We hit the first aid station as the lead group or close, I think Phil Fowler and the ‘Malaysian Missile‘ Andrew Farmers were ahead of us at this point. The first aid station is a good distance, about 25km , and no crew are allowed so I would not get to see Mark until Chesapeake East around the marathon mark. We didn’t stay long, a couple of biscuits, fill the water bottles and bladder, cup of sweet tea and we were away. Lots of smiles , it was early in the day.
First aid station and it’s all smiles, Chesapeake West, 26km in , just over 310km to go.
Video coming into aid station one Chesapeake West.
I always find day one the hardest at Delirious and a lot of runners DNF late in the day, close to Mandalay or Mount Clare. I always feel they’d be better off taking a few hours rest and then restarting the assault at sunrise the next morning. It’s incredible the difference sunrise makes, it reinvigorates you. I know a lot of runners push through and basically run themselves into exhaustion. I will mention to Shaun , the RD, that maybe next year make Broke Inlet and Mandalay sleep stations, or at least provide a couple of camp beds to give the back markers the option for some well needed rest. The first sleep station is at Walpole around 140km and I’ve never made it that far and I’m normally in the top half of the field. When I hit Mount Clare I’m exhausted and always stumble into my swag and a deep sleep albeit only for a couple of hours before starting again at sunrise. It’s only a quick 10km to Walpole where I’ll either have a shower or go straight past and start toward the half way mark at Tree Tops.
The first day is a mixture of covered trails in the and then brutal exposure in the afternoon.
The early part of day one is good trails mixed with some sand running , shade and open sections. A good mix and the heat is turned down as you’re still running in the early morning. From the start to the first aid station it was humid but not uncomfortable. Early on a bit of sand but no real elevation to talk about, a good start to the event. The event gets better day by day and the first day is just a head down and get to the end type activity in my view.
There’s also a fair bit of sand on day one , combined with the intense heat later on the day and day one was a challenge.
Day one has some good runnable sections which is more than can be said for later in the event. You can also find some good shade pre-Dog Road aid station which offers some protection. Unfortunately post Dog Road aid station to Pingerup aid station (around 16km in the heat of the day) is open and you basically cook. This year was hotter than normal with temperatures reaching 41c , unusual for this part of the world. I took as much ice as I could at Dog Road aid station and devoured about five slushies. (icy poles), helping to keep the core temperature down albeit briefly. It was then a case of running in Sahara Desert like conditions, albeit probably hotter, for the next two hours before the oasis that is the Pingerup aid station.
Post Dog Road aid station and into Pingerup is brutal, nowhere to hide from the conditions.
I did have a moment of clarity on the way to Pingerup, shown in this video below. I may have bee a tad Delirious but you get the point.. I think?
I fell three during Delirious, the first time before we’d even got to one kilometre and the second time post Dog Road, can’t remember exactly where the third tumble was but I remember it was another soft landing luckily. The post Dog Road fall was more a slide on soft sand but it had dirt beneath it so it looked like I had buried myself in dirt when I got into Broke Inlet aid station. Falling in this race is part of the experience, if you run for nearly four days on trails , fatigued, eventually the ground comes calling. A good trail runner knows how to fall, it’s all about going with gravity and rolling away. Saying that I have various wounds on my arms and legs from failing this over the years but for 2024 I consider three unscheduled trips a good outcome. My good friend Marty hurt his knee coming into Broke Inlet and basically walked the rest of the way to the finish. That my friends is pretty bloody hardcore. Supported by his partner Kat and crew, Dangerous Dave, he finished in just over 100 hours, incredible effort. Delirious lets to see who you really are and what you are made off, Marty is made of steel and grit !
Pingerup aid station , manned by two of my favourite people. Bacon and pancakes combo, so good ! Thankyou Heath and Simone.
After Pingerup there is a nice trail before you hit Broke Inlet aid station around 16km later, good for 90km total. You’re normally racing the sunset and the challenge is to get to the aid station and have dinner in daylight. This year I made it and enjoyed Mark’s spaghetti bolognaise while waiting for Simon to come in and run the next section, to Mandalay, with company.
As you can see from the image below the scenary is spectacular and it’s always really quiet with just the local birdlife breaking the silence of the day, quite magical. I always enjoy this part of the day and this part of the course, you have the cooler temperatures and there never seems to be any wind, totally still. You end up reflecting on the day and preparing for dinner and the cocoon of the headtorch.
Post Pingerup and pre-Broke Road aid station. The aim is to eat dinner at Broke Road in daylight before starting towards Mandelay.
Astrid Volzke was at Broke Inlet and captured some awesome images , so talented. As you can see I’m pretty ‘goosed‘ by the time I arrive at Broke Inlet. It had been a long hard day at the office in sweltering conditions. I was looking forward to dinner, a foot bath and some well earned ‘chair time’. Mark ushered me to our spot behind the aid station. With Mark’s experience we always score the best spots and today was no different, he is a crewing black belt.
Glad to be at Broke Inlet for dinner. image Astrid Volzke
Off came the shoes to admire the damage of the day. Coming into this event I had lost most of my toe nails so was only concerned with blisters, so far nothing to report albeit they didn’t look the prettiest pair of feet. I’d seen a few runners tape up the front of the Altra Olympus 5 trail shoes to stop the sand but I don’t have issues normally and just empty them if I feel a build up of foreign material . I wear gators but with the breathable fabric on the Altras they are pretty useless. On the bright side if you get them wet they dry very quickly.
My feet were destroyed, well dirty, but no blisters or issues to talk about. image Astrid Volzke
Sitting down at Broke Inlet aid station I was knackered, the day had been brutal due to the extreme heat and I had probably ran too quick for the conditions. I think at this time I was top three which was unusual for me as I normally start slower and build into the event. I think in the image below I am contemplating the next two jumps between aid stations. A twenty kilometre hop to Mandalay and then another plus twenty kilometre stretch to Mount Clare. I know from experience this marathon distance would take 6-8 hours as I already had over 90km, over 12 hours, in the legs of hard running in extreme conditions. It was going to be a grind and I was right, even Mark’s spaghetti bolognaise couldn’t cheer me up.
Love this image , captures the brutality of day one in the sauna. image Astrid Volzke
What did cheer me up was a warm foot bath after dinner after the image below shows. That is me after a great cup of sweet tea and dinner, what a difference good crewing makes to a runner.
Felt so much better with a foot bath, the sunset fast approaching. . image Astrid Volzke
Post Broke Inlet Simon and I stumbled off into the night and headed towards Mandalay. I had brought a coupe of audible books for the night running as you tend to lose yourself in the cocoon headtorch light and a decent book can make the time, and distance, disappear faster. Unfortunately for me I’d made the rookie error of not downloading either book and with no internet access for many hours I was reduced to listening to past downloaded books. It was time to go back to an old favourite of mine, Green Light by Matthew McConaughey. I’d listened to the whole book while I’d ran the Unreasonable East in June 2022 but it was so good a second listen was no issue, albeit you know what’s coming of course.
Funnily enough I was a bit disoriented starting the Mandalay leg and felt myself leaning to my left and having to right myself before repeating the whole process. I suspected vertigo but as I’d never had this issue before I wasn’t sure. In the end I decided I was just fatigued, under hydrated and cooked from the days adventures and just tried to concentrate on staying upright. Simon seemed to be suffering the same problem and was wobbling all over the track in front of me. This continued until he announced he needed a dirt nap as he had experienced this in previous races, I was ok to continue so agreed to meet him in Mandalay.
Sunset on day one and some respite from the Sahara like conditions.
Coming into Mandalay later than planned and still in a podium position. Simon was quite a way behind and Phil came in but wanted to sleep so I was pushed out of the aid station onto the beach alone. This was not ideal. Mandalay to Mount Clare is the worst leg of the whole event, in my view, due to the elevation, terrain and you’re attempting it at your lowest ebb. I wanted to wait for Simon but Mark insisted I go on, sometimes having a crew can be a curse. It didn’t let me down and this leg was as bad as I had remembered from previous years albeit I had never ran it alone before. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy the peace and solitude of night running alone but I also enjoy company, it does make time and distance disappear quicker.
Leaving Mandalay onto the beach, briefly, before heading inland to Mount Clare; I was not happy.
There’s a small section of beach before you take a left and head back onto the trail and towards Mount Clare. Next year I’m determined to run this fresh rather than moving like an extra from the ‘walking dead’, I just need to persuade Mark to set up the swag and let me sleep?
A new bench which normally has incredible views of the coastline, not so much in the dark ?
Mandalay beach to Mount Clare tested me and distance dragged while time sped up, how does that happen ? I’d planned to reach Mount Clare by 2am but was looking like 3am would be more likely , or later. The terrain is brutal with many climbs and stairs that go on for ever, stairway to heaven on steroids. The legs were also starting to complain, funny that, and I was going through fisiocrem quickly. If you’ve never used fisiocrem in events you need to start, it just does what it says on the tube, reinvigorates tired muscles. I have started using fisiocrem after every run and it had made a big difference in my recovery, incredible product. ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ )
This product just works…A young Kangaroo offering encouragement. I saw a lot bigger ones !Mandalay to Mount Clare is unforgiving, the hardest 21km of the event in my view as you run it dog tired and there are so many ‘elevation challenges.’After this suspension bridge its the final climb to Mount Clare where my swag is waiting and two hours sleep.
The suspension bridge is a sign the final climb is about to start and it is a serious assault. Incredibly steep but thankfully pretty short, all things being relative. You then have a kilometre or two of road before you stumble into the aid station and fall into your swag for a well earned two hours sleep. Trust me, that swag feels like a five star hotel and you’re asleep before your head touches the pillow, it’s an incredible feeling.
Right, that’s post#2 done and we’re only into day two, this blog may take longer than the race itself…
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
One of my favourite places to be in the world.. the start of the Delirious West 200 miler.
So off we go again, Delirious West 2024. Absolutely stoked to be back running this beast of a 200 miler supported by the best crew in WA, maybe Australia, Mark Lommers.. As is tradition Mark drove the trusty Audi Q5 and early Monday afternoon off we drove , Pemberton here we come. This was Mark’s third time supporting me and he now knows what I need before I do. He is calm under pressure, never flustered and a pleasure to be around, the shining light when you are in a very dark place. He also cooks a mean spaghetti bolognaise and an incredible steak, with onions. The boy can run a bit too and continually pushes the boundaries of pace and beer competing, and dominating, the bogan run.
The legend that is Mark ‘Warwick Crapper’ Lommers.
We drive down Monday and stay in the Pemberton area so we can climb the Gloucester tree. Unfortunately this year it was closed so we decided on a long breakfast instead. Shannon Dale organised the gathering and before we knew it it turned into a mass event full of nervous and excited runners. So much fun and so much laughter. That’s the point of Tuesday, just meeting your fellow runners, checking in, bogan run , pub meal and an early night. It is a great day and never disappoints. So many stories which are added to ever year, Delirious is the event that just keeps growing.
There are a lot of legends in this photo and Frank.
After a very long breakfast it was back to the hotel to pick up our gear and head to Northcliffe for the final check-in, bogan run and the race briefing over dinner. Again its so cool to get together, check in , see old friends and make new ones. Then watch the bogan run, the run that stops a small town before gorging on quality tukka while listening to the race briefing.
Got so burnt on Tuesday afternoon post breakfast, rookie error.
I did make silly error Tuesday afternoon post breakfast. Jumping in the pool after breakfast I forgot my sunscreen and paid the price that evening and beyond. I was fried like a Mars Bar in a Scottish fish shop, silly boy. As you can see from the image above my head is starting to glow!
Warwick Crapper has never let me down when it comes to performing at the highest level in the bogan run.
Unfortunately this year Warwick Crapper got lost and failed to win the bogan year albeit I feel his chances are getting slimmer each year as the race organisers seem to find a way to derail him. Luckily he takes it all in his stride and concentrates on the alcohol intake rather than finishing times. He informed me he’d be back for a fourth attempt next year.
The dream team… Going for a three-peat.
After the race briefing on Tuesday evening I drove Mark (and Warwick) back to Pemberton and started the last minute preparation for the main event. Truth be told after four years I have my game plan pretty much sorted but you can always find an excuse to pack and then repack ‘stuff’ the night before, it’s a running thing.
There are many traditions when it comes to Delirious and one of my favorites is the waffles on race morning, served up by Duncan and his wonderful team at the Nortcliffe hotel. I figure before a 200 miler you really can eat what you like, doesn’t matter how many calories you digest you’ll use more when you’re running for the whole day. My logic is probably flawed as I’m pretty sure I put on weight over the event but you can’t muck about with traditions.
Duncan checking I’d paid. ! Best waffles in Northcliffe.
The calm before the storm, the view the balcony of the best pub in Northcliffe, looking towards the start line.
Post waffles I scuttled off to the start, Wednesday 7am and it was on like donkey Kong. Christmas for an Ultra runner. The event didn’t get off to a great start with the new generator giving up the ghost before it could erect the starting arch. If this was the worse thing to befall the event I’d be stoked.
The new generator broke so no start arch, disappointing.
Right here we go , video one, day one.
I went hard on the first day settling into the lead group and just enjoying the banter albeit always wary of what was ahead. I was surrounded by good friends and loving the journey although the heat was starting to become challenging and moving forward I knew I would drop off this pace later in the day
Simon, Aaron and Tristan forming part of the day 1 peloton.
It was good to run with a small group albeit Tristan jumped off the back before Dog Road aid station and Simon and Aaron left me at Dog Road so I was alone at 50km, so be it. In a race this long you need to run at your pace and this can fluctuate by the minute, hour or day. I’d bump into Simon again and we’d leap frog each other for most of the fist three days.
Right, that’s enough for post #1, there will be a few more. A race report for Delirious is the like the main event, it can take days to finish !
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
The first time I ran the 100km Rob Donkersloot produced a video on the event ; worth a look …
Looking back at this video its funny to think of where I am now compared to then. In the video I was still a marathon runner chasing the elusive sub 2 hour 40 minutes marathon time, where as now I’m an ultra runner, 100%. In the back of my mind I had visions of taking the 55-60 AURA age group record , to go with my 50-55 time set in 2018, but knew this would be a big ask after the previous weekends racing. More important was just finishing and using this as my last long run before the big dance in a few weeks at Delirious.
I couldn’t persuade any of the usual suspects to come along so had to drive myself the two hours to the start, leaving Perth at 8pm to arrive at Australind just after 10pm to pick up my bib, chat to the Race Directors, Ron McGlynn and Chris Lark, and move my gear to the middle aid station where the lovely Charlotte would look after me. I was also lucky enough to have Mick Francis and his partner Val there to give me a hand. Being a 6.25k out and back loop meant that having my gear at the middle aid station I was only ever a maximum of just over six kilometres from it. My plan was to run through the start aid station and also the one at the far end and just use the middle one. I had adopted this strategy on the three previous times I ran the course and it worked a treat albeit I tended to stop at the aid station both ways when initially I intended to only stop one way. If I’m going to break the age group record I’ll need to work on my aid station strategy and employ a dedicated crew with a plan, release the inner ‘Phil Gore’.
All quiet at the start line. The calm before the storm.
The race kicks off five minutes into Saturday morning in an attempt to avoid runners turning up Saturday night for a Sunday morning event, this has happened a few times and is always a risk with a midnight start. There wasn’t a big field this year and truth be told since the race decoupled itself from the the Ultra Series WA umbrella numbers have dropped. The 100k ( eight laps of a 6.25k out and back loop) and 75k (six laps) runners started first with the 50k ( four laps) starting at 3am and the 25k (two laps) starting at 6am.
It was fairly quiet for the first three hours and I put on Spotify and Taylor Swift to keep me company. Laps one and two were reasonable enough although I wasn’t hitting the pace I needed for the age group record so put that one to bed early. I had talked about cruising through the night at less than 5 min/k pace , banking time in the cool evening conditions, this didn’t happen. I wasn’t surprising really and I turned my attention to plan B, enjoy the event and finish strong.
As with all things Australia Day Ultra the instructions were short, sweet and too the point. It’s an 8 lap out and back, simple.
Lap three and four and the wheels started to fall off. The 50k runners joined us but were running far too quick and just added to the feeling of slowing down. At one point I talked myself into finishing at 50k and ticking the ‘last long run‘ before Delirious box without doing too much damage to my legs. With this in mind I finished lap four (50k) but then had a change of heart, if I could make sunrise and maybe score a cup of sweet tea there was a chance. I also think a couple of No Doz tablets , combined with a paracetamol tablet or two, also helped, don’t judge me.
Cup of sweet tea, saved the day.
Running past the middle aid station I put in my request and Charlotte managed to find some sugar in the bottom of her bag and produce a perfect cup of sweet tea. I covered my legs in fisocrem (this stuff is magic ! https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) , downed a yoghurt pouch and with the sun peaking over the horizon started to feel so much better. Laps five and six I maintained a reasonable pace but around 75k I started to up the tempo. With all ultra marathons you have good times and bad times. With bad times you know the good times will eventually turn up and visa-versa. It’s weird but at 75k into the event I felt better than the first kilometre, this is ultra running.
‘Suns out, guns out’, loving life at the pointy end of the event, go figure?
I was comfortably in third place at the end of lap six but noticed the runner in second was coming back to me. My pace had improved to less than 5min/k and I started to reel him in. By the start of lap seven he only had a few hundred metres on me and before the end of that lap I had moved into second place. I’m putting down my fast finish to all the hours spent on my treadmill in the sauna that is a Perth summer. Recovering from a hamstring tear in October I had spent a lot of time walking and running on a 15% incline while listening to podcasts. I really believe this helped me improve my fitness when I started to combine these garage sessions with my normal running. Anyhow whatever the reason I finished like a train for a good negative split, going out in 4hours 51 minutes and coming back in 4hours 42 minutes; total time 9 hours 34 minutes, good for second position.
Chris Lark , myself and Ron McGlynn, at the presentations.
I was presented with my merchandise and medal with a small trophy for second place by the Race Directors as I crossed the line, this it seems was the presentation. As I said earlier a real grass roots event, nothing fancy, a coupe of timing mats, few aid stations, eager volunteers and that’s about it. The event just works and I’m really looking forward to going back in 2025 and smashing that AURA 55-60 age group record, why wouldn’t you ? For anybody chasing an ultra PB this could be the event for you. Flat as a pancake and the midnight start avoids most of the heat of the Perth summer albeit humidity can play a part. Next year Ron is adding a 12.5k option ( two laps) to try and entice park runners into the fray and start down the slippery slope that is ultra running.
Finally a quick shout out to the products that have helped me on my running journey lately. Fisiocrem and Humantecar are incredible products that help massively with recovery or preparation. Both products just work and I used fisiocrem on the run and humantecar bandages post run. I was back running on Monday afternoon with a spring in my step, ready for another week of training. This would have been impossble without these products.
Bix hydration products kept me fueled and again without Bix I would have struggled. It is my go to product for all hydration while on the run and also recovering. Fractel headgear, T8 clothing , Coros watches, Osprey products , altra footwear (although for this event I used Hoka Mach X road shoes) and shokz ; thankyou.
Right that’s it for a few weeks. I have a quiet week and then one final push before the Delirious West 200 miler kicking off February 7th in sunny Northcliffe. To say I’m excited is an understatement.
The locals were impressed ?
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
On Saturday I ran the 24 Park Runs in 24 hours in Perth for the On My Feet charity, helping homelessness. ( https://www.onmyfeet.org.au/ ) The concept is simple, run a park run, drive to the next one, run that park run and repeat 24 times over the course of the 24 hour period. This gives you around thirty minutes for each park run with a small break for lunch, dinner and an early breakfast. Sounds easy right ? Wrong as Perth decided to present us with the hottest day of the summer so far with temperatures hitting 42c ( over 107F) and staying around the 40c for most of the early afternoon into the evening, chuck in brutal humidity and it became a challenge.
The donation page for the 2023 24 park runs event has now closed so the best way to donate, if you so choose, is to log on to the charities website ( https://www.onmyfeet.org.au/ ) and donate there. They also sell cool socks which would be a nice gift for any runner, donating and giving , a win – win situation.
Right , off we go. I had decided to run this event while training in the Perth hills the day before. It had been on my radar since last year but I had made no effort to prepare for it and in the end just ignored it. It wasn’t until the chat started to build and FMO (Fear of Missing Out) started to kick in that I eventually caved in and put in my charity donation to the On My Feet fund. (link above , just in case you missed it) I was in but had no food and only a few hours to get ready the morning of the event. I had managed to snag a seat on the best ride in town, that of the famous Gore family van with Gemma and Phil driving, ably supported by Bradley. All I needed to do was turn up to each park run , cruise around in less than thirty minutes and eat and drink in the van while being chauffeured to the next run, simples. Well as with all best laid plans, and in this case there wasn’t even a plan , things started to go awry when the temperature began to heat up.
The plan for the next 24 hours.
Even at Park Run number one, Garvey Park, you could feel the heat and by the end of the first park run you knew you were in for a long day. We started at 8am but as soon as you ventured out into the sunshine you were rewarded with a reminder of what was to come, heat and plenty of it. On the plus side I was about to run 22 park runs I had not ran before so it was an going to be a sight seeing tour of Perth , in a heatwave, with some running in between long stints of eating and drinking while a member of the Gore family, or Bradley, drove. How bad could that be ?
Team Gore at PR 1…Aaron, myself, Gemma, Tom, Bradley, Phil and Sarah.
One of the major surprises of this event was the laughter , in the back of the van there was a lot of it and the six of us just had the best time together. Although we all knew each other spending 24 hours driving around Perth in a heatwave brings you all closer together, literally. Conditions were cramped but I’d managed to snag myself the seat behind Phil with my own door, that doesn’t sound special but trust me it was like being upgraded from cattle class to first class, I was stoked. We had the right combination of characters and the time in the van was just ace, well it was for the male occupants. Sarah did leave us just before midnight citing space concerns when Gemma joined us but truth be told I think we had worn her down with our ‘special conversations‘ and theories regarding Stephen Hawkins and many other subjects that shall remain between the van crew only.
High jinks early on in the back of the Gore Van. Sarah, Aaron, Tom and Bradley.
The thing with this event is if you have a good bunch of runners sharing a ride it becomes even more epic and I had a great crew sharing a ride.. so much laughter albeit it’s best it stays within the members of the van..
The legend himself Phil Gore.
As well as running every park run in under 24 minutes. (get it, 24 park runs in 24 hours, all finished in under 24 minutes..) Phil also drove the first three or so allowing me to ride shotgun. Once he stopped and Bradley took over I was moved back to economy class in the back, albeit I had a window seat with my own personal sliding door, luxury.
Things heated up very quickly and it was ‘ suns out, guns out’ ; albeit my guns disappeared years ago.
Over the twenty four hour period there were only a couple of times I really struggled and doubted I’d finish. The first time was Carine Park run at 3pm. The heat was incredible and close to 42c. We had just finished Whitfords park run and assumed the temperature would drop , unfortunately we had not taken into account the sea breeze which had cooled us the park run before Carine, this breeze was well and truly now gone and all we had were Sahara like conditions. I had arranged for my Wife and Mum to meet me at Carine and hand over a Brownes Mocha Chill ( basically a protein drink with a kick and full of sugar) . They both witnessed me stumbling about sucking up icy poles like my life depended on it, actually at that moment in time it may have. Karen has seen this many times before and knew to leave me to it and not get involved, probably the best thing to do. They both left and I was escorted back to the van, we had a schedule to keep.
The furnace that was Carine at 42c. Save by icy poles at the end. All bravado at the start, not so much at the finish !
After Carine we ran the Yokine Park Run which was better as there was some shade and I had recovered a tad by the time we were ejected from the air conditioning heaven that was team Gore’s family van. I just had to survive two more park runs before a good break for dinner but better than that if I could survive Maylands, the next one post Yokine, there was a twenty minute drive to Applecross, in that time I could neck the Brownes Mocha chill. This was a risky move as 600ml of milk can go either way on a upset stomach, it really is a kill or cure move. Luckily in this case it was a cure and I ran Applecross better than all previous park runs finishing ahead of Phil, albeit I had started earlier due to worrying about what was going to happen.
Fueled on Brownes Mocha , I was back at Applecross.
Post Applecross we were eleven down with thirteen to go and hopefully better conditions. We had a good break for dinner and managed to find a Pasta Cup outlet which is built for runners doing this kind of event, carbohydrates in a cup and lots of them. I never finished the portion but it gave me the energy I needed for another six or seven hours of running. As I said earlier I had no real nutrition plan , mainly brought on by having no nutrition. I was surviving on Bix products and any sweets available in the van, thanks Tom, Bradley and Aaron.
A runners dream as we started our journey through the night, carbs and lots of them !
As you can see from the image below I was a new man after my pasta meal, a similar story after my Mocha Chill, with ultrarunning it’s all about hydration and nutrition, get these right and you’re halfway there. Unfortunately getting the mix right is difficult and it takes experience to judge the conditions accordingly and tweak your plan. In this case the humidity was a killer and we were taking onboard at least a litre of electrolytes an hour. I would run the park run , head back to the van and just drink as much as I could stomach before the next one. Alternating between electrolyte tablets and powder, all supplied by Bix. ( https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/products/bix-active ) I made it through the night but for the last few park runs I couldn’t stomachs even water, the end was in sight so I knew I was ok for this one but for longer ultras I use more ‘proper food’ rather than hunting just calories and sugar.
Leading the charge at Edinburgh Oval, fueled on pasta cap meatballs.
The evening park runs became harder and harder with my average pace slowing accordingly. The meatball hit lasted a few hours but eventually the body starts to crave more calories and I knew I wasn’t providing them. My only saving grace was my bix powder which was full of carbs. I actually felt better when I was running and the journeys to the runs started to become the problem. As soon as you stopped you started to sweat and then sitting in an air conditioned van made this even more profuse, luckily my towel protected the upholstery (well it was better than nothing?). While in the van you had to prepare yourself for the next run as time was always against us. You had enough time to update Strava, maybe a quick post on facebook and then drink and eat as much as you could stomach before charging your shozk headphones and iphone. Once you arrived at the next location you had a few minutes to prepare whatever hydration you’d need and then off you went. Changes of clothing or applying sudocrem was a luxury you’d rarely have time to think about, it was that tight on time. I did make sure I used fisocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com/ ) every four hours or so and it helped big time, combined with a couple of nodoze and a few paracetamol, don’t judge me.
Homestead, Champion Lakes, Shipwreck and Calleya came and went and by the time we hit 2am I was ready for a macca’s visit , albeit I don’t eat junk food but was hoping for a bacon and egg sandwich or a hash brown. As it was they hadn’t started the breakfast menu so I was left with a Chicken burger , fries and fanta. This was a mistake and it made the next park run, Bibra Lake at 2:31am, a real test. I started well enough but fell apart in the last few kilometres, I was not in a happy place. It’s amazing how long a 5km can feel , even after running 18 of them previously.
The early night park runs were fun but as the night progressed the fun started to fade.
After Bibra Lake there were five more runs to complete but the next two, South Fremantle and Cottesloe, were particularly testing with beach sections. As we lined up at South Fremantle I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to complete the run in time, it was 3:30am, and we were well into the witching hours. ( between 2am and dawn, the most dangerous time for ultra runners !) As it was when we started to run I found my rhythm early and actually enjoyed the time on the beach. Andy Baldwin got me through this park run together with Sarah and we ran the last few kilometres together , dare I say enjoying the moment. This was then duplicated for the Cottesloe run and then the sun rose and all was good. In any ultra make it to sunrise and you’re good for another few hours, guaranteed.
Canning River was a nice Park Run, a fast circuit and only one loop which I prefer.Bibra Lake was hard, a half eaten Macca’s nearly got the better off me.
Once I spied the sunrise I was never not going to finish. The final three park runs saw other runners join in as we were into early Sunday morning. As the numbers rose so did our energy levels and we could all start to see the finish line a few hours away. Claremont park run was number 22 so a few of the lads put on their tutu’s and skipped around full of the joys of spring ( or summer in this case) The morning temperature was a relief from the heat we had endured the previous day albeit we could feel the temperature start to rise by the minute.
As soo n as the sun came up it was game on. Cottlesloe looking resplendent.
Next it was Burswood before the final park run at Claisebrook. To comply with tradition all the nine runners who had completed all 23 park runs had a shot of Fireball Whisky, to warm the stomachs before the final park run, number 24. I’m not a big drinker in fact for 2023 I had two pints of Guinness after running Delirious West 200 miler in February and maybe a glass of red wine on the plane to Run Britannia in May, that’s it. That was probably my first spirit since the Tequila shots after finishing the Unreasonable East in 2021 ? I digress, the fireball went down well but must admit to feeling a tad ropey that afternoon although the previous 24 hours may have had something to do with that but I’m blaming the fireball.
A Fireball Whisky chaser before the last park run. Warmed the stomach .
So the image below shows the nine of us that finished all 24 park runs and I had to work very hard to get into it. In the end it was an incredible journey with good friends and so much laughter mixed in with some serious ‘pain cave’ time, mentally testing situations and an opportunity to find out more about yourself; what more could you wish for.
If I can ask if you’ve got this far then you show your appreciation by scrolling back to the top of the post and donating to the cause, anything is better than nothing, it all helps. I would really appreciate it.
Done and dusted, the nine WA finishers.
Finally a massive shout out to Team Gore for letting me hitch a ride in their van , which unfortunately should now be destroyed, six sweaty runners for 24 hours in one van does not end well for anybody. At the end of the event I promised never again but after a few days I can’t wait for 2025. Next year I will insist on an esky full of icy poles, avoid macca’s like the plague and bring my own food. Assuming the temperatures are lower maybe next year it’ll be easier, maybe ? I’ve already asked Phil for my seat on the 24 hour bus and I’m hoping the rest of the 2024 runners do the same, it’s tradition and runner love traditions.
Team Gore at the finish.
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
Over the Christmas break and into 2024 I have been putting in some serious trail time and double days and hitting some big weekly distances. Infact last week was my biggest weekly total (excluding races) since week 38 2016. I know this because I have been tracking my running totals using an excel spreadsheet since 2009.
I’m up to 65,662km’s now and 4,409 separate runs; of course with Strava I have a detailed record from about 2013 onwards but still manually log every run in my good old trusty spreadsheet.
Looking at the table you can see my big years were 2011, 2013 and 2016. These were when I raced often and regularly got PB’s (PR’s for the Americans among us) I feel 2013 was my time and I wish I had jumped onboard the TRC coaching program but instead waited until 2016 when I had a ‘second coming’ so to speak by amping up my training volume to 11.
Some context behind the figures above. In 2007 I started to get hooked on running and this culminated in my three Comrades runs in 2008, 2009 and 2010. After that is was on for young and old and I started to compete regularly moving from a middle of the pack runner towards the front. My marathon times dropped virtually every time I ran one, happy days. My Comrades training was what allowed me to ‘kick on’ in 2011 and have a stellar year, PB’s in all events over all distances.
2011 was a breakout year.
2012 was looking to be similar but my Father passed in February and this together with a calf knot knocked me about and for a time I lost my running mojo. It wasn’t a complete disaster though as I managed to drop my marathon PB at Melbourne to 2 hours 43 minutes, also managed the biggest prize money of my career with a $6,000 cheque for first Australian at the Chevron City to Surf Marathon.
2013, a great year, my first , and only, marathon win.Racing my good friend Steve ‘Twinkle Toes’ McKean to my only Marathon win, Bunbury 2013.
In 2014 I was running the best I have ever ran, adopting a new approach where I tried to keep the average pace of every run under 4min/k. I highlighted these runs in red in my spreadsheet and as you can see from the extract below I was doing a good job. Coming into Bunbury I had ran a course PB at the Darlington half and was ready to defend my crown after winning the previous year. Unfortunately the wheels fell off in the race as I pushed too hard and blew up when really I didn’t need to. I may not have won as a young Michael Ho ran an incredible time but I could have cruised to second and maybe even a PB. In the end I had to settle for fourth but this result affected the rest of the year.
What could have been ? Put myself under too much pressure at Bunbury.
In 2015 I hooked up with Raf Baugh from the Running Centre in Perth and then carried what he taught me through to 2016 where I went all out and started to hit some big weekly totals, with double days becoming the norm. This was my last hurrah, so to speak, at fifty years old I was still running good PB’s but I was putting in some serious kilometres. The highlight of the year was my 1 hour 15 minute half at Fremantle after a massive month of training, over 100 miles week in, week out. I remember sitting in the car before the event thinking I was about to embarrass myself as I felt so tired. In the end I decided to run with the front runners, ignoring pace, and see how long I could hang on. I managed to hang on and led for most of the race before being pipped at the post by two far superior runners.
Distance was (is) the key to success , and this block of training proves it.
Things were going well at the start of 2017 but a calf tear put an end to my year after the WAMC Bridges 10k in April albeit I did manage a win at the end of year 4k City Beach race, after three second places. In 2018 my running year was again cut short by injury, this time the dreaded Planar Fasciitis. This , together with my advancing years, was the end of my PB days in anything less than an ultra, my pace was gone. Thus in 2020, and beyond, I have been concentrating on ultra marathons as I am still able to race at the top end of the field.
So the point of this post is that when I look back at my training spreadsheet I can see a correlation between the distances I run in training and the PB’s . One small caveat , to supercharge the improvement race often, this together with the added distance makes a massive difference to your finishing times. Racing often makes you comfortable with being uncomfortable. This is incredibly important, the only person who can get you to the finish line quicker than you have ever got there before is you and there will be time in the ‘pain box’ , that’s just the way it is. You’ll never get use to it but familiarity, in this case, does not breed contempt, it breeds acceptance.
So to sum up this post, if you want to improve run more and if you really want to improve run more and race often, simples.
I’ll take the 1:14:59 showing on the clock ! Probably my best ever run.
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
Whenever Christmas comes around I’m reminded of the time I doubled up after a full roast dinner on Christmas Day, inspired by Sebastian Coe. This post below always brings a smile to my face and true to my word I have never doubled up on Christmas Day since.
One of my favourite runners growing up in the UK in the early eighties was Sebastian Coe who , together with Steve Ovett and Steve Cram, dominated middle distance running between 1980 and 1984. Coe and Ovett between them won four gold medals at a time when the UK middle distance scene was in disarray with Brendan Foster the only real athlete of note. My favourite all time Seb Coe quote is below and I have mentioned this before on my blog.
In the winter of 1979, during the lead-up to the Olympic Games in Moscow, I remember training on Christmas Day.
It was a harsh winter (harsh enough to bring down a government) but I ran 12 miles on Christmas morning. It was a hard session and I got home, showered and felt pretty happy with what I had done.
Later that afternoon, sitting back after Christmas lunch, I began to feel uneasy but was not quite sure why. Suddenly it dawned on me. I thought: “I bet [Steve] Ovett’s out there doing his second training session of the day.” I put the kit back on, faced the snow and ice and did a second training session. I ran several miles, including some hill work.
Not long ago, over supper in Melbourne, I told him the story. He laughed. ‘Did you only go out twice that day?’ he asked.
Well Christmas Day was too good an opportunity not to try and repeat what Seb had ran on that cold day in 1979. Admittedly it was a tad warmer in Perth, mid thirties I think, but it was about getting out there after a ‘monster Christmas dinner with all the trimmings’ cooked so beautifully by my lovely Wife. I did give myself a break after wolfing down the meal by watching ‘the Trolls’ on TV with the family before announcing to my Wife I was off for a second run for the day. (I had sneaked in a 10k earlier after the kids had devoured their presents and it was quiet time as they scurried off to their rooms to do whatever young girls do in the privacy of their bedrooms?)
So I off went on another 10k thinking how much fun this was going to be as I had noted on Strava earlier in the day there was quite a bit of activity earlier in the morning but so far no double runners, to good an opportunity to miss. Initially my bravado was rewarded with a 4k pleasant enough run into Star Swamp and I must admit to feeling quite smug with myself. This feeling was not one that was to continue with me on the rest of the run unfortunately when, around 5k, the wheels fell off big time. Actually thinking about it now it wasn’t just the wheels that were ejected I suspect the head gasket, cylinder head and all accompanying items on the engine decided to seize at the same time. This was not good 5k into a 10k loop. I had nowhere to go but forward and to finish it was a 5k run in either direction.
The next 5k was a regressive run at it’s best (or worst?), each kilometre got progressively slower and more painful and luckily I managed to find some comfort in a toilet break at 8k. I say comfort in the broadest sense of the word by the way, more a place to sit down for 5 minutes and try and regain my faculties. I did eventually get home where I stumbled past the onlooking Wife mumbled something about being ‘ill’ , survived a shower and straight to bed. It wasn’t even 8 O’Clock on Christmas Day but my day was over, big time. ! Luckily I had arranged to meet the BK posse for a 90 minutes easy run at 5am the next morning. As you can imagine this gave me great comfort as I lay in bed replaying the whole sorry affair.
In my defence , as a family, we all suffered a small dose of food poising on Christmas Eve eating some fish and chips while watching the sunset. (Funnily enough we all remarked at the time how good the meal was.?) I’m not sure Lord Coe had this issue before his run, and if he did he never mentioned it? Anyhow the moral of this story is two fold. First never ever attempt to run a second run after a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings (luckily I was too full for sweet and had planned to eat it after my run ! Yeah right ! It’s still in the fridge). Secondly I now realise why Sebastian Coe has two gold medals and two silver medals at two Olympics and I haven’t and never will. It takes a Olympian , and a bloody good one at that, to run twice on Christmas day.
Next year I’m going stay with the family and go for the Trolls and Dr. Seuss’s ‘How the Gringe Stole Christmas ‘ double header…….
Only Seb Coe can run twice a day on Christmas Day. (apparently)
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
The 6 Inch trail ultra marathon is one of those races that you keep going back too for a number of reasons. Number one is Dave , the RD, gives you a red spike for 6 finishers ( a trophy for twelve), two is the unique atmosphere of an event so close to Christmas and three is the trail itself, just incredible. This year I was so close to missing out due to a hamstring tear but I was confident that I could finish after two good weeks of semi-reasonable training post a six week layoff. I was prepared to roll the dice because it’s the 6 inch and it’s tradition. As I have said many times runners love traditions, it’s in our dna.
This year we had Rob driving again with Adam, Bart’s , Scotty and I running. Rob was also giving massage’s at the finish line as part of his work with the Tribe and Trail shop ( https://www.tribeandtrail.com.au/ ) and The Long Run physiotherapy ( https://www.thelongrunphysio.com/ ) . If you’re a trail runner in Perth you need to look up both these businesses and get behind them.
The boys at the start of the weekend, all smiles at this stage of the proceedings.
Next on the tradition list of things to tick off was the stop at Baldivis BP garage and get a photo under the Truckers Lounge entrance. One day we might muster up enough courage to try and actually go into the Truckers Lounge but some things are better off unseen, for the moment we are happy enough with the photo outside. Maybe we’ll send in Bartsy next year , albeit I don’t think he’d ever come out ?
Traditional stop at the Baldivis BP garage for the Truckers Lounge photo.
Moving down the traditions list next we have drive to the top of Goldmine Hill and take a photo. For those who don’t know Goldmine Hill is the first hill at the start of the 6 Inch and it’s a big one with some serious vert sections. Just the thing you don’t need at the start of a 47km ultra. This hill has broken a number of runners over the years making the next 45 or so kilometres unpleasant. Back in the day I use to run this as Dave put on a KOM trophy for the first male to the top, those days are long gone and this year I walked the first kilometre for a very pleasant eleven minutes chatting to friends. With hindsight I could probably go a bit quicker next year but it was a nice change to amble into a race.
Next on the list of traditions is the Goldmine Hill cruise, chasing Barts to the top.
As you can see from the image below not all native animals survive on Goldmine Hill and this Kangaroo had seen better days. As Australians know a rotting Kangaroo is not pleasant on the nose and this bad boy was no different. I’m sure quite a few runners would have put on a spurt while passing ‘skippy’.
Road Kill and no, it wasn’t us !
Top of Goldmine Hill photo, tick, we were moving down the tradition list at a great rate of knots now. The conditions were warmer than we expected but luckily these disappeared over night and , for the event, we had perfect race conditions.
The top of Goldmine Hill photo.
After the traditional speech at the Forrest Centre by a panel of top runners it’s time to put on ‘Run Fat Boy Run’ and enjoy one of the funniest films we know with several scenes that just continue to raise a giggle. We even brought our own version down as the one at the accommodation had seen better days and we were forced to watch a different film last year. This did not go down well with the crew, remember, runners love tradition.
After the evening talk it’s time for ‘Run Fatboy Run’, a classic comedy that sets you up for the next day.
Post Run Fatboy Run we retreated to our room for the evening. Somehow Barts had snagged the double bed while Scotty, Adam, Rob and I shared two bunk beds next door. Needless to say four nervous runners sharing a room is never going to end well and I don’t think any of us got more than an hours sleep, albeit Barts had set his alarm for 2:30am so we were never going to get eight hours ! Rob also didn’t help the situation by trying to watch the English Premiership on his new iphone with the volume turned up. Luckily the internet is a new thing in Dwellingup and not very reliable so he gave up quickly.
Traditional start photo. of the runners. Adam, Scotty, Veronika, myself and Barts.
Next on the list is the traditional start photo of all the runners and then off we all go up Goldmine Hill and off to Dwellingup via the Munda Biddi trail ( https://mundabiddi.org.au/ ) Luckily we had our own cars at the finish line so drove to registration at the North Dandalup village hall before the short trip to the start line. Dave puts on buses to move the runners from the finish to the start as it’s a point to point event so it requires some logistical planning, we have always taken care of ourselves. There are some funny stories about this but not for the general public, lets just say if you’re going to run a point to point race do not leave your car keys , parked at the finish, in a bag in the car parked at the start. !
The tree at the top of the escalator.
The race itself was always going to be testing, it’s an ultra marathon after all. Add in the nearly thousand metres of vert over the distance and some hot temperatures and you’re in for a hard day at the office whatever happens. I was coming into the event off a hamstring tear so in the previous ten weeks had only ran three of them and really only the previous week of any note, distance wise. I had actually unregistered myself with the RD but with a few good weeks of run/walking was happy to roll the dice and risk my hammy for another finish and time with the boys. This was another reason for my eleven minute first kilometre, time spent socialising with friends rather than racing Goldmine Hill.
Eventually though I knew I had to kick on and left Barts and Scotty and worked my way through the field. I really had no idea how’d I go after my long lay off and injury. Initially I just wanted to finish, then it was finish under five hours and my top goal was break my time from last year, a personal worst time of four hours and forty eight minutes. Without the good training base I really had no idea what to expect. Undaunted I set off in pursuit of the next runner infront of me and used this as motivation to maintain a good pace but not too good leading to a blow out.
I always break down this race into three sections. The first section is the first 23k to aid station one. You then have another 14k to aid station two at the top of the Escalator hill and then the final 10k sprint (?) to the finish. I always enjoy the second half more than the first and post aid station one start to relax a bit knowing I have broken the back of the event. With the next aid station only 14k away it coms along a lot quicker then the first one and then it’s a ten kilometre section , albeit a nasty section, the the finish where you choose how much pain you want to endure. (Albeit sometimes this is worked out for you if the race has gone badly)
This year I was consistent the whole time, no walking bar the first kilometre and the Escalator Hill (which is unrunable) and just keep moving forward at a good pace but nothing that is going to lead to a blow out or hamstring damage. As I said earlier I just kept chasing the runner infront of me, I’d pass them and then onto the next one. This kept me honest and I really enjoyed moving through the field, chatting to a number of runners as I passed them.
Head down and it was time to think about the finish.
As the Escalator Hill is an out and back section you get to see whose just infront of you and can use this as either motivation if you’re chasing someone or a reality check, come warning, if someone is chasing you. As I Neared the top of the Escalaor I was surprised to see Sarah and Adam coming down less than three hundred metres ahead of me. I had written off any chance of catching these guys as they had set off with the lead runners and both were targeting far quicker times than me. Seeing them so close was all the motivation I needed to rush through the aid station and start my pursuit.
Funnily enough we had been talking about the race a few years ago when Scotty has passed Adam with two kilometres to go and gave him a pat on the backside as he did. Could I catch him and join this exclusive club ? This was all the motivation I needed, it was on like Donkey Kong. These sort of silly thoughts are sometimes all you need to switch through the gears and any thoughts of just finishing go out the window as the competitive juices start to flow. I caught Sarah on the next hill and ploughed on to eventually catch Adam with two kilometres to go, perfect pacing and timing, I couldn’t have been happier. Another tradition has now started, someone needs to catch Adam at two kilometers from the finish and give him a tap on the backside. If that someone is reading this please let me know the details, in 2024 Adam better watch his butt , remember now it’s tradition.
Bumping into TRC royalty.
After passing Adam on the final section of four kilometres or so, of slightly uphill , undulating , single track I bumped into Mr. TRC himself Sam Simsek, running his first three inch trails half marathon. Had to stop for a selfie with this legend as The Running Centre and Sam in particular have supported me for many years. ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ ) Again runners in Perth get behind these guys, they are legends. It was then time to race to the finish and put number fourteen to bed, a raging success as I finish in just over four hours and thirty five minutes, thirteen minutes quicker than last year. I have Sam to thank for putting me into a pair of Hoka Mach X shoes which were brilliant for the terrain, although not a trail shoe the carbon plate protected my foot and the extra bounce helped keep my hammy in check. The trail itself is very runable and this explains the quicker finishing times of the top runners and also the domination of road runners over the years.
A consistent race.
I nailed the race with a no-expectation attitude and was never hurting too much, there were periods of self doubt as there are in any ultra but these are followed by periods of feeling great. Keeping on top of the hydration and nutrition also helped and it really was just about the perfect day. Even now as I type this race report the next day I’m looking forward to number fifteen in twelve months time, it’s tradition.
Finally we had the final two traditions to tick off the list, one is the finishers shot with all the runners at the finish line and finally the shot of all runners who completed the event in their new Six Inch Ultra tops. I must compliment Dave on this years tops, they are very good and I love the colour, very cool. Once we completed these it was off to the pub for a great lunch and the journey home, mission accomplished for 2023. I think this is now another tradition as the normal venue , the Blue Wren , upset us on Saturday by shutting early, we’re a fickle bunch runners.
Finishing line photo with all the Yelo runners.
Traditional photo of post 6 inch runners in this years t-shirt.
So that’s Ultra marathon number 46 which now matches my number of marathons I have completed , giving me a total of 92 events, eight more to go for the the one hundred marathons or longer total. If I have a good year in 2024 maybe I can reach the total at this event next year, that would be cool making the event even more special. Either way I’ll get to that elusive number sooner rather than later, why wouldn’t you ?
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
I took along the GoPro for Run Britannia intending to document each stage in detail I really didn’t do a good job, the only day I made multiple entries of note was day five. I’ve attached the five short videos I took which, for me, bring back so many good memories.
Starting with the start of the day below, notice I’m sniffing and coughing, this was a day before I tested positive to COVID. Great days running to Exmoor, another beautiful day in the Motherland. I had no idea what was coming my way that evening as COVID took hold and beat the living daylights out of me. Funnily enough day five was one of my best and I felt stronger as the day went on.
My mate Dangerous Dave, as the name suggest a real character. As my roomie for the week we had so many laughs, such a nice guy, looking forward to running a few miles with Dave next year.
Just before hitting Exmoor after the last aid station for the day. Was feeling the love and looking forward to Exmoor.
On Exmoor enjoying the views and terrain, life really doesn’t get any better.
Coming to the finish… my last for the event with hindsight.
As I said earlier watching these videos for me brings back so many good memories and I’m desperate to finish the race in 2024. There’s a few things that need to go my way first but it’s always in the back of my mind and early next year I’ll sit down with the powers that be, no1 Wife, and ask the question. Until then I have the Delirious West 200 miler in February, ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) Herdy’s Frontyard ultra ( https://herdysfrontyard.com.au/ ) in March and then the Lighthorse Ultra 24 hours in April. ( https://lighthorseultra.com.au/ )
As you can see from my Strava extra (you do have Strava right ? http://www.strava.com ) I have started to ramp up, or even start?, training again after recovering from a hamstring tendon tear. I’ll be aiming for consistency for December before hitting the trails in January. This should give e the base I need for the ultra season which starts in February with my first 200 miler of the year. As always, I’m excited.
Training has started, albeit slowly.
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
Post Run Britannia I took my recovery from COVID seriously and basically did nothing bar put on about eight kilo’s in weight. As you can see from the Strava extract below ( you have Strava right ? http://www.strava.com ) I didn’t run again until early August, giving myself seven weeks off completely. Could I have ran ? Yep, did I want to run, nope. I wasn’t injured just devastated and mentally broken. Run Britannia was to be the pièce de ré·sist·ance of my running career, a new high from which I would contemplate my future running goals and even maybe start thinking abut retiring from these ultra races, I did say only think about it.
Anyhow now it had turned into a new low, an event that offered so much and , to me, was a runners dream , had turned into my worst nightmare. As well as not finishing , or even getting close, it had cost me so much financially and also I had sacrificed so much family time to make the run happen. There were no family holidays of note for the last few years, the entry fee for the race would have paid for two or three foreign holidays for the whole family, with all the trimmings. This played on my mind heavily. The final nail in my running coffin was losing both my dogs weeks after returning. This hit me hard, real hard. The reason I had two dogs was the last time I lost my dog I was so destroyed my logic was by having two I would always have one to grieve with. I never imagined they would both leave me within days of each other. Thus my plan back fired , big time. Even now I suffer with their passing but each day it gets batter, albeit only slightly. So it took me until early August before I could lace up and start training for the Feral Pig 100 miler in early November, one of my favourite races. ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ )
So off I went again, slowly at first but week by week I started to see some improvements and my waist line started to recede. After a month I started to add in double days and some pace ; things were really looking up. My mojo was back and I was excited about running with the Feral Pig well and truly in my sights. I had also found a new favourite run, a one mile loop in Bold Park which had a nice combination of terrain plus a nasty little hill that always tested me. I would run it six timed for my 10k fix, normally twice a day. Towards the end of my training block I also add a 6k addition where I would add pace, a kick as I called it. Things were coming together nicely.
My third and final Strava image shows the last five weeks since my injury. The two small green spots are my latest two attempts at running. The first I managed about a kilometre on a Yelo run before it became to painful to continue (even taking into account some seriously good pain killers and anti-inflammatories that would fix an elephant) and the second was yesterday when I managed 500 metres on an oval, albeit I was careful and pulled the pin early, a technique I think I will have to embrace over the next few weeks. The orange spots are cycling activities , cocooned in lycra on my Giant bike as I was finding the Elliptigo aggravated my injury. The injury that keeps on giving…
The same stages apply to an injury.
My Daughter recounted this to me a few days ago in reference to my ongoing battle with injury. She reckoned I was moving into the depression stage and truth be told she’s probably right.
The 5 stages of grief can be virtually mirrored for injuries when you’re a runner. Well they work for me. The first stage is denial. I would go to the physio, grab a few exercises and still make Feral, hell, I had five weeks. Five weeks later I’m still not running and a MRI has shown nasty hamstring tendon damage, the kind that takes time to heal.
Next comes anger. Boy, I was angry missing Feral, this had been a goal race and my come back after Run Britannia. I was a fool for probably pushing myself too hard, too soon after such a long lay off. Funny enough I even felt a slight hamstring niggle on the morning of the injury but sat down to work from home and ignored it. I had decoded to run again lunch time so I could take my Mum to the Crown Casino for a show in the evening. Fatal mistake, I lasted three laps of my Bold Park route and pulled up lame, knowing instantly I had done some proper damage.
Next come bargaining. For me this was about convincing myself I’d be right in a few days after physiology. Again . no problem, I bargained my injury window down to a week or two max with the upside this would be good ‘rest’ time, something I never do normally, pre Feral.
Once bargaining fails it headlong into depression, which is where I am now. Depressed at what could have been and also depressed that I’m still injured and my 2 days blip has become a five week road block with little sign of abating. Worse still my last 500 metre run was as bad as the first run five weeks ago which started this sad tale. Oh yeah, I’m depressed. It gets even worse, I’ve had to resort to spending two hours a day on the bike to try and save my cardio fitness. This is depressing but also painful. How these cyclist breed is beyond me.? The family jewels have taken a right royal beating on the Perth bike paths and I either need to man up or get cycling shorts with more padding. (maybe a cushion! or even better a cushioned seat as the one I got seemed purpose built to inflict as much pain as possible. Maybe this is why cyclists spend so long in cafe’s drinking coffee and eating cake, to rest their ‘how’s your fathers’ ‘ )
Finally comes acceptance, with the 6 inch Ultra in December and the ADU 100k in January . I realise that the five weeks of no running (with more time to come.) is too much for me to give a good account of myself at either of these races. The bigger picture is what I am focues on now, Delirious West 200 miler in February, this is non-negotiable, I am running (or walking , or crawling!) this race !
Injury wise I’ve been lucky over the last 10 years. Planta Fasciitis a few times, four calf knots which accounted for maybe 4-6 weeks of no running, less than one week a year. I know that it about as good as you get but as I sit him typing away I’m not overly excited about my previous track record. If you’re a runner you get injured, this is as certain as the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening. How long and when depends on so many variables but I could kick myself for missing the signs (for missing substitute ‘ignoring’!) and allow the two day injury to morph into this five week (and counting) career threatening hamstring tendon damage from hell. Off course I did sell my soul to the Devil for this good run but was hoping to get longer than 10 years. That’s the problem with dealing with Lucifer, just can’t trust him. Oh well, onwards and upwards, the bike is calling and how much more pain can the family jewels endure? Surely over time the jewels will ‘harden up’ or maybe they just fall off ?
I have also got my treadmill back, the one that I brought when we entered COVID lockdown early 2020 and then loaned out to Adam for a few years. I don’t think I’ve ever used it in anger truth be told but it should help as it’ll be easier on the legs, I can also add a good gradient if necessary ; without leaving my a garage. Not a fan of treadmills but I’ll get a TV set up in the garage and catch up on all my Netflix movies while exercising, winning.
My COVID treat..
Finally as prevention is better than cure I’ll be hitting my massage gun, every runner needs one of these , they are ace. I use an Australian made product, the Stryke recovery gun. ( https://www.strykerecovery.com.au/ ) I have had mine for over two years and it still does the job, I just need to use it more. This weapon has saved my life many times on the longer ultras when you have time to really get into the aching muscles. This together with humantecar spray ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) and fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) are must haves for longer events and also injury prevention.
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
Day five was ace, running with good friends in perfect English summer conditions was glorious. I had such a great day but unfortunately all that unraveled very quickly that afternoon just before dinner. I had overdosed on the protein drinks at the finish of stage five, or so I thought, and came down with a bad case of diarrhea as soon as I got back to the accommodation. After dinner I did my normal routine of preparing for the next day, stocking up on gels, hydration (including bix tablets https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au) and a half an hour on the massage gun and human tecar massage spray. ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) As the night went on I started to feel a chill coming on and decided to call it early and scuttle off to bed. That night I think I probably spent more time in the toilet than in the bedroom which was difficult as I was sharing a three bedroom apartment with two toilets and five other runners.
Needless to say the next morning I was not at my best and after packing (we were moving accommodation that evening) I struggled back to bed feeling very ropey. Eventually I had to leave the comfort of my bed and staggered to the van that would take us to the day five finishing point to start our journey. As the image below shows I wasn’t looking great and knw I was in for a long day at the office.
Not my best look, taken by Dave on the way to the start.
Once we arrived at the start I knew I was in trouble. The conditions had changed from day five and we were faced with a very chilly, foggy morning and I was completely unprepared. As the group disembarked I was the last to leave the sanctuary of the van and was soon left behind as I had to make several unplanned toilet stops as my diarrhea had not gotten any better. With the fog engulfing me and the cold air going right through me I was not in a good place, add in the diarrhea and it was a perfect storm, I was in trouble.
Exmoor wasn’t so inviting on day six.
As we moved off Exmoor the early morning fog disappeared and at least I could see my surroundings. The terrain didn’t make running fun though, lots of stones testing every step.
The loneliness of the long distance runner.
Coming off the moor we ran through a really cool forest with some great running but by this stage I was leapfrogging from toilet stop to toilet stop and constantly looking for places to answer the call of nature without the possibility of being seen. Around this time Andy Gray did catch me as I was in the prone position and he was backtracking as he was lost, a tad embarrassing for both parties. I explained the situation and he had some anti-diarrhea tablets which I gobbled down. It was good to see other runners and I latched on to the group albeit keeping my distance as I scuttled to yet another toilet stop.
A really cool forest to run through.
There was some really good running off Exmoor and before the first aid station but all I could muster was a walk and a slow ‘death jog‘ at best. Saying that I was able to hold onto the last group and we came upon aid station one together. I was going to call it at this stage but a cup of tea with three sugars and the sun coming out persuaded me to continue. I felt like death but what other option was there really.
John and Andrea (Sunshine) climbing a very steep hill.
Eventually the sun came out and things warmed up and the trail just got better. Again I was dropped by the last group and walked more than I ran. I was going downhill fast but just had to keep moving forward. Unfortunately diarrhea was still a big issue and as I moved through towns and more densely populated areas it was becoming a real problem, for me and the general public.
Just after aid station one I came across a café and decided to get a Cappuccino that I had been promising myself for the last six days. It felt good to sit down in the sun and drink a coffee but this was a temporary reprieve, I was goosed and when I set off went backwards pretty fast. With aid station two coming up, around thirty kilometres into the stage, I ran though a small coastal town and on a whim decided to pick up a COVID test. In the back of my mind I always knew there was a chance I could catch COVID with the flight from Australia and I think I knew , deep down, I had it by this stage.
My one Cappuccino while running..
Not sure what beach this is but there’s a funny story attached to it. While running on the trail my diarrhea finally got the better of me and I was forced to scuttle off the trail and into the ocean to wash off my shorts. So here am I, shorts in hand, unbeknown to me two walkers right behind me. Needless to say both parties didn’t know where to look. Funny now, not so amusing at the time.
I certainly left my mark here, with two walkers anyway.
I made aid station two in last place and pulled out my COVID test which proved my diagnosis, positive. Devastated doesn’t get anywhere near what I felt. I rang my Wife in tears , my dream shattered, a broken man. Two things would stop me finishing, an injury of course and COVID. I was having such a good time and was living the runners dream, Run Britannia was everything I imaged it to be and more, and to have that taken from you was just gut wrenching, even now I find it hard to describe the feeling.
I had always said if I did catch COVID during the event I would pull out. I wasn’t prepared to risk possible long term physical damage trying to run an ultra a day while recovering from the virus. Recovering from any virus takes time and the strain on the heart , combined with my age, was a risk I was not prepared to take. It was the right decision to leave when I did and return home to recuperate, the right decision but it didn’t help.
Back in Oz I spent two weeks sleeping more than anything else. COVID drained me physically and I was mentally destroyed leaving Run Britannia early, not a happy chap truth be told. It took me over six weeks to even think about running and I cut myself off from family and friends , working from home but really just existing. What made it worse was I knew the event was ongoing and I cut all ties with social media , it was just too hard . Dark times indeed.
My last photo about a kilometre before my last aid station.
As the image below shows I was fairly inactive post Run Britannia, physically and mentally broken. Probably my longest time without running , bar injuries, in the last ten years. Dark times indeed. I also discovered how easy it is too put on weight, without really trying and am now learning how hard it is to shift it. !
Post Run Britannia..
The last seven or so weeks I’ve found my mojo and training has stated in earnest for the Feral Pig 100 miler in the first week of November. ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) The best advice when you fall off a horse is get back on , this also rings true for ultra running albeit riding a horse in an ultra will probably get you disqualified ? Post Feral is my fourteenth 6 inch ultra start in December ( https://6inchtrailmarthon.com ) and then the Australia Day Ultra 100k late January ( https://australiadayultra.com/ ) before Delirious West 200 miler in February ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) , Light horse Ultra April ( https://lighthorseultra.com.au/ ) and Herdy’s Front yard in May. ( https://herdysfrontyard.com.au/ ) Looks like I’m well and truly back on the horse from a racing point of view.
Back to normal…
So that’s it for Run Britannia, didn’t even finish the first week so very disappointed but had so much fun when I was there. Met some wonderful people who I regret not getting to know better in my short time but I always envisages five weeks of togetherness not less than one. The organisation was top class , thankyou James and his crew, and if you’re thinking about throwing your hat in the ring for this beast of an event I recommend you do. Will I go back ? I would love to but the cost and time away from the family is tough to justify two years in a row but never say never, if the dice rolls my way who knows?
Would I like to go back ? 100% yes, it was such an incredible adventure there is nothing I’d rather do but sometimes you’re dealt a hand and you just got to play it, this year I twisted when I should have stuck.
fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered. It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.
Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…
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/ )
