I had always wanted to run 48 hours at Herdy’s to make up for running 47 hours in 2021 and missing that one lap mainly down to being totally and utterly spent and delirious enough not to realise how important that one extra lap would have been. I promised myself that I would make right in 2022 but over the year put this on the back burner as I had so many other races to conquer and adventures to have. The biggest one of these adventures was of course the Delirious West 200 miler  ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) and I got to run this event twice in five months due to a COVID postponement, this of course was a double edged sword as the second time was a mere five weeks before Herdys. Unfortunately this was ultimately to be my undoing.

For Delirious 2022 I had put it all on the line, big time, to break sub 70 hours. It was one of those races when you decide that you will do whatever it takes to get the result you aspire to. In this case it was the carrot of a gold buckle which Shaun Kaesler has decided was available for breaking 70 hours. About halfway through the event it was on and I left nothing on the course eventually finishing in 68 hours and change. As well as a gold buckle I ran a 15 hour PB, achieved a fourth place finish but had to pay a serious price,  long term,  which only really showed itself at Hirdy’s in the first night and onwards. We’ll get to that later in the piece but lets start at the beginning and work our way there.

The image above is the runners village all set up just before the start, the calm before the storm. The race starts at 4pm which is good for those runners who find running through the night difficult because you get to the head torch quickly and have company , in this case lots of company, to help you through the witching hours. (2am onwards) I believe this starting time is easier to get to 24 hours compared to a morning start when you hit the night tired and are more likely to drop out.  If you can get through the night in this scenario the run to the 24 hour mark is all daylight and.  in my view,  easier, albeit 24 hours is still 24 hours and funnily enough the number of people who make this milestone doesn’t seem to vary greatly.

Shaun Kaesler is always thinking up new ideas to spice up events and this year there was Viking drummers who joined us in a Viking Clap before the first lap. All 266 entrants clapping along with the drums, it made for an invigorating and unforgettable start, albeit towards the end the runners were flagging, we’re no known for our upper body strength. So off we all went for lap one, 266 runners of which 265 would DNF and Phil Gore would win.

Only myself , Adam and Rob had entered this year. My performance last year inspired a lot of the boys not to enter, not sure if that was the state I was in towards the end or they just didn’t want to race this event. ? Rob had entered a year previous but was now on a struct training regime with Matt Smith so was only allowed to run 42km. He is very anal when it comes to his training , and most things actually, so did his 6 laps and then a few extra kilometers to get his 42km before disappearing off home for a shower. He did come back and crew for a few hours which helped as the first night was so humid it made thinking difficult !

The image above must have been a few hours in as its daylight but you can see even early on in the event myself and Adam are certainly being tested. You can’t see how humid it was and this just got worse as the night wore on. On the bright side we were finishing in good time so we had the option for a good 10 minute rest in the Wanderer recliner , after fist getting our hydration and nutrition. Backyard tip , get elastic shoelaces, made slipping the trainers off between laps seemless, highly recommend these bad boys. Thank you Phil Gore for the tip and TRC for supplying them. ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ )

If there is ever an image which sums up the first night this is it. Both myself and Adam dripping in sweat, absolutely buggered and both wondering what we have let ourselves in for. The legs had nothing, destroyed by Delirious five weeks earlier,  and the conditions were brutal, really brutal. Perth is normally a dry heat so when we are struck down with high humidity we aren’t prepared and boy do we suffer.  The only saving grace was it wasn’t that cold in the evening albeit you could feel a chill once you stopped running as started to sweat a river. Listen people,  backyard ultras are brutal events when you are behind the eight ball, brutal. I love the quote from Gary Cantrell ( Lazarus Lake)  the inventor of the format,  he summed it up beautifully when he said ‘backyard ultras are easy until they ain’t. ‘ Worryingly this one started hard.

Myself and Adam soldered on though the night, I think that’s the best way to describe it. We both made cut off easily enough and that gave us a good ten minutes to whine to each other about how hard this was and why did we ever think this was a good idea so soon after Delirious. In our defence all Delirious runners were struggling and,  together with Veronika,  we were the last three standing and the only three three to make it through the night.  Finely the sun did poke its head over the horizon and suddenly the world was a better place. I’ve always said if you can get to sunrise you’ll find another 6-8 hours without really trying, the sunlight just makes it happen. This proved to be the case and all of a sudden I had my second wind. Unfortunately Adam and Veronika weren’t so lucky and still found the going tough. They decided to pull the pin together on lap 18, a bloody ripper of an effort given what had gone before.  Alone with my thoughts it was on with the After Shokz headphones and time to grind out the laps. What a difference the light made and I soon found myself finishing around the 41 minute mark, giving me plenty of time to recuperate, hydrate and get some nutrition in me, the world was a better place.

The first goal in a backyard ultra for me is the 24 hour mark. In the four previous backyard ultras I have run I have always made 24 hours, minimum. Once Adam dropped out I cruised to this goal feeling pretty good, a complete contrast to the first few hours of the event where I was struggling, big time.  This is ultra running, there are good times and there are bad times. A good runner understands both and adapts accordingly. These are the things Rob Donkersloot has taught me and if you are keen to improve as an ultra runner I highly recommend you get in touch with him. ( https://mindfocusedrunning.com/ ) Mention my name and he’ll charge you full price.

3pm Saturday , the 24 hour club, 100 miles, albeit you had to complete the lap. All the runners did and then quite a few dropped out. Two of my favourite runners where in that group, Jen Millum and Margie Hadley.  Both experienced nutritional issues throughout the race and in an ultra , eventually,  when the fuel runs out the engine stops. Both these ladies would have gone on to bigger totals and deserved so much more but this event is brutal, I’m sure I’ve mentioned that a few times and any issue, no matter how small, can be a race finisher. With nutrition it really is a black art, sometimes you can eat anything and all is good other races your stomach just doesn’t play ball and over time this is compounded until you have to withdraw. No amount of training can account for nutrition or hydration deficiencies on the day, you will eventually stop.  I’m confident both ladies will be back stronger at Birdy’s in August.

The second night and my lap times started to increase due to a combination of the dark and fatigue. I found myself running alone while the rest of the runners had either paired up or split into run/walk strategies where I would pass them and then they’d do the same to me before they’d walk again and I’d go past them , you get the picture. I sort of always ran, in the broadest sense of the word, so it became a tad annoying when you catch runners only for them to then overtake you before they’d start walking and the whole process repeated. If I was feeling better I would have ran quicker to avoid all contact but I was slowing lap by lap and with hindsight should have probably joined one of the walk/run group, even only for company.

One of the benefit of the night is the last few kilometres of the lap , a trail section through what can only be described as Sleepy Hollow. Incredibly creepy in the dark but beautiful in the light and when the sunsets it becomes inspiring. There was a full moon for the event and I was so looking forward to some serious night time hallucinations on the second evening. Not to be though as it was cloudy so the moon was hidden and for some reason this year I had no hallucinations, albeit I was probably on the cusp at 35 hours, another few would have done it.  No worries, there’s always Birdy’s.  Some runners hallucinate and some don’t , I have had some great visions over the years and they have all been positive, by that I mean not scary, maybe one day that will change? I think its down to what you’re thinking about at the time or just before but don’t quote e on that , I’m not an expert on the subject. Anyhow backyard ultras are great places to enjoy hallucinations due to lack of sleep, think of them as a bonus for running enough laps to make it possible ? Maybe next year I’ll watch ‘the legend of sleepy hollow‘ a few times before the race, should make for an interesting second night ?

The image above is the same location in the daylight, chalk and cheese really. If you get a good sunset it really is a magical place albeit only for the one lap, then it’s back to sleepy hollow mode and you need to look out for headless horseman, with an attitude.

Right as always I have digressed from the race itself. I’m now slowing , around the 30 hour mark and running laps alone with about 7-8 other runners still racing. My crew is doing their best to keep my spirits up but they’re fighting a losing battle. Special mention must go out to Rob Donkersloot who makes several trips to a local 24 hour IGA stores to find me pasta and orange juice and also Michael Hooker who goes home and brings back some wicked homemade soup. I’m not really a soup fan , must to my Wife’s disgust as she is Scottish and they are brought up on the stuff. Michael makes a mean soup though and I may be converted. Also Mark Lommers who is already around at the pointy end and like Rob is a calming influence in the chaos that is a backyard ultra.

The last four laps were a struggle, funny that. My times increased which led to less recovery and eventually more fatigue. On lap 33 my head torch battery gave out and it took me a few minutes to change it. This resulted in me finishing over 58 minutes and change leaving no time for any recovery, straight from the finish chute to the start chute. Mentally I was then done and I knew I was never going to make cut off on lap 35. I struggled around and finished three minutes past the hour, race over.

Thinking back to last year it was at this time the rest of the runners left me and Phil (lap 33 it came down to just the two of us?)  and I was very close to pulling out but was unable to after being left in the assist position. Could I have pulled another 2021 Herdy’s finish put of the fire this year ? I’m not sure ? I was certainly better prepared last year , no Delirious in my legs, and conditions were better , nowhere near as humid.  Also I think mentally I had dropped the ball for this race before I had even started. Somewhere over the last year that one lap I craved had become less important as more and more races were tackled. Ultimately I wasn’t prepared to dig deep enough to get through the last hours of darkness. I’m actually ok with this, you can’t destroy yourself every race, sometimes you need to do enough and this year I did enough. I was on a group chat with Rob and the rest of the Mindful running group after this event and summed this up by stating I’d rather run 10 mediocre races than one 50 lap backyard ultra. This is because for me I love the competing more than achieving your possible best. This is why I don’t cherry pick events and miss others, at my age I have done that racing marathons for many years. Now I just enjoy races where the main goal is to finish or go as long as possible, time is secondary.  It’s more about spending time with like minded people, doing what we love, and for me its the competing now rather than chasing podiums.

So that was it, 34 laps completed and a DNF on lap 35, my first cut off missed which is a positive of sorts. Again I have learnt so much from this experience and will take these new learnings into Birdy’s backyard ultra in August and then the two Adelaide backyard ultras later in the year.  I still love the format and it’s the only one where I can still hope to be near the pointy end , at least for a few more. With other goals ahead of me this year I’m excited about the racing calendar and I still have finding that one lap high on my priority list, at least for this year.

A big kudos to some seriously amazing results over the weekend. Jess Smith grabbing a new Australian Women’s record finishing 41 laps, Chris Martin finishing 39 laps before an ankle injury ended his run, Chetan Sadhana running 49 laps and the third longest of any Australian runner and finally Phil Gore winning his fourth backyard ultra in a row and finishing on 50 laps, one short of the Australian record. I am so excited to watch Phil next year at the World Championships in the States, to see how far he really can go.

Finally a huge thankyou to all the volunteers and staff at Tribe and Trail and Ultra Series WA who put on these events. ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) As I always say us runners have it easy, the real hard work is done by the volunteers and I salute you. Another hugely successful event , thankyou so much. Also Bix hydration for keeping me going ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ), love the Bix range of electrolyte tablets. Fisciocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com/ ) for when the quads were needing some fisciocrem magic, this never fails to deliver and it a must for any distance event. The Running Centre for supplying all my running needs. ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ ) and finally Squirrel Nut Butter ( https://squirrelsnutbutter.com/ ), you know what this is used for and it works, enough said.

Right, that’s Herdy’s frontyard ultra done and dusted for another year I had to work very hard, as usual, and got what I deserved in terms of distance. With Delirious on the cards again next year I now know what to expect at Herdy’s and will prepare myself better for the challenge. Look out Herdy’s , in 2023 I’m finally running that one lap I need.

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I had a free entry for the inaugural Hysterical Carnage backyard ultra gifted me by Shaun Kaesler, the pied piper of the Ultra Series WA and SA ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) . At the time I was on a high from my 47 laps at Herdys frontyard ultra and gladly accepted the chance to go again. Unfortunately in the mean time the Delirious West 200 miler had been moved to October, due to a COVID outbreak, and the Feral Pig 100 miler was two week before Hysterical. Running Hysterical was now going to be a big ask.

The first race of this trifecta was the Delirious West 200 miler in October. I finished this bad boy of a race in 83 hours but more importantly loved nearly every minute of it and recovered quickly. This allowed to me to run the infamous Feral Pig 100 miler five weeks later. Luckily for me the temperature on the day for the Feral was perfect as in the past it had even been shortened due to extreme heat. This year was about as good as it gets and I poled the whole distance finishing in a respectable 27 hours, well respectable for me as I had DNF’d the previous year. Albeit I have unfinished business with the race as they give out buckles for under 26 hour finishers, I will be back in 2022 for my buckle !

Feral is a hard 100 miler, lots of elevation and heat (usually) and the thought of running a backyard ultra two weeks later did not fill me with joy, more trepidation.  Truth be told I had thoughts of quietly ignoring Hysterical, into the too hard basket, but Shaun was not giving up and if you know Shaun you’ll know he’s not one for giving up. He eventually badgered me into booking tickets and before I knew it I was in Adelaide with no2 Daughter Charlotte.

On the plane I was doubting my ability to pull this one off. A 200 miler and a 100 miler in the previous six weeks had left my legs begging for rest but instead I had decided the best thing would be a backyard ultra with thoughts of running deep into the event. Actually Shaun had decided for me, with hindsight. No drama’s, this is what I love and backyard ultra’s are my passion , they give us older runners a platform to compete where normal running events have taken this platform away many years ago.  Backyard ultras , as with longer distance ultra races, are as much mental preparation , and preparation in general, than physical conditioning. Of course you need to be physically ready for the challenge but a strong mental attitude is worth more in the longer distance races, giving us older runners a level playing field.

There was a four man WA team for the event. Myself, Phil Gore (the current Australian record holder for backyard ultras) , Renton Hanson and Cheton Sadhana. We also a great support crew comprising Gemma, Phil’s Wife, and one of the UltraSeries WA most illustrious staff members Emma Luscombe. These two were absolutely bloody awesome by the way. We wanted for nothing and I suspect we all went deep into the competition due to their ability to take us in at the end of each lap,  broken,  and return us to the start line fed, watered and reinvigorated. The WA gazebo was the ‘place to be‘ so to speak and the banter was top level, as well as the tea making skills. Thankyou ladies.

Right the course. It starts with a hill that must be so close to being called a wall,  it’s unreal. I walked it in the dark the night before the race with Charlotte and must admit to being a tad intimidated. Funnily enough on the day it’s actually a relief as you know you can’t run it and it’s a nice relaxed start to the loop while also giving you some elevation, which then leads on to more downhill than up for the rest of the 6.7km loop. After the hill you have a kilometre or two of good running before hitting a road which then leads to another incline where you can walk for about 500 metres. The rest of the loop is all running. These two walks are perfectly timed to break up the course but also allow you to come in with a good amount of time at the village if you feel you need it.  There’s a nice single track in there as well as a swamp , of sorts, and some good running along the river which is scenic enough to let your mind wander while you enjoy the views. All in all I loved the course and it’s faster than Birdy’s backyard (especially this year with all the mud !) but not as fast as Herdy’s Frontyard,  albeit Herdy’s is totally flat and I feel the elevation in Hysterical actually works in your favour breaking up the wear and tear on your leg muscles.  The great course , combined with the perfect weather conditions,  made the whole event about as good as you could wish for.

The first day passed with any major issues. Gemma and Emma looked after myself and the rest of the WA team and we all just enjoyed the event and meeting new people and making new friends. That’s a thing with backyard ultras , no one is in a real hurry and you get to see everybody back at the start every hour. For a social butterfly like myself it is the prefect event, hell you even get time to dance in between eating and drinking.  As this was the inaugural race and with COVID lurking around Australia there wasn’t a massive field so runners soon started to disappear and by 24 hours we were left nine runners. Making 24 hours (100 miles) is the first goal, it’s then 36 hours (150 miles) and finally 48 hours (200 miles). These milestones keep you focused in between dancing, eating and running.

By the time we hit the second night you often found yourself alone with your thoughts and this is one of my favourite times in backyard ultras. You know what you have to do and you just drift away on the course while reconnecting with people in the aid station for 10-15 minutes , every hour. A frantic pit stop involving changing clothes, attending to any injures/niggles , drinking and eating as much as you can stomach, the odd dance and then off you go again, into the abyss alone. It really is a special time in an backyard event, the ‘me time‘ as I call it.  It’s not for everyone of course but for me I crave this time and as much as I’m a ‘people person‘ I can still function with me, myself , I.. so to speak. Hysterical has a wonderful ‘swamp’ section that is short enough to just give you a taste of loneness but not too long as you would feel isolated. Running through sunset and sunrise in the swamp was magical with the added bonus of darkness surrounding you late in the evening and encouraging you to drift away with your thoughts or pod cast / music if you so desire.

The 200 kilometre club, the magnificent seven, we managed to get three of the four WA runners into this select group.

We were blessed with perfect conditions during the event with even some light drizzle on the second day to cool you down. Different conditions are good as they allow you to focus on something other than the constant fatigue that you will be experiencing in these events. In a backyard ultra change is good and also an excuse to change your clothing. This is backyard tip 101, always pack more running attire than you think you will need , you’ll be surprised how good a complete change of clothing makes you feel, certainly good enough for a few more laps and this is all about making those’ few more laps‘.  Around November in Loxton there is the capability to be very hot and I wonder, if this is the case next year,  what that will do for the distances completed, heat is not a backyard ultra runners friend, or any running event truth be told ?

Renton had ran a event PB and was very happy with his effort, as were all of us. He came back and help crew later in the day, team WA. The magnificent seven at 30 laps soon shrank to a all WA trio at 36 laps. Myself, Phil and Cheton managed to reach the next big milestone in a backyard ultra, 150 miles, 36 laps. We were all running comfortable enough but Cheton was having recurring issues with his knee which he had injured per-event. He decided discretion was the better part of valor and pulled the pin at the start of lap 37, mission accomplished.  Cheton is young, very mentally strong and will be a force to be reckoned with in these events. He has the right relaxed attitude you need to be successful at backyard ultras, just go about your business quietly and efficiently. Actually the complete opposite of me, I suppose the are many ways to skin a cat ? ( How many of us have tested that theory and not been caught or done jail time , I wonder?)

So lap 37 and it’s down to me and Phil, Herdy’s frontyard ultra all over again. This time though there were a few other issues to be taken into account. Number one I had my youngest daughter with me and I had promised her we’d go and see Adelaide the next day, I’d also promised her I’d pull the pin 13 hours earlier. To her credit she did say she was ready to forego Adelaide and would let me continue but I did feel a tad guilty dragging her to Loxton so she could sit by herself for three days while I ran around enjoying myself. (I say enjoying myself in the broadest sense of the words?) Number two I was only two weeks from finishing the Feral Pig 100 miler, a brutal, and I mean brutal, 100 miler and as such I had no right to be anywhere near the pointy end of this event. Mentally I reckoned I could pull the pin at 37 laps and finish second , or assist, or run through the night and the outcome would be the same. Basically a backyard ultra with Phil Gore is everybody runs as far as they can and then Phil does one more lap and wins ! Number three it was dark, there was no one around and I faced the prospect of a long, lonely night with hallucinations already kicking in. Would I make a PB, probably not and I was more focused on Herdy’s in March to achieve the one extra lap I needed. Add all of these up and it was time to pull the pin and let Phil run the last lap alone. We discussed this on lap 37 and to mark the last lap wore each others tops, me and Phil have spent a lot of time together and I admire him immensely.  He is a world class athlete with a bright future and anything I can do to help him along the way I will.  Me, I’m just an old bugger who runs a lot, it is fitting that Phil takes the win, his third in 2021.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Right the Lighthorse Ultra , 3/6/12/24 hour. This was my first ever DNF, assuming you can DNF a timed event after you start?, in 2018 when I got caught up in Jon’s run of his life so far , running an incredible 140km’s for 12 hours. I was left to lick my wounds after 3 hours as I drove home a broken man. You can read all about my tales of woe in this post. https://www.runbkrun.com/2019/06/01/what-you-learn-from-a-dnf/

Last year I redeemed myself when I placed third in the 24 hour event running 192km, although there were a few moments I was close to pulling out and I reckon it was only the fact I made my Wife drive me to the start and take the car home that saved me, the post is worth a read..  ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/09/19/24-hour-redemption-ultra/ )

Coming into the event this year I was in some good form after just running over 315km at Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra 5 weeks earlier but the only possible fly in my ointment was it was only 5 weeks earlier.  I had put together  3-4 weeks of triple figure weekly distance but no speed work to talk off. I went into this event with a ‘it will be what it will be ‘ attitude and of course I knew sometime during the 24 hours there would be mental challenges to overcome. This was another reason to do the Lighthorse, give myself another big tick before the Irrational South 200 miler in June ( https://irrationalsouth200miler.com.au/ ) a risk but one I thought worth taking.

The event is held close to Anzac Day, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”.  As the images below show it is a day to remember their sacrifice and many times throughout the event the sight of these small figurines was enough to give you the energy needed to continue on.  Shaun had put together an event which really does bond the runner to the past and remind them of the sacrifice that was made for them by our Anzacs, inspiring stuff.

So to the race itself. As the images below show it’s all fun and games for the first few hours and you need to remind yourself it’s a 24 hour event. Running just over 5min/k average feels so easy but you know achieving this pace the following morning,  into the afternoon, will be impossible, of course it doesn’t stop you carrying on regardless. Not much to report for the first three hours before the sunset sneaks in and it’s time for the night time mental battles. I say mental battles because at night is when the mind starts to play games in an effort to slow or stop you. Running long is so much more mental than physical and at night doubly so. I always call the 2am – 5am the witching hours as this is where you are your weakest and this is when the mind starts to play with his good mate fatigue and try to stop you in your tracks. I always take solace from a David Goggin’s (https://davidgoggins.com/  ) quote where he states  when you are at your lowest and you think you are finished , unable to continue, he reckons you are about 40% of your potential. The final 60% is there, available, but you have to want it bad enough to release it.  I would certainly need this quote in the next few hours.

Last year at Lighthorse my running time was just over 18 hours. The rest was spent trying to sleep, and failing, or time sitting in my chair doing ‘stuff’, be that eating, complaining about <insert subject here> or just not running. This year was about more time running and less resting. Unfortunately I made a rookie error when it comes to ultra running, I tried new nutrition on the day of the race, this was to be a nearly fatal error for my racing goals.

The day before I made my normal visit to The Running Centre ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ ) to see Sam, Amanda and the team and get my provisions for the event, this has turned into a bit of a tradition and the guys at TRC are always good value.  On this visit I spied new Maurten Gels with Caffeine. ( https://www.maurten.com/ ) Now I am a big fan of Maurten and now with added caffeine, what could possibly go wrong ? Well it seems quite a lot. I was taking one gel roughly on the hour but by 10pm my stomach was not happy and I was feeling very, very queasy.  So much so it stopped me in my tracks and it was time to bring out the onesie. (A sleeping bag with arms and legs from Aldi, good, different https://www.aldi.com.au/)  After last year when I shivered in my sleeping bag for 90 minutes I was hoping the new onesie would see me cocooned in my own heating chamber, not to be. I had underestimated my soaking wet running gear and basically just lay in my own sweat freezing, no change from last year then ! Rob was my support for the event and I asked for 30 minutes initially and then another 20 minutes as I was in no state to get back out into the cold and dark. When I did eventually arise from hour of laying in a prone position,  freezing cold, I had to put on a rain coat as well as my thermal, running shirt and running waterproof jacket.  I was still so , so cold but managed to warm up by the end of the loop and started to tick off the laps.

As in the previous year I was determined not to walk on the course but use my resting time at the gazebo. Because the loop is so small this approach is do able but the only down side is you pass ( or not as the case may be!) your comfortable , reclining, chair and gazebo far too regularly, meaning the temptation for a quick sit down is always there. You say to yourself three laps before a rest and then all of a sudden you’re passing your gazebo , the light is on, you can see the chair and all your goodies and you think, ‘maybe a few minutes won’t hurt!’…. This has proved to be my undoing because I think this year I was 18hours and 58 minutes moving time, a slight improvement from last year but this probably accounts for a similar distance.

As I have said earlier running through the night in these events is the most difficult time and when you add in an upset stomach and freezing conditions you have all the reasons you need to pull the pin and scuttle off home, tail between your legs. Many times during the night I was tempted to make myself sick but was worried if I started down that road I may be unable to stop and that would lead to severe dehydration, not an option when you’re not even halfway through the event. So it was on with the Aftershokz Aeropex headphones and back to the 1970’s I went, my happy place. Apart from changing my headtorch every few hours the night was uneventful. I promised myself another snooze just before sunrise knowing if I could get to sunrise the whole event changes as the images below show you why. Thanks to Joanne Oosterhoff who captured the moments beautifully.

As you can see from the images below I certainly cheered up when the sun eventually decided to peek over the horizon and start to heat up the surroundings.  It was a nice change from the previous evening when at one point the mist made it virtually impossible to see where you were going, very strange.  You’ll also notice my support crew out like a light,  albeit in Robs defence he had been with me most of the night and just returned from a top 3 finish in the 3 hour event. I spent my time logging the laps with breaks every other lap for some hydration and a SIS GU ( https://www.scienceinsport.com/au/ ,  ) these are more liquid than the Maurten so slightly more palatable.  I knew I wasn’t eating enough but had enough energy to run each loop without walking although I was probably spending too long at my marquee. Slowly my total distance crept up, I hit 100k in around 12 hours and set myself a target of 100 miles (160km) for the event, not too much of a stretch goal but I wasn’t in the mood for thinking of bigger numbers at that point.

Although the sun was up I was still suffering with stomach issues and relying on more liquid than solids but still lapping in the around 5:45min/k average , comfortable. Moving towards late afternoon I was three laps up on my nearest rival for third place and closing in on my 160k target. It is at this point I made another rookie error which would make the last 4 hours of the race challenging, to say the least. As the temperature started to rise it was time to change out of my skins and into some shorts after a good leg massage. After doing this I put in a good burst as my legs felt great and was sure I would be even further ahead of my rival for third place. Imagine my surprise when Rob checked the field and found Sergio and I were both on 152k, I was dumbstruck, how could this be ? Rob asked if the ankle bracelet was faulty and looking down I realised I had forgotten to put it on after I had changed out of my skins ! This was the low point of the day, instantly I knew I had 4 more hours of racing ahead of me to keep my podium finish and at a time where I was really beginning to suffer after putting in a big burst to break my opponent. At the time my friend Mark C. was with me and he drove to the local service statin to grab a bag of ice and a litre of orange juice, at my request. These items probably saved my race, I used the ice virtually every lap adding it to a neck tie and also my arm sleeves, the OJ  was just something I could keep down and had enough sugar to keep me moving forward.

As expected the last 4 hours was a slog but I managed to eek out a three lap advantage and then never let it go, running until the final few minutes of the 24 hours. In the end I ran an unofficial 196km total, a 4k PB , officially 187.5k.  Totally stoked with the end result, nearly matching my first 12 hours and working so hard for the third place. Must admit to a few tears when I finished, this feeling only a runner will understand, the release of  pressure of the whole event builds up and add in some seriously hard racing at the end, finishing really is special.  As I have said many times these ultra events strip you bare , there is no hiding and you discover so much about yourself each time you run one. The only caveat of course is one day you are going to go to the well and it will be empty, I’m glad to say today was not that day.

Will I go back and do this race again ? If you’d asked me this a day or two afterwards I would have said an emphatic no but now , after typing this, I’m not so sure. Because while I sit here at my keyboard and try and pen what I felt I realise how special it is to push yourself  past what you think is achievable. To reach out past the 40% that Goggins’s reckons is the limit for most people and see what the other 60% looks like, this is something special and this is what keeps you coming back. Several times during the race I was finished, 10pm lying freezing cold with stomach issues, 3pm in the same situation but even colder and more fatigued and finally 4 hours to go and knowing I would have to race every minute due to forgetting my timing bracelet. These are three occasions when I could have easily stopped, packed up my gear and gone home but on each occasion I chose to continue on, I chose to move past the 40% that limits most people in their daily life’s, I chose the path of most resistance.

The reward for all my hard work, a unofficial distance PB , a nice shiny medal and another great trophy to add to my one from last year for the same position. Both of these sit in my study and whenever they catch my eye I smile , remembering the pain I put myself to earn them and boy did I earn both of them. On a side note we had a COVID outbreak while the race was being run so at the end we all had to wear masks, go figure ? Made the presentations interesting.

Final few images below are the washing from a 24 hour race and my two trophies with all the regalia, I earned these bad boys but that’s the point isn’t it ? Looking at that image it does look like there could be room for maybe one more, maybe ? Giddy up…

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Next weekend I attempt my first 100 miler ultra, The Feral Pig Ultra. The race kicks off at midnight on Friday 7th November and if all goes well I’ll finish before midnight on the following day. Unlike a marathon where I can predict my finishing time with a minute or two accuracy with a 100 miler you’d be lucky to get it down to within 1-2 hours. ! With the added distance comes the added variables that can certainly change everything very quickly. add in navigating in the Australian bush and the heat of the day and it becomes a lottery as to whether you’ll finish at all. All you can do is train and train hard and hope , on the day, you also have the mental toughness to push through because in a race of this distance you will be asked questions you need to answer !

After the 24 Light Horse I’ve been lucky enough to string together a 7 week block of pretty consistent training which has physically prepared me for the challenge. Knowing I’ve put in the hard work has also helped my mental preparation as I know I’ve done the best I can in training and am now prepared to put it all on the line, when the time comes. More importantly I’ve enjoyed this training block and have added double days the last few weeks mainly because I’m just enjoying putting on the trainers and ‘getting out there‘.

In lock down it’s amazing how many races I have actually entered and I now have full calendar of events for the foreseeable future. This month is the Feral Pig 100 miler, December is the traditional 6 Inch Trail Ultra 48k(for the 11th time), January the Australian Day Ultra 100k, February The Delirious West 200 Miler, March,  Herdy’s Front Yard Last Man Standing Ultra, May it’s back to the 24hr Lighthorse and then June over to South Australia for the Irrational South another 200 miler and then August it’s Birdy’s Last Man Standing Ultra.  Add in the West Australian Marathon Club events and it looks like I’ll be sleeping with a bib on my chest.

I’m a big believer in distance, consistency and competing, get these things right and you’ll always perform at your best, unfortunately it’s a fine balancing act because get either of them wrong and your performance will suffer. You could also add in nutrition and hydration, both of which are overlooked when runners are training and racing , again ignore these at your peril. Who would have thought running was so complicated?

With distance performance improvements in running is virtually exponentially linked to this variable. If you run 50 km a week now and you start to run 100km a week you will improve, it’s that simple. This improvement will continue if you run 160km a week or more. Of course there is a ceiling of improvement and it’s not a linear improvement but up to a point improving at running is just doing it more, with the caveat of course of not getting injured and also making sure your diet reflects the increased work load.  Of course there are all types of workouts that will add to the improvement but generally just running more does the job.

Consistency over time is another big hitter in the running world. By adding distance you’re normally also adding consistency , they go hand in hand , but it’s important to realise that running daily is far better than a long run Monday and then three days of no running before another long run Friday,  you would be better splitting that total distance into 4-5 smaller runs but run daily, in my opinion. Personally I don’t like to have rest days but if you do I would recommend only one a week and make it before a harder run not a long run. The long run should normally be time on legs, so running on tired legs is normally ok.

Finally competing , nothing pushes you like having a bib on your chest and your heart threatening to explode through your rib cage ! Summed up by a classic Prefontaine quote below really.  There’s nothing more to say.

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This is the second post detailing my attempt to redeem myself from my first DNF last April at the 12 hour Light Horse Ultra. (It’s worth reading this post first..  https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/09/09/time-to-go-long-on-a-very-short-course/ ) To add spice to the occasion I upgraded two weeks out from the 12 hour to the 24 hour on the back of a great run at the Birdy’s backyard Ultra ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/08/16/most-fun-you-will-ever-have-in-running-gear/ ) Sounds like a logical thing to do but you need to factor in a nasty achilles tear limiting my training,  pre-event. As I always said logic does not come into a runners brain, ever ! Worse, an injured runner has more time on their hands and what’s the first thing they do, look for more events to enter, it’s a curse!

The event kicked off at 6pm and the plan was to run for 24 hours and finish at 6pm the following day. I had a few goals, as all ultra runners do which started with just being there at the finish (rather than scurrying off home in the dead of night like last year!) and then running a 100 mile total, with the ultimate goal being a 200 kilometre final distance (or better) I was as prepared as I could have been as the image below shows. I had my two bag of clothes including a sleeping bag, a small esky full of food, gu’s and drink and a cool bag with up and go milkshakes and various yoghurts. The largest bag was the reclining seat I used at Birdy’s , a life saver for the legs . With hindsight I had made the rookie error of selecting my youngest Daughter’s sleeping bag which was not built for the conditions I would face later than  evening. I could have also maybe packed a small two man tent (or a large RV with a comfortable bed!) as when I needed to have a ‘power nap‘ I would be unable to due to the fear of falling into unconsciousness and never waking back up because of the freezing conditions.  We will discuss this later in the post.

The race director has started this event to honour the men and women who have given their lives serving for their Country and this year he out did himself with exhibitions and also volunteers on horseback performing during the race. An outstanding effort I must say. We were also privileged to be a part of a rendition of the Last Post as the sun set , the ‘hairs on the back of your neck’ stand up type event.

So at 6pm we set off on what was to be my first of nearly 77 laps over the next 24 hours. I hadn’t really dialled in a race pace as such , it was to be a run at whatever pace I felt comfortable and adjust throughout the event. The most important thing was the hydration and nutrition as we all know an Ultra , of this duration, really is an eating and drinking competition with a bit of running thrown in ! It all comes down to it doesn’t matter how fast you are , if you run out of fuel you stop, ultra running is all about not running out of fuel , simple really.

Right to the race. The 2.5km loop itself is ran anti-clockwise for three hours and then we turn and run it clockwise, this is repeated 8 times. Funnily enough there was a difference and I preferred anti-clockwise. I moved along quite nicely for the first few hours concentrating on nutrition and stopping every two or three laps for a good feed. Given the distance I was hoping to achieve and the time I had up my sleeve these stops weren’t time critical but critical to me moving forward for the full 24 hours. I was probably stopping more times than I should have and maybe longer but I’d never ran 24 hours and it was better to still be running for the last few hours and make up time rather than hemorrhage it . In the back of my mind I had my Birdy’s experience where every 6.7k I was able to stop for 15-20 minutes. This made the final few laps at Birdy’s the fastest and I felt this format could work for the Light Horse.

I managed to stumble along until the witching hour, when you are at your weakest. For me it is the early morning when you have been running for 4-6 hours in the dark and you can’t see the morning light. This is when you are at your weakest and this is when the mental strength of running comes to the front. I was reminded of my previous post at this time, where I forecast a time when I would need my mental ‘Goggin’s’ strength, this was it.  I decided the best way forward was some serious massage gun time and then a power nap. This is where I nearly came undone. As I mentioned earlier I had brought my Daughter’s sleeping bag which was not built for the elements and temperature I was facing. I had planned for a 1-2 hour power nap but just ended up shivering, alone in the dark, at my lowest. Luckily I had foreseen this and made my Wife give me a lift to the start and then take the car home,  thus eliminating one exit point. This proved to be a good move as laying in that reclining chair , freezing, I would have found it so easy to take the easy option and bail, the same as last year. This year that option wasn’t there so I laid in my useless sleeping blanket wondering how long Uber would take if I could muster up the strength to stagger to the nearby road.

It got to about 3am , after 90 minutes of resting (and freezing) before I knew it was time to get running again and hopefully warm up or risk hyperthermia . So I left the comfort (?) of my reclining chair and off I went, into the dark. I couldn’t bring myself to shed my raincoat so ended up running in a thermal vest, running top, running jacket and a rain coat complete with a Georges beanie. I’d normally last about 10 seconds in this get-up but due to the freezing conditions I was able to run 3-4 laps before I needed to shed the rain coat. On the bright side I felt a lot better and actually managed to put in a few faster laps before the sun finally rose.  Trust me when the sun comes up all is suddenly good with the world…

The only downside with the sun coming up of course if you have to start shedding clothes and look to keep cooler, rather than warmer. It was going to be a particularly warm spring day and a change of attire was called for. Bye bye thermal vest and beanie , hello singlet, short shorts and running cap. Initially the fresh morning temperatures were invigorating but that soon turned to annoying as the temperature rose, that’s running in Western Australia, you avoid the late mornings onwards due to the high temperatures. Another bonus at this time was the 12, 6, and 3 hour races starting. From a field of just over 70 for the big dance we were faced with another 250 or so runners, this made things more interesting as we all stumbled along the 2.5k loop together, some moving into the second half of their races but most just starting, full of life. This extra encouragement helped and I got my head down and just kept running. I never actually walked on the loop but my stops were becoming more frequent and longer and with the added incentive of company. I had managed to get through 12 hours and rack up around 98k which was behind schedule but I had ‘rested‘ for at least 3 hours of the 12 so was confident I could still hit the 200k total target.

With so many friends also now running the day passed pretty quickly but I was slowing and taking more breaks as we moved into the afternoon. After half way nutrition and hydration really become important as the body starts to eat all its fuel and you need to make sure to replace calories quickly. You can do this in various ways including real food like rice, pasta, bananas etc or carbo shots and gu’s and the like. Get this wrong and your race is over very quickly, remember what I said earlier ‘an ultra is an eating and drinking competition with running as a distraction’  . I have a pretty cast iron stomach , which is a must for an ultra runner, but I was starting to avoid the food I had planned to eat as I just couldn’t stomach it anymore.  I made sure I was hydrated though and used my supply of Maurten drinks to keep me going. I highly recommend Maurten products, they just work.  I was also lucky enough to be camped next to Jon who always brings enough for the whole race including so many drinking bottles I assumed they were communal. Jon remarked that each lap he saw his rubbish bin get fuller and his supplies deplete.

Early afternoon was probably my favourite part of the race where I had worked out the best way to keep moving at a reasonable pace while taking time to rehydrate and rest at the many rest stops. If I felt good I’d run past my chair, if I needed a break I’d sit down, ultra running is quite simple really, you’re either running or eating and drinking. I went through my next goal, the 100 miles, in a reasonable state and then this run became my longest run ever. Next target was 178k as this was the distance the early race leader, the legendary Michael Hooker, had blown his kidneys and  been forced to abandon after 14 hours. This would also put me top 5 male which was another one of my goals for the race, a top 5 finish.

There was aso another race going on with Jon catching me after he had gone home for a few hours sleep earlier in the night. He had complained of a bad knee and hit the wall to such an extent he had contemplated pulling out. Instead he went home and had three hours good sleep in an electric blanket heated bed, a refreshing shower and some breakfast before returning and running like he had just started.  I was two laps behind him when he left and probably 6-8 laps ahead when he came back. This became more and more important as runners ahead of me dropped out and I rose to the dizzy heights of second with three hours or so to go. Unfortunately I was unable to hold this position as,  although I was still running,  I was taking longer and longer breaks and my average pace was slowing, after 22 hours funny that ? In the end Jon got me with about 45 minutes to go and that was the last nail in the coffin. I managed one more lap to take out Shaun Kaeslers 190k,  24 hour record and I was done,  with about half an hour left. Final total 92.55k and third male, 5th overall.

So what are the learnings from this race. It’s another tick in the box for my Delirious redemption training and also it’s a massive confidence booster as last year I DNF’d the 12 hour version of this race after three hours. To get to the same point this year , albeit at 7-8 hours in to the race,  and NOT go home was massive and add this to my Birdy’s finish I am more confident of doing well at Delirious in February next year.  Distance wise I could have done better but this was my first 24 hour race but looking at Strava (You do have Strava don’t you… http://www.strava.com ) I only ran for just less than 18 hours, (I had my Suunto on auto-pause so if I stopped running the watch would stop. )  That’s six hours of potential extra running time left out there. Next year I shall aim to take advantage of that extra time and break that 200k target.

Ultras test you and I mean test you. To quote Dean Karnazes ‘If you want to run a mile, run a mile. If you want to change your life, run a marathon. If you want to speak to God, run an ultra.’. In the image above I am making that call. ! On the plus side if you can keep running when every part of your body is telling you to stop it is an amazing achievement and one you can take forward into your everyday life. You can’t underestimate the power of mental toughness, look at Goggins ! ( https://davidgoggins.com/ I highly recommend some of his podcasts but be warned his language is colurful.)  Ultra’s help you hone this skill , they teach you valuable lessons.

Next on the agenda, in November,  is a good old fashioned point to point 100 miler, my first. The Feral Pig Ultra  ( http://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) is meant to be a hard race with some serious elevation but it’ll be another box to tick before Delirious next year.  Unlike my last two ultra’s this is a point to point trail run so I’ll expect lots of ‘Kev time‘ alone on the trails with some testing night time running. It’ll be as close to Delirious as I can muster pre-event so I need to finish it in a reasonable time and also feeling good at the end, remember Delirious is a 200 miler ! ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/race-information/ ) Right that’s me for this post, as with the subject this has been an ultra-post but I hope you’re enjoyed it as mush as I enjoyed the event. I’m with Dean when it comes to Ultra’s , where else in life do you get the opportunity to speak to the big fella and if you run far enough he just might answer !

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