Trail Running
July 25th 2021 is the date when runner and train go one on one in a test of nerve. How late can you leave North Dandalup train station to arrive at Serpentine train station and catch the one train back to the start at 10: 21am, on the Perth to Bunbury Australind train? . To get to Serpentine there is the small matter of just under 36k of serious trails on the Munda Biddi track, or 32k if you take the short cut due to some trail work? (The latest departure time of 7:22am last year took the shorter trail option.) There’ll be a GPX loaded onto the facebook page nearer the time but its basically the Mundi Biddi trail but remember to get off at Scrivener Road to come down the scarp and not just keep running to Jarrahdale, funnier things have happened !
So if you’re interested book your ticket online https://transwa.wa.gov.au/tickets-times/train-timetables although you can buy tickets on the day , but please note you cannot buy tickets on the day before, remember this is the Bunbury line , the Internet is still to be invented in Bunners’ . You’ll need a ticket from Serpentine to North Dandalup on the only train going between these two stations at 10:21am, from Serpentine, Sunday 25th July.
Then it’s all about turning up at North Dandalup train station and leaving at whatever time you feel comfortable to be at Serpentine before 10:21. It is to be noted the local deli at Serpentine sells some seriously good food so I’d factor in a few minutes there before the train arrives… As with all previous years if everybody could bring along a plate so we can all spend some time recounting stories of woe and triumph at North Dandalup before the long drive home.
The Facebook page for 2021 is now live :-
https://www.facebook.com/events/4286590841391596/?active_tab=discussion feel free to add posts, comments or brag about what time you’re leaving, remember for this format it’s he , or she, who leaves last , and makes the train , that is the official Runner vs Train Champion 2021 (There is rumour of a trophy..somesay, this will be confirmed on the Facebook page nearer the time)
To get you in the mood here are the last few years posts on the event, worth a read.. there have been some classic stories, so much laughter and a few runners missing the train and coming back to the ‘walk of shame‘ while we all tuck into the post race tukka back at the start.
So I’ll see you on the 25th at North Dandalup train station around 7:30am or later….. ?
Choo Choo 2020 :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2020/07/13/choo-choo-2020-this-time-the-train-managed-to-beat-a-few-runners/
Ch00 Choo 2018 :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2018/09/29/man-versus-train-again/
Choo Choo 2017 :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2017/09/15/choo-choo-run-2017-man-against-train/
Choo Choo 2016 :- https://www.runbkrun.com/2016/11/15/the-choo-choo-run-an-exercise-in-living-on-the-edge/
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Herdy’s frontyard Ultra , https://www.herdysfrontyard.com.au/ , the sister event to Birdy’s Backyard Ultra , https://www.birdysbackyardultra.com/ , just about the run of my life I reckon, so far. Went into the event hoping to improve on my 24 hours at Birdy’s backyard ultra last August, with 36 hours being a stretch goal and 32 hours being enough to get bragging rights with the boys , taking out my mate Jon’s 31 hours at Birdy’s.
I figured 24 hours would be easier at Herdy’s due to the 4pm start, this meant you got to the night running early when you still had some company and energy, at Birdy’s due to the 10am start you got to the night running after nearly 10 hours on your feet. This took out a lot of runners, also Herdy’s would be warmer which was lucky as we weren’t allowed tents or caravans. Getting through the night is a major hurdle for a lot of runners but if you can get to the sunrise you’re good for another 7-8 hours minimum, it is huge. Hirdy’s would give runners a good opportunity to do this and rack up some serious time on legs. The course itself was an unknown for this time of event, sure I’ve ran it many times but not for long distance and the worry was the hard limestone, combined with bike path and trails would be hard on the legs unlike Birdy’s which was mainly trails, albeit testing in places.
Anyhow at 4pm Friday afternoon myself and 146 runners set off on lap 1 and the event was started, when it would stop was up to the last two runners, who ever they would be ? The smart money was on the Birdy’s last two runners Phil Gore and Michael Hooker, both gifted young athletes in their prime. Michael Hooker was clocking 31 minute laps early and didn’t waiver bar lap 4 when there was $500 up for grabs for the fastest lap. He moved up through the gears and dropped a 22 minute lap , averaging just over 3min 20 seconds a kilometre, in the dark , on an undulating course, unbelievable. Needless to say no one tried to better that time during the event, well not on foot anyway?
I had set up camp with Rob and Scotty and the reclining chairs came out together with a few bags of spare clothes for the event and an esky filled with all sorts of yummy treats and some serious food recommended by my favourite Dietitian David Bryant. I highly recommend David who is currently training for the Triathlon event in the para-Olympics, he is a wealth of knowledge but above all recommends eating good food, and food which is actually ‘normal’. Check out his site for more details http://www.catalystdietitian.com.au/about.html I had used David’s guidance for the Birdy’s event and made 24 hours with no issues. My friend Nancy joined us who was just running a few hours as she had competed in a grueling long distance swim the previous weekend and had family engagements to take care off the next day. As you can see in the images above she was a natural at this event and easily ran a distance PB before being called away to take care of her young family. Nancy will be back and I feel has a big future in this type of event if she chooses to concentrate on it. Scotty also ran a massive distance PB and also pulled in sponsorship from Osborne Mazda , which , with the event breaking the Australian Record was, in hindsight, a good move. Finally Rob got his goal of running 15 hours and breaking 100km, again another distance PB and he’ll be smashing the 100 mile target at Birdy’s in August. He had to put up with some serious gamesmanship from Bart’s during the build up to the event as he had not been training as well as he could have, due to various reasons, and this result has put the onus back on Bart’s to back up at Birdy’s in August. It’s always good for some good old fashioned rivalry among good friends, makes the conversation at Yelo after our Thursday morning progressives so much more interesting !
As well as everybody bar one runner DNF’ing , Shaun also created a special prize for the first DNF, Dead f**king Last so to speak, Thomas Grobar was the excited recipient as he was the last to finish the first lap albeit in his defense he had a broken toe and never expected to complete a lap in the time frame allotted. Well done Thomas, kudos for even tuning up and getting round one lap.
The first three laps are in daylight and as the sunsets you get some beautiful light in the trail section of the course. As you have just started the event these first three laps are more of a social run than a race and getting in under 40 minutes is a breeze, giving you plenty of time for eating and drinking and generally enjoying the whole vibe of the event village. On the first lap myself and Rob cruised home around the 5min/k mark for a top three finish, if only every lap could be so easy. As you can see from the image above it’s all smiles early on….
Once the sun set it was on with the head torches and into the night we went, round and round the lake. With the 4pm start it meant a large proportion of the field was still running into the early evening which made for great company as a snake like line of head torches weaved their way around the loop. The atmosphere at the event village was electric with excited runners returning and going about their business, aided by attentive support crew eager to do their bit, it really is a team event. With 5 minutes to go Nancy Sinatra is blasted from the event PA’s, these boots are made for walking, what else? and the activity kicks up a notch as everybody fumbles for their last few items before scurrying to the start line. A siren for two minutes and then again for one minute before the final 10 second count down and off we all go again, into the night. Friday night really was a special time, so much going on and so many excited runners and crew, magical.
Throughout the night runners dropped out , happy with their result and all saying they’d be back for more, in fact I don’t think I heard one runner grumble about the format or conditions , it was such a positive place to be. There were a lot of runner new to this format, as there had only been one previous event last year , but to a runner all said they would return and beat their current distance. It is that type of event, unlike any that have come before, it really is like one big team all working to a greater good, all wanting the best for their fellow runners and encouraging them to continue and just do ‘one more lap‘. There isn’t that competitive feel about the event, each runner is testing themselves against what they believe they can achieve, even when it’s down to the last two runners both need each other to continue. That is the appeal I suppose, well it is for me.
Friday night was spent running with Margie Hadley , amongst others, and man we laughed. Everything from saving Margie from elephant eating Herdsman Lake mini frogs, spiders that were big enough to put a saddle on and ride at the Melbourne Cup and Margie having no idea where her Husband was born. The things you talk about when you have 48 hours to kill. Other highlights was watching Thomas nearly run into the same spider’s web every lap and then seeing that same spider on Friday and then Saturday night, he felt like part of the family.! Every lap was eventful and due to the banter each one disappeared quickly and before you knew it you had ticked off another hour with sunrise fast approaching.
Sunrise is a massive boost in these type of events, if you can get through the night you will easily run another 6-8 hours after sunrise just on the boost from the sun alone. Of course it is always darkest before the dawn and the witching hour for any ultra runner is between 2pm and 5pm. Get through these three hours and you can bank another 3-5 hours just on the adrenalin rush.
This was the case Saturday morning and once the sun rose so did every ones spirts. Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day, little or no wind to speak about and the temperature was perfect in the morning before warming up but never so much as to be a problem. I had spent a lot of time in the local hills, post Christmas, so was heat acclimatised , so although I was ok with the temperature I hear some people did suffer. That being said the crew did a great job keeping me cool with Ice Packs and each lap they got their routine better and better. Big tip here for runners hoping to attempt one of these races, get a reclining chair. Worth its weight in gold trust me, lets your crew go to work while you give the legs a well earned break. Of course I’m assuming you have a crew , if you don’t you need one. These sorts of races are like a gran prix , as well as the driver and the car you need a pit crew or nothing keeps moving. Towards the end of the race you cannot think straight, actually you can think full stop no matter straight, when this happens a crew takes over and gets you from the finish line to the start line. In my case, later in the race, they carried me between the two points , with a quick sit down to shovel food and drink into me. ! Do not under estimate the crew in this type of race, they are indispensable.
The goal Saturday was to make it to 4pm and the 24 hour, 160mile mark. I had hit this target at Birdy’s and regretted leaving to get home and babysit the kids as my current Wife was going out with friends. Truth be told Karen did say I was ok to stay later in the race but I had mentally set a 24 hour goal and when I reached it I was happy to leave. I was determined to go one better at Herdy’s and leave nothing in the tank, how ever long that took. As I said earlier reaching 24 hours at Herdy’s , in my view, is easier because you start late afternoon and run through the night early, with company. At Birdy’s starting at 10am means you hit the first head torch lap 8-9 hours later and then have 10 hours to get though when you are tired. It is also a lot colder, which is massive when you stop every hour. Once we hit sun rise at Herdy’s the rest of the day was plain sailing, there was still around 20-30 runners so company was there if you wanted it and it helped having rabbits to chase if you so desired or alternatively there was solitude if you so desired. I used this time to reacquaint myself with the best sounds of the seventies, no everyone’s tastes but some classics just put a smile on my face and allowed me to drift away, lap by lap.
Once I hit 24 hours at 4pm Saturday the goal was 32 hours to go one better than my good friend Jon Pendse , who had ran 31 hours for a third place at Berdy’s. Jon had turned himself into an Ultra running God the last few years but recently had felt the pull of the concrete and quicker marathons, to such an extent he had a free entry but declined to start as his BMW was getting serviced on Friday. I’ve heard some excuses to miss races but a car service is a new one on me. It would be a big ask as I would need to run to midnight which meant once again running in to the night but this time with a lot less activity on the course and around the event village. The village had turned into a ghost town in the early hours of Sunday morning, funnily enough, and before long we were down to four runners. It was lap 34 I think when the race changed completely. Margie had not gone out , unbeknown to me, and Michael Hooker, the unbackable favourite, came back to the start and pulled out due to stomach issues. I was also suffering from ultra stomach, when you have eaten so much processed food in the form of carbohydrates and sugar you just can’t stomach anything. You know you need to eat but nothing is edible and this can be your downfall, remember the Porsche with an empty fuel tank, you just stop ! Anyhow, on lap 34 it was a two horse race and my plans to sneak away quietly went out the window.
Once it had sunk it I was in a two horse race I settled down and just started to grind out the laps. We tended to run alone , Phil and I, and I was thankful for my Aftershokz Aeropex headphones ( https://us.aftershokz.com/products/aeropex ) and Spotify. My crew at this point consisted of Mark and Gary with a cameo from Gareth, while his six pack of Ginger Beer was available, Darren and Adam. All encouraged me to keep on going when I started to crumble in the early hours of Sunday morning. As with the previous night the plan was to get to sunrise, everything would be so much better when the sun came up. I’d stumble into the finish coral , stagger to my chair and then let the boys go to work on massaging the legs and getting as much nutrition and hydration as they could into me. Once I heard Nancy Sinatra I was up and into the start coral for one more lap. This was repeated until sun rise when I must admit things did get better before Shaun , the owner of the company putting on the event, started to talk about breaking Western Australian and then Australian records. The goal was 41 laps for the West Australian record and 46 for the Australian. After that 48 hours would be the next goal before 50 and so on, you get the general idea. These numbers seemed alien to me as I had never contemplated anything with a four in front of it, ever. 36 to me was a massive stretch goal and once I achieved it I found it difficult to refocus on where I was, I decided to just keep on moving forward, one lap at a time.
The next major milestone past 24 hours is the 36 hours or 150 Mile club. Myself and Phil would be the first to enter this exclusive club at Herdy’s in its inaugural year. Phil would have one more club to enter before the race was finished while , for me, this was to be the last club I entered this time around. As you can see from the image below the crowd support had thinned at three in the morning, funny that. This was all about to change when the sun came up, big time ! The second night when you ae basically alone with your thoughts on the course is where you need to really dig deep. Night running takes away all the external stimulus , it’s just the head torch beam ahead of you. This can also be a calming effect of course and with my spotify as my co-pilot I was able to drift away, one song at a time. This made a big difference and I highly recommend headphones , podcasts and music for night running in this situation. I relied on music this time but next race I’m bring out the Goggins if I think of quitting… ! ( https://davidgoggins.com/ )
The image below is probably my favourite of the whole event. It shows the grim determination of running through a second night and facing the new dawn after running for nearly 40 hours. No crowd support yet, just our crew and the race officials. The sun was not fully awake and the mood was one of trepidation. No words were spoken , we just ambled up to the start line , looked forward into another lap and waited for the tape to come down before we once again raced the clock around the lake. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, this picture is worth so much more, no smiles, no dancing, just the realisation of what laid ahead.
Sunday was hot, there’s not getting around the fact. The loop was evenly split into three parts. The first 3k was open, with little shade, on bike path initially and then hard, white crushed limestone . This was , for me, the hardest section of the course. It got hotter and hotter as the day wore on and the limestone path got whiter and whiter, luckily I had my goodr sunnies, ( https://goodr.com/ ) Dirk’s Inflation Station model apparently, very cool. You then reach a bridge and this leads to a 2k section of pretty flat but open bike path before you meet the main road and enter the last 2k of offroad trails. The trail section is my favourite as at various times during the day you were just bathed in the most beautiful light and , for a moment, you could have been anywhere in the world. There was a shower at the pony club where we had set up camp and this proved invaluable on Sunday as the temperature began to climb. Keeping your core temperature as low as possible is paramount to continuing in this event. The lower the heart rate the longer you are going to be able to continue, keep adding the right fuel in the form of nutrition and hydration and then its only sleep depravation which will eventually scuttle you.
I knew this to be true as I had been hallucinating since Sunday night. A herd of Elephants on the lake in the early morning which was just the reflection of the full moon through the foliage but oh so real for a few minutes. Various figures hiding behind signposts that would disappear as I neared them and leaves which would turn into crabs when studied closely. Even though I was certainly hallucinating I didn’t feel tired, a few no doz tablets probably helped but I was wary of taking too many, but I knew the lack of sleep would eventually catch up with me. I’m not sure if hallucinating is a bad thing or a good thing really. I enjoyed the visions while always knowing they were just that but on the downside I knew these would come at a price. No matter, on I went, one more lap.
Through out the day Sunday word had got out that me and Phil were still running and every time we finished the event village seemed to get fuller and fuller. Even Channel 7 interviewed me as we neared the Australian record of 45 laps. It’s amazing how one can perk up when a reporter and camera are thrust into your face. I must have been semi coherent as I made the evening news, well some part of what I said made the news. As well as the crown growing my support crew also started to grow, hell my Wife even came down for the last few laps. I cannot thank my crew enough they were so good at getting me from the finish line back to the start, albeit with me complaining the whole way and towards the end not really understanding what was going on.
Running gives you so much and one of the most important things is it surrounds you with like minded people, who morph into good friends. I am blessed with the crew you see in the image below, I count all of them as true friends and am so , so lucky to have them in my life. Of course I never tell them that, remember I am a child of the seventies and we like to hold all our emotions close to our hearts but I love these guys… right enough of that.. on we go.
Right, Sunday late morning into early afternoon. Laps 40 – 45, as you can see from the images below the sun came out, the crown came out and me and Phil just kept on doing our thing, one lap at a time. Each lap I promised Phil it was my last but each time either my crew or Shaun would persuade me just one more lap. Once I got on the lap I was still making the hour cut off with plenty of time to spare but each lap was taking something from me, physically and mentally. I had promised Shaun I would get to the West Australian record at lap 42, so three laps to go. The turning point for me was probably lap 38 when Shaun has offered Phil and I some serious financial incentives but all I wanted to do was go home. I remember I told Phil to go on and basically sat on a log , in the shade, about 1k into the loop. I was going to sit there until I knew I wouldn’t make the hour cut off and DNF. Then along came my friend Trevor Van Aurich , on a Sunday afternoon run, he listened to my tales of woe and I think chatting to Trevor allowed me to vent my frustration at the situation enough that I got back on my feet and started to shuffle, then walk, which turned into a slow jog before eventually picking up a waiting Phil a few kilometres along the loop. We made that loop and I was was now all in for the Australian Record at a minimum. Having a target allowed me to focus on finishing, three more laps, two more laps, one more lap, finally I could see an end. As I said earlier I never once imagined winning the event, Phil was too strong and I was just happy to be able help get a few more laps on the board in his push for 48 hours.
At lap 45 I had to change my clothes. Severe chaffing in areas where only a man knows the feeling had just about destroyed me on the previous lap. Thanks to Wayne and Amanda I had new shorts and virtually a whole tub of sudocream on board, and Michael gave me a white running top to help with the heat. I was still running like John Wayne though at the start of each lap, funny to watch now. I would stumble off the start line like an OAP while Phil would explode like a gazelle and disappear into the blue yonder, being chased by this balding, bearded old runner who looked like he had spent far too long riding horses ! I managed 46 laps to get the Australian record before being told one more lap and then my job was done, music to my ears. I had no idea where I was truth be told at this stage, I just wanted to stop. So lap 47 was my last. I came in just under 50 minutes but it was a struggle, I had managed to run through the heat of the day and into the early afternoon but I was spent and had been for probably 5 or so laps. Shaun had a word with me and told me I had done enough for the tribe and Phil and lap 48 was for me but I was gone, mentally I had used everything to get through lap 47 and there was nothing left for one more lap, nothing.
So lap 48 I stepped over the line and asked for the DNF bell and rang that bell for all it was worth, I was finished. Phil was left to run lap 48 on his own and get into the 200 mile club and win the event, well deserved. He could have gone on and I am under no doubt will go on with the right assist, I had done as much as I could. All I had to do was collect the last DNF trophy from the Emma, the lovely Race Director, a few choice words to raise a laugh and then retire to my chair, a beaten but ultimately happy man. The event had been so much more than I could have ever hoped for and as I type this post I’m so excited for the next one , Birdy’s backyard, in August. As my Wife commented after the event she had never heard me be so positive about a race so soon after it, no comments about ‘never again‘ and ‘I’m retiring‘, which is the norm these days after grueling events. No, a backyard ultra is different, even when you are destroyed you yearn for more and just one more lap.
So for all the readers that have managed to wade through this monster of a post I have saved the best to last. My top tips to excel at a last man standing event.
- Break down the loop into smaller sections. For Herdy’s this translated to section one from the start to the bridge at around 3k, then the section from the bridge to the road, around 2k before the final trail section to the finish. Thus rather than a start to finish, one goal,6.7k, you have three smaller sections to work towards and thus you’re never more than 3k from achieving a goal. At the start the laps seem to disappear in the blink of an eye but towards the end of the race a loop can take forever so breaking it down means you hit targets quicker and can use these smaller goals to keep moving forward as they are more achievable.
- Hydration and Nutrition is pivotal to success. As we all know an ultra is an eating and drinking competition with running between aid stations. With a last man standing event you get the opportunity to run further than you ever thought possible but to do this fuel is so important. A Porsche without fuel will not move, similar to Michael Hooker’s challenge. The engine was firing on all cylinders but bad fuel put an end to his race.
- Crew is so important. You cannot possible win this event without a motivated crew. Phil has a cast of thousands helping him and my crew grew and grew but the usual suspects got me from the finish line to the start line in my semi-conscious state. Without them I would have crumpled many hours earlier.
- Whatever gets you through the next, it’s alright. John Lennon hit the nail right on the head with this one. When the suns out the world is a beautiful place to be , at night it’s lonely, cold and dark. So many competitors charge the daylight hours but when night falls they are tested and buckle, watch out for the witching hours 2-5am , this is where you are at your weakest and the little voice inside your head at its loudest.
- Change of clothing , shoes and socks. I learnt a very painful lesson during Herdy’s, change your shorts often or wear cycling shorts and have a tub of sudocream or Squirrel’s nut butter. Even typing this my eyes start watering. !
- Get a comfortable reclining chair and a quality sleeping bag / onesie. You crew need to be able to get to work while you relax and a reclining chair is a must , don’t scrimp on this as you’ll spend a lot of time in it ! Also in the evening it will probably get cold, a good sleeping bag or onesie is another must have, you can’t have your temperature yo-yo’ing between your running temperature and your ‘resting in your comfortable chair’ temperature.
Finally a big thankyou to Emma, the Race director, all her crew (and there was hundreds!) and Shaun , the pied piper to the Ultra Series running catalogue. These people are just so awesome and their hard work makes what myself, Phil and all the runners achieve possible. They are the true heroes of this event. Also special thanks to my crew over the two days, you know who you are and what you did, I am eternally grateful. Wayne and Amanda get a special mention for just being themselves, so genuine and also for the ‘pit stop’ at 45 laps to change my shorts, you will never know how good that felt! Michael Hooker also gets a massive thankyou for being so supportive after he had dropped out earlier in the event when looking so strong. Michael would have been so disappointed at dropping out when he was hands down the favourite for the event and running so well. It takes a special kind of person to put that disappointment behind them and get on board to help a fellow competitor. Next to Phil , the deserved winner of the event, your calm during the chaos of Sunday morning and afternoon was liberating and once we got on the loop your encouragement was enough to get more to the finish. I look forward to when you have an assist who can take you to the next level of this sport which I’m sure you’ll be able to step up to.
Couldn’t leave without thanking No1 Wife, Karen, who came down for 15 minutes and stayed for many hours on Sunday worrying about me (and increasing the life insurance hourly!) . My family allow me to follow my dreams and any sacrifice I make for them was more than paid in full for this event. They understand what I do and allow me to follow my passion and achieve goals like Herdy’s. I am a very lucky man.
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With 10 days until the Delirious West 200 miler https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ I have been spending my last few hours on the trails before I start my taper week and stick to the road and smelling the roses, so to speak. It’s a pity because I’ve really enjoyed my time in the Perth Hills over the last few months and feel ready for the challenge ahead. Well when I say ready, as ready as anyone can be to run 200 miles over 3-4 days, is there ever really a ‘ready‘?….
Today was a 32k run with Adam , an out and back starting in perfect conditions but ending in the sauna that is a Perth Summer, around 36c (97F) Personally I don’t mind the heat , when I’m running but today Adam found it hard when he ran out of water. I blame myself with a glib comment at the start persuading him to take on the run with only a camelbak with 1.5l of water, it was never going to be enough. I was packing nearly double this but still ran dry 5k from home. I think I taught him a valuable lesson, never listen to any advice on nutrition or hydration from me !
As with all runs this last few months conditions were just about perfect. In Perth in Summer it’s either hot, very hot or Jesus Christ it is like a sauna out there, I fear if I go outside I will combust ! You get the picture. Today was cool conditions at the start but at halfway it started to heat up and you knew you’re in a battle of runner versus nature, poor man’s altitude training as Jon calls it.
This great article from https://www.outsideonline.com/ by Meaghen Brown explains why heat training is the ‘poor man’s altitude training‘, as Jon rightly pointed out.
One of the highest sweat rates ever recorded was that of marathon runner Alberto Salazar at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. In the months leading up to the games, which were expected to be oppressively hot, the marathoner was put through a regimen of temperature acclimation training with the goal of helping him adapt to running in the heat. While Salazar placed only 15th overall, the program was deemed a success, physiologically speaking—vitals taken after the race found that Salazar’s hormonal and thermoregulatory systems were completely normal. His body had compensated by causing him to sweat at an incredibly high rate—about three liters per hour, compared to the roughly one liter per hour for an average human.
Researchers have been looking at the effects of heat on athletic performance for decades, and their results have been consistently surprising. Studies have found that, in addition to an increased rate of perspiration, training in the heat can increase an athlete’s blood plasma volume (which leads to better cardiovascular fitness), reduce overall core temperature, reduce blood lactate, increase skeletal muscle force, and, counterintuitively, make a person train better in cold temperatures. In fact, heat acclimation may actually be more beneficial than altitude training in eliciting positive physiological adaptations, says Santiago Lorenzo, a professor of physiology at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and a former decathlete at the University of Oregon. “Heat acclimation provides more substantial environmental specific improvements in aerobic performance than altitude acclimation,” he says. And in contrast to the live low, train high philosophy, we more quickly adapt to heat stress than we do to hypoxia. In other words, heat training not only does a better job at increasing V02 max than altitude, but it also makes athletes better at withstanding a wider range of temperatures.
Heat training not only does a better job at increasing V02 max than altitude, but it also makes athletes better at withstanding a wider range of temperatures.
Athletes can adapt to heat in one of two ways. The first is through incremental improvements in tolerance over time—work out in the heat a little bit every day, and eventually your body will dissipate heat more effectively. The second way is through thermotolerance, which is a cellular adaptation to an extreme heat experience, like suffering such severe dehydration after a run that you need an IV. Essentially, if you shock your system, your body will be able to withstand greater temperature stresses later on. But successful heat adaptation is difficult—and clearly dangerous—to achieve outside of controlled settings. Lorenzo explains that performance gains are possible only when athletes elevate their core body temperature, and without careful monitoring, it’s possible to elevate your core temperature to lethal levels.
When performed safely, however, heat training can have extraordinary effects. This phenomena fascinates Chris Minson, a professor of human physiology at the University of Oregon, who studies heat acclimation responses in athletes. According to his research, heat training can expand blood plasma volume, but Minson says there also seem to be inexplicable changes to the heart’s left ventricle, which helps to increase oxygen delivery to the muscles. In addition, he says that athletes who train in warm temperatures generally get better at regulating heat by sweating earlier, as Salazar did, or developing a colder resting body temperature.
A 2011 study by a group of researchers in New Zealand also found that overall volume of blood plasma increased at a greater rate when athletes did not drink water during exercise. While some coaches are carefully experimenting with dehydration, Minson and Lorenzo are not because it adds too much additional stress. However, they do say that this type of training can be beneficial because it produces a higher number of “heat shock” protein cells.
Ahead of Western States this June, ultrarunning coach Jason Koop worked on heat training with Amanda Basham and eventual winner Kaci Leckteig. Koop believes this type of acclimating is a good example of blending an academic concept with real-world training. But, says Koop, “at a certain level, you have to compromise training quality for the heat acclimation. Acclimating to the heat is additional stress [on the body], just like more miles or intervals, so you can’t simply pile it on. Something on the training side has to give.”
One method of heat acclimation that Minson uses with his athletes is to do hard workouts on colder days or earlier in the morning, and then start training in hotter conditions with less intensity. He is also looking into adding heat in ways that wouldn’t require an athlete to train in high temperatures at all—using hot tubs, for instance.
All this being said, not everyone responds to heat at the same rate or with the same physiological gains, which makes it similar to altitude training in that it might make a high-performing age grouper, college athlete, or elite a little better, but it won’t compensate for intelligent, consistent training.
How to Incorporate Heat Acclimation into Your Training Schedule
When acclimating to heat, you’ll be forced to compromise training quality, says Koop. While he understands the benefits of heat acclimation, he still prioritizes smart, solid training. But if you want to incorporate heat into your workouts, here’s how he recommends doing it safely.
1. First, pick a protocol (sauna, hot bath, or exercising in the heat) that minimizes the impact on training, both physically and logistically.
2. Koop most commonly recommends that his athletes use a dry sauna immediately after running. “It doesn’t impact training nearly as much as running in the heat, and the effects are similarly positive,” he says. He often tells his athletes to not drink water during these sessions to enhance the effect. Koop recommends spending 20-to-30-minutes in the sauna, depending on tolerance.
3. Koop says that when he has his athletes exercise in the heat—either naturally or by wearing extra clothing to simulate the experience—it will be on a long, slow day for 60 to 90 minutes. The time completely depends on the athlete’s tolerance and previous experience. But he stresses to not do this on a recovery day, because heat training is an added stress on the body. Koop recommends drinking 30 to 40 ounces of an electrolyte drink per hour during these sessions And for safety, he advises using low-traffic sidewalks and bike paths—not trails.
4. Despite the benefits of heat training, Koop reminds his athletes that running in the heat is extremely difficult and usually replaces a hard day. “You are substituting one potential gain for another one,” he says. In other words, use it carefully
I’ll make sure Adam reads this.. point 5 should be ‘Never listen to your running colleagues with their bogus advice on hydration levels, trust your instinct!!! ‘…
Another quick article from Poduim Runner https://www.podiumrunner.com/ by Allie Burdick.
While runners regularly take themselves past their comfort zone in training, everyone seems to whine about how uncomfortable heat makes them. No one has ever improved his or her fitness or racing performance by being comfortable, however; it’s when you’re especially uncomfortable that you start to get a training effect.
Most runners recognize the importance of training in the heat if their goal race is expected to reach temperatures above 75 degrees, which is highly likely if you’re racing within the next three months. The training effect of heat, however, goes beyond acclimating to more of it: Heat creates a training stimulus, like speed, hills, or altitude, that can enhance your fitness and running prowess. Rather than thinking of it as an uncomfortable annoyance, consider it a tool. So, who wants to suffer a little?
Before anyone gets too crazy and collapses from heat exhaustion, we’re not suggesting you push past your limit. Everyone has a different threshold for heat, so please know where your line is before you cross it. Some signs you’ve passed uncomfortable and are approaching heat exhaustion: You’re sweating heavily but your skin feels cold and clammy, even with goosebumps; you feel weak, dizzy or faint; you have a headache or nausea. Any of these symptoms means it is no time to be tough but to back off, stop and get cool. But there’s room to explore the training effect of heat before you get to that stage.
Training Effect
Numerous studies have shown that training in heated conditions, two to three times per week for 20 to 90 minutes, can produce a multitude of beneficial training effects. These include:
- Lower core temperature at the onset of sweating
- Increased plasma volume (Plasma is the liquid component in your blood. If the volume is increased, you can send blood to cool your skin without compromising the supply carrying oxygen to your muscles.)
- Decreased heart rate
- Increased oxygen consumption
- Improved exercise economy
The result? You can run faster and/or more efficiently in all temperatures.
Of course I realise some runners may not be able to heat train due to their atrocious weather, this is one of the reasons I left old ‘Blighty over 20 years ago. For those runners back in the Motherland I suggest joining a gym with a sauna or steam room and spend some quality time in there, dreaming of warmer climates… this post is going out to my old mate Zac Jeps currently on the frontline in the NHS, Southampton, saving lives. One day you’ll see sunshine Zac, one day….
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With redemption race number #2 (after the Lighthorse 24 hour Ultra earlier in the year , where I podiumed after not finishing the year before) coming up fast, the Delirious West 200 miler ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/race-information/ ) I decided it was time to get some serious trail time in. To this end I ended up running over 3 hours a day for 5 out of 6 days, a total of nearly 140 kilometres. Sounds pretty good but as Jon put it ‘ that’s day one of Delirious‘ … that brought it home how hard this race is going to be. Add in my DNF last year at 112km and you have all the ingredients of either a glorious redemption run or a career ending 200 miler disaster, no pressure !
In my defence I was in no fit state to tackle Delirious last year coming off an end of year slump the previous year, brought on by a bad case of Man-flu which had me sidelined for the last 2 months. At the start of the year I lost my mojo completely and only run just over 100k in the 6 weeks leading up to the race. Not ideal preparation. If my favourite barista hadn’t entered , because of my badgering, I probably would have DNS’d but with hindsight what I learnt will stand me in good stead this time around. This DNF’ing and then redemption is becoming a thing , which is fine as long as I keep returning the following year and enjoying the redemption part.
So what have I changed for Delirious 2021. For a start I have a crew, my good friend Gary Devries , who is probably more motivated than me and will not let me fail. Last year I was unsupported and at the first sign of trouble pulled the pin, alone at Mandelay Aid Station. Truth be told my quads had completely seized but this was down to a complete lack of hydration and nutrition throughout the previous 17 hours of running , on a hot day. What was I thinking ? Totally underestimated the support I would need and also carried far too little to keep me going. At 70k my quads were gone and I was lucky to make another 60k or so before I had to stop and scurry off the course and was escorted to Walpole (Thanks Felix) for the handing over of my SPOT device and an official DNF.
Training wise I have really been on it since I recovered from a Bakers Cyst straight after Delirious in February . Just my luck to get a Bakers Cyst without even running after the race, it just happened , go figure ? Anyhow I have been training constantly since then so have managed to put in the hard yards needed to finish. Add in some good distances over various Ultras throughout the year and I have good ‘time on feet’ experience as well as good weekly and monthly distance totals. With 5 weeks left it’s time to spend as much time as possible on the trail getting my body use to trail running and the additional loading. With trail running there’s no switching off and just putting one foot infront of the other, like in marathons on roads, with a trail every step is different and the terrain varies almost instantly. Another plus from my 5 days of trail running is I didn’t fall over once, which for me is a massive plus as running Delirious I spent more time horizontal than vertical and still remember lying on the trail, around midnight, being unable to get up due to seized quads, alone !
As well as actually training for the event, an unusual concept I know, getting a support crew and pacers , I have also joined a gym to work on my weak (some would say ‘girly‘ ) quads. Only started going this week so have probably left it a bit late but better late than never I suppose. At my age I realise that I am a runner firstly and a gym junkie second. At this point in time I have no need for weights on the various bars, the bars themselves are enough ! I ain’t going to win any Mr. Universe titles any time soon that’s for sure. I have read that the older runner needs to run less but also lift heavy weight to maintain their strength. Reading about something and putting it onto practice are tow different things though as I still enjoy running every day and making time for the gym is proving difficult but moving forward I know I need to spend more time there. Luckily Rob and Mike , who are also the wrong side of 50, have also joined so the three of us can go down and look pathetic together. (and trust me we do look pathetic…)
A good website for the older runner is Mark Sissoon’s Daily Apple ( https://www.marksdailyapple.com/ ) … Mark is a big advocate of less is more when it comes to running and also training is more speed specific, with plenty of exercise and of course a clean diet. That bit always bothers me as the reason I run is so my diet can be a little bit ‘dirty’, not a complete disaster but the odd indulgence. Anyhow what Mark teaches will only improve your life but you know that of course, it’s the following through and putting his teaching into practice that’s the difficult bit.
Whenever I see these websites advocating a improved diet it always makes me think of my friend Evan Kolbe, a pretty decent runner back in the day, when I questioned his motivation once. Evan is younger than me and still has the opportunity to put down some pretty good times but instead is happy to run with the pack, albeit towards the front. When quizzed on this he responded he just likes his food too much and is not prepared to give up his love of enjoying his food to shave a few minutes off his times or even challenge his previous personal bests. I think of Evan when I look at Mark Sissoon, of course if I follow Mark’s advice I can improve but giving up one of the main reasons I run, i.e. to enjoy my food, isn’t worth the sacrifice at my stage of my running career, as I too move back to the pack to join Evan. As I have always said a good runner gives up so much in their life to become a good runner, their family life will probably suffer, their social life will disappear and old friends become distant friends very quickly. Add diet into the mix and you have a fast runner but , probably, an unhappy one and that’s not the point of running. Maybe I making this too simple and you can enjoy a healthy diet but for me I have a few too many ‘food vices’ to move 100% to the clean side of living, most other things are sacrificed but not my daily Brownes Mocha or the odd biscuit with my cup of tea in the evening, naughty I know. Maybe that’s why Ultra running interests me lately , diet is a all about cramming as much calories into your stomach as possible on a regular basis during the event which can last for days. Remember an Ultra is really an eating and drinking competition with running between aid stations. Where as with a marathon you worry about the odd gram of weight gain with an ultra diet you judge gains in kilograms, usually more than one. So Ultra’s are a food junkies nirvana !
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The last race of the year is always one of my favourites, the 6 Inch Trail Ultra Marathon ( http://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com/ ) takes place normally on the last Sunday before Christmas and it a perfect time to get together with good friends and enjoy one of the best trails in Western Australia. It takes part on the Mundi Bindi trail ( https://www.mundabiddi.org.au/ ) a long-distance, mostly off-road, cycling trail which runs for over 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from Mundaring to Albany. The completed Munda Biddi Trail opened end-to-end in April 2013 when it claimed the title of the longest continuous off-road cycling trail of its kind in the world. Once a year 47k of this trail is taken over by over 500 mad trail runners as they run from North Dandalup to Dwellingup.
The race starts at 4:30am to try and avoid the heat of the day because in WA, towards the end of December , you may be faced with a searing heat and this proved to be the case last year when the event was cancelled due to dangerous weather conditions. Luckily this year we had just about prefect conditions bar a slight headwind in some sections of the course but this proved to be cooling so not an issue. My game plan was to try and add to my eight sub4 hour finish times on my 11th time running this great event, the two times I had missed the 4 hour mark I had veered of course so was confident I could make this goal.
As the image above shows I was ready for the kick off with the sun just about to rise behind me lighting the way up the infamous Goldmine Hill start. This hill is steep and very long and has been the undoing of many a novice 6 inch trail runner. Mentally you need to be prepared for Goldmine because if you’re not expecting it your race can be over very quickly and it’s a long 45k if your legs have given up early. The first time I ever ran the 6 inch in 2018 this happened to me as myself and my running partner , Brett , had done no reconnaissance at all and didn’t even realise there was a Goldmine Hill. This was also in the daylight saving days so it was pretty dark. I remember thinking what had I let myself in for and would this hill ever end. Not a great start to the day and it got worse as we got lost early on and then staggered to the finish. Did I mention it was also seriously hot and humid ! I had such a bad day I tried to cancel my flights to the Comrades Marathon the following year as I was over ultra running. Funny how things work out, I did go to Comrades and ran a blinder and now, twelve years later, I’m still running the 6 inch and loving it.
An image above featuring one of my favourite Qantas Pilots, truth be told the only one I know, Adam and my Feral Pig buddy Dazza. Adam ran a great race scraping into the top 50 overall on the back of an injury interrupted build up. He’s running Delirious with me so this was a great confidence booster ahead of the big dance in February. (If anybody reading this fancies running a 200 miler in Western Australia then this is the race for you.. https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ . Epic!) Dazza was talking up a good time but unfortunately was undone by Goldmine Hill and his race was over before it began with a hamstring injury. He’s blaming Hokka’s and a law suit is forthcoming … He is not one to ever DNF though and struggled home in just over five hours which is a massive achievement when you have a goal so much quicker. Again he’s joining me in February and I’m sure it’ll be a different story then. Either way with Dazza there will be plenty of banter and a lot of laughing and swearing….
Right onto the race itself. I had set myself a goal of sub 4 and decided to go out with the third or four placed pack of runners and basically hang on for as long as possible. With experience I knew what to expect and the 6 inch really starts at the half way point initially and then the last 12k after the Escalator Hill. (As you can image any hill called the Escalator is a bad one !) I knew I was under done with no long runs in the last three months and although I was averaging well over 100k a week it was mostly flat bike paths, not idea preparation for trails. A tip here, run the terrain and elevation you are going to race on in training, not rocket science but often ignored. Runners get into a comfortable routine but no one improved in their comfort zone. ( Unless they are running Maffetone training of course but you would need to add serious distance to make up for the last of elevation. ? https://philmaffetone.com/method/ )
I executed the plan pretty well for the first 12k which is mainly downhill after the initial shock of Goldmine Hill. I was running with a group of 4-5 runners and comfortably keeping up. With hindsight maybe a tad too comfortable ? Either way I managed to get to the first aid station in a reasonable time and , at that point, I thought I was still in with a sub 4 finish. This all changed though when the half marathon runners set off a minute or two ahead of me at the 23k mark. In all previous years I have managed to run past their start with a good 5-10 minutes up my sleeve so I knew then I was in trouble. The traffic didn’t help and there was no ‘exploding‘ up the Conveyor Belt Hill , more like a ‘stagger‘ rather than the usual ‘swagger’… In past races I had taken a few names on this hill, which takes you to the highest part of the course, but this year I was struggling. Time to dig deep and hang on for 10k. About this time I met my friend Ben who I used as a yard stick for my pace, keeping him in my vision. I was also joined by Chris, another run under done but running well at that point and he pushed me along towards the climb ahead. At the bottom of the escalator I got a second wind and, as this part is an out and back, could see all the runners ahead of me. This spurred me on and before I knew it I was off the climb and into the last 12k of the race.
As I have said before the pointy end of the 6 inch, the last 12k after the Escalator Hill, is where the race is won or lost. You can certainly haemorrhage time if your legs give out and this is where you are found out if you have not trained appropriately. Over the years I have had some great battles with myself over this last section and this year was to be no different. There is one nasty hill, some technical single trail and a lot of small gradients that sap your strength. I knew what was coming and was able to persuade my mind that my body was up the task, this was probably a tad optimistic but I remember what Goggins said about when you think you are totally done you are really only 40% of your actual available reserves. ( He probably used a few more F-bombs than that ! https://davidgoggins.com/ ) So with Goggins as my co-pilot I started to move through the field and push for the finish line.
I managed to finish in just under four hours and ten minutes for 22nd overall , 3rd in my age group and 4th female. (Disappointing not to make the podium but the beard always gives it away !) Given my training I was more than happy with the time and position and I had some great tussles along the way with good friends and new friends alike, thanks Ben and Chris for keeping me honest. As I said many times running is an honest sport, put in the hard yards and you’ll more often than not get your reward. I was missing my long trail runs and eventually I had to slow my pace to allow for this or risk blowing up early. Even though I didn’t get the finish time I had hoped for (my plan A) I had dug deep and got a good plan B time, actually this seems to be a recurring theme lately ? This tells me I need to go and hit the trails and run longer , more, not a bad situation to be in, just got to persuade No1 Wife this is the way forward.
Even managed to catch up with my good friend Jamal, who is probably the worst race pacer on the planet and although he knew he was under done always goes out far too fast and pays the piper on the second half. Caught him walking with less than 2k to go and we ran together to the finish. He let me nudge him out on the line but the sprint was for the crowd, trust me after a 47k trail run sprint finishes are not high on anybody’s agendas.
So that was it, 6 inch number #11 and one more to join the exclusive ‘foot long club‘ and earn my double spike trophy and also entry into the ‘foot long’ marquee. At the moment there are only two members, Jon (#13) and Nate (#15) , I’ll have my #12 in 2021 and we have big plans for the marquee and a plaques celebrating our longevity, I wonder if I can persuade Dave, the RD and Nate’s brother-in-law, to pay for it all ? For any runners in Oz, assuming the borders come down, you really need to come over and run this event it really is special. Make sure you come along and say g’day, you’ll find me in the ‘foot long marquee‘ ……..
When 6″ is not enough…..
As well as the 6 inch there is a tradition of runners running a 12″ version. This entails leaving the night before the event and running through the night to turn up at the start to then run back with the race. This was started by Simon Bonnick and has enticed a few runners over the years. Jon did the 12″ last year with Jimmy Brook and both then ran the Delirious West 200 miler, in the following February, with Jon winning and Jimmy claiming third. This year Jon wanted to up the ante and add another leg to the total, basically a 18″. He would leave at 4pm the day before the race, run from the start to the finish and then back to the start and return with race to the finish, a total of about 150k, give or take. I have video footage of the start below and also the point in the evening where he made it to the finish and picked up Rob, who was keen for a 12″ .
Unfortunately the boys got lost just before Goldmine Hill when they continued to follow the Mundi Bindi track rather than veer off down the hill to the start. This meant a 10k detour and by the time they go back to the start the race had left them and they were faced with an hour to make up. This proved too much and they both pulled the pin after Bart’s offered them a comfortable drive back to the finish in air conditioned heaven compared to another 50k run chasing the field. In truth Bart’s has alternative motives as he has run one more 6 inch than Jon and was injured so driving Jon back to the finish kept him one ahead, and bragging rights for another year. ! I’m sure the 18″ will be conquered next year , as long as Jon can avoid Bart’s and his offer of a lift !
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Next Sunday is the 15th running of the 6 inch ultra trail marathon, 46-48k , http://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com/ , (it varies depending on the trail condition and course changes?) of serious fun and so much better than Christmas shopping, actually anything is better than Christmas shopping truth be told, even Goldmine hill the seriously nasty 3k climb at the start of the race. Note to self when I’m halfway up that mother of a climb think to myself this hurts but nothing compared to the alternative ! (see previous sentence about Christmas shopping!) I think entries are still open so if you’re reading this and it’s pre December 19th get yourself an entry.
I
I’ve written a few posts on this race over the years and have attached a few links here for your viewing pleasure.
https://www.runbkrun.com/2018/12/17/at-christmas-you-need-a-good-6-inch/
https://www.runbkrun.com/2018/12/17/middle-of-december-6-inch-time/
https://www.runbkrun.com/2016/12/19/sometimes-6-inches-is-enough/
https://www.runbkrun.com/2018/07/20/the-6-inch-is-coming-look-busy/
https://www.runbkrun.com/2019/12/03/look-busy-i-spy-a-trail-ultra/
Looking back on all those posts it just hits home how much fun the 6 inch trail ultra is and also the memories we have made together which are priceless, most of them involve some sort of mishap to Jon with Bart’s normally enjoying it more than most. At the moment Bart’s still has a faster finishing time than Jon and with Jon attempting the 18 inch this year that is unlikely to change. Yes you did read that right, Jon is going to attempt to start his race on the Saturday afternoon, run from the start to the finish and then return to the start just before the official start of the race and then run back with the racing pack. Thus running a 18 inch ! I mentioned this to Jon as a thing over coffee and muffins at our weekly Yelo morning run , as a throw away comment. As soon as I said it I could see Jon’s mind go into overdrive and it was on. He’ll probably end up running nearly 150km over the course of the weekend, with no stops of note due to time constraints and having to be back in Perth for the Sunday afternoon for his kids. ! Truth be told this has YouTube documentary written all over it but no one else is made enough to paly along and it’ll be totally self supported. His logic is it will be good training for the Delirious West 200 miler in February where he will attempt to go back-to-back wins. ( https://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ )
Been watching some seriously good videos on You Tube this weekend.. check out this on on Ricky Gates as he runs unsupported across America, that’s over 3700 miles. Outstanding job Ricky, inspiring. Made me go out for a 10k run, also unsupported
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ciEqPZsOCs )
After this I was inspired enough to watch another running video on the Western States Ultra from 2010, what a battle. !
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy1as6CTYXI )
Right, I’ll report back next weekend on the goings on but needless to say there will be some… can’t wait. Ho, Ho , Ho….
Well the Feral Pig Ultra well and truly kicked my backside. http://feralpigultra.com.au/ That about sums it up really. I probably underestimated the distance and the terrain. More the terrain really as I’ve ran longer this year, albeit on looped courses. The terrain is both beautiful, inspiring and brutal. I got through nearly 3,000 metres of elevation in my 132k but missed out on the last 1,000m ‘s of elevation in the 36k loop was was beyond me.
Looking back at this DNF it seems to be consistent with my other two major running failures, the 12hour Lighthorse last year and the Delirious 200 miler earlier this year. On all three occasions I under estimated what was involved and also mentally was not ready for the challenge. Driving to my lift to the race I was contemplating pulling out and even after registration, boarding the bus to the start line, I was still thinking of pulling the pin. In the end I made the two hour bus trip to the start and, at midnight, stood with 37 other runners looking into the dark bush.
The first 20k or so were at a good pace running with Nick , who had given me a lift to the start line. Nick had prepared meticulously where as I had done the distance but had spent no where near enough time on the trails, this was going to come back to bite me. I let Nick go around the 24k mark and slowed conserving energy for later in the race. Night time running is not my favourite past time and one of the positives I took from this race was the ability to run through the night, albeit just 5 hours as we started at midnight of course.
I came across another runner , obviously struggling, around the 30k mark . Darren had started quickly but injured his knee and we decided to run together , remember it was dark ! I ended up running the next 70k or so with Darren and we had such a laugh, two road runners out of their league. It turns out Darren was/is a gun triathlete and I had heard the name around the traps, we had a lot to talk about and time passed quickly. It was so lucky I had met Darren as the next 10k or there was some serious hills , when I say hills more like granite walls ! , to traverse. Without him I would have got lost, a lot ! When I said time passed quickly, distance did not. The track was certainly not runnable and we were happy enough to plod along , moving forward. Darren was about as excited about our situation as I was and when he hit the first aid station at 40k we both looked at the bus longingly, knowing that this was our last chance to DNF until we’d reach the Discovery Centre nearly 100k away. It was close, trust me, very close ! We were both in a very dark place way too early into a 100 miler and we knew it. Luckily we both decided to push on and I think then I made my decision that my race was now to get back to the start, the extra loop for the 100 mile distance I knew was beyond me. So off we went , up another granite wall !
I had worked out in my head that there were four more aid stations before the start line at the Discovery Centre. In between each aid station there was normally a hut , which would have water dropped off earlier. Thus there was between 8-10 ‘smaller’ races between either an aid station or a drink station. This was now my plan, leap frog each one of these to the start line, simple really. Although the distance sound do-able when you’re running if you walk 10k it can take hours and this soon became obvious. Darren’s knee was getting no better but now his ankle was also playing up, making running difficult. Add in fatigue and heat and you have the ultra runners favourite place to be, the pain box. Sometimes I think ultra runners do what they do to find out how much pain and distress they can take, not for the love of the sport. Maybe that’s the point, seems to work for David Goggins.
https://davidgoggins.com/ Think of Goggins as the Chuck Norris of the running world, google his quotes , he has some good ones !!!
At 65k I was certainly not thinking like David Goggins.. as the video link shows. https://vimeo.com/477961609
I did manage to get to the drinks stop , around 70k , before stumbling to the second aid station, Brookton Road, at 73k. I had packed some rice and chicken , for breakfast, but it turned into lunch. It was probably the best thing I ate all day, real food. A big lesson is I need more of this and will be looking at my diet for Delirious in February, probably getting my Dietitian Guru David Bryant on board. It was starting to heat up now but Darren and I found a second wind and we managed to run for 5-6k before once again settling down into a stroll. The next aid station, Mount Dale, was 13k away with a drinks stop in between, how difficult would that be ? As it turned out very difficult, the heat and terrain were starting to take their toll and the extra time between aid stations, because of the walking breaks, didn’t help. As I said earlier time may go quickly but distance drags. We got to Mount Dale worse for wear but in the back of my mind I could see the finish , at the start line. It was now less than a marathon away, even walking this was manageable and the terrain really was so awesome it made the suffering almost worth it.
The next video is me at 90k . https://vimeo.com/477103879
and another video at 96k https://vimeo.com/477111216
I think a video paints a thousand words… in the two above a very bleak picture.
Some footage here of ‘the three amigo’s ‘ destroying the course.. https://vimeo.com/477105799
Well maybe destroying is a bit optimistic but we’re moving in the right direction before Darren stops for a scenic break. Next footage is around the 100k mark https://vimeo.com/477117008 and I’m pretty well gone by then , before the final video is just before sunset. https://vimeo.com/477118081
That’s it for the videos , once it got dark I was too busy concentrating on staying upright to think about video footage. I’ll need to work on this for Delirious as most of the interesting footage happens when the sun goes down, somesay.
I made it back to the Discovery Centre, the start line, around 10pm Saturday evening, about 22 hours of running, walking etc. I had a second wind a few hours earlier and called my elected pacer , Adam, and asked him to join me at the start for the final 36k loop. Unfortunately since the phone call I had yet again fallen into a hole and by the time I reached him I was done. After some time contemplating life and looking at what was ahead I decided to pull the pin rather than walk for another 7 hours in the dark to finish. As I was walking away Shaun Kaesler, the owner of the USWA and inventor of all these races caught me and persuaded me to have a go. Well actually he told me to have a go at the loop. Anyhow we did move on past the start into the dark but straight away got lost and ended up taking over 15 minutes for the first kilometre. This did not bode well for the next 35 and I could see Adam wasn’t that impressed with the idea of walking around in the dark for 7 hours. He had come to pace me to the finish and assumed it would involve some running, silly boy. ! That was enough, we staggered back to the start line and embraced another glorious DNF.
So what were the lessons from this race ? Number one is to be better mentally and physically prepared. This race was not an end goal race but it still needed to be approached with the right mind set. Has it done me any good pre-Delirious ? I think so. I’ve learned I need to go into Delirious with a very positive mental attitude but also I need more trail running experience. If you want to race trails, you need to run trails, it’s a simple as that. As Rob remarked over lunch today I haven’t got the meatest legs but most road runners don’t , trails runners do. Their quads and calves are normally larger than road runners because of the constant ‘stepping’ motion while they run. Road runners, think Kenyans, the smaller and lighter the legs the better , to a point of course. There will be definition but not bulk. My quads have let me down and I know I need to spend some serious time squatting , which I will pre-Delirious.
I need to also run my own race. Throughout the Feral I was either running when I wanted to walk or walking when I wanted to run, due to company. I wasn’t confident enough to set out on my own for fear of getting lost but this ultimately was my undoing. On the flip side the company , in ultra’s, makes the racing so much more enjoyable so it’s a fine line getting this right. Finally I need to get the nutrition guru on board, David Brant, http://www.catalystdietitian.com.au/about.html , his insight got me through Birdies backyard Ultra so I’m confident he can help me for my 200 miler next February.
The Feral Pig has beaten me for 2020 but I’ll be back in 2021 and the end result will not be the same. The lessons I have learned will hopefully propel me to a sub 23 hour finish, that’s the goal. As with the Light Horse this year I’m always prepared to go back to my failures and try to put things right, otherwise what’s the point of failure ? Right I’m off to do a 1,000 squats……
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This Furloughed Friday trail time was on the Bibbulmum Track . The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world’s great long distance trails, stretching 1000km from Kalamunda in the Perth Hills, to Albany on the south coast, winding through the heart of the scenic South West of Western Australia. ( https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/ ) We planned a 30km run on some challenging single track including some serious climbs, with beautiful scenery. As you can see from the image below it was a great day for a trail run.
For this adventure I was accompanied by Adam, Jeff and Rob and we happily skipped off into the wilderness, excited about the trails we had ahead of us. The plan was to get Mundaring Dam and the infamous Golden View. This was a route I had run alone three months period and it just about destroyed me. I was hoping after 10 weeks of ‘furlough Fridays’ I would better prepared and easily ‘gobble up‘ this challenge. If nothing else it wasn’t raining which was a good start and starting earlier I wouldn’t be racing the sunset, which without a head torch is always stressful.
The video below shows some of the climb after the camel farm, it was great to run down this track but in the back of our minds we always knew it would be a different story on the way back. Funnily enough it wasn’t that bad coming back, which is unusual of course. It may have been we knew we were close to the finish and you can always find something when you can ‘smell the coffee‘ so to speak. (with pancakes of course.)
The lads halfway through the last climb, still with a few kilometres ahead of us, joy. Rob was struggling but as he was the designated driver, and had the car keys, he knew we’d never leave him ! He had missed a few Friday trail runs with injury and there’s no where to hide on the trail if you’re short of fitness, especially if your running buddies have been running trails weekly. Rob certainly knew better than to give me his car keys.
Lesson to self, when you’re tired and near the end of a three hour plus run , do not try and use a Go Pro, it never ends well and this video shows why ! Please excuse the language at the end. This was my second stack of the day and something I need to wo rk on with the Irrational South ( http://irrationalsouth200miler.com.au/ ) and Delirious West ( http://deliriouswest200miler.com.au/ ) races coming up, both 200 Miler’s with plenty of opportunity to spend time ‘eating dirt’ ! The last time , and only time, I attempted a 200 miler earlier in the year I was eventually undone by too much time horizontal on the ground with quads seized solid. Rookie error really with poor hydration and nutrition choices leaving me totally empty of fuel, resulting in legs that just couldn’t run or lift high enough to avoid the roots and rocks you find running trails. There was also my lack of preparation and missing mental toughness that all culminated in a DNF. No worries, I’ve learned my lesson and will be better prepared in October this year. (Assuming I can get over the border to Western Australia after the event ?)
From a Core Running article :- ( https://www.corerunning.com/trail-running-best-exercise-for-health/ )Climbing mountains will build strength in the legs but it’s actually the downhill running that will do more for strength than uphill running. When running downhill runners can experience forces up to five times their body weight with each footstep. Running on level ground or going uphill the forces are “only” two to three times body weight.
Downhill running also involves eccentric loading of the leg muscles particularly the quads (thighs). This means the muscle is lengthening as it’s contracting. Eccentric contraction cause more muscle damage than regular contractions thus signalling the body to become stronger.
In effect, trail running provides better strength training benefits for the legs compared to road running.
Trail running also challenges coordination, agility and balance more so than running on roads, especially if running on technical trails full of rocks, roots and uneven terrain. Avoiding falls, negotiating steep slopes, cutting around sharp corners and landing on unstable surfaces all help build athleticism in trail runners.
This is the category where trail running really excels when compared to other forms of exercise. “Green” exercise or working out in the outdoors offers many benefits you can’t get in the gym. In our wired world full of electronic devices getting a run in nature is a great way to reduce the mental stress from being connected 24-7.
Here’s how trail running can help you beyond just physical fitness:
- Improve your mental health.
- Increase vitality, energy and positive engagement.
- Reduce tension, confusion, anger and depression.
- Provide greater enjoyment and satisfaction so you’re more likely to repeat the activity at a later date.
- Make you more creative.
Exercising in the outdoors also optimizes your circadian rhythm helping you sleep better. And getting a good night’s sleep on a consistent basis is a cornerstone of good health. Poor sleep habits can lead to a host of problems both physical and mental. (Not to mention that running up and down hills will tire you out enough to sleep well.)
Last weekend was the Bridges 10k where I managed to win my age group with a respectable finishing time of 35:55, albeit a minute slower than last year. The field was loaded this year , where as last year I was 8th , this year I was 33rd and well and truly beaten by two women. In my defence the two women that beat me are on the cusp of Commonwealth or even Olympic call up’s so I’m ok with it . Anyhow as you can see in the photo I was certainly enjoying the first 100 metres , sharing jokes with my fellow competitors and looking forward to what lay ahead. Not my normal scalded cat start (please note the correct spelling of scalded after many “scoulded cats” in previous posts …..) , can you teach an old runner new tricks ?
Of course it was a different picture a kilometre or two later as I moved backwards down the field at a rapid rate of knots. Initially it was nice to run in a pack of runners but I spat out the back pretty quickly and it was time to open the pain box, jump in, lock the door behind me and assume the foetal position ! Got to love racing ! I managed to hold position from about 4k onwards and even pegged a few back in the second half so all in all a great day racing. Of course it was painful and of course you ask yourself why you do it but as soon as you finish and you have that medal in your hand all is forgotten.
This weekend I get to enjoy the experience again as I’m racing the Joondalup half marathon. I actually prefer a half to a 10k as you can ease into the race and it’s not all at threshold, there may even be a small amount of fun involved in a half, maybe ? I’ve raced Joondalup many times and always enjoyed the run as it’s a lap of the lake with a small loop to start to make the distance. No hills , bar a nasty rise at the finish, so it’s pretty quick. Predicted time would be around the 80 minutes which would be my slowest time but I’m still recovering from injury and it just takes time. The most important thing is I’m actually looking forward to the race with the pressure of a finishing time not as prevalent as normal. That’s not to say I’ll be giving it my all, if there’s a bib on my chest then it’s on for young and old… (I may have said that a few times ….)
So how can you stay motivated as you ease into back into the pack , assuming you are on the wrong side of forty. The answer of course is age groups. For the bridges in the 50-59 age group there was nearly 100 runners and it was my number one goal to be the first 50-59 runner over that finish line. This would then give me another medal and a voucher for another bag (to add to the 10 or more I already have?) Of course it’s not the medal or bag that’s really important , it’s the bragging rights as the 2nd and 3rd place runners were my good friends, a force competitors, Steve ‘Twinkle Toes’ McKean and Stephen ‘ the Surge’ Stockwell. In their defence I think both are either recovering from injury or nursing an injury but I’ll take the win.
Another way to level the racing playing field as we get older is to add distance to the mix. Anything less than a marathon and I’m starting to move back to the pack but I still reckon I got a few years in the ultra world closer to the front. To this end I’ve entered the Lighthouse Ultra 12 hour race http://lighthorseultra.com.au (my first) , the Wild Goose three days trail ultra http://wildgoosechaseultra.com.au (my first) and of course the 200 mile Delirious West Ultra http://deliriouswest200miler.com.au (my first) . These three events will certainly test my theory. The only fly in the ointment of course is my infamous lack of navigational trail running skills. As my mate Zac Jeps once famously said “You know you’re lost when Kevin Matthews says ‘I know where we are”…?” I’m hoping the GPX files that are available are accurate otherwise my blogging days may be over!
There is also the small issue with elevation. Apparently these trail runners like their elevation, something us concrete hugging show ponies normally avoid. Lets face it there’s a reason that the Boston Marathon is so popular anD of the big 6 marathons most , if not all, are virtually flat. Marathon runners don’t like elevation, trail runners are the complete opposite, they crave elevation.! I’m pretty confident I can survive in both worlds due to basic cardio fitness and the stubbornness of a long time runner who hates nothing more than the thought of slowing, or worse, walking! Of course I expect to do some walking over the three events I’ve entered but I steadfastly refuse to take poles along, sorry people but I’m a runner who may be forced to walk (quickly) because of distance , but I ain’t a skier and there will be no poles unless there is snow . Why do I get the sense I’m going to regret that last statement ? Maybe I’ll make my partner in crime , Jon ‘Tinder’ Pendse, bring along some poles and if we need them I can just ‘borrow them from him‘ (when he’s not looking?)
All joking aside I do need to start to think seriously about the Wild Goose in June as it’s a three day event starting with a 18k hill run on Friday (see, elevation!), a 106k hilly 2 lap loop Saturday and then a 53k version Sunday, 1 lap. That’s a lot of distance plus a lot of hills and some serious navigation. Just writing that I’m starting to get nervous !
Other news last weekend was Jon running another sub three at Bunbury for a 5th place finish , I think that was 11th Bunbury marathon in a row , and the T-train getting derailed with 800m’s to go to the finish of the Bunbury 50k while leading the race. ( https://www.tonysmithruncoaching.com ) Another Northern Suburbs Coach , Ray Orchison ( https://runetics.com.au ) ran over the top of the T-train after giving him over 9 minutes earlier in the race. Tone was going for his third victory in this event but even trains get derailed once in a while. In his defence Tony had gone out chasing a huge time and went though the marathon distance less than a minute slower than his PB time, a time that would have got him a podium finish in the main event. After that unfortunately it all went horribly wrong and that just serves to show us mortals even the greats of running can have a bad day at the office. Steve Prefontaine sums it up beautifully ….
2018 has been a bitter sweet year for me. It started well enough with a top 5 finish at the Darlington half, my best placing and then breaking the AURA (Australian Ultra Runners Association) age group record 50-55 for 100k was a massive goal achieved. Then the Australian Masters came along and it all sort of went horribly wrong. The Plantar Fasciitis that was ‘lingering’ announced itself well and truly after I ran the steeplechase in spikes , that really was a ‘what was I thinking’ moment which basically destroyed my year. I scuttled off to Kings Parks and like a leper with Ebola quarantined myself on the sand trails for 6-7 months. No longer was I the concrete pounding , marathon eating, show pony of the last 10 years. No, I was hidden amongst the trails of Kings Park and hidden well and truly from view. Of course I had my Elliptigo ( https://www.elliptigo.com/ ) but this was also constrained to commuting to and from work and although there were some ‘apparent‘ sightings ,as far as the running scene was concerned, the enigma that was BK was gone.
I missed the Perth Marathon in June, City to Surf in August (what would have been my 10th in a row and continue my streak of running from the inaugural event) and Rottnest in October , together with the usual family holiday afterwards to recover. Yep, that steeplechase and racing spikes combination really was a very, very bad decision akin to investing in the hosing market with a recession on the horizon. (Funnily enough I did that as well but nobodies perfect ?)
Right, the 6 inch ultra was my last chance to reboot the BK legend (if such a thing actually exists ?) or at least have something positive to write about for the blog which, for the last 7 months, had concentrated on injuries starting with plantar and ending with fasciitis; after a while even I got bored writing about it ! Although there are 101 cures and after researching most of them I firmly believe time is the best healer with a bit of physio and exercise helping to speed things up a tad, no miracle cures unfortunately.
Luckily for me time was and is a great healer and the last few weeks I have noticed a definite improvement with the initial steps to the bathroom in the morning become easier and easier. After running two recon runs , both over 25k, I was ready and with the aid of my co-pilot Voltaren, got to the start line pain free. Truth be told the number of Voltaren I swallowed I could have probably got to the start line minus a leg and not noticed. (Note: I am no condoning taking drugs to mask injuries, and then running ultra marathons on trails but in the interest of this blog, and for you, the readers who have probably have enough of posts about plantar fasciitis, I was willing to give it a go….)
So at 3:58am on Sunday morning I found myself in the North Dandelup Community Hall checking in for my 10th (in a row) 6 Inch Trail Ultra Marathon ( http://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com) with the usual suspects of course.
After the obligatory check-in and pre-race find a toilet or it’s into the dark armed with toilet paper and little else (an activity thwart with danger as in the dark you can never really be sure the job is complete…) we are bused to the start line for the final pre-race banter. This normally involves geeing up Jon Phillips to put in his customary first 100m sprint and then spend 10 minutes recovering while we all jog off into the dark highly amused at his antics. For all non-Perth runners , i.e. Mum, Jon is a past master at sprinting the first few hundred metres and then recovering, hands-on-hips, bent over, while we all run past. His sacrifice is commendable and we all benefit from this tradition, in our own way.
So at 4:30am off we all went up Goldmine hill…If you know Goldmine hill you will know it’s a big, steep unforgiving mother of a hill. I’ve certainly waxed lyrical about it on a number of occasions over the years in this blog so feel free to search my previous posts on the subject. I’ve probably run out of descriptions for this bad boy and will leave my past posts to paint the picture. Needless to say we all managed to get to the top and off onto the Munda Biddi bike trail we all scuttled, enjoying another year of just about perfect conditions for December in Perth i.e. it wasn’t stinking hot !
I settled in with a group behind the three leaders who had set of at a pace I can only describe as ‘unsustainable for us mere mortals’. This leading group contained two professional athletes and a three time event winner. The second group was running at a more ‘human’ pace and we started to settle into a rhythm that would hopefully get us to the finish line quicker than 4 hours, the first goal of the 6 inch. The second goal was a top 10 finish and the final goal a Masters age group win (over 50) and the nice plaque that comes with it. With my nearest rival for this award having his normal interrupted training schedule I was confident I could retain this award from last year. Unfortunately this all changed at around the 5k mark when one of my running nemesis’s run up beside me . (I say running nemesis is the nicest sense of the word.) Stephen Stockwell had entered this event for this first time unbeknown to me though I should have twigged when I heard his daughter had entered, a rookie mistake. Me and Stephen have had some real battles over the year and it’s only been the last couple I have been able to keep him honest and when I do it’s always a struggle for both parties. Seeing Stephen cruise up to my side I knew my thoughts of a Masters win were suddenly no longer the ”walk I the park’ I had envisaged a few seconds prior, I was now going to work very, very hard for the privilege.
True to form Stephen set the pace in his normal racing strategy of ‘surging’ when the he feels the need and then slowing for no real reason I have ever worked out ? This continued until we got to the first road crossing at around 17k where I saw the first chink in his armour. There is a small but steep hill after the crossing and Stephen , together with a couple of other runners in the group, started to walk. It’s little things like this that in a racing scenario can be the difference between winning and losing. Mentally I was struggling with young Mr.Stockwell turning up, unexpected. This had initially thrown me and I was struggling with his early pace but determined to hang on. I figured the race for positions at the 6 inch starts in earnest after aid station 2 at the top of the escalator hill , around 37k into the race. This last 10k is where you really start racing for positions and also it’s in that last 10k you can haemorrhage time quicker than an ebola patient on blood thinners!
Right back to the race. My race strategy is always to stop to refill my water bottles, half full in each, at aid station 1 and then try and finish the race without stopping at aid station 2 and 3. It’s worked in previous years so my stop at aid 1 is longer than the rest of the chasing pack who then left me and the roles reversed. I prefer to be the chaser compared to the chased so I was more than happy to sit behind the few runners who had leap frogged me. I knew the conveyor hill was coming up (and the highest part of the course) and this one is a real test for the unaware, as this was my 10th running I knew what to expect, so prepared myself for what lay ahead.. Young Mr.Stockwell of course had never seen the Conveyor hill before and it served to be his downfall. We started the hill together but that was the last I saw of him until he came in 15 minutes behind me with his Daughter who won the Women’s event, finishing just over four hours. I think they both made top 15 which was very impressive as it was the first time for both of them, also a nice touch to finish together albeit Katherine insists she crossed the line first and Stephen, being the Gentleman and proud Father he is, was happy to concur.
After I dropped Stephen the rest of the race was uneventful until probably the last 5k. My friend Justin caught me on the Conveyor Hill and we ran together for around 10k which was nice as usually I’m alone at this point. Unfortunately for Justin his ITB started to play up and after the Escalator Hill (More like the Escalator Wall!!) I was agin cast adrift and left to my own devices.
During the 6 inch there was points on the course where I aim for, mental targets that I use to help the mind release the handbrake that is fatigue, at 42k there is a sharp right turn into a sweeping downhill section that, when I reach it, I know the race is done and all I have to do now is hang on. Mentally I find this point is where I can start to think about the finish and I always feel a surge of energy as I start to count down the k’s to the finish. This year as I cruised down this part of the course I noticed a runner ahead and started to dream of a top 5 finish. As this was the first time I had seen anyone ahead of me for well over 15k I knew I was catching him, and fast. This was then compounded by another runner , so all of a sudden a top 4 placing was on offer.
Last year I would have caught them but this year I was paying the price for my earlier over exuberance racing Stephen Stockwell and could only manage to maintain a sub 5min/k pace, just. In the end this was enough to nearly snatch fifth place from Gerry Hill (a three times winner) who was having a very bad day at the office but he managed to hang on and beat me by 9 seconds. So overall a 6th place finish and 3:46 finishing time, and of course, first Master. Before the race I was hoping for a top 10 and predicted 3:47 as my finishing time so more than happy with the end result. It really was just about the perfect race really.
As is the norm when I finish the 6 inch I make a beeline for the nearest esky and plonk myself in it ! This is a throw back to the ‘hot year‘ of 2013 I think and ever since I have made it a tradition, much to everybody’s disgust of course !!
After I dragged myself out of the esky there is the ‘wait at the finish line and see who runs sub4‘ time. All the boys had talked up their chances but none made the cutoff. Jon was , as always, the closest to the goal time and missed it by 1 minute. I think Jon may have the record for the number of ‘near misses‘ in his racing career, it must be at least 10 races where he missed the goal by less than a minute ! He’s infamous for taking too long to finish, he probably puts that on his ‘tinder account‘ where taking too long to finish could be considered a plus rather than a minus ? (By the way Jon is recently single so if any reader fancies some ‘Jon time‘ let me know…) Next in line was Marky Mark finishing just under 4 and a quarter hours but if his mum reads this it was 3:59… she’ll be so proud. Rhys and Mike K were next in great times with the only expiation to a great days running being Barts. Due to a suspect stress fracture and a 5kg Chicken Parmi at the local pub the night before he had to walk in the last 15k. He admitted he was close to DNF’ing but has ran one more 6 inch than Jon and he couldn’t let Jon catch him up, this was enough to get him to the finish line. Jon apparantly, who is the owner of the 6 inch finishers spreadsheet , has threatened to add an ‘average time’ column to give himself at least one more numerical advantage over Bart’s…. these lads are very competitive with Bart’s still insisting he is taller than Jon, albeit by centimetres! Special mention to Damo’ who placed 5th in the 3 inch (the half marathon version) with a respectable time and hopefully this will springboard him to new heights in 2019.
Once all the boys were in it was the obligatory shower, honey on toast and a cup of tea at the campsite before returning to the finish line resplendent in our 6 Inch finishers shirt. All bar Mike K. of course but being his first 6 inch he was forgiven and Jon will photoshop a 6 inch short on him for the offical photo! After the photo of the lads it was time for the handing over of the Masters trophy from Dave before we all scootered off back to the big smoke that is Perth and started to make plans for the 2019 running and a possible long weekend, boys only of course. It go without saying we’ll be back in 2019, if you’re reading this and fancy this race I highly recommend you pop along, you’ll see the usual suspects described in this post and more besides. It really is the prefect race to end the year and prepare to let your hair down (I wish I could !!) pre-Crimbo. For the BK crew there is one more race of course, the highlight of the year but that is another story for another time…. Merry Christmas all….Yours in running…BK.
