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Trail to South Korea Episode 5
357 Plays3 months ago
It's race week! Hear from Sarah, Charlie and Mikey from South Korea in the final couple of days before their races. The team talk through their thoughts on the course now that they have seen it, shoe choice, race tactics and more.
Website with Live Stream/Tracking links: https://aptrc2024.com/
Short Trail starts 9am AEDT Friday 25th October
Long Trail starts 7:30 AEDT Saturday 26th October
Charlie: @cowboyhamilton
Mikey: @mikeydimuantes
Sarah: @sarahludo
Brodie: @brodienank
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life License code: VJ9EPZM2AQUSWRXL
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Transcript
Introduction and Initial Impressions
00:00:30
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the fifth episode of Trail to South Korea. I'm one of the regular hosts, Brody, and I'm joined by our three guests, as usual, Mikey and Charlie. They're also in Korea and they're looking... Mikey's got some fantastic sunglasses. I wish everyone could see this. And they're sitting in front of their little love arch. How are you going, boys? Good. We're going very well. We've only been here for a few days now.
00:00:57
Speaker
but had some delicious food, went on some really nice runs. I got my pre-race haircut today from a nice man. He had Mikey in undercut. I don't know whether Mikey wanted that or not. Anyway, it's good. Fantastic. And I've also got Sarah with me. I'm actually sitting down face to face with Sarah because we're both at the race location. How are you going, Sarah? Good. Yeah. Looking forward to a great day running coming up.
00:01:25
Speaker
Fantastic. And um you've always been up in Seoul at the moment, but you're headed down to where we are tomorrow. And I think that's when the rest of the team all gather as well. And you guys move into what we think is the race hotel. um Are you excited to get head down to the race venue?
Logistical Challenges and Race Preparations
00:01:42
Speaker
Well, we're maybe coming down.
00:01:44
Speaker
um I was left in charge of logistics, which is not my strong suit and I've put in the wrong email address. So it's like I currently haven't laid eyes on the tickets. We've just, we've just occurred, encountered a monkey problem, which is just a little mistake that just seems to happen quite often. Anyway, that's okay. We will probably be at the race. We'll probably see you tomorrow. But no mistakes on race day, right?
00:02:07
Speaker
No, I so get rid of all my mistakes. It was actually on purpose so that I wouldn't have any mistakes saved after race day. Yeah, exactly. You got to get that yin and yang right. get yeah Get all the mistakes out. Have a good race day. Perfect. All right. Well, today we're going to touch on a few things, just some final thoughts ah about the race, any course, what you've heard about the course I know Sarah's been on.
Race Course Insights and Challenges
00:02:28
Speaker
a little bit of it and you've heard from some of the other runners and what what they've seen, um what weather we're expecting and and any last thoughts about gear or tactics and that sort of stuff. um So I guess we might start with a course. Sarah, you're the one who's seen some of it. I know you haven't seen much, but what's your impressions of being here and and from what you've heard from the others?
00:02:52
Speaker
Well, yeah, so I guess my intention was to get it out a little bit more on course, but I think just timing wise with my program, it didn't seem smart. The course is, it's sort of very steep wherever we are. And, um you know, like a 12K run isn't an hour, it's like an hour and a half, maybe two hours. So I'm sort of not, didn't really want to um see too much of the course just because of Yeah, wanting to run easy at the moment. So I have been sort of to the the start and the finish um and done just like short walks up there, did a little bit longer at the start and ran up. um i yeah I don't know, to be honest, the course maps that we have seem inconsistent.
00:03:43
Speaker
across different parties and so I think I may have been on the course but I also may not have been on the course so um but you know you get ah you still get a sense of of the track um Yeah, steep, beautiful, like tall trees and um nice single track. I think we talked about ages ago, like people's plans around the first start. We obviously start up at the main center and then you run a little bit on like the road all the way down um before you like you start climbing on a road and then you get into the trail quite quickly and that single track. So yeah, definitely good to see that first part.
00:04:25
Speaker
Just think about yeah where you want to position yourself. from the start. But yeah, lots of lots of climbing. So um should be fun. And then I've seen the the back end and the finish there, which ah looks beautiful, to be honest. You get a nice river crossing, which is is flowing quite a lot today because of the rains. So if the rains continue, I don't know how we'll get across. How does the track feel? like Is it muddy? Any of that that you've seen? like
00:04:55
Speaker
Yeah, a little bits, I reckon. Yeah, little bits would be muddy and slidey. I know the track that I was going up, um which I used, I used Sims um Strava track that she gave. And I went up that and um yeah, there was like, you know, lots of leaf cover, um like, yeah, sort of some slidey mud sections, but not too much. Like it was every couple, like maybe every couple of steps. Like it wasn't the whole way up.
00:05:25
Speaker
But I definitely was thinking like, what sort of dangerous animals are in Korea? Because some of the foot tracks, and I thought the others might've gone up before me. So I was like, well, maybe it's their shoes, but it it also didn't look too much like shoes. I'm like, what animal has been up here before me? But anyway. I might be wrong.
Rules, Gear, and Competition Strategies
00:05:43
Speaker
Are we going to encounter a bear? I think there might be bears in South Korea, but I'm not sure. Are you kidding me? Because they definitely looked like, like it looks like a, like a big, like, not put like a paw, but like just like five lines, like, which I was like, that could be like, you know, poor claws just sliding down here.
00:06:04
Speaker
But when I type in um bears in all sign, it comes up with two people killed an apparent bear attack and also sheesh. Oh, my God. Yeah, not not actually funny, guys. Yeah. So if you see the bear run the other way, I would say.
00:06:25
Speaker
okay um You just have to outrun one person, right? so ah Exactly. and And you're allowed to push people over. I think that's generally okay. Although actually, no, the race said that if someone was injured and you ran past them and continued the race, you would get disqualified.
00:06:41
Speaker
So you have to stop and help. Or you will get permanently disqualified uses if you stop. You'll get disqualified. You're just disqualified in life. So what's worse? But I guess you would then not win the race and that's probably equal to death. So you want a long living memory in trail running or do you want to live? ah Tough decision. Anyway, something to consider for sure.
00:07:08
Speaker
Well, they haven't given a bear spray or something as mandatory gear, so there must be not heaps of bears, but yeah. But they haven't given a bandage, so maybe they're expecting it. Yeah, maybe they're like, yeah, we don't need bear spray, but if you get attacked by a bear, use your pressure bandage, you'll be alright. It's not even a pressure bandage. It's just eight centimeter by ten centimeter adhesive. It's like a big band-aid.
00:07:31
Speaker
So cover up all the slashes. Yeah. Okay, beauty. um And Mikey and Charlie, what ah what have you ah heard about the cause? You haven't been on the cause yourself, but um what's your, yeah, have you heard anything different from when we talked about it a few weeks ago? Love you.
00:07:47
Speaker
um I've heard things from you Brody because you were on course and you're the only person I think really that has been on course on my part of the course and I've heard things from people who have done the first part of the course which is the same, right? So um yeah, I've heard the first climb is like steep but not crazy, crazy steep like the steep sections and then there's running sections.
00:08:10
Speaker
And I've kind of heard that from the whole course, like it's, it's very varied and there's running sections and then there's very steep sections, the technical sections and road sections. And it's like, um, I think it's going to be a big mix of terrain for the whole race, which is good, which is cool. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. ah Me and Kelly headed out on the last.
00:08:29
Speaker
15K of your course yesterday, which is the same as my Skyrunning course, except I would have only done 11Ks before that and you would have done 70 something. So a bit different, I think, when we hit that part of the course. But um yeah, it's really varied. The climb, the steep climb was actually much Better than I expected I thought that it might be like a bit harder to sort of you have to do a bit of scrambling or it'd be a bit muddy and steep but they have sort of like rocky stairs which actually made the climb fairly easy but yeah the the the terrain does change a lot you go from
00:09:05
Speaker
running on rocks to running on that sort of carpet stuff that they have on the trails that you would have seen up in Seoul. Then there's sections of like boardwalk, then there's sections of stairs. It's quite varied. It'll keep you on your toes and interested the whole way I think because the terrain seems to consistently change. um So that'll be that'll be good. um But it is I guess a bit of a challenge to sort of make sure um you sort of always focus and you can't sort of, I just get to, ah I'm sure there's longer sections maybe on your course where you'll be able to ease off and and just sort of cruise along. But yeah, that last 15K definitely was kept you on your toes, I reckon.
00:09:50
Speaker
Mark, you spent the last three days stressing over what pair of shoes he's going to wear. And do we have a final answer now for the podcast? Are we going to tell the people? I'll probably wear the Metafugy super shoe, despite all all suggestions to not, and despite rolling my ankles in them today.
00:10:07
Speaker
but now I was going to say, I'm not sure if my feedback helped your decision or not. It probably didn't. But um yeah, so the Metafugi 3, is that a plated sort of super-shoey type one?
00:10:21
Speaker
And I was kind of worried that I'm not, I'm not maybe quite as comfortable on technical stuff in that shoe than I am in something else, but I feel like I'm fairly comfortable in it. And, um, I'll get some, some like, it'll be great for all the really long running sections and the climbing. It's a really good climbing shoe. Like I like it for long, yeah long. So, um, I'm going to be happy with it. I think.
00:10:44
Speaker
Yeah, you've got lots of lots of long climbs. so yeah it's We were talking about this on the main episode with Vlad and Jess yesterday. they're obviously running ah They're both running the short trail, the same as Charlie and Sarah. and they're both looking at um I think they're both looking at sort of a carbon shoe as well. and we'll try to It's hard to sort of figure out how much the sh shoe benefits you in the sections where it'll benefit you versus how much it'll slow you down in those other sections in which is bigger and it's always it's hard to it's hard to know impossible to know so I think we sort of landed on whatever was most comfortable whatever you felt comfortable running in in general seemed to be maybe the best shoe to choose.
00:11:25
Speaker
Yeah. And in reality, it's probably not going to make much of a difference, whichever shoe you wear. We were talking about that. we like we've We've been thinking about this a lot, just as we've been thinking about this a lot, and and and it might make a few minutes difference either way. So it's it's not as big a deal as as the training she's been putting in and you guys have been putting in. So we're always chasing those marginal gains and you want to make the right choice, but in the end, you're probably not going to be a big game changer.
00:11:51
Speaker
the um Yeah. I guess, I guess it depends. Are they going to go super shoot or are they going to go? I think they, yeah, I think, oh, I don't know for sure. For Jess, I think she's still trying to decide. um I think Vlad is, who's, has seen all of his course. Vlad is going for,
00:12:10
Speaker
supersho but he said the he's looking at running in the Tecton X, the first version. He said it's a bit lower. So it's not like the stack height isn't massive. So he said from that side of things, he feels a bit more comfortable going down the technical. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. That's not really that gnarly of a shoe either. I guess interesting. I guess we'll see. And I guess that's just kind of the question now with these, these super shoes is it's like they're faster, but you know, at, at what cost?
00:12:38
Speaker
um What are you wearing, Charlie? What did you decide? I'll wear the super shoes. I'll wear the attics ones, the Medifugy. um I'm pretty like, I'm pretty fine with them. I'm not the fastest descender anyway. Um, so I know I don't think they're going to slow me down on a descent. Um, yeah so and I think they just benefit me in the sections they benefit me, which I prefer. Like I think they're really good for running and they're actually for some reason really good for running uphill in. So I'm, and I'm pretty confident in that shoe. I've done most of my running in it over the last few months. Yeah. Yeah. so what are you going It's a good point.
00:13:17
Speaker
I'm going to do the Fuji Lite. I um only got the better Fujis. Literally, they arrived the day before I left, so I haven't even worn them in Oz. I bought them just in case. um and The first run, I wore them in Seoul. I was like, nah, don't like them. I was getting some hots, like just listers, hotspots.
00:13:36
Speaker
um yeah And that was on the road, to be honest. But then I wore them today just because it's raining here and I've already got one shoe pair of shoes for race day. So I didn't want to get them soaked. so and i And yeah, I can see what you mean in the uphill. They definitely felt really good to run uphill. And I felt i felt better than in them today. like I had my ankle strapped today um and they felt a lot better.
00:14:03
Speaker
but I did find by the end of just like wearing them for like the run and a little bit after, like I think I have to tighten them quite a lot to make them feel good, which then doesn't feel good on my foot. um yeah I think maybe if I had more practice and experience, like I probably could, but my theory was like, I won't regret wearing the Fuji light, but I could regret wearing the super shoes. So I was just like, I'm just gonna be safe b I haven't had this anywhere. I've only run it in them twice. So yeah. and know anything I think they wear in after about like 60, 70 K. Like they start to feel a little better after a little while. Like the first few runs of them are super stiff, but they definitely wear it. Yeah. they
00:14:49
Speaker
Yeah, maybe next race, next time. It sounds like all of you have made like, like have really good rationales for what shoes you're choosing. So I'm sure that you've made the right decisions. And like, yeah, I don't, I don't think it'd make it a huge difference on race day. But I think like you said, playing to your strengths, Charlie's, though, Charlie's good on the, the flats and the uphills, the descents not as strong and therefore it's not going to slow him down as much. Ludo hasn't run in the shoe as much. She's confident in the other shoes. So yeah, I think you,
00:15:19
Speaker
you're all onto to the right thing. What, what, just out of interest with the, you guys are all running in the meta Fuji. Why do you think it's good for running uphill? Like just out of interest? Like what, what, what about it? For me, it's like,
00:15:31
Speaker
um the rocker of the plate on like quite steep stuff. It just feels amazing. And I ah don't know what it is. I think it's just like, because the shoe like kind of tape is off. So your foot's not at a weird angle. Um, yeah, I think cause it's quite stiff as well. Yeah. Like, um, yeah, the stiffness in the rocker, I think.
00:15:53
Speaker
So it just sort of feels a bit springy, like pushing you uphill a little bit. yeah It's a really nice position. Yeah, it's not it's not even necessarily the spring. Yeah, it's just the position for some reason. And like at quite steep gradients, which usually like your foot, you know, has to do something pretty weird at quite steep gradients. But in the shoe, it seems to be fine. Yeah, interesting. Cool. Yeah.
00:16:16
Speaker
There you go. Anything else about like gear or nutrition or anything in terms of what you've heard of of the course that's changed since we talked about them or those things all probably staying the same? There's next to no Mando gear, which is hectic. Yeah. So my Mando gear has changed for the long. Yours has stayed the same. Yeah. So I've only got to take a rain jacket pretty much now as well. Same as you guys. I've said the same as you guys.
00:16:40
Speaker
um and i've But I've lost a crewed aid station. So it's self, it's just a dropback. So I'll do the exact same thing, but I'll just put it in a dropback. Okay. Much. and So have you got no crewed stations or you've just lost one of two or one? One of three. So the first two are crewed. And then my last one before the the bottom of the big climb is just a dropback. Yeah. And have any of you guys, Charlie and Sarah, have you guys got a crewed station, Sarah?
00:17:09
Speaker
Yeah, we have one um at 22K. I only need to pick up
Logistics and Communication for Race Day
00:17:17
Speaker
two bottles. So either Marky or someone else would be there. Give me a bottle. Are you gonna use that Ludo? What's your plan in terms of that aid station? Yeah, yep I haven't really sat down and nutted the whole thing out, but yeah, I'm assuming I'll have some bottles ready to go. um Yeah, I'll definitely make use of it.
00:17:37
Speaker
Nice. Are you going to wear a pack, Ludo? Uh, I think so. Yeah. Yeah. I'm quite comfortable running with a pack. Um, and I think if, yeah, yeah, I'm going to run it with a pack.
00:17:53
Speaker
because Yeah. I haven't really trained with like a full belt full of everything. So, um, and sometimes if it doesn't, if it's too big and bouncy, it's not fun. So I ah think it packs just easier for me, but you'll be proud of me. I did get to, I did arrange some miniature phone to come. yeah So lost a couple of grants, but I just hope the course is marked because there'll be no way of figuring out how to get back.
00:18:22
Speaker
Thank you very much. That's a good point actually. It's okay, just head north. Do you have a um ah SIM card? I have, yeah, I got international roaming on my phone. Oh yeah, true. It was $5 for the day. Yeah, that's a good point. Yeah. For whatever reason, my phone was not compatible with any eSIMs. So yeah, it was slightly more expensive, but um yeah, its it's doing the job. Nice. If you guys, you just need a normal phone, you don't need a smartphone.
00:18:52
Speaker
Yeah, but you just, you only need a SIM card. um So we've we've had eSIMs since we've been here. um But yeah, we can just put our Australian line in there. And that size and but we'll just check it takes that size of SIM card. Yeah, true. Anyway, we'll do that. We haven't checked that out yet.
00:19:12
Speaker
We could check that out right now. Yeah. We're going to have a podcast short. We're really happy to know that the I found a jacket that is exactly the minimum weight of jacket. Is it?
00:19:26
Speaker
It's actually one gram lighter, but the race organizers won't listen to this. I hope um So okay please don't disqualify me for having a hundred and fifty nine gram jacket rather than a hundred and fifty I'm sure I have a certain weight the actual jacket I thought it was like the like the something to do with the fibers or something um fifty It's usually it has to be seem sealed and it has to be ten thousand like um It has to we be able to withstand 10,000 millimeters of rain in an hour or something. It's some like rain jacket specific measurement. you' seen But this is just a, it can be a wind jacket. It just has to weigh up to 150. Where did you find that? Was that in Korea? No, I just weighed all my jackets. I've got like just a bunch of jackets and just one of them happened to be lot.
00:20:19
Speaker
um So I'm pretty happy about that. And it's that's giving me a lot of confidence coming into the race. I doubt anyone's got his jacket as light as mine. And if they do, then they should get disqualified because... Yeah, I'm not worried that my jacket is too light. I've got to check if there's a weight on mine because my, like, my jacket's like incredible. Like it meets the standards, but it's super, it's like a garbage bag. Oh, true.
00:20:44
Speaker
to I've actually heard that John Stingray has really light socks. i should it's All right. Nice. Um, so have you, have you guys been across the weather and looked at the weather for the end of the week? It's obviously it's raining here at the moment. Um, but I think it clears up a little bit. Have you been across what the conditions are going to be like? Yeah. It's not meant to rain again until like, it's not meant to rain from after today until the race day, I don't think. And it's meant to be like top of 22 or something.
00:21:16
Speaker
low of 10. So good running weather I'd say. Yeah. Might get a bit hot I guess. i' Not for you guys as much. I was kind of hoping it would be hot. I was just hoping for a stinker. Yeah. um But unfortunately we won't get that. We'll just get a pleasant day. Yeah. And then. Can you look at the humidity? No. It's the humidity that kills you though. Is it humid?
00:21:38
Speaker
You guys said it was pretty familiar today? Yeah, it's telling us like 70% on the side. Ludo, I gotta get out of it. Like, I live in Brooklyn. I'm ready for it. It was quite humid when we were running yesterday, but it was like a rainy day. I think it's much more humid on these sort of wetter days than it was on the... Yeah, Ludo, that was a really smart idea, the fact that you moved to Darwin for a couple of years to try and fit this race, for the humidity. That was a great idea.
00:22:07
Speaker
Yeah. um And by Darwin, you mean Broome, but yeah, it's just really. You don't even know. It's all the same. Right in the white state, mate. But anyway. Are they in different states? ah stop your i verse enter Yes. Yes. For those of you that don't know, it's in Western Australia and Darwin is in the Northern Territory.
00:22:31
Speaker
I thought it was geography lesson. that the same It's okay, you're not the first person to have made that mistake. I think people, like, I mean, I think a lot of East Coasters don't really think of Broome as a place. Like it's pretty known and in WA or Perth, but the East Coasters are like, oh yeah, darlin'. It's no culture of like Wagga Wagga, you know.
00:22:51
Speaker
I was interested to hear you say that you were hoping for a hot race. Charlie, you do realize you're racing against people who live in like Southeast Asia where it's very warm all the time. Yeah. joy Charlie did a week of heat protocols though. I was mentally like getting ready. Like I was psyched up for it to get hot and hard, you know? Um, but the yeah. Really wet and cold and hard.
Race Day Strategies and Mindset
00:23:17
Speaker
Yeah. What should we come into this podcast when we do like a review and be like, Oh man, the humidity killed me. Like it was not humid. Okay. So I think the people that you're racing against it from Philippines and Malaysia and Singapore are going to be fairly well accustomed to heat and humidity. Probably, probably 20 and no humidity is probably better for a Cam Baron. I'd say pretty good. That sounds like Canberra weather actually.
00:23:48
Speaker
He agrees, not human. and nice So easy. It's looking good for the weekend, which is, yeah, it'll be nice for everyone racing. I think's i think it's always a bit more pleasant when it's not horrible conditions. and the most spectate yeah i There's going to be a live stream. So if it's good weather, you know, be perfect for that.
00:24:07
Speaker
Yeah, and I think there, I was talking to some people when I was in Europe, they had been asked to go and help with the live stream. So I think that there might be some camera runners slash riders. um So hopefully it's ah an exciting and interesting live stream. But yeah, I don't know. That's um that's that's crazy that there's a live stream.
00:24:30
Speaker
Yeah, they were asking some Swiss Orienteers. I think it's a Swiss group that are doing helping with the the production and they were asking some Swiss Orienteers if they wanted to go out and and help with ah the filming. So it looks like they were trying to get people to that could run and follow. I think that that's speculation. It's not big. So they could probably have a camera runner each.
00:24:51
Speaker
yeah Yeah, so have you guys seen on that note, have you seen the fields? Like, is there a list of everyone that's running? um I think Jess mentioned yesterday that she heard there was only 60 people in the short trail in total, or I'm not sure where she saw the list. though There is a list. There is a list on the website. The list at least shows I think 64 or 63 across both.
00:25:14
Speaker
Okay. Men and women. That's for the long. For the long. okay And yeah, I know that there's some people that I'm pretty sure aren't racing. so um And then I know Ludo, you would have, classic Ludo made your spreadsheet of every competitor on the start line. So what do you think about, about your race?
00:25:36
Speaker
Yeah, I've done a deep dive into every single person and um I know their splits and their body weight and I don't know, their sweat rate and all of the relevant details that we should know going into a race like this. Their mental triggers. what like you know like like i know what I know what things to say as I run past them. um No. um I have no idea who's running. I mean, the Aussie team is obviously probably the biggest, like, I mean, I shouldn't say the biggest competition, but I think the biggest competition. Um, um, but also that's really exciting because it'd be great. You know, I think, um, we've got a good chance to do really well. We've got, yeah, we've got four people in the 40 K short course for women. Um, and they're all really good runners. So yeah, definitely excited to, to run with everyone. Um,
00:26:28
Speaker
I think I know a few familiar faces that have popped up in the women's field that I've definitely seen um over the years at the world champs, but I'm not sure if I think they might be doing a longer race. Other than that, I have no idea who anybody is. um So it'll be it'll be an exciting it'll be exciting to see you on the day really. I kind of i personally don't um i don't, I guess like it is it can be helpful to understand a little bit about you know if someone's good on the flats or the um downhills or the uphills or whatever. But I think of the the little bit of course that I've seen,
00:27:07
Speaker
um I think it's a course that can, like, could possibly suit my strengths. So that's, yeah, that's definitely exciting. But I, I think if I think too much about other people, it doesn't serve me. So I like to just think about, um yeah, more, more using this time to think about, well, like, what's, yeah, what do I need to do to prepare myself mentally and um you know, kind of bring it back into myself. um I think someone had described it to me about somebody, another runner actually, and I really liked it and that they just sort of really created a bubble around themselves and it wasn't really paying attention to anybody else other than their own run and race experience. And I think that's something that suits me better than worrying about anybody else. So that's sort of the tack that I go ah go with. um Yeah.
00:28:01
Speaker
Yeah, I like that. I agree with that completely. I feel like I like to know who's racing just because it's kind of fun. And I kind of, yeah even though you're a sport, I'm also a fan of the sport. So I kind of like to, ah you know, I'm like, oh, this guy is racing anyone.
00:28:14
Speaker
i go um twenty one Um, but I think when it comes to the actual race, it's you, you don't actually think about who you're actually racing. Really. You're not like trying to exploit some weakness. They're just all NPCs that are also happen to be doing what you're doing at that given time. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, does that mean that you don't know?
00:28:38
Speaker
who you Not that you don't know who you're racing, but you don't have an idea of where you think you might finish, or what are your thinking and thoughts around that? like You want to, yeah, somewhat. I mean, for me in my race, again, like same as Ludo, there are some really good runners, not from Australia, but the other three guys that are running are really good at running.
00:28:59
Speaker
um like Blake is a jet, Vlad is a jet, Billy's a jet. Um, so that's going to be really fun. I think like, you know, they're probably three of the best guys at that distance in Australia. So it's going to be fun to race them. Um, and I know there's a couple other guys that are really good. Um, that will probably be up there and you know, I've, I've heard that they race hard from the start kind of thing, but I don't really know. I don't recognize too many of the names and I looked, I tried to look, but, um, there wasn't anyone that like really stood out. Um, so I think for like me personally, like I'll be racing, you know, like I'll be, I'll be trying to win the race and and get on the podium and hopefully with that ah Australia you can also have, um,
00:29:51
Speaker
you know, like a team gold medal, which is I think a realistic, a realistic aim for the, for us, like the three guys in the short trail. Um, and I actually think for the women as well, for the Australian women in the short trail, I think that should be, that should be your goal. Um, which is really cool. Like it's, it's really cool to have that opportunity to be able to actually do that and have that as a realistic goal. I think at ah at a race like this, for sure.
00:30:15
Speaker
yeah yeah So racing, racing to win. Yeah, I mean, I think, yeah, yeah, I guess. i'mlock that's um yeah this Yeah, although watch me come back onto this review podcast and be like, you know what? just I was just out there to have such a good time and I didn't even really think of the other people around me. I just, I got distracted by the trees and I just loved what I was doing. So I wasn't even racing.
00:30:43
Speaker
oh I remember the first um world chance that I did, I was, you know, it was back in 2019. So, and I remember like when I got selected, the guy even said like, you know, um no one really good as applied. So, a bunch of rookies get to go, um me included. So,
00:31:03
Speaker
I kind of went in with, like I guess, pretty low expectations. like I was just stoked to be there. um But I think like definitely the lesson that I learned from that race is ah my attitude was a bit like, oh, I just don't want to come last. As opposed to um like the following World Champs I went to, I sort of was very intentional about you know you like You know, the self-talk being like you just as much as anyone can can win this and be be in it. um Yeah, so I think definitely just you know going in with um the right attitude is is really important. This race is obviously a bit smaller in terms of competition compared to those the World Champs. but
00:31:45
Speaker
Yeah, I think, yeah, just having a winner's mindset is really necessary. but yeah think believe what What the team aspect brings, um, and what we're lucky Ludo to have with Markie, unfortunately doesn't quite have it is it's like, if that winner's mindset is the way, yeah. Like, you know, we get it. We know what it's like to win. And I don't know is like, say for example, if I'm not having a great day and I'm fighting for fifth or I'm fighting for third or something, um,
00:32:16
Speaker
You know, me coming fifth rather than sixth might actually matter in terms of the team event. And I think that's really cool. I think that's a really cool part of it is to be like, doesn't matter what's happening. Fight for every place because those points matter and you know, we could do something really cool out of that. And that's a ah team goal, which, you know, I feel really lucky to be able to do. Yeah, definitely. Now I think that's, that's a really cool component and it's cool to see us having the team there. And and I guess Mikey still.
00:32:44
Speaker
Important for the overall team competition as well. So yeah, it's all right, Mikey. You're still part of the team Is there an overall team competition? I think there I think there is like an overall overall team competition I don't know exactly how the scoring works, but it includes all distances. I'm pretty sure Damn, that's cool. I didn't realize that let's go So you can still raise your winners mindset my kids or I don't think I don't think we can score points because we don't have a team of three so We don't think I'm out of the team. Bro, do you want to jump up and run the long instead? Vlad's telling me I should still run the short. And I'm like, Vlad, I think that ship sailed. yeah But um I think the short's well covered. But yeah, maybe maybe I should have run up. Just gone, yeah, you know, I won't run the short. i I'll jump in the long even though I've never run that distance. I'd like to hear Mike's opinion on how he's
00:33:38
Speaker
Like, are you racing for the win? Yeah, I think so. I think so. Yeah, I think that's... So, or you know so? No, what do you mean? No, I am racing for the win. It's just confusing, I don't understand. I am, definitely. We need confidence and that certainty of like, you're in it or win it, Ivy, come on. Let me finish my sentence. I said, yes, I am. And then I said, I think that is where I want to be in the sport. I want to be at the point at the end of next year, I want to be trying to win races that are going to be more competitive than, in my opinion, this championship. So I think I need to make sure I'm being consistent and trying to win these races as well, is what I said.
00:34:23
Speaker
Sorry, sorry everybody. What's your competition looking like, Mikey? Like, do you know any of the people you're up against? I don't to actually know. I mean, there's none from Australia. There's no other long trail men racing from Australia, um which is a shame. there were There was going to be for a while, but then people didn't end up coming, which is fine.
Final Thoughts and Excitement for the Race
00:34:44
Speaker
um There's a couple of runners, there's a Chinese runner who was meant to be racing, who I don't think is racing anymore because he raced at the optional on the weekend. um Zoe actually sent me a message, my wife, for the podcast listeners, and was like, this guy this guy better not beat you, basically. um And then I just looked him up and turns out he's, I don't think he's going to race, but he is listed on the start line, but I'd be surprised if he raced. Mike, he gets in trouble when he does the wins. It's not good. i have to go the but and thegetic You got to keep that record nice and squeaky clean. yeah How many wins in a row is this for you? Have you had? This would be four, I guess. Is that this whole year? No, ta no Tara, we're always bummed. So bad. But yeah, that's pretty much.
00:35:33
Speaker
That's my goal, I think. Yeah. Cool. All right. Well, we're three winners on the podcast. Say I did not put my hand in there. yeah ah know Well, for the listeners that don't know, Brad is running the sky race and hopefully we can have four winners on the podcast. Yeah. i I'll take down really you either. That's the, that's the goal I can get him.
00:35:57
Speaker
he's ah he He got too scared of you, Charlie, and decided he'd come to my race instead. Yeah, I'm sure that's what happened. He's like, much less. yeah Yeah, so I'm racing on the same day as Mikey, and have the same back end of the course, so I've just got to make sure I finish before Mikey doesn't come past me. but You're having a bad day, Brody. Where do you start? Do you start on the other? I start at eight, so I'd have to be having quite a bad day for him to catch me, I think. yeah and have Really bad day.
00:36:29
Speaker
Are you going to the station's Brody's day before for the short? Yeah, maybe, maybe. I don't haven't really thought about what I'm going to do, but yeah, if i'm if I can help out it I've needed, then yeah, I might might pop around to an aid station. I'll definitely come down and watch Charlie run up the finish chute and then Ludo not long after. So both taking the time. Yeah, I'll be i just fine, Charlie. Yeah, just behind Charlie. Re-chasing him up the finish a list of Charlie's psychological weaknesses. right ill I'll shout them out as I run past you. It's all right. He'll have carbon shoes on, so he's going to fall over in the river and then you'll be able to just get past him right there. Do either of you have a sense of how long it'll take time-wise? I am thinking between three hours 45 and
00:37:22
Speaker
maybe like around that time, you know, between three and a half hours for a blinder. Probably not. Is that based on like the nine, the ultra trail nine peaks people or that's just, where'd you pull that one from? How'd you come up with that number? why didd you pull that from down Um, that's based on 40 Ks. Um, so with an average of what, like 700 meters per 10K. I think um I'll probably- Based on previous performances at UTA, et cetera. Yes, I think I'll run under six minute Ks probably. yeah Six minute Ks is, yeah, four hours.
00:38:04
Speaker
yeah Yeah, because some of the like, um there was some footprints in like the ground up at the the top and it puts down like the nine peak ultra nine peaks. I don't know if they're winners, but I'm assuming they must be the winners. But some of the time it's like the 80k were like, do you see them? They were like 12.
00:38:20
Speaker
14 hours for the winners. Has either of the courses run been run before? No, none of them and like a bunch of even the bunch of the trials like there are some similar climbs as the nine takes but they are completely different courses.
00:38:40
Speaker
Yeah okay yeah what did the sky running content that's come out for our course our course is a twenty six K. um The course records supposedly that I don't I didn't know that this exact route have been run before but was two fifty seven so that would probably fit in with three fifty five. Yeah yeah cuz it will have way it's way less of a challenge as a yes or actually.
00:39:02
Speaker
ah yeah Yeah, cause it was as well. Another 14K and only, but only another 200 meters of climb. So they're like, like comparatively. What was that race three? That was my race. The two, the two peaks sky race has 26 K with 2,500. So it's, um, it has similar climb, but it's 14 less K. So I would imagine, yeah, 45 minutes longer is probably within the ballpark. I reckon somewhere between there and four hours for the winner. Wow. For the men. I'm not so sure about the win, maybe four and a half.
00:39:32
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, look, i I mean, I haven't looked at any numbers or anything, but like, I feel like it'll take me longer than Hounslow. And I think I did it. I did Hounslow, I think in six hours.
00:39:43
Speaker
No, it won't take you longer than Hounslow, Ludo, I reckon. You reckon? I don't know, the client, like the runs here, like when I did, um, Pakistan or how we say it, it took me like two hours to do eight kilometers on on that course. Yeah. but I think book is on is the same. Like there's quite a lot of running even in these courses. Like that second climb is entirely on the road. Yeah. by right Like it's Hounslow. 42 42 with climbing.
00:40:13
Speaker
um um to two six Okay, and what did you do, what did you do, Mikey? Mikey did to five, so like a decent time is probably four three 55. Charlie was running 350.
00:40:31
Speaker
Yeah, so but I think like yeah, yeah, but with this as a lot more runnable places where it sounds like you know no now is running Yeah, maybe I obviously haven't done the runnable sections So I feel like it every run here is taking me like a thousand times longer. But yeah, maybe I just haven't been to the right spots Yeah, I think there'll definitely be some bits that will be quicker than you expect and even that I think even the dissents is like small tech like in the bit that me and Kelly did there was small technical bits, but then there's like a 3k section on a road that goes down at like 10% and you would just be flying on that. So like compared to Hounslow where you have to descend on steps, which is really slow.
00:41:07
Speaker
Yeah, like you think about down the steps and hounds low, they take you like, it's almost adding like four k's of distance because each kilometer takes you like eight minutes, you know, like, yeah, if I'm step to sense of the slowest out of any descent, like I prefer a technical descent than a step descent, because I think I can do it faster. Yeah, like they just mess with you ruin it. I like going up them, but down I think is quite slow.
00:41:34
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know, that might be just me. Yeah. Well, we'll see. Anyway, yeah, exciting. Good times. All right. Well, any yeah last thoughts or Sim also wanted us to talk about any sensations that you might have at the moment. Did anyone feel any sensations about the weekend? um council but I'm having good sensations. on Bond running sensations. both says session I have some anxiety sensations about the travel. Once we get there, we're fine.
00:42:06
Speaker
Yeah, but you know and I have some excited sensations about the accommodation which looks really nice and the pool yeah i think guys oh So I think I'm gonna come and crash your pool um yeah not um Anyone anyone listening? Could you please send Mike your message and say how excited you are about the accommodations no one else? No one else got excited this morning and Mike was really upset. So as you would just appreciate it.
00:42:31
Speaker
I actually had to send a link to some other friends who weren't even there to be like, look at where I'm staying, isn't this really exciting? but yeah um ah Hopefully this will come out before the weekend. So please listeners, send a message to directly to Mikey's Instagram. um And just let him know how good his accommodation looks. Yeah, even if you don't know what it looks like, just... We'll try and we'll try and post some pictures. You guys can send me some pictures and I'll put them on the peak for shoots. Instagram as we're releasing and and ask them to rate how good the accommodation looks.
00:43:01
Speaker
yeah It reminded me of the of the villain house from The Incredibles. what i
00:43:08
Speaker
i um If I've got some time, I'm going to enjoy getting on the Instagram and maybe doing a comparison of those two. See how they look. But I'm excited to get my carb loads started. I'm excited to eat just a bunch of rice. That's what we're eating anyway. Yeah, we have the animals, the rice and noodles. But that's going to be fun. That'd be a good sensation.
00:43:30
Speaker
Ludo, how are your sensations? Um, my sensations, my, what is it? The Spidey sense. Um, I, uh, yeah, to be honest, it hasn't been the best prep for me, um, in terms of sickness and whatnot. So, um, but like, despite that, I'm feeling good this week and I'm excited to be here. And yeah, I mean, you know, when you get here and you see the mountains and you know, the tall trees and the mist and Flowing rivers, you know, it sort of reminds you why you're here. So I'm definitely excited for, I'm starting for a day in the mountains and I don't feel too stressed or pressured, which is nice. I just sort of, really like I'm just excited to see what I can do um and have fun really. um Those are the best races. So yeah, I'm excited to be going in and and not feeling that pressure, which is nice.
00:44:21
Speaker
i so Yeah, it's going to be, it is like you guys are in for a treat when you get down here. It's like, it is quite impressive. Like it's a really nice outlook that the mountains are cool. I think it's going to be a really fun race as well. Not just like, it's always fun to run a competitive race, but I think it's actually going to be a really enjoyable race as well. So I think we're all in for a treat. Yeah.
00:44:43
Speaker
Treaties. Excited. And then we'll do, we'll do a post, post one year where we can talk about we have to consumer bottle of macchioli. Oh, can we do that on the Sunday or something? That would be fun. yeah We condone drinking to excess get around and celebrate all that wins. Hey.
00:45:02
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. With the bag. There's good prize money at this race, which is another... Don't tell anyone. Yeah, if you... ah I think drinks are on news so you, You can buy the macchioli. I'll buy a bottle of macchioli for the podcast.
00:45:19
Speaker
ah which Amazing. All right. Well, thanks guys. We'll see you down here tomorrow. Fingers crossed. Hopefully. Um, and yeah, the listeners keep an eye out this weekend. See if you can get on the live stream. Um, and we'll do a little recap episode sometime next week. Yeah, for sure. Cool. But boys are going to stream bride brewery actually. So if you're around bright, then you can go to bribery. Awesome. Yeah, we'll do a shout out. That's very cool. So yeah, if you're around bright,
00:45:48
Speaker
head down to Bright Brewery. It's always good to go down there anyway. So, and you get... ah you plant you probably have to You probably have to book because I hear that there's not the many tables left. They're all being booked up. So it was like...