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Episode 46: Jess Ronan’s Approach to Trail, Highs and Lows of Training, and Mobility For Runners
338 Plays13 days ago
Welcome to Episode 46 of Peak Pursuits, your ultimate podcast for everything trail running in Australia. This week is hosted by Sim Brick and Jess Jason who are joined by featured guest Jess Ronan! Hear about Jess Ronan’s level headed approach to training, how she incorporates dance and soccer into her training week, the value of targeting the short and hard stuff, and so much more wisdom from the 2023 Australian Mountain Running Champion.
Keep listening to hear about the ups and downs of Jess J and Sim’s weeks, plus your questions on strength and stretching answered!
Results:
Perth Trail Series Swissmurdie: https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=381433
Trans Gran Canaria: https://transgrancanaria.livetrail.net/
***Don’t forget, use code PPP at https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!***
Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!
Sim: @theflyingbrick_
Jess: @jessjason
Jess Ronan: @jessronanruns
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter
License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:08
Speaker
Hello and welcome to episode 46 of the Peak Pursuits podcast. My name is Simone Brick and I am joined today by regular co-host Jess Jason.
00:00:19
Speaker
How are we doing Jess? Hey guys, going well? And this week we have another Jess on the pod, the yeah the very lovely, also from Canberra currently, I believe, Jess Ronan. How we doing?
00:00:33
Speaker
I'm good. Happy to be here chatting with you guys today. Awesome. Yeah, I think this is the first time we've had you on, isn't it, Jess? it iss It is. It is. No, we had time for an interview. Oh, for an interview for UTA. After UTA, yeah.
00:00:47
Speaker
But sort of you know in a more fulsome sense, this is the first time. this Yeah, that was a while ago. That was early days. Yeah, that was very early days, not long at all after we started up.
00:00:58
Speaker
But so
Podcast Plans and Listener Engagement
00:00:59
Speaker
there you go. Some of you may have heard Jess's voice before, but today we're going to get to know her a little better and also what she's got planned coming up for the year as we try and get through as many people's ah seasons coming up and exciting times as possible.
00:01:15
Speaker
ah Otherwise, for the pod, we've got we're going to answer a few listener questions this week around strength and all sorts of things, and then couple of results to finish up. But to get us started, Jess, I'm going to have to go. Jess, I might be even just say the surname, Jess Rohn.
00:01:33
Speaker
I know. yeah Okay. Okay. Jess, Jason, you're JJ for this podcast. settle all I reckon that might work. firm But Jess, thank you for
Travel and Training Updates
00:01:44
Speaker
coming on.
00:01:44
Speaker
um And first of all, I'd just love to hear, how have you been recently? How's training going at the moment? um Training's been really good. I think I've had and interesting start to my year because I chose to take quite a bit of time off running over the Christmas New Year period.
00:01:59
Speaker
So i had a that I had about a month where I didn't run. um which was an interesting and rather uncommon choice, I think. A lot of that was around um my travel plan. So I had an amazing break over Christmas and New Year's. i went hiking. I went to Vietnam. I went to Taiwan and had yeah just just a really good break. And I think I had planned to see how I was feeling over there and to potentially train. But when I got over there, I was thoroughly enjoying traveling. And also some there was just some travel logistics hiccups. I think there was low air quality. There was 101 mopeds on the road. So there was a few hurdles with me training. And I think I just took the opportunity to have
00:02:42
Speaker
a proper break and recharge before what I hope will be a very long and fulfilling year this year.
Race Preparation and Strategy
00:02:48
Speaker
So I kind of got back from travelling late January and then it's been um sort of very full-on period to prepare for the Australian Mountain Running Champs, which will be next next month.
00:03:00
Speaker
Oh, you are doing them. That's good to hear. I am doing them. So that's my primary focus alongside Buffalo the week after. Oh, good. And I really, really should know this, but I think it's two time. But you've rock' won Oz Mountain Champs twice, yes?
00:03:16
Speaker
Just the once. Just the once. Okay, okay, okay. But okay, so for some context on the lovely Jess Ronan, she's One time, was mountain champ and went to world championships in Austria.
00:03:30
Speaker
ah Last year, I actually think you had a ripper year last year. We've got a second at Tarawera 22, a second at Ultra Trail Australia 22K, a second at Hounslow Classic 17, and then sixth in a stacked field at rollercoaster run.
00:03:47
Speaker
Were there any in there? That's just your ITRA. Was there any other races in there last year for you? um I think um my coach and I decided to run quite a bit cross-country last year. So I had ACT champs, New South Wales champs and national champs for cross-country amongst that trail running schedule. Yeah, good stuff.
00:04:03
Speaker
That's going to set you up well, I think, for March Auschamps this year. I hope so. I think the thing about March is that it's – um In the scheme of mountain running championships, it's on the flatter side.
00:04:17
Speaker
So there yeah there's certainly still some climbing, but it's not the traditional course that we've seen in terms of a primarily uphill course. So my training has been geared towards being as fast as I can and I'm just hoping that that pays off on the day.
00:04:32
Speaker
Yeah, I think there's still enough meaty stuff in the course. It's going to favour the strength you've got and then if you're working on speed, like, it's all you need. it's know it's It's exciting. I think it's a different kind of course. It's very, i don't know the Adelaide Trails that well, but um some friends who've run on there have said that there's still climbs, there's still pinches, but it's all runnable and I think it'll make for a fun race.
00:04:58
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, it'll be interesting. We're going to try and get a start list for that one so we can do a preview being Auschamps. um So we're in chats with the organisers to get a start list organised to try and see, because do you even know who else you're up against?
00:05:13
Speaker
No, I don't know anyone who's going. i know a few of the guys. There's a few Canberra guys who are traveling down and I presume some of the Adelaide-based trail runners will will attend, but I don't know any girls.
00:05:29
Speaker
Yeah, I'm in the same boat. I'm going to be interested to see what the start line's like, but excited that you're there because that's going to be damn good. And then what you said, Buffalo the week after. Yeah. Do you have sorry further than that planned?
00:05:46
Speaker
Um, not in detail. I think the main focus for me was getting as fit as I could for, um, Oz mountain running champs then Buffalo. I think the challenge for me is that they're quite close together, which is why I've chosen to do the 10 kilometers at Buffalo.
00:06:00
Speaker
um and I also think the 10 kilometers at Buffalo is a perfect mountain and running course. It's straight up and then flying down on some amazing single tracks. so I'm really excited for that. I think beyond that, I would love to run at UTA, but,
00:06:13
Speaker
but um I think a lot of it depends on how the selection process goes for world champs, when they're able to give us an indication, and then i will plan my plan my year accordingly.
00:06:24
Speaker
feel like the 10K at Buffalo is going to be a hot field. like I feel like there's a lot of girls that are just coming back from like injury or whatever and just jumping in the 10Ks. It's actually going to be an awesome race.
00:06:36
Speaker
Yeah, I can't wait. Yeah. ah that'll be And it's also still inside the qualifying period. So you'll be able to use that like all going well, you'd be able to use that in a nomination as well as nationals.
00:06:48
Speaker
Yes, ah that was the plan. I think though my coach and I were weighing up whether which races to to prioritize within the qualification period because You've got Donna, you've got Kuniani, you've got um the the race in Orange, Mount Canobolis run. So I think there's some great races around that period, but Buffalo just sneaks in um and it's one of my favourite trail running weekends of the year, so I had to be there. Yeah, and I think you only put three races forward on nomination, yeah?
00:07:19
Speaker
I'm not sure about the application process this year, but i in previous years it's just been three. Yeah. yeah Yeah, Because, yeah, you've also got your Hounslow last year and your UTA last year in the window, which is handy to have.
00:07:31
Speaker
Yeah, that's awesome. Yes. Good. Good, good, good. I'm excited for this now. It'll be a. It'll be damn cool to see how you go on those trails. I can say i do love the Adelaide trails, but they are they are fast. They are awesome, like a lot of fun to run around. and that I've only been there a few times but can never remember a bad time on their trails.
Terrain-Specific Gear Choices
00:07:53
Speaker
So they're very pretty. I'm really excited. And I think also the shoe nerd in me is having some debates about what to wear for that kind of course.
00:08:02
Speaker
I think I was chatting to No, was chatting to Jess about some of the ASICS road racing shoes and whether I could get away with some of those on Firetrail. I traditionally wear quite a low um low- cushioned shoe, so would which the GT2000s, which I would normally race in, but I'm curious to see whether um i might choose to run in something with a bit more cushioning and perhaps a carbon plate.
00:08:28
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, because how long before do you travel over? Like, will you see some of the course before the race? I will. I'm a few days before. will arrive a few days before, but I think I'll just try the shoes on the Canberra Fire Trails and they should be pretty comparable.
00:08:42
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, fair call. Very, very fair call. That makes sense. Yeah, youre in the only, like... The only sort of terrain I wouldn't go for them on is if it's like super rocky because carbon plates make the shoes stiffer so that you can roll your ankle easier, like if it's a bit rocky. But if it's just fire trail, like you should be fine.
00:09:00
Speaker
I think there's a mix of fire trail and single trail and some of the climbs are actually concreted. So um wow in terms of being as fast as possible on those, I think I'm just going to pack my normal races and the carbon plates and we'll we'll make a call on the day, I think.
00:09:15
Speaker
Yeah, good call. Good call. It's interesting, though, because world champs, when you get there, will be the polar opposite, I think. Exactly. play Like, good good luck to anyone that wears carbon-plated shoes on that world champs course in Spain. Yeah. Yes, so I think...
00:09:32
Speaker
that's That's the situation for my year is that I'm preparing for a race which is perhaps not a traditional mountain run. And then um depending on how the selection process goes, I will either change my training to hopefully prepare for a world champs on something much more technical and steep, on something really technical and steep, sorry.
00:09:51
Speaker
And then, um which we have, we have plenty of terrain around Canberra to prepare for that, but it's just, it'll it'll be an adjustment. Yeah. Yeah. Awesome.
Weekly Training Routine
00:10:01
Speaker
Awesome. Well, i reckon we might dive just a little bit deeper into what has what does your speed training look like right now? Like, would you be comfy to go through sort of a similar a week, either last week or just what ah a normal week for you looks like at the moment training-wise?
00:10:21
Speaker
I can. i think a lot of my training is...
00:10:26
Speaker
um is not on the track. A lot of my training is on the trail. So in terms of, i'm happy I'm happy to go through a week, but I think it might not sound that interesting. I'm sure it will. I'm interested. um I reckon there'll be a few interested parties out there. And that's the thing, like, that's what I love about trail is at the end of the day, you can say a session and unless someone's run that exact trail, or they have no idea.
00:10:48
Speaker
They don't have the sort of concept of what that session actually looks like. But at the same time, it's just cool to hear how everyone goes about it. So if it's yeah if it's a little different, that's even better. Yeah, I have quite a different week, so I am very happy to chat about it. Go for it. That'd be awesome So on do you just go through day by day?
00:11:08
Speaker
Yeah, yep, just day by day. What's a Monday look like? Or what last Monday look like? Yes, Mondays for me usually have a 45-minute easy run on the trails, and that's just running running to feel on my local trails at some undulating hills in the morning.
00:11:24
Speaker
And then in the afternoons I play social soccer. Oh, fun. Yes. So that's sort of a great opportunity to just have a run around and kick the ball with friends. And then Tuesdays for me are my session day. so I train with a squad which is based out of the National Arboretum here in Canberra and that gives us this awesome playground of trails to um train on and my coach comes up with some amazing sessions. so this week and we focused a lot on single trail um sort of single show efforts but with long climbs and descents off trail.
00:12:00
Speaker
So yeah essentially you're looking at kind of roughly eight by three to four minute efforts on single trail and off camber with sort of a standing rest in between.
00:12:15
Speaker
and I think that's at the moment we're focused on the long climbs and descents to prepare for some others in my squad for Buffalo and also for myself for the mountain running champs.
Incorporating Variety in Training
00:12:25
Speaker
yeah um And then Wednesdays i have, again, 45 minutes easy on undulating trails in the morning. And then in the afternoon i have dance.
00:12:36
Speaker
so I that. Love the variety. Yes, i do dance class. um Much to my ah sort of coach's joy, I've decided to not take up a second dance class for the week. um But at the moment I just dance once a week.
00:12:53
Speaker
Thursdays for me, they're my second session. Wait, what kind of dance are we talking? um I do contemporary and hip-hop. I love that. That's so sick.
00:13:05
Speaker
Yeah. Surely that would, like, make you, straight like, super strong in, like, lower legs and, like, just mobilise, like, flexible. Yeah, I think I i really enjoy the – um Yeah, we do a lot of stretching and strength and just using my body in a different way. um i know It's actually something which I took up after the last world champs.
00:13:29
Speaker
So it's a relatively recent thing for me. um And I think for me it is really important to have soccer and dance in my weeks, which is something um that aren't about running and it's just something that I do for joy. i don't see it as cross training. um And it's just an awesome group of people. So that ah do that once a week.
00:13:49
Speaker
On Thursdays, that's my second session day of the week. That's also back out at the Arboretum and we're focusing on descents. So Tuesday was a climb day and Thursday was a descent day. So we do long descents in the pine forest in between single tracks.
00:14:04
Speaker
yeah What does a long descent look like? Like how long of a distance and gradient sort of thing there? So it's probably just a couple of hundred metres, but we run between two parallel single trails. We'll sort of head into the forest and then drop down um onto the lower single trail.
00:14:21
Speaker
um That's just through the trees. It's it's not on a trail. And then we'll head along the single trail, climb back up, go back down. So it's It's um a couple of hundred metres and the rep is maybe, again, three to four minutes total. Okay. so So, yeah, that's just practicing descent. Some of that's on grass. Some of that's on loose pine needles.
00:14:42
Speaker
Yep. And then Friday is another easy run day for me before moving into Saturday, which is often a parkrun, so I'll do a 5K kind of hard effort.
00:14:54
Speaker
I'm not sure the appropriate term of temporal threshold. Threshold? Maybe it's a threshold. Whatever you want to call it at that point. I think you could use either and everyone's going to just put their own interpretation on top of it. Yeah.
00:15:08
Speaker
She absolutely dominates the park run. A couple of weeks ago, me and Paige were jogging past her and she was killing it, just like up with the guys, like up the front.
00:15:18
Speaker
Is this a paved park run or is it a trail park run you've got nearby or aye try alternate I week to week, but we do have some awesome park runs near us, which are trails. So there's one at Mount Ainsley, which is Undulating Fire Trail.
00:15:36
Speaker
And then there's one at a place called Mount Gerra, which is a two and a half K ascent and a two and a half K descent. Okay. So none of them like the flat, fast road kind of one. um Sometimes I do those.
00:15:48
Speaker
i did one yesterday, but um I often try and stick on the trails. Yeah. yeah And then with Sundays at the moment are 20Ks on Undulating Hills. Nice.
00:16:00
Speaker
I like that week. You've got three sessions in there. That's going to make you fit. And how do you find that your body handles the three sessions?
Balancing Work and Training
00:16:10
Speaker
I find my body's handling it really well at the moment.
00:16:13
Speaker
I think for me, I don't have a lot of bulk mileage in my program. I i probably run between 75 and ninety five k in a week. Um, yeah and there's not a lot, I, we don't do long warmups. We don't do long cool downs. I think a lot of focus on my training is in the quality work.
00:16:32
Speaker
So I find that, um, yeah, I, I find I pull up relatively well because yeah, there's just not a lot of, it's not a high mileage program in relative to other runners, I think.
00:16:45
Speaker
Yeah. You know, that checks out. Do you ever find you need to like juggle things around or like take some of the cross training out? Like, I don't know if you're like super tired from the long run.
00:16:56
Speaker
Like, I don't know. I was thinking like when we went to Stockyard that time, like, were you still able to do like all that cross training and the three sessions the week after that? Normally, yes.
00:17:07
Speaker
um I think because i've done I've been in this routine for quite some time, but I think I'm happy to adjust my schedule. So, for example, last week I woke up really tired from the long run and just decided that a run around at soccer was enough for my Monday.
00:17:22
Speaker
um and Because I think at the moment the focus is just being rested and feeling fresh for the sessions because the races I'm trying to prepare for are one to one and half hours. So I don't necessarily need that that bulk mileage at the moment or those the longer time um ah in my legs.
00:17:42
Speaker
I think Another thing for me to juggle is I have a relatively full-on, relatively demanding job. That's what I was about to ask. What is the job but that we're putting this all around?
00:17:53
Speaker
Yes, so i'm um I'm a policy analyst and um in the higher education sector. So I do, yeah it's just an office job, but but I love it. And, for example, this week is probably our biggest week of the year I have.
00:18:09
Speaker
um our national conference and several international delegations here. And so there's a lot of work demands on me this week. And I think yeah this will be an example of needing to be flexible and needing to juggle training around work.
00:18:22
Speaker
I think it's something I'm always happy to be flexible. And I think luckily I have a very supportive workplace that lets me start start a little bit later in the mornings and work into the night. Sorry, not into the night, work work my hours in the afternoon. yeah yeah So that's great.
00:18:38
Speaker
That is good. We all need that, I think. Absolutely. Yeah, it's good when they're able to support the rest of what you're trying to do in life. So but I can't imagine i like the and I've only got this from ah study aspect of I found it so hard to combine.
00:18:56
Speaker
doing a hard session and then trying to switch the brain on for like a full day of, for me, it was study. But yeah, does that get easier when it's a job you actually want to do and not study that you're like, oh my God, I've got to learn this? like and Unfortunately, i haven't found it easier. I was going to say, it must be so hard.
00:19:17
Speaker
I think there's a bit of a joke amongst our friends that our the The mornings after Tuesdays and Thursdays are particularly rough in the office for us. Yeah, can imagine.
00:19:28
Speaker
But I think my colleagues know that and they either guide me towards the kitchen to eat some more food or to the cafe to grab a smoothie when when they see me staring at an email for too long. but But I think it it's just really hard to balance. I think you're pushing yourself. For me, I train in the mornings before work. yeah And so you're pushing yourself really hard and then you arrive at work and you're expected to produce really high quality work or, you know, contribute to meetings in a meaningful way.
00:19:55
Speaker
And that can just be really hard. but But I found that if I eat well and I eat enough, it can be mitigated. But it's just hard. Yeah.
00:20:06
Speaker
Yeah. Good. Well, well done on doing the hard stuff. Cause yeah, that sounds hectic, but awesome. Like so impressive. So, so impressive. Thank you. hope Hopefully now people having heard a little more of your, of what your journey has been at this point and your training like there,
00:20:25
Speaker
they can see you on that start line and give a great big cheer because hopefully. Can I just say that was so like interesting and I think a lot of listeners are going to like find your training week super like, yeah, just interesting because it's like out of the box and it's something different but it's also like you're fitting it in around work and you're like fitting in like fun like cross-training kind of sports. So I think like a lot of listeners would be like, yeah, super interested in hearing about your week. So thanks for sharing.
00:20:53
Speaker
No worries. And I think it's something I feel very strongly about that you can compete at a high level or run at your best, whatever that looks like your
Happiness, Health, and Running Success
00:21:01
Speaker
way. I think there's, you see a lot of yeah um sort of people online or or or people trying to teach about running. And I think it's usually one traditional model, um but I think there's lots of ways to get where you want to be. And I think if you're happy and healthy at the start line, then that's all you need.
00:21:20
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. There's also such a um culture of longer, the long longer and longer and longer, like everyone going rather than because a lot of people would go, well, your your distance race for this year by choice is the sort of 10 to 15k distance, which is often the distance that's completely forgotten about in trail.
00:21:43
Speaker
Yes. just kind of the shorter distance one of a longer big event sort of thing. Like, but it's It's actually like for me, i am so much more nervous on a 10K to 11K or an Oz Mountain start line than I am at any start line fifty k plus ever.
00:22:01
Speaker
oh Just because of that, that this the intensity on the c climbs and descents adds a whole different layer that until you fully push your limits on it, you you just don't you don't get how hard that is to do So I think you're actually doing what is such a hard thing to do in a culture in some ways that pushes that push does push a lot of people to go further and longer instead.
00:22:27
Speaker
Exactly and I think I've definitely felt that way that maybe I'm not running far enough because you see um so many people progress so quickly through the shorter distances or they perceive that it's just for beginners um and there's not that um sort of so There's often not that celebration of the shorter distances, even at the major trail running festivals.
00:22:48
Speaker
But I think anyone who's run a short distance really hard knows that it is absolutely just as hard as any of the longer distances. and And I think it's just as simple as you give your all for that distance, whatever you're racing, and that's enough.
00:23:04
Speaker
um But I think my coach has a very um sort of strong mindset around you have your whole life to run and he has encouraged me to focus on the shorter distances and enjoy the speed and enjoy the process of becoming um of of the shorter, of experiencing the shorter trails.
Focus on Shorter Distances
00:23:24
Speaker
And when I get a bit older, then I can experience the longer trails, I think. And I think it's exciting to leave something to look forward to over many years of running. Yeah, sure. Yeah, you've still got so much time to get into the longer stuff. like yeah um There's no no need to rush it.
00:23:39
Speaker
Yes. In saying that, I did come back from watching UTMB about two years ago and I was like, sign me up for the longer stuff. You know, you see you see the atmosphere at some of these things and it's really hard to resist.
00:23:50
Speaker
um And I can't wait to get there, but and but I'll just need a few more years. feel like, yeah, that is in some ways the path I've been trying to choose along my journey in trail running of starting the shorter, stay in the shorter for long enough.
00:24:04
Speaker
I did definitely get to the point where just a couple of injuries, I was like, look, i so I feel like with the risks we take sometimes and the trails we run, I could be one injury away from actually not being able to run.
00:24:18
Speaker
And ah just having that thought at my last injury, i was like, I really want to just try a long race now to Tim, to my coach. I was like, okay, i just I just need to try now because it's been, what, for me it was what?
00:24:33
Speaker
It took me seven years to get from the sort of 10K distance like you are up to my very first hundred k And I've had people come and try and do that in a year or two. And it felt like, and I'm very aware, that's actually not the longest period of time, but it still felt like going against the grain in some ways of going. And even now, yes, I'm doing one 100K this year, but everything else is 20 to 30.
00:24:56
Speaker
Like it's still, you can do both. um And um I don't envy the 10K distance though, that one that all up hills and those sorts of things. for I'm glad my time with them is a little bit done. I'm very well acquainted with a lactic acid.
00:25:10
Speaker
That's for sure. My goodness. There's couple of Oz Mountain champs. but um But yeah, I absolutely love it when I see people like you that are diving straight in there because it's only going to serve you in future anyway.
00:25:21
Speaker
Like I have a lot more confidence now and knowledge that I can actually go a longer distance because I stuck to the shorter distance and really tested my limits there for a while and still do.
00:25:32
Speaker
um But it gives you like they complement each other. So yeah, it's cool. And you you won't regret it when you do get to the longer stuff. Trust me. Yes, and no and I should also be honest, I didn't actually start at the shorter distances.
00:25:45
Speaker
i I did go straight into, no, I should be honest, I did go straight into some longer stuff. So I have run on a few 50s and a 70 when I was 18. Oh, wow. Okay. and so I don't think I knew this.
00:25:59
Speaker
Yes. So I went... um straight, I went straight into the longer stuff and I hadn't even raced, I hadn't even raced a 10K before I did my first 17. Yeah, damn.
00:26:11
Speaker
Up at Alpine Challenge. At 18? Yeah, at 18 up in Alpine Challenge at Falls Creek. That's a good one too. So what age did you actually start trail running then? um
00:26:25
Speaker
So I started trail running when i moved to Canberra when I was 17. Okay. Jeez. And then a 50K at 18, love that. 50 and a 70. So I absolutely went straight into it.
00:26:39
Speaker
And then I met my coach and i took a much more measured approach to things. Who is this coach? They sound very smart. His name is John Winsbury.
00:26:51
Speaker
Okay. I like him. Great coach. Yes. He's amazing. He's my physio and coach and um mentor and and a lot of things to me. But he he really brought a measured approach and we dialed it right back and began to build a really solid base. So I think I don't want people to think I've been sensible my whole life. Yeah. Hey, but that makes it even harder, I feel like. You've got the bug and and then you strip it back, which yeah was similar. Yeah, I feel that because it was similar to me. I'd run a marathon, go to Tim and go, hey, can you train me for a 50K and 100K? And he goes, no, run this three k
00:27:26
Speaker
And it was the scariest thing possible. Like it would it's hard to make that choice, but the fact that you did is damn cool. And then look, a few years later, you're Oz Mountain Champ. Like pays off.
00:27:39
Speaker
Yes, absolutely. So I think even if people have um chosen to start with the longer distances, there's no um There's no reason to think that you can't go back to the shorter distances and build a really solid base and put in the speed work.
00:27:53
Speaker
um I think sometimes people feel like they just have to progress in distance to be showing progress, but that's the case at all. No, love that. I love this. This is awesome.
00:28:05
Speaker
Teaching people of what a lot of people need to be taught, I feel like. So no, well, thank you. Thank you. We'll give you a bit of a break from talking for now because I know it can get a little tedious um at times. And Jess, I'm going to throw to you, I want to hear how's your week been? We're now only a few weeks out from um Buffalo, so you're in the thick of it.
00:28:27
Speaker
It's probably getting more to the end of the thick of it, which is the hardest part, I feel. Yeah, I think it's like four weeks to go now. um so yeah, I've had like a pretty heavy like last few weeks just with like mainly the long run I find just like running for three hours, like over three hours with lots of that just like really takes it out of you. um So yeah, I had a bit of a up and down week again um just Yeah, I felt really good last week. I think I said on the podcast, like felt really good in my long run.
00:29:00
Speaker
um And then a rest day on the Monday, ah did a track session the Tuesday afternoon.
Handling Training Challenges
00:29:10
Speaker
um And it it was like, um yeah, quite a fast session. So we did six by 1K.
00:29:18
Speaker
um i think it was it was pretty tough for me because they do this thing where it's like it's on a four minute 30 cycle. So if you're running slower, that means you get like a lot less rest than everyone else.
00:29:31
Speaker
Oh, damn. um Brutal. And also like the juniors, like the junior girls that I was sort of running with, like they were only doing 800 meters. So they were getting like more rest.
00:29:43
Speaker
So it's, yeah, it's pretty tough because then I'm like trying to like stick with the pack, but they've had like, i don't know, 30 seconds more rest than me least. Yeah. um So, yeah, but pretty happy with it. Like I ran between 3.20 to like 3.28 or something um and like finished fast, which is a good sign.
00:30:06
Speaker
Probably had like 60 seconds rest in between, which is like probably a little bit quick, like less rest than you would usually have in a session like that. But um I felt okay. And then...
00:30:21
Speaker
I was literally like talking to one of my friends that has this stress in their shin like after the session, went on my cool down and my shin started hurting and I was like, are you kidding me? Like it's contagious or something.
00:30:35
Speaker
um So yeah, I like kind of panicked after that um just because like, Like I had to sit out of Buffalo this time last year with shin pain and I was like, not again, like what is happening?
00:30:49
Speaker
um So then I took Wednesday off, didn't run that day, um still did gym but like didn't really do any calves or like jumping or anything like that.
00:31:01
Speaker
um And then the Thursday i went and got some needles on the Wednesday night as well, which was really good it felt really good after that so that was a good sign um and then the Thursday I just tested it with like a 40 minute jog um and it felt good like I could tell mechanically like I wasn't moving very well which I think was what was causing it so like my hip was just a bit tight and my calf wasn't really firing So I think the shin was just getting a bit overloaded. um But yeah, so then Friday just easy jogged again um and did a session on the Saturday and felt amazing.
00:31:42
Speaker
um Didn't have any shin pain. So very positive. um But yeah, like with the the stress of like thinking I had an injury, I like actually gave myself like stress hives and which is so the power of the human brain silly but like and obviously I didn't realize it was from that so I was kind of thinking there was something really wrong with me like sickness wise um so that was kind of like a worry but then yeah went to the doctors and I'm all good now he was just like yeah you're just a bit stressed and your body was reacting to the stress so
00:32:22
Speaker
yeah So then today I didn't want to do a super hilly long run just because I'd done a session yesterday and usually I have like a day's sort of easy between.
00:32:33
Speaker
um So I just went to the cotter and did this kind of like undulating loop that I've done before that was about 28k with 800 meters. um Actually felt a lot harder than I thought it was going to. like I did ah literally did like half the amount of elevation than I did last week, but it felt so hard.
00:32:51
Speaker
Yeah, sometimes it just is that. like Sometimes it's just the fact that you're expected to feel easier and then because it doesn't, it feels even worse again. yeah Yeah, 100%. Oh, the joys. Well, definitely an up and down week, but ah pretty sure trail running is all about the up and downs.
00:33:08
Speaker
So fitting. I feel like that's just what marathon blocks are like. Like it's always like little, it's not a marathon block if like things don't go wrong. Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. And you ended well, the Saturday was a high note.
00:33:22
Speaker
Good session there. That's like, and by the sounds of it, it's two good sessions in a week and you still got the long run done. Like that's a good week ticked off. yeah i Yeah, I didn't really miss much training at all and like just having the day off, like that really helped things move along without like getting sort of buried in a hole. So I'm pretty happy with like that sort of um maturity that i've yeah yeah like I feel like a few years ago I wouldn't have had the maturity to make that kind of decision to have a day off. um So yeah, pretty proud of myself.
00:33:52
Speaker
Good. So you should be. ah love it. And it does look like Jess Ronan's ah phone or something has died. I'm hoping she reappears. But just in case she doesn't, just putting in here that we've we've lost her with some technical difficulties going down, um hoping we can maybe get her back.
00:34:12
Speaker
Yeah, so how's your week been, Sim? Yeah, yeah, probably... A little up and down as well. It's an it' been an interesting one because I got last minute spot that I was umming and ahhing but then did accept in a wilderness first aid course.
Uphill Training Techniques
00:34:28
Speaker
um So that was, it was my first week in a very long time where I had to train like I also had a full-time job. Which when you go from so long not having to do that to thrust straight into it was definitely a shock to the system, but it was kind of good. i do yeah I do actually quite enjoy it and I adapted quite well, but the first aid course was 8.30 to 4.30 Monday to Thursday.
00:34:53
Speaker
So every single day and it was, I had to go stay at my parents just so I was somewhat closer, but it was still a 45 minute drive either way. So just trying to fit in normal training got a little interesting.
00:35:05
Speaker
um But it thankfully, my beloved treadmill, which is an incline trainer, lives at mum and dad's. So the treadmill saved the week. And I got in um Monday. i didn't have the elliptical, but I had the treadmill. So I did an uphill weight vest hike. So I put on a 10 kilo weight vest, chucked the treadmill like the whole time it was between 20 to 25 percent and just hiked at my normal sort of easy run heart rate.
00:35:30
Speaker
135 140 heart rate sort of thing but hiking um so I did that at night on the Monday and that felt decent enough but it definitely started the week off I think I got about 650 meters climb um over 45 minutes with a 10 kilo weight vest on so it was some good so good strength um so yeah after training After you do that, does it feel like you've done a gym session or does it feel like you've done like a hard session?
00:35:55
Speaker
It feels harder than an easy run on the legs, but not the rest of my body. So I kind of have that sort of system feeling of I've just done my 45 minutes easy. So you recover really well, but it definitely does carry some fatigue over um into the next day.
00:36:09
Speaker
just like wise like I yeah it's an odd one to describe but definitely maybe maybe it feels like a gym session where all you did is step ups for 45 minutes but unweighted ah and
00:36:24
Speaker
So are you doing that like specifically for Donna or just to change it up? no like I actually do just like doing it for strength on the climbs. I feel like over time I definitely gain a lot more strength, but this is actually more. So in an interesting way, my training at the moment, yes, I've got Donna in two weeks, but my training is more geared around the sky races I've got in a month and a half or so.
00:36:49
Speaker
Um, so because they're more the races I'm targeting, um, and the sky races I'm doing, the first one in Malaysia isn't so hectic. I think it's 26 K with 2,400 up and down or so, or maybe it's 30 K with 2,400, which does sound hectic enough. But then one week later, I'm in Japan doing 30 no, doing K with up and down.
00:37:16
Speaker
so you're climbing three thousand and twelve k and dropping 3000 in 12k so every time I think about that I'm a bit like well I'm constantly on 25% plus gradients in that race for 24ks and I think that things like these weight vest hikes then become very good training because it's essentially a very specific um easy run on the terrain but ain't no one running for that long up 30%-ish climbs.
00:37:46
Speaker
ah So, yeah, I think i'm I'm just going for the leg fatigue with this one. Like the leg fatigue I take is a good thing. I need it um because I need my legs to get more used to the sort of constant climbing. And then obviously adding the weight vest just helps get the same stimulus over a shorter time um so because I'd say like 45 minutes with my 10-kilo weight I think feels the equivalent of doing the same thing maybe for 75 unweighted sort of thing leg wise fatigue wise so yeah I did I did I did do it again later in the week but I when I have access to my treadmill and it's not at my parents place like it always is at my parents place but staying at my parents place this week helped have access to it I used to do this a lot and now I can't so much but
00:38:35
Speaker
Because it doesn't feel the same on 15% on the usual gym treadmills. Like I just don't think it works. 15% isn't quite steep enough to get the right stimulus. that But yeah, that that was all I did on Monday and I'm very glad I took that day easy.
00:38:49
Speaker
um because the rest of the week got a little hectic. On Tuesday morning, it was a 5 a.m. wake up to get on the treadmill by like 5.45, 6 o'clock for my four by eight minute threshold.
00:39:01
Speaker
um This one I changed up. Normally, I do it at 10%, 8%, 6%, 4%, but I did want some flat fast running. So I went 8, 6, 4 and then the last one flat.
00:39:12
Speaker
um for my eight minutes and I love that session and doing it on the treadmill it's just so like having my full hard session done for the day by like 7 a.m or 7 15 um actually felt pretty accomplished but damn then driving 45 minutes and doing a full day of a first aid course which is like a very full-on first aid course you're doing scenarios like it's very practical you've got to have your brain fully switched on because you're trying to like treat snake bites or treat broken bones and all sorts of things and they actually make you do it with like it was full on you like whenever I'm acting a patient we have like the Halloween broken bone sticking out of you with some chocolate sauce on it for fake blood or like if I'm faking a head injury they'll have like chocolate sauce all over your head and coming out your ear and stuff and you've got a fake having a a proper head injury and stuff so when you're walking in as the person treating it's
00:40:05
Speaker
it's actually quite confronting because you know that the person you're treating, like as the patient, I'm given two sets of obs, one for if they do the right thing and one for if they do the wrong thing. um And so it's full on like if I walk in and say it's a snake bite but it's only a suspected snake bite, if I don't find the snake bite, that person, I watch them deteriorate and they die sort of thing or like in in fake.
00:40:27
Speaker
But it still was pretty full on. All very good information to have for someone that spends a lot of time in the wilderness. um But, yeah, it was it was interesting and I was fading pretty quickly but eating so much food, that helped.
00:40:43
Speaker
um Still doubled on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday got my long run in six am at Arthur's seat.
Training Day Experiences
00:40:49
Speaker
I absolutely love it there. Forgot how much I love it there. um And this was where... look, this might have been overdoing it, but I was on a roll.
00:40:56
Speaker
And as soon as I got back, like I did 20Ks in the morning before my course, got straight back, got into 45 minutes of Pilates as soon as I got home and then had dinner. And then 8pm got back on the treadmill for a 30 minute uphill hike with the weight vest.
00:41:12
Speaker
um And I loved that day. it was one of those days where I got to the end and I'm like, today I smashed it. We're so good here. And then the next day i was like, okay, I'm a little tired now.
00:41:24
Speaker
um So either way, we got it done though. Double run again on Thursday um and by then the course was done. So this was where my week got good but, again, my ups and downs come from a different different mechanism at this point because I got home finally back to home home on Thursday evening and I was wrecked, got into bed at 9pm and my poor pups had a seizure at about 10.30pm.
00:41:52
Speaker
So by the time she has that, it's then an hour and a half long or an hour long process to get her sort of okay, resettled. And all night, then I'm on edge because if she has another one, it's straight to the emergency vet and those sorts of things. So after thinking, i was doing amazing. I'm getting in bed at 9pm and yep, I'm going to smash tomorrow morning session. I think I got about four hours sleep before rocking up to um Friday morning session, although Yeah, it was fine.
00:42:21
Speaker
and I got to one of my fave sessions and Jess, I don't know if I've ever actually done this with you. I've just shown you the loop, right? Like we never did this session together. No, you coached me for it. Oh, that's right.
00:42:32
Speaker
I think I was injured at the time. Yeah, it was just before World Chance in 2023. I remember now. Yep, yep, yep, yep. um But it's a session I absolutely love. Jess, I reckon you'd like it too. It's one I've done. I actually haven't done the full session that many times, like maybe twice before this, and I haven't done it in two years.
00:42:51
Speaker
um But it's a 1K trail loop. It's only got about 40 metres down and up, but it's in figure eight, it's techie, and most of the climb is in the last 200 metres. um So it's a bit brutal, you do but I do the 1K, take 60 seconds break and then do a separate flat-ish 400 trail, all on trail here.
00:43:13
Speaker
And it was I did this with Kate, um the absolute powerhouse that is currently 22 weeks pregnant and still dropping everyone's ass. um But um we did, we she was asking me like, what are you going to run the first rep in? And I just had in my head, i'm like, well, the last time I did this session two years ago, i think I was running about 4.30s around the loop um because you've only got a short break and then the 400s were fast.
00:43:37
Speaker
But I just was like, oh, I'm going to guess 4.20s to 4.30s, having not done it in a long time. And then we take off and I felt great. My body actually and legs and everything felt great.
00:43:47
Speaker
And we get to the end of the first one and I'd run like a 3.57.
00:43:52
Speaker
And I look down and I'm like, that genuinely felt like the right effort. But I now feel like I don't know how long, how this session is going to go um Because heart rate was where I wanted to be, all the things, did the 400, got another set rep done exactly pretty much the same. I think it was like a 401. So similar enough. Yeah.
00:44:15
Speaker
um And then i think just everything caught up to me on the climb of the third rep. And it was one of those ones where I got to the bottom of the climb 200 meters to go at about the same time. And I was about 13 seconds slower at the top like it was a 413 and I'm like okay now we're getting found out a little bit but yeah it was a weird one because ah can't I don't know what it was I was just cooked from the week and then the lack of sleep um but my my legs felt great my body felt great so it just felt like I should be out to do the thing and I should be able to push a bit harder
00:44:49
Speaker
But A, with the lack of sleep, I'm the person that as soon as it then gets hard, I go, well, I can't be bothered anymore. Like just your brain doesn't have the same power to push through. and I was getting real dizzy.
00:45:00
Speaker
um So tried to hold on as best I could. i think I went like 4.13, 4.14. um And then thankfully the last one I was solo, but I did it in reverse. Jess, I don't know if you ever did the one where you loop back like the opposite way down the 200 descent and then do it reverse.
00:45:19
Speaker
Yeah, i think when you coached me for it, we kept changing. Yeah, we did. Good. yeah Because I reckon it's so much harder. um Going down. Yeah.
00:45:30
Speaker
Yeah. You get all the descent done. Then you stairs. yeah You get the stairs the other way as well. Yeah, all the descent done in one go and then you end with a really long uphill. um But i got I got back on track. Either way, it was in the end one of those sessions that was really good but did my head in because I hate slowing down in a session.
00:45:48
Speaker
um And, yeah, so I was like, look, at the end of the day I ran faster than I've ever run before for the session. Yes, it's two years later, so I'd hope that's the case. But at the same time, And I got home from that session. I couldn't get any food down. Any food I did get down came straight back up.
00:46:04
Speaker
And I actually do think this was just stress and being cooked because I then spent the rest of the day like I was in all sorts. I was usually going to do a double, didn't do a double. i just was cooked for the rest of that day.
Race Tapering and Prioritization
00:46:17
Speaker
yeah. yeah lesson learned in some ways but also thankfully most weeks don't look like that um and yesterday was all just about reviving myself I did my run two runs super easy and today's long run I was under strict instructions to take it easy got the three hours done so going to call it a good week but as with as Jess described all trail running it's up and down Um, up and down for sure.
00:46:46
Speaker
So yeah, the only two weeks to Donna actually scares me at this point though. um It's come up real quick. Are you going to taper for it? In some ways, yes, for sure. Like I have to taper a little bit because I do want to do well at Donner.
00:47:01
Speaker
um I can't afford a long one, so it's only going to be a one week. um So i my last hard session, I'll do the pretty much the Donner course this Friday, eight days out. um And then from there, it's shorter, sharper, intense kind of stuff um until Donner starts.
00:47:19
Speaker
And then I'll have to get back up and like do a good week of training after Donna. So trying to recover decently enough. It's, and I mean, an interesting phase where obviously I do have Donna, I have Kunanyi, but they are both in the build for sky running.
00:47:33
Speaker
um So it's a different navigational thing where 100% if Donna was the main aim, I'd be tapering pretty much from now. But I count the taper as from the end of this Friday session coming.
00:47:45
Speaker
um before Donna and then I'll have another week up after Donna before a one-week taper sort of into Kunani again um and hope.
00:47:56
Speaker
Sometimes that pays off. Sometimes you end up being bit in the ass and you're not you're not fresh enough. But at the end of the day, as long as I am fresh and ready to go at the end of April, i am happy.
00:48:08
Speaker
um So, yeah, seeing how we go.
Podcast Sponsor Highlight
00:48:12
Speaker
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00:48:22
Speaker
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00:48:38
Speaker
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00:48:54
Speaker
So get over there, order some stuff and keep showing up. I reckon that's a good amount of training talk
Strength Training and Stretching Insights
00:49:03
Speaker
for the week. We've done a lot of training talk of our own, but we're going to touch on a couple of training-related questions which I'm interested to hear your guys' take on. ah This first one I think is going to be pretty quick because I well ah know what jessie's answer is jes Jason's answer is going to be.
00:49:20
Speaker
Jess, Ronan, I'll get what your thoughts are. it's The question is comes from Carl and he says, after missing three weeks of strength and still having eight weeks to a race day, is it worth continuing on? Like is it worth getting back in the gym or do I just scrap the strength until after the race?
00:49:35
Speaker
um Go, Jess, Ronan, your thoughts. I think ill I should leave this question to Jess, Jason, the strength. the strength expert in my mind but I think I think um I think eight weeks is certainly enough time to pick up and maintain a really good strength routine I think um you shouldn't feel worried that that three weeks have gone by I think that's more than enough time to and have those habits in place and have it make a ah difference on race day yeah yeah
00:50:08
Speaker
Yeah, I would um say, yeah, pretty much agree with all of that. Like three weeks off isn't going to set you back too far. I'd say like personally, I wouldn't jump in and like lift the same amount that you were before. Like maybe just back it off a bit, like more than what you think and then see how you pull up and go from there. yeah.
00:50:33
Speaker
first session back would be like a bit lighter and then you could probably build up and then taper off for the race. You've got plenty of time to do that. Yeah. And yeah, for my strength clients or like my own training, um well, for one, the science, ah it takes four weeks plus to detrain from strength.
00:50:53
Speaker
ah You're not actually going to lose much strength at all in this time. You might lose a small amount of the sort of conditioning from being out of routine and the grip strength I find for me disappears pretty quick. But at the same time, your global muscle strength and a ability is actually pretty much the same.
00:51:09
Speaker
But what I normally go off for up to sort of six weeks off is if I've had three weeks off, my first session back is at 70%. If I've had four weeks off, my first session back is at 60% of what I was doing.
00:51:23
Speaker
And then each session, if i'm doing if I'm feeling confident or each week, I'll add another 10%. So like say I've had three weeks off my first session back, I'll do 70% of the weights, second session back, 80% of the weights, third session back, 90% of the weights. So then my, by my fourth session back, I'm back where I was.
00:51:41
Speaker
Um, now that you can do slower or faster depending on your confidence level and what you're doing. But yeah, I'm going to say hundred percent, three weeks is not a very long time to have off and get back in the routine because 11 weeks by the time you've had three weeks plus eight weeks, that is a long time out of the gym.
00:51:57
Speaker
Um, And I think that's going to make you a lot worse off in a couple of months' time for sure. yeah. Yeah, and I feel like ah like skiffing gym for that long, like, your muscles would be, like, so switched off.
00:52:09
Speaker
I don't know. I feel like that if I have ages off the gym. um Yeah. like Yeah. Just having your muscles, like, switched on means, you like, your running economy will be better and um you won't get injured as easily.
00:52:22
Speaker
Yeah, I'm with you. I'm with you. So there's there's our answer for you, Carl. I think that he did actually send that in like a week or two ago. So I hope you have got back in the gym. That's the answer there. um And then the other listener question comes in from Chris and he has said that he hears a lot of running podcasts refer to making sure you're disciplined around doing your stretch sessions each week.
00:52:46
Speaker
What do they mean by stretch sessions? Is this just 30-second holds or is there more to it and what do you do? And who wants to take this one first?
00:52:57
Speaker
Jess, Ronan, you go. I think in in my sort of in my weekly routine, I don't do a lot of purposeful stretch sessions. I think i'm for me, it's more typical to do stretching, to do rolling or spiky balling.
00:53:12
Speaker
And I think if I'm doing stretching, it's usually um within a drill or something that involves a movement um rather than static stretching. So I think for me, unless there's an area that's particularly tight or particularly sore, I may stretch it, and but that would be in addition to other things such as mobility exercises, drills, spiky-balling and rolling. I don't think, for me, a stretch session has has not been part of my training and it's not something that I hear um that that many runners around me, to be honest, having as part of their weeks.
00:53:46
Speaker
So i think if you can, um yeah, I think that's my response. Yeah, I i feel like the research is quite interesting around this topic. I'm like, Sim, you've probably read more than I have, but I feel like over the years, um like, there's been a lot from the research that suggests that, like, static stretching doesn't actually do much. And, like, in some instances, it can be harmful if the person or the individual is, like,
00:54:17
Speaker
quite flexible already. um it can actually lead to injuries. I'm not really sure what the science is around that, but that's just what I've heard. um Personally,
00:54:30
Speaker
i like to incorporate like a bit of yoga, which I guess is like dynamic stretching. So, um like maybe two or three nights a week I might just do like a 20 minute um slow flow um which I just use like an app for and it gives me like all the key sort of stretches that I need like hips and hamstrings and back and like torso um and I find like just mentally it's like a nice way to unwind it kind of like relaxes you more than anything and like sets you up for a good night of sleep so that's why incorporate it
00:55:08
Speaker
Yeah, good, good call. And yeah, i'm going to agree with you on the science behind just holding static stretches. i'm never recommend people do. I don't think that's the most valuable use of time.
00:55:19
Speaker
um There's a lot more to be gained from um like dynamic stretches, 100%, but those I trickle in through the week. I think every runner kind of trickles them in pre-session. You're doing your leg swings, you're doing drills, you're doing the little stretches that you're moving through, like even the sort of lunges and pulling your knees up and those sorts of things like that they're stretching through your tissue so They're just not held.
00:55:45
Speaker
um and then And you never actually want to hold a static stretch before a session. Like a static stretch is actually going to reduce the power that muscle and that area can produce. So you actually don't want to hold a stretch before a session.
00:55:59
Speaker
um Then the that for me, it's always the phone foam rolling does a lot more, I think, for mobility and maintaining good tissue balance and those sorts of things um in then just a static stretch or any sort of stretching session and then also when I'm in the gym like I start with a dynamic sort of warm-up or a Pilates class a Pilates class is always going to involve some mobility so this is where I'm going to say to Chris like I've I would never have heard of a runner just saying I'm doing a stretch session
00:56:32
Speaker
But I know many that like you might do some mobility, which could be yoga, which could be Pilates. But I'm often combining the mobility with muscle activation as well. So as soon as that muscle feels a little better and more supple or released a little bit, it's activating it.
00:56:47
Speaker
And then my other go-to because – I hate holding stretches and doing all those sorts of things. It's just like a massage or a physio appointment. like Get someone else to do it for you. um I love my dry needling. I'll get some dry needling pretty often because I know it works for me.
00:57:02
Speaker
um But cupping for the fascia release, like I think all those things above, I would do above static stretching. I don't remember the last time I just sat down and held a stretch. um Even when I've got a really tight part, I will foam roll that spiky ball, it then maybe do a couple of moving stretches, but it might be like knee side to side if it's my back or something like that rather than holding.
00:57:24
Speaker
ah one The one difference there is that if my calves are really tight, I do actually have a calf stretching board, so one that you can stand up on and it just is a little slight angle and it just lengthens your calves off a little bit. But I will usually try and combine that, say, with some cupping through the fascia of my calves and that sort of stuff just because it would take forever to release just holding a stretch.
00:57:48
Speaker
But if you're combining it with other things, massage, cupping, um just the dynamic nature of it I think and even when I do stand on the calf stretching board it's on for a little bit off and moving the muscles and then on for a little bit and that sort of thing so yeah I think for me I can't think of the last time I sat down and went okay I'm going to do some stretches um it's always just spattered throughout the week as often as I can because a little bit often does a lot more I think than a lot once a week um for sure so
00:58:20
Speaker
yeah Hopefully that answers your question, Therese. Thank you for sending it in. It's a ah love. We've actually got ah quite a backlog of listener questions, but we don't want these episodes to go too long. So we'll either clear the backlog in one Q&A session um or we're slowly chipping away at them.
00:58:35
Speaker
So thanks for everyone that has sent them in. And sorry if we haven't got to yours yet. We are getting there. We do have a record of all of them. And but we are quite light on for results this week that we can find. the The only major race I've watched a little bit off with is Trans Gran Canaria, but I feel like Vlad might cover off.
00:58:53
Speaker
but It feels like Vlad's baby this one. um So he might cover off a bit more next week. I did just love... Definitely in the men's marathon, there was a great big sprint finish from Francesco Puppi and Robert Kenboy.
00:59:06
Speaker
um i think Francesco got him couple hundred metres before the line and it was that was impressive. um Also one of my favourite runners to follow and I just think someone that's a really cool um part of the sport is Henriette Albon. She won an hour.
00:59:21
Speaker
by an hour ah put on an absolute clinic so that was bloody cool to see but maybe we'll get Vlad he knows more about these courses and races than any one of us so we'll get him to see if there's any other um standout performances from Trans Grand Canaria and then quickly over in Perth there was a race that went down there Jess what was the was it Swiss Merdy?
00:59:45
Speaker
Yeah so Swiss Merdy was on that's probably one of my probably was my favorite race in the summer series um So the long course, the black course is about 15k from memory. I think it had about 700 meters of it, which is like pretty hefty and over fifteen k um But it's just, yeah, it's a really beautiful course. There's like waterfalls and single trails and some punchy climbs in there.
01:00:10
Speaker
um and I know it is pretty tricky one though, like with um navigationally because There's a lot of different trails through there. so I did notice that someone took my CR on one of the segments.
01:00:24
Speaker
so That was Maluka Bancroft, but then looking at her run, she was going super solid, like 4.30 gap pace, which is pretty impressive, but then got lost and ended up running like 19K.
01:00:38
Speaker
so Oh, damn. Unfortunately, it wasn't on the results, but just quickly, the results for the black course. We had Pierce Bresman first place in the men's in 1 hour 14th.
01:00:50
Speaker
Jeremy O'Hart in second, 1 hour 14. Oh, geez, that was really close. So first was 1 14, 16.3, and then second was literally two milliseconds behind him.
01:01:03
Speaker
So full on sprint. That's amazing. don't know how they figured that out. Like, I feel like the timing. Yeah, ah we don't exactly have photo finish going on here. Yeah.
01:01:15
Speaker
So, um, Devo for Jeremy with second place, but two milliseconds on a trail. Love that. And it's such a brutal, like finish. It's, um, it finishes downhill, like down some stairs and then like down a really steep, um, like rocky path that has like real twists and turns.
01:01:36
Speaker
Oh, damn. Imagine like a spring finish over that. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. That's cool. That's very cool. Yeah. um Yeah, and then third place was Peter Hullcup in 1 hour 24.
01:01:51
Speaker
And then in the women, we had Courtney McNally in first place in 1 hour 36, Victoria Hun in second place in 1 hour 37, and Megan Burns in third place in 1 hour 39. hold those runners. Awesome.
01:02:09
Speaker
Good stuff. That was pretty bunched for the top three women there too, just a couple of minutes between top three. Yeah, it have been a good race too. Yeah, love seeing that. Always always fun when these things are like I feel like no matter the pace of any race, I've been to a lot of track races that are a lot like and they're not the elites and the top ends of the world but they're like seated to all be a really good race regardless and I can be like any pace is entertaining if it's a good race.
01:02:36
Speaker
um whatsoever so love it when anything's close especially like and on the trail even more so that sprint finish would love to see it if anyone got it on video yeah awesome awesome well in terms of races that are coming up next week there is the bau bau snow gum run there is the bel-air marathon in sa bogong conquestathon which just goes up and down bogong which will be Damn, that'd be a fun run to do. Gone Nuts 101 at the Gone Nuts Festival down in Tassie. I know that's a big one down there.
01:03:09
Speaker
Southeast Queensland Trail Series and probably one of the most interesting races I've heard of, end well, in some ways, Lark Hill Party Ultra in WA, which which ah just looking up some of the details of it because we're trying to figure out where Lark Hill is in WA and it turns out it's just south of Perth. But they have a mega multi-stage rager which as included includes four stages but all in this in one day.
01:03:33
Speaker
you run 21K at 11am and then you get your half marathon medal. 21K at 2pm then you get your marathon medal. 7.8K at 5pm to get your 50k medal. And then 30K starting at 6pm gets you your 50 mile medal.
01:03:48
Speaker
All in one day. which like I get that it's like 80Ks one day, but just the fact that you have to break it up and you're forced to go to the separate start lines kind of does my head in a little bit. That's wild.
01:04:02
Speaker
So there's an interesting one for the books for anyone that wants to have a go at just some of the weird things we find out on these trails. Yeah, that's what's coming up. Jess Ronan, what have you got coming up in the next week? i guess Is it another busy week on the work front, this one?
01:04:17
Speaker
Yes, this will be a big work week for me and I think just trying to squish training around those commitments. um I think it's at the stage of the training block where you just want to tick off a few more consistent weeks, get yourself to the taper healthy and in um and ready to race. So I think it'll be a pretty standard week for me, but I'm hoping to, yeah, just just have another good one in the books.
01:04:37
Speaker
Awesome. Awesome. Well, best of luck with it. and Thank you. Thank you for coming on. um Jess, thank Jason, regular Jess. um How's your, what's your week looking like coming up?
01:04:49
Speaker
Yeah, pretty similar. Just another busy week juggling work and training and trying to stay uninjured. yeah Trying not to like let the brain take over control of the rest of the body in there on the injury scare front. We've all been there. It's so understandable. Keep the stress levels low.
01:05:07
Speaker
Yes, yes, please do. get Get back on that yoga train and just do anything that makes the body feel good. I love it. Awesome. Well, yeah, I hope it goes well. Similar for me, just another big week of training and I'm trying to get a couple good sessions in. I'm going back to try and redeem myself sit on a very similar session Tuesday um to try and not slow down on that 1K rep and just things right purely because I needed the session to put in there anyway. So why not try again?
01:05:36
Speaker
um But, yeah, thank you so, so much, Jess, for coming on with us and coming along for the ride for this, which has been episode 46. Hopefully people can follow along as we are.
01:05:48
Speaker
get previews out for um nationals and Buffalo and then follow along the team selection and everything. I think you'll have a lot of people behind you cheering for you. Thank you. It's been my pleasure to chat with you guys. It's been a lot of fun.
01:06:03
Speaker
Awesome. Thank you So this has been episode 46 of the Peak Pursuits podcast. Thank you so much, everyone, for listening and we'll speak to you next week. Peace, guys.