I had ran the Cape to Cape miler at the end of June ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) and had hoped to kick on and train hard for this race, Transcend Ultra, and ultimately Perth Marathon in October. ( https://perthrunningfestival.com.au/ ) Unfortunately, I seem to say that word a lot in my posts recently, my legs never fully recovered from the Cape to Cape and as you can see from my Strava extract for the last six weeks my training has been minimalist at best.
It all went wrong when I tried a double run day a week post the miler. The second run was a disaster and I stumbled home very slowly. This set the tone for the next six weeks unfortunately. (There’s that word again!) I made my weekly Yelo run the following Thursday but even bailed on that the next week. The only reason I ran on the Sunday was Strava informed me I had exercised at least once a week, every week , for the previous 99 weeks, a streak of sorts albeit a very, very weak one ! The following week was the Choo Choo run (post all about that here :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2025/07/29/racing-trains-choo-choo-run-2025/ ) and then a five kilometre race, which didn’t end well. One more Yelo run which ended very badly with me being dropped and stumbling home (I seem to type that a lot these days as well, unfortunately ) and that was my seven week training block for this event. My total for the seven weeks would be what I’d call Thursday back in the day.
A sorry training block .
For most events I could probably get away with a long taper, shall we call it that ?, but Transcend isn’t a normal ultra. As well as distance it has elevation and it s has it in spades. As you can see from the Strava extract below, over 3,000 metres of elevation. To the uninitiated that’s a lot. This event has been gaining traction year on year and this was its fifth time and there would be over a thousand runners over various distances. Of course I was running the longest, why wouldn’t you although after a kilometre or so I regretted not entering the kid’s one kilometre dash, I wonder if there is an age restriction. !
The main issue isn’t the distance, it’s the elevation.
WALYUNGA – AVON RIDGE ESTATE PARK 12.6KM +604m
Walyunga stands for ‘happy place’ so what a great place to start! As the sun rises over Boongarup Pool the runners will start their journey on the Pilgrim single track along the river banks of the Avon river, heading down stream. They will then face a steep incline up to the ridge line of Mt Mambup with the Perth city in view and the beautiful Avon Valley behind them.
The descent is on a mountain bike track, which does get technical at points so take your time. It won’t be long before your reach the river again and re-join the Pilgrim Trail for a nice flat, fast and technical section to the Bells Rapids bridge, which you cross and make you way over to the Orlov Bridal Trail Tunnel.
From here it is a reasonable climb and then a drop into the valley where you meander up along a creek that takes you to the breath taking Bells Falls.
Walyunga may stand for ‘happy place‘ but I was certainly not in a happy place at six in the morning in three degrees temperature. Rob drove me to the start and I persuaded him to hang around so I could keep my coat on, it was baltic. Unfortunately (love that word!) I had to take it off a few minutes before the start and I ambled to the front of the start line, in hindsight a mistake with hundreds of faster runners behind me and kilometres of single trail ahead of me. I was soon to become the human road block.
The start line was buzzing and the Transcend crew certainly know how to get the competitors jumping, even in the dark and three degrees. The great Phil Gore had my race bib as I was unable to pick it up on Friday evening , otherwise engaged watching my beloved Fremantle Dockets lose to the Brisbane Lions. Phil had just set the World Record for the number of backyard ultra loop a few weeks earlier , 119 laps ( that’s 119 hours and just shy of 800 kilometres) , still humble enough to grab my bib. He was using this as a training run but still managed seventh overall, incredible athlete and one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. I’ve been racing Phil since he first started his journey (now it’s more about meeting him at start lines, the days of racing Phil are long gone ) and watching him set world records while still working full time and supporting a family is inspiring.
I also bumped into the WARP boys, Simon Pham and Chris Shaw , they were running Transcend as a team in the relay, which I regretted not doing so myself halfway up the first climb ! ( https://warunningpod.podbean.com/ ) They had Dane Sproxton as their fifth runner so they’d be a show in for a top five finish.
One last photo before we set off in the dark in sub-zero (well three degrees) temperatures, as you can see not the best dressed for the conditions. The first few kilometres were challenging but I knew a big hill was incoming and that would warm me up pretty quickly ! I wasn’t disappointed.
Jacket off, ready to go.
From the start I knew I was in trouble. My legs felt awful, nothing in them and it felt like running on wooden stumps. The sort of feeling you get nearing the end of an event, not in the first kilometre. As I mentioned earlier I had started way too far up the field and had hundreds of runners behind me unable to pass because of the single trails. This pushed me along quicker than I would have liked but it meant I wasn’t paying attention to the terrain lit up in my head torch ahead of me. Ultimately my race ended before the two kilometre mark when I sprained my ankle in a puddle I took for firm ground. I came off the path and knew I’d done some damage to the ankle, it was just a case of how much and how would it affect my race. With a large hill coming up I knew I would be ok to hike so hobbled to the start and hiked it up without holding up too many runners.
Rookie error after two kilometres, with faster runners behind me I was running too quick and misjudged a puddle for firm ground. I went over on my ankle. ( Image from the finish line. )
The next few kilometres I was passed by most of the pack including my good mates Glen Smetherham and Alexis Ooosterhoff . I has spoken to Glen at the start and he , like me, had done little running since Cape to Cape. Seeing the two of them disappear quickly didn’t help my mood as I pondered how far I would get on one good ankle.
First hill, of many!, just before the sunrise, steep incline up to the ridge line of Mt Mambup
I preferred the climbs to the descents because I could hike at a good pace but descending was painful as the legs still felt like wooden steaks, no spring whatsoever. By the time I made it to the first aid station I was close to the back of the pack and contemplating my life decisions. If I’d had support, or thought I could be picked up quickly, I probably would have pulled the pin, I was not in a good space. In the end I decided to take the two tramadol I had for such an occasion and push on to aid station two, assuming the drugs would at least mask the pain.
First of many waterfalls.These images don’t do the scenery justice, incredible views.
AVON RIDGE ESTATE TO WALYUNGA SCENIC LOOKOUT 13.3km +636m
Please note the fire trail (easement) below Avon Ridge park goes through private property. Please do not run through their private properties, the course goes down into the valley opposite the park and around Avon Ridge Estate.
Out of the aid station you will commence a decent down into the valley along the creek. The course then turns right to run along a narrow plateau single trail that gives you a beautiful view of the Walyunga valley. You will intersect a gravel track which takes you further down into the valley. You then take a sharp right hand turn, for a steep gravel track ascent that goes over the ridge to a meandering steep descent. Once you reach another gravel track that is parallel to Wooroloo Brook Creek turn right. This path leads to a small water crossing, the Wooroloo Brook Creek Ford. From here you then face a long steep ascent through some beautiful Wandoo Forrest and granite outcrops.
At the top of the challenging climb, you veer left to follow the ridge line that looks over the Avon River and, in the distance, the grassy green slopes of Shady Hills Estate. The track joins on to the Survey Heritage Trail heading up towards Ewing Road. A sharp left turn just before the public road places you on a fire trail that takes you out to the monument cairn marking a survey point by John Forrest from the 1870’s. This gives an amazing view of the valley up towards Toodyay and back to where you started at Walyunga National Park.
Here you are at the perimeter of Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary, which is Noongar for ‘stopping place’. There is a shed and toilet block there that will be the support aid station.
Wooroloo Brook Creek was considered too dangerous so there was a deviation put in place.
I met my good mate Marty Kallane just after aid station one and it was good to have some company as we both moved forward. I would power ahead up the hills but Marty would pass me as I tip toed down the descents on one good ankle, not a pretty sight. I would continually kick a rock or catch my ankle on a branch , that’s trail running I suppose, but when you’re trying to protect one ankle it’s seems to be continually the one bearing the brunt of any collisions. I was prying there’d be a medic at aid station two to strap my ankle or my race was probably over.
Even though I wasn’t having the best of time with the running bit of the trail race the scenery really just got better and better. I took quite a few photos but in the end had to stop or I’d still be running now, it was picture postcard stuff. Conditions really were perfect and even when it heated up later in the day there always seemed to be a creek you could cool off and wet your cap , so heat wasn’t a problem.
Some incredible single trail on well manicured trails.
I left Marty about halfway between the two aid stations and for the most part ran alone to aid station two. The day was turning into a ripper and I was determined to keep going using the logic I had nowhere else to be and the trail was just awesome, so why leave early? Coming into aid station two I made a beeline for the volunteers , who were dressed in the beach lifesaving uniforms so I assumed they were the people to talk to ? They were incredibly helpful and I had an entourage of physio’s examining my foot , which at this stage was quite swollen. As they iced my foot I got to work on hydration, nutrition and more drugs, a few ibuprofen to take the edge of the pain. The volunteers strapped my foot with fixomull and it worked a treat, I skipped out of the aid station a new man. The volunteers saved my race, thanks’ Bob’ and her mates.
WALYUNGA SCENIC LOOKOUT TO NISSEN HUT 11.5km +624m
Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary is a single trail heaven! The Numbat track takes you along the undulating valley ridge until you branch off on to the Quenda Trail. These single trails feature small creeks, man made platforms and a monument over another survey marker. There are quite a few steps in this section, so it is a good idea to include some in your training.
The far east aspect of the Quenda Trail intersects with an access track which we will use to direct you to the Nissen Hut on the Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary border near Copley-Dale Rd.
Paruna Steps, not as bad as I had heard?
Truth be told I had paid little time looking at elevation over the course , which was a mistake. The first three legs contain most of the elevation and leg three especially is short but testing; albeit also contains the best single trails and some seriously steep downhill sections on testing terrain, a bit of everything really. The trails at the start of this section really are very, very special. Lots of well manicured trails diving into the valley and then loads of steps to come out the other side. Throughout the eleven kilometres on this section you are either going up or coming down , with a few creek crossings thrown, brilliant.
I also bumped into some Delirious West buddies along the way, Martin Von Kaschke and Harmony White, so had great company for the start and conversation as we battled the steps together. It was around this time I started to enjoy the event. The first section had been a disaster and the second section was an exercise in pain management and looking stupid hobbling down hills. With the strapping doing its job and the painkillers doing theirs I was started to move freely and even started to run over runners ahead of me. Being so close to the back of the pack by this stage there was plenty of opportunities to chase down competitors and this helped the kilometres tick along nicely.
Aid station three came along quickly and I was stoked to see Heath and Simone Watkins running the aid station. These guys have run aid stations at Delirious West ( If you’re still reading this post click on this link , change your life https://www.deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) for the last four or five years, they are just the best. A quick red bull and a handful of treats , helped down with two more ibuprofen and I was off back on the trail.
Coming down the other side of Paruna steps with Marty, not sure why he’s camouflaged. ? He is there trust me.
NISSEN HUT TO VALLEY CAMPGROUND 16.4km +499m
Once you pass through the Nissen Hut you are then greeted by a steep descent into another valley with a small creek crossing followed by an incline before making a final descent down to the fire trail (not the ARC Infrastructure Road) that is parallel to the train line. You then follow the boundary track up to the ‘Stronghills’ Private Property. After the campsite there is a small creek. After the campsite there is a small creek and a short distance later you enter the beautiful Avon Valley National Park and continue to run along the undulating access road. At approximately 14km into this leg you will encounter a goat trail through some bushland that involves a scramble up an incline and fairly technical decent. On the other side there is a short section of fire trail again until a right-hand turn which, takes you to the secluded Valley Campground. Here you have the opportunity to refuel or tag in your team mate.
A random hill on the third leg, which for the most part was actually quite flat.
Section four is the longest, just over 16 kilometres, but for the most part along a river so pretty undulating, it would have been a really good section to bring down the average pace if I wasn’t so damn unfit at the moment. (Back to my seven week taper plan !) As it was I was looking for hills so I could justify power hiking but instead was met with long stretches of run-able trails, bugger. I certainly wasn’t setting any land speed records but continued to reel in runners ahead of me including my old buddies Glen and Alexis who had left me for dead hours earlier. I sprinted past them, up a hill, before collapsing on the ground , always playing the fool. It was good to chat before leaving them and continuing on my pursuit of the next runner ahead of me.
This is what happens when you sprint up hills ! photo : Alexis Ooosterhoff .
This section is the longest and you know when you finish you have less than twelve kilometres to go, the end seemed to come quickly after aid station three ? There is a kicker of a hill before you run into the aid station and I say ‘hill’ in the broadest sense of the word, more like a mini-mountain. I was thankful it was dry as climbing (and you were climbing ) this bad boy in the wet would have been very testing. Post mountain it was a nice single trail into aid station four where I was met by another good friend from Delirious , and current champion, Tim Pullin. Tim looked after me albeit it was a quick stop, I could smell the finish.
Coming into aid station four
VALLEY CAMPGROUND TO COBBLER POOL 12.3km +489m
The final leg continues on the undulating access trail until the right hand turn for Quarry Rd. It is here you head up towards the highest point of the Transcend Ultra at 296m. Quarry Rd intercepts South Break Access Road which takes you to the boundary of the Avon Valley National Park. From here you make your way through three private Toodyay properties, which offer a mix of paddock and single trail running. Relay runners can meet their team members at the bottom of the final hill where there will be an opportunity for you all to cross the finish line together.
At the finish line all competitors will be greeted by their supporters and fellow competitors for rising up and going beyond, transcending the Avon Valley on foot in one day! Competitors have reached the Duidgee region which stands for the ‘land of plenty’, here they will have the opportunity to replenish and unwind. Upon finishing, competitors will have the opportunity to give back to the land and plant a native tree in the region to help ensure there is beautiful environment for many generations to experience in years to come.
At the finish line we have entertainment, food and drink vans and we will provide as much shelter as feasibly possible.
The final stage is basically a King of the Mountain climb on crushed limestone road mainly and then undulating terrain to the finish with a few nasty sections to test you one more time.
Start of the final stage, King of the Mountain. There was no way I was competing in this Strava segment.
After a drop from the aid station and more good running trails, this seems to be a theme for this event, you are faced with the final climb of the race, the King of the Mountain. There were four runners ahead of me as you can see for a good distance up the road and I managed to real them all in before the top, albeit not setting any speed records. I was really starting to embrace the event now and even dare I say ‘enjoying myself.’ That’s ultra running. At Aid station one I was contemplating retirement while nearly sixty kilometres later ,at the final aid station, I’m loving life and excited about the finish.
Starting to feel the love with less than ten kilometres to go.
As the finish drew closer I reflected on what had turned out to be a ripper of a day. Perfect conditions, beautiful trails shared with so many friends from previous adventures, that’s trail running I suppose. It’s the whole package, the scenery, the physical and mental test but also sharing the experience with friends , old and new. I really was a little sad the end was coming.
Couple of fence crossings for the final five kilometres.
There was some more decent trails in the last five kilometres including some barbed wire crossing, more crushed limestone roads and even running through paddocks. This event just keeps giving.
The sun was starting to dip as I ran through some great single trail, about four kilometres to the finish.
As the sun started to dip we were treated to more ripper single trails and then a long , testing on the quads, descent into some meadows. It was a special place to be after being out on the trail for nearly eleven hours at this point. You know the end is in sight and you reflect on the journey, all while basking in the evening sunlight.
Chasing a few runners with less than two kilometres to go.Very happy to see this little sign.Big finish to grab one more place up the rankings.
The finish is uphill , who does that ! and I had one more chance to move up the ranking, s so ran down a runner infront of me with a few metres to go, it is a race after all but really it’s so much more than that. Transcend delivered big time , incredible terrain, perfect conditions and amazing volunteers and tukka. (I forgot to mention Shane , the RD, spends hundreds of dollars on sweets as well as the usual toasties and soup etc. Brilliant) ,surround by good mates, perfect.
Done and dusted. That was brutal.
Big shout out to Bix products including all my racing clothing and the Bix Big 40 Gel (with caffeine)
…… a sports energy gel that provides 40 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
Here’s a breakdown of what the Bix Big 40 Gel offers:
Carbohydrates: 40g per gel. This provides sustained energy for endurance activities.
Calories: 160 calories per gel.
Electrolytes: 200mg of sodium per gel to help maintain hydration.
Caffeine (optional): It’s available in both caffeinated and non-caffeinated versions. The caffeinated version provides 75mg of caffeine.
Flavor and Formulation: It has a natural, light flavor designed for easy consumption during workouts or races. It is vegan and gluten-free.
This gel is designed to provide athletes with a significant boost of carbohydrates and electrolytes to support their performance during intense training sessions or competitions, especially in hot and humid conditions.
As you all know I love my Altra trail shoes but it seems the Olympus model has an issue. On my last three pairs they have split in the same place (see image below) Admittedly on two pairs they had a bit of wear in them but plenty of life left in the tread and if they hadn’t split I’d still be wearing them. One pair was virtually brand new. Maybe Altra will reach out after reading this post and send me some new shoes to test. During the Transcend both shoes developed the same tear , which is worrying. These shoes are now getting up in the $400AUD dollar range, comparable to carbon plated super shoes, so I expect better. I have numerous Altra shoes and only the Olympus has developed this fault ?
So to sum up the Transcend Ultra is the real deal, stunning scenery, gut busting elevation, organised by trail runners passionate about the sport and attended by runners who just ‘get it’, simple. I’ll be back in 2026 with a better head torch watching out for those nasty puddles. ( https://transcendtrails.com/ ) See you on the start line , near the back of the pack.
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ ) Caveat : read the post on Transcend Ultra 2025.
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/ )
With the Cape to Cape miler last week this week was all about recovery. I was unable to run for four days post the ultra and had penciled in my first run Thursday morning at Yelo, my weekly 5:30am 14k progressive ( or a 10k easy?) . The alarm was set for 4:40 unfortunately due to a power nap earlier in the week I had set it to PM not AM. , rookie error so no Yelo run Thursday. Albeit I probably could have found time but wasn’t ‘in the mood‘ and had house chores and work to attend to.
Friday and Saturday were more of the same, finding excused not to run albeiut in my defence my Wife and No3 Daughter were away and I had a funeral to attend Saturday , so running took a back seat. This left Sunday where I was determined to run to keep my Strava streak going , 99 weeks of some sort of exercise, (you have Strava right ? http://www.strava.com ) It’s a pretty weak streak of course but at 99 weeks you aren’t going to break it are you ? So an easy 10k Sunday afternoon and that was it for week four of my sub3 mission.
That’s probably not enough to justify a post so I’d thought I’d reflect on my favourite marathon and go through some memorable moments. The Perth City to Surf marathon started in 2009 and it was also my first sub3 marathon. I finished in 2:58:14, 36th position overall from a field of 811. My first sub3 at 42 years old, in my tenth marathon. I was met at the finish line by one of my running hero’s , the mighty Mick Francis, who had pipped me by about a minute or so, also running over the top of my good mate Bartsy with the finish line in sight was special, albeit not for Bartsy, his second last sub three funnily enough. (He managed a third place at Rottnest the following year, his last)
My first sub3 with ne of my running hero’s , the Mighty Mick Francis.
In 2010 I had the runners nightmare when my Garmin discharged itself in the evening and I had no juice when I turned it on at the start line. This was back in the day when Garmin’s were for running only and not your everyday watch. Mentally this finished my race early and I tried to hang on to my mate Jon Pendse and a sub3 group but was ejected out the back around fifteen kilometres into the race. I then ran alone , with no idea of pace, and finished in 3:03:20 , good for 31 place overall, from a field of 976. I still reckon if I had my watch I would have ran sub3 but such is life. After this race I would wear two watches for many years.
Love this photo of Jon laying down the law just before I was dropped, with no watch I was doomed to failure.
2011 and my first sub two hours and fifty minutes finish. I finished in 18th place, in a field of 989, recording 2:49:13 with my mate Rhys ten seconds behind me and Jon three seconds behind him. Rhys was dropped early for a toilet stop, he’s well known for this, and we never saw him but unbeknown to us he was stalking us the whole way and ran Jon down in the finishing few metres.
Deeks Costella was the MC and managed to grab a great photo with Rhys, Jon and I.
2012 and I improved my time again finishing 7th overall out of a field of 1047, in a time of 2:45:05, just pipping Rhys again . This was important as I was the first Australian to finish and there was a $6,000 prize, unbeknown to me at the time, for this. The race was sponsored by Chevron who had brought in five male and one female African runners, the six ahead of me. At the time it was the most lucrative marathon in Australia and funnily enough I was working for Chevron at the time so was adorned in a Chevron singlet, I should have got a bonus , albeit the Chevron finishing tent was pretty special. Rhys got second Australian good for $3,000, incredible prize money for us ‘hack’ runners.
One of my favourite photos of the City to Surf, we’d managed to score bib’s 1,2 and 3..
I ran my marathon PB in 2013 and ran with the lead African woman the whole way, letting her break the tape a few seconds ahead of me. Finished 9th, from a field of 1196, in a time of 2:41:14 which I thought would be good for some prize money but it seems there were two Australians ahead of me after the six African runners. No worries, it was a great PB and I was stoked. The only time I ran with a named bib, given to the faster runners of an event, albeit in my case I knew the RD.
My PB time. 2:41:14
2014 I ran 2:49:02, good for 13th overall from a field of 1,141. I had been abroad the week before and picked up a calf knot so my streak of improving finishing times was done, still happy enough with another sub two fifty finish and got to wear the number one bib.
Should have sprinted faster for a 2:48 finish.
I got my best City to Surf finishing position in 2015 running fourth in a time of 2:48:30, from a field of 987 runners. By this time Chevron had dropped the prize prize money significantly and no African runners meant we all bumped four or five places up the finishing order, explaining fourth place ? I was hoping for $2,000 prizemoney for fourth but there was a caveat that prize money for fourth and fifth would only be paid out if they were in 10% of the winning time ? What, seriously.? Unfortunately for me Yuki Kawauchi, the Japanese super runner , had come across and ran a 2:16, with second place being 2:35. Yuki cost me $2,000. No worries, as I said earlier I run for the love of running, not prize money, albeit it would have been nice.
All smiles before Yuki does me out of $2k prize money.
In 2016 I ran one of the races of my life to finish in 2:41:44, my second quicker marathon time and good for fifth place from a field of 828 runners. By this time the prize money had all but disappeared and I think I got a $25 gift voucher I never used. A far cry from $6,000 for first Australian four years previous. I remember I was running with second and third at halfway and decided the pace was too quick , backing off. Both these runners ran sub two hours forty and I often wonder if I had just rolled the dice and went with them what would have happened. Bar a 2:44 at the World Masters later in the year I would never get close to this time, what could have been. I put this time down to Raf Baugh , he of the Running Centre in Perth, who trained me in 2015. Lessons I learnt from Raf got me this close again, three years after my PB on the same course, I should have went with them. ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ )
2016 and at my most ‘show pony‘, even had the number 1 bib. Funnily enough you can see Raf in the crowd, wearing the baseball cap.
2017 14th from a field of 698 runners in a time of 2:49:23. I was recovering from my first major injury , a 5cm calf tear sustained in May which sidelined me for 12 weeks, only resuming full training in late June. After this result I continued to improve culminating in another second place at the Rottnest marathon in October. This is another what could have been but injuries happen and I was injury free before this one so I suppose it was my turn ? Highlight of this run was finding my good friend Mark Conway, who had just finished ahead of me, skulking in the medical tent at the finish, he was berated loudly. This was also the first time I wore carbo plated shoes, the Nike Vapoflys 4%. I hadn’t had time to wear them before the race and I still remember warming up running down St. Georges Terrace with the biggest smile on my face, I couldn’t believe how good the shoes were. Even only I had them a year earlier when I ran 2:41, what could have been ?
Pretty stoked to finish this one.
I missed 2018 due to another injury , a nasty case of plantar fascittis, which hurt as I had ran all nine of the previous City to Surf marathon. Truth be told I probably could have ran it was was protecting my sub3 streak which was over thirty marathons at the time. With hindsight I should have ran.
2019 was my last sub 3 at 52 years old, (at the moment?) , and also the last time the City to Surf marathon actually happened. COVID killed it in 2020 and then , due to the ever increasing costs and dwindling numbers, it was canned. I ran a 2:55:23 , good for 13th overall from a field of 598. It seems fitting my last sub3, number 32, should be ten years after my first at the same event and also the last time the event was run. It was an incredible event and holds so many good memories, if one race encapsulates my running journey it was this one. Ten finishes with nine sub 3’s in there (and eight sub 2:50’s) and two of may fastest times as well as a sprinkling of top five finishes, perfect just perfect.
The end of the City to Surf, 2019, surrounded by good friends. A fitting end to a magical journey. Jon, Nate, Jacques, Tony and Johannes.
Looking at the finishing photos for sub3 number 1 in 2009 and sub3 number 32 in 2019 I don’t think I’ve aged a bit, hell I look younger. Can I go sub3 one more time in October 2025, of course I can.
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ )
Week two in my quest for sub3 number 33 at the Perth Running Festival in 17 weeks ( https://perthrunningfestival.com.au/ ) . Last week I managed nine runs and 107k weekly distance and the plan for week two was just to run one more time , from nine runs to ten, and add distance, in this case 107k to 116k. Both goals ticked.
( you can read week 1 post here if you missed it https://www.runbkrun.com/2025/06/10/perth-marathon-sub-3-mission-week-1/ ) As you can see from my Strava output for the last 6 weeks I have been gradually increasing mileage, culminating, today, in my first long run since the Delirious West 200 miler in April. (There are many, many posts on my Delirious West adventures over the last 6 years on this blog) As we are marathon training, proper like, I’ve also started adding double days.
Monday . 10k around Herdy’s lake late morning , followed by my local Hyden Lane loop 10k, late afternoon. Both runs easy, just over 5min/k pace.
Tuesday I decided to add some pace so ran a seven kilometre progressive finishing off at just under 4min/k pace for the final kilometre and then a three kilometre cool down to hit ten kilometres for the day. Work, my dogs and family got in the way late afternoon and never made it out for run number two as planned.
Wednesday was back in Bold Park for a trail ten kilometre before a late run in the dark on the bike path to Trigg and back in the Aplhafly 3’s to help with the fatigue of another double day . Both runs felt good albeit they were both at an easy pace.
Thursday morning 5:30am, it’s Yelo time.
Thursday was the weekly progressive/threshold Yelo run with the usual suspects. I wasn’t feeling the love at the start, after the double days earlier in the week, so decided to just run ten with a fast finish. I was also meant to be tapering for the Cape to Cape 100 miler Ultra a week Saturday. ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) I know this is not normal practice to add a 100 miler in the middle of a marathon build but I have time before Perth, so why not? Started to pick up at the end but decided that ten kilometres would be enough knowing that I would double up late in the day. Took it very easy for the second run of the day, time on legs run.
Friday was back in Bold Park running my favorite trail loop, again at a very easy pace before returning again on Saturday for the same route albeit a tad quicker.
Long run with the BTRC crew and a sprinkle of Team Tina runners.
Sunday long run I was aiming for two hours , similar to last week, but with the BTRC gang (Ben Tay Running) and we were joined by a sprinkle of Team Tina runners, albeit I think most runners are members of both groups. Last week it was elevation I was chasing , finishing with twenty one kilometres and over 500 metres of vert, this week it was purely distance. No nutrition on the run, I like to run on body fat and try and burn some on long runs, I managed to squeeze in twenty five kilometres. This was enough to persuade me to hang up the trainers until Monday , after all I was meant to be tapering ?
Best bit about running long on Sunday, coffee and banana bread , toasted.
Post long run it was straight to the nearest cafe for a coffee, OJ and banana bread fix and laughter , lots of it, with the usual reprobates , some I’ve been running with for decades others just a matter of months; but we all connect over coffee. Not sure why Zac insisted on drinking coffee topless but each to his own I suppose ?
This weekend is the Rottnest Marathon which for everybody outside of Perth is a small island twenty kilometres or so offshore. It is a magical place and I have finished the marathon twelve times with my kids growing up on the island for one week a year, just wonderful memories. (If you’ve never been get yourself to Rotto quick smart https://www.rottnestisland.com/ ) The image below is me coming second with a two hour forty eight, and change, finishing time. The course is four loops and I had lost contact with the eventual winner on the first loop. I knew I was in third place and managed to move upto second when I passed my good mate Zap Jeps n lap three as he moved back through the field. I was content with second which would probably come back and haunt me as I only saw the first place runner ahead of me on the last hill where I closed to within touching distance before he put on the after burners for the last kilometre and beat me by about twenty seconds.
Because I only caught him so close to the finish I wasn’t mentally ready for his kick at the top of the hill, I wasn’t expecting to be in a sprint finish. Another ‘if only‘ moment as he collapsed over the line while I strutted around happy with a second place finish. If I had seen him earlier I would have been prepared for what was to come as he had come back to me very quickly on that last lap. Such is life.
2017, 2:48 , good enough for second place, again !
This year at Rottnest we celebrated the live of one of our own , Todd Ingraham, who passed this week. Todd had won Rottnest in 1998 and set a time that would be unbeaten for over two decades. He also won the Melbourne marathon in 2001 and the Perth marathon three times, 200, 2006, and 2011 . He also completed the Abbott’s World majors with an impressive average for the six events in the low two hours and thirty minutes. His wife Tina is another legend of WA running and the two of them were a formidable partnership with both running the Comrades marathon and achieving incredible results, Todd running sub seven hours twice and a smidge over seven hours for his final run.
Todd was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease ( MND) and fought his best fight but MND is a devastating disease, his death has been felt far and wide within the running community in Australia and within his professional commitments, as a serviceman and a police officer, always serving the community. Todd gave every race his all and it was a privilege to watch him disappear Infront of me for many races over the years.
This is a reminder to all of us to live every day and do out best because you never know when it is your time. RIP my friend, you were special.
Gone far too early. RIP Todd Ingraham.
Finally a bit shout out to Bix nutrition and Vlad for getting onboard the BK SUB3 freight train with BIX products, these products are , in my view, the best on the market and I’m stoked to have Vlad in my corner. Do yourself a favour and get onto the website and indulge yourself… ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ )
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ )
Over the next 18 weeks I’ll be documenting my build to the 2025 Perth Running Festival marathon. ( https://perthrunningfestival.com.au/ ) . My main goal is to try and break the age group record for the event, 55- 60, which sits at just over two hours and fifty nine minutes, bar that I’m chasing my elusive thirty third sub 3 marathon. Last year I was on track for a good sub3 at Perth after a 3:04 at the Bibra Lake marathon in July. Unfortunately I was distracted by a Back Yard Ultra in August and never recovered.
Bibra Lake marathon , July , three hours and four minutes.
Post Birdy’s backyard ultra in August I dropped the ball big time with four weeks of little or no training, culminating in a 12k race where I managed to pull a good time out of the hat and reignite my sub3 goal but in the end I ran out of time. Two good weeks and a down week wasn’t enough for another sub3 attempt and at Perth I paid the price hitting the wall badly at 32k, truth be told my race was over a lot earlier !
Birdy’s Backyard Ultra was a race too far unfortunately.
So this year I have a full race calendar , ranging from a 5k to a 100 miler , to prepare for Perth 2025 and redemption. Looking at my Excel spreadsheet I have a 100 miler in 11 days, ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) then a half marathon two weeks after that. Two weeks later I have a 10k and then a 5k two weeks after that. Two weeks post the 5k I have a 67km trail ultra ( https://transcendtrails.com/ ) then a five week block to really get into marathon training before another 10k and then a three week break before the big dance. Sounds good right?
I understand its not the normal build to a marathon but I love my ultra races as much as racing marathons and at 58 I’m running out of time so try to fit as many events in as possible. Luckily I seem to rebound well from most races albeit never really hitting my true potential due to the racing calendar, this is a sacrifice I’m willing to make for racing multiple times.
Right lets discuss week one of the road to redemption.
Monday was two 10k’s at around 5min/k average. The first run with friends , and great coffee and conversation afterwards, the second run alone and around my favourite 1.6k (1 mile loop) six times, for another 10k total.
Tuesday was another double day with both runs local , leaving from my house and turning left when I hit the coast for my first run and right in the evening.
Wednesday was another 10k in Bold park with a bit of elevation. Another reasonable paced run. Bold Park is the one of largest parks situated in a major city, over 442 hectares. Some seriously good trails and elevation.
Thursday started with our weekly Yelo run, anything between 10-14 kilometers , depending on how you feel. Lately I’ve been running the fourteen kilometre option which starts slow and builds to a progressive albeit these days I seem to plateau at around 10k, not ideal. I had a couple of stops this week but overall was happy enough. My second run was another local loop.
Friday was back into Bold Park for a eleven kilometre loop, the weather had been testing all week, unusually so for Perth, but I was lucky to get a good window for this run, even pulled the top off.
Saturday I was lead bike for the Perth Ultra 50k where I used the Elliptigo and kept Dean Menzies honest as he set a new WA record for the distance and sixth overall in Australia of two hours fifty five minutes. I’d bite his hand off for that time in the marathon! Decided to have a day off running and feel more refreshed for my long run on Sunday.
Sunday , two hour long run, just over twenty one kilometres but over 500m’s of vert , which was the real target.
So for the week I managed 107km’s, 9 runs (including three double days) , over 1,600m’s of vert and a two hour long run as well as a reasonable tempo run Thursday. All boxes ticked for week #1.
The Yelo crew, a funny bunch.
Lessons learned from week one. I have a long way to go and will need to keep focused, no ball dropping this year. My speed work needs to improve but I’ll wait until post Cape to Cape Ultra to look at that. I also need to improve my Yelo tempo run on Thursday and complete the fourteen kilometes without stopping. Distance will come and with distance, and increased fitness, the pace work will take care of itself, that’s the plan anyway.
My second last sub 3 marathon in 2019 , can I repeat this at Perth in 2025.
Finally a bit shout out to Bix nutrition and Vlad for getting onboard the BK SUB3 freight train with BIX products, these products are , in my view, the best on the market and I’m stoked to have Vlad in my corner. Do yourself a favour and get onto the website and indulge yourself… ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ )
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ )
A 3:04 was the closest I got to a sub3 last year, can I find those elusive four minutes?
I’ve ran thirty two sub3 marathons and was on a twenty nine in a row streak before missing out in Melbourne in 2022. Last year I put in a reasonable marathon training base before Bibra Lake marathon and ran a three hours and four minute race. The course is dead flat and a six lap loop, around a lake funnily enough , as if the Bibra Lake marathon didn’t give that away ? I wasn’t feeling the love for the race from the start and was working far too hard maintaining marathon pace early on, to my credit I managed to hang on the sub3 bus until about sixteen kilometres from the finish. I then lost the four minutes which tipped me over the three hour goal. Full race report here if you’re interested. ( https://www.runbkrun.com/2024/07/09/bibra-lake-marathon-race-report/ )
This should have been a stepping stone to the Perth Marathon in October but unfortunately I had the small matter of a backyard ultra between the two events, in August. This should have been no problem but I just seemed to drop the ball post the BYU (backyard ultra) and basically didn’t do enough training. Of course with a marathon you get found out pretty quickly and in my case around ten kilometres in I was in trouble, not good with thirty two kilometres ahead of you.
Would have probably ran sub3 if I opened my eye at Bibra Lake ?
Perth was only the second time I have really hit the wall in a marathon, on marathon number forty eight. The first time was my first marathon in 2002 when I knew nothing about long distance running. Funny how twenty two years later and I’m repeating the same mistakes albeit in my defense I ran a 3:14 compared to a 3:52 the first time.
Perth marathon was a disaster, hit the wall big time and stumbled home.
So here we are again in June with the Perth Marathon in October but before then we have a 100 miler in June ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ ) , Bibra Lake half in July, the Transcend 65k ultra in August ( https://transcendtrails.com/ ) and a couple of shorter races inbetween. It’s looking similar to last year but the difference will be I’ll train for the Perth Marathon as my A-race with all other events there to keep me honest and because I just love racing.
Can these bad boys get e to sub3 in October ?
To help me in my quest I have invested in the latest best super shoes, well best as of June , the Puma Nitro R3’s . Albeit last year I brought a pair of Saucony Endorphin Elites two and a pair of Nike Alphafly two’s , and both failed to deliver albeit lack of training wouldn’t have helped their cause. I managed to get the Saucony Endorphin Elites 2 at a reasonable price but the Alpha’s and the Nitro R3’s both cost around $350 AUD each. ( I hope my Wife never reads this post ! )
I have also roped in Bix nutrition and Vlad Ixel, the founder, has agreed to supply all my nutrition for this sub3 attempt. I’m a big fan of all bix products and have been behind Vlad and his company from the start. You really need to follow Vlad on his Youtube channel (
The Bix active recovery electrolytes tabs taste so good, you have to be careful not too overdose , great flavours as well. The Performance Fuel mix is also fit for purpose and again my go-to when I need some help, finally the 40gram carbohydrates GU’s just give you more bang for your buck, i.e. more carbohydrates delivered in a liquid form that is digestible on the run. Vlad is an elite trail runner and has been at the top of the trail running arena for many years based initially in Hong Kong and now in Perth albeit he competes regularly around the world, supported by his great company of course. I’m looking forward to seeing how fast the bix and Puma combination , together with serious training, can make me in October when I put it all on the line for sub 3 number thirty three.
So what’s the plan look like. ? I have 18 weeks until the Perth Running Festival and marathon number forty nine. Before that I have a 100 miler (Cape to Cape Ultra) in less than two weeks, then a half marathon two weeks later, Bibra Lake Half, first week of July. Then two weeks after that a 10k ( WAMC Shelly Loop) before a 5k two weeks after that (Perth Half, 5k option) . Three weeks post the 5k I have the Transcend 65k Ultra before a five week break (and some serious marathon training!) and another 10k (WAMC Spring to it) to find out where I am for the marathon three weeks later.
Sunday long runs with the BTRC Crew.. a staple diet for sub 3 runners.
I will treat the two ultras as time on feet and just enjoy being on the trails, the Cape to Cape is on the Cape to Cape track (funnily enough) which is meant to be a beautiful trail running through pristine forests and beautiful untouched beaches, with no real elevation to talk off. I’ve never ran this trail so am more excited about the journey rather than the clock, albeit if I can smell a top ten finish all bets are off of course. The Transcend Ultra is on private property so only available for this event, again a beautiful part of Western Australia with some seriously testing ascents and descents, there is definitely elevation in this one but less than half the distance of the Cape to Cape, how hard can 65k really be? (I’ve got a funny feeling I’m going to regret typing that !)
Bibra lake half will be a hoot.. I hope?
Bibra half in five weeks, two weeks post the 100 miler?, will hopefully be redemption for the HBF half when my colours were lowered , albeit the legs may have something to say about that coming two weeks post a 100 miler ? No worries if the legs don’t play ball, it’ll turn into a tempo run with a medal, running with good friends and enjoying pancakes post event.
The ten kilometre and five kilometre races are just to see my improvement as I near Perth. I’ve ran a forty one minute and a thirty nine minute 10k this year so would hope to continue to drop those times towards a 37.xx later in the year ?
Weekly distances will vary from 100km weeks to just under 140km weeks depending on family commitments, my two dogs and the weather. Lots of double days and a sprinkle of speed work to go with my racing calendar, that should do it I reckon. I’ll need conditions to be near perfect for Perth and the cards to fall my way but I reckon I’m in with a sniff, and at 58 that’s all I need.
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ )
This was the 15th time HBF have put on their ‘run for a reason‘ event and the first time I have entered the half marathon. Not sure how I missed it so many times as back in the day I would have loved to run this course, looking back it must have clashed with some other event ? Entering now , my first half since 2020, I was in no shape for anything but a sub 90 minute attempt. With my 10k result the previous week , 39:55, according to race predictors I was in with a chance. The weather was atrocious for the start with a squall coming through just as we counted down to the start, it made the start testing as my Saucony Endorphine Elites are incredible racing shows but have no grip and I felt like I Bambi charging down the slope with twenty thousand runners behind me. On the bright side the first kilometre was quick with gravity as my co-pilot.
Unfortunately once I got going I realised pretty quickly I was on heavy legs far too early in the event to have much chance of a sub 90 minute finish. It was a similar feeling to running the Fremantle 10k three weeks prior where the legs just felt heavy and I struggled to keep the pace needed for my goal finishing time.
Zac , Dean and I, just before the heavens opened.
I held the pace I needed for the first eight kilometres but was working far too hard to hold on for the full twenty one. The ninety minute bus ran over the top of me around this time and I watched it disappear ahead of me as we ran onto the freeway and through the tunnel. At eleven kilometres in I had my second Gu (I had one before the start) and this helped me get back onto race pace and even start to drop the gap between me and the sub ninety bus. I even started to believe I was in for a chance of catching the bus. I always seem to find a second wind around the sixteen kilometre mark but not enough this time it seems. My final final five kilometres were on race pace and in the end that minute I lost in the middle of the event cost me a sub ninety minute finish.
A great photo from Dennis Tan. On the outside smiling, on the inside about to blow a gasket !Back into the pack, dreaming of faster times many, many years ago !
So was I disappointed ? A little I suppose, but to get so close when I was realised I was finished so early in the event was a big positive. A fast finish also gave me some confidence that I can gleam a few minutes later in the year probably at the Bibra Lake half which is a fast course. That’s three races in four weeks and I now have a four week break before a hundred miler, Cape to Cape Ultra, at the end of June. ( https://www.cape2capeultra.com.au/ )
With all three races I have either just got my goal (Joondalup 10k) or just missed it (Fremantle 10k and the HBF Half) which is a positive albeit the goal has been way slower than previous times but this is where I am. This year alone I am well over a thousand less training kilometres than at the same time last year, you can’t hide from not enough training, running is a honest sport. If I’d ran those missing thousand plus training kilometres the racing results would have been a lot quicker. I’ve have been distracted by Pilates and my two new dogs but distraction is not an excuse for missing motivation and that’s the real problem here. At fifty eight I’ve been training now consistently for nearly twenty five years, my first marathon was Perth in 2002 as well as a half ironman the same year, now with forty eight marathons and fifty seven ultra marathons completed hitting the same training kilometres is proving difficult. Getting up at 5am for the pre-work 10k , which was the norm back in the day, ain’t going to happen now and double days are a thing of the past. With the decrease in training comes the increase in race times, add in aging and things can go south very quickly. (I google the ‘go south‘ meaning.. Deteriorate or decline, as in The stock market is headed south again . This expression is generally thought to allude to compasses and two-dimensional maps where north is up and south is down. However, among some Native Americans, the term was a euphemism for dying, and possibly this sense led to the present usage. )
Moving forward I know what I need to do and will target the Perth marathon in October and the 6 inch ultra in December as my two ‘A’ races for the year. Of course I still have a couple of 100 milers to play about on and three 10k’s, one 5k and a 7.5k to race so I can try and win my age group for the WAMC. Entering races is as easy as it’s always been, it’s just the racing them that seems to have got harder. Go figure?
HALF MARATHON ADVANCED IS FOR VERY EXPERIENCED RUNNERS: individuals who compete regularly in 5K, 10K, half-marathon and even marathon races and who want to improve their performances. You should be capable of running 30 to 60 minutes a day, five to seven days a week and have a basic understanding of how to do speedwork. If that sounds like too much training, and this is your first half marathon, you might be more comfortable training using either one of the novice programs or the intermediate programs.
The runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and sometimes Fridays or Saturdays are designed to be done at a comfortable pace. Don’t worry about how fast you run these workouts. Run easy! If you’re training with a friend, the two of you should be able to hold a conversation. If you can’t do that, you’re running too fast. (For those wearing heart rate monitors, your target zone should be between 65 and 75 percent of your maximum pulse rate.)
Stretch & Strength: Mondays and Wednesdays are also days on which I advise you to spend extra time stretching–and do some strength training too. These are actually “easy” days, so don’t overdo it. It’s wise to stretch every day, particularly after you finish your run, but spend more time stretching on Mondays and Wednesdays. And don’t forget to stretch while warming up for your hard runs. I can’t emphasize this strongly enough: Advanced runners need to spend more time stretching than novice or intermediate runners! That’s because you probably run faster and train harder, which can stiffen the body. And don’t forget at least some strength training, which could consist of push-ups, pull-ups, use of free weights or working out with various machines at a health club. Runners generally benefit if they combine light weights with a high number of repetitions, rather than pumping very heavy iron.
The training schedule dictates workouts at distances, from 3 miles to two hours, the latter which (depending on your ability) may actually take you further than your half marathon race distance. Don’t worry about running precise distances, but you should come close. Pick a course through the neighborhood, or in some scenic area where you think you might enjoy running. Then measure the course by your GPS watch. As an advanced runner, you probably already know the distances of many of your courses. When the prescribed workout (as on Sundays) is in hours rather than miles, forget distance entirely.
Rest: Rest is as important a part of your training as the runs. You will be able to run the long runs on the weekend better–and limit your risk of injury–if you program some easy training before and after. Be realistic about your fatigue level–particularly in the closing weeks of the program–and don’t be afraid to take a day off.
Some hill training will help strengthen your quads and build speed. Look for a hill between 200 and 400 meters long. Jog or walk an equal distance between each repeat. I prescribed only three hill sessions, all in the first half of the program, but if you want to do more hill training, be my guest. You can substitute hill repeats for any of the interval workouts, or even in place of a Tempo Run or two if you want.
Speedwork: If you want to race at a fast pace, you need to train at a fast pace several days a week. The training schedule begins with 400-meter repeats, but also includes 800- and 1600-meter repeats in later weeks. Walk or jog between each repeat. You can do the 400 and 800 repeats on a track, although you may want to do the 1600 (mile) repeats on the road. For more information on speed training, see my book, Run Fast.
Warming up is important, not only before the race itself, but before your speed workouts above and pace workouts below. Most novice runners do not warm up, except in the race itself. This is okay, because they’re more interested in finishing rather than finishing fast. You have a different goal, otherwise you wouldn’t be using the Advanced program, so warm up before you run fast. My usual warm-up is to jog a mile or two, sit down and stretch for 5-10 minutes, then run some easy strides (100 meters at near race pace). And I usually cool down afterwards by doing half the warm-up distance.
Tempo Runs: This is a continuous run with a buildup in the middle to near 10-K race pace. A Tempo Run of 40 to 60 minutes would begin with 10-20 minutes easy running, then accelerate gradually for 20-30 minutes near the middle, then 5-10 minutes easy toward the end. The pace buildup should be gradual, not sudden, with peak speed coming about two-thirds into the workout. Hold that peak only for a minute or two. I consider Tempo Runs to be the “Thinking Runner’s Workout.” A Tempo Run can be as hard or easy as you want to make it, and it has nothing to do with how long (in time) you run or how far. In fact, the times prescribed for Tempo Runs serve mainly as rough guidelines. Feel free to improvise. Improvisation is the heart of doing a Tempo Run correctly.
A lot of runners look at my training schedules and ask, “What do you mean by ‘pace?’” I mean “race pace,” the pace at which you expect to run the half marathon. Some workouts are designed as pace runs to get you used to running the pace you will run in the race. In Week 10, for example, I ask you to do “5 m pace.” Hopefully that is self-explanatory. You might want to do a short warm-up before starting each of these pace runs.
Long Runs: As an experienced runner, you probably already do a long run of around 60-90 minutes on the weekends anyway. The schedule suggests a slight increase in time as you get closer to race date: from 90 minutes to 1:45 to two hours. Don’t get hung up on running these workouts too fast; forget also about how many miles you cover. And, yes, you may actually find yourself running further than 13.1 miles when you run two hours. Run at a comfortable, conversational pace, except on those days where a 3/1 run is prescribed. A 3/1 run is one in which you run the first three-fourths of the distance at a comfortable pace, then accelerate to near race pace over the last one quarter of the workout. (You should finish refreshed, not fatigued.) The schedule below suggests doing your long runs on Sundays, and while you can do them Saturdays or any other convenient day, you will generally find it easier to run the long runs the day after the pace runs instead of vice versa.
Normally I don’t prescribe cross-training for advanced runners. That’s because you’re usually more focused on pure running than novice or intermediate runners. But if you find that cross-training helps you prevent injuries, or if you enjoy it, feel free to substitute cross-training on one or more of the easy days. Notice I used the word substitute. Usually it’s not a good idea to add cross-training, particularly hard cross-training, to an existing workout under the mistaken belief that it will make you stronger. It may actually cause you to overtrain, which can have a negative effect on performance, because you never get a chance to rest. What form of cross-training works best? It could be swimming, cycling, walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or even some combination that could include strength training.
Juggling: Don’t be afraid to juggle the workouts from day to day and week to week. If you have an important business meeting on Thursday, do that workout on Wednesday instead. If your family is going to be on vacation one week when you will have more or less time to train, adjust the schedule accordingly. If this means running hard on successive days, so be it. Program in an extra day of rest to compensate. Be consistent with your training, and the overall details won’t matter.
Most experienced runners enjoy racing, so I’ve included three races during the training period: one every third week, building from 5-K to 10-K to 15-K. There is nothing magic about those particular distances, and there is no necessity to race. Plug in whatever races look interesting from your local area wherever they fit in your schedule. (See “Juggling,” above.) You can use races to test your fitness and predict your finishing time in the half marathon and what pace to run that race.
Here is your half marathon training program. It is only a guide. Feel free to make minor modifications to suit your own particular schedule. Feel free to make minor modifications to suit your work and family schedule. Also, consider signing up for the interactive version of this program available from TrainingPeaks for more detailed information on what to run each day and tips for your training.
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ )
Best Mo Farah Impression. Or as my Daughter calls it ‘ doing a Matthews”… another sub 3. 2:41:44 .
Right before we start this post lets talk about my running history so you’ll take what I say seriously. The title of this post alone is enough to get the ‘haters’ out in force who like nothing better than belittling anyone who they feel does not agree with or adhere to their way of thinking. Honestly I don’t care what they think either as I’ve ‘walked the walk and ran the sub three marathon’, thirty two times, with a PB of 2:41:14. All I’m giving you in this post it what worked for me and truth be told it ain’t anything you all probably know anyhow or can find if you google ‘how to run a sub 3 marathon‘, assuming we still google with this new AI thingy ? At the moment I’ve ran 48 marathons , with an average of a few seconds over three hours and 57 ultra marathons ranging from 47km up to 200 miles. I have the experience to be allowed to air my views on this subject. I’ve also included a few posts from writers and coaches I respect who agree with my findings.
So lets get into it.
Indicator races to help you know when you’re ready. I’m a big believer in the ‘yourlatest half time , double it and add ten minutes‘, The longer the indicator race the better of course. If you have a 32k time this would be even more accurate . Alternatively I feel you need a 38.xx time for a 10k to take on a sub 3 attempt, assuming you have the mileage under your belt. This goes with all indicator races , you still need the mileage and training, i.e. it’s not good being a gun 10k runner but try to run a sub3 with no specific marathon training block.
Distance is the key. If you run more you will improve , with a caveat that you don’t get injured of course. Running is a simple sport, running more improves performance. You can even run really slowly and use the Maffetone method to improve, thus avoiding injury mostly? ( https://philmaffetone.com/method/ ) I highly recommend the Maffetone method, high mileage but easy running with pace dictated by heart rate. It’s all on the website. When I ran my marathon PB’s I was was running 10-14 times a week with double days the norm, but normally at a relaxed pace but I also raced often. In essence my racing was my threshold run , and you always run faster with a bib on your chest. Do not under estimate the benefit of running more.
Leading into the Fremantle Half I had weeks of 104, 167, 164, 191, 149 and over 110km in the week of the race. I was so tired going into the race but somehow pulled off the run of my life of a 18 week intense training block including races every few weeks. So is the secret of running just run a lot and race a lot. Well yep, it looks like it is.
I was a very busy boy at the end of 2016.
The Sunday long run is pivotal to success, normally. As runners understand the ‘time on your feet’ long run is important to marathon success. As the marathon training builds so does the Sunday long run, normally maxing out around three hours and over thirty kilometres , or further depending on your goals. The caveat is if you run double days you can avoid the Sunday long run as you can build the engine by repetitive running , as long as you race often. A tip here is run with friends if you run long, time fly’s by with good banter. Alone time really can drag especially when you are tired towards the end of your training block.
Mid week long run at close to marathon pace. a twenty to twenty five kilometre run , mid-week, at close to marathon pace (MP) is one run that I feel is over looked by most runners. It gets the body use to MP without spending too long on your feet, normally ninety minutes , give or take. (depending on your MP of course) Back in the day I use to run home from work twice a week, this was between sixteen and twenry five kilometres, at very close to MP. It was testing at the start by towards the end of the training block it became a lot easier, as my fitness increased.
Race often. Nothing beats racing , nothing. Once you put a bib on your chest you will perform to your limit, this is very hard to do in training, you just can’t put yourself deep enough in the pain box on a training run. Competition gives you the opportunity to really see where you are, be that a 5k park run, a 10k or longer. Of course in training you can run thresholds, tempos, VO2 max specific training runs, but to really test yourself you need that bib. Also racing often allows you to get use to the feeling of standing on that start line and all the emotions that entails. I love racing but a lot of runners don’t and if you are one of these runners you need to race more to be better prepared. Familiarity does not breed contempt in this case.
Racing weight. Every runner has a racing weight and it is up to you to find out what that is. If you are too light or too heavy it will affect your finishing time. This is a trial and error exercise but you’ll know when you get it right.
Carbohydrates. Fuel is another piece of the jigsaw you need to get right. Personally. I would take a Gu before I start and then a GU at 10k, 20k, 30k and then 35k if I need it, as well as water at every drink stop ( or electrolytes if offered) Get your hydration and nutrition right, again test your strategy in training.
Consistency is the key. You build a sub 3 marathon time over many months of consistent training. Running is an honest sport, you’ get out what you put in‘ normally, albeit there will always be those outliers who just do incredibly well on little or not training , but unfortunately for the rest of us it’s hard graft, often!
Super Shoes make a big difference. This is where you can buy yourself two to four minutes off your time, give or take. Actually with the new Puma Nitro r3 maybe eve more ! These do make a big difference, again the benefits can vary from runner to runner but you should get something, if it’s the difference between a sub 3 marathon and a three hour one minutes, then cost does not come into it ! Just trust me buy a pair ! There are so many on the market now you will find one that suits your running style. I just wish they were around back in the day when I was running two hours forty one minutes.
These are just incredible ! Buy a pair if you can.
Avoid aging. Of course this is impossible but there are things you can put in place to maybe slow the process. Examples would be working on better diet as you age, maybe swap out the full English for scrambled eggs and avocado ? Dropping the odd run for some strength training , which becomes more and more important the older you get, apparently ? My last sub3 was in 2019 at Rottnest aged fifty two. I was comfortably finishing below three hours but COVID and a move to ultras torpedoed my next attempt which wasn’t until 2022, a 3:17 at Melbourne and then two more in 2024 , a close 3:04 and a wall hitting 3:14. At fifty eight my days of sub three are probably behind me unless they invent a really super shoe that can shave ten or so minutes of my time ? (I think they’d call it a bike?) I was running sub two hours forty five well into my late forties so you can still run sub three into your fifties but you need to keep racing , it really is a case of use it or lose it when it comes to pace. The Maffetone method may work for older runners albeit distance can become an issue with diminishing returns and fatigue build up, this goes back to the run less but more quality and add strength training . The older runner would have to concentrate on quality over quantity.
Get a coach. A contentious point but marathon training is hard and sometimes you need someone to keep you accountable, that alone can make coaching worth its weight in gold. A good coach will also be able to look at your runs subjectable and adjust accordingly , using their knowledge and experience, it just gies you one less thing to worry about. I have only been coached for three months with Raf and it made a massive difference to the way I trained. Raf taught me that distance is the key to marathon success and using his training methods I was able to PB many races years after I thought this impossible.
This article was written by the Running Centre in Perth and specifically Rafeal Baugh, the owner , an ex-duathlon professional athelete. ( https://therunningcentre.com.au/ ) I’ve posted this before but it deserves another read, Raf loves the science of the sport and is extremely knowledgeable.
Marathon Training & Performance: Sub 3h Dataset
Since commencing personalised training programs in 2009, the Front Runner coaching team has been primarily focused on assisting both recreational and competitive runners competing in events ranging from 800m to the Marathon, as well as Full and Half Ironman Triathlon.
Over time, the tracking of data (through GPS and online training software) and personalised exercise prescription based on the runner’s individual goals and training history, has allowed for empirical data to be compiled from our ever-growing database of motivated and goal-driven runners. As our database grows, we continue to observe certain trends in the data that help guide our coaching team towards more accurate and effective exercise prescription.
As well as a strong scientific element to data tracking, working with a team of nine engaged coaches all with individual experiences and qualifications has enabled an excellent structure to develop hypotheses on further improving exercise prescription. With the popularity of the Marathon continuing to increase in recent years, we have updated our dataset from 2018, focusing on those runners who have broken the magical 3h barrier.
3 of our Sub 3h Marathoners: Toni (2.43), Miki (2.55) & Yi-Jin (2.59) during the 2017 Perth C2S HM
As of March 2020, 91 Front Runner athletes on an individual exercise prescription have bettered the 3hr marathon. The aggregation of this many athletes at a high recreational marathon standard, in combination with monitored training prescription, has allowed us to identify some strong data trends. We hope that awareness and knowledge of this data will continue to help our Front Runner community progress towards their individual goals, as well as educated fellow runners and coaches interested in enhancing performance in recreational Marathon populations.
Through Training Peaks software, we analysed the data based on what we believe are two key principles for successful distance running and how they related to Marathon performance (goal time):
Anaerobic Threshold: Measured as their best 10k race time within 12 months of their goal Marathon
Volume: Peak 4 week mean volume within the final 3 months of their goal Marathon
A 10km race is a practical estimate of the anaerobic threshold (the upper limit of how well the body can sustainably use oxygen for energy – read more HERE). The lower the 10km time, the higher the anaerobic threshold and the more effectively the runner can utilise oxygen for aerobic metabolism.
The peak mean volume the runners were able to sustain for four consecutive weeks in the lead up to their Marathon is a practical indication of their muscular endurance. As running is a weight-bearing activity, covering 42.2km’s requires significant muscular endurance. Four consecutive weeks were chosen to ensure the volume was a sustainable peak and not a once-off.
Of the 91 Front Runner athletes to have officially broken 3h for the Marathon, objective data was available and collated from 65* of these athlete’s performances. *multiple sub 3h Marathon’s from the same athlete have been included.
Figure 1: Each runners 10km pace & Marathon pace was plotted against their weekly volume (n = 65)
Figure 2: As training volume increased, the difference between 10km and Marathon race pace decreased.
Full Data Set
n = 65
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 66
Slowest = 40.30
Slowest = 2.59
Max = 170
Fastest = 29.26
Fastest = 2.14
Mean = 120
Mean = 35.01
Mean = 2.43
Males Only
n = 58
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 66
Slowest = 40.30
Slowest = 2.59
Max = 170
Fastest = 29.26
Fastest = 2.14
Mean = 120
Mean = 34.51
Mean = 2.43
Females Only
n = 7
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 77
Slowest = 38.30
Slowest = 2.57
Max = 145
Fastest = 34.40
Fastest = 2.34
Mean = 119
Mean = 36.29
Mean = 2.47
Sub 2h 20min
n = 2
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 150
Slowest = 30.32
Slowest = 2.19
Max = 170
Fastest = 29.36
Fastest = 2.14
Mean = 160
Mean = 30.04
Mean = 2.16
2h 20min = 2h 29min
n = 6
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 140
Slowest = 32.30
Slowest = 2.29
Max = 170
Fastest = 29.26
Fastest = 2.22
Mean = 159
Mean = 31.23
Mean = 2.26
2h 30min – 2h 39min
n = 13
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 90
Slowest = 35.54
Slowest = 2.39
Max = 160
Fastest = 31.12
Fastest = 2.32
Mean = 136
Mean = 33.52
Mean = 2.35
2h 40min – 2h 49min
n = 22
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 90
Slowest = 37.15
Slowest = 2.48
Max = 165
Fastest = 33.20
Fastest = 2.40
Mean = 121
Mean = 35.11
Mean = 2.44
2h 50min – 2h 59min
n = 22
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 66
Slowest = 40.30
Slowest = 2.59
Max = 140
Fastest = 34.50
Fastest = 2.50
Mean = 94
Mean = 36.59
Mean = 2.55
Breaking the Sub 3h Marathon (2h 55min – 2h 59min)
n = 15
Volume (km/week)
10km time
Marathon time
Min = 72
Slowest = 40.30
Slowest = 2.59
Max = 140
Fastest = 35.36
Fastest = 2.55
Mean = 97
Mean = 37.14
Mean = 2.57
Primary Observation
The clearest trend from the graphs on figure’s 1 & 2 is the reduced vertical gap between the trend lines for 10km and Marathon pace as you move to the right – i.e. the MORE volume you run, the LESS difference between your 10km and Marathon pace. We therefore conclude the following: for recreational runners chasing a sub 3h Marathon, your anaerobic threshold will determine the ceiling of your Marathon (i.e. the faster you can get over 10km, the faster your potential Marathon time) and your peak volume will determine how close you can get to that ceiling.
This presents a trade-off as such where runners who spend a lot of time increasing their 10km time at the expense of their weekly volume may find their Marathon may not improve. Alternatively, runners who chase the highest volume possible at the expense of specific training that will improve their 10km time, may also limit their Marathon performance.
Each runner will be different, bringing their own strength & weaknesses to the table. Therefore, to achieve your Marathon goals, we recommend consulting a qualified and educated coach who can provide you with an individualised program that contains an optimal distribution of training load across the week, that is periodised towards your end goal.
Additional Thoughts
Specificity: Sustainable volume appears to correlate more closely with predicting Marathon performance than 10k time. This reflects the conditioning and the fatigue resistance of the musculoskeletal system, in addition to the fuelling changes in the cell that may relate to low intensity running specifically.
The Complete Runner: The 10km & Marathon have similar attributes but different limiting factors, meaning relative success in one event doesn’t directly translate to the other event. To best enhance your Marathon performance, it is our belief that focussing on both volume and threshold increases is crucial to successful Marathon performance.
VO2 Max: Training repetitions at VO2 max (i.e. above threshold – see HERE) appear to increase the relative risk of injury in recreational Marathon runners due to their fatigued training status. The perceived exception to this is if the athlete had track running experience from their youth.
Strength Training: Resistance training that is targeted to the individual is the best asset for Marathon runners to remain consistent with their training. This is achieved by reducing injury risk under the high training loads associated with the Marathon as well as increasing their running economy (reducing energy cost @ Marathon pace). Adherence to strength training programs is most common post injury, however should be maintained where possible when in Marathon training (2x per week to improve strength, 1 x per week to maintain current strength).
Biomechanics: Functional running drills and strides (see our YouTube channel HERE) that are performed 2-3x per week (as a W/U pre workout OR post easy runs) appear to be effective strategies for improving running economy in Marathon runners.
The Group Effect: Group runs for easy aerobic volume sessions correlated with significantly greater adherence to their training program than prescribed but self-directed easy volume sessions. This advocates the role of “jogging groups” as an integral part of a balanced training program for recreational and advanced Marathon runners and not just group training for interval sessions.
We trust you enjoyed our insight into Marathon training and performance. If you wish to know more about this topic, or anything to do with your running training, please get in touch with our expert coaching team who are ready to assist you towards your next running goal! Please email us HERE or see our website HERE
Point Walter 2016, coming home out of fuel ! Racing often….
My golden rules for running success.
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 weightrather than a running weight. My go to man , Matt Fitzgerald, use to have a website dedicated to this. If Matt had 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 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.)
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.
Me and a legend, Steve Moneghetti.
The article below was written by Reid Coolsaet a top ranked marathoner in Canada. At the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon last September his time was 2:11:23 – the fastest by a Canadian in 24 years. Reid spent time in Kenya at Iten, the breeding ground for running superstars. The article is good in that it emphasises all the things I talk about on this blog. As I have said many, many times running is not rocket science, just common sense really and lots of hard work. To run faster you need to look at the people who are running the fastest and learn from them, try to be more like them. The main points (for the lazy readers amongst you who won’t finish this post!) are consistency, train hard, rest hard, soft surfaces, group training, proper warm up, nutrition and Hakuna matata
Kenyan distance runners have been dominating the world scene for more than 30 years. Just last month, a Kenyan, Mary Keitany, was the first woman to break one hour and six minutes in the half-marathon when she set the world record at 1:05:50. Last year, Kenyan men won four of the five world major marathons and lay claim to 60 of the top 100 ranked marathoners.
An astonishing 239 Kenyans broke two hours and fifteen minutes last year in the marathon. (By contrast, Canada had three under the same time – and that was a good year for us.) Factor in the population of the two countries (Kenya, 39 million, Canada, 34 million), and it’s evident just how excellent the East African country is at producing world-class distance runners.
As a marathoner, I wanted to observe first-hand how these great athletes were training and living. For one month this winter, I went to Iten, Kenya, and immersed myself in the culture of Kenyan running. Iten is a small town of 4,000, about 300 kilometres northwest of the capital, Nairobi, and is home to many of the world’s best distance runners and hundreds more who make a living winning road race purses.
It’s not a coincidence that the rural town sits about 2,400 metres (about 8,000 feet) above sea level where athletes benefit from training in thin air. I soon learned, however, that there are many other reasons why Kenyan runners dominate. Here are some tips that all runners can incorporate into their training in order to run like a Kenyan.
Consistency. Running – a lot – is the key to distance running, and the Kenyans are no exception when it comes to logging many kilometres day in, day out. Most of the runners I met run at least twice a day but some run up to three times. If you can squeeze a few more kilometres into your week, without compromising quality, you will reap the benefits.
Train hard. The motto “train hard, win easy” is exemplified by Kenyan runners. If you want to run hard come race day, it’s best to prepare with some sort of speed session (intervals, fartlek, tempo) one to three times a week to get used to the specific effort of your race pace.
Rest hard. After bouts of hard training it is vital that the body has time to repair and recover for the next training session. Kenyan runners incorporate naps into their days and get to bed early. Plus, they don’t run hard all the time; most people would be surprised on how slow they run their recovery runs. Make sure you’re not running hard every day and take it easy the day or two after a hard run.
Soft surfaces. Running on dirt trails rather than pavement is much easier on the body. When I was in Iten, all of my running was on trails and dirt roads (of course, this is easy to do when there is only one paved road in the area). Seek out soft surfaces for most of your running, and your body will thank you.
Group training. Seeing a Kenyan run alone is the exception to the norm. Kenyans run in groups during speed sessions as well as their easy runs. Running with a group can provide that extra push during hard runs and it can help keep the easy runs leisurely with chit-chat. Many running stores offer group runs if your friends are too lazy to join you.
Proper warm-up. Many times while I was running with Kenyans I was surprised how slowly they would start off. It’s best to ease into your runs, and it is especially important to do some easy jogging before any type of speed session or race.
Nutrition. In Iten, a 100-mile diet would seem absurdly long. Kenyans eat fresh food that usually comes from small-scale farms in their region. Ugali (a cornmeal dish) is their staple carbohydrate of choice and is served with beef or chicken stew and veggies. It’s important to replenish carbohydrates and protein soon after a run and get the proper fuel into your body.
Hakuna matata.The Lion King popularized the Swahili phrase “hakuna matata” which, loosely, translates to “no worries.” Kenyans keep stress to a minimum by embracing hakuna matata in their everyday lives. It’s important to leave stress behind to allow your body to perform at its best, and sometimes the best way to relieve stress is to head out the door for a run.
Throughout my month in Kenya, I gained fitness, but more importantly, I came away motivated and inspired. To test out my fitness I went to Belgium to compete in a 10-kilometre cross-country race where I surprised myself with a fifth-place finish; the rest of the top eight were African. Training with the best runners and taking advantage of altitude training allowed me to perform much better.
Maybe the Piper has started warming up….and it’s time to pay him ?
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ )
The last time I raced shorter distances was 2019 when I won the West Australian Marathon Club age group , 50-55. I’ve won this award on numerous occasions over the years but 2019 was the last time I ran the required eight events to qualify. 2020 I lost my running mojo and then COVID hit and before I knew it I was an ultra runner and avoided all the shorter distances. This year I decided to throw my hat back in the ring and try again for an age group win. So I had to find eight races on the calendar to enter and hopefully do well enough to take out the age group win. ( https://www.wamc.org.au/programme )
The first event was the Fremantle Harbour Masters 10k, a four lap event with many twists and turns and a nasty headwind as you ran up the pier. Needless to say with little , by little I mean ‘none‘ , speed work and coming three weeks post Delirious West 200 miler, I was not set up for success. I aimed for a sub 40 minute finish as I hadn’t run over forty minutes for 10k since the Aberdeen fun run in the late nineties, yep, for all the young readers of this post , that was last century !
I was 50-50 to even turn up to the start line as I really wasn’t feeling the love the week before the event. My training this year has been minimal , at best, and you can get away with that in ultra marathons as you’re operating in the lower gears, albeit for a long time. Unfortunately your top end pace disappears quickly, use it or lose it type scenario. I was about to find out what this felt like very early on.
I warmed up alone and the legs felt heavy, not a good sign. Mentally I think I was already beaten but this would be confirmed early on in the event. I set off at the required pace, sub 4min/k , and the first kilometre felt pretty good. Briefly I thought maybe I could get away with this, briefly. The headwind on the second kilometre put all thoughts of a sub forty minute to bed. Runners started to pass me and I knew then I was in for a long time in the pain box, a long time. Hitting the wall before the third kilometre is not a nice place to be and by the time I finished lap one I knew I’d made a big mistake.
Mark , Shaf, John and Adam had turned up to cheer me on but the verbal encouragement can only do so much when the legs are misbehaving and the mind is urging you to stop this silly behavior. Begrudgingly I set off on lap two and dug myself deep in the pain cave with no exit in sight. Lap three was more of the same as my splits continued to rise steadily. I did find some redemption on lap four and held my own for a 41.22 finish.
Happy to finish, that’s about it. 41.22
Post event , eating a banana crepe swimming in maple syrup, I made big plans to put this right in two weeks at the Joondalup 10k. These big plans were unfortunately , I use that word a lot in this post, just that, ‘plans’ . I did get out for a 19k long run with the Ben Tay Running Club (BTRC) and a couple of 14k Yelo runs but minimum distance. Certainly not enough to rock up to the Joondalup start line with any confidence.
A BTRC long run was probably the highlight of my training, and I was dropped !A couple or 14k Yelo runs was the best I could offer in my two weeks of opportunity post Fremantle, pre-Joondalup.
Joondalup had the same feel about it as Fremantle. Yet again I was 50-50 to even turn up, worried that I’d once again blow up early and find myself deep in the pain box for eight kilometres. I talked myself into going and arrived 90 minutes before the start questioning my life decisions. After I picked up my bib I got changed and started a four kilometre warm up. Conditions were perfect and unlike Fremantle my legs felt good and I was able to hold a reasonable pace. I bumped into Chris Shaw , who was pacing the 90 minute bus for the half, and we chatted about my goal as we both finished our warm ups and prepared for the event.
I watched the half start and then just about got into the start corral in time for the 10k start, by a few seconds. Before I knew it we were off and yet again I was racing. As with Fremantle I settled into a sub 4min/k pace but this time managed to hold it without feeling my head gasket was about to blow. If you aked me before the event I would have taken any improvement on my Fremantle time but as I continued to hold sub 4min/k pace I started to think maybe I was on for a sub forty finish.
The course is a an out and back north and then an out and back south, so a 2.5km stretch four times, similar to Fremantle but flat and no head wind, with only two turns. Halfway I was feeling good and in a small group of runners who started to pull away. I wasn’t concerned , for me this was all about a finishing time, race position was not on the agenda, this time. I got to the last turn around at 7.5km and knew I was in with a good chance. I had 10-12 seconds up my sleeve, assuming the course was measured correctly, and all I had to go was dig deep and hold my pace.
Surprisingly, a better word than unfortunately, I was able to do just this and finished in 39;55 , which even allowed for the ninety or so metres of extra course , a factor I hadn’t really accounted for so was lucky I didn’t drop off early thinking the job was done.
Perfect pacing, more luck than judgement trust me.
So mission accomplished, a chalk and cheese run compared to Fremantle and with little training I’m stoked I managed to pull it off. A 5% improvement in two weeks is reward for having a go and turning up when it would have been so easy to just DNS. I have three more 10k’s planned for the rest of the year and will attempt to keep improving and see if I can get into the high thirty seven minutes ? Albeit I will need to train for this unfortunately, there’s that word again?
Very happy to run a sub forty minute 10k in my last Fifties..
Here’s a post I wrote after I podiumed, my last one, at the Peninsula 10k early 2019 with my good mate Jon Pendse , who was the club accountant at the time.
My last 10k podium, Peninsula 10k, an event I had won the previous year and set my 10k PB in 2016 , with anther win.
After the Darlington half last weekend I was buoyed and ready for another race to continue my comeback from the year from hell that was 2018. Seven months of no speed work what so ever had certainly taken it’s toll but the Elliptigo commuting ( http://www.elliptigo.com ) had kept my aerobic fitness and running around like a headless chicken in Kings Park has also helped, albeit on trails and as slow as Jon Pendse running Darlington with a hangover!
Rocking up to the start of the Peninsula I decided that, unlike last year when I set off like a scolded cat, this year I would try and hang onto the leaders and work my way into the race, hoping the time on the Elliptigo would give me enough cardio base to finish strong. I had tried this at the Point Walter 16k last year and it seemed to work, from what I remembered. Looking at the splits below it does look like we went out too fast but at the start of the race I was running within myself and I’m surprised the first kilometre was so fast. There was a 5k runner taking point but it was obvious he was not in the longer race, so ignored. At about the 2k mark the different race distance part ways and I was disappointed to see three runners ahead of me take a right turn indicating they were racing the 10k like myself. That put me in my least favourite position, 4th, the first person to win nothing (assuming the top 3 get medals , which in this case they do.) Worse still one of the runners ahead was a 12 year old running prodigy and who had never beaten me and I had boasted to the boys on many occasions that no runner less than 13 would ever beat me, was today going to be the day I ate my words, again !
Right, 3k in and fourth position, nestled a 100m’s or so behind the leading pack of three runners. Things took a turn for the worst when another runner over took me and I was relegated to 5th place, with the thoughts of a medal disappearing fast. It was at this point I decided to roll the dice on my fitness and put in three fast kilometres to try and get back into medal contention. The game plan was to establish a buffer for the last 2k which would be used to hang on to 3rd place. Digging in from the fifth to the seventh kilometre achieved this and I was confident the gap was enough, assuming I didn’t blow a gasket, to get me to the podium.
As it turned out the plan worked perfectly and the last two kilometres , although still very ‘trying‘ (and that’s putting it nicely), were do-able and there was no time blow-out as such. That’s not to say it was easy and that is the point of this post.
A ‘regressive’ 10k
What is the best way to run a good 10k ? First of all I believe you need to either race quite a few 10k races, on a regular basis, to nail them or in training put yourself in the 10k ‘pain box‘ once a week and continually improve your time. This could mean starting 2-4 minutes outside your PB time but getting to within a minute in training, once a week, on tired legs. Thus when you get on your racing shoes (I assume you’ll have the Nike Vaproflys 4% ?) and you’re rested , together with the racing mentality of a bib on your chest or training chip on your shoe. you can produce the time you need. As with all things running experience and practice play such an important role. The more you run 10k the better you will become at running 10k, it really isn’t rocket science. (I’ve lost track of the number of times I have said that .) This , of course, goes for all distances.
Looking at my ‘regressive’ splits above you’d be right in thinking that today was probably not the best way to run a 10k but I was more interested in the medal, not the time. At 52 years old my days of getting on the podium are probably limited and I treat every time now as the possibility it may be my last, especially at the shorter distances. Today I worked very hard to get that third place but I was always have that reminder in my medal collection and it will bring back all the happy(?) memories of the race. (Well I enjoyed the last 100m’s ?)
You can break a 10k down into three stages, the first 1-5k you should be able to maintain your desired pace, if you can’t the second 5k ain’t going to be pretty. The hardest part of the 10k is then upon you, maintaining your race pace through kilometres 6-8k, this is where the 10k is won or lost in relation to reaching your required time. The last 2k you can normally find something and the mind will release the last bit of energy left to get the job done, bye bye fatigue , hello ‘sprint to the finish’ and vow never to do this again. !
Why is the 10k so hard ? A 5k is a hard race but worst case scenario, you won’t hit the wall until 3k so only have to hang on for the final 2k. In the 10k this can be double that distance. So many runners set of , full of beans, at their 5k pace. The one problem with 5k pace is at 5k you suddenly realise why it’s 5k pace. Your body reminds the mind that 5k pace is good for, well, 5k ? Not surprise there, leaving you with maybe 1-2 kilometres to digest this information from body to brain and then unfortunately four kilometres to reflect on your mistake , deep, deep in the pain box. To compound your mistake your body starts to remind your mind that its time to shut down vital bits to survive your earlier exuberance, starting with your legs , lungs and eventually mind. Trust me it ain’t pretty.
Is a 10k harder than a half marathon ? Yes, because for a half you’re a tad more sensible. No 5k pace for a half and also no 10k pace because a half isn just too long to fall apart before half way. The same for a full marathon, these are planned and people are usually sensible enough to set a goal pace and stick to it, at least for the first half of the race. Of course the marathon is a 10k race in itself , albeit with a 32k warm up ! Anyhow the half and full lend themselves to sensible pacing.
So whats the answer to run a good 10k ? As I said earlier practice and this can be either run a 10k race once a month or try and run within 1-2 minutes of your 10k PB once a week. Another option is running a park run every Saturday because if you can get to the end of a 5k and still feel fresh you can certainly last a few more kilometres before hitting the wall. Also if you can get to 8k you can always find something for the last 2k, surely ?
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ )
Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra 2025 was to be another attempt at 48 hours (laps) having coming so close in 2021. That was my second backyard ultra and truth be told I haven’t come too close since. An assist to Phil Gore at the Hysterical Carnage event in 2022, at 38 hours, was as close as I’ve come which with hindsight was a mistake as I was fresh enough but had promised my daughter a trip to Adelaide so pulled the pin early. A 36 hour PB at Birdy’s in 2023 was another race where I could have gone further but an incoming storm was all the excuse I needed to scuttle off to my car and a well earned sleep.
Runner down! . Rob was my knight in shining armour, well an Alfa Romeo. Picking me up and driving me to my car.
Unfortunately a week out from Herdy’s I’d pulled up lame running my usual Sunday morning long run with the BTRC (Ben Tay Running Club) About 12km into my run my calf tightened to a point I had to stop , hobble to the nearest cafe, order a coffee , and call my mate Rob to come and get me. This gave me less than a week until Herdy’s and I was gutted. Calling our tame Doctor I got a referral that evening and got a ultra-sound Monday afternoon , confirming no tear. Great news, Herdy’s was still on but I couldn’t run. Lots of foam rolling, strong anti-inflammatories and a good dry needling from Rob had me at Yelo the day before the event for a test 10k. I got to about 500 metres before hobbling back to Yelo, my tail between my legs.
Not one to give up easily and also a no refund policy , I took more drugs (don’t judge me) , more foam rolling and the calf seem to come good early Friday morning, just in time for a 4pm kick off. Was I mad to attempt this less than three weeks out from the Delirious West 200 miler? Probably, but that’s how I roll, love competing and especially love competing at Herdy’s.
Th traditional starting photo with my good mate Simon Bennet
So I got to the start line for the fifth time, keeping my streak of not missing an event, starting with an assist in 2021 in the inaugural event. (2021) I Wasn’t sure how far I’d get as the calf was untested since the Yelo run the previous day. I did tape the calf , add compression socks and took more anti-inflammatory drugs. Funnily enough for the first three laps I was running smoothly with no issues with the calf but this soon changed from lap four onwards. I was soon unable to run freely and started a hop, limp gait to get through the laps, not the best look but managed to come in around the fifty minute mark. My targets changed on the hour, initially my 48 target was halved to 24 hours, then 100 kilometres (15 hours) and eventually double figures , 10 laps.
The BTRC crew where out in force, Grazer, Andy and Haydo.
Herdy’s was yet again the largest backyard ultra in the world with over four hundred starters, beating the previous years total by around fifty runners. Pretty cool to run the biggest backyard ultra in the world, around one of my local haunts surrounded by my good friends, love Herdy’s. Shuan Kaesler, the owner of the Ultra Series WA has created a monster of an event. (The website of ultra running in Western Australia https://www.ultraseries.com.au/ )
Shaun Kaesler laying down the law and winding up the crowd.
Heading into the night after three laps I was struggling to stay motivated, coming in towards the back of the pack and also not eating or drinking enough. I was determined not to overdo the electrolytes which had derailed me the previous year but over compensated by eating and drinking very little. Of course this is unsustainable for an ultra runner and I could feel my fight ebbing away, on the hour , every hour. The only thing that kept me going was great conversations with fellow runners out on the course, that’s a thing with a backyard ultra it is so sociable, with a bit of running thrown in for good measure.
The biggest starting line up in Backyard Ultra history, until 2026.
Shaun had chucked in $500 for the best themed gazebo this year and Simon and his family were determined to win it. Every lap you would return to the gazebo and more decorating had been added, giving the affect of a Roman temple. The judging was at 11pm and this was another reason why I couldn’t drop out before that time especially when I saw the A4 laminated description of Simon and I , so funny. (and a little bit true of course?)
This just about sums me up. !
As you can see from the background of our Gazebo we were a shoe in to win the $500 for best themed gazebo, which we did of course. There was so much more but I didn’t get a photo of the finished gazebo albeit one point Simon was getting fed grapes ‘Roman emperor’ style in-between laps.
Simon’s Wife had done an incredible job turning my gazebo into a Roman Temple.
Right back to the event. As seems to be the way for the last three or four backyard ultras my appetite deserted me , no pun intended. Without food you eventually just grind to a halt and I was close to this point many times during the night. What kept me going was the 100 kilometre , 15 hour, carrot dangling infront of me, it would be a backyard ultra personal worst but I could finish with some sense of pride. As it was the two laps post sunrise were probably my best and I managed to eat some weetbix and finish a nice cup of sweet tea, my go-to combination when all else fails. Thanks Nancy Shaw for coming down with the weetbix, milk and tea, the three laps Nancy crewed for me were my best.
Sunrise on Saturday morning, made it through the ‘witching hours’ or the DNF hours as I call them.
The forecast for Saturday was brutal heat, unusual for Autumn in Perth. Lap 18 was difficult and I was really beginning to struggle to arrive before the hour mark. I think I was middle fifty minutes for lap 18 and I knew then I didn’t have many more left in the legs. I stumbled out for lap nineteen but soon realised the goal would be to finish this lap , there would be no lap twenty. I came in as the two minute warning sounded in the corral and made no effort to reach the start line, I was done and dusted. This was the right decision as a large total was probably off the cards and in the back of my mind I needed to keep something for the Delirious West 200 miler in a few weeks, this was my A-race. The heat went from ten to eleven in the next lap and I was very happy with my decision as I dozed in the chair post shower.
A personal worst for a backyard ultra but managed to kick a few goals.
Herdy’s 2025 was a disappointment but with the calf injury coming into the event I think it was doomed to failure from the start. I got out unscathed , I think, and with Delirious early next week it was the right decision to pull the pin at 19 laps, of course doesn’t make it any easier. This was backyard ultra number twelve and , as is tradition, I retired from the format. Fast forward a week later , two minutes into registrations opening , and I’m in for Herdy’s 2026 with a new crew, my Wife Karen. Yep, I’m bringing out the big guns for my last attempt. It works for Phil Gore so it can work for me, I hope. ?
DNF number six for Herdy’s .
Finally a big shout to my mate Grazer who ran 24 laps and redeemed himself after dropping out on the tu-tu lap, 22, last year. He had targeted a return and was determined to make the 24 hours, which he did. It wasn’t pretty sometimes but he got it done with the BTRC crew there supporting him. Love your work Grazer.
Grazer got to 24 laps , 100 miles , after dropping out at 22 last year. Redemption.
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ )
A week after the 24 park runs in 24 hours I threw my hat back into the competitive ring for the True Blue 100k ultra. This was formally known as the Australia Day Ultra and I had finished the 50km race once, and the 100km version three times. This race was never on my radar after completing the back to back racing weekends last year and swearing never to do something so stupid again. In my defense I held my resolve until Thursday evening before the race before texting Ron, the Race Director, and getting a cash entry; to be paid at the start line the following evening. What’s that about old dogs and new tricks ? Or is it old dogs doing the same stupid tricks all the time ?
Another reason for my race entry was to test my new once a day training program with Pilates and the gym thrown in instead of my second run. I had also been taking Creatine, HMB and Leucine and was curious to see if these would make a marked difference to my race. Best way to test out my new approach was to enter a 100k race a week after a 24 hour event surely ?
Ron , the RD, and Chris, the timer, prepare for a long day at the office, midnight start for the 100k and 75k runners.
As I mentioned earlier in the post this race wasn’t on my calendar until late Thursday evening, post a good recovery run from Yelo. The recovery week so far had been two trips to the gym, one easy run and a progressive, of sorts, run with Aaron Pyke at Yelo. This run had given me some confidence and add to that the FOMO (fear of missing out) and by Thursday evening I was on the laptop looking at previous posts on the event and watching my first ever 100k ultra video shot by Rob Donkersloot on Youtube. (
)
The video by Rob documented my first attempt at this event back in 2017 where I ran just over eight hours for a second place finish and I retired instantly. Of course I was back the following year to run a sub eight hour finish, 7:47, and planned to return the next year but caught a bad dose of man-flu the week before. This led to a five year absence where life and COVID got in the way. Last year I ran a 9:34 albeit it was a week after the 24 Park runs and I suffered, silly not to do it again right ?
I had no strategy this year bar finishing, I knew I was probably under done training wise and the legs would not have recovered from the previous weeks beating. My good friends Simon Bennet and Adam Scott were also running and I decided to stay with them for the first lap before dropping off, putting on the shokz and cruising to a finish. As it was the boys went out far too hot and I left them at the fist turnaround to go and powder my nose, actually an excuse to leave them and take stock.
The course is a 12.5k out and back loop, eight times, totally flat , with an aid station at each end and in the middle. This is good for continually passing people albeit at the start you are soon alone with your to thoughts, which I quite like. Throughout the event other distances come and go , for example the 50k runners start at 3am, the 25k runners start at 6am and the 12.5k runners start later than that? Either way it gets busier from 3am until around 9am , the next morning, where it is back to the 100k runners.
As you can see from the Strava image below showing my pace continually drop until halfway and the sunrise that would eventually save me. As I said earlier I had gone out way to quick with Si and Adam and started to pay the price. I was running alone at this point and starting to think about pulling the pin at 50k, four laps. In an ultra you go through bad patches as I had many, many times over the last few years. Last year was a similar story, starting on tired legs, coming close to pulling the pin at 50k and then finishing strong. Could I do it two years in a row?
The image shows my death spiral before the sunrise woke me up.
The low point in my race was just before sunrise at the middle aid station. I was done and sat down waiting for the sunrise, this was the only chance. As I have always said when the sun comes up the running terrain changes completely. All of a sudden there’s a spark of ‘maybe I can finish this’ , life is instantly so much better. It worked last year, could it work again now ? Only way to find out was to get up and run. Simple really, just keep moving forward. Surprising I started to pick up the pace and ran through the 50k point back out onto lap five. This was a big mental test, it would have been so easy to pull the pin at 50k, still a very reasonable effort after the 24 park runs the previous week. Moving onto lap five felt , with the sun in my face, felt so much better than the previous lap in the dark. The early hours were cooler and after a few ibuprofens and another nodoz I felt so much better. (don’t judge me.) All of a sudden I felt like I could finish and that was all I needed to move through laps five and six, picking up the pace kilometre by kilometre.
Starting lap 6 and I can smell the finish.. nearly.
In the end it was a similar story to last year, a good negative split and a 9:45 finish ( slightly slower than 2024) , good for a fifth place finish. Out in 4:59 and back in 4:45. I’m putting this down to a few things, firstly the midnight start which is not my favorite time to start a running race. The Feral Pig 100 miler is a similar start time and I always suffer on that race too, albeit the gradient and temperature are also factors for that event. The late , or is it early start, means to get to the witching hours (around 2am until sunrise) totally spent and sun rise is a big mental boost, enough to get you a few laps at this event which puts you two laps to the finish. This is enough to kick start the legs as mentally the sun is out, you’re over halfway and all of a sudden the finish line is in sight.
The eight lap format is also a big factor as you break the race down into eight smaller segments. Getting to halfway , in the dark , is the challenge. Sleep depraved the finish feels such a long way away (funny that?) but when the sun awakes and you get over the halfway the final four laps seem to finish quicker. Laps two through five define this race, especially the dark laps. If you can get out on lap six with the sun on your face you will finish.
Another negative split finish.
So what did I learn from the True Blue Ultra 2025. Yet again I learned the lows in an Ultra event are real but if you just keep moving forward things will get better, add in a sunrise , hydration and nutrition , and things will improve. This year, like last year, I was dead and buried at the halfway stage with a DNF looming on the horizon , instead a sunrise got me over the line, literally. Was it easy ? Hell no, it was bloody hard and it’s getting harder but that’s the point . It will continue to get harder until eventually I will stop and accept a DNF or at least stop dong back to back events , whichever comes first. I turn fifty eight in three weeks and the one person you can’t outrun is Father Time. I’m hoping the new training, less running but more strength training, will get me a few more events before I start to look at cutting back the racing calendar. Of course I’ve been saying this for a few years now and retire constantly but something keeps me coming back for more. Is is the high of the finish or the mental low, and pushing through, that keeps me returning to the scene of the crime ? I honestly couldn’t tell you , I need both to finish an event and that’s running, albeit compounded with ultra running of course.
Done and dusted. 5th place, 9:45. Very stoked.
So what’s next ? In less than eight weeks its Herdy’s Frontyard Ultra, ( https://herdysfrontyard.com.au/ ) the event I ran 47 hours back in 2012 which at the time was an Australian record for an assist, to the great Phil Gore. ( Watch the YouTube video here :-
) Since then Phil has gone on to run over 100 hours and break world records where as I have struggled to reach that number again. It has been a goal of mine ever since to get to 48 hours, 200 miles, can I do it this year ? I won’t have the Delirious West 200 miler beforehand this year as it’s moved to April, so I should be on fresh legs (if there is such a thing for a runner my age?) I have a crew of three to four other runners also aiming for the same goal so it could be on, if not I’ll have fun trying , until it’s not of course. After Herdy’s it’s the big dance, Delirious West 200 miler for the sixth time. ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) This is my favorite race, a week of beautiful trails surrounded by like minded people and Warwick Crapper, perfect. This year is going to be massive with a big field taking on the Delirious beast.
Simon and I ran most of Delirious West 200 miler together last year, expect the same this year.
Finally shout out to my good mate Rob Collins who scored a top three finish in the 25km race, Rob ran a great race and although he’s been troubled by injury of late he held on for a solid podium. He’s already talking up a faster attempt next year, hopefully we can reproduce this image for 2026. Financially also a good move as Rob and I can share the cost for shouting coffee at Yelo on Thursday, a tradition for us Yelo runners.
Rob and I show off our medals. Rob was third male in the 25k.
Big shout out to fisiocrem , this product is just incredible for tired and aching legs. I use it daily and have noticed a vast improvement in recovery.
Bix hydration is just ace, a product brought to life by Vlad Ixel a professional ultra runner who knows a thing or two about hydration. ( https://www.bixvitamins.com/ ) The best thing about Bix is it tastes good with many different flavours and you never get sick of drinking it, this is a big plus as Maurten and Tailwind (both great products) can be difficult to digest later in the event. From the website :-
As an Australian elite multiple trail running champion, with wins in over 40 ultra-marathon races across Asia, recovery from training and races has always been my top priority.
In searching for a solid recovery and hydration supplement, I recognized that critical vitamins and minerals – both in diversity and quantity – were missing from almost all supplements on the market. I had the feeling that in an effort to maximize their bottom-lines, companies in the hydration space, failed to deliver a product that could meaningfully assist athlete performance.
In order to address this, I began the development of a hydration product. After two and a half years of development alongside a leading German sports scientist, BIX Recovery, an advanced, high-quality recovery drink was born.
BIX boosts 12 active ingredients scientifically balanced to replace lost electrolytes and assist in immune function. It’s designed with quality vitamins and minerals, in quantities that work!
BIX is a recovery solution for everyone, that will get you to the top of your game!
Great hydration.
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.
Fractel headgear, just ace.
Shokz headphones, let you keep in touch with the world around while losing yourself in quality tunes or podcasts. ( https://shokz.com.au/ )
Best running headphones EVER !
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/ )
