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2025 Buffalo Stampede Preview | Course Breakdown, Field Previews & Predictions
530 Plays24 days ago
James and Jess are joined by Buffalo Stampede course director Joseph Dorph to dive deep into the upcoming 2025 Buffalo Stampede. They break down the key races—the 100K, 42K, and 20K—analysing the course changes, standout athletes, and race-day strategies.
Timestamps:
- (0:15) – Introduction & Event Overview
- (5:45) – 100K Men’s Field
- (23:50) – 100K Women’s Field
- (42:35) – 42K Men’s Field
- (54:40) – 42K Women’s Field
- (1:15:00) – 20K Men’s Field
- (1:34:05) – 20K Women’s Field
- (1:44:30) - Closing Thoughts
Links:
🎧 Tune in for our insights and race predictions.
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Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:00:15
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Peepershoots podcast. My name is James Sieber and I am joined today with Jess, Jason as normal and also with Joseph Dorff who is the course director for Buffalo Stampede and that is the race in which we will be previewing today.
00:00:31
Speaker
Jess, Joe, how are you guys going? I'm good. Yeah, I'm good. I feel like I've never heard anyone call you Joseph before.
Name Change to Joe
00:00:39
Speaker
Oh yes. That was so formal.
00:00:42
Speaker
Actually, I actually kind of went by Joseph until I was like probably 20. And then for some reason I changed to Joe. It's weird how that works. but yeah You've got the beard to suit Joseph. Yeah, maybe best should go back.
00:00:56
Speaker
should go back. I probably changed when I changed my Instagram handle to Joe Runs Trails. And then all of a sudden I was a Joe after that. I don't know. Okay, well, from from here on, I'll call you Joe. I think being around you and your parents, I've heard Joseph quite a bit.
00:01:12
Speaker
So yeah I do like Joseph. It sounds nice.
Buffalo Stampede Race Overview
00:01:15
Speaker
yeah Awesome. Okay, so today, we've got quite a lot to go through. We're going to prioritize the 100k, the 42k and the 20k. Obviously, we know that there are other distances on there's also the Grand Slam and the Ultra Grand Slam, which we will mention a couple of the people doing them, but more so for the individual races.
00:01:35
Speaker
Joe is going to give us some kind of course overviews as we go through and just add that extra bit of context to the people that are entering things he's he's excited about.
00:01:46
Speaker
But yeah, it's going to be a big episode everyone so kind of strap in if you're on your long run, hope you enjoy this one.
Preparation and Participation Growth
00:01:53
Speaker
But yeah, so we'll get straight into it. Joe, just kind of coming to you, how things going for Buffalo this year and coming up in a couple of weeks?
00:02:03
Speaker
Yeah, we're in a good spot. Actually, when I should ask when this is actually going to be posted this podcast. So this will probably go out on Friday, I think. Friday. Yeah, cool. So we are currently Monday before.
00:02:18
Speaker
Yeah, the Monday before race week. We're looking pretty good. um Yeah, the event guide go out today. So that's always a nice, like once that's out and everyone's read it, we feel like that's a really good milestone.
00:02:31
Speaker
um So yeah, we're sitting at like, what is it? Like 10 days till the race and we've had plenty of meetings and it's been a pretty full on last couple months, but I'm feeling good, feeling excited. Yeah.
00:02:46
Speaker
uh every year that i feel like the stakes go up a little bit um you know like just feels like it's more important to just nail everything and make sure it's awesome and um so yeah we're we're pulling out all the stops this year and ah think it I think it'll be pretty cool. I'm excited for it.
00:03:04
Speaker
I'm excited for people to see everything and see the event and come and experience it all. But yeah, we're sitting at like already 2,500 people coming. So we'll probably get close to that sort of 3,000 number, which is exciting. Yeah.
Course Changes and Grand Slam 72K
00:03:19
Speaker
um yeah last year we had 1900 it's it's already growing pretty quick and um that just yeah that'll just make it more exciting to to be at the finish line watching people roll in and and uh see all the people smiling basically so last year's 1900 was that the biggest year to date for for single track ownership of buffalo Yeah, so every year it's grown. Yeah, it's grown every year probably by 50%. Like I think it was 800 in 2021 and then 1200 2022 and then 2023 is like 1500 and then was 1600 in 2022 then 1900 last year.
00:03:54
Speaker
So yeah, might have got one those years wrong, but you the idea. not going that, dude. ah six eight hundred twenty twenty two and a nine hundred last year so i would ah yeah i might have got one of those years wrong but you know you you get the idea'm not going to fail And then, yeah, it's growing again by like 50% again this year. So like, obviously, it's pretty, pretty nice number to grow by.
00:04:17
Speaker
But it does make sure that you have to really think about all the details. Otherwise, you get caught out. um And we'll go through a little bit of those later on, maybe course related stuff. But Yeah, everything's got to be pretty dialed and and the village this year has been sort of broadened a bit and stretched and I think it all it'll create a really nice sort of, yeah, home home for the race.
00:04:39
Speaker
The increase in numbers, is that across the board or are you seeing a particular event that's jumping up? Yeah, it's pretty much across the board actually. Yeah, like we, I thought originally the marathon was kind of like the standout one. For some reason, we had heaps of entries in the marathon early on.
00:04:58
Speaker
um And then it's kind of evened out, like the 100K, the 20K has sort of caught up. But yeah, now it's pretty much even. Like the one race that we probably have the most growth in is probably that like grandsam seventy two k Grand 72K Grand Slam, which for some people, like some reason people just like the idea of that, doubling a distance each day and getting to run each day. And don't know, you get to see a pretty good variety of trail for that um format. so I think that's, yeah, probably experience-wise, that's the pick of the events.
Men's 100K Race Contenders
00:05:32
Speaker
um
00:05:33
Speaker
And it's good value for money as well. so But yeah, over the board, it's it's pretty steady growth, all the races, yeah. Great. That's good to hear. Okay, well, let's get into it because we do have a lot to go through. We'll start off with the 100K fields. We'll go men's and then women's. But first, Joe, if you just want to give us a bit of a course overview, rundown, please.
00:05:55
Speaker
Yeah. Firstly, you go watch our Singletrap YouTube video if you want a really detailed course overview. and That went for about 45 minutes. So... Don't want to spend that long on the courses today. But um yeah, the 100K has, we should say initially, like since 2021, every course has changed every year.
00:06:16
Speaker
In fact, the 10K this year is the same as it was last year. And that's the first time ever we've had a course not changed. So 10K runners are the first people to run the same course two years in a row.
00:06:27
Speaker
um But yeah, that's just because of the active pine plantation that we run through. it And we've accepted that I would, i would, probably expected to change every year um just because mystic is such a dynamic trail network that they're constantly building new trails constantly having trails taken away from them because of the pines and so yeah there's always going to be different things going on at buffalo and i like that they're a dynamic set of courses that each year you can come and experience a slightly different course
00:06:59
Speaker
And we always just my goal is just to always make the numbers pretty similar. So that's what I've done this year. um Pretty much similar stats across the board. For the 100K, it's probably a K or two less than last year and probably um like 200 meters or 100 meters climbing less. I'm expecting right times to be 10, 15 minutes quicker than last year.
00:07:25
Speaker
And with the fields we've got this year, maybe even more than that. Yeah, so yeah, the 100K course is exactly the same. If you think of, like, um from clear spot to the horn and back, that's exactly the same.
00:07:39
Speaker
ah So that's a good, you know, 80K of the course is step like exactly the same trail for trail as last year and and and the other years we've done it. Yeah. but this year the start is a tiny bit easier um there's no aid station at baker's gully on the way out so uh you basically first stop is clear spot uh and it's easier to get to clear spot this year um but then the finish of the 100k this year will be slightly harder than last year so it evens out a little bit um but yeah i think i think it'd be a fun course like
00:08:15
Speaker
Super excited for people. um Yeah, I always think the is the pick of the races. I think it's just the best sort of journey you can go on. and Yeah, it'll be good.
00:08:25
Speaker
So you can get to the horn and back the fastest. Definitely. It always strikes me every time i'm in bright and I'm look up, I can see Buffalo. And then I know that another sort of what 15, 20 K is the crow flies is the horn.
00:08:39
Speaker
Yeah. And the race goes from where I am all way up there turns around and comes back. It's a journey. It still gets me. Like you get to the top mystic and you can see Buffalo and like, got to run there and back. That's crazy. But yeah, um yeah, it's it's a cool race. so I really like it.
00:08:54
Speaker
Yeah. great Beautiful. All right. We'll start off with the men's field. And the way we'll do this is I'll go through the top kind of who I think will be in the top three or my podium contenders.
00:09:06
Speaker
Joe, you just jump in whenever you want. And then Jess will take the women's field. So for the men, there's two names that stand out to me that have the i guess the the results, the acumen, and they've shown that they can really succeed over this distance.
00:09:23
Speaker
The first one is Michael Dunstan. So he most recently came second at Hounslow Marathon last year. He won it the year before as well.
00:09:34
Speaker
He got third Ultra Trail Snowdonia 100 miles in Wales. Hey, you actually crewed that, James. So you were first hand. just going to say that was a pretty cool experience. um Yeah, I got to go over and crew my kid.
00:09:46
Speaker
and So I was going over to see my parents and that was, that's Yeah, that's a race. That's of the terrain there is nuts. yeah Anyway, we'll come back to that one. And he's also got first at GPT 100 mile.
00:10:00
Speaker
Mikey's an interesting one because he really hasn't been in the sport for that long. 2022 is his first trail race at Transcend. And then he's just kind of gone bang since then because of Snowdonia third that got him an entry into UTMB this year.
00:10:14
Speaker
So that's what his ultimate goal is. But I know he's been training hard for this one. and he's always He's always one that I like going through the Strava of because he he really pushes his training. so Peak week was nearly 20 hours two weeks ago, 8,500 meters of climbing, 185k.
00:10:37
Speaker
I don't think many people could do this training and I think many people should do this training, ah but for him it really works. and If you actually look into the stuff, he's got some serious
Michael Dunstan's Strategy
00:10:45
Speaker
speed too. He puts in a lot of uphill speed sessions. so he's fast he's strong he knows how to be patient and to race these races um so yeah i'm excited to see him coming through shout out to dunston for being our social media guy for the last uh probably six months so all those amazing reels and hype that you get on socials is all dunston working away uh he does an awesome job but that's just an example of like
00:11:13
Speaker
When he does something, he does it really well. And um like he you probably know, or maybe you don't, but he's also lack an incredibly good musician. So um look him up on Spotify and listen to him. But yeah, he's he's a bit of a Renaissance man. He's just good at everything that he does, and he puts a lot of time and effort into it. And that's a pretty good reflection of his racing and training as well.
00:11:37
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. that's That's how I first knew him, was from his music and met him at GPT 2023. And i was like, I was a little bit of a fanboy. Yeah, it's pretty cool to see.
00:11:48
Speaker
um So yeah, Mikey Dunstan. And then the other name for me is Mike Carroll, who is... He's been around a bit bit longer, third at Tauera. He's come third at Buffalo Marathon last year, second at Windy Cross.
00:12:01
Speaker
He's got great results at Cozzy. He's won Buffalo Marathon 2023. like He's, again, another one that trains the house down. um I think the combination of those two will be really interesting. I think they probably have slightly different approaches to it.
00:12:15
Speaker
I wouldn't be surprised to Mike going out a bit faster than Michael Dunstan, but... come together towards the back end of the race. Would you agree with that, Joe? Yeah, I would. Like, Dunstan, he likes to say that he's going to start slow and and just race his own race. And i I think that he will do that, but he won't. Yeah, we were talking about this the other day. I don't know if he'll give him... I don't think he'll give anyone too much time.
00:12:39
Speaker
Like, he wouldn't want to get to the horn 10 minutes behind, but... um yeah, he'll he'll try and dial into his own pace. he like he's kind of He's very calculated, so he'll probably be running to a heart rate.
00:12:50
Speaker
He'll probably be really thinking about himself. and And you know I think Mike Carroll, we've seen him recently. I think he's just that fit that he does generally take the lead in a lot of races early on um and try and try and push the pace. So yeah, it'll be interesting, I think, to see how that works out. But they're also quite similar in their strengths. So we might just see them run the entire way together and hopefully not hold hands at the finish line. But yeah, we'll see what happens. so Yeah.
00:13:19
Speaker
Yeah. let's Let's go for a sprint finish at the end of the 100K would be pretty cool to watch. the I think another name that will be a really interesting throw into this field. He raced last year, came second as Tyler Wyndham.
00:13:33
Speaker
Tyler's a local guy to me, very quick. He's not necessarily coming from a background of trail, but coming from a background of triathlon and mountain biking. He is also one that will be on it from the gun and I think can will...
00:13:50
Speaker
put a dynamic into the race that especially if him and Mike go together go together, will really push that pace. Whether it's that order at the end, we'll see.
00:14:01
Speaker
um But I do think Tyler is probably one of the best runners in the field. And I just kind of don't know how big his impact will change that dynamic yeah at that front.
00:14:12
Speaker
Yeah, I am a big fan of Tyler. um I want to see him absolutely nail it. First thing you should mention is you came of second last year. um So he knows the course and he's learned lessons and he had a hard day and he still came a second and he actually ran a pretty good time.
00:14:30
Speaker
And yeah, he's just probably fit enough to be able to do that. um But yeah, I mean, he trained so well and He's an Ironman guy coming from triathlon and stuff. So, yeah, I'm waiting for him to fully catch fire and just destroy a race. And this might be the one.
00:14:47
Speaker
um But I don't want to put too
Women's 100K Race Contenders
00:14:49
Speaker
much pressure on him. I think sometimes the pressure probably gets to him, but... but Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing him run. And I think where one day might be in a couple weeks, we'll see Tyler just blow everyone away.
00:15:02
Speaker
So yeah, we'll see. We'll see what happens. Yeah, I think when Tyler gets this right, and like i said, he he's only been in the sport for 18 months, think cosy pretty sure cosy 2023 was his first trail event.
00:15:17
Speaker
um Or at least the first major one. So Yeah, when Tyler gets it right, I think he's going to be setting some pretty fast times on any course that he gets into. So think that's going to be a really interesting one to push the podium there.
00:15:32
Speaker
The other two names that I would say are really kind of podium contenders. The first one is Nigel Hill. So from a results perspective, he's come third at Altrail Kosciuszko 100 mile last year, first at South Coast Century, just ahead of Tom Dade, who's the other name i'm about to introduce.
00:15:52
Speaker
He's represented Australia in the World Mountain Trail Champs and he's just a beast. He's so strong. um I've always enjoyed when I see him on a start line, you know that it's going to be a really honest race.
00:16:08
Speaker
um Have you ever raced him, Joe? No, no, I actually don't think I've met him, which ah we've kind of and we know of each other and we've messaged, but um yeah, I'd be interested to see how he goes. Like obviously he won GCR as well, the miler.
00:16:24
Speaker
with a really, really strong run. Maybe, I don't know, 2021, 2022, something like that. And that's when I first heard about him. Yeah, he's he's obviously really good at hard courses, but then he won surf coast, which surprised me. and I was like, oh, maybe he's just good at everything.
00:16:41
Speaker
um But yeah, he um and I think he's represented Australia as well. So he's got a pretty good resume. And yeah, i um ah I think he could do really well for sure.
00:16:52
Speaker
I was going through his Java because when I saw the Surf Coast result, i was like, geez, that was quick, like unexpectedly so. And he's got some wheels. like He's fast I think. he's a fast guy i think The other thing that struck me is that he seems like somebody that just kind of does the work. He doesn't try to put anything impressive down in training.
00:17:12
Speaker
He just builds that foundation and then he uses that on the day. Like you see some people that will leave their race day in their training and he strikes me with the polar opposite of that. um yeah And then, I said, Tom Dade, he's what I would call my dark horse pick. it's probably can't really call him that anymore because he's got the results to be a genuine favourite. But...
00:17:36
Speaker
I know that this year has been really focused on being more specific towards certain races and he's been working on his speed and you saw that with, he came seventh at Donadouble a double two or week and a half ago now, but in a really quick time, broke two hours, which on that course is very impressive.
00:17:56
Speaker
And then you throw into the fact that first at Archie, he's won GSC off of 6K, third's at rollercoaster, second surfcoast behind Nigel. and has a lot of long trail experience as well. I think he could be a very interesting dynamic and somebody that people might not have on their radar to be a potential first to third, but I think could very easily see himself in there um with his experience.
00:18:17
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. i'm like Just the fact that Tom's entered in the 100K and not the Ultra Slam is... is worth noting like it's a clear clear indication that his mindset's changed and yeah steve's got him in a good place and seems like he's just really fit and yeah i'd agree he's he is kind of a dark horse even though he's won so many races like um Yeah, i still I still see him as a dark horse in this field, but someone who could you know have an amazing day and catch fire.
00:18:48
Speaker
And if for I'll just mention a couple of little dark horses if you want, and then we can roll onto the female field. But um i yeah i really like the look at Josh Godding at the moment. he He kind of came out of like, I didn't expect him to win Rollercoaster 46K last year, and that was a really good field.
00:19:08
Speaker
beating like Nick Montgomery, Tom Dade, Ash Bennett, and a few other runners. So... He won that in a really good time. And I was like, yeah, that's impressive on a terrible, terrible day. Like the conditions were horrible. So if it's a really bad wet day, he could be i want someone to look at. And he um just won the Warby 27K Redwood Rush last weekend or yeah whatever it was. So obviously he's pretty fit at the moment.
00:19:35
Speaker
um And then I will always have to talk about Ryan Lowe whenever he's on a start list because um yeah he's a good friend of mine but um yeah he's just a beast like last time he raced 100k he came third he ran under 12 hours really good time and um he hasn't had a huge training block but yeah ryan's just a beast and he works like 12 hours a day construction so he doesn't have to do much running and he can he can get fit really fast. So those would be my two other little names to throw in there, Kishore.
00:20:10
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know how. Tyler's the same. He he works as tradesman and how those guys train. If you look at Tyler's training, he's up. Most days the runs start before five. He puts a double in. I know he's got a very supportive wife that does help a lot, um but he's got a young boy as well. So how those guys...
00:20:29
Speaker
have the energy to train i i just sit at a desk and it's it's hard enough so it's it's yeah it's impressive yeah it's amazing like i'm a dad of two now and i run like 50k a week and that's enough but i don't know how people have kids and train like tyler specific like specifically how tyler does it's ridiculous yeah he's he's a beast um And the I was also going to mention just quickly, Jared Owen. I can see him having a really good day. He just won hut to hut 100K. And he came third last year. So we definitely have to throw his name in there as a serious contender.
00:21:06
Speaker
i think From memory, I think he... ran like all of Dingo Ridge last year. So that's very impressive at the end of 100k because he passed someone on the climb, Ben Burgess on the climb. He so who said he was just running the whole thing. So yeah, he'll be really good.
00:21:26
Speaker
He'll be really good. What are your thoughts on being able to back up? Well, because Jared's in for the ultra grand slam. So he's coming four weeks essentially after Oscar's 100k, which is not an easy 100k either.
00:21:37
Speaker
Yeah. Do you think you can be performing at the front end of this field with that in your legs?
Predictions for 100K Winners
00:21:42
Speaker
ah I guess it depends a little bit on what he was doing before that. I think I like like a four week sort of gap between like two really big acute stimuluses, but you know, everyone's different. um If he's done,
00:21:57
Speaker
other big races just before that then yeah probably stacking too many long efforts but yeah i don't know i i think sometimes you can show up four weeks after a big 100k and and you'll have that super compensation still going on and feel amazing but yeah i wouldn't put it past him being really strong for sure oh cool ah when i was looking back at his results it looked like Brisbane, 100 mile.
00:22:24
Speaker
That was the last thing that I could see at least, which is, what, July last year? Yeah, he did GPT miler and he DNF'd like Holoscap or something, or somewhere. yeah Okay. He's done that the last two years and he's DNF last two years, but...
00:22:38
Speaker
He signed up again. so he's he's pretty keen to get that done. I'm sure he'll love listening to this podcast now and just being reminded of that. It's all on Joe. That's it. Okay, cool. um that's yeah That's all the names that I had for the men's. I think it's it's great to see the depth. And this is something that you're you're going to see across all the different businesses, the events, is that we there is depth in the men's and the women's fields.
00:23:06
Speaker
across even down to the 10k. ah So it's but it's good to see that we've got a competitive field in the 100k especially. It's going to make a really interesting Saturday to follow along with.
00:23:17
Speaker
And we probably should mention we're definitely going to miss people here. but Oh, yeah. So sorry to everyone that we miss, but we've done we're doing our best. Yeah, and and like I said, we're we're really we're looking for people that are going to be on the podium, particularly battling for first.
00:23:32
Speaker
There are still going to be names that we miss, people we don't know. and and We've looked up as much as we can, but um yeah, if we do miss you and you have a chip on your shoulder, please use it. Prove to us that you should have been mentioned. That's
00:23:47
Speaker
Okay, Jess, let's go to you. And can you please bring us into the 100K women's field? Yeah, say I guess like the first name that really stands out to me is ah the great Kelly Angel.
00:23:59
Speaker
um she signed up this year and I've seen some of her training like looking super strong. um She obviously had a really good experience.
00:24:10
Speaker
Yeah, last year with an awesome result at Western States. um And then third at Hounslow. She went to Asia Pacific Champs um and did really well in the long course there. um And then since then, I think she's just been sort of training the house down, um ready for another big result.
00:24:30
Speaker
So that's going be exciting to see. And then I think... Yeah, just on Kelly as well, like... um
42K Marathon Contenders
00:24:39
Speaker
uh yeah she just won i think she just won warby 50k i can't remember her time i don't know does anybody remember her time but it was a record it was a record yeah 4 30 4 34 or 4 35 i can't remember and then she beat amy's time by one amy lambrex time by one minute who amy has run think amy's run 4 35 twice and then kelly's coming at 4 34 so that's 4 34 she ran fourth overall um
00:25:06
Speaker
um and yeah like she said she got her fueling and hydration right which is probably and a big news article if trail running in australia was a big sport uh kelly's always had problems um fueling and and drinking throughout races um and she's trying to get right and i think she might actually be starting to get it really right and dialed in so that gives me a whole bunch of ex excitement for Kelly's 100k at Buffalo because it's been like a pretty big goal for her for a long time. Like she has, she's been entered since like, you know, October, September last year. And um I think it's basically her main goal for the year, this race. So,
00:25:51
Speaker
you know she's going to be like crazy dialed and ready to go and excited for it. And if she can get enough water and sugar in, she'll be so fast and she'll be she'll be pretty hard to beat. Yeah, but there's also um a lady called Esther Silek coming from... Esther Silek, yeah. Silek from Hungary. Yeah, she lives in Hong Kong and she's from Hungary.
00:26:16
Speaker
Yeah, so she was third at Western States... Last year. So she's obviously a very talented runner. um So I think she would definitely be like one to give Kelly a run for her money. Yeah.
00:26:29
Speaker
yeah Esther um like i ran Western States last year and she kind of was around me at the start of the race and then just like blew past me about 40k in or something and ended up running like 16 low 16s and that was the second year in row she's done that for third so two years in row third place Her two third places are like two of the top.
00:26:56
Speaker
I don't want to get this wrong, but it's like her two third places are like two of the top six times of all time on Western States. She got she got beaten by Courtney and Katie who both ran like the two fastest times.
00:27:08
Speaker
And then she got bitten by Fujiao and Katie, who also both ran like to to two of the four fastest times. So she's been pipped there by incredible ladies both years. And um she's probably, you know, the favorite to win Western States this year. So...
00:27:25
Speaker
Having her on the Buffalo start line is pretty pretty humbling for us event organisers. She'll be so strong and very cool to watch.
00:27:36
Speaker
yeah Can I just ask there, Joe, what was that but process like to come get her to come here? like Is she just excited to race in Australia? or Yeah, like she lives in Hong Kong, so it is a good option for her, like similar time zone.
00:27:52
Speaker
think it's three hours difference. So for us, it's like going over to Hong Kong to race is actually really good as well. um So you're looking for good overseas races, think about Asia because the time zone is not like a big adjustment.
00:28:07
Speaker
um But yeah, so she's looking for an early season race because, you know, that this is sort of the early season for spring racing in Europe.
00:28:18
Speaker
um And, you know, Australia, it's a good place to come for like a hot race. this time of year. um And she's obviously focusing on Western States, which I think this course really suits like a Western States kind of build. It's got like long downhills, like big walks, a thousand meters downhill late in the race.
00:28:38
Speaker
um You know, you've got some really extended kind of, long climbs and downhills and it's having run States I can certainly feel like this would be a great like tune up for States um and she also is friends with Kelly so um yeah she's a well she's a T8 athlete and a hoker athlete and Kelly is also T8 athlete and a hoker athlete and that's just a coincidence but there can't be too many other T8 and hoker athletes out there in the world so ah Yeah, so a bit of a combination of things. She's trying to build. I think I wouldn't say she's primed at the moment, but she's certainly building and this would be an awesome little hit out for her. And then her family will join her after the race. So I think it's a bit of a win-win for everyone.
00:29:23
Speaker
But yeah, we're looking to get more internationals out here because people love Australia and, you know, it's a pretty sweet trail running over here. And um yeah, like a a great holiday for people from the Northern Hemisphere um to come and sort of experience what we've got going down under.
00:29:40
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. We see how many people go across to Tauera. Obviously that has other draw cards, but you definitely, you don't hear people saying that it's a ah hardship to have to come and race in New Zealand in the end of summer, aside from the long flight.
00:29:54
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Awesome. Cool, and then we also have Hannah McRae. So um she ran UTMB last year and came 23rd in the female field, um so the 100-miler, the full distance. um So, yeah, that's a pretty strong result from an Aussie.
00:30:19
Speaker
um And she's also had a good race in New Zealand in November last year where she came 7th. um So definitely, like, experienced in the trails. She's got a few other sort of results at Tarawera, Cozzy, and Kunani Martin Run. So she would definitely be up there in the podium or, like, fighting for the podium, I would say. Yeah. She's – think she's won taro mila before or maybe james snows maybe a second she's got a second and a fourth yeah okay and uh yeah that time 23rd at utmb like that time was really really good and if anyone knows anything about the sport like utmb is just getting crazy now and like if you're a top 50 you're a good runner and
00:31:05
Speaker
that time that she ran was insane, like 28 something. um If you're under 30 hours as a female at UTMB, you're pretty elite. And so, yeah, I think she can obviously do big mountains and very good hiker and I think she'll be really strong.
00:31:23
Speaker
um So yeah, excited to see her lineup. Her training's been great as well. It's, you look back at... through her weeks and she's just yeah putting in some really solid foundations like gives you gives you the confidence that she's going to have have everything she needs on the day um just down to executing I've got her down as my my dark horse pick I think that could be really interesting yeah I agree with that do you have uh yeah so there's also Sarah Tapp who
00:31:55
Speaker
was second in the 100k at Buffalo 2022. um And then since then, she's also had, she's run the Sky Marathon last year where she She roller
Women's 42K Race Insights
00:32:10
Speaker
coaster last year as well in the 46k and came second.
00:32:14
Speaker
um And she also did the great Southern Endurance run last year, which is a fifty six k where she came second as well. so Yeah, she's definitely another dark horse for me. I'd say she'll be up there battling for the podium as well. Yeah, so Sarah, um yeah, I'm hoping she lines up, but we're not 100% sure because she it hasn't been training as well. But having said that, she did come down for a training camp a few weeks ago and ran with Kelly, so she's obviously fit.
00:32:47
Speaker
And um she also just did Warby Trail Fest and came second to Kelly in the 50K. So, yeah. Obviously, fitter than she's putting on yeah um And we're certainly hoping that she does line up and and and get a start in the 100. I think she'll probably surprise herself and do really well.
00:33:06
Speaker
um Yeah, certainly, definitely a dark horse. But ah she has come second here before. So she came second to Luke Lifton in the 100K in 2022. Yeah.
00:33:17
Speaker
um so yeah obviously really good runner and knows the bright area very well she comes down here all the time to run um so someone to certainly look out for yeah do you have anyone else joe that you've got on your radar oh yeah i'm i've become a little bit um obsessed with uh bridie temple's training and running lately um jess have you have you do you follow her on shava or anything righty temple um let me have a look i've definitely seen the name before i couldn't see many results yeah so i think she's still very much like an unknown to most people but i like anybody who does know of her is pretty excited about her running ability um i think and honestly i think like if she has a good day she could win the whole thing um
00:34:08
Speaker
Like, you know, she's definitely fit enough. It's whether or not she can put it together. but you know, she's only young. She's only 19 years old. Oh, wow. And she is, well, I'm pretty sure she's getting coached by Quinton Gill. So, um yeah, he will be giving her some pretty good guidance. um They came down for a training camp, so she knows the course. And, like, yeah, honestly, like, her training it blew me away when she did the Buffalo um training camp.
00:34:39
Speaker
So... ah I don't know. I feel like we can't put much pressure on her. She's definitely a dark horse being 19 years old and getting into the sport. But the way she's running and if you're just going off Strava stats, she'd probably be the favorite. Yeah.
00:34:56
Speaker
But you can't go off Strava stats and Yeah, you got to put it together on the day. So we'll see what happens. But um yeah, she has come first at our pun challenge 100k before.
00:35:08
Speaker
And and she be she won outright as well. So she won overall. um And so she's done 100k. So she she does a lot of hiking and training as well. So I think she's pretty level headed and um yeah, she's been training with Quinton Gill lately and hey he reckons she drops she can drop him on all the climbs.
00:35:29
Speaker
um having And he just won Cozzy 100k. So I think like you know I would I'd actually be amazed if she wasn't winning at the horn. Like I think she's almost certainly going to be front running.
00:35:42
Speaker
um And it'll really just depend on on her experience and how she races the back half of the race. Yeah.
00:35:52
Speaker
and Joe and I spoke a few days ago and he told me to follow her on Strava because you have to request. And she she let me in and I was very impressed.
00:36:03
Speaker
yeah Obviously, like I said, stra Strava unfortunately does not guarantee race results, but it was like, just yeah, just crown after crown after crown on the bright climbs, especially that a lot of people have done and not in the 100k.
00:36:20
Speaker
You know, taking like Lucy Bartholomew crowns and Sarah Dondra's crowns just in the middle of long runs. I'm like, oh, yeah. yeah it's Yeah. This is very specific knowledge, but for anybody that knows the Emily's climb in Bright, it's the first climb in the 100K.
00:36:38
Speaker
And the men's record up there is, i think, is about 1720, 1740 years. twenty seventeen forty I think Blake might have done quicker, but you never know. He's not on Strava. It doesn't count. But I'm pretty sure he's done like 1630. Okay, well, let's ignore Blake because he's not on Strava. Ignore Blake. And then she is like 1830, give or take. Yeah. Like, just...
00:36:55
Speaker
like eighteen thirty give or take ah yeah like ah just absolutely so impressive but yeah the the from what i can see as well she is trying at least to push that sort of higher carb fueling so that's always interesting that she did mention 90 grams an hour on strava uh you also mentioned that she had some gut issues at jabalit jabalani jabalani challenge forty five k last year so you're pushing hard it can always get hot there's definitely exposed sections in buffalo so that could be something to look out for and again 19 even with the coach there's still a lot of learning things to go on so yeah hopeful hopefully she doesn't listen to this podcast before the race um yeah hopefully she doesn't listen and get psyched out but
00:37:41
Speaker
yeah But no, super
20K Race Favorites
00:37:43
Speaker
talented. And we should mention at the top of so she did the Mystic Climb at the start of her like training block, first 5K or whatever. And then she also set the crown from Mystic to Kleerspaar.
00:37:55
Speaker
And she was fourth overall. She's fourth overall on Strava, faster than my quickest time from Mystic to Kleerspaar. straight after the Mystic Climb. I'm like, oh, man, that's fitness. So we know she's 100% fit enough to win. It's whether or not she can race. Yeah, yeah, definitely. And you always see see stuff like that. She might just be a sort of generational talent for Australia or she might be yeah might not not have it on on the day because, yeah, meant potentially coming bit tired. So we will we will have to see. Keep an eye out for Bridie Temple at Buffalo, Stephanie. Essentially, yeah.
00:38:30
Speaker
That's the hot takeaway. but Yeah. If I were to put you guys on the spot and I want first place men and women, just, just give me who you think is going to win. Joe, who's your pick?
00:38:42
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. You're the guest. I'd go Michael Dunstan and Esther. oh okay Oh, that's tough. Yeah, I'd go Michael Dunstan and Esther. And I think the reason would be Esther simply on the fact that she's just like a world-class athlete and it's so hard to beat world-class athletes even when...
00:39:04
Speaker
your training might be slightly better and you'll know the course way better um like kelly will definitely know the course way better and probably trained a lot better and you has had the summer to train but i just think you know when coming up against somebody like esther who's run like low 16s at states like i don't even know how that's even possible for anyone to run low 16 at states and you know she's obviously you know a world-class talent she's been top 10 at utmb so Yeah, I can't say no to her, but I'd love Kelly to come through and fly the flag for Australia, take home in the win.
00:39:37
Speaker
um And Dunstan, just because he's so dialed, like he races like twice a year, he's not going to, refuses to race unless he's going to absolutely crush it. And he just doesn't mess up ever. Like he's only been beaten by Mikey Demiantas on Australian soil and like,
00:39:55
Speaker
They both ran just so well at Hounslow. So, ah yeah, I just think, like, Dunstan is, yeah, he's just the best. Yeah. he's He's very good. And I know Mike Carr will be crazy strong and probably run really well. And i know he's really fit as well. But, yeah, Dunstan is just so dialed. And when he does something, he does it really well. So I'll go with that.
00:40:16
Speaker
Cool. Jess, your picks? Yeah, I'm going to go with Kelly for the women. i just... think coming off the back of like that 50k record at Warby um and like I think knowing the course would be an advantage and um I think just not having to like do an international like all the international travel that Esther will be doing um could be tough so yeah I'll stick with Kelly um and for the men yeah I think I can't really go past Dunstan like I think
00:40:52
Speaker
It'll probably be, yeah, like Mike Carr will be up there for sure because I've seen his training as well and he's looking pretty fit. But, ah yeah, I think I agree. Like Gunston doesn't race unless he's in top form. So i think that's pretty exciting.
00:41:08
Speaker
I am going to agree with you, Jess, on the women's. I think Kelly's going to do it partially because if she is getting her nutrition and she's had, if she's had issues with her nutrition and her fueling before, and she's getting enough fluids to actually process everything, that's, that's,
00:41:24
Speaker
like a whole new level for her. And yeah, Esther's training isn't what she would be doing when she's setting 16 hours at Western States. So I think that Kelly having this as a focus quite probably will put her ahead of Esther, ah even if that's not until the last climb.
00:41:46
Speaker
And the men's field, because I really want him to have the day that I know that he can, I've got it um've got to go with Tyler. um i also say like He's running with one of the other local guys here, Paddy Stowe.
00:41:58
Speaker
If you're an Inside Running podcast listen to listener, you'll know him from the Road to Berlin series. He's an incredible runner. He's an incredible trail runner. ah He has most of the segments going uphill here.
00:42:10
Speaker
So Tyler's been really pushed in his early season stuff. He's an absolute beast. And he's also going to have Paddy supporting him on the day. So that's a pretty scary proposition. i know Ty likes to fuel.
00:42:23
Speaker
It's, yeah, I want him to have his day, basically. So I'm going to have to pull a little bit of home favourite and go with him. Nice. I like it. Yeah. Good. All right.
00:42:34
Speaker
Let's move on to the 42 K. So in the men's field, I think there's one clear favorite to me, at least he's i I would personally, purely subjective measure here, put him as the best runner in Australia at the moment.
00:42:50
Speaker
That's going to be Mikey DiMoantes. um he's I call always think back to his UTA 100 from last year. That run was just incredible. He won that field by an hour. and Anyone that tried to stay with him ended up DNFing or flying out the back. Nine hours on that course was just incredible.
00:43:06
Speaker
Amazing. He had an okay day for him at the Asia Pacific Jams. I think you just listened to the preview of the Trail 2 series going up to it. He was probably hoping for a better day than that.
00:43:18
Speaker
Again, yeah great, great run at Hounslow, super quick against Michael Dunstan and a slew of other results behind him. But he's he's in a rare category for me on the trails of somebody who is just a genuinely talented good runner.
00:43:33
Speaker
like If he trained for a 5k or a 10k, I would love to see what he would do and I'm sure it would be low 14s, maybe even faster than that, um which is this sort of pace we're seeing of the guys doing the uphill champs last weekend at the Oz Champs. so Yeah, I think as as usual for the last year or two, it's Mikey's race to lose.
00:43:54
Speaker
Doesn't mean that nobody can beat him. There's actually another local guy who pretty certain he's going to do it. He's definitely entered and I really hope he does do it.
00:44:05
Speaker
His name is Ashley Hoffman. It's probably not a name that most people have heard in the trail scene, especially if you've been around in the last two to three years. um Ash has raced a lot sort of back 2017, 2018. He's come sixth at Buffalo Marathon. He's come second, third at UTA 50.
00:44:23
Speaker
ah Then more recently, he's had like a third at Buffalo 10. fourth at six foot track, 11th Buffalo 20 couple of years ago. He's a 227 marathoner who probably would say that he still hasn't put it together quite for the marathon.
00:44:38
Speaker
ah So yeah, if he if he shows up, this is the perfect train for him as well. He's been doing some incredible long runs in Bright. um I think if there's anybody in this marathon field on the men's side for me, that's going to push Mikey or at least have the guts to go with him it's going to be ash yeah i'd almost say honestly i don't want to say that ash would probably take the lead and i think mikey would be staying with ash um at least until you're robin because ash like uh if he's fit i know he's super fit and so he's going to run down the big walk like stupidly fast
00:45:20
Speaker
And yeah, I can imagine them being together. But if anyone's at the front, I wouldn't be surprised if it's Ash ah yeah at the bottom of your oven. Yeah, well, I think there's, correct me if wrong here, Joe, but I'm pretty sure there was a year that Ash and Matt Murphy racing the marathon and potentially exploded each other on the downhill of the big world. Yeah, they I would say Ash is a different runner now. Like I'd say he's gone to a whole new level. Um, so is the sport.
00:45:49
Speaker
And so that's why we're still talking about him. Like, you know, he's, he's very much a contender these days. so Um, and yeah, like, like Ash can get, get really fast on the downhills. And I think him and Murphy just went stupidly ballistic down the big walk and totally blew up.
00:46:07
Speaker
Um, And it wasn't until last year, I think that Charlie actually beat their time somehow solo running through the field down that big walk. But um yeah, he can run downhill so fast.
00:46:20
Speaker
yeah And yeah, I think Mikey is probably going to be lucky because Mikey would, if he's smart, he'll just run with Ash and then try and drop him up Dingo Ridge. And I think Mikey can do that. So.
00:46:33
Speaker
Yeah, um that'll be a fun little battle, I reckon. I'm excited to see how that plays out. That battle will be very interesting. i'm I'm actually curious, though. I don't know if I agree with you about Mikey dropping him up Dingo, if they've yeah gone out at...
00:46:49
Speaker
a sensible pace, i both feeling somewhat strong at the bottom. And I think Ash went up in the fourth or fifth fastest time up Dingo in training a month ago. and he Third fastest time. Third fastest time. Okay. So like he's not a big guy, but he is very strong, very, very strong, has a strength training background as well. So there's a lot of power and that really shows on especially the more runnable uphills now i know a lot of people listen this might not agree that dingo ridge is runnable there's a lot of sections that for those guys are um and so ah yeah i'm really curious about that that head to head yeah like i think ash is amazing and like yeah he'll probably run up dingo just crazy fast but
00:47:34
Speaker
I just think Mikey's going to set the crown up, Jingo. like He's that good. He's so good at climbing. He's so good. then um like In the 20K last year, he showed it. like he He just won easily. like He didn't even really try that much. And then Hounslow ran like dropped Dunstan up Lockleys running the climb somehow.
00:47:57
Speaker
I don't even know how that's possible. But yeah, I don't think anyone can climb like Dunstan Mikey in Australia. Okay. And I know Ash is fit, but I'd be very surprised if Mikey wasn't the first to clear spot.
00:48:12
Speaker
um But yeah, you never know. No. You don't know. It would definitely be interesting. I'm always curious when the marathon runner comes the trails. like The best example I know is Julian Spence coming into Berkman to Hoffman.
00:48:25
Speaker
And you see he's still got a course record that even Blake can't touch. So yeah, it is interesting. um Then... Like said, those two are my two key picks really for the for the win.
00:48:39
Speaker
The other name that's definitely up there is Quinton Gill. The main reason that I'm not putting him in that first place contention against Mikey is because he's saying he's openly said on his Instagram that this is a B race and he has an intention to run about 520k pace. That's his target, which should be a 345k finishing time, give or take.
00:48:58
Speaker
I do not believe that's fast enough to even get into the top three, really. um i think that this is, on this course, well, fact, Joe, we'll come back to you.
00:49:09
Speaker
We didn't give a, I skipped the preview section. So, but on this course, I think Mikey's going to be running well under 330. through even getting close to 320. So yeah, I think Quinton has definitely got the talent to be really be up there, but it would need to be his A-Race to take it to him.
00:49:29
Speaker
um Would do you agree? Yeah, I mean, Quinton's a good runner. like he won Cosi last year and he was third at Hounslow Marathon um behind Dunstan and Mikey like you couldn't get a better podium than that um obviously he's come down here to do some course recons I'm surprised that he's not taking it as an air race because he's he's made the trip down and done a three-day training camp so I don't know. um I'd still put him in like contention to win. like you know anyone can have
00:50:03
Speaker
like If there's only... Mikey's only one person, Ash only one person, and you know so often three three or four people will blow up. so yeah yeah I'd have Quinton down as as a chance to win for sure. Same as like Billy last year. like We almost didn't talk about him as much.
00:50:21
Speaker
And then he ended up winning the marathon and look at what he's done since then. um so yeah, I think Quinton certainly is a contender depending on how he races it.
00:50:32
Speaker
Yeah. um But yeah, I think that that's, I would put it as a three person race personally. I'd put them all three as a good chance at at being up there. And obviously Mikey would be my favorite to win because I agree with you. I think he's just him and Charlie are probably my picks for the best male trail runners in Australia at the moment.
00:50:53
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. um Obviously, I missed this at the start, but the marathon course this year compared to last year, how is it different? Because there is a small course change. And do you think it's faster or slower?
00:51:07
Speaker
Yeah, ah it's definitely um a little bit quicker, ah but not crazy quicker. it's It's a little bit less climbing than last year because you... Oh, wait a minute.
00:51:20
Speaker
so No, it's a similar... It's very similar. um and i've I've gotten the wrong way around. it's Sorry, I was thinking of last year. Yeah, it's slower. It's like five minutes slower max.
00:51:31
Speaker
um Yeah, so less so I meant to say it's less climbing. It's like maybe 50 to 100 meters of less climbing than last year and probably like 600 meters longer or something.
00:51:45
Speaker
So pretty minimal dis difference in stats. um But yeah, I think you'd have to say it's slower just on the stats themselves. Yeah. But having said that, the start loop at the top of the chalet is going to get people running really quick. yeah And they're going to... And I think when you get off that fast and you're in that momentum, that it can kind of just set the whole tone for the whole day. and And so, you know, if you see the whole pack of guys and girls head out on the road for us to an 1.5K some crazy, stupid fast pace, they'll probably maintain it as long as they can. And all of a sudden, you're in the buckland and it's...
00:52:24
Speaker
and you're well up on your splits. So, yeah, I don't know. It really depends how the race will play out. But um even though it's a slower course, I do expect the times to be quicker than last year.
00:52:37
Speaker
the Obviously the main change is being really clear spot to the the finish. I think middle track as a descent definitely throws in another element like that suddenly goes from a not particularly technical descent off clear spot to a pretty technical descent down middle track.
00:52:54
Speaker
with a couple of more bumps in there it's last year it was very much you get to the top of clear spot and you can just sort of fall down the hill with whatever legs you have left whereas now you've got to turn around and little pinch back up and then a couple more pinches that yeah they'll i think that they'll really hurt like turning around at c clear spot will really hurt yeah getting back up to eagle peak and then back up to water reserve track is going to be really tough think yeah as As we're going to get to, Jess is obviously in the women's field and she's just like laughing along to to this. Like, yep, this is going to be really, really hard. Some people are going to love middle track down and some people are going to hate it.
00:53:26
Speaker
I can see Mikey and Ash and even Quinton loving it. yeah And like they're going to go just as fast down that as they would down ClueSport, in my opinion. ah But yeah, like for the wrong for the wrong person in the marathon, it would be a harder race. But...
00:53:45
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think Mikey, I think he's just so good at technical stuff that he'll run faster than last year's winners. So, yeah, that's my opinion.
00:53:57
Speaker
Jess, of you do you run with Mikey at all in Canberra? Yeah, um yeah I ran with him yesterday actually. um Yeah, he's looking pretty fit. exactly Probably like not as fit as like before UTA and Asia-Pacific terms last year.
00:54:13
Speaker
But like i mean he's always just such a good climber. he's just such a good climber like And he's so good in technical stuff. Like, I don't know how he does it. Like, he just floats over the rocks. So, yeah, definitely my pick to win. Like, he's just so strong.
00:54:29
Speaker
Yeah. yeah um Yeah, I think like the the men's field is probably not as deep as last year, but the women's field is insane. So I don't need to get onto that.
00:54:40
Speaker
Definitely. Go on. So um Jess, obviously you are in this field, so you can skip yourself and let Joe talk about you if you want. But anything you want you want to ah let us know about how you're feeling towards it.
00:54:50
Speaker
But please, yeah, go ahead with ah the women's field. Yeah, so I guess like um the biggest name that kind of stands out to me is Sarah Klein. um she For anyone that doesn't know, like she's just like an all-round runner. She runs on the road, she runs on the track, she runs on the trails.
00:55:09
Speaker
um She's a 232 marathoner. She's been to World Champs and done like a top 10 finish. um She trains a lot on the trails down in Melbourne, so through the Dandenong ranges um so like she's no stranger to like hills and um sort of technical trails um she's had a few good battles with like Kate Avery so um I think they had a good battle at roller coaster last year where um I think Sarah was sort of winning for most of it and then Kate just pipped her like a few k's from the line um but I'm pretty sure that was a week after Sarah had
00:55:49
Speaker
run like a 230 something marathon at Melbourne. So, and she's in good form. Like she's been running on the track. She's been doing like 15 minute 5Ks.
00:56:03
Speaker
And she just did the bluff to boat ramp 10K on the weekend where she ran like 33 minutes. um So yeah, I think like, I don't know how she'll go with the sort technical stuff. That's start of,
00:56:17
Speaker
the descent on buffalo but um i think after that like there's a lot of runnable sections and ah and she's a good climber so um i think she'll be pretty strong will sorry just because it's a very impressive time she actually ran 230 10 in 2022 eugene marathon so very close to going under 230 but yeah that's that's some yeah real speed yeah yeah that's insane so fast fastest runner in the field like runner but yeah I've never seen her do a race this much climbing so it'll be interesting to see how she compares also have a quick look at her her training and the thing that really stands out is there's a just and obviously she might not have everything up there but there's a distinct lack of any hilly long runs like it's kind of 500 meters maybe once a week at most so yeah I will be curious to see how that plays out on the day yeah
00:57:13
Speaker
Yeah, I would be surprised if she pulled it all together perfectly on the day. i wouldn't have her as my favorite, but um but yeah, super, super good runner and like has won a lot of trail races in the past.
00:57:28
Speaker
So doesn't, yeah, knows how to run on trails, but a lot of them ah have been like two bays or roller coaster or slightly less mountainous ones. So it'd be really cool to see like how she can adapt.
00:57:42
Speaker
and sure Yeah, and she did just she did just win both the 27 and the 14k at Warby. So wow yeah again, they're not particularly hilly events, so but she is doing some trails and she did them very, very fast. So I think she was think she was second overall at the 14k and I think it was pretty similar.
00:58:01
Speaker
think it was top three or top five overall in 27. So yeah, she's yeah She's a very interesting person to throw into this mix. she like It wouldn't surprise me if she does um the Mori Plant track mate on the Saturday night and then drives up to Bright for like her long run at the marathon. So we'll see.
00:58:19
Speaker
Just a little tune-up. Mm-mm. um Yeah, so then we've got a couple of really strong kind of ah technical descending runners.
00:58:31
Speaker
um So my next pick is Sarah Levitt. so She is from the Blue Mountains. She is very, very good technical runner. um She won the Hanzo 17k last year.
00:58:45
Speaker
um She's one UTA 20. I raced her at Cozzy in 30k and she was smashing like the first... descent, like just floating over the rocks and just like running really well. um i think it was a bit hot that day, so um she might have struggled with that. But I think um like she's probably learned a bit from that race in terms of like cooling strategies. So I'm sure she's, um yeah, going to put it together on the day. i haven't seen her do a race this long before.
00:59:19
Speaker
um so yeah that'll be really interesting to see how she goes um yeah you you so i think cosy was she second to you yeah uh not i think she's third or fourth fourth yeah okay so she was up there and then sort of dropped back a bit yeah yeah Yeah, and she's won Hanzo twice. She's won UTA twice. like That's pretty good. And I sort of see her right like as that sort of premier 20K runner. And so in the forty two k it's a bit like, well, she could be amazing or it'll it's going to be something different for her for sure.
00:59:56
Speaker
But pretty exciting to see yeah She's such a nice person and part of the single track trail team now. So I think she's just going to have a good weekend and I hope she does really well. um And then we've got Julia Anderson, who is pretty tricky to find any data on. She doesn't really have social media or i don't think she has Strava.
01:00:19
Speaker
um But she was um racing Hounslow last year, which I think was like one of her first races in the trails. ah She was winning the whole day by a very big margin. And then I think...
01:00:34
Speaker
um yeah like I just overtook her in the last few Ks but she's obviously gonna have gotten a lot better since then because that was sort of her introduction to the trails so um yeah she's definitely gonna be a strong one to look out for She was so fun to follow along at Hounslow and everyone's just like, does anybody know who Julia James is?
01:00:56
Speaker
Yeah. She's like beating a really good field of girls right now. Yeah. And you were in second, I think basically all day, slowly kind of gaining on her. But yeah, like we were like, who's this girl who's winning and just looking so good. And you passed her probably with like a K or two to go. Yeah.
01:01:17
Speaker
So, yeah, very excited to see how she goes. She said she's going to do more trail running training and less triathlon training. So, yeah, I think it'll be cool.
01:01:29
Speaker
Yeah, I'd say, like, my prediction would be her and Sarah Levitt just – going out together in like the first kind of loop around Buffalo and then the descent because I remember Julia being like quite good at descending and over the technical stuff at Hounslow. So um I think those two are quite similar um runners. And then I think, yeah, like having that triathlon strength will be good for like sort of later stages in the race as well, like with the big climb up Dingo Ridge. Yeah.
01:01:57
Speaker
Yeah. um And then we also have Mia Noble. So she's another young girl who just won Donna Double, um and she's also run a few longer races as well. I think she did Surf Coast.
01:02:15
Speaker
I'm not if she did the 100K or the 50. Yeah, she won the won the 50, yeah. um She won GSR 56 as well last year. Yeah. last year yeah So, yeah, definitely another up-and-coming runner from sort of the race recap at Donna. I think she was like sort of with the other girls in the climb, like not too – didn't make too much of a gap. But then on the descent, that's where she really like put a gap on the other girls. So I think she's another really strong descender that will probably um be flying down Buffalo. Yeah.
01:02:52
Speaker
Yeah, she's only like, what is she, 18? think she's 20 now. I was talking to her her coach, Steve Brennan, recently. And again, a bit he coaches her partner, Tom Dade, as well. And other interesting fact, they've both recently, I think, at Warby was their debut for both Ultra and Coros. don't know the extent of their partnership, but yeah, they've both signed for both those brands, which is really cool for the sport.
01:03:16
Speaker
um But Steve's... Steve's very excited. like He threw her into coaster last year to see how she would fare against Sarah and Kate specifically, and she was only two minutes back. Amazing. And now we're seeing her set the third fastest time at Donner. The only two people that faster were Lara Hamilton and Simone.
01:03:36
Speaker
She took the course record from my wife at GACR 56k. Crazy good runner. Yeah, pro crazy good runner, super young. She's got a good coach behind her now um and does a lot of training with Tom. So she's kind of being pushed to that next level. I'm very curious of when she's going to beat him.
01:03:56
Speaker
which would be be if a fun one to see. So yeah, i'm I'm very excited to see her, see how she goes in this field. Yeah, super excited about her. I think she's going to do really well. Probably like my dark horse pick for the win, to be honest, I would say.
01:04:11
Speaker
Do you have anybody else, Jess? Obviously, we'll we'll we'll have a chat about you, but... Yeah, so Maddie Reynolds um as well. So she's ah just done Tarawera where she came second in the 50K.
01:04:25
Speaker
um And I did a training camp with her and yeah, she's like recovered pretty well from Tarawera. um and yeah like she'll definitely be up there like pushing for the podium so um and she's really excited about this race like she hasn't that was her first time to bright a couple weekends ago and she loved it so her whole family's coming down so um yeah i think she'll be excited to um race really well she coached by ben st lawrence Yeah, she is. Yeah. So that's a pretty good coach. And she's also won Cozzy 50K. So yeah, I reckon she'll be really good.
01:05:03
Speaker
Like this women's field is insane. It's so it's so insane. Like ah there's so many top class runners in it. And so she's one of them. Like there's but there's probably like six girls who can win this race. Yeah.
01:05:16
Speaker
Yeah. it's, it's, it's pretty nuts, but yeah, um I reckon Maddie will do really well. She's like living in France, come home for a bit over summer, um, taking trail running really seriously. So yes. Yeah. Obviously she wants to do well. Yeah. Um, but not, but I, but I do feel like none of them are the favorite, to be honest, James, why who you think's the favorite?
01:05:39
Speaker
yeah So i would have to put way too much much pressure Jess right now. i i feel like jess is used to you've been on the podcast for a year now talking about your running and putting yourself out there so hopefully uh hearing joe and i talk about you now won't be too bad but yeah i'd agree joe i think jess jason or just jason would be my favorite um i might let you go joe and have a little chat yeah i mean like you had a pretty good year last year didn't you just like
01:06:10
Speaker
winning Cozzy, winning Hounslow. um Like, you know, just but I think that Hounslow win was probably a major sort of breakout where I wasn't, I was unsure of like, you know, how you'd go against Kelly and, you know, some of the other girls that were there and you just ran so well and absolutely crushed it. It was your, I think it was your ASICS sort of debut race as well and just nailed everything about it.
01:06:38
Speaker
And that kind of, thought made me think, all right, yeah, like this is, she's going to be one of the the good ones in Australia. and And then backing up with the Cozzy win, beating pretty good field there as well. I was like, yeah, she's she very good. And you've ran with Kate Avery and in races and you know, stayed stayed very close by. And and and I think, you know I think everyone would sort of say, Kate's kind of like the queen of trail running in Australia and you're not too far behind us. So, um yeah, I think my main thing that sort of really got me thinking you'll be hard to beat is just –
01:07:16
Speaker
the the time you put into this this sort of race. I guess similar to Dunstan, it's kind of like, I feel like you're taking this one very seriously and you've been to Bright twice, I think, yeah for yeah training camps and that goes a long way to to doing well. um Obviously, you've had like a pretty big life change though, so like there is that question mark about how much stress the whole move into Canberra was and all that, but I think Being you know in Canberra with all the amazing runners around you is probably going to take you to a new level as well. So there can't be too many girls going on long runs with Mikey and Charlie. So you're doing pretty good company there. And yeah, I just think this course suits you really well.
01:08:01
Speaker
Like you're a strong runner. You're good at most things. And I think you've got to be good at everything to do well at the marathon here. Yeah. so yeah that would be my my son i just how do you feel your trail running has improved since moving to Canberra yeah I think um I've gotten a lot better like with the longer kind of climbs um I just notice uh that my muscles like aren't fatiguing as quickly so like I feel like if I'm feeling good off the bottom of
01:08:35
Speaker
buffalo like I should be able to run most of dingo ridge um pretty comfortably um and then yeah I'm just like obviously not the strongest technical runner because I'm coming from like a road background so I think like ahve I've definitely still been practicing that stuff um had a couple of falls in the last few weeks so hopefully that doesn't one of them was at the top of buffalo as well like on that techie section so I'll probably be having that in my mind a little bit but um I don't know I'm I'm not too worried about it because it's it's a very short section um and the rest of it's like pretty nice running so yeah I'm excited like I I have put a lot of time and effort into this race to be honest um just because like I've wanted to run Buffalo for a few years now and last year I didn't get to because of injury and I just really want to
01:09:33
Speaker
be a part of the event and like give it my best shot to do well because it's yeah it's something I've wanted to do for a while so I'm excited yeah I think so are we. to where i started Joe, anybody else that's on your radar? I think this this women's field, to be honest, I'm kind of thinking even anyone that you think could be top five because i think anyone that could be top five could also come first in here. so Yeah, I think there's probably five superstars, which we've named, and then there's another three or four superstars.
01:10:06
Speaker
like contenders for a top five for sure. um And like in any other race, they would be like favorite to win. It's just ah it's a crazy field. this woman This is the best field of the weekend, the women's marathon for sure.
01:10:18
Speaker
um yeah so there's danny vanderhill she she's i think she's south australian pretty sure she's coming out from there she's just done well at the world mountain running oh i'm sorry it's not world australian mountain running champs think she came third or fourth there um and yeah she's she's won a lot of races she's represented australia and would normally be right at the varied peak of our conversation. But yeah, it's just showing the depth of this field.
01:10:46
Speaker
And then Jasmine Vollmer came third last year. so she came third last year and she's had, she's just a solid runner. She just does well across the board, races a lot, um really loves trail running, just won Conquestathon.
01:11:00
Speaker
And actually a pretty good female field that Conquestathon was. And sorry to interrupt, she was also only five minutes off the course record there. Oh, yeah. See, didn't even know that. I ran Conquestathon too, and we did the climb together. Yeah.
01:11:14
Speaker
Like, i i was behind, like, she passed me, and I was behind her most of the climb, and then I passed her out at the top and I was a bit stronger on the downhill. But yeah, she's like really strong and fit. So definitely another dark horse. um And then, you know, Lauren Rook's doing the Grand Slam. So she'll probably be maybe a bit toasted by the Sunday, but definitely another good good name um in that field. So yeah, it's it's like nine or 10 deep. yeah And we're probably missing names as well.
01:11:46
Speaker
Well, the name that I've got, so my my dark horse is Jazz, but I don't think she can be a dark horse because of what she just did at Archie 50K is Sophie Broome. So another single track team member. Yeah, forgot Sophie Broome. I was just waiting. and I was like, come on, Joe.
01:12:03
Speaker
So she, if you've listened to the episode that that I recorded with with her recently, just after her course record at Archie, so that was taking a course record off of Kelly Emerson. So that was in itself a very impressive run. and she she's just really coming into form now. So um I'm excited to see her in this. I think she would probably agree that this course, maybe in reverse, would be more to her strengths.
01:12:30
Speaker
okay But will be interesting to see how how she is, especially in that back half. I think once once she gets into Dingo, that's where her strengths are really going to come through. as She had the overall win at four peaks.
01:12:44
Speaker
the last day was her strongest day. She she said that once once there's downhill, she's really happy. But I think she underestimates her strength as a climber. um So yeah, if we were talking about the 20k, I think she would be a bit more out of her comfort zone. But this 42k, it will be really, really interesting to see how how she fits into that field. I don't ah don't put her as like in my first place contention, but I think a definite top five, top three, and also could surprise us on the day. Yeah.
01:13:14
Speaker
Yeah, I'd agree with that. um Yeah, Kate Avery actually mentioned a few weeks ago that she thinks she could win it. um So if you if Kate's saying that, you know, she's obviously pretty good.
01:13:26
Speaker
ah Yeah, I forgot to write it down, but 100%, she's like on the single track trial team now. Bit of a no-brainer. And there's probably other girls that would like that are just no-brainers as well who are running that we're forgetting about um in some of these fields.
01:13:42
Speaker
Yeah, like we've literally mentioned 12 names. Oh, sorry, 10 names. Yeah. Like be in that women's marathon field. It's insane. It is. it is. So while Jess may be the favorite, the pressure's not fully on you because, you know, it's a strong field. And when you got such a deep field like that, I guess it kind of releases the pressure a little bit in that, you know, there's no clear favorite and it's just going to be a race. Yeah.
01:14:05
Speaker
I think it's exciting. It's going to be a really big race on the Australian trail running calendar and it's going build the hype in the sport, which is really cool.
01:14:16
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. It sounds like we're, well, at least Joe and I are in agreement here that Jess is our favourite. Jess, I'm not going to ask you who your favourite for the marathon is.
01:14:26
Speaker
No, you have to ask her and you can say yourself as well. That'd be so good. I will not put someone in that have to say somebody else. You have to say somebody else. Okay. um Yeah. Sarah Klein.
01:14:37
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Nice. Fair enough. Yeah. And the men, it sounds like we're all with Mikey. Yes. Yeah. yeah I mean, yeah, he's pretty, he's pretty good.
01:14:48
Speaker
Yeah. But yeah, I'd love to see Ash do well. It'd be, it'd be so fun to see Ash. I can just imagine Ash how happy he'd be if he won. It'd just be, it'd be funny.
01:14:59
Speaker
He tried to act like he wasn't happy, but he would be so stoked. ah inside. Oh, yeah. No out would happen at all. Okay, let's move on to the last race that we'll preview, which is the 20K. Joe, I'll remember this time. This is probably the course that has the most change versus last year as a percentage of the whole course.
01:15:19
Speaker
How do you see this change in the dynamic of the twenty k it's probably changed the most in terms of the trails used, but I actually think it's the most similar in terms of, um, time and sort of talking to other people who kind of agree with that. Like, yeah, I originally thought it was probably, um, a little bit quicker, but I'm actually not sure anymore.
01:15:45
Speaker
I think everyone agrees that water reserve tracks like a lot harder than, you know, it looks on paper and that's the new addition to the race. And yeah, I just think I i honestly, if I couldn't tell you whether there it was quicker or slower than last year um and considering Mikey won it last year and Charlie's running it this year, like they're both on the same level and,
01:16:06
Speaker
um Yeah, it'll be it'll be interesting to see how they compare, um how the times compare, I guess. But main change is from Mystic. The race no longer descends in into Baker's Gully. Instead, it just stays high along the ridgeline and basically, um yeah, traverses over to Clear Spot. So very commonly used trail in the bright running trail running scene.
01:16:34
Speaker
for training runs and locals, um but it's never been in the Buffalo Stampede before. So that's really cool. um And it is a technically like a big long climb basically from the very start to c clear spot.
01:16:49
Speaker
But there are um like... pretty substantial sort of steep downhill pinches um that make the whole total climb you know add up um i'll actually find it right now but it's um yeah like there's probably like 800 meters or 900 meters of climbing before you even get to clear spot um actually yeah i think it's a thousand meters by the time we get to clear spot basically so It's hard. um And it's just like undulating and and hard to get into rhythm. And I think like it's going to suit like ah quite a strong, strong runner who...
01:17:28
Speaker
can do a bit of everything um and we'll get into the the runners later but yeah um from clear spot you turn around and you head back down middle track so probably more technical downhill again than last year and yeah so i don't know it's the stats are very similar and i think the trails are also very similar in technicality so it's a funny one and i think what will catch people out and potentially make it harder than last year is that uh climb up huggins at the end because you could i think when you're that close to the finish you almost feel like you want to be fully maxed out and if you get to the bottom of huggins just fully cooked you're at you're probably going to lose a few minutes just on that climb alone and i ran it in training just to test it out a few months ago and i found it really hard and yeah it was a stupidly hot day of the day i did it but still like i found it really hard and
01:18:23
Speaker
um Yeah, I think it's it's a really fun course and a good selection of trails. And getting to Clear Spot it will be will be an awesome thing for the majority of the field, just to be able to have a banana and look at the view. And you get some really sweet viewpoints along this course as well. Mystic is awesome.
01:18:41
Speaker
Clear Spot's amazing. And you also get Huggins now as well. So it's like a three three-pronged lookout, three three lookouts. Wonderful. nice That water wasn yeah but water reserve.
01:18:56
Speaker
That water reserve track is just re relentless. yeah The number of times I've gone up Mystic and then gone that way and the halfway really questioned why I did this to myself. yeah it's Yeah, doing that in the race would be interesting.
01:19:08
Speaker
no Cool. All right. So the men's field, as you just mentioned, we've got Charlie Hamilton coming into this one a bit like Mikey whenever Charlie jumps into a race. with the exception of if they're racing each other, Charlie's going to be the odds on favourite.
01:19:23
Speaker
I think you look at his results from the past few years, he first came on to Moet, the first time I saw him was at the snowy 21K, I think back in 2021. But the real first time that he impressed was against running against his now coach Blake at GSER 28K in 2021.
01:19:42
Speaker
where he came second. but even Even before that, he won UTA. He won UTA 22. I think, I don't know, against Blake, on that sort of style, of course, and that one don know I guess because i'm just comparing against Blake, that always stands out.
01:20:00
Speaker
i Yeah, it was a crazy good run. and it was yeah we it was a night It was probably made better by the fact that they ran a long way together and it was a bit of a battle yeah definitely but since then he's just gone from strength to strength winning at UTA second at Tarawara 50k a good result at the Asia-Pacific champs as well um I think that it's probably safe to say that my guess is this is not his target race for the first part of the season but even saying that he's going to be Very hard to beat over this sort of course. He's very fast guy on the flats, very fast on the trails, a good descender. hes just like
01:20:37
Speaker
Look at the time down the big walk that he ran last last year. i said we just said that Ash Hoffman and Matt Murphy essentially ended their races by going so by setting the records and then he ran faster and nearly caught Billy. so yeah yeah and is He's going to be very, very interesting to watch race.
01:20:58
Speaker
Yeah. i mean Yeah, I think it's similar to the marathon. like I think Charlie's such a star that he's it's ah it's a race between himself. I would be amazed if Charlie ran a good race and somebody beat him.
01:21:13
Speaker
yeah I think it'd be it would shock me so much. yeah i think he has to have a bit of a hiccup for anyone to have a chance. and He probably knows that as well, to be honest. so he um He might run a little bit sensible, but we'll see see how he plays it.
01:21:29
Speaker
um Yeah, i I think you said everything about Charlie. He's Charlie. Yeah. One guy that I am very curious, he's not more more known for his longest stuff, but a very good climber and a very good descender.
01:21:44
Speaker
And when I chatted to him yesterday, he is coming. It's Matt Crean. Matt just got second at Cradle Mountain ATK. We had him on the podcast a few weeks ago or a month ago now, but yeah he also got the first at Four Peaks and he he and his coach, Dave Byrne, joint joint one?
01:22:07
Speaker
but they but They both come first. Yeah. Yeah. In a sprint finish. Dead heat. not not a handhold finish across the line at the 10k in 2023 he won the grand slam in 2022 as well so he i won the 100k two years ago oh yeah against reese edwards yeah beat reese edwards yeah pretty solid so yeah he's he's a and he is a very fast runner like if you look into his training look at his splits he's quick so I think in this field, if Matt is coming in fit, he could definitely push Charlie, especially when it hits ah hits a climb.
01:22:47
Speaker
I don't know. I still yeah put Charlie as the clear favourite against them. But Matt's introduction into it is definitely one that is interesting for me, especially at this distance. Because i aside from that 10k, haven't seen him do do too many of this sort of distance full noise.
01:23:07
Speaker
I reckon his training is looking amazing. um He's been very consistent. He doesn't have to train much to be really, really good. But if he sits around like a hundred k a week or 120, he's he so, so fit. So yeah yeah, he's one of the most natural runners you'll ever see. He's so light and so light on his feet. And yeah, I reckon like,
01:23:34
Speaker
yeah like if like i'd normally have him as a favorite in a race but yeah charlie's probably just a little bit better than him and it'll be it'll be interesting to see how he he lines up and if he if he fully goes for it like
Technical Skills in 20K Race
01:23:50
Speaker
matt's matt can do anything and you you never know what'll happen but uh yeah i'm a huge fan of matt i've been racing him for years and Yeah, he he's won probably more races than anyone. like he's He's won a lot of races and he knows how to win them. then
01:24:05
Speaker
Yeah, he's just a good runner. Very. Really good runner. Very. Other name that kind of stands out that could be a competitor is Henry Hugman.
01:24:18
Speaker
So he's most notably we get fourth at UTA 22 last year, third at Hounsoy 17, first at Cozzy 30k. So finished off last year really strong. ah He's got a second at a local race start off for this year.
01:24:33
Speaker
i Again, i don't think that he'd have to have a great day to really push Charlie, but in that fight, essentially for second, I think he'll be really, really up there. Do you any more to add to that one, Joe?
01:24:46
Speaker
I reckon the fight for second and third is ridiculous. like it's It's a really deep field. Yeah, like I think, yeah, Henry, obviously super nice guy. We've seen him at Hanzel the last two years. He's come third, I think, two years in a row.
01:25:02
Speaker
He's kind of owning like that 20K distance at the moment. Yeah. Yeah, I think he's really good. I don't know if I've seen him on these bigger climbs. um So maybe that's a question mark. like It is a long, long bit of climbing to the to clear spot. And maybe maybe he'll be amazingly good at it or maybe you won't. I don't know.
01:25:22
Speaker
But yeah, um I think it's a question mark, but certainly someone right up there for that. Yeah. Second place, even a win if he has a ah great day. Yeah.
01:25:32
Speaker
And he is training. i think he's from the Blue Mountains. He's another one that's been training with Bridie. ah So my guess is they're doing some pretty decent hills if they're up there. Yeah, you're training with Bridie, it's got to be good. Yeah, exactly.
01:25:46
Speaker
That's it. I need Bridie to come in for the men's top five. And then the both Barnett brothers, they're bright locals. Some of the best technical downhill runners.
01:25:59
Speaker
Oh, the best, honestly. I would call Hayden Barnett the best down here runner in Australia. He is insane. We'll talk about Hayden first. I definitely don't want to loop them in together because individually they are both very, very good.
01:26:13
Speaker
I think Hayden is my dark horse to give everybody a surprise in this day. And we know him well. He kind he kind of came He took his foot off the gas for training for a little bit. He's now re-found that.
01:26:29
Speaker
He's jumped on with coaching. He's part of the ah Alpine Performance Run coaching with Blake. And yeah, he's he's really come back to that shape. 2023, he did one Dikross 27k.
01:26:43
Speaker
He set the course record back then. Blake Hose then went and did that last year and couldn't beat it. yeah And that one across is so underrated. like he like Ian Best, I think, was second or third.
01:26:54
Speaker
um He won by so like a big margin, and that that was a really good time, um considering like Blake Turner had the record when he did it. I think he beat him by 10 or 15 minutes. like fully destroyed him. and Yeah, such an underrated run, and he was like 18 at the time.
01:27:13
Speaker
Like, crazy. But yeah, youll you understand why when you're watching downhill. like I've run downhill with him. Well, never with him. No, never with him. In a run at the start, at the top with him.
01:27:25
Speaker
And like, oh man, like I've tried to stay with him sometimes on downhills and it's not possible. He's so fast. He's just so strong. He's quite well built, like a strong guy and yeah, strong legs and yeah, really, really good downhill run.
01:27:40
Speaker
yeah So if he's anywhere in contention at the top of middle track, then... um yeah, he'll be he'll be coming up on people really fast. yeah um But yeah, I think he's a cool guy.
01:27:51
Speaker
Great guy. Him and James as well. Both on the single track trail team. Hayden's been running the Buffalo Champions. He was 15. He came third or fourth one year.
01:28:01
Speaker
And he was like 15, I think. 4th in 2021. I remember being there that year and seeing him come across the line and it it looked like a kid, like it was a kid. and But he was right up there in a very impressive race. And yeah, I've been at the top of middle track with him as well on a training run, ran his brother and just got left for dead.
01:28:22
Speaker
Man, they're so, so good. And Hayden, Hayden ran like a 202 Bogon Conquestathon, which um if anybody knows that course, it's just like, it's so, so, so fast. And um he ran the downhill like in 45 minutes or something.
01:28:42
Speaker
Yeah. Could like, I guess that doesn't make sense for anybody who's going to race Conquestathon, but... But I would say that downhill is like the gold standard of downhill running in Australia. And the only person who's gone faster than him is Matt Murphy. And Matt Murphy was matt murphy was probably, you know, Australia's best ever downhill runner in his time. Yeah.
01:29:03
Speaker
yeah I can see Hayden having a great run. I would love to see him like podium. um I'd love to say that he could challenge Charlie, but Charlie's Charlie. and you know If things go really well for him, like he could pull out he could definitely pull out a win.
01:29:21
Speaker
Definitely. definitely I think that whatever we see from Hayden at this race, he's going to be one to really keep an eye on over the next few years. As long as his head and his heart and stays in with training and with running, like his his potential, especially at this sort of 20k sky running type distance, yeah is very, very high. um Yeah.
01:29:44
Speaker
yeah And should mention he's a local. Didn't probably, so i don't think we said that. so he's been- Probably didn't know, but yeah. Training on course, lives in Bright with his brother, James. They train together. That helps so much if you have a training partner and they're both training together and they're both as fit as each other ah almost. and you know like and they and they And he's coached by Mikey. So he's got a lot of things going for him.
01:30:07
Speaker
And then, yeah, we've already mentioned him, but is his twin brother, James. James came into the sport a little bit later than Hayden. They both had triathlon backgrounds when they were really young, but James has come in.
01:30:18
Speaker
He spent 2023 just racing as much as he could and gaining experience and when you watched it, you definitely thought, well, this is quite a lot. But then when you hear him talk about it and why he was doing the things, it was really to expose himself to be in that race mindset and to have to make those decisions. So his race craft, I think, was honed very quickly doing that, which is always a, in this sort of star race, something that's going to be very, very valuable.
01:30:47
Speaker
and He got a first at a half, a trail half at the start of the year in a really quick time. I think he ran about 90 minutes for trail half with five, 600 meters of climbing in it. So that's, he's got, he's got some speed on him.
01:31:01
Speaker
Um, I think he's, never want to pick between the two of them, but I think James is a definite top five potential podium, um, contender on this course. I, I, I would say Hayden is slightly the better downhill runner, but James might be the better runner at the moment.
01:31:18
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like they usually, ah usually there's a ah one that's fit and one that's not fit. But um it's almost like at the moment, they're pretty like they're pretty even. I would say Hayden's training has probably been a bit more regular. James has been coming off like a bit of an injury.
01:31:34
Speaker
So if anyone was, yeah, I'd probably have to say Hayden has got the more momentum behind him. And they'd probably agree with that. But yeah, certainly James will be like out there to beat Hayden. Don't worry about that. yeah And yeah, most, basically most things that I said about Hayden would apply to James, but I probably ran with, I definitely ran with Hayden more than I ran with James. So I know Hayden a bit better in terms of his running.
01:32:00
Speaker
But yeah, James, very similar skill set. Yeah, I'd agree he's probably a slightly better, like just runner, fully runner. But I'd say Hayden's a better mountain athlete.
Men's 20K Depth
01:32:11
Speaker
um and so this course probably suit hayden a bit better than james um but yeah like both just guns like the what are they 20 21 yeah just about that young and like really the good natural runners grew up in the down and nongs like yeah yeah yeah very exciting To avoid making this any longer, I'll just quickly go over another yeah few few names.
01:32:38
Speaker
Notable ones, Zach Newsham, he just came ninth at Donner Double last weekend in the Golden Trail National Series. ah You've also got Declan McKenzie, he came sixth in that. ah One that we probably should have spoken about earlier, Andrew Gattenby.
01:32:55
Speaker
I know there's so many there's a lot of good runners in this 20k yeah so and Andrew probably is a real podium contender second at Hounslow he's a genuine podium guy yeah yeah ah and yeah there are more there's potentially a local guy from up here called Jono Gillard coming in which is he came eighth at Warby as well so there's a real there's a real depth to this we have to mention Billy O'Meally as well like we got a chuck him in there um new trail running trail team runner um coached by blake hose so okay if you're coached by blake you're probably going to be good um no he came forth at cosy 50 was it last year and blake yeah he reckons he's going to do really well so i will say billy o'mealy's definitely top five top three sort of
01:33:40
Speaker
Okay, cool. um Yeah, like there's definitely we could have given those guys more airtime and probably should have in some cases. But yeah, we think we we need to need to keep this ball rolling a little bit. It's just this is the beauty of having such deep fields, which especially in Australia, I don't think we're particularly used to having this many names across this many distances in one event. So kudos to you, Joe and the single track team for getting everyone in for this.
01:34:04
Speaker
Jess?
Women's 20K Field
01:34:05
Speaker
If we can come back to you to preview the 20K women's field, this has some really interesting names in it. um There's also one name, Jess, that wasn't on the list that we gave you, which was Demi Caldwell. I just noticed today is in the start list as well. So yeah, just as a ah note.
01:34:23
Speaker
Yeah. say Larry Hamilton's on the list, but... I'm not sure she's coming to Australia for it. She's been doing ski mountaineering.
01:34:33
Speaker
Have you guys heard anything? No. No, I haven't. oh i mean Oh, I mean, yeah, we organized her to race last year. um So she's been entered for but a long ah long, long time.
01:34:45
Speaker
Let's assume. We're assuming she's running then. Yeah, she's she's in Austria at the moment. She's just closed out her... schemo season as far as i can tell with a 13th place that uh she is running but yeah she is in austria i'd say she's probably opening her season at stampede but you know when you're doing that you're probably not you know it's not an a race but um yeah she probably wants to get back and get on the trails and and take part in the community a bit but yeah i mean super good runner and
01:35:18
Speaker
Yeah, that's exciting. Be hard to, yeah, hard pressed. In terms of talent, you'd have to say she's right up there. but ah Yeah, for sure. The favorite sort of fit in this field, I think. Yeah, because, yeah, if you look at, like, some of her results, especially over this sort of distance,
01:35:35
Speaker
And this with this amount of climbing, like she's super strong. She's a very, very strong climber. um So yeah, she's definitely like one of my picks for the win for sure. um Yeah, it would just depend like how that's ski mountaineering, whatever it's called. um sort of training translates to the trials, I guess, um because then we also have Juliette Sewell. So she um has been doing really well at those longer distances lately. So she came second at the COSI 100.
01:36:12
Speaker
um and she did really well at the Tarawera 100 as well, so backed up super well from Cozzy and had another strong result in the 100K at Tarawera.
01:36:24
Speaker
um So now she's coming back down to that kind of shorter distance, which she's done a lot of before. um And I know she still sort of does a lot of speed work in her training, so I i wouldn't say that, like,
01:36:37
Speaker
um she's turned into like a super long slow runner. Like I think she'll still be like very strong over that shorter distances. So she'll definitely be a one to um push for the podium for sure.
01:36:51
Speaker
Yeah, you'd have to say like coming off Tarawira will be a big question mark. Like, yeah you know, that was only, don't know, that'll only be like six weeks before the race or something.
01:37:01
Speaker
And she ran so well, like she didn't jog. Like she was like 40 seconds off a golden ticket. So yeah like crazy good runner. And she was entered in the marathon and she's dropped down to the twenty k just as a respect not trying to do too much. So yeah I think she'll, she'll still be one of the favorites for sure.
01:37:24
Speaker
But, um, I think it'll totally depend on how her body reacts to that recovery. Yeah. And then we also have Bridget Lund. So she is another young gun that's, um yeah, joined the single track trail team. um And she just came third at the, no, second at the Donner Double, um which is amazing. Like that run was incredible. Yeah.
01:37:54
Speaker
I've been running with her a little bit in Canberra. um She does a lot of track training at the same time as me, and she's super quick over the short stuff um and, yeah, very strong on the trails. So she's just improving and and improving, so very exciting.
01:38:11
Speaker
Definitely on the up. I think, what would she be, like, pretty young, 20 maybe, 21? Yeah, like 21, I think. And like coming from track or cross country, came second Golden Trail final last year, which was a pretty stacked race behind Simone. and um like, yeah, she's doing a good job as well, like trying to be very professional with her social media and and like has a YouTube channel. And it's good to see like young people really taking the sport seriously. And I think we talked about it earlier with somebody else. But yeah, Bridget is definitely someone who, oh yeah, Maddie Reynolds, I'd say is in the same category where like they they want trail running to be a big sport and they want it to be, they want to be,
01:38:57
Speaker
well-known and respected in the sport and you know to take it to a new level and i think yeah she's definitely on that path and come in and her result at warby's like a really good indication that she's in great shape um living in canberra so she's got the canberra you know energy going and um yeah i i yeah she's really good like she'll be hard to beat honestly um like I would put her right up there for gunning for that win.
01:39:28
Speaker
But it's an interesting field where there's probably not that huge standout favorite and and we can't actually have this discussion like who's actually going to win. like I actually really don't know. Yeah.
01:39:40
Speaker
Yeah, I guess the last one was Rachel Ayers on the list. So I can't say too much on her in terms of results, but I think she ran the Great Southern Endurance run at the 28K last year and came third.
Final Predictions and Community Vibe
01:39:56
Speaker
um So another one that'll sort of be up there in the women's field. Yeah, she's sort of re-emerging back into the sport. she took a little bit of time out, but she she was winning a lot of races back in like 2022 sort of timing.
01:40:11
Speaker
and she's really young um and yeah she won roller coaster 23k that year um and that's probably her biggest result I'd say yeah but she has won like you know a lot of other sort of well-known Australian sort of on the on the sort of 20k scene um like Mount Birimba what's it called um that sort of wild Birimba and couple of those sort of other like peaks and trails sort of races yeah so she's got experience winning um and her run at roller coaster was really impressive as well when she won so the fact that she's sort of getting back in like into some decent training i reckon she'll she'll be ah good runner and definitely definitely trying to race for that podium
01:41:00
Speaker
you yeah Yeah, she's just definitely going to be an interesting one. Like you said, Joe, she's been away for a bit. I don't know what fitness she's coming in. don't think she has socials or her Instagram blog. I don't think she has Strava.
01:41:14
Speaker
So she could be a name that we don't really expect to turn up there, kind of like have an idea, but all of a sudden is very close, if not at the front, kind of top. yeah Yeah, that's fair, I'd say.
01:41:26
Speaker
Is there anyone else there? Well, you did mention Demi Caldwell. So that's, yeah. I mean, that's the thing. I feel like there's a lot of these girls who are going for that podium. um She's in that category. She looks like she's been training like really consistently. I wouldn't say huge training, but really like consistent and...
01:41:46
Speaker
And yeah, she's had some good results. yeah sir I just had a quick look at the results from Warburton Trail Fest on a double ah with Mia against Bridget. was curious what Bridget's downhill skill is like. and I think this is probably where people or this race might differentiate itself, really.
01:42:03
Speaker
She was two minutes behind Mia at the top and ended up seven and a half minutes by the bottom. And Bridget compared to Demi, because Demi came fifth, they Demi was eight minutes behind her at the top and eight minutes behind her at the bottom.
01:42:19
Speaker
So i think potentially that that could be the thing that really separates them, especially when we're talking about Juliet, who would, my guess is is, would be a pretty strong downhill runner. And she's very fast. When you look at her results, she she's going to be pretty, pretty good. um And if Lara is racing,
01:42:37
Speaker
and When you look at her, it's like Lara has the course record at at Warby. Yes, she flew up the climb, but you still got to fly down it to beat someone like Simone's course record. So I think that middle track in that 20K is going to be where this race really splinters. We might even see a few girls together at that point and then see them a couple of minutes apart by the bottom of it because it is hard. It is rutted out.
01:43:03
Speaker
It's loose. It's rocky. If you're not super confident, you definitely could be separated there. Yeah. Hard to pick a winner there. Yeah, definitely. I'm going to ask you to do it though, Joe.
01:43:16
Speaker
If you can quickly, for the men and the women, just give us a quick first place. um i think that um juliette has got something going on at the moment and even though she is going to be tired i think a 20k you probably could get away with it um and yeah she's just got something going like she's obviously ah on the asics team and got a lot of momentum and i think she's on the up and i'd say She'd probably win, but it's really hard to tell.
01:43:48
Speaker
And then I'd just have to go Charlie, obviously. you know Jess? Yeah, go Lara, Hamilton, and Charlie. I just, yeah, both super strong.
01:44:01
Speaker
Definitely. I think if Laura turns up, I would have to yeah put her as favourite and Charlie. If Laura's not there, um then i think Juliet's got to be the one as long as she has recovered off of that.
01:44:18
Speaker
yeah great hey guys well obviously see we do have the 10k as well we're not going to go through that um one as much but thank you so much for that preview that's quite a long one if you are still with us just mention it can i just say and best is doing the grand slam and that's like just one person we missed um who i'm just very interested because so i don't think he's done a long race like that before and He's the kind of guy who could win. that He could actually probably beat Charlie to clear spot potentially.
01:44:47
Speaker
Yes. And then if he holds on, you never know. But um totally, total wild card on how he's lining up and what his actual plan is for the weekend. But crazy good uphill runner. So definitely worth mentioning at some stage.
01:45:01
Speaker
It is really interesting. If he does do the whole thing, it would be very curious. that's a But yeah even if it's just at the 10 and the 20, that would add a name in there that could really disrupt it. Yeah, yeah, definitely one of the favorites for the 10k, but we're not going to talk about 10k.
01:45:16
Speaker
Lovely. Okay, Joe, Jess, thank you so much. This has been yeah quite a big preview episode that there is quite a few events to get through. joe do you want to leave us with anything before we sign off?
01:45:27
Speaker
Oh, wow. Yeah, so it'll be a week until race day, I guess, when this when you listen to this. And um yeah, itll it'll just be a great weekend. I don't know. I'm excited. I think everyone's got a lot of buzz going and getting a lot of messages all the time from people asking, you know, who's racing this and, you know, just saying they're excited. So I think it'll be a good feel and a good vibe and i hope everyone has a good day. i know that's not going to happen, but um yeah, it's part of trail running and It'll be itd be a good memory no matter what.
01:46:00
Speaker
Beautiful. Well, Joe, thanks so much for your time today. It's been great to have you on and chat running. I think you're one of the, you might probably know the most about every field, every runner in the country with agent with your position. um So it's been great. And Jess, it's been awesome to have your input. like obviously I really appreciate you coming on and doing this as well.
01:46:20
Speaker
being in the women's field so yeah it's been really fun to have that input and that that side and good luck for thats good good luck to jess the race is probably the main thing isn't it yeah thank you yeah i'm excited it's gonna be fun yeah wonderful thank much guys and everyone listening uh if you are racing good luck and we'll catch you next time all right thanks guys thank you