“Proud of you for showing up”, that was the message I got from a running buddy when I got home from Halloween Howler last night after spending 5 and a half hours doing loops of a 5k trail course. “Me too”, I thought, “that’s the hardest part”, I replied. In fairness, that wasn’t what I … Continue reading Race recap: Halloween Howler marathon 2022
I used to sign up for races as “training” a lot but if I’m being honest, it wasn’t exactly training. It was mostly signing up for staircase races, you know you put a big A goal on the calendar of say 100km, so you also schedule in a half marathon and a 50k on the … Continue reading Race recap: Trail Series race 4
My favourite movie is Almost Famous, the based on a true story account of a kid and wannabe journo who became besties with his favourite band and followed them on the road, leading to his own front page story on the cover of The Rolling Stone. As a younger person, it seemed fitting that I … Continue reading My experience of “Mental skills for ultra runners”: A tail of a book review and unrequited therapy
I’m one of those people who thinks self reflection is important. I’m often guilty of over analysing and sometimes over blaming myself for whatever has happened. If it was a good thing, a good result, then it was a team effort or a fluke, but if it was a less than ideal result then it … Continue reading Lessons Learnt: Cairns to Port Douglas DNF
Even before the “gun” went off at 5am at Crystal Gardens, the Cairns to Port Douglas Ultra had already achieved the goal of the worst race I had been to (and I live in Victoria so that’s saying something!) In the weeks leading up there wasn’t much communication from the race organiser and what did … Continue reading Race recap: Cairns to Port Douglas Ultra, my first involuntary DNF
I've been pondering this race review for the past two days. To be honest I don't really know where to start. The beginning is the obvious spot, but I'm not sure exactly where that is. I've been running and "training" for trail ultramarathons for about seven years now. Sure I've seen slow improvements in my … Continue reading Race Recap: Peaks and Trails 50k
With a long run on the calendar, it seemed like the logical thing to sign up for a run at the You Yangs Trail Festival and treat it as a practice run for Cairns to Port Douglas in only a month or so. The You Yangs are my local trails so paying money (to a … Continue reading Race recap: 2022 You Yangs 30k
It’s called waiting room bargaining. It starts with a twinge, a dull ache, a singular short sharp pain. It induces unease, rapid heart rate, dooms day thoughts, strange phantom pains in other random places and excessively unhealthy googling. Dr Google escalates it to cancer, amputation and death. And then suddenly there you are, in the … Continue reading Waiting room bargaining
I had plans. Grand plans. The sort of plans that your brain runs away with when you are stuck in traffic or overstaying your welcome in the shower. The sort of plans that come with a soundtrack, slow motion and a slow clap. 2021 at Surf Coast Trail Marathon was a unicorn year. Even though … Continue reading Race review: Surf Coast Trail Marathon 2022
The achievements started small and early. After my last registration at Warby trail fest last year and subsequent tantrum, just showing up felt like something to be celebrated. I arrived the night before, registered, purchased a buff I didn’t need and headed back to my accommodation with a pizza a size bigger than I needed. … Continue reading Race Review- Warburton Trail Fest 50k