One More Into The Breach by Kevin Matthews
australia day ultra - 20 january 2024 - australind, WA
contributed by Kevin Matthews, AUra member (perth, wa)
After last month’s 24 parkruns in 24 hours what better way to prepare for the Delirious West 200 miler in a few weeks then another ultra, this time on tired legs.
I have run the Australia Day Ultra three times in the past, the 50km option the first time (2016) and then two 100km events (2017, 2018).
In the back of my mind I had visions of taking the 55-60 AURA age group record, to go with my 50-55 time set in 2018, but knew this would be a big ask after the previous weekend’s racing. More important was just finishing and using this as my last long run before the big dance in a few weeks at Delirious.
I couldn’t persuade any of the usual suspects to come along so had to drive myself the two hours to the start, leaving Perth at 8pm to arrive at Australind just after 10pm to pick up my bib, chat to race directors Ron McGlynn and Chris Lark and move my gear to the middle aid station where the lovely Charlotte would look after me. I was also lucky enough to have Mick Francis and his partner Val there to give me a hand. Being a 6.25k out and back loop meant that having my gear at the middle aid station I was only ever a maximum of just over six kilometres from it. My plan was to run through the start aid station and also the one at the far end and just use the middle one. I had adopted this strategy on the three previous times I ran the course and it worked a treat albeit I tended to stop at the aid station both ways when initially I intended to only stop one way. If I’m going to break the age group record I’ll need to work on my aid station strategy and employ a dedicated crew with a plan, release the inner ‘Phil Gore’.
The race kicks off five minutes into Saturday morning in an attempt to avoid runners turning up Saturday night for a Sunday morning event, this has happened a few times and is always a risk with a midnight start. There wasn’t a big field this year and truth be told since the race decoupled itself from the Ultra Series WA umbrella numbers have dropped. The 100k (eight laps of a 6.25k out and back loop) and 75k (six laps) runners started first with the 50k ( four laps) starting at 3am and the 25k (two laps) starting at 6am.
It was fairly quiet for the first three hours and I put on Spotify and Taylor Swift to keep me company. Laps one and two were reasonable enough although I wasn’t hitting the pace I needed for the age group record so put that one to bed early. I had talked about cruising through the night at less than 5min/k pace, banking time in the cool evening conditions, this didn’t happen. I wasn’t surprising really and I turned my attention to plan B, enjoy the event and finish strong.
Lap three and four and the wheels started to fall off. The 50k runners joined us but were running far too quick and just added to the feeling of slowing down. At one point I talked myself into finishing at 50k and ticking the ‘last long run‘ before Delirious box without doing too much damage to my legs. With this in mind I finished lap four (50k) but then had a change of heart, if I could make sunrise and maybe score a cup of sweet tea there was a chance. I also think a couple of No Doz tablets , combined with a paracetamol tablet or two, also helped, don’t judge me.
Running past the middle aid station I put in my request and Charlotte managed to find some sugar in the bottom of her bag and produce a perfect cup of sweet tea. I covered my legs in fisocrem, downed a yoghurt pouch and with the sun peaking over the horizon started to feel so much better. Laps five and six I maintained a reasonable pace but around 75k I started to up the tempo. With all ultra marathons you have good times and bad times. With bad times you know the good times will eventually turn up and vice versa. It’s weird but at 75k into the event I felt better than the first kilometre, this is ultra running.
I was comfortably in third place at the end of lap six but noticed the runner in second was coming back to me. My pace had improved to less than 5min/k and I started to reel him in. By the start of lap seven he only had a few hundred metres on me and before the end of that lap I had moved into second place. I’m putting down my fast finish to all the hours spent on my treadmill in the sauna that is a Perth summer. Recovering from a hamstring tear in October I had spent a lot of time walking and running on a 15% incline while listening to podcasts. I really believe this helped me improve my fitness when I started to combine these garage sessions with my normal running.
Anyhow whatever the reason I finished like a train for a good negative split, going out in 4 hours 51 minutes and coming back in 4 hours 42 minutes; total time 9 hours 34 minutes, good for second position.
I was presented with my merchandise and medal with a small trophy for second place by the race directors as I crossed the line, this it seems was the presentation. As I said earlier a real grass roots event, nothing fancy, a couple of timing mats, few aid stations, eager volunteers and that’s about it. The event just works and I’m really looking forward to going back in 2025 and smashing that AURA 55-60 age group record, why wouldn’t you?
For anybody chasing an ultra PB this could be the event for you. Flat as a pancake and the midnight start avoids most of the heat of the Perth summer albeit humidity can play a part. Next year Ron is adding a 12.5k option (two laps) to try and entice park runners into the fray and start down the slippery slope that is ultra running.
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