The KepV2 is a new addition to the WA racing calendar with its inaugural event last year. The original Kep was created by Rob Donkersloot  ( https://mindfocusedrunning.com/ ) and was a point to point from Northam to Mundaring. ( https://kepultra.com/ ), the website is still up , as of 2022. It was basically the only real ultra in WA for many years and has entered into folklore since it was forced to fold due to unachievable Council constraints, mainly on the number of road crossings and insurance costs.  Shaun Kaesler  ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) has created an event that holds true to the original but is an out and back, thus limiting the number of crossings and making the event feasible.

I entered last year with a long run with a medal mentality as it is only three weeks out from the Lighthorse Ultra ( https://lighthorseultra.com.au/ ) , this was no different this year so again I went into the event with the same mentality, enjoy the race but don’t push it, bigger fish to fry later in the year. Added to the mix was a nasty head cold that had been hanging around the week before and I was more worried about just finishing.

So on a cold and wet Saturday morning we all lined up at the start and quietly shuffled off , more council stipulations, to alleviate any noise complaints, you see what I mean about keeping this event going !

This race can be broken down into four stages. Stage one is a 15km downhill section before stage two , a 37km uphill slog to the half way and then the opposite coming back. As you can image the race really starts when you hit the bottom of the final 15km section, uphill, all the way to the finish after running 90km to get there. Challenging is a nice way to describe this last part of the race, or bonkers,  but I’ll get there later in the post.

My game plan was the same as last years, I had my poles ready for me at the halfway aid station and would use them to propel me to the finish while limiting damage on my tired legs. I had no aspirations about finishing position just finishing strongly, or as strong as possible.  With this game plan in mind after the start I settled in around 6th male and just enjoyed the serenity of a beautiful morning on the trails with like minded people. I have said many times I race often because this is what I enjoy the most, bib on my chest and just being around people with the same views on life, the universe and everything, at least when it comes to running.

The first 15km  to the Bellevue aid station is nearly all down hill and deceptively so in some places. I knew this would be a different story on the way back with 90km’s in the legs and over eight hours running, I made a mental note to prepare myself for this and as already mentioned break the race into the four sections I have already described. This is good for any race, any distance. Rather than race the whole thing I always break it down to manageable chunks. In this case four different sections but for longer races just use the distance between aid stations, this may break down to twenty or so smaller goals for a 200 miler.

After Bellevue its a uphill slog to the halfway point passing through John Forrest (23K)  , Mount Helana (35K) and Chidlow (41K) aid stations before reaching the turn around at Wooroloo (52k) . Because it’s an out and back there was more than enough aid stations and you always felt you were either just leaving one , or just arriving at the next. This made a big difference to what you needed to carry and also the conditions helped being cool meaning you didn’t need to be constantly worried about hydration, which is the norm in Western Australia.

As I mentioned earlier in the piece I settled down into 6th place and put on Taylor Swift’s greatest hits on the shokz headphones ( https://shokz.com/ ) to serenade me to halfway. On a side note if you are a runner who listens to music , pod casts etc you must by a pair of Shokz headphones, so good ! I think we have three in the house at the moment, I may even get a pair for the dogs.

As I have already  mentioned I was not interested in racing this event, three weeks prior I had won the 24 Lighthorse ultra with a distance of over 200km and was in no state to put it all on the line again so soon. Pre-event I was also battling a head cold and I even had thoughts of pulling out earlier in the week. This was not an A race and was certainly expendable for the greater good if needed. Luckily I held my nerve and rocked up at the start.

Racing wise I started to feel the urge when I saw my good friend Charles , he of Delirious West 200 miler third place getter, struggling coming into Chidlow aid station. He certainly didn’t look great and he would eventually finish well over 12 hours which is pretty special given he looked finished at 40k. Mentally strong he decided to change his strategy from racing for a poduim to just finishing, a hard thing to do mid race. Massive kudos to him, sometimes it’s not the runner first past the post who is the real winner. In an ultra there are certainly more deserving winners that the three who get recognised as podium places.

After leaving Chidlow I then spied my drive buddy to the event, Simon Bennet. Simon has a great pedigree and has placed top 10 at the Margaret River Ultra twice, which is pretty special. ( https://margaretriver.rapidascent.com.au/ ) He is returning from injury and we ran to the halfway together. At the halfway point Trevor had just left before me and Tony Smith was way ahead of all of us, cruising to another victory to go with his great time last year. I entered the aid station 5th but with a quick turn around left in third place, with Simon hot on my heels.  It’s funny how all the talk of a ‘long run with a medal‘ goes out the window when you suddenly find yourself on the podium.  All of a sudden it became a ‘ you ain’t getting any younger and these opportunities may not present them again‘ type run, basically it was ‘on like Donkey Kong‘.

After I picked up my poles I really started to motor, first to drop Simon and second Trevor was probably only a few minutes ahead of me. Jumping to podium contention had reignited my competitive spirit and with Rob Donkersloot at each aid station I had the perfect tactician to aid my cause. It’s so funny how a race can change so quickly and the goals are reassessed and changed. Charles was initially gunning for a podium , now all he wanted was a finishers medal while I was the polar opposite.

I managed to catch Trevor coming into Helena aid station and after giving him some advice on how to run the rest of the race I left him there and really put my foot down. Rob had informed me the lead runner had been disqualified so I entered Helena aid station third and left in the lead, the pressure was on now big time. I started doing the maths in my head, 35km to hold on for the win. This is when course knowledge comes into play, I was faced with 20km of decent running virtually all down hill or flat before the climb to the finish. I had done it before and knew what to expect so I did enough to maintain my lead but also put some distance between me and the chasing pack giving me a buffer for the last climb. I actually felt pretty good surprisingly enough and maintained a good pace all the way back to Bellevue aid station, the last before the finish.

At  Bellevue I put the shokz headphones back in, dialed in Taylor Swift again and off I went , the final uphill slog to the finish. It wasn’t pretty and I was certainly suffering but I managed to keep moving forward only really walking, for a hundred or so metres at a  time, for the last four to five kilometres when I knew I was going to win, well first male anyway.

Crossing the line in first place, will it be the last time ? It felt great to place first male as it was so unexpected but also the race panned out so well with all the cards falling into place. Can I do it again, no way. Circumstances on the day just gave me the win, lead runners getting disqualified and fellow competitors being either under done or just not feeling it, everything conspired for me to get to the line first. Of course you got to be in it to win it and I have a base fitness now that if these opportunities present themselves I can take advantage but I’m still in shock truth be told.

Right a few images of the presentations , the trophy and the main reason we Ultra runners do what we do, the great food. The image above is of Simone , one of the race directors, and myself. These events take so much time to organise, setup , run and clear away and they need a legion of volunteers who have to be managed. The race directors on these events put in massive hours before the event and on the day will be there for nearly the full 24 hours, actually probably longer. Simone works for the Ultra Series so spends her whole life organsing these type of events behind the scenes and then steps up for the race director role on a few of them.  You need a passion to pull these events off and the Ultra Series staff and volunteers have this in spades. Where ever you are in the world I urge you to get involved with a running club or organisation and just experience the comradery of these type of events, they will change your life and allow you to surround yourself with wonderful like minded people.

Once Veronica came in we were able to have the presentation with the remaining runners from the 100km event. Trevor, who ran a great race for third, had to leave as did Margie who was first finisher, both female and overall. She ran an outstanding race after also running, and winning ,  the 12 hour Lighthorse Ultra a few weeks prior. Margie trains harder than just about anybody I know and is starting to see some rewards for her hard work. Working with Tony Smith ( https://www.tsrunclub.com/ ) she is starting to really believe she can move to the next level with her running, I’m predicting big things for Margie. Sophie and Tom ran great races for second and again both have time on their side and will be improving on these times moving forward. Tom is also working with Tony Smith so we’ll be seeing more of him in the future.

I was stoked to see my good friend Veronica make the podium after her stella run at the Delirious West 200 miler in February where she finished second. Like myself she had caught COVID a few weeks prior to the event and has bounced back quickly. We are both heading over East in a few weeks for the Unreasonable East 200 miler in the Blue Mountains. ( https://unreasonableeast200miler.com.au/ ) That is going to be a challenge.

The trophy is so cool and I know home made by volunteers which makes it extra special. Will this be my last one ? Who knows , if I was a betting man I’d say yes but with ultra running there are so many variables you never know when a Stephen Bradbury moment is coming and the old bugger with a beard wins.  As I said earlier in the post this was a training run with a medal which turned into a win at all cost run, that’s ultra running. I will look back at this trophy in years to come and it will always bring a smile to my face, remembering the day and the race and the memories. Another reason I keep all my medals because each one is a reminder of the great memories that each race encapsulates, little time capsules to remind you of the good times with people you care about.

The best thing about the Kep event, bar the running, is the Mundaring Hotel which serves the best Bangers and Mash in Australia, probably the world. It is so, so good and the image above does not do it justice. If you live in Perth you need to spend more time at this hotel ( https://www.mundaringhotel.com.au/ ) . The event starts and finishes at this venue and it is so good to spend time with runners and volunteers alike after the race, such a cool place to chill out.

Finally a few words about some great products I use that help me finish these events and also get ready for the next one. Fisiocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com.au/ ) is an amazing product I use during events when my leg muscles start to scream for help. Fisiocrem gives the muscles the energy boost they need , naturally. It really does make a difference. I used this product at the half way stage and also just before the last 15km slog to the finish. It weighs next to nothing so no problem carrying the small tube in my backpack during the event. It has also saved me on the Delirious West 200 miler earlier in the year and again at Hardy’s Frontyard Ultra and the 24 hour Lighthorse Ultra.

For recovery I use the HumanTecar products, ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) the spray and the recovery bandages. Both of these are incredible products, again like Fisiocrem totally natural. The recovery bandages are so good and they make such a difference virtually instantly, get yourself a good trail running magazine, a good cup of tea,  a few biscuits of choice  and put the bandages on and sit back and let the healing begin. I would recommend the bandages after big events or really long training runs, the spray is useful after any run or when you are just feeling the need for some help to recovery quicker. More of a day to day tool to help avoid the dreaded injury woes that plague most runners.

Finally to my good friends at the Running Centre ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ ) who provided me with my go to shoe a the moment , and the last two years, the Hoka Mach 4.  This shoe is prefect for day to day running providing enough support to ward off injuries but also light enough to allow you to run all your different pace based training runs.  There are new versions in the pipeline apparently and as soon as things settle down with the worldwide logistic issues we may be able to get into a pair.  As well as being great running shoes they also keep remarkably clean. I wore mine out of the box on the weekend and they still look brand new after running 105km’s on trail, albeit crushed limestone. It is testament to their quality that I can feel confident wearing a pair out of the box on a 10 hour race, with no fear of injury.

So that’s the KepV2 2022, one of the races of my life coming so soon after another one of the races of my life, this is becoming a thing. I hope I can continue my good form into the Unreasonable East 200 miler in late June as I will need to be ready for this bad boy of an ultra. ( https://unreasonableeast200miler.com.au/ ) This event,  in its inaugural year,  looks so epic but also a tad daunting, massive elevation with probably freezing conditions, both test you.  I am more excited than worried but I also understand I need to be at the top of my game to finish, forget racing but then again you never know what happens when the bib is stuck on my chest….

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A few weeks ago I ran 207km (128 miles) for the win at the Lighthorse Ultra in Perth. I’d been chasing the elusive 200 km club for a few years and finally made it. So is this me being the best I’ve ever been or have I moved the goal posts to make pb’s achievable while still slowing down ?  According to an article by Matt Fitzgerald below the reason we slow is the spirit rather than the flesh that lets us down. Not being mentally tough enough to keep putting yourself through the pain of training to reach your peak.

I agree with Matt, personally I’ve found moving to the ultra world easier to train for than trying to keep to my marathon pb best. I still love my running but after 10 or more years of pushing myself in the pain box I decided years ago to slow down, smell the roses and go long. Start to try and enjoy the experience and surround myself with like minded people who run for the love of running, without the expectations of results. Of course running ultra marathons is still a painful experience but in a different way. I always equate pain management to a tap of running water. For a shorter distance the tap is fully open and you are in the pain box,  big time. The longer the distance the less the tap is open , finally ending up dripping for a 200 miler. The pain is there but it’s a slow feeling that builds over time,  where as with a 5k it’s on from the start !  You get the picture. I’m happy to take on events with ridiculous distances now, distances that I would have struggled to comprehend when the marathon was the Everest of running, now it’s not even a warm up.

So can I get back to sub 3 form, well we’ll find out in October as I have signed up for the Melbourne Marathon. Unfortunately I have a few races planned before Melbourne  starting with the Kep V2 Ultra this Saturday , a 100km ( https://kepultrav2.com.au/ ) . Then in June another 200 miler ( https://unreasonableeast200miler.com.au/ ), August it’s my favourite back yard ultra, ( https://birdysbackyardultra.com.au/ ) and the two weeks before the Melbourne marathon I get to run the inaugural Front yard ultra in Adelaide ( https://nttdfrontyard.com.au/ ) Am I being greedy, probably.  Is it good preparation , 100% not but I love competing and racing, as I said to Rob Donkersloot, him of Mind Focuse running ( https://mindfocusedrunning.com/ ) I’d rather race 10 times’ with mediocre performances than save myself for one or two races a year. At my age it’s about spending time with like minded people and the best way to do that is race.

So have I let myself down mentally and is this the wrong approach ? Depends on what your goal is of course. If I was still chasing marathon pb times then I am 100% going about it the wrong way but if my goal is to race as long,  and often,  as possible I’m doing what I need to do and truth be told enjoying it immensely. Best runner in the world, the one having the most fun. 

Matt Fitzgerald is an acclaimed endurance sports coach, nutritionist, and author. His many books include The Endurance Diet, 80/20 Running, and How Bad Do You Want It?

On January, 22, 2020, five days after thirty-eight year old Sara Hall set a new American record of 1:07:15 for the half marathon, Women’s Running magazine published an article titled “Sara Hall Shares 7 Keys to Her Longevity of Excellence.” For your convenience, I have copied the article’s section headings, which neatly summarize Hall’s secrets, and pasted them here:

“Immersing herself in the love of running”
“Being relentlessly resilient”
“Embracing imperfection”
“Trusting and adapting in training”
“Keeping the faith”
“Focusing on a full life”
“Turning disappointment into teaching moments”

 

There’s a lot of wisdom packed in these few phrases, but do they constitute a complete recipe for “longevity of excellence”? Of course not, as I’m sure Hall herself would agree. One additional nugget of advice I would offer to aging endurance athletes is this: Assume nothing. By this I mean that you must not assume you will slow down, or your training capacity will decrease, as you get older. Just keep chugging along as though you are immune to the laws of nature that affect other aging athletes and see what happens.

I first heard this advice many years ago from Dave Scott, the legendary six-time Ironman world champion. When Scott was twenty-eight he told his girlfriend Linda Buchanan that he wanted to be even fitter at forty than he was then. Well, he got his wish. In 1994, three months shy of his forty-first birthday, Scott narrowly missed winning a seventh Ironman title, finishing a close second to thirty-year-old Greg Welch. “I didn’t feel like there were any boundaries,” Scott told me years later. “I was constantly reminded of how old I was, but those comments went in one ear and out the other.”

Psychologists have demonstrated that expectations of all kinds tend to be self-fulfilling. It’s not surprising, then, that athletes like Dave Scott, who performs as well after forty as they did before, tend to share a defiant attitude toward the aging process. Some even talk about aging as an advantage. “The more you age, the more you’re getting stronger,” said twenty-seven-time world record-breaker Haile Gebrselassie at a press conference before the 2010 New York City Marathon, when he was officially thirty-seven years old but probably closer to forty-one. “I still feel like age of twenty.” Alas, Gebrselassie wound up DNF’ing the next day, but three years later he was still winning major races, including the Vienna Half Marathon.

Let’s be clear: Age is more than just a number. It is an inexorable biological process ending in death. Athletes who extend their peak performance years into their forties by virtue of high expectations are not defying the laws of nature. If it were not physically possible to set an American record at thirty-eight, Sara Hall would not have done so. In continuing to improve as they approach middle age, the Sara Halls of the world are merely exploiting a possibility that exists in all of us.

This was shown in a recent study by researchers at Germany’s Martin Luther University. The purpose of the study was to identify differences in how older and younger athletes tolerate and recover from high-intensity interval training. Two groups of twelve well-trained cyclists and triathletes, one with an average age of twenty-four and the other with an average age of forty-seven, completed a series of HIIT sessions. During and after each workout, a variety of physiological measurements were taken in an effort to assess how stressful the interval set was for the individual and how quickly the athlete recovered. For example, the researchers looked at the rate at which lactate was cleared from the bloodstream during recovery intervals. They found no differences between the two groups in any of these measurements, leading them to conclude (in language so bloodlessly scientific it’s almost self-parodying), “[I]t seems that the trainability of the organism is maintained.”

Findings like this one suggest that, for athletes over forty who experience a marked decline in performance, the flesh is willing, but the spirit is weak. This was certainly Dave Scott’s take, as he explained in the above-referenced conversation: “I think it comes back to how hungry you are in your workouts and how intense you are in your workouts. I coach regular folks. I have thirty-year-old’s, forty-year-old’s, fifty-year-old’s, sixty-year-old’s. . . The intensity of the workouts drops off as people age. They allow it to.”

I’m no Dave Scott or Haile Gebrselassie or Sara Hall, but I am living proof that mere mortals too can extend their peak performance years into their forties if they let the chatter about age go in one ear and out the other. Having raced my first Ironman at thirty-one, I completed my fastest Ironman at forty-eight. Having raced my first marathon at twenty-eight, I completed my fastest marathon at forty-six. And having raced my first 10K at twelve, I completed my fastest one at forty-nine. I repeat: Assume nothing!

Exciting news on the sponsorship front, Human Tecar  ( https://athleticus.com.au/ ) have come aboard and will be providing me my favourite recovery products for the rest of the year . If you have not tried their spray and bandages then you are missing out. This stuff is magic and I’ll document my journey over the next 12 months.

Whether you’re hitting the parkrun or pushing through Kona, get the ultimate recovery on the back of over 25 years of experience in elite sports.

Thanks to ongoing collaborations with numerous universities and extensive investment in scientific research, Human Tecar® has fine-tuned two of its most effective functional products to make them available direct to the public.

Made in Italy and exclusive to Athleticus here in Australia, you can now access the same preparatory and recovery products that have been used by world-leading sports organisations, Olympians, professional athletes and health professionals.

So if you’re giving it your best, feel your best, with recovery products from Human Tecar®.

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I had always wanted to run 48 hours at Herdy’s to make up for running 47 hours in 2021 and missing that one lap mainly down to being totally and utterly spent and delirious enough not to realise how important that one extra lap would have been. I promised myself that I would make right in 2022 but over the year put this on the back burner as I had so many other races to conquer and adventures to have. The biggest one of these adventures was of course the Delirious West 200 miler  ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) and I got to run this event twice in five months due to a COVID postponement, this of course was a double edged sword as the second time was a mere five weeks before Herdys. Unfortunately this was ultimately to be my undoing.

For Delirious 2022 I had put it all on the line, big time, to break sub 70 hours. It was one of those races when you decide that you will do whatever it takes to get the result you aspire to. In this case it was the carrot of a gold buckle which Shaun Kaesler has decided was available for breaking 70 hours. About halfway through the event it was on and I left nothing on the course eventually finishing in 68 hours and change. As well as a gold buckle I ran a 15 hour PB, achieved a fourth place finish but had to pay a serious price,  long term,  which only really showed itself at Hirdy’s in the first night and onwards. We’ll get to that later in the piece but lets start at the beginning and work our way there.

The image above is the runners village all set up just before the start, the calm before the storm. The race starts at 4pm which is good for those runners who find running through the night difficult because you get to the head torch quickly and have company , in this case lots of company, to help you through the witching hours. (2am onwards) I believe this starting time is easier to get to 24 hours compared to a morning start when you hit the night tired and are more likely to drop out.  If you can get through the night in this scenario the run to the 24 hour mark is all daylight and.  in my view,  easier, albeit 24 hours is still 24 hours and funnily enough the number of people who make this milestone doesn’t seem to vary greatly.

Shaun Kaesler is always thinking up new ideas to spice up events and this year there was Viking drummers who joined us in a Viking Clap before the first lap. All 266 entrants clapping along with the drums, it made for an invigorating and unforgettable start, albeit towards the end the runners were flagging, we’re no known for our upper body strength. So off we all went for lap one, 266 runners of which 265 would DNF and Phil Gore would win.

Only myself , Adam and Rob had entered this year. My performance last year inspired a lot of the boys not to enter, not sure if that was the state I was in towards the end or they just didn’t want to race this event. ? Rob had entered a year previous but was now on a struct training regime with Matt Smith so was only allowed to run 42km. He is very anal when it comes to his training , and most things actually, so did his 6 laps and then a few extra kilometers to get his 42km before disappearing off home for a shower. He did come back and crew for a few hours which helped as the first night was so humid it made thinking difficult !

The image above must have been a few hours in as its daylight but you can see even early on in the event myself and Adam are certainly being tested. You can’t see how humid it was and this just got worse as the night wore on. On the bright side we were finishing in good time so we had the option for a good 10 minute rest in the Wanderer recliner , after fist getting our hydration and nutrition. Backyard tip , get elastic shoelaces, made slipping the trainers off between laps seemless, highly recommend these bad boys. Thank you Phil Gore for the tip and TRC for supplying them. ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ )

If there is ever an image which sums up the first night this is it. Both myself and Adam dripping in sweat, absolutely buggered and both wondering what we have let ourselves in for. The legs had nothing, destroyed by Delirious five weeks earlier,  and the conditions were brutal, really brutal. Perth is normally a dry heat so when we are struck down with high humidity we aren’t prepared and boy do we suffer.  The only saving grace was it wasn’t that cold in the evening albeit you could feel a chill once you stopped running as started to sweat a river. Listen people,  backyard ultras are brutal events when you are behind the eight ball, brutal. I love the quote from Gary Cantrell ( Lazarus Lake)  the inventor of the format,  he summed it up beautifully when he said ‘backyard ultras are easy until they ain’t. ‘ Worryingly this one started hard.

Myself and Adam soldered on though the night, I think that’s the best way to describe it. We both made cut off easily enough and that gave us a good ten minutes to whine to each other about how hard this was and why did we ever think this was a good idea so soon after Delirious. In our defence all Delirious runners were struggling and,  together with Veronika,  we were the last three standing and the only three three to make it through the night.  Finely the sun did poke its head over the horizon and suddenly the world was a better place. I’ve always said if you can get to sunrise you’ll find another 6-8 hours without really trying, the sunlight just makes it happen. This proved to be the case and all of a sudden I had my second wind. Unfortunately Adam and Veronika weren’t so lucky and still found the going tough. They decided to pull the pin together on lap 18, a bloody ripper of an effort given what had gone before.  Alone with my thoughts it was on with the After Shokz headphones and time to grind out the laps. What a difference the light made and I soon found myself finishing around the 41 minute mark, giving me plenty of time to recuperate, hydrate and get some nutrition in me, the world was a better place.

The first goal in a backyard ultra for me is the 24 hour mark. In the four previous backyard ultras I have run I have always made 24 hours, minimum. Once Adam dropped out I cruised to this goal feeling pretty good, a complete contrast to the first few hours of the event where I was struggling, big time.  This is ultra running, there are good times and there are bad times. A good runner understands both and adapts accordingly. These are the things Rob Donkersloot has taught me and if you are keen to improve as an ultra runner I highly recommend you get in touch with him. ( https://mindfocusedrunning.com/ ) Mention my name and he’ll charge you full price.

3pm Saturday , the 24 hour club, 100 miles, albeit you had to complete the lap. All the runners did and then quite a few dropped out. Two of my favourite runners where in that group, Jen Millum and Margie Hadley.  Both experienced nutritional issues throughout the race and in an ultra , eventually,  when the fuel runs out the engine stops. Both these ladies would have gone on to bigger totals and deserved so much more but this event is brutal, I’m sure I’ve mentioned that a few times and any issue, no matter how small, can be a race finisher. With nutrition it really is a black art, sometimes you can eat anything and all is good other races your stomach just doesn’t play ball and over time this is compounded until you have to withdraw. No amount of training can account for nutrition or hydration deficiencies on the day, you will eventually stop.  I’m confident both ladies will be back stronger at Birdy’s in August.

The second night and my lap times started to increase due to a combination of the dark and fatigue. I found myself running alone while the rest of the runners had either paired up or split into run/walk strategies where I would pass them and then they’d do the same to me before they’d walk again and I’d go past them , you get the picture. I sort of always ran, in the broadest sense of the word, so it became a tad annoying when you catch runners only for them to then overtake you before they’d start walking and the whole process repeated. If I was feeling better I would have ran quicker to avoid all contact but I was slowing lap by lap and with hindsight should have probably joined one of the walk/run group, even only for company.

One of the benefit of the night is the last few kilometres of the lap , a trail section through what can only be described as Sleepy Hollow. Incredibly creepy in the dark but beautiful in the light and when the sunsets it becomes inspiring. There was a full moon for the event and I was so looking forward to some serious night time hallucinations on the second evening. Not to be though as it was cloudy so the moon was hidden and for some reason this year I had no hallucinations, albeit I was probably on the cusp at 35 hours, another few would have done it.  No worries, there’s always Birdy’s.  Some runners hallucinate and some don’t , I have had some great visions over the years and they have all been positive, by that I mean not scary, maybe one day that will change? I think its down to what you’re thinking about at the time or just before but don’t quote e on that , I’m not an expert on the subject. Anyhow backyard ultras are great places to enjoy hallucinations due to lack of sleep, think of them as a bonus for running enough laps to make it possible ? Maybe next year I’ll watch ‘the legend of sleepy hollow‘ a few times before the race, should make for an interesting second night ?

The image above is the same location in the daylight, chalk and cheese really. If you get a good sunset it really is a magical place albeit only for the one lap, then it’s back to sleepy hollow mode and you need to look out for headless horseman, with an attitude.

Right as always I have digressed from the race itself. I’m now slowing , around the 30 hour mark and running laps alone with about 7-8 other runners still racing. My crew is doing their best to keep my spirits up but they’re fighting a losing battle. Special mention must go out to Rob Donkersloot who makes several trips to a local 24 hour IGA stores to find me pasta and orange juice and also Michael Hooker who goes home and brings back some wicked homemade soup. I’m not really a soup fan , must to my Wife’s disgust as she is Scottish and they are brought up on the stuff. Michael makes a mean soup though and I may be converted. Also Mark Lommers who is already around at the pointy end and like Rob is a calming influence in the chaos that is a backyard ultra.

The last four laps were a struggle, funny that. My times increased which led to less recovery and eventually more fatigue. On lap 33 my head torch battery gave out and it took me a few minutes to change it. This resulted in me finishing over 58 minutes and change leaving no time for any recovery, straight from the finish chute to the start chute. Mentally I was then done and I knew I was never going to make cut off on lap 35. I struggled around and finished three minutes past the hour, race over.

Thinking back to last year it was at this time the rest of the runners left me and Phil (lap 33 it came down to just the two of us?)  and I was very close to pulling out but was unable to after being left in the assist position. Could I have pulled another 2021 Herdy’s finish put of the fire this year ? I’m not sure ? I was certainly better prepared last year , no Delirious in my legs, and conditions were better , nowhere near as humid.  Also I think mentally I had dropped the ball for this race before I had even started. Somewhere over the last year that one lap I craved had become less important as more and more races were tackled. Ultimately I wasn’t prepared to dig deep enough to get through the last hours of darkness. I’m actually ok with this, you can’t destroy yourself every race, sometimes you need to do enough and this year I did enough. I was on a group chat with Rob and the rest of the Mindful running group after this event and summed this up by stating I’d rather run 10 mediocre races than one 50 lap backyard ultra. This is because for me I love the competing more than achieving your possible best. This is why I don’t cherry pick events and miss others, at my age I have done that racing marathons for many years. Now I just enjoy races where the main goal is to finish or go as long as possible, time is secondary.  It’s more about spending time with like minded people, doing what we love, and for me its the competing now rather than chasing podiums.

So that was it, 34 laps completed and a DNF on lap 35, my first cut off missed which is a positive of sorts. Again I have learnt so much from this experience and will take these new learnings into Birdy’s backyard ultra in August and then the two Adelaide backyard ultras later in the year.  I still love the format and it’s the only one where I can still hope to be near the pointy end , at least for a few more. With other goals ahead of me this year I’m excited about the racing calendar and I still have finding that one lap high on my priority list, at least for this year.

A big kudos to some seriously amazing results over the weekend. Jess Smith grabbing a new Australian Women’s record finishing 41 laps, Chris Martin finishing 39 laps before an ankle injury ended his run, Chetan Sadhana running 49 laps and the third longest of any Australian runner and finally Phil Gore winning his fourth backyard ultra in a row and finishing on 50 laps, one short of the Australian record. I am so excited to watch Phil next year at the World Championships in the States, to see how far he really can go.

Finally a huge thankyou to all the volunteers and staff at Tribe and Trail and Ultra Series WA who put on these events. ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) As I always say us runners have it easy, the real hard work is done by the volunteers and I salute you. Another hugely successful event , thankyou so much. Also Bix hydration for keeping me going ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ), love the Bix range of electrolyte tablets. Fisciocrem ( https://www.fisiocrem.com/ ) for when the quads were needing some fisciocrem magic, this never fails to deliver and it a must for any distance event. The Running Centre for supplying all my running needs. ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ ) and finally Squirrel Nut Butter ( https://squirrelsnutbutter.com/ ), you know what this is used for and it works, enough said.

Right, that’s Herdy’s frontyard ultra done and dusted for another year I had to work very hard, as usual, and got what I deserved in terms of distance. With Delirious on the cards again next year I now know what to expect at Herdy’s and will prepare myself better for the challenge. Look out Herdy’s , in 2023 I’m finally running that one lap I need.

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I had a free entry for the inaugural Hysterical Carnage backyard ultra gifted me by Shaun Kaesler, the pied piper of the Ultra Series WA and SA ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) . At the time I was on a high from my 47 laps at Herdys frontyard ultra and gladly accepted the chance to go again. Unfortunately in the mean time the Delirious West 200 miler had been moved to October, due to a COVID outbreak, and the Feral Pig 100 miler was two week before Hysterical. Running Hysterical was now going to be a big ask.

The first race of this trifecta was the Delirious West 200 miler in October. I finished this bad boy of a race in 83 hours but more importantly loved nearly every minute of it and recovered quickly. This allowed to me to run the infamous Feral Pig 100 miler five weeks later. Luckily for me the temperature on the day for the Feral was perfect as in the past it had even been shortened due to extreme heat. This year was about as good as it gets and I poled the whole distance finishing in a respectable 27 hours, well respectable for me as I had DNF’d the previous year. Albeit I have unfinished business with the race as they give out buckles for under 26 hour finishers, I will be back in 2022 for my buckle !

Feral is a hard 100 miler, lots of elevation and heat (usually) and the thought of running a backyard ultra two weeks later did not fill me with joy, more trepidation.  Truth be told I had thoughts of quietly ignoring Hysterical, into the too hard basket, but Shaun was not giving up and if you know Shaun you’ll know he’s not one for giving up. He eventually badgered me into booking tickets and before I knew it I was in Adelaide with no2 Daughter Charlotte.

On the plane I was doubting my ability to pull this one off. A 200 miler and a 100 miler in the previous six weeks had left my legs begging for rest but instead I had decided the best thing would be a backyard ultra with thoughts of running deep into the event. Actually Shaun had decided for me, with hindsight. No drama’s, this is what I love and backyard ultra’s are my passion , they give us older runners a platform to compete where normal running events have taken this platform away many years ago.  Backyard ultras , as with longer distance ultra races, are as much mental preparation , and preparation in general, than physical conditioning. Of course you need to be physically ready for the challenge but a strong mental attitude is worth more in the longer distance races, giving us older runners a level playing field.

There was a four man WA team for the event. Myself, Phil Gore (the current Australian record holder for backyard ultras) , Renton Hanson and Cheton Sadhana. We also a great support crew comprising Gemma, Phil’s Wife, and one of the UltraSeries WA most illustrious staff members Emma Luscombe. These two were absolutely bloody awesome by the way. We wanted for nothing and I suspect we all went deep into the competition due to their ability to take us in at the end of each lap,  broken,  and return us to the start line fed, watered and reinvigorated. The WA gazebo was the ‘place to be‘ so to speak and the banter was top level, as well as the tea making skills. Thankyou ladies.

Right the course. It starts with a hill that must be so close to being called a wall,  it’s unreal. I walked it in the dark the night before the race with Charlotte and must admit to being a tad intimidated. Funnily enough on the day it’s actually a relief as you know you can’t run it and it’s a nice relaxed start to the loop while also giving you some elevation, which then leads on to more downhill than up for the rest of the 6.7km loop. After the hill you have a kilometre or two of good running before hitting a road which then leads to another incline where you can walk for about 500 metres. The rest of the loop is all running. These two walks are perfectly timed to break up the course but also allow you to come in with a good amount of time at the village if you feel you need it.  There’s a nice single track in there as well as a swamp , of sorts, and some good running along the river which is scenic enough to let your mind wander while you enjoy the views. All in all I loved the course and it’s faster than Birdy’s backyard (especially this year with all the mud !) but not as fast as Herdy’s Frontyard,  albeit Herdy’s is totally flat and I feel the elevation in Hysterical actually works in your favour breaking up the wear and tear on your leg muscles.  The great course , combined with the perfect weather conditions,  made the whole event about as good as you could wish for.

The first day passed with any major issues. Gemma and Emma looked after myself and the rest of the WA team and we all just enjoyed the event and meeting new people and making new friends. That’s a thing with backyard ultras , no one is in a real hurry and you get to see everybody back at the start every hour. For a social butterfly like myself it is the prefect event, hell you even get time to dance in between eating and drinking.  As this was the inaugural race and with COVID lurking around Australia there wasn’t a massive field so runners soon started to disappear and by 24 hours we were left nine runners. Making 24 hours (100 miles) is the first goal, it’s then 36 hours (150 miles) and finally 48 hours (200 miles). These milestones keep you focused in between dancing, eating and running.

By the time we hit the second night you often found yourself alone with your thoughts and this is one of my favourite times in backyard ultras. You know what you have to do and you just drift away on the course while reconnecting with people in the aid station for 10-15 minutes , every hour. A frantic pit stop involving changing clothes, attending to any injures/niggles , drinking and eating as much as you can stomach, the odd dance and then off you go again, into the abyss alone. It really is a special time in an backyard event, the ‘me time‘ as I call it.  It’s not for everyone of course but for me I crave this time and as much as I’m a ‘people person‘ I can still function with me, myself , I.. so to speak. Hysterical has a wonderful ‘swamp’ section that is short enough to just give you a taste of loneness but not too long as you would feel isolated. Running through sunset and sunrise in the swamp was magical with the added bonus of darkness surrounding you late in the evening and encouraging you to drift away with your thoughts or pod cast / music if you so desire.

The 200 kilometre club, the magnificent seven, we managed to get three of the four WA runners into this select group.

We were blessed with perfect conditions during the event with even some light drizzle on the second day to cool you down. Different conditions are good as they allow you to focus on something other than the constant fatigue that you will be experiencing in these events. In a backyard ultra change is good and also an excuse to change your clothing. This is backyard tip 101, always pack more running attire than you think you will need , you’ll be surprised how good a complete change of clothing makes you feel, certainly good enough for a few more laps and this is all about making those’ few more laps‘.  Around November in Loxton there is the capability to be very hot and I wonder, if this is the case next year,  what that will do for the distances completed, heat is not a backyard ultra runners friend, or any running event truth be told ?

Renton had ran a event PB and was very happy with his effort, as were all of us. He came back and help crew later in the day, team WA. The magnificent seven at 30 laps soon shrank to a all WA trio at 36 laps. Myself, Phil and Cheton managed to reach the next big milestone in a backyard ultra, 150 miles, 36 laps. We were all running comfortable enough but Cheton was having recurring issues with his knee which he had injured per-event. He decided discretion was the better part of valor and pulled the pin at the start of lap 37, mission accomplished.  Cheton is young, very mentally strong and will be a force to be reckoned with in these events. He has the right relaxed attitude you need to be successful at backyard ultras, just go about your business quietly and efficiently. Actually the complete opposite of me, I suppose the are many ways to skin a cat ? ( How many of us have tested that theory and not been caught or done jail time , I wonder?)

So lap 37 and it’s down to me and Phil, Herdy’s frontyard ultra all over again. This time though there were a few other issues to be taken into account. Number one I had my youngest daughter with me and I had promised her we’d go and see Adelaide the next day, I’d also promised her I’d pull the pin 13 hours earlier. To her credit she did say she was ready to forego Adelaide and would let me continue but I did feel a tad guilty dragging her to Loxton so she could sit by herself for three days while I ran around enjoying myself. (I say enjoying myself in the broadest sense of the words?) Number two I was only two weeks from finishing the Feral Pig 100 miler, a brutal, and I mean brutal, 100 miler and as such I had no right to be anywhere near the pointy end of this event. Mentally I reckoned I could pull the pin at 37 laps and finish second , or assist, or run through the night and the outcome would be the same. Basically a backyard ultra with Phil Gore is everybody runs as far as they can and then Phil does one more lap and wins ! Number three it was dark, there was no one around and I faced the prospect of a long, lonely night with hallucinations already kicking in. Would I make a PB, probably not and I was more focused on Herdy’s in March to achieve the one extra lap I needed. Add all of these up and it was time to pull the pin and let Phil run the last lap alone. We discussed this on lap 37 and to mark the last lap wore each others tops, me and Phil have spent a lot of time together and I admire him immensely.  He is a world class athlete with a bright future and anything I can do to help him along the way I will.  Me, I’m just an old bugger who runs a lot, it is fitting that Phil takes the win, his third in 2021.

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These posts have taken far longer than expected. Since finishing Delirious I have ran the Feral Pig 100 miler and came second at the inaugural Hysterical Carnage backyard Ultra. It’s been a busy few months and I’ve enjoyed each event immensely.

Right back to Delirious , after Conspicuous beach  myself and Adam really put a wiggle on and caught so many runners, albeit mainly women to start with and mostly injured women. In the end we managed to catch a few injured men including Felix who I mention in one of the videos, again only because he injured himself.  I felt good and left Adam towards the end of the day as he was having issues with his calf/ankle, I can’t remember now.  I was chasing Paul ‘Hopi’ Hopwood, not realising the man is a living legend and way outside my talent pool !  Anyhow the day was just ace, that is the only term I can use. Scenery, ace, how I was feeling, ace and crew, ace. What a day. I did get lost just before Monkey Rocks aid station and Paul and I together managed to find our way to the aid station together where I decided to wait for Adam,  who had called ahead and asked that I wait for him. Also Gazza had cooked a steak with eggs, be a shame to rush it ? I took advantage of the situation with a 30 minute Nano-nap, that also felt ace.

From Monkey Rock to Denmark is not a nice section of the race, in fact it was probably the worst. Monkey Rocks is steep, very steep and just about unrun-able. (is that a word?). It was also wet and Adam and I both stacked it on the wet granite boulders. We both landed heavily on our ribs and this would come back and bite one of us badly the next day. After negotiating Monkey Rocks, and I mean negotiating,  there is stories of runners , even with pacers, who have ran up to the top of Monkey Rocks , got disorientated  and ran back to the start. Running it in the dark I can believe this is very possible, it all looks so similar. There is also stories of runners who have got completely lost and ran their Wife,  on a different continent,  in an attempt to get rescued.  After you eventually get over the rocks you then stumble into Denmark and run through the backstreets to the sleep station. Uninspiring running at 1am in the drizzle trust me.  When we got to the sleep station at Denmark I got on the pajamas, noise cancelling headphones , facemask and instantly drifted off into a deep sleep for nearly three hours, bliss.

We set the alarm for 4:30am so we could get a 5am lift to the final start point on day four of this adventure. In the good old days it use to be a boat across the inlet but HSE have put an end to this and now its a 20 minute car ride. No worries , a quick shower, change of clothes and I was ready for the final day. Myself and Adam felt great for the first 3-4km and then Adam’s race came to an abrupt end, well the running part anyhow.  Unbeknownst to him he had fractured his ribs the previous night traversing Monkey Rocks and what he initially thought was a bad stitch was his fractured rib letting him know it would be a long day on the trail and all running was to cease immediately.  Of course I did was all good friends do when their fellow runners show weakness, I accelerated away and never looked back.  Adam would eventually finish 6-7 hours behind me but only due to his injury and he was still smiling , from the first step to the last,  or maybe more of a grimace than a smile at the end, what a bloody legend !

The last day is a couple of long stretches between aid stations and then a couple of short legs and you’re done. Once you get to the second aid station of the day you’re as good as done.  I got a couple of runners early and then just kept moving forward. I was alone but the end was in sight so just kept putting one foot infront of the other. I was feeling ok early on and as the day went on and I could see I had a chance of finishing before sunset I started to feel better , and the pace increased.

I even managed to catch Paul ‘Hopi’ Hopwood at the last aid station, less than 10k from the finish, and we both ran through it in full racing mode, after nearly 330km’s of running ! I raced Paul for about 2k before my head gasket blew completely and he left me to finish one place ahead of me in 8th overall. Looking back it was madness to try and race Paul and the better option would have been a gentle jog to the finish together but , hey, it’s a race and both of us are stubborn old runners with a rich history of racing, it’s in our blood ! Fair play, he kicked my backside royally albeit in my defense I knew not of his legendary history and status and if I had would have accepted his offer of a easy jog to the finish with both hands. I blame Rob Donkersloot for revving me up.

….

Of course there was beer at the end of the event. Great pub with great company and I managed three pints of Guinness and a shooter to celebrate Darlene and Shannon new grandchild, number 104 I think?,  but by about 10pm it was time to me to exit stage right and sleep, and boy did I sleep good ! So to sum up the Delirious West 2021 was just ace, great race, great company, great support and I can’t wait to do it all again in February 2022, and beyond. It really is a race that defines you and lets you see what you can achieve, albeit with a great support crew and live marin. ? I say race but its more than that really, a three to four day adventure where you can strip yourself bare and rebuild yourself into what you want, albeit for the journey. It’s up to you how you take that forward in life but it does change you for the better and that is all we can do.

I need to thank so many people , the list is just too bloody large but my crew were just biblical, Gazza and Alex will always have a place in my heart, team BK ! Adam for putting up with me for well over 200 kilometres and would have been there at the end bar a fractured rib , my hero. Rob Donkersloot for training my mind , the one missing piece of this ultra runners arsenal. All the volunteers at the aid stations and anybody who gave up their time to help at this event, you are the true heroes of the piece, so , so very grateful. All the positive people you meet on the run, Bart’s, Marty, Wil, Frank, Wayne, Amanda, Shannon, Nats, Alan, Sue, Michael H., Nathan, the Race Directors and paramedics. Fellow runners , all of you ! The Northcliffe Hotel staff and owners and of course the chef’s who produced the waffle breakfast to end all breakfasts ! Anybody who knows me and anybody who has read this far, thankyou. Shaun Kaesler, the maker of dreams, never has that statement been more true. Eve for taking on the challenge at such short notice and acing this race, unbelievable. Finally to my long suffering Wife and kids who let me loose on these adventures, there are no words to express my gratitude and love.

Until next year…

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The Kep Ultra is a legendary race started by the Godfather of WA ultra running Rob Donkersloot , he off https://mindfocusedrunning.com/ , where Rob teaches the runner all about the mental side to ultra. The Kep  ran for 6 years from 2009 through to 2014 before the local council and red tape brought it to a close. It then became a thing of legend with local ultra runners talking about it  but never really understanding its roots in the WA Ultra Community, it was the first real WA ultra of substance. The original website is still live and it’s worth a look , https://kepultra.com/  Some serious WA ultra legends in that list of results.

So this legendary race was due for a reboot and Shaun Kaesler and the USWA team  ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) were up for the task, and the Kep V2 was born. ( https://kepultrav2.com.au/ ) Due to the amount of volunteers needed for this event, down to the numerous road crossings, the new format was a 100k or 75k out and back course, rather than the original point to point.

I’d entered the race on a whim , why do I keep doing this ?, after recovering well from the Lighthorse 24 hour ultra two weeks earlier. Of course entering is the easy part, finishing is the harder task ! My training had been going well with the next A-race the Irrational South in June, ( https://irrationalsouth200miler.com.au/ ) the Kep was to be my last long run , with the added bonus of a medal, what could go wrong?

Training went well enough for the Kep but a few days out I started to second guess myself , really trying to understand why I’d entered a 100k race three weeks before the Irrational South 200 miler. I was even doubting myself on the way up the start at the Mundaring Hotel  but decided I’d run the first half and then grab my poles and casually cruise the second half, good pole practice for Irrational. Leaving it late I got to the start with about 30 seconds to go, totally unprepared truth be told , and off we went.

The start was a ‘soft start‘ as Shaun called it due to noise restrictions, the locals like their lay in apparently and 50-60 noisy ultra runners was deemed far too much for a Saturday morning. It was a case of 1-2-3 go, quietly !   There were drop bags available but I decided to take a backpack and carry my nutrition , which was about 8-10 gu’s, with aid stations available for hydration fill ups and lollys.

The Kep is basically 15k down hill, then about 37k uphill before turning around and returning to the start. This means after the half way you have a relaxing 37k back down the way you came before a 15k climb to the finish. I knew I’d need to save something for the final 15k rise and was hoping my poles would make it easier.  The plan was to enjoy the first 15k, get into a good rhythm , struggle through the 37k to halfway and then cruise home with poles, simple really. This way I broke the race down into four smaller races, something I recommend any ultra runner does, lots of mini-goals rather than the one finish goal which can be a long way off at the start of an ultra.

The race started well and I got into a small bunch of runner including Dru, running in sandals !, and the mastermind behind the Ultra Series WA , and a true bloody legend, Shaun Kaesler.  Shaun had run the Lighthorse 24 hour,  like me , a few weeks earlier and had enjoyed his first event for sometime (as he is normally either the RD or organising stuff) so much he entered the 75k Kep.  Given his busy life training had taken a back seat of late but he is a tough mother and , like me, had decided on a whim to take on the Kep. He was running well and the kilometres drifted away, even had a cameo appearance from Bart’s on his Saturday long run.

Getting to the first aid station was a breeze, remember as I mentioned earlier it is basically all downhill, and then we started the climb to the halfway point at 52k. Not much to report here really, Shaun and Dru turned at 22k as their course was slightly different to mine and Bart’s left me a few kilometers later.  I was probably running 6th , albeit the 100k field was only 10 strong.  It really was a training run and I was just concentrating on getting to halfway in a reasonable shape and picking up my poles for the 37k downhill section.  Jen Millum, the sole female 100k runner, and Dylan Bentley were ahead of me and I used them as markers to keep me honest and set my pace to the halfway point.  I even got a rush of enthusiasm  as I neared the halfway point and managed to sneak past them both, knowing we’d regroup at the next aid station. There is elevation but no large climbs as such, just a gradual grind uphill on a good running service.

The halfway point at this new version of the Kep V2 is a nice place to be, you know you have a mainly downhill 37k ahead of you and probably enough to get your over the last 15k ‘hump’ to the finish, add in poles and I was ready to explode to the finish ! I left Jen and Dylan in my dust and even caught and passed Mike Head to move into 4th place and a possible podium. Tony Smith was way ahead so a win was out of the question, he eventually finished sub 9 hours, setting a time that I reckon will be very hard to beat. Two of his athletes, Graham Dixon and Michael Snart,  eventually finished second and third both running low 10′ hours.  Coming down the hill Mike caught me at around 22k to go and although I saw him at the last aid statin at the bottom of the last 15k climb I would not catch him. Eventually finishing 5th in a time of 10:39 for the 105k course.

So what did I take from the Kep V2 ? It was another hard race, mentally tough, long time in the saddle and some good elevation. Good points was just starting and finishing as a few minutes before the start I was wavering, also the poles were a God send and I now feel more comfortable using them for an extended period of time. They will definitely be coming out late on the first day of Delirious in October. ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) It was also good to run a 100k so soon as the Lighthorse Ultra and Herdy’s, again running on tired legs will be a good skill to have running 3-4 day events later in the year.  Not so good points was I could tell the legs were hammered and ultimately I would pay a heavy price for this race.

Once I finished there was the obligatory photo with the bling and a kilometre walk back to the car before returning the Mundaring Hotel for a bloody good sausage and mash meal, great conversation with fellow runners and some verbal sparing with the Vegan runners on the benefit of steak and chips. Shaun has done a great job organising anther great event to add to the USWA (Ultra Series WA) catalogue and there’s even talk of a 50k next year after Shaun won the event, albeit he didn’t broadcast it actually existed and had an entry of one, himself ! ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) I’m sure Rob approves of this new format and the legend of the Kep is definitely now alive and kicking and it will once again be the measuring stick of the Ultra scene in WA moving forward.

Right the Lighthorse Ultra , 3/6/12/24 hour. This was my first ever DNF, assuming you can DNF a timed event after you start?, in 2018 when I got caught up in Jon’s run of his life so far , running an incredible 140km’s for 12 hours. I was left to lick my wounds after 3 hours as I drove home a broken man. You can read all about my tales of woe in this post. https://www.runbkrun.com/2019/06/01/what-you-learn-from-a-dnf/

Last year I redeemed myself when I placed third in the 24 hour event running 192km, although there were a few moments I was close to pulling out and I reckon it was only the fact I made my Wife drive me to the start and take the car home that saved me, the post is worth a read..  ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/09/19/24-hour-redemption-ultra/ )

Coming into the event this year I was in some good form after just running over 315km at Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra 5 weeks earlier but the only possible fly in my ointment was it was only 5 weeks earlier.  I had put together  3-4 weeks of triple figure weekly distance but no speed work to talk off. I went into this event with a ‘it will be what it will be ‘ attitude and of course I knew sometime during the 24 hours there would be mental challenges to overcome. This was another reason to do the Lighthorse, give myself another big tick before the Irrational South 200 miler in June ( https://irrationalsouth200miler.com.au/ ) a risk but one I thought worth taking.

The event is held close to Anzac Day, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”.  As the images below show it is a day to remember their sacrifice and many times throughout the event the sight of these small figurines was enough to give you the energy needed to continue on.  Shaun had put together an event which really does bond the runner to the past and remind them of the sacrifice that was made for them by our Anzacs, inspiring stuff.

So to the race itself. As the images below show it’s all fun and games for the first few hours and you need to remind yourself it’s a 24 hour event. Running just over 5min/k average feels so easy but you know achieving this pace the following morning,  into the afternoon, will be impossible, of course it doesn’t stop you carrying on regardless. Not much to report for the first three hours before the sunset sneaks in and it’s time for the night time mental battles. I say mental battles because at night is when the mind starts to play games in an effort to slow or stop you. Running long is so much more mental than physical and at night doubly so. I always call the 2am – 5am the witching hours as this is where you are your weakest and this is when the mind starts to play with his good mate fatigue and try to stop you in your tracks. I always take solace from a David Goggin’s (https://davidgoggins.com/  ) quote where he states  when you are at your lowest and you think you are finished , unable to continue, he reckons you are about 40% of your potential. The final 60% is there, available, but you have to want it bad enough to release it.  I would certainly need this quote in the next few hours.

Last year at Lighthorse my running time was just over 18 hours. The rest was spent trying to sleep, and failing, or time sitting in my chair doing ‘stuff’, be that eating, complaining about <insert subject here> or just not running. This year was about more time running and less resting. Unfortunately I made a rookie error when it comes to ultra running, I tried new nutrition on the day of the race, this was to be a nearly fatal error for my racing goals.

The day before I made my normal visit to The Running Centre ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ ) to see Sam, Amanda and the team and get my provisions for the event, this has turned into a bit of a tradition and the guys at TRC are always good value.  On this visit I spied new Maurten Gels with Caffeine. ( https://www.maurten.com/ ) Now I am a big fan of Maurten and now with added caffeine, what could possibly go wrong ? Well it seems quite a lot. I was taking one gel roughly on the hour but by 10pm my stomach was not happy and I was feeling very, very queasy.  So much so it stopped me in my tracks and it was time to bring out the onesie. (A sleeping bag with arms and legs from Aldi, good, different https://www.aldi.com.au/)  After last year when I shivered in my sleeping bag for 90 minutes I was hoping the new onesie would see me cocooned in my own heating chamber, not to be. I had underestimated my soaking wet running gear and basically just lay in my own sweat freezing, no change from last year then ! Rob was my support for the event and I asked for 30 minutes initially and then another 20 minutes as I was in no state to get back out into the cold and dark. When I did eventually arise from hour of laying in a prone position,  freezing cold, I had to put on a rain coat as well as my thermal, running shirt and running waterproof jacket.  I was still so , so cold but managed to warm up by the end of the loop and started to tick off the laps.

As in the previous year I was determined not to walk on the course but use my resting time at the gazebo. Because the loop is so small this approach is do able but the only down side is you pass ( or not as the case may be!) your comfortable , reclining, chair and gazebo far too regularly, meaning the temptation for a quick sit down is always there. You say to yourself three laps before a rest and then all of a sudden you’re passing your gazebo , the light is on, you can see the chair and all your goodies and you think, ‘maybe a few minutes won’t hurt!’…. This has proved to be my undoing because I think this year I was 18hours and 58 minutes moving time, a slight improvement from last year but this probably accounts for a similar distance.

As I have said earlier running through the night in these events is the most difficult time and when you add in an upset stomach and freezing conditions you have all the reasons you need to pull the pin and scuttle off home, tail between your legs. Many times during the night I was tempted to make myself sick but was worried if I started down that road I may be unable to stop and that would lead to severe dehydration, not an option when you’re not even halfway through the event. So it was on with the Aftershokz Aeropex headphones and back to the 1970’s I went, my happy place. Apart from changing my headtorch every few hours the night was uneventful. I promised myself another snooze just before sunrise knowing if I could get to sunrise the whole event changes as the images below show you why. Thanks to Joanne Oosterhoff who captured the moments beautifully.

As you can see from the images below I certainly cheered up when the sun eventually decided to peek over the horizon and start to heat up the surroundings.  It was a nice change from the previous evening when at one point the mist made it virtually impossible to see where you were going, very strange.  You’ll also notice my support crew out like a light,  albeit in Robs defence he had been with me most of the night and just returned from a top 3 finish in the 3 hour event. I spent my time logging the laps with breaks every other lap for some hydration and a SIS GU ( https://www.scienceinsport.com/au/ ,  ) these are more liquid than the Maurten so slightly more palatable.  I knew I wasn’t eating enough but had enough energy to run each loop without walking although I was probably spending too long at my marquee. Slowly my total distance crept up, I hit 100k in around 12 hours and set myself a target of 100 miles (160km) for the event, not too much of a stretch goal but I wasn’t in the mood for thinking of bigger numbers at that point.

Although the sun was up I was still suffering with stomach issues and relying on more liquid than solids but still lapping in the around 5:45min/k average , comfortable. Moving towards late afternoon I was three laps up on my nearest rival for third place and closing in on my 160k target. It is at this point I made another rookie error which would make the last 4 hours of the race challenging, to say the least. As the temperature started to rise it was time to change out of my skins and into some shorts after a good leg massage. After doing this I put in a good burst as my legs felt great and was sure I would be even further ahead of my rival for third place. Imagine my surprise when Rob checked the field and found Sergio and I were both on 152k, I was dumbstruck, how could this be ? Rob asked if the ankle bracelet was faulty and looking down I realised I had forgotten to put it on after I had changed out of my skins ! This was the low point of the day, instantly I knew I had 4 more hours of racing ahead of me to keep my podium finish and at a time where I was really beginning to suffer after putting in a big burst to break my opponent. At the time my friend Mark C. was with me and he drove to the local service statin to grab a bag of ice and a litre of orange juice, at my request. These items probably saved my race, I used the ice virtually every lap adding it to a neck tie and also my arm sleeves, the OJ  was just something I could keep down and had enough sugar to keep me moving forward.

As expected the last 4 hours was a slog but I managed to eek out a three lap advantage and then never let it go, running until the final few minutes of the 24 hours. In the end I ran an unofficial 196km total, a 4k PB , officially 187.5k.  Totally stoked with the end result, nearly matching my first 12 hours and working so hard for the third place. Must admit to a few tears when I finished, this feeling only a runner will understand, the release of  pressure of the whole event builds up and add in some seriously hard racing at the end, finishing really is special.  As I have said many times these ultra events strip you bare , there is no hiding and you discover so much about yourself each time you run one. The only caveat of course is one day you are going to go to the well and it will be empty, I’m glad to say today was not that day.

Will I go back and do this race again ? If you’d asked me this a day or two afterwards I would have said an emphatic no but now , after typing this, I’m not so sure. Because while I sit here at my keyboard and try and pen what I felt I realise how special it is to push yourself  past what you think is achievable. To reach out past the 40% that Goggins’s reckons is the limit for most people and see what the other 60% looks like, this is something special and this is what keeps you coming back. Several times during the race I was finished, 10pm lying freezing cold with stomach issues, 3pm in the same situation but even colder and more fatigued and finally 4 hours to go and knowing I would have to race every minute due to forgetting my timing bracelet. These are three occasions when I could have easily stopped, packed up my gear and gone home but on each occasion I chose to continue on, I chose to move past the 40% that limits most people in their daily life’s, I chose the path of most resistance.

The reward for all my hard work, a unofficial distance PB , a nice shiny medal and another great trophy to add to my one from last year for the same position. Both of these sit in my study and whenever they catch my eye I smile , remembering the pain I put myself to earn them and boy did I earn both of them. On a side note we had a COVID outbreak while the race was being run so at the end we all had to wear masks, go figure ? Made the presentations interesting.

Final few images below are the washing from a 24 hour race and my two trophies with all the regalia, I earned these bad boys but that’s the point isn’t it ? Looking at that image it does look like there could be room for maybe one more, maybe ? Giddy up…

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