At the end of post 2 I was just coming off the jet ski,  after Peaceful Bay aid station,  around 5am Friday morning, heading into day three of Delirious 2025.  I was well fed and energised after one of the best three hours sleep of my life cocooned in my swag.  I was met with a glorious sunrise which the iphone does not do justice. The next aid station, Boat Harbour, was no crew so I intended to run through it and meet Mark at Parry’s beach, before Monkey Rocks  , the last stop before Denmark.

Peaceful bay -> Boat Harbour 

Ten minutes later and the sunrise was still putting on a show.

I managed to grab this great shot of a kangaroo family, well I assume it is. A male, female and joey ( a young kangaroo)  although I had to use the iphone zoom and the light wasn’t perfect but you get the idea. Just one of those moments that make Delirious so special, the sun is rising on what will be a beautiful day and you  meet a family of kangaroos going about their business, just you and them enjoying natures latest sunrise, just special.

I dopped back down on the beach which is so good in the early morning, there was no wind and with the sunrise putting on a show I was in my ‘happy place’. These moments make any suffering ( I’m talking Mandelay to Mount Clare!) worth it, this is what Delirious is about moments like this. Beach running is so much better in the light where you can breath in your surroundings, in the dark it’s just inconvenient especially if you hit soft sand.  Getting your timing right can make such a difference and this year, similar to last I’d say I was more wrong than right. I reckon an 80 hour finish is the way to go and you hit the beach sections in the daylight, mostly.

Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any better the trail off the beach offered up a misty paradise of trail running, the perfect cool temperature with a great trail and the early morning mist rising from the landscape, with total silence bar the dawn chorus of  birds announcing themselves to the day.  Again the iphone does not do the conditions justice, Friday morning was turning into a really special occasion.

Boat Harbour -> Parry’s beach. 

I made it into Boat Harbour in good time , certainly a lot better  compared to last year when Simon Bennett and I crawled in in the witching hours totally sleep depraved and had to stop for a well earned power nap with the help from the lovely Watkins couple. This year it was early morning (due to the later three hour start time I suppose and the different course?) and I was feeling great. I was going to run straight through as the next aid station was less than ten kilometres but when I saw the bean curry I had to try some and boy I’m glad I did. I only had a cup but it was just bloody brilliant, close to the Denmark pumpkin soup, the Lowlands burrito and pasta and chicken soup or the famous Shelly beach mango chicken. It seems this year I was certainly more food focused than previous events.

Post Boat Harbour I was on a mission and cruised the ten kilometres to Parry’s beach, arriving late morning .  The aid station was set up in the car park and after another brief stop I was on my way back onto the beach with a full stomach and a change of clothes . The day was heating up so the Bix singlet was perfect for what was to come. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The beach section was on hard sand and another great part of the course before heading back into the trails and towards Monkey Rocks. The temperature was heating up quickly and once I got off the beach it became suffocating.

Parry’s beach -> Monkey Rocks

I knew there was a hut with a water tank just off the beach but it seemed to take an age to arrive. There was some climbing off the beach and little shade which meant I over heated very quickly, I regretted not taking my neckerchief filled with ice, rookie error.  Eventually I made the hut and the water from the tank was so cool, so refreshing.  I virtually bathed in it and then filled both my water bottles and added some purifying tablets, this had allowed me to run without the bladder for most sections as I refilled at huts, saving the extra weight of a litre of water on your back.

The next few kilomtres is good running , if you are able, and then some great beaches albeit you’re on top of the beach rather than on it bar a small section shown below.  These are exceptional and I always make a point of saying to myself I’ll bring the family down here one day, albeit I’ve said that for the last four years and never made it.  Once you start to head inland you are soon into Monkey Rocks aid station where you are advised to rest up as the next section is one of the hardest.  Last year I made a rookie error and drank a 600ml Browns Mocha chill which totally derailed my climbing and Monkey Rocks became a very unpleasant experience, combined with toes that were so sensitive they hurt when I even looked at them !  This year the toes were good and I avoided drinking large quantities of milk, it was also a lot colder.

Monkey Rocks -> Denmark

This section starts with a serious climb up Monkey Rocks and then down the other side into Denmark before a six or  so kilometre stretch through the out skirts of Denmark, not fun Jan,  to the recreation centre and the shuttle bus, after a shower and some great tukka,  to continue your journey. The bus leaves on the hour every hour so timing can be crucial, or not if you just want to rest for a while.  I was aiming for the 6pm shuttle giving myself time for a shower, some food and a quick massage, living the dream.

The climb was helped with company albeit I had to leave Simon at the base of the climb  as he was in a bad way. He eventually finished on Sunday after finding his limits and going beyond, I mean beyond, one of the runs of the event.  The year was so much easier than last but still a grind when I got to the out skirts of Denmark and you run through suburbia, another section where the aid station just seems to be further than you think it is. Actually you can probably say that about every aid station ?

I came into Denmak recreation centre about 5;15pm giving myself forty five minutes for a shower, some food, foot work and a quick massage before jumping onboard the 6pm shuttle.  All was going to plan until Kath Booth got into my foot and put half a box of fixomull on my bruised forefoot and burst a blister or three. Kath loves feet and is in her element on these 200 milers, she has saved so many runners races by her dedication to her trade. She even had a little helper , teaching the next generation of little Kath’s. I must say I wasn’t a believer in fixomull or foot bandaging but after what Kath did to my foot I am a convert, my foot felt so much better after some attention.

As well as a great shower, with good water pressure this time , a change of clothes and some foot work I was treated to the best pumpkin soup I have had probably ever and a great pasta and mince dish, both home made with love.  I was like a new man getting onto the shuttle for the last eighty kilometres push to the finish.

I had about five minutes for a quick leg massage from Rob before I hopped onto the shuttle bus for the final leg of this epic journey. I had Lowlands, Shelly Beach , Cosy Corner and Shazza’s aid station to go, about eighty kilometres and one more night, what could possibly go wrong ? Find out in Post four and the final installment, promise.

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Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.

Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ )  The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products)  can be difficult to digest later in the event.  From the website :-

As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority. 

In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance. 

In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born. 

BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work! 

BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!

What can I say about HumanTecar,  ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !

Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.

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

T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in.  It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong,  storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)

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