After watching the lads at the Bunbury marathon last weekend I have decided to have another go at running sub 3. This time at the Perth Marathon (for the 13th time) in October. I have a PB time of 2:41:58 at Perth albeit that was over ten years ago. My goal will be the event age group record for 55-60 which is 2:59 and change. So 2:58 is the target. Training wise I will adjust my plan from ultra training to marathon training after the Karratha BYU in June, this will give me three months which should be enough ?

It’s been nearly five years since my last sub 3 at Rottnest in 2019, can I go again ? I think with a bit of help from the shoe technology I have a shout, that and lots of time in the pain cave. Of course the main issue will be not snapping any hamstrings or tearing any calves, the curse of the aging runner. !

As I start my journey to the Perth Marathon in October this year I have been reading some of my old posts on racing marathons and sneaking under the holy grail of running, a finishing time of less than three hours.

This one from September 2022 training (very bad training!!) for the Melbourne marathon. It didn’t end well, blew up at 10k and staggered home in 3:17. 

I have been on my marathon training for about three weeks now and this has mainly been adding in some faster runs three or four times a week , with a more aggressive progressive run on Thursday morning and then a tempo Saturday. All my runs have become faster and I am trying to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.  I love that quote , it sums up marathon training where as ultra training is a lot more relaxed. You get comfortable with being comfortable I suppose with ultra running, and eat a lot more. I am certainly back into marathon mode as I have started to worry about weight again, not something an ultra runner is normally concerned with. It’s all coming back to me, my love of the scales , the joy of reaching a racing weight and then the devastation of adding a few pounds, not something I have missed truth be told.

There is also the pressure of meeting targets , be that weekly distance or pace. It is always difficult when you start but you see improvements weekly if you put in the effort and these improvements give you the energy to keep putting in the hard yards needed to reach your goal.  A good example of this is the Mona Fartlek, a 20 minute run that as you improve you run longer. Run this once a week and you should see an improvement.  Another example would be a 5km park run, again every week you run the same course and you should see your time come down. These small wins give you the impetus you need to keep on the straight and narrow, remember marathon training is a grind. To quote Brendan Foster ‘ You wake up tired and go to be really tired‘

It’ll be good to get back to Melbourne as I’ve ran it four times and represented Western Australia each time at the State Marathon Championships. This was so cool as we got to get changed in the MCG Stadium, hung out with the Kenyans, got free accommodation, massages and help with your travel as well as starting at the front of the field.  I’ll miss that part but have entered this year with the VIR option, Very Important Runner. This way I get changed in comfort, get access to toilets and breakfast and also a massage and food afterwards, maybe not in the MCG but close by, at my age I’ll get the benefits but have to pay extra for them.

I love the image below taken in 2010, notice the Garmin 305 which I still have and use it once a year at the 6 inch ultra, for tradition. Also notice I’m wearing a normal digital watch as I was paranoid at this time with my GPS watch failing as this had happened at the City to Surf earlier in that year , costing me a sub 3 finish. For a few years I would wear two watches, so funny. No Nike Alphaflys carbon fibre racing shoes, in 2010 it was all about racing flats, I think I have Nike racing flats on gifted me by my mate Dan Macey. Skins compression tights were all the rage back then, sadly another great company gone too soon.  I PB’d every time I ran Melbourne, culminating in a 2:43 the last time, this year I just want a sub 3, just ?

It you want to follow my progress follow me on Strava , Facebook or Instagram (links at the bottom of this post) and subscribe to this blog, it’ll all be here, the good , the bad and the ugly.  

Mona Fartlek, one of my favourite sessions for some serious ‘pain box’ time.

Fartlek is  a Swedish term to describe ‘speed play’, training method that blends continuous training with interval training. Fartlek runs are a very simple form of a long distance run. Fartlek training “is simply defined as periods of fast running intermixed with periods of slower running.”

Today was my Mona Fartlek day, a 20 minute workout that I adore. Though lesson to self, eating banana bread 2 hours before is not such a good idea ! I can normally get to around 5.6k for the session. Steve Monaghetti stills hits over 6km I hear and in his prime was nearer 8km. !! He is a running legend though.. enjoy the article on a true sporting great below.

I was lucky enough to meet Steve at a photo shoot for the Perth City to Surf in 2014 and again this year as he was Ambassador for the Perth marathon. Both times I was taken aback by his down to earth attitude and his willingness to embrace all our questions and comments.

This session is good as it is fairly short but you know it’s doing you good. Golden rule no2 , add pace after the distance phase. This bad boy workout is all about pace.

Steve Moneghetti is set to leave a lasting legacy that goes beyond his set of marathon medals. As a young man from Ballarat he and coach Chris Wardlaw devised a session that fitted in with his usual stomping ground of Lake Wendouree helped him become a four-time Olympian.

The Session: Mona Fartlek: (2x90sec, 4x60sec, 4x30sec, 4x15sec with a slower tempo recovery of the same time between each repetition. The session takes 20mins in total.

Distance Mona covered: The session was most often used on Tuesday night at Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree. The first time Mona did it as a 20-year-old he did not complete the Lap of the Lake (6km) in the 20minutes but in his prime he completed the Lake in 17.19 and then continued on to finish his 20min session. He still does it most Tuesdays and even at 52, covers 6km.

History

Mona devised the session with his coach Chris Wardlaw over the phone back in 1983 when he was just 20. He wanted a solid fartlek session, one that would help improve his speed as well as endurance and stimulate an ability to change pace mid-run, something that helped later on his career when tackling the Africans, who had a habit of surging mid-race.

The session became a Tuesday-night ritual for Mona and while it was set up for Lake Wendouree, he’d use it whether training at altitude at Falls Creek or overseas preparing for a championship marathon.

It is still widely used today with Ben Moreau and a host of Sydney athletes doing the session. A recent feature in the UK has led to a number of British runners adopting the session along with a number of runners in the US, although some are calling it the “Mono” session.

A good idea is to set your watch to beep every 30 seconds, so that you don’t have to look down at it all the time.

Mona says

“I was always a stickler for routine and I feel that this session, coupled with my usual Thursday night session of 8x400m with 200m float set me up and gave me continuity with my training.

The 15-second reps came at the end and really forced me to concentrate on accelerating hard when I was fatigued. One night when I was in top shape I covered nearly 7km with Troopy (Lee Troop).”

Tip for other distance runners

For many runners, the session will be too demanding initially and you will need to build into it.

Mona recommends just walking or jogging the recovery as you adjust to it.

Middle distance runners may wish to reduce the length of the session, halving everything (ie: 1x90sec, 2x60sec, 2x30sec, 2x15sec) to make it a 10minute session.

Golden rules, guaranteed to improve performance.

I wrote this post four years ago in 2016 so thought it would be a good opportunity to recycle as I’m on another training block heading towards another sub 3 at the Running Works Marathon at Bibra Lake, Perth August 30th. My Golden Rules are unchanged over this period and still ring true, follow them and I guarantee success.

The extract from Strava (you are on Strava right ? http://www.strava.com shows the last 5 weeks training I have put myself through as I prepare for the Running Works marathon in 6 weeks time. I will have given myself a good 12 week training block by the time I start my taper a week before race. This should be enough to sneak under three hours. (Rule 8 : Consistency)  (The grey circles indicate when I commute on my Bionic (stand up bike) to work as well as run. )

Funnily enough my ramp up started as soon as I started working from home , middle of March. The extra time allowed me to start to look at my training regime and slowly add distance , consistently. (Rule 1 : Run Further) I started at 40k a week and moved up through the gears to 162k last week which also included a trial half marathon on Saturday and a trial full marathon Sunday. When you can look at these graphics it gives you the confidence to lock in your marathon pace.  (Rule 9: It’s all in the mind)

Build week on week …

As I mentioned earlier I commute to work on a stand up bike. My stand up bike of choice is the Bionic B-Runner but unfortunately  the company went broke due to substandard Chinese manufacturing (funny that?),  so if you need a stand up bike go to the Elliptical website and get yourself the next best thing. I have had an Elliptigo and they are ace, they are truly running without the impact, and they are also so much fun.  ( http://www.elliptigo.com )  I sold mine to my good friend Mark Conway and regret it daily, just got to find a way to buy another one and sneak it into the garage without No1 Wife finding out ? These stand up bikes are perfect for extra training without the risk of injury (Rule 3 : Don’t get injured) I have used one when I had a calf tear a few years ago and was able to come straight back to racing with times duplicated before the injury, this would have been impossible without the training I was able to undergo on the Elliptigo.

Anyhow here is the post from 2016, worth a read..

This weekend I made a bold decision and stopped running at 29.5k when I got back to the City Beach car park after our long run into the Bold Park hills. It was a conscious effort to take control of my running from the evil that is Strava ( http://www.strava.com ) that has taken hold of many a good runner and turned them into a run recording web junkies. Truth be told I already had 121k banked for the week and knew I was over the 150k weekly total with another 10k planned in the evening to take me over the 161k (100 mile) threshold. So really who was I kidding stopping at 29.5k? It did impress the rest of my running group who ran in ever decreasing circles around the car park to get the extra 500m needed for 30k.

How did this happen ? Social media has a large part to play and these days every run is accompanied by a Strava upload as a minimum and a social media post if the run justifies it. Compare this to when I started running before the Internet and GPS watches (Yep such a time did exist and to tell you the truth it wasn’t that bad. ) when a runner who have to record all their information using a thing called a pen and paper. (To the young followers of my post these things are now defunct and serve no purpose bar to be used a weapons in disposing of zombies and other evil creatures in the mindless video games you spend hours playing. Note. That is the pen, the paper would be used as fuel to set fire to said zombies if the pen failed to do it’s job.)  I’ll put my hand up with most of the running population as an avid Strava addict who has 4 Garmin watches and an iphone to make sure that every kilometre I run is documented and shared. I did try and run without a watch once, on the advice of a ‘friend’ (?) to try and recapture the feeling of that bygone age. I hated it and all the time kept thinking how I was going to record this and document my findings to the world. It is like if a tree falls in a forest does it make a sound, if you run without recording it on Strava did it happen ? Not sure about the tree and forest scenario but for the Stava question the answer is ‘no’, if it ain’t on Strava it didn’t happen.!

This brings me to the point of this post this morning. We do live in a digital world (this may or may not be a good thing?) but you still need , as backup, a non Strava recording of all your totals. I have attached mine below for the last 8 years and with the table as backup will use these totals to complement my golden rules of running.

8 years of recording running fun…

Run Further. Add distance, not speed.  As you can see from the table my weekly average has steadily increased year on year with this year being the first I will break the 100k a week average for the year. In 2012 I was injured with a nasty calf knot, that I didn’t treat, which explains the delta compared to the previous year.  2014 my training had plateaued which is why I turned to Raf ( http://www.therunningcentre.com.au ) to train me in 2105 where my distance increased by 10%. I have taken this training forward and will probably increase another 10% this year.  Distance first, everything else comes once the ‘foundation of distance’ has been achieved.

Run Faster. This is about adding pace after you have got your foundation after rule 1. 2011 was a break out year for me after 3-4 years of building a good running base. I had ran 3 Comrades campaigns in 2008-2010 ( http://www.comrades.com ) so my distance foundation was well and truly complete. In 2011 every time I put on a bib I was confident of a pb.  It was a wonderful year. Unfortunately in 2012 I had a nasty injury which set me back but towards the end of the year I was able to train consistently again and in 2013 I was again rewarded with a magical year of running.  

Don’t get injured. This is the hardest rule to obey as you always want to do more of rule 1 and 2 which can result in an injury. (I even hate typing the word!) In 2012 I succumbed to a calf knot which took me out for over a month. I struggled to recover from this and as you can see from the table I only ran 3 pb’s for the year compared to 13 the previous year and 10 the following year when I recovered. If this doesn’t back up this rule nothing does.! Don’t get injured, so easy to type but in reality one of the hardest thing for a runner to do, period.

Nutrition, nutrition and nutrition… Did I mention nutrition. It’s all about the proper fuel. So underestimated by so many runners. The number of times I hear the old ‘I run xxx kilometres a week so I can eat what I want’ . Not true, imagine putting low grade fuel in a Porsche, eventually the head gasket blows and you are faced with a serious bill, not to mention a misfiring engine. The human body is a finely tuned machine and should be treated as such, we all know what is good food and what is bad (normally the nice tasting stuff!), avoid the bad and put in the good, easy really. (bar the odd Yelo muffin of course, we are after all only human.)  I’ll be exploring nutrition more next year when I have one more go at a sub 2hr 40minutes marathon.

Weight. So important, use to believe because I ran 100k+ a week I could eat what I wanted. Not true. This is another golden rule so often ignored. Runners can run so much faster is they hit their racing weight rather than a running weight. My go to man , Matt Fitzgerald, when it comes to everything running even has a website dedicated to this. ( http://www.racingweight.com/ ) If Matt has a website dedicated to this subject it must be important.

Baseline, document and evaluate everything. If it isn’t on www.strava.com it didn’t happen. Once you set a goal you have to be able to know how far you have come to achieving this, small steps but constant feedback. So buy a Garmin and start recording , everything !!! Contentious subject here. I’m a Strava addict and I know it but the purest will be horrified. You need a baseline to see improvement, set new goals and realize your goals. Buy a Garmin and to quote a small clothing company ‘just do it’.

Sleep. So underestimated but the bodies way of refuelling and preparing for the next day of running. Common sense but so often ignored. Sometimes the most obvious, common sense tips are the ones ignored. Sleep is when your body repairs itself, the more sleep the more repairs can be completed. It really is that easy, go to bed and dream about running.

Consistency. No point running 100k one week and then nothing. Marathon fitness is built up over time and this works hand in hand with rule number 1. I feel the figures from my running log back this up. I’ve steadily increased the duration consistently year in, year out (bar injury) and have reaped the rewards with 2016 being my fastest year yet as I move towards my  sixth decade. (Thanks Dave Kennedy) Running is all about getting out there on a regular basis again and again and again. Time on feet initially and then add pace before targeting certain distance with different run types, most important thinkg to note though is always consistently putting on the trainers and just running. ‘If you build it they will come’ type approach, keep running, build the foundation and the personal records will come. (This also works for baseball pitches apparently.)

It’s all in the mind. After 32k a marathon is down to mental strength and the ability to persuade your body you can still perform at your desired pace without falling to fatigue, which is the minds way of protecting itself. Never underestimate the power of the mind in long distance racing. Finally another massive part of running, the Noakes ‘central governor’. I’ve talked about this at length in various posts on this site. With experience I believe I can mentally finish a marathon stronger now then when I first started. I know what to expect and to this end can persuade my old friend fatigue to stay away for longer allowing me to achieve better finishing times. The mind is such an important part of running and needs to be trained as much as the body. When you race a marathon you will spend time in the ‘pain box’, the runner who can spend the most time in this little box of joy, before opening the door and embracing the old enemy fatigue, will run the fastest. I spoke to Steve Moneghetti after the Perth Marathon this year after he ran the 3hr30min bus and asked him how the professional athletes are so much faster than us recreational runners. His answer surprised me as he replied that a professional runner can stand more pain and this gives them the advantage need to push through and achieve the faster times. Again turning off the ‘central governor’  and spending more time in the ‘pain box’ avoiding fatigue and thus not slowing down. Common sense really, thanks Steve.

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.

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/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

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Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra 2024, another beast of an event coming probably a tad too soon after the Delirious West 200 miler a few weeks prior.  ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ )  This was to be my fourth Herdy’s finishing assist to the great Phil Gore in 2021 with 47 yards (laps/hours) and then a 34 yard effort in 2022 and 28 yards in 2023.   This was my tenth backyard ultra and I had harboured thoughts of a possible retirement from this format of racing.  For readers who don’t know what a backyard ultra is check out this website https://backyardultra.com

The issue I have with the format is it allows you to push yourself way beyond what you would normally consider achievable. This is a double edged sword as the mental torture running these events is real and you tend to break yourself physically and mentally. Basically they take too much out of me and because its a race against the clock, on the hour, every hour, you never get time to rest, the clock is always ticking. Running 6.7km in an hour is easy, until it’s not and then how far do you push your mind and body.  This format gives you the opportunity to test your limits.

Grabbing a decent spot these days is getting more and more difficult. I was one of many who turned up before the 8am time constraint to grab a spot. With nearly 400 runners space was a premium. It remined me of a old Western style gold rush with gazebos substituted for wagons and horses, it was one for young and old ! Luckily I managed to secure my preferred 3m * 3m spot of real estate, close to the start line.  With these types of events where you are back at the start line on the hour, every hour, you need to be comfortable in your ‘downtime’. A BCF Wander reclining chair , gazebo and a table are the bare minimum. You then need to add change of clothes, massage gun, fisocrem, food (and lots of it), toiletries i.e. drugs, tape, sudocream, etc., basically a cut down Chemist Warehouse.  Again this is the bare minimum. This year I spied a few weber barbeques, enough fairy lights to be visible from space and heaters and fans of all shapes and sizes.   Every year people get more and more ingenious  , I’m sure I’ll see a blow up pool one day.

My good friend Simon Bennet joined me in the the gazebo and we were both gunning for 48 hours, albeit this was quickly amended to 24 hours after a brutal early evening and night of heat and humidity that zapped all the energy from out already tired legs post Delirious. Funnily enough the last two years at Hardy’s have been humid and both times I’ve suffered on tired legs, luckily I have a very short memory albeit it comes back to me pretty quickly after a few hours running around the a lake.  I’ll probably type the same thing for Herdy’s 2025 (Yep, after retiring on Saturday I entered on Thursday as soon as entries opened up for 2025!)

There was a capped field of 400 , which broke the world record field last year, and in the end I think there was 367 starters. Incredible to be a part of a world record field, the New York Marathon of back yard ultras. Shaun Kaesler and his team of Ultra Series WA ( https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ ) make incredible things happen. The village was a hive of activity and you could feel the excitement in the air before the start. If you’re reading this in WA you need to be a part of this event in 2025, either as a competitor , volunteer or spectator, just get involved.

The event starts at 4pm Friday afternoon so before you know it you are treated to a spectacular  sunset, and if you get to the right point at the right time great photos.  The trail section at the end of the loop is always amazing at sunset, it just comes alive bathed in the last remnants of the suns rays before giving way to night. Even at night it has that ‘sleepy hollow‘ feel about it and I can’t help thinking of Icabod Crane every time I run it.

So the event itself started well enough, I had friends from work at the first bridge, about 800m from the start, so would sprint off and reach it ahead of the field, do a bit of  ‘show pony; shenanigans’   and then wait for the field to catch me up before jogging in with the lead runners. I was quite relieved when they got bored of waiting for me and decided the barbeque was a better place to be at the sun disappeared. Although the first few laps were without incident I wasn’t eating and when my Wife brought down a pasta dish I couldn’t face it, albeit it was pretty dry. I had a few mouthfuls and then decided I could survive on the electrolytes, rookie error.  As the night went on the heat and humidity didn’t disappear and it was an uncomfortable night for all runners.

I started to return to the pack and I soon found myself surrounded by head torches and finishing mid pack at best. Walking breaks became a thing and my recovery time suffered accordingly. This is what Lazarus Lake , the architect of these events, meant when he said ‘ a backyard ultra is easy, until it isn’t’. The clock is always ticking unlike most Ultras when if you feel you need a break you just take one, time is not your enemy.  In a BYU the distance is very do-able but you get worn down over time and your recovery time decreases, minute by minute until eventually you have none.

Looking at Strava ( you have Strava right ? http://www.strava.com ) I could see resting time disappearing before it faded completely as I started to finish and then walk straight to the starting coral, with my crew changing my water, feeding me and adding ice to neckerchief and arm sleeves as I walked through. No time for any ‘chair rest’, it was continual movement. This is the first time I had done this, normally I’m going ok and then I quit, even when I lapping in the high forties or low fifty minutes. This strategy of not spending any time in the reclining chair was used to good effect by Harvey Lewis when he took out the Bigs World BYU Championships in October last year. He’d come in around the  late fifty minute mark and then sit on a log near the starting corral while his crew changed his nutrition and hydration and then off he’d go again.  Other runners would come in earlier but eventually be worn down by the effort this would take deep into the competition, and I’m talking three or four days.  Harvey had a sweet spot of getting in with just enough time but not expending too much effort on the course.  By doing this he outlasted everybody.

Herdy’s starts a 4pm so you have two sunset twilight laps before you are cocooned in the little circle of light given off by your headtorch,  albeit with nearly 400 headtorches on course for the first few night loops it was a pretty special spectacle. At this time you put on your audible book, music or podcasts to keep your mind active as you swan around the lake. Early evening is normally a relaxing time as you have a good period in your chair and you’re still excited about what lies ahead.  This time though something was different, without any nutrition I was struggling  and every lap was starting to take longer and longer.  I always find the first 15 hours of a BYU testing at the best of times, this year I was in trouble early.

My lowest ever return from a BYU was 24 hours, my first one at Birdy’s back in 2020. I had promised my Wife I’d be back in Perth by a certain time so pulled the plug when I was feeling great. My last lap was in the high thirty minutes, what could have been. ? The following year I ran my furthest , 47 laps at Herdy’s 2021. Early in the game I knew I was never getting anywhere near 47 laps but was determined not to finish with less than 24 hours, 100 miles. I just need to get to the sunrise and then I was certain I’d be good for a 24 hour finish.

When the sun eventually poked up from over the horizon I was in deep strive, no nutrition for many hours I was banking on some weetbix and a sweet tea to save my race. This was dutifully delivered by Karen just before 8am. I wolfed down the weetbix and drank the tea and I was back in the game. I repeated the feat the next lap and things started to look up albeit I was still lapping slower than I liked.  As the day warmed up I resorted to icy poles and would take four or five onboard as I staggered from the finish to the start line. My times were now in the middle fifty minutes, no time for any sitting down. This went on from lap seventeen to twenty when I came close to pulling the pin.

On lap 21 I was ready to quit. I walked virtually half the course to the drunk fountain and was ready to walk it in. I was dead last and gathered up my mate Graeme who was on the phone arranging to be picked up. As we contemplated the best way to DNF Aaron Young came running past and said we still had thirty minutes, we could still make it. That was all the encouragement I needed, it was on.  I set off in hot pursuit of the two runners ahead of me and Graeme joined me. We both made lap twenty one but my time was now limited, I’m  talking one or two minutes between laps, enough time to sit down in the start corral and ask my why I was doing this ?

I survived lap twenty two and set off on lap twenty three unsure of whether I’d make it or not. I was now walking to the first bridge, in stark contrast to the first laps when I was sprinting to get there first. Now I was last by a country mile and there was no running, this was one of my two walk breaks. I would walk to the fist bridge and then walk again to eh drink fountain. After a rest at the fountain I would try and stagger home. By doing this I survived probably five or six hours longer than I thought I could.  This was an invaluable lesson and one I will take onboard at my next BYU.

At the end of lap twenty three I was done. Horizontal in the start corral now, no more sitting. I lay there waiting for the one minute warning. I knew this would tough but I had to complete lap twenty four, come hell or high water. For this lap I ran, I use the word ran in the broadest sense of the word, to the frst bridge so I could at least see my fellow runners. I used this as inspiration to keep moving forward and came in, lap twenty four, dead last but made it in fifty eight minutes. That was it, mission accomplished.

Karen handed me and coffee and I collapsed to the floor. My equal worst result in terms on distance (laps) but I had learned some valuable lessons. My nutrition and hydration needs to improve and you can run for many more laps if you avoid the chair and time your walk breaks according to the weather  and also your general overall condition. These two lessons alone make Herdy;s 2024 a success,  as well as an eleventh equal finish from the 376 starters which wasn’t a bad result either.

So Herdy’s 2024 was a B+ for effort. Had to work hard to get through the first night with very little nutrition and managed to at least  keep my 24 hour minimum finish time for BYU number 10. Retirement was very short lived and I can’t wait for my next BYU in a few months time… until then I have the Lighthorse 24 hour ultra ( https://lighthorseultra.com.au/  ) in five weeks. No rest for the wicked, why would you ?

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.

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/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

Finally I can see the end of this race report albeit in my defence it was a long race. Post #4 had me at Cosy Corner aid station at sunrise on Saturday morning, day four on this epic adventure. I grabbed a bacon and egg roll, the staple diet of 200 mile runners it seems, a coffee and  changed my clothes and Mark pushed me out of the aid station and onto the beach toward Mutton Beach carpark. This was only a six kilomtere hop on compacted sand with a nice morning breeze to keep the temperature reasonable.

Post Cosy Corner you only have Mutton Beach and Sandpatch to go before the finish, the job is done if you’re feeling halfway decent. I was feeling great with sunrise recharging my batteries, I could smell the finish and my double boot trophy.

I still had a ‘niggle’ behind my left knee, a baker’s cyst not the hamstring I was worried about, but I could still jog along the beach and bumped into my old mate Tex Webster, or he caught me up.  I would run with Tex to Sand Patch aid station and also join up with three 100 mile runners, James Brougham,  Ben Nielson, James Sawyer and the lead 200 miler female, Kate Jenour. The seven of us ran together coming into Sand Patch , the final aid station.

Conditions were perfect Saturday morning with a cool breeze pushing us along the beach towards the next aid station. Saturday morning was a time to reflect on the journey and also to finally think about the finish less than a marathon away.  Compared to the start on Wednesday morning it was chalk and cheese. No incessant sun beating down on you and climbs that made your quads scream, Saturday was cool winds and flat, hard sand with the finish in sight. You start to forget about  the trials and tribulations of the previous three days and concentrate on the finish line, sleep and eventually a few beers at the Earl of Spencer.

The previous year I was five hours quicker so had ran the section into Sand Patch from Cosy Corner in the dark and it took an age. I was running with Sarah Dyer and we were chasing Simon Poli, a 100 mile runner. We eventually caught him at Sand Patch and had a beer together before the final ten kilometre stretch to the finish.  (It’s tradition to have a beer at Sand Patch before the last ten or so kilometres to the finish, as you can imagine just what you need !  ) It still took a good time but so much easier in daylight, the climbs seem quicker and not as steep and you could enjoy the scenary.  Tex was keeping the conversation flowing and I certainly learned a thing or two about polo, the kind you need horses to play.

Coming into Sand patch I had my first real blister of the event and had to let Tex go as I made some running repairs. A blister on my right foot complimented the niggle behind my left knee and made any sort of running awkward and painful. I was thankful I could smell the finish.  Running into Sand Patch always seems to take forever and you can’t see the aid station until you are virtually on it, very frustrating as at this point you just want that beer before the final ten kilometre hop (in my case I was nearly hopping!) to the finish.

The final leg from Sand Patch to the finish is a weird section as you hug the coast for so long you think it’s impossible to get to Albany in the ten or so kilometres. Somewhere along the route you eventually take a sharp left turn and you at least head towards the finish. When you eventually do see Albany it looks such a long way off but you know you only have a few kilometres to go, and they take an age trust me !

The last two years I have staggered to the finish mainly due to sleep depravation and having my first sleep stop later at Mount Clare  compared to previous years stopping at Mandalay.  You make up time initially but over the length of the event I think you suffer, especially on the last day.  There’s no ‘sprint finish‘ so to speak.  The first couple of years I felt as fresh on day four as day one when I had a few more hours sleep, it’s a balancing act of course. Each runner needs to find their ideal split between time spent sleeping or relaxing at  aid stations and time spent running.

I think the year Shane Johnstone set the course record we both had the same moving time, or very close but he beat me by over 24 hours. Basically Shane didn’t stop while I did, a lot it seems, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself and on the last day sprinted to the finish. Would I have done anything different, no way. The last two years has been less time sleeping and at aid stations but the legs have suffered towards the end and it has become ‘harder’, funny that. I did say to myself this was the last year I’d race it and I still believe in 2025 I’m going to enjoy it and cruise in on Sunday.

Warwick Crapper was waiting for me , as is tradition, and we ran across the line, beer in hand, together. All that was left to do then was a Daniel Ricciardo ‘shoey‘ with Tex, Simon and Warwick, captured by Susan Ryan. I think I may have started a thing as Shaun then made every runner who finished after me perform a shoey , he then apologised post event  as I think it all got a bit out of control. No worries, it’s a thing that me and my crew will keep performing as long as we keep finishing, it’s tradition.

Post shoey it was time to pull out the wanderer recliner from the car and just chill, with another cold beer. It was Saturday morning and the finish line was quiet. We’re cheered in the three 100 mile runners I had ran with earlier in the day and the lead female who was close behind me before it was time to clean ourselves up and what better place than the public showers in Albany. It seems we weren’t the only ones who use these public showers and there was a queue of foreign backpackers stretching down the street. Not sure what they made of me and Mark joining in but ‘when in Rome‘, so to speak.  Actually typing this I’m assuming we couldn’t get into our accommodation until early afternoon as I can see no reason to use the public amenities bar it’s a tradition started last year ?

At the award ceremony on Sunday afternoon I grabbed my double boot trophy, a reward for four finishes. This will sit with my double plugger , the trophy for two finishes. The double plugger was special as Jeff Hansen was one of the race directors, Jeff has since left us after a short battle with leukemia. He was a very special individual and there is a plaque and a tree full of shoes in Albany opposite the finish chute, so he can always be part of this event.

After the award ceremony its off to Jeff’s tree where we say a few words for our lost friend and then throw a pair of trainers on the tree. It’s a moving moment and one that will continue moving forward, he was such a driving force of the event and such a genuine great guy, he helped so many people achieve their running dreams often sacrificing his own time for others.  Below is an interview I had with Jeff and Heath when I completed Delirious in 2022, happy memories.

My favourite tradition, and us runners have a few as you’ve probably realised reading these posts, is my two pints of Guinness at the Earl of Spencer pub in Albany after the race. Normally over a mouth watering Guinness and beef pie albeit this year,  thanks to Veronika,  we missed out, arriving late.  Lesson learnt for next year , either pre-order or arrive earlier ! The pub is awash with stories from the previous four days and so much laughter as adventures are recounted between competitors , crew and friends. It really is an incredible atmosphere but I never stay past nine o’clock fearing any more Guinness and Shaun Kaesler together ,   it could end up very, very messy.

Finally, done and dusted Delirious West 2024. Another epic adventure with so many highs and a few lows. Will I run it in 2025 ? Hell yeah, why wouldn’t you, after all it’s tradition, and what do runners love most….

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.

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/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

I took along the GoPro for Run Britannia intending to document each stage in detail I really didn’t do a good job, the only day I made multiple entries of note was day five. I’ve attached the five short videos I took which, for me, bring back so many good memories.

Starting with  the start of the day below, notice I’m sniffing and coughing, this was a day before I tested positive to COVID. Great days running to Exmoor, another beautiful day in the Motherland. I had no idea what was coming my way that evening as COVID took hold and beat the living daylights out of me. Funnily enough day five was one of my best and I felt stronger as the day went on.

The post on the day is here – https://www.runbkrun.com/2023/10/07/run-britannia-day-five-bideford-to-greenlands-farmexmoor-51km/ but video is so much better…

Just before hitting Exmoor after the last aid station for the day. Was feeling the love and looking forward to Exmoor.

On Exmoor enjoying the views and terrain, life really doesn’t get any better.

Coming to the finish… my last for the event with hindsight.

As I said earlier watching these videos for me brings back so many good memories and I’m desperate to finish the race in 2024.  There’s a few things that need to go my way first but it’s always in the back of my mind and early next year I’ll sit down with the powers that be, no1 Wife, and ask the question. Until then I have the Delirious West 200 miler in February, ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/  ) Herdy’s Frontyard ultra ( https://herdysfrontyard.com.au/  ) in March and then the Lighthorse Ultra 24 hours in April. ( https://lighthorseultra.com.au/ )

As you can see from my Strava extra (you do have Strava right ? http://www.strava.com ) I have started to ramp up, or even start?, training again after recovering from a hamstring tendon tear. I’ll be aiming for consistency for December before hitting the trails in January. This should give e the base I need for the ultra season which starts in February with my first 200 miler of the year.  As always, I’m excited.

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.

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/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

In Western Australia we are so lucky to be able to compete in some pretty incredible events, the brain child of Shaun Kaesler. If you’re in Australia you need to spend time on his websites; namely https://ultraseries.com.au/ or specially for WA :- https://ultraserieswa.com.au/ and the South Australian version :- https://ultraseriessa.com.au/ .  Shaun has created a monster of a company that makes running dreams come true and offers runners events that will change their lives. The bonus of this community is just that , the community. His vision grows each year and he has put together an event catalogue that is second to none, globally. The only limiting factor I feel is his time and energy to keep adding events.  He is building a team around him but the visionary is clearly Shaun with his team scrambling to keep up; albeit his team are as incredible as he is truth be told.

The reason behind this post is the team at Tribe and Trail has reached out and asked if I could post on my blog the details of a new weekly community run starting on August 22nd and then continuing weekly. If you ever thought about running either trails or ultras pop along and let the guys introduce to these life changing activities. So make your way to 235 Railway Parade, Maylands at 6pm.  ( https://www.tribeandtrail.com.au/ )

As well as offering this free weekly run the guys at Tribe and Trail can also put you in touch with some seriously good coaches who will guide you on your journey from community run to your first , or next,  running challenge.  We all need challenges right,  otherwise I feel you would morph into a ‘jogger’, assuming that is even still a thing , pass me my Sony Walkman.?

A few products that will help with your journey…

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.

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 Honk 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/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

In three weeks, Sunday July 23rd,  it’s the annual runner vs train trail ultra. This is without doubt the most fun you can have racing trains, albeit probably the only race that actually pits runner versus machine, a sort of Terminator type event for runners. The concept is simple, you park your car at North Dandalup train station and then run a 32k (or 34k)  trail , on the Munda Biddi trail, ( https://mundabiddi.org.au/ ) to Serpentine train station and arrive before 10:21am where the only returning train departs and takes you back to then start.  Simple right, you’d be surprised at the number of people who have miscalculated and missed the train. They are then faced with the drive of shame back to the start or a long walk if no one takes pity on them.

Over the years the event has grown to such an extent the train company reserves a whole carriage for the ten minute trip from Serpentine to North Dandalup. I must admit the returning journey always seem to be shorter than it should be after nearly three hours running, which translates to ten minutes on a train, albeit the train takes a shorter route back of course; as the crow flies so to speak.

Check out the previous years posts for an idea of the event.

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

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

Last year we left at the latest we have ever left and cut it very short due to the train being on time for a change. I reckon we made it by less than five minutes. Didn’t even have time for my Brownes Mocha, very disappointed. Cedric cut it even shorter and missed the train completely and Jon missed it by a county mile. ! Luckily they both managed to get a lift back to the start.  I’m not sure we’ll leave as late this year albeit we could roll the dice and hope the train is late ? This is the whole point of the event, you need to be second guessing yourself the whole time and keep the pressure on, the last few kilometres you really should be under the pump.

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

For all runners popping along make sure you all bring some tukka for post run, as you know the only thing better than running is eating great food and talking about running.

Over the years there have been some classic stories including  Barts running out of puff on the first hill and getting left like a bad rash. Then as we waited for the train he miraculously appeared , albeit coming from the wrong direction. To this day he has never revealed how he achieved this  but the word Uber comes to mind, albeit I’m not sure they even have Uber in Serpentine, actually I’m not sure they have invented cars yet in Serpentine. ?  There was also the first runner to miss the train completely by following the Mundi Bindi blindly forgetting to take a left turn to get to Serpentine, ending up in Jarrahdale before he realised his mistake.  Adam had left his group which contained a runner with a GPX route on their watch and just kept on running, albeit he was joined by a few other runners. Needless to say he suffered at the post race tukka-fest, being forced to stand alone in the naughty corner, while being ridiculed from afar.  Last year Cedric was running with us when he made the fatal mistake of running ahead with a couple of fitter runners who decided to run the longer version of the course, unbeknown to Cedric. The other two runners caught us and made the train, Cedric unfortunately didn’t.  Jon ‘Trailblazer’ Philips also missed the train last year despite starting very early, luckily for him I took pity on the poor soul and sent a car for him before he stumbled off the scarp.

I wonder who’ll join this illustrious group of train no-shows this year , to find out you need to book yourself a train ticket, get yourself to North Dandalap train station early Sunday morning and get running, what could possibly go wrong ? All aboard…

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 Honk 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/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

The guys at Xterra Planet ( https://www.xterraplanet.com/ ) reached out and asked for an article on the difference between trail and road running so here it is ..

https://www.xterraplanet.com/story/from-roads-to-rugged-paths-a-trail-runners-journey

Thanks to Ari at Xterra Planet for reaching out to me and helping with the article. Nice to realise someone apart from Mum reads my posts. I’ll add the whole article below just incase the link ever disappears.

After 46 marathons and 45 ultras, Kevin Matthews is feeling fresher than ever. Fuelled by a rejuvenated love for running, the Aussie better known as “Big Kev” shares his personal journey from a once time-obsessed road runner to a new-found trail run advocate hungry for the next adventure.

Back in my early days of running, trail running was seen as something you did when you decided your running career had peaked and your best was behind you. Nothing mattered more than time and speed, and the most obvious terrain to achieve that was on the road.

 

Slaves to our GPS watches, we were cocooned in a world of hours, minutes and seconds. Never did we consider the idea of just enjoying the journey rather than concentrating on the destination and the time it takes to get there because nothing matters more than a PB. We’d pay a king’s ransom for anything that even hinted at some sort of performance benefit and were continually looking to finish doing what we love as quickly as possible, because, you know, PBs.

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Yes, I once one of these animals where the only thing that mattered was your finishing time. But that all seems like a lifetime ago now.

My road career was derailed by a combination of three things, first a 5cm calf tear in, then a bad case of plantar fasciitis, and finally old age. Throw in pandemic and by 2020 I was lost. My days of running for speed were behind me and being a competitive animal I needed a new challenge, I still needed to compete.

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I found salvation in 2020 with three ultra marathons and some great trail events that, for the first time, made me see it was ok to stop and smell the roses while enjoying the journey. Hell, when you run trails you can smell the roses, take a selfie with the roses and even google the Latin name of the roses. Time is not your enemy. You find yourself smiling as you enjoy the serenity of just being alive on the trails doing what you love. You also find competitors suddenly become friends, and good ones, travelling together enjoying the same sense of freedom that running trails gives you.

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There is something primaeval about being in nature, powered by the human body and doing what we were meant to do, albeit without the hunting part of course. This was a new world to me, and I have to admit it felt good. It was the rejuvenation I’d been looking for and no longer was I lost. If anything, I felt more at home than ever.

“Hell, when you run trails you can smell the roses, take a selfie with the roses and even google the Latin name of the roses. Time is not your enemy.”

Looking back over the last couple of years, I’ve found that, more often than not, any images of me running trails usually show a grin a mile wide. Trail runners smile a lot more and even if you think a road runner is smiling it’s normally a grimace or they’re about to lose control of their bodily functions because they’ve pushed themselves too hard. Don’t get me wrong, trail runners can push themselves but it’s a different kind of effort. You cannot help smiling on a good trail even if you’re in top gear and tucked up in the pain cave, it’s just not possible.

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I’ve also come to learn that the only thing better than a short trail run is a long trail run. Beginners won’t believe me but it’s only a matter of time before they discover that when it comes to trails, the longer the better. Over the years I’ve podiumed in races ranging from 4km to 200 miles and my all-time favourite distance is by far the 200 miler. They all have their pros and cons, but a trail ultra becomes more than a race, it becomes an adventure and that is the magical ingredient you just don’t get on the road.

The adventure continues when the sun goes down, or before it even comes up. On comes the headlight and the whole world is condensed to this small beam of light that extends out ahead of you. The sounds and smells of the trail are magnified and never is it more clear that you are alone in nature – lost in time, lost in your own thoughts, and experiencing the moment to its fullest.

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As a trail runner, you also begin to crave more and more difficult challenges. Gone are the days when only flat courses are considered as you strive to take a few seconds of that PB. Now, the more elevation the better and distances soon become bigger and bigger as you try to test yourself more and more. I’ve forgotten how it felt to think a marathon was a big deal, distance-wise, and now it becomes the distance between drink stations while navigating endless miles of forests, rocks, rivers and whatever other unexpected obstacle comes my way. It’s all relative, I suppose, but impressing work colleagues around the drink fountain has become more and more difficult as I keep raising the bar. They’ve become numb to the extra-ordinary.

“[Running a trail ultra] becomes an adventure and that is the magical ingredient you just don’t get on the road.”

From a competition point of view, trail running has also allowed me to once again compete at the pointy end of the race. It seems that in trail running age is far less of a factor than it is in road running. Add in more and more distance and all of a sudden running becomes more mental than physical and luckily I am very mental, according to my few non-trail running friends and my current wife. Last year I managed to win three events, a feat I thought was beyond me after my last road race victory four years previous.

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The stark contrast between the two kinds of running probably became most clear to me the time I suffered my way through the Melbourne Marathon and the Feral Pig 100 miler just a month apart from each other. Although it was probably a bad idea from the start, it would be inaccurate to describe the on-road Melbourne Marathon as any form of fun as I stumbled home a long way from my expected finish. There was no smiling, no happiness and certainly no high fives, albeit I was injured and running on anti-inflammatories. Four weeks later I ran the Feral Pig 100 miler. Being heavily under trained it could be argued that this was equally as bad of an idea, but I just wanted to finish and ran with poles from the start. The Feral Pig is a midnight start after a two hour bus ride and it is brutal. Undeterred I got my head down and just had fun with good friends on the trail, recording a five hour personal worst but having the absolute best of times while doing it. Thing is, in the sport of trail running, an extra five hours on the trail is actually a positive, it’s five hours extra doing what you love.

But it’s not just about trails. Trail running is also about meeting and making good friends –  becoming part of a community where your running talent isn’t as important as who you are as a person. Whether you finish first or last, it feels that within the trail run community you are treated equally and everybody is working together to get all runners to the finish line. The best trail runner in the world is the one having the most fun, not the one breaking the finishing tape. The love you feel from the trail running community is unique and not like any community I’ve experienced before. Filled with positivity, it’s a community bound by like-minded people doing what they love to do surrounded by nature at its best.

“The best trail runner in the world is the one having the most fun, not the one breaking the finishing tape.”

Only a trail runner knows the feeling of that early morning sunrise or racing the sunset bathed in glorious light surrounded by beauty, alone or in the company of good friends. This feeling is something you just can’t replicate while surrounded by a concrete jungle and being targeted by silent electric scooters or loud middle aged men in lycra. On the trail you feel alive, on the road you have to concentrate to stay alive, avoiding all the man made traps designed to bring on tears, sprains or breaks. Don’t get me wrong, the trail can be just as unforgiving but you concentrate on what you do, skipping from one foot to the other while making forward progress. The environment is more controllable and you can relax and experience the pure joy of running.

Above all, trail running has given me back my running mojo. It feels like a second wind in my running journey and it has allowed me to continue to compete while at the same time taking in my surroundings and once in a while just stopping, looking around and breathing it all in. The future is bright and I’ll be there watching many more sunrises, or chasing many more sunsets, smiling like a Cheshire Cat while skipping along glorious trails, and why wouldn’t you?

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 Honk 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/ )

Feel free to follow me on Strava.

Follow me on

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

After Herdys’ Frontyard Ultra I gave myself a week off, bar the Thursday morning Yelo run of course.  You can never miss Yelo, remember traditions and runners.

No thought of running or any exercise bar cutting my lawn which is an ultra in itself ! Spent time with No 3 daughter watching my favourite AFL team lose, again ! Breakfast and lunch with the family, all things you miss when you’re in training. Recovery time is more than  sitting around doing nothing, it’s also about catching up with friends and family, repairing bridges you’ve burned when you disappear of the social radar for months. Rest and recovery are a massive par of any runners calendar and need to be approached as methodically as you would a full training program. Get this period right and it is a springboard for future success, get it wrong and Mr. Fatigue comes calling and hangs around for a long time.

With this in mind I’d thought it’d be a good time to post on getting ready for the running season and tips on being your best. I picked up this post from the trailrunnermag website. It was written by David Roche in 2016 but still rings true today, good articles are timeless albeit running is a simple sport. Two of my favourite authors Arthur Lydiard ( https://www.lydiardfoundation.org/ ) and Tim Noakes, who wrote the bible of long distance running ‘ The Lore of Running‘, wrote articles and published books decades ago but are still relevant today.  Albeit Tim Noakes has since recounted a lot of his advice from the Lore of Running as he spruiked a Low Carb , High Fat diet later in his career .  Maybe running isn’t that simple after all ?

From https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/trail-tips-training/get-ready-for-your-strongest-fastest-season-yet/

Get Ready for Your Strongest, Fastest Season Yet

As a final treat here are my nine tips for improving.. again I have stood by these for many years, they are a money back guaranteed rad map to running success, whatever form that may take.

1. Run Further. Add distance, not speed.  As you can see from the table my weekly average has steadily increased year on year with this year being the first I will break the 100k a week average for the year. In 2012 I was injured with a nasty calf knot, that I didn’t treat, which explains the delta compared to the previous year.  2014 my training had plateaued which is why I turned to Raf ( http://www.therunningcentre.com.au ) to train me in 2105 where my distance increased by 10%. I have taken this training forward and will probably increase another 10% this year.  Distance first, everything else comes once the ‘foundation of distance’ has been achieved.
2. Run Faster. This is about adding pace after you have got your foundation after rule 1. 2011 was a break out year for me after 3-4 years of building a good running base. I had ran 3 Comrades campaigns in 2008-2010 ( http://www.comrades.com ) so my distance foundation was well and truly complete. In 2011 every time I put on a bib I was confident of a pb.  It was a wonderful year. Unfortunately in 2012 I had a nasty injury which set me back but towards the end of the year I was able to train consistently again and in 2013 I was again rewarded with a magical year of running.  
3. Don’t get injured. This is the hardest rule to obey as you always want to do more of rule 1 and 2 which can result in an injury. (I even hate typing the word!) In 2012 I succumbed to a calf knot which took me out for over a month. I struggled to recover from this and as you can see from the table I only ran 3 pb’s for the year compared to 13 the previous year and 10 the following year when I recovered. If this doesn’t back up this rule nothing does.! Don’t get injured, so easy to type but in reality one of the hardest thing for a runner to do, period.
4. Nutrition, nutrition and nutrition… Did I mention nutrition. It’s all about the proper fuel. So underestimated by so many runners. The number of times I hear the old ‘I run xxx kilometres a week so I can eat what I want’ . Not true, imagine putting low grade fuel in a Porsche, eventually the head gasket blows and you are faced with a serious bill, not to mention a misfiring engine. The human body is a finely tuned machine and should be treated as such, we all know what is good food and what is bad (normally the nice tasting stuff!), avoid the bad and put in the good, easy really. (bar the odd Yelo muffin of course, we are after all only human.)  I’ll be exploring nutrition more next year when I have one more go at a sub 2hr 40minutes marathon.
5. Weight. So important, use to believe because I ran 100k+ a week I could eat what I wanted. Not true. This is another golden rule so often ignored. Runners can run so much faster is they hit their racing weight rather than a running weight. My go to man , Matt Fitzgerald, when it comes to everything running even has a website dedicated to this. ( http://www.racingweight.com/ ) If Matt has a website dedicated to this subject it must be important.
6. Baseline, document and evaluate everything. If it isn’t on www.strava.com it didn’t happen. Once you set a goal you have to be able to know how far you have come to achieving this, small steps but constant feedback. So buy a Garmin and start recording , everything !!! Contentious subject here. I’m a Strava addict and I know it but the purest will be horrified. You need a baseline to see improvement, set new goals and realize your goals. Buy a Garmin and to quote a small clothing company ‘just do it’.
7. Sleep. So underestimated but the bodies way of refuelling and preparing for the next day of running. Common sense but so often ignored. Sometimes the most obvious, common sense tips are the ones ignored. Sleep is when your body repairs itself, the more sleep the more repairs can be completed. It really is that easy, go to bed and dream about running.
8. Consistency. No point running 100k one week and then nothing. Marathon fitness is built up over time and this works hand in hand with rule number 1. I feel the figures from my running log back this up. I’ve steadily increased the duration consistently year in, year out (bar injury) and have reaped the rewards with 2016 being my fastest year yet as I move towards my fifth sixth decade. (Thanks Dave Kennedy) Running is all about getting out there on a regular basis again and again and again. Time on feet initially and then add pace before targeting certain distance with different run types, most important thinkg to note though is always consistently putting on the trainers and just running. ‘If you build it they will come’ type approach, keep running, build the foundation and the personal records will come. (This also works for baseball pitches apparently.)
9. It’s all in the mind. After 32k a marathon is down to mental strength and the ability to persuade your body you can still perform at your desired pace without falling to fatigue, which is the minds way of protecting itself. Never underestimate the power of the mind in long distance racing. Finally another massive part of running, the Noakes ‘central governor’. I’ve talked about this at length in various posts on this site. With experience I believe I can mentally finish a marathon stronger now then when I first started. I know what to expect and to this end can persuade my old friend fatigue to stay away for longer allowing me to achieve better finishing times. The mind is such an important part of running and needs to be trained as much as the body. When you race a marathon you will spend time in the ‘pain box’, the runner who can spend the most time in this little box of joy, before opening the door and embracing the old enemy fatigue, will run the fastest. I spoke to Steve Moneghetti after the Perth Marathon this year after he ran the 3hr30min bus and asked him how the professional athletes are so much faster than us recreational runners. His answer surprised me as he replied that a professional runner can stand more pain and this gives them the advantage need to push through and achieve the faster times. Again turning off the ‘central governor’  and spending more time in the ‘pain box’ avoiding fatigue and thus not slowing down. Common sense really, thanks Steve.

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 Honk Kong conditions the owners live in.  It is light and does away with any chaffing worries. T8 is the name given to the highest typhoon warning in Honk Kong,  storms and typhoons with gusts exceeding 180kph, which explains the branding. ( https://t8.run/)

Follow me on

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

&n

Broke Road -> Mandalay Beach 21.8km (accumulated 111.3km)

Broke Road to Mandalay is a long section after you’ve been running all day and are still getting use to long days, if that is even possible. You normally run this in the dark and it can take three hours or longer as the terrain can be testing , especially towards Mandalay beach. Add in some serious gradients, serious steps into the aid station, the late arrival and you are more than ready to get your head down for some rest. The last two years I have got to Mandalay I have stopped for a good three to four hour sleep. This allows me to attack the next section, another tough one, to Mount Clare in the light and on fresh legs.

The plan this year was to run through Mandalay and get some shut eye at Mount Clare before a morning shower at Walpole, just 10km later. I had ran most of the day with Julie Gibson and we continued into the night together after a slight detour running out of Mandalay. The race leader had activated his SOS beacon and we all assumed it was for a snake bite. Turns out he had wondered off the course as GAIA was showing a different route. Julie and I assumed the same thing and before we knew it we were hundred of metres into thick gorse, not ideal. At one point I fell down a hole and found myself completely covered by gorse, unable to move. Not ideal but I managed to scramble out, just. We managed to extract ourselves and find the track after first making sure the rescue team could get to the race leader.

Mandaly Beach -> Mount Clare 20.6km ( accumulated 131.9)

This next twenty kilometres was brutal and that’s being kind , running it on fresh legs on the morning of the second day is the way to go but I was after a quicker time this year so sacrifices had to be made, this was a big one ! There are some serious climbs , the sort of climbs when you run a sixteen minute kilometre and you’ve worked so hard, to a road runner this is so alien. I was hoping to get to Mount Clare by two in the morning and even harboured thoughts of running through to Walpole before a sleep. This was never going to happen and we made Mount Clare around four in the morning, just in time for a ninety minute break to start again just after first light. That swag never felt so good and I was relieved to get around an hour’s shut eye.

Mount Clare -> Walpole 10.9km ( accumulated 142.8)

Decided to grab a cup of tea at Mount Clare , change of clothes and then a quick 1okm leg to Walpole where Id’ have brekkie and a shower. Coming from Mount Clare to Walpole is mainly downhill and as it was after a nap and early morning I felt great. Julie ran into Warpole with me and we certainly enjoyed this leg more than the previous slog from Mandalay. Note to self next year I think I’ll sleep at Mandalay so I’m better prepared for the brutal leg to Mount Clare, running this 20km after a full day of racing was a challenge. On this leg I rang the lads at Yelo , Thursday 7am, as is tradition. It was good to see them and I was buoyed by the facetime meeting. Walpole came along quickly and the shower was awesome, so refreshing. Next,  five weetbix another cup of tea and I was ready for the next leg to Tingle Tree and then the halfway stage at Treetops. Julie had decided against a shower and left before me so I was alone to start the Tingle Tree leg.

Walpole -> Tingle Tree 9.8km ( accumulated 152.6)

I enjoy this section, the first part is flat and then you rise to the Giant tingle tree. It’s less than 10km so is over pretty quick. Some great scenery looking back to the ocean and the image below is a traditional shot I take ever year, normally with Adam. The photo never does the view justice but trust me it’s special. Overcast conditions continued the humid environment but a lot better than the day before. It was great to get to Tingle Tree and get some serious potatoes from Frank and Jill Kaesler, Shaun’s parents. The salt on these bad boys made such a difference and I set off for Tree Tops in great spirits.

Tingle Tree -> Tree Tops 22.4km ( accumulated 175)

This is another hard section, funnily enough I seem to have typed this a lot on this post ? Another long leg with some elevation to cope with. I had finished the last leg with Oliver Maass and bumped into Kate and Julie at Tingle Tree , all left before me. This section was hard as my legs deserted me and there was a lot of walk breaks, more than the previous two years from memory ? I was surprised though when I bumped into all three of them at Tree Tops, I envisaged dropping off the pace but it seems we were all suffering. At Tree Tops I was offered some great pancakes as well as a Brownes Mocha, I was in heaven. Mark allowed me ten minutes in the Wanderer chair , towel on head, I may have even nodded off for a few minutes. As part of the course you are allowed to walk the Tree Tops walk , which is pretty cool, I was even allowed to take my crew, in this case Warwick turned up. This certainly surprised other customers taking in the magnificent views from the skywalk.

Tree Tops -> Conspicuous Cliffs 15.8km ( accumulated 190.8)

I was feeling better after Tree Tops and passed Julie and Oliver sitting on the side of the track complaining it was too hot. I love the heat and had spent the last two months running in the midday sun through a Perth summer, I was not for slowing as this next video shows.

Thinking about it I was probably second at the time as I didn’t realise Kate had paused her challenge at Tree tops, and would eventually DNF at Peaceful Bay. I always look forward to the section to Conspicuous cliffs, as you’re coming down from Tree Tops , and after to Peaceful Bay as the beach sections are stunning. Unfortunately this year I knew I’d be faced with some beach running in the dark, and that isn’t as much fun. Add in some rock hopping and it becomes even more challenging. I’d also left my best head torch with Mark and only had my two ‘normal’ torches, I say normal as in not 2000 lumen like my Silva. Being Swedish you know that Silva is going to be good, c’mon any country that gave us Abba, Saab and Volvo knows what its doing.

Conspicuous Cliffs -> Peaceful Bay 15.2km ( accumulated 206km)

Dropping onto the beach at Conspicuous cliffs I was confronted with a solo kangaroo happily munching away , how Aussi is that ? Got a selfie with said kangaroo before climbing off the beach and back onto the trail. This section is so, so good. Lots of little coves with no one about, solitude and serenity at their best.  The sun was out, I had over 200km behind me and I was feeling great. Life was good.  These are the moments you realise why you run Delirious, when everything clicks into place, stunning.

Unfortunately I knew I was racing the sunset to Peaceful Bay and it was a race I was set to lose. As I mentioned earlier I had two headtorches but they were ‘normal’ and after being used to Swedish equipment I was disappointed. This was also the time I would have liked a decent light as I had rocks and coves to transverse with limited signage. On a number of occasions I was winging it keeping the ocean to my right and moving forward, I knew I’d hit Peaceful Bay eventually. I was reminded of a story Jon Pendse told me of rock climbing with the ocean waves lapping at his heels, I could see a similar scenario in my near future.

Alex Pattinson guiled me into Peaceful Bay and before I knew it was was salivating over a freshly cooked steak professionally prepared by Mark, seasoned with onions, made with love. Mark had made a special trip to the local butcher and the trip was so worth it. Please note they were not both for me, he treated himself to one as well albeit he also saved me one for lunch the next day. It’s tradition that evening meal day two is always steak. Last year it was at Tree Tops but we were making better time this year, thirty or so kilometres further into the race.

While Mark cooked the steaks I took the opportunity to grab another quick shower and change of clothes for the next stage. I knew this would be my last shower before the finish and again felt great afterwards. I only had John Yoon ahead of me but wasn’t worried about position, more about my next sleep which we planned for Parry’s , thirty kilometres away. The plan was to get to Parry’s around two in the morning, have two hours, brekkie and get our just before sunrise. In between Peaceful Bay and Parrys Beach is an uncrewed aid station, Boat Harbour. I wasn’t keen on running alone in the dark , alone with my thoughts, but couldn’t persuade Oliver or Julie to come out with me. Oliver needed sleep and Julie was wanted a shower.

Peaceful Bay -> Boat Harbour 18km ( accumulated 224km) 

I had spied Sarah Dyer as I arrived but she seemed to have disappeared. I was discussing my next move with Mark and mentioned it would have been good to have Sarah pace me when we heard her voice coming from the SUV behind us. She had just finished pacing duties and was preparing to get some sleep when she heard her name. Great news for me, I had an enthusiast pacer, my first.

Our first challenge of this section was a jet ski ride over the river inlet, how cool is that? Sarah went first, I am a gentleman and I followed closely behind. First time on a jet ski since Karen and I hired some in Barbados over 25 years ago ! They are seriously good fun albeit I was on the ski for approximately two minutes. It was surreal, how many trail races involved jet ski’s, very few I would presume ! After the jet ski Sarah and I moved along the beach with headtorches bearing down on us, the 100 milers were in hot pursuit and we knew Phil Gore would be cruising past sooner rather than later.

The next part of the story is a tad wild. Walking along the beach I spied a small rectangler package on the beach, by the high water mark. It had obviously been washed up and to me it was obviously drugs, a kilo I estimated.  Unbeknown to us drugs smugglers had sunk their boat a few days ago with over 400 kilo of cocaine onboard. It seemed one of those kilo’s had found its way to our beach as we motored along. We had two options, leave it, (never going to happen) or carry it to the next aid station, open it and then decide what to do. It was always going to be the latter albeit I made Sarah carry it as I had poles to worry about.  So ten kilometes later at Boat Harbour we opened the package to confirm my instinct (from years of watching CSI ?), it was a kilo of cocaine.

Street value around $350k AUD apparently, at that moment in time , to me, worth a chicken risotto, which is what I swapped it for. The aid station crew phoned the police while Sarah and I continued onto the next aid station, Parry Beach, giggling to ourselves about our find and the stories we would be telling for many years to come ! As I have said many times Delirious is the race that keeps on giving !

Boat Harbour -> Parry’s beach. 10.6km  (accumulated 234.6km) 

Truth be told I can’t remember much about this section. I know it took longer than we would have wanted but all we were thinking about, or talking about, was our find on the previous section. I mean it’s not everyday you find a kilo of coke on the beach. There was lots of laughter that’s all I can remember and we got into Parry’s around four am, a lot later than planned. I was so tired at this point and poured myself into my swag and a deep sleep. I told Mark two hours minimum to prepare for the final push as I knew there would be no more sleeping after this. Unfortunately no one told Rob Donkersloot this and I heard the zip on my swag open just before six am.  I was not happy but Rob cajoled me out of my swag  and off I went, back on the beach alone. Sarah would be saved for later in the day and the following evening, the final push to the finish.

Right that’s enough for Part 2.. I need a rest from all this typing.. maybe go for a run ?

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/ )

Follow me on

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

Back in the day when I was a marathon running show pony I had my ‘old faithful’ 10k before work loop I would run religiously on week days, and most weekends. Up and out at 5am and before I even commuted to work I had 10k under my belt. For ultra trail running I have adopted this to a 22km loop in the hills above Perth and before any 200 miler I make the hour each way journey to this route on a regular basis. Perth Discovery Centre to Helen Hut is where I spend most of my Christmas break and all of January training for the Delirious West 200 miler , early February. ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ )

As you can see below from Strava  ( https://www.strava.com/activities/8437952723 ) I have run this route ten times in January by the 21st, once every two days.  It’s nearly three hours of running , due to the heat and trust me its been hot, so once every two days has been challenging.  I equate heat training to poor mans altitude training, so the hotter the better. I’m a big fan of heat and adjust my pace and hydration accordingly but always run. I’m up to 52 times for this new trail old faithful but still love the run as much as the first time I stumbled upon it, when it comes to his type of route familiarity does not breed contempt but a sense of calm , knowing what is ahead, and also the comfort of running with an old friend. I often run it alone so I can put on the shokz headphones, you have a pair right? ( https://shokz.com.au/ ) and be serenaded by Taylor Swift or go naked and just listen to nature and watch out for the wildlife.

The point of this post is two fold, first every runner needs as old faithful run, one that you can just switch over to auto pilot and  get it done without too much thought or even physical exertion. Secondly it needs to be tailored to your race conditions. Back in the day I was running marathons so my Carine old faithful was mainly on path, mimicking the conditions I would face in my goal races.  Now I’ve moved to trail ultra running I run on the bibbulmun track ( https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ ) again mimicking race conditions, simple.

There is the added benefit of the bibbulmun track being pretty special from the Perth Discovery Centre to Helen hut making the three hours, although testing due to the heat, a pleasure.  I say pleasure in the broadest sense of the word truth be told, the final 10km is always testing and probably the bit I enjoy the most as I know it’s doing me some good. I push myself and this is the point of the run , to mimic the conditions I will face when running 200 miles as much as you can without running ridiculous distances. Rather than run 50km or longer training runs I tend to run this 22km, three hour or so run,  back to back as many times as I’m allowed by my family. This way I can turn up to the start on tired, fatigued,  legs mimicking the feeling of a multi-day ultra when you are always running tired. This has served me well on the two previous successful Delirious West campaigns and runners are creatures of habit.

Two posts from my marathon days when it was all about double days.  My 10k Carine old faithful was a run that I could run with my eyes closed and at 5am every weekday morning I’d stumble out of bed and notch up 10k before my commute to work, normally on my Ellptigo.  ( https://www.elliptigo.com/ ) Another 10k lunchtime with the boys, a commute home on the GO and,  voila, I was a marathon PB machine. I would regularly run 10-12 times a week and average 150km weekly totals.  With running improvement I’m a big deliverer in distance is key and there is no such thing as junk miles. Arthur Lydiard has all the answers ( https://www.lydiardfoundation.org/ )

It was a big night in the Matthews running household tonight. I got to run my go-to 10k for the 200th time (Well 200th time on Strava  ( http://www.strava.com ) and if it wasn’t on Strava it didn’t happen.) I’ve ran this route so many times it has a name , ‘Old Faithful’. 

As you can see from the image above my 10k loop takes in Star Swamp where I get to watch the sunrise in Summer and race the sunset in Winter. There a couple of nice rises which can test you if you’re fatigued, especially the last one after the Kings Straight. (The King of Carine has a 1k segment which he runs ridiculously quick. Nic, The King of Carine, Harman will one day represent Australia at either the Commonwealth or Olympic Games, mark my word.  The only downside in having young Nic in the neighbourhood is you don’t get to keep any Strava segment records because as they appear on Nic’s radar they disappear from mine. ! )

The run itself starts with a nice downhill to ease you into it before a small rise as you register your first 1k. It’s downhill again to the corner of Marmion Avenue as you hit the 2k mark just before you cross the road into the Star Swamp. It’s here you get to watch the sunrise most mornings and it really is like the first time, every time. It certainly inspires me and puts a smile on my face every time as I think of the rest of the population of Perth in the land of Nod missing this spectacular show of nature at her best. As you pop out of Star Swamp, just after the 4k mark,  onto Beach Road and into a kilometre rise on a bike path before a nice downhill section that encourages pace and sets you up for the Carine Park section of the run. You hit 7k as you enter the park and normally you have the park to yourself in the early morning light. If you time it right you get to watch the suns tentacles move through the trees and long lines of sunlight dance around you as you continue on you way.

You hit the top of the King Straight just over 8k and you have a decision to make either taking the Kings bike path and steeping up a gear or slowing it down and cruise on the grass. Must admit lately the cruise has been my route of choice. At the end of the Kings Straight is the third road crossing where you can prepare yourself for the last hill and the final small section back to the house.

So what makes this run so interesting that I’ve ran it 200 times. I believe it has everything you need in a running route, some nice hill sections, some off road trails, a section that encourages speed, the King’s Straight if you are really excited and a park section that reminds you how lucky you are to live in this wonderful country. I’m as excited about running it tomorrow (probably) as I was the first time I ran it and hope to run it another 200 times and more, assuming the status quo is maintained. If I was to move I would find another old faithful and I’m sure I’d start to rack up the mileage but this route will always have a special place in my running heart and sometimes familiarity does not breed contempt.

Did I make a big deal of the 200th running, not really, just me and the old girl doing what we do best, enjoying each others company. As runners we all need an Old Faithful…….

I awoke this morning with the normal pre-running fatigue that tends to happen when you run twice a day , every day and are about to move into your second half century. My running friend for the morning had cried off but will remain nameless, mark lee so I struggled to the door and crawled up the street to start my 10k ‘old faithful’ route for the 181st time (thanks Strava).

The sun was about to rise behind me as I started down the first hill which is always a great way to start a run in my opinion because the auto pilot light really is shining brightly for the 1k and also gravity as a co-pilot certainly helps, initially. I hit the 1k mark as I’m about 200m up the second challenge for the day as small hill to make up for the soft start. Again a good thing as this starts to engage the mind and the legs start to wake up. This small hill then gives ways to another decline before I cross the road into Star Swamp and the highlight of the morning run.

I time my start each day so I can see the sunrise from Star Swamp and every time I do it is like the first time. To describe it as inspiring does not do this justice but it will have to do. The temperature to is normally just about perfect at 5am making the whole experience so worth the early start. It is about here I am starting to warm to the task and must admit every time I see the sunrise, through the trees and bush, it brings a smile to my face.

I get about a kilometre of trail running before I am ejected back onto the bike path and start another incline for 500m before a kilometre of decline that encourages pace and caresses you to the start of the Carine park entrance.  Here I normally get to enjoy the park alone and again bathed in sunshine peaking though the trees. I make an effort to look up while in the park as so many times I am focused on the ground 20 metres ahead of me. The park , like the trail in the swamp, can be inspiring if the light catches the surrounding trees and you have fingers of sunshine protruding all around you.

The park eventually gives way to the last hill of the run which can be used as a final test to raise the heart rate or as a time to reflect on the run as a whole and start planning run number two, one is never enough surely.

Although I’m normally chasing a sunrise I also use this as a double up run after work and race the sunset. Instead of the first light of a new dawn you’re racing against the last light of the day. Where as in the morning the sun can be on your back as you race the sunset it is ahead of you slowly disappearing to the horizon. This brings into play more wondrous images as you run into the last breath of the day.  Same run but from a totally different light, which can make it feel like a new run completely. It’s get better, there is even a third option as you run in the middle of the day and , being Perth is really built in a desert, you dart from shade to shade avoiding the intense glare of the sun at the height of it’s prowess, an intimidating beast of pure heat and anger. Running really is the sport that just keeps on giving.

So that is my old faithful, go-to, 10k. One I run at least three or four times a week and one I never get tired off. All runners need an ‘old faithful’ because training for a marathon, or any distance really, requires repetition and sometimes you just need to switch off and get the job done. Having a run that allows you to tick all the training requirement boxes without the added pressure of too much thinking is paramount to success. Let’s face it marathon training can be , at times, a ‘slog’ , and that’s putting it nicely. To me a marathon is really about two thousand  kilometres of training with a final 42k run to the finish. It’s the two thousand training kilometres in all sort of conditions that people don’t see,  not the final 42k that is for the public and record books.

Tomorrow morning set the alarm a bit earlier and go and chase a sunrise, you never know you may find a new friend that over time cam turn into an old faithful and for runners that ain’t a bad thing……..

As always I give a shout out to five of my favourite products, the list is getting longer , …  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.

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 sis 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/ )

Follow me on

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