Its been nearly four weeks since I finished the inaugural Cape to Cape 100 miler in sunny ( well actually very wet and windy!) Augusta. ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) My legs took a hammering mainly due to my complete lack of trail running in the eight months pre-event, not the most intelligent thing to do. I got through the event on experience and stubbornness , which has been my go to approach lately, forget this training stuff. My legs haven’t really recovered and weekly totals of 10k, 44k, 10k and nothing this week show my complete lack of motivation.
I understand that I need recovery post a 100 miler race but it’s more than just a physical thing, it’s a mental hurdle as well. The runners low is real and is takes away all your drive and you need to battle with your inner demons to lace up and get out the door. Even when you eventually start running again the mind is continually playing tricks on you with his good friend fatigue , this can make running unenjoyable. We run because we enjoy running right so when it becomes unenjoyable its amazing how many other things you can do to avoid running. With me lately its my dogs who are now losing weight as they are being taken for three to four walks a day. On the brightside I am getting my steps in, and my dogs look amazing, but not enough to justify this as an alternative to running of course.
Earlier in my running career I loved the training aspect of the sport and would regularly run ten times or more a week, I loved my double days and it was effortless running one hundred and fifty kilometers or more a week. This of course translated into improved racing times, a win win situation. As I aged my racing times blew out of course, you can hide from Father Time it seems, and training became more of a chore with days of large mileage a distant memory. What I do have of course is experience and mental toughness ( or stubbornness as I call it ) and this lends itself to ultra running when finishing time is not such a big deal, it’s about smelling the roses and finishing with good mates. (albeit a few metres ahead if possible)
So what’s the best way out of a runners low as you age, easy, spend hundreds of dollars on a race entry. It focuses the mind and you will start to exercise again, eventually. In 2022 I ran twelve ultra marathons, winning three of them , and raced for over two thousand kilometres with a bib on my chest , 40% of my annual total. Basically I was training while racing, I have used this for the last few years successfully although its not for everyone (and please don’t let Karen , my Wife, find out the cost of this training method !)
I am about ready to ramp up training again which is a good thing a I have four races in the next five weeks (with the possibility of five in five ), looks like its back to the racing is training plan, someone hand me my credit card.
After 22 hours at Birdy’s backyard ultra I was spent… nothing left to give. (Excuse the tu-tu, it was lap 22 ) image Astrid Volzke
From AI :
“Runners low” refers to a period of low mood or decreased motivation that some runners experience after a race or a period of intense training. This dip in mood can manifest as fatigue, sadness, a loss of motivation, and even symptoms similar to depression. It’s a common experience and is often linked to the letdown after achieving a goal, the end of a training cycle, or hormonal fluctuations.
Here’s a more detailed explanation:
What causes “runners low”?
Endorphin Drop:
Runners often experience a “runner’s high” during or after a run, a feeling of euphoria caused by endorphins. When this wears off, a drop in endorphins can contribute to a low mood.
Loss of Purpose: Setting and achieving a goal, like completing a race, can give a runner a sense of purpose. After the goal is achieved, that sense of purpose can diminish, leading to a feeling of emptiness.
Hormonal Shifts: Intense exercise can cause hormonal fluctuations, including a decrease in cortisol and an increase in testosterone. These shifts can affect mood and energy levels.
Overexertion: Pushing too hard during training can lead to physical and mental fatigue, which can contribute to a low mood.
Nutritional Deficiencies: Inadequate nutrition, especially in endurance athletes, can also play a role in the “runners low”.
How to cope with “runners low”:
Acknowledge it: Recognize that a low mood is a normal response to a big event and that it will pass.
Rest and Recovery: Allow your body time to recover physically and mentally.
Adjust your expectations: Don’t expect to maintain the same level of intensity or motivation immediately after a race.
Find alternative activities: Explore other activities that you enjoy, whether it’s a different type of exercise or a hobby.
Socialize: Connect with friends, family, or other runners.
Seek professional help: If the low mood is severe or persistent, consider talking to a doctor or therapist.
This post was from 2016 after the World Masters games in Perth where I ran 7th overall and second in my age group with a 2:44 marathon in humid conditions , a big goal for the year and post event I sunk low, real low….
After an outstanding four days of completing at the Australian Masters in Perth I have been spending the week contemplating the next goal in my never ending journey of ‘running’. I have mentioned on numerous occasions all runners need goals otherwise they morph into joggers or even worse get taken by the dark side that is triathlons. All joking aside I respect all forms and types of exercise, really anything that gets the heart pumping faster and burns a few calories is fine with me. (Note: keep it clean people, my mum reads all my posts religiously. Hi Mum ..) I admit to trying and enjoying triathlons in my younger days but found I was a back of the pack swimmer (at best, I have British roots remember) , a middle of the pack cyclist but a reasonable runner. This , in my view, is the perfect way to run a triathlon as you spend the whole time overtaking people. Not to say maybe the odd swimming lesson wound’t have gone a miss as I swim like a brick attached to another brick; and thats probably being kind to me not bricks.
As always I’ve digressed, the point of this post is to highlight that after the runners high you need to experience the runners low. Yin and Yan, chalk and cheese, night and day, Trump and common sense; you get the picture. After training for an event, and completing it, the high you experience has to finish and you ‘come down‘ to quote drug addicts everywhere. (I’m assuming this is the case, we run a clean ship here.) The runner’s low starts probably the next day proper, or maybe a few days after, the main event. Suddenly the memories of the finish are fading and all you have is muscle soreness and some shiny bling. You normally take training easy the week after (unless you follow the Tony T-train’ Smith method of recovery , which normally entails threshold pace the day after a marathon, more to wind me up that serving any purpose I’m thinking?) and struggle to find the motivation to make those early morning wake-up alarms. The main issue here is normally we haven’t set a goal and so we are like a rudderless ship floating about on the ocean without a destination, becalmed even. We need to get some wind in the sails and to do this we need to search the internet and enter another race, preferably longer and harder than the last one. This gives you your next challenge and a reason to make that 5AM wake up when it’s dark, freezing and uninviting outside. With your new goal you will be oblivious to the elements , focused on the task ahead, and the end race, where yet again you will experience that runners high we all crave.
Like a heroin junkie working towards that next big hit of quality ‘smack‘ us runners crave that feeling that only finishing a marathon , or better, gives us. On the bright side the harder the race the better the runners high, I feel sometimes maybe I should try a marathon with little or no training, maybe add a few kilos, how good would that runners high be then ? Unfortunately not so much, as with all drugs the quality is important, (apparently? , I watched Trainspotting recently thus all the drug related references are from this film ) just finishing with no real challenge would be nice but not satisfying and here lies the crux of the issue. You have to earn it to really experience the full monty of the runner’s high, you have to have trained to breaking point, put your life on hold, upset you family on a number of occasions and generally ostracised yourself from the world in general. Then add a goal time to aim for, and make is very, very difficult to achieve this, then and only then will you experience the runners high.
So the runners low will hang around until to have that new goal, allowing you to start to move towards it, one step at a time. You don’t need pace or even distance to start, just slowly start moving in the right direction. Momentum will come as move closer to your goal and a good training plan will help you plan the structure of the assault on your next race because it is an assault and you need to be prepared for more of the same, just the way we like it. If it was easy everybody would be doing it , right ?
You can sometimes experience a runners low early in a 200 miler, but a good cup of tea , with three sugars, can fix that. image Astrid Volzke
Another post on the runners low written earlier this year, I’m an expert on this it seems.
Everybody talks about the runners high, this sense of euphoria one experiences when they cross the line at a major goal event. I’ve discussed what I feel it is, a sudden overwhelming sense of relief, or release, after you achieve something after putting yourself either under pressure or into the ‘pain box’. Anyway, after this ‘runners high’ you can sometimes come a cropper and experience what I term the ‘runners low’.
This feeling is the same in all sports and happens after achieving something you have worked so hard to do. There’s a classic scene (there are so many classic scenes in this movie of course.) in ‘Chariots of Fire’ when Harold Abrahams has just won the 100m gold and everybody else is celebrating while Harold himself is reserved and alone in the changing rooms. What Abrahams is struggling to come to terms with is success after so many years working towards that one 10 second race. All of a sudden he has no purpose, no target, no reason to do what he has been doing for so long. It must be daunting ?
The same can be true for us recreational marathon runners, albeit probably not as severe. Once we have completed the marathon and achieved the ‘runners high’ the next day all of sudden we have no goal. No reason to put in that early morning 5am start, no reason to double up or run a threshold until your lungs feel they are about to explode. There is no purpose after so many months of having something to achieve, a target to overcome. This feeling , coupled with the emotions of the previous few days of finishing a marathon, makes the runners high seem so long ago.
There is hope though and it as easy as getting on the internet and searching for the next goal, the next target, the next reason to structure a long term plan. Before you know it you’ve signed up for another race and it’s back on. Another phase begins towards another goal race which will probably have a target finish time just that little bit quicker than the previous race. Let’s face it we don’t do all this to slow down !
So my advice is to get back on the horse (so to speak, if you actually get on a horse you’ll probably get disqualified, remember this is a running blog!) and set yourself your next goal. It works for me, no off season, the next race is normally a few months away at worst but I know it’s there for me, waiting. Admittedly after a marathon I do feel low for a few days because I love to run marathons and the feeling you get when you finish one is why we do what we do. It has never let me down in 40 runs so far . (and the 16 ultra-marathons have also delivered of course)
Remember we are runners, we need a goal, something to make those 5am alarm calls worthwhile. What else is there to do at 5am in the morning anyway?
A runners high after 100 milers of fun, fun fun with these guys.
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/ )
Here we go again, time to put it all on the line, excuse the pun. North Dandalup train station.
It’s that time of year again when runners takes on the train. (or this year we take on a bus!) North Dandalup train station, Sunday, 27th July, to leave at whatever time it takes to get to Serpentine train station before 9.44am when the only returning bus departs. (the train line is being upgraded so for the second year we’re racing a bus!)
The premise is simple we leave North Dandalup as late as possible to make the 33k route on the Munda Biddi ( https://mundabiddi.org.au/ ) to Serpentine before the 9.44am Australind bus leaves heading to Bunbury. ( There is a longer version we use to run before part of the track was closed but the 33k route seems to be the route of choice at the moment ? I assume the GPX on the facebook page is the 33km route?
There’s no second chance as there is only one service per day so if you miss the bus it’s either a long run back on the trail or a shorter run , as the crow flies, on the main road. Over the years we have had a few runners miss the train but they have always managed to grab a lift back to the start, a runner on the side of the road crying does attract attention apparently.Note: The Munda Biddi runs to Perth, if you get to Jarrahdale you’ve gone too far !
The last group to leave, I think we gave ourselves three hours.
Last year it was a small turnout mainly because we were racing a bus but it doesn’t take away from the point of this exercise, to test yourself against the clock. You need to leave and give the bus a chance so last year we left at 6:54am, with the bus departing at 9:44am, giving ourselves just shy of three hours. I finished in a few seconds off two hours and forty five minutes, so had ten minutes in the bag for a ice coffee and the photo at the deli.
This meant no hanging about and finished with a sub five minute kilometre average pace, on trails this is moving, at no time did I feel comfortable during the run with the opportunity to miss the train always in the back of my mind, and that’s the point of this exercise.
The compulsory finishing photo outside the deli at Serpentine.
It was nice of TransWA to put on a bus just for us as it seems this route is now very unpopular, I suppose it’s just as easy to drive if you are forced on a bus ? No worries, we enjoyed the ride back just as much although I did miss my cup of tea.
All aboard, our own bus. !
Ticket purchased and so excited, I’ve attached a few posts from the previous years to get you all in the mood. Also please bring some tukka as the best bit about racing a train is talking about how you beat it afterwards , with good friends while eating cake, simple.
One final word of advice , it’s called ‘Race the Train (bus) ‘ , not ‘Run to the Train’, please make an effort to actually race the train by not giving yourself too much time. Over the years I had a few close calls and that’s the point of the event, we need to give the train a chance. Note: in the eight or so years I’ve been racing, and beating, the train it’s always be late so you could probably factor that in, albeit not TransWA have read this they’ll probably be early ! But joking aside it is actually more fun to have that touch of danger hanging over you. There was talk of a fine for people arriving too early and we’ll discuss this at the feast afterwards, it could involve press ups equal to the number of minutes you arrived too early , multiplied by a factor of X !! Myself and Irwin will discuss this week.
From previous years posts…
It’s the annual runner vs train trail ultra. This is without doubt the most fun you can have racing trains, albeit probably the only race that actually pits runner versus machine, a sort of Terminator type event for runners. The concept is simple, you park your car at North Dandalup train station and then run a 32k (or 34k) trail , on the Munda Biddi trail, ( https://mundabiddi.org.au/ ) to Serpentine train station and arrive before 10:21am where the only returning train departs and takes you back to then start. Simple right, you’d be surprised at the number of people who have miscalculated and missed the train. They are then faced with the drive of shame back to the start or a long walk if no one takes pity on them.
Over the years the event has grown to such an extent the train company reserves a whole carriage for the ten minute trip from Serpentine to North Dandalup. I must admit the returning journey always seem to be shorter than it should be after nearly three hours running, which translates to ten minutes on a train, albeit the train takes a shorter route back of course; as the crow flies so to speak.
Check out the previous years posts for an idea of the event.
Last year we left at the latest we have ever left and cut it very short due to the train being on time for a change. I reckon we made it by less than five minutes. Didn’t even have time for my Brownes Mocha, very disappointed. Cedric cut it even shorter and missed the train completely and Jon missed it by a county mile. ! Luckily they both managed to get a lift back to the start. I’m not sure we’ll leave as late this year albeit we could roll the dice and hope the train is late ? This is the whole point of the event, you need to be second guessing yourself the whole time and keep the pressure on, the last few kilometres you really should be under the pump.
Ticket details for the big day. Best $9.10 you’ll ever spend.
For all runners popping along make sure you all bring some tukka for post run, as you know the only thing better than running is eating great food and talking about running.
Proof of starting time albeit it’s on Strava of course.
Over the years there have been some classic stories including Barts running out of puff on the first hill and getting left like a bad rash. Then as we waited for the train he miraculously appeared , albeit coming from the wrong direction. To this day he has never revealed how he achieved this but the word Uber comes to mind, albeit I’m not sure they even have Uber in Serpentine, actually I’m not sure they have invented cars yet in Serpentine. ? There was also the first runner to miss the train completely by following the Mundi Bindi blindly forgetting to take a left turn to get to Serpentine, ending up in Jarrahdale before he realised his mistake. Adam had left his group which contained a runner with a GPX route on their watch and just kept on running, albeit he was joined by a few other runners. Needless to say he suffered at the post race tukka-fest, being forced to stand alone in the naughty corner, while being ridiculed from afar. Last year Cedric was running with us when he made the fatal mistake of running ahead with a couple of fitter runners who decided to run the longer version of the course, unbeknown to Cedric. The other two runners caught us and made the train, Cedric unfortunately didn’t. Jon ‘Trailblazer’ Philips also missed the train last year despite starting very early, luckily for him I took pity on the poor soul and sent a car for him before he stumbled off the scarp.
I wonder who’ll join this illustrious group of train no-shows this year , to find out you need to book yourself a train ticket, get yourself to North Dandalap train station early Sunday morning and get running, what could possibly go wrong ? All aboard…
Lauren and Katt leaving a few minutes before the 7:25am group.
Choo-Choo 2020 , this time the train managed to beat a few runners !
Recently we had the 6th running of the ‘runner versus train‘ Choo-Choo race. The concept is simple, you leave North Dandalup station then run 33k (35k?) over mostly trails to Serpentine station to catch the 10:21am train back to the start. The game is deciding how late you leave North Dandelup. Over the years the record for the latest departure time was around 7am but this year, due to part of the course being shut and thus 2k shorter, we decided to try and break the sub 3 hours and leave at 7:22am. It was Mark’s idea and although I was onboard Jeff was none the wiser to our plan having never ran the Choo-Choo before. So we let the last few runners start their journey and held firm, waiting for 7:22am to come around.
One of the last groups standing, holding firm just before first light. This group left just after 7am.
Jeff was a tad confused when the last group left just after 7am and myself and Mark continued to pontificate and make no effort to move away from the station. Eventually we let him in on our plan but he was less than excited, expecting a relaxed amble from one station to the next , stopping for selfies and rose smelling. He knew if we left at 7:22am it would be on for young and old and if you stopped there would be a good chance the train would be well gone when you eventually arrived at Serpentine Station. Of course he was in a catch 22 situation as the last group had left and he had no idea where he was going , so would need us for directions. There was much head shaking and grumbling but all this served to do was to gee up myself and Mark , who then took great pleasure in talking up the challenge ahead. We can be a cruel lot us runners !
The first sub3 group, with one very unhappy China man !!
So at 7:22am precisely we set off for Serpentine Station, giving ourselves 2 hours and 59 minutes, assuming the train was on time. From past experience I knew we could make the 35k version of the course in 3 hours, including a 5 minute drink stop. Having a nasty 2k loop taken out due to storm damage would probably give us 10 minutes , so we should have 10-20 minutes to play with. As I said earlier Jeff had not ran the Choo-Choo before , where as myself and Mark were old hands and knew what to expect. As you can see from the graphic below the run starts with about 8k of serious hill, as you rise onto the scarp. It then undulates, mostly uphill , until the 25k mark at which time it’s all guns blazing to the best finish ever !! Knowing this is coming it allows you to do the numbers in your head factoring in the fast finish. Jeff did not have this prior knowledge and at every kilometre got more and more discouraged as our pace dropped due to the terrain ahead of us. Again Mark and I did nothing to alleviate his angst and just kept on, knowing we were on track but not divulging this to Jeffrey.
Choo-Choo elevation.
The run itself was pretty uneventful as we had the GPX of the route on Mark’s Garmin (what did we do before GPS watches ?) so the couple of time we wondered of course we were made aware by the watch and we turned around and continued on the right track. Not having this would prove to be the undoing of a few runners because although the course is predominately on the Mundi Bindi bike trail ( https://www.mundabiddi.org.au/ ) eventually you have to leave the trail and return to the road and ultimately the train station. Some runners missed that turn and ended up in Jarrahdale , luckily the two runners in question where able to blag a lift to Serpentine and still made the train in time, after running over 40 kilometres, outstanding job ladies. Some runners thought were less fortunate and my mate Adam was unable to make the train in time, missing it by nearly 10 minutes. He was given a left back to the start and had to endure a slow clap as he arrived , rightly so of course. He was eventually allowed to take food from the tukka table but there was grumblings of discontent from the runners who had completed the course, these was talk of banishing him to a separate part of the park, as I said earlier we are a cruel lot us runners .
The best Deli in Serpentine.
You’ll notice in the image above no sign of Jeff, we had left him to his own devices about 5k from the finish as it was every man for himself at that stage and me and Mark fancied a Mocha before the train. Jeff did make the Serpentine Train station show below (far right) but was still smarting over the whole affair and will probably leave a lot earlier next year, a lesson learned.
All the runners bar the 5 DNF and TB who cut it very, very late (as usual!)
The Australind Train on it’s way to Bunbury via Serpentine Station, 10:29am; 8 minutes late I seem to remember.
The train ride itself is a bit of an anti-climax due to a number of factors. One, it takes an ‘as the crow flies ‘ approach to travel between the two stations, funnily enough, and two, it is a lot quicker than us runners ! The journey itself takes about 12 minutes for the 18km or so distance. Thus you just about sit down , get comfy, before it time to get up again and leave the train, not even time for a cup of tea from the buffet (which was actually shut this year anyhow?) No worries, we had organised for everyone to bring tukka for a post run debriefing because we all know that runners love talking about running as much as running.
Irwin and I enjoying the moment just before the train arrives.
I need to give a big shout out to Irwin Swinny who kick started the Choo-Choo this year after a leave of absence in 2019. He set up the Facebook page and, with his influence, we had a record turn out. With Irwin’s help I feel this event can go from strength to strength with more and more people experiencing the stress of racing a train. He has an excellent podcast, Stimulate Run, that is well worth a visit ( https://anchor.fm/irwin-swinny ) ,you’ll be surprised who you can listen to.
Best thing about running , is talking about running after you finish running , over cake ! Look’s like I’m doing all the talking for a change ?
So at the moment the record for the last to leave will stand at 7:22am, albeit with an asterix for the short course option. We later found the 2k loop we missed was runable it’s just not part of the Munda Biddi anymore as this is built mainly for bikes. Sam Hoffman ran the fastest time for the day albeit stopping his watch when waiting for his running partners. Still outside the course record set in 2018, 2hrs 27mins by Allister Caird, an average of 4:11min/k. At that pace you could chance your arm and leave at 8am and pry the train is a few minutes late, not that would be a story worth telling !!!!
Footnote: After this adventure my good friend Amy (wearing purple in the picture above) decided she would do the Choo-Choo in reverse. This meant catching the train from Perth to Serpentine, running to North Dandalup and then hanging around at the local servo’ station before catching the train from North Dandalup back to Perth, in the afternoon. Of course you could kill time by running longer , the possibilities are endless. Amy did report that there is a lot more elevation running it backwards and the hill up the scarp is a killer. Of course this then lends itself to a double Choo-Choo but the logistics would be quite complicated. It it to be noted one runner ran from Serpentine to North Dandalup , starting before 2am , and then ran the Choo-Choo. (well done Chemie Banger) I’m calling this a Choo-choo-choo; ultra runners always find a way to push the envelope, I suppose that’s the point ?
Man versus Train, again !
Right a quick post on the 2018 man versus train race where we leave North Dandalup train station and run the 35k to Serpentine train station and catch the only return train back to the start. Miss the train and you have a 18k run on a busy road or a 35k trail run back to North Dandalup. !!
The Serpentine train leaves North Dandalap at 10:20am so we decided this year to leave a tad earlier than previous years due to the various running injuries we were all embracing. Calf strains, Achilles issues, carrying too much weight (I’m not sure this is an injury Barts!) and good old Plantar Fasciitis to name a few. Thus at 6:40am we set off up the scarp, mainly due to Bart’s insisting we get a move on as he really wasn’t ready for a 35k sprint to the finish. He had got lost last year when he was dropped halfway up the scarp and had to run a lonely thirty or so kilometres to the finish. This year he was determined to stay the course and refused to leave a key hidden on the car so if he got lost he knew I’d have to find him and my lift home. Little did he know I had arranged alternative transport if we ‘lost’ him. In the end he made it and ran a large proportion of the run with us, complaining most of the way of course. I don’t think Bart’s like any hill in any direction, up or down, as both seem to set him off on a tirade of abuse. This from a man who loves trail running ?
The photo below shows the starting line up for 2018 taken at North Dandalup train station, funnily enough we were the only people about early on a Sunday morning in the country. I managed to persuade five ‘newbies’ to join us and supplied all of these with a GPX file of the course as I didn’t want them to suffer the same fate as Bart’s from last year, bless him.
So off we went up the scarp, which is a road section and probably one of the hardest sections of the run as you’re in danger of getting collected by mad country drivers cutting corners. Thankfully this year it was very quiet and I don’t remember seeing any cars, which is unusual, they were probably all still in bed after the West Coast Eagles, a local footy team, managed to sneak into the Grand Final the day before. As you can see from the elevation below the start is a challenge but the finish is ‘to die for’. It was a this point last year we lost Bart’s (the start not the finish.) and history repeated itself with Mark, a new runner from Brisbane, dropping off the pace early and, in Choo-Choo tradition, left to fend for himself. I felt a small amount of guilt but this was quickly forgotten when I realised the task ahead and I had supplied Mark with a GPX file of the course , so he had no excuse to get lost.
Choo-Choo run elevation. It’s all about the finish….
The conditions this year was perfect and we had given ourselves more than enough time to finish by leaving probably half an hour earlier than the year before. This certainly made the journey less stressful than previous years and we settled into a good rhythm with enough pace to complete the task at hand but not enough we couldn’t natter away discussing a plethora of topics and generally putting the world to rights. We as a group splintered early which seemed silly truth be told as it wasn’t a race and there seemed no point running a few hundred metres infront of each other. I ran with Jon, because he had the GPX route loaded into his Garmin 310, and Liam for conversation. (with Bart’s always a few hundred metres behind us complaining about something?) The three of us eventually caught up with the two Mark’s at the ‘drinks stop‘. I say drinks stop in italics because there was no drinks. Simon had hidden a carton of water and a box of Gu’s behind a tree but it seems these country people are resourceful with good eyesight because there was no supplies to be seen. Not a problem though but it did the make the last 5k or so a challenge as we were into the ‘dead zone’ (over 32k) with little water and no nutrition, a good test of your bodies capabilities to survive on it’s won internal fat resources I suppose. Luckily the last 10k is predominantly downhill so you can sort of ‘fall‘ to the finish line. ( It is to be noted this year Trish refused to bake for us which made the return trip to Dandalap a bit of an anti-climax as the reward of Trish’s baking (which is awesome by the way) would not be there to greet us, in the end we made do with McDonalds pancakes but thrust me they ain’t the same!, anyhow I digress.)
After regrouping with the two Mark’s the group of five set off to the finish and the conversation continued to improve with numbers. The highlight of the last part of the run was most of us falling prey to the only puddle on the whole course, how does that happen ? Mark C,. attached it with gusto (he’s Scottish you know and use to large expanses of water !) and nearly went in, this made me more cautious but it was to no avail and I ended up in the same situation, soggy socks and shoes for the last 10k or so.! Once we started to descend of course it was ever man for himself and Mark C. probably set the record for the fastest kilometre with a 3:10 down the steepest part of the hill. He was very excited and reported feeling a runners high as he snowballed down the hill at speed, more probably he was just totally knackered as we had all just ran just about 35k on a few sips of water.
It’s hard to put into words the run itself as it really was just about the perfect day. A good distance, beautiful trails and great company rounded off with Brownes Mocha and a danish at the Deli. Chuck in a train ride where the guard announced to the whole train of our adventures as we boarded and departed and the day really couldn’t of got any better. Talk at the Deli (see below) centred on next years departure time as we had plenty of time to relax at the deli before the train, well most of us that is. If you remember at the start I mentioned Mark from Brisbane getting dropped at the 3k mark, you’ll see he’s not in the photo below. We all thought he was gone and I had even arranged at the Deli to let him know we’d drive back and pick him up, save him the 18k walk back to the train station. Well he made it with 3 minutes to spare, albeit the train was late as usual so he could have probably stopped at the Deli for a danish.
At the Deli after a Brownes Mocha and a Danish, life really is that simple sometimes! (Notice no Mark from Brisbane)
As you can see from the photo below taken at Serpentine train station Mark is back into the fold and happy to be there, he currently holds the record for cutting it closest to missing the train, probably beating Trailblazers record set a few years ago. I’m sure Jon can get closer with a bit of effort ? Honourable mentions must go to Allister Caird who set a course record running the route in 2hrs 27 minutes, thats a 4:11k average, sub 3 pace for a hilly trail run, Boom! He could have left nearly as hour after us and still made it. Nigel also went well considering he twisted his ankle at 15k and ‘hobbled‘ to the finish in good time, a big call as if the ankle had given way completely it would have been a long night on the trails. Of course Mark gets a mention for running the whole route by himself under the stress of a potential long walk back to the car. He looked relaxed when he finish and puts his time down to this was his first trail run back in Perth, he’s from Brisbane you know. Bart’s also went well after we dropped him just after halfway, we actually dropped him earlier but always made sure he could see us, sort off. At least this year he ran the whole course after his miracle run last year.
At the hub of Serpentine, the ‘bustling’ train station. That’s a lot of smile , while I’m putting on my best ‘just finished 35k grimace’ face…
Right that’s the Choo-Choo for another year. I’ll try and drum up some more enthusiasm next year as if you live in Perth you really need to do this run. We all agreed we’d leave later next year but the departure time is personal to your ability and general fitness and also if you want that added bonus of really ‘racing a train’ and trying to cut it closer tham Mark, from Brisbane’s, valiant effort of three minutes to go. Up for the challenge ? All aboard…..
Choo-Choo run 2017, man against train.
The Choo-Choo run was an idea of Simon Coates a few years back. Basically we all drive to North Dandelup Station (and I use the word ‘station’ in the broadest sense of the word, it is actually a small raised platform and a car park.) and run to Serpentine train station to catch the only train back to the start. Miss the train and you are faced with either a 10k walk back via the road (and in the country running on the road is suicide due to the drivers all believing they are Michael Schumacher, before the skiing accident !) or worse, repeating the 35k trail run in reverse. (Now there’s a thought ? )
It’s not a race as such, more of a man versus train type run with friends. Everyone leaves at different times with the idea being you’ll all arrive together at the finish, a handicap run I suppose. There was talk of a prize for the last person to leave North Dandelup and make the train but this, for this year at least, was shelved. As it was I have attached a photo of the runners who left last @ 7am, this was 30 minutes after last years leaving time so we’d given ourselves little margin for error . Its a 35k testing trail run which should take around 3hours and the return train leaves Serpentine @ 10:20am.
All aboard the Choo-Choo run 2017, the last to leave @ 7am.
So off we went full of the joys of spring bounding up the first 6k which is all uphill and on road. As I mentioned earlier this is testing for two reasons, one, the hill is large , unforgiving and long (as all good hills should be) but there is also the threat of getting cleaned up by the ‘country drivers’. In the country life may be slower but the driving is anything but. There’s a reason that even Kangaroos get wiped out on a regular basis. Faced with slowing down country drivers decided to speed up and fit ‘bull bars’ to their cars, so rather than avoid Kangaroos(or runners!) they accelerate into them . Bless ’em.
We managed to get to the top of the road section intact after one close call when three cars cut a corner and we happen to be on it, you certainly feel alive when that happens trust me. Once we regrouped a quick headcount indicated we were one short (literally!) . Bart’s , who had driven me down to the start, was missing so I volunteered to run down the ‘hill of death’ and find him. After a longer run that I had wanted to take on at such an early stage of the adventure I found Bart’s ‘huffing and puffing’ up the road in a world of pain. This after 6km’s into 35k challenging trail run , racing a train. Not a good start and I indicated the best thing he could do was return to the car and wait for us or at least give me his car keys (as my bag was in his car, it wasn’t about the bag though , honest ?) Bart’s insisted on carrying on and asked me to come back and check on him during the run. Due to the time constraint we had set ourselves I told him in no uncertain terms this was not going to happen and once I left him he was on his own. Surprisingly he was ok with this and, with no prior knowledge of the route and less than 3 hours to run the remaining 29k, was happy to take on this adventure , alone. So Barts was dropped quicker than Hilary Clinton endorsements after the American Election, never to be seen again, or so we thought ?
Drinks stop @ 21k.. notice no sign of Barts ?
After dropping Barts like a bad habit I caught up with the back markers and eventually the main group. We continued on our merry way commenting how enjoyable trail running was and how we should do it more often. Please note this is the same conversation we have at the beginning of every trail run, unfortunately our views on trails can sometimes be a tad different by the time we finish; and that’s be nice about it ! Anyhow we made it to the 21k mark where our ‘race director’ Simon Coakes had dropped water and gu’s, it was the least he could do after DNS’s the previous evening due to umpiring his son’s footy game and pulling a hammy. (He’s getting old Si, bless him.)
What goes up must come down.
The last 14k after the drinks stop is the best part of the Choo-Choo run as you run off the scarp which means some wicked descents into Serpentine. Last year I was able to take advantage of the terrain and put in some seriously fast splits but this year, due to it being 2 weeks after the Perth City-to-Surf marathon, my hammy’s had tightened up so every step was painful as I hobbled (and that’s being nice) down the hill. No worries. reached the Deli and tucked into my first Brownes Mocha for probably 6 months, man did that taste good !!
Choc milk time at the Deli, job done.
We had 20 minutes until the train arrived so just enjoyed telling tales of the day when all of a sudden who comes into sight, walking the wrong way to the Deli, but Barts. ! Unbelievably he had somehow managed to get to the finish in time for the train, albeit running 3k less , somehow ? At the time of writing this post it has to be noted we have not seen any Strava evidence ( http://www.strava.com) of Barts and whatever trail he did run but assuming he said he did what he did I am in awe of the man.
A Lazarus comeback from Barts, almost made me believe in religion
Funnily enough the train was graffitied at the main depot so was cleaned before it set out on its journey, resulting in a 45 minute delay. We could have started at 8am, not 7am, and still made it easily. When the train did arrive at the station there was no sign of any graffiti and maybe next year this could be a cunning plan for a lie-in, just got to persuade someone with a spray can to get the train before it leaves ? That’s wrong, right?
Graffiti, a likely story, more like the train driver fancied a sleep in !
The photo below is all the crew who made the finish including a few runners who left before the 7am sweepers. There has already been lots of talk of leaving even later next year but we’ll see; no one has actually missed the train yet so there will be a first. One thing for sure it won’t be Barts, if he can recover from near exhaustion at 6k and then still finish less than 3 hours later after running 32k I reckon the man could fly if he wanted to. Running gives you so much and on that Sunday it allowed me to witness a miracle, how does one go about nominating someone for a sainthood ? Saint Barts of lost causes, it has a nice ring to it, if only he was taller…..
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/ )
With the Cape to Cape miler last week this week was all about recovery. I was unable to run for four days post the ultra and had penciled in my first run Thursday morning at Yelo, my weekly 5:30am 14k progressive ( or a 10k easy?) . The alarm was set for 4:40 unfortunately due to a power nap earlier in the week I had set it to PM not AM. , rookie error so no Yelo run Thursday. Albeit I probably could have found time but wasn’t ‘in the mood‘ and had house chores and work to attend to.
Friday and Saturday were more of the same, finding excused not to run albeiut in my defence my Wife and No3 Daughter were away and I had a funeral to attend Saturday , so running took a back seat. This left Sunday where I was determined to run to keep my Strava streak going , 99 weeks of some sort of exercise, (you have Strava right ? http://www.strava.com ) It’s a pretty weak streak of course but at 99 weeks you aren’t going to break it are you ? So an easy 10k Sunday afternoon and that was it for week four of my sub3 mission.
That’s probably not enough to justify a post so I’d thought I’d reflect on my favourite marathon and go through some memorable moments. The Perth City to Surf marathon started in 2009 and it was also my first sub3 marathon. I finished in 2:58:14, 36th position overall from a field of 811. My first sub3 at 42 years old, in my tenth marathon. I was met at the finish line by one of my running hero’s , the mighty Mick Francis, who had pipped me by about a minute or so, also running over the top of my good mate Bartsy with the finish line in sight was special, albeit not for Bartsy, his second last sub three funnily enough. (He managed a third place at Rottnest the following year, his last)
My first sub3 with ne of my running hero’s , the Mighty Mick Francis.
In 2010 I had the runners nightmare when my Garmin discharged itself in the evening and I had no juice when I turned it on at the start line. This was back in the day when Garmin’s were for running only and not your everyday watch. Mentally this finished my race early and I tried to hang on to my mate Jon Pendse and a sub3 group but was ejected out the back around fifteen kilometres into the race. I then ran alone , with no idea of pace, and finished in 3:03:20 , good for 31 place overall, from a field of 976. I still reckon if I had my watch I would have ran sub3 but such is life. After this race I would wear two watches for many years.
Love this photo of Jon laying down the law just before I was dropped, with no watch I was doomed to failure.
2011 and my first sub two hours and fifty minutes finish. I finished in 18th place, in a field of 989, recording 2:49:13 with my mate Rhys ten seconds behind me and Jon three seconds behind him. Rhys was dropped early for a toilet stop, he’s well known for this, and we never saw him but unbeknown to us he was stalking us the whole way and ran Jon down in the finishing few metres.
Deeks Costella was the MC and managed to grab a great photo with Rhys, Jon and I.
2012 and I improved my time again finishing 7th overall out of a field of 1047, in a time of 2:45:05, just pipping Rhys again . This was important as I was the first Australian to finish and there was a $6,000 prize, unbeknown to me at the time, for this. The race was sponsored by Chevron who had brought in five male and one female African runners, the six ahead of me. At the time it was the most lucrative marathon in Australia and funnily enough I was working for Chevron at the time so was adorned in a Chevron singlet, I should have got a bonus , albeit the Chevron finishing tent was pretty special. Rhys got second Australian good for $3,000, incredible prize money for us ‘hack’ runners.
One of my favourite photos of the City to Surf, we’d managed to score bib’s 1,2 and 3..
I ran my marathon PB in 2013 and ran with the lead African woman the whole way, letting her break the tape a few seconds ahead of me. Finished 9th, from a field of 1196, in a time of 2:41:14 which I thought would be good for some prize money but it seems there were two Australians ahead of me after the six African runners. No worries, it was a great PB and I was stoked. The only time I ran with a named bib, given to the faster runners of an event, albeit in my case I knew the RD.
My PB time. 2:41:14
2014 I ran 2:49:02, good for 13th overall from a field of 1,141. I had been abroad the week before and picked up a calf knot so my streak of improving finishing times was done, still happy enough with another sub two fifty finish and got to wear the number one bib.
Should have sprinted faster for a 2:48 finish.
I got my best City to Surf finishing position in 2015 running fourth in a time of 2:48:30, from a field of 987 runners. By this time Chevron had dropped the prize prize money significantly and no African runners meant we all bumped four or five places up the finishing order, explaining fourth place ? I was hoping for $2,000 prizemoney for fourth but there was a caveat that prize money for fourth and fifth would only be paid out if they were in 10% of the winning time ? What, seriously.? Unfortunately for me Yuki Kawauchi, the Japanese super runner , had come across and ran a 2:16, with second place being 2:35. Yuki cost me $2,000. No worries, as I said earlier I run for the love of running, not prize money, albeit it would have been nice.
All smiles before Yuki does me out of $2k prize money.
In 2016 I ran one of the races of my life to finish in 2:41:44, my second quicker marathon time and good for fifth place from a field of 828 runners. By this time the prize money had all but disappeared and I think I got a $25 gift voucher I never used. A far cry from $6,000 for first Australian four years previous. I remember I was running with second and third at halfway and decided the pace was too quick , backing off. Both these runners ran sub two hours forty and I often wonder if I had just rolled the dice and went with them what would have happened. Bar a 2:44 at the World Masters later in the year I would never get close to this time, what could have been. I put this time down to Raf Baugh , he of the Running Centre in Perth, who trained me in 2015. Lessons I learnt from Raf got me this close again, three years after my PB on the same course, I should have went with them. ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ )
2016 and at my most ‘show pony‘, even had the number 1 bib. Funnily enough you can see Raf in the crowd, wearing the baseball cap.
2017 14th from a field of 698 runners in a time of 2:49:23. I was recovering from my first major injury , a 5cm calf tear sustained in May which sidelined me for 12 weeks, only resuming full training in late June. After this result I continued to improve culminating in another second place at the Rottnest marathon in October. This is another what could have been but injuries happen and I was injury free before this one so I suppose it was my turn ? Highlight of this run was finding my good friend Mark Conway, who had just finished ahead of me, skulking in the medical tent at the finish, he was berated loudly. This was also the first time I wore carbo plated shoes, the Nike Vapoflys 4%. I hadn’t had time to wear them before the race and I still remember warming up running down St. Georges Terrace with the biggest smile on my face, I couldn’t believe how good the shoes were. Even only I had them a year earlier when I ran 2:41, what could have been ?
Pretty stoked to finish this one.
I missed 2018 due to another injury , a nasty case of plantar fascittis, which hurt as I had ran all nine of the previous City to Surf marathon. Truth be told I probably could have ran it was was protecting my sub3 streak which was over thirty marathons at the time. With hindsight I should have ran.
2019 was my last sub 3 at 52 years old, (at the moment?) , and also the last time the City to Surf marathon actually happened. COVID killed it in 2020 and then , due to the ever increasing costs and dwindling numbers, it was canned. I ran a 2:55:23 , good for 13th overall from a field of 598. It seems fitting my last sub3, number 32, should be ten years after my first at the same event and also the last time the event was run. It was an incredible event and holds so many good memories, if one race encapsulates my running journey it was this one. Ten finishes with nine sub 3’s in there (and eight sub 2:50’s) and two of may fastest times as well as a sprinkling of top five finishes, perfect just perfect.
The end of the City to Surf, 2019, surrounded by good friends. A fitting end to a magical journey. Jon, Nate, Jacques, Tony and Johannes.
Looking at the finishing photos for sub3 number 1 in 2009 and sub3 number 32 in 2019 I don’t think I’ve aged a bit, hell I look younger. Can I go sub3 one more time in October 2025, of course I can.
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/ )
Week three was always going to be high mileage and less runs as I had the inaugural Cape to Cape 100 miler on Saturday . ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) With this in mind I only ran two ‘time on feet’ ten kilometre runs on Monday and Thursday before the race itself Saturday , finishing Sunday morning. The purist would shake their heads at the thought of running a 100 miler in a marathon block but my logic was it is early in the block and I have time to recover, albeit as I type this post I think my logic my be flawed.
image Outback Papparazzi
This gave me over 175 kilometres for the week which is more than I will run moving forward of course and I will be forced to take a down week as I haven’t run yet and it’s already Wednesday. The legs are recovering well and I would hope to run ten kilometres tomorrow morning at Yelo and maybe try and find fifty to seventy or so kilometres for the week. The following week I had penciled in the Bibra Lake half marathon but will need to see how the legs recovery before I enter.
It was wet and that is a massive understatement. image Outback Papparazzi
Right lets discuss the Cape to Cape Ultra, it started in a complex storm which means it was a bloody big storm, high winds, cool temperatures and even some hail later in the event. I was saved by my thermals on Saturday evening and the second day as the wind was freezing and without a thermal top I wouldn’t have finished. Overall there was a 50% DNF rate which is unusually high and most of these would have been down to the inclement weather.
Wet, windy and lots of soft sand.
The event starts from one lighthouse, at Augusta, and finishes around a second lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste. The track itself is around 125 kilometres so Shaun Kaesler, the Ultra Series owner, ( https://www.ultraseries.com.au/ ) had to find another forty or so kilometres to reach the miler distance. As it was due to permits not being accepted in time and river crossing that would become too dangerous due to the conditions I actually ran around 154 kilometres. I’m ok with this as for this type of event , in these conditions, you can never guarantee the course; it is ever changing. The team at Ultra Series did an incredible job getting all runners to the finish line , that were able to get there. This involved answering many phone calls for help from stranded runners faced with very dangerous river crossing at all times of the night. I know at one point there was over fifteen runners who needed shuttling in cars as the river they were due to cross had become too dangerous to wade through.
The start was a example of what was to come with permits denied for a road crossing in Augusta town centre which meant we had to drive to the Augusta lighthouse and then run a six kilometre out and back to make up the distance. The start itself was another Ultra Series classic with all the runners stopping after fifty or so metres with no idea which way to go. All this in the eye of a storm that raged all around us. In the end we went the right way but more luck than judgment, that’s why we love the Ultra Series , organised chaos.
Organised Chaos image Outback Pappazazzi
There was more than enough aid stations for this event, compared to the Feral Pig ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) where you need to run a marathon for the first aid station and then another thirty odd kilometres for aid station two !. The only issue with the first few aid stations was they were exposed to the weather so there was no hanging around for chit chat, it was too brutal. There was also no chance of putting up a gazebo, so there was little shelter. Later into the event things eased up a tad and we were blessed with gazebo’s and some quality food and sweet tea, the real reason we run ultra marathons.
As this was the inaugural event I had no idea was the track would be like, in the end it was inspiring with plenty of beach sections, which I love, and enough forest running and general trail running to keep me happy even with the weather conditions which actually made the whole experience better in my opinion. The strong tailwind on the exposed beaches was a massive bonus, if it had been in the opposite direction no one would have finished ! The only fly in my ointment was the amount of limestone which meant the balls and bottom of your feet took a right hammering. I use Altra Olympus trail shoes but may look at a more cushioned trail shoe for my next trail ultra, I’m hoping this will help. Post Delirious West 200 miler in April I had the same problem.
The Cape to Cape bus in full flight, driven by Andy with me in the passenger seat. image Outback Papparazzi
There is nearly thirty kilometres of sand and most of it very soft, not ideal for running in. You were also totally exposed on the beach and luckily for us the very strong wind was a tailwind, a headwind would have made the whole event a whole different animal. I’m not saying the tail wind was all good though and a few times it was painful on the back of the legs as you were sandblasted. For the most part though the tail wind was a big bonus and could help you scuttle along the beach a lot quicker than if there was no wind at all. It also added to the whole feel of the event, running through a storm, you need wind and lots of it. As soon as you got off the beach , for the most part, you’d get some respite as you’d be shieled by the fauna.
The highlight of the beach running was meeting a couple of kite surfers who were getting ready to probably commit suicide, I’m assuming , by entering the water . The waves were huge and the wind was so strong, I was worried they’d disappear into the stratosphere never to be seen again.
Sand glorious sand, soft and plentiful.
Hydration wasn’t a problem and I survived using my two 500ml water bottles and refilling at the aid stations, taking on the tailwind available. ( https://www.tailwindnutrition.com.au/ ) Nutrition I could have done better and lost my appetite during the night culminating in me ending up on my hand and knees vomiting up a protein drink I tried at the Yellingup aid station. Apologies to the volunteers. I’m putting this down to too many Gel’s with caffeine, upsetting my stomach. On the bright side, post puke, I was able to eat again and made up for it instantly with a couple of Anzac biscuits and soup.
I ran with Andy, Glen and Matty virtually the whole event. Running with good mates makes the whole experience so much better, suffering with friends is so much better than suffering alone. There’s also the added benefit of constant banter which makes distance and time disappear so quickly. Over the twenty eight hours I reckon I used my shokz headphones for thirty minutes , if I was running alone I would have had my headphones on constantly. I’ve ran with these guys over many hundreds of kilometres the last few years and we still find sh*t to talk about, albeit sometimes the same sh*t .
I ran with Andy, Glen and Matty virtually the whole event. It was great to finish together.
So we finished in 28 hours and 23 minutes which was my target goal time , around 28 hours, pre-event but the course was seven kilometres short so really I would have been an hour or so over my predicted time. No worries, it was great fun running with the boys and I’ve done zero trail running , bar races, for the last eight months. In the end the fatigued legs could go no faster, even with fisiocrem and some serious pain killers onboard (don’t judge me) Moving forward I need to concentrate on road running now with the Perth marathon incoming in October and then hit the trails for a few weeks before the Feral Pig Miler in November and the 6 inch trail ultra in December. ( https://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com/ )
I worked hard for these pieces of bling.
So that’s week three of Perth Marathon training, not your typical marathon build week but everyone’s different right ? Week four will be a down week straight into week five, a taper week for the Bibra Lake half marathon where the goal is to go quicker than the HBF half I finished a few weeks ago. A good indicator for a half time is around one hour twenty five minutes , which going by the double your half time and add ten minutes , gives you three hours for the full marathon. I’m certainly nowhere near that time at the moment but will aim for a sub ninety minutes, albeit a lot will depend in how the legs have recovered of course.
Two weeks post Bibra I have a 10k and then two weeks after that is a 5k. That will give me five good weeks to work on ‘proper‘ marathon training before another ultra in August, this one is a baby, only 65k, ( https://transcendtrails.com/ ) what could possibly go wrong?
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/ )
If you run the 50 mile you won’t see this, or anything really ?
This weekend I take on the inaugural Cape To Cape Ultra, the miler option. ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) There is a 50 mile option but unless you’re a vampire it’s probably best to avoid this one as you start at 6pm and its the shortest day of the year week, basically if you’re a reasonable runner , or a practicing vampire, you’ll run the whole race in the dark.
This will be week three of my sub3 Perth Marathon block and probably not what most coaches would approve but as I always maintain I’d rather do more races at a reasonable level compared to less races but faster. For me the reason I run is to race otherwise surely we morph into joggers right, and nobody wants that ? ( Joggers are the sort of people who strut about at traffic lights , like a cat on a hot tin roof, a real runner stands at the lights with a look of disgust on their face, frustrated their run has been interrupted, still, silent, ready. )
(The phrase “like a cat on a hot tin roof” is an idiom that describes someone who is restless, uneasy, or agitated. It is often used to convey a sense of nervousness and anxiety. The phrase originates from the image of a cat trying to escape the heat of a tin roof, constantly moving and unable to settle down; like joggers ! )
The Gaia map is shown below ( https://www.gaiagps.com/ ) and I’ll use the app on my iphone to keep me ontrack albeit the trail is well marked I’m sure. With just about sixty runners for the miler I should be with company which makes getting lost easier, like all things in life company makes stressful situations less stressful. For example imagine in a zombie apocalypse , you only need to run faster than the slowest runner in your group; if you’re alone all the zombies only have eyes for you. I would imagine in such situations you’d seek out slower runners to join your survival tribe, like sacrifices. I digress.
The Cape to Cape Ultra ( Aid stations marked with red tear drops)
The event kicks off from Augusta at 6am and will complete over 100 miles later at Bunker Bay, albeit the cape to cape track is about 125k long but Shaun Kaesler, the Ultra Series owner, has found another thirty five kilometres by adding a loop towards the end of the race. It has that Feral Pig feeling about it. ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) The track itself sounds incredible with beautiful untouched beaches, pristine national parks , single trails meandering (well it is a 100 miler) through untouched forests , to say I’m excited is a massive under statement. The only fly in my ointment is the predicted weather for the event, rain and plenty of it. Being a point to point I’m hoping any wind will be on my back (currently is a South Westerly, which would be a good thing?) not a head wind, a head wind would be challenging. It’ll also be cold but not enough to be a problem as long as we’re moving forward, probably a good temperature for a racing.
One of the best things about a miler is the opportunity to run though the night cocooned in the beam of your head torch. I use a Silva Exceed 4XT which is 2000 lumens, turning night into day. Albeit the latest Silva head torch has 3000 lumens which is apparently visible from the moon, the runner Infront of you actually gets sunburnt if they get too close ! Night running is a special time and you can either lose yourself with a podcast, music or ‘raw dog’ it and chill out with the night animals going about their business, and the zombies.
Love my ‘head torch bubble’ time
I sometimes struggle with a 100 miler as it’s the longest distance when it’s a race as such, I always find anything longer starts to become an adventure , and to me that’s a big difference. When you race an event you are mindful of time and position , an adventure it’s all about the journey and just finishing, time takes care of itself. The Feral Pig miler is the only other miler I race regularly and have only really nailed this event once in the three times I’ve finished. Feral does have elevation and heat as other factors which can derail your race quickly, plus the midnight start. I’m hoping the early morning kick off , lack of elevation, plus a cool temperature prediction for race day, will push me along to a reasonable finishing time, around twenty eight hours or quicker. Albeit I hear there are seriously long sand/beach sections and lots or rock hopping which are not conducive to fast times of course. As this is the inaugural running it will be interesting to see if the finishing times are slower or quicker than Feral ?
More time with the running legend that is Simon Bennet this weekend…
It will be so good to spend time with the Ultra Series reprobates as I’ve not seen a lot of them since Delirious West in April this year. The running tribe is as important to me as the event itself, spending times with these legends is just so good and remember the zombie clause, always find someone to run with who , when the ‘shit hits the fan‘, or the zombie’s are chasing you down, is slower than you.
When Zombies come calling run with Felix !
Finally another shout out to Bix products which will be my go to for quality hydration and nutrition products during the event bar the aid stations and real food of course. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ )
My hydration and nutrition needs are taken care off. Thankyou Vlad.
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/ )
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/ )
From previous years posts… 
