Ultra Trail Australia 2018 Race Report

Ultra Trail Australia 100km 2018 Race Report

The Blue Mountains - stunning... 

I'm definitely no stranger to this one, with 2018 marking the 8th time I would have taken on the 100km. However its no secret - really feel like I still haven't had a decent race here. Something always seems to go awry - sickness is a usual occurrence, I think because of the timing of the event - Sydney weather is just starting to turn a bit cold and little bouts of flu and head colds are rife. If not sickness, a little flare up of an old injury will happen, or nausea, or blisters the list goes on. This year though I finally got to the start free of any lingering illness and injuries.

I had also been contacted by the organisers prior to the race to ask for an athlete profile to go in the event program! I can't emphasise how incredible that was - although in the end I didn't make the cut (lets be honest there are a lot of faster guys out there), the program was something I used to look at when first getting into ultras and I used to think everyone in there was a hero. I idolised Brendan Davies and Andrew Lee (still do, with good reason). If I had actually made it in there, small as it may seem, it would have been a real life achievement for me... Ah maybe next year????? :)

I was a little fatigued from UTMF which was 3 weeks earlier - and subsequently a little bit of dampened enthusiasm, but I just thought relax and enjoy the day. Who knows what will happen?

The Course

No change from previous years - last year saw a last minute course change cutting out Kedumba and the hike back out of the valley. This year we were back on track to do the original unchanged course - no surprises.

The Plan

I had zero expectations this year, since being somewhat tired from the 170km caper around Mt Fuji a few weeks before I just decided to start easy, see how it went and enjoy the day in the beautiful Blue Mountains. I was also going back to Altra Lone Peaks after a bit of a hiatus - I had recently took delivery of the 3.5 versions, and I was keen to show they were a serious shoe after joining the Altra Red Team earlier this year.

The Raidlight Olmo pack is becoming a favorite of mine now, and this is the second one I have bought of the same model - which means it ticks a lot of boxes and does everything right.

1. Gear:

Pack: Raidlight Olmo 5l
Clothing: Salomon S-lab shirt, Compresssport Trail shorts
Shoes: Altra Lone Peak 3.5
Rain Jacket: Outdoor research Helium


2. Nutrition:

I've started to come off Tailwind now, as I find I simply can't use it all day. I decided to try something I picked up in Japan which was actually a freebie - it consisted of gels, and a maltodextrin drink. It seemed like a good time to experiment a bit with something new (really, during a big race???). I also found some Nutri-Grain pouches in the supermarket the night before and after sampling one I thought they would be good for the race. They weren't too sweet and and the taste wasn't too strong so I thought they might be palatable after a good few hours on the trail. It's not nectarine season anymore, so went with grapes for some aid station fruit.


3. Race Strategy:

Relax, take it easy and just try to stay consistent. That was the only thing going through my mind, and I was going to stick to it. I still had my usual 3 goals:

1) Finish the race
2) Finish time: Anything sub 12 hours would be good (10:30 has ALWAYS been my goal time for this one but it's constantly eluded me)
3) Top 30 would be pretty good

The Race

As usual it was nice and chilly at the start, and I couldn't wait to get going just to warm up a little. I was very conservative at the start and went out as comfortable as I could be while staying towards the front of the group. I found the first 5k hard - my legs were definitely still a bit tired and heavy and I was thinking that the day would be another hard slog. The weather was great though it was looking like a fine day, so in terms of having fun - well, that looked like it could be possible! Hitting the trail and the first few flights of steps, I started to get used to the leg tiredness, which was actually a good sign. :)

Heading down steps at the start - nice leap Kevin! :-)

After negotiating landslide which is one of my least favourite parts of the course (its just slow going), we eventually hit Golden Stairs which is always a slow, punishing unrelenting hike... This year something strange happened though. Just as I started to get a little tired of pulling my small frame up those big steps, I suddenly realised I was at the top and it was over! I think the gigantic climbs at UTMF had somehow desensitized me, and I had expected the climb to go a lot longer than it had. This was a massive mental boost - I suddenly started thinking ahead, and if I would find any of the other climbs a little easier than before...? I climbed out and got to CP1 feeling very comfortable and ran straight through...

On the way to Tarros Ladders

I took it very easy along Narrowneck - typically I would go a little faster here but I was constantly telling myself to go a little slower and remain consistent to the the end. By the time I hit Tarros Ladders I was surprisingly feeling a lot better than previous years and an added bonus was that not many people had passed me!

After the ladders, I found that I was able to keep running all the way to Dunphys Camp (I would usually take a few walk breaks along the way) which - again - was a really good sign. I was also really enjoying the run, so mentally it was going great!

After a very quick stop and a generous helping of watermelon at CP2, I started out on the section where I hit a flat spot every single year. After the climb and descent of Ironpot Ridge, I don't think there's been a single time where I haven't hit a massive low on the slow climb up to the Sixfoot Track checkpoint. This year though, whatever had happened on the way to Dunphys Camp also happened here, and I managed to maintain a constant, reasonably slow, but steady pace. Coming into CP3 I was in a great mood - and rather than stop for a longer break here, I just wanted to keep going!

Coming up to CP3 Sixfoot Track

Hitting Sixfoot Track I still kept the pace up, and was running most of the way with Ewan Horsburgh so we had a good chat (thanks Ewan!) and it took my mind off the general tiredness which was creeping in. Nellies Glen staircase is always tough, but again like with the Golden Stairs, it seemed to go by so quickly this time and before I knew it I was making my way into CP4, and this was really turning into a surprising day...

The section through Leura and Wentworth Falls I always find the toughest, so with the day going so well I wondered if I would catch a break on this part of the course. Sadly it was just as tough as before and I found it pretty hard going after descending the Giant Stairs. However I was passing one or two more people and it really was still going pretty well. I saw Ewan on and off again during this section and was getting a little bit of a mental boost as I knew we were coming up to the last checkpoint before the finish. Again, having done 3 milers before this seemed to help massively, and the race simply seemed like it was far shorter than in previous years! I was also aware that it was still relatively early and I was starting to think i might finish in daylight - which was unthinkable at the start!

On (in my opinion) the toughest section of the course

After another short stop at CP5, it was the last 22km - a plunge down into the valley, a big, big hike back up the other side, a slog up Furber Steps and all done! As I left the checkpoint I was still feeling good and thought I would make great time getting down Kedumba. However, the first pain point of the day came up and as I ran down the hill, the fatigue in my legs really showed itself and I began to run out of steam somewhat. It turned into a real battle with myself to keep running - each downhill step chipped away at my tired legs and I audibly shouted with joy as I hit the creek crossing at the bottom.

The classic UTA pic! :)

It had worn me down a lot, and I found I was now beginning to feel the effects of the day quite rapidly. As I hiked out of the valley I could feel the energy levels drop and with about 10km left to go I slowed considerably. Checking the watch I was surely still going to go under 12 hours and somehow beat my best time here (which actually says a lot about how I've never had a great race on this course).  With my "miler mentality" taking over once more I found this 10km to go so quickly and I was at Furber steps before I knew it - just after it got dark (damn)! The climb was hard - my legs didn't feel too bad but I was out of fuel now, and i had to will myself up to the finish. However, I had finished in 11hrs 26mins which is 30 mins off my best time! Who knows maybe a miler 3 weeks before is actually not a bad idea....? I spoke to Brendan Davies (the winner) who also did UTMF (unbelievable) and he said pretty much the same thing. Hmmmm a plan for future 100km races perhaps...? :)

Finish!!!

Summary and Event Review

What a genuinely surprising day it turned out to be. Not only did I take 30 mins off my best time, but I thoroughly enjoyed the run (except the last 10-15km perhaps) and had prettty much zero issues (no illness, nausea, blisters, nothing).

The event is still great - this is my 8th year at UTA (or NF100 if we go back a few years) and the atmosphere is superb. Its a huge event now, I think I heard it was the 3rd biggest trail run in the world which isn't surprising when you see how many people take part or are involved.

Special mention must go to:

1) As usual my support crew (May, Mia and Teddy) were flawless!
2) The Altra Lone Peak 3.5 shoes - I think that was the first time running this event where my feet remained comfortable throughout the day. These will probably be my go to shoes from now on.


Ultra Trail Australia Course Ratings (out of 5):

It's the same as previous years! Check this earlier report for ratings:

http://shortbaldrunner.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/ultra-trail-australia-2017-race-report.html

Ultra Trail Mt Fuji Race Report

Ultra Trail Mt Fuji (UTMF) Race Report

Japan is one of my all time favorite places to visit. It's somewhat completely bonkers - being there is almost like being on another planet - it is fast and yes it is busy and frenetic especially in Tokyo, but it is also completely safe, very clean and the people I've met there are super happy, friendly, sooo polite and just great in every way. The food is absolutely out of this world too. I think the only negative I can think of is the language barrier (not much English here) but I see that as more of a failing on my part for not speaking the language...

So - it comes as no surprise that this would actually be my third trip to Tokyo and my third attempt at UTMF with prior results being:

2015: DNFd at 120kms (just complete and utter exhaustion down to bad nutrition)
2016: Finished but the course was shortened to a mere 50kms due to extremely bad weather

This year I would see the whole 170kms and finish no matter what! :)

The Course

UTMF is a 170km trek almost around the entirety of Mt Fuji. The course has now changed from previous years in that it starts at the southern point - as opposed to the northern area of Lake Kawaguchiko which is now where the finish is.

The elevation of this one was approximately 8100m - so some pretty huge climbs were to be expected. Having got through 3/4 of this race previously I was aware of how brutal the Tenshi Mountains would be between checkpoints A1 and A2. However, I had no experience of the back end of the race which looked just as bad on paper.

The Plan

1. Gear:

The Raidlight Olmo is quickly becoming my favourite pack, overtaking the Salomon Skin. Its just so versatile for any race (I've used it for 50k all the way up to milers), it's secure and doesn't bounce around, and it fits a lot of kit in without being too big/heavy. One change would be the shoes which would be Altra Superiors - my Lone Peaks are not here yet from Altra (who have been awesome enough to let me represent them), and my old pair are now retired - however, given that I have little trail time in these I did not plan to use them for the whole race, and it was more of a trial on this terrain.

Pack: Raidlight Olmo 5l
Clothing: Salomon S-lab shirt, Compresssport Trail shorts
Shoes: Altra Superior 3 + La Sportiva Bushido
Rain Jacket: Outdoor research Helium

2. Nutrition:

I've had some bad Tailwind experiences lately, so decided to go with a different fuel mix. I planned on using Overstims, Cliff Blocks and a new Herbalife liquid mix that seemed similar to Tailwind. The food at some of the aid stations is typically great for this one - yaksisoba, teriyaki burgers, miso soup, ramen... I would definitely be interested in some of that. :)

As usual I would most likely start relying on Coke as the race went on (I've found it to be the source that gives me the least amount of stomach issues).


3. Race Strategy:

With this being attempt number 3, I was planning on being very conservative. Another DNF here would knock my confidence for six and with a bad result at Buffalo Stampede a couple of weeks back I would be in terrible shape mentally for UTA which was also coming up. So 3 goals for this one were:

1) Finish the race
2) Finish in Sub-30 hours
3) Finish in top 50

So, nothing really unrealistic there - my focus was definitely on goal 1 - I really wanted to finish this one no matter what the actual time was.

The Race

Going firmly with the conservative approach, I lined up a little further back within the huge group at the start. With probably a few hundred runners in front of me, I took off at a very leisurely easy pace. This didn't last too long and within minutes I was jogging along at around 13-14kms/hr - still comfortable but perhaps a little fast given my planned approach. The first section though, as shown in the elevation chart was a nice easy rolling trail that was very pleasant to run.

Still happy (its still early)... :)

Because of that, I hit A1 a lot faster than intended - still relatively comfortable in the legs, but to my absolute dismay, I had noticed a blister forming on my heel, which was actually caused by the escapades at Buffalo Stampede 2 weeks before. I had taped it up, but this was simply exacerbating the problem by causing more pressure on my foot. I stopped to remove all the tape and saw that the blister had already re-formed quite clearly and it was going to be trouble from then on.

... and still happy early on.

Hitting the Tenshi Mountains was sweet relief (!?) - the steep uphill was actually easier on the blister and I found myself enjoying the usually horrendous climb. I got chatting to a couple of people, Christopher Roberts from Melbourne and Dennis Theodosis who i had met previously while doing the NF100 Hong Kong. Dennis however was already struggling with stomach issues which must have been really frustrating. I had the same issue in 2016 but the race was shortened so I only had to tough it out for 50kms, but it can really ruin your day. The upside was of course, that there was plenty of time for the problem to settle and go away. Anyway, the banter made the climb go quickly, and once at the top, it was back to pain again as the steep downhill wore away at the blister some more. However, I seemed to be able to greatly lessen the impact by landing more on my forefoot - so this is pretty much what I did for the entire race.

Descending Tenshi Mountains

It was the Tenshi Mountain section which destroyed me in 2015, when I did not take enough food and water, and not anticipating such a long arduous section cost me dearly back then. This time I was more than prepared, and besides the pain in my foot, I arrived at A2 Fumoto in really high spirits after conquering Tenshi so much easier this time around and finally seeing my family/support crew after 50kms. After a 10 minute stop (I made a mental note - not to charge through any aid stations this time - stop, refuel properly and reset before heading back out), I was out again and heading to A3.

A2 to A3 went very quickly, and seemed a little easier - I was familiar with this section having done it twice before, so there were no surprises. I'm always amazed at how advantageous knowledge of the course actually is. When you know whats coming up, and how far away the aid station is, it makes a massive difference mentally.

After a short stop, and passing A3, the climb between A3 and A4 did surprise me a little (I don't remember it being that tough), I think it was just because I was running the course in reverse. Also the thought of seeing my family again at A4 really pushed me on in this section, and soon enough I arrived at Shojiko. It was getting late now, so had been wondering how my crew were holding up since they were:

Crewperson 1: May (wife)
Crewperson 2: Mia (9yr old daughter)
Crewperson 3: Teddy (4yr old son

May was doing great, while I found my kids had fallen asleep on the street while waiting for me (in sleeping bags and polartec fleece blankets)... such troopers. :)

Awww... my little troops.

I had found that running more with a forefoot strike was sufficient enough to make the blister manageable (it still hurt though), and I was very cautious about doing anything different in case it ended my race. So. I decided to leave everything as-is, same shoes, no taping/strapping, no band aids etc and keep going.

The journey to A5 started to get very tough. Running with so much emphasis on my forefoot was killing my calves and soreness was setting in already. I also found the elevation chart a little deceiving as the climb here didn't seem tough - however it was just constantly up/down/up/down/up/down for 50-100m a time, and it was extremely tiring both physically and mentally. One thing that had helped so far though was actually passing some of the STY runners (they had started a little earlier) - yes they were running a different race, but it always gives a tiny positive boost to pass people. :)

A5, Katsuyama was very welcome - the fatigue was setting in, especially as mentioned before in the calves, and my feet were starting to feel sore since I wasn't running naturally (i prefer a midfoot strike). Seeing my awesome support crew (the kids were asleep but still nice to see them), and some of the Avid folk here was great and I was soon feeling positive again. I started on the Coke from here, but I was pleased with the way the race was going nutrition wise - I had been getting through gels and blocks with good regularity and felt that I still had good energy levels. I thought I would now not see my crew until the finish, so left here very determined to push through and get this done.

A5, Katsuyama - kids still sleeping

A5 to A6 was an easier section, so no huge climb, and it was reasonably gentle, which was a little easier on my heel blister which was very slowly getting worse. I could feel the pain getting ever so slightly more intense after each aid station, and was just praying it would hold out. Any minute it could have turned into a race ender so I was now being VERY careful. On arriving at A6, I sent the message to my crew (i told them I would keep them updated with progress) - I was definitely moving slower now due to the blister but still moving nonetheless. Surprisingly May said they were on their way to A7 so I would see them there too - awesome! I also saw another familiar face here - Justin Andrews was looking in bad shape and was suffering with what seemed to be smashed quads. I was surprised to see him, I thought he would towards the pointy end for sure (afterwards found out this was his first miler), but I left shortly afterwards while he was still recuperating, post massage.

Just had to stop for a photo here. :)

The sun was well and truly out now, and the next 7kms were a pretty flat, very exposed section were the heat got to me a little. It was also on this section that the "difficulty spike" began. A gradual climb, followed by several smaller drops/climbs, culminating in some truly horrific vertical sections requiring the use of ropes had me cursing something rotten... where had this difficulty come from? The chart didn't show anything too severe on this section but it was soul crushingly hard! By the time I crawled into A7 I was mentally a little broken... Luckily this checkpoint was beautiful - Mt Fuji was in full view in the sunshine and it really was quite uplifting. I also got some brilliant support here from my crew which perked up my spirits. I also saw Dennis who I had chatted to a lot during the first 50kms, but unfortunately the stomach issues hadn't subsided and he had pulled out. I was pretty sure I had broken the back of this race now, so after saying my goodbyes to my crew and PROMISING I would see them at the finish line, I took off for A8 in the glorious sunshine.

If I had thought that the last section was difficult, boy was I wrong as this one really turned up the heat! Relentless is the only way to describe it - climb after climb after climb, and with it came descent after descent after descent... This section truly smashed me beyond belief, by the time I staggered into A8 (and I literally did stagger) I was almost running on empty. I spoke to a few people here and everyone was asking: "is the next section THAT tough too"??? So, I think it had beat the hell out of every runner! I was also passed by Justin Andrews right before A8 aid station, who literally flew past me - he had made a quite miraculous recovery, so was pretty damn impressed to see him moving so well.

The hikers were enjoying it, but A6 through to A9 was so tough! 

BUT, in true ultra fashion, the next section topped it all off with a horrible rancid cherry. A8 -> A9 took all these broken runners and then dashed them all on the rocks. Literally - the climb before A9 was the pinnacle of sorrow. A near vertical climb, yes again, up ropes - that went on for what seemed like forever. In terms of distance, it wasn't that much, but it was soooooo slow going that it took an age to get through here. Getting down was equally bad - a monster of a descent on quads that had already been smashed to pieces was torture... I think I actually said out loud once "holy sh*t I am broken". :)

I have never been so glad to pull into a checkpoint as A9 appeared on the horizon. I was pretty much finished at this point - the pain in my heel was inexplicable, I did not even want to look at the havoc the blister would have wreaked on my poor right foot. My legs had very little fight left in them. However, I was now on the home stretch... A quick check with the aid station staff revealed that only 13 measly kms to go until I was home... Barring a disaster, or a run in with a bear, I was going to do it. I was a little pumped at the thought of being almost at the end, so didn't linger long at the checkpoint. A quick text to May to say I'm going to be at the finish soon - and off I went.

Tough but very beautiful course

It was another big, big climb  for this last section, but the verticality of the previous one had taken the sting out of it. It was big, but it was perfectly manageable, not too brutal, just constant. The descent over the other side was probably harder and it was very painful, but knowing that once I was at the bottom it would just be a few flat kms to the finish kept me pushing on - just trying to keep up a pace that was faster than walking. Hitting the bottom and getting into Kawaguchiko there was one more surprise - I thought the finish would be right there, but seeing the part happening in the (very) far distance I realised I would have to go all around the lakeside, then cross the lake via the bridge and it seemed like such a trek (although in reality it was probably only 2-3kms). I saw one or two headlamps behind me and really didn't want to passed by anyone else, so had to keep myself running all the way to the end. It really hurt...

The last 300m were a joy though, they always are! High fiving staff/supporters along the way and rounding the last corner into the finish chute is the best feeling ever. It's ultimately why we do these crazy events - sure the journey can be amazing (and this one certainly was check out the awesome pics), but the feeling of achievement, coupled with the fact that pain can finally stop is hard to beat! UTMF had finally been completed - in 28hrs 52mins... :)

Done!

I really didn't want to look, but all that remained was to remove my shoes/socks and see what this nagging blister looked like... Turns out there were two!!!

OUCH!!!

Summary and Event Review

What an atmosphere in this event - it seems like so much of the community gets involved there are a lot of supporters and people out cheering on the runners, and there's a high level of excitement all around. The course itself is stunning - after 2 years of never even seeing Mt Fuji due to bad weather, we finally got to appreciate the course as intended. Mt Fuji smiles on you almost all the way around the course, and some the views have to be seen to be believed. It's a tough course though, I would rank it very high on the difficulty scale - it may have been down to the blistering which hampered me no end, but I found the whole last third of the race incredibly tough and it really doesn't let up.

What a team!

UTMF  Course Ratings (out of 5):

Toughness: 4.5
Its a tough one for sure - I had flashbacks to GSER at a couple of points which really says something!

Runnability: 3
There are some flat(ish) road sections scattered throughout the race, and the first 20km is very gentle, but the climbs are brutal - not much chance of any real speed up those!

Fun Factor: 5
The volunteers and support are so enthusiastic - there's some fab food at some of the aid stations, the views are terrific - you'll see so much of Mt Fuji it's very impressive. The expo, the lead up, the after party are all there and all great. It's a cracking time.

TOOPP rating (Toys Out Of Pram Potential): 4.5
The last third is relentless, constantly challenging you. On more than one occasion I yelled out "oh come on!" as yet another vertical climb lurched into view after what seemed like a descent to the bottom.However, the frustration is from the sheer challenge - not from any kind of annoyance (eg, getting lost). :)

Great Southern Endurance Run 100 Race Report

GSER100 Race Report

"I am the author of all your pain"... those were the words spoken to me by Sean Greenhill - himself an evil genius of Blofeld levels - at the GSER race briefing. I heeded those words with some trepidation as I eagerly awaited the start of my final race of 2017 - the suitably almighty GSER100.

I've had a bumper year of events with successful completions of:

Hong Kong 100
Tarawera Ultra
Sixfoot Track
Buffalo Stampede Grand Slam
Ultra Trail Australia
North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail
Hounslow Classic Slam

Even though this was the first year, the GSER was already earning itself a reputation of being extremely brutal and tough, and it certainly looked like it!


The Course


GSER winds its way through the harsh mountains of the Victorian Alps, for 181 tortuous kms:

This one promised some absolutely epic climbs with a total elevation gain of over 10,000m:

Whoever said Australia was flat? Let them do this race and we'll see what their opinion is afterwards.... :)

The Plan

1. Gear:

With this race demanding a lot of mandatory gear, I would need a decent size pack. The last thing I wanted in the middle of an intense thunderstorm (and yes there were several of those) was to be fumbling around for a rain jacket. Also of note - the checkpoints were very far apart, with sections of 30km or more between some, so i would have to carry enough nutrition/hydration to last several hours. So, I went with my Raidlight Olmo pack, which luckily, is super awesome. I had also received info that the trail was hugely overgrown in places and would shred any exposed shins, so I went with full length running tights.

Pack: Raidlight Olmo 12l
Clothing: Salomon S-lab shirt, 2xu thermal long tights
Shoes: La Sportiva Bushido
Rain Jacket: Outdoor research Helium

2. Nutrition:

I decided to use a strategy here of mainly gel, blocks and Overstims between checkpoints with some real food once I had got to an aid station. With this being such a long arduous race, getting some good solid food down was going to be key, so i made a mental note to stop for long enough at each station to eat, drink and recharge.


3. Race Strategy:

The whispers were going around that this was going to be a real slog. The terrain was rough, the track was uneven, overgrown and sometimes difficult to follow, the climbs and indeed the descents were brutal and relentless (the first 11km was all downhill but was still expected to take 2 hours). Therefore, I decided to treat this as a long tough haul and not a speedy run. I would be on my feet for at least 34 hours (target time) so mentally prepared myself for this. I also told myself mentally that any kms where I could enjoy a nice canter at anything over 12kms/hr would be a bonus. :)

The Race

Wow, Mt Buller didn't disappoint with its absolute disdain for runners! When we arrived, it was cold, foggy, raining and downright miserable. It seemed fitting though, that the weather wasn't playing ball and added to the already immense difficulty. I was nervous as hell - everyone I spoke to was afraid of this race (turned out rightfully so) and I had no idea how I was going to go over this distance being relatively inexperienced (only twice before have I gone over 100kms).

Atrocious weather at Mt Buller - so welcoming! :)

After getting some pasta down at the buffet, I actually got some decent sleep, which was strange given the dire warnings we were all given at the proceeding race briefing. At this point I was just telling myself to laugh (!?) at the difficulty because I just knew Mr Greenhill had made this course as tough as they come, and being pretty well versed myself at both the Buffalo Stampede and Hounslow Classic, the brutality certainly wouldn't be lost on me.

The next morning was a very pleasant surprise. There was still a bit of rain, but the temperature had warmed up a few degrees. It was almost perfect running temp, maybe still a bit cold for my liking but not bad at all. I had a quick chat to some fellow runners (Stephen Redfern, would I thought would be in with a good shout for a win here), Simon Byrne and David Longo (who was crewing, not running this time), then it was time for the off. I settled into a slow steady pace on the headlamp-lit initial climb up to Mt Buller summit - this was only the beginning...

The first descent from Mt Buller down to Gardners Hut... was bloody awful! The realisation that yes, this was indeed going to take 2 hours to descend kicked in fast and I think everyone now knew what we were in for for the next day... and night... and day again. The trail was treacherous, uneven and, well, pretty much hidden for a lot of the time. Also I would say 99% of the runners learned NOT to step on a wet log within the first 5 minutes it was like stepping on oiled ice... :)

I think after 10 or so stacks, I reached the first checkpoint Gardners Hut with plenty of cuts and bruises! Nothing too serious though, and I was still good for water and food, so didn't stop here - being pretty confident that I had plenty left to get me to Howqua Campground.

This section wasn't too bad, there was a nice runnable trail after Gardners, although worryingly I started to feel a few mild cramps as I ran along here! "Oh sh*t" I was thinking, I really didn't want to have to battle cramping for 30 hours along with the terrain.... Luckily this seemed to clear up as I got to the first major climb up to the Bluff summit (and bizarrely enough didn't come back for the rest of the race).

The Bluff was a pretty hard climb, over 1km straight up so it got the legs working pretty good. Not too many issues though - enjoyed the fantastic scenery at the top and then an uneventful descent into the Howqua checkpoint. All good so far - a few more cuts and bruises on the shins, but still reasonably happy!

Coming into Howqua - so happy to see my son!

I stopped here for a good feed of fruit, cake lollies and a bit of soup and to see my awesome support crew, May plus my 2 little monkeys Mia and Teddy, it was great to see them and I knew it would now be a long time till I saw them again at Harrietville. I also changed shoes at Howqua - there wasn't really anything wrong with the Busihidos but I fancied having dry feet for a short while, so changed into some La Sportiva Akashas. Imagine my total dismay when after only a few hundred metres there began a series of creek crossings... So much for dry feet! :(

Still feeling very happy at Howqua checkpoint

The following section was slow, slow, slow... We started to get some rain and thunderstorms which was a bit scary in places (literally flash, then BOOM!) - I was, sensibly, using all my kit though and staying relatively dry and warm. I started to feel it a bit summitting Mt Howitt, and the proceeding up/down/up/down/up/down etc plus the difficult terrain made it quite slow going, the route was also getting difficult to see in places as the trail here was very indistinct and quite overgrown, hiding some of the markings. However, my watch was helping heaps - it had the course pre-loaded from a gpx file and it was steering me the correct way very accurately which gave me confidence I was always going the right way. Although the going was tough, I reached Mt Speculation without too many problems and stayed for 10-15 minutes to refuel and reset a bit mentally.

Following this CP, the climb up to The Viking was blooming hard again, and another thunderstorm hit making this even harder work. I was getting pretty tired of being wet! At the top of the Viking, there was a bit of a climb up a ladder, and at the summit - even though it was absolutely spectacular, I had my first major dummy spit. For some reason I simply could not find the course marker and I was going absolutely spare - i went east, west, north south, every direction but ended up returning to the ladder as the trail either vanished or I could not see a marker. Absolutely seething by this point (i think i was here for a good 20 minutes), i FINALLY caught sight of the tape, which had been mostly hidden behind a tree. GRRRRRRRR!!!!! On the other side of the summit, just before the descent i lost sight of the markers a couple more times which by now had me RAGING (the tiredness didn't help, it was probably the reason i kept losing sight of them) but I was on my way down after a few more unscheduled stops. 

(NOTE - about the markers - for a course as complex and demanding as this, the course markings were exceptional, and although I may have complained about not seeing some of them , I did not get truly lost one single time, so fantastic work by the team getting this done - I ran the whole coures, but I still can't begin to imagine the effort it must have took).

The following 20kms were what I can only describe as a bit of nightmare. The trail was very difficult to follow and was swallowed up by the growth, so i was getting frustrated as hell and it was getting late so I was now facing the darkness. I had been alone for much of the race, and a recent section of continuously climbing over fallen trees (i swear there were about 100 of them) had beaten me up a bit mentally, plus to top it off I was feeling some pretty terrible nausea whenever i tried to eat. Getting to East Buffalo Rd was a very welcome stop - the nausea was getting worse and I felt I really needed some solid real food, so I stopped and had some noodles here and had a bit of a mental reset.

The next section to Selwyn Creek Rd wasn't much more fun - the nausea remained, and one of the other runners had to give me a ginger tablet, and then a bit later, some actual ginger crystals which just about saved my life (thank you Andy Turner!) as I was ready to retch. Upon reaching the Selwyn Creek Rd checkpoint, I stopped again to have some more proper food (soup), get some Coke down me and then let my stomach settle. After a while, it began to improve, so was then my cue to leave.... Now apparently I had done and dusted the hardest part of the course, and it was only a few hours till the sun would start to rise again, so I began to perk up a little bit. This proved to be extremely premature and the next section absolutely destroyed me in so many ways. The course, again, was very indistinct in this section- more so than before and it was soooooo draining to try and stay on track - navigating solely by the markings, while trying to avoid all the ground obstacles. This culminated in my most hated section of the course through an area of hundreds (maybe thousands) of dead trees, and then a hike over the Twins... Ah the Twins, everyone surely has memories of this bit. My personal favourite was finally getting to the bottom of a particularly disgusting descent whereupon I looked at the obvious exit (a road) only to see 2 crosses indicating this was not the way. I looked up at the monster, almost vertical "hill" to my right thinking "NO - surely not"???? With almost soul destroying disappointment I spotted the markings displaying a bitterly crushing path up the almost insurmountable wall in front of me. Expletives flew forth cascading from my mouth like a waterfall of abuse - directed at no-one of course (not even Mr Greenhill, honest), i was still alone... and off i trudged.

After negotiating the Twins, the next checkpoint could be seen, and some hope returned. By the time I had descended to Mt St Bernard though, my feet had started to burn up a little from the constant friction of the climbs/descents so i needed a little attention. This gave me a good 20 minutes to see my amazing support crew, sit down, eat and grab some nice hot tea (thank you volunteers that was awesome). May had also been and got some nectarines, my new fave checkpoint snack so this perked me up no end. Since my feet were one big wet mess, the (brave) first aid guy had some difficulty locating the newly forming blisters, but he did a great job and I was well patched up leaving the checkpoint. I actually really enjoyed the slow gradual climb up the road after Mt St Bernard - I took the time to have a bit of a rest, so walked most of it - the sun had come out and it was all rather pleasant after the nightmare trek that had come before it.

Mt St Bernard - how bloody tired do i look???

These guys were feeling it too! :)

I was soon at the top of Razorback Ridge feeling pretty good - I must have been still (just about) in the top 10 and I was moving really well so I was in pretty high spirts. The last checkpoint stop had sorted me out mentally too. However, just after the ridge on descending Bon Accord Spur, my race all but ended. It was a gentle descent, nothing tricky about it, but on placing my right foot down a sudden stabbing pain shot through my right quad just above the knee. It actually felt like a knife had been plunged into the muscle and it stopped me immediately. I walked around gingerly for a good 5 minutes before deciding to carry on and see if the pain faded... Coming down the descent though was excruciating and I was slowed to a pathetic hobble. I contemplated going back up to the ridge, but thought I should just try and make it to Harrietville - however that seemed to be a good 8km away still. I sent an sms to my crew that I was basically out of the race and would just make my way to the CP - but this would take maybe 3 or 4 hours.

Tired and hurting, but still happy to be getting patched up a bit at Mt St Bernard (before the injury).

That was a fairly accurate assessment and it took an age to hobble along and finally arrive at Harrietville. The volunteers there were just the best - they strapped up my right leg and iced it. I informed them I would be dropping out, but they told me to take some time and see if the ice maybe reduced the pain a little. I waited 10 minutes, maybe more and stood up but my leg really was shot. I was well and truly gutted to get that far and have to DNF, but I really had no choice. I was pretty certain that if the terrain was the same as i'd encountered previously I would get totally stuck and end up needing rescue. My super crewer May then came up with the idea that I could use the poles I brought along to take the weight off my right leg. I've been trying my damn hardest not to use poles in any races so far (no idea why - i think I just don't want to carry them, and like the idea of not having any "help" - that sounds totally stupid when writing it), but thought this might just work... The volunteers had me do a couple of test hobbles down the nearby riverbank, and suggested that even if i take 10 hours to do the last 36kms, i will finish! What the hell I thought let's just crack on and finish this beast... I did require some extra help in the form of a couple of Nurofen (I hope they are not on the banned substance list) as I really was in a bad way, but with the push from the CP volunteers and May, I forced myself out of the checkpoint...

Strapped and iced at Harrietville. :(

This last section as expected was extremely slow - i found that flat and uphill were merely painful and I could almost do a fast walk with the poles. However, my leg just could not handle any downhills and i literally had to use the poles as crutches to lower myself down. By sheer luck though I found the last section to be the easiest - less tricky to navigate, the terrain was reasonably consistent, and the hills, although numerous were not soul crushingly steep. I did start to tire horrifically along wet gully ridge - i was so sleepy, on more than one occasion I would just shut my eyes as i hobbled along and catch some "moving sleep". I started seeing shapes that weren't there (my sons/daughters toys mostly - which turned out to be nothing but rocks), and I kept hearing phantom footsteps behind me. It was actually a real surprise that almost no-one passed me in this whole section, as I was moving so slow.

With about 10km to go, I looked at my watch... Miraculously I was still some way under 40 hours, and thought that with an almighty effort I may be able to get the last 10km done in 2-3 hours. I really smashed myself - i was literally taking all my weight on my arms using the poles in order to move faster. As I hit the bottom of the last descent though, I was way ahead of schedule (well, the now "revised" schedule) and was thinking "bloody hell i'm still going to crack 40 hours"! I was passed shortly afterwards by Simon Byrne who i ran with for a while nearer the start, but I had absolutely no ability to chase anyone, and sat back in the comfort that I was still going to earn a silver buckle - which was totally unrealistic prospect hours ago at Harrietville.

The sight of the finish was so welcome - my right leg was about to fall off and my arms were absolutely killing me - i think my triceps were about to wave a white flag too, from holding all my weight on the poles. Once over the line in (unbelievably) 38hrs 41mins and 12th place, I got a hug from Mr Greenhill, which was worth 1,000,000 belt buckles (ha ha) and then proceeded to scoff possibly the most welcome helping of bacon I've ever had!

Remy and I had both made it!

Summary and Event Review

Overall, it's unfortunate that I had a bad day (race-wise). The nausea and injury turned the race more into a struggle for survival. Strangely enough - it seemed quite apt though - i think this is an event where simply getting to the end is a real achievement.

I've been in a lot of ultras - this one BY FAR was the most difficult. There was frustration, some swearing, some definite toys put of pram moments - but what a spectacular event. We had everything - thunder, lightning, rain storms, hail storms, cold temps, hot temps it was an absolutely complete view of what the environment can be like in these mountain regions (yes we even saw some snow at the start). It was harsh, it was brutal, it was tough, but it was beautiful. I would say that everyone who started this race was a very experienced trail/ultra runner, but those who finished were rewarded with something they would not have experienced before in any other race. There was a real feeling of overcoming the odds, and there was mutual respect from everyone there.

This race deserves pride of place in the difficult ultra hall of fame, it simply is the work of an evil genius.
 
The Great Southern Endurance Run 100 (181kms)  Course Ratings (out of 5):

Toughness: 6!
It's tough - the toughest race I have done so far, and nothing even comes close.

Runnability: 1
The trail fights you at almost every turn and the climbs/descents are so brutal they can't be taken at any speed. Also, not much flat to speak of so running is at a minimum for this one (check out the average pace times for proof).

Fun Factor: 1 or 5
How can I rate this? It's totally dependent on what you are looking for, and how the race goes, but its going to be Marmite for sure - you'll love it or hate it with a passion. I actually said out loud 2 or 3 times during the race "argh - this is just NOT FUN"!!! But that was a lie - it's just that the constant unrelenting difficulty broke through the armour a few times. There's so much to see in this race and it really is just the finest example I've experienced of mountain scenery in Australia. Yes the difficulty can wear you down, but the reward for finishing is sweeter for it.

TOOPP rating (Toys Out Of Pram Potential): 5
Over such a long distance there is so much to fight against - the huge climbs, the quad busting descents, the trail constantly fighting back, tiredness, some tricky navigation, the constant need to concentrate. There is no let up... I lost it more than once and I would imagine most would have had at least one dummy spit during this race. I think it's just all part of the charm though. :)

The North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail 2017 Race Report

So the list keeps growing for ultras in 2017...

Hong Kong 100
Tarawera Ultra
Sixfoot Track
Buffalo Stampede Grand Slam
Ultra Trail Australia
Mt Solitary Ultra (my only DNF so far, due to an ankle sprain) :(

The next one promised to be very special - I had been looking forward to it for soooo long and its one that had been on my bucket list for a while. Let's take a look at The North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail (simply shortened to LUT from now on)!

The Course

The LUT consists of an arduous 120km over 5,800m elevation in the region of the Dolomites, Italy. The course profile suggested that probably this would be the toughest race so far this year (the distance alone would certainly make it the longest):

There were some pretty big climbs in there of more than 1000m, most notably at the 35km and also the 80km mark. The course itself looked suitably epic.

The Plan

1. Gear:

Surprisingly, there was not a huge mandatory gear list for this race, so I planned on going with a lighter, smaller pack. Also, I had badly sprained an ankle at Mt Solitary Ultra on the lead up to this race, so I decided to go with La Sportiva Bushido for my shoes as they are probably the most stable shoe I've ever tried (however not really suited to this sort of distance). Clothing would be the same as usual as I really cannot fault the Salomon shirts and Compressport Trail Shorts. One thing I did think about was the use of poles - I have never used them before, haven't really planned to but word is everyone uses them in this race, so i took some for my support crew to have on hand (Black Diamond Distance).

Pack: Salomon S-Lab Sense Ultra 8
Clothing: Salomon S-lab shirt, Compressport Trail shorts
Shoes: La Sportiva Bushido
Rain Jacket: Inov8 Stormshell 150

2. Nutrition:

Back to nectarines for support crew food, and went with Overstims, Hammer Gel plus some high concentrate energy drinks that I found in the Italian sport stores (but I forget the actual name). Again, I would use Tailwind, but I'm finding that I use this as more supplementary nutrition, rather than a sole fuel source. My awesome support crew (May) took a pic of her superbly arranged support pack which shows the nutrition options very nicely.

The exceptionally organised support pack

3. Race Strategy:

I wasn't sure how I would handle the climbs on this one - as I've mentioned repeatedly before, being a city dweller I don't get to train much on the hills. So the plan was to start very conservative and save some energy for the climbs. Most importantly though I simply wanted to relax enjoy this one for its beautiful scenery.


The Race

It's a real experience in itself to start a race at 11pm! People were out in droves, both runners and  supporters (most of which were coming out of bars at that time). The start line atmosphere was great - probably the best of any race I have done so far. I had arrived about 2 hours before the start so thought I would grab a quick bite to eat and then find a place in the line up. This proved to be a mistake, as even though I lined up 45 minutes before start time, the crowd was already massive to the point where I could not even try to push in near the front. I ended up quite near the back which was frustrating and meant i would have to try getting around an awful lot of people.

Stuck amongst the sea of people at the start

Luckily, the start was quite wide and open so overtaking was easy - however it did mean that I was starting out faster than I would have liked, since I didn't want to get stuck in a traffic jam at any single trail. I spent the next 10k basically overtaking hundreds of people, so arriving at the first check point (Ospitale, 16km) I was well ahead of schedule. This first section had seemed nice and gentle though - the climb wasn't too steep and the descent was fast.

The next section involved a bit of walking as the climb was a little steeper, and the descent was also a little trickier, so I could feel the strain on my quads already as I descended into CP2 - Federavecchia at 34km.

Enjoying the night section

Feeling pretty good after a brief rest, and wolfing down some food, I left CP2, and began the climb up to Rifugio Auronzo, which is where the most impressive sights were supposed to be. As I reached the halfway point of this huge climb, the light began to appear and it was sweet relief to be able to take off my headlamp and be safe in the knowledge that (barring any serious problems) I wouldn't see any more darkness. It was a long and arduous ascent, but nearing the top - the fatigue was forgotten as it was simply breathtaking. We were above the clouds, and the mountains were just glorious.

Above the clouds at Tres Cime Lavaredo

This area is the highlight of the course and with good reason - its absolutely spectacular. I actually felt sorry for the front runners who would have come through in low light (or even darkness) and not seen this amazing sight.

Truly dwarfed by nature ( yes that's me on the right, yes I know i'm tiny anyway)

I was so taken aback by it all, I stopped to have a chat and also a few pics with May here - I could have stayed for hours just admiring the view.

Having fun at Rifugio Auronzo

When I finally decided to leave, all the tiredness from the climb seemed to have been completely erased and it felt like I was starting the race again. The course wound around the Tres Cime Di Lavaredo (the large rock formation perched on top of the mountain) on some rockey/stoney track and it was an amazing section of the race. When the descent eventually came, I was sorry to be heading down, but the race had to go on....

The aformentioned descent was of average steepness, not too damaging - but this meant that it took forever to get back down. I started to struggle a little at this point because it just seemed like hours that I was running downhill - and what started as a nice descent turned into a relentless pounding of the legs. Because of the toll that took, I had subconsciously started to heel strike quite hard (to slow myself down), and this would have some further impact later on...

After some not especially pleasant grinding uphill I arrived at the next CP, Cimabanche at 66km. It was a relief to get to the checkpoint, see May, get some nice fruit and refuel.

Welcome refueling at Cimabanche (and still smiling)

I perked up a lot after this - the next section was another climb followed by another descent (as most sections generally are), but it was an easier one both up and down, and also incredibly scenic. However, there were 3 issues on this section:

1) I took a bit of a bad fall
2) I managed to roll my bad ankle yet again
3) I had started to get a little hotspot on my left heel

None of these were disastrous, but just meant I had to go more carefully from that point on and looking back it certainly cost me a lot of time. Nevertheless I arrived at CP4 Malga Ra Stua (about 76km) in pretty high spirits.

Coming into Malga Ra Stua

It was here that I realised how much I was enjoying this race. Usually at this point of an ultra I would have had a few "down" periods and maybe the pain would be getting to me, but May said I was still smiling and it was so true I was having a ball out there. The next huge climb was coming up - but I was looking forward to it!

I lost probably the most time on this climb though for several reasons:

- It was getting very hot (and this would definitely be a factor in the remainder of the race).
- A few technical bits came before which i had to take VERY slowly due to my fragile ankle
- We joined the Cortina trail runners so there was some congestion
- I wasn't 100% sure I was on the right trail - I didn't actually know the 2 races would converge so I thought I had missed a turn and started hanging around at certain points to see if any other ultra runners came by.

I pushed on though - the sun was practically baking me, and the hotspot on my heel was developing into a blister so I would have to take care of it at the next CP - Rif Col Gallina (94km), another beautiful spot!

A bit of blister patching at Rif Col Gallina (but STILL smiling)

Again, I was still smiling and still so happy to be there - how could I be depressed in such a stunning place! :)

The CPs were pretty much all this beautiful

The climb up to Rif Averau following this CP was sooooo tough. It was now way too hot, and so exposed it was so draining. It felt like I took forever to get up here and by the time I arrived at Passo Giau (about 101km) I was literally cooked. But again, it was sooooo beautiful! This place is incredible everywhere just takes your breath away, and the whole journey and arrival at this CP was just amazing, and it really does take your mind off the pain and fatigue.

Still happy after 100kms

Plus, I also had the mental breakthrough of passing the 100km mark, so I was now on countdown mode - not far to go now, and only one more serious climb! :)

Passo Giau - another stunning area

The last climb was relatively short, but boy was it steep! I had to stop about 3 times during this ascent as I was getting very low on energy, but only for 30 seconds or so and soon I was at the top. Now it was all downhill from here! I was starting to flag though - the course was again, so exposed, we were high up and the sun was relentless - I felt like I was frying. The heat got to me a lot up here and I started to slow down quite rapidly. On reaching the last CP - Croda De Lago I wanted nothing more than an ice cold shower - I had to settle for a hat full of ice water, which provided some relief for about 5 minutes.

The final descent was uneventful - but a little slow as I had to be careful with my ankle (it was slippery and a little technical with lots of exposed tree roots etc), but eventually I hit the road again which would lead back to Cortina. Some supporters had set up a cold shower about 2 km from the finish and this was just about the best thing ever! After this, I could hear the cowbells and cheers from the finish and before I knew it, I was running back down the main street in Cortina. It was amazing - lots of people there to cheer and May was waiting with a cold beer, which was even better than the shower! I crossed the finish line 16 hours and 40 minutes after starting (55th place), and it had been a sweet time indeed!

Beer finish - perfect.

Summary and Event Review

The race went well - I had a time of around 15 hours in mind and possibly top 40. However i didn't factor in my ankle and the excessive heat so overall I was very happy with the time and placing and really can't complain. All the gear I used, plus nutrition worked very well without any issues. I do wonder about the use of poles for this one - even though I didn't use them, I would say 90% of people did. I'm still refusing to buckle at this time though. :)

What sticks out most in my mind is the fact that for 99% of the time I had a smile on my face. There was no cursing, no wanting it to be over, or nausea that usually comes during an ultra. Even during the bad sections I stayed positive and enjoyed the day. This is a very special race indeed, and I would love to come back next year (with some SPF50 sunscreen). I have yet to experience UTMB and that is supposed to be spectacular but this course is just stunning - it's impeccably organised, the markings are 100% and the CPs are well stocked and have a lot of supporters. I cannot recommend this race enough.

The North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail  Course Ratings (out of 5):

Toughness: 4
Yes it is tough - especially the climbs in the final 20-30kms. They look so small compared to some of the others but they are very steep and very hard. Overall, it's stunning good looks cover up the nasty bits, but they are definitely there!

Runnability: 3.5
There's a lot of climbing yes, but there is surprisingly, also a lot of room to accelerate a little.

Fun Factor: 5
If you don't smile during this race you you are simply dead inside (or you don't like mountains - in which case why would you be doing this race).

TOOPP rating (Toys Out Of Pram Potential): 4
I found the last few climbs deceptively tough - they look small on the elevation chart, but with the hot sun and previous 100km in the legs they are steep and very unforgiving. As I've previously mentioned though, if you just take the time to stop and look around you when things aren't going your way, I think the scenery should win you over.