SPOTLIGHT ON: DOUG BARTLETT

IIntroducing our monthly feature Spotlight On, where our AURA members get to know a little bit about some other AURA members! 

Name: Douglas Bartlett
Age: 50
Location: Willetton, WA

FAVOURITE RACING OR RUNNING DISTANCE

My favourite is the 200 miler, because it takes you beyond a time-pressure race and gives you an adventure. Every single one exposes you to new challenges that you have to learn to overcome during the race. 

WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND YOU GETTING INTO ULTRA RUNNING?

In late 2016 I attended a Trails Forum, and there Melina Mellino from Perth Trail Series was talking about trail running. What a great idea, I thought, so I signed up for the Perth Trail Series’ summer series of short-ish trail races (14-18km). At the end of the series I felt like I was fit enough to take on another marathon. My first marathon had been some seven years before and when I finished it I thought I would never want to do that again! Having just changed jobs, I had some paid out leave, so hatched a plan to run five marathons around coastal locations in Australia that year. The next year I did a forest theme and expanded to 50km distances, then kept going longer. In 2022 I completed six ultras, consisting of one 100km, four milers, and one 200 miler. 

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE ULTRA RUNNING EXPERIENCE SO FAR?

Every long race is special because of the challenges, experiences, and sometimes even the simple joys like sticky rice at a Thailand aid station. My favourite overall was the ‘wet year’ Delirious West in 2021. Long kilometres of wading ankle deep in water along the trail, with a profusion of WA orchids highlighting the way.

IF YOU WOULD WANT ANYONE IN THE WORLD TO PACE YOU AT AN EVENT, WHO WOULD IT BE? 

Tossing up between Steve Carell and Rhianna. But on a more serious note, I’d love any of my three trail buddies Chetan, GT and JP to pace me anywhere. I know what they’re like when their shit is falling apart, and they know me too.

WHAT ARE 3 THINGS WE WOULD ALWAYS FIND IN YOUR DROPBAG?

Socks, fruit and baby food.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE FILM OR BOOK ABOUT RUNNING?

Does Forrest Gump qualify? Ok, well in that case Spartan Up by Joe De Sena.

RECOVERY IS IMPORTANT – WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR BEST POST-WORKOUT/RECOVERY STRETCH OR EXERCISE?

I have a stretching routine that I do around three times a week. The most important stretches are based on Dr Kelly Starrett: a full squat (variation on the pistol stretch), and kneeling for plantar flexion.

WHAT’S YOUR DREAM RUN OR EVENT?

The Tors des Glaciers in the Aosta Valley in Italy, 450km long and 32,000m elevation. You only live once, right?

All images supplied.