I’ve only run a couple of 100km races and I can’t say any one them have gone perfect or according to plan. But that being said, I’ve learnt a few things along the way, mostly as a result of stuffing it up!

3 days before the race….

1. Cut your toenails

2. Get out your gear and have it all ready. Just in case it’s in the laundry! Buffs are an underrated trail tool! Put an extra buff or two in your pack!

3. Prep your drop bags if your using them

4. Organise your post race plan. Change of clothes (warm), blanket and towel, wipes, and a food plan! It might be really late and nothing is open. You also might be a bit of a mess after so having it ready to go will help.

5. Don’t make any risky food decisions!

6. Avoid people! Germs are less than ideal

7. Drink lots of water and electrolytes.

8. Charge all the things! Head torch (don’t forget you’ll use it twice this year!), watch, camera etc

Race day!

1. This is your day! Go at your all day pace. Don’t get caught up with what everyone else is doing and don’t compare yourself. There are relays on at the same time on the same course, so those speedy people making you feel bad are only doing half or a quarter of what you are doing!

2. Have a rough plan for checkpoints. Water, fuel, sunscreen, anti chafe etc

Get in and get out. Aid stations are takeaway restaurants not sit down fine dining! Time adds up and if you spent just 10 minutes in each one thats a full hour on top of your finishing time. The big three where teams change over and crews are allowed are the biggest time suck.

3. Get on top of problems or potential problems early. Rock or sand in your shoe, blister, chafe, all start as small issues and turn into big ones if you don’t fix them. If you are worried, pop a blister kit, spare socks, a baggie and some wipes in your pack. Then you don’t have to wait til you get to a checkpoint to fix it. Don’t worry about the 3 minutes you spend fixing it, it’s way better than how much you’ll loose if you don’t!

4. If your from Melbourne, it’s going to feel warm. Just sayin!

5. Save your headphones for later in the race. Headphones in single track is not a nice thing to do, it’s very hard to pass people and it’s kinda rude. You also can’t make friends or chat with people while you make your way around the course. Pack them and have a play list ready for when you have lost the will to live and need to get through a rough patch. Be careful in the dark, maybe just use one so that people don’t scare you and you don’t get distracted.

6. Don’t try anything new on race day, unless you have no other option, then fuck it! Sometimes for whatever reason your tummy hates you, you can’t find your favourite top or the race has a different sports drink than you train with and you’ve forgotten to pack your fave. Things happen, eating something random at a check point because that’s what you feel like or you can’t stomach anything else then go with it. A lot of surviving 100km is trouble shooting when things go wrong.

7. Ladies if there is even the slightest chance you may get your period during the race, pack accordingly! It’s extremely unlikely the race will have sanitary products at aid stations so shove stuff in your pack (with a baggie, wipes, toilet paper etc) and in your drop bags. No way your period is going to be that thing that takes you out because you didn’t think of it.

8. No matter what gender you identify as, painting your nails will make you run faster! And your post run bling pic for the gram will also thank you!

9. Falling over, having a pity party, pooping in the bush, or generally looking like a hot mess is part of the game! Even Jim walked into an aid station at UTMB and had to empty all his pockets because they were full of white drink powder! Just keep moving forward and take it in your stride.

10. Did I mention this is meant to be fun? So have it! Take pictures, chat to new people, look out for snakes and echidnas. You spend a lot of time and money so you can do this sport, you shouts bloody enjoy it!