A few weeks ago inaugural member of the BK running crew, Jon Pendse, ran over 142km in the twelve hours at the USWA Lighthouse event ( http://lighthorseultra.com.au ) and I have attached his race report below as it is an inspiring read. I am mentioned a few times in the report as I sacrificed my run for his of course and it was not really a DNF on my part, more a suicide  mission ! (well it felt like one at the time?)  Jon’s time has caught the attention of the Ultra running community over East and he has been invited to attend the next 24 hour race with a view to making the national team. If anybody deserves this it’s Jon. We go back a long way (since meeting in the changing rooms of our work building, where all good relationships are born?)  and he is one of the most dedicated and hard working runners I know. Week in and week out he’s running and , more than that, so humble and encouraging, a true champion who ran a champions race and hopefully this is a stepping stone to national and then international stardom.  I’ll write a post on my glorious failure later… in the meantime enjoy Jon’s ramblings..

This is a story that continues from my Australia Day Ultra 100km race report held in January 2019 (https://www.runbkrun.com/2019/01/23/runjprun-a-race-report-from-a-local-legend/), where I had attempted to break 8 hours, instead hitting the wall spectacularly early on and slogging out a hard earned third place finisher in 8 hours 58 minutes.

I’ve been wanting to enter my first 12-hour race for several years now, ‘logically?’ this being the next step up in distance from a 100km ultra marathon, previously having run the ADU 100km race four years in succession.

The Lighthorse 12-hour Ultra marathon is a race that has appealed to me over a number of years, and having volunteered last year (and had runners envy) I decided 2019 would be my debut over the 12-hour distance.  Besides I would already be in ‘reasonable’ ultra-marathon shape having run ADU some three months earlier and would be continuing my normal marathon training load. For me, I find having a solid marathon training foundation bodes well stepping up to Ultra’s with not a lot of ‘extra’ training required.

I generally average around 120km-130km per week (if I’m not racing), with two or three ‘double’ days and probably once a fortnight I’ll throw in a triple day.  Most of my runs are about backing up on tired legs. Alternating the easy and hard runs, with my speed work coming from plenty of 5k parkrun time trials.

After having run the Bunbury marathon (2.56.02) some three weeks earlier, having run the WAMC 40 miler (4.48.36) four days earlier, and also having the upcoming Margaret River Ultra (80km) seven days’ time, my target for Lighthorse was not so much to race but more about enjoying the experience and having some ‘me time’.  That said I did have a target distance of 130km with a backup goal of 120km. Basically that meant first reaching 100km ‘feeling good’ and only then assess how I am going… if it was a good day I thought sub 9 hours should be very do-able, given I hit the wall at 40km at ADU 100 and still managed to run 8hrs 58. Not hitting a wall and running within myself would likely see a 100km split time of around 8hrs 45 minutes, and set up for a solid crack at 130km, knowing the temperature would quickly rise and the inevitable slowdown very likely to occur.

My good mate Kevin Matthews (BK) had also entered the race and having been a DNS at ADU 100 this year (he withdrew a few days earlier with pneumonia), this was to be our make-up Ultra marathon where we would run at least the first three or four hours together.  We even had our good mate Tony Smith (who knocks out training marathons in sub 3 hours on an almost weekly basis).

So much easier knocking out a large chunk of the race with someone else.  Even more so when the race has a midnight start; lonely, dark, cold, and scary!!

I was actually worried when I got a call from Kev on the morning of the race (I thought he may be a late scratching), instead asking what I had packed (my list was around half a page long!).  After going through all my items, he was happy there would be enough for both of us, haha. Shortly later I did get a photo of his race pack which contained 1 banana, and then a photo of 2 when I asked where mine was?

My fueling strategy was simple (self-sufficient), setup my own table, stock up an esky with ice, 40 x 350ml bottles of water, 10 x 350ml electrolytes, container on table with 15 gels, muesli bars, hat, sunscreen, and usb pack to charge my garmin.  Every 4 hours I’d run out of water bottles on my table, so a brief stop to put another 15 bottles on top of the table which would see me through another 4 hours. Repeat. (Lucky enough to have folks visiting on holiday, so they replenished my bottles on the table top in the last 2.5 hours so I had no need to stop).  Gel every 10k, and whilst it was cool around 350ml water per hour, and one electrolyte bottle per hour, but once it warmed up this became a lot closer to 2.5L-3L per hour with half going on my head cooling core temperature.

Onto the race; my suggestion of running the first kilometre in 4 minutes was quickly knocked back (I wasn’t joking), but in hindsight was probably sensible going along with a 4.45 starting kilometre.  BK was already worried we were cooking the pace far too quick for so early in the race. I wasn’t so sure, I wanted to bank some time knowing the forecast of 29 degrees would mean a drastic slowdown over the last two hours.  Surely if we bank some easy kilometres in the first few hours, this would set us up to succeed later in the day (what’s the worst that could happen?).

Six-hour split distances of 70k and 60k would achieve the 130k target.  Some simple maths said pace should be around 5.00-5.08 for the first 6 hours, and then a pace of 6min k’s for the last 6 hours, thinking likely actually running 6.30-7.00s, when it’s hot it is all about survival!  Targets are thrown out the window.

For the first hour and a half BK and I averaged around 4.45 per kilometre, mind you every kilometre that ticked by BK kept complaining shouldn’t we be running closer to 5.00.   I was feeling very ‘comfortable’ with plenty in the tank … it’s a long race after all, so there is plenty of time later if we do want to pick up the pace.

By around 20km BK had to stop for the toilet and said go on I’ll catch you up in two or three laps.  Well here was my chance, with BK flailing already, I wasn’t going to slow down to let BK catch me, so I decided instead I would speed up and catch him!  Then I’ll slow down and run at his pace. (Not the best strategy in hindsight but it did work)

Laps being 2.5km, and roughly 12 minutes per lap, with BK’s toilet stop (2minutes?), I’d only need to find 10 minutes, I thought I should be able to shave off a minute per lap and catch Kev within 8-10 laps… plus I would then be a lap up on BK.

I was actually quite surprised when I hit 25k under 2hours, wait a minute by averaging a comfortable 4.45’s that’s actually on track for an 8-hour 100km time…!  Well I’ve banked time now for the first two hours, so it is probably a good idea to slow down and run closer to 5-minute km’s.

Hitting anything under 9 hours at the 100km mark and I’d be well on the way to my 130km target.

The mind doesn’t work that way for me unfortunately.  Break or bust mentality, nothing to lose everything to gain.  

The good thing on a 2.5km lap is the amount of times you pass a human!  (not sure what else Jon was passing , I personally only saw humans but I only lasted 3 hours..?) Every time it’s slightly less scary knowing that I’m not alone (I’m afraid of the dark).  Around 22km Glen decided to join me for a lap, he told me he was basically doing an interval race, resting, running laps ad-hoc with friends and some of his athletes for support, wow what a coach and dedication!  We chatted away whilst running 4.40s, I mentioned to Glen my plan was to run 9 hours feeling good for 100km, which is true. However, Glen slightly twisted my words around and said most important thing I just said was focusing on the feeling good part, and then worry about the time later.  If you run low 9hours you might think that was a fail, but if you are feeling great then you are on a path to succeed. True.

After Glen ran this lap with me (hope he wasn’t too knackered), I decided screw the time, let me just focus on my running and getting to 100km feeling good (this is what I took from the chat with Glen).  Conditions were good and I was setting myself up for a big total, back of my mind the heat is what would slow me down the most.

My best races to date have been the least ‘eventful’, by that I mean I just held a pace not hit a wall and had minimal slow down.   

Around 33km who do I see in front of me BK!  “Jon I stopped for the toilet twice, and I’m feeling terrible I’m thinking I’ll stop at 50km…”  oh no, that doesn’t sound good, come on Kev you should do at least 100km. It’s 12 hours after all, you can go home sleep, come back and still run a good distance.  Ok, um well I’m feeling good how bout you run with me for a bit and see how you go, it seemed like a dream here because around 2km later BK was dropped and I was left back to my own pacing.  He later withdrew around 37km and 3 hours in. Not his day, but he’ll be back to put things right. Trust me no disrespect withdrawing in any ultra, they are challenging and a beast at the best of times.  They consume us, and part of the attraction for entering them in the first place.

I hit 50k just under 4 hours 2 minutes, and I was thinking wow half way to 100 and slightly over an 8-hour 100km split time, now that is some serious time ‘banked’.  I took some time here to re-assess, ok this isn’t a 50k ultra where you ‘race’ a marathon and jog in the last 7.2k. Be serious, now is the time to consolidate re-group and re-zone.  You can’t stay focused for 12 hours, break down the distance and run hour by hour on feel.

By this stage I was now starting to think where is Tony (T-train), he had laughed at the suggestion of joining me and BK on the start line and said you guys are on your own, I’m running 5-minute k’s and that’s it.

At 5min k’s this would put T-train around 4 hours 10 minutes at the 50k mark, so no wonder I hadn’t seen him yet, I was only around 8 minutes in front.  I slightly panicked thinking 8 minutes isn’t much, I would like to at least lap him so that I know how much distance I have being the lead runner. T-train isn’t one for slowing down, if anything he gets quicker the longer a race goes on and many a time has T-train rail roaded me in the last hour of a race.  On the plus he doesn’t know how to run slow (yet), I wasn’t so sure how long he would last hour after hour. He later succumbed to a Plantar Fasciitis niggle and withdrew around 65km. (I would love to get a three-way battle with BK and T-Train both in full form, that would be some serious competition).

By six hours I had clocked up just on 73km’s, which is 3km’s more than I had ‘planned’, greater importance still feeling fresh.  I was confident 130km was a very achievable target, that meant only 57km’s required over the last 6 hours. And if I could run reasonably consistent laps perhaps I could give 135km a nudge which would be a fantastic result.

I had already resorted to continuing my pace to 100km and only then re-assessing a new target distance.  I crossed my 40th lap just under 8 hours 16 minutes.  Awesome! Although I was slightly freaking out from pre-race plans best estimate for 100km was around 8 hours 45 minutes.  Some 30 minutes in front! Talk about banking time (I normally wouldn’t recommend this approach so don’t try this at home!).

I passed Glenn again around 110km running with Sarah, where I said that sub 9-hour 100km target and ‘feeling good’, um well I crossed 100km on 8 hours 16 but I am feeling good so I’ll take it!

110km is now well into new territory.  If I look at my training since 2015 when I began Ultra running, for runs greater than 50km; four 100km races, one 50km race, and training runs; 2 x 70km, 1 x 56km, 3 x 50km, (Plus my 40 miler 4 days earlier).  In fact no training runs more than 50km in the last 12 months. I did run seven marathons though in 2018 (with three done in 5 weeks), so I was cardio fit but not necessarily quick.

After 110km I was beginning to finally feel fatigued, still running consistent lap times but around a minute slower per lap than the previous 9 hours.  Closer to thirteen and a half minute laps.

It was around this time Shaun had some encouraging words for me, ‘Jonny come on mate you know you’re on track to break 140km’, I told him otherwise where to go, and I’d be ecstatic with 135km.  I’m the one running it’s getting hot and still have 3 hours left to run! No chance of 140km.

Not one for giving up, especially after my ADU lesson (thanks Mick again!), I did think well I’ll just keep running and take it an hour at a time.  Maybe I could go closer to 140km, I’m not cramping and I haven’t hit any wall.

By 120km I was just under 10 hours, a good two hours of solid running to go, 10km per hour and I would hit 140km.  I began thinking here, 6-minute km’s 6-minute km’s that’s all I need.

Crowd support had gained by this stage, I’m sure word was going around that I was on track for a big total… each lap more and more yelling out encouragement.  Truly inspirational having so many on the sidelines, many had seen my growth over the years (too many to name but I thank each and every one).

The last two hours were the hardest, however I had great support (folks) at the aid station keeping me hydrated and cool.  No time wastage which meant I could focus on running each lap.

SO much support on course from runners as well, constant encouragement telling me to keep going.  Each time I completed a lap a slight buzz knowing I was that much closer to 140km.

The last two hours each km split was consistently around 5.20-5.25 (last hour mostly around 5.35s), which is well in front of my 6min average needed to break 140km, things were looking good.  Yes it was hot, yes it was hard, but Forrest Gump was still running and not looking like stopping any time soon! Make hay whilst the sun shines. Plus who knows the next time hitting these sort of distances, surely this isn’t the norm.

Hard work had been done, and now was the time to ice the cake.

I hit 130km on 10 hours 53 minutes.  Accountant by day, that was an easy calculation even almost 11 hours in, 10km required in 1 hour 7 minutes.  I now only needed to run 6.5 minutes km’s. Something drastic would need to happen not to be able to run that pace given how I was feeling and where I was at (compared to ADU hitting the wall 10-minute km’s can be a tough ask! But today was different).  I was in the zone and today was my day.

Three laps to go, two laps to go, this is it, one more lap (with 27 minutes to go) and you’ve achieved 140km!  That final lap was amazing, totally surreal, I was floating. This is the stuff dreams are made of. The only problem was I was going to knock out this lap and still have another 11 or 12 minutes up my sleeve… I had been hoping to time the run to coincide hitting 140km with a minute or two under 12 hours so that I didn’t have to go back out again for a partial lap.  Would be nothing worse than finishing 1 km away on the other side of the course, and then hobbling back to the start. Surely makes more sense to finish near the start line with a very short hobble!

Hands in the air I was overwhelmed having completed 56 laps and the 140km milestone!  What a day. Well I guess I may as well go back out for the last 11 minutes or so, I’d already been out for so long anyway, could even clock up another 1-1.5km… I felt so good here though with the adrenaline pumping I sped up to 5.15s, and managed to knock out another 2.2km.  Total for the day 142.2km!! Totally surpassing wildest dreams, where did this come from, how did I do it?

Running a ‘marathon’ is life changing, running an ‘ultra-marathon’ redefines what the human spirit is capable of.  Never give up. These are my words, this was my story.

2020 will see my biggest challenge yet taking on the W.E.S.T Delirious 200 miler.

By Jon Pendse

Lap times:  https://my2.raceresult.com/123341/results?lang=en#0_ED7D9B

25k split times:  1.59.37 / 2.02.11 / 2.09.11 / 2.04.38 / 2.10.16 (last 25k was around 2.14)

50k split times: 4.01.48 / 4.13.49 (last 50k of race around 4.24)

Currently on 57 official marathons, striving to achieve joining the elusive Australian 100 marathon club; https://australian100club.org/member_list.php?runner=148  

You can follow me on strava for all my training and future races