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Peak Pursuits Turns 100!! Plus Donna Double Recap and a Big Announcement | Episode 100
584 Plays24 days ago
Episode 100 of Peak Pursuits!
Today, James, Jess, Brodie, Simone and Vlad come together for a special milestone episode to reflect on how the podcast started, the moments that have stood out across the first 100 episodes, and what it has meant to help grow and spotlight trail running in Australia. From behind-the-scenes stories and early doubts to favourite interviews, community support and plenty of laughs, it’s a fun look back at the journey so far.
The team also dive into a big weekend at Warburton Trail Fest, with Simone sharing the full story behind her emotional return to Donna, why the race carried so much meaning, and the huge life change that is just around the corner. Jess talks training with new coach Kate Avery and what’s changed in her approach, while Brodie recaps his Donna Double experience after somehow forgetting his shoes on race morning.
There’s also discussion around different coaching styles, how athletes respond to training in different ways, ASICS Trabuco Max 5 review, results from the weekend, including the Donna Double, and a look ahead to races like Six Foot Track and Razorback.
As always, there’s plenty of banter along the way — and a big thank you to everyone who has listened, supported and helped Peak Pursuits reach 100 episodes.
Results:
***Don’t forget, use code PEAK at Bix’s website for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!***
Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits - Join us on Patreon!
Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!
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Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R
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Transcript
Episode Sponsorship and Introduction
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode is brought to you by ASICS, proud supporters of Aussie trail running and our very own Jess Jason. ASICS are known for putting your feet first and that's nowhere to rely with the new Tribuco Max 5. Built so you can go longer and stay comfortable, you can head to ASICS.com.au to find out more.
00:00:21
Speaker
No, I don't think anyone did. Great start. You can start the edit. We've done 100 episodes and we still can't get the intro right.
Celebrating 100 Episodes
00:00:31
Speaker
Hello and welcome to episode 100 of the People's Shoots podcast. There's four of us here today. You've got myself, James, Brody, Jess and Sim are all along for you for the 100th episode. It's kind of crazy that we're actually here.
00:00:44
Speaker
like Sim, as far as I'm... I don't actually ask you this, but appreciate it. Did this come out of your idea?
00:00:53
Speaker
Yeah, in a way. I think me and Brodie were the first. I was claimed it or not. No, it was conversations between me and Brodie. Will I claim the fact that I'm not sure Brodie would have got it off the ground by himself 100%? There's way would have got it off the Because we all know Brodie.
00:01:10
Speaker
It exists because of
Podcast Origins with Sim and Brodie
00:01:12
Speaker
Simone. I wanted to do a podcast for a while and then when Simone said, let's do it, I said, yep. Yeah. Yeah, well, Sim, well done. Because i feel like I feel like someone needs to take Brody's ideas and make them a reality. So well done for that.
00:01:26
Speaker
essence Yeah, we got there. We got there. It was definitely some fun calls at the beginning of like, who do we get on this? Like, how do we make this work, guys? And who's who's going to be good hosts? And yeah, Vlad and Jess were pretty pretty keen from the get-go and pretty easy people to just go, yeah, they'll be great for this. So um yeah, it's amazing, though, that we've actually made it.
00:01:47
Speaker
how far How far down the list did you have to go until you got to me? No, not even. Not even. not even there was i don't even think there was anyone. Like Brodie, did was there anyone else we even approached? Because I don't think there was.
00:02:02
Speaker
I wasn't talent scouting. I was just sort of i think you were main talent scout. I was ah I was just like sussing trail runners in terms of what they thought about the idea. So I like soundboarded off a few people. I remember having a phone call with Charlie about it and like what he what he thought he didn't want to be on that. He wanted to like I just wanted to get his get his idea. But I think you were main talent scout.
00:02:24
Speaker
Yeah, and Jess, you were the first other female I spoke to. So you were number one, my woman. I yeah but Definitely. though But it's it's one of those ones where it was just like, hey, we have no proof that this is going to work, guys, but who wants to come along for what's probably going to be a really weird and wild ride as we try and figure this out? And we made so many, like, weird mistakes along the way as we, like, People, it probably might hopefully appear like we had our stuff together from the beginning, but oh my goodness, behind the scenes, this has been a ah ride
Reflecting on the Podcast Journey
00:03:00
Speaker
for us. So yeah, it's it's cool to make it to 100. Yeah, it feels like at this point you you actually have like a momentum and proof that it works and people listen. So thank you to everyone listening because we wouldn't be here without you, that's for sure.
00:03:19
Speaker
It's kind of crazy. Like I remember when think the end, like on Instagram, people suit started following me and Shiv at the same time. And we were both like, what is this? And could not work it out. And there was nothing for a while. And I was just like this curious, like we're trying looking at everyone you were following and like, this is what is going on. And then obviously it comes out and we're like, oh, this is sick. Cause I've been speaking to a few people. around the sort of time you guys put this up for the first time being like I feel like we're missing this for like this part of the sport like there's some more kind of grassroots style ones or just people spitting into a mic but yeah there was a gap and then you guys just popped in which was great
00:03:58
Speaker
Yeah.
Promoting Trail Running Stories
00:03:59
Speaker
Yeah. I think for me, it was just a case of knowing so many of the elites and knowing how much, and and this for me, this was the the avenue into it, obviously wanting to encompass all of trail, but at the same time, I knew all the front runners and I was so excited to follow these races, but I, so many people just, the the names weren't out there, the stories weren't out there and the ability with that With the names and the stories comes the ability to get more excited and to follow the races and to get more invested in sort of the front end of the sport because there are so many people out there that are giving so much in training and in competition to try and achieve within trail running.
00:04:41
Speaker
And that was the part that really I wanted to get so much more awareness out there of just how much these athletes were putting in, how impressive their results were, and try and provide some of that context around, hey, this isn't a road race where I can give you the time and you immediately know what it means, but here's the race, here's the elevation profile, and here's why we think this is absolutely incredible. And ah I suppose at the beginning it was just creating a platform to do that and to get some names out there and get some context on what these people were training their bodies up to be able to do because that that can be the gap between people following and being invested in the sport and understanding it versus going, yeah, cool, I don't actually understand what that time at Donna Double or that time at this trail race means.
00:05:29
Speaker
um Yeah, so that's cool. It's very cool. No, i think you guys have done very well, Brodie. It's good idea. Sim, well done for actually making it happen. and I will say, bringing when we brought you on, James, um I knew you were going to be bloody incredible.
00:05:45
Speaker
but Brodie at the beginning did not want to give up. laa He was so sus on James. And he was very much like, how much do we want another person? I'm just the level business head, politics. I've got the big picture. like a legal team over in the corner there. I'm just making sure everything's above board.
00:06:04
Speaker
Sure, sure. i was like, have we got a police check on this guy Do we know he's legit?
00:06:13
Speaker
I was vouching for you hard, but thankfully, James, you nailed him in one ep. It was like one episode and it was like, okay, no, we got it's good. yeah i'm very glad you guys have definitely no me come on i think when i first asked or sent you a message sim this is not what i expected the outcome to be to be leading the hundredous episode whilst you recover from the weekend uh yeah it's yeah it's pretty cool and hopefully we will also have flad jumping in he's a bit busy with with work and the time difference but he is hopefully going to jump on and
00:06:45
Speaker
be here for a bit for the 100th episode, which is, yeah, pretty rare one to get all five of us on at the same time as well. Hopefully, yeah, I'll try and stick around for until Vlad comes on because, yeah, I'm i'm sitting here after Warburton weekend, ah dizzy and not feeling my best, but it's the 100th ep.
Sim's Busy Schedule and Racing Challenges
00:07:02
Speaker
And so I'll stick around for when I disappear, people, that's that's why. Just as full warning.
00:07:09
Speaker
Let's jump straight to you, Sim. Do you want to give us an update how the weekend went and some some news as well that we've got to share? Dude, my life right now, I have gone from not being able to do anything and therefore days being quite boring and monotonous and life being...
00:07:25
Speaker
in a way very settled and i'm glad I had that period because now I'm back in the thick of it my goodness um yeah so last week I essentially spent the whole week in Warburton already um clearing the courses and as many people know by now getting absolutely eaten alive by leeches my goodness they love my blood Um, but I also, you know, just happened to commit to that on the same week I started uni again and then raced my long, well, ran my longest run in six months, seven months at Donna, um, which not a smart way to go about this in life, people like really don't do it. This is a case of do as I say, not as I do, that's for sure. Um, but there was lots of behind the scenes decision making going on as to why I really wanted to run Donna and Donna in particular um and be at Warby Trail Fest despite it possibly not making the most sense recovery wise and where I'm at in training. um i
00:08:25
Speaker
The week before I did run 16Ks and that was a one of my longer long runs, one of my two long runs in the last six months and was dying and i at that point I almost pulled the pin.
00:08:35
Speaker
But Um, we made it to Donna. I was Brody. I don't know if you saw me. I know Kate did, but because I had the leech bites, I actually couldn't sleep for like four nights before the race. Like when I say I couldn't sleep, I'd be up at 4 30 AM having not fallen asleep in tears because I was in so much itching pain and, Yeah, because I have been now diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome.
00:08:58
Speaker
Did not know that leeches would set that off massively. And mast cell activation syndrome is like severe allergic reactions to things. So it turns out leeches be one of them. Didn't know that. But that was also happened the night before the race. So there was people on the start line asking, how are you feeling? How's it going? And then just in the middle of the start line of the start area before the start, I just burst into tears. Yeah. And I'm like, I'm not okay, guys. I'm not okay at all. But it's all right.
00:09:25
Speaker
It's all right. We got there. Matt got me there. Thank goodness. um And, yeah, essentially it went as honestly I'm stoked. I made it up. I made it down. i gave myself. I did listen to your guys' preview.
00:09:39
Speaker
um And I'm very flattered. But also I was never going to be anywhere at the front of that race and I knew it. ah the Yeah, no, it wasn't going to happen. um But my aim was to run within 30 minutes of my fastest time, which is 2.08. Therefore, I wanted to run under 2.38. I ended up in at 2.32.
00:10:01
Speaker
And the only difference, which last year also wasn't a good year, so but I was at least fit. um The only difference between last year and this year was my uphill. Like that ten entire 10 minutes was in the uphill and the downhill was the exact same. um So it was really cool to feel. I must admit it was the weirdest I felt in a race ever because for the uphill, my fitness wasn't necessarily the limiter, but my legs were. And then for the downhill, my leg conditioning gave out about two ks in.
00:10:32
Speaker
And my quads felt like they were already going to just go. And so I knew my only tactic for that downhill was to not break and to not like try and slow myself down, which meant running it at whatever the gradient gave me. And there was a solid, that whole 3K section, my heart rate was like up in the 185 to 190s and I could feel it. And I was struggling breathing, but I couldn't make my legs go any slower because I could not control the descent. Yeah.
00:11:00
Speaker
So I got to the bottom just before the tiny little climb out of Marta and I literally just had to stand there with my hands against a tree heaving and then walk my way up Marta and very slowly jog in. And the last 400 meters I was running at 506 per kilometer with an average heart rate of 191.
00:11:22
Speaker
It just sounds so horrible, like so painful. It was shocking. And to be moving that slow with a heart rate that high is a really weird disconnect. When you're someone that's used to sort of a lot faster with a lower heart rate, it was just a really weird feeling. But either way, I was also incredibly happy with how it went. um And Ian also won the three-thong thang that afternoon because – When you're in, why not go all in? So I won 200 bucks, um which three thong thang for those not following along, Warby is where you run a race in two thongs on your feet and another thong. um And um yeah, 200 bucks is up for the 200 meter sprint, which makes for some funny viewing. Um, so yeah, that, and then Lila Derby today, um which again, not smart and i' I'll tell the reason in a second, but I absolutely went for it in the Lila Derby to get the course record and yes, beat all the children, but also beat my brothers. Um, so there was some solid competition going on there.
Sim's Sponsorship Changes
00:12:28
Speaker
But yeah, that was it's been ah it's been a hectic week and it's not about to end um because, and I feel like this is weird to drop this early in the pod, but I don't know how long I'm going to last, but um this weekend, my well, actually, as we record today, my Solomon contract ends today.
00:12:47
Speaker
So the Donna was the first race I did where I won my Solomon contract, ah my first one at least, my first baby one, the year-long one of the back in the day. eight years ago.
00:13:00
Speaker
And so I got to have, and I'm very glad that my body did let me have this full circle moment of I get to end that partnership and that sponsorship eight years later at the exact same event. So like it ends today, the day after Donna started the day after Donna eight years ago. And it's it's really cool that I got that experience and that's why i wanted to do it and that's why I pushed my body possibly more than I should have at this point. I will look after it now, I promise. um
00:13:32
Speaker
But, yeah, essentially, ah i would say Donna Double but that's why in my head I went, I'm not fit enough for the Donna Double but, hey, I can do the Lilo Derby. So the Lilo Derby. is my last race for Solomon and I won it and got the course record so I'm happy.
00:13:50
Speaker
Hence when people see me sprinting off the line away from children. i don't actually, I'm not actually trying to beat all the children I promise. um But yes and now as we sit here as well I can't announce it just yet, um but I fly overseas in 36 hours or less um to sign a new contract.
00:14:12
Speaker
So my life is about to get even more hectic again as I spend, I'm ah i'm overseas for a month starting Wednesday morning and it's now Monday evening having survived Donna, so will be. So yeah, hectic times, that's for sure.
00:14:28
Speaker
When are you allowed to announce it, Sim? Like when do it when are we going to hear? ah Once pen's been put to paper, um essentially. So everyone, it within a week. We can't play the geography guessing game today. i'm i'm not I'm not telling everyone where I'm flying to, no. We could have done like 20 questions, yes, no, see if we could nail it down.
00:14:53
Speaker
No, no, not giving it away. Definitely not giving it away yet because this will come out on the day. I've already got a bit in, it's all right. think figured it out. You can take your bets. That's that's so fine. But, yeah, no, no. it with Like in a week or so and it'll become pretty obvious as soon as I'm posting stories from where I'm going and stuff or post any post from Instagram. But I haven't announced it anywhere yet. Hell, I might even just make it that I do this socials post after this goes out. So anyone that listens early on Wednesday gets the exclusive on the Peak Pursuits podcast. Let's do that.
00:15:28
Speaker
um but um But yeah, and yeah it's it's daunting, I must say. It's the most daunting part of this whole process because obviously, like I've been with Solomon for eight years of my life. It's been the best eight years of my life and it's been a huge eight years of progress for me personally but now shifting it's a bit like as soon as you sign another contract with another brand you're no longer allowed to wear the old one and when you've been spent eight years with one brand I'd say 85 percent of every single item of clothing I own and shoes are
00:16:03
Speaker
is Solomon. So I got it, had to get everything out and do a stock take and go, okay, what am I actually going to have at the end of this? um And it that, that's certainly daunting um to try and it's like your whole life has to do this. We like, it's a small shift in some ways, but it's actually feels kind of huge when you're having to get rid of all of your comfortable clothes and everything you're used to wearing and,
00:16:31
Speaker
get used to something new that I haven't, I've tried before, obviously, and I know what I'm getting into. But yeah, weird shift. Didn't expect that part. What are you going to do with it all?
Redistributing Solomon Gear
00:16:42
Speaker
Some of it, some of my, like there's obviously the sentimentality to quite a few pieces, um quite a few pairs of shoes and some of the kits and everything. So some of it will go in storage because hell, at some point I'm not going to have people providing me kit and shoes and stuff. And so much of it is still good and I'll use it. I'll use it in future. That's fine. um Thankfully, I have a very big family. So a good portion of it will be split amongst family or friends or um Even other athletes, like anyone that doesn't have, isn't lucky enough to have the support of a brand, like if some of my kit can go to them, then i'm I'm happy to give it to sort of anyone in that position that happens to be my shoe size or my clothing size. So I will certainly find good homes for all of it. It's it's definitely not something i'm about to just chuck in the bin or anything, that's for sure.
00:17:31
Speaker
It's going be such a weird concept of like, if you have a job for eight years and you leave, especially if it's on on somewhat good terms as well, like it's yeah your whole life essentially is about a change. And it already has changed sense you've gone back to study in that period as well. So there's just there's a lot of moving parts in your life right now.
00:17:50
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. And it's definitely like I've made friends with the Solomon team for life. Like even, and that's one of the coolest things about this was kind of going, well, ending on good terms feels really nice. But also like even in the meeting when I told the Solomon Australia team that I would be leaving and I was accepting a different brand's contract that like the response was, hey, if we're at races still and you're at a race, but you still need crew, like we'll still crew We'll still look after you. Like we're still friends. Don't be a stranger. Getting that response is really cool because it feels less daunting and it's not like a, hey, we avoid each other now, you're the enemy. would certainly not want it to be anything like that. So, yeah, it's going to be, and for the brand I've chosen in particular, a very big shift because, anything I say, I'll give it away. Yeah, the guessing game is getting stronger right now, so you have to be careful.
00:18:47
Speaker
I know, i know. um Well, oh everyone listening just has to wait probably one week. um So they'll survive. um But yeah, all I can say, which I'll explain later, we're like, we've got more of the stuff than just me to go into on this episode, that's for sure. But um it's it's a big shift. Yeah. Yeah.
Podcast Evolution and Memories
00:19:05
Speaker
Sim, just because we don't know how long you're going to be able to stay cognizant on this one for at some point, I wanted to ask everyone to do like a bit of a reminiscing of 100 episodes and any like moments that stick out from the last two years or so to you.
00:19:19
Speaker
Can you get anything off top your head or you want back to you? um Yeah, no, come back because I feel like that's too big of a question and my brain is absolute mush right now. That's all good. Whilst you were talking, Vlad has jumped on. So, Vlad, hi, first of all. guess well rolla We'll come come to you. have How things been?
00:19:41
Speaker
Yeah, not too bad. um Just banking and training, doing a lot of work and weather is looking a bit better for next week for Perth or for this week, which is nice.
00:19:51
Speaker
yeah I saw your forecast for Tuesday and it looked like half the temperature of what you've been in is yeah as tomorrow. Yeah, it's going to feel great. Yeah, and that be a nice change after a long, long summer.
00:20:04
Speaker
How has it been getting everything going again after Tower Era and getting ready for Buffalo? You feel like you're in a good place? Yeah, I think like that's probably the only positive of a DNF is that you don't wreck your body as much.
00:20:18
Speaker
um so yeah i was able to get back into training pretty good and um yeah feeling pretty fit we also found out when we came on that brodie was very against or what wasn't sure about my inclusion on the podcast so i uh i wanted to ask ask you what what your thoughts were when sim first put the idea out there i threw brodie under the bus yeah i'm a bit salty right now I was super keen and I think we all appreciate how much work you've put in and you leveled up, you leveled up the podcast so much as well. Like I listened to like all your episodes, like all the interviews, like all the time. I love them.
00:20:57
Speaker
I think that town you've added quite a lot to the podcast. Listen to these suck ups. I was going to say, Vlad, but you your your language never comes across it on message. But I would not describe some of your messages never come across as super keen, I must say, which is funny. But Vlad, did you think when we like ah when I very first called you with this wild idea, did you think we'd make it to 100? Were you were you like confident? What was your confidence level then?
00:21:28
Speaker
No, it was pretty high. i think that, um and this will come out soon, James and I did a podcast interview and he was asking me a bit about the interview.
00:21:38
Speaker
And um one of my answers was that like, you know, trail running in Australia is growing, but it can be a lot bigger. And one of my main goals of joining the podcast was to try and grow trail running in Australia or like, you know, help guide it in the right direction a tiny, tiny, tiny bit. and um i think we hopefully we have been going towards the right direction and bring a bit more light onto the sport and get a bit more people involved to get a bit more attention to some of the world champs events and asian pacific champs and try and get more people interested in that um so yeah i thought we'll get to 100 thought like it got a lot easier since james got on board because i feel like things got organized a bit more and um
00:22:26
Speaker
And we got ah like a bit of like, you know, you didn't have to do it every week. I think it was tough in the beginning when we were on every single week. But since there's five of us now, it makes it a bit more flexible and more enjoyable in many ways.
00:22:41
Speaker
You've really inflated me right now, Vlad. Thank you for that. I feel really great. I also like your English accent sounds really professional. so i It does. And there was a reason I knew I wanted you on here, James.
00:22:56
Speaker
just Just for the voice? Yep. No, the voice. And I knew you knew your way around organizing as well. Fair enough. Yeah. Yeah, I think people don't realize how much. Because sex sells, Sim. That's what I was thinking with the voice.
00:23:10
Speaker
No. No.
00:23:13
Speaker
Go, Vlad. I think people don't really realize how much goes in the background of those podcasts. And um there's obviously a lot, a lot of work. And James has helped a lot, I think, in making sure that the ball keeps rolling. And um yeah, hopefully we can get to 200 episodes next.
00:23:31
Speaker
Yeah, I think it is something that's like, unexpected until you get into it especially when you want to do something properly is like we all have our own individual jobs within this and like how much time we all have to spend to get stuff ready from organizing all the guests and getting like at least three of us or two of us to actually get to a time and getting all the socials out there and the stuff ready pre it's like it it takes up a lot of brain space and time it does. And James, you missed the very beginning where I was too much in my perfectionist brain and spent, I think, seven hours editing episode number one. Yeah. That was the main reason why none of us offered to edit because we all thought it was going to take seven hours. I know Now it takes about, it on a good day, it takes about 10 minutes and on a bad day, it takes half an hour. like it's honestly, I tried to edit every single arm or break and combo.
00:24:27
Speaker
Oh my God, the things did. remember listening to the first few episodes and there was like no filler words and i was like, this sounds weird. I really want to go back and listen to it now.
00:24:39
Speaker
That didn't stand out to me back then, but I was is exact same. like The first interview I did, I remember it was with Matt Crean and I spent four hours editing that, just exactly the same thing, going through, closing all the gaps. I didn't get rid of all the filler words, but i it was like painstaking.
00:24:52
Speaker
And now, to be honest, I just write down if anyone makes a mistake. And if not, I basically, it's like good to go. i'm glad I wasn't the only one that went through that process, James. Well, you think you have to put out like this perfect thing, but also perfect doesn't sound natural. And it's so it's not perfect. And you just get, yeah, overtime yeah it's just crazy. But I put up a story.
00:25:12
Speaker
ah Yeah, Sunday, yesterday, asking people like what their favorite memories or points were from here. And I've just managed to close it. So that's really good going for me. Sorry, give me a sec.
00:25:23
Speaker
the So, and like, from what both Sim and Vlad you were saying about giving attention, like obviously I think there's a bit of recency in this, but Nathan Pierce's interview got quite a few shout outs. Kate Birrell just said all of them with three hearts.
00:25:38
Speaker
Jess Smiley said Beth McKenzie and Zoe Madding. we have one that I just love and I have to say it um it's from Leanne Pierce saying Nathan Pierce but I might be biased because I'm his mum and I that just really that's great yeah um like Aaron Young and then the Trail to South Korea series there was Mikey, Charlie and Ludo so like it's cool to see that like a few different things coming up in there but a lot of lot of love going around which was really nice
00:26:10
Speaker
Yeah, I do love that. That's yeah so, ah think that like makes it all good. it's on podcasts as well Nathan is good enough to have his own podcast. He can talk.
00:26:23
Speaker
Yeah. Just give give him a mic and he's gone. Like done. It was, yeah. But that was probably one of the the least I've ever spoken on an interview. Except how many circles, I haven't listened yet, so how many circles did he go in? Because sometimes he'll start talking, say one thing, and then about 10 minutes later he's still talking but like completely reneging on what he said at the start and like undoing and he as he's processing. it's It's very funny once you realise that he does it. But he knows he does it, so it's fine.
00:26:51
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I told him just go for it. Then he went for it. So it's, it's, it's a good episode. It's especially then seeing his result at Donna, which we'll get to a bit later. It was good to have that bit of context before he went into, uh, yeah, smash the course record and have a great race.
00:27:05
Speaker
Uh, Jess, let's come, come to yourself. have How, how have things been going for you? Yeah, good. Um, Yeah, just been training, getting ready for Buffalo 20, which is coming up pretty quick now. um Yeah, recovered pretty well from snowies. um It's so nice doing the shorter distance. You just bounce back super quickly. um Yeah, so, yeah, pretty much like one had a week of training left to go and then I'll start to taper a little bit.
00:27:38
Speaker
um Yeah, it's coming up fighting Training's been going well, like with a new coach as well. It's probably like the first sort of block that I've done um with Kate Avery as my coach. um So, yeah, it's been going well. It's it's suited me really well. Like I've been feeling strong and like,
00:27:58
Speaker
recovering between each session and yeah, can't complain. How have you found that switch? Cause with your last coach for such a long time. has it been getting used to having a new person who talks about all this and new style of communication, new style of programming?
00:28:14
Speaker
Yeah, it's been really good. um I'd say like in terms of programming, hasn't been super different. Like the structure is quite similar. um They both are like probably more on the conservative side of coaching, which suits me.
00:28:32
Speaker
um And, yeah, just having Kate like as a friend as well, like communication is so easy. um and yeah, feel like I've been able to be like super honest with her about how I've been feeling like at the start of the year when I was feeling a bit um unmotivated.
00:28:51
Speaker
um yeah it's been working really well so I'm super happy can you expand what you mean by a conservative approach I feel like people will hear that and just think that you're not being pushed but it doesn't mean that does it yeah so for example like there's some coaches that I've been exposed to who are probably not as tailored, like they won't tailor their program for an individual.
00:29:21
Speaker
um Like they might have one sort of set way of doing things that works for their best athlete. So like, someone that's an Olympian and doesn't work, um trains full time. This is like the sessions that they can do back to back and like this amount of volume. um And then everyone else just has to like try and keep up with that.
00:29:46
Speaker
um So I guess, yeah, when I say conservative, i probably just mean more tailored for the individual. So around their lifestyle yeah,
00:29:59
Speaker
Yeah, I guess, like, considering my history, like, I have had quite a few injuries in my younger years. So, yeah, I'm definitely not on, like, the higher volume side, um...
00:30:12
Speaker
Yeah. Something I always question about my own training is like, I feel, i feel as though I can always do a lot of volume ignoring everything's happened the last year. But I questioned like, at what point does the volume take away from the other stuff you're trying to do in the week and trying to find that, that match?
00:30:28
Speaker
How, how have you found like the out that you, you're like, okay, I don't suit being on a high volume. I suit being sort of where you are. And that gives the space to that. Is it is it just in trial and error or is like, to did it feel like that's what was right for you?
00:30:44
Speaker
I think it's just been trial and error. um I just feel like I really respond well to like high quality sessions and then enough time to recover in between each session. Like I just absorb the fitness from that session a lot more like rather than having to do like a two-hour long run the next day and then having to like back up with another like session like I just I end up just getting like like dipping down lower and lower in that sort of fatigue state rather than like absorbing the training and then like going in the waves if that makes sense um
00:31:23
Speaker
Yeah, and like I have been much higher than what I'm before and like I was able to sustain it for certain periods of time and then I'd just get injured. So I guess, it yeah, it is just trial and error.
00:31:34
Speaker
I was just thinking it's like everyone's training on this right now. Like Brody's to sit like Sim, not you now, but Sim when you're healthy and going like full steam ahead and Vlad's like there's everyone's pretty different approaches into how it like works for them. It's really quite cool to see. And like, I feel like this is a good testament or a good example of like one size does not fit all with training.
00:31:58
Speaker
Definitely. different times Different times of your running, like you need to adjust as well because something that might have worked a few years ago, not always going to work like right now as well, which. Yeah. yeah so Yeah. I'm sure if you started doing double thresholds when you were 25, you would have a very different reaction to now.
00:32:17
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Yeah, definitely. It's a tricky balance. Like, yeah, obviously, like, we're always comparing to other people to, like, see how we could get better and and that sort of thing. But, like, I think, you know, like, we can tell from, like, looking at how the very best train that they don't all train exactly the same, like, different people...
00:32:36
Speaker
We'll do different training. So yeah, I think it's a very easy track to go into. A quick break in the show to thank Bix. Bix has just come out with their 30 gram gel in two brand new flavors. This is a new gel, new flavors. You've got the choice of the salted strawberry the berry. The salted strawberry is also packing 300 milligrams of sodium. That's an increase.
00:32:55
Speaker
Whereas the berry has 200 milligrams, both make them perfect for the conditions we have in Australia. Whereas most gels on the market do not have sodium within them. What Bix has done here is take the recipe for the gels that work so well, that 1.8 ratio that is very, very friendly on the stomach and added a soft, subtle, but very tasty twist that you can dial in your race day and your training nutrition to that extra fine detail.
00:33:18
Speaker
As you know, bix has been supporting the show from the start and it literally helps keep the podcast coming to you every week.
Bix Sponsorship and Nutrition Discussion
00:33:24
Speaker
So if you want to support the show, level up your own nutrition game, head over to the Bix website, use our brand new code PEAK, P-E-A-K, for 20% off at checkout. And with that, let's get back to the show.
00:33:36
Speaker
And Brodie just said how the recovery off these shorter races is really nice and straightforward and and and a nice change. how How's your recovery going
Brodie's Donna Double Race Experience
00:33:44
Speaker
off the weekend? Yeah. Well, Donna Double all might be slightly different just because of the extreme DOMS required to have a good i't i don't think you can I don't think you can have like your best time at Donna and not have DOMS afterwards. like I'm not sure it's possible. um Like 1,000m, descent,
00:34:07
Speaker
um i think if you're going as hard as you can You just like, you can't you can't even really train for that. And like, look, if it was a 50k race, you probably wouldn't go as hard for the for the downhill. Like you would you would save some, but like given that the race finishes with the downhill, you just you just go for it. So yeah, I'm pretty sore today, but I wouldn't say like more sore than other times. I think it's just the same and maybe a little bit better.
00:34:33
Speaker
um I descended pretty well. I descended faster than I did in 2024. yeah. Yeah, I was pretty happy pretty happy with that and like my body's pulled up well, which is probably the main thing to take away.
00:34:46
Speaker
um I seem to still be on a positive trajectory and like my Achilles is, um, is much better. It's probably one of the best has been the day after a race in the last, I don't know, 18 months. It's I lose track of time these days, but like, especially for a long time, it's definitely a lot better. And even I think compared to 2024 where I was having issues then, um,
00:35:12
Speaker
I think it probably recovered better this time. So yeah, yeah it was a, it was an interesting day. um i rocked up. And I forgot my shoes. So I saw you say, was it Dion brought your shoes?
00:35:26
Speaker
No. So yeah, I rocked up. um I'd put my shoes in a separate bag to my main bag and it was like literally sitting at the front door. But I just like, I had a coffee and I had a drink bottle and my bag. So like obviously my hands were full and I just, I just didn't grab it. And like at six where I stayed at home. So we left at like 6.30. So my brain obviously just wasn't functioning. And I open up the i opened up the boot and go, ah, shit.
00:35:51
Speaker
Oh, no. Luckily, I was like, I don't know. I put that poll up. I don't actually look at the final results. Most people were saying yes, but I think technically maybe as an unsponsored athlete, maybe the shoes aren't the worst thing to leave because you're at a race where there's a lot of people. and Maybe it probably depends on your foot size. like I have a pretty standard shoe size. Maybe for James, it might be more of a problem.
00:36:13
Speaker
I'm always sure how many people you're going to find in a US 13 just hanging around a trail race. Yeah, I wasn't too stressed because I knew Solomon were there and obviously I still have like the same with Sim, like they've been great. Like I've chatted to them for a long time on the weekend. I'm still friends with ah with the people who work there and they like they were like going to get me a pair to run in, but they just had like the ultra shoe.
00:36:34
Speaker
um So I wasn't super keen to run in that like I would have if I had to. um But yeah, Dion Fanacchio had some hockers there. So I've been wanting to try the Tecton X for a while. So perfect time to try it on race day.
00:36:49
Speaker
so you ah wow So that was the X3? Yeah, I don't know what X it was, to be honest. It looked like a bit of an older pair. um Yeah, may have been the first one even. I'm not sure. um I have the same ones. Actually, I really like that too.
00:37:04
Speaker
Well, yeah, I've been staying, ian stayed at my house and he runs in Tek Dons and he was telling me how he likes it because it's quite a stiff shoe. um So like when you when you're climbing sort of doesn't feel like it collapses down under you and maybe gives you even a bit of energy return.
00:37:18
Speaker
um So I was like, oh, yeah, cool. That's maybe one. We were just talking about shoes in general. And then, yeah, rock up. And um I didn't have my heel lifts either. So it was I was like, oh, well, it's it's not too low drop. But like this might be a test for my Achilles. We'll see how it goes. But, um yeah, I got through all right. And it felt like a good shoe. I think I might actually buy a pair. So, yeah.
00:37:40
Speaker
If it works for Donna Double but as a pretty extreme race, I feel like it'll be pretty – I could use it for other things as well. yeah It might be hard to find new ones because that's like the first Tectons.
00:37:53
Speaker
Yeah, okay. And does it change, the Tectons? Was that the orange one? Yeah, yeah. Or he had the like dark green red color. Yeah, it's like dark green maroon red
Race Day Mishap and Tecton X Shoes
00:38:05
Speaker
on it. Yeah, yeah the X2 wasn't too big of a departure, but the X3 is like a completely different shoe. Yeah.
00:38:12
Speaker
you might you you might still find mix the x2 somewhere i haven't like i haven't looked for it but um it would probably i could probably fit you because it's a pretty like narrow last uh probably pretty good um yeah yeah that is one way to put yourself through a test straight away just yeah it's a big big shout out to dion for just like not hesitating and chucking me some shoes to run in i've never met him before face to face and he was just warming up with nath and i yelled out to nathan said nathan you got any shoes because i'd I'd tried some of Nate's on before, so I knew we were roughly the same size.
00:38:46
Speaker
um And I went and he didn't have it. He just had his like chunky warm up shoes. um But Dion was jogging with him and he's like, oh, I've got some if you want. And yeah, so it was very quick, actually. I had resolution within five minutes.
00:38:59
Speaker
That's perfect. I it was thinking what you said, like, can you do a thousand meter downhill fast and be okay? Like, I feel like Donna is probably like, if there is a course that's going to leave you with a lot of doms, it's Donna. It's like the right intensity, the right profile.
00:39:15
Speaker
You can't, can't hold back at one moment. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. Yeah. So yeah, it was a, it was a fun race. Like it went out pretty hot. I think like Nath, obviously you were talking to him beforehand. He was, um he was very keen on this race and and obviously the prize money had attracted some of some people late notice and it had attracted um some young guys as well who were yeah pretty keen to to give it a crack and it went out really fast. I reckon at the I think Ian and Hector came past me on on the road, like on Marta.
00:39:50
Speaker
yeah And I was in 12th after they went past me. Like it was I was already in 12th. It was pretty crazy. There was a lot of guys up and i was like, oh, most of them should come back to me, I think.
00:40:01
Speaker
I don't know. Yeah. At that point I was like, well, I'm probably not going to be top three today, um but I was just keen to try and I then sort of reset my expectations to to try and um get a better time than I did in 2024. So, sort of stuck to what I was going to do anyway and not I didn't get caught up in sort of trying to climb harder because I knew that would probably not lead to as good a result. So climbed As I planned, caught up a fair few guys, maybe caught up three or four. There's a bit of back and forth. I think some of the people who are running less experience and they're just like, would a bit of ping ponging or maybe they were just stronger in certain sections. Um, but yeah, climb the steep part pretty well, but then the, the flatter section at the top, both the climb and the descent of that, I just felt like I had no, no gas. Um,
00:40:52
Speaker
Yeah, whereas I was sort of expecting to get a run over that a bit faster. So, yeah, I don't i don't know what what the reason, probably just lack of training, like I haven't done huge volume.
00:41:03
Speaker
um And then, yeah, got to the top. i think on stra I think on Strava, like for the climb segment, I'm like 10 seconds slower than I was in 2024. But maybe because we ran really quickly at the start, I think the summit time,
00:41:19
Speaker
was probably slightly faster than in 2024 and that's what I thought was in my head. So i was like, okay, i just need to descend as good as I did in 2024. twenty twenty four At that point, I was like, shit, I didn't run very well on that flat, the top of the top part of the descent.
00:41:33
Speaker
And I was like, I don't know how hard I can run, but I just sort of went for it, didn't stress too much. um Started running along, moving okay, but then as it got a bit flatter, I sort of lost a bit of momentum and probably wasn't as quick. And I'm coming over Mount Victoria, which is like,
00:41:49
Speaker
the first peak you get to but then on the way down it's like you you go over that little peak and then it's all descent um and as i'm coming off that i hear some like breathing and i'm like oh someone's coming up on me and i'm like that breathing sounds suspiciously female like i just sound like i was like there's something about it i don't know what it was and i was like oh who's caught me and then like i get out to where there's like the tower there and Andrea just comes flying past me. Like she didn't even like, it wasn't like she just like slowly caught me.
00:42:19
Speaker
She literally went past me and dropped me by like 50 meters, like just instantaneously. She was flying. I think on that, there's there's like a segment from Mount Victoria down to the road. It's maybe like a K, a bit over.
00:42:31
Speaker
She was doing three twenty twos um so I was really struggling to keep up um and i I thought maybe she's just really good at descending so I thought she might be gone then I was like okay well I'm going to come sixth or seventh whatever I was back at that point um and then yeah when we got on to the across the road and then there's like the the steep sort of section um and it's a bit technical and I sort of like caught I was like sort of trying to see how far she was going and I was slowly catching up to her and then I sort of sat behind her for a little bit and I was like well she's more in a race than I am at this stage like I'm not going to put too much pressure but then she said just let me know if you want to pass and I was like well i probably should because then I'm just not going to be annoying her and when I went past it she's like I didn't think anyone would be descending as quick as me so I was like oh that was a nice sort of like
00:43:21
Speaker
massage of my ego. um and i I took off down the descent and I went really hard because I was like, I don't want to get in her way. So I want to make the gap big enough.
00:43:31
Speaker
um So I went quite hard. And then I saw Hector and I was like, Okay, well, I'm going to try and get past him. So i kept going hard. And I got about um I reckon I got about two thirds of the way down that steep bit and my legs were just jelly. I was just like, I lost, I was starting to lose control. i was like falling, I fell over once.
00:43:51
Speaker
um And I was like, oh, I may have gone a bit hard here. um But I was like, okay, i just got to try and I slowed it down a little bit and then just like tried to try to keep moving a bit. um And then I saw Kerners. um He wasn't in great shape at that point. yeah I think he was,
00:44:07
Speaker
He had a fall and he just lost his confidence on the descent and obviously he'd had a tough build up. um He actually stepped off the trail to let me go past. So i was like, okay, well, I've got kerners under control.
00:44:19
Speaker
um And then, yeah, across the aqueduct and you've got that last bit of descent coming up the back of the 14K people. But I've never, in like the times I've done Donna, I've never had less control in that section. Like I was nearly falling over a lot um and I think Andrea caught a bit more time back on me.
00:44:38
Speaker
um I think I just went a bit too hard earlier on. um So yeah, that was a bit of a shame because I couldn't sort of keep going at the intensity I wanted to because my legs were just like, I just lost control. um So yeah, I finished, I sort of come down the road and then I'm like, okay, I couldn't see anyone in front of me. I i knew at that stage, I thought I was in is So I was like, okay, well, if I can't see anyone, I'll just sort of run it in.
00:45:04
Speaker
um And I couldn't see anyone on the road, so I'll just run it in. And then you cross the bridge and you can sort of look back. And I looked back and Andrea was right there and was like, oh, shit. just' Like, I've got to either i've got to either try and, like,
00:45:18
Speaker
get in front of her enough that I'm not like disrupting her finish or if she catches me, like if she's catching me, I've just got to like let her go past because I was like, I don't want to run across the finish line with her.
00:45:29
Speaker
um So I tried to like keep pushing and a bit further on, I realised she wasn't catching me anymore. So I sort of ran hard to the finish and yeah, snuck in. managed to get fifth overall because I just beat Andrea. um She ran incredibly like her time is just bonkers to me. um But yes, I ran in about 30 seconds faster than I did in 2024. So I was pretty happy. um Then I found out Nath ran 145 and i was like, well I'm a little less happy now. Not less happy for him, but I like I thought my run was quite good. I was like, oh, they probably run about 149 or something like that. and then
00:46:08
Speaker
To be still eight minutes back is just, yeah, that that just highlights like how good their runs were because like I thought I'd run pretty decent um and usually on guys like Nath,
00:46:20
Speaker
Like I've had it in the past where I'll i'll gain a bit of time on the descent. But yeah, looking at the data afterwards, I just, Patrick and Nath actually were quicker than me for the full descent. Like I was quicker on the steep dip, but for the full descent, they were faster than me.
00:46:35
Speaker
Andrea was actually the fastest. Yeah. so but yeah so i didn't gain any time on them and and they were seven minutes quicker than me to this or seven and a half minutes quicker to the summit so there was that was the time so i've got to get better at climbing but i don't think i'm ever going to be as good as them um that was yeah that those guys they ran incredibly like i such a good time from them and andrea like such an amazing time i think i said to someone if it was a a world series race i think maybe she Like I think she she would have been top top five in the women would be my guess, like just based on like how good I felt like my race was and when I've run Golden Trail Series races in the past, like Cienz and Al and stuff.
00:47:18
Speaker
um Like Cienz and Al once I think I was about equal with the fifth female and I had a bad-ish day. um I know the women's fields probably got a lot better since then. So, yeah, maybe somewhere in there. But just like shows like how good a race that was for her.
00:47:33
Speaker
Yeah. it's didn't Should we just do Donna's results whilst we're talking about it? Yeah, sorry, I covered half the results. No, well no like it makes it makes total sense, especially considering in the top five. But yeah, like we came into this weekend and depending on how you feel about course records on trail or not, like this course is one that doesn't change. The conditions are normally pretty stable here, give or take. like some or heres So it's like it's pretty comparable, but...
00:47:59
Speaker
We came in with 149 being the men's record.
Donna Double Race Highlights
00:48:03
Speaker
Nath Pierce wins in so four minutes faster. Patrick Clark, 17-year-old, 145-28, and then Curtis Scott, who's an 18-year-old,
00:48:10
Speaker
ah one forty five twenty eight and then curtis scott who's an eighteen year old 148, 37. them went under the old course record. Ian Best was then 152.03 and then yourself, Brody, in 153.04. And got sent a video of that bridge with about a kilometer to go, at which point Pat Clark has about a 15 second lead over Nath.
00:48:34
Speaker
And I was like, you you know when people come across ah you're you're running at you and you're like, he's already given up and he's won this race? That's kind of how it looked like. like it I don't think it it was that, but it was just like Patrick Clark looks so in control, apart from the fact he nearly missed the turn. But it was like when I saw the results and it was just simply that Nath had the speed on um Patrick to get to close it. but It was just, yeah i was I was going nuts to watch like watching this. wasn Yeah, it was good. So chatting to Nath, um he had.
00:49:07
Speaker
that was that was That was what he said. Also, he was kind of like, oh, well, not given up. But I don't think he was fighting as hard until I think they got across the bridge and he looked ahead and he went, oh, no, you're hurting And I think Patrick did start to hurt. um And that, well, he gave some signal that gave Nath the push to use his speed. um I'm not sure he would have had the same sort of mental capacity to use the speed if you look at the guy ahead and they look like they're looking fine.
00:49:36
Speaker
um But even like, because Patrick, Me being out there a bit further back turned out to be it's a lot of fun on this course um because I'm climbing up and to be, I'm just, because I'm trying to keep myself into control, I'm just chatting to people and I'm literally going, oh, I'm so excited to get onto the Mount Victoria thing because then the guys are going to be coming back and I get to see where the field is at. um And I just became a spectator for a little while.
00:50:02
Speaker
um And I was like yelling at the people around me to get off the track real early because Because I could see them all coming and they were coming at speed and I could see that they were close. And so I'd be like, everyone off the track.
00:50:13
Speaker
um But um yeah, already it was like Patrick and Nathan was on his heels and I was like, okay, there's the two at the front. And then it took, like especially when I'm running in the opposite direction, it felt like it took a while to see anyone else. And I was like, okay, they're the two in the front.
00:50:31
Speaker
They've got this. And then there was the next pack of guys Koerners, Ian, and I didn't know who Curtis was, but I went, who's the kid um that's on the back of Ian and Koerners? Because if he's on the back of them, he's climbed insanely well. um But they were like in a tight pack. Like it was the three of them and they was there was like inches between all of them. um They were all together. then were you Would it have been you next, Brodie, or was it someone else I saw in between? It would have been Hector. Hector, yeah, okay. so Yes, actually, there was someone else. And then I must say, Brodie, you you impressed me at the end because based on so everyone still looks pretty good at that point. They haven't done the heat too much of the downhill. Like I'm just off the top. And so they all looked like they were moving really well. And it felt like it took a pretty good while to see you, Brodie, hence why as soon as I saw Brodie, I just called out, Brodie, are you okay? Yeah.
00:51:29
Speaker
um And based on the fact that you came past and went, I feel like shit, um I went, oh, crap. Okay, maybe Brodie's not going to have the best day today. So when I saw that you'd caught quite a few of them still, I was like, oh, damn, you still did damn good, man.
00:51:47
Speaker
But just and that was just based on what you said to me, though, more so than you look. Yeah, I think it's because I felt bad on that. top section when I was climbing and then when I was going back I didn't feel like I was flying but like even I look at the segment I'm not as quick as I was in 2024 there but still like pretty quick and and and not that much slower than than Nathan Paddy on that section even though it was a bit fluttered but I was definitely a bit slower so I was hurting well but um Yeah, but I don't know if you know that the – so the next person I saw like 15 seconds later was on Andrea. Oh, yeah.
00:52:26
Speaker
So I was like, okay. and i ah Because I didn't have the context of too much of the times because you'd like you'd already done a bit of the descent and I was like, okay, I know this is fast but I don't know how fast. But but the fact that the next person I saw was Andrea, I was like – Okay, she's going to A, I knew she was going to run a ridiculously fast time based on her pedigree, but then I was also like, she's going to like annihilate this course. I didn't know how good of a descender she was too, but also on the descender. thought were going to annihilate Brodie then.
00:52:58
Speaker
No, not three. Very close. Not the course. The course. But just on the descent before Nathan Pierce comes at us, because we do have the official times, there's a timing mat at the top of the descent and a timing mat at the finish, and Nathan did have the fastest descent. So – Yeah, overall, because he'll have the section along the river at the bottom well that he would have been. Yeah, yeah. Overall, Nathan was the fastest to the finish ah from the top, but second fastest was Andrea ah overall. Brodie, you were like four seconds slower than her though. Like it was like the distance between you at the top was pretty much the distance between you at the bottom.
00:53:39
Speaker
um essentially. funny because I hadn't seen her at all and I'd seen a lot of guys going backwards and forwards like I'd passed a few guys and then they we got onto the fire road and they went straight past me again and it was like a bit of back and forth I hadn't seen her at all and she was I think looking at it she was like maybe 15-20 seconds behind me at the summit so she was yeah think she was maybe catching me on the flatter section or I don't really know where she was to be honest.
00:54:04
Speaker
No, neither. Obviously, neither. As we said, like coming into this, Lara had the course record at 2.04. Andrea runs just off overall.
00:54:18
Speaker
And like when that time time came up, like my mind was blown. Just say how, how much faster that I feel like we all knew it was going to be, it was going to be fast.
00:54:30
Speaker
I think we all thought it was probably going to be sub two. I just didn't expect that quite that quick. So in um in everyone who's run this in previous years' defence, including Lara, the the conditions were as good as you could possibly get. It was cold.
00:54:45
Speaker
Like that it was never hot at all. yeah Like it was chilly if you were moving slow. the Like the temperature was perfect and the course has never been so clear. Is that because you did it? no and No, I didn't even do this course. We don't normally clear the middle steep section and we had a guy come out with a whole bunch of students from Caulfield Grammar to clear it and rake it.
00:55:08
Speaker
my like they cleared it like I know it doesn't necessarily look like it because there's still all these branches but if you had have run that not that long ago versus running it on this day you'd know how much they cleared as much as interesting because i I agree that I thought that the conditions were like about peak for it but not I would have actually said the difference between like just from being there and I'm sure it was actually just my perceptions off but like having pre-run it in 2024 and then run it on the day versus pre-run it before this one and then run it on the day, I felt like they cut more aggressively in 2024. It just felt faster that day in terms of the bushes.
00:55:47
Speaker
But, um yeah, maybe when I think about, again, that top side of the descent, I think I remember you can sort of like swall them. Yeah, you could see really far. yeah Now I'm thinking it again. Like I think yeah you can see a lot further than usually are. It clear.
00:56:03
Speaker
Yeah, it was really clear. But also I think the bit of dampness because there was a bit of rain in the week. oh we Not so damp that it was muddy but damp that meant that like you had a nice bit of traction. Sometimes a bit dusty. um So I think particularly for the descent it was probably pretty nice conditions for it. Perfect. Yeah, running so much came together because even, and this is because my partner Matt likes to live his heyday, but he pointed out that like the first few years especially and like back in, again, 2018 when we ran it the first time, you had three massive trees on that descent you had to stop and crawl over. Like there was there was so much difference in this course from year to year and conditions to conditions because they started clearing it properly when Golden Trail National Series started. Is Matt trying to claim that he has pre-tree clearing course record? Yeah. Probably. Probably. um but
00:57:02
Speaker
But that's just, as I suppose I'm just trying to provide some context on why the times were so different. Because when Laura ran that 204, it was also a hot year. like Yeah, it was definitely warm that year. On this course, the same performance on that day with it slightly more clear and much better conditions, like she would have gone sub two, I have no doubt.
Impact of Conditions on Race Records
00:57:21
Speaker
um So the the the amount of time taken off is blown a little bit out of proportion um just based on the differences in conditions and the fact that, yeah, on that descent it makes a big difference when you can see so far ahead um on from the from the tree clearing that they did on the eyeline. Yeah.
00:57:41
Speaker
So, yeah, bit like it was still a mind-blowing run. Absolutely not taking away that. I'm going to say it was less than 30 seconds faster so that I can still claim a PB.
00:57:53
Speaker
yeah I'm sorry, Brodie, I don't think it was, but sure. Yeah, now you've said all that, I was like, maybe it wasn't as good as I thought it was. Yeah. but Yeah. Yeah. um Put it this way. I managed to run the same time down that descent this year, despite walking every single uphill section on Mount Victoria and most of Marta Road. I did the same time from the summit to the finish, despite being ridiculously less fit and less conditioned. um But I annihilated that middle clear section. Like I've got my PB on there. which I shouldn't have really been to do, but it was so clear that I just flew. like And my version of a slow fly because it was not, like, if that were it makes any sense. but um But, yeah, that's just context on the course records all around. I think they all would have gone down any anyway in any previous year it was run, of course, of course, of course. But 11 minutes, I would just don't want to do Lara the Injustice um in some ways um ah of going, hey, some it was it was much clearer and it was much colder.
00:58:57
Speaker
um So, yeah. but um I'll finish off the women's race. so irrespective of what you said, I still think that like the speed. Joe's run was incredible too. Yeah. Like Joe, Joe Hepton, 157 flat. Like I think that it's probably one of those races a bit like last year at GPT when Thomas Banks came in fourth and it kind of got lost a little bit is just because Andrea, who is, I think she was, I've got it here, was like 13th at world. So top level of sport for Joe Hepton to come in three and a half minutes back.
00:59:33
Speaker
running 157 like that was sick like that was so impressive um yeah that's absolutely nuts and then i would also like to point out the fact that and this is because this is all that matters i did say that there was definitely going to be four women sub 210 and i got a bit of kickback in the last episode for that but we had lucy bartholomew in third 206 54 and then kate avery in fourth 208 54 so david i didn't know that i didn't know that the course was going to be so You didn't didn't even know it when you were running. so you used To be fair, I didn't think any women were going to go under two hours because, again, I thought laura's Lara's time was like such a good time. Like I thought they'd go very close to two hours, but I was like, oh, and and you were like, oh, yeah, they're going to go under two hours easy. And I was
01:00:17
Speaker
So then, what yeah, when Andrea was right behind me, I was like, oh, I was very wrong. Very wrong. For more context on the women's too, like because I got to see all them, all the top four as I was on the way up. um And, yeah, Andrea came flying past and I was like,
01:00:34
Speaker
damn, Jo was not far behind. Like she really wasn't far behind at the top. She lost she did she lost a bit of that time on the um descent because if you look at her time to the summit, I think it was only, i have their two times up here, i swear, 50 seconds.
01:00:54
Speaker
Yeah, less than 50 seconds, 45 seconds behind at the summit. Still places, Jo, in terms of if you're using the Strava leaderboards, knowing that people aren't on Strava, that would still put her second in the females because like Andrea was five minutes faster on the full descent. So like yeah' there have been, and guess, whatever you say about the the clearing, like there have been the top level females on this course and then Jo's just come and smashed it. It's so sick. Oh, yeah, 100%. So, yeah, she wasn't she wasn't far behind when I saw them either um and then that was where there was obviously quite a gap. um
01:01:29
Speaker
big back bit um Back to Kate first um was who I saw next and, I just know what Kate normally looks like when she's moving really well. um And as she was coming towards me, i ah she was not looking as her usual and she did say, she's like, I'm not feeling great. And I was like, damn, like I really wanted her to have a day um as ah you always do. But then it was so it was a little gap back to Lucy. I think there was three minutes between Kate and Lucy at the summit.
01:02:00
Speaker
um with Kate getting up there first um so there was a gap back but um and I knew Kate would be thinking this too that unless she had a ripper of a day and could use all of the speedy parts of this course um I in my head I was like oh it's touch and go who gets to the finish line first at this point like is three minutes enough of a gap for Kate to hold off Lucy on a descent I'm not sure um and in the end not quite um because I think Lucy was what two minutes ahead at the finish or something but um It was really, I didn't see anyone else at the summit.
01:02:34
Speaker
Kate did tell me she was very impressed that she only had one person go past her on the descent. Unfortunately, it was a female. It was Lucy. And it put her into fourth. And she's like, no guys went past me on the descent. i was really happy. But unfortunately, Lucy went past me and I then came from the descent. yeah which is a shame because that's like fifteen hundred dollars passing you which is running away from you which which is sad but yeah i talked to kate afterwards and i think she was still relatively happy with with what time she was able to put down um may have not been her best day but i think she was still still pretty happy oh it's still a great time
01:03:10
Speaker
And like we have, we spoke about this event months ago and Brady, you said there that we're never going to see Kate on this course because it does not play into her skillset. Like it's so the fact that she's trained on it, gone out there and done this, this is only going to help her going forward and being more competitive on this ah style of events, which is like, you that's invaluable. like And I'm totally going to hold her to this because at lunch afterwards she said, oh, I might do it again.
01:03:35
Speaker
oh so yeah well i was i recognize I said I was like, give you another year or two of downhill training and I swear, woman, like we got this. Let's go. Yeah. So I'll be out there clearing everything for months, make it perfect for her. No, I offered to go to the top with her and ask her to follow me down.
01:03:53
Speaker
Nah, I offered to go to the top and get her to follow me down a few times. and Be like, just follow my feet, just go. But yeah, no. Oh, yeah, cool. Yeah, I did talk to Pete from Solomon and um yeah, I was just talking about how i I thought it was so cool that they put the prize money up and that It did attract the field. In the end, we were a bit worried that it wasn't going to attract the field, but then it did become potentially one of the most competitive short trail races over what we'll see this year. At the top end. He was really happy about it.
01:04:31
Speaker
Yeah, at the top end. I would love to see a day where, and this this is nothing on on on the athletes in there, but I would love to see a day because but where there isn't such a huge gap in the female field. Yeah, for sure. And I'm talking like from fourth to fifth, I think there was 15 minutes or so, 14 minutes. Kate was 208 and the next was 221. Yeah, correct. um So that is quite a gap. And I know females that could be there pushing and to sort of be filling that gap to sort of, I love seeing the men's time sometimes where it's just like bang, bang, bang, bang. This is like so many other ones. they're the races I really love being in because like a small amount of fitness is the difference between like 10 positions or so and something like that. But yeah, there was sort of relatively big gaps back behind that because it was 221 and then 230, which –
01:05:22
Speaker
Yeah, I would love for us to get to the point in Australia where we fill that spot um yeah for me. But um also quickly on the prize money. Yeah, if they would have like divided the prize money a bit better, we probably maybe would have seen a few more people join.
01:05:37
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Instead of the five, is good. yeah exactly instead of the file three k is good and then like like There's a lot of races like I've talked to, me and Ian talked a lot on the weekend because he stayed at my house, but he was talking about how some of the VK races in in Europe, they're paying down to 10, but not much, but it's like they just spread it over like 10 people. So like you're going to get more depth if you do that approach. You might not get, maybe you have someone at the top, top end that doesn't turn up, but you might get the better yeah depth potentially.
01:06:10
Speaker
So on the prize money too, though, and this is because I spent the whole week staying with the race directors, and then you get the whole different perspective um on these sorts of things, to on the sort of behind the scenes of it. And it is interesting for them because there's no draw for the race directors to put on the prize money. because they saw absolutely zero increase in the participation with that prize money put in place. If anything, initially it was looking like they were going to get less. I think they got a few last-minute entrants that meant they got the same amount as last year, but there's –
01:06:50
Speaker
no, there's absolutely zero increase um in participation or pull for them. If anything, there's actually less money that they get because a lot of, and and I'm going to help the Tour de Trails people set this up um because a lot of races have it where there's the elite support and there's the stipulated like above this amount of intra points, et cetera, because they were kind of blindsided by how many emails they got from people asking for free entry.
01:07:15
Speaker
And these sorts of things. And so it was just that moment where I had um Chris Ord, the race director go, well, yeah, the prize money has just meant that there's been more people asking me for free entries, but I have no more entries in the actual race. Like for them,
01:07:29
Speaker
they it's And there is other bonuses, obviously. There's other benefits. But then because I just was listening on the combos of like, hey, could we like reshape some of this prize money to actually just lucky draw prizes? Everyone gets a number at the summit, they bring it back down and they get a lucky draw for them to drive participation. So you do have that aspect of the race director's looking for one side of things and then there there is the elite support leap side that we want to support because they were also go going, can we give slightly less at the top, pay down more, but then also have the sponsors give some kit support and those sorts of things to get more actual just participation in these things. And that was just a really interesting thing to sort of hear and have that sort of perspective as well because hadn't really thought of it a huge amount.
01:08:19
Speaker
Don't forget that with an investment like that, it could take like one or two years to see like a bit of return on it. So I think like next year. Yeah, i did say that. And the year after that.
01:08:31
Speaker
yeah and But I think dividing it a bit more will help. Do you know if there was any changes in the entries to the other events? Because obviously the Wolverton Trail Fest has a large number of other events. Yeah.
01:08:43
Speaker
i I do think so. I'd have to, like a lot of the numbers come out afterwards um and they were they were yeah looking at that. bigger it felt It felt bigger than 2024. Like it felt like more the vibe was higher. There's going more people around. Like it just it just felt like a bigger deal.
01:09:00
Speaker
Their media that was coming out of it as well, like how fast they were getting the recaps out and they were really high quality. Like they were, they were great. They showed the event. I think I, I will add up to this. I didn't look at the other ones, but I know they did one for the front of the field. I think they did one for like the rest of the pack as well. So it wasn't just spotlighting the front, which I thought that was really sick. Um, but they were up in hours.
01:09:19
Speaker
And so yeah as, as, as an event that doesn't have any live stream, cause the cost to put on a live stream, which is nuts. This was like the next best thing for us where I can go, okay, cool. We're hearing all the stories straight up. Brody did a great job of getting um Patrick and Nathan and then Andrea on as well. so we kind of got their story, those reels. And we're like, sick. I'm like, I'm, I'm invested. i was like running around the house all hyped up the whole thing. Oh, yeah. I definitely think it's something that will build year on year. um And like I do think and they also did think that there's there is that flow on effect of people looking at Donna Double and going, well, I'm not fit enough to win that prize money, so that's not a draw. and that's But the event looks cool and possibly some trickle into the others for sure. There is also that whole trail running is growing anyway, so would that growth have occurred anyway is kind of there as well. um
01:10:09
Speaker
But, yeah, I do think this is also the sort of thing where it it takes like you see progress over a couple of years, but then that also requires like commitments for actually having that prize money for a few years in a row if you want to see that growth. And I do still think that like spreading it out a little bit in terms of paying down and possibly um still having some form of like other incentives in there. Like I would love to see everyone win in this situation, I suppose, is is sort of going, hey, can we support the elites but can we also support the race that's supporting the elites? Like how do we get more people to this race so that it can keep happening and keep keep being such a prestigious sort of um and big supporter of everyone in the sport?
Race Participation and Scheduling Challenges
01:10:53
Speaker
Yeah, I was only just thinking, Sim, when you were sort of saying that, that like, I just feel like, yes, the there's other ways that they could potentially help with participation, but is Donadouble itself that singular race? Are we actually expecting that race to change significantly in terms of participation numbers because it requires a certain level of ability to actually do compared to the other races? Like objectively, maybe even the 50k is more doable than Donadouble for the general punter.
01:11:22
Speaker
ten Yes and no. I had my brothers out there. is more intimidating? More than half, five hours. Like it's pretty intimidating. ah Oh, 100%. But I think it is also one of those things where to to a lot of people, the marathon's intimidating until they have a friend go do it. And like I had two bulb two more brothers out there after one brother goes out there and does it and they go, oh, well, if he can go up and down that mountain, so can i And so there is still that flow on effective if you get more participants. Like they have there's no they're nowhere near selling out. And yes, it has its limit in terms of participation, but it's more that like other races in that in that sort of, um thing might so might get much bigger numbers and sell out. But how do we how do we show people that Donnery is a beautiful mountain and it's worth climbing and running down? um I think one thing with with with mass participation is the return of runners coming back. And this race, like you're going to get one hot year, one like better weather year. i think they moved it by like four or five weeks a bit later in the year, you're going to get more consistent weather.
01:12:24
Speaker
and you're going to get more returning runners. You're going to get more wet and more leeches. Yeah, but like and like that's a big thing. like you know People want to enjoy a challenge.
01:12:36
Speaker
Yes, but the issue is is once you start pushing back, from a participation perspective, not just the elites, you've got Buffalo Stampede and Kanani Mountain Run end of March. And so like those are, especially Buffalo, there's 3,100 people entered.
01:12:51
Speaker
it it draws a lot of the same crowd. And so if you if you went, even if you went two weeks afterwards, like if you're ah if you're just before or after, unless you're like UTA, yeah i think you're going to struggle. I think you're better off keeping it three weeks before Buffalo and KMR before you then go and put it on later, would be my guess. Yeah.
01:13:08
Speaker
Yes, very much so. Very, very much so. That is what they look at. There used to be a bigger gap. Buffalo was two weeks later or two or three weeks later and Buffalo moved earlier and that was already then sort of going, okay, that's the shortest gap we'd want between the two. And you don't, like this one having the sort of the shorter options and the more friendly options makes it a built-in race where people can do both. But as soon as you put it after, you get less people that would do both. And if it's any closer, it's the same's the same crowd. It's the same area. Like, yeah, yeah it doesn't it doesn't work at any other time. But also, if it it you you're kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't. I think it's ah possibly in the perfect spot because, yes, we've had one really hot year, but most times it's it's manageable. And if you go any later in that area, you get more likelihood of wet. And if anything, that is what's going to,
01:13:59
Speaker
put people off more because as soon as that descent is wet, you're just on a mudslide um and you're surrounded by leeches more so and everything. So you want to stay away from the possibility of every year being more wetter um and too cold necessarily at the top. Like it goes pretty high and it can get pretty cold up there. um So yeah, it's one of those ones where it i I get that it's it's in a spot where it can be pretty somewhat up and down. um
01:14:29
Speaker
But I still think it's slightly better than later because later in Donner is not good. it's It's so tricky. Like the calendar is is really full and like trying to find a space to put a race that you want to get a bigger participation number. it's it probably is in its perfect spot right now I've just whilst we've been talking had a look at the um Buffalo start list to see if any of the names that raced this weekend are turning up again and Jo Hepton's going to be in the 20k which will be quite exciting to see how she goes and then again it's a ah rematch of Nath Pearce and Pat Clark in the 20k as well so that's uh nice we've only got to wait three weeks to see it all again
01:15:10
Speaker
Yeah, I'd love that. Love, love that. I assume there's going to be a lot of backup. I think Ian's also doing the 10K. I think maybe Curtis. Ian's in everything. yeah Going to Buffalo. Just like choose choose an event. Like just say the name and Ian Best is on the start list.
01:15:23
Speaker
it's It's a guarantee. Thank you much. um i'm gonna tap out team yeah before before you you leave us sim did you have a chance to think about the last hundred anything that popped your mind oh the last hundred episodes and the best things i think like for me it was my favorite part is when people first started sort of coming up saying they like the podcast um That moment of validation that we were actually doing something that people would listen to and it wasn't just us doing it to hear our own voices. um
01:15:58
Speaker
I can still remember the first few times and I think even GPT, um actually this one's definitely one of my faves, GPT 2024, I was medicking at an aid station and Max King comes through.
01:16:12
Speaker
and says, hey, thank you for the podcast. I listened to the whole thing, but next time can you warn me of the Canberra? And I was like, no way. Yes. Wow. yes um So that was our course preview. um And I was like, we're gone international dudes. um but um But yeah, like those little moments externally to like us on the inside doing our doing all the back end stuff, like they've been pretty special for sure. um And so anyone, like people coming up saying we love the pod, like I had a lot of Warby on the weekend and it was So nice. Even actually it was the first time i was further back in the field, which probably helped this ah this whole scenario, but I was back and I come up behind a guy um and someone called out, go Sim.
01:16:59
Speaker
And he went, are you Sim from the pod? And I was like, yes, yes, I am. I'm now known as the podcast influencer more so than the athlete because I'm i'm kind of well back in the field, but hi.
01:17:14
Speaker
So that was pretty cool. i've never been called Sim from the pod before. That was pretty cool. Yes, just two days ago. um So those are pretty special moments. But then like internally, I suppose the first time we were actually all able to get together and do an episode, that was that was a lot of fun. And um yeah, just there'd be so many moments along the way of shh. stuff that's gone on in the background and we're all a scrambling mess but we've still managed to get an episode out or an interview out um yeah we we didn't we haven't missed a week have we no I don't think so there was and there's only one week where we managed to stitch James up and he was the only main host and he had an interview essentially but it was the main episode and I'm pretty surprised that's only happened one week that Yeah, that that there was Holly recently. There was one that everyone's internet broke apart from mine. And I remember just having to finish off the episode on my own. I was just i was like, it was so weird not having somebody to look at. And I was just reading off results. And I was like, oh, I'm just going to read as fast as I can and shut this thing off.
01:18:19
Speaker
So, yeah. Yeah, yeah, pretty much. But yeah, definitely those are the moments. And I'm, yeah, like we can, if you guys wanted to chat through that now, like I can sit here and listen.
01:18:29
Speaker
um but um But yeah, I need to be horizontal again, my me and my body right now. Well, yeah,
Listener Validation and Influencer Status
01:18:39
Speaker
Vlad, I'm conscious of that. I don't know if we're going to have you for too much longer. So what what about yourself? Anything from the last hundred? um Yeah, actually that exactly a year ago, me and Sim doing that podcast in person.
01:18:52
Speaker
Oh, that was fun. on I love podcasts in person. Yeah. There's so much more flow when you do it in person. So like that one that we did in person and the one that we did in Katoomba for UTA, that was just like so much fun. I mean, it's great seeing you guys over. ah computer screen but it's um yeah different in person and hopefully we get a chance to do a couple more in person this year editing the one in katoomba still gives me nightmares though yeah we can never do that again not in that way we we need a proper mix deck for that to do that one in person otherwise every single mic recorded every single person's voice like it was yeah that was busy yep
01:19:38
Speaker
so Jess, what about yourself? Anything stick out? Um, I think just like the amount of, yeah, like, like time and effort that we put into it and like how passionate we all are about the sport. Like just thinking back to the first UTA we covered, I think we interviewed like two or three people from every race after and like released them all as like separate, um, recordings or like, I think we stitched them together, but that was a massive bit of work and like so much effort went into it. And that's really cool to see how it's grown and, Yeah, I love like going to even the small events like even when I was doing like the trial series in Perth I'd have people coming up to me saying they listen and like when I was at Snowys the other weekend um someone stopped me in the street and said they listen so it's really cool how it's growing. It's yeah just seeing our hard work be put to good use is pretty cool.
01:20:35
Speaker
Yeah, I forgot about getting those UTA or post-UTA interviews out. i was that was that That was really cool, like getting to hear from, I guess it's a bit like we do now with getting people on the main show, but getting to hear from this like bulk of people, ah race recap. I feel like a lot of them could have been a lot more long form than they were, but it was, ah yeah, that was cool.
01:20:55
Speaker
Brody?
01:20:58
Speaker
Yeah, look. been um good I've always i always wanted to, one of the main reasons I wanted to do the podcast was to like sort of get the stories out of the of the of the runners and and and like Sim was sort of saying, like make it so that, I don't know, fandom is not the right word, but it was a bit of a following behind what Australian trail running is and the personalities and the people that are doing it. so Yeah, probably I've actually really, really enjoyed sort of the recent switch to sort of having a guest on each week. And I think that was one of the ideas I had early and then we sort of moved away from it.
01:21:32
Speaker
And I think coming back to it, it seems to work quite nicely. And I love hearing. Brody claims it. Yeah. Well, glad someone else noticed that. Well, no, no, I'm not claiming it. You claimed it. It's fine. It's fine.
01:21:49
Speaker
But yeah, no, I love hearing the stories and like um I've got like, I'm i'm sort of go off, I'm the person responsible for like coming up with people and it's just like endless number of people that we could get on for a sort of weekly pod. So it's it's very cool um for that. And then, yeah, I think the,
01:22:08
Speaker
Yeah, what sort of Jess and Sim already saying, like hearing people who are like listening to it, who like, I just, I sort of just assume that just like the real diehard trail runners, like the elites, like the Ian Best has just got it ready to go each week. Like it's just Ian listening each week. Yeah.
01:22:25
Speaker
But yeah, my brother was like saying, oh, yeah, some teachers from school said like, are you related to like the Brodie who does the podcast? And it's like, it's just funny how you hear it in like places like that. So yeah, it's pretty cool. i like That's down in Tassie. So it's like, yeah, it's um it's ah it's cool to hear that sort of people are listening and enjoying it. And yeah.
01:22:46
Speaker
Yeah, probably my favorite episodes, I reckon. I really enjoyed the trail to South Korea. I thought that was quite lot fun. um And I think, like, Mikey and Charlie are so They're sort of, like, bromance together. It's just, like, it's just such a unique sort of story. and I love hearing about it. And Ludo's such a legend. So I thought that was... Yeah, those three were such a good combo. um So, yeah, it's been been a wild ride. It's been good.
01:23:13
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's... Thinking back to the Trail 2 series, each time someone comes on that interview long form, i go if they've done one of them, I'll go back and listen to if we've had them on.
01:23:23
Speaker
And it's quite, a granted, I'm listening to them at like three three times speed, but you it's it's fun following their stories and following their training and the highs and the lows. And you you do, you get like invested in them, even if you didn't know have a clue who they were before or didn't know their story. Like it's, think
Internal Challenges and Favorite Episodes
01:23:38
Speaker
before Asia Pacific, I didn't really know much at all about Ludo and it was just a great opportunity to get exposed to her. And it was, yeah, I really enjoyed that. I think it's like for me, obviously coming in roughly halfway, i think it's just been just over a year.
01:23:55
Speaker
like getting a chance to do the interviews is really sick like it's getting an opportunity to just sit in front of someone and essentially grill them about their life and their training is uh it people i find everyone really interesting like everyone's got a story and people actually being willing to sit there and give up their time and to be open and talk about it like it's a feel very yeah a lot lot of gratitude for for for people being happy to do that and so far there's been very few people that aren't like keen to do it so it's yeah it's cool to give people like everyone a platform to do it it's really nice that we get the opportunity to go and do that and then i've also i have really enjoyed the preview episodes brodie and i really want win i enjoyed winning the tipping last year that yeah right yeah that was sad it was so close as well i don't think i'm off to a good start this year though
01:24:47
Speaker
Well, I haven't technically started it this year because i don't I feel like we haven't... Yeah, don't worry about the Donna tips because... ah Don't worry about those ones. Yeah. No, I feel like it has to be like the proper preview episodes, which is more the... Yeah, okay.
01:24:58
Speaker
Yeah, the bigger races, but... um Yeah, I guess as I guess said at the start, but as someone that started as a fan and has come on, like, I guess on behalf of all of them, it's like, thank you guys for actually doing it. Because it's so easy to talk about these things. It's so hard to actually make it happen. And then to get to 100 episodes,
01:25:18
Speaker
or to get to two episodes is a real accomplishment. It's like three or four is the the the point people normally drop off. So the fact we're we're here talking about episode 100 plus we have another, i haven't got any any clue, but probably another 50 plus bonus episodes.
01:25:33
Speaker
This is technically episode 174. Yeah, there we go So in in in two in two years, you've put out episodes, which is, yeah, nuts. it's what that, episodes, good give or take a week In like four weeks, we could technically separate celebrate the 200th episode.
01:25:53
Speaker
Just saying. I feel like everyone's going to be like, yeah, Your 100th episode reminiscing is nice, but can we get back to normal next week, please? I was going to say on the reminiscing about the interviews and the episodes and all that sort of thing, is this where we get to announce people coming on board?
01:26:11
Speaker
I feel like it's good spot. you want to take it, It's a good spot because, ah yeah, as we as we said, like some of our favorite parts is um being able to actually connect with the wider community and and like I suppose make this podcast something that everyone within the trail community does want to listen to and does feel a part of, um like shaping the voice of it and shaping sort of how work celebrate the sport moving forward. So we've jumped on board um and created a Patreon, which bear with us while we figure out the back end of it, I must say, because it's a whole new world again and it's ah it's more it's more tech. So there's more room for things to go wrong. Anyways, um But um we're so we're start we've got a Patreon that is up and when you are listening to this episode, we'll be live. so you can go to patreon.com, searching Peak Pursuits, and we are going to have two different tiers ah that you can join on for now.
01:27:16
Speaker
benefits. um The first tier, Basecamp, is getting exclusive access to ask the Q&A questions or the listener questions that we have on each episode. So if we get questions from tier members in Basecamp, Those will take priority for us to cover and we will endeavour to cover them in more depth than otherwise. um And then obviously you get to become a member on the Patreon. So there we have the feed where everyone can chat ah on each episode and the comments and all those sorts of things. So we hopefully can create a pretty cool community on there. um
01:27:59
Speaker
And then we do also have the Summit. ah Now, the Summit tier has the same, the Q&A, like the exclusive Q&A or quet listener question capability. But then you will also get all the interviews are now going to be released a week earlier on Patreon. So... I'll just jump in here. They'll get released earlier. Sometimes they do get like recorded and then they go out the next day, some like depending on when it falls. but And sometimes they get recorded four weeks early. So as soon as they're recorded. We'll still give them to these Patreon members a week before it goes on the public, James. Don't you worry.
01:28:37
Speaker
They're getting it a week before the people that are not supporting the podcast. We got this. um so you'll get the, ah yeah, you'll get the interviews a week before anyone that is not on Patreon. And for these main episodes, that is where it is very much, a you will get it as soon as it is ready, as opposed to on the scheduled date. you'll get it early. um Some weeks that might be 48 hours early. Some weeks that might only be 24.
01:29:04
Speaker
the day before or 24 hours early um because we don't always record on the same day. We are not that organized. um So essentially, as soon as I've got it edited and ready to go, instead of scheduling it, you're going to get it straight away. So early access to everything we have to say on the main pochot and very early access to all of our interviews um that we that James, for the most part, I must say, everyone else kind of gave up on the interview stream once we got a good interviewer on. um You will get that early. And then,
Introducing Patreon and Community Engagement
01:29:36
Speaker
Vlad, I'm going to short throw to you for the bonus for the first 100 Summit tier subscribers.
01:29:44
Speaker
Yeah, so that's something that we started working on. um But, yeah, you'll get a free, high-quality podcast I guess our first ever merch, the people's merch, like a running T-shirt um that will be posted to you. But, yeah, it will probably be a few weeks onto this as we're just getting some samples now and going to play around with the design for a bit. So, yeah, that's definitely 100% coming, um but it will probably be a few good weeks away probably.
01:30:14
Speaker
five And with Vlad in charge, you know it's going to be good quality. So, yeah, yeah that will go soon as they're ready. That will be the first 100 people to subscribe to the Summit tier, which I just realized I didn't even say that the Basecamp, $7 a month, ah Summit tier, $10 a month. Now, I will say i don't yet understand how Patreon works because I believe based on whether you're iOS or Android, there's different amounts because of the – Patreon sort of fees on top of it. I heard someone talking about this the other day.
01:30:49
Speaker
Sign up to Patreon on your web browser, like on your computer, and then that's like that gets rid of any weird costume things. So yeah, just just jump on there. And like i'm I'm personally, I think I probably have five or six different Patreons for podcasts and things that I like to support. And It's a really cool way to get engaged with the community. Like it's where the core followers come. So if you enjoy what we do, obviously it's amazing to have your your support from it. Like there's there's no financial thing from from for us on this at the moment. So it's nice to support, but it's more so it's really cool to hear from you all, like the people that are are the most engaged, the most... um and present to all these episodes, the people that that listen every week, if that's you, this is this is the place for you to come and connect with us and we can't wait to hear from you.
01:31:37
Speaker
Yeah, and I'm going to give a shout-out to Jeremy because we actually had um Jeremy Rankin found our Patreon because it it it's been live for a little bit while we try and figure it out and he managed to find it um before we announced this. So supporter number one, Jeremy Rankin, you get a shout-out because we are very grateful that before we'd even told you it was available, you jumped on. So Yeah, I'm excited. And I don't know how if, what is it? Nah, I should take this off the podcast though, because with Patreon, there's a whole thing where it says for a Discord and I don't know what those are. Discord's just like a, like do you know what Slack is?
01:32:19
Speaker
Nope. It's like a WhatsApp channel, basically. Like ah ah and another form of WhatsApp where you can have different channels, where you can different topics. So like we could we could chat about gear and races. We could organize group runs and stuff like that all through all through that. So it's, yeah, they're they're great. When they get busy, your phone will not stop binging. so But apart from that, they're a really cool way to like, I guess the Patreon app is really nice and you can have different message channels in there, but the Discord works a bit more like a normal platform.
01:32:47
Speaker
WhatsApp or text thread that you would have. I love that. Okay. Well, James, you're in charge of that. as As I was speaking, I was like, I can't put myself into this one. Um, it's yeah. and yeah like i and this I'm completely just throwing this one in. Like if you're listening to this and you want to, you become a Patreon member and you have an idea of something that you would like us to do or an idea for our Patreon, something that's going to add more value to you and more engagement, just you have direct access net in that point. So just shoot us a message and we'd love to hear from you.
01:33:19
Speaker
Um,
Personal Updates and Training Progress
01:33:20
Speaker
yeah Yeah, exciting. Very, very much so. I'm saying there's they' sure there's lots of other small things that we'll do in the future because we always have heaps of ideas. It might be where I dump all my ideas because... the Yeah, Patreon get the say on whether Brody's ideas come to life.
01:33:37
Speaker
I reckon this is where we have the... We've been talking about Brody having a segment on the podcast where he just goes off on one, but it probably isn't good for public consumption. And so maybe this is where we put that...
01:33:50
Speaker
I've really been turning to the villain in this episode. yeah we're behind We're behind a paywall now, guys. We might be able to say a bit more. Yeah, yeah. I'm pretty sure that's how it works. Again, I don't know how it actually works, but I think that's actually how it works because you hear all the podcasts, like stuff they have to cut out for the main show, they can put there. I do think it is too. Yeah, sorry. And did I say that the Patreon one, now if it doesn't work the first two first couple episodes, this is where I'm going to ask for some grace as I try and edit and figure out Patreon, but they will be ad-free on the Patreon once I can figure out the logistics of that. And I thought hope, I think I've got it figured out. I'm just caveating that if you hear ads on the first one, I'm sorry, and please let me know.
01:34:35
Speaker
Sweet. Cool. That's exciting. Sim, I'm going to let you you go do your thing. Thank you for that. Appreciate it. Thank you. I'll go oh quickly go through my update.
01:34:48
Speaker
Thanks, Sim. um It's not not too much really going on in my life right now, which is kind of a nice thing. It's just training's trainings picking up. I'm sort of back to, I think i'd think my last week was the...
01:35:00
Speaker
bigger than any week I did in the the last return to run. It's sort of June, July. So that's kind of cool. It's building and getting there. But yeah, otherwise we've just been busy.
01:35:11
Speaker
But normal, normal lifestyle. did say you've been dropping some 4.30s. Yeah. So probably a little bit quick. i'm go ah I'm going to fully drop Matt Dore into that one who it's it's it's super weird. Like I'll start running.
01:35:29
Speaker
And the first maybe 10, 15 minutes, I feel so crap. And then I'll ask, like ah we we ran this morning and I asked to slow down. We slowed down for five minutes and then we sped up.
01:35:41
Speaker
and I felt absolutely fine. And it's just like, know, body feels very, very strange. Vlad, after after we did the interview, the next run, I put the Evo SL on, and I genuinely ran like 15 seconds a K faster. Like, it was a fun shoot.
01:35:58
Speaker
Yeah, it is a really good shoot. um So yeah, like at the moment I'm not doing any sessions. I'm just doing two days of hills or strides. um And so I kind of, I found that there's a group run on a Friday ah called Frankie's, which always gets rolling. It's just sort of, there's three groups, but the the later group, the faster group, it's really just whoever's feeling comfortable but who whoever takes it on we just kind of have to keep up and the guy that's taking it on at the moment is really fit and it's wri's really painful uh so but each time i do that i feel a lot fitter from it like yeah where my heart rate was at is 25 seconds a k faster than it was two weeks ago so and we're still like i'm on a deload week this week two rest days still got my two strengths in there um
01:36:44
Speaker
as soon as i start bringing in some speed work or some steeper trails those easy runs will become easier and easier and sort of the more i run the easier they get but it it has felt nice just to run a bit faster i will say um so hopefully i'm not back on here in four weeks and being like oh clocked it again But it doesn't feel like that. if youre if from yeah Yeah, when you're running less, like it's it's very it's definitely easier to sort of pick up faster speed because you've got less fatigue.
01:37:14
Speaker
Yeah.
Tribuco Max 5 Shoe Review
01:37:15
Speaker
yeah oh yeah and like no no And for like for context, before the injury, fourth like 430s was probably what i would run most of my if they're on the flats my easies but back then it was for probably about 120 beats and now it's about 145 so that's a bit weird but um that i think that that rhythm just feels very good for me but Yeah.
01:37:42
Speaker
um be That's really it. Brody, do you want to do your... I'm going to leave the news for this week. um We are... Actually, we'll do this the Tribuco Max 5 review and then we'll just finish off with the rest of the results and what's coming up. We'll leave the question and the news for next week, given that we're ah at the time. But how have you guys been finding the Tribuco Max 5?
01:38:11
Speaker
Jess, have you had a chance to get in it yet? um Yeah, so it's a super nice shoe for like, I like to use it for midweek long run um on the trails.
01:38:26
Speaker
So it's sort of... Because I do a lot of like my easy running and like the super trainers, like super blast. um So I really like having just like a cushioned shoe on a recovery kind of day um just to like help the legs move a bit. um So the Tribuco Max gives you like that cushioning, but it also has a trowel grip underneath. So like I can go feel a bit more confident on the trowels after it's been raining.
01:38:55
Speaker
um That's probably the biggest one for me. Like if it's dry, um sometimes I still wear like a super blast or like a super trainer on the trails but if it's wet like it just gets a bit too slippery for a road shoe so I think yeah it's super good for that I'm not yeah technical trails it's probably still a little bit high stacked um unless you're running like it's fine for like slower running but if you wanted to like pick up the pace on technical trails it probably would be still a little bit too high stacked for that
01:39:27
Speaker
yeah glad if had a chance to get in it yeah i've done a couple of easy runs and actually feels pretty stable um but all my runs have been a bit like slower in them so i feel like it could be a really good like everyday trail running shoe um i would need to kind of maybe push a couple of times in it to see if if i could race in it or what kind of racing you could do with it um But overall, like a great recovery shoe, obviously stable, high stack, good grip.
01:39:59
Speaker
So yeah, actually enjoyed it and feels good after I'm doing a track session the next day to just jump on the trails with a little bit more stack and go slow and yeah, save the legs a bit.
01:40:12
Speaker
I feel like that's what it's made for. Like there's, well, there's a slight difference men to women, but there's 38 and a half mil under the heel for the men and 33 and a half under the forfeit. Women's is a mil less. So like, you've got a good amount of foam there, but it's not crazy. Like, I don't feel like I'm running on steel, steel, and like the plat, the plat,
01:40:32
Speaker
the platform like underfoot is very wide so yeah i agree just like i tried taking it on some more technical single trails and running faster on it and that doesn't feel like what it's made for it feels like it's made to be like the daily trainer or potentially like if you were if you were going to run a non-technical 100k this would be a great shoe for it like the upper fits i got quite a wide especially forefoot um a quite a deep foot and the upper fit me really well um i guess the the The only thing I would be cautious of for a longer run is that the ton was quite thin and maybe that would irritate some people. But yeah, I found it like really comfy for a daily trail trainer.
01:41:14
Speaker
Brody, your thoughts on it? I haven't actually had a chance to run in it yet. Unfortunately, I was away, so I couldn't take it with me. um i've wanted I've just put it on to to like see what it felt like. um It's got a really nice first feel. I feel like what you guys have said, like looking at the shoe, looking at the specs, putting it on and just walking around the house, like it feels like that's the sort of thing it it will be best for. But um yeah, I'll have to get back to you and and let you know.
01:41:42
Speaker
You might try it on some some different terrains. It feels like it might be like, like you said, it's that midweek long run if you're doing it on the trails or even like the weekend long run if you're doing it a bit more cruisy and you don't need to put as much oomph into it um because it it might help you go a bit more comfortably, a bit more longer when your legs are a bit tired.
01:42:03
Speaker
Yeah, I remember um when I first started with R6 a couple of years ago, Tribuco Max 4 or 3 was the shoe that like Charlie, Mikey and were all racing in at Buffalo and this was before they brought out the carbon plate. So it's sort of like you probably could race in it if you don't like the feel of a carbon plate and I think they have improved the the stability in the version five um than the previous version.
01:42:37
Speaker
um and I think just now that they do have a carbon plate, like if the race is not technical, like you probably reach more for a carbon plated trowel shoe. and That's why it's probably sitting more in that kind of easy jogging sort of section at the moment.
01:42:54
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like this is where like, whenever Whenever you listen to any shoe review, you're getting like that person's feel of the shoe and what they like and et cetera. All our feet will fit different. And so i i think that for me, if I put like the coach's hat on, who would I say would suit this shoe? I'd say if you're somebody that likes the shoe to feel very similar at the start of a run to how it feels at the end of the run, you've got like a pretty typical...
01:43:19
Speaker
shoe like foot shape but it can probably be a little bit narrow foot but the the shoe might feel a little bit big you might have to recinch it down for that it probably suits like a standard to slightly wider wider fit and you just like to feel very confident so when you know you put your foot down like it's going to be like The shoe's going to do what you expected expect it to do without sort of any thrills. like There are a lot of people that do not suit the carbon or even like the nylon-plated shoes. they they just sort of They don't work with your mechanics. I think this is going to be a really good shoe for you.
01:43:52
Speaker
Cool. All
Recent and Upcoming Race Recap
01:43:54
Speaker
right. Let's go on to the results for the week. So as you're going to start us overseas, Billy Curtis came 10th at the, do they call it? The marathon, it's actually 47K trans Grand Canaria. Did you guys see anything from this race?
01:44:11
Speaker
No, I didn't. watched the stream. But I didn't really see Billy too much in the live stream. Yeah. Yeah. He probably needed to run a bit faster for the live stream. But he, like, coming – so these are really, really stacked fields. Like, this is one of the – this is the third round of the World Trail Majors. So this is the short version, and then the 127K was in the long version. Like, the names that were ahead of Billy, but not by much at all. um It is – like, I feel like when people see a tenth, you might lose how impressive that result is. but
01:44:43
Speaker
It's, yeah, really, really great run from him. um Yeah, because um that's really, yeah. Oh, you're breaking up a bit.
01:44:57
Speaker
You guys got him. I don't know if James is. I think that's me. ah Like, my entire community just went really weird.
01:45:10
Speaker
think I'm all good. Sorry, Jess, you go. yeah um Yeah, no, I was really impressed when I saw that result. um I think, yeah, because um just like the quality of the field and like, yeah, top 10 in that sort of race is really like amazing for an Australian. Like I know he's based overseas, but yeah, I thought it was a really good result.
01:45:33
Speaker
Yeah, and we should only be seeing... He's only temporarily based overseas, so we can still claim him. okay Yeah, he's got got a couple more races overseas and over the next eight weeks, and then he's going to be back. And I think it's going to be really interesting to see how he slots into the racing scene over here, because I feel like Billy's definitely levelling up whilst he's over there. But then so is everybody over here, as we've just said with the Donner results. um I'm pretty sure he got an Albanian citizenship, so he might not be coming back anytime soon. Yeah.
01:46:05
Speaker
yeah In my mind, this Trans Grand Canary is like the the biggest European race at this part of like the start of the year. like that In my years of following trail running, it feels like it's the biggest deal race, maybe before before like the Golden Trail and some of the more bigger UTMB races kick off later in the year. and just like There's more popping up around now, but I think it it holds probably the most weight. The fields are really competitive.
01:46:36
Speaker
And it's a pretty cool island, like starting on the wet side and then finishing on the dry side. don't know if you guys have been there, but there's like one side of the island that always rains. It's really cold and that's where the race started. And this year also started in the rain, 10 degrees.
01:46:51
Speaker
And then as they go across to the dry side, it's like literally bone dry, 25, 30 degrees. So a really cool kind of experience of like this one side that has all the water, all the green, like all the trees are really green. Then they go to the dry side and it's all really dry, like pretty much with desert kind of trails.
01:47:12
Speaker
It sounds like a very unique race to go Yeah, i mean, it's mainly downhill, or not mainly downhill, but a ne downhill race. So I think that would have worked. well for Billy even though he sent me a message saying that his uphill skills got better so overall like had a really good race yeah definitely is a race that i'd I'd like to do it looks it looks like ah a downhill specialist race maybe in uh in 2027 we can do our our next live episode at Trans Grand Canaria lock it in I think uh fly to be campaigning for TransVolcania but
01:47:47
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it was in May. Yeah. UTA's got to move their race a bit. Yeah. Just stay over and have a year off UTA. Do do a big trip.
01:48:00
Speaker
ah Cool. All right. I will move on to the rest the Warburton results. So obviously we've gone through the Donna double, um starting off with the 50K lumberjack. ah In the men's, we had Jack Neal take the win in 408-29, Tom Dade 413-32. that's only what...
01:48:18
Speaker
three weeks, I want to say, or maybe even two weeks off winning Oscars 100. And then Tim Oxley in 4.28.56 on the women's side. Anna McKenna took a new course record in 4.28.36. Kelly Angel, who was doing the Multiday Madness, she was second in 4.55.48. Then Ali Patterson in 5.25.36. In the 27K Redwoods rush, which have you guys run? I'm assuming, Brady, run through the Redwoods plenty. Have you... I haven't actually run that way before. But Jess has done the race. Have you done the race? I've done it
01:48:51
Speaker
I've done it twice. Oh, yeah. It's like it's so cool in there. It's so nice. I ran in being like, wow. Yeah. So yeah, the definitely one to to put on the bucket list of ah of races. Like feel like you look at the profile and you're like, oh, it's a very fast trail race. It's like one real climb, but it's just it's super pretty. So in the men's, we had Sav Maffridis, 152.35. Ben Burgess, Backed Up After Snowys, 153.18. And Lachlan Wright, 156.31. And then in the women's, Sarah Klein, 156.16. Lauren Cockerell in 2 hours and 47 seconds in second. And then Sophie DeGrave in 2.17.08.
01:49:31
Speaker
ah eight And then lastly, sorry, Jess? I think that was potentially a close record by Sarah. wasn't I wasn't sure. I just remember i remembered the Anna one because we spoke about it a lot when Kelly broke it last year, but I couldn't remember. I remember. pretty sure Kate would have had it before. I don't remember her ever running 156, but i could be wrong.
01:49:52
Speaker
so our Potential course record. there well And then in the 14K, Dave Bailey took the win in James Tai in 59-16, and Hugo Mills and then Melanie in one hundred seven fifteen Amber in and Alexandra Whilst i was talking, I didn't go through the under 23 results from donna double so that was also its own kind of level of competition they also had a a grand up for grabs so pat clark had a very fruitful weekend because he was 17 and then in the women's amy stockwell took the under 23s in the in there they don't get a ticket this year across but still a really good accomplishment from them both And then only other one from the weekend was the Pinnacles Classic in Queensland. There was another race, the Charles Darwin Trail Run, but that looked like it got postponed until the end of the month, I think, because of flooding.
01:50:47
Speaker
um in I was going to go through them the winners here. So Zach Newsham took out the Classic. And Kelly Bobbeer took out the females side of the classic. And then in the Pinnacles double, Archie Austin um took out the win there in three twenty one forty nine And Zoe Manning in the females, 353-20. So so pretty pretty familiar names up there. And then coming up this week, I've got two,
01:51:15
Speaker
well one One of the bigger races in terms of history, we've got the six-foot track marathon. I had a quick look at the the names in there. We're not going to do a preview, but it's just to list out some of the names. We've got Mike Carroll, Ronnie Spark, Joe McGrath, and Morgan Lindquist.
01:51:32
Speaker
Quinton Gill is on here, but i don't think he's racing. I think he's sort coming back from ah from an injury. And then in the women's side, you have Steph Austin, Sarah Levitt, Monica Luderichs, Ellen Bradley, and Greta Truskopp. So...
01:51:43
Speaker
Super keen to see if Ronnie is on that start line. We haven't really seen anything from him since 2024. So I don't know. i haven't got any and insight into there, but I'm also seen keen to see Mike step back up. We've also got the Razorback run.
01:51:56
Speaker
um As we said earlier, Ian Best in the 22K. The 37K is looking really interesting. You have Chad Freak, George Knight, Jack Harris, and Michael Dunstan all racing in the 37K, which is the good loop. And if...
01:52:10
Speaker
Anyone listening has not done good loop as a loop. It is one of the best loops I've ever done. Like it it is spectacular. um And then in the women's, there's Torrey Thomas and Stacey Hogan. And then Brittany Harridan doing the 65K coming off the third place at Snowy's and Lou Clifton as well is in for that one. So so a bit of bit of excitement before the Buffalo weekend in that same area.
01:52:36
Speaker
James, who's your pick for six foot? For six foot. or It's super tricky because I don't... like Potentially, on the on the men's side, potentially running, but i just i have no I haven't looked into him at all. So I don't know what he's been training like. I have no idea what he's what you've been doing for the last 18 months.
01:52:57
Speaker
He's been consistently training. I haven't really looked at the details, but I always see him pop up on my Strava. So I think he's he seems to have been running. I don't know what he's been doing specifically training-wise. So yeah if he's been training, probably running, and otherwise I would say Mike.
01:53:14
Speaker
And the women's are pretty hard to look past Steph Austin on this course. I will say as well, actually, I'll come back to you, Brodie, for your picks there. But the number of legend names in this, I highlighted a few. Alexander Matthews, Andrew Lee, Tony Fattorini, Brendan Davies, Tim Cochran, Sean Creighton, Julie Quinn, and Fleur Flannery.
01:53:38
Speaker
If you don't know those names, just have a look at the UTMB results and scroll back to 20, most of them like 2008 to 2013. And like these are the people won everything, including six foot track, like multiple times. That's what the top three, some of the fastest times you've ever seen on the course. So most of them are in the at least the 45 to 49, if not the 50s or 60s age categories now. But
Six-Foot Track Marathon Speculation
01:54:00
Speaker
just really cool to see so many of them lining back up for these fields. But Yeah, Brody, what's your who who would you say?
01:54:09
Speaker
feel like Six Foot pulls those names more than any other race nearly. like it just Definitely. It's so iconic. I'd really like to go up and do it one day. It's such a cool race. like I'm excited to see Sarah Leavitt and Monica even like racing against Steph. She's a hard one to knock over probably on that sort of course, but it'll be a good race. and Yeah, I think if mike if Ronnie is fit, Mike and Ronnie, and even joe mc Joseph McGrath, like I think Those guys all running together could be a pretty quick year. So, yeah, I'm sure it'll be a good race.
01:54:40
Speaker
um yeah maybe yeah I think Mike's hard to go past because I just don't know what Ronnie, but we know Ronnie is oh a really good athlete. There's another, Sean Crichton.
01:54:51
Speaker
Yeah, I got him. yeah He's a really good marathoner. Yeah. I don't, I can't imagine, like I follow Sean on Strava and he runs a lot. I don't think he's going to be in yeah the same sort of place. old is Sean Crichton now?
01:55:08
Speaker
He's a bit older. Yeah. he's in his 40s. Yeah, he's around a lot. For some reason, I think he's in his 50s. But that'd be cool to see him raise. Maybe he will even be in that.
01:55:18
Speaker
like He hasn't done maybe as much trails, I guess. Yeah, he he's in the 55 to 59. Yeah, going to say, I thought he in the 50s. Oh, okay. He's still running incredibly. like he's yes Yeah, he's a very well-known track and field name. Yeah, and a great coach as well.
01:55:35
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. yeah Cool. And then ah one more for you, James. Sorry, I'm going to keep us rolling for a second. That 37K with those four guys in it, that's going to be really cool race. Who do you think is going to... And coming from different sides of different distances, like altogether mishmash, what do you think? Who's going to take it out?
01:55:57
Speaker
I think Dunstan runs away with it quite comfortably. Wow. That's a big call. so i know that like george knight's in the 100k at buffalo so i don't think he's gonna he's gonna wreck himself i think jack harris is doing the grand slam so i think for those two guys it's probably a last uh training training run um and then chad i think it will be a good you vlad
01:56:25
Speaker
um It will be a good race, but Dunstan, I think we kind of get this idea that he's this 100k, 100 mile guy, but he's got wheels. He's super, super fast. And like I'm actually really excited to see him on this style of of course as well. And there was I got a message from Joe Dorff as well ah saying that there was another...
01:56:49
Speaker
Oh, maybe create Macrian as well. But again, mac would be racing the marathon at Buffalo. So yeah, okay. is Is Michael not doing anything at Buffalo?
01:57:00
Speaker
no I think he's very much involved in the media side of single track. He does all the socials. So I don't think I don't i don't think he's racing anything. i racing in his name Yeah, he does have wheels. Like if you look at his Strava, like he's, he's got wheels over ah in his interval sessions and whatnot. So yeah, I'm sure he can run really well over this distance. Yeah. Yeah. I know he just ran a 14 something 5k. So he's, yeah, moves, moves well for a guy that's put a lot of speciality into the high mileage and a hundred mile, hundred k style training. So yeah, that's going to be going to be a very fun one. And then Jess, you do you have any, uh, picks for the six foot?
01:57:40
Speaker
rice ah Yeah, I can't really go past Steph Austin. um Yeah. Yeah. I think she's just won it on this course so many times. um and But, I mean, yeah, like, yeah. I mean, Sarah Levitt will definitely give her a run for her money, it'll be a good race.
01:58:00
Speaker
i definitely keen to see how that that one plays out ah the rest of the stuff that's coming up this week we have trail run Australia the Tarthra round Adelaide trail run at summer series five Port Elliott surf run southeast Queensland round eight at Daisy Hill and then the Mount Eliza fun run in Victoria a few things few things coming up we've I said we' we've we'll come back to the, to some of the news in next week's episode and be back to the regular, having a guest host in, but we've, we started with five, down to three of us. well, I think, I don't know if Simone's still there. She might be in the background, but, um, guys, thank you for that.
01:58:37
Speaker
It's been, it's been good fun to have an episode to kind of look back a bit. Yeah, thanks guys. Thank you. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Yeah, because I was going to say, thanks everyone for coming along. It's been, a yeah, well, from my side, a good of a fun 50 main show or so episodes, but for you guys, 100 episodes. And as someone said, here's to hopefully 100 plus more.
01:59:02
Speaker
Before you go, thanks again to ASICS for supporting the show. We're really excited to partner with them for the upcoming episodes. If you want to look after your feet on long trail days, check out the Tribuco Max 5, the redesigned upper, the Max Cushioning.
01:59:15
Speaker
built for comfort. Head over to asics.com.au.