Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra 2025 was to be another attempt at 48 hours (laps) having coming so close in 2021. That was my second backyard ultra and truth be told I haven’t come too close since. An assist to Phil Gore at the Hysterical Carnage event in 2022,  at 38 hours,  was as close as I’ve come which with hindsight was a mistake as I was fresh enough but had promised my daughter a trip to Adelaide so pulled the pin early. A 36 hour PB at Birdy’s in 2023 was another race where I could have gone further but an incoming storm was all the excuse I needed to scuttle off to my car and a well earned sleep.

Unfortunately a week out from Herdy’s I’d pulled up lame running my usual Sunday morning long run with the BTRC (Ben Tay Running Club) About 12km into my run my calf tightened to a point I had to stop , hobble to the nearest cafe, order a coffee , and call my mate Rob to come and get me.  This gave me less than a week until Herdy’s and I was gutted. Calling our tame Doctor I got a referral that evening and got a ultra-sound Monday afternoon , confirming no tear. Great news, Herdy’s was still on but I couldn’t run. Lots of foam rolling, strong anti-inflammatories and a good dry needling from Rob had me at Yelo the day before the event for a test 10k. I got to about 500 metres before hobbling back to Yelo, my tail between my legs.

Not one to give up easily and also a no refund policy , I took more drugs (don’t judge me) , more foam rolling and the calf seem to come good early Friday morning, just in time for a 4pm kick off.  Was I mad to attempt this less than three weeks out from the Delirious West 200 miler? Probably, but that’s how I roll, love competing and especially love competing at  Herdy’s.

So I got to the start line for the fifth time, keeping my streak of not missing an event, starting with an assist in 2021 in the inaugural event. (2021) I Wasn’t sure how far I’d get as the calf was untested since the Yelo run the previous day. I did tape the calf , add compression socks and took more anti-inflammatory drugs. Funnily enough for the first three laps I was running smoothly with no issues with the calf but this soon changed from lap four onwards.  I was soon unable to run freely and started a hop, limp gait to get through the laps, not the best look but managed to come in around the fifty minute mark. My targets changed on the hour, initially my 48 target was halved to 24 hours, then 100 kilometres (15 hours) and eventually double figures , 10 laps.

Herdy’s was yet again the largest backyard ultra in the world with over four hundred starters, beating the previous years total by around fifty runners. Pretty cool to run the biggest backyard ultra in the world, around one of my local haunts surrounded by my good friends, love Herdy’s. Shuan Kaesler, the owner of the Ultra Series WA has created a monster of an event. (The website of ultra running in Western Australia https://www.ultraseries.com.au/ )

Heading into the night after three laps I was struggling to stay motivated, coming in towards the back of the pack and also not eating or drinking enough. I was determined not to overdo the electrolytes which had derailed me the previous year but over compensated by eating and drinking very little. Of course this is unsustainable for an ultra runner and I could feel my fight ebbing away, on the hour ,  every hour. The only thing that kept me going was great conversations with fellow runners out on the course, that’s a thing with a backyard ultra it is so sociable, with a bit of running thrown in for good measure.

Shaun had chucked in $500 for the best themed gazebo this year and Simon and his family were determined to win it. Every lap you would return to the gazebo and more decorating had been added,  giving the affect of a Roman temple. The judging was at 11pm and this was another reason why I couldn’t drop out before that time especially when I saw the A4 laminated description of Simon and I , so funny. (and a little bit true of course?)

As you can see from the background of our Gazebo we were a shoe in to win the $500 for best themed gazebo, which we did of course. There was so much more but I didn’t get a photo of the finished gazebo albeit one point Simon was getting fed grapes ‘Roman emperor’ style in-between laps.

Right back to the event.  As seems to be the way for the last three or four backyard ultras my appetite deserted me , no pun intended. Without food you eventually just grind to a halt and I was close to this point many times during the night. What kept me going was the 100 kilometre , 15 hour, carrot dangling infront of me, it would be a backyard ultra personal worst but I could finish with some sense of pride. As it was the two laps post sunrise were probably my best and I managed to eat some weetbix and finish a nice cup of sweet tea, my go-to combination when all else fails. Thanks Nancy Shaw for coming down with the weetbix, milk and tea, the three laps Nancy crewed for me were my best.

The forecast for Saturday was brutal heat, unusual for Autumn in Perth.  Lap 18 was difficult and I was really beginning to struggle to arrive before the hour mark. I think I was middle fifty minutes for lap 18 and I knew then I didn’t have many more left in the legs. I stumbled out for lap nineteen but soon realised the goal would be to finish this lap , there would be no lap twenty. I came in as the two minute warning sounded in the corral and made no effort to reach the start line, I was done and dusted. This was the right decision as a large total was probably off the cards and in the back of my mind I needed to keep something for the Delirious West 200 miler in a few weeks, this was my A-race. The heat went from ten to eleven in the next lap and I was very happy with my decision as I dozed in the chair post shower.

 

Herdy’s 2025 was a disappointment but with the calf injury coming into the event I think it was doomed to failure from the start. I got out unscathed , I think, and with Delirious early next week it was the right decision to pull the pin at 19 laps, of course doesn’t make it any easier.  This was backyard ultra number twelve and , as is tradition, I retired from the format. Fast forward a week later , two minutes into registrations opening , and I’m in for Herdy’s 2026 with a new crew, my Wife Karen. Yep, I’m bringing out the big guns for my last attempt. It works for Phil Gore so it can work for me, I hope. ?

Finally a big shout to my mate Grazer who ran 24 laps and redeemed himself after dropping out on the tu-tu lap, 22, last year. He had targeted a return and was determined to make the 24 hours, which he did.  It wasn’t pretty sometimes but he got it done with the BTRC crew there supporting him. Love your work Grazer.

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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!

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.

Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )

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/)

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