 5 takes the lone way around. Sadly this alpine hut was burnt down in 2003 so all runners will see are some brunt stumps…

It's been a while since we've checked in on Div 3..…

It seems it took this div X team has nearly completed their bush bash which they have been attempting for the last hour and a bit, it does save ~8km of distance so time will tell if it was worth it…

Teams going through this drop point have to navigate a bush bash to connect from the Brandy Flat fire trail to the Orroral Valley walking track. It's in cleared-out terrain though so it shouldn't cause too many complaints especially as it will be safer than running along Boboyan Rd. We expect both Div 2 & 5 teams to pass through here…

Seems Griffin Div has made a slight nav error and gone off Oakey Creek Road (the key easy route to navigating through the forest), seems they are headed back towards it though and probably has only cost a detour of about 500m. However this might cause one to worry about what will happen in the pine ahead. Where teams…

Looks like Johns 1 is going for the elevated but pine-free trails of the Tidbinbilla Range…

While we wait for Div 7 to make their moves, I'm going to try and describe how brutal Stockyard Spur is going to be for Div 3 and our western batch of Div 1 and 4 teams…

This is another CP of which teams must pass through one, we suspect this to be the busiest of them with Divs 1,3, 4, 6, & 7 able to pass through here…

Things could be about to get spicy in Div 6..…

Here's a crazy idea for Div 7...what if heading up to Camelback FT from the drop is actually faster?…

Division 7 -  Ash Road (-35.388384, 148.916752) …

Div 7's Drop is a bit of a classic on the edge of Pierce's Creek Pine Forest along Ash Rd. Teams should hopefully identify Tidbinbilla range to the west an relatively quickly head south and onto Oakey Creek Road before navigating the rest of course. Teams that head north should also hit Oakey Creek Road just about 2km earlier adding another ~ 15 minutes to their run. Hopefully no team heads up the firetrail to tidbinbilla ridge firetrail, as this will add ton ton of vert and likely over an hour of running time but at least they will get nice views of the sunrise from up there. …

Teams have to visit one of 4 checkpoints on course with this one being at Corin Dam, we will try get pictures of teams as they come through these. Only div 3 should pass through here, but teams from Divs 1 and 4 may also go through here if they take the scenic route…

Wright Division 6 are persisting in taking a southern route - this is very much not ideal. Either they still don’t know where they are, or they’ve chosen a very interesting route…

With the Division X IBSC team leading to the west (and Johns the front college team), and Fenner leading to the east, Division 5 should be an interesting one to watch! Teams have started to space out along the road. …

Sort of...…

They have developed a serious lead over the other Division 1 teams and don’t seem to be slowing down…

Seems Div X Team 3 is attempting to bush bash around the exclusions zone, so far the only team brave enough to do so, as long as they don't head too far south accidentally it should be smooth sailing back down the other other side of the saddle they went up before they merge onto a trail that will take them back to Old Boboyan Rd in inconveniently cutoff by a div specific exclusion…

To the east of the Division 4 dropsite, B&G is developing a nice lead. The field is still packed fairly tightly, though - it could be anyone’s race…

It’s looking better for Wamburun’s Division 6, too. They’ll be enjoying the cold embrace of Vanity’s Crossing soon enough …

Burgmann Division 6 have pivoted and are heading back on track. Will they continue on to Vanity’s?…

Yukeembruk Division 4 have made a major decision to turn around and head back to Dropsite. Will they continue on south?…

Spare a thought for our poor Division 6 teams, who are getting their feet wet right at the start of their 50 km trek. Not a comfortable experience……

While most of the Division 6 teams are powering through Vanity’s Crossing, Wright seems to be heading directly south of their Dropsite. Will they continue south (a bad idea) or retrace their steps?…

Apologies, to all followers of the predictor turns out I plugged in the wrong EP (See finish logo (data entry error EP) vs the summit (real EP) to it mean that teams are finishing a tad early if they go north, hopefully people realised things were up when div 1 is forecast to get in to EP at 6:45Am still. I should have realised this looking at the graphs, I apologies to the algorithm for causing people to doubt it's forecasting skills and to those misled by it…

Most of the Division 6 teams are heading in the right direction (south-east, towards Vanity’s Crossing). Burgmann Division 6, meanwhile, are heading in precisely the opposite direction along Warks Road. Hopefully they can figure this out soon!…

Division X Team 3’s tracker was stationary at the sharp bend in Stevensons Trail for at least ten minutes. They must have been deep in thought, pondering whether to attempt one of the riskiest moves of this year’s race… a bush-bash of nearly two kilometres to bring them through to Old Boboyan Road. …

Earlier, I posted about the decision-point that the western set of Division 1 teams were approaching. All four of these teams have indeed taken their south-west route. …

Wamburun 3 seem to have sorted themselves out and are now heading back towards Wombat Road. They’ve lost a lot of time here - hopefully they won’t let this affect their mental state. They’ve still got a long race ahead of them, so it’s important that they can reset and refocus…

The largest Division in this year’s event, about half of the Division 5 teams have now left Dropsite. Most are heading north-west towards Boboyan Road, though Fenner seems to have followed B&G Division 2 towards the east. Watch this space…

B&G’s Division 2 team have joined Ursies in heading past the Division 5 Dropsite and east along Naas Valley Fire Trail. Can B&G close the gap?…

The front two Division 3 teams have created a series margin between themselves and the rest of the Division. Very impressive - can they hold the lead?…

Poor Wamburun Division 3. While all the other teams head south down Wombat Road, Wamburun seem to be a bit confused. Hopefully they can reorientate themselves soon…

With five teams out of Dropsite, it seems Division 4 will be split right from the start. This should be interesting! Fenner and Bruce have taken the northern route, while Wamburun and Johns join Burgmann to the south…

The first team to leave the Division 4 Dropsite, Burgmann are pacing it down Bendora Road…

Teams have left the Division 6 Dropsite in every direction! This is very exciting. It’s highly likely that most of these teams have a ver limited idea of where they currently are…

Division 4 have two main options: to head north or south…

Division 5 - Mt Clear Campground (-35.861446, 149.001867)…

Just as I finished praising Wamburun for taking the more direct route south through Bendora Arboretum, it looks like they’ve also changed their mind. It will be interesting to see whether they subsequently follow Bruce, Lodge, and Johns back south, or stick it out to the north-east…

These three teams have lost a lot of time as a result of taking the less direct route. This is a good reminder that even seemingly small route choices can have a large impact on the outcome of the race…

The west set of Division 1 teams are about to approach a key intersection. Will they head south-west towards the cluster of Division 3 teams, or south-east towards the Division 4 Dropsite?…

It appears that Bruce and UniLodge’s Division 3 teams have had a change of heart. From Bendora Arboretum, they initially headed north-east, but have now made a 290 degree turn back towards the south-west. …

Division 6 - Lower Cotter Catchment (-35.342703, 148.871888) …

Griffin Division 1 are about to cross a section of the Cotter River known as Vanity’s Crossing. This is an area that the team will be very familiar with - Vanity’s is famed…

Teams in Div 6 are dropped on a 3 way intersection and with only 4 minutes to scout hopefully they'll send one of their navs on a bonus scouting adventure to gain the maximal amount of information…

Back up in the north, Division 3 are reaching a crucial decision-point. From here, they can either head south to join back up to Mt Franklin Road, or work their way north-east (…or head directly east and attempt the famed ‘west ascent of Tidbinbilla’, but Fenner’s 2018 team can attest to that being a horrible idea…)…

Ursies Division 2 are currently in the middle of the Division 5 teams being shuttled to their Dropsite. They’ve chosen to head east along Naas Valley Fire Trail, which will be the only track they see for quite some time now. This is a relatively long route, but it’s flat…

The set of Division 1 teams that headed south at the last forking are now crossing Brindabella Road, headed up by Lodge…

Division 4 - Bendora Rd (-35.407157, 148.846263) …

While other Division 2 teams have headed along Boboyan Road until reaching the Old Boboyan Roach intersection Fenner Division 2 have made a break from the rest of the pack and have headed west along Grassy Creek Fire Trail. …

For Div 5 a spot near Mt Clear Campground returns as drop site to IB. Teams here need to avoid going up the clear range instead of taking Naas Valley FT the route we suspect is going to be the most common. …

Division 5 appear to be nearing their Dropsite. They have an interesting Dropsite approach: since buses cannot reach Mt Clear Campground, Division 5 runners are being shuttled in cars from Boboyan Road through to their Dropsite. Their journey isn’t over yet! They’ll then be walked (while still blindfolded) into the middle of the campground. Confusing!…

We’re hopefully about to see teams separate a bit - the fork that the Division 2 teams are currently approaching is a key decision-point…

B&G 2 seem to have realised their error; they have turned around and are currently running back towards Shannons Flat…

Most of Brindabella Road is an exclusion zone, because it’s not safe for runners to travel along. However, there are a few zones that are marked as crossing points. Runners are allowed to cross at these specially-marked areas…

Division 3 are currently next to a region that is shaded yellow on the IB Live map. This is a Division-specific exclusion zone. The map that the runners have received stipulates that Divisions 2, 3, and 6 are not allowed to pass through this region…

If you like pine trees that are grown not to be cut down this is the place for you it's also home to a shortcut for div 3 teams to use to avoid heading all the way down to intersection of the Bendora Break and Arboretum. It also marks one of the sites where a toilet is available to teams which our course setters have conveniently now included on maps to make one aspect of route planning a bit easier…

If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that Division 2 have all been travelling along the same route so far. That is no longer the case…

Here, the race gets interesting! It’s no longer just about which team is fastest on their feet - throughout Inward Bound, good route choice can make a world of difference…

We haven’t heard about Division 2 in a while - let’s take a look. So far, all of the teams have headed along the same route through Shannons Flat. The interesting sections of their navigation is still to come…

This drop on Bendora Rd is designed to trick runners into heading up to Mt Franklin Rd and descend down to the Corin Dam CP. This route however whilst roughly equidistant is significantly hillier and forecast to be 2 hrs slower for the average team. …

While Divisions 1-3 are battling it out on course in the depths of the night, Division 7 are enjoying their journey to Dropsite. The blue lighting really adds to the aura…

The Division 3 B&G team have had a relatively slow start to the race. They initially ran north to Brindabella Road, but managed to avoid entering the exclusion zone. It then looked like they could be heading along a whitelisted trail alongside Brindabella Creek. This would have been interesting - it’s not the optimal route, but it would have been nice to see some route-choice variety…

Jumping back to Division 1 for the first time in a while, teams remain very close together. However, that’s about to change. …

Division 3’s dropsite is very close to Brindabella Road, an exclusion zone. It looks like B&G and Johns haven’t quite picked their location on the map because they did not turn down Honeysuckle Trail with the rest of the Division…

There’s only one viable route out of the Division 3 Dropsite - down Honeysuckle Trail. It looks like teams have identified this and are well on the way…

Ben Grace and Jackson Jolly, our Course Setters for this year, have put together some really special maps for this year’s event…

Pictured is Ciaran Lane of Division X team IBSC, last year’s Inward Bound Course Setter (alongside Kieran Wilson, also in team IBSC). Last year, Endpoint was at Hume’s Crossing Campground, a gorgeous location. Little does does Ciaran know, en route to his Dropsite, he has been brought back…

They’ve all chosen the head northwest towards Bobeyan Road. This is the fastest route. Will they all continue to go the same direction, as we’re seeing in Division 1?…

Noting that some trackers did not update at 22:00, it seems that the first team out of Dropsite is Division X Team 3 - all the more impressive because there are only two of them!…

Division 3 - Brindabella Valley Road (-35.4016670, 148.7486110)…

This variable window scout time sure caused a stir at the runners briefing. However due to its location on Brindabella Valley Road, it was a necessary design feature of this drop to allow scouts to pick up the same level of information based on visibility. We'll keep you updated on heading south leads to private property. Teams heading North, will have to make an immediate decision to head up Honeysuckle Trail or to Piccadilly Circus via the powerlines adjacent to Brindabella Rd. Heading up Honeysuckle trail is significantly quicker (for the 'average' IB team) (15-45 minutes depending on later route choice), likely as it does not involve the bonus vert required to follow the powerlines unrelenting straight line over spurs, gullies and knolls…

I’m glad that Johns have been doing lots of mockdrops in preparation for this event. Oh, is that not what this means?…

For the first time since they were dropped, all of the Division 1 trackers have successfully updated simultaneously. This gives us a clear picture of what’s currently going on on course…

The Div 2 drop is located in a patch of forest along Jones Plain Rd, otherwise surrounded by farmland. It will be a tactical decision for how much of the 55-minute scout time these teams use. If they use a lot of it a northbound scout might reach a bridge over a creek but otherwise teams will be picking drop-off road shape and surrounding terrain alone…

Division 2 - Jones Plain Road (-36.017639, 148.958944) …

The predictor is now up and running!, at the start will be super volatile and likely under estimate time of arrival just after drop (over estimate eventual overall average GAP (Gradient Adjusted Pace)) as typically teams start off hot/fast (see below graph of speeds of historical IB teams) with it taking time for teams to settle in a rhythm and on a route. It also assumes optimal navving which is probably unlikely, only accounting for the terrain and distance of the optimal route ahead. This means it will also not consider other factors that may slow a team down like a trail being overgrown…

It seems our Course Setters got too see some electro magnetic activity in the sky last night apparently cloud cover may have ruined this for many runners whilst actually on course…

So far they’re all heading in the same direction, which also happens to be the optimal route. It’s a pretty condensed race and it is currently very difficult to tell who’s in the lead. I’m sure that over the next 100 kilometres they’ll spread out a little…

They’re also heading the right direction. All four teams that have left so far seem fairly close. Remembering that there’s a delay in the tracking updates, it is difficult to tell who is in the lead at the moment…

Have you ever wanted to know what it’s like to travel in a blacked-out bus? Can’t say it was on my bucket list prior to participating in IB, but you never know…

B&G, Ursies, and Griffin Division 1 have all left Dropsite, heading south-east (the correct direction). Let’s watch what they do next…

One of the underrated challenges of Inward Bound is eating your bus meal while blindfolded. How nice of the volunteers to lend a helping hand!…

Ursula’s shirt exemplifies the community spirit that is one of the most important aspects of Inward Bound…

Aww, don’t they look so cute?…

If you’re watching along at home and you’d like:…

Each year, the Course Setters (in 2024, Ben Grace and Jackson Jolly) create course maps that specifically define and describe the race area. …

To potentially confuse the Division 1 navigators, the Course Setters have included some red-herring exclusion zones in the south part of the course, including a zone which is very cheekily listed as excluded for Divisions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 (ie. everyone except Division 1). Will this trick some teams into thinking they’re on the south half of the map?…

Division 1 - Doctors Flat Road  (-35.1025278, 148.7558056) …

They look awfully happy for a group of people about to run 100km through the night……

Now that all of our teams are on the road to their Dropsite and with Division 1’s arrival imminent, let’s go over some of the concepts I’ll be referring to in posts throughout the night…

Located on Doctors Flat Rd, ~10km north-west of Wee Jasper. Div 1 with its 45 minutes of scouting time should almost certainly identify that they need to head south, for heading north can only lead them to the Wee Jasper Gin Distillery…

Now that all of the runners are safely on the way, we’re excited to announce that Inward Bound 2024’s Endpoint is at Honeysuckle Campground, Namadgi National Park…

Dora the explorer could not have prepared this team more. Their map map will come in handy and lead them straight to endpoint. Hopefully there’s no swipers this year, but even so this team is prepared…

Introducing a diverse squad with a single unifying fact: we've all lived at Wright…

Armed with not one, not two, but eight (currently) functional shins, Division 7 are shin it to win it. But who are these holy heroes, for whom failure is not an opshin?…

Division 7 are our final teams to send off tonight. Thank you to everyone who came to Sendoff to cheer on our runners - I’m sure it meant a lot to every single one of them…

Academic weapons never looked so good. They've done the study and now they just need to complete the exam…

Mikayla is the ultimate fiery ginger – tell her there’s a certain Wamba man behind her and she’ll run like the wind. Despite using first-year stem courses as an excuse not to run, we believe her mental stamina used to listen to hours of audiobooks will push her to the finish line…

NOT EVEN THE LAW CAN CATCH THEM: B&G’s Division Six this year features a rag-tag bunch of criminals. Filled with dubious foreign allegiances, this is a team not to be crossed…

This team is a group of hardened criminals. After being caught and serving their time, the members of this team are fully reformed. However, they still hold on to some of their criminal past - you’ll still catch them speeding across the course…

Fab Div 5 - talk about sisterhood! …

Don’t let the dry Strava fool you (you can add pictures, you know!). Nathan takes running seriously, despite multiple injuries and a shrinking bank account. Hand him a compass, and he’ll lead Div 5 to victory in a bush bash…

Div 5 in the air, let’s do it together, Hi-5!…

Unilodge Div 5 is here, with the aptitude and urgency of a young child lost in a grocery store. …

Are mullets more aerodynamic?…

https://youtube.com/shorts/_daKrq4XpQw?feature=share…

🐰🧭…

https://youtu.be/8BYJS585UXU…

https://youtu.be/vUDxBtcergg…

https://youtu.be/qEUrsDz4SiA…

https://youtu.be/2MHlnuXBAu4…

https://youtu.be/hwNZf9Cz_xM…

https://youtu.be/4JJKV7425ks…

https://youtu.be/osJ2EFnVTmw…

Some of our lovely volunteers have been interviewing teams in isolation to hear their predictions about this year’s course…

What do you do when you’re left in isolation for up to three hours?…

I wonder where they are right now……

Is it B&G’s spidey senses that has allowed them to win Inward Bound every year since 2016? …

Weren’t the first batch of Sendoffs exciting?…

Wright Hall’s division 4 team is full of fresh legs, with only the head nav an IB veteran. But what they lack in experience they make up for in grit, determination and a bountiful amount of chocolate Gu’s…

This could be the "most OP stacked" team Wamburun’s ever produced…

Watch out other halls, Fenner div four’s got the dog 🐶 No canine kennel could contain the drive and ferocity of these hungry runners…

Bruce Hall Div 4 will be serving it in the bush whether it be in the looks, their impressive skills or in their a capella endeavours. Having escaped an escape room unscathed, the team is more united than ever in their pursuit for absolute stardom…

Shortly, they’ll put their blindfolds on and begin their journey deep into the bush…

Four overconfident navs. Two physics honours students, a medical student and Yukeembruk’s Chancellor of the Exchequer. They haven’t even figured out who’s scouting. What could possibly go wrong?…

Questionable cadences and crazy bush bashes sum up this formidable squadron of runners. With a combined total of 6,414km travelled and 142km of vert this year, Wright Hall is set to make waves in the Div 3 pool. Boasting a former Division 1 finisher, 2 former Division 2 runners, and one of the best first year runners IB has seen, all other Div 3 teams should be terrified of their competition this year…

When Michelangelo painted this, he never could've imagined the impact that this painting has. You’ve heard of spiritual navigation but not divine navigation. This team will make the most miraculous route that only god would have handed them. The holy trinity is complete with this team, their compasses, maps, and happy snacks - they'll be first to see the sunrise and first across the line…

Abi Partridge R ITB, Bella Thorne ATFL, Jack Richardson L ITB, Cam Wallace IBS — these aren't doctorate degrees, they're injuries…

Guided by the all-seeing, all-knowing Ollie “The Oracle” James, ex-Bruce imports Maxine “Neo” Wu and Harry “Morpheus” Arnold saw the light and took the “Red” (back) pill, breaking free from their blissful ignorance and delusion of the “Blue” Bruce past. As the saying goes, all good things come in threes, and these two converts flank Milly “Trinity” Hobbs, forming the iconic Div Holy Trinity…

Maybe they’ll be able to drag-on out of second place this year……

Bruce is out for blood to win their third-straight div 2 this year, and the team will stop at nothing to achieve this three-peat. …

Between the camera flashes, harassment from the paparazzi, and incredibly uncomfortable heels, there's nothing that the REDbrats can't handle. Walking down that red (and black) carpet in fashionable style, this division 2 team is gonna strut and strike a pose like no other hall in their unwavering and unfathomably attractive non-chalantness…

Being Lodge’s only team to enter Division 1 in a decade (since 2014!), this team is motivated to prove themselves in the bush!…

Our theme this year encapsulates perfectly our single-minded determination. Our singular direction of travel is onwards and upwards!…

Ursies Div 1 is no stranger to dropping blind…

Our first ever div 1 team has taken inspiration from the wiggles. Dubbing themselves the fast wiggles they’re in it to finish. But they’re gonna have a fantastic time while doing it…

Bruce One is here to RUN! Nothing is going to stop the dream team from reaching endpoint. …

Sendoff marks the formal start of Inward Bound 2024…

The Bruce Hall dining hall is nearing capacity - luckily, we’ll be sending some of these teams off very shortly!…

it’s the IB mobile!…

If you’re planning on spectating, make your way to the Sendoff Chute between Bruce and Wright Halls now…

Divisions 1-4 have a long night ahead of them…

In their ‘redemption era’, Burgmann have something to prove this year!…

“What’s Division X?” I hear you ask. …

Division 3 have joined Divisions 1 and 2 in isolation. Here’s Wamburun, reunited at long last (after two hours)…

Here come the first teams!…

Divisions 1 - 3 have now passed through scrutineering, with Division 4 just starting to arrive…

This is deep…uh, I think?…

Burgmann’s Division 1 and 2 teams look quite relaxed. This is probably for the best, given the long night ahead of them!…

Race strategy: intimidate the other teams during isolation…

There are some catchy slogans on the college shirts this year. Unfortunately, they’re often covered by the runners’ packs, so they can be hard to spot. Don’t worry - we‘ve got you covered…

Teams should not be going here…

This shows all the possible routes read specific division notes to see what ways we think are faster and the benefits we speculate each brings…

Welcome to IB Live, the best and potentially only way to follow IB online…

Everything you need to know about EP and how to get there can be be found at https://anuinwardbound.com/endpoint2024…

Here’s a sneak preview into how it’s looking in the Bruce Hall dining room, where teams are currently isolating. With Sendoff kicking off in just under two hours, they’ve still got a while to wait!…

Both Division 1 and Division 2 have arrived at Wright Hall for scrutineering!…

This may be the most exciting exclusion zone on course as it forces Div 2 to either take a significantly longer (~8km) route or attempt a bush-bash around it across one of 2 saddles, the one further to the north between Mt Gudgenby and smaller knoll/peak to the south seems the smart choice as going across the saddle before requires a small amount of precision to avoid the exclusion and has more vert…

This exclusion zone is just a sly attempt by the Race Directors/Course Setters to fool div 1 to think they are south of EP. No teams should go near here…

It says it excludes divisions 2 & 6 on paper but really only division 3 is effected by this exclusion zone. Making it a significantly more difficult choice to choose whether to head to EP via Stockyard Spur to the Corin Dam CP or to head downhill and through Pierce's creek pine forest…

This in reality only affects Div 5 runners, hopefully they won't follow a div 2 team through here. I should force them to head up Naas Valley Firetrail which might bring back some hopefully good memories for 2019 div 1 & 2 runners…