How I got into the Ultra Game

Well after a comment on the WAMC website, I thought it was time that I wrote down how I got into Ultrarunning. I am not intending here to write a book, but just outline my journey from couch potato to Ultrarunner. Hopefully you all enjoy the read.

I was always kind of a sporty person at school, into footy, cricket, soccer and anything else that was going. Strangely enough I was not a good X-Country runner at all, in fact x-country was the only sport that I didn't represent my school at (It was a small country school so don't think that I was a superstar or anything). Due a minor heart condition (pulmonary stimosis) I was not able to run more than about 1k without being forced to stop, I still have this condition now but it has stabalised.

After leaving school I basically didn't do much, although I did start to go running a little bit, generally 3k at a time and after some time managed to get my 3k pb down to 12:34. Late in 2003, My girlfriend's (now my wife) brother suggested I get involved in the Mandurah Triathlon Club, where he was a member and I thought that I sounded like a good idea so I started training. I was a strong swimmer but not fast, a good cyclist but not great and an average runner - needless to say my Tri career wasn't looking too good, but I was enjoying them.

2004 saw me enter my first 10k fun run @ Rottnest. I went over with Dave, John and Marcus who were all doing the marathon. This was the defining moment in my running career. I saw those guys running the marathon and was so inspired that I said afterwards "I'm coming over to do the marathon next year!" This was met with mixed replies like "it's a big step to take in 12 months," but I was determined. Yeah, and I ran the 10k in about 45:30.

After getting some advice (Don't forget that at this point I was just a young fella 20yrs old without a clue when it came to running) I started to gradually train for the Darlington half marathon. One of my greatest memories was when I used to work as the floor manager at a restaurant and worked split shifts. I would use my afternoon break to go for an 8k run which completely trashed me for my night shift at work, but it seemed to make me feel strangely satisfied. I continued with my triathlons at this point and was dreaming of one day doing an Ironman. I got engaged in Jan 2005 which added some pressure (and joy of course) to my life but continued to train studiously and at the tri club I was becoming a back of the pack swimmer, middle of the pack cyclist and a front of the pack runner.

My long runs were slowly increasing and I'll never forget my first time doing 21k. It was between a split shift and I had planned to do a 10k run but because I was feeling crook deside to just go and run around a 1k loop outside my house until I wanted to stop. When I got to 7k I thought I may as well do 10k and when I got to 10k I didn't really feel like stopping so I said "Just 1 more loop then I'll stop." 12k, 13k, 15k, 16k and when I got to 17k I though "Man, I'm only 4k off a HM!" and there was no way on earth I was stopping now. So I did my first 21k run around a 1k loop (21 times) whilst feeling crook and this was still about 10 weeks before Darlington.

After this effort I started to think that the Busselton Half Iron Man in May was possible so continued training hard for that. Darlington came and I had a goal of going sub 1:45, I managed to run 1:42 so was stocked with that. I developed some back problems not long after but that was more due to cycling than running and my HIM training started to suffer. The thing about getting married was that I realised how much it cost to do an IM so that was (and still is) a major influence in my decision to stop my tri training.

I didn't really do any other major races then until Rotto marathon in 2005, I had been running a lot with Dave and interesting to note that my longest run before the race was 31k on gravel roads with hills (and this was a once off, rarely going over 28k). My weekly k's were around 50-60k. The 2005 Rottnest Marathon was (and still is) the hardest race I have ever done in my life! I had trained a lot on trails and for those who don't know Rotto is a 100% road course. My Goal (ambitious as it sounds) was to run 3:30 - but realistically I just wanted to finish. By the 30k mark my legs were trashed, every step felt like someone was belting my legs with a wooden pole and I still had 12k to go. One of my curses is my stubborness and I refused to stop until I had finished. I crossed the line in 3:44 and basically collapsed on the ground and yes, there were some tears because it hurt so much! Needless to say my mother and wife were both a little concerned.

It took a while to recover after that, but a few weeks later, Dave came up with the idea of the six-inch track marathon in December, a 46k trail run from North Dandalup to Dwellingup along the Munda Biddi trail. So 2 months later I lined up for the inaugural six inch and my first Ultra. I can't actually remember my time but I think it was about 5:30hrs, pretty slow and yeah it hurt, but from that moment on I was hooked on the trails.

I started doing more and more trail running and in January 2006 Dave and I went from Dwellingup to Mundaring (about 200k) over 5 days alternating between I day running and 1 day cycling. This was my first 100k running week. Darlington Half again in March and then I took the plunge and ran my first 'official' Ultra - Bunbury 50k in May 2006, where I completed it in 4:18hrs. Perth Marathon in 2006 was my first time under 3:30 (3:28) and also the first time I felt really strong over the last 6k. Later in 2006 Dave and I ran the Waterous loop (65k) and I completed it in 7:15hrs. The funny thing was that it was only after this point that I started calling myself an Ultra Runner. Rottnest 2006 was 3:29 and Six Inch was 4:36.

2007 was my first dedicated Ultra Running year and began with 'Triple M' in January. 3 days, 3 marathons (45k, 47k, 48k) all on trails. Bunbury 12hr (Feb) was next and I struggled between 7 hrs and 9hrs to finish with 96.3k. The 40 miler (64k) was next in March and I ran 5:51 after aiming to finish in under 6hrs and I was starting to feel more confident about my Ultra Running. My training weeks were peaking at around 100-110k but some weeks were down around 50-60k. April saw the inaugural MB100k and I finished in 14:28. Felt good for 65k then developed a knee problem and limped home, basically as soon as I finished and sat in the car (maybe 3 minutes after finishing) I passed out and my wife had to check my pulse to make sure I was still alive. To this day my first 100k is the proudest achievement in my running career, there's just something about running the 3 figures.

3 weeks after the 100k was the Bunbury 50k where I had a great run to finish in 4:09 and run 4th overall. This was the first time I had been amongst the top end of the field (although I was a long way off 1st and 2nd) but it felt really good. It seemed that the longer the race the closer I was to the front of the field. The next major race was the Dwellingup 100 mile trail race so I started to ramp up the training, mainly the long runs. I ran 3 or 4 long runs of between 50-60k in the lead up but my weekly k's were still only around 110k. Not surprisingly, I became aware during the first half of the race that I would not be strong enough to finish and pulled out after 86k (11:15hrs) and crewed for Dave. That was a wake up call to me as I realised that although I had had a good year, if I wanted to start hitting the longer race's 100k and 100mile I needed to work a little harder. My age was a large factor, being 24 at this stage I needed to build up strength in my legs, core and upper body to be able to cope with the stesses of running all day/night.

2 weeks after my failed 100 mile attempt I blew up at Rotto to finish in 3:34 after a great first 30k (3:24 pace). 2 weeks after Rotto was Relay for Life in Mandurah where I completed 117k in 23hrs, not really a race, just a excuse to run 100k. 2 weeks later Dave and I set out to run from the Beach to the top of Bluff Knoll down south (86k) which we completed in abou 12hrs. The rest really is history with Six Inch 2007 in 5:31 (Ran with Mark B) and I had developed a fairly serious knee injury that really hampered my running for the next 2 1/2 months. At the 40 miler this year I had only run over 40k once since December 2007 and still managed to get home in 5:43 for a PB.

My knee has finally come good after a few trips to the Podiatrist and my training is really starting to pick up with the results showing. Bunbury 50k 4:02 (PB) MB100k (11:18 - huge PB). The focus now becomes the Caboolture 24hr Track race at the end of August. I have 3 goals in mind for this race. 1st - complete 100 miles (162k), 2nd - if I have a good race 180k, if I have a blinder 200k+ (200k is the national selection benchmark and my ultimate goal). Training at the moment basically consists of between 120-130k/week (increasing) with a regular long run of 60-80k. The goal is to get up to 160k/week within the next 4-6 weeks.

Final thoughts on the transition to Ultra Running.
The most important piece of advice I could offer on this subject is that running an Ultra is nothing like running a marathon. At the end of all of my marathons I couldn't imagine running another step. Don't think of a 50k race as a marathon + 8k or a 100k race as running a marathon, turning around and doing it again, then turning around and running another 16k. The dynamic of Ultra's is totally different, they are longer and generally much slower than marathon pace. Secondly Ultra running is about the experience, not the race. I find it harder to do 50-60k road races because they are races and my pace is quite quick. A 100k trail race is not as fast so not as much pressure and you can enjoy the experience of being in the hills all day. Finally I would encourage you to jump in a give Ultra Running a go. I did my first one (Six Inch 2005) only 2 months after my first marathon with little training in between - it was hard but still a fantastic experience. There are plenty of reasons to hold off on giving Ultra's a go and it's easy to phsych yourself out but they really are a great experience, one that you won't regret.

Well that's about all I'll say, I'm hooked (some might even say boarder-line obssesed). I love the fact that there is no distance too far that it can't be run, If you train hard you can accomplish things you never thought possible. 3 years ago I would never have thought it was possible to run 100k, now I am at the point where I can actually race 100k - pushing for a good time. I hope this all makes sense, my running journey has really only just begun and I've certainly got a lot to learn. I hope that by reading my story might allow you to think of your own story and be inspired to start testing your limits - whatever they might be. If your looking for a good introduction Ultra, Six Inch Track in December is for you.

Break the Mould - Test the Limits