Week two in my quest for sub3 number 33 at the Perth Running Festival in 17 weeks ( https://perthrunningfestival.com.au/ ) . Last week I managed nine runs and 107k weekly distance and the plan for week two was just to run one more time , from nine runs to ten, and add distance, in this case 107k to 116k. Both goals ticked.
( you can read week 1 post here if you missed it https://www.runbkrun.com/2025/06/10/perth-marathon-sub-3-mission-week-1/ ) As you can see from my Strava output for the last 6 weeks I have been gradually increasing mileage, culminating, today, in my first long run since the Delirious West 200 miler in April. (There are many, many posts on my Delirious West adventures over the last 6 years on this blog) As we are marathon training, proper like, I’ve also started adding double days.
Monday . 10k around Herdy’s lake late morning , followed by my local Hyden Lane loop 10k, late afternoon. Both runs easy, just over 5min/k pace.
Tuesday I decided to add some pace so ran a seven kilometre progressive finishing off at just under 4min/k pace for the final kilometre and then a three kilometre cool down to hit ten kilometres for the day. Work, my dogs and family got in the way late afternoon and never made it out for run number two as planned.
Wednesday was back in Bold Park for a trail ten kilometre before a late run in the dark on the bike path to Trigg and back in the Aplhafly 3’s to help with the fatigue of another double day . Both runs felt good albeit they were both at an easy pace.
Thursday morning 5:30am, it’s Yelo time.
Thursday was the weekly progressive/threshold Yelo run with the usual suspects. I wasn’t feeling the love at the start, after the double days earlier in the week, so decided to just run ten with a fast finish. I was also meant to be tapering for the Cape to Cape 100 miler Ultra a week Saturday. ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) I know this is not normal practice to add a 100 miler in the middle of a marathon build but I have time before Perth, so why not? Started to pick up at the end but decided that ten kilometres would be enough knowing that I would double up late in the day. Took it very easy for the second run of the day, time on legs run.
Friday was back in Bold Park running my favorite trail loop, again at a very easy pace before returning again on Saturday for the same route albeit a tad quicker.
Long run with the BTRC crew and a sprinkle of Team Tina runners.
Sunday long run I was aiming for two hours , similar to last week, but with the BTRC gang (Ben Tay Running) and we were joined by a sprinkle of Team Tina runners, albeit I think most runners are members of both groups. Last week it was elevation I was chasing , finishing with twenty one kilometres and over 500 metres of vert, this week it was purely distance. No nutrition on the run, I like to run on body fat and try and burn some on long runs, I managed to squeeze in twenty five kilometres. This was enough to persuade me to hang up the trainers until Monday , after all I was meant to be tapering ?
Best bit about running long on Sunday, coffee and banana bread , toasted.
Post long run it was straight to the nearest cafe for a coffee, OJ and banana bread fix and laughter , lots of it, with the usual reprobates , some I’ve been running with for decades others just a matter of months; but we all connect over coffee. Not sure why Zac insisted on drinking coffee topless but each to his own I suppose ?
This weekend is the Rottnest Marathon which for everybody outside of Perth is a small island twenty kilometres or so offshore. It is a magical place and I have finished the marathon twelve times with my kids growing up on the island for one week a year, just wonderful memories. (If you’ve never been get yourself to Rotto quick smart https://www.rottnestisland.com/ ) The image below is me coming second with a two hour forty eight, and change, finishing time. The course is four loops and I had lost contact with the eventual winner on the first loop. I knew I was in third place and managed to move upto second when I passed my good mate Zap Jeps n lap three as he moved back through the field. I was content with second which would probably come back and haunt me as I only saw the first place runner ahead of me on the last hill where I closed to within touching distance before he put on the after burners for the last kilometre and beat me by about twenty seconds.
Because I only caught him so close to the finish I wasn’t mentally ready for his kick at the top of the hill, I wasn’t expecting to be in a sprint finish. Another ‘if only‘ moment as he collapsed over the line while I strutted around happy with a second place finish. If I had seen him earlier I would have been prepared for what was to come as he had come back to me very quickly on that last lap. Such is life.
2017, 2:48 , good enough for second place, again !
This year at Rottnest we celebrated the live of one of our own , Todd Ingraham, who passed this week. Todd had won Rottnest in 1998 and set a time that would be unbeaten for over two decades. He also won the Melbourne marathon in 2001 and the Perth marathon three times, 200, 2006, and 2011 . He also completed the Abbott’s World majors with an impressive average for the six events in the low two hours and thirty minutes. His wife Tina is another legend of WA running and the two of them were a formidable partnership with both running the Comrades marathon and achieving incredible results, Todd running sub seven hours twice and a smidge over seven hours for his final run.
Todd was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease ( MND) and fought his best fight but MND is a devastating disease, his death has been felt far and wide within the running community in Australia and within his professional commitments, as a serviceman and a police officer, always serving the community. Todd gave every race his all and it was a privilege to watch him disappear Infront of me for many races over the years.
This is a reminder to all of us to live every day and do out best because you never know when it is your time. RIP my friend, you were special.
Gone far too early. RIP Todd Ingraham.
Finally a bit shout out to Bix nutrition and Vlad for getting onboard the BK SUB3 freight train with BIX products, these products are , in my view, the best on the market and I’m stoked to have Vlad in my corner. Do yourself a favour and get onto the website and indulge yourself… ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ )
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
Over the next 18 weeks I’ll be documenting my build to the 2025 Perth Running Festival marathon. ( https://perthrunningfestival.com.au/ ) . My main goal is to try and break the age group record for the event, 55- 60, which sits at just over two hours and fifty nine minutes, bar that I’m chasing my elusive thirty third sub 3 marathon. Last year I was on track for a good sub3 at Perth after a 3:04 at the Bibra Lake marathon in July. Unfortunately I was distracted by a Back Yard Ultra in August and never recovered.
Bibra Lake marathon , July , three hours and four minutes.
Post Birdy’s backyard ultra in August I dropped the ball big time with four weeks of little or no training, culminating in a 12k race where I managed to pull a good time out of the hat and reignite my sub3 goal but in the end I ran out of time. Two good weeks and a down week wasn’t enough for another sub3 attempt and at Perth I paid the price hitting the wall badly at 32k, truth be told my race was over a lot earlier !
Birdy’s Backyard Ultra was a race too far unfortunately.
So this year I have a full race calendar , ranging from a 5k to a 100 miler , to prepare for Perth 2025 and redemption. Looking at my Excel spreadsheet I have a 100 miler in 11 days, ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) then a half marathon two weeks after that. Two weeks later I have a 10k and then a 5k two weeks after that. Two weeks post the 5k I have a 67km trail ultra ( https://transcendtrails.com/ ) then a five week block to really get into marathon training before another 10k and then a three week break before the big dance. Sounds good right?
I understand its not the normal build to a marathon but I love my ultra races as much as racing marathons and at 58 I’m running out of time so try to fit as many events in as possible. Luckily I seem to rebound well from most races albeit never really hitting my true potential due to the racing calendar, this is a sacrifice I’m willing to make for racing multiple times.
Right lets discuss week one of the road to redemption.
Monday was two 10k’s at around 5min/k average. The first run with friends , and great coffee and conversation afterwards, the second run alone and around my favourite 1.6k (1 mile loop) six times, for another 10k total.
Tuesday was another double day with both runs local , leaving from my house and turning left when I hit the coast for my first run and right in the evening.
Wednesday was another 10k in Bold park with a bit of elevation. Another reasonable paced run. Bold Park is the one of largest parks situated in a major city, over 442 hectares. Some seriously good trails and elevation.
Thursday started with our weekly Yelo run, anything between 10-14 kilometers , depending on how you feel. Lately I’ve been running the fourteen kilometre option which starts slow and builds to a progressive albeit these days I seem to plateau at around 10k, not ideal. I had a couple of stops this week but overall was happy enough. My second run was another local loop.
Friday was back into Bold Park for a eleven kilometre loop, the weather had been testing all week, unusually so for Perth, but I was lucky to get a good window for this run, even pulled the top off.
Saturday I was lead bike for the Perth Ultra 50k where I used the Elliptigo and kept Dean Menzies honest as he set a new WA record for the distance and sixth overall in Australia of two hours fifty five minutes. I’d bite his hand off for that time in the marathon! Decided to have a day off running and feel more refreshed for my long run on Sunday.
Sunday , two hour long run, just over twenty one kilometres but over 500m’s of vert , which was the real target.
So for the week I managed 107km’s, 9 runs (including three double days) , over 1,600m’s of vert and a two hour long run as well as a reasonable tempo run Thursday. All boxes ticked for week #1.
The Yelo crew, a funny bunch.
Lessons learned from week one. I have a long way to go and will need to keep focused, no ball dropping this year. My speed work needs to improve but I’ll wait until post Cape to Cape Ultra to look at that. I also need to improve my Yelo tempo run on Thursday and complete the fourteen kilometes without stopping. Distance will come and with distance, and increased fitness, the pace work will take care of itself, that’s the plan anyway.
My second last sub 3 marathon in 2019 , can I repeat this at Perth in 2025.
Finally a bit shout out to Bix nutrition and Vlad for getting onboard the BK SUB3 freight train with BIX products, these products are , in my view, the best on the market and I’m stoked to have Vlad in my corner. Do yourself a favour and get onto the website and indulge yourself… ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ )
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
A 3:04 was the closest I got to a sub3 last year, can I find those elusive four minutes?
I’ve ran thirty two sub3 marathons and was on a twenty nine in a row streak before missing out in Melbourne in 2022. Last year I put in a reasonable marathon training base before Bibra Lake marathon and ran a three hours and four minute race. The course is dead flat and a six lap loop, around a lake funnily enough , as if the Bibra Lake marathon didn’t give that away ? I wasn’t feeling the love for the race from the start and was working far too hard maintaining marathon pace early on, to my credit I managed to hang on the sub3 bus until about sixteen kilometres from the finish. I then lost the four minutes which tipped me over the three hour goal. Full race report here if you’re interested. ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/07/09/bibra-lake-marathon-race-report/ )
This should have been a stepping stone to the Perth Marathon in October but unfortunately I had the small matter of a backyard ultra between the two events, in August. This should have been no problem but I just seemed to drop the ball post the BYU (backyard ultra) and basically didn’t do enough training. Of course with a marathon you get found out pretty quickly and in my case around ten kilometres in I was in trouble, not good with thirty two kilometres ahead of you.
Would have probably ran sub3 if I opened my eye at Bibra Lake ?
Perth was only the second time I have really hit the wall in a marathon, on marathon number forty eight. The first time was my first marathon in 2002 when I knew nothing about long distance running. Funny how twenty two years later and I’m repeating the same mistakes albeit in my defense I ran a 3:14 compared to a 3:52 the first time.
Perth marathon was a disaster, hit the wall big time and stumbled home.
So here we are again in June with the Perth Marathon in October but before then we have a 100 miler in June ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) , Bibra Lake half in July, the Transcend 65k ultra in August ( https://transcendtrails.com/ ) and a couple of shorter races inbetween. It’s looking similar to last year but the difference will be I’ll train for the Perth Marathon as my A-race with all other events there to keep me honest and because I just love racing.
Can these bad boys get e to sub3 in October ?
To help me in my quest I have invested in the latest best super shoes, well best as of June , the Puma Nitro R3’s . Albeit last year I brought a pair of Saucony Endorphin Elites two and a pair of Nike Alphafly two’s , and both failed to deliver albeit lack of training wouldn’t have helped their cause. I managed to get the Saucony Endorphin Elites 2 at a reasonable price but the Alpha’s and the Nitro R3’s both cost around $350 AUD each. ( I hope my Wife never reads this post ! )
I have also roped in Bix nutrition and Vlad Ixel, the founder, has agreed to supply all my nutrition for this sub3 attempt. I’m a big fan of all bix products and have been behind Vlad and his company from the start. You really need to follow Vlad on his Youtube channel (
The Bix active recovery electrolytes tabs taste so good, you have to be careful not too overdose , great flavours as well. The Performance Fuel mix is also fit for purpose and again my go-to when I need some help, finally the 40gram carbohydrates GU’s just give you more bang for your buck, i.e. more carbohydrates delivered in a liquid form that is digestible on the run. Vlad is an elite trail runner and has been at the top of the trail running arena for many years based initially in Hong Kong and now in Perth albeit he competes regularly around the world, supported by his great company of course. I’m looking forward to seeing how fast the bix and Puma combination , together with serious training, can make me in October when I put it all on the line for sub 3 number thirty three.
So what’s the plan look like. ? I have 18 weeks until the Perth Running Festival and marathon number forty nine. Before that I have a 100 miler (Cape to Cape Ultra) in less than two weeks, then a half marathon two weeks later, Bibra Lake Half, first week of July. Then two weeks after that a 10k ( WAMC Shelly Loop) before a 5k two weeks after that (Perth Half, 5k option) . Three weeks post the 5k I have the Transcend 65k Ultra before a five week break (and some serious marathon training!) and another 10k (WAMC Spring to it) to find out where I am for the marathon three weeks later.
Sunday long runs with the BTRC Crew.. a staple diet for sub 3 runners.
I will treat the two ultras as time on feet and just enjoy being on the trails, the Cape to Cape is on the Cape to Cape track (funnily enough) which is meant to be a beautiful trail running through pristine forests and beautiful untouched beaches, with no real elevation to talk off. I’ve never ran this trail so am more excited about the journey rather than the clock, albeit if I can smell a top ten finish all bets are off of course. The Transcend Ultra is on private property so only available for this event, again a beautiful part of Western Australia with some seriously testing ascents and descents, there is definitely elevation in this one but less than half the distance of the Cape to Cape, how hard can 65k really be? (I’ve got a funny feeling I’m going to regret typing that !)
Bibra lake half will be a hoot.. I hope?
Bibra half in five weeks, two weeks post the 100 miler?, will hopefully be redemption for the HBF half when my colours were lowered , albeit the legs may have something to say about that coming two weeks post a 100 miler ? No worries if the legs don’t play ball, it’ll turn into a tempo run with a medal, running with good friends and enjoying pancakes post event.
The ten kilometre and five kilometre races are just to see my improvement as I near Perth. I’ve ran a forty one minute and a thirty nine minute 10k this year so would hope to continue to drop those times towards a 37.xx later in the year ?
Weekly distances will vary from 100km weeks to just under 140km weeks depending on family commitments, my two dogs and the weather. Lots of double days and a sprinkle of speed work to go with my racing calendar, that should do it I reckon. I’ll need conditions to be near perfect for Perth and the cards to fall my way but I reckon I’m in with a sniff, and at 58 that’s all I need.
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
This was the 15th time HBF have put on their ‘run for a reason‘ event and the first time I have entered the half marathon. Not sure how I missed it so many times as back in the day I would have loved to run this course, looking back it must have clashed with some other event ? Entering now , my first half since 2020, I was in no shape for anything but a sub 90 minute attempt. With my 10k result the previous week , 39:55, according to race predictors I was in with a chance. The weather was atrocious for the start with a squall coming through just as we counted down to the start, it made the start testing as my Saucony Endorphine Elites are incredible racing shows but have no grip and I felt like I Bambi charging down the slope with twenty thousand runners behind me. On the bright side the first kilometre was quick with gravity as my co-pilot.
Unfortunately once I got going I realised pretty quickly I was on heavy legs far too early in the event to have much chance of a sub 90 minute finish. It was a similar feeling to running the Fremantle 10k three weeks prior where the legs just felt heavy and I struggled to keep the pace needed for my goal finishing time.
Zac , Dean and I, just before the heavens opened.
I held the pace I needed for the first eight kilometres but was working far too hard to hold on for the full twenty one. The ninety minute bus ran over the top of me around this time and I watched it disappear ahead of me as we ran onto the freeway and through the tunnel. At eleven kilometres in I had my second Gu (I had one before the start) and this helped me get back onto race pace and even start to drop the gap between me and the sub ninety bus. I even started to believe I was in for a chance of catching the bus. I always seem to find a second wind around the sixteen kilometre mark but not enough this time it seems. My final final five kilometres were on race pace and in the end that minute I lost in the middle of the event cost me a sub ninety minute finish.
A great photo from Dennis Tan. On the outside smiling, on the inside about to blow a gasket !Back into the pack, dreaming of faster times many, many years ago !
So was I disappointed ? A little I suppose, but to get so close when I was realised I was finished so early in the event was a big positive. A fast finish also gave me some confidence that I can gleam a few minutes later in the year probably at the Bibra Lake half which is a fast course. That’s three races in four weeks and I now have a four week break before a hundred miler, Cape to Cape Ultra, at the end of June. ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ )
With all three races I have either just got my goal (Joondalup 10k) or just missed it (Fremantle 10k and the HBF Half) which is a positive albeit the goal has been way slower than previous times but this is where I am. This year alone I am well over a thousand less training kilometres than at the same time last year, you can’t hide from not enough training, running is a honest sport. If I’d ran those missing thousand plus training kilometres the racing results would have been a lot quicker. I’ve have been distracted by Pilates and my two new dogs but distraction is not an excuse for missing motivation and that’s the real problem here. At fifty eight I’ve been training now consistently for nearly twenty five years, my first marathon was Perth in 2002 as well as a half ironman the same year, now with forty eight marathons and fifty seven ultra marathons completed hitting the same training kilometres is proving difficult. Getting up at 5am for the pre-work 10k , which was the norm back in the day, ain’t going to happen now and double days are a thing of the past. With the decrease in training comes the increase in race times, add in aging and things can go south very quickly. (I google the ‘go south‘ meaning.. Deteriorate or decline, as in The stock market is headed south again . This expression is generally thought to allude to compasses and two-dimensional maps where north is up and south is down. However, among some Native Americans, the term was a euphemism for dying, and possibly this sense led to the present usage. )
Moving forward I know what I need to do and will target the Perth marathon in October and the 6 inch ultra in December as my two ‘A’ races for the year. Of course I still have a couple of 100 milers to play about on and three 10k’s, one 5k and a 7.5k to race so I can try and win my age group for the WAMC. Entering races is as easy as it’s always been, it’s just the racing them that seems to have got harder. Go figure?
HALF MARATHON ADVANCED IS FOR VERY EXPERIENCED RUNNERS: individuals who compete regularly in 5K, 10K, half-marathon and even marathon races and who want to improve their performances. You should be capable of running 30 to 60 minutes a day, five to seven days a week and have a basic understanding of how to do speedwork. If that sounds like too much training, and this is your first half marathon, you might be more comfortable training using either one of the novice programs or the intermediate programs.
The runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and sometimes Fridays or Saturdays are designed to be done at a comfortable pace. Don’t worry about how fast you run these workouts. Run easy! If you’re training with a friend, the two of you should be able to hold a conversation. If you can’t do that, you’re running too fast. (For those wearing heart rate monitors, your target zone should be between 65 and 75 percent of your maximum pulse rate.)
Stretch & Strength: Mondays and Wednesdays are also days on which I advise you to spend extra time stretching–and do some strength training too. These are actually “easy” days, so don’t overdo it. It’s wise to stretch every day, particularly after you finish your run, but spend more time stretching on Mondays and Wednesdays. And don’t forget to stretch while warming up for your hard runs. I can’t emphasize this strongly enough: Advanced runners need to spend more time stretching than novice or intermediate runners! That’s because you probably run faster and train harder, which can stiffen the body. And don’t forget at least some strength training, which could consist of push-ups, pull-ups, use of free weights or working out with various machines at a health club. Runners generally benefit if they combine light weights with a high number of repetitions, rather than pumping very heavy iron.
The training schedule dictates workouts at distances, from 3 miles to two hours, the latter which (depending on your ability) may actually take you further than your half marathon race distance. Don’t worry about running precise distances, but you should come close. Pick a course through the neighborhood, or in some scenic area where you think you might enjoy running. Then measure the course by your GPS watch. As an advanced runner, you probably already know the distances of many of your courses. When the prescribed workout (as on Sundays) is in hours rather than miles, forget distance entirely.
Rest: Rest is as important a part of your training as the runs. You will be able to run the long runs on the weekend better–and limit your risk of injury–if you program some easy training before and after. Be realistic about your fatigue level–particularly in the closing weeks of the program–and don’t be afraid to take a day off.
Some hill training will help strengthen your quads and build speed. Look for a hill between 200 and 400 meters long. Jog or walk an equal distance between each repeat. I prescribed only three hill sessions, all in the first half of the program, but if you want to do more hill training, be my guest. You can substitute hill repeats for any of the interval workouts, or even in place of a Tempo Run or two if you want.
Speedwork: If you want to race at a fast pace, you need to train at a fast pace several days a week. The training schedule begins with 400-meter repeats, but also includes 800- and 1600-meter repeats in later weeks. Walk or jog between each repeat. You can do the 400 and 800 repeats on a track, although you may want to do the 1600 (mile) repeats on the road. For more information on speed training, see my book, Run Fast.
Warming up is important, not only before the race itself, but before your speed workouts above and pace workouts below. Most novice runners do not warm up, except in the race itself. This is okay, because they’re more interested in finishing rather than finishing fast. You have a different goal, otherwise you wouldn’t be using the Advanced program, so warm up before you run fast. My usual warm-up is to jog a mile or two, sit down and stretch for 5-10 minutes, then run some easy strides (100 meters at near race pace). And I usually cool down afterwards by doing half the warm-up distance.
Tempo Runs: This is a continuous run with a buildup in the middle to near 10-K race pace. A Tempo Run of 40 to 60 minutes would begin with 10-20 minutes easy running, then accelerate gradually for 20-30 minutes near the middle, then 5-10 minutes easy toward the end. The pace buildup should be gradual, not sudden, with peak speed coming about two-thirds into the workout. Hold that peak only for a minute or two. I consider Tempo Runs to be the “Thinking Runner’s Workout.” A Tempo Run can be as hard or easy as you want to make it, and it has nothing to do with how long (in time) you run or how far. In fact, the times prescribed for Tempo Runs serve mainly as rough guidelines. Feel free to improvise. Improvisation is the heart of doing a Tempo Run correctly.
A lot of runners look at my training schedules and ask, “What do you mean by ‘pace?’” I mean “race pace,” the pace at which you expect to run the half marathon. Some workouts are designed as pace runs to get you used to running the pace you will run in the race. In Week 10, for example, I ask you to do “5 m pace.” Hopefully that is self-explanatory. You might want to do a short warm-up before starting each of these pace runs.
Long Runs: As an experienced runner, you probably already do a long run of around 60-90 minutes on the weekends anyway. The schedule suggests a slight increase in time as you get closer to race date: from 90 minutes to 1:45 to two hours. Don’t get hung up on running these workouts too fast; forget also about how many miles you cover. And, yes, you may actually find yourself running further than 13.1 miles when you run two hours. Run at a comfortable, conversational pace, except on those days where a 3/1 run is prescribed. A 3/1 run is one in which you run the first three-fourths of the distance at a comfortable pace, then accelerate to near race pace over the last one quarter of the workout. (You should finish refreshed, not fatigued.) The schedule below suggests doing your long runs on Sundays, and while you can do them Saturdays or any other convenient day, you will generally find it easier to run the long runs the day after the pace runs instead of vice versa.
Normally I don’t prescribe cross-training for advanced runners. That’s because you’re usually more focused on pure running than novice or intermediate runners. But if you find that cross-training helps you prevent injuries, or if you enjoy it, feel free to substitute cross-training on one or more of the easy days. Notice I used the word substitute. Usually it’s not a good idea to add cross-training, particularly hard cross-training, to an existing workout under the mistaken belief that it will make you stronger. It may actually cause you to overtrain, which can have a negative effect on performance, because you never get a chance to rest. What form of cross-training works best? It could be swimming, cycling, walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or even some combination that could include strength training.
Juggling: Don’t be afraid to juggle the workouts from day to day and week to week. If you have an important business meeting on Thursday, do that workout on Wednesday instead. If your family is going to be on vacation one week when you will have more or less time to train, adjust the schedule accordingly. If this means running hard on successive days, so be it. Program in an extra day of rest to compensate. Be consistent with your training, and the overall details won’t matter.
Most experienced runners enjoy racing, so I’ve included three races during the training period: one every third week, building from 5-K to 10-K to 15-K. There is nothing magic about those particular distances, and there is no necessity to race. Plug in whatever races look interesting from your local area wherever they fit in your schedule. (See “Juggling,” above.) You can use races to test your fitness and predict your finishing time in the half marathon and what pace to run that race.
Here is your half marathon training program. It is only a guide. Feel free to make minor modifications to suit your own particular schedule. Feel free to make minor modifications to suit your work and family schedule. Also, consider signing up for the interactive version of this program available from TrainingPeaks for more detailed information on what to run each day and tips for your training.
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
Best Mo Farah Impression. Or as my Daughter calls it ‘ doing a Matthews”… another sub 3. 2:41:44 .
Right before we start this post lets talk about my running history so you’ll take what I say seriously. The title of this post alone is enough to get the ‘haters’ out in force who like nothing better than belittling anyone who they feel does not agree with or adhere to their way of thinking. Honestly I don’t care what they think either as I’ve ‘walked the walk and ran the sub three marathon’, thirty two times, with a PB of 2:41:14. All I’m giving you in this post it what worked for me and truth be told it ain’t anything you all probably know anyhow or can find if you google ‘how to run a sub 3 marathon‘, assuming we still google with this new AI thingy ? At the moment I’ve ran 48 marathons , with an average of a few seconds over three hours and 57 ultra marathons ranging from 47km up to 200 miles. I have the experience to be allowed to air my views on this subject. I’ve also included a few posts from writers and coaches I respect who agree with my findings.
So lets get into it.
Indicator races to help you know when you’re ready. I’m a big believer in the ‘yourlatest half time , double it and add ten minutes‘, The longer the indicator race the better of course. If you have a 32k time this would be even more accurate . Alternatively I feel you need a 38.xx time for a 10k to take on a sub 3 attempt, assuming you have the mileage under your belt. This goes with all indicator races , you still need the mileage and training, i.e. it’s not good being a gun 10k runner but try to run a sub3 with no specific marathon training block.
Distance is the key. If you run more you will improve , with a caveat that you don’t get injured of course. Running is a simple sport, running more improves performance. You can even run really slowly and use the Maffetone method to improve, thus avoiding injury mostly? ( https://philmaffetone.com/method/ ) I highly recommend the Maffetone method, high mileage but easy running with pace dictated by heart rate. It’s all on the website. When I ran my marathon PB’s I was was running 10-14 times a week with double days the norm, but normally at a relaxed pace but I also raced often. In essence my racing was my threshold run , and you always run faster with a bib on your chest. Do not under estimate the benefit of running more.
Leading into the Fremantle Half I had weeks of 104, 167, 164, 191, 149 and over 110km in the week of the race. I was so tired going into the race but somehow pulled off the run of my life of a 18 week intense training block including races every few weeks. So is the secret of running just run a lot and race a lot. Well yep, it looks like it is.
I was a very busy boy at the end of 2016.
The Sunday long run is pivotal to success, normally. As runners understand the ‘time on your feet’ long run is important to marathon success. As the marathon training builds so does the Sunday long run, normally maxing out around three hours and over thirty kilometres , or further depending on your goals. The caveat is if you run double days you can avoid the Sunday long run as you can build the engine by repetitive running , as long as you race often. A tip here is run with friends if you run long, time fly’s by with good banter. Alone time really can drag especially when you are tired towards the end of your training block.
Mid week long run at close to marathon pace. a twenty to twenty five kilometre run , mid-week, at close to marathon pace (MP) is one run that I feel is over looked by most runners. It gets the body use to MP without spending too long on your feet, normally ninety minutes , give or take. (depending on your MP of course) Back in the day I use to run home from work twice a week, this was between sixteen and twenry five kilometres, at very close to MP. It was testing at the start by towards the end of the training block it became a lot easier, as my fitness increased.
Race often. Nothing beats racing , nothing. Once you put a bib on your chest you will perform to your limit, this is very hard to do in training, you just can’t put yourself deep enough in the pain box on a training run. Competition gives you the opportunity to really see where you are, be that a 5k park run, a 10k or longer. Of course in training you can run thresholds, tempos, VO2 max specific training runs, but to really test yourself you need that bib. Also racing often allows you to get use to the feeling of standing on that start line and all the emotions that entails. I love racing but a lot of runners don’t and if you are one of these runners you need to race more to be better prepared. Familiarity does not breed contempt in this case.
Racing weight. Every runner has a racing weight and it is up to you to find out what that is. If you are too light or too heavy it will affect your finishing time. This is a trial and error exercise but you’ll know when you get it right.
Carbohydrates. Fuel is another piece of the jigsaw you need to get right. Personally. I would take a Gu before I start and then a GU at 10k, 20k, 30k and then 35k if I need it, as well as water at every drink stop ( or electrolytes if offered) Get your hydration and nutrition right, again test your strategy in training.
Consistency is the key. You build a sub 3 marathon time over many months of consistent training. Running is an honest sport, you’ get out what you put in‘ normally, albeit there will always be those outliers who just do incredibly well on little or not training , but unfortunately for the rest of us it’s hard graft, often!
Super Shoes make a big difference. This is where you can buy yourself two to four minutes off your time, give or take. Actually with the new Puma Nitro r3 maybe eve more ! These do make a big difference, again the benefits can vary from runner to runner but you should get something, if it’s the difference between a sub 3 marathon and a three hour one minutes, then cost does not come into it ! Just trust me buy a pair ! There are so many on the market now you will find one that suits your running style. I just wish they were around back in the day when I was running two hours forty one minutes.
These are just incredible ! Buy a pair if you can.
Avoid aging. Of course this is impossible but there are things you can put in place to maybe slow the process. Examples would be working on better diet as you age, maybe swap out the full English for scrambled eggs and avocado ? Dropping the odd run for some strength training , which becomes more and more important the older you get, apparently ? My last sub3 was in 2019 at Rottnest aged fifty two. I was comfortably finishing below three hours but COVID and a move to ultras torpedoed my next attempt which wasn’t until 2022, a 3:17 at Melbourne and then two more in 2024 , a close 3:04 and a wall hitting 3:14. At fifty eight my days of sub three are probably behind me unless they invent a really super shoe that can shave ten or so minutes of my time ? (I think they’d call it a bike?) I was running sub two hours forty five well into my late forties so you can still run sub three into your fifties but you need to keep racing , it really is a case of use it or lose it when it comes to pace. The Maffetone method may work for older runners albeit distance can become an issue with diminishing returns and fatigue build up, this goes back to the run less but more quality and add strength training . The older runner would have to concentrate on quality over quantity.
Get a coach. A contentious point but marathon training is hard and sometimes you need someone to keep you accountable, that alone can make coaching worth its weight in gold. A good coach will also be able to look at your runs subjectable and adjust accordingly , using their knowledge and experience, it just gies you one less thing to worry about. I have only been coached for three months with Raf and it made a massive difference to the way I trained. Raf taught me that distance is the key to marathon success and using his training methods I was able to PB many races years after I thought this impossible.
This article was written by the Running Centre in Perth and specifically Rafeal Baugh, the owner , an ex-duathlon professional athelete. ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ ) I’ve posted this before but it deserves another read, Raf loves the science of the sport and is extremely knowledgeable.
Marathon Training & Performance: Sub 3h Dataset
Since commencing personalised training programs in 2009, the Front Runner coaching team has been primarily focused on assisting both recreational and competitive runners competing in events ranging from 800m to the Marathon, as well as Full and Half Ironman Triathlon.
Over time, the tracking of data (through GPS and online training software) and personalised exercise prescription based on the runner’s individual goals and training history, has allowed for empirical data to be compiled from our ever-growing database of motivated and goal-driven runners. As our database grows, we continue to observe certain trends in the data that help guide our coaching team towards more accurate and effective exercise prescription.
As well as a strong scientific element to data tracking, working with a team of nine engaged coaches all with individual experiences and qualifications has enabled an excellent structure to develop hypotheses on further improving exercise prescription. With the popularity of the Marathon continuing to increase in recent years, we have updated our dataset from 2018, focusing on those runners who have broken the magical 3h barrier.
3 of our Sub 3h Marathoners: Toni (2.43), Miki (2.55) & Yi-Jin (2.59) during the 2017 Perth C2S HM
As of March 2020, 91 Front Runner athletes on an individual exercise prescription have bettered the 3hr marathon. The aggregation of this many athletes at a high recreational marathon standard, in combination with monitored training prescription, has allowed us to identify some strong data trends. We hope that awareness and knowledge of this data will continue to help our Front Runner community progress towards their individual goals, as well as educated fellow runners and coaches interested in enhancing performance in recreational Marathon populations.
Through Training Peaks software, we analysed the data based on what we believe are two key principles for successful distance running and how they related to Marathon performance (goal time):
Anaerobic Threshold: Measured as their best 10k race time within 12 months of their goal Marathon
Volume: Peak 4 week mean volume within the final 3 months of their goal Marathon
A 10km race is a practical estimate of the anaerobic threshold (the upper limit of how well the body can sustainably use oxygen for energy – read more HERE). The lower the 10km time, the higher the anaerobic threshold and the more effectively the runner can utilise oxygen for aerobic metabolism.
The peak mean volume the runners were able to sustain for four consecutive weeks in the lead up to their Marathon is a practical indication of their muscular endurance. As running is a weight-bearing activity, covering 42.2km’s requires significant muscular endurance. Four consecutive weeks were chosen to ensure the volume was a sustainable peak and not a once-off.
Of the 91 Front Runner athletes to have officially broken 3h for the Marathon, objective data was available and collated from 65* of these athlete’s performances. *multiple sub 3h Marathon’s from the same athlete have been included.
Figure 1: Each runners 10km pace & Marathon pace was plotted against their weekly volume (n = 65)
Figure 2: As training volume increased, the difference between 10km and Marathon race pace decreased.
Full Data Set
n = 65
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 66
Slowest = 40.30
Slowest = 2.59
Max = 170
Fastest = 29.26
Fastest = 2.14
Mean = 120
Mean = 35.01
Mean = 2.43
Males Only
n = 58
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 66
Slowest = 40.30
Slowest = 2.59
Max = 170
Fastest = 29.26
Fastest = 2.14
Mean = 120
Mean = 34.51
Mean = 2.43
Females Only
n = 7
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 77
Slowest = 38.30
Slowest = 2.57
Max = 145
Fastest = 34.40
Fastest = 2.34
Mean = 119
Mean = 36.29
Mean = 2.47
Sub 2h 20min
n = 2
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 150
Slowest = 30.32
Slowest = 2.19
Max = 170
Fastest = 29.36
Fastest = 2.14
Mean = 160
Mean = 30.04
Mean = 2.16
2h 20min = 2h 29min
n = 6
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 140
Slowest = 32.30
Slowest = 2.29
Max = 170
Fastest = 29.26
Fastest = 2.22
Mean = 159
Mean = 31.23
Mean = 2.26
2h 30min – 2h 39min
n = 13
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 90
Slowest = 35.54
Slowest = 2.39
Max = 160
Fastest = 31.12
Fastest = 2.32
Mean = 136
Mean = 33.52
Mean = 2.35
2h 40min – 2h 49min
n = 22
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 90
Slowest = 37.15
Slowest = 2.48
Max = 165
Fastest = 33.20
Fastest = 2.40
Mean = 121
Mean = 35.11
Mean = 2.44
2h 50min – 2h 59min
n = 22
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 66
Slowest = 40.30
Slowest = 2.59
Max = 140
Fastest = 34.50
Fastest = 2.50
Mean = 94
Mean = 36.59
Mean = 2.55
Breaking the Sub 3h Marathon (2h 55min – 2h 59min)
n = 15
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 72
Slowest = 40.30
Slowest = 2.59
Max = 140
Fastest = 35.36
Fastest = 2.55
Mean = 97
Mean = 37.14
Mean = 2.57
Primary Observation
The clearest trend from the graphs on figure’s 1 & 2 is the reduced vertical gap between the trend lines for 10km and Marathon pace as you move to the right – i.e. the MORE volume you run, the LESS difference between your 10km and Marathon pace. We therefore conclude the following: for recreational runners chasing a sub 3h Marathon, your anaerobic threshold will determine the ceiling of your Marathon (i.e. the faster you can get over 10km, the faster your potential Marathon time) and your peak volume will determine how close you can get to that ceiling.
This presents a trade-off as such where runners who spend a lot of time increasing their 10km time at the expense of their weekly volume may find their Marathon may not improve. Alternatively, runners who chase the highest volume possible at the expense of specific training that will improve their 10km time, may also limit their Marathon performance.
Each runner will be different, bringing their own strength & weaknesses to the table. Therefore, to achieve your Marathon goals, we recommend consulting a qualified and educated coach who can provide you with an individualised program that contains an optimal distribution of training load across the week, that is periodised towards your end goal.
Additional Thoughts
Specificity: Sustainable volume appears to correlate more closely with predicting Marathon performance than 10k time. This reflects the conditioning and the fatigue resistance of the musculoskeletal system, in addition to the fuelling changes in the cell that may relate to low intensity running specifically.
The Complete Runner: The 10km & Marathon have similar attributes but different limiting factors, meaning relative success in one event doesn’t directly translate to the other event. To best enhance your Marathon performance, it is our belief that focussing on both volume and threshold increases is crucial to successful Marathon performance.
VO2 Max: Training repetitions at VO2 max (i.e. above threshold – see HERE) appear to increase the relative risk of injury in recreational Marathon runners due to their fatigued training status. The perceived exception to this is if the athlete had track running experience from their youth.
Strength Training: Resistance training that is targeted to the individual is the best asset for Marathon runners to remain consistent with their training. This is achieved by reducing injury risk under the high training loads associated with the Marathon as well as increasing their running economy (reducing energy cost @ Marathon pace). Adherence to strength training programs is most common post injury, however should be maintained where possible when in Marathon training (2x per week to improve strength, 1 x per week to maintain current strength).
Biomechanics: Functional running drills and strides (see our YouTube channel HERE) that are performed 2-3x per week (as a W/U pre workout OR post easy runs) appear to be effective strategies for improving running economy in Marathon runners.
The Group Effect: Group runs for easy aerobic volume sessions correlated with significantly greater adherence to their training program than prescribed but self-directed easy volume sessions. This advocates the role of “jogging groups” as an integral part of a balanced training program for recreational and advanced Marathon runners and not just group training for interval sessions.
We trust you enjoyed our insight into Marathon training and performance. If you wish to know more about this topic, or anything to do with your running training, please get in touch with our expert coaching team who are ready to assist you towards your next running goal! Please email us HERE or see our website HERE
Point Walter 2016, coming home out of fuel ! Racing often….
My golden rules for running success.
Run Further. Add distance, not speed.As you can see from the table my weekly average has steadily increased year on year with this year being the first I will break the 100k a week average for the year. In 2012 I was injured with a nasty calf knot, that I didn’t treat, which explains the delta compared to the previous year. 2014 my training had plateaued which is why I turned to Raf ( http://www.therunningcentre.com.au ) to train me in 2105 where my distance increased by 10%. I have taken this training forward and will probably increase another 10% this year. Distance first, everything else comes once the ‘foundation of distance’ has been achieved.
Run Faster. This is about adding pace after you have got your foundation after rule 1. 2011 was a break out year for me after 3-4 years of building a good running base. I had ran 3 Comrades campaigns in 2008-2010 ( http://www.comrades.com ) so my distance foundation was well and truly complete. In 2011 every time I put on a bib I was confident of a pb. It was a wonderful year. Unfortunately in 2012 I had a nasty injury which set me back but towards the end of the year I was able to train consistently again and in 2013 I was again rewarded with a magical year of running.
Don’t get injured. This is the hardest rule to obey as you always want to do more of rule 1 and 2 which can result in an injury. (I even hate typing the word!) In 2012 I succumbed to a calf knot which took me out for over a month. I struggled to recover from this and as you can see from the table I only ran 3 pb’s for the year compared to 13 the previous year and 10 the following year when I recovered. If this doesn’t back up this rule nothing does.! Don’t get injured, so easy to type but in reality one of the hardest thing for a runner to do, period.
Nutrition, nutrition and nutrition… Did I mention nutrition. It’s all about the proper fuel. So underestimated by so many runners. The number of times I hear the old ‘I run xxx kilometres a week so I can eat what I want’ . Not true, imagine putting low grade fuel in a Porsche, eventually the head gasket blows and you are faced with a serious bill, not to mention a misfiring engine. The human body is a finely tuned machine and should be treated as such, we all know what is good food and what is bad (normally the nice tasting stuff!), avoid the bad and put in the good, easy really. (bar the odd Yelo muffin of course, we are after all only human.) I’ll be exploring nutrition more next year when I have one more go at a sub 2hr 40minutes marathon.
Weight. So important, use to believe because I ran 100k+ a week I could eat what I wanted. Not true. This is another golden rule so often ignored. Runners can run so much faster is they hit their racing weightrather than a running weight. My go to man , Matt Fitzgerald, use to have a website dedicated to this. If Matt had a website dedicated to this subject it must be important.
Baseline, document and evaluate everything. If it isn’t on www.strava.com it didn’t happen. Once you set a goal you have to be able to know how far you have come to achieving this, small steps but constant feedback. So buy a Garmin and start recording , everything !!! Contentious subject here. I’m a Strava addict and I know it but the purest will be horrified. You need a baseline to see improvement, set new goals and realize your goals. Buy a Garmin and to quote a small clothing company ‘just do it’.
Sleep. So underestimated but the bodies way of refuelling and preparing for the next day of running. Common sense but so often ignored. Sometimes the most obvious, common sense tips are the ones ignored. Sleep is when your body repairs itself, the more sleep the more repairs can be completed. It really is that easy, go to bed and dream about running.
Consistency. No point running 100k one week and then nothing. Marathon fitness is built up over time and this works hand in hand with rule number 1. I feel the figures from my running log back this up. I’ve steadily increased the duration consistently year in, year out (bar injury) and have reaped the rewards with 2016 being my fastest year yet as I move towards my fifth sixth decade. (Thanks Dave Kennedy) Running is all about getting out there on a regular basis again and again and again. Time on feet initially and then add pace before targeting certain distance with different run types, most important thinkg to note though is always consistently putting on the trainers and just running. ‘If you build it they will come’ type approach, keep running, build the foundation and the personal records will come. (This also works for baseball pitches apparently.)
It’s all in the mind. After 32k a marathon is down to mental strength and the ability to persuade your body you can still perform at your desired pace without falling to fatigue, which is the minds way of protecting itself. Never underestimate the power of the mind in long distance racing. Finally another massive part of running, the Noakes ‘central governor’. I’ve talked about this at length in various posts on this site. With experience I believe I can mentally finish a marathon stronger now then when I first started. I know what to expect and to this end can persuade my old friend fatigue to stay away for longer allowing me to achieve better finishing times. The mind is such an important part of running and needs to be trained as much as the body. When you race a marathon you will spend time in the ‘pain box’, the runner who can spend the most time in this little box of joy, before opening the door and embracing the old enemy fatigue, will run the fastest. I spoke to Steve Moneghetti after the Perth Marathon this year after he ran the 3hr30min bus and asked him how the professional athletes are so much faster than us recreational runners. His answer surprised me as he replied that a professional runner can stand more pain and this gives them the advantage need to push through and achieve the faster times. Again turning off the ‘central governor’ and spending more time in the ‘pain box’ avoiding fatigue and thus not slowing down. Common sense really, thanks Steve.
Me and a legend, Steve Moneghetti.
The article below was written by Reid Coolsaet a top ranked marathoner in Canada. At the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon last September his time was 2:11:23 – the fastest by a Canadian in 24 years. Reid spent time in Kenya at Iten, the breeding ground for running superstars. The article is good in that it emphasises all the things I talk about on this blog. As I have said many, many times running is not rocket science, just common sense really and lots of hard work. To run faster you need to look at the people who are running the fastest and learn from them, try to be more like them. The main points (for the lazy readers amongst you who won’t finish this post!) are consistency, train hard, rest hard, soft surfaces, group training, proper warm up, nutrition and Hakuna matata
Kenyan distance runners have been dominating the world scene for more than 30 years. Just last month, a Kenyan, Mary Keitany, was the first woman to break one hour and six minutes in the half-marathon when she set the world record at 1:05:50. Last year, Kenyan men won four of the five world major marathons and lay claim to 60 of the top 100 ranked marathoners.
An astonishing 239 Kenyans broke two hours and fifteen minutes last year in the marathon. (By contrast, Canada had three under the same time – and that was a good year for us.) Factor in the population of the two countries (Kenya, 39 million, Canada, 34 million), and it’s evident just how excellent the East African country is at producing world-class distance runners.
As a marathoner, I wanted to observe first-hand how these great athletes were training and living. For one month this winter, I went to Iten, Kenya, and immersed myself in the culture of Kenyan running. Iten is a small town of 4,000, about 300 kilometres northwest of the capital, Nairobi, and is home to many of the world’s best distance runners and hundreds more who make a living winning road race purses.
It’s not a coincidence that the rural town sits about 2,400 metres (about 8,000 feet) above sea level where athletes benefit from training in thin air. I soon learned, however, that there are many other reasons why Kenyan runners dominate. Here are some tips that all runners can incorporate into their training in order to run like a Kenyan.
Consistency. Running – a lot – is the key to distance running, and the Kenyans are no exception when it comes to logging many kilometres day in, day out. Most of the runners I met run at least twice a day but some run up to three times. If you can squeeze a few more kilometres into your week, without compromising quality, you will reap the benefits.
Train hard. The motto “train hard, win easy” is exemplified by Kenyan runners. If you want to run hard come race day, it’s best to prepare with some sort of speed session (intervals, fartlek, tempo) one to three times a week to get used to the specific effort of your race pace.
Rest hard. After bouts of hard training it is vital that the body has time to repair and recover for the next training session. Kenyan runners incorporate naps into their days and get to bed early. Plus, they don’t run hard all the time; most people would be surprised on how slow they run their recovery runs. Make sure you’re not running hard every day and take it easy the day or two after a hard run.
Soft surfaces. Running on dirt trails rather than pavement is much easier on the body. When I was in Iten, all of my running was on trails and dirt roads (of course, this is easy to do when there is only one paved road in the area). Seek out soft surfaces for most of your running, and your body will thank you.
Group training. Seeing a Kenyan run alone is the exception to the norm. Kenyans run in groups during speed sessions as well as their easy runs. Running with a group can provide that extra push during hard runs and it can help keep the easy runs leisurely with chit-chat. Many running stores offer group runs if your friends are too lazy to join you.
Proper warm-up. Many times while I was running with Kenyans I was surprised how slowly they would start off. It’s best to ease into your runs, and it is especially important to do some easy jogging before any type of speed session or race.
Nutrition. In Iten, a 100-mile diet would seem absurdly long. Kenyans eat fresh food that usually comes from small-scale farms in their region. Ugali (a cornmeal dish) is their staple carbohydrate of choice and is served with beef or chicken stew and veggies. It’s important to replenish carbohydrates and protein soon after a run and get the proper fuel into your body.
Hakuna matata.The Lion King popularized the Swahili phrase “hakuna matata” which, loosely, translates to “no worries.” Kenyans keep stress to a minimum by embracing hakuna matata in their everyday lives. It’s important to leave stress behind to allow your body to perform at its best, and sometimes the best way to relieve stress is to head out the door for a run.
Throughout my month in Kenya, I gained fitness, but more importantly, I came away motivated and inspired. To test out my fitness I went to Belgium to compete in a 10-kilometre cross-country race where I surprised myself with a fifth-place finish; the rest of the top eight were African. Training with the best runners and taking advantage of altitude training allowed me to perform much better.
Maybe the Piper has started warming up….and it’s time to pay him ?
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
The last time I raced shorter distances was 2019 when I won the West Australian Marathon Club age group , 50-55. I’ve won this award on numerous occasions over the years but 2019 was the last time I ran the required eight events to qualify. 2020 I lost my running mojo and then COVID hit and before I knew it I was an ultra runner and avoided all the shorter distances. This year I decided to throw my hat back in the ring and try again for an age group win. So I had to find eight races on the calendar to enter and hopefully do well enough to take out the age group win. ( https://www.wamc.org.au/programme )
The first event was the Fremantle Harbour Masters 10k, a four lap event with many twists and turns and a nasty headwind as you ran up the pier. Needless to say with little , by little I mean ‘none‘ , speed work and coming three weeks post Delirious West 200 miler, I was not set up for success. I aimed for a sub 40 minute finish as I hadn’t run over forty minutes for 10k since the Aberdeen fun run in the late nineties, yep, for all the young readers of this post , that was last century !
I was 50-50 to even turn up to the start line as I really wasn’t feeling the love the week before the event. My training this year has been minimal , at best, and you can get away with that in ultra marathons as you’re operating in the lower gears, albeit for a long time. Unfortunately your top end pace disappears quickly, use it or lose it type scenario. I was about to find out what this felt like very early on.
I warmed up alone and the legs felt heavy, not a good sign. Mentally I think I was already beaten but this would be confirmed early on in the event. I set off at the required pace, sub 4min/k , and the first kilometre felt pretty good. Briefly I thought maybe I could get away with this, briefly. The headwind on the second kilometre put all thoughts of a sub forty minute to bed. Runners started to pass me and I knew then I was in for a long time in the pain box, a long time. Hitting the wall before the third kilometre is not a nice place to be and by the time I finished lap one I knew I’d made a big mistake.
Mark , Shaf, John and Adam had turned up to cheer me on but the verbal encouragement can only do so much when the legs are misbehaving and the mind is urging you to stop this silly behavior. Begrudgingly I set off on lap two and dug myself deep in the pain cave with no exit in sight. Lap three was more of the same as my splits continued to rise steadily. I did find some redemption on lap four and held my own for a 41.22 finish.
Happy to finish, that’s about it. 41.22
Post event , eating a banana crepe swimming in maple syrup, I made big plans to put this right in two weeks at the Joondalup 10k. These big plans were unfortunately , I use that word a lot in this post, just that, ‘plans’ . I did get out for a 19k long run with the Ben Tay Running Club (BTRC) and a couple of 14k Yelo runs but minimum distance. Certainly not enough to rock up to the Joondalup start line with any confidence.
A BTRC long run was probably the highlight of my training, and I was dropped !A couple or 14k Yelo runs was the best I could offer in my two weeks of opportunity post Fremantle, pre-Joondalup.
Joondalup had the same feel about it as Fremantle. Yet again I was 50-50 to even turn up, worried that I’d once again blow up early and find myself deep in the pain box for eight kilometres. I talked myself into going and arrived 90 minutes before the start questioning my life decisions. After I picked up my bib I got changed and started a four kilometre warm up. Conditions were perfect and unlike Fremantle my legs felt good and I was able to hold a reasonable pace. I bumped into Chris Shaw , who was pacing the 90 minute bus for the half, and we chatted about my goal as we both finished our warm ups and prepared for the event.
I watched the half start and then just about got into the start corral in time for the 10k start, by a few seconds. Before I knew it we were off and yet again I was racing. As with Fremantle I settled into a sub 4min/k pace but this time managed to hold it without feeling my head gasket was about to blow. If you aked me before the event I would have taken any improvement on my Fremantle time but as I continued to hold sub 4min/k pace I started to think maybe I was on for a sub forty finish.
The course is a an out and back north and then an out and back south, so a 2.5km stretch four times, similar to Fremantle but flat and no head wind, with only two turns. Halfway I was feeling good and in a small group of runners who started to pull away. I wasn’t concerned , for me this was all about a finishing time, race position was not on the agenda, this time. I got to the last turn around at 7.5km and knew I was in with a good chance. I had 10-12 seconds up my sleeve, assuming the course was measured correctly, and all I had to go was dig deep and hold my pace.
Surprisingly, a better word than unfortunately, I was able to do just this and finished in 39;55 , which even allowed for the ninety or so metres of extra course , a factor I hadn’t really accounted for so was lucky I didn’t drop off early thinking the job was done.
Perfect pacing, more luck than judgement trust me.
So mission accomplished, a chalk and cheese run compared to Fremantle and with little training I’m stoked I managed to pull it off. A 5% improvement in two weeks is reward for having a go and turning up when it would have been so easy to just DNS. I have three more 10k’s planned for the rest of the year and will attempt to keep improving and see if I can get into the high thirty seven minutes ? Albeit I will need to train for this unfortunately, there’s that word again?
Very happy to run a sub forty minute 10k in my last Fifties..
Here’s a post I wrote after I podiumed, my last one, at the Peninsula 10k early 2019 with my good mate Jon Pendse , who was the club accountant at the time.
My last 10k podium, Peninsula 10k, an event I had won the previous year and set my 10k PB in 2016 , with anther win.
After the Darlington half last weekend I was buoyed and ready for another race to continue my comeback from the year from hell that was 2018. Seven months of no speed work what so ever had certainly taken it’s toll but the Elliptigo commuting ( http://www.elliptigo.com ) had kept my aerobic fitness and running around like a headless chicken in Kings Park has also helped, albeit on trails and as slow as Jon Pendse running Darlington with a hangover!
Rocking up to the start of the Peninsula I decided that, unlike last year when I set off like a scolded cat, this year I would try and hang onto the leaders and work my way into the race, hoping the time on the Elliptigo would give me enough cardio base to finish strong. I had tried this at the Point Walter 16k last year and it seemed to work, from what I remembered. Looking at the splits below it does look like we went out too fast but at the start of the race I was running within myself and I’m surprised the first kilometre was so fast. There was a 5k runner taking point but it was obvious he was not in the longer race, so ignored. At about the 2k mark the different race distance part ways and I was disappointed to see three runners ahead of me take a right turn indicating they were racing the 10k like myself. That put me in my least favourite position, 4th, the first person to win nothing (assuming the top 3 get medals , which in this case they do.) Worse still one of the runners ahead was a 12 year old running prodigy and who had never beaten me and I had boasted to the boys on many occasions that no runner less than 13 would ever beat me, was today going to be the day I ate my words, again !
Right, 3k in and fourth position, nestled a 100m’s or so behind the leading pack of three runners. Things took a turn for the worst when another runner over took me and I was relegated to 5th place, with the thoughts of a medal disappearing fast. It was at this point I decided to roll the dice on my fitness and put in three fast kilometres to try and get back into medal contention. The game plan was to establish a buffer for the last 2k which would be used to hang on to 3rd place. Digging in from the fifth to the seventh kilometre achieved this and I was confident the gap was enough, assuming I didn’t blow a gasket, to get me to the podium.
As it turned out the plan worked perfectly and the last two kilometres , although still very ‘trying‘ (and that’s putting it nicely), were do-able and there was no time blow-out as such. That’s not to say it was easy and that is the point of this post.
A ‘regressive’ 10k
What is the best way to run a good 10k ? First of all I believe you need to either race quite a few 10k races, on a regular basis, to nail them or in training put yourself in the 10k ‘pain box‘ once a week and continually improve your time. This could mean starting 2-4 minutes outside your PB time but getting to within a minute in training, once a week, on tired legs. Thus when you get on your racing shoes (I assume you’ll have the Nike Vaproflys 4% ?) and you’re rested , together with the racing mentality of a bib on your chest or training chip on your shoe. you can produce the time you need. As with all things running experience and practice play such an important role. The more you run 10k the better you will become at running 10k, it really isn’t rocket science. (I’ve lost track of the number of times I have said that .) This , of course, goes for all distances.
Looking at my ‘regressive’ splits above you’d be right in thinking that today was probably not the best way to run a 10k but I was more interested in the medal, not the time. At 52 years old my days of getting on the podium are probably limited and I treat every time now as the possibility it may be my last, especially at the shorter distances. Today I worked very hard to get that third place but I was always have that reminder in my medal collection and it will bring back all the happy(?) memories of the race. (Well I enjoyed the last 100m’s ?)
You can break a 10k down into three stages, the first 1-5k you should be able to maintain your desired pace, if you can’t the second 5k ain’t going to be pretty. The hardest part of the 10k is then upon you, maintaining your race pace through kilometres 6-8k, this is where the 10k is won or lost in relation to reaching your required time. The last 2k you can normally find something and the mind will release the last bit of energy left to get the job done, bye bye fatigue , hello ‘sprint to the finish’ and vow never to do this again. !
Why is the 10k so hard ? A 5k is a hard race but worst case scenario, you won’t hit the wall until 3k so only have to hang on for the final 2k. In the 10k this can be double that distance. So many runners set of , full of beans, at their 5k pace. The one problem with 5k pace is at 5k you suddenly realise why it’s 5k pace. Your body reminds the mind that 5k pace is good for, well, 5k ? Not surprise there, leaving you with maybe 1-2 kilometres to digest this information from body to brain and then unfortunately four kilometres to reflect on your mistake , deep, deep in the pain box. To compound your mistake your body starts to remind your mind that its time to shut down vital bits to survive your earlier exuberance, starting with your legs , lungs and eventually mind. Trust me it ain’t pretty.
Is a 10k harder than a half marathon ? Yes, because for a half you’re a tad more sensible. No 5k pace for a half and also no 10k pace because a half isn just too long to fall apart before half way. The same for a full marathon, these are planned and people are usually sensible enough to set a goal pace and stick to it, at least for the first half of the race. Of course the marathon is a 10k race in itself , albeit with a 32k warm up ! Anyhow the half and full lend themselves to sensible pacing.
So whats the answer to run a good 10k ? As I said earlier practice and this can be either run a 10k race once a month or try and run within 1-2 minutes of your 10k PB once a week. Another option is running a park run every Saturday because if you can get to the end of a 5k and still feel fresh you can certainly last a few more kilometres before hitting the wall. Also if you can get to 8k you can always find something for the last 2k, surely ?
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
I’ve written four posts on the actual event so I thought I’d write one post detailing how I thought it went and my plans for next year, there’s always a ‘next year‘ right ?
A brief recap of my Delirious West career thus far. I DNF’d in 2020 sitting in Felix’s car at two in the morning at Mandelay aid station , about 112k into the event, with seized quads and mentally broken. Although it didn’t end well I was hooked and if my quads hadn’t locked up would have continued to the finish. Ok, I was totally unprepared with little or no training in the preceding three months and no support crew. Add in limited drop bags and no experience of tackling an event of this magnitude and it was always going to end in failure. The only positive was I loved the fist day , bar the DNF, and was now desperate to return and slay the beast that was Delirious.
Northcliffe Hotel, Tuesday evening. 2025
The image below is when the quads seized due to lack of any real nutrition and hydration, at Pinjara aid station. (about seventy kilometres into the event) The pancakes , and bacon , swimming in maple syrup, helped me to the next aid station, Broke Road, before they seized again on the road to Mandelay; I think that’s a song right ? What could have been if I had eaten and drank properly, and also maybe trained ?
Pingerup aid station and my hamstrings seized solid. DNF 2020.
Due to COVID I was forced to wait over 20 months before I retackled Delirious in October 2021, the wet year, with my good mates Adam, Bartsy and a focused crew, Gazza and Alex. Adam and I ran for most of the event together and with Gazza and Alex supporting me I was primed for success. I finished in the top 10 in just over 80 hours. Finishing was all that I could have hoped for and so much more, it really is life changing and I was locked in for 2022 and my double plugger.
Gazza becoming a legend !
2022 was the out and back year due to fire damage on the course. Basic really, start in Northcliffe , run halfway and then return to Northcliffe. I had a great run with Adam again initially and finished like a train to claim fourth place and a 68 hour finish time. This got me my double plugger trophy. This was also the first year of Marky Mark Lommers crewing for me , with Jeffrey helping, and he kept the high standards I was use to post Gazza and Alex.
Surrounded by legends as I pick up my double plugger.
2023 was back to the original course and I had another great run finishing second , my only podium, and getting my first boot. Finished in just over 72 hours from memory.
A thorn between two roses, the Race Directors Ian and Michelle.
2024 was the ‘hot year‘ with temperatures over forty degrees for the first few days, luckily I was heat acclimatised after spending most of the previous month on the bibbulmun track in the Perth hills. Another top 10 finish eventually coming in just over 74 hours.
2024, the hot year and boy , it was hot !
2025 and another course deviation due to fire damage again , this time at the start of the event. This time we started around the halfway mark, ran towards the start, turned around and then ran to the finish. Another top ten finish and just over 72 hours.
Finish number five with the lovely Darlene Dale , Scotty and Susan .
So that’s five finishes and five top ten placings, it has been everything I have hoped for and so , so much more. The quote on the latest medal ‘ Where fear comes to die and belief reigns supreme’ sums the event up. Shaun Kaesler , the owner of Ultra Series WA/SA has created such a special event. ( https://www.ultraseries.com.au/ ) and one that all runners, volunteers and race directors loves with a passion. It really is the event that keeps you coming back for more, year after year. It transcends running and is more about community and a shared passion for all things ultra running.
Right that’s the history of the event and here’s the website if you fancy joining me next year ? ( https://www.deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) Lets get to the good, bad and the ugly of this beast.
We’ll start with the good.
Food. The food gets better and better every year and volunteers return year on year and tweak their menu’s (yes, you get menu’s!!) . This year was absolutely epic and I was totally blown away by the quality of the tukka. I’m never sure if it’s just the fact you’re so hungry and sleep deprived that the food just tastes better or the volunteers are all master chefs? I know this year there were a couple of professional chefs but aid station on aid station provided , in my view, restaurant quality food. I also had my own personal chef in Marky Mark Lommers, my crew, who brings his spaghetti bolognaise and steak and onions to the party on Wednesday and Thursday night, which are both incredible. This year I ate more from the aid stations and tried to avoid sugary treats and gu’s. So the biscuits, chocolates and snakes got dumped for bacon, eggs , hash browns , burritos , bean curry, chicken dishes and soup. This had the benefit of not eating between aid stations, I was full, and just concentrating on hydration and salt tablets. This worked really well and I had no stomach issues.
On the inside I’m smiling.. doing what I do best, eat ! With my good mate Charles.
Sleep I slept for three hours Wednesday night (@ Mandelay) , three hours Thursday night (@ Peaceful bay) , an hour Friday evening (@ Lowlands) and maybe twenty minutes at Cosy Corner, finishing the event early Saturday afternoon. This strategy was just about perfect and the sleep at Peaceful Bay was probably one of the best three hours sleep in my swag ever. The hour at Lowlands was also special because I was so tired and hallucinating coming into the aid station. Mark put a blanket on me, in my reclining chair and I was off to the land of nod double quick. I was not impressed with Mark waking me an hour later and forcing me into the night albeit with good company thanks to my mate Bradley. Overall just under eight hours for the three days was enough that I wasn’t ever overly tired and didn’t even need to take my Nodoz tablets. Sleeping in a swag, when you are shattered, is just a great place to be and at Mandelay we had the added bonus of sprinkling rain , which added to the magic of sleeping in a swag, in a carpark, at three in the morning.
Another stunning sunset on the Bibbulmun.
The Bibbulmun track. ( https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ ) We are so blessed in Perth having this world class trail running from Perth city to Albany, over 1,000 kilometres of ever changing trails running through forests, beaches, fields, outback towns and everything in-between. This year the trail was in great condition , bar the bit we couldn’t run because of fire damage of course. Every year I’m blown away by the beauty that is offered me as I move through the event. The best bit is the trail takes you far from civilisation and you get to experience parts of Western Australia seen by very few people. You really are ‘out there’ alone bar a few runners who may be running close to your time., it is cleansing. Never underestimate how alive this event makes you feel, being totally vulnerable to the elements is invigorating.
Everybody is invested with getting you to the finish line. Matt looking like a stunned bunny. (far right in orange) and Suki desperately trying to find compulsory gear..
Everybody at the event. You can not underestimate how invested everybody is in getting you to the finish line, be that your crew, volunteers, medics, race directors , aid station helpers and even the general public. Everybody just wants to help you get to that finish line in Albany. It is truly humbling to watch these people who you may not even know do whatever they can to move you forward, truly humbling. You really are surrounded by the best people all with one goal in mind, helping you finish. It’s probably the one time people actually listen to me and better still do what I ask, within reason. This alone is worth the entry fee, forget the running bit.
You get to ride on a jet ski. I mean, c’mon, how many ultra events around the world involve a jet ski ? Admittedly it’s a short ride, about twenty seconds but at night it’s still pretty damn cool. Back in the day we use to wade over this river crossing after Peaceful Bay and if you came across it at night and a full tide it could get pretty deep and intimidating. Shaun found a group of local jet ski owners who help across now albeit as low tide you can easily walk over. The both times I’ve used the jet ski has been in the dark and the water looks amazing as you skim over at a good rate of knots.
Night running on trails is cool.
Sunsets , Sunrises and all in between. You will experience some incredible sunrises and sunsets , that is a given. You look forward to a sunrise after a long night cocooned in a small circle of your headtorch’s beam, while at the same time a sunset can give you relief from the heat of the day. Each special in their own unique way. Night running is also liberating, the sounds of the day disappear as the nocturnal creatures go about their business and the calm of the night allows you to drift away and just be present with your surroundings. Running late into the day and through the night is something we don’t normally do and because of that you can embrace it.
Now the bad…
There’s no point sugar coating this, a 200 miler is bloody hard, there I said it. I know sometimes I wax lyrical about how life changing the event is and all the positives of course but you need to understand that sometime during the event you are going to regret your life decisions. The image below is me at Broke road, about 90 kilometres into the race, just before sunset after running for most part of the day, with a couple of hard sections ahead of me until I get to sleep. My head is in my hands as I find the first day the hardest as your body is not yet use to the constant running and effort needed for this. Day two and three it does get easier, although I use the word ‘easier’ in the broadest sense of the word, maybe ‘less hard‘ is a better analogy? I actually love this photo because it sums up the whole event for me, Mark is going about his business while I contemplate what’s ahead of me. After so many years together we both know what’s expected of us.
My marathon ‘show pony’ friends often remark how easy these events must be and consider ultra marathons beneath them, more hiking than running is their go-to comment, but they don’t understand the effort needed to just keep moving after days of racing, not hours and minutes, days. The Bibbulmun track is also hard to run on sometimes, as it’s built for walkers , so you’ll come across sections where hiking is all you can do. Throw in a few hills , and there’s a lot of them, and before you know it you’re making three to four kilometres an hour, at good effort. A twenty kilometre section can take four hours plus and that’s working hard, on the road it would be well under two hours. Mandelay to Mount Clare is a particularly bad section and it comes at you at a particularly bad part of the day, late into the evening on day one. This year I stopped at Mandelay and slept for three hours and this made a big differences as I ran to Mount Clare in the early morning , just before sunrise, rested. I then continued and didn’t stop until Peaceful Bay late on the second day, this strategy worked well compared to making Mount Clare without stopping and coming into the aid station like an extra from the walking dead…. Sleep strategy is very important in this event.
A 200 miler is bloody hard, even with a personal chef.
and finally the ugly.
Is there an ugly? I’m not sure , the event is hard but that’s what you sign up for surely. I suppose my DNF year was ugly. Physically underdone coming into the event and mentally nowhere near where I needed to be. Delirious West is an event that demands respect and will seek out any weaknesses and expose them. In 2020 I was loving the event until Pinjara aid station when my quads just seized up, this continued to Broke Road and then finally a death march to Mandelay and my only DNF. I’m reminded of this ever time I pass the hut a few kilometres out from Mandelay. It’s from here I rang my Wife with tales of woe around midnight on the first night. Funnily enough this year I rang her from the same location at a similar time , due to the out and back nature of the course, but with no intention of quitting, these days it’s never an option, period.
Some people would consider a ‘shoey‘ at the finish line ugly, I look forward to it albeit the beer at the last aid station can be a challenge, that is ugly.
Drinking beer from your trail shoe, ugly ? Maybe, I think it adds flavour personally.
Right, that’s it for Delirious West 2025 , another rip-roaring event that delivered in spades and then some. Plans for 2026, I’m in , of course I am and will be until I can’t make cut off. Warwick Crapper will join me of course and I hope next year he takes part in the bogan run, I was a tad embarrassed this year when he put training for the Gold Coast marathon ahead of bogan run glory ?
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
Denmark -> Lowlands. At the end of post three I was leaving Denmark on the shuttle bus and heading out late Friday afternoon , the shuttle was 6pm so I would have arrived back on the bibbulmun track around 6:35pm. I had just had a shower, foot work , thanks Kath, and decent tukka (pumpkin soup to die for! ) at the Denmark aid station. I was ready for the final eighty kilometre push to the finish and one last night on the trails. It didn’t start that well as on the shuttle I realised my iphone was down to less than 10% power. I had visually checked it at Denmark and it looked to have enough juice to get me to Lowlands but as soon as I checked it on the bus the battery indicator turned red. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem as I had a power bank (part of the compulsory gear) but I had left my charging cable with Mark, rookie error. Luckily there were other runners on the bus and I was able to borrow a cable, I then held back and waited for my iphone to charge enough to get me to Lowlands so I could return the cable and not risk taking it to lowlands aid station and forgetting to return it.
Friday night, early on around 8pm , heading towards Lowlands.
I wasn’t running that well to Lowlands and it is quite a long section which although not too testing, from a terrain front, is a long time on your feet, remember this is your third night with very little sleep and eventually fatigue comes calling. Similar to last year I started well enough but when I was a few kilometers out of the aid station the hallucinations kicked in and I also started to stumble on the trails, I was running on empty. I was so glad to finally get to the road and then the aid station but was not ready to move on. I needed food and rest and luckily the aid station provided both. The food was incredible, I seem to have typed that a lot but it just seemed to get better as you moved through the event ? At Lowlands I had the best burrito and a delicious chicken and pasts soup, it was so good. Mark set up my chair and I grabbed a few blankets and instantly fell into a deep sleep with orders to wake up in an hour, Mark’s idea not mine.
Lowlands -> Shelly Beach. While I was away in the land of Nod my mate Bradley Halls came into the aid station, he had meant to be in the 6pm shuttle with me but decided to sleep instead. When I woke he was ready to go and company would be a God send on another long section into Shelly’s aid station, Brad is tall and has long legs and he had adopted a policy of power hiking which turned out was quicker than I was running (stumbling?) We hiked to Shelly’s at a good pace and even passed a few runners who were running and walking. This seemed to spur Bradley on as he realised he was knocking on the door of a top twenty finish , for the 100 miler.
At Shelley’s we had a full house , albeit for the photo below they all left me, and we enjoyed the best location, ( you are down at the beach car park and the waves feel like they’re just outside the tent) incredible food and the best volunteers (Renee Bennet and her crew won an award at the pub on Sunday evening for being just that!) I love Shelly’s because really if you get here the job is done. There’s a short hop to Cosy Corner and then one more aid station after that, Shazza’s , before the finish. You’ve also got through the long stretch’s from Denmark to Lowland and Lowlands to Shelly’s. Mission accomplished. The last two years I’ve hit Shelly’s in the early hours, just right for some food and a good power nap. Last year I think I had a few hours but this year ‘competitive‘ Bradley was keen to kick on , as were the other runners and I had twenty minutes at best, not happy Jan !
My happy place, Shelly’s aid station. Mago chicken and rice with a waffles and maple syrup sweet.
Shelly’s -> Cosy Corner Bradley left ahead of me and I took my time, said my goodbyes and started too chase everybody down. I was feeling so good after my twenty minute power nap and I knew the sun rise was only a few hours away. Astrid from @ourphotostories caught me in full flight chasing down Bradley with a few runners just behind me.
Saturday morning , just before sunrise, leaving Shelly’s , heading towards Cosy Corner. Photo @ourphotostories
As soon as the sun rose Bradley and I started to get excited. Cosy Corner aid station was close and we both knew it was a matter of when, not if , we would finish. Bradley was still getting excited about rising up the finishers list for the 100 miler but I had no runners to chase and also no runners close to me, although that’s what I thought ? It was overcast on Saturday which were good running conditions compared to the previous few years when we have been barbecued, moving the event from February to April was proving to be a good idea.
Bradley and I doing our best ‘blue steel’, just post sunrise.
We came into Cosy Corner in good time and I had one final change of clothes but couldn’t justify any food as I was still full from Shelly’s. A quick cup of sweet tea and were were away chasing a 100 miler runner who was just ahead of us. There is a few kilometres of sand before the final push to Shazza’s aid station. Bradley was on a mission and we passed the 100 miler runner ahead of us , Bradley leading with me struggling to hang on, he was a man on a mission.
Cosy Corner and Mark’s job is almost done.
Cosy Corner -> Shazza’s The sand to the car park at the end of the beach is great for running bar the last few kilometres where it got a tad soft. There use to be an aid station here, Muttons, but Shaun had decided it was too close to Cosy Corner so removed it, bless him. Once we hot the trails Bradley continued his charge up the finishers list and we passed another couple of runners, with my good mate Tex pacing them. They tried to tag onto us but Bradley was in no mood to take any passengers and they were ejected out the back quickly.
Out of Cosy Corner chasing Bradley, heading towards Shazza’s aid station.
Leaving Cosy Corner you have one final stretch to the last aid station which is good for running and spectacular scenary , with wind turbines and steep cliffs over looking stunning beaches and massive waves. This is the first time we had clouds and drizzle, not the blue sky and soaring temperatures we are used to. You can count down the wind turbines as the aid station is a few kilometres past the last one. This year there was a detour due to the boardwalk being repaired which I wasn’t that bothered about as the boardwalk is never ending. At the detour point Bradley stopped to empty some sand from his shoe and I took this opportunity to check my whatsApp group to see what was happening out with the event. Imagine my surprise when I saw a post from Mark mentioning Charles was running well and running me down. I was slightly surprised as I thought Charles was a long way back but the thought of being caught so close to the finish did not sit well with me, seeing I did the same thing to Charles’s brother, Trevor, a few years back. Without stopping to explain to Bradley I sprinted off and ran the three kiloemetre loop, on road and crushed limestone, at close to 5min/k pace, which at this stage in the event was sprinting. I collapsed into the last aid station and eagerly asked Mark how close behind Charles was, must to Mark’s surprise . Apparently he had felt sorry for Charles as all the posts were about my journey and had posted trying to give Charles some kudos and grab him some attention. He was infact nowhere near me !
When you see the wind turbines you know the finish is close.
Shazz’s aid station -> The finish.
All that was left to do at Shazza’s aid station was don a wig and toast the event with an Emu Bitter, as it tradition. As always the beer still tastes bad and I only have a few sips knowing I still got over nine kilometres to go. I decided to carry on alone and use the time left to reflect on my fifth finish and what the event meant to me, I was also chasing the clock as Mark had promised money to our good friend Tina Ingraham’s MND charity dependent on my finish time, no pressure.
I managed to push the pace on the last section and ran past a 100 miler close to the finish , Warwick Crapper joined me for the last kilometre, another tradition and we both enjoyed a ‘shoey’, before I dropped to the ground for a few press ups and then just lay there , content.
Post finish ‘Shoey’ with Warwick Crapper.
Eventually I arose from the ground , put on some clothes and dragged out my reclining chair to enjoy the ambience of the finish and cheer on runners crossing the line. Watching the emotion of these finishers is inspiring and trust me some of them have done it hard, real hard. The scale of ‘hardness’ grows on the hour and don’t forget this is Saturday early afternoon, we have another twenty four hours plus of finishing time ahead and a whole lot of ‘hard’.
Shaun suggested we all chip in for Pizza and before long a whole heap of Domino’s pizzas turned up. Yet again these tasted like the best Pizza’s I have ever eaten albeit Mark just said they were Domino’s and as such pretty crap. This proves my point that you need to run a long time to really enjoy food, but when you do it is so worth it, a sort of ‘only an ultra runners understands’.?
Taking it all in… number five done and dusted.
Eventually we had to leave the finish area to get a shower and some well earned sleep. We met up with the Bosweld’s , Charles and Trevor, and their beautiful partners, and the incredible Jen Millum, for dinner that night at the Earl of Spencer, we are creatures of habit and we know the food is good and the portions large. Craig Jeffrey joined us for a great evening full of tall stories from the event, tales of losing phones and general great conversation among good friends, all over great food. The night was cut short mainly due to sleep depravation and we scuttled off to the accommodation and a really good nights sleep, the first for many days.
Sunday is spent eating at a local cafe which does the best full English breakfast , good coffee before heading back to the finish line to see some real dead-set legends finish, these guys are really doing it hard with a capital H , David Goggins would be proud. While I was asleep the previous evening these runners were battling through night number four and all the fatigue that comes with it. They were probably racing sweepers and cut-off times so sleep would have been a luxury they could ill afford at this late stage f the game, ‘zombie runner’ state activated. ! Of course the bonus is a massive crowd to see you finish which makes it all worthwhile, I suppose?
Traditional full English, pre-presentations.
Shaun puts on a great show at the presentations with every runner that finishes getting their own trophy , be it a mini-thong for the 100 milers or a full size thong (for one or two finishes) or boot (for three and four finishers) for the 200 milers. Shaun knows each finisher and gives a small speech for each one, not sure if he can continue to do this as the vent grows but at the moment it’s just a special place to be, surround by the ‘Ultra Series tribe’, and that’s the point I suppose.
Sunday presentations. with Scotty (RD), Darlene (five time finisher) and Susan. (RD)
One last photo showing Mark and I with our traditional pint of Guinness as the Earl of Spencer before we tuck into a Guinness and Beef pie, and that’s us signing off for 2025. Will we go again ? Of course we will and 2026 is already booked in for both of us, after all what else is there ?
Traditional post race Guinness in the Earl of Spencer pub, and that is a wrap for 2025.
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
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
6am Friday morning and feeling great post Peaceful Bay aid station.
Ten minutes later and the sunrise was still putting on a show.
6:11am and the sunrise is still glorious. These re the moments that make Delirious Delirious.
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.
6:11am like a Disney scene ?
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.
Glorious, that is all.Coming off the beach into a misty trail section.
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.
The trail was so good in the early morning mist.Heading towards Boat Harbour.
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
11am out of Parry’s, heading towards Monkey Rocks. Great on the beach but not so good on the trails, out of the cooling wind.
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.
This hut saved my life. Had a ‘hut shower’ in cool water, magical.
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.
Beautiful beaches just before you turn inland and head towards Monkey Rocks.
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.
Looking down to the estuary from Monkey Rocks.
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 ?
Coming into Denmark.Still coming into Denmark, this section is not one of my favourites.
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.
5:44pm. Letting Kath loose on my foot, her ‘happy place’. While I had the best pumpkin soup of my life !
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.
Five minutes before the shuttle, a quick massage from Rob to loosen the legs for the final push to the finish.
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
So at the end of post 1 Charles and I arrived back in Mandelay from Broke Road around 80km into our journey and decided to have a three hour sleep break. There was a couple of reasons for this , first Charles had stacked it twice on the last section and both times fell heavily on his left shoulder. I have dispensed some ibroprofen to help with the pain but we both decided a good three hour rest would be a better alternative. Also the next section, Mandelay to Mount Clare, was a particular difficult section and best tackled on fresh legs , and in daylight. Mark set up the swag and I drifted off into a resltess sleep, not the deep one I had hoped for but enough that I felt refreshed when I awoke three hours later. It was also cool to lay in the swag when we had a sprinkle of rain and I enjoyed the view of the stars from the comfort of my swag. Sleeping in a swag really is a wonderful experience and I always look forward to my ‘swag time‘ albeit this is the only time I ever use the swag ? The Matthews family are certainly not campers.
Leaving Broke Road after Mark’s homemade Spaghetti Bolognaise, heading towards Mandelay for the second time.
Mandelay -> Mount Clare I woke before the alarm, by about two minutes, had my morning weetbix and tea, changed my clothes and off we scuttled into the dark albeit with a sunrise fast approaching. Charles had certainly perked up from the previous evening and the rest had helped his shoulder issue. He was particularly keen to talk to the the Yelo crew at 7am, as it traditional on this run. He had never been able to do this as he was either volunteering or had been out of range of phone coverage in previous years. Luckily we found ourselves on top of a hill at 7am and he got to call the guys drinking coffee at Yelo in Perth, this call always cheers me up and it was no different this year although looking at them drinking quality coffee while I stumbled around in the bush can sometimes be testing.
The boardwalk out of Mandelay, looks so much better with the sunrise but not this year.
Heading out of Mandelay back onto the boardwalk I was disappointed it was still dark. On a couple of occasions I have headed out into a sunrise and the view is spectacular, if you check out my posts in 2021 and 2022 I reckon you’ll get the idea. Sometimes being faster is not always a good idea as your views change with the time of day , or night. This has a knock on effect of coming into Peaceful Bay at night which can be a bit sketchy across the last beach sections, also any beach running is so much better in daylight.
On the bright side we only had a few hours of darkness to run through and running is so much easier when the sun rises and your batteries recharge. We passed the ‘insta’ bench but its not half as good at night, although Charles insisted on a photo.
Passing the ‘instagram’ bench but this time just the two of us and darkness.
For the most part now Charles and I were alone and could see no head torches ahead or behind us. After an hour or so though we did spy a light on the horizon and we chased it down to catch Laura Firth, a good friend of both of us and a runner aiming to finish Delirious for the first time after a DNF. Laura has her own medical issue to deal with and is an inspiration to all who know her. She runs the Bravehearts seven marathons in seven days for charity every year. ( https://bravehearts.org.au/support-us/777-marathon/ ) If you could spare some coin for this great cause I would really appreciate it , as would Laura. She wasn’t feeling great when we bumped into her but after a selfie and a chat I hope we helped her on her way, she finished on Sunday , great work Laura.
Bumped into Laura Firth just before sunrise and stopped for a chat and a photo. Laura would finish on Sunday after a DNF on her last attempt. She slayed Delirious in 2025.
After we left Laura and bumped into Sarah Kaesler, nursing a bad knee, the sun awoke and all seemed better with the day. Charles was in a particularly good mood and skipped along the trails while I was still in my second day ‘funk‘ where I question my life decisions. Eventually , post Yelo call, I had to let Charles go and it was obvious I was holding him up. He promised to wait for me at Mount Clare as he bounded away but I wondered how long that wait would be as I was struggling. To be fair the first fifty kilometers and the early part of the second day I always seem to struggle and I knew if I kept moving forward , eating and drinking, I’d eventually come right, just a matter of when not if.
Sunrise on Thursday morning heading towards Mount Clare.
I made the suspension bridge at the bottom of the Mount Clare climb at 8:17am, one of the benefits of taking photos is the iphone gives to time and place details, and started the steep ascent to the aid station. This was brutal , even on semi-reasonable legs, and I stumbled into the aid station ready for a ‘power nap’ and some good aid station tukka.
This is the bridge at the foot of the Mount Clare climb, a bridge I normally encounter at three in the morning.
Mount Clare to Walpole Although the next aid station was less than ten kilometres away I was unable to continue and needed some food and rest, the climb has taken a lot out of me. I settled into my chair and had a power nap while listening to Charles get ready to leave. Eventually I started to stir and when I opened my eyes was faced with a burrito and a hot cup of tea, love being crewed, As you can see from the image below Charles was ready to go as I tucked into my tukka with a scowl on my face. I let Charles go ahead as I finished my food and begrudgingly got ready for the next section into Walpole.
One grumpy old man with a burrito and Charles.
Once I got going I seemed to find some energy , must have been the burrito, and I made good time to Walpole, passing Suki Singh India’s hardest ultra marathon runner, apparently, and a great guy. He would set a good PB for the event, top work Suki. I made Walpole and after a quick pit stop headed off back the start of the event , Giant Tingle, another quick ten kilometre hop albeit this time mainly uphill, the theme for the rest of the day. Charles was suffering with food issues and throwing up so had decided to stay at Walpole for a tad longer. I’d see him again at Tree Tops but he would need rest so wouldn’t see him again until the finish which was a shame as we were having a great time together. It’s hard to run together for long periods of time as one of you normally feels good while the other can be deep in the pain cave, you would need to adjust your pace accordingly and over time this can start to have an adverse affect on your race. For a 200 miler you need to run your own race and if company is running the same all well and good but it’s dangerous to adjust your pace for other runners.
Heading towards Walpole, Thursday morning. No poles, no problem.Walpole is a lot closer than the North and South pole.
Walpole to Giant Tingle Giant Tingle was next , post Walpole, a quick hop albeit mainly uphill. This is a glorious section of single trails running through dense forest, covered with seriously big trees. I was making good time and even caught four runners at the aid station all devouring the best egg, bacon and hashbrown wraps swimming in salt. These were seriously good and I set off for the next leg with a ‘pep in my step‘ and a smile on my face albeit I knew this next section was long and steep, in the wrong direction, i.e. up Tree tops was the halfway point and post Tree Tops is the best part of the course, in my opinion. Plenty of time spent on deserted beaches and also some good trail without the steep rises.
Frankland River, heading towards Tree tops. Thursday afternoon.
Giant Tingle to Tree Tops. This is a long section and I was racing a sunset, determined to reach the aid station in the light of day and beat the 100 miler runners who were starting at 7pm. I wasn’t running much at this stage but making good headway ‘power hiking‘ and enjoying the scenery, as much as you can. I bumped into James Sawyer and Ben Nielson, who were in a similar state to me, so we joined up and suffered together, all retiring from this silly event. The final few kilometres always take the longest and at every turn we were disappointed to see more tails and not an aid station, eventually though we made the top and sanctuary .
Mark set my chair up in the car park but a nap was difficult as the 100 milers , who started from Tree tops , were all milling around and you could sense the anticipation. I’m sure I had some food but for the life I me I can’t remember what it was ? There were a few runners resting at Tree Tops including Chris Gerdei, under the watchful eye of his beautiful Wife Jenny, Dougie Bartlett, again with his Wife watching on, James and Ben and their crew and Charles arrived as I was just about to leave. I could persuade none to leave with me so I headed on the compulsory Tree Top walk alone and just beat the sunset before setting off to Conspicuous Cliffs with a forty minute head start on the 100 milers.
Towards Tree Top, late Thursday afternoon.Tree Top walk, just before sunset on Thursday afternoon.
Tree Tops -> Conspicuous Cliffs I always enjoy this section from Tree Tops to Conspicuous Cliffs as its a good downhill , runnable, trail after an initial rise to the highest point of the event. I was feeling good at this point, after a good feed of whatever I had? , and some sugar treats and made good time only passed by the first two 100 milers as I closed in on the aid station. I enjoy running at night alone, don’t judge me, as the conditions were absolutely perfect, a still evening with cool conditions. The plan was to make Conspicuous Cliffs and then refuel quickly, with Mark’s famous steak and onions, before a good sleep at Peaceful Bay and a shower.
Another night of trails, heading towards Conspicuous Cliffs on Thursday evening.Another great moon as I head towards Conspicuous Cliffs.
The image does not do the steak justice, it was incredible. 9pm Conspicuous Cliffs.
Conspicuous Cliffs to Peaceful Bay Again I set off into the dark on the beach alone. I enjoy this section bar the final few kilometres into Peaceful Bay on soft sand and some technical beach sections, great in the day light but not so good alone at night. I managed to catch a couple of runners and used them as beacons to guide me to Peaceful Bay. There’s not much more to say truth be told for this section, I can’t think of any highlights and didn’t take any photos or video, just head down to the next aid station and a good sleep. I was pretty fatigued by this point in my defence.
The highlight of this section was the shower (although not a great shower?) and the best three hour deep sleep I have had for many years , tucked up in my sleeping bag and cocooned in my swag, just bliss. Mark woke me as agreed , around 4am, and I begrudgingly got changed , had some Weetbix, sweet tea and was off into the dark towards the jet ski and river crossing ,after some beach running.
Peaceful Bay -> Monkey Rocks. There is around six kilometres of sand running before you see the jet ski camp lit up on the horizon. I had my Hosi biscuit ( a project leaving present of my friends image on a biscuit) to use as payment for the crossing and it was eagerly accepted by the ferryman and his apprentice. I was allowed on the jet ski and we were off to the other side, as the video below shows.
Right, that’s enough for post 2, I’m on the other side of the river crossing , friday morning early , just before sunrise, heading towards Monkey Rocks, feeling great after the best three hour sleep for many years , a great steak sandwich and an awesome Jet Ski ride, life was good.
Paying the Ferryman, a Hosi biscuit.Jet Ski over the river crossing. Image thanks to @ourphotostories
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!
Great hydration.
What can I say about HumanTecar, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) it looks great, smells great and is awesome for recovery or even pre-run/workout. Read about the science behind it first and then try the products. The compression bandages are just magical after a long event. Put these on and the next day you are recovered, I have used them on a number of occasions and they never fail to astound me albeit the family poke fun at me as I look like a ‘mummy and smell funny’ !
Fractel ( https://fractel.com.au/ ) have your performance headgear covered. I love the colours and the functionality of these hats, I guarantee there is one model you’ll fall in love with.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
T8 running apparel is the best you can get, second to none. Designed for the ultra humid Hong Kong conditions the owners live in. It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong, storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)
Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )
https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.
Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )
