It was a sad day in the Matthews household today as I passed on my Bionic Runner Gen 1 to the local legend that is Phil Gore. The Bionic is one of three stand-up bikes I own and I’m just not using it , so gifted it to Phil. The Bionic was an Australian invention ultimately let down by shoddy Chinese manufacturing which caused the frame to crack on the generation two and Predator models. If you’re interested there is a Facebook page dedicated to the bionic and if you can get hold of one I highly recommend them. ( facebook.com/groups/1507045689572412 )
Post handover Phil and I met another local legend, Simon Bennet, in Bold Park and knocked out a hilly 10k. We had to put a wiggle on as Phil needed to be at a physio appointment later that afternoon and we also needed to fit in a pie at Georges Cafe in City Beach. Si was meeting us towards the end of a 50km training run for WTF 100 Miler in a few weeks time.
Bionic Gen1 , this thing is a monster !
Now the title of this post is running is better with friends but I must add the caveat that it is better with friends of equal fitness, not so much when you’re running with two friends at the peak of their respective training programs while you’ve been pontificating for six weeks and hiding from the inclement weather. Trust me the chickens well and truly come home to roost when you run a hilly 10km , there is nowhere to hide. Lucky for me Phil only had a short window of opportunity for a run pre-lunch and I was more than happy to pull the pin just short of ten kilometres. Simon continued on to finish his 50km training run while Phil and I scuttled off to Georges to try on of his famous beef pies, freshly made after I told him I was coming in for lunch earlier in the day.
All smiles at the end of our Bold Park loop with Simon and Phil
Although I found the run tough the time did disappear quickly, there was lots of running talk and planning for future events with goal discussions and generally putting the world to right, it’s what three males do when left alone. Of course these discussions are like the fight club, you can never talk about it but in the solitude of Bold Park the three of us kept the conversation flowing. Simon is aiming for a win at the WTF 100 miler in a few weeks and the way he was running I wouldn’t bet against him, albeit he is infamous for navigational challenges. Si and I ran together for a large chunk of the Delirious West 200 miler earlier in the year and had a great time. ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) We have both entered for 2025 and if I do decide to ‘race it’ , compared to ‘finish it‘ will be spending more time together. This is a good thing, plenty of conversation makes the time and distance disappear, especially in a 200 miler. Between the two of us we have plenty of stories from the event this year and I’m sure we’ll add to these in 2025.
Two finely tuned 200 miler eating machines, like striking cobra’s, poised.
Post run Phil and I staggered, well I staggered Phil glided, into Georges for one of his famous beef pies, freshly out of the oven. So fresh infact he was mixing the ingredients as we entered the cafe. Good news for me as I having a very ‘just cooked, fresh out of the oven’ pie, bad news for Phil as he would have to make do with a sausage roll as he couldn’t wait. Georges is also running Delirious next year to finally get his double plugger trophy, five years from his first event, albeit he hasn’t really ran for the last four years and hasn’t actually started training yet. In his spare time he has become quite the painter of note and the painting behind him in the image below is one of his. He does very well funnily enough, although he is French so it’s probably in his blood? On a side note he paid for his race entry for Delirious by selling the Race Director one of his paintings.
Selfies all around at Georges , with Phil and Georges.
I couldn’t finish the post without an image of the beef pie, it really was special, literally just out of the oven , swimming in tomato sauce. Don’t judge me you can never take out the English in me and we add ketchup to most foods.
Gorges is a bloody good chef and his beef pie is incredible, with ketchup of course….
I have added a post I wrote on the benefit of friends when I was recovering from a bad dose of Plantar Fasciitis, I hate even typing those words ! Reading the post I think my ‘lunch diet’ was either abstinence or my now infamous sardines in tomato sauce diet. My logic was fish is good for you so eating fish every lunchtime would help me lose weight and also be good for me. I didn’t account for the calories in fish swimming in tomato sauce/paste. I eventually gave up when I started to put on weight. I am not a nutritionist by any stretch of the imagination.
The last three months have been a dark time in my running career as I was struck down by first a blood disorder , mainly due to my “no lunch” diet (what was I thinking?) and lately a bad case of Plantar Fasciitis. The worst part of not running is not the not running part but missing time with my mates.
Over the years my non-running friends have fallen by the wayside as I became more and more focused on running and less and less focused on sociable activities, much to my Wife’s disgust. My Wife has often remarked how she’d like me to put on weight and drink more ! Not the normal grumblings of a partner of course, it’s usually the opposite. Anyhow when you’re injured there is no one to share your grief with. (because it is grief! ) Funnily enough I have written a post on grief , in relation to running… https://www.runbkrun.com/2017/04/17/injury-what-injury-the-five-stages-of-grief/
What run do I miss the most ? Need you ask, my Thursday morning 14k progressive, starting at 5:30am and finishing at the best café in Perth to take onboard the best muffin and coffee in the Southern Hemisphere. If you are lucky enough to live in Perth, or even Australia, you need to go to Yelo at Trigg and indulge with one of their banana and dark chocolate or even berry and chocolate muffins, warmed up of course. They really are so good, there is a caveat of course. Once you taste a Yelo muffin you will never be able to eat a muffin from another source, they really are that good. The coffee is also very good or that may be just because your taste buds are enjoying them muffin so much anything tastes good !
As this is a running blog and not a culinary one I need to justify that last paragraph. To earn the muffin and coffee combination we would have run a 14k progressive run which is one tough affair, with the obligatory sprint for the last 4-5k as each runner pushes themselves, and each other towards the Yelo café. To make this run special you need friends to initially talk to for the first 7k and then, finally, to run against for the final 7k. Runners pride will always make you put in that extra bit of effort when chasing (or being chased) by running mates.
Then there is the long runs on Sunday. These , for me, are mainly for the food and conversation after the run, to tell you truth I prefer to run twice a day compared to one long run , all bar the Sunday run. This is do able because of the company, by myself a long run is torture. We’ve had some great experiences over the years running long on Sundays , as most runners will attest to. As a group we tend to run at a reasonable pace on the outward journey but pick up the pace as we turn and head back towards the coffee and pancakes, I’m sure all running groups are the same. The photo below is from a 30k Yaberoo trail run a few months ago in the heat of the Perth summer. The T-train has organized a water drop but it was too little , too late for the journey home. As the group splintered it was every man for himself in the race back to the car and air conditioned safety.
Return journey, a few less smiles , more grimacing. ?
As well as the Sunday long runs there are the “special’ runs. These are organized, normally annually, and nearly always ‘up the ante’ with either more mileage or elevation. In the photo below its racing against a train which makes the ‘choo-choo’ run so special. Again I have written a couple of posts on this run which are worth a read and a chuckle… 2016 : https://www.runbkrun.com/2016/11/15/the-choo-choo-run-an-exercise-in-living-on-the-edge/ and last year https://www.runbkrun.com/2017/09/15/choo-choo-run-2017-man-against-train/ (Still not sure how Mike made it last year ? I suspect Uber?) For those living in Perth this run is scheduled for two weeks after the Perth City to Surf marathon, so probably early September. There is a facebook page somewhere ? Just heard from Simon Coates, the Choo-Choo this year is on September 23rd, the long weekend in WA. If you get lost at least you got a few days to get home…
Choc milk time at the Deli, job done.
Then there is the work lunch run. Working on St. Georges Terrace, Perth, we had some great running tops made up thanks to Rhys and Mel. This photo was taken at the height of the St Georges Terrace Running Club glory days when we always had a good contingent that would meet every midday at the lights outside the Woodside building. Together we’d explore the various bike paths around the city and trails in Kings park and it was a welcome relief from the work related problems that would often plague you. As with all runs they would start at a leisurely pace before Jeff or Andrea got to the front and then it was on for young and old. Today the group has splintered to some extent but most of the people pictured below still make an effort and regularly get out there just not together as much, all bar Big Paul (front right) who wandered to the dark side of lycra wearing cycling due to a bad knee.
The St. Georges Terrace Running club.
Couldn’t leave without one more photo of the Yelo café with some of the usual suspects, in the photo below you have Gareth, Mike and the elusive Mark Lee, a rare sight but always good for some quality banter. Happy days and I hope to be back with the lads soon, just got to get rid of this Plantar Fasciitis but that’s a post for another day….
Yelo muffin carbo-load frenzy..why wouldn’t you?
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
