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2. Goal setting, embracing new experiences and getting after it with Josh Wiffen
43 Plays4 months ago
Josh Wiffen, ultrarunner, artist and Illawarra local join us hot off the heels of Western States 2022, bursting with stoke and love for the trail and ultra running community. Josh was one of a handful of Australians toeing the WSER start line in 2022, after two years of COVID delays made for a very long, and injury inducing lead up.
We then check in with Josh two years later, and hear about his latest miler-adventure, at Chicamocha Canyon Race in Columbia. Josh’s love for the sport of trail and ultra running is infectious, and we’re sure that after this conversation, you’ll be inspired to start planning your next overseas running adventure.
Follow Josh's adventures in art and running on Instagram or on Strava. To hear more from For Wild Places, subscribe to our newsletter or become a member.
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Transcript
Introduction to For Wild Places Podcast
00:00:20
Speaker
Welcome to the For Wild Places podcast, a podcast that shares the stories of inspiring people and their adventures in running adventure and advocacy. I'm your host, Hilary.
Meet Josh Biffen: Ultra Runner and Artist
00:00:30
Speaker
Today we are excited to bring you our trail chat with Josh Biffen, an ultra runner, artist, and explorer from the Illawarra escarpment on Darawal country in New South Wales, South Coast.
Adventure and Advocacy Series Overview
00:00:40
Speaker
Every month we catch up with athletes, leaders, activists and inspiring people to talk about past or future adventures, their favourite wild places and the connection between adventure and activism.
Josh's Western States Experience
00:00:50
Speaker
The first part of this conversation was recorded in June 2022 when Josh had just become a Western States
Acknowledgment of Traditional Custodians
00:00:56
Speaker
finisher. Before we jump into the chat, I would like to acknowledge the First Nations people who have been custodians of land, waters and culture for tens of thousands of years. We understand the wild places we love to explore on this continent have been cared for by First Nations people for millennia.
The Podcast's Indigenous Learning Journey
00:01:10
Speaker
We seek to learn from the world's oldest living culture so we too can care for country, as the indigenous people of this continent have done since time immemorial. This podcast was recorded and edited on what are on country in so-called Australia, where sovereignty was never ceded. This always was and will be Aboriginal land.
Josh's Western States Journey
00:01:27
Speaker
Today we're chatting with Josh Wiffen, who was one of the dozen Australians to tow the start line at Western States in 2022.
00:01:33
Speaker
Western States is the world's oldest 100 mile trail race and can be incredibly difficult to get into due to its limited field and worldwide popularity. Despite Josh being incredibly lucky to get a lottery entry on his first go, the following years of COVID made for a difficult journey. In this conversation, we delve into Josh's years of preparation and negotiating the curve balls along the way. Josh's love for the sport of trail and ultra running is infectious. And we're sure that after this conversation, you'll be inspired to start planning your next overseas running adventure. As you will soon find out, this is one of our more erratic trail chats. Josh was stuck on a train going nowhere in Portland, Oregon. I was in Central Queensland in a public park and Will was about to become a father. Because of this, the sound quality in this conversation is particularly sketchy. Again, we apologise for the equality. We've done what we can to clean it up for your listening pleasure.
Follow-up with Josh Post-Western States
00:02:24
Speaker
Following from our conversation two years ago, I checked in with Josh in November this year to see what adventures he's been up to since. Keep listening to hear more from Josh's more recent racing experiences. Without further ado, let's head back to a very chaotic conversation in July 2022.
00:02:43
Speaker
My name is Will. I'm based in Port Kembla, which is Darawal land, south coast of New South Wales. um First thing I want to do is pay respects to elders past and present and acknowledge the the traditional owners of of this land. So as as mentioned, this is our third is our third trail chat today, organised by For Wild Places. ah For Wild Places is a group of activist runners that aim to protect and celebrate the wild places that we love to run in. And yeah, we're organizing these trail chats just to talk to awesome people, chat about experiences, and hopefully get the word out about about what about what for wild places is doing. Today's special guest, we are super stoked. The local guest for me, because I'm also someone who hails from from Port Kembla, but Josh Wiffen, a gun ultra runner from from down this way, has just completed
00:03:33
Speaker
the Epic Western States endurance run. And he's, it kind of looks like he's sitting in a loo and he kind of is. He's currently in Portland. So it's, yeah, it's pretty amazing that Josh has made the time for us today, but super big welcome to Josh. How are you going, on mate? Thanks guys. Great. Great to be here. um Thanks for inviting me on. it's um It's amazing. I hope we don't get interrupted with my poor Wi-Fi and sitting in the train toilet while we're transitioning. At the moment, I'm completely stuck at the station because the engine broke down and we've had to change engines and stuff. So theoretically, if it stays like that for the next hour, then our chat should be fine. I've just got to worry if my phone dies. Yeah.
00:04:18
Speaker
Cool, cool. I just had a couple of general questions for for Josh, um a lot based on the the the Western states run. But then we we open up to a bit of Q and&A if if anyone else wants to jump in and ask a question. But the first thing, Josh, we're we're just going to ask to tell us a bit about yourself, where you're from, or what what keeps you busy, not not necessarily just running, but just ah just yourself. um Well, running is definitely a big part of my life um and in particular, trail running.
00:04:47
Speaker
So, i so and and I haven't been doing it for an awful long time, probably eight, nine years maybe, prior to that was doing a little bit of running on the on the roads and then once I found the trails and that that was a thing and ultra running was a thing, then from there it's it's ridiculous to even think about running on roads.
00:05:05
Speaker
um Unfortunately, this past year has been quite challenging in terms of that with the mountain falling apart because of and should all the trails being wet, way too wet and
Josh's Life in Wollongong
00:05:15
Speaker
everything. But, you know, we do what we can. I'm also a community development worker, working specifically at the moment. I'm working, well, not right at the moment, but at the moment I'm in the States. But normally I'm in Wollongong working with young people and different communities doing community-based programs and projects. I'm single dad with one son who's 12 years old. And what is it? Oh, also an artist and sort of do a lot of mural work and and paintings and installations. Yeah, that's, I guess, the element of it. Yeah. And actually on that note, Josh, if it's cool with you, we'll when when we share this vid, we'll we'll share some links to your um to your work. Yeah, absolutely. Folks should check it out. Yeah, nice one. um And also, Josh is part of the Seacliff Coasters down here. Shout out to the shoutout to the coasters at a bunch of events. Oh, I'm definitely happy to get that. Yeah, Seacliff Coasters, well known distance running club as well, but and then just the great running community of Wollongong and the Illawarra area. It's it's actually been a really great place.
00:06:20
Speaker
And if you haven't been to the Illawarra, don't come at the moment. But once the rain all dries up and everything, and the trails are open, do come down. Do shoot us a line. If you need a place to stay, come across me and I'll show you some trails. Beautiful. Oh man, we might have to just record that and put that at the end of this chat. I'm probably still left until then. I'll do it again.
00:06:44
Speaker
Josh, you kind of touched on it a bit then, but um but the next question was, so why and when did you start running? And also how does someone who's a runner go from running to deciding they want to enter a 100 mile race?
Running as a Progressive Journey
00:06:57
Speaker
It's just one step after the other, just like running. One, two, three.
00:07:03
Speaker
i I haven't been super physically active and running individual my whole life. That's kind of not what my journey was. yeah I was heavily into breakdancing there for for a while and and that was a big part of my life. That was you know amazing and I love it. and But then you know just the way life goes you grow older and people move away and everything so that sort of transitioned away from that and then I guess the big sort of stuff happened well yeah about 10 years ago or so some big life changes happened and from there i so a friend of mine got me into some outdoor fitness stuff
00:07:47
Speaker
which then led into doing some specific run programming. um So when i funnily enough, when I first started doing that, I was doing the outdoor fitness classes and lifting heaps of weights and and and doing a lot of boxing and everything. And then the run classes were were a thing. And ah kind of like i I went and did the interval classes, which were great. Basic run classes, that I kind of thought were dumb.
00:08:14
Speaker
Because it's like, okay, so you go along and they just tell you to run a certain distance and that's it. I was like, what are you paying that for that? That's that's crazy. It seems really dumb to me. But I soon found I had a bit of a knack for running and sort of grew to really be into it.
00:08:32
Speaker
and did sort of run programming to to towards a half marathon. And I did a couple of those and then then did some programming towards doing a full marathon. And I did that. And actually when I did that, I did that on my own because I sort of couldn't afford to actually go to the run that everyone else was doing. So I just ran around Lake Illawarra. If you do want to do a ah marathon and you can't be bothered paying the prices,
00:08:59
Speaker
like it already is almost exactly a 42.2 kilometer run. So that's one of the things I've got in the back of my mind. I always want to make it ah like a legit thing. I think it'll be amazing event to have the like your amounts. But then soon I found out that there was people would do this stuff on trails and be in nature and do do amazing things like, you know, amazing scenery and more to the point they're doing crazy stuff like doing, at the time, I guess so I was only aware of the 100 kilometer events and I thought,
00:09:37
Speaker
Yeah, that's that's why I'm like doing a hundred kilometers. can Is that even possible? Like that's what I guess it is. I mean, you know, people do it. So I sort of looked into that and and was really intrigued by those really long distances. and And again, at the time, I just I didn't have a lot of knowledge around it. A lot of my stuff has been really self-educated and self self-directed. not really having coaching or anything after those sort of initial things. So I moved away from that outdoor fitness and and that road running very quickly and and just sort of worked it out. At the time, I i was like, yeah, let's do 100 kilometres. That sounds amazing. But I thought, it hard the training time, I i didn't feel like
00:10:22
Speaker
had enough for that so i i stepped up and did sort of 50 kilometers and did that for a couple of years and then uh and then i i'll give it a crack and then sort of discovered that doing 100 kilometers really doesn't take that much extra if at all you just gotta maybe putting in a little bit more kilometres. And then same with 100 miles, like its it's just, you just sort of shift your shift your training focus a little bit. And it all all depends on your goals. You know, like if you want to do something really fast and try and try and win, well, that's a different proposal. But if you just want to see what you can do and and push the limits of what you can personally do, um I don't think it needs to be all that hard. So yeah, I just
00:11:03
Speaker
made it happen, which is which is really cool. I think one of the real moments of like at the aha moment was when I did finish my first kilometers and I did that and did pretty well. And I was just like, honestly believe that anyone who is physically capable can can do it if they really want to do it. It's just about putting that plan in place and and not being silly about it. So yes certainly yeah, certainly, you know, if you,
00:11:30
Speaker
sitting on the couch doing not much, and you you go, oh, I'm going to run 100 kilometers in a month, then that's asking for trouble. But but certainly building up to it, not so much. Was there more to the question? i bit like Did I go off on a tangent? I'm sure I always did. It was running specific, wasn't it? but it was we yeah That was the progression that that I was hoping to hear. yeah You gained entry to Western States in 2019. Did you get in by by lottery? Yes. So the way it works with Western States and actually a lot of the one hundred mile events in the state, they're they're based on a lottery system. So you have to qualify first. You have to participate in a qualifying event and you have to do it
00:12:10
Speaker
in a specific time. So for me, that was 100 kilometres in the Blue Mountain and it's quite generous. You have to finish that in under 20 hours, I believe, that you to be eligible for Western State. And so i I completed that well under cut up, well under that that time.
00:12:26
Speaker
And I'll throw my hat in. The big thing with that is that it's it's such a hard event to get into. It's it's pretty much the oldest hundred mile event in the world, and it's got this real prestige to it. So and because of the our stewardship of the organization that puts it together, working really closely with the the parks, guardians and but but um all the people.
00:12:54
Speaker
they They only allow, normally, I think it's 365 people to run the event so that they can look after the trails. It's quite a popular trail, which and they run a few different events in different parts of it. But the Western States but specific event, they allow, yeah, that 365 people per year to run in Western States. Changed that a little bit just for a few years due to the COVID stuff.
00:13:23
Speaker
But yeah, normally that's it. So I put him for the lottery. Some people wait up to around seven years or so. I ran into a guy over here who said he's still waiting. He's got 65 entries he's in the lottery. So my thing was I finished my event, put him for the lottery thinking, OK,
00:13:42
Speaker
in in three years or so, of yeah or more, I'll get onto to this hundred mile event, you know, qualifying every year and putting my name in the lottery every year. And so, yeah, my name came up and that was supposed to be for the 2020 event, but obviously we know what happened there. And then it got rolled over to 2021, but as Australians, we weren't allowed to leave the country.
COVID's Impact on Josh's Race Plans
00:14:06
Speaker
So then we rolled over to 2022 and finally we were able to go. So there was about 15 or 16 Australians who were signed up for the 2022 event and then last minute I think two of those had to drop out.
00:14:23
Speaker
So, there's about 14 of us on that start line, which was amazing. Now, I've lost That was my main thing. He said he had to duck off urgently. And because he has a very pregnant partner, I'm like, yes you totally do that. So he's asked me to kind of step in for now. And thankfully I've got my mic working. Was there a sense of like Australian camaraderie on the start line? Absolutely.
00:14:48
Speaker
getting a lottery yeah plus COVID. It's been a massive journey for for all of us. Some of them were were newly entered for this year, but the majority of us were rolled over from 2020. And I sort of made a semi-joke about it in that normally you know when you go overseas, you you have no interest in in hanging out with Australians. it's like i' i'm here I'm not here to do that. oh you're a australian accent right um I'm out of here. I'm going to go over this way. In the lead up to to the event, it was yeah this massive sense of camaraderie, hanging out with the Australians, talking so of strategy and and plans and and all that sort of stuff.
00:15:31
Speaker
helping each other out. I sort of got stuck with my bags at one stage so one of the other things but I will you just bring it up to my room so put that there so I could walk around and everything. So yeah it was it was really quite an amazing experience with that when yeah normally and and it in my first international event as well normally and I don't do a lot of events I also do one big one every year and and that'll kind of be it you know you just duck up the road to the Blue Mountains, duck up the Port Macquarie or or wherever and it's it's no problem this is international. So there's so much going on at the moment so no good but yeah so so it was really a bit of a
00:16:16
Speaker
daunting experience I think for a number of reasons being international all the extra stresses of that so I guess to have that um Australian contact and and such a big group of them as well was just yeah I think a really welcome and inspiring thing to have so yeah that worked out really well. And it must must feel weird being so far away from home and taking on such a daunting task and not having your family and, you know, your normal kind of crew around you to support you. So having that through by association to share that experience with how does the crewing work for someone like yourself at Western State? Do you just do drop bags and stuff or like, how do you kind of take care of yourselves throughout the course? Yeah, absolutely. I'm a bit of an outlier with some of that. You know,
00:17:03
Speaker
if you're doing an event back home, you know, home's not far away and, you know, medical stuff's not gonna be an issue. so So you can just do it and there's not so much worries. Whereas over here, you're sort of like, oh, okay, the travel insurance, what if something seriously goes wrong? What if I fall down a certain amount, break a leg? You know, all that sort of stuff is is these extra stresses and extra worries. So that's, that's um yeah, definitely stuff that was that was on my mind a little bit. But in terms of crewing,
00:17:32
Speaker
i i' I'm very low maintenance. So ah some people will have a lot of drop bags and will have a really good crew to come and help them along. or And, you know, a lot of the Australians did have had all that stuff. Certainly my sort of strategy in in most events is fortunate enough that I can pretty much throw anything into my guts and be okay. Whereas some other the people really know I really need these gels or I really need these... I feel like that's a super power. and Like that's incredible. oh Absolutely. going into pretty much any event if I know that got good because I have been into events where they have butter all on their aid stations so in those you know came as a surprise when I hit that one actually I was like oh okay I kind of needed to be more so prepared for this one. Western States has really good representation for soft aid stations
00:18:28
Speaker
So in terms of the nutrition side of things, I wasn't really worried. I just figured I'll turn up and yeah eat whatever they've got. There's definitely stories about that. Eat whatever they've got and and and it will work for me. Like I generally, I don't have a concern with that. As long as I know they've got sort of fairly well equipped aid sessions. If I know that they're only going to have you know, the same two items at every aid station that I might have to be a bit more prepared. Of course, most of the aid stations have drop bags as well, so you can um have drop bags. and it was And again, this is where I'm a bit of an outlier. It was funny, I rolled up to the um the drop bags sort of station where where they had, they were getting them all prepared to be to be set sent off. And there's, I think there's about, there's about 28 stations.
00:19:15
Speaker
And most of those have drop bags or you can have crew turner. And so i I roll up with one drop bag for the middle middle ah little station. I just had like a head torch and a toothbrush in it. And then I went... oh stuck some nutrition in there just in case and I wrapped it up and dropped it on the thing and then people were like, what are you doing? And I'm like, yeah, that'll do. And then walked away. So I took my 180, my one drop bag and off I went. You would have been pretty excited to see that toothbrush halfway through. Oh yeah. And I will admit, I probably, I could have done with maybe another one or two drop bags because of some, some foot issues I ended up having, which I didn't really count on. But certainly when I, when I hit that middle-aged station, I was, yep, then pull that, pull my head torch out.
00:20:11
Speaker
I pulled that toothbrush out and I brushed my teeth and said, yeah, this is awesome. and Because that was that's like 55 miles, ah around about 80Ks, I think, because it's roughly the halfway. I think it's a bit more than 80Ks, actually. Well, I'm truly ready for it by the time I hit that drop bag. I bet. You know, you I guess training pretty heavily for the 2020 event and then obviously COVID. How did injury and stuff play a part in that that interim period? That's another big part of the journey. When I qualified, I qualified in a really good time and sort of did a bunch of sums and everything.
00:20:46
Speaker
and I guess with most events, you you sort of usually go into it with, you know, two ah two or three goals, you know, like what's what, but you your you know, your A goal is like, if everything goes super well, this is where you're going to go for. B goal, if if things, you know, don't quite get there, we're happy to get to it. And then yeah you see a goal, which is usually I just got to finish. perfect Preparing for 2020, I was really well trained. I was really fit, really happy with how everything was going, and was really looking at that. So with Western States, you've got, if you're not a superhero, I'm going to put you in 24 hour goal. So getting sub 24, get your silver buckle. Otherwise, it's sub 30 hours, like 30 hours is the cutoff, and and yeah know after 30 hours, I'm going to get another mechanic.
00:21:38
Speaker
so Going into 2020, I was looking at that sub 24 hours and I thought I had a really good shot at it.
Adjusting Race Goals and Training Methods
00:21:47
Speaker
I was really well trained, really prepared and figured if it's going to happen, I could do it. Then obviously we all got locked down and it the event got cancelled that year. So I maintained my training through to 2021.
00:22:03
Speaker
And in the lead up to the 2021 event, once I realised that we weren't going to be able to go, because I think that was really early on, actually. I think sort of January, january February, all the Australians got together in a messenger group. So we've been talking for the past three years. oh Wow. You all knew each other well and truly by about the time you got to the start line. Absolutely. Absolutely. Like we may not have met, but we we have. Yeah. And like from that, from when we we or got drawn, we all got into this message group and having chats. So in sort of that January, February period came and and the Australian government was saying, not going to happen. You can't go overseas. We got together and did like a drafted up a collective letter.
00:22:50
Speaker
to send to the Western States, like the Organiser's Board, to say, look, we're literally not going to be able to make it, we but i could like because we're not allowed to leave the country, really don't want to full go our tickets. If you let us roll it over now, then you've got plenty of time to let someone else local know that they can have our our tickets, and then we'll just come in 2022.
00:23:15
Speaker
And really that took a bit of backwards and properly. It was a bit bit touch and go there, but eventually they did. And and apparently the 2021 event had only one international participant because pretty much everyone wasn't allowed to travel. So so I kept sort of training. So I decided to do 100 kilometres back home that year instead. And then, and and again, I was really well trained, really, really good. But then leading into that event,
00:23:40
Speaker
I started to have some Achilles issues so I went into that 100 kilometers thinking I probably wouldn't finish. I did finish and it wasn't a problem but certainly after that the Achilles issues sort of continued so then from sort of May through to in November, December, I didn't do any running at all. I was like on different advice of different professionals, which was really annoying. I didn't do any of the COVID kilos prior, but but but in that period, that certainly happened. I lost a lot of fitness, gained a bit of COVID kilos, and that was really, really annoying. We had that lockdown around then as well. So so yeah, but that that really threw things, because I normally, leading into Western States in sort of what is it april matt madam milllinia i said I'd like to have a good six to eight months of training so i'd have a really good base built around that October November and then start training seriously in December. December I was only doing about
00:24:41
Speaker
10 to 20 pays a week and and then slowly building through through sort of January, February. And I was really touch and go on it. I didn't buy flights or like in the lead up because I thought I really didn't. I thought if I'm going to go and know that I'm not going to finish, then what's the point in spending all that money to go? I'd rather just not.
00:25:06
Speaker
So I just sort of let it go, let it go and then kept training as best as I could because because of like Achilles issues. I could only really, I had to keep it fairly flat. I couldn't do a lot of birds. I couldn't really go up the mountain much. And then we had all the rains the first part of this year as well, which meant really do much trail work either.
00:25:26
Speaker
So it was really, really difficult training block. And it wasn't until about two months out that I did a big training run, did got 70Ks out, all pretty flat that still, but I got it done, did eight hours, about 70Ks and went OK, I'm feeling all right. I can do this. So then it went into crazy mode of booking flights and accommodation and working it all out. And, you know, at that stage, everything was the prices were going up and everyone started to move. So it was like, oh, yeah, this is crazy. But yeah, it's going all walked in and away we went. So certainly 2020, 2021, the goal would have been that some 24 hours. 2022, it was let's just go and be really smart about how we yeah we work and and make sure we we finish and get it done. So that's what it did. Yeah, that's solid. That's a, it's a long, long lead up. And um so I guess like normally, do you just train yourself? Do you have a trainer? Like how do you decide what, what you're going to do? Yeah. So pretty much self-taught in that, that regard, I pretty much just get self-taught, do a lot of research over the years. And I sort of put my own programs together, which is kind of framed inside from, from other programs that I've seen along the way.
00:26:51
Speaker
the information of Glenn's online and through talking to people and and you know past training stuff. But yeah, all pretty self-taught. And again, this is where like usually and I'm quite rigid with how I train. I do myself up a program at the start of the season.
00:27:10
Speaker
and then stick to it pretty religiously. This training block was a little bit more flexible based on the injuries. I had to be really wary about where I was feeling with that. Look, I didn't want to exacerbate that, but also we've you know obviously the weather conditions and everything. So yeah normally I'd be up and down the mountain, up and down the escarpment and doing you know very specific training. This block I had to listen to the body a bit, had to listen to what the weather was doing and stay away from sort of dangerous situations.
00:27:46
Speaker
and also used it as a bit of an opportunity to spend a little bit of time with some some of the other runners from the secret coasters and you know some of my community so that that was that was kind of cool too but it certainly meant that I wasn't in that peak fitness of where I would have liked to have been but you know Yeah, it's one of the realities of training for something. Always feel like there's more to be done. We've got Elle who's part of our crew and she's got a question. Hey, I am the newsletter girl with four wild places. so um And I'm currently at training for the Cosiosco 100 Mylar in December, which I'm pretty equally excited but also nervous for.
00:28:29
Speaker
Just curious. First of all, I can really appreciate the rigidity of training. I think I am a little bit too rigid, particularly now that I currently have a relatively similar injury, I think. Just curious, how do you navigate this frustration and ambiguity of injury and like that indefinite timeline surrounding it when you have a definite timeline of a race? Yes, that was that was really difficult. Injuries in general are really frustrating and and problematic for a whole bunch of reasons, but certainly, you know, the mental health game is massive there. But like particularly, like yeah as you would know, if you're training for 100 miles, 100 kilometres,
00:29:11
Speaker
And even shorter distances, you can you put a lot of your life into that and you structure your life around what that training looks like. So when all of a sudden that gets kind of thrown out the window and you can't run or they're recommending that you don't run or whatever, whatever that that's a real real challenge. Leading into this, it's this was kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity sort of thing. It's it's really, you know, yeah, it's not often that that you're going to get called up to to go to Western States. So it was, I sort of started to get to that point where um my ah like like i did i I didn't want to give it up, but it was definitely starting to be a bit of a thing in the back of the mind. Like I said, before if if I was going to go and definite and know that I'm not going to finish, then there's no point.
00:30:00
Speaker
like that's that's crazy. Why why step to the finish line when you know the odd step to the start line when you know that you're not going to make it to the finish line? yeah Certainly with injury, it's being realistic around what you're actually capable of.
00:30:17
Speaker
What's what's really and listening to listening to the body and slowly, like slowly building, slowly building what you can do. And and and I set myself some very key goals, like knowing that I was I was well behind where I wanted to be and at some points well behind where I needed to be. I so i set myself a couple of goals of, OK, I need to be getting to a certain volume of training. within this and counting back, like I'm a big fan of using calendars stuck up on the walls. They might be hand-drawn or or you know just put through a Microsoft document or something and put those on the wall and tick them off.
00:31:04
Speaker
and you know each day, you know Monday to Friday, cross that off. Okay, I did that one, I did that one. Okay, I've had to, something's happening on this day, so I've had to move it and logging those kilometres. Okay, this week I did this kilometre this many kilometres and so I i set myself a thing of, but particularly starting from December where I would have already won been wanting to do some really good volume. And I was starting out at 10 to 20Ks a week. Whereas but by that stage, I would have been wanting to do more like 50 to 80Ks a week. I had to set myself realistic goals of, okay, because I can't go from 20. It's not a good idea to go from 20Ks a week to
00:31:47
Speaker
to 50Ks a week or 20Ks one week and jump up to 50Ks and jump up to 80Ks, but work on week, you're going to do yourself a mischief. So being realistic with what that volume can look like and knowing sort of my training history, what I'm normally able to do and then you know factoring that factoring that injury in to where you know where you can sort of be a little bit flexible. Previously I was doing up to like building to 2020-2021 I was doing up to sort of 160kms
00:32:24
Speaker
and even a little bit more weekly. And and this time around, that was a viable. I was i said I've got self-agolive. I want to get up to at least 100Ks and not weekly. I sort of would build that up. Mostly, ill I'll sort of work on a three-week progression where I'll build it up to that's sort of 160Ks or 100Ks, depending on what I'm doing, and then drop it off and then do it back up and drop it off. So with this, I just wanted to make sure I could do it up and do at least a couple of 100K weeks in the later and also some really good back-to-back runs. So i but one and then another sort of strategy I i used
00:33:08
Speaker
knowing that I was really not that fit, I sort of had reached out to the community and sort of saw what they were doing and just tacked myself onto some of their runs.
Community and Trail Culture
00:33:18
Speaker
And so I made a mind, he was out, he was training for 100Ks. He's also training for Cozy, the Miler. He was going out for 60Ks, I think. And so I was like, oh, okay, I'll come and, can I,
00:33:34
Speaker
take it along and just drag along behind you. And and that was nice because I knew it was more fit than me. quicker So I sort of dragged behind him and and was like, I'm not going to do the full 16 with you, but I'll come out and do 40 because that's what I sort of scheduled myself. And then I'll do another one the next day.
00:33:57
Speaker
putting I don't know that I've really answered that, but but so yeah being being really realistic, easing off when not when I need to, and setting some very specific goals, milestones, I guess. I need to be at this stage, I need to be at this stage. And that big one for me was if I can get out eight hours by this day, which I think was two months prior to the race. If I can get get out an eight hour run,
00:34:24
Speaker
don't worry about what the distance is but if I can start from my legs eight hours and not do myself a mischief two months out from the event then I think I'm going to be solid and so I did that and felt fine and that's when I went and got mistakes and then to keep myself honest I think ah maybe three weeks after that I went out and did a really solid back-to-back and put some good vertical in. So um then I went out and I did a flat 50 followed by the next day I did a really vertical sort of 43Ks or so. More on hours actually. and I sort of went out for yes, six hours on each day or five hours on each day. So yeah.
00:35:06
Speaker
set those goals, stick to them. Awesome. Thanks, Josh. No worries. And good luck on it. I wish I was going, but it's going to be a guy good, particularly because the inaugural kind of miler down there, that's going to be really the inaugural event, really. Now on that, trail culture in the States is far ahead of where it is in Australia. But from your experience, from sea cleave coast, this is a pretty great group of people that really champion that area. But going from there to, you know, the home of trail running and ultra running, what was your just general kind of trail experience? Like what, what were your key takeaways and what blew your mind? oh everything it's amazing over here the western states trail starts and i i can't even do the calculations or anything but i remember it it starts at 7 000 feet high and then it goes up you know that's about as high as koziosko you know like we don't have anything we don't have mountains do like we think we do but we don't like we could we can say that we do, but but you you come here and you see them. In summer, the mountains are still snow-capped. I just left Seattle this morning and they've got Mount Rainier in the background and it's it's white, like the whole thing's white. and the Middle of summer. summer yeah It's amazing. Oh, it's wild. I came in to the States about not quite two weeks before the event because I was really concerned about jet lag,
00:36:37
Speaker
and also trying to get that climatisation. There was an event the weekend before Western State that I'll go and have a bit of a look at. Broken Arrow, yeah. That looked like a great atmosphere. and like I've always you know grown up watching sports and a bit like similar path to you in terms of like just discovering trail riding was a thing and then ultra running. And now it kind of seems like that those of the events we love are now getting the the experience of high profile sports in terms of atmosphere and crowds and streaming and following and like just that real interaction, whether you're there in person or following online. Yeah, it's amazing. Like, yeah, turning up to that Broken Arrow. And and it's so funny too, because we've got, you know, there's a lot of and like trail running is really becoming this big thing where where you're sort of getting these trail sort of celebrities and everything. you know internet famous sort of people and you turn up to these events here and they're all there you sort of were like I turned up to Broken Arrow and i one of the Australian guys is Brett for Spring Energy in Australia and so he's sort of part of that crew so I was hanging out with him and turned up to the spring energy thing and then we all went for a hike and you know there's Sage Canada sort of hanging hanging out just having a chat with him and
00:37:57
Speaker
We hike up this mountain to see all the broken arrow runners go, and then we sort of hike further up to see more of them. And there's just people everywhere. You know, UTA in the Blue Mountains has built over the past 12, 15 years, whatever it is, to be this massive thing where now it's really amazing to be just anywhere, talking to just some random person. They're like, oh yeah, I'm going to go and do that. But that's it. That's the only ah event but Everything else is kind of much smaller. then There's this really sort of tight community around it and it's really great and all, but essentially there's not a lot of spectators. There's not a lot of entries. There's not a lot of anything sort of going around in Australia, whereas
00:38:43
Speaker
Yeah, it seems like every trail event is massive. turn up broken all right It was a whole weekend of like Friday, Saturday, Sunday, races every day, all sorts of different distances, all these different courses and and just people everywhere and the the sponsorship and everything that's behind it. I was staying at a campsite. And there was a bunch of young blokes who were there, who had come from other ah further down south ah to do a couple of different events there. And they they sort of come back to their campsite after doing a couple of their events. And they just had these Salomon bags with broken an arrow logo on it that was just given to them as part of the kit bag. And then it's stuffed full of like gels and and hats ands and merchandise, and like everything.
00:39:35
Speaker
And you turn up to the event and there's all these different stands everywhere for Strava and Salomon and Spring and, yeah you know, good as sunglasses, you know, all the different um brands. And you certainly go around and have a chat to them and people just giving you stuff. You know, I ended up with a pair of these gators and a couple of different pairs of socks and a hat. Well, i actually, I ended up with a bunch of hats. But I'm like, how am I going to take all this stuff home? and a bunch of, you know, gills and all sorts of crazy stuff. So ah the culture behind it is massive. But America is just so much bigger in terms of, yeah like, one of the cities has the same population of as Australia. so Yeah, it's pretty.
00:40:21
Speaker
So you any anything that you're into, it's going to be massive. If your thing is trail running, then there's a massive community there. If your thing is hot rod cars, then there's a massive community there, like no matter where you go. so And it's got a longer history too. So, you know, Western States has been going for a phenomenally long time. the You know, the Hard Rock 100 was this past weekend as well. the yeah It's got a massive following as well. It's, you know, got a lottery.
00:40:49
Speaker
Cascade Crest is on this weekend which i was high I was trying to get to to go volunteer and check it out but it's kind of not really working out with my schedule. With you all sitting on a train not going anywhere. Exactly I'm so bummed about it. There's so many times I've thought I'm just going to get off this train and and to hell with it I'm just going to go Cascade Crest town with it. But then because everyone's traveling and everything, it's really hard to get tickets to go anyway. Like from the start, like I sort of.
00:41:20
Speaker
planned on going from Auburn north, but then I couldn't get tickets, so I had to go south to come north, it was crazy. So the mountains are bigger, the amount of places to run are more and bigger and diverse as well, and the amount of people and the amount of sponsorship and all that sort of stuff, it's just bigger, like it's it's massive. One of the things that's really quite special about what happens over here is is that real trail stewardship culture as well. it's It's amazing. My entry to Western States it's got a bit changed, but normally with Western States and most of the 100 mile events you enter, you have to do a certain amount of volunteer hours, working on a trail or working for an event.
00:42:10
Speaker
which is you know amazing. Yeah it's so good to hear stories of different events so that way we can take the the best bits and those really special bits and we are smaller in Australia and we're growing in terms of the number of trailers but how can we make sure that we get those best bits of the sport to create a scene that not only allows people to explore these places, but also celebrate them and protect them because it's the same in the state, same everywhere. Unfortunately, a lot of these places are suffered fires, floods, droughts, all the yeah development and whether it's trails in summer or snow in winter, like it's a huge economy. And that's something that we can say in the States and that can say it is worth something. And that's why we need to protect it, not only for the nature's sake, but also something like Broken Arrow and Western States. Huge in terms of tourism, you know, all that kind of stuff. It's incredible. it's mercy like that Like on that weekend, because that whole area like Tahoe or Olympic Valley, they had the Broken Arrow event.
00:43:14
Speaker
which which was, I don't know, there's like five or six different races. There might be more over the course of the weekend. On the same weekend, they had the Tahoe 200 just down the road at Lake Tahoe. And and that's amazing. like that's That's a 200-miler event. In Australia, you'd be lucky to get 10 people enter a 200-miler event. That thing had I don't know, like 50, 100 people. Like I saw the start line and it was packed. with Like there there was like massive amount of people doing this 200 mile event crazy. And up the road with Broken Arrow going. And then the weekend that after you've got Western States going.
00:43:52
Speaker
It's wild. That was one of the really amazing things about Western States is that it really does embody that thing that trail runners have that real passion and that real camaraderie of being together. Like all the aid stations are really well run. They're really well stocked and they've got so like so many volunteers there that when you come into an aid station one of those volunteers allocates themselves pretty much just to you. Yeah, wow. Okay, what do you mean? Yeah, it was amazing. Like, um, like yeah age Butler basically. yeah i' so You don't need a crew because you've got someone to like fill your flasks and where the toilet is and all that stuff. That's awesome. Yeah.
00:44:38
Speaker
And then you sort of get to know these people. And then they come and meet you at the finish line as well. Like I met a bunch of them in the days leading up. So I sort of knew a few different people by name, some aid station captains. And when you roll into the aid station, but but that some of them already knew me by name. And, you know, oh, did you get this? You know, check this out.
00:44:57
Speaker
after a particularly sort of tricky climb up at a Devil's Dome, I rolled in and I was looking at it, how are you going? And this guy remains, sort of grabbed me and said, you know, how are you doing? Do you want to sit down? I'm like, no, he's not sitting down. So what do you mean? No, no, no. And yeah, he just sort of walked me through and comes, like, all said, bottles. I said, some of that. So he walked me along. And then another one at another station checked out my feet.
00:45:23
Speaker
and then both of those met me at the end and went ah we're waiting for you to come in like you know well done yeah amazing amazing sort of stuff and and you know most of them are volunteers and most of them oh and that was the other crazy thing rolling through an aid station in the middle of like like it was five a.m in the morning or something scott you reckon and pal turner were there serving chicken soup you know and vegetable soup. It's such a testament to it isn't it and that's what we really want to build in Australia where you don't have to be running like an ultra runner to have that amazing experience and feel part of something like you can do it as a volunteer and recruiting someone you know but that real absolute love for the sport
00:46:08
Speaker
and and the people who do it and just I think yeah that love of the community and being part of something. Well absolutely the people who go go and do the Western States stuff and I think most of these these big hundred milers over here like even saying some of the stories come out of hard rock and everything that they come every year they're involved on some level every year and and they love it there's and there's just this real yeah about it pilgrimage isn't it like the birthplace of trail running It's quite funny because this is a very eventful trail chat because um you're on a train in Portland. I'm in a park in central Queensland and Will's had to leave because he's off to the hospital to have a baby. Oh wow, what's happening? Oh my goodness. Wow, that's so awesome. Turns out i'm having ah we're having a baby now. Lol. Sorry, but I need to go. Congratulations, Will. I think running an ultra rest in states is hard. I ah feel for his part.
00:47:10
Speaker
what she's got coming for us. It's very exciting. Thanks so much for taking the time. And it's really awesome to hear yeah about your experience. And I think it's good to hear that, you know, it wasn't the the lead up that you wanted, but you did it and you
Inspiration and Running Goals
00:47:22
Speaker
had an awesome time. And like you said, I agree with you. Anyone who wants to put their mind to running, whether it's a half marathon or a marathon ultra, a hundred, a hundred miler, like it's totally possible. You just got to give it time. And If your if your body works, like I always think the amazing thing, but even if your body doesn't work, there's there's that guy, I can't remember his name, Michael, someone I think, um who did the 50K in the Blue Mountains on crutches, you know, like he's got one leg. so you know like You can do it. If if your body works, then just do it. It's all relative to someone going out and doing 100 miles in 15 hours is spectacular, but somebody going out and doing 100 miles and getting in five seconds under the cutoff is just as spectacular. Totally. You know, someone who's done nothing their whole ah life and and going out and and running a 5K park room, that's that's spectacular too. So it's it's all relative. It's just about, you know, setting those goals and going, doing it. But what do you want to do? Go and do it.
00:48:33
Speaker
Well, congratulations. You're a Western States finisher. That's very exciting. Enjoy your travels, Josh, and I hope you get to wherever you're trying to go eventually. Thanks for taking the time and I hope to catch you on this garment when you're back, whenever that way. Absolutely. Thank you for having me. Like I say, anyone who hasn't been to Wollongong and who came to come and see the trails,
00:48:55
Speaker
wait until they've dried up and and hit me up and come down and will we'll go and get some KZ. Well, all the best. Safe travels Josh and we'll talk soon. Peace out.
00:49:07
Speaker
Now we'll jump forward to November 2024 when I checked in with Josh to see what he's been up to in the years since Western States.
00:49:16
Speaker
Last time we did chat, Josh, it was July 2022 and you were sitting on a train to nowhere in Portland, USA. Do you recall this conversation? It was a very memorable conversation. at wly It was a little bit of a comedy of errors at the time on both both sides of the fence. Exactly. well That was the thing. It wasn't until halfway through me editing the recording that I thought, that's right. This is the one where Will had to duck out and I had to take the reins because he was rushing off to the hospital for the birth of his son Gus. Exactly.
00:49:51
Speaker
Which is wild because Gus is like a fully fledged two-year-old now and it's crazy how time flies. does time What has... wait Where are you now? And, you know, what have you been up to for the past two years? So a much more respectable and or stable environment for doing this. Sitting here at home in my studio, sort of between paintings. um I've just had dinner, just come from work.
00:50:21
Speaker
And yeah, not in the place of being post, well, definitely still post ultra, but in some respect, but but not immediately post ultra and stuck in the middle of nowhere, going, but I don't know if this train's going to leave. I know exactly where I am and I know exactly where where I'm going. So it's a big difference. Yeah. So home for you is on the Illawarra on New South Wales coast. Yes. So I'm in Port Kembla. Like I always, always say, we're we' we're better to live than than here in the Illawarra. We've got life for for someone whose interests align with my own. um You can go running in the mountain and in the bush and then 10 minutes later you can be in the ocean. So it's amazing, amazing place to be, you I think. Yeah, it is a lovely part of the world. I was actually down there on the weekend. We were trying to find a wave and there was no waves and there was no sunshine. And I said, hang on Sydney, this is you know what you're meant to be known for and you've you've let me down. But the interesting thing about Port Kembla is it's also a bit of an industrial hub there with the port. And yeah, we were driving through and there's this huge cloud. It wasn't smog, it was you know something in the sky. And with all the industry on the port, is that a constant sign on the horizon for you? Yeah, it's fairly regular. i I sort of fortunately live kind of on the other side. So here in the lower, we're very hilly, very so sort of, there's not a lot of flat. So depending where you are, you you you might be facing it or or not. And I'm sort of on the other side of Port Kembla. So I face the lake and and the ocean, which is kind of nice. like well
00:52:03
Speaker
distantation But certainly on my way way to work and going for runs and stuff, the Steelworks is ever present and it's a more omnipotent piece of infrastructure of the Illwara. It's amazing because a lot of our crew are from that area and the escarpment's history of coal. and But yet it's such a beautiful area and the the lush bush you have there is is quite unique. And like you said, you've got the the mountains and the forests on one side and then the beautiful ocean on the other. so
00:52:35
Speaker
It's a lovely little part of the world. And when you say your post-ultra Josh, where have you been running and what events have been taking your fancy lately? So I had a couple of things this year. You know, after our conversation, like, well, just before our compset last conversation, I had just been doing the big one in the States.
00:52:55
Speaker
And that was kind of my first international stint in terms of going to an event. I've been overseas before going overseas for an event. And it was amazing. So like, as soon as I got back, my my thought process was like, you know, that's that's a great way to see
Exploring Beautiful Race Locations
00:53:12
Speaker
the world. That's, you know, I've got to do this more. You know, I'm only getting older. We're all getting older. There's only going to be so long I can do this sort of thing. So let's get on it. So as soon as I got back, I did a bit of research and went, ah, what are some of the the most beautiful, amazing, sort of spectacular, interesting 100 mile events around the world? And found a list, which which was cool. And, the you know, the the tricky thing with these things and it's as the
00:53:44
Speaker
popularity increases, it makes it harder and harder because they're all by lottery or, you know, they get more expensive or, you know, so many barriers to entry. And so on this list, there was there was a number of ones, including Western states. um But one of the ones that really stood out to me was an event called the Chikamocha Canyon Race in Colombia.
00:54:08
Speaker
And I saw that and I also did a bit of research on it and it's kind of kind of tricky because it's not hugely popular in terms of the world wide sort of thing. So finding information is tricky, particularly if you don't speak Spanish. And I had been sort of do a in my way through some Spanish. So I'm nowhere near.
00:54:28
Speaker
enough to translate a website, but good good old Google Translate sort of sort of sorted that website out for me. Had a look out, I went, this is amazing. I've got to do this. And then, you know, one thing turns to another and last year, it just wasn't meant to be. But when the when I knew when the event was on and I was following the socials and having a look and I went,
00:54:51
Speaker
No, this is too good. I've got to go do this. So as soon as the tickets went on sale for this year, I could click the ticket, bought bought a ticket into the um into the event and then just sort of worked out the rest later. So that was my first So I only ever really do one, maybe two events a year. Um, and then maybe some stuff with, with friends, there's like non-efficient events, like we'll we'll go and run, you know, whatever. So yeah, when I got all that planned, went over, ran that, had a bit of a look around Columbia. you know, fumbled my way through the Spanish and um because getting to Colombia is a bit of a mission. There's not sort of direct flights from Australia. So you have to sort of essentially go either through America or through Chile. So I went to America and spent a couple of couple of days beforehand and and afterwards. Went in there, did the event. It was amazing. Cruised around Colombia. Uh, and then, you know, can't came back. So that was a few months ago, which was, which was awesome. Then a group of friends and myself, we put on a, um, a, an event here in the Alora called red's backyard ultra. So we put that together and that that's sort of that backyard format running and loops on the hour. So I didn't run in that event, but
00:56:12
Speaker
uh, ran the, helped with the event and, and ran the night shift on that one, which was great. And then after that, I started thinking about what I'm doing next year. And I started looking up events again and you know, okay, ah I've got to sort of make this a the thing and let's try and do some more big, audacious, spectacular things. And I started looking at, uh, Mount Fuji, Mount Fuji. one And there there was a few, like they hadn't released the dates or anything, but they had some um requirements of that and you needed a a certain amount of each of points. so So I started looking and and i was I was pretty close, but I needed needed some more. So I just sort of, you know, had this down period of training after Chikamocha.
00:57:06
Speaker
and and, you know, obviously cruising through Columbia, and then came back and signed up for... I was looking at either Surf Coast Century in Victoria, mass all going up to Blackall in Queensland, and just timing-wise it sort of worked out, and I've never done either of those events.
00:57:27
Speaker
So I went down to Surf Coast and and ran that, which was again, an awesome event, really good so amazing. And got my points, which is great. And then the funny thing is they then they finally updated the website for Fuji and I didn't need the extra points after all. I could have just said it. It is also a lottery system with that one. So we've got to wait and see. Yes, exactly. We will wait and see to you know if that happens or not. So at the moment, no big plans for next year until maybe the end of this month. I'll i'll find out if if that's going on. um And also, Surf Coast is a qualifier for Western states as well. So I popped my name in the ring for that one as well. Well, I think it would be pretty unfair for you to ah go two for two there, Josh. i I would be very surprised if my name came up with that. There would be some runners out there using your name in vain, and feeling very, ah very hard to find. Who is this guy? Well, fingers go across for you for Fuji though. Is the 100 miler your race? For the purposes of that exploration and and looking around, definitely. It gives you this big distance and this sort of audacious goal and you get to see a lot and and do a lot and have this really, you know, enriching experience. So that's definitely that. but
00:58:57
Speaker
but Obviously, Surf Coast was 100 kilometres um and you know if different things pop up, like I think I did UTA 50 last year, maybe. and so you know Different things pop up, it just depends on the circumstances, I guess. The other the other thing is like I did sort of start broadening the scope as well and I started looking at you know different different events around the world. that yeah And just looking for that beautiful factor, you know, that, that's super interesting. Um, you'd like, I started like, oh, like that's the way to go. But, but there's so many other cool events around that um I'm like, well, you know, it doesn't necessarily have to be that at the moment. That's just kind of the draw card and, and it like, it makes it worthwhile going like, ah you know,
00:59:39
Speaker
paying you know two three thousand dollars or whatever for an airfare plus you know accommodation and all that sort of stuff to go somewhere and do a 10k maybe not that's that's where that sort of milo is really attractive i feel but you know depends on the event like um i'd love to go to do Madeira Island as well which i think is 80 or 120 or is 80? I can't remember. So many, so many different events. It's just so, so many things, so little time and more to the point, so little money. Yes, that's somewhat restrictive, isn't it? I see behind you, like you said, you're in your studio and it's an artist studio. So what kind of work are you working on at the moment? And is your travels to these beautiful places influence your creative pursuits? Most definitely, most definitely. I have a few people who, mostly friends and stuff, who check out my Instagram. And so whenever I'm traveling, I'm always shooting videos and taking photos and stuff and popping them on the stories and and you know talking and documenting my my travels and and stories. Not that it happens super frequently, but whenever there's something super interesting, I pop that up.
01:00:49
Speaker
And yes, from those, that definitely informs what I'm what i'm doing here in the studio. At the moment, there's stuff where it's kind of hard to see, but I'm sort of working on more trail-based sort of series, trying to, you know, work out ways to to bring the the interests together, you know, the trail trail running and art and those sort of things. At the moment, painting more landscaping or stuff that's rooted in that landscape.
01:01:17
Speaker
but um that has alignment with trail running and exploration of our beautiful natural environments. Cause that's why a lot of us love it. And that's why we love it here at For Wild Places. Cause it does get you outside and gives you a reason to go and explore these places that you might otherwise never get to experience. And that a lot of people don't get to say, cause they're not, they're not willing to go so further afield as, as the trail runners, especially ultra runners and And I feel like that's where things get beautiful when you get away from the crowds and off the beaten track and you've got the place to yourself. And sometimes it's a bit overwhelming because you're literally in the middle of nowhere and you're just this tiny little human, but it gives you a sense of perspective as well.
Connecting with Nature through Trail Running
01:01:57
Speaker
Doesn't it? Oh, absolutely. And then I guess that's, you know, comes back to that a hundred mile, or even a hundred kilometers, whatever, like doing those sort of events because as long as it's not sort of a small loot.
01:02:08
Speaker
uh course but if it's one of the which and i sort of prefer bigger point to point events or you know doing one giant loop you do you go and see so so much that other people just like wouldn't you know like particularly travelers they certainly wouldn't either be few and uh far between people who would have seen the distance and and all the stuff that I actually saw in Colombia. Because parts of that are running through private land as well. So that's stuff that you just wouldn't experience, you know, maybe, but you might get in trouble. And yeah, and to your point about taking that road less traveled and exploring, that event was right right up there with that. You know, before I, before I left, I was, you know, telling people, oh yeah, you're going to Colombia. And they're like,
01:03:00
Speaker
what? what do What do you mean? Like, is that safe? but Is it dangerous coming back? What's you know, that that sounds that sounds crazy. What are you doing? And it'd be fine. Like, it's it's cool. Don't worry about it. and i went And it was it was amazing. There was no problem. Yeah.
01:03:16
Speaker
get any sort of trouble. But certainly, I think in Latin America and South America, trail running and ultra running is sort of still kind of in its infancy, I guess, um and certainly not on on the global stage. each So I went to this event and it's amazing, super well organized, like really cool people, not a lot of English. So, you know, there's that barrier, but super accommodating. Like you just make it work, you know, you try little phrases of Spanish or or whatever. and And some people split speak English, some people have a little bit. And but they're so cool. They're they're just, you know, they try and help you out and try and make it work, you know.
01:04:02
Speaker
which is really, really cool. And being there, like I had a bit of a look at the rundown of what they they usually get. And as far as internationally goes, like there's second, so obviously most people are from South America, South American countries.
01:04:20
Speaker
The next, ah most participants are from France um and then it goes down from there. And so I was the only Australian there. um There was one Canadian and and I think that was about it. I don't think there was any other English speakers. I think 76 or 79 people total into the 100 mile event because they have a series of events. And I think of of those, I think 69 ended up um like running small, but it didn't feel small, you know, like it was just such an awesome event. And like the the trails were amazing. It was was super hard, like so hot.
01:05:04
Speaker
Um, I can imagine it'd be super humid and brought you yeah. And you know, there was a point where I ran out of water and I was like, uh, hunting like shade, you know, ended up getting helped out by another runner, which was really great. Uh, and he spoke no English whatsoever and sitting on the side of this trail and, um, he's come up and he's sort of like,
01:05:28
Speaker
let's go sort of thing. I was like, um, he's like, oh, and so he pulls his bottle out the last of his water and anything to me. I'm like, Oh, thanks. And I'll get going to get back. He's like, no, no. Like basically drink the whole thing. I smashed that down. And then the aid station was only a few hundred minutes. I have no idea. So the universal language of ultra running. Hey,
01:05:53
Speaker
Absolutely, absolutely. It was so amazing. and And that's it, like just pulling into the aid stations and just people were like, you know, what do you need? Like, here you go. I'll go out, electrolyte. Coca-Cola. That's one good thing about Coca-Cola, it's the same at every aid station across the world. Absolutely. And it's high on my list through getting through these things. Definitely. It's amazing because last time we spoke, you're on such a high from Western states and I think one thing that really resonated was just the the size of the community and the size of the sport and how big it was, not only in the amount of participants but spectators and just the absolute behemoth of the trail running world. But it's amazing that you went from your first international experience down all the way down to an event that not many people would have heard of in the world, let alone Australians probably even been in. It's a great attitude. It's getting out there and a nice way to choose where you go on a holiday. Yes, absolutely. And then that's it. um you know After that first experience, I'm like, what am I doing? This this is so good. This is amazing. This is such a great way to do it.
01:07:04
Speaker
Let's go. where Where else can I go? What else can I do? And I think that you've chosen well, because I can imagine both before and after a hundred miler, there's a lot of eating. And by going to a country such as Colombia and then hopefully Japan, you will be spoilt for choice and you'll be able to eat all the food quite very happily with, you know, with plenty of room to spare and zero guilt. because That's the thing, right? the The two big things of of travel, like for the majority of people and and for you to to actually, well, there's a few cute things, but but two of the big things is seeing amazing things, like seeing and doing amazing things, cool places, and eating amazing different foods. ba He smashed those together. And that's that's ultra running, right? And of course, throwing cultural stuff and people. And that's a big part of it, too. So, you know, universal thing now, too, like there's so many events that are happening up through Asia, all through Europe, UK, like
01:08:09
Speaker
Like the way Mexico, no matter where you go. Anywhere, anywhere and everywhere now. Oh, it's huge. It's huge. And and it's building, you know, I'm certainly psyched to be part of it and to explore where and how I can get places. It's just that money thing. That's that's the truth. Yes, I know how rude of money to acquire its presence in these adventures. It sounds like, Josh, you know plenty of adventures out there and plenty plenty of races. Next time I i feel like I'm in need of a holiday, you'll be my first protocol call for the the most obscure but fun ultra running event out there. That's the problem. I bet you're spoilt for choice as well. Yes, absolutely. And that's you like as I think a lot of people... you know, get a bit of fear about it. Like, you know, entering into these things can be pretty daunting and tough. And then you add that extra layer of, I don't speak the language, I've never been there. Plus, I've got international travel, and am I going to be able to sleep? And where am I going to stay? And, you know, all those sort of things like that can really easily turn people off or, you know, hearing you to not do it. But, you know, I certainly say,
01:09:14
Speaker
do it, go for it. like it's There's so many cool, and like I said, the community's huge and the community's awesome. Just dive one in. It's one of the things I sort of thought to after going to Columbia and doing this, I was like, why are there not more people coming to this event? This is such a good event. There should be more people coming to this. I was like,
01:09:36
Speaker
I wonder if I could do like start up a little business and and just like do all the booking and and because I found these awesome little um sort of hostel, which is just this ah plantation hacienda and they got all these rooms and and no one's there. Like it's just on this coffee plantation. It's just up the road from the start of the event. I'm like, I could book that place out and then yeah book a bus and get people from there and just get the tickets and yes, This could be a thing, just bring, bring people, you know, all right, who wants to go to Columbia and do this event? Let's go. Well, you're onto something there, Josh. It'd be amazing. You know, that would potentially remove some of that, um, fear and uncertainty. It's like, oh, this dude's already dumped up. I'll just go and do anything. Think we don't need to know that.
01:10:20
Speaker
Yeah, totallyly we have got that sense that it's a commit and then work it out as you go along. Last time it was you running your first hundred miles and this time it's you running a hundred miles in in Colombia yeah regardless. You've just got a a real can-do attitude. Absolutely, absolutely. Pick a goal and and go for it. like what What are we doing? Yep. Okay. That'll do it. Let's go. How are we going to do it? Don't know. Just work it out. And it's hilarious too, because like I said, it because it is in its infancy, there's not a lot of sponsorship and promotion and stuff, but just kind of do it. Like the event itself was sponsored by the shopping center. They started the shop. It's not like a Westfield or anything, but it it's still a shopping center, but it's kind of a little bit cooler with that. I was trying to work out the the details on it because usually I just feed from aid stations. You know, I don't usually have this hugely worked out nutrition plan. I'll just roll in court. That'll do a thing. I'll eat that. I'll drink that. No worries. But knowing that they'll sort of have the staples, I have some electrolytes, I have some gels, whatever. And I looked at this one. They don't do gels. They, you know, like, they're like, We just, you know, whatever we, you know, people, different people like different stuff. So we expect you got to use it. We have fruits, we have hot food, we have coke, we have, you know, coffee, you know, literally like, you know, different stuff like, Oh, okay. So because of the, the language barrier and stuff, it can be a little bit trick. So I'm like, all right, I'm going to have to sort some stuff out. So I do work out.
01:11:55
Speaker
And I thought, I can't get there and because I don't know if I'm going to be able to buy the stuff when I get there. So I'm going to have to buy it first and take it with me. So then I had to work out how many gels can I take on the plane before they start pulling me aside and getting rid of my gels because of the liquid sting. And the next one was um some tailwind as well to mix mix the drinking nutrition. And so the irony or the strange sort of thing of um carrying a one kilo bag of white powder Into Columbia. Yeah, their security pulled me up so let's get around here and here? No, no, no, it's cool. This is what it is. And then I had some left over. I thought i I'd use it or I had some left over. So I carried it back out and they're like, what's going on? Stuffed into my shoes and stuff. Oh, dear. They're like, they're these smelly shoes and all these flasks and they're like, hang on, this guy is, he's up to some strange sport. Yeah, what are you doing? I had my bag and put it through the screening and and because it's sort of like a fast pack sort of thing, it's got be these still lucky roll top and then yeah they scanned it and the dude sort of, this was going back into America and they scanned it and he he sort of pulled me aside and went, yeah, of course, you know, and i know so he sits and and he's went to open it, but he couldn't open it. and i like
01:13:18
Speaker
i'll do it's like no i can do it it's fine i'm like okay well you' just got to pull that bit and leave me that it's all right ah They're complicated people who are used to using them, let alone the airport security guy sometimes. Exactly, exactly. It's just do the dude, it's fine.
01:13:35
Speaker
so Josh, our fingers and toes are crossed for you, for Fuji. But otherwise, if that doesn't work out, I'm sure you'll find another obscure race in a beautiful country to keep you occupied and training and all that good stuff, exploring the escarpments. definitely Most definitely. And then if not overseas, certainly here, there's still a few here that I haven't, haven't tackled yet. So early on, I was very much going to local events, like rather than going too far, just, you know, this is easy, cool. Like, and going to things like that. But now maybe beginning with the surf coast, um, is just.
01:14:12
Speaker
ah Well, I've done that event. Let's go and do something else. like What else is there? A few yet for me to take on. But yes, and these are' all still you know we've got such beautiful areas in Australia, some of the great places for us to that We have events to run and see and it's amazing. So there's there's plenty here to do as well. There definitely is. And I feel like it's kind of tricky. I'm very much, I guess, Australia focused, but there's plenty of places I've been, but there's still plenty of places I want to go. You know, once you start, your list just keeps getting longer when you think it might get shorter. But every time you go, you learn of somewhere else that's
01:14:53
Speaker
Amazing and you've got to say and it's this and it's that. The list just keeps growing. It's a good problem to have, but like you said, if only we had a bit more time and a bit more money to be able to get out there and explore it all. But we're only young. We've still got plenty of years ahead of us and got to make sure we look after our bodies so we can be doing this for a little while longer.
01:15:11
Speaker
Well, absolutely. And that's the key. Like, that's one of one of the things I always think because there's a lot of people who who can't do this stuff, just physically, not able to or even financially. Like, that's ah such a thing. Like, I always think, like, I've never sort of earned a lot of money or e anything, but sure so. And and more than, you know, some people who certainly trip tripping around Colombia, you know, see a lot of people there who who would meant to be able to do the stuff. I've been fortunate, you know, I've been lucky enough to be able to do so very least, um, go out and do the things while you can, you know, the, the home use or lose it, um, mentality of do things while your body can and do things while your mind can. And it doesn't have to be. Exactly, exactly. And I think as well, for for better or for worse, it's also get out there while these places are still there and that we've still got a healthy climate for us to be able to do these things. 100%, like certainly here in the Loara, you know, we've got this amazing escarpment. I freaking have to drive to Kaima and we've got this sort of big newish part of road.
01:16:20
Speaker
And I was driving there down that way this morning and you sort of go and it just opens up and you can see this scar and the sun, you know, showing us like, yeah, that looks amazing. That's so dope. But also there's that urban creep that that just sort of creeps and say, oh, just don't go. just Just come on. We need to protect it. We need to stop it, which is which is great with you know so some of the conversation and some actually a lot of the work that's happening sort of in the northern suburbs of the Alora with trail building and creating that sort of continuous trail. Unfortunately, some of the land ah use issues and ownership stuff is is a real problem. But another interesting thing I found not too long ago, a friend of mine showed me, is historical photos or like like aerial photos of the escarpment.
01:17:12
Speaker
And you think now, like it's it's worse now than it was, you know, and once upon a time, it would have been like, I always, you know, whenever I wander around the Eastern suburbs to Sydney, you're here, you know, you just think how amazing it would have been pre-pollinization, like it would have been. spectacular.
Environmental Recovery and Resilience
01:17:30
Speaker
But the amount of farming and stuff that was on our escarpment at one point, ah just total degradation of the escarpment. And you can see these aerial photos. I can't remember what the site is, but um it shows the the aerial photos and you can overlap
01:17:45
Speaker
like you can sort of look at the then and now and it is so much more lush now than what it was because so much of it was farm farmland like they just cut it down and you can still go up in some areas of the escarpment and find you know old pear trees and trees and and stuff like that and um fences that have sort of been overlapped by by the escarpment so I don't know what happened at some point, but at some point the farm got left behind and that they've really, really vegetated it to become this sort of lush, rainforesty environment, which is, I think we're pretty fortunate for as well. And hopefully we don't lose it. because nature is incredibly resilient and it will be hopefully here a lot long after we've gone in the sense that doesn't need us to survive. It's very happy on its own, left alone, and we've just got to make sure that we leave enough of it so it can continue to thrive and create those ecosystems that we love to explore. A bit of perspective is always a good thing though, isn't it, to remember where we've come from and and also what's possible into the future.
Conclusion and Future Adventures
01:18:49
Speaker
Anyway, we've taken it up enough of your evening, Josh. Thank you so much for the chat. It's lovely to touch base with you again. And we will, yeah, get this up soon so people can listen to a conversation just with a bit of a two year gap in the middle. And yeah, look forward to seeing where your adventures take you next. Thanks for having me on. ah It's greatly appreciated and so love the stuff that you guys do. So yeah, so stoked to be a part of it.
01:19:15
Speaker
And that's the finish line of our second trail chat. Thank you for joining us for this memorable, erratic and open conversation with Josh Whiffen. If you'd like to follow along on Josh's adventures, both on and off the trail, you can find him on Instagram at Whiffen1, that's W-I-double-F-E-N number one, or on Strava at Joshua Whiffen. If you'd like to learn more about what we do here at For Wild Places, you can stay in touch by subscribing to this podcast or our weekly newsletter.
01:19:40
Speaker
If you can consider yourself a Wild Places Protector, then maybe you'd like to become a member. For a monthly or annual fee, you can support the ongoing worker for Wild Places and help bring new initiatives to life. For more information and to subscribe or become a member, head to forwildplaces.com or find us on socials at For Wild Places. Thanks again for joining us. We are stoked to have you here. And thank you to Josh for your time and to Lara Hamilton for our theme music. Until next time, happy trails. And as always, thank you for taking the time for Wild Places.