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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mount Dale to Beraking ( 83k to 93k) 

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

Beraking to Allen Road ( 83k to 110k)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Camel Farm to Jorgenson ( 137k to 145k) 

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

Jorgenson to Camel Farm (145k to 153k) 

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

Camel Farm to PDC ( 153K TO 162K)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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The Feal Pig 100 miler is one of the hardest over the distance in Australia, in my humble opinion. It’s a combination of the midnight start, which translates to two nights without sleep as you near the finish, the terrain and the heat ; a trifecta of pain. I have DNF’d this bad boy of a race once and finished it three times albeit the last two times I stumbled to the finish rather than running.  I have attached the four races reports for your pleasure to set the scene on why I’m back for another go in 2025 . (Please note in 2023 it was cancelled due to extreme heat , although luckily I was injured so had volunteered.)

https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/11/06/feral-pig-100-miler-surely-my-last-time-surely/

https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/11/17/beating-a-pig-feral-2022/

https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/12/13/feral-pig-100-miler-in-case-you-missed-it/

https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/11/13/another-lesson-learned-ultras-teach-you-stuff/

Strava reminded me of my Feral Pig adventure in 2022 when I finished it for the second time.  (see below) I think I summed up me feelings pretty well and yes I did enter the following year , although I was saved by the cancellation due to extreme heat. I went again in 2024 and pretty much had the same result but still I entered again this year. Always reminds me of the definition of insanity by Einstein

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”

As you can read from the posts I’ve never really beaten the pig although in 2021 I’d call it a draw. The last two years I’ve really suffered on the final ‘death loop’  and ended up walking more of it than running.  (The death loop is a 30+km loop you need to finish after first passing through the start/finish line at around 128km into the event. It is very tempting to pull the pin , get in your nice warm car and drive home! To add to the fun factor I consider the death loop the hardest terrain of the event, a double whammy. )

As I type this post it is with mixed emotions about the event this Friday, three days away, part of me is excited about spending quality times on the trails with good mates while another part of me is dreading taking on the death loop again.  I suppose I know what’s coming and just need to buckle down and accept my fate. I haven’t don’t half as much training as I should have this year and I really shouldn’t be entering a tough 100 miler but it’s the Feral Pig and it’s just special.  Although I have been missing my running I have been regularly hitting the gym and the Pilates reformer machines at Revo, Innaloo.  Is this enough to get me though Feral ? We’ll find out this weekend. Probably not for a good time but I’m running for a ‘good time’, not a good time; see what I did there ?  I just want another finish and am not bothered about finishing time, Feral is never an A race , more of a mental challenge to see if I can still dig myself out of some dark places. (Which is where I will find myself on the death loop.)

Most people who have read the posts on my previous attempts and now read this will think I’m crazy for continually putting myself in these situations but that’s the whole point. If it was easy,  and a finish was guaranteed,  what’s the point ? Finding your limits and then moving forward from that point is an opportunity you don’t get in normal day to day living, the Feral Pig gives you that opportunity. 

I think back to my three finishes where I swore, on the finish line,  that I would never enter again but each time I find myself in the position I am now, questioning my decisions but at the same time excited about what lays ahead, that’s the Feral Pig and that’s ultra running.

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/

Week three was always going to be high mileage and less runs as I had the inaugural Cape to Cape 100 miler on Saturday .  ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) With this in mind I only ran two ‘time on feet’ ten kilometre runs on Monday and Thursday before the race itself Saturday , finishing Sunday morning.  The purist would shake their heads at the thought of running a 100 miler in a marathon block but my logic was it is early in the block and I have time to recover,  albeit as I type this post I think my logic my be flawed.

This gave me over 175 kilometres for the week which is more than I will run moving forward of course and I will be forced to take a down week as I haven’t run yet and it’s already Wednesday.  The legs are recovering well and I would hope to run ten kilometres tomorrow morning at Yelo and maybe try and find fifty to seventy  or so kilometres for the week.  The following week I had penciled in the Bibra Lake half marathon but will need to see how the legs recovery before I enter.

Right lets discuss the Cape to Cape Ultra, it started in a complex storm which means it was a bloody big storm, high winds, cool temperatures and even some hail later in the event.  I was saved by my thermals on Saturday evening  and the second day as the wind was freezing and without a thermal top I wouldn’t have finished.  Overall there was a 50% DNF rate which is unusually high and most of these would have been down to the inclement weather.

The event starts from one lighthouse, at Augusta, and finishes around a second lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste. The track itself is around 125 kilometres so Shaun Kaesler, the Ultra Series owner, ( https://www.ultraseries.com.au/ ) had to find another forty or so kilometres to reach the miler distance.  As it was due to permits not being accepted in time and river crossing that would become too dangerous due to the conditions I actually ran around 154 kilometres. I’m ok with this as for this type of event , in these conditions, you can never guarantee the course; it is ever changing. The team at Ultra Series did an incredible job getting all runners to the finish line , that were able to get there. This involved answering many phone calls for help from stranded runners faced with very dangerous river crossing at all times of the night.  I know at one point there was over fifteen runners who needed shuttling in cars as the river they were due to cross had become too dangerous to wade through.

The start was a example of what was to come with permits denied for a road crossing in Augusta town centre which meant we had to drive to the Augusta lighthouse and then run a six kilometre out and back to make up the distance.  The start itself was another Ultra Series classic with all the runners stopping after fifty or so metres with no idea which way to go. All this in the eye of a storm that raged all around us. In the end we went the right way but more luck than judgment, that’s why we love the Ultra Series , organised chaos.

There was more than enough aid stations for this event, compared to the Feral Pig ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) where you need to run a marathon for the first aid station and then another thirty odd kilometres for aid station two !. The only issue with the first few aid stations was they were exposed to the weather so there was no hanging around for chit chat, it was too brutal. There was also no chance of putting up a gazebo, so there was little shelter. Later into the event things eased up a tad and we were blessed with gazebo’s and some quality food and sweet tea, the real reason we run ultra marathons.

As this was the inaugural event I had no idea was the track would be like, in the end it was inspiring with plenty of beach sections, which I love, and enough forest running and general trail running to keep me happy even with the weather conditions which actually made the whole experience better in my opinion. The strong tailwind on the exposed beaches was a massive bonus, if it had been in the opposite direction no one would have finished ! The only fly in my ointment was the amount of limestone which meant the balls and bottom of your feet took a right hammering. I use Altra Olympus trail shoes but may look at a more cushioned trail shoe for my next trail ultra, I’m hoping this will help. Post Delirious West 200 miler in April I had the same problem.

There is nearly thirty kilometres of sand and most of it very soft, not ideal for running in.  You were also totally exposed on the beach and luckily for us the very strong wind was a tailwind, a headwind would have made the whole event a whole different animal. I’m not saying the tail wind was all good though and a few times it was painful on the back of the legs as you were sandblasted.  For the most part though the tail wind was a big bonus and could help you scuttle along the beach a lot quicker than if there was no wind at all. It also added to the whole feel of the event, running through a storm, you need wind and lots of it. As soon as you got off the beach , for the most part,  you’d get some respite as you’d be shieled by the fauna.

The highlight of the beach running was meeting a couple of kite surfers who were getting ready to probably commit suicide, I’m assuming , by entering the water . The waves were huge and the wind was so strong, I was worried they’d disappear into the stratosphere never to be seen again.

Hydration wasn’t a problem and I survived using my two 500ml water bottles and refilling at the aid stations, taking on the tailwind available. ( https://www.tailwindnutrition.com.au/ ) Nutrition I could have done better and lost my appetite during the night culminating in me ending up on my hand and knees vomiting up a protein drink I tried at the Yellingup aid station. Apologies to the volunteers.  I’m putting this down to too many Gel’s with caffeine, upsetting my stomach. On the bright side, post puke,  I was able to eat again and made up for it instantly with a couple of Anzac biscuits and soup.

I ran with Andy, Glen and Matty virtually the whole event. Running with good mates makes the whole experience so much better,  suffering with friends is so much better than suffering alone. There’s also the added benefit of constant banter which makes distance and time disappear so quickly.  Over the twenty eight hours I reckon I used my shokz headphones for thirty minutes , if I was running alone I would have had my headphones on constantly. I’ve ran with these guys over many hundreds of kilometres the last few years and we still find sh*t to talk about, albeit sometimes the same sh*t .

So we finished in 28 hours and 23 minutes which was my target goal time , around 28 hours, pre-event but the course was seven kilometres short so really I would have been an hour or so over my predicted time. No worries, it was great fun running with the boys and I’ve done zero trail running , bar races, for the last eight months. In the end the fatigued legs could go no faster, even with fisiocrem and some serious pain killers onboard (don’t judge me) Moving forward I need to concentrate on road running now with the Perth marathon incoming in October and then hit the trails for a few weeks before the Feral Pig Miler in November and the 6 inch trail ultra in December. ( https://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com/ )

So that’s week three of Perth Marathon training, not your typical marathon build week but everyone’s different right ? Week four will be a down week straight into week five,  a taper week for the Bibra Lake half marathon where the goal is to go quicker than the HBF half I finished a few weeks ago.  A good indicator for a half time is around one hour twenty five minutes , which going by the double your half time and add ten minutes , gives you three hours for the full marathon. I’m certainly nowhere near that time at the moment but will aim for a sub ninety minutes, albeit a lot will depend in how the legs have recovered of course.

Two weeks post Bibra I have a 10k and then two weeks after that is a 5k. That will give me five good weeks to work on ‘proper‘ marathon training before another ultra in August, this one is a baby, only 65k, ( https://transcendtrails.com/ ) what could possibly go wrong?

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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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This weekend I take on the inaugural Cape To Cape Ultra, the miler option. ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/  ) There is a 50 mile option but unless you’re a vampire it’s probably best to avoid this one as you start at 6pm and its the shortest day of the year week, basically if you’re a reasonable runner , or a practicing vampire, you’ll run the whole race in the dark.

This will be week three of my sub3 Perth Marathon block and probably not what most coaches would approve but as I always maintain I’d rather do more races at a reasonable level compared to less races but faster.  For me the reason I run is to race otherwise surely we morph into joggers right, and nobody wants that ?  ( Joggers are the sort of people who strut about at traffic lights , like a cat on a hot tin roof, a real runner stands at the lights with a look of disgust on their face, frustrated their run has been interrupted, still, silent, ready. )

(The phrase “like a cat on a hot tin roof” is an idiom that describes someone who is restless, uneasy, or agitated. It is often used to convey a sense of nervousness and anxiety. The phrase originates from the image of a cat trying to escape the heat of a tin roof, constantly moving and unable to settle down; like  joggers ! ) 

The Gaia map is shown below ( https://www.gaiagps.com/ ) and I’ll use the app on my iphone to keep me ontrack albeit the trail is well marked I’m sure. With just about sixty runners for the miler I should be with company which makes getting lost easier, like all things in life company makes stressful situations less stressful.  For example imagine in a zombie apocalypse , you only need to run faster than the slowest runner in your group; if you’re alone all the zombies only have eyes for you.  I would imagine in such situations you’d seek out slower runners to join your survival tribe,  like sacrifices.  I digress.

The event kicks off from Augusta at 6am and will complete over 100 miles later at Bunker Bay, albeit the cape to cape track is about 125k long but Shaun Kaesler, the Ultra Series owner,  has found another thirty five kilometres by adding a loop towards the end of the race. It has that Feral Pig feeling about it. ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) The track itself sounds incredible with beautiful untouched beaches, pristine national parks , single trails meandering (well it is a 100 miler) through untouched forests , to say I’m excited is a massive under statement.  The only fly in my ointment is the predicted weather for the event,  rain and plenty of it. Being a point to point I’m hoping any wind will be on my back (currently is a South Westerly, which would be a good thing?) not a head wind, a head wind would be challenging. It’ll also be cold but not enough to be a problem as long as we’re moving forward, probably a good temperature for a racing.

One of the best things about a miler is the opportunity to run though the night cocooned in the beam of your head torch. I use a Silva Exceed 4XT which is 2000 lumens, turning night into day. Albeit the latest Silva head torch has 3000 lumens which is apparently visible from the moon, the runner Infront of you actually gets sunburnt if they get too close ! Night running is a special time and you can either lose yourself with a podcast, music or ‘raw dog’ it and chill out with the night animals going about their business, and the zombies.

I sometimes struggle with a 100 miler as it’s the longest distance when it’s a race as such, I always find anything longer starts to become an adventure , and to me that’s a big difference. When you race an event you are mindful of time and position , an adventure it’s all about the journey and just finishing, time takes care of itself. The Feral Pig miler is the only other miler I race regularly and have only really nailed this event once in the three times I’ve finished.  Feral does have elevation and heat as other factors which can derail your race quickly, plus the midnight start.  I’m hoping the early morning kick off ,  lack of elevation, plus a cool temperature prediction for race day, will push me along to a reasonable finishing time, around twenty eight hours or quicker.  Albeit I hear there are seriously long sand/beach sections and lots or rock hopping which are not conducive to fast times of course.  As this is the inaugural running it will be interesting to see if the finishing times are slower or quicker than Feral ?

It will be so good to spend time with the Ultra Series reprobates as I’ve not seen a lot of them since Delirious West in April this year.  The running tribe is as important to me as the event itself, spending times with these legends is just so good  and remember the zombie clause, always find someone to run with who , when the ‘shit hits the fan‘, or the zombie’s are chasing you down, is slower than you.

Finally another shout out to Bix products which will be my go to for quality hydration and nutrition products during the event bar the aid stations and real food of course. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ )

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/

This weekend is the race that I have ran the most in my running career, the infamous 6 inch trail ultra, ( https://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com/ ) 47km of beautiful trails on the (  https://mundabiddi.org.au/  ) Munda Biddi  trail, which runs over 1,000km from Kalamunda just outside Perth to Albany.  We are truly based in Perth with the Munda Biddi and the Bibulumun track , the running version.  ( https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ ) . I first ran this event in 2008 when it was an fat ass , i.e. no entry fee and you look after yourself. I hadn’t looked at the trail and there was no GPX file available, needless to say I got lost and finished swearing to never run the event again, actually I tried to cancel my Comrades entry for the following year, I was done with ultra running.  This seems to be a theme with races that I have either not enjoyed or DNF’d. The 6 inch, Feral and Delirious West  are probably my three favourite events where as they all destroyed me the first time I ran them, go figure ?

This year we have Myself, Adam, Mark, Scotty and Bartsy in the full while Rob continues his love affair with the easy option and is entering the three inch. The word on the street is the biggest and meanest hill has been bulldozed , the infamous escalator, which is a real pity as you hit this hill around the 35k mark and it has destroyed many runners over the years including my good mate Michael Kowal, who has never ran tails since.  Maybe this is the year for a good time ? Temperatures are looking good at the moment after a very hot period in the middle of the week.  Last year we were so lucky with temperatures that would have cancelled the event on the day before and the day after, it looks like we will be lucky again for 2024.

This event is special due to it’s proximity to Christmas, it’s a final long run with friends before the madness of the festive period really kicks into gear. The finish line of the 6 inch ultra is a special place to be, everybody has just finished their last race of the year (normally) and it’s a time to either reflect on the year while also looking forward to Christmas and the next challenge in 2025, in my case that’s 24 park Runs in 24 Hours , January 11th.  It’s also great to spend time with like minded people and because the event is in Dwellingup, a small rural town (village?) a few hours from Perth most people hang around for lunch afterwards, at the Dwelling pub.  (Which does a Chicken Schnitzel bigger than Bartsy!)

The post from last year , 2023.

The 6 Inch trail ultra marathon is one of those races that you keep going back too for a number of reasons. Number one is Dave , the RD, gives you a red spike for 6 finishers ( a trophy for twelve), two is the unique atmosphere of an event so close to Christmas and three is the trail itself, just incredible.  This year I was so close to missing out due to a hamstring tear but I was confident that I could finish after two good weeks of semi-reasonable training post a six week layoff.  I was prepared to roll the dice because it’s the 6 inch and it’s tradition. As I have said many times runners love traditions, it’s in our dna.

This year we had Rob driving again with Adam, Bart’s , Scotty and I running. Rob was also giving massage’s at the finish line as part of his work with the Tribe and Trail shop ( https://www.tribeandtrail.com.au/ ) and The Long Run physiotherapy ( https://www.thelongrunphysio.com/ ) .  If you’re a trail runner in Perth you need to look up both these businesses and get behind them.

Next on the tradition list of things to tick off was the stop at Baldivis BP garage and get a photo under the Truckers Lounge entrance. One day we might muster up enough courage to try and actually go into the Truckers Lounge but some things are better off unseen, for the moment we are happy enough with the photo outside. Maybe we’ll send in Bartsy next year , albeit I don’t think he’d ever come out ?

Moving down the traditions list next we have drive to the top of Goldmine Hill and take a photo. For those who don’t know Goldmine Hill is the first hill at the start of the 6 Inch and it’s a big one with some serious vert sections. Just the thing you don’t need at the start of a 47km ultra. This hill has broken a number of runners over the years making the next 45 or so kilometres unpleasant. Back in the day I use to run this as Dave put on a KOM trophy for the first male to the top, those days are long gone and this year I walked the first kilometre for a very pleasant eleven minutes  chatting to friends. With hindsight I could probably go a bit quicker next year but it was a nice change to amble into a race.

As you can see from the image below not all native animals survive on Goldmine Hill and this Kangaroo had seen better days.  As Australians know a rotting Kangaroo is not pleasant on the nose and this bad boy was no different. I’m sure quite a few runners would have put on a spurt while passing ‘skippy’.

Top of Goldmine Hill photo, tick, we were moving down the tradition list at a great rate of knots now. The conditions were warmer than we expected but luckily these disappeared over night and , for the event, we had perfect race conditions.

After the traditional speech at the Forrest Centre by a panel of top runners it’s time to put on ‘Run Fat Boy Run’ and enjoy one of the funniest films we know with several scenes that just continue to raise a giggle.  We even brought our own version down as the one at the accommodation had seen better days and we were forced to watch a different film last year.  This did not go down well with the crew, remember, runners love tradition.

Post Run Fatboy Run we retreated to our room for the evening.  Somehow Barts had snagged the double bed while Scotty, Adam, Rob and I shared two bunk beds next door. Needless to say four nervous runners sharing a room is never going to end well and I don’t think any of us got more than an hours sleep, albeit Barts had set his alarm for 2:30am so we were never going to get eight hours ! Rob also didn’t help the situation by trying to watch the English Premiership on his new iphone with the volume turned up. Luckily the internet is a new thing in Dwellingup and not very reliable so he gave up quickly.

Next on the list is the traditional start photo of all the runners and then off we all go up Goldmine Hill and off to Dwellingup via the Munda Biddi trail ( https://mundabiddi.org.au/ )  Luckily we had our own cars at the finish line so drove to registration at the North Dandalup village hall before the short trip to the start line. Dave puts on buses to move the runners from the finish to the start as it’s a point to point event so it requires some logistical planning, we have always taken care of ourselves.  There are some funny stories about this but not for the general public, lets just say if you’re going to run a point to point race do not leave your car keys ,  parked at the finish, in a bag in the car parked at the start. !

The race itself was always going to be testing, it’s an ultra marathon after all. Add in the nearly thousand metres of vert over the distance and some hot temperatures and you’re in for a hard day at the office whatever happens.   I was coming into the event off a hamstring tear so in the previous ten weeks had only ran three of them and really only the previous week of any note, distance wise. I had actually unregistered myself with the RD but with a few good weeks of run/walking was happy to roll the dice and risk my hammy for another finish and time with the boys.  This was another reason for my eleven minute first kilometre, time spent socialising with friends rather than racing Goldmine Hill.

Eventually though I knew I had to kick on and left Barts and Scotty and worked my way through the field. I really had no idea how’d I go after my long lay off and injury. Initially I just wanted to finish, then it was finish under five hours and my top goal was break my time from last year, a personal worst time of four hours and forty eight minutes.  Without the good training base I really had no idea what to expect. Undaunted I set off in pursuit of the next runner infront of me and used this as motivation to maintain a good pace but not too good leading to a blow out.

I always break down this race into three sections. The first section is the first 23k to aid station one. You then have another 14k to aid station two at the top of the Escalator hill and then the final 10k sprint (?) to the finish.  I always enjoy the second half more than the first and post aid station one start to relax a bit knowing I have broken the back of the event. With the next aid station only 14k away it coms along a lot quicker then the first one and then it’s a ten kilometre section , albeit a nasty section, the the finish where you choose how much pain you want to endure. (Albeit sometimes this is worked out for you if the race has gone badly)

This year I was consistent the whole time, no walking bar the first kilometre and the Escalator Hill (which is unrunable) and just keep moving forward at a good pace but nothing that is going to lead to a blow out or hamstring damage.  As I said earlier I just kept chasing the runner infront of me, I’d pass them and then onto the next one.  This kept me honest and I really enjoyed moving through the field, chatting to a number of runners as I passed them.

As the Escalator Hill is an out and back section you get to see whose just infront of you and can use this as either motivation if you’re chasing someone or a reality check, come warning, if someone is chasing you.  As I  Neared the top of the Escalaor I was surprised to see Sarah and Adam coming down less than three hundred metres ahead of me. I had written off any chance of catching these guys as they had set off with the lead runners and both were targeting far quicker times than me.  Seeing them so close was all the motivation I needed to rush through the aid station and start my pursuit.

Funnily enough we had been talking about the race a few years ago when Scotty has passed Adam with two kilometres to go and gave him a pat on the backside as he did. Could I catch him and join this exclusive club ? This was all the motivation I needed, it was on like Donkey Kong.  These sort of silly thoughts are sometimes all you need to switch through the gears and any thoughts of just finishing go out the window as the competitive juices start to flow.  I caught Sarah on the next hill and ploughed on to eventually catch Adam with two kilometres to go, perfect pacing and timing, I couldn’t have been happier. Another tradition has now started, someone needs to catch Adam at two kilometers from the finish and give him a tap on the backside.  If that someone is reading this please let me know the details, in 2024 Adam better watch his butt , remember now it’s tradition.

After passing Adam on the final section of four kilometres or so,  of slightly uphill , undulating , single track I bumped into Mr. TRC himself Sam Simsek, running his first three inch trails half marathon.  Had to stop for a selfie with this legend as The Running Centre and Sam in particular have supported me for many years.  ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ )  Again runners in Perth get behind these guys, they are legends. It was then time to race to the finish and put number fourteen to bed, a raging success as I finish in just over four hours and thirty five minutes, thirteen minutes quicker than last year. I have Sam to thank for putting me into a pair of Hoka Mach X shoes which were brilliant for the terrain, although not a trail shoe the carbon plate protected my foot and the extra bounce helped keep my hammy in check.  The trail itself is very runable and this explains the quicker finishing times of the top runners and also the domination of road runners over the years.

I nailed the race with a no-expectation attitude and was never hurting too much, there were periods of self doubt as there are in any ultra but these are followed by periods of feeling great. Keeping on top of the hydration and nutrition also helped and it really was just about the perfect day. Even now as I type this race report the next day I’m looking forward to number fifteen in twelve months time, it’s tradition.

Finally we had the final two traditions to tick off the list, one is the finishers shot with all the runners at the finish line and finally the shot of all runners who completed  the event in their new Six Inch Ultra tops. I must compliment Dave on this years tops, they are very good and I love the colour, very cool. Once we completed these it was off to the pub for a great lunch and the journey home, mission accomplished for 2023.  I think this is now another tradition as the normal venue , the Blue Wren , upset us on Saturday by shutting early, we’re a fickle bunch runners.

So that’s Ultra marathon number 46 which now matches my number of marathons I have completed , giving me a total of 92 events, eight more to go for the the one hundred marathons or longer total. If I have a good year in 2024 maybe I can reach the total at this event next year, that would be cool making the event even more special. Either way I’ll get to that elusive number sooner rather than later, why wouldn’t you ?

Next on the radar is either the Australian Day Ultra ( https://australiadayultra.com/ ) or the 24 parkruns in 24 hours ? ( https://ultraseries.com.au/24-parkruns-in-24-hours/ ) before the big one in February , the Delirious West 200 miler. ( https://www.deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) , now that is a tradition.

fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is just bloody brilliant and does exactly what it says it does , it just gets the major muscle groups moving again. I use this extensively towards the end of the race when my quads are hammered.  It really makes a difference and allows me to move back through the gears towards the end of an event when most runners are stumbling home.

The 6 inch post from 2022 with links to many more :-

Running is all  about traditions , runners love doing the same thing over and over. That may be training routines, entering the same races or just spending time with friends going to the same location for runs. After a while all these routines turn into traditions, and then they have to be adhered to, it’s tradition. The 6 inch ultra trail marathon  ( https://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com/ ) is one of many traditions that the lads and I love to adhere to, albeit it use to be a family tradition (yes, you can involve the family) but the kids all grew up and no longer wanted to spend time with old runners. We took that on the chin and just stopped inviting them, it had now morphed into a lads weekend away. (I say ‘lads’ in the broadest sense of the word, our average age is well over fifty these days. It’s lucky Michael Kowal is still scarred by the escalator on his one and only 6 inch attempt a few years back or the average age would be in the sixties!)

To get a feel for the event I recommend trawling through my blog to get some old posts , I’ve attached a few links here. This will help with the post I’m about to recount.

https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/12/23/6-inch-race-report-warning-contains-images-of-trail-runners/

https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/12/13/its-that-time-of-the-year-6-inches-of-fun-fun-fun/

https://www.runbkrun.com/2018/12/17/middle-of-december-6-inch-time/

https://www.runbkrun.com/2016/12/19/sometimes-6-inches-is-enough/

https://www.runbkrun.com/2016/11/14/look-busy-the-6-inch-is-coming/

Right now you’ve caught up with the history of this event it time to way lyrical about the 2022 edition. Due to various reasons we have a small starting line up this year. We lost Marky ‘Mark’ Lommers to a twisted ankle, Adam to gastro, Bart’s to a family holiday he had to take in Noosa and Scotty to long term injury. This left Jeffrey , Jon and I to toe the line at the start with Rob (poorly achilleas)  again driving us to the start Sunday morning at some ungodly hour. (Remember it’s a point to point and we stay at the finish) After I persuaded Jeffrey to drive (remember we lost Adam to gastro and apparently if he can’t go to the event his 7 seater Prado can’t go either, a tad selfish me thinks!) we were off , high noon on Saturday, the day before the event. Jon would be joining us down there as he loves to hoon in his BMW and would prefer to do it alone apparently, less eye witnesses is probably safer for all concerned.

Right back to tradition, for this lads trip there are a few. First we always stay at the Jarrah Forest lodge , Jon always books the family room , and pays, thereby ensuring he gets the double bed (being the smallest) while the other room is shared with the lads (there’s two bunk beds). This room has the benefit of air conditioning in both rooms. I always stay in room 16 , a single room with a bunk,  the farthest from the toilet block. This has no air conditioning, actually just a bunk bed, you get that prisoner cell block H feeling about the place.  It’s clean and that’s all we need for one night. We use to go the pub the night but the meal portions are so large that it affected the running performances the following day. Bart’s was still eating his chicken parmi post race Sunday afternoon. I was above this of course and always take my own meal for the Saturday night, it’s tradition.

My favourite tradition is watching run fatboy run after bib collection on Saturday evening, we must have seen this movie at least five times but it still gets the same laughs in the same places, so good. Due to the set up at the lodge it can take anywhere from 15 minutes to nearly an hour to get the video working. There is an amp, a switcher box, a projector , at least two DVD players and cables everywhere. Things were looking good this year when Jon got the DVD talking to the TV, with the right input, in a matter of minutes but , as is tradition, things didn’t go that smoothly and the DVD had been played to death, literally. It was finished so after a brief interlude we selected another DVD, Will Ferrel in Semi Pro which , although not a run fayboy run, was a pretty good alternative.  Never fear thought we have ordered Run FatBoy Run on DVD so will be watching it next year and we will bring all our own equipment !

Post DVD the boys scuttle off to their luxurious, for Dwellingup remember the town has a population of population 524, family room complete with air conditioning while I hit my jail cell, alarms set for 3am. This year I was lucky enough to have a very keen runner next door to me (?) who had set their alarm for 2am as they were catching the bus. Great, I get to get up an hour or so earlier than planned. It gets better, I was also next door to a snorer and the walls are paper thing, it felt like we were in the same bed ! When you hear someone snoring you cannot unhear it. Let’s just say I was sleep depraved while I ate my weetbix and drank my cup of sweet tea in the communal kitchen at 2:15am. Not ideal but I’m a big believer in it’s the night before the night before which is the important time to sleep, anything on the evening before the event is a bonus.  Once the boys rose, an hour or so after me, we all got into the car as planned at 3:45am for the twenty minutes or so drive to the start and check in. The drive to the start is always a tad worrying as Kangaroo’s aren’t car friendly and if we were to hit a roo it wouldn’t end well for any of us. Luckily we didn’t see any albiet last year we’re sure Bart’s killed a bandicoot on the way to the start, something he still denies.

As the image below shows we were last to arrive at the pre-race check in but we have a car so the drive to the start was only a few minutes away and we arrived with minutes so spare, more than enough. Unfortunately we were carrying a goody-pack for my mate Tristan who was running the 12 inch. This is another tradition of runners running from the finish to the start the night before (47km) and then leaving with the race at 4:30am and returning for the medal, another 47km; hence the name 12 inch.  We managed to get Tristan his drop bag albeit a few minutes from the start, sorry buddy, it obviously wasn’t a problem as he ran the 12 inch in around 13 hours.

The plan for this race was to finish under five hours, not walk, bar the monster hills,  enjoy the event and keep Jeffrey behind me to keep my 20 year or so winning streak. Jeffrey is now over 60 and running very well, he came close to pipping me to the post in Melbourne in October and had been training well since with Bart’s preparing him for battle. My running had been down the toilet since September due to over training (or over racing?) and niggles including tight hamstrings and a probable tear under my right knee. Weekly I was getting dropped at the Yelo Thursday morning gathering and my training runs in the hills had all been thirty minutes or so longer than last year.  The smart money was on Jeffrey for this one. Jon was expecting another sub four hour finish but a nasty cough had me questioning his optimism.

The 6 inch starts with Goldmine hill, a beast of a hill that has destroyed many a runners dreams. If you’re not prepared it can derail you very early in the piece, trust me if you are goosed after two kilometres the next 46 or so are challenging.  This year me and Jeffrey decided to walk most of the hill with the masses, saving our running legs for the beating that was ahead. It was quite nice to enjoy the hill for a change,  although I say ‘enjoy’ in the broadest sense of the word.?  We summited full of beans and changed up through the gears cruising along in a group of about ten of us, mainly women surprisingly ? The event itself is held on the mundi biddi trail, a thousand kilometre offroad bike trail from Perth to Albany, so pretty good running. David Kennedy, the Race Director, reckons you can add about an hour to your marathon time to get an estimated finish time, he’s probably right.

The 6 inch has an aid station at 23 kilometres and then again at the top of the escalator hill, around 35 kilometres. There is also one with four kilometres to go but when you’re that close why would you stop?  I ran with Jeffrey until the first aid station where he complained of a sore knee and walked into the aid station.  This was my chance and , as all good friends do , when I sensed weakness I pounced or in this case left him.  That was the last I would see of Jeffrey , or so I thought. My confidence was knocked  by Mick Francis, the aid station captain, who mentioned I was limping and he’d  pull me out if he was RD.  A tad harsh I thought as I thought I was going ok ?

After aid station one there is another large climb to the highest part of the course, the 3 inch version of the Goldmine Hill I suppose. I half walked and ran this and took a few more positions as I started to warm up, after twenty years in Western Australia I’m now half lizard and love the heat.  Once I get to the highest part I tend to flick over into finish mode and chase down the back end of the half runners and fellow full runners. As I mentioned at the start of this report this race was about finishing and having fun, as much as that is possible. I was feeling good enough to up the pace and started to move through the field albeit nothing to previous years but nice to be moving up the field none the less.

I climbed the escalator hill to the second aid station, filled my bottles and then started the last ten kilometres to the finish. It was here Jeffrey reappeared and all of a sudden my relaxed cruise to the finish changed to a very stressful run being chased by a motivated Jeffrey Wang.  I managed to maintain the pace for the final ten kilometres and with the experience of twelve previous finishes I knew when you push and when to hang on.  It wasn’t easy or pretty but I managed to finish in four hours and forty eight minutes and change. My new personal worse by thirty minutes but mission accomplished, sometimes it’s the journey that’s important not the time taken to complete it. As you can see from the smile below I was stoked.

All that was left to do was the traditional esky photo, if you know, you know, don’t judge me. Thanks Nathan Fawkes for supplying the ice shower, may add this to the tradition for the esky photo, always keen to add more traditions ?

One final tradition is all the boys (and driver) who completed the course to put on their finishers shirts and get a photo. I have so many of these and enjoy looking back at all the lads aging gracefully and back in the day we’d even have a few kinds with us, they are all far too cool to have their photos taken with us these days of course.  A small gathering this year but I’m confident there will be a bigger group in 2023.

So that’s it for 2022, what a great year, ten ultra marathons and one marathon , I’ve been busy with over two thousand kilometres racing with a bib on my chest and another three thousand kilometres training. 6 inch number thirteen completed and I can’t wait until I;m back at the bottom of Goldmine Hill facing another 47 kilometres of the munda biddi trail , sleep depraved but excited about what lays ahead, why wouldn’t you, after all , it’s tradition.

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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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