I arrived early at the start line. I had paid for a car park at the event centre but unfortunately some of the roads were blocked off and I couldn’t get through. This is the first problem that I would face that day, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. I dropped off my finish line drop bag and took in the event atmosphere. It was electric!

I was not as cold as I had expected. I still had my arm warmers and gloves on to keep my body temperature warm though. It would continue to warm up throughout the day.

The Ultra-Trail Australia was the biggest trail running event I had ever been to. A race village on par with the Melbourne Marathon but with a more relaxed trail running feel which spun a nice vibe. “TO THE START LINE,” shouted the announcer. Start Group 1 was getting into position, moving toward the starting corral. I was up next in Start Group 2. After Group 1 headed off, I gave Dad a hug and moved towards the start line. I knew I wouldn’t see him again until the 46 kilometre mark in Megalong Valley, about 6 hours of running.

I was aiming for a sub 14 hour finish. For those runners who were able to complete the 100km course in under 14 hours (male) or 16 hours (female), they received a prized silver belt buckle. It looked like a tough goal, but one I was confident I could do. As I hadn’t completed this event before it was hard to get an understanding of my ability level alongside everyone else. There’s nothing like an arbitrary goal to make you run faster!

We were off! We ran out of the start/finish arch and up the road past hundreds of cheering supporters. I was trying not to go out too fast, but the adrenaline was pumping, and everyone was fired up! I tried to settle in, but I was still so excited that after months of training, race day was finally here. I moved toward the leaders of Group 2 as we did an out and back section. We ran back along the start/finish area, again past the spectators which we were not unhappy about! The crowds continued to gather as some of the later 100km and 50km Start Groups were arriving.

After 6 kilometres of road section, we turned off and headed down the Furber stairs and down toward the valley. As we moved down the stairs and across Stage 1 of the course, some sections became congested, but we managed to keep moving at a reasonable pace. I moved slowly down the stairs. Some people were flying so I stepped aside as they raced past. This was something that I probably should have done a bit more work on in my training. At this stage, I was just trying not to use too much energy. There was still a long way to go.

At the 10 kilometre mark, I was running at an average pace of 7:20 min/km (11:48 min/mi). Although it looked like a flat section on the elevation profile, there was still a significant amount of up and down. The night before the event, I was tossing back and forth between whether I should carry my hiking poles from the start. Alternatively, I could pick them up at km 46 in Megalong Valley, the 6-Foot Track checkpoint. The are so light that I figured I would carry them from the start. I had not practiced much with them in training but each time I did, it didn’t take long to become more familiar with them. Boy was I grateful that I took them from the start! They were able to alleviate the pressure on my legs and helped to keep them in a reasonable condition for later in the race.

The next section was along the ridgeline and much of it was fire trail. A significant portion of this section was runnable and less technical. There were still steeper parts, well at the time I thought they were steep but more on that later.

We reached the first water station and most people stopped to refill their bottles. It was already turning into a warmer day than I had anticipated. The gap to the next aid station was about 22 kilometres which was the longest of the race. I wanted to make sure I had enough water. I was using a Salomon hydration vest like 90% of the rest of the field. I typically only run with a litre of water at a time, but I decided to fill an extra 500 ml flask, just for this stage. I was glad for the additional water.

The next section was through a bit of the valley then to Iron Pot. Two Aboriginal men were playing the didgeridoo. I thanked them as I moved quickly through.

I was starting to tire but kept moving. Even at this early stage of the race, the 30 kilometre mark, I was starting to have my doubts. Would I be able to make the full distance of 100 kilometres? We still had to climb back up to Katoomba. Twice. I tried to push it from my mind. I replaced the thought with just trying to make it to Megalong Valley and the 6 Foot Track Aid station, Checkpoint 2. This would be the first aid station that crew was allowed to go to. I knew Dad would be there, waiting for me, which was a big motivation.

At the 25 kilometre mark, I was running at an average pace of 6:46 min/km (10:53 min/mi). I had been running for 2 hr 49 minutes.

At the Foggy Knob aid station, the 32 kilometre mark, there were several people having a rest. I headed straight for the water station and the volunteers assisted in refilling my drink flasks. There had been a long gap to that aid station and it seemed like several people had run out of water. Not a great way to start 100 kilometres! I moved quickly through the aid station and into Megalong Valley. I was running well.

I wasn’t too focused at this stage on ensuring I was on track for pace. I was just making sure that I continued to move as well as I could without depleating my energy stores. As I came down the hill into the 6 Foot Track aid station, I could see the supporters. I was relieved to see Dad. I knew that from here I would have support at each aid station to the 80km mark. It was great to see him. He had laid out several snacks that I was able to choose from. I wasn’t feeling like much except some coke that I had been craving. This is not something that I normally drink, although at trail ultras, I always find that it gives me a boost. Definitely my drink of choice on this occasion!

Dad was overjoyed to see me. He had been there for an hour or two and was able to watch some of the elite runners come through. I was a long way off them, but he said I was in good shape and was about 20 to 30 minutes ahead of my expected 14 hour tracking target time. After a very quick chat, I kept moving.

Another of my goals for the day was to not spend too long at checkpoints. In a previous event I had done, The Surf Coast Century, I had changed shoes, sat down, and took a bit more longer. This time I was keen not to repeat that and to maximise the time I had on the course. I also knew that I would likely finish in the dark. I wanted to use as much of the daylight as I could, while I could.

The next checkpoint was Katoomba Aquatic Centre, about 12 kilometres away. Although not too far, it was almost all uphill. It was time to break out the hiking poles and set to work. I moved well up the hills as the hiking poles continued to relieve the pressure on my legs. I concentrated, ensuring I was getting enough liquids in and snacking where I could.

My hydration and nutrition to that point had been spot on. I had been eating a gel, bar or small snack every 30 minutes. This was exactly what I needed. I tried to vary what I was consuming to minimise flavour fatigue. I hadn’t been drinking quite enough before the Foggy Knob checkpoint, but I was still in a reasonable condition. I was supplementing my water with Tailwind; a high carbohydrate electrolyte mix that I had brought with me. I hadn’t had a chance to test the electrolyte mix that was available on course so I thought this might be a safer option. It was a bit fiddly though. Getting the packets of Tailwind powder into the flasks was tricky without spilling much of it. I think for the next event I’ll have some additional flasks that I can change out quickly with my crew to save some time and effort at the checkpoints.

As I ran into Katoomba and along the streets, my legs were feeling tired. I ran into the leisure centre and spotted Dad. This was the biggest checkpoint and the most accessible for spectators and crew. I had another huge drink of Coke which pepped me right up. I was still running well to this point and had moved 30 minutes ahead of my sub 14 hour time schedule. I’d now been out there for 6 hours and 55 minutes.

After leaving the Katoomba Aquatic Centre, I ran through town and passed several very popular tourist areas. At Echo Point there were hundreds of tourists, checking out the views and the Three Sisters rock formation. They were very curious to see exactly what I was doing too! Several cheered and gave me high 5s along with giving me plenty of space to run past. This left a big smile on my face. I started down The Giant Stairs which were incredibly steep! I didn’t move too quickly down this section. I just concentrated on getting down in one piece! I reached the bottom and continued to run much of this section with a fellow runner. This helped us to take our mind off things and let the kilometres continue to tick over.

I had been to Fairmont Resort the day before, just to check out where the aid station was and to get a better understanding of what the crew would need to do to get there. Although this section was only 12 kilometres or so long, it felt as though we would never reach it. Time after time I thought we were about to arrive, but it would turn off and continue on. Come on!

I finally descended the hill and ran into Fairmont Resort. I had not been cramping in the traditional sense but experiencing much tightness in my legs throughout this section. I wanted to find a way to alleviate this. At the Fairmont Resort checkpoint, I filled up my water and downed a couple of packets of salt. This did not sit will and was the start of my stomach issues.

I had some more Coke and turned out of the checkpoint, cheered on by the spectators. Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH) was the next checkpoint at the 80 km mark. I ran much this next section with a guy called Scott who would go on to complete the 100 kilometre event in under 14 hours. We ran at a reasonable pace through this section, both aware that wee needed to keep moving if we wanted to reach our goal. The section was quite undulating, with several road sections. We ran the flat sections, and I broke out the poles for the hillier sections. On the approach to QVH we ran a fire trail, and I settled into a good pace. I was finding it harder to run but it wasn’t easy to walk either. It was a real mental battle to continue. QVH checkpoint was the last one my crew could get to, a final pep talk with Dad and a confidence boost. I ran into the checkpoint 15 minutes ahead of schedule.

As I entered QVH Checkpoint at the 78 kilometre mark, there was a party going on. Although I had not caught the 50 kilometre runners yet, it was clear that there was still a lot of crew hanging around. They had stuck around for the party. I filled my water bottles and then went to see Dad. To my surprise, I also saw my friend Lachy there. He had been struggling throughout the day with stomach issues. Although I was happy to see him, I was disappointed for him as well, knowing that he was well short of his goal. The crew offered some encouragement as well as some Coke and a Red Bull. Dad gave me a final gee up. My stomach was still giving me grief.

As we were well under the time restrictions, we were still not required to carry our polar fleece jumper or over pants, however several people were regardless. I made the quick decision not to. A correct decision in the end however if conditions were more unfavourable than they had been, I would have elected for them. The weather had been almost perfect. A slight rise out of QVH was then followed by a long 6 kilometre descent down Sublime Point Trail. We run back down into the National Park.

I got my head torch out as the sun was going down. On the descent, I caught up with several others running the 100 kilometre event. I wanted to keep moving and make most of the dimming light even though my quads were on fire. When would this downhill end!? My stomach was still giving me issues and I knew I needed to eat some food but I just couldn’t bring myself to do so. I would not have any more food for the final 15 kilometres of the event. Definitely not the ideal scenario as I knew my energy levels would be running low. However, I thought this was the best decision given that throwing up, could have been much worse.

With 15 kilometres to go, I was in danger of exceeding my 14 hour target. I knew if I wanted to hit my goal I needed to keep moving. I put my head torch on and turned my attention to the long climb ahead. From the 85 to the 95 kilometre mark I ran with different people. We chatted to take our mind off things as we tried not to focus on the pain in our legs. I was surprised at my ability to keep moving up the hills. It was easier than I thought it would be at this point. The poles were really helping. I came into the emergency aid station at the 91 kilometre mark and topped up my water. I didn’t get any food, as I hadn’t been eating anyway.

I spoke with the volunteers and thanked them as I had been doing all day. They had been fantastic. They had helped me with my drinks, getting food and giving me awesome tips. I couldn’t have been more grateful for everything that they had done. The organisation of the day had been on point. I left the emergency aid station and as I continued, kept seeing the signs indicating that I was getting closer. 6 kilometres to go, 5 kilometres to go, 4 kilometres to go. I was nearly there.

At 3 kilometres to go I knew I would make it. In my pre-race planning, I figured it could take me as much as 20 minutes on the final kilometre of the race. I had now given myself enough time to get to the finish.

For the last 5 to 10 kilometres of the race, I had been passing some of the 50 km runners. They had had a long day themselves and were doing fantastically.

I reached the Furber stairs and braced for the huge climb ahead. From all my research, I knew that this would not be an enjoyable last kilometre. I knew that there were at least 940 stairs to climb between myself and the finish line. I would get there. I started climbing, not looking too far ahead, just focused on next stair. I offered encouragement to those I was passing. I kept going. Head down, legs moving.

The runner ahead of me yelled out, “There’s Scenic World!”. We were about 20 metres below it. Almost there! The Furber steps were hard, but I expected them to last longer. I was bracing for even more, which never came. I got up and ran to the corner. We could hear the crowds cheer and the race announces’ voices boom, bringing everyone in to the finish line. The crowd cheered, I rounded the corner, the finish line arrived. I was done.

I found out later that there were at least a dozen people watching me on the live YouTube, UTMB camera. I had received text messages throughout the race, on my watch that spurred me on. Telling people beforehand that you’re doing something as crazy as this does help you along because you don’t want to let me down. You want to do a good job, to run well for yourself and those that have helped you get here.

I moved away from the finish line, and someone wrapped me in an Ultra-Trail Australia finishers towel. They put a special medal along with my new silver belt buckle around my neck and helped me into a chair. I could see Dad and my friends waiting for me. I was so happy to see them. I grabbed my drop back and we all celebrated together. We watched more people come over the finish line then headed for the car. We found some pizzas in Katoomba then returned to our accommodation and shared our war stories, to reminisce and laugh. We encouraged each other on what we had achieved.

It was a great day out.

We’d be returning back to Melbourne the following day, so we turned in. I had finished the Ultra-Trail Australia. This was an event that I had been thinking about and planning for the last 12 months and now it was over. What was next? I’m not too sure about the near future, but this brings me a step closer to my goal of running in the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. The Ultra-Trail Australia was a bit of a wake up call. There’s lots more training to be done before I tackle the mountains of Europe. I’ll get there though. I know I can do it.

Tips

• Carry poles from the start of the race, or at least for the last 15kms;
• Carry more than 1 litre of water (even if it’s just 12km to the next aid station) 1.5L was sufficient;
• Take photos/video – views are spectacular!
• Carry anti cramping methods (salt tablets, cramp fix etc.) that you have tested prior to the race;
• Book accommodation early – it tends to sell out or be very difficult to get close to the start line;
• Drive to some of the checkpoints the day before – helps get a visual layout of the course and assists your crew;
• Don’t spend too long in the aid stations. A few minutes here or there can add significant time onto your overall duration. Best to keep things moving;
• Make sure you know where your head torch is and get it ready well before dark;
• If you don’t feel like eating anything (stomach issues) stick with Coke. It’ll get you through!
• Tell family/crew/friends about the tracking app and YouTube finish line camera. It’ll give you a push knowing there’s people are following along at home.

Stats

Distance: 100 km 

Elapsed Time: 13:37:44 

Pace: 8:15 mins/km (13:16 mins/mi) pace

Nutrition/Hydration: SIS Gels, Maurten Gels and Bars, Clif Bars and Bloks, lollies, waffles, Water, Coke, Tailwind.

Gear: Ciele Cap, Goodr Sunglasses, Garmin Fenix 6X, Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts, Stance Socks, Hoka Speedgoat 4s, Salomon 12L Hydration Vest, Petzl Swift Head Torch, Decathlon arm warmers, Icebreaker gloves.

Finished: Position 107 out of 834

Strava: Check it out Here