Ultra Trail Australia 2017 Race Report

It's been a busy year of ultras for me so far including:

Hong Kong 100
Tarawera Ultra
Sixfoot Track
Buffalo Stampede Grand Slam

... and now it was the turn of UTA - always one I look forward to, even though in 7 consecutive years I have never really had a good run here. True to form I got sick about 5 days out from the race which, to put it mildly, made me slightly annoyed and scuppered any chance I had of beating last year's time.

This year was a bit special though, because my wife, May was attempting the 22km. I had definitely talked her into it and pretty sure I was more excited than she was - but she did awesome with the very little real training time she had and came in around 4 hours. After that effort, there was no way I was going to drop out of this one.

Anyway, here we go with the UTA 100...

The Course

The UTA 100, on paper looks to be extremely hilly with some tough climbs. While this is true, it is actually a pretty runnable course which makes it very tough in the latter stages - as people tend to go out quite fast at the beginning.

NOTE - due to the bad weather this year, the last section after CP5 was scrapped and we had to go back through Wentworth Falls/ Leura instead. Missing out the big descent/climb into and out of Kedumba seems like it would make the course easier, but with me now having to do my least favourite section twice, it was bad news for me...

The Plan

1. Gear:

Bit of a change in gear for this race - the equipment I used at Buffalo Stampede was awesome, but there's not much call for super grip on this course. So, out with the Inov8 X-Claws and in with some shoes I had been wanting to try for a long time - La Sportiva Akasha. Apparently great for longer distances with some nice cushioning, I had used them in a few training runs leading up to the race and they felt great. I also wanted a slightly roomier pack since UTA has such a long list of mandatory gear. I think the gear will certainly all fit in the Salomon but it can be a tight squeeze, so I went with my Raidlight Olmo which is comfortable and has more storage compartments than you can shake a stick at. Clothing would remain the same - the weather was forecast for lots of rain and a cold snap so I would probably be wearing my rain jacket at some point. :)

Pack: Raidlight Olmo 12L
Clothing: Salomon S-lab shirt, Compressport Trail shorts
Shoes: La Sportiva Akasha
Rain Jacket: Inov8 Stormshell 150

2. Nutrition:

Gel was the order of the day here, and the different fruit had worked well at Buffalo so that was also in. With nectarines not being in season right now (they worked wonders at Buffalo) I opted for pears and made sure they had a few days to ripen/soften before the race. I would also use Tailwind as its pretty dependable at least for the first 3/4 of a race.

3. Race Strategy:

After the other ultras went so well this year, I was super confident of getting a sub-11 time. I really felt I had the legs for it, and training had been going great. THEN the illness hit at exactly the wrong time... It's a little annoying as I have now had (at least lingering) illness in all my races this year except Buffalo and this time it would be worse as I felt like my sore throat/bad chest (courtesy of my son) would peak on race day. I did consider just pulling the plug, but then thought - what the heck, just change the race strategy to simply survive ie, just do everything I can to finish no matter what the time was.


The Race

It was raining as expected and pretty cold at the start which played havoc with my bad chest. However, I started reasonably well on the road section staying about 25-30 places back from the leader. After 15 minutes I settled into it (still coughing away though), and thought maybe the day wouldn't go so bad after all. That changed pretty quickly, when after about 10 minutes of being on the trail I went down pretty hard on my right knee! I managed to run the worst of it off, but it was painful, and I knew it was going to deteriorate as the race went on.

I started to really struggle pretty early on, after Narrowneck - i had run a plodding, but reasonable pace along there, however it was too fast for my sick old body and my energy levels started to drop rapidly. On leaving CP2 (Dunphys Camp) I realised now that the day would be a hard slog and not an enjoyable one. CP2 to CP3 was a bad section, I resorted to walking a lot to conserve some energy and save a lot for the back half. Luckily the climb to Ironpot Ridge had been ruled out due to the weather so the re-route along the paddocks was actually welcome. It was also good to see some familiar faces along here (Mick Keyte, Ashley Bennett) - it made the journey much easier. :)

Having no support at CP3 wasn't nice at all (again changes were made thanks to the weather) and obviously that meant the atmosphere was totally different to previous years. I was through the CP and out after a couple of minutes, where I would usually spend a bit of time (only a few mins more) with my family here. However, after a refill of water a little food and a few bug gulps of Coke I perked up a little and made pretty good work of the climb out of Megalong via the Sixfoot Track and up Nellies Glen. Seeing the family at CP4 also perked me up a little and from CP4 to the Fairmont I briefly felt ok again and was moving pretty well. Unfortunately this didn't last, and following that, my bogey section once again ruined me and the constant stairs soon had me cursing wishing for the next checkpoint. I also had started to find swallowing gels difficult - my throat was getting quite closed up and dry, so started having to really sip the gel with lots of water, and on reflection that wasn't enough nutrition, which just added to my woes.

After a long slog down Kings Tableland Road to CP5, I was relieved to hear the cowbells and see the checkpoint, only to be told that we had to run straight through and complete a 3km loop before we could stop and refuel! It wasn't something I was happy about - I had just finished all my liquids in preparation for a refill, so having to do this (admittedly little) extra section was disappointing to say the least.

At this final CP, I started to lose a little bit of the mental battle. I knew I now had to go back along my least favourite section, I knew it would be hard, I knew it would hurt, I felt quick sick and my knee was really bothering me now. The illness started to take more of a hold and running back up the road section i started to feel genuinely awful, and not in a "feel bad in the last section of an ultra" kind of way. The legs were heavy, I felt like I had very little energy and some nausea was setting in. Looking at my watch I was on track to match or even perhaps beat last years time and this suddenly made sense - I shouldn't have been trying to go that fast it was damn stupid to think I could do that while sick. It really caught up with me - and my "running" during this last section became less and less.

I decided to effectively stop running at this point and not damage myself too much - I had Ultra Trail Lavaredo coming up after this and I didn't want to do anything that might cause me to miss it. I figured if I walked the majority of the remaining 15km I would still finish in a reasonable time - so simply finishing became the target. It was here I was caught by Marie McNaughton who seems to now catch me in every single ultra during the last 10-15kms (HK100, NF100 Hong Kong and now this one), and we then proceed to suffer to the end together. She was perhaps in a worse state than me, but luckily I think our combined suffering pulled us on and after what seemed like forever we reached Furber Steps. I think its the first time I've been so happy to see them - I was so glad to be at the end I would have happily climbed these stairs twice! I was also passed by another of my fellow strugglers Mick Keyte who also didn't have the best day, but it was pretty great to see he hadn't pulled the pin and was still able to finish in a decent time. I had also seen a bit earlier that Ashley had also kept going, which was awesome!

The final section had been slow and arduous but we had done it - in total, 12 hours 36 minutes. Not my best time for sure, but not bad at all considering. At the start line, I was 50/50 about actually being able to finish so although yes, the time was disappointing I was pleased with the actual performance - if that makes any sense at all!?

Summary and Event Review

Besides the illness, the race didn't go so bad - I didn't really expect to get any sort of decent time, so to actually finish, but also still come in under 14 hours was a nice bonus. I didn't enjoy it though which is the real kicker - its a fun race and beautiful course and I just found it a slog almost from start to finish. The gear was great though with the exception of one thing - the front straps on the Olmo pack did rub on my chest giving me some sore spots for the last 2 hours - this was simply where I had to tighten it up so much because i only have a tiny frame, and the front pockets had bunched up a little. Great find on the La Sportiva Akasha shoes too, they were superb.

This event just gets bigger and bigger every year, and it really is a party now. There's few events that can match the energy and spectacle of it. The venue is awesome - I don't think I have been to another race that has a nice runners lounge you can just crash out in and have a beer + steak sandwich. The finish area is always packed with supporters and you get a huge rousing welcome as you come home across the line. On course is just as good - aid stations are well stocked, the volunteers are super helpful and clearly enjoying themselves, and there's lots of support out on the trails too. The expo is great, the logistics are good, the event updates are timely, there's not a lot you can criticise. I guess there's a reason why this is the flagship trail running event in Australia.

Ultra Trail Australia Course Ratings (out of 5):

Toughness: 3
Although its not what i would call a brutal course, but the fact that the first half (and some sections afterwards) are very runnable yet hilly means you can really set yourself up for some harm later on. I've done this event many times now, and Nellies Glen is usually where people get a wake up call - the next section that follows -through Leura Cascades adds to the "fun". The final stair climb gets everyone, but strangely enough I like this bit, its very tough, but you know you are almost home so can really shove yourself up the steps.

Runnability: 4
People are often surprised at how much you can run through this course - but the fact that there is a mix of everything here (lots of stairs, rolling hills, steep climbs, technical sections) means you have to be a little careful about giving too much too soon.

Fun Factor: 5
Along with the excellent support, the course itself is nicely varied and, in parts, absolutely spectacular. Its hard not to enjoy yourself here (even when you are trying to run while sick with a bashed up knee).

TOOPP rating (Toys Out Of Pram Potential): 4
As mentioned above, going out too fast in the beginning can really finish you off in the later stages. Nellies Glen is a MASSIVE petrol burner it will really knock the stuffing out of you if you have been a little over-exuberant up till then. The continuous up and down of CP4 to CP5 similarly beats you up, and I have seen a few people sat on Furber having a mini tantrum before shoving on to the finish! :)

The Buffalo Stampede Grand Slam 2017 Report

On to one of my "A" races for the year! The Hong Kong 100 and Tarawera Ultra were superb events, but truthfully speaking I was never either:
1. Gunning for a position,
2. Felt like I would have real trouble actually completing the events.

Now we come to Buffalo Stampede - a beast of a course that can make even the most seasoned trail runner break down sobbing (that actually might have happened one year).

Here I was definitely NOT guaranteed to finish - and there's always a high possibility of DNF in this one as its so damn tough. However, I most certainly was determined to grab the top spot in the Grand Slam this year after finishing 3rd last year.

How did it go? Read on...

The Grand Slam

First, just an explanation. The Buffalo Stampede has 3 separate events over 3 race days:

20Km SkyRace
75Km Ultramarathon
42Km Skymarathon

There is also a 10km skysprint, but this is run in tandem with the 20km (its half of that one). The object of the Grand Slam is to complete all 3 of these. Ever since it's inception, I have been inexplicably drawn to this - the sheer brutality and toughness of it appeals to me an awful lot and I love the fact that simply completing it is a massive challenge in itself!

The Course

This is pretty killer in terms of elevation, the climbs are steep and brutal, but the descents can be even worse and smash quads within an inch of their life!

Note that the marathon is simply half of the ultra course, so starts at the top of Mt Buffalo at the Chalet before descending to Keatings Ridge and climbing/descending Clearspot + Mystic.


The Plan

1. Gear:

After Tarawera, I decided to try some new shoes since I had suffered with blisters a few times using the Nike Wildhorse 3. Additionally, the climbs and descents at Buffalo are ridiculously steep, so something with excellent grip helps A LOT. So, in comes the Inov8 X-Claw 275! There is an insane amount of grip on these things, but also some degree of cushioning to help pad the feet for the distance, so they seemed ideal for this event. No change for the pack - the Salomon bag is still king. I would need a few sets of clothes for the three days, but was going to go with the Compressport trail shorts + Inov8 3/4 pants, plus a few Salomon shirts.

Pack: Salomon Sense Ultra 5
Clothing: Salomon S-lab shirt, Compressport Trail shorts, Inov8 3/4 pants
Shoes: Inov8 X-Claw 275

I was quite eager to see how the shoes would feel....

2. Nutrition

More Tailwind for this one, but I thought this time I would also supplement it with Hammer Gel, as I have had some stomach issues in the last 3 races, so something a little more "liquid" as opposed to Clif Blocks and chocolate bars might alleviate the problem. I am not a big fan of gel, I just don't get on with the taste, but Hammer Gel had a flavour titled "Montana Huckleberry" which doesn't sound anything like any flavor I've had before. So - I'd give that a whirl. I've also started to tire a little of bananas recently. With quite a few races completed this year I am suffering from banana fatigue. So, I thought I would try some different fruits this time (apples, blueberries, nectarines etc).

3. Race Strategy

Big decision here - how do you run a decent race but leave enough to back up properly the next day? Last year I struggled with this constant question, do I go for it, or stay back and conserve for tomorrow? Ultimately I was conservative and it cost me -i remember holding back quite a lot on the first day desperately trying to conserve energy for the ultra. In the end it didn't really matter - the ultra hurt a lot, the marathon hurt a lot and this year would be no different. So, I decided on the following:

On each day just run it as fast as i can - conserve where possible, but otherwise just go for it.

Pretty simple really. :)

The Race

Day 1 
After a pretty tiring 7 hour drive from Sydney, I actually felt pretty good at the start line. Sticking to my plan, I would just take off after the leaders and hold on... In the back of my mind though, there was still a little voice saying don't push too much you have 3 days to go. There were some very speedy guys at the start, so I thought anywhere near these dudes would be an awesome result and top 10 is an absolute must.

A little nervous at the start

With that we were off and I managed to stay reasonably close to the front pack and dropped off a little before the first big climb up to Mystic. The hill made my legs burn like hell, I just wasn't used to these gradients and it was hitting me hard. Although, sounds crazy, but after a while, the burn just became "normal" and something i would just have to deal with. Once over Mystic it was then down to Micks Track which is a an absolute BEAST of a descent - I think it must be 45 degree gradient... Here is where the Inov8's really came into their own - the studs of the X-Claws dug right into the dirt - I seriously had absolute 100% confidence I wasn't going to slip, and I absolutely flew down this hill.I caught up with a few people towards the bottom and by the time I hit the climb to Clearspot I was just about in sight of the front few.

Climbing (slowly) up to Clearspot

The climb again, was painful especially on the calves which hadn't seen much in the way of serious hills but they didn't cramp which was a good sign. Turning around at Clearspot I think I may have been in 6th position which was fantastic -I knew I would be quick back down thanks to the grip on my shoes then I just had the shorter (albeit harder) climb up Micks Track before another descent and kick to the finish.

Descending Clearspot

Coming down Clearspot I saw Loughlinn Kennedy on his way up, which was a surprise I thought he was way ahead - turns out he had taken a wrong turn which must royally suck for anyone in contention for the win. The descent, again, was awesome I was really enjoying it - and even the arduous climb up Micks Track was made a little easier having such grip in the shoes. Loughlinn came past me here, he must have had 200% afterburners on - it was actually awesome to see someone gunning it up the track like that, it was seriously impressive. I caught one or two people myself after getting over here and descending Mystic and finished in 5th place - what a great start!

Day 2
I woke up to some tiredness in the legs, but nothing too severe - this would be the day to make or break the slam. After finishing first out of the slammers on day 1, I had a mind to go on and take the top spot, so I was mindful that second place was only 10 minutes behind me which is pretty much nothing now that the ultra was here. A wrong step here can easily cost you an hour. The plan was the same - run it hard and where possible try to stay ahead of the other slammers.

The start wasn't too bad, the pace was slower than day 1 and everyone was just waiting for the climb to Mystic. With some energy still left in the legs, the climb/descents over Mystic and Clearspot went perfectly fine - again i was glad to have the grip of the X-Claws to help get me down the hills safely. I decided on a "comfortable" pace along Buckland - nothing too fast as it can wipe you out for the return journey. I got to Eurobin in good time and saw my awesome support crew (my family). My wife May brought out the secret weapon - nectarine slices, and these turned out to be the best thing ever! After the quick pitstop, the trudge up Mt Buffalo began. I was running with one of the La Sportiva guys called Mick (we would end up running almost the whole ultra together) and thanks to the banter, the climb went really quick. We saw the leader coming back from the turnaround much later than expected, and I realised it was because I had (so far) been MUCH faster than last year!

Enjoying the run over Mt Buffalo

Again, things went smoothly up and over the Chalwell Galleries loop (after some more supercharging nectarines!) and we were heading back down before we knew it. Still running with Mick, it was turning out to be a very enjoyable day.

This is the why I love the Buffalo Stampede... Stunning.

However,  just as we were wondering how neither of us had fallen over on the wet slippery rocks, SMACK - down I went on the (very hard) surface. After a bit of shock, I was able to get going again though so it was only bruising.

Still feeling pretty good descending Mt Buffalo

As we travelled the return journey, I was constantly looking back over my shoulder as I knew the second place slammer wouldn't be far behind. I had raced Stephen (Redfern) before and I knew he had the legs to keep going forever. Sure enough, as we neared the end of Buckland I saw him catching us in the distance and decided I had to put the foot down over Clearspot and Micks Track to maintain my lead. It was bloody tough work over those two hills but I made it over reasonably quickly - which surprised me greatly. I think the thought of having Stephen close behind literally just shoved me over those hills...

On the flat section to the finish I realised I didn't feel too bad at all - it also dawned on me that it was still very bright, I was almost home and my watch was only ticking around 10hrs! This was just insane, I was going to be at least 90 mins faster than last year and actually felt better! I did indeed cross the line a full 96 minutes faster and in 9th place. Couldn't quite believe it, but it had been a perfect race. It also meant I got to start recovery a lot sooner - so put myself straight into the cooling river to ease the legs, and then began EATING.

Cooling off in the river with Mia

Day 3
After getting absolutely no sleep whatsoever, I was feeling a little fatigued to say the least on day 3. Legs were pretty stiff and sore, but I was hoping once I started moving it would ease up. After a coffee, nectarine (again) and a whole punnet of blueberries I was out the door feeling pretty excited - I couldn't wait to start this last day! It was dark and a little cold, and sat on the bus up to the start on Mt Buffalo, i could feel my legs really start to seize up. I just couldn't wait to get started and get my legs moving again. After a little chatting and milling around it was time to go!

The legs were VERY painful at the start, but the plan was always to go 100% as much as I could. I really put the effort in to get up the initial hill fast and try to leave the other slammers behind asap. It seemed to work, I didn't see any of them come past me and by the time we were onto the Chalwell Galleries loop I was already feeling pretty good.

Having a blast on day 3!

Descending Mt Buffalo, my legs really got into the swing of it. Plus I was actually passing a few people - and just like last year this was giving me a MASSIVE confidence boost and made me go even faster. Once down to Eurobin, and hearing all the cowbells and the cheering, I felt awesome and was enjoying this day most of all! Every step hurt but damn if it wasn't the best pain ever... I quickly hiked over Keatings Ridge, then managed to run the whole way from the top to the base of Clearspot. The other slammers were nowhere in sight, and I started to wonder if I had done enough now to win the slam. I just needed to get over these last 2 hills without a blow up and i would have done it!

Thankfully Clearspot went reasonably well, I even managed to pass a few more people which I simply couldn't believe. That, plus a good descent and uneventful but very difficult hike up Micks Track, meant I now pretty much had done it - I suddenly felt invincible and descended at an unreal speed, passing 2 more people. Up ahead I saw Thierry Lamarque who I had actually finished with on Day 1! Seemed a poetic way to complete Day 3 and we crossed the finish in 14th/15th place.

Crossing the finish with Thierry

Absoutely stoked with that time/place for day 3 and words couldn't say how happy I was to have won the slam!

Yes - it hurt!

Summary and Event Review
I think winning the slam has been my proudest running achievement yet, but it really was down to having 3 perfect days - everything came together and I had almost zero issues. So in terms of good and bad, I really have only good things to say. First off, all the gear I used was flawless, the pack as usual was awesome - I hardly noticed I was wearing it which is the best compliment i can give it. The real standout were the shoes I used for this event - The Inov8 X-Claws were 100% awesome and absolute perfection for this race I will definitely be using these for any future Stampedes! A couple of other surprises were the nectarine slices May gave me at the checkpoints, they worked wonders for my nutrition - I recommended them to some other runners for day 3, and they reported success too!

Bright was and is, the most beautiful awesome place ever. Besides the actual racing, having the event in the stunning Howitt Park, right next to Bright Brewery is a masterstroke, you just don't want to leave the event hub! The race organisers and event director Sean Greenhill take great pride in this event and rightfully so - it's a corker. I have done a lot of races/events, but this is the one I get most excited about, because it really is the complete package. You are not just getting a race, you are getting an experience.

Never been so happy with a win!

Buffalo Stampede Course Ratings (out of 5):

Toughness: 5
Pretty brutal course - the climbs up Mystic and Clearspot are tough, long and really test the legs - the descents possibly even more. The climb up to Mt Buffalo is more gradual, with a short challenging loop which even includes a little scrambling/climbing at Chalwell Galleries. There's even a reasonably flat 10k, so there's a little bit of everything thrown in here. People tend to play to their strengths on this course, and get severely punished later on. Its definitely one of the toughest out there, but all the more rewarding because of it.

Runnability: 3
The 2 hills at the start/end (of the ultra) require some serious climbing and descending skills, and it's difficult to take them at any speed.  Even the descents require a lot of control rather than being able to let the legs go. due to the steepness. The road through Buckland can be run at a good pace, and Keatings Ridge is also a runnable climb/descent. Mt Buffalo can be taken at some pace and the descent is actually very enjoyable - just be sure to save some in the quads for the end though!

Fun Factor: 5
Such a varied interesting course, and Bright is just about the most beautiful town I've been to in Australia. The views from Mystic, Clearspot and Mt Buffalo are majestic, and the organisers/support/volunteers are probably the most enthusiastic I have ever seen, they really get into the spirit of the weekend. Everyone involved in this race seems to have a place for it in their heart, it's pretty special.

TOOPP rating (Toys Out Of Pram Potential): 5
This one could get a 6/5 - I've certainly had a blow up trying to hike up Mick's Track with 65km in the legs it can be incredibly tough to get up here. In fact you may even slip a little and go backwards, which can seriously cause a dummy spit followed by a sit down and a cry. You really have to be aware of what's coming up at the end and factor it accordingly.

The Tarawera Ultramarathon 2017 Report

Now here is one I had been looking forward to! Yes I know I look forward to everything, with the exception of one race this year (GSER 100 Miler, which scares the hell out of me!). Word around the ultra community though is that this one is a real gem of an event in an awesome part of the world, Rotorua, New Zealand.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the Tarawera Ultramarathon 2017!

The Course

The course is 102kms in length and winds its way through the forests of Rotorua to Kawerau:

The profile was a lot less scary than some of the other races I've done recently, and with an overall elevation gain of 2720m, it is indeed somewhat flatter than something like the Vibram HK100.

The other major factor of this profile is that it appeared to be mostly a downhill race - profiles can be very deceiving in that regard though (so called "downhill" races can ultimately have the worst climbs in them).

The Plan

1. Gear:
I was planning on using the same gear as for the Vibram HK100, with the only doubt being the Nike Wildhorse shoes. In the end I decided to go with them again as they seemed to suit the terrain best. It was a close call with the Inov8 X-Claws though - I only decided against those as they were as yet, untested. As anyone who has run an ultra before, using brand new shoes in a 100km race is a BAD idea.

Pack: Salomon Sense Ultra 5
Clothing: Salomon S-lab shirt, Compressport Trail shorts
Shoes: Nike Wildhorse 3

One change here was the use of the Compresssport Trail shorts - I had a look at these before, and they were on sale at the expo. I really liked the feel of these so thought I would give them a try.

2. Nutrition
Tailwind and Clif Shot Blocks worked pretty well at HK100, so went with this again. Another unexpected hit were mini Snickers bars and Coke when the race got to the business end, supplying good measures of caffeine and sugar for some quick energy. I would use these again too.

3. Race Strategy
I thought for this one, it would be good to settle into a rhythm quickly that should last for the duration of the entire race. Since the profile was flatter, there was a lot more potential to stick to a particular pace and go with it. I just needed to find a stride that was nicely efficient - I did have a target of sub 10 hrs in mind, so I needed something that would give me an average of slightly more than 10km per hour for the entire race. What i didn't want (as usual) was to go out fast and fade too much at the end, so again I would try to be conservative at the start.


The Race
I had set my alarm very early, as I planned to walk from my hotel to the start line which was a good 25 mins. On leaving my hotel I still expected to see a lot of runners milling around (I was very close to the race hub at the Holiday Inn Rotorua), so imagine my surprise when I was quite literally the only soul walking the streets. It was dark, and the walk to the start line was through a trail, so I slipped on the headlamp and began the journey. To my absolute dismay I realised about halfway there, that I had forgotten my bus ticket for the journey back (from Kawerau to the start)! I jogged back cursing my infernal memory, but wasn't panicking as I had given myself plenty of time... With a stroke of luck as I passed the Holiday Inn again, another runner was asking if anyone needed a lift to the start line hooray! So, with just a little drama, I arrived at the start...

The start line (actually the day before the race)!

There was a super atmosphere at the start, and we were treated to a NZ haka from some of the locals which really got everyone pumping. At go time, everyone took off - I stayed back at around 15th place or so, but it was a fast start! Everyone at the front had gone out hard I would guess intending to keep a quick pace right till the end.I eventually settled into a reasonably comfortable run and hung back not wanting to get caught up in the sprint that seemed to be happening up ahead.

It was still dark, and everyone was wearing a headlamp - and these would be collected after about 5km when the sun started to show. Of course I was too busy with running "head down" to notice the collection, so was stuck carrying my headlamp until CP1 - no biggie though it wasn't really any sort of inconvenience. What was an inconvenience, was experiencing some stomach pains literally 30 minutes into the race! After a quick check of the CP1 location, I resigned myself to a bathroom stop, and hoped that would sort things out. Speaking of checking locations, how awesome are these temporary course tattoos that we can get now? Its so easy to glance down and remind yourself of any serious climbs/descents and check how far to the next CP - I had these at both HK100 and now Tarawera - more of this please event directors!

These course profile tattoos are brilliant!

Ok, after the much needed bathroom break at CP1, things did thankfully settle down, but I lost a bit of time there - no more than 5 minutes, so not a big disaster. After that I really just wanted to start settling into a good pace and actually enjoy some scenery! Rotorua didn't disappoint, what a cracking course it was.The start and middle section of the race wound past lakes and went through some stunning forest and to be honest the first 50-60km kind of flew by!

The race took in some fantastic scenery

It was probably around the 65 km mark that once again I started to feel a familiar hotspot develop in the foot... Argh! It did get steadily worse over the next 5km so I made a mental note to stop at the next CP and do something with it. I had noticed my feet start to drop a little at this point, I wasn't picking them up with quite so much energy. After leaving the next checkpoint (after a very quick patch job on my foot) it got a bit technical with lots of little rocks protruding out of the ground and an awful lot of tree roots to negotiate. My foot pain got a little more pronounced here - it caused a slight loss of concentration, and SMACK - i caught a rock and went down pretty hard. I literally didn't move for about 2 minutes, as I was convinced something had broken. A few runners went past asking if I was ok, but a pretty feeble "yeah" was all i could manage. I picked myself up and was relieved that it was only superficial damage - cuts/bruises nothing more. It was very hard to get going again though, because that fall had really taken a lot out of me.

Some more stunning scenery

It took a good 30 minutes to settle back down, and I eventually arrived at the little loop/out and back section of the course. This little section hid a rather nasty hill climb that i wasn't expecting - it wasn't huge but pretty evil all the same! It was also getting pretty hot at this point, so a lot of energy was spent on this bit.

After that, it was a lot of big straight forest road - if I had to pick my least favourite bit of the course it would have been here. The roads were straight, I was getting tired, my foot was hurting and I struggled during this whole section - I also realised I was dropping off the pace I had set and it was looking unlikely I would break 10hrs, so I was mentally feeling it too. Soon enough I arrived at the final checkpoint though and my spirits lightened - I was now on countdown mode! The last section was only 5km too, and while I enjoyed every minute of it (nice, winding slightly undulating trail it was awesome) my foot was now on fire, and the legs were well and truly cooked. Once the finish was in sight I felt like sprinting it was sweet relief to finish as I was desperate for a cold beer. :)

I hadn't broken 10hrs - but pretty close, I had come in at 10hrs26mins...

Sweet relief... :)

Summary and Event Review

I was mildly disappointed not to break 10hrs, as I think it was definitely in me to do so. The feet were a deciding factor again and - as they were a doubt to begin with- I have to concede that for the next race I will have to try some different shoes to see how they go. I think I need something with a roomier toebox - the Wildhorse, while bloody comfortable, just cramp my forefoot/toes a little too much over the longer distances, especially when the feet start to get a little swollen. I would not be averse to trying them a half size up as I still think they are awesome shoes. Everything else was great - the compresssport trail shorts were soooo comfortable I will definitely be using these a lot in future. Salomon still cannot be beat for the race pack, this thing is so far ahead of anything else in terms of comfort, and that goes for their s-lab shirts too. Nutrition wise, I did start to feel very flat towards the final 20kms and if I am honest i would say that being too pre-occupied with my sore foot and tiring legs meant I wasn't fuelling adequately - something to be aware of in future.

The event was nothing short of amazing - it's a beautiful and highly runnable course, and the organisers were so enthusiastic it was infectious. The expo was also great with lots of interesting sponsors and products. There was tonnes of support out on the course you never felt like you were alone even in some seemingly remote areas! Its such a short flight from Sydney, I really have no excuse to miss out on this one next year.

Tarawera Ultra 102km Course Ratings (out of 5):

Toughness: 3
There are some tough little bits here, but most of the hills are gentle and I wouldn't say anything is particularly brutal here.

Runnability: 5
Most of this course can be run at a reasonable pace. A couple of technical bits here and there, and a few short steep climbs, but besides those it's reasonably plain sailing. Just look at Jim Walmsley's winning time for this and you'll see just how runnable it is! :)

Fun Factor: 5
It's an amazing place Rotorua - I dare you not to be seriously impressed with the Redwood forest at the start, and with the course winding around lakes it is a real stunner. The organisers and staff really seem to have great pride in this event - it really shines through, and you'll certainly get swept up in it. The world famous hospitality of the people in NZ is in abundance, and the general feel of this event is superb.

TOOPP rating (Toys Out Of Pram Potential): 2
As said many times already, the course is highly runnable, and the potential for going out too fast certainly exists. The big factor here is that even if you do succumb a little to fatigue, I don't think there's really anything brutal at the end to hurl you upon the rocks and leave you for dead. I reckon this is a fantastic course for experts and beginners alike.

Vibram Hong Kong 100 2017 Report

Well, this was an event that had been on my (quite large) bucket list for some time. I had already completed the North face 100 Hong Kong in 2015, which I thought was an incredibly tough and rewarding 100, although it did include a number of wrong turns and a spectacular "toys out of the pram" moment at Pat Sin Leng. :)

I had heard nothing but great things about this race, so it would be awesome to give it a go!

The Course

Here's where I would be running:

With my in-laws living in Yuen Long and with the aforementioned NF100 under my belt I was familiar with some of the the latter parts of the course, however the journey around Sai Kung (west on the map) would be all new territory.

So what did the elevation profile look like for this? Pretty scary actually, while overall the course didn't have as much elevation gain as ,say, the NF100 the course keeps its nasty surprises up its sleeve for the final half, and includes around 4,500m of total gain:

I was thinking that knowledge of the course would be a huge advantage here - you really need to know how much you can push in the first half in order to save a little in the legs for those killer climbs at the end - and I definitely remembered Tai Mo Shan from the NF100... :)

The Plan(?)

Usual plan for a race consists of 3 things for me:

1. Gear:
No surprises or new things here - I would be using tried and tested gear that I know is comfortable and doesn't cause any known issues

Pack: Salomon Sense Ultra 5
Clothing: Salomon Slab shirt, Inov8 3/4 pants
Shoes: Nike Wildhorse 3

There wasn't a huge amount of mandatory gear for this one so the Salmon Sense Ultra 5 was more than enough to hold everything. In terms of shoe selection, I just went for something that was a little softer and flatter underfoot as I wasn't expecting any soft mud or slippery conditions - but more hard packed trail and rock. I do find the Wildhorse lack a little in grip, but make up for it in comfort!

2. Nutrition
I'm still struggling to find a good nutrition plan that works well - I certainly prefer liquid fuelling, so Tailwind is my choice at present, which does the job just fine, it tastes pleasant enough (compared to some other products), but I feel I need something substantial to supplement it. For this race I knew the aid stations were well stocked and would even have solid food eg noodles so would rely on this with some Clif Shot Blocks to keep me going between checkpoints.

3, Race Strategy
Being unfamiliar with most of this course, and knowing there were some huge climbs at the end, the most important thing for me was to be at least a little conservative during the start. The first half of the course looked extremely runnable, and I would just have to try and reign it in so there were no blow ups at the end. I could then push more on the climbs and descents later on. After finishing many ultras there is one thing I hate more than anything else, and that's being passed by 50 runners in the last 10km because there is nothing left in the tank!

The Race

On to the race itself? Besides a little sickness remaining (I seem to be ill for every single race these days its no surprise any more), the start was amazing - perfect temperature and weather with a nice gentle downhill to get the legs going. As expected the first 10km was flat and reasonably fast with a few gentle hills - I made a very conscious decision to stick to the plan and hold back, so after the first 10km I was feeling very comfortable!

VERY comfortable at CP1

After this, the remaining half of the race in Sai Kung was beautiful - nice rolling trails, a few beach crossings and a couple of short sharp hills it was really enjoyable running and I was suddenly aware after 30 or so kms that I had been going faster than I had originally planned. I settled down again, and dropped a few places but didn't let that get to me - I would stick to the plan this time! One thing I did begin to notice was a hotspot developing on my foot, which is always an ominous sign, especially with a lot of climbs/descents coming up. I stopped at CP5 to take care of it and realised I had forgotten band aids/tape - doh! Rather than get help, I thought I would see how it went during the next section. The weather was getting a little drizzly now and the trail wound through some flat-ish forest sections which made for some faster running, however this was taking its toll on my foot.

Enjoying the flat sections

The hotspot was now a full blown blister and was now getting worse. After some pretty amazing hills, it becamevery painful, and I would have to stop at CP7 to get it looked at by first aid.

The uneven terrain and hills played havoc with my feet!

I lost a bit of time at CP7 getting it treated, but I could at least run now instead of hobble, so the first aiders did a great job of patching up my foot. More and more hills were coming now though and slowly but steadily the pain grew worse again... By the time I had got over Needle and Grassy hills I was almost hobbling again! The weather was also getting a bit worse - with some more rain and the top of the hills getting very foggy, which combined with the fading light made for some poor visibility.

It started getting pretty foggy up in the hills

Just before reaching the final checkpoint, Lead Mine Pass it was dark and pretty thick fog - my headlamp was basically just reflecting right back at me and the short but very sharp descent to CP9 had me careering off the track more than once as I could only see about 2ft in front of me! :)

Once there, I took a short break to nurse the foot (extremely painful now) and just gather myself for the final push over Tai Mo Shan. I was a little frustrated here, because I felt I had a lot left in the tank from being conservative in the first half. However, it just wasn't possible to push any kind of pace with such a (now huge) blister on my foot. With luck, I bumped into a friendly face just after leaving the CP. Local (amazing) runner Marie McNaughton had caught up, so we stuck together over Tai Mo Shan - she acted as my guide, and I (hopefully) had an impact with my positive attitude!

Although its a tough section, it wasn't too unpleasant, and eventually we both crossed the line at 12hrs 26mins. Me in a respectable 50th place and Marie getting an unbelievable 3rd place podium finish for the ladies. That was the easy part over - the hard bit was now trying to get a taxi back to Yuen Long (my Hong Kong pronunciation is TERRIBLE)...! :)

Summary and Event Review

Overall, I was pretty stoked with the result - it was my first 100km for a while, and I think this race almost went exactly according to plan. Everything seemed to work, especially the race strategy as I found I had a lot of energy left going over Tai Mo Shan. The spanner in the works was the blister which did have quite an effect - I've also had one or two minor issues with feet in the last 2 events so i may have to look at a half size up in the Wildhorse. Don't get me wrong I think it's an awesome shoe I think the problem just lies with my oddly shaped feet (small but quite wide in the forefoot). Everything else was spot on!

The event itself? Incredible - its well organised, the course is fantastic, varied and extremely challenging. The sheer amount of runners, quality of the field, the atmosphere, the volunteers/support - all absolutely top drawer, I look forward to attempting this one again in the future.


Vibram HK100 Course Ratings (out of 5):

Toughness: 4
The first half of the course is gentle indeed, but be prepared for a gradual increasing difficulty as the course goes on.

Runnability: 4
A lot of this course is runnable, some technical terrain makes certain spots tricky, but these are few and far between. Some killer hills though, requiring some good power hiking skills.

Fun Factor: 5
Beautiful scenery, brilliant organisation and volunteer support, tonnes of spectators, top class racing crowd and an excellent varied course. You will have fun on this one.

TOOPP rating (Toys Out Of Pram Potential): 4
I can definitely foresee a few runners pushing very hard on the initial 50km, only to come spectacularly unstuck on the back half. This time it didn't happen, but only because the course profile practically spelled it out for me!

For now I'll take my finishers trophy, and go for a beer with Henry Bear (my travelling buddy).

Welcome to the Short Bald Runner's Blog!

Welcome!

In arriving here you are more than likely interested in running some ultramarathons, or at least reading about them. I hope to include all my race reports here (of which there should be an awful lot), as well as some gear reviews/advice and any handy tips/tricks I have picked up along the way.

Obligatory super action shot!

I am certainly not a "gun" runner, but I can hold my own and aim to finish in the top 5% of races where I can, and whatever i lack in speed, I think I make up for it in experience!

Race reports follow a general structure of:

Course Details - location and elevation
Race Planning - details of gear used, nutrition and race strategy
The Race - how it went
Summary and Ratings - good and bad points, plus the course ratings including:
Toughness: how hard is the course?
Runnability: how much of the course can be run as opposed to hiking/walking/stair climbing?
Fun Factor: speaks for itself - how much fun is the event?
TOOPP (Toys Out Of Pram Potential): a category born from 2 occasions - one during The North Face 100 Hong Kong at Pat Sin Leng (if you've run it, you'll know damn well why), and the other at Buffalo Stampede 2015 Mick's Track (again, once you've run it....). :)

I hope you find something useful here - please keep comments clean!