Challenging My Limits: The Road to Conquering Two Races in a Short Window
This isn't a path I thought I'd see myself on, but now that I'm on it I am ready to give it absolutely everything I have
With a fast pace world and wanting to reach and accomplish goals sometimes we neglect to pause and just enjoy the moment.
Paul Millsap
The Yearly Runner Conundrum
This week I took the plunge and signed up for the Bondi to Manly Ultra. Perhaps an unconventional course that i’ve charted myself this year, but one I feel could be one of the most life altering journeys I could think of undertaking.
You see each year we as runners only get one chance to run a race. It means that iconic races like Six Foot etc. are highly sought after with lottery spots up for grabs to get a place on the start line.
In some cases there are races that people will run every year and they make that their goal for the year, some people like to mix it up and never run the same event in consecutive year, each to their own, but one of the problems as I’ve stated above is you get one chance to run it each year.
Now, I know it’s simply impossible to enter every single race. Without knowing it even if I knew I qualified for Six Foot, the ability to recover and give it a genuine crack would’ve put me up against the wall. The extra fortnight ahead of the 12-hour is a blessing, and one I’m really looking forward to taking advantage of in the coming weeks.
I was reminded this week, by a good local runner I respect, about not entering too many ‘A’ races, and focussing on longevity. In truth, this year I was hoping to progress myself to the point where I felt like I could tackle a miler sometime early next year, reality for me is that I could be at least two to three years away from a proper build to feel confident to reach miler status.
So the goal changed. This year I’ve got five more long events on the table. The 12-hour next month, Gumbaby in April, Kowen Winter Trails in June (thank you Pam!), Sri Chimnoy 100 in Canberra in September and then six weeks later tackling Bondi to Manly.
Is it crazy? Some might think that tackling an 80 kilometre race just six weeks after a 100 is crazy, others might think it’s a brave choice, either way I’m either going to learn a really valuable lesson about what my body is capable of doing.
I’ve only been in this game for a short period of time, but last year I think I have a good mix of how I spaced out my races. My body seems to recover quite quickly and I feel like I have an opportunity to do something special.
Get through the 12-hour next month, finish Gumbaby, and then there is five months to get ready and focus in on completing a home town 100 kilometre race.
Does it hurt to not be going back to Kosci? Absolutely, the 100 will be one of the most incredible moments in my life. But the opportunity to do the two races mentioned above I just couldn’t pass up.
Pros of my Path
Home in bed for first race leading into the race
No travel for first race
Home race so plenty of support across the trails
Know the course like the back of my hand
Ability to recover quicker with access to icing at home and less travel post race
Second race is at sea level, no alpine heart rate spike
Six weeks to recover (I put 500 kilometres in the legs in that period post Kosci)
Less mandatory gear across both races
Running with friends across both races
I have confidence based on the above factors of finishing both races
Cons of my Path
100 kilometres is a demanding distance and I mightn’t recover quickly enough to do an 80 kilometre race
Focussing on two races in a short window could take my focus away from the first race
Conclusion
As you can see I feel confident of achieving my goals. I think my biggest hurdle to overcome is the first cut off at the Sri Chimnoy 100. If I get through that and have the chance to breathe I’m feeling confident. I also think that the work I’ve done post UTK, means that come September I’ll be a completely different runner to what I am now. I’m no stranger to hard work, no stranger to putting my goals out there. Does it scare me? Yes.
Am I going to do everything I possibly can to finish both races? Yes.
Would I recommend my path to anyone else? No.
Training This Week
Monday: Proper rest and sleep post The Archie, I gave myself a 9 hour sleep which I didn’t come close to for nearly a month after Kosci. I could already feel the benefit of it, and could feel the body coming back already.
Tuesday: Another day off, I considered going for a run, but I just wasn’t quite ready to go running, which is perfectly fine. One thing I want people to know about me is that as much as I love running, I also love being a lounge lizard (just for not weeks at a time during taper!)
Wednesday: Six easy clicks followed by four easy clicks at Running For Resilience. 10 kilometre double day, not breaking any records, then filled the cup with friends at Caribou for Poutine!
Thursday: Easy hills with Elevate, body still a little bit tender, so just worked my way into the session when I could. about seven kilometres and 300 metres of elevation.
Friday: Felt good enough to add a bit of pace to my workouts, went for eight minutes by one minute efforts by three minute recovery float. Was able to hit four minute thirty pace across the efforts which was good, still have to work out how to maintain more consistent pace across the whole minute than going out too hard.
Saturday: Easy 15 kilometres in a backyard course in Mulligans Flat, felt really good just going slow in the run and just feeling my feet getting back on the trails. Still feel like I can eat so much more with my nutrition, so going to start practicing pushing the boundaries on what a normal person might consider eating during a run.
Sunday: 23 and a half kilometres with the Lazy Glutes, this was such a fill the cup run. I love these guys like family and they mean so much to me. The things people have done in this group are nothing short of incredible, I think each time I head out I learn a little bit more about them and I learn a little bit more about myself.
Totals: 63.3 kilometres, 8 hours and 38 minutes, 1,323 metres of elevation
Solid week and plenty of rest time, my weekend was really solid which really pumped up the week. Going to go more hybrid in coming weeks, getting more concrete and track into the legs, really excited heading into Sri Chimnoy that my body has held up for the first test of three ultras in three months.
My 2023 Calendar Locked In
Sri Chimnoy 12-Hour - 25 March
Gumbaby - 23rd April
Kowen Winter Trails Marathon - 18 June
Sri Chimnoy Canberra Trail 100 - 10 September
Bondi To Manly - 28 October
Poutinerest - my own Neverest Challenge - When the Conch Shell Blows
Completed
Kowen New Year’s Resolution Run - 2:49:30
The Archie - 12:58:40
The Peak2Soon Pod
Thank you everyone for your love so far in embracing the Peak2Soon Pod powered by Alfred! This week I’ve got an episode with a guy I absolutely love in Toby Steele, one of the youngest to finish Coast to Kosci, an incredibly rapid rise to doing long races.
Ultra running is no longer an older person’s sport, and more and more people are discovering the sport early which is absolutely incredible. If you have the chance to rate the podcast I’d also be grateful, it helps others find it going forward, and I’d love to spread my love for this sport and the conversations with some amazing people as wide as possible.
Happy Running!
Nice one Brent!!!
Hi Brent, Your calendar looks amazing and challenging. You will finish it strong. All the best.💪