What was I thinking ? Taking on the Feral Pig miler with no real training since June , madness pure madness but a bloody good post for the blog I suppose. As you can see from my Strava extract below there are a lot of dot days, albeit for a lot of these I did go to the gym and hit the Pilates reformer and stepper machine. The races in this period all went badly.  Starting with the Transcend Ultra ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2025/08/27/how-much-is-too-much-or-is-a-dnf-better-than-a-dns-part-1/ ) where I rolled my ankle in the second kilometre and hobbled to the finish with the aid of hard painkillers, this was then repeated for the Perth Marathon where my ankle gave way with ten kilometres to go and I stumbled to the finish feeling very sorry for myself.  ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2025/10/14/perth-marathon-2025-deja-vu-it-is/ ) , without the painkillers (it’s an ultra thing obviously) )

I had put in a massive six run training block in the weeks post Perth but in my defense my ankle was pretty cooked post-marathon. I sold the Puma Nitro R3’s post event, not for my weak ankles it seems.  I had also had a day running the Sterling ranges with the lads which gave me some confidence, just over twenty kilometres but over two thousand metres of vert.

So yet again I found myself driving to the start with a sick feeling in my stomach knowing what lay ahead. This would be my fifth time taking on the Feral Pig and each time I had to dig very deep to get to the finish , bar the first year when I DNF’d at the Perth Discovery Centre, after 132km, throwing in the towel at the thought of the death loop on exhausted legs. I was certainly way better prepared that time but had no experience of the midnight start and the brutal course.  With zero time on the actual course itself I had to run with slower runners as I wasn’t confident of not getting lost. This slowed me when I was able to run faster and in the end I just run out of ‘puff’. ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/11/13/another-lesson-learned-ultras-teach-you-stuff/ ) 

Once I got to  the Perth Discovery Centre I relaxed a bit. Surrounded by the nervous energy of like minded individuals and greeting old friends is always good for race nerves. We had to hang around an extra hour because the course had changed due to access restrictions so we would start at Sullivans Rocks, normally the first aid station at forty kilometres north of the start line. This year we would run south for nineteen kilometres, over Mount Cooke, to Nerang Campsite before turning around and returning , back over Mount Cooke to Sullivans Rocks, the course would then continue as previous years following the bibulumun track back to Perth Discovery Centre before finishing after completing the death loop.

On the bus I sat with Andy Thomson, a runner who I had shared many, many adventures with over the years including three Feral finishes and more recently the Cape to Cape Ultra . ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) Andy is like a white diesel van, he sets a pace and just keeps to it, slow and steady, no surprises and no change of pace, relentless.  He would be the bus driver for this event, with me as a passenger hanging on.  The ‘proper’ bus journey takes a few hours and I try and block out everything in that time and close my eyes , I don’t think I ever sleep but I certainly relax and leave the bus refreshed , which,  given the midnight start, is a bonus.

Once you leave the bus there are words of encouragement from Shaun Kaesler, the brains behind this silly race, and then you’re let loose, over Sullivans Rocks towards Mount Cooke running south.  I’d opted to try a pair of road running shoes with a carbon plate as I had used a pair of  Hoka Mach X’s for the 6 Inch trail ultramarathon and they worked well. This time I tried a pair of Saucony Endorphin Pro’s but it soon became apparent this was a big mistake. I felt like Bambi as I skipped down the first hill barely able to keep my feet.  I had mitigated for this situation by putting a pair of Altra Lone Peak’s in my drop bag but I would not see said drop bag for another thirty eight kilometres, I was in trouble.

Sullivans Rocks to Nerang Campsite (0k – 19k). I managed to get to the front of the pack and led up to Sullivans Rock, about five hundred metres.  I  was very unstable on my feet for the first ten kilometres or so but eventually managed to get the hang of the road shoes and adjust accordingly. On the flat they weren’t a problem but any technical trails I’d be found out quickly. On the bright side I was concentrating so much on my footing I did avoid any falls and when I did encounter any runnable sections I really enjoyed the carbon plate as I bounced along.  Long term though they were not the answer and I did change them when we returned to Sullivans Rock early the next morning.

After the first five kilometres or so I managed to start to get on top of the Saucony road shoes, they were actually ok on the flats but useless for downhill sections bordering on suicidal, and ok for the ascents as long as they weren’t too technical. Not good news with Mount  Cooke looming on the horizon. As the image below shows I was dumped like a bad rash on the descent and had to work very hard to catch my fellow competitors once we hit the flat trail, luckily for me it was a nice runnable section and the carbon plates came into their own.  By the turnaround point I was back with the  bus.

Another small issue I was having at this point was a tight calf. I had pulled up sore the week before the event and promised myself I’d take care of the calf with rest and plenty of massage gun action. Of course I did nothing and was now regretting my decision. It felt like a tight calf but I could feel a calf knot or worse coming my way unless I could get on top of it with strapping or drugs. At the 19k turn around point I got out my strapping but without scissors I was unable to cut the tape to size and I don’t think it would have stuck anyway with my legs covered in dirt. Plan B it was then , straight onto the tramadol . This was a risk but I was banking on the calf coming good. (I had the same issue at Herdy’s frontyard ultra earlier in the year and strong painkillers fixed it. ? Don’t judge me.) There would be one of two outcomes, one, the tightness turns into a knot and that’s it for the race, or two the tramadol does it’s job and I finish like a train, or finish?  Luckily for me it was option two and post drugs I never felt the calf again. ( Post event and the calf is still good so it must have been tightness ? )

Nerang Campsite to Sullivans Rock (19k to 41k)

We had a few runners join our bus at various times during the evening but mostly Andy and I ran alone , encouraging runners as we passed at the turn around and as we returned to the start.  The field was already   spread out with the faster runners gunning for a time a good way ahead of us middle of the pack warriors who just wanted to finish. The first part of this event is the hardest when it comes to support, or lack off. The first out and back is almost a marathon and then it’s another thirty kilometres to Brookton Highway. So basically one aid station for the first seventy kilometres, and that aid station only stocks sweets and hydration, no food of any substance.  To this end I had a drop bag with my five weetbix for brekkie, and a few gu’s and nibbles for the next thirty kilometres.

There was a nearly a  full moon for the run ( it was a beaver Moon on Wednesday )and once in a while you’d lookup and appreciate your surroundings.  Running through the night is fun and I enjoy losing myself in the circle of light of your headtorch. I had downloaded about eight hours of podcasts and didn’t listen to any of them, it was just nice plodding along chatting to Andy or just breathing in your surroundings. The night was still and the temperature just about perfect, all bar the top of Mount Cooke where it is always blowing a hooley. It made a pleasant change from last year where we got absolutely soaked at the top of Mount Cooke and I had chaffing challenges for the rest of the event.  (read all about it here https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/11/06/feral-pig-100-miler-surely-my-last-time-surely/ , love that title by the way ?)

Sullivans Rock to Brookton Highway ( 41k to 71k) 

Post weetbix and some cordial I was back up Sullivans rock, in the daylight this time , and turned left heading towards the finish. The first few kilometres are brutal with some steep elevation gains and some very technical downhills that you really can only walk, albeit the first few 100k runners tend to glide over the obstacles. This is another big hop from one aid station to another and the last big hop for the event. I always think once I get to Brookton Highway I’ve broken the back of the event. My good mate Shannon Dale is normally there as the aid station captain and that man can cook, normally we all over indulge as it’s the first proper hot meal since the previous day and you’ve been running for well over nine  hours by that point.

Andy and I had picked up a couple of extra passengers for the bus , Michael Burgess and Brodie Larkin and we chatted together as we made good progress to the water stop at Canning Campsite. It was starting to heat up and the water tank at the campsite was a perfect place for a cool shower before filling my bottles for the last eight kilometres to Brookton Highway. Andy left before us, post water full up,  and I put on a spurt to catch him, dropping the other two runners who it seems both DNF’d in the end.  If they maybe stayed with me we could have got them to the finish ? Michael got back to the Discovery Centre for a second year in a row before pulling the pin and Brodie got to Allen Road. Given the conditions bloody brilliant effort lads, see you on the bus next year !

Unfortunately when we got to Brookton I was so dehydrated I couldn’t eat the bacon and egg roll so had to give it away and instead chowed  down on banana’s and coke, not ideal but in the past I’ve had no problem eating here. The heat definitely played a part as the last few times I’ve ran Feral it’s been cooler. making eating easier. No worries, Andy and I were joined by Del, Andy’s Wife and off we went skipping along to Mount Dale.

Brookton Highway to Mount Dale (71k  to 83k)

Post Brookton Highway it’s a small hop of twelve kilometres to Mount Dale  and then eleven to Beraking, a lot shorter than the forty and thirty kilometre distances we had just completed. This is why I mentally perk-up as I can start to see the path back to the Discovery Centre. Also from Mount Dale to the Discovery Centre is really good running terrain, and from Allen Road to PDC (Perth Discovery Centre) it’s my all time favorite trail. Once I got to Mount Dale I was able to pick up my first drop bag which was full of goodies I ended up not eating. That is the thing with ultra running, you pack your drop bag with all the things you think you’ll eat at the time but when you actually get to the drop bag  you’re normally off all the food you’ve packed. It’s a catch 22 situation, you really need to think about what you need to eat , not what you think you’ll want to eat.  I did manage to get some nutrition in but probably not enough , albeit it was only another short hop to Beraking aid station so was confident I wouldn’t bonk on the way.

Mount Dale to Beraking ( 83k to 93k) 

We bumped into the famous Paul ‘Hopi’ Hopwood on this leg, another three times Feral finisher. We were joined by another runner and all of a sudden we had a good size 100 miler bus, bumbling along putting the world to rights. We were also in the midst of the other distance runners, i.e. the 100k and 80k (50 mile) runners. It was good to see so many runners out and about on the track albeit they all seemed to be running quicker than us. A big shout out to the runners who offered me encouragement around this time, you know who you are, I appreciate it . The hop to Beraking seem to go quickly mainly down to the company. Another drop bag at Beraking which I shared with the flies, there was thousands of the little flying protein balls.  I convinced Andy to give me ten minutes so I could lay down and rest the legs , and shut the eyes. Given the heat and the hard surface I wasn’t able to nod off but the time helped. Andy left the aid station a few minutes ahead of me and I didn’t see him again until the Perth Discovery Centre, he found a second wind and for the first time I fell off the back of the bus, I was alone. ‘Hopi’ also left before me but I caught and passed him before Allen Road.  I’d bump into Hopi many hours later on the death loop as I ran back to the finish and he ran to the furthest point, after a sleep.

Beraking to Allen Road ( 83k to 110k)

For this hop I was alone with the bus well ahead of me. There were 100k runners around me and I always had a runner to chase, which kept me honest. The 100k runners seemed full of beans and there was plenty of noise ahead of me and behind me. I was running probably the best I had for most of the day and my goal was to get to Allen Road before the sunset, and climb the hill in the daylight. In the back of my mind I was also worried as my main head torch had died prematurely which left me with my back up head torch and only two batteries, was it enough to get me back to the PDC ? I really wasn’t confident.  My plan was to ask for batteries at Allen Road and hope I could grab one at least ? Otherwise I could end up using the iphone torch, not ideal.

The hop between Beraking and Allen Road was shorter than I thought, I was thinking I had about four kilometres to go and it turned out it was just under two, that is a great feeling when you’re not expecting an aid station and it just appears, with an Ultra Series event it does not happen often. At Allen road I sat down and was looked after by Willah and AB , two of my favorite people. These two really make a difference,  as  do all the volunteers, I was fed salty potatoes and pineapple slices as well as oranges. Nutrition wise I was good but fumbling around in my pack I couldn’t find my backup head torch. This was not good with the sun disappearing fast and a sixteen kilometre hop to PDC incoming. Luckily for me another runner was about to throw in the towel and offered me his headtorch. Big shout out to Nic Sweetman , he saved my race as without that headtorch I would have had to DNF. (Albeit post event , after many hours sleep I did find my headtorch tucked deep in one of the side pockets of my vest)  So head torch crisis averted it was onto the climb from Allen Road to Helena Hut, a nasty incline over four kilometres, starting as the sun began to fall under the horizon and darkness began to creep into the game.

Allen Road to Perth Discovery Centre  ( 110k to 127k) 

Another leg I ran alone bar a few runners acting as rabbits as I chased them down. I know this stretch like the back of my hand as it’s my staple run for getting ready for Delirious Wat 200 miler ( https://www.deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) I have felt better on this leg but was able to keep moving forward at a reasonable pace bar one episode when I found myself on all fours dry retching with my fingers down my throat, the joys of ultra running.  Unable to vomit I continued on. I got into PDC around ten pm and decided to get out my recliner and give myself ten minutes total rest, taking the weight off the legs. I just got into position when I heard the tannoy asking for me at the aid station as Andy was waiting for me, it seemed the bus was about to leave for the death loop.  I had no choice but to answer the call and off into the night Andy and I stumbled, the death loop was calling.

Perth Discovery Centre to Camel Farm  ( 127k to 137k) 

Not much to say about this leg bar I was absolutely goosed, it was nearing midnight which meant our second night without sleep and twenty four hours on our feet. I was starting to hallucinate and feel unsteady on my feet. I was never going to make the turnaround aid station which was nearly twenty kilometres away so Andy and I decided we try and get a fifteen minute nap at Camel farm. As we stumbled in Rosa Haywood greeted us, sat us down, covered us in blankets and set the sleep timer. I think the image below sums up how I felt ?

Camel Farm to Jorgenson ( 137k to 145k) 

This is the hardest part of the whole event, although it’s really only the last four kilometres. Un-runnable climbs and descents mixed in with rock covered terrain desperate to trip you up, and steps, so many steps. Mentally I wasn’t ready for this and it just seemed to go on for ever.  On the bright side when we reached Jorgenson I knew it was mainly downhill to the finish and I started to believe we could beat the pig. A pumpkin soup at Jorgenson set us up for success and we hobbled off into the night on the last leg of our epic journey albeit I was so tired I could have slept for hours.

Jorgenson to Camel Farm (145k to 153k) 

It’s a lot easier heading towards the finish line and running downhill, still bloody hard , but nowhere near as hard as running in the opposite direction. Once we stumbled back into Camel Farm for the second time we knew we had beaten the pig and a finish and sunrise awaited us, post a good cup of tea of course.  Rosa and the team fueled us up as Hopi came into the aid station and instructed Rosa to let him sleep for thirty minutes. He was heading towards the death loop, alone, brave boy, we were heading in the opposite direction with the finish and sunrise coming our way.

Camel Farm to PDC ( 153K TO 162K)

The last ten kilometres was accompanied by a incredible sunrise , the sun welcoming Andy and I are we ran to the finish. We had originally aimed for a finish around twenty eight hours but we would finish just over thirty hours. It was hotter than last year and I certainly wasn’t as fit , nowhere near the level of last year, so to finish so close to last years time was a big achievement.  Time , for the middle of the pack runner, isn’t half as important as just finishing, that in itself is a massive achievement when you take on the Feral Pig.

We met quite a few runners who were just starting the death loop after they had either had some rest at the PDC or just racing cut off times, these guys would take on the heat of Sunday and finish late afternoon, these were the real warriors pushing close to forty hours. All of them were smiling and positive and all look to be making good time, they would all finish.  The role call of legends including Kylie Langford, Bianca O’Neill, Sue Roberston, Jonathon Smith, Ashley Slocum, Matt Graham, Ben Bowes, Phil Johnson, David Martin, Matt Lambert, Nick O’Neill (after a long sleep!) Brendan Heavens, John Herzfeld and Dru Furlong.  All these runners were out there for thirty five hours plus , that is very, very special, a long time taking on the pig and eventually bringing home the bacon.

Andy and I were passed by a runner and his pacer a few hundred metres from the finish, Daniel Perry,  but were quite happy to let Daniel go, we were just stoked to get to the finish line for a fourth year in a row which in itself is no mean feat. We crossed the line , as we started the race thirty plus hours previously and over 160km ago, together, albeit in the results it had me winning our age group and crossing first, sorry buddy.

So that’s a wrap for the Feral Pig 2025, finish number four and I join Andy and Hopi as four time finishers, a small select group of masochists. Will I go again in 2026 ? At the moment probably not, I have plans for retirement from work next year and if I do will look to travel or even buy a boat, I don’t envisage being in WA next November but if I was it would be hard to resist another crack at beating the pig on the death loop. At the moment I’ve stumbled through the death loop the last three years , it would be good to run it like I did in 2022 or even try and get close to twenty four hours  may need to fit a turbo to the diesel van?

How hard was Feral this year ? An eleven on the Spinal Tap speaker dial I’d say. I really had no right even starting with my training but yet again I managed to pull a result out of the fire and finish. Early on I was harboring thoughts of a DNF citing many reasons but with experience I knew that if I just kept eating and drinking I had enough ‘muscle memory’ to get to the end, it would just hurt more.  On a number of occasions I channeled my inner Goggins and recited a few of his mantras to keep me going, they seem to do the trick.  ( https://davidgoggins.com/ )  How long can I keep cheating these events  ? Not sure, a marathon (and ultra more so) is an honest event and you will get found out , as I probably was this year.  I’m relying on mental toughness more than physical conditioning at the moment but there is only so much you can achieve using this method, it’s not ideal.

I have the 6 inch trail ultra late December, for the 16th time,  and that’s it for 2025. ( https://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com/ )  I’ll finish with eight ultra’s , one marathon, one half, two 10k’s and a 5k. Not a bad year but my smallest  training  mileage ever, since my spreadsheet started in 2008.  That’s a lot of event for a runner who doesn’t run that much, need to pull my finger out and to quote Goggin’s ‘stay hard’

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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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