Ultra Marathons | runbkrun

Backyard Ultra’s , an exercise in masochism

07 August bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 2 Comments

Birdy’s backyard Ultra would be my fourth time running this iconic BYU and my eleventh BYU event. A description of a BYU below for those who haven’t come across this format before , or alternatively read my last post which has the links to my previous ten events. https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/07/24/backyard-ultra-number-11-why-wouldnt-you/

What is a Backyard Ultra?

A backyard ultra is a type of ultramarathon where runners must complete a 4.167-mile (6.7 km) loop every hour, on the hour, until only one runner remains.

This seemingly arbitrary distance is derived from the need to complete 100 miles in 24 hours. The race continues until only one runner is left who can complete a loop within the allotted time. This format, popularized by Lazarus Lake (also known as Gary Cantrell) of the Barkley Marathons fame, has a deceptively simple structure but requires immense physical and mental resilience.

The details of the race:

Hourly Start: Every hour, runners start a new loop. If a runner fails to complete the loop within the hour, they are out of the race.

Rest Periods: Any time remaining after a runner finishes a loop is their rest period. For example, if a runner completes a loop in 50 minutes, they have 10 minutes to rest, eat, or tend to any needs before starting again.

No End in Sight: The race continues indefinitely until only one runner completes a loop within the hour. The last runner standing must complete one more loop than the second-to-last runner to be declared the winner.

The Appeal: Backyard ultras attract a wide range of participants, from seasoned ultramarathoners to those looking for a new kind of challenge. The format levels the playing field, as it’s not necessarily about who can run the fastest, but who can manage their time, energy, and strategy the best.

I had entered Birdy’s after running a disappointing total at Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra in March this year. (Herdy’s is called a Frontyard Ultra as it is the sister event of the Birdy’s backyard Ultra, it’s actually a BYU but Shaun Kaesler, the Race Director, likes the unique naming convention for the country and the city BYU’s ?) Herdy’s was hot and humid and I overdosed on electrolytes effectively killing my appetite and in a BYU you need to keep on top of hydration and nutrition, as in any ultra. I managed 24 hours but it was a struggle early on and, as is the norm with these events , I retired from the format immediately. As brutal as a BYU is it is also addictive in its ability to push you to places normal racing events can’t. As the race with no finish it really is up to you when you decide to stop (unless you win of course?) . No other format gives you this ability as the finish is either determined by distance or time before hand. This is what makes a BYU so alluring but then also so brutal because, post event, every single runner, bar the winner, I guarantee sits down and thinks to themselves I could have gone further. This is why it is so addictive, you are competing with yourself and after every event you know you can improve. With experience you tweak things and go further but you will always think there’s more in the tank, just one more lap.

Birdy’s backyard Ultra is held on a campsite beside Lake Towerrining and the Ultra Series WA ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) takes over the site for the weekend. This is a major appeal of the event, it is a weekend away with like minded people all doing what they love and all encouraging others to do the same, one lap at a time. Birdy’s is unique.

Must have been early, I’m smiling. image Astrid Volzke

Mentally I wasn’t 100% for this one. I had run the Bibra Lake Marathon four weeks prior and the legs hadn’t recovered. Post marathon I ran a two week recovery straight into a two week taper, not ideal. Basically a month of very little running coming into an event involving lots of running. As my good friend Dave Kennedy says ‘You don’t need to taper for an Ultra’. Not sure if there is any science to Dave’s quote but I believe the more distance you have in your training the better prepared, for an ultra anyway. Different story for a marathon or a faster event but for an ultra you can get away with competing on tired legs and doing well. I put this down to an ultra relying on mental preparation as well as good hydration and nutrition; less so pure cardio fitness.

For the first five or so laps I ran quick to the three kilometre mark and then walked a kilometre , over the grass meadow section, before running the last kilometres to the finish, bar any large inclines of course, it is an ultra. Looking at my splits on Strava (You are on Strava right ? http://www.strava.com ) I managed to hold this up to around the 100km mark. I was lapping between forty and forty five minutes , giving me good time in my chair to relax before the next lap.

Post 100km my splits tell a different story as my time in the chair became more and more limited before it was hard to see on my splits where my ‘chair time’ was. I was lapping in the late fifty minutes now and coming in with no time to rest, just enough time to grab a snack or hydration. This is the BYU death spiral and it is hard to get out of, fatigue just eventually grinds you down until you can’t make the hour and you time out. Gotta’ love a BYU.

One of the major draws of Birdy’s is the course itself. The Lake is stunning at sunrise and sunset and also pretty good during the rest of the day as well. Highlight though is the bridge installed for the event. You’re never sure if it is going to survive and in past years it has had some critical maintenance during the event. This year there was no issue albeit the water did seem to rise in the evening, or maybe that was my mind playing tricks on me ? In the evening it was good to take a few moments on the bridge and just appreciate your surroundings, the serenity setting was high.

The course can be divided into three sections and I do this with every BYU I enter. At Birdy’s the first three kilometres to the bridge is good for running and banking time. The next two kilometres or so from the bridge to the ‘swamp area’ is green paddocks and the hardest section so I would normally walk large chunks of this. From swamp area, past the beach, to the finish is again good for running. Once I got to the swamp I was starting to think about what I needed to achieve back at camp, I would know by then what was required to get me onto the next lap. If you take nothing from this post but this paragraph it’s worth the read. Don’t think of a lap as one start and one finish, break it down into smaller manageable and achievable smaller sections. This is the way to run any race truth be told, this way you are achieving goals quicker and then onto the next one rather than waiting for the finish.

Another great photo. image Astrid Volzke

Running a BYU is as much mental as physical and as I mentioned earlier I was not where I needed to be mentally for this event. My lowest ever BYU result was 24 hours , my first ever BYU and my last (10th), but I was struggling after seven or eight laps and started to set increasingly lower goals. It started at 24 laps, then 22 laps (tutu lap) , 120km for AURA points, then 15 laps for 100km and even ten laps for double figures. I started to work my way though the list hoping to reach 24 as minimum.

Best part of the course at night through the swamp. image : Astrid Volzke.

Birdy’s starts at 10am so you have seven laps before it gets dark. You then have ten or eleven hours running in the dark and at Birdy’s its very dark bar the event village, which is very loud and light. For the first few hours there is a procession of headtorches but as the night wears on this number gradually falls each lap as runners DNF. At each major milestone a number of runners leave the event for the warmth of their van or a hot shower. These milestones would be an ultra (lap 7), double figures (lap 10), 50 miles (12 laps) , 100km, (lap 15) , tutu lap (lap 22) and then 100 miles (24 laps).

Saturday morning fog. image Astrid Volzke

There was nearly 200 starters at 10am Friday morning but by sunrise Saturday we were down to around thirty runners. A mixture of fatigue and freezing weather conditions made surviving the night challenging. Things got even harder with a morning mist that gave us virtually zero visibility. At one point I was totally lost as the head torch reflected off the mist and blinded me. I had ran the course nineteen times before but was very close to going completely in the wrong direction. Funnily enough I could see a headtorch in the distance, way of course, and the runner called my name. I grunted back and carried on ‘swimming in a pea soup’. The runner eventually caught me up but if I’d been a few minutes earlier or later there’s no knowing where he would have ended up, certainly out of the race as I was lapping last at that point.

Once the mist cleared it turned into another sharp, crisp, beautiful morning. The photos , as always don’t do it justice but it was just so quiet and peaceful bar the odd frog calling for their mates. I was now heading towards the 22 lap target, the tutu lap. I was cutting it very close now , lapping around 55-58 minutes, straight from the finish line to the start line. I’d learnt from Herdy’s earlier in the year you can rack up quite a few laps doing this and sometimes its better to keep moving. I know Harvey Lewis, the current World Champion with a 108 laps to his name, laps in the middle fifties and spends little time sitting in his chair. It’s all about not expending too many energy, keeping in the low gears and just continually moving through the laps.

I was lapping last now and bar a miracle was never going to recover from my running fatigue and mental hole I had been digging myself the last few hours. I made it in on lap 21 by a minute and was handed a tutu and pushed back out again. Making the tutu lap was my second last goal but it was to be my last one. Luckily Astrid was there to get the photo which summed up the event really, hands on knees totally beaten. I had been feeling that way for many hours and the urge to continue to lap 24 was gone. Could I have gone on and made 24 laps ? 100% yes, did I want to, 100% no. That’s a BYU.

Done on lap 22 . even the tutu couldn’t save me. image Astrid Volzke

One thing that is guaranteed after a BYU is you double guess yourself on why you finished and convince yourself you can go further next time. That’s the addictive nature of the event. It’s similar to chasing a time in shorter events. During the event I retired so many times and even until the following day I convinced myself I would never run another BYU, eleven was enough, but then you start to remember the good things about the race itself and block out all the negatives. Similar to never asking a Woman straight after child birth if she wants another child, you need time to digest what has just happened albeit for a BYU 24 hours is probably enough (not sure that is long enough for post child birth?) Also I have already entered Herdy’s 2025 so it’d be a shame to give the entry away and it would be closure if I could finally find lap 48 at the event where really it all started with a 47 assist to Phil Gore.

Lap 22 is tutu lap. image Astrid Volzke Luckily I’m just out of sight.

I think the tutu lap was a tradition started by Phil Gore and is now taking off around the world in BYU’s. It was certainly ‘a thing‘ at the World Championships last year and would have been adopted since then. I wonder when we’ll see a 122 tutu lap ? Next year, the following year ? Soon I think.

Charles on his way to an assist for the event, finishing on 36 laps. image Astrid Volzke

The race for top honours came down to three runners by lap 36. Charles , Chris and a Japanese import with a very good racing pedigree, Kyohei Yoshizawa. Unfortunately Kyohei could not complete lap 36 and was taken to hospital, which is a pretty good excuse not to go on. He is fine now. Chris had been nursing a foot injury the whole event and had let Charles know. Charles had to stop at lap 38 due to religious reasons (no exercising on a Sunday) and did the right thing by allowing Chris to take the win a lap or two early to save any further discomfort. So on lap 37 Chris ran alone for the win and a silver ticket , which is entry into the Australian team for the satellite Championship’s to be held in October in Perth, actually at the Herdy’s loop.

Best feeling in a BYU is finishing a BYU. image Astrid Volzke

I love the image above of me and one of the race directors, Felix, after he presented me with my DNF spoon and the Birdy’s five year anniversary medallion, that look on my face is pure joy at finishing the event. These are the moments you run these events for, the roar emotions, BYU’S only really the only event where you decide how deep into the pain cave you go and how long you stay there. The ability to push yourself harder and longer than you think you can possibly go. As brutal as they are beautiful. This is why runners come back for more.

Steely look from Chris Martin, the winner completing 37 laps. image Astrid Volzke

So what did I learn form BYU number eleven. I learnt I can do better and need to be more mentally switched on. My goal is still 48 laps at Herdy’s in 2025 which would be a great way to complete my BYU career, coming full circle from my 47 laps in 2021 when I was so, so close. To do this I need to make Herdy’s one of my A races and get physically and mentally ready. I have the experience now and understand what it takes, it will happen.

Heating the DNF image to brand the wooden spoon presented to each competitor.

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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/)

Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )

https://www.osprey.com/au/en/category/hydration/trail-running/ Osprey Australia have come onboard and are supplying me with two running backpacks and travelling luggage for the Run Britannia adventure. I particularly like their running backpacks and am excited to test them over the event. I’ll be using the Duro 6 and the Duro 1.5 backpacks.

Excited to have Coros onboard who have supplied me with the new Apex 2 Pro GPS watch. I already owned the Apex 2 and was stoked when Coros reached out and offered me an upgrade. Even more battery life, can you believe 75 hours using GPS, wow! The watch itself is awesome, so light and well made. The watch is paired with a incredible application to keep track of all your stats, and runners love stats ! . ( https://coros.net.au/ )

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Ultra Marathons

Backyard Ultra number 11, why wouldn’t you ?

24 July bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

I’ve ran 10 backyard Ultras in the last four years. Birdy’s Backyard Ultra three times, 24, 28 and 36 laps (hours). Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra four times 47, 34, 28 and 24 laps. Hysterical Carnage twice 37 and 27 laps and finally No Time to Die 33 laps (for my only win) .

That’s a total of 318 laps (hours/yards) and 2,130 kilometres, over 13 days running around in circles. That’s a long time running around in circles but the format is so much more than that, it’s the ultimate social ultra. Every hour , on the hour, you get to start at the front of the pack and it’s the runner who finishes last , not first, who takes out the win. Basically taking racing and switching it on its head, taking out the physical benefits and substituting them with mental toughness (albeit you still need to be able to run 6.7km loops in the hour of course.)

In case you’re sitting on the fence regarding this format I’ve written a post on each BYU I’ve ran, plus a post on the growing popularity of the event. It’s becoming a force of nature…

Backyard Ultra’s

https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/08/01/backyard-ultras-the-new-marathon/

Herdys 2021

https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/04/04/herdys-backyard-ultra-probably-the-run-of-my-life-so-far/

Herdys 2022

https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/03/27/herdys-frontyard-ultra-2022/

Herdy’s 2023

https://www.runbkrun.com/2023/03/23/herdys-frontyard-ultra-2023/

Herdys 2024

https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/03/31/herdys-frontyard-ultra-2024/

Birdys 2020

https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/08/16/most-fun-you-will-ever-have-in-running-gear/

Birdys 2021

https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/08/30/birdys-backyard-ultra-wow-just-wow/

Birdys 2022

https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/08/18/birdys-backyard-ultra-2022/

Hysterical Carnage 2021

https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/03/01/hysterical-carnage-backyard-ultra/

Hysterical Carnage 2022

https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/11/18/back-to-back-milers-and-grand-slams-hysterical/

No time to die 2022

https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/09/25/no-time-to-die-it-wasnt-and-i-didnt/

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ

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.

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.

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!

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/ )

Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ

Ultra Marathons

‘Once more into the breach’, Australia Day Ultra 100k on tired legs.

24 January bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

After last weekends 24 park run in 24 hours ( post here :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/01/15/running-in-a-furnace-for-a-great-cause-24-park-runs-in-24-hours/ ) what better way to prepare for the Delirious West 200 miler in a few weeks ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) then another ultra, this time on tired legs. I have ran the Australia Day Ultra three times in the past , the 50km option the first time (2016) and then two 100km events. (2017-18)

The first time I ran the 100km Rob Donkersloot produced a video on the event ; worth a look …

Looking back at this video its funny to think of where I am now compared to then. In the video I was still a marathon runner chasing the elusive sub 2 hour 40 minutes marathon time, where as now I’m an ultra runner, 100%. In the back of my mind I had visions of taking the 55-60 AURA age group record , to go with my 50-55 time set in 2018, but knew this would be a big ask after the previous weekends racing. More important was just finishing and using this as my last long run before the big dance in a few weeks at Delirious.

I couldn’t persuade any of the usual suspects to come along so had to drive myself the two hours to the start, leaving Perth at 8pm to arrive at Australind just after 10pm to pick up my bib, chat to the Race Directors, Ron McGlynn and Chris Lark, and move my gear to the middle aid station where the lovely Charlotte would look after me. I was also lucky enough to have Mick Francis and his partner Val there to give me a hand. Being a 6.25k out and back loop meant that having my gear at the middle aid station I was only ever a maximum of just over six kilometres from it. My plan was to run through the start aid station and also the one at the far end and just use the middle one. I had adopted this strategy on the three previous times I ran the course and it worked a treat albeit I tended to stop at the aid station both ways when initially I intended to only stop one way. If I’m going to break the age group record I’ll need to work on my aid station strategy and employ a dedicated crew with a plan, release the inner ‘Phil Gore’.

All quiet at the start line. The calm before the storm.

The race kicks off five minutes into Saturday morning in an attempt to avoid runners turning up Saturday night for a Sunday morning event, this has happened a few times and is always a risk with a midnight start. There wasn’t a big field this year and truth be told since the race decoupled itself from the the Ultra Series WA umbrella numbers have dropped. The 100k ( eight laps of a 6.25k out and back loop) and 75k (six laps) runners started first with the 50k ( four laps) starting at 3am and the 25k (two laps) starting at 6am.

It was fairly quiet for the first three hours and I put on Spotify and Taylor Swift to keep me company. Laps one and two were reasonable enough although I wasn’t hitting the pace I needed for the age group record so put that one to bed early. I had talked about cruising through the night at less than 5 min/k pace , banking time in the cool evening conditions, this didn’t happen. I wasn’t surprising really and I turned my attention to plan B, enjoy the event and finish strong.

As with all things Australia Day Ultra the instructions were short, sweet and too the point. It’s an 8 lap out and back, simple.

Lap three and four and the wheels started to fall off. The 50k runners joined us but were running far too quick and just added to the feeling of slowing down. At one point I talked myself into finishing at 50k and ticking the ‘last long run‘ before Delirious box without doing too much damage to my legs. With this in mind I finished lap four (50k) but then had a change of heart, if I could make sunrise and maybe score a cup of sweet tea there was a chance. I also think a couple of No Doz tablets , combined with a paracetamol tablet or two, also helped, don’t judge me.

Running past the middle aid station I put in my request and Charlotte managed to find some sugar in the bottom of her bag and produce a perfect cup of sweet tea. I covered my legs in fisocrem (this stuff is magic ! https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) , downed a yoghurt pouch and with the sun peaking over the horizon started to feel so much better. Laps five and six I maintained a reasonable pace but around 75k I started to up the tempo. With all ultra marathons you have good times and bad times. With bad times you know the good times will eventually turn up and visa-versa. It’s weird but at 75k into the event I felt better than the first kilometre, this is ultra running.

‘Suns out, guns out’, loving life at the pointy end of the event, go figure?

I was comfortably in third place at the end of lap six but noticed the runner in second was coming back to me. My pace had improved to less than 5min/k and I started to reel him in. By the start of lap seven he only had a few hundred metres on me and before the end of that lap I had moved into second place. I’m putting down my fast finish to all the hours spent on my treadmill in the sauna that is a Perth summer. Recovering from a hamstring tear in October I had spent a lot of time walking and running on a 15% incline while listening to podcasts. I really believe this helped me improve my fitness when I started to combine these garage sessions with my normal running. Anyhow whatever the reason I finished like a train for a good negative split, going out in 4hours 51 minutes and coming back in 4hours 42 minutes; total time 9 hours 34 minutes, good for second position.

Chris Lark , myself and Ron McGlynn, at the presentations.

I was presented with my merchandise and medal with a small trophy for second place by the Race Directors as I crossed the line, this it seems was the presentation. As I said earlier a real grass roots event, nothing fancy, a coupe of timing mats, few aid stations, eager volunteers and that’s about it. The event just works and I’m really looking forward to going back in 2025 and smashing that AURA 55-60 age group record, why wouldn’t you ? For anybody chasing an ultra PB this could be the event for you. Flat as a pancake and the midnight start avoids most of the heat of the Perth summer albeit humidity can play a part. Next year Ron is adding a 12.5k option ( two laps) to try and entice park runners into the fray and start down the slippery slope that is ultra running.

Finally a quick shout out to the products that have helped me on my running journey lately. Fisiocrem and Humantecar are incredible products that help massively with recovery or preparation. Both products just work and I used fisiocrem on the run and humantecar bandages post run. I was back running on Monday afternoon with a spring in my step, ready for another week of training. This would have been impossble without these products.

Bix hydration products kept me fueled and again without Bix I would have struggled. It is my go to product for all hydration while on the run and also recovering. Fractel headgear, T8 clothing , Coros watches, Osprey products , altra footwear (although for this event I used Hoka Mach X road shoes) and shokz ; thankyou.

Right that’s it for a few weeks. I have a quiet week and then one final push before the Delirious West 200 miler kicking off February 7th in sunny Northcliffe. To say I’m excited is an understatement.

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.

Fisiocrem is a must have in your ultra box of tricks…

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.

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!

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/ )

Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ

Ultra Marathons

Run Britannia, day six.. Greenfields farm to Bridgewater (56km)

12 October bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

Day five was ace, running with good friends in perfect English summer conditions was glorious. I had such a great day but unfortunately all that unraveled very quickly that afternoon just before dinner. I had overdosed on the protein drinks at the finish of stage five, or so I thought, and came down with a bad case of diarrhea as soon as I got back to the accommodation. After dinner I did my normal routine of preparing for the next day, stocking up on gels, hydration (including bix tablets https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au) and a half an hour on the massage gun and human tecar massage spray. ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) As the night went on I started to feel a chill coming on and decided to call it early and scuttle off to bed. That night I think I probably spent more time in the toilet than in the bedroom which was difficult as I was sharing a three bedroom apartment with two toilets and five other runners.

Needless to say the next morning I was not at my best and after packing (we were moving accommodation that evening) I struggled back to bed feeling very ropey. Eventually I had to leave the comfort of my bed and staggered to the van that would take us to the day five finishing point to start our journey. As the image below shows I wasn’t looking great and knw I was in for a long day at the office.

Not my best look, taken by Dave on the way to the start.

Once we arrived at the start I knew I was in trouble. The conditions had changed from day five and we were faced with a very chilly, foggy morning and I was completely unprepared. As the group disembarked I was the last to leave the sanctuary of the van and was soon left behind as I had to make several unplanned toilet stops as my diarrhea had not gotten any better. With the fog engulfing me and the cold air going right through me I was not in a good place, add in the diarrhea and it was a perfect storm, I was in trouble.

As we moved off Exmoor the early morning fog disappeared and at least I could see my surroundings. The terrain didn’t make running fun though, lots of stones testing every step.

The loneliness of the long distance runner.

Coming off the moor we ran through a really cool forest with some great running but by this stage I was leapfrogging from toilet stop to toilet stop and constantly looking for places to answer the call of nature without the possibility of being seen. Around this time Andy Gray did catch me as I was in the prone position and he was backtracking as he was lost, a tad embarrassing for both parties. I explained the situation and he had some anti-diarrhea tablets which I gobbled down. It was good to see other runners and I latched on to the group albeit keeping my distance as I scuttled to yet another toilet stop.

There was some really good running off Exmoor and before the first aid station but all I could muster was a walk and a slow ‘death jog‘ at best. Saying that I was able to hold onto the last group and we came upon aid station one together. I was going to call it at this stage but a cup of tea with three sugars and the sun coming out persuaded me to continue. I felt like death but what other option was there really.

John and Andrea (Sunshine) climbing a very steep hill.

Eventually the sun came out and things warmed up and the trail just got better. Again I was dropped by the last group and walked more than I ran. I was going downhill fast but just had to keep moving forward. Unfortunately diarrhea was still a big issue and as I moved through towns and more densely populated areas it was becoming a real problem, for me and the general public.

Just after aid station one I came across a café and decided to get a Cappuccino that I had been promising myself for the last six days. It felt good to sit down in the sun and drink a coffee but this was a temporary reprieve, I was goosed and when I set off went backwards pretty fast. With aid station two coming up, around thirty kilometres into the stage, I ran though a small coastal town and on a whim decided to pick up a COVID test. In the back of my mind I always knew there was a chance I could catch COVID with the flight from Australia and I think I knew , deep down, I had it by this stage.

Not sure what beach this is but there’s a funny story attached to it. While running on the trail my diarrhea finally got the better of me and I was forced to scuttle off the trail and into the ocean to wash off my shorts. So here am I, shorts in hand, unbeknown to me two walkers right behind me. Needless to say both parties didn’t know where to look. Funny now, not so amusing at the time.

I certainly left my mark here, with two walkers anyway.

I made aid station two in last place and pulled out my COVID test which proved my diagnosis, positive. Devastated doesn’t get anywhere near what I felt. I rang my Wife in tears , my dream shattered, a broken man. Two things would stop me finishing, an injury of course and COVID. I was having such a good time and was living the runners dream, Run Britannia was everything I imaged it to be and more, and to have that taken from you was just gut wrenching, even now I find it hard to describe the feeling.

I had always said if I did catch COVID during the event I would pull out. I wasn’t prepared to risk possible long term physical damage trying to run an ultra a day while recovering from the virus. Recovering from any virus takes time and the strain on the heart , combined with my age, was a risk I was not prepared to take. It was the right decision to leave when I did and return home to recuperate, the right decision but it didn’t help.

Back in Oz I spent two weeks sleeping more than anything else. COVID drained me physically and I was mentally destroyed leaving Run Britannia early, not a happy chap truth be told. It took me over six weeks to even think about running and I cut myself off from family and friends , working from home but really just existing. What made it worse was I knew the event was ongoing and I cut all ties with social media , it was just too hard . Dark times indeed.

My last photo about a kilometre before my last aid station.

As the image below shows I was fairly inactive post Run Britannia, physically and mentally broken. Probably my longest time without running , bar injuries, in the last ten years. Dark times indeed. I also discovered how easy it is too put on weight, without really trying and am now learning how hard it is to shift it. !

The last seven or so weeks I’ve found my mojo and training has stated in earnest for the Feral Pig 100 miler in the first week of November. ( https://feralpigultra.com.au/ ) The best advice when you fall off a horse is get back on , this also rings true for ultra running albeit riding a horse in an ultra will probably get you disqualified ? Post Feral is my fourteenth 6 inch ultra start in December ( https://6inchtrailmarthon.com ) and then the Australia Day Ultra 100k late January ( https://australiadayultra.com/ ) before Delirious West 200 miler in February ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) , Light horse Ultra April ( https://lighthorseultra.com.au/ ) and Herdy’s Front yard in May. ( https://herdysfrontyard.com.au/ ) Looks like I’m well and truly back on the horse from a racing point of view.

So that’s it for Run Britannia, didn’t even finish the first week so very disappointed but had so much fun when I was there. Met some wonderful people who I regret not getting to know better in my short time but I always envisages five weeks of togetherness not less than one. The organisation was top class , thankyou James and his crew, and if you’re thinking about throwing your hat in the ring for this beast of an event I recommend you do. Will I go back ? I would love to but the cost and time away from the family is tough to justify two years in a row but never say never, if the dice rolls my way who knows?

Would I like to go back ? 100% yes, it was such an incredible adventure there is nothing I’d rather do but sometimes you’re dealt a hand and you just got to play it, this year I twisted when I should have stuck.

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.

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!

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/ )

Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ

Ultra Marathons

Run Britannia , day five, Bideford to Greenlands Farm,Exmoor (51km)

07 October bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

We left our accommodation which we had been in for three nights and boarded the bus to take us back to the finish from day four, which was a carpark outside a pub in Bideford. Straight away I saw the answer to my prayers, a motorised scooter, just what I needed for another day mainly on concrete paths or b-roads. This was frowned upon by my fellow competitors , and probably the owner of the vehicle, so off on foot I scampered.

A tempting offer at the start of the day.

The first ten kilometres from the start was on concrete paths that run through stunning scenery. Not quite the coastal beauty we had experienced previously but flat and fast. It was good to get some kilometres under the belt early and we hit the first pit stop very quickly. I ordered my obligatory tea with three sugars and wolfed down a few Rat Race bars. I had ran with my good mate Dave ‘Dangerous’ Douglas and we shared some great stories and bad jokes, time disappeared quickly, funnily enough like Dave at the pit stop. Dangerous didn’t like to hang about and treated each stage as a mini race, I was more than happy to chew the fat , and drink the tea, at aid stations, after all it was Run Britannia not Race Britannia.

Straight away we were faced with great running, beautiful weather and awesome scenery, the norm for this event.

As well as myself there was one other Australian who had made the long trip from down under, here the two of us ham it up for the camera.

Running to the coast albeit we never got there on this stage.

Great running, this was just before the first aid station, again perfect conditions.

Highlight of day two was definitely spending time with Dangerous Dave. We were room buddies and two peas in a pod, time with Dave passed very quickly despite his very bad jokes. Meeting someone for the first time but instantly knowing you’d be good friends is rare and with Dangerous I had that connection. I have many regrets with leaving Run Britannia early but missing out on spending the extra four weeks running with Dave is my main one. He killed it of course and was one of the dozen or so runners who finished every stage, despite a dodgy ankle for a few stages where he had to hobble the whole stage and his Father passing away in the first week. Dave is a genuine nice guy, plain and simple. I look forward to spending some time in his company, someday.

Met Dangerous at aid station two and had more quality time together.

Dave was also useful to act as a human shield so I was always keen to let him lead as we ran along the b-road ‘killing fields’ , as I call them. As I said in a previous post cars aren’t expecting runners on these roads and you really need to approach every corner under the assumption there is a Volkswagen van being driven by a homicidal maniac just around the corner, whose sole purpose in life is to add you to his hood ornament.

Using Dangerous as a human shield for oncoming traffic.

Saw this outside a local church and couldn’t resist, you’d be mad not to surely.

Dave and I made our way through the countryside stopping only for the odd photo opportunity too good to turn up. He has a flare for photographer Dave, as well as running. How good is the scenery ? Clean streams flowing under beautiful hand built bridges from a by-gone era, so quintessential English.

A Dangerous Dave original; photo.

The day was spent mainly on back lanes with the odd section of b-roads , running through picture postcard English countryside in perfect summer conditions. The organisers couldn’t have hoped for these conditions in their wildest dreams, we were truly blessed.

There was some countryside running as we neared Exmoor.

A Rat Race aid station , an oasis of calm in a storm of ultra running !

Leaving the last aid station for the day I started on the last climb and was met with the Union Jack flying in the wind. An in credible view on a day of incredible views, this day really couldn’t have got any better.

The last trail in the Dunkery and Horner wood, how bloody English is that ? The image below shows the last rise to the finish aid station on Exmoor. Conditions really were stunning and a sharp contrast to the start the next day. I was just behind Martin and we both finished within a few minutes of each other. There were three or four other runners waiting to greet us, as well as the Rat Race crew, at the finish, hugs all around and then onto the food.

We finished day five on Exmoor in glorious conditions. The Rat Race crew were there and I gorged on protein shakes, donuts and fruit. After running all day it was an oasis of food, just what us runners needed. My Altra Vanish Tempo’s had been through a rough couple of days and looked the worse for wear but had been a good shoe choice for the day. Probably back to the Altra Olympus trainers for day six as there would be some time on Exmoor, which was mainly single track trail. Unbeknown to me at the time today would be my last full day on Run Britannia and it was certainly a day I will never forget, similar to day six but for completely opposite reasons.

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.

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!

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/ )

Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ

Ultra Marathons

Run Britannia, day four, Bude to Bideford (41km)

05 October bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

We viewed a forty one day stage, mainly on road, as a rest day after three brutal trail days running nearly sixty kilometres each day. I’d miss the ocean views but not the testing terrain, I was ready for a short (relatively speaking) , easy road day.

Pretty good start to the day, this was after about 5 minutes of running. ( Nature stop)

After about ten minutes running it was time to say good buy to the coast and we wouldn’t see the ocean again until we arrived in Bideford at the end of the stage.

First town after the start and instantly got lost, go figure. ?

Once we got on the back roads I even bumped into a deer which I wasn’t expecting so close to civilisation. A surreal moment where we both stopped and just eye balled each other before the deer vanished, pretty cool start to the day.

A lot of day four was on back lanes and b-roads, the back lanes were ok but the b-roads were like the killing fields. Motorists didn’t expect to see runners and drove accordingly, you had to be very careful how you crossed any corners making sure you gave yourself and the vehicles space to avoid a collision. You needed to keep your wits about you that’s for sure and on a number of occasions I was forced to find safety deep in the hedgerow. To be fair it’s not the motorists fault , we were invading their territory. Still made the day interesting.

The killing fields ? The back lanes were ok but the b-roads were life changing.

It was another big day as we left our first county moving from Cornwall into Devon. I don’t think you will ever get those conditions for the Cornwall stage again, they were absolutely perfect. Constant sunshine but never too hot that you couldn’t enjoy your surroundings and what surroundings. I truly believe, when conditions are that good, there is nowhere in the world I’d rather be. If they could just warm up the water , maybe climate change will turn Cornwall tropical , or should I say more tropical?

There really are no words for Cornwall, it had put on a show and delivered the most magical conditions showcasing all she had to offer, perfect , just perfect.

So it was over to Devon and see what she had to offer us, I was leaving my comfort zone as I grew up in Cornwall and we always had a rivalry with our nearest neighbour, albeit I was looking forward to some Devon Scones with Jam and Cream.

County number two promised more of the same.

Truth be told it was very hard to distinguish between a Cornish lane and a Devon one. You were also just as likely to meet Lewis Hamilton wanna-be’s in their Volkswagen Vans so you still needed to keep your wits about you or you’d end up a hood ornament.

Funnily enough Devon lanes look very similar to Cornwall lanes.

The one oasis of hydration and nutrition , apart from the local village shops or town supermarkets, was the Rat Race pit stops. These were a gourmet smorgasbord and manned by the best helpers since Father Christmas discovered Elves. We were treated like royalty and the hardest part was leaving albeit the next one was never far away. The crew were so good and the tukka was delicious , again I must mention the Rat Race bars.

Funnily enough I did manage to miss a few pit stops and this was entirely my fault as they were well marked and before each day we were drilled on their locations. The old adage ‘you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink’… it’s like you can put out a pitstop but you cannot guarantee the runner will stop and find it !

The final part of this stage was the South West Coastal Path which was stunning. We left the ‘take your life in your hands’ b-road , ran over a picturesque bridge (see below) and then followed this path to Bideford. Some great images and I even persuaded a cyclist to take a photo.

The images never do the actual scenery justice, I even went to the expense of buying an iphone 14 pro but still the final photos never show how good it really was. A photo doesn’t show the whole picture so to speak, the summer sunshine warming you as you move along trails that make you glad to be alive, breathing in the beauty of all around you. I really haven’t got the vocabulary to fully describe the feeling, if there are even words that are available. You just need to get out there and experience it yourself. Crossing this bridge, leaving the road, and heading onto the South West coastal trail was invigorating as I also knew the end was in sight and I was feeling great. No fatigue just enjoying the moment and cruising to another finish.

The run into Bideford was scenic to the max.

Although there were sections of concrete the surroundings more than made up for the terrain underfoot. So much greenery, England in full bloom is a glorious place to be.

Some great trails at the end of the day.

There was trails as well as the concrete footpath so you were never too far from some great trail running and the odd stile to keep you honest.

On the outskirts of Bideford, another day complete.

When I persuaded a cyslist to take this photo I was close to the finish and feeling so good. The stage was relatively short compared to the previous three days so I had lots left in the tank, it was virtually a rest day as we had also left the testing undulations of the coastal path. It had been a great day.

Feeling good at the accommodation after a ‘rest day’, only 41km.

All that was left to do was get a great selfie with some of my housemates and then all scuttle off to the pub for a good feed, tell a few tall stories of the days adventures and prepare to repeat the whole process the next day, we really were living the dream.

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.

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!

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/ )

Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ

Ultra Marathons

Run Britannia day three Padstow to Bude ( 59km)

01 October bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

Day three and it was another glorious day in sunny Cornwall. Padstow to Bude would turn out to be very , very special. It 59km kilometres of incredible running over scenery that defied logic at times, it was just too perfect. I felt like I was seeing a picture postcard around every corner, each one outdoing the previous.

Managed to get some video of the ferry crossing and Dave ‘Dangerous’ Dougla getting reprimanded for standing on the seats. I wish I’d taken more video, next time !

The highlight of day three was running through Port Isaac, an iconic village made famous by the TV series Doc Marten. It did not disappoint. I’ve added three images below but could have added hundreds more, the place is a picture postcard on steroids’ and the conditions were absolutely perfect. When the weather is this good there is no where else you’d rather be, nowhere.

The only downside is the water looks so inviting but if you venture in there there is a good chance you’ll lose the family jewels for many hours , post dip, it ain’t warm.

Port Isaac, image two. The outer harbour.

How incredible is that view, it was hard to move on , leaving such a paradise and a true Cornish iconic village. Thankyou Port Isaac, you delivered in spades.

Me trying to get all arty’ with a Cray pot.

We were warned on day one that North Cornwall was one of the hardest sections and although we were blessed with perfect conditions it didn’t disguise the terrain which was testing. If you weren’t going down steep slopes you were ascending similar gradients. Luckily there were no time pressures and it was up to each runner how quick they’d run the stage. Stopping for a photo was also an excuse for a well earned rest or a break for some hydration and nutrition.

North Cornwall was as brutal as it was beautiful. Undulating is putting it lightly.

As the image shows I’m heading down to the beach and then up to the ridge. North Cornwall was tough.

The beauty of the Cornish coast is the splattering of small village stores hidden in the coves supplying the best refreshments, like unplanned aid stations filled to the gunnels with delicious offering. I was parched and this ice cream , together with some lucozade energy drink, recharged my batteries big time. I skipped off up the next hill with renewed vigor before bumping into some tourists who offered to take a photo, the day just kept on giving.

A runners dream, ice cream on a stinking hot day.

Experiencing the runners high after a great Cornish ice cream and also happy for a rest after the hill I had just clambered up. Notice my foot wear in this photo. I had gone for the Altra Vanish Tempo’s , which were brand new at the start of this stage, this was a mistake as I was taking my life in my hands on some of the steep climbs, especially going down. My logic was the path was very runnable and there was road sections ahead, with hindsight I should have packed my Altra Olympus runners and swapped at one of the aid stations. My lovely white tempo’s were christened early in the stage when I jumped into a cowpat (a flat round deposit of cow dung) while coming off a sty.

Certainly happier after the ice cream in the cove behind me.

I have added an image of an example of said cowpat, sort of landmines for ultra runners . Needless to say my lovely white Altra Tempos would never be that colour again.

A cowpat, hard on the outside, soft on the inside.

It was a blessing to leave the coast to the back roads where we offered some protection from the sun. You were always on the look out for water and this watering hole was extra special as it had goldfish, I assume they had been deposited there and just survived ?

Maybe they’re dangerous and thus need the cage to protect the general public from being mauled to death, a Cornish version of a Great White shark perhaps ?

They looked pretty harmless truth be told but I didn’t risk putting my hand through the grate ?

As well as backroads there was a few trails to keep you on your toes and these were heavily shaded which was a respite from the unforgiving sun.

Trails were the finishing touch to a perfect day of running.

Another highlight, I told you it was a perfect day, Tintagel Castle, home of King Arthur.

Eventually the days running had to end and I was disappointed when I reached the finish for day three, albeit I was looking forward to a sit down and some tukka. Imagine how excited I was to receive an authentic Cornish party , bloody stoked. I devoured the beast quickly and then stripped off and had a relaxing (and invigorating ) swim in the ocean. Laying in the ocean I reflecting on the best day yet and wondered how much longer the event could keep producing the goods.

A Cornish party, a thing of natural beauty.

After the Cornish pasty it was back on one of the buses and we were whisked away to our overnight accommodation. We’d be here for three nights and I was grouped with five other runners in a three bedroom chalet, with sea view of course and close to a great pub which would feed and water us. As you can see from the image below it was burger , onion rings and chips, real ultra food.

A table of very tired but very happy ultra runners. Who gave Dangerous a knife ?

Finally a perfect sunset before retiring for the evening and preparing for day four, Bude to Bideford, a 41km day, virtually a rest day. I could hardly sleep I was so excited.

Even blessed with a prefect sunset before retiring for the night.

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.

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!

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/ )

Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ

Ultra Marathons

Run Britannia day two Portreath to Padstow. (57km)

29 September bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

We spent the first evening back at the Lands End YHA which meant a thirty mile return journey. There was little conversation on the minivan on the way back, we were all toasted from a hard days trail running and contemplating a similar fate the next day. Apparently the North Cornwall sections of the event are among the hardest trails and also you have to run seven days straight before your first rest day. All these factors were playing on everybodies minds as we sat in silence on the journey back to the start.

Start of Day 2 with my old friend Zelah along for the ride.

Once back at the YHA it was time for a well earned hot shower and some great dinner before I went straight to bed and sweated out the head cold that had been bothering me all day. I was out like a light and awoke the next day invigorated, unfortunately for my three running room buddies I had also snored all night , allegedly. So back on the bus we went to drive the thirty or so miles back to Portreath and restart the adventure at yesterdays finish line. It was surreal to be back at Portreath and without any fanfare we were off again. A good friend of mine, from my youth, Zelah Lewis joined me for the first ten or so kilometres and her company made the time disappear as we caught up with probably forty years of news. We were so focused on reminiscing I missed the first aid station which meant as we parted company I was out of food and drink, rookie error.

The images don’t get any better, thanks for the photo Zelah.

Another Zelah Lewis image.. it was great having my own photographer along for the ride.

Luckily as Zelah turned for the return trail to Portreath I was caught by four runners who restocked me with Rat Race bars (my go to food on the run) We stayed together for most of the day and the highlight was ice creams from a pub later in the morning as the temperatures heated up.

The boys and ice creams, Matty, Martin, Phil and Steve.

Managed to find aid station 2 albeit I was travelling in a group of five so I just followed everyday else. Enjoyed sitting down and grabbing some great tukka, from memory a wrap of some sort, not important at this stage in the day , you just want food and as much as possible. On a side note the Rate Race bars are awesome and I would mainly use these throughout the day. The Cornishman pub was just next to aid station two and had to get the image below, just perfect. I use that term a lot in these posts.

Love this image, always consider myself a Cornishman.

Conditions for day one were perfect but day two was even more perfect, if that is even a thing ? Cornwall really was tugging at the heart strings by showing herself at her very best, it really does not get any better ? These were new trails to me as when I left Cornwall nearly thirty years ago I was a hard drinking surf chasing machine and running was only a thing you did if you were late for last orders at the local pub. ! The views on day two were incredible, just incredible. When the weather is this good Cornwall is probably the best place to be on the planet, in my opinion. I was blessed.

Along the coast trail you are constantly coming across beach crossings that last a lifetime and every one is picture perfect, breaking up the undulation of the coastal trails. These beach crossing are a welcome relief and give you time to relax and smell the roses, so to speak. You breath in the views .

Linking the beaches, coastal trails and small Cornish villages are the incredible back lanes over grown with lush greenery, and stinging nettles ! You needed to be on your guard as you moved through these lanes though because Cornish drivers can all take on Lewis Hamilton in their Volkswagen campers and consider a runner a potential kill rather than an obstacle to be avoided. A few times I made a life saving dive into the hedge and on a number of occasions was met with a wall of stinging nettles, which as the name suggests, it an unpleasant experience.

Mustn’t forget the great back lanes , linking the trails , beaches and the villages together.

Its hard to describe the day without continuing the perfect, awesome, incredible theme I have been using so far on this journey thus far. Cornwall was just putting on such a show and the images will live long in my memory. On so many occasions I wanted to strip down to my shorts and dive into the Cornish ocean which was so inviting, albeit I knew it looked a lot warmer than it actually is , so resisted. I was also worried about the possible chaffing issues I would be facing running for hours covered in salt water. My T8 running wear is good but salt water and clothing, mixed with exercise, are not good bed fellows. ! On that note a big shout out to T8 clothing who supplied me with all my running apparel. https://t8.run/ I cannot recommend this brand enough, clothing so good you feel you’re running naked. I remember the first few times I tried their shorts I kept checking to see I was still wearing them, they are that good. Chaffing is a thing of the past, no need to cover the family jewels in Vaseline. (albeit I use to enjoy that ?)

I felt strong as the day progressed and came into Padstow full of beans knowing day two was finished, a chalk and cheese experience compared to the day one slog. There were so many highlights it was just another perfect day, there’s that word again. I feel like I’m missing out describing so many experiences from day two but with time my memory becomes jumbled , a benefit of my advancing years. I should have kept a journal like Steve , maybe next year ?

My little group of runners had split up by the time I reached Padstow and I was relieved to finally sit down after a long day at the office. Funnily enough I was a matter of metres from the finish but couldn’t see it and standing looking at my phone, confused, was saved by James, the Race Director, tapping me on the shoulder and pointing me the one or two metres to the finish line. At the end of an ultra you really are a zombie ! It was great to sit down and admire the harbour views before being whisked away to our accommodation for the evening.

End of day two.. Padstow, another picture perfect Cornish harbour town.

So day two done and dusted, a massive improvement on day one with the head cold banished. Finished well up the field, albeit it’s not a race, but good to finish strong and enjoy the day compared to the slog on day one. Now it was back in the minivan to the whisked away to the new accommodation for some R&R, a good feed before repeating the whole process on day three, I really was living the dream.

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.

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!

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/ )

Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )

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Ultra Marathons

Run Britannia 2023.. what could have been ? Day 1 . Lands End to Portreath

27 September bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

Run Britannia is the brain child of Rat Race events and was trailed last year by eight test pilots. 2023 was the inaugural running of the event with a cap of forty runners for the 35 day, 1,000 mile, running smorgasbord. On the day there were 27 starters , myself included. This was going to be the adventure of a lifetime, and then some. https://www.ratrace.com/run-britannia

Simple concept, start at Lands End in Cornwall and run the length of the United Kingdom ending up at John O’Groats 35 days later, over 1,000 miles, (1,634km) averaging between 50-60 km a day with four break days. Sounds reasonable. Rat Race events put on all the accommodation, transport, food and drink for the whole event; all you do is wake up each day and run an ultra, simple.

Presented with my RB Number and shirt at Lands End YHA.

We all gathered at the Lands End Youth Hostel for our first night together and the first of many race briefings from the RD James. It was incredible to finally be in England and at the start of what promised to be life changing. All the runners introduced themselves and what an eclectic bunch we turned out to be. From Plasters and Decorators to Company Directors, athletes to runners who had not even run an ultra, the whole spectrum of the running society was on show. The thing was no one cared , everybody was as equally nervous and excited together and to a runner it was all about finishing but finishing together. Hence the name I suppose, Run Britannia, rather than Race Britannia; it really was a run with like minded people.

James gives the first of many pre-run briefings.

Funnily enough I spent my youth in Cornwall, England, so knew Lands End very well, growing up surfing the first two beaches we would run over on our journey. The memories came flooding back as I clambered over boulders on the coastal path between Sennen Cove and Gwenver. It must be over twenty five years since I run amok on these beaches but it felt like yesterday.

The 27 runners at the start of Run Britannia, you could feel the nervous energy .

I’ve been here so many times over the years, but never starting a 1,000 mile run? I’d been dreaming about this shot for months.

So here’s the start, excuse the commentary from my old friend Paul Magnet’ Hutson…

Once we got going I knew my head cold I had picked up the day before was not going to go away without a fight. I started with the front runners but was soon jettisoned out the back and found myself towards the back of the pack by the time we reached Gwenver beach, a few kilometres from Lands End. This was going to be a long day, albeit spent in glorious conditions doing what I loved in my beloved Cornwall. Some of my best friends and my brother and his family has popped along to the start and they would pop up over the day to encourage me along, at times I needed it.

Running through Sennen and Gwenver was surreal, I had spent the best part of ten years surfing these beaches in a misspent youth and as we were out early the cove was deserted bar a few on lookers bemused seeing so many runners. It was an incredible experience and I soaked it all in. The images can never do it justice, so special.

My all time favourite beach on the planet.. Gwenver looking resplendent.

I found myself alone running across Gwenver until a good friend from a different lifetime came down to cheer me on. Seeing Chris, who had been camping with his sons, gave me such a boost. Old friends from decades ago reconnecting instantly. It’s hard to describe the feeling running across Gwenver , probably close to thirty years since the last time I really run amok there. It has a special place in my heart and I deliberately keep it locked away , probably explains why I never return, too dangerous, it claws at you and you can feel the urge to return building in your stomach. On this day I got my head down and moved on knowing I had a long day ahead of me and best not dwell on what could have been, more time for that later in the journey.

Off the coast path heading towards Zennor.

The coastal path is challenging but the views make up for the hard running surface and boulder clambering. Cornwall really is God’s County and is was putting on a show for day one. The early morning cloud cover was soon banished and it was pure sunshine to the finish. I was probably the only runner who kept his jacket on and this was a godsend later in the day, running across Gwithian Beach, when the wind got up. I was freezing and without my jacket it would have been hard to carry on while my fellow runners all basked in the Cornish weather, they’re a funny bunch Poms.

Zennor, picture perfect albeit at this stage I was seriously going downhill..

For some reason it looks like this is the only video footage I took on day one. I was suffering with a head cold but I’m sure I took more ? Obviously not which is such a pity as it was a biblical day. I always set off with good intentions but on day one I failed. This was taken at aid station two, just coming out of St. Ives.

After St. Ives we had to hot foot it to Hayle estuary and catch the tide, miss it and we were faced with an extra six or so kilometres. Most elected to run to the end of the estuary where it was the shallow; my group decided to go as the crow flies and just wade through up to our arm pits , holding our packs above our heads, SAS style. Because of this I didn’t get any photos or video, I was more worried about not dropping my iphone into the drink.

After we dried ourselves we checked the GPS tracking page and saw the front runners were finishing while we had more than twenty kilometres to go. Incredible pace which was unsustainable of course long term but first day, perfect conditions, you could forgive their enthusiasm. I was more interested in just finishing and recovering, time on feet run and trying to soak up the views. Cornwall really was delivering in spades on day one.

Post river crossing the wind got up and although it looks warm in the photo I was freezing, of course this was down to my head cold but I was so lucky I had my running jacket, without it I would have been in real strife. Once we got off the beach we were protected from the wind and things warmed up a tad. After Gwithian beach it was a case of head down to Perranporth where the bus was waiting to take us back to the start for a good nights rest, and man did I need it !

Coming into Portreath at the end of a long day.

By the time I got to Portreath I was well and truly done, I had nothing more to give and just needed to eat and sleep. We headed back to the Lands End YHA and after a good meal I was straight to bed and out instantly. That night I sweated out my cold and unfortunately snored all night, according to my room mates. This was down to the head cold, I’m assuming, as there was no more complaints for the remainder of the event. Either way the next day I was feeling so much better and ready for day two.

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

Altra supply the best trail shoes on the planet, in my opinion, and none better than the Olympus five. Do yourself a favour and buy a pair. ( https://www.altrarunning.com.au/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

or facebook RUNBKRUNOZ

Ultra Marathons

Once more into the breech.. Lighthorse 24 hour ultra race 2023 recap..

06 May bigkevmatthews@gmail.com 0 Comment

The 24 hour starters…at the 3pm service pre-event. credit: Shannon Dale.

I have raced the Lighthorse Ultra the last four years , it has a special place in my heart after my first ever DNF in 2019 (albeit I’m not sure that’s true as its a timed event , so just crossing the start line you get a finishers distance ? Anyhow it felt like a DNF to me after 33k and three hours ?) I was totally unprepared for the format, my first time at a timed race, and the midnight start, and blew up in spectacular fashion. https://www.runbkrun.com/2019/06/01/what-you-learn-from-a-dnf/

redeemed myself in 2020 running a third place https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/09/19/24-hour-redemption-ultra/

In the midst of COVID I placed third again in 2021. https://www.runbkrun.com/2021/05/08/lighthorse-24-ultra-lest-we-forget/

In 2022 I won the event : https://www.runbkrun.com/2022/04/30/lighthorse-ultra-24-hours-2022/ (Phil Gore ran the 12 hour)

Coming into the event this year I had Run Britannia ( https://www.ratrace.com/run-britannia ) in the back of my mind, so was going to use this as a last confidence builder before a three to four week taper concentrating on getting to the start line in June fresh rather than over trained. That being said I had Rob Donkersloot pacing me and he is a hard task master, as well as a very good crew. I knew Rob would keep me and my chair separate from each other for most of the event and I need this otherwise I have been know to slink away for an hour or two , tucked up in my chair in a nice warm sleeping bag. Rob helped me break 200 kilometres in 2022 when I had came close the two previous years but sacrificed the distance for ‘chair time’. Rob is a coach who concentrates on meditation and the mind as well as general coaching. I highly recommend his services.. ( https://mindfocusedrunning.com/ )

The Mind focused running crew who let me share their gazebo. A better bunch of runners you’ll be hard pressed to meet.

This event is heaped in remembrance to those who have served and who are serving. There is an Anzac last post before the event which focuses the mind on the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the many conflicts over time. This run is about honouring them and when you’re deep in the pain cave thinking about these brave souls gives comfort and encourages you to carry on, knowing what you are feeling is nothing compared to what they felt and what they gave so we can run this, and all, events in the wonderful, lucky, country we live in.

The event village taken by Shannon Dale on a really big step ladder.

Post last post it was time to line up for Lighthorse Ultra number five, and my fourth 24 hour run. Conditions were perfect and I was surrounded by friends at the start, looking ahead I could see the run down to the bridge before the small rise (which gets bigger every lap funnily enough) , déjà vu I suppose. I reminded myself how I have retired from this event every year but always seem to find myself at the start line the following year. Runners aren’t the brightest people in the world, I’ve said that a few times.

I had trained well, post Herdys, in early March and had put together a good block of four weeks, I was ‘peaking’ at the right time and went into the event confident of a good total. Although this was merely the last long run before Run Britannia in June I also wanted to use it as a confidence booster initially and second to see how’d I’d recover. I was paying special attention to any niggles and also the condition of my feet and toes during and post event. After several zoom calls with the Rat Race crew who run the Run Britannia event it seems injuries were the major reason for DNF’s from the test pilots, the daily distance was deemed achievable.

Saturday afternoon, first few laps. (I’m smiling) credit : Andrew Yeatman.

Saturday afternoon went smoothly enough, I felt better than last year and was running in the low 5min/km range, even throwing in a few sub 5min/km’s albeit when this happened I made a conscious effort to slow, I was running for 24 hours. Just before the sunset I was probably top five and ahead of last years distance, maybe a PB was on the cards, the conditions really were perfect and a lot better than 2022. I put this to the back of my mind and reached for my Audible app on the iphone and started a new book, this would keep me going through the night when social interactions drop. I had a new Anthony Horowitz book, Moonflower Murders, all 18 hours of it, a perfect length for a 24 hour race. As it was it kept me interested all evening but once the sun rose I needed the kick from a few hours of Taylor Swift. (Don’t judge me!) and my Lighthouse Spotify playlist, mostly songs from the seventies and early eighties, my golden years.

Great shot of the evening loop by Stephen Jones. I was trying to hide my headtorch for a better effect.

We change direction every three hours and I would use this as a reminder to change my tops, and then every six hours a complete costume change. I would also target a small rest at these turnarounds to either eat or grab a few minutes in the chair to apply fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) or some massage gun quality time. Rob was there to make sure I didn’t pontificate too long of course.

All smiles as the sun rises Sunday morning and the heat starts to rise. credit : Andrew Yeatman.

With the 3pm start the sunset comes quick and before you know it you are away in your own little world cocooned in your little light sphere ahead of you from your head torch. This would be true for most runners but not for me as I was wearing my new Silva Exceed 4XT, ( https://www.tribeandtrail.com.au/running-gear/silva-headlamp-range-400-600-2000-lumens/ ) The only downside to the Exceed 4XT is the battery is so big I had to wear a small backpack to accommodate it, it’s too heavy to wear in your shorts or on your head. The up side is 10 hours of full 2,000 lumens light, basically turning night into day. I lost count of the number of comments about the brightness of my headtorch, it is a game changer and although expensive I believe worth every cent as you rarely trip over due to bad lighting, a bug bear of mine while night running.

Audible kept me entertained and as the numbers thinned out post midnight I was happily lapping in good times and feeling relaxed. The temperature was perfect, not cold enough to be uncomfortable but not warm enough to over heat you. I kept on shorts the whole night and only added a jacket in the early hours , just before sunset.

Nutrition wise I never really have a plan and just eat what I have or what’s available. I had my go to food, tinned rice pudding and weetbix, but no main meal as such. I managed to steal a piece of vegetarian (?) pizza from Rob around midnight and this kept me going , paired with the odd gu when I remembered. I was also using Bix Endurance Fuel which has 200 calories. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) This is currently in ‘testing mode’ as the normal Bix tablets are more about replacing electrolytes, and they do that very well, and also recovery. I was hydrated as I would fil a 500ml bottle virtually every lap, well Rob would fill the bottle for me. The one aid station in the event village was also my go-to for orange and pineapple slices, flat coke and ‘BK Showers‘ when the temperature rose late afternoon Sundays. If there’s one thing I can improve for this event it’s nutrition, I’m too use to 200 miler aid stations and crew who magically summon up gourmet meals on demand.

Rob informed me I was ahead of last years time in the early morning but my old friend fatigue had come calling and my lap times started to increase, with more time spent around the gazebo doing ‘stuff’, whatever that may have been, albeit not enough time to attract Rob’s attention as he snoozed. It’s a thin line when you stop with Rob crewing, you need a good excuse otherwise you are met with a disproving glare as you stumble around the gazebo. I was comfortably in second place apparently with Michael Hooker way ahead. At this stage I was confident I could hold a podium position knowing, with experience, I’d be close to 200 kilometers if I kept moving forward, this took away a bit of pressure as this was my primary goal for the event. I was being chased by two ‘young guns’ , Simon Poli and Tom Radonic. Both these guys were capable of running 200km so I knew I’d need to run the full 24 hour to keep my position, great, always good to add more pressure when running for 24 hours.

The obligatory TRC shot. The Running Centre look after me so always try and do my bit.. credit : Andrew Yeatman.

Sunrise came along pretty quickly , surprisingly, I’d changed to music after losing interest in the audible book and was pumped with some great tunes. As soon as the sun rises your lap times improve, it’s a mix of the sun and also you can start to see the finish especially when the six and three hour runners join in at 6am. All of a sudden the path is awash with runners and the energy of the event is turned up a notch or two. The event village is then a hub of activity as you have supporters from all four formats (24, 12, 6 and 3 hour options) cheering you on, it makes a big difference. It is also inspiring seeing so many runners taking on their demons for the cause and doing their bit to remember the Anzacs.

The bench selfie on the second last lap, probably cost me a PB.

Sunday late afternoon and I was starting to fade, my lap times increased and I found more and more excuses to pontificate in the gazebo. I had been lapped a few times by Tom but was sure I had enough in the tank to hold him off, well pretty sure. I knew Simon had planned to get to around 170km and then anything post that was a bonus, he wouldn’t be getting 200km so my podium place was safe. With this in mind I allowed myself to drop the pace but whenever I did Tom would scurry past at a great rate of knots, looking far too fresh for my liking.

As well as breaking the 200 km for the event I also had the goal of a PB, which sat at 207km from last year. Early on I was well on target but I was slipping and this goal was becoming more and more of a challenge each passing hour. At the last turn around , leaving three hours, I knew it would be close, very close. I soldered on, never walking on the course , and encouraging all the die hard runners left stumbling forward towards the finish time. In the last three hours of a 24 hour race you are all deep in the pain cave, testing yourself and asking serious questions and that’s the point.

The 200km photo. I’d worked hard to get here. Thanks Rob.

I reached the 200 km mark and got the obligatory photo with Rob and a few press ups, it’s now a tradition apparently. I wonder if I’ll get there next year ? I can’t believe I’m even thinking about next year so soon after this year ? Runners, we’re a funny bunch. Rob encourages me to carry on but I knew then I was probably not getting to get a PB and truth be told I was ok with that. The event was a big success, I had managed to hold on to second place, just, as Tom had got to 200km and decided to pull the pin. I did manage another two laps and got to lap 82, the same lap as last year, but couldn’t quite get the distance I needed for a PB, short by about 400 metres. I think the bench selfie really did cost me a pb ?

Satisfaction, photo by no3 daughter Charlotte, looking good in T8 clothing.

So another great event by Ultra Series WA ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) and special thanks to the Race Directors, Scott, Harmony and Karin, and the amazing volunteers, what a great job by all. All that was left to do was to receive my trophy with Tom and Michael, a humbling experience with these two guys , both destined for so much more in their running careers as I move towards the end of mine, albeit kicking and screaming !It was special watching Michael go about his business hitting his massive target with more blue sky ahead and also maybe a ‘coming of age’ for Tom who , like Michael, has a great career ahead of him. On the flip side I’m loving my running at the moment and this event ticked all the boxes pre Run Britannia. I got the distance I was after, post 200km, but more importantly enjoyed the process and came away niggle free. I’ve ran a few times since the event and the legs feel great, the knee ‘niggle’ is gone , after 7 months, and my hamstrings are ‘working’, winning.

So in four weeks today I’ll be lining up at the start of my biggest adventure yet, the 1,000 mile Run Britannia ( https://www.ratrace.com/run-britannia ) event in the UK. Thirty one days of running over a thirty five day event, averaging around 50km a day. Am I ready ? Who really knows for an event this big, all you can do is get as cardio fit without the risk of injury, I feel its better to run up fresh as you’ll certainly gain fitness over the duration of the event.

Michael and Tom join me in the top three. Tom pushed me all the way while Michael ran 250k !! Next level.

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Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

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