The Archie: A Full Dose of Perspective
It wasn't the race I thought I was going to have, but it's a race I was still able to pour my soul into
Perspective is a word I heard a lot in the week leading into The Archie.
I had one of the most enlightening talks with the Director of the Perth Trail Series, Melina Mellino on Thursday, which I absolutely can’t wait to share with you all. She told me that her perspective on life changed after serving in Afghanistan, suddenly our everyday problems shrink in comparison to the challenges faced by others. Her complete love for trails and approach to them gave me a new outlook on what I want to get out of my career in this sport.
I’m never going to be elite, never going to win races, I’m a guy though who worked his butt off to put himself in a position to be able to even dream of finishing races like The Archie. I still get people coming up to me and telling me it’s incredible, and maybe it is because I don’t see many people that look like me at these races.
One day that may change, and I hope that in some small way my journey enourages others to look beyond what others say, and look within themselves to find that little bit extra to do something that makes them feel uncomfortable, to defy the norms of society and the labels that are placed on us by some people who know nothing about us.
Another dose of perspective is how my friend Timothy Fulton, faces his battle Still's Disease, and the uncertainly that comes with each day, or when there might be a new flare.
I know when I’m in taper and I can’t run everyday I get anxious, I don’t feel as good, to deal with that uncertainty everyday is heart breaking, but Tim showing courage to push through has lit a new fire under me.
Little did I know how important these two doses of perspective would be. I felt relatively calm going into the race, but in the lead up the organisers posted photos of snakes galore near the river crossings, and knowing we had to negotiate 15 of them I was feeling apprehension despite never having been concerned about 'nope ropes' before.
I'm a person that knows how to study a race, when I can attack and when to take it easy, and I did my research, I read many race reports from different people and everyone kept talking about Four Mile, it was a warning perhaps I didn't heed and I should've, but more on that shortly.
For the first time on a long trip I felt like I was organised early, I had a great week of sleep leading into the night before the race, and I felt like my taper had me bouncing off the walls. I did a lot of hills and in the recent weeks had really felt like I got the benefit from them which was evidenced through my speed work. In my mind I had nailed everything down and was ready to put a comprehensive race plan into action.
My trip down to Mt Buller was just under six hours and immediately I could feel my heart rate spike in the alpine region, one of the benefits of Mt Buller is you're only around the village, for me my accommodation was 30 metres from the start line.
Brilliant.
I'd also fuelled up on subway, hydrated, nailed my check-in taking about five minutes due to my organisation skills with my mandatory gear, and then enough time to go for a reccie up the start of the course. I was the most comfortable I'd felt and decided that while this was my original 'A' Race, after reading up about different sections I pushed it to my 'C' Race.
Perhaps the tone of this would be different if it was my top race of the season, but a run for charity and the vibe of the event just completely captured me. Truth be told where I fell down early on was my sleep, I got into bed early, but I just tossed and turned for hours, every time I closed my eyes I either had a dream where I slipped off Four Mile which jolted me awake or I got bitten by a nope rope.
It's not the end of the world, my heart rate had stabilised to under 50 beats per minute, I woke up bouncing out of bed regardless, I tried to soak up the vibe early and get my 'pre race' photo taken, one of the best part of Victorian races is 'The Eventurers' who get out and take photos, I can't wait to see mine from this event.
The weather up the top was cool but warm, about 15 degrees when we started and after lightning and hail the night before I expected the trails to be quite soaked before the sun dried them out. We were off shortly after 6:30am and my heart was just pumping, I knew the first two kilometres had a bit of a Mount Ainslie 200m worth of climbing so just settled into the mid-pack.
Coming down to the start of Four Mile, I was just in my flow and after seeing my friend's elevation plot I knew the first two kilometres of this section was where I needed to be on, and I really tried to be! But right before the scramble on the ridge line I misjudged a rock and came down hard on my right hip and straight away I knew I'd corked myself.
The worst part about a cork is that you have to keep moving or it seizes up, and we were coming right into the part where the scramble meant the next two kilometres would take an hour, but it really is a slip and you don't know whether you'll live kind of situation! The second worst thing about a cork is that it rarely shows anything on the outside, so you look good but deep down you're struggling.
I didn't fall once at Kosci and sometimes that's just the luck of the race, I still didn't give the trail gods any blood.
After negotiating half of the 1,400 metre drop I knew I just had to survive. I somehow managed to get my cadence up to 249 steps a minute, so I was in control now on a pretty demanding part of the course, just shuffling the steep decline and using my poles to keep some weight off my leg. Then it's the sound of cow bells, the echoes of cheers ring out through the valley and I found a bit of energy to push down to the first of 15 river crossings.
It felt like home quite suddenly. Like I was transported straight to Vanity's, but unlike the smooth moving through Vanity's I fell a few times, the rocks were big and actually quite slippery, which would be a bit of a running joke with the support crew who was out watching some girls I was trekking with at the time. The Photos from the Eventurers at this section are going to make me giggle.
Up a small climb and I was in the first aid station after 11 and a bit kilometres. This was my first introduction to March Flies, which I didn't factor into my race planning at all. I was nipped four times while trying to get my bottles filled and some food in.
To this point I probably under ate because I didn't feel I was going fast so I smashed a serving of salt and vinegar chips and an awesome sauce, just trying to stay on top of hydration as well so had some Tailwind which I used leading into the event knowing it would be out on course (hot tip for new players).
I'd managed my cork and was trying to keep moving, this section into Eight Mile was only really six and a bit kilometres, but my cork had seized up and I was just trying to get going and I really couldn't get into any rhythm, which I just decided from that point meant I was just going to get to the finish line through whatever means necessary.
It was then that another dose of perspective hit me. Heaps of friends back home would kill to be in the position I was in, running in this race. So I went back to advice I got from Pam Muston who once walked the Hume and Hovell 100 kilometre race to see if she could do it, so I thought "fuck it I'll do it here."
While I couldn't get into the rhythm I wanted, the views down to the Howqua River were simply stunning, and I was about to get an even closer look another 14 times. With my goal time out the door less than 10 kilometres into a race it can feel deflating especially when you've worked so hard, I've shed four kilograms since the 100 kilometre race, done more strength work, hill work, but things just happen.
It's then how you deal with it that's up to you. I negotiated another river crossing and when I got into the Eight Mile Aid Station, a kid came up to me "Hi Brent, I'm Oscar."
Getting excited I asked if he was the Oscar who got to design the race shirts, he said he was a different Oscar, but he was his friend, and that he liked my trekking poles and that he loved my Elevate shirt.
Suddenly any concern I had for the race and any potential feelings of discontent just washed away. This kid is out here spending his Saturday cheering us on and became such an important person in my day (there is more to come with Oscar).
As I rolled into the aid station proper I met some teachers that get to work with the kids the race is setup to fundraise for, and suddenly perspective hits you again. These people don't care how long it takes you, they're amazed you're even trying it to begin with and are so grateful you've taken the courage to sign up and help them help kids with autism.
One of the teachers said I’d inspired her to give it a crack next year and just like that the waterworks start. Then we’re all emotional at the aid station! They're honestly just beautiful people, they got me refilled, stocked up on goodies and lifted my spirits. By this point in the race it was around mid-morning and it started to heat up, the section we went on avoided the big climbs the Hut2Hut endured.
The sweeping, single track weaves its way for the next ten kilometres, crossing the Howqua River another 12 times, and each one was a different difficulty! I felt like I was at Vanity's on steroids. The single track is fairly clear, undulating and fun, if you weren’t careful there was some push that tripped you up, on any other day I would've ripped in here but I just couldn't break into it, my leg had just sort of seized up at the top of the right outer part of the thigh.
A couple of people really struggled here as the temperatures climbed into the low 30s. We got out onto a four wheel drive track (sixteen mile) which I loved as I'm a fire trail connoisseur so this was really my jam.
Getting into Pikes Flat I was feeling a bit flat until I saw who was there, Oscar! "Brent, you're two hours in front of the sweepers and the way you're going I don't think they'll catch you."
What a good kid, I almost could've cried again right there and then. I went the bathroom at Pikes to check my dehydration and it wasn't good I came out and smashed 1.25 litres of Coca Cola three parts coke and water and got re-fed at the aid station.
I was feeling re-energised from the crew at Pikes and started to work my way up the hardest part of the course. One last river crossing where one of the guys I'd passed Jon, his race was over. He'd been sick and just couldn't get going.
Grateful that I haven't had stomach troubles since my first Ultra where I learned Powerade doesn't work, I knew I could push through most things. I started to break into a jog on the track which reminded me of Mount Coree back home.
I was making good time in the first couple of kilometres of this section getting back into low double digits for pace despite there being a climb, but then went to drink from my bladder and nothing was coming out, the hose had got caught and wasn't releasing water.
I quickly tried to negotiate my bag, but it wasn't working so I took some water in and then just sucked it up. The Corn Hill Track I think it was then morphed from Coree into Amangula out at Kowen. There was about two kilometres of climbing on rocky fire trail. I got passed by a woman who's daughter had pulled out cause she was sick, and we pushed each other along for a little while.
But, I needed water. So again I pulled my bag out and tried to refix things and no deal, in the two minutes I spent I got another big swig of water, got bitten by three flies and just pushed on.
By this point in the afternoon I believe the feels like temperature got to around 37 degrees, so drinking was absolutely critical. I had probably 90 minutes to the Howqua Gap Hut, so in my head I just sucked it up in the heat and grinded it out. I probably wasn't eating enough either and sucked down my fourth spring energy gel close to eight and a half hours into the race.
I'd probably had maybe 1,500 calories to that point, which for someone my size just isn't enough. I got to the Hut just under 10 hours and 41 and a half kilometres into the race. I'd done the last section into the Hut with a bloke who was just out for a walk and checking out the race. He got me into a nice rhythm heading up the last bit of the steep climbs.
The only thing giving me grief at this point was the flies which has landed blows on me close to 20 times by now and my corky. My feet felt good and my whole body was fine, normally I suffer bad with chafe but vasoline before the race did its job.
At Howqua Hut I topped up everything, ate two spring gels and a small bag of chips, double checked my water and made sure I could sip and I was off. Four and a bit hours to get home. Plenty of time, and the crew at the aid stations were awesome, I worked out I spent two hours at aid stations, so that tells you how good these people were to us competitors.
Woolly Spur towards Corn Hill was a bit of fun. The new course now follows a central corridor double track that spears between two mountain bike trails.
The double track climbs steeply, before levelling off, dropping slightly and eventually come to an intersection where numerous MTB trails converge: Cornhill, Clancy’s Run, Delatite River, Picnic Trail and Wombat.
It was at this point my phone started pinging. My friend Danielle D wanted me to live track and reception had been patchy, so I could finally see all the cool messages of support from my Lazy Glutes squad from Elevate.
I had been using poles all day so I was still feeling relatively good, it was really only my cork and the heat giving me any real dramas. There was a nice clearing we got to enjoy before going back up the mountain bike trails, a few switchbacks before getting back into a wide trail into the lower village at Buller.
I could see my apartment window, and knew I still had seven kilometres to negotiate. So I just strapped in, took a snap of the view and the range I just took down and trucked on. The finish line was within cooee and I could hear the excitement, but I wasn't done.
I almost switched off feeling that most of the walk was done, but I'm glad I didn't because possibly the biggest nope rope of a red belly I'd ever seen was about to get stepped on by me. I probably got a metre away and it barely flinched, perhaps because I passed from the back, but if I was going to go down DNF this was the only thing stopping me.
I told a family just to look out and they weren't too phased and I could even hear the kids getting excited at seeing a snake, and that it was "going to the bushes" a pretty cool experience especially cause I didn't get bitten.
I'd been going over 11 hours and now had to negotiate the ski runs, but my snake radar was on now. This run took us up to the southern section of the Summit Nature Walk, which leads to a car park to the Buller Summit. Wow this was de ja vu I was heading in the other direction 11 hours ago!
I passed a couple of runners who were coming down and they look beat up, they commented that "you look fresh" to be honest I was, I'd hiked pretty much from 6 kilometres in or at not much more than a slow jog.
I negotiated the summit and looked into the bucket for books, I can't remember what book I ripped the page out of but for moments I felt like I was in the Barkley's in America.
After taking in the summit views in and then headed down. Two kilometres to go and I just got really emotional. Our football team manager Tony Graham's funeral was really beautiful about a fortnight ago. I had the honour of lifting the coffin to where Tony would be lying in state as the funeral took place.
I started thinking about how much he loved four wheel driving and how much he would've loved a place like this. My finishing photo will show me pointing to the sky and I know somewhere Tony's energy was with me. He fought for so long with cancer and did so with a smile, the least I could do was grit my teeth after a fall and finish this race.
I dropped down off the trail and into the village and Oscar was there!
"You are almost there."
"Do you want to run with me Oscar, and help me finish?"
"I will for a little bit, I'm waiting on someone."
Two hundred metres down the Athlete's Walk felt like bliss. Oscar had been such a big part of my race so it was special to see him right towards the end, and get to run with him.
"This is the end part, good luck!"
Up the steps and into the square. A lot of the one day Hut2Hut and 2-day as well as other Archie finishers were there. It was this amazing finish, again so much emotion, so much relief, one look at the sky to thank Tony for watching over me.
In relief I hadn't lost my page and handed it over, I'd completed what might be pound for pound one of the toughest ultras in Australia. Some of the most stunning country you will ever encounter, the challenge was to make us feel uncomfortable and I feel that regardless of the cork, if I hadn't trained hard this would've been a toughie.
While I can be disappointed I didn't finish at the time I originally wanted. My moving time was just over 10 and a half hours in a 12 hours and 58 minutes finishing time. So in reality I spent a fair chunk of my race, 1/6th of it in aid stations, which I felt allowed me to truly soak up the spirit of the race.
The other thing is I finished. I remember a time in late 2018 where a flat five kilometres took me 48 minutes, to go from that to completing my third ultra in mountains four and a bit years later is insane. I've gone from the guy who would not get invited on hikes because I'd hold the group up, to finishing three ultras in the space of 11 months. I've still got a long way to go, I'm still learning, but the best thing about trail running is if you give it a crack it has ways of rewarding you in ways you could never imagine.
One thing I love about this sport and The Archie race in particular is that while it's tough it's incredibly inclusive. We are seeing people of all different body shapes and ages get to the start line of races and on trails in general and it's a great thing.
I only hope that someone who might be in the same situation I was in late 2018 sees this and might think “fuck yeah maybe I can do this."
So no I didn't hit my performance base goals outside of finishing, but my heart couldn't be more full. This race had everything and I'm glad despite taking a tumble I was able to switch my focus and just really enjoy a part of the country I wouldn't get to enjoy.
A special race, made so by special people and all for a worthy cause. I'd highly recommend to anyone looking to get out of their comfort zone.
We’ll meet again.
This was beautiful to read Brent! Really got me in the feels! What an experience! Great effort and congratulations on finishing!
Loved reading this Brent. What an epic! What i love about trail running is no race is ever the same even if you've done a similar distance or terrain. Congratulation's on digging in and finishing. I've just added the Archie to my race bucket list.