The Kep Ultra is a legendary race started by the Godfather of WA ultra running Rob Donkersloot , he off https://mindfocusedrunning.com/ , where Rob teaches the runner all about the mental side to ultra. The Kep  ran for 6 years from 2009 through to 2014 before the local council and red tape brought it to a close. It then became a thing of legend with local ultra runners talking about it  but never really understanding its roots in the WA Ultra Community, it was the first real WA ultra of substance. The original website is still live and it’s worth a look , https://kepultra.com/  Some serious WA ultra legends in that list of results.

So this legendary race was due for a reboot and Shaun Kaesler and the USWA team  ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) were up for the task, and the Kep V2 was born. ( https://kepultrav2.com.au/ ) Due to the amount of volunteers needed for this event, down to the numerous road crossings, the new format was a 100k or 75k out and back course, rather than the original point to point.

I’d entered the race on a whim , why do I keep doing this ?, after recovering well from the Lighthorse 24 hour ultra two weeks earlier. Of course entering is the easy part, finishing is the harder task ! My training had been going well with the next A-race the Irrational South in June, ( https://irrationalsouth200miler.com.au/ ) the Kep was to be my last long run , with the added bonus of a medal, what could go wrong?

Training went well enough for the Kep but a few days out I started to second guess myself , really trying to understand why I’d entered a 100k race three weeks before the Irrational South 200 miler. I was even doubting myself on the way up the start at the Mundaring Hotel  but decided I’d run the first half and then grab my poles and casually cruise the second half, good pole practice for Irrational. Leaving it late I got to the start with about 30 seconds to go, totally unprepared truth be told , and off we went.

The start was a ‘soft start‘ as Shaun called it due to noise restrictions, the locals like their lay in apparently and 50-60 noisy ultra runners was deemed far too much for a Saturday morning. It was a case of 1-2-3 go, quietly !   There were drop bags available but I decided to take a backpack and carry my nutrition , which was about 8-10 gu’s, with aid stations available for hydration fill ups and lollys.

The Kep is basically 15k down hill, then about 37k uphill before turning around and returning to the start. This means after the half way you have a relaxing 37k back down the way you came before a 15k climb to the finish. I knew I’d need to save something for the final 15k rise and was hoping my poles would make it easier.  The plan was to enjoy the first 15k, get into a good rhythm , struggle through the 37k to halfway and then cruise home with poles, simple really. This way I broke the race down into four smaller races, something I recommend any ultra runner does, lots of mini-goals rather than the one finish goal which can be a long way off at the start of an ultra.

The race started well and I got into a small bunch of runner including Dru, running in sandals !, and the mastermind behind the Ultra Series WA , and a true bloody legend, Shaun Kaesler.  Shaun had run the Lighthorse 24 hour,  like me , a few weeks earlier and had enjoyed his first event for sometime (as he is normally either the RD or organising stuff) so much he entered the 75k Kep.  Given his busy life training had taken a back seat of late but he is a tough mother and , like me, had decided on a whim to take on the Kep. He was running well and the kilometres drifted away, even had a cameo appearance from Bart’s on his Saturday long run.

Getting to the first aid station was a breeze, remember as I mentioned earlier it is basically all downhill, and then we started the climb to the halfway point at 52k. Not much to report here really, Shaun and Dru turned at 22k as their course was slightly different to mine and Bart’s left me a few kilometers later.  I was probably running 6th , albeit the 100k field was only 10 strong.  It really was a training run and I was just concentrating on getting to halfway in a reasonable shape and picking up my poles for the 37k downhill section.  Jen Millum, the sole female 100k runner, and Dylan Bentley were ahead of me and I used them as markers to keep me honest and set my pace to the halfway point.  I even got a rush of enthusiasm  as I neared the halfway point and managed to sneak past them both, knowing we’d regroup at the next aid station. There is elevation but no large climbs as such, just a gradual grind uphill on a good running service.

The halfway point at this new version of the Kep V2 is a nice place to be, you know you have a mainly downhill 37k ahead of you and probably enough to get your over the last 15k ‘hump’ to the finish, add in poles and I was ready to explode to the finish ! I left Jen and Dylan in my dust and even caught and passed Mike Head to move into 4th place and a possible podium. Tony Smith was way ahead so a win was out of the question, he eventually finished sub 9 hours, setting a time that I reckon will be very hard to beat. Two of his athletes, Graham Dixon and Michael Snart,  eventually finished second and third both running low 10′ hours.  Coming down the hill Mike caught me at around 22k to go and although I saw him at the last aid statin at the bottom of the last 15k climb I would not catch him. Eventually finishing 5th in a time of 10:39 for the 105k course.

So what did I take from the Kep V2 ? It was another hard race, mentally tough, long time in the saddle and some good elevation. Good points was just starting and finishing as a few minutes before the start I was wavering, also the poles were a God send and I now feel more comfortable using them for an extended period of time. They will definitely be coming out late on the first day of Delirious in October. ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) It was also good to run a 100k so soon as the Lighthorse Ultra and Herdy’s, again running on tired legs will be a good skill to have running 3-4 day events later in the year.  Not so good points was I could tell the legs were hammered and ultimately I would pay a heavy price for this race.

Once I finished there was the obligatory photo with the bling and a kilometre walk back to the car before returning the Mundaring Hotel for a bloody good sausage and mash meal, great conversation with fellow runners and some verbal sparing with the Vegan runners on the benefit of steak and chips. Shaun has done a great job organising anther great event to add to the USWA (Ultra Series WA) catalogue and there’s even talk of a 50k next year after Shaun won the event, albeit he didn’t broadcast it actually existed and had an entry of one, himself ! ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) I’m sure Rob approves of this new format and the legend of the Kep is definitely now alive and kicking and it will once again be the measuring stick of the Ultra scene in WA moving forward.