Undeterred I went with my usual logic of I paid for it , there’s no refund and what else was I doing at six am on a freezing Saturday morning. What’s the worst that could possible happen ?  I’ve written a post on the whole sorry affair on the blog so maybe read that first before continuing on .. ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2025/08/20/transcend-ultra-2025/ )

So assuming you’ve read the post on the event you’ll know I nearly pulled out at the first aid station , continued on to the second aid station, took drugs, got strapped up and finished like a train. Amazing how I summed up the whole post, which took me the best part of half a day to write,  in one sentence.  Maybe I should ask AI to have a go.

Here’s a concise summary of the “Transcend Ultra 2025” race report from RunBKRun, published on August 20, 2025:

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Overview

The author—already undertrained due to lingering fatigue from a previous ultra (Cape to Cape) and a failed double-run attempt—entered the Transcend Ultra with a very low training base. His minimalist seven-week build-up included one Yelo run, a 5 km race, and disheartening outings that left him struggling from the outset Run Bk Run.

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Race Details & Conditions

• Held on August 16, 2025, this ultra covers ~65 km through the Avon Valley, starting at Walyunga National Park, traversing Mt Mambup, Bells Rapids, Avon Ridge Estate, Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary, and more Transcend TrailsRunning Calendar Australia.

• Ascent totaled over 3,000 m, making it a grueling and very technical course Run Bk RunTranscend Trails.

• The start time was around sunrise in cold conditions (about 3 °C)—bitter, especially as the author regretted shedding his coat too early Run Bk Run.

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The Unfortunate Incident

Barely two kilometers in, he sprained his ankle after misjudging a puddle. The mishap immediately froze his race, turning the rest of the course into a painful struggle Run Bk Run.

Despite the injury, he chose to soldier on—slowly hiking up climbs and enduring painful descents, passing through aid stations with the help of tramadol (his “just-in-case” pain relief) Run Bk Run.

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Race Experience & Scenery

• Despite the injury, the course’s beauty impressed him. He stopped frequently for photos of breathtaking views, waterfalls, and single-track trails that were postcard-worthy Run Bk Run.

• He was aided by the helpful volunteers, race director Shane (who even brought sweets and toasties), and camaraderie with familiar ultra runners like Phil Gore (a world-record backyard ultra runner) and the WARP relay team Run Bk Run.

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Summary Thoughts

• Training deficit—the author had a string of underwhelming sessions and limited volume leading into the race.

• A terribly technical and hilly course made it challenging under any circumstances.

• A rookie error and early ankle injury significantly hampered performance—but he persevered through pain.

• The scenery and community—volunteers, scenery, familiar faces—were highlights that kept him motivated to finish.

Wow, that AI bloke is pretty good. ?  Anyhow, forget what he (or is AI a she? Actually assuming AI thinks it’s always right it must be a woman ? ) said.. let’s go into more details about the question of this post.  How much is too much or is a DNF better than a DNS? 

When my good friend Sarah Dyer took this photo below I was so close to calling my current Wife and asking her to come and pick me up. The only reason I didn’t was she was probably an hour from my location and would probably tell me to continue on, she is Scottish you know and an advocate of tough love apparently.  At this point my ankle was hurting  after spraining it in the first two kilometers of the event and I was hobbling more than running,  which accounted for my position towards the back end of the field.   I sat down post photo , took some pain killers and had a good talk to myself , enough to persuade myself to at least carry on to aid station two as there really wasn’t any other option. I think I uttered some David Goggin’s quotes about ‘staying hard‘?  (I’ll explain later in this post)

The question is was this the right decision ? In hindsight it was as the drugs kicked in (don’t judge me) and at aid station two my ankle was strapped and was no longer an issue, my lack of training of course still was but I managed to continue through the field and finished before it got dark.  I left the event very happy that I had managed to finish and also thoroughly enjoyed the trails, they were special, which combined with the perfect conditions made the whole event ace.  As you can see from the image below taken at eight hours into the event it’s a different runner, and that’s ultra running.

I have run 109 marathons  including ultra marathons (the split is 48 marathons and 61 Ultra-marathons )  with two DNF’s in there. (Not counting the twelve backyard Ultra’s where I DNF’d eleven times (winning one) , but of course everybody bar the winner DNF’s in a backyard Ultra. )

There’s also a very weak 33 kilometres at my first Lighthorse Ultra twelve hour race in 2019 ( https://lighthorseultra.com.au/ ) where I scuttled home after three hours but as it’s a timed event you can’t DNF. In my defence I had moved house the previous week,  alone as Karen and the kids were in the UK. This was also my first timed event and I had no idea what to expect. I ran with Jon Pendse who set a twelve hour record for the event which has still to be beaten.  It was a midnight start (my first) and I remember being in a portaloo at three am just staring at the mirror on the wall absolutely spent,  with no idea how I was going to continue for nine more hours. Easy option, pack up my gear and go home. Funnily enough I got up the next morning and ran another 32 kilometres.  If I’d gone back to the event I could have finished with a reasonable total.  I have competed at this event every year since, in the 24 hour version , and podiumed every time with a 206km PB, that’s five podiums, my best results at an event. This is a theme in my DNF events.

My two DNF’s were both in 2020. My first was at the Delirious West 200 miler in February. ( https://www.deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) I hadn’t trained for months before the event recovering from a particularly nasty man-flu (or maybe COVID, a very early case in late 2019) picked up post my last sub three hour finish at the City to Surf marathon in August of that year.  I’d trained for less than 100 kilometres in 2020, not ideal preparation for your first 200 miler.  I got what I deserved with no training and no idea about nutrition or hydration. After just over a hundred kilometres , at two in the morning,  (the witching hours) sitting alone in my mate Felix’s car, legs seized, I pulled the pin.  I hadn’t eaten enough or drank enough and although I was loving the whole experience my legs seized completely and after many falls it was too easy to just stop.   No crew and no reason to go on I was whisked away to Warpole and a comfortable bed for the night.  I was devastated but as with the  Lighthouse Ultra I have since returned to this event five times and it is now my favourite bar none, with all top ten finishes including a podium.

My only other DNF was at another one of my favourite events (now) the Feral Pig Miler.  ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) This was November 2020 and I had trained well for this event. Again my first 100 miler but I had finished a 24 hour Backyard Ultra as well as placing third at the 24 hour Lighthorse earlier in the year, so I had some running long experience.  I think I ran too conservatively  for this one and walked too often, albeit I was having the best time with the company.  I have finished this event three times prior but never really beaten it, I have always stumbled to the finish.  It’s one of my favourites because it is just so bloody hard with the event taking you back to the start line , at around 132 kilometres, and then making you do the death loop, which is by far the hardest part of the course when you are totally goosed and the option to DNF is right there infront of you.  The first time I did it I succumbed to the option to DNF back at the start and my mate Adam, who had came out to pace me , took me home just after midnight I think.  With hindsight not knowing the course and never running on it was a big mistake. Since then I have spent hundred of hours on the course, including finishing it three times,  and know it like the back of my hand , making the event so much easier.  So the Feral is one of my favourites just because it is such a challenge but, as most local runners know , I always retire every time I finish and then scuttle back once entries open .

Lets ask that bloke AI again ..

• A crew is a big DNF ‘buster’ for many reasons. First you are part of a team so it’s not so easy to just DNF when you feel you are letting down the crew. Also a good crew knows your mental and physical boundaries and when to push and when to comfort, they provide the fuel (and steak with onions!) and also the kind words that keep you moving forward. I have been crewed by my good friend Mark Lommers, and before him the great Gary Devries and Alex Leong, for the last four years and he knows me as well as I know myself. He understands my moods and adjusts his input accordingly, he is quiet when I need him to be quiet and encouraging when I need help; everybody needs a ‘Mark’.  Being part of a team is massive, as my mate Rob Donkersloot often says these longer races should be two different events,  for the runners with crews (business class) and the ones running alone, ‘screwed‘ as Rob calls it. I totally agree.

• Experience and knowledge trump just about everything when it comes to ultra running.  All three of the events I have DNF’d  (if you include the Lighthorse Ultra 12 hour) were my first time and since then I have finished all of them multiple times , and loved them all (bar the Feral Pig which is still a bugger of an event!)  If you are attempting an event for the first time find out as much as you can about the terrain, conditions,. aid stations and if you can run as much of the course as possible.  Anticipate issues and have mitigating plans put in place for as many possible scenarios .

• A Porsche with an empty fuel tank is just a lump of metal on wheels. Fueling correctly will help you on your way to running success. something as easy as eating and drinking , correctly, is paramount to finishing ultra marathons, especially the multi day events.  It doesn’t matter  how good a runner you are if you run out of fuel , you stop.  This impacts so many ultra runners and I’d say is the number one DNF reason. Getting your fueling right is just so important, that’s why I have a ‘Mark’ (see point one) Know what your stomach  can handle and practice your fueling strategy under as near to race conditions as you can. Personally I’m pretty lucky and just eat normal food for most of my longer events, and,  as I love eating , I don’t normally have issues. I reckon I put on weight after running the Delirious West 200 miler each year as the aid station food , and Mark’s cooking , is so good.

• A Goggin’s ‘stay hard‘ attitude is priceless when it comes to avoiding a DNF. For those living under a rock David Goggins ( https://davidgoggins.com/  ) is the hardest man on the planet, self proclaimed. Truth be told he is probably is up there winning and racing in some of the hardest ultra marathons in the world and also , at one point, holding the world record for the number of pull ups in a 24 hour period, and if you’ve seem Goggin’s he’s no featherweight. His story is well documented and worth a listen , if you can stomach the language which is colorful shall we say.  My favourite Goggin’s quote, and there are many, When you think you’re done, you’re only at 40% of what your body is capable of doing. That’s just the limit that we put on ourselves. What he is saying is when you think you are totally finished, sitting in the car at two in the morning absolutely buggered, you’re only at 40%. There’s another 60% available to you , all you got to do is tap into it.  This is the mental challenge of a DNF, and lets face it most DNF’s are mental , physical ones i.e. something is broken , you can’t really do anything about.  In the five  years since my last DNF I have been in positions where it would have been so easy to pull the pin but experience and mental toughness (or stubbornness) has always kept me moving forward and I’ve never regretted that.

• Understand in an ultra there will be highs and lows, enjoy the highs but work though the lows.  Very few runners have the perfect race, if such a thing even exists. Of course some just ‘complete’ the event and enjoy the party bus at type back of the pack, just ahead of the sweepers.  In this case you can go through the whole event without hitting any lows bar an upset stomachs from spending too much time at aid stations.!   Most of us compete, rather than complete, so push ourselves and when this happens you are going to experience lows be that down to physical exhaustion (remember Goggin’s and his 40% rule) or fueling issue i.e. letting your hydration or nutrition levels drop.  When this happens you just got to buckle down and wait to come out the other side because invariably you do.  That may come down to a handful of Jelly babies, sleep, rest , kind words from your crew (or a mouthful of abuse?) , the sun rising, the sun setting , there are an endless triggers that will help you drag yourself our of your low and head back into the high of what you are doing… being awesome.  Understanding this is paramount to success at ultra events, paramount.

• Have a why. Understand why you are doing the event. This why is so important because you will need to call on it when you are close to pulling out. Every runner has their why and it can make the difference between a DNF and a glorious finish, against all the odds. It’s a simple but so powerful thing. Write it down and hand it to your crew to be used sparingly and only in the case of an emergency. Ask them to hand it to you when you are contemplating the unthinkable. It will get you out of the chair and back into the event, I promise. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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?

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.

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.

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.

https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/07/18/choo-choo-2022-runner-versus-train-sometimes-the-train-wins/

https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/07/11/its-time-for-runner-versus-train-2022-all-aboard-the-choo-choo-run/

All aboard.. Choo Choo 2022

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.

The website for the train tickets is https://www.transwa.wa.gov.au/

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.

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…

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.

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 !

 

 

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.

 

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 .

 

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 ?

 

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.)

 

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 !!

 

 

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.

 

 

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?

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…..

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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With Herdy’s backyard ultra 2025 kicking off in a few days I thought it would be a good time to post on how mental is ultra running compared to shorter distance running.  Of course I understand all running is a mix of mental toughness and physical conditioning. No one has ever said ‘I ran a marathon with no training and it was easy’ unfortunately.  You need the right mix of cardio fitness , through training, and mental toughness to put yourself in the ‘pain box’ and push your limits.

A fit runner with a weak mental approach will probably perform worse than someone with less cardio fitness but mentally stronger.  I recall a conversation with Steve Moneghetti  who maintained the difference between a professional runner and a ‘normal‘ runner was the ability of the professional to put themselves in the pain box deeper, i.e. they could take more pain than the average runner.  Of course natural ability and training play a part but to take it to the next level you need to be mentally stronger and be able to take more suffering, simple really.  This then explains why drugs can play a part in running with masking drugs dulling the pain, giving the runner a big advantage, they can basically stay in the red zone longer.

So to the point of the post. How much more important is mental toughness in ultra running. ? I would say ultra running is far more mental than physical albeit you need to have a bare minimum of cardio fitness, I’m not saying mental toughness is all you need of course but it is more important the longer the event.  I always equate ultra running to driving a car in second or third gear , where as a marathon or shorter would have you in the top gear and heading towards the red zone, i.e. high revs. The fitter you are the longer you can maintain this high gear,   whereas for an ultra you can maintain the lower gears longer with less fitness.

As the great David Goggin’s teaches when you are totally spend , or think you are, you are only at 40%, there is 60% left in the tank which the mind does not allow the body to use, it is protecting you.  If you can tap into that 60% imagine the outcome.   ( https://davidgoggins.com/ ) I would highly recommend spending time on his website, getting hard.  In every ultra I have ran I have had good times , highs , mixed with bad times, lows, throughout the event. With experience I recognise when this happens and just keep on keeping on,  knowing there is a good chance the low will eventually move to a high, it’s just a matter of time.  You are also affected by nutrition, hydration and if either are not on point you will start to suffer, I always go back to the saying that ‘a Porsche with no fuel does not move forward’, fuel is so important and becomes more and more important as the ultra event moves on.  The time of day will also play with you mind. I call the time between midnight and 4am the witching hours, this is when you are at your weakest and I see so many DNF’s around this time.  If you can get to sunrise the whole world changes, you are no longer cocooned in your small circle of light Infront of you, very few people DNF at sunrise.  Again this is purely mental , your mind convincing you to stop, turning up fatigue to 11 and giving you so many reasons to finish.

I have attached my Strava output from the True Blue Ultra 2025 , a 100km ultra that starts at midnight. As you can see from the image below I started well enough and then gradually started a death slide though the early hours , the witching hours, and then when the sun rose I was reinvigorated.  (Read the post here https://www.runbkrun.com/2025/01/20/true-blue-ultra-2025/ )  I remember at one point just thinking to myself “get to sunrise and then see how you feel, do not pull the pin in the witching hours, this is a low and it will pass, just keep moving forward. ”  The sun came up and I was a new runner,  running a good negative split and finishing strong.

Experience gives you the knowledge to see and understand the highs and lows of ultra running but it doesn’t make it any easier.  In fact I would say the difference between a high and low increases as you age, unfortunately.  Each time it takes a little bit more to pull yourself out of a low and over time eventually the amount of effort (pain cave time) will just become too much and you will stop. I have found this to be true in the last few years, albeit I’m still finishing but it does get harder and mentally I’m digging deeper and deeper but that’s the point I suppose. Eventually I will get to a point where maybe I do decide to give in but I’m hoping I’ve got a few years left in me. On the bright side I’m always way ahead of the sweeper and currently do not chase cut offs, still chasing the leaders at the moment.

Funnily enough Shaun Kaesler, he off Ultra Series fame, ( https://www.ultraseries.com.au/ ) posted this week that there was less than a dozen entries for the Feral Pig 100 miler in November this year , ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) of course I had to enter even after swearing blind I wouldn’t.. ( see this post on the subject https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/11/06/feral-pig-100-miler-surely-my-last-time-surely/  )  I have ran this event four times, finishing three times but only really running well on one occasion.  The Feral Pig tests you like no other event and mentally I have come so close to pulling the pin,  in the last three years, on so many occasions.  I remember last year starting the ‘death loop‘ ( a thirty eight kilometre loop at the end of the event, and the hardest part of the course) totally goosed with nothing left in the tank knowing this loop would take probably six to seven hours, of which I’d enjoy very little.  It would have been easy to just stop as the loop is after the start finish village, you can stop at 130km into the event, or run past the start finish, and your car that could take you home,  into the death loop. It really plays with your mind, trust me.  The last three years I have mentally been strong enough to power through the test but it is harder year on year. Luckily I always have good mates to share the pain with and suffering together is actually easier than alone, a big difference actually. Company really can make the unbearable bearable. especially with the usual suspects pictured below.

This article from from Uphill Athlete Alexa Hasman is brilliant.. ( https://uphillathlete.com/trail-running/ultra-mindset-lessons-ultrarunners/ ) Enjoy. 

The sun barely starts to set as I climb up a muddy and well-worn trail in the coastal mountains of Oregon. I am 40 miles into my 100-mile race and have a long night ahead of me. I check in on myself: “Feeling good, Alexa. Keep grinding. You know these trails better than anyone.”

The moment I finish this thought, I feel a sudden, sharp pain in my right knee. I stumble to the ground in pain. Trying to stand, I realize in horror that I can barely weight that leg. I was 5 miles out from the next aid station, where my crew is waiting to assist me. I sit on the wet branches and bushes lining the trail and take a deep breath. Breath. Plan. Act. This is where I am, and nothing can change the circumstances. Instead, I have to figure out how to deal with the situation. Remaining calm, I try to stand up but immediately fall. I realize in frustration that I have no choice but to complete the next five miles on a leg that can’t function properly and that my race is over. Tears stream down my face with the knowledge of all the hours of training I put into this, and all my goals are being crushed by small ligaments in my knee.

I defeat this thought by reminding myself of my strength and perseverance. Heck, I trained for 100s of hours on these trails through snow, sleet, and rushing rivers. I can absolutely make it the next 5 miles. It may be slow and painful, but I must do it. Taking a deep breath, I pull myself up and start to limp my way down the trail slowly. I take deep breaths along the way and remember that today was another beautiful day in the woods. This wasn’t going to be my last race.

Ultrarunners receive odd looks when they discuss the 50, 100, or even more miles they run – on purpose. Typical responses include “Like….all at once?” or “Why would you do that? That sounds awful,” or the all-time favorite, “I don’t even like driving that far!”. It begs a good question, why would someone desire to run such painfully long distances? Fortunately, scientists are also curious about it, and studies show that ultrarunners are a little psychologically different from other types of athletes. We can take plenty of lessons from ultrarunners and apply their ultrarunning mindset to our daily life. So, let’s journey through an ultrarunner’s way of dealing with demanding situations through Alexa’s anecdotes and range of experiences as an elite ultrarunning athlete.

Ultrarunners endure extreme athletic fatigue, boredom, gastrointestinal distress, pain, and injury. They run through the day, through the night, through snow, wind, rain, fog, and extreme temperatures and altitudes. What type of brain chemistry allows them to reach these athletic extremes and enjoy it enough to keep doing it?

“Tears stream down my face with the knowledge of all the hours of training I put into this, and all my goals are being crushed by small ligaments in my knee.”

Alexa Hasman

KEY PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAITS OF ULTRARUNNERS

“Every time I sign up for an ultra, I look forward to the struggle. I love the intense feeling of working through tough physical moments. I love being in the woods, alone, and figuring out how to continue when I don’t want to. When I speak to my ultrarunning friends, they often describe that same desire. That need for the struggle and challenge. That is what drives us.”

Alexa Hasman

Scientific studies comparing non-athletes to ultrarunners show some interesting findings. Ultrarunners are more resilient and adaptive and have a lower response rate to negative stimuli (1). They are also lower in affiliative extroversion (not as socially warm and friendly). This may be an essential factor in the long, lonely miles running through the forest alone, but it seems at odds with the close-knit ultrarunning community.

What we can take away from this is that ultrarunning is like a social club for people who don’t enjoy being all that social. A community where people can talk and connect about the lonely sport they love while eating soggy potato chips out of a bowl in the woods. This is our way of connecting when conventional forms of social interaction may be out of our comfort zone.

“Every time I sign up for an ultra, I look forward to the struggle. I love the intense feeling of working through tough physical moments. I love being in the woods, alone, and figuring out how to continue when I don’t want to. When I speak to my ultrarunning friends, they often describe that same desire. That need for the struggle and challenge. That is what drives us.”

One study finds that ultra-endurance athletes score higher than an average person on openness to risk and experience-seeking (2). One glance into the inner world of the ultrarunning athlete and these traits track pretty well. The study proves that participants in an ultra-event tend to choose activities with danger and risk.

Surprisingly, the same study also shows ultra-athletes score lower than the average person on disinhibition. They tend to avoid drugs, alcohol, and other agents they perceive may negatively impact their performance.

“I start to place the delicious-looking aid station pancake in my mouth. It’s 5 am, and the sun is starting to rise. I should be crossing the finish line in an hour or so. Instead, I am 20 miles out and about to start puking uncontrollably. This is not the day I wish for. I have to pull off the trail to rest. I am not feeling good, and I am moving slowly. As I start biting down on the pancake, I vomit all over the high desert trail of Oregon. I question myself about continuing in these circumstances. I would finish much later, if at all than I planned for. I can’t keep food in, and I saw safari animals and ghosts on every tree. But then again, I am here and 80 miles in. Why stop now? Why not see if I can finish and conquer this race despite the grueling circumstances.”

Ultrarunners score low on the boredom susceptibility scale (3). This makes sense, considering hours spent running alone in the forest takes a certain amount of ability to self-entertain. Still, another fascinating study in the Journal of Pain tests the pain tolerance of ultra-endurance athletes. It found that ultrarunners score 40% lower on the Pain Anxiety Symptom Scale than the average population. The author hypothesizes that ultrarunners using pain interventions and avoidance techniques means that they are better equipped to deal with pain due to how they handle it mentally, not that they physically have a higher pain tolerance (4).

Working with these characteristics, we can hone our skills to improve our craft. This means spending time honing our pain tolerance skills with breathing techniques and reminding ourselves that we are ok (in situations where the pain isn’t harmful or dangerous). Understanding these traits also helps us recognize why we, as ultrarunners, might be different and why our hobbies seem odd to the average person.

NON-ULTRARUNNERS’ PERSPECTIVE

It’s worth asking how ultrarunners compare to non-athletes and fellow athletes of other sports. Here, we see vital differences as well. When comparing them to short-distance runners, ultrarunners are more neurotic, the study assesses. However, they also experience more flow in their running due to the time spent running in nature (5).

“Most often, when speaking to anyone that doesn’t run ultras, they reply with, “That sounds terrible. I would never do that. Why do you want to run that far?” My thoughts are, “Why wouldn’t you?” Why wouldn’t you want to work towards a goal that seems maddeningly impossible? A goal that scares you and makes people’s jaws drop. Why wouldn’t you want to explore the depths of your abilities and see the incredible beauty of our planet in such a vulnerable and unique way.”

Many studies find that ultra-endurance athletes have more drive to explore their mental and physical limits than athletes in other sports (6). They also have more persistence, drive, and motivation (7). The most significant factor is the difference in motivation levels between endurance athletes and ultra-endurance athletes, highlighting that the latter scores higher on this trait.

This helps us understand why we look for the next hard event and how and why we can push ourselves out of our comfort zone. We can also conceptualize our ability to persist and continue when most would not. Finally, we can see that our motivation is what inevitably drives us, so it is important to examine and contemplate what our motivations are.

ULTRARUNNERS’ SOURCE OF MOTIVATION

“I always tell my athletes that many of their training runs aren’t going to be rainbows and butterflies. They are hard, relentless, and unforgiving. You will question why you are doing this and consider giving up. That’s when you remind yourself WHY you are doing what you are doing. How will it feel when you cross the finish line, get to the top of that big climb, and taste that pancake at the aid station at mile 80? How will the hugs feel at the end of the race? How will the world feel? Will you feel different? Yes, you will! And you will earn that feeling through these relentless and unglamorous training miles,” explains coach Alexa.

The science of motivation is intriguing. When it comes to ultrarunners, studies show achieving personal goals motivates them (8). Motivation for these goals is intrinsic rather than impressing other people with their athletic feats. They try to show themselves that they can do it. This significantly differs from other endurance sports participants, such as marathoners, whose motivation is driven by health and self-esteem. A study that directly compares what motivates ultrarunners versus full and half marathoners shows that health and weight are of lesser concern to ultrarunners, but life meaning and affiliation propel them (9). Shockingly, 74.1% of ultrarunners reported that they would not stop running ultras if they found out it was bad for their health (10). They rationalize this by saying that running fulfills their sense of achievement and psychological needs.

Ultrarunners often look for their next goal race or more challenging terrain. It is what keeps them going. It is not about proving to others (although it makes for a good story over a coffee). Having a clear goal and realistic expectations of yourself helps in your preparations. Ultrarunners are aware that it will be difficult, but it will also change them as a person and their outlook toward situation handling.

74.1% of ultrarunners reported that they would not stop running ultras if they found out it was bad for their health.

GRIT – A KEY INGREDIENT IN AN ULTRARUNNER’S RECIPE

The topic of mental toughness is unavoidable when discussing ultrarunning. Undoubtedly, ultrarunning demands extreme mental toughness, but what is that? And do ultrarunners have more of it?

“At 6 am on a dusty trail in Arizona, I watch the racers pull away. Slowly they disappear into the distance, and as I look around, I find myself all alone. It is my first 100-mile race, and I suddenly question everything. Why am I so far behind? Am I THAT bad? How is this possible? My mind races as I figure out what I am doing wrong. I look down at my watch and realize I am moving just fine. I discern that I need to get my mind under control. I take a deep breath and remember to run my race. I should not worry about anyone else. I have no control over any runners, so why worry about them? All I can do is remain calm, breathe, and focus on myself and how I feel. Eventually, those runners would come back to me. By mile 60, I move up to the first place female and 8th overall. By working on my race and mentality, I overcome the demons of self-doubt and fear. I would not be in the place I am, at mile 60, if I worry about other racers. It leads to me burning out and likely a DNF.”

In one study, researchers glean from ultrarunners’ interviews that “mental toughness in ultramarathon running is the ability to persist and utilize mental skills to overcome the perception of physical, psychological, emotional, and environmental obstacles in the relentless pursuit of a goal (11).” The study further determines that mental toughness helps athletes overcome physical and psychological distress, allowing them to maintain emotional control and stay positive in adverse situations.

IDEAS FOR DEVELOPING GRIT AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS

1. Work through the tough spots in training. There will always be a training day that is more difficult than others. Instead of throwing in the towel, sit with that discomfort and continue past it.
2. Assess what is hard now and take a second to breathe to ask yourself how you can overcome this situation.
3.  Consciously observe your feelings. Change negative thoughts into positive ones. Instead of saying, “I can’t do this,” take a moment and rephrase it. “This is hard, and I am struggling. I am going to walk for a bit and see if I feel better. I know that usually, I feel better doing this”. Remember not to show weakness to your mind.
4. Remind yourself of your training and when you last completed something hard or something you didn’t think you could accomplish. It’s motivating and instills confidence in you.

It also just so happens that the number one predictor of success in life is grit. Watch this incredible TED talk from Angela Duckworth – Grit: The power of passion and perseverance.

“As we taper, we start to doubt ourselves. Did I run enough? Did I climb enough? Do I even know how to use my poles? Wait, am I sure I like Tailwind? Your palms get sweaty as you look at the elevation map of your race, remembering that you have a lot of verticals across many miles. Is it even possible? Fear and self-doubt are normal and will be beneficial as you line up on race day. Without that emotional response, we wouldn’t have the drive and purpose behind our actions.”

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM ULTRARUNNERS

“Ultrarunning teaches us a lot. It teaches us patience, grit, determination, and how to handle situations when they don’t go as planned. We can apply these lessons to life. Everyday life doesn’t go as per plan; how we choose to handle it matters. What we do on the trail influences how we deal with stuff in the real world, with patience, grit, determination, and adaptability.”

Ultrarunners are persistent, committed, and motivated, which helps them keep running even after the point of zombie hallucinations and conversations with trees. The sense of achievement of something rare and incredible pushes them, and running a distance, most people don’t even like to drive. All these characteristics make incredible, determined, and massively impressive athletes that are psychologically just a little different than the average person, but in all the best ways.

SUMMARY

One can take many of the lessons of ultrarunning and apply them to pressing situations in their life. Every problem can be dealt with when broken into smaller pieces, and emotional stability provides a clear vision, etc. It teaches us patience, grit, determination, and how to handle situations when they don’t go as planned. Breath-Plan-Act is always a good plan. We can apply these and many other lessons to life. Everyday life doesn’t go as planned; how we choose to handle it matters, and what we do on the trail influences how we deal with stuff in the real world – with patience, grit, determination, and adaptability.

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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For all runners new to a BYU the concept is simple. It’s a 6.7km loop (which means at 24 hours you get 100 miles, 48 hours 200 miles etc.) which you have to complete on the hour every hour, until there is only one runner left. He , or she, then does one more lap to take out the event. I’ve been assist to Phil Gore twice (the assist is the second to last finisher) and even won the Adelaide No time to die BYU in 2022, as well as numerous top 10 finishes but no lap 48.

The concept suits me as it’s not about outright speed , it’s more endurance turned up to 11 ( you watch Spinal Tap right?)  . Mental strength is more important in a BYU compared to running cardio fitness , the normal limiting factor when racing.  To complete a lap you could run/walk at an average of just over 8min/k , which equates to a lot of   walking.  Thus lap pacing strategies can make a massive difference, get it right,  with the right amount of nutrition and hydration, add in a ‘can of hard’ and ‘some suck it up pills’ (Thanks David Goggin’s) and you can go on forever… maybe.

My post on 2021 is attached here, worth a read, you get the picture..  https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/04/04/herdys-backyard-ultra-probably-the-run-of-my-life-so-far/

2022, COVID hit me hard during the event, not pretty https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/03/27/herdys-frontyard-ultra-2022/ albeit still managed to sneak into the thirties before timing out, exhausted.  Tested positive the next day funnily enough.

2023, 28 laps. https://www.runbkrun.com/2023/03/23/herdys-frontyard-ultra-2023/ and finally last year , 24 laps and out. https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/03/31/herdys-frontyard-ultra-2024/

So how do I reverse this downward spiral ? I feel I need to adjust my mental preparation and lap pacing . I know I can run 48 laps but how bad do I want to run 48 laps , that is the question ? The last few years I’ve convinced myself that I don’t really need to run 48 laps and have given myself various ‘out’s’ which I have grabbed with both hands. This year will be different. Also I have learnt during the last few BYU events that slow and steady can take you a lot further in a backyard ultra. Finishing in over fifty minutes can get you many more laps , compared to finishing in the forty minute’s and eventually breaking down physically. A BYU is the one event when finishing last,  but making the start line continually , can keep you in the event for many hours.   I know Harvey Lewis has used this tactic to run over 100 laps, just coming in with a few minutes to spare, sitting down in the corral and grabbing his nutrition and hydration to take out onto the lap.  I tried this in my last backyard ultra and managed another eight hours where as previously I would have timed out by trying to maintain forty minutes laps.

To aid in my quest I’ve enlisted my good mate Simon Bennet who I’ve persuaded to join me. We then race Delirious West 200 miler together a few weeks post Herdy’s. We are two peas in a pod and both are very excited about Herdy’s and Delirious, we both just ‘get it’.  The image below is from the True Blue 100k Ultra in January where we both managed top five finishes. Si went deep last year and finished one lap after me on 25 laps for a top ten finish. He is confident he can go deeper, a lot deeper, we are both ready.

With a starting field of over 500 runners, which I’m sure is another World Record,  I’m sure we’ll have company which is important late in the event as this race is all about helping your fellow competitor go further to keep the event alive. It’s a whole different approach to racing , a ‘more the merrier ‘ approach to ultra running, and remember the runner who finished last wins, simple.

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Unfortunately my new found obsession, reformer Pilates,  has consequences in the form of weight gain as I have also started to enjoy throwing weights around. ( I think that’s a weight lifters term?) Since I joined the gym a few months ago I’ve put on three kilos of muscle , which Mr’s Matthews is very happy about  but I’m beginning to feel the extra mass may be affecting my training. The last few Sunday long runs I’ve noticed my average pace has slowed and my effort seems to have increased.  I’ve justified this by concentrating on my next two events, Herdy’s Backyard ultra in two weeks and Delirious West 200 miler three weeks after that. For both of these events the extra ‘ padding’ won’t be an issue as both events are more mentally challenging , compared to a physical challenge of say a half marathon or marathon.  The only issue is I’m enjoying having a few more kilos of muscle, a look I haven’t seen for many decades  but can I do both and still run a sub three hour marathon later in the year. ?

As well as my Thursday Yelo run where I tend to move through the gears and my Sunday long run with the BTRC crew I have lately been trying to add a Saturday tempo or threshold run, with that elusive sub 3 number 33 in mind later in the year (?)   This Saturday it was meant to be a 10k in less than forty minutes but I was feeling flat from the start so moved the goal posts to five times two kilometres at quicker than four minutes a kilometre, with a minutes standing recovery between each set.  Even this proved too much and I eventually gave up on the third set after stopping a couple of times in the last kilometre.  As you can see from the Strava output below I ended up with a 3:54min/k average for the session.

The reason this resonated with me was because a few days ago I managed an achievement in Strava which pointed me back to a run I did in September, 2013 with my good friend Steve ‘twinkle toes’ McKean.   Steve and I battled it out at the Bunbury marathon that year , my only marathon win, I came in a few minutes ahead of Steve.  It was another Sunday long run but in 2013 I was in the form of my life . I ran my marathon PB that year, a 2:41:14 at the Perth City to Surf marathon, a hilly course.  I remember this particular Sunday morning, it was just me and Steve and we both just went for it over the course of the run, we were both in the form of our lives . Jon commented that is we had ran another 10k at four minutes average pace we would have ran a sub 2hour 45 minute marathon, and at the time we could have easily done that.  So how did my long run average pace  in 2013 become a tempo pace in 2025?

So what happened in the twelve years between these runs ? A few bad injuries including a 5cm calf tear in 2017 and a bad case of plantar fasciitis  in 2018 robbed me of my PB pace. In 2019 I came down with a couple of bad doses of man-flu (life threatening !) and then COVID hit.  I kept my top end speed through all of this (albeit no more PB’s of course)  and managed a 1:20:14 half in 2020 but that was it for the shorter distances and from 2021 onwards I concentrated on ultra trail marathons and gave away road racing completely.  Did I move to the dark side (ultra running) too early ? I don’t think so , I had accomplished most of my road running goals and could see I was slowing down. I maybe could have held on for a few more years but post COVID I was after new challenges and trails and ultra marathons gave me that fire in my belly that I was missing running road races. I also loved the Ultra Series WA community set up by Shaun Kaesler and his band of reprobates ( https://www.ultraseries.com.au/ ) but the most important event was the Delirious West 200 miler.  ( https://www.deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ). This was the main reason for the move to trails and the world of ultra marathons, 200 miles of running heaven with like minded people, running for days not hours and minutes.

So back to the title of this post, ‘Running with faster runners makes you run faster’, running with the Sunday BTRC has reignited my love for running on the road and running fast on the road. Most of the runners on Sunday are chasing far quicker times than I can run these days buts that’s the point , I’m the slower runner of the group,  trying to keep them in my sights. This has made me a faster runner and also made me think about chasing times I thought beyond me.  Hell, I haven’t been on the trials in the Perth hills since I finished the Feral Pig 100 miler in November last year, distracted by my Sunday long runs on the coast. I’ve justified this with Herdy’s backyard ultra,  my next event, being a more mental challenge than physical, so no need for long runs in the hills.  By adding strength training to my running arsenal can I go further in an ultra?

Either way the most important thing is I’m really enjoying my running and I hope I can keep my road running and trail running in parallel, taking on events in both camps and chasing down goals,  be that a sub three marathon or a sub sixty eight hour Delirious West finish. I look forward to running sub four minute kilometres with the BTRC crew as much as running ten to twelve minute kilometres up rock faces in the Perth hills with the Ultra Series runners.   I am a runner for all seasons it seems.

With Delirious West 200 miler coming up in April I will need to hot foot it to the hills sooner rather than later. Time in the hills is normally spent alone, I find its better to run with your thoughts (and Shokz headphones) and at your own pace. I love company but sometimes, especially in the hills,  you don’t really need anything else but your surroundings, there is enough going on around you to make up for the lack of company.  That’s one of my main reasons for running ultras on the trails, you will get some ‘you time’, in the world we live in with social media and a mini-computer in your hand at most times (your iphone) its nice to be totally disconnected, it is cleansing.  (I say totally disconnected albeit I’ll have my trusty iphone in my back pocket with Gaia GPS application  loaded so I can’t get lost.  ( https://www.gaiagps.com/ )  For the next few weeks though it’s all aboard the BTRC Sunday long run train , coastal views and great company with good coffee and banter post run, life really is that simple sometimes.

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

In the photo above you have Scotty, the cool car salesman, ( he sells McLaren’s !) who is often the voice of reason. When he talks we listen. Next to Scotty is Rob ‘make mine a half’ Collins, famous for choosing the shortest option when racing and not racing often , also picking up injuries while racing and then running through them days later.

Adam is behind me and he is an all-round nice guy and a Qantas Pilot . Normally he would be the main man giving his profession but we have a younger, faster and prettier one in the group so he is always a poor second, bless. Desperate to run sub 3 he’ll go close at Gold Coast in July, but how close ?  Behind Rob is Super Nance our very own version of Wonder Woman, Nance is just an incredible athlete and one of the nicest women you will ever meet , also she’s Welsh. Attacks every race and training block with gusto and loves running in the middle of the night , alone on trails , swatting spiders. Swims a bit too apparently.

Behind Nance is another super calm and chilled guy Andy, who ran his first sub 3 at Bibra Lake with no aplomb just went about his business and got the job done. He’s like a diesel van with pace and consistency. Jules is next and she is one of the hardest trainers I know, week in , week out getting the job done while balancing two kids and all that entails. Incredibly focused juggling so many balls in the air and dropping none. Unlucky with injuries lately but big things on the horizon. Davin is next, the cool pilot in the group. Another runner who is just starting their journey towards faster times and new PB’s. He went sub-Bartsy last year (sub 2:52?) and will go quicker this year. Incredibly talented, pretty (apparently) nice guy and a pilot.

Jon is next and he is the conspiracy theorist of the group, every group needs one. He is anti-vax and anti-believing in anything, always good for a wind up but his heart is in the right place. He’d do anything for you and has ran over 100 marathons including over sixty sub 3 marathons. He has run more than any of us and continues to run 100 mile weeks,  week in and week out, albeit he was a lot taller when I first met him in 2008 at the Bunbury marathon (which Jon and I have both won by the way)  Behind Jon is Sarah, another consistent and big mileage runner. She has a few injury worries but will overcome these and become a very accomplished trail runner or marathon runner, she is motivated and will achieve what she sets out to achieve, just at the moment not sure what that is.  Sarah paced me at the Delirious West in 2023 and we had a ball.  Sarah is also currently the only female to finish the 24 park runs in 24 hours from WA.  Now that was a fun 24 hours, charging around in 40 degree plus heat. The post is worth a read .  ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/01/15/running-in-a-furnace-for-a-great-cause-24-park-runs-in-24-hours/ ) Another new comer to the group next , Vici, who has fitted right in. Another voice of reason in the group , similar to Scotty, very sensible but as motivated as the rest of us to improve. Actually I think Jeffrey is just motivated to wake up each morning ?

Bartsy is next and he is one of the founding members and most stories usually involve him together with his partner in crime , Jeffrey, (the Batman and Robin of the group?) there is much laughter listening to their adventures and there are many, many adventures.  He is the school teacher of the group and attempts to keep us inline but fails abysmally most  of the time, a real Aussi icon.  Between Bartsy and Jeffrey in the picture  is another founding father of the group , Mark Lommers.  Mark has crewed for me three times for the  Delirious West , a voice of calm in the chaos of a 200 miler.  Similar to Scotty, if we need advice we turn to Mark and avoid Bartsy and Jeffrey at all costs.  Jeffrey is the older statesman of the group , we’re not sure how old he is but I’m pretty sure it’s triple figures?

Finally Aaron has recently joined the group as we needed some young, cool blood and he fits the bill perfectly. Another motivated runner with a big future and a heap of cool tattoos, street kudos by the bucket load and another genuine guy. As you can probably gather from my comments I love sending time with these guys and my Thursday morning Yelo run is the highlight of my week.

Lately I have been supplementing my Yelo run with a BTRC  (Ben Tay Running Club) Sunday morning long run.  These guys are mostly young than the Yelo crew and aiming for fast marathon times with their best days ahead of them. The pace is quicker and distance longer so it is a challenge hanging on for the most part, albeit I always try and find a fast finish to remind them I use to be a reasonable runner , once?  What the Yelo crew lose in pace they make up for banter post run so it’s a swings and roundabouts situation.  What I like about the BTRC crew is they are motivated towards the same marathon goals I was  ten years ago. Listening to their conversations I am taken back ten years and this is infectious and probably one of the reasons I’m chasing one more sub three marathon finish, the two hours forty finish I missed in my prime is now a three hour finish at 58 years old.

Back in the day it was a 14k progressive , on for young and old.  The start started quickly and progressively ramped up to suicide pace at the end.  There were epic tussles over the years involving Myself, Mark Lee, Ross Langford and Phil Mosley with guest appearances from Zac  to stir the pot. The times we use to post back then are now way outside my capabilities, not even in the same ballpark or even car park ! In December 2016 I was coming to the end of a stella year which included a 2:41 marathon and a 1:14;59 half, my PB. Throw in three WAMC victories and many PB’s , it was a great year. Unfortunately I wouldn’t repeat those times and I started the slow decline to where I am now.  The point is the coffee still tastes as good and the conversation and banter has improved with age and more historical events to call upon, and there are many.

Ok so the average pace may have slowed but the post run banter is as quick as it was in 2016 and the coffee is always good albeit the muffins may have taken a nosedive lately. Trust me the Yelo muffin was so good that it made any other muffins look so inferior I gave up on them for a while. (other muffins. , not the Yelo version!) These days it seems to have turned into a ‘cake‘ rather than a muffin which is a pity because the Yelo muffin was special, really special.

Over the years the Yelo crew has grown and we even have a smattering of ladies who help keep us in tow, most of the time. You’d need to be pretty open minded to spend time in our company.  The point is I suppose there is a lot of laughter , post run anyway , and sometimes during the run. We all know each other so well after many years together that the banter just flows and it just works.

Recently we even has some cool Yelo tops made up so if you’re in the North Beach, Perth area around 5:30am on Thursday you’ll recognise us.  So consistency and coffee are good bed fellas, just keep showing up, keep drinking coffee with good mates and you’ll enjoy the process. Will you keep improving, not guaranteed, will you have fun trying, definitely.  Growing older with good friends over good coffee and conversation, sometimes this is enough.

Next to Jon in the photo above is the blond bullet Charles. A very religious runner but we don’t hold that against him, like all of the Yelo crew he will do anything for you and another  nice guy.  This does seem to be the theme for the Yelo runners ? Charles and his brother Trevor  are very competitive and the three of us will be going hard at Delirious West 200 miler  this April putting our friendships to the test as we become competitor’s. I’m not sure Trev’s forgiven me for pipping him at the post a few years ago so this year could be a quick time by all of us, but who will run the quickest ?

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

Have a look at one of my previous posts , https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/01/08/distance-is-the-key-to-running-success-simples/  or one of my favourites posts from Raf Baugh, owner of the Running Centre   ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ )

https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/04/23/the-secret-to-sub-3-marathon-success-its-all-about-the-numbers/

but a YouTuber in Japan is proving beyond any doubt that distance is the key to unlocking your running dreams (assuming you locked them up n the first place of course ? )

Jake Barraclough decided to give up his job in the UK and travel to Japan to ‘train harder, not smarter’  after reading ‘The way of the runner ‘ by Adharanand Finn, among other things. Watch this video it is EPIC !!

Jake was a talented runner, sub 2:30 for the marathon , but was continually injured. On one of his many injury layoffs he was on the stationary bike for three hours a day working his way through Netflix and then podcasts where he came across the Japanese Ediken races.

Ekiden (駅伝) is a long-distance running multi-stage relay race, mostly held on roads.^{[1]: 812 [2]}

The original Japanese term had nothing to do with a sport or a competition, but it simply referred to the age old post-horse or stagecoach courier system which transmitted communication by stages, instead of one horse or a man covering the entire long distance. Eki means “station” and den translates as “to communicate, to convey”, therefore Ekiden could be roughly translated as ”Station to station”. The original meaning of the word is reflected in its rule where each runner at the end of his or her run has to pass down his sash to the next runner.

The first ever ekiden as a sport was held in Japan in 1917 as a 3-day, 23-stage run from Kyoto to Tokyo over 507 kilometres (315 mi), to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tokyo’s establishment as the nation’s capital (previously Kyoto was the imperial seat).

Today ekiden is a national sport in Japan, especially popular as inter-varsity competitions between schools or universities, and its popularity has since become widespread and worldwide.

The IAAF staged four editions of a World Road Relay Championship from 1992 (at Hiroshima, Japan) to 1998 as a stage race over the marathon distance with alternate stages of 5 km (3.1 mi) and 10 km (6.2 mi) before a final leg of 7.195 km (4.471 mi). The IAAF now recognizes world records for men for five stages (with a final leg of 12.195 km (7.578 mi)) and for women for six stages over the marathon distance.^[3]

So on a whim he applied for  a Japanese scholarship and got it, quit his job and off he went. He then decided to run 30k a day , massive mileage, race often and chase a quicker marathon time.

If you follow him on Strava (You do use Strava right ? http://www.strava.com ) you can see he is averaging around 230km a week and then running a PB in training , with no taper ! Incredible stuff. Jake is seeing massive improvements and although he is on the verge of being an elite professional runner he started like us , albeit a tad quicker. I really believe is you listen to his YouTube channel you will learn things that will improve your running , without having to learn Japanese and move to Japan.

I had a similar experience to Jake when I was at my peak in 2013. I had increased my training from the previous year and also raced often, as you can see in the Excel extract below I would PB in just about every race (a PB is highlighted in red and a win in yellow)

In 2016 I went one better and really added distance as you can see below. This culminated in a 10k PB and a massive half PB. This was three years past my ‘golden year’ of 2013. Also remember I was fifty at this point.  2016 showed me that distance and racing often were the key to improving your running, the evidence is in the numbers.

So there you go, as I have always maintained running is a simple process, run more, race often and don’t get injured and you will improve until father time comes calling , unfortunately no one outruns father time.

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

Running 24 park runs in 24 hours was a concept thought up by the infamous Shaun Kaesler, him of the Ultra Series event juggernaut.  ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) He ran it in 2018 with the great Phil Gore and also attempted to run each park run sub-24 minutes and drink a beer after each one. He got to 17 I think before the wheels started to fall off and the beer was sacrificed for sanity.  ( https://www.ultraseries.com.au/24-parkruns-in-24-hours )

The onmyfeet charity joined soon after and became the benefactor of this event with participants encouraged to donate. ( https://www.onmyfeet.org.au/ ) I ran this event last year with good friends on the Team Gore fun bus and it was such a laugh I had to sign up again in 2025. Helping a great cause and also having so much fun while doing it , how can you not sign up ?

The concept is simple , run a park run , get in the van and then drive to the next one and repeat 24 times in 24 hours. There’s a few hours for eating, driving (over 240km total) and even a buffer ; planned to the minute as the spreadsheet shows below.  Last year it was over 40 degrees most of the day so traffic wasn’t a problem, most sane people were either at the beach or cocooned at home under their air conditioning units. You can read how that went in this post :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/01/15/running-in-a-furnace-for-a-great-cause-24-park-runs-in-24-hours/

I do remember retiring after the brutal conditions nearly got the better off me at around three in the morning last year but all that has been forgotten over time, which is a great healer apparently.  It certainly works for ultra runners who finish the race swearing never to rock up at the start line ever again and then 24 hours later,  when entries open,  they’re first in the queue to sign up again. Ultra runners, stubborn , mental tough , resilient but not the brightest people in the world , luckily for event organisers I suppose.

One of the major differences in this event compared to most , actually all other ultra’s, is the amount of driving involved. As you can see in the agenda there is nearly six hours set aside for driving and this year it seemed we needed every minute. As I said earlier last year was a lot hotter resulting in less traffic on the roads but for some reason this year we always seem to leave on time but arrive with literally a few minutes to spare. I’m not blaming Gemma’s driving either because bar one small hiccup , where we arrived at Mundy park run nowhere near Mundy park run, her driving was exemplary ? Can only put this down to a new route with new park runs maybe further apart than the previous year.  I know of a couple of runners who missed out because of tension between the runner and the driver, forcing the runner to put their marriage before the event,  and also a forced called of nature meaning the runner reappeared and everybody had left and he missed the next start.  I was very happy with Gemma who maintained an air of calmness in the chaos that is a 24 in 24 event, and also had to listen to a lot of trash talk about all things non-running related, which will stay within the ‘Gore Fun Van‘ members. This is another reason this event is so special, the travel time and all that entails.

If you are contemplating this event make sure you have a competent driver  whose good under pressure , a calming influence and with a bad sense of smell.

So 2025 off we go. As is tradition (and as you know runners love tradition) we start at Garvey Park run.  This is at Shaun’s insistence and he was the creator of this beast so it’s cool to start here. This year we had two hundred recorded finishers at the only official park run of the whole event, and many more, myself included , who ran through.  This was a new record for Garvey so a great way to star the event off in 2025.  We even had Channel 9 come along and do s small segment for the evening news albeit they must have missed me as I wasn’t asked for an interview ? Once Mel, the RD,  did her bit we were let loose and the event officially started, 8am Saturday morning. We had until 8am Sunday morning to finish all 24 park runs.

One of the major changes this year was adding Mundy Park Run , at one time the hardest park run , using elevation as a guide, in Australia. I think now it’s still top three. This is a beast of a park run tucked away in the hills. There’s two monster climbs that are just about walkable and with road shoes I felt like Bambi on ice.  (The weather variety not the hard drug!) Luckily we got this event thrown at us as the third one and were given a generous forty minutes to finish. It was actually cool to run a trail five kilometres as the other twenty three were mainly road or part trail at best.  I got some video if you want to have a look on my Strava profile.  (link at the bottom of this post)

I was maintaining close to 5 min/k average for the first few park runs , bar Mundy of course where I was happy with a 6:21 min/k average, when you know, you know ! Andrew Yeatman got some great photos at park run four, Kadina Trail before Woodbridge which is totally exposed to the sun and things were starting to heat up quickly. Averly was next and it was into the singlet after a thirty minute break for a donut and some down time.  Wanneroo and Joondalup were next and at this point I thought I was two or three runs ahead of where we were, must to the delight of my fellow runners in the van.

At Carine park run, number ten, I was joined by a few running friends who skipped along at what they would consider a jog  but after over nine hours it was threshold pace for me. I did appreciate the company but I kept the conversation to a minimum, and if you know me you know that’s rare. Yokine was next before an hour break for dinner. A decent chicken burger and salty chips hit the nail on the head and we were off to Lake Monger for the first run with a head torch.

I was joined by running friends for Monger,  Perry Lakes, Applecross, Lake Claremont and Bibra Lake and this got me well into the night and early morning, where it was back to the core group of runners attempting the full 24 park runs. Running with these guys certainly helped as it’s incredible how far a five kilometre run can start to feel like when you run a few, as your pace slows the total time running increases of course. Each one starts to feel like a mini-marathon, I could start to understand how the uninformed would talk about running a 5k marathon. 

We had another break after Champion Lakes at 2am and it was into a Macdonald’s restaurant. It was open and I was very nervous about ordering food as last year a dodgy Macca’s nearly derailed me. I don’t eat junk food normally so my stomach had no idea what to do and ejected it very quickly ! This year I opted for a hash brown, small portion of chips and apple pie. So normal food with extra salt and an apple pie for the sweet sugar hit. It turned out great and I ran Homestead park run with no toilet stories or upset stomach, winning.

After Homestead, number 19, I knew it was only two more hours until sunrise. Once you see sunrise you will complete this event unless something breaks. I got my head down and just did enough to get through Canning River and Shelley and then it was park run twenty two, tu-tu run, at Edinburgh Oval and the job was almost done.

Seeing the sunrise in ultra marathons is just a surreal moment and your whole demeanor changes , you suddenly find all that extra energy you never knew was these, the struggle seems easier , life is good and suddenly all those negative thoughts disappear with the night.  To add to the good vibes we get to put on a tu-tu for park run twenty two, even if I put mine on inside out apparently ?

Post Edinburgh it was Burswood park run which is one of my least favourite and I struggled big time but knew the end was near so did enough to get through it before the last trip in the Gore fun van to the final destination, Clairesbrook Oval. After a great speech by the organisers we were off and , as with last year, I was reinvigorated for the final five kilometres, coming home with the wind in my sails.

So that was 2025, in the end seven of us finished , just shy of the nine the previous year in more testing conditions. The Gore fun bus got another two of us over the line and is still 100% when it comes to participants in this event, you get on the fun bus you finish, simple. Of course I retired from this event in similar style to last year but typing this post I can’t wait to go again, remember what I said about ultra runners earlier, not the most intelligent breed.

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on

or follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/runbkrun/