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Episode 37: 2024 Wrapped Part 1
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Welcome to Episode 37 of Peak Pursuits, your ultimate podcast for everything trail running in Australia. This week’s episode is hosted by Sim Brick, Jess Jason, and Vlad Ixel and has a bit of a different flavour as the crew start with updates on their weeks, answer a listener question, and then dive into part 1 of our 2024 Wrapped with the following questions answered:
- Best piece of gear 2024
- Favourite shoes of 2024
- Best training learning
- Biggest trail running news
- Itra National League: results, pros and cons
Part 2 next week will follow up with:
- Best female/best male aussie performance of the year
- Best female/male worldwide performance of the year
- Best aussie race battle of the year?
- Most improved male/female
- Who to watch in 2025
- What to look forward to in 2025
Keep an eye on our socials this weekend to have your say!
***Also in exciting news, 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
Vlad: @vladixel
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter
License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R
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Transcript
Introduction & Beach Vibes
00:00:08
Speaker
and welcome to episode 37 of the Peak Pursuits podcast. My name is Simone Brick and I am lucky enough to be joined by Jess Jason in Ulladulla, I think. Hey guys. Yeah, finally back at the beach feeling very much in my element at the moment. Very happy. Love
Training in Extreme Heat
00:00:28
Speaker
that. And also back home in Perth, Vlad Ixl. How are we doing, Vlad?
00:00:33
Speaker
Oh, 42 degree day today in Perth, so not too fun. But yeah, it looks like it's going to get a bit cooler tomorrow. So yeah, I'm OK. OK, so you're getting today what we're going to get on Boxing Day, I think. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it's hot. I did mine. I did it now, 15 this morning, and it was 33 degrees at 7 a.m. Ooh, ouch. Yeah. What's the humidity like there?
00:01:03
Speaker
Not bad. it's It was only 30% so you're hardly sweat. but it like yeah can It's just like light winds as well so it's like you're running and inside an air dryer. Is this um good training for Hong Kong work?
00:01:17
Speaker
I don't know if this is good training. I feel like it's almost like too hot. um Fair, fair, fair. Yeah, like, well, maybe we should talk about it when HIIT training becomes too much and it's too hot. Like I'm supposed to do like a double run today. But because it's just like too hot, I might as well just do a cycle indoors and not kill myself. fair I am that sadistic person that for whatever reason I've been a lot of I've done a lot of doubles on 40 plus degree days and I kind of like it weirdly like I don't know there's something about it being so hot and I move so slow but I also am very aware that there's actually not much benefit because I end up running ridiculously slow and I just find water taps constantly but I don't know it's one of those ones no one else is out there so you feel a bit badass but also you might just be the dumb one and No, I think it's good, like, you know, a few times, but like, obviously, like, you know, the Australian summer is pretty hot. So like, doing it twice a day for three months is probably not the best thing. And yeah, I mean, you obviously, you are tired and that affects your key sessions and, you know, being able to actually push and improve. I do enjoy it as well. But like, you know, after three or four days of like, you know, 40 degree days here, I'm kind of like, okay, I'm ready for
00:02:34
Speaker
yeah like of mid thirty yeah I find it's all it's all about the hydration and if you even let yourself get slightly dehydrated for the next day you're screwed. um So I find myself drinking so much on those days.
Training Motivation & Strategies
00:02:48
Speaker
which is good, but I suppose we may as well start with you Vlad, since we've just heard half of what you've been going through this week with the heat, but preparing for Hong Kong, how's the body feeling? How's the mind feeling after another bit of doubles? Yeah, I actually feel good, I feel fit. It's been a pretty good week, you know, 15 hours. I kind of feel like anything over 14 hours is a good week, so I hit 15 and a half hours of training this week.
00:03:14
Speaker
um We have Kenji, who finished in the, I think he finished sixth in the triathlon Olympics in Tokyo and 13th in and the triathlon um Olympics in Paris. He's been training with us, so it's been um pretty good to kind of get a bit of motivation as well from from him. He pretty much like he's from Perth, but I think he's based like in Europe somewhere and and Japan. He does represent Japan.
00:03:43
Speaker
um but I'm pretty sure he was born and grew up in Perth um so every summer he comes and trains in our in our group. um And yeah, it's just a bit of kind of like fresh motivation. So he's been there for the key sessions. And that's been um kind of good, going a little bit longer, um you know, kind of having somebody to obviously I'm not we're not running at the same paces, even though the track sessions we were, but on threshold, like a long threshold session, just having them having him like in front of me just helped a bit.
00:04:17
Speaker
Yeah, nice. That is having a rabbit to chase is always good or someone to go just try and stick anywhere near them. Yeah. I mean, what family especially like somebody with, you know, kind of like that amount of success and, you know, somebody who's, yeah, I guess six in the Olympics in triathlon, which is, is an incredible result. And he's been training with like Christian Bloomfield. Damn.
00:04:41
Speaker
and the Norwegian team for like quite a while now. So he definitely knows what he's talking about. So it's also, I'm also like looking forward to like the cool down job that I can just like asking him questions and stuff, um which has been quite good. Fan girling your way through the cool down. Oh, not really, but just like kind of like, I just kind of like how is it training with those guys? What is it like? Yeah, you know it's kind of totally fair. Totally. I feel like there's everyone would do that. It's smart too, because you've got a wealth of knowledge right there with you.
00:05:11
Speaker
Yeah, which he gets it from the Norwegians, right? Yeah. So he's been telling me all about these two of the front stuff that the coach is moving on to. And yeah, a bit of changes in their training kind of a group. Yeah, it's been a couple of years that he's been coming for summer training in Perth. I guess he's coming home for Christmas and trains with Matt Ramson. um So yeah, I get to train with him a bit. And what time have you been having to do those sessions? Like, are they happening really early to get through the heat?
Training Adjustments & Plans
00:05:43
Speaker
It's always 4.30. So oh two weeks ago, yeah, two weeks ago, we did a track session at 4.30.
00:05:50
Speaker
And it was about 38 degrees at 430. So that was like probably like, you know, Matt kind of sent a message to the group because like, yeah, it's probably a bit too much. Next time is that hot, we'll probably move the session by an hour later. Next week came is probably like still like 35 degrees at 430. Nothing's not changed. ah Yeah.
00:06:11
Speaker
So it is really tough, but um I think as long as my other runs, you know, are so I would run usually at like 6 6 30pm or um like 7am. So as long as those runs are like a little bit cooler, it makes it a bit easier. But yeah, um it's it's been a it's definitely been a warm start to this summer.
00:06:33
Speaker
yeah Jess, did you cop any of that heat when you were in Perth? Yeah, definitely experienced the heat in Perth. I reckon Canberra is almost worse than Perth because it's really hot and it doesn't cool off. like There's no sea breeze in the afternoon.
00:06:50
Speaker
So yeah, I feel like a lot of my runs have been very hot. i Damn. heat Yeah, to be fair, I've only ever been around the beach as well on the heat for the most part. So the sea breeze becomes your saving grace ah on so many occasions. Cool, so Vlad, for this week of training um with the 15 hours, is that where you're just gonna sit until Hong Kong? Are we ah ah we at the top of the training block? Yeah, I mean, I think I might go a tiny bit more on my long run. So my long run was two and a half hours. Actually, I might not go longer on the longer arm I might do it like a double back to back longer runs. Yep. So I might get a bit more volume in but yeah, that's pretty much as as much as I would go. I'm still pretty happy getting like free three and a half hours on the bike as well. And that's becoming easier. I mean, we spoke with Brody a bit.
00:07:44
Speaker
ah bit a bit about that cycling power, which I feel like I'm kind of developing now and I'm kind of getting it back. um But yeah, so I still aim for probably three or four hours on the bike every week and then, yeah, around 12 or 13 hours of running. Yeah, it's still big weeks, very big weeks. It's good. Very good. Cool. Well, I'm going to throw it across to you, Jess, to see how you've been. And I forgot to do a bit of a Thing at the start of this episode to say it's going to be a little different because we're starting our 2024 wrapped. This is part one. We've got one more episode left for the year. And ah yeah, so we'll ah be getting onto that after we hear from Jess.
Relaxed Training Approaches
00:08:27
Speaker
you're in the beat You're at the beach now, but you didn't start last week, wasn't there?
00:08:31
Speaker
Just catching the coast on Saturday, but last week was back in Canberra, just doing the usual, was still sort of coming back from my two-week break. So I just jogged up until Thursday. day And then Thursday, I went down to one of Philo's sessions. On a Thursday, Arvo just does some sort of threshold efforts around the grassy oval, which was, yeah, pretty fun. It was a big group. run paa Yeah, and the girls and some sort of more track, like Flora and Jermaine and the guys that I'm sort of my face with her shows, which is nice.
00:09:12
Speaker
um And then, yeah, pretty much just like jogged and then did a long run down here around the National Park, which was really cool. It was beautiful. um Yeah, not super hilly, but like enough of like the decent effort. I'm not too worried about like my training at the moment. I'm just sort of like enjoying it. And um I am doing two days in a couple of weeks, but I'm stressed about it, like I'm just doing it for fun because I'm very in Melbourne anyway. So yeah, just sort of enjoying myself at the moment and umm looking forward to a bit more exploring all of them down at the post. Nice. I actually reckon like that can sometimes bring out some pretty fun and awesome results at a run that you just do for fun, like two days anyway. So it'd be interesting to see sort of how it feels on the day. um They can be the confidence boost that lets you know you don't always need to train really hard to run well.
00:10:08
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, definitely. um I feel like I did the same thing for too like two days the first time I did it. Like we did a road trip up from Melbourne to Sydney. Yeah. And then I like didn didn't really do structure training at all. And yeah, I did pretty well with that. So we tried again. I reckon you did very well at that one. That was good. So yeah, it's a it's a course that I think suits you as well. So that helps. um It's a good one. Definitely a good one.
00:10:36
Speaker
Awesome. Well, yeah, my week in some ways, similar but less than yours, probably mine the most boring week um of running wise on my end than that I've had on this podcast, maybe aside from the 10K a week, the week before off the 100K. But I ran a grand total of 40Ks, I think. um And that was across four runs, weirdly spaced because I ran Monday and then on Tuesday I did do sort of 6Ks and jumped in for some 200s on the track just to get the legs moving again which I was what nine days post 100K at this point and it actually felt surprisingly good to rip some 200s around the track so that got my legs moving again. um
00:11:20
Speaker
which was nice, but yeah, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were a ride off for me, unfortunately, because I had an unwell pups all week, so I was getting almost no sleep and spending my nights sitting on very uncomfortable plastic chairs at emergency vets trying to get her sorted, which she is better now, ah but it was ah so it' kind of one of those three-day blocks that feels like it was one day um that just never ended.
00:11:48
Speaker
so Definitely no running on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. I did finally get out for a run Saturday evening. um And then that was just an easy hour. Then wait, what day is it today? This is my days gone crazy. Yeah, Saturday, Sunday, I ran an hour each.
00:12:07
Speaker
Um, so a very light on week. I kind of had to, it was actually good because if this had happened in the training block, I don't know, it just would have caused a whole nother level of stress, but I did not mind at all that I couldn't run on those days. And it was kind of like, this is just the focus is elsewhere now. Uh, so it's good taking a break from everything, thinking about training before.
00:12:30
Speaker
I'm actually really excited to get back into it now, which is a good sign because I'm like, okay, come on, like, let's run again, please. So, yeah. And also I was then today didn't run because after the chaotic week I ended up, I had my gastroscopy this morning, so spent the morning in the hospital myself. So it's just been one of those periods, um which is fine. We get through them ah for sure.
00:12:54
Speaker
so Yeah, anyways, this week, as I said, different podcast, because we're gonna do some sort of reflections on the year, I suppose. Just some cool, our thoughts on best gear, best shoes, and all sorts of things. But a bit of a chat to start us off, because it's ah something that came through as a listener question just after my 100K.
Racing Frequency & Balance
00:13:18
Speaker
And this came through from Heath, so.
00:13:21
Speaker
Thank you for sending this through, Heath, and that is just how many 100 kilometre races could slash should, which I think has different answers, the average runner do in a year.
00:13:33
Speaker
Now, I'm going to throw this to Vlad first because he actually has the most experience over 100Ks and actually has done, I think, I'm assuming more than one in a year to hear your thoughts, Vlad, on what it's like to do, I'm pretty sure you might have gone on the more wild end of how many in a year, surely, at some point. Yeah, absolutely. I think I've done 700K races all within a space of maybe two years. um I think the closest ones that I've done which they were probably my best two results was Hong Kong 100 in mid January and then three weeks later TNF 100 in Thailand.
00:14:15
Speaker
um which I think like probably like it's not a big race but I probably had like my best run ever there um three weeks after Hong Kong 100 but yeah I think it's a good question because they are demanding mentally obviously physically the build up um you know the long runs in the build up the recovery post race? I think it's a tough question. i would I would say probably like one a year is a good amount um if I had to recommend it to anybody. Saying that, you can definitely do two pretty comfortably if they spaced out correctly. um But I think that you know if you are focused on that 100K race, you just got to make sure that you put enough time for the build up and enough time um for the recovery as well.
00:15:06
Speaker
because I think that I kind of burned myself out a bit by doing too many 100k races. um And then I went down to like fifties and seventies that, you know, were a bit more manageable. And then again, I probably did too many of them. um You know, saying that in the last 12 years, I would have done at least 70 or 80 ultra marathons, most of them around the 50 60k mark. um Yeah, but yeah, I feel like I've done too many of them as well. And kind of feel pretty comfortable right now in in doing 20 and 30k races. um So I definitely overdone it on 100k races on 70, 60k races. um And I think it's not just like your buddy, I think most of it is more of the mental
00:15:53
Speaker
kind of drain that ultra races, you know, kind of takes out of you, you know, it's the preparation, it's, you know, drawbacks, you know, it's obviously a lot of the times you have to travel for them.
00:16:07
Speaker
um So I feel like that's pretty draining. I've done obviously a couple of Ironman, half Ironman races. They're pretty draining as well for logistics, um but ultra running similar, like, you know, the longer the race, the more be more preparation you got to go through, the more testing you have to do in training. um So I think, yeah, I think probably the way that I would do it if I was just racing for myself,
00:16:32
Speaker
um would be that I would set one up and then kind of build onto it throughout the year. So I might start with few shorter races and go a bit longer, leading up to that race. So I'm kind of like, almost like naturally building towards that race, um kind of with my long runs.
00:16:51
Speaker
with my long distance races as well. So ideally you might start with a 30k race, few weeks, few months later you'll do a 50 or a 60 and then jump onto that 100k few months later. I think that that would be the way that ah I would do it if I was doing it for myself. um But I think for, yeah, obviously, for a few years, I was racing for sponsorships for, um you know, for marketing value right now. So obviously, my kind of judgments are not the healthiest. I think that running 100k is not super healthy. So being smart about it and making sure that you do allow yourself some downtime.
00:17:34
Speaker
um And yeah, obviously the training towards it, you got to make sure that you are ready for it. Last thing you want to do is kind of get there and not be prepared because that means a really long and not a fun day out there when you start questioning.
00:17:51
Speaker
you know, everything in life, um you know, that happens yeah a lot of the times in in those really long races, but the more prepared you are, the the easier it is to get through them. And, um you know, for me, I always did like really long Long runs in the lead up to races like before my first 100k race. I did a 70k training race a lot of 60k training rate training. Sorry training runs um You know, I was looking through my Strava a few years ago doing like, you know 75k training runs before some long races
00:18:27
Speaker
Again, like that's probably not as healthy and I probably would do it a bit different today. I'll probably be a bit smarter and I might um Incorporate some cycling some back-to-back running um Rather than kind of smashing myself on a 70k long run on a Sunday But yeah, yeah it's not too healthy Yeah, I hear you. I think I can hopefully concur and learn from everything you've just said there myself. But um' I'm going to go to you first, Jess, in like, obviously you haven't done 100K and not necessarily looking at doing one anytime soon. But in your mind, just looking at this, what would you think is sort of, or what have you observed to be the most successful 100K, number of 100Ks in a year?
00:19:15
Speaker
What do you think? Um, yeah, like, I don't know, from what I've seen. And like, it's hard to sort of make one judgment call because I haven't really like, el looked at like a lot of different labels. But, um, like, like just going by Kelly Anderson, like chatting to her at with the civic chats, who said she was a bit hooked after doing Western States of Sea Hour. So I think, yeah, like, like I don't know. If I was coaching someone doing their first 100K, I would say one a year and do it properly and well, like, yeah. um But then, like, you think about Kelly, she's more experienced, like, she's done it, but like, so many times.
00:20:01
Speaker
Um, maybe she's looking at experimenting to see how she would go, but, um, yeah, I don't know. It's hard. It's hard. Like it's hard to know what the limit is because, um, maybe you can do more, but I think starting with like less is a good option. Yeah. And I suppose that's the thing with limits is that your limits grow if you allow them to, uh, with time and experience. So.
00:20:27
Speaker
I think going into it more slowly and like, I suppose, yeah, from from my aspect, having just done my first one, like I had done before this an eight hour length race, an 85K. Technically in 2023, even though it was almost a two years between the two, ah but then like having just done my first one, I only plan on doing one next year, um which Actually, I've been thinking about my calendar for next year, and it's interesting because the one I want to do, and obviously I've got the spot for there is CCC, but then part of me also wants to do it again the next year, which requires running another one, sort of. I think i've also you can qualify via a 50K, I believe, as well.
00:21:14
Speaker
um but Yeah, I've just been looking at all this and going, oh, do I actually want to do two 100Ks in a year? And for me, the answer is not yet, for sure. um But I think that I know I'll get there and I i believe that 100% is possible and you can do it if they're spaced nicely enough and you've done the preparation and put the time in. But I do see a lot of people jump in to sort of 100K and then another 100K the next month or very soon. There was actually this guy, this will blow both of your minds probably as much as it blew mine. There was a woman at one of the Chinese athletes in the Thailand 100K Iran has raced 1900 kilometers this year. She did 200 milers on back to back weeks and then the next month 400Ks on back to back weeks and just kind of continued on.
00:22:08
Speaker
and was successful in a lot of them, which has just changed my perception of some human's ability to just back it up. But the problem is that I think people can see someone able to do that and go, oh, well, surely I can.
00:22:23
Speaker
And what we, what people are when I like originally you look at it and you go, that's really cool. Oh my gosh, how do they do that? But then my question next is, okay, follow that person in two years, in three years, in four years time. And are they still on a trajectory that you actually think is a good trajectory or cool or like actually something that is good to do. And they might just be finding their own limits or pushing their own limits. So I think.
00:22:50
Speaker
Yeah, for me, as people I coach, I try and shy everyone away from ah more than one a year if they're rookies and not used to the distance and two a year if they're more seasoned and um more used to the distance. But then also it's um You can just depends on your approach to it. I suppose I do have some people I coach that do a few more, but their entire aim is to just enjoy it and finish it. And they're not trying to in any single race, push their limits or go fast or.
00:23:22
Speaker
um hard or anything like that. And so when they're out there just for the experience, I think it's it is a little different.
Personal Racing Goals
00:23:29
Speaker
um So yeah, nuanced question, but if you were to ask, I suppose all of us, we're going to say one to two by the sounds is the consensus. um And yeah, I think that'll be my plan at least moving forward.
00:23:44
Speaker
ah think I think, yeah, no, I think what you said there that it's about your goals. If you just want to just to do like, you know, five or six a year, um where you don't really care about the time, you're probably just gonna hit, you know, the cutoff times, um then you probably can do that because you be most likely are not going to be pushing to your limits.
00:24:05
Speaker
um And that means that you're probably going to recover probably a bit quicker and maybe even gain some fitness from it. But I think one thing to remember is that when you do race a lot, it means you're not training a lot. And realistically, you do get better in training. Sometimes you do get better in racing as well. But generally, training blocks is where you get fitter and stronger.
00:24:29
Speaker
um So I think, yeah, the question is, do I want to do my don't want to go for my best result here? That means that I need a big build up and a probably a proper um recovery time. And if I just want to do it for fun, yeah i mean I can just go and do it slowly and and just enjoy the atmosphere, which is fine as well. I'm um you know i'm looking forward to the time when you know I'm a bit older and I'm just there for fun. like I think that that would actually be a fun weekend activity, just spending the whole weekend on the trails with like-minded people, you know, not worried about time, probably, you know, just chatting along and and enjoying myself where, but yeah, now it's like all race, race, race, kind of go as hot as you can, which is enjoyable. True, but are you going to get down the track and be the kind that's trying to win their age group, though?
00:25:20
Speaker
No, I don't know. i wouldn't say um to do like i wouldn't I would really like just to do races for fun and be like in the meat pack and chill. Will your mind let you do that though? I think at a certain kind of an age. I hope so, yeah.
00:25:35
Speaker
Mind you, my dad my dad literally is 70 and you know all he cares about is winning his age groups. and um you know it's I guess it still gives you a bit of satisfaction, so I don't know, but I hope that I'll get to my mid-50s and just go out and enjoy races.
Podcast Format & Gear Discussion
00:25:55
Speaker
Hopefully. TBC, we will see how that one goes. We'll follow up in and not too long from now.
00:26:02
Speaker
ah You'll be competitive for a while yet, I've no doubt. um Awesome. Well, I hope that does discuss your question and cover off at least a little bit of an answer there, Heath, on what we think is ah ideal there. And up yeah, the rest of this this week's episode is going to be the start of our 2024 wrapped, which We've got five or so things we're going to discuss this week and I'll let you know what we're going to um touch on next week because there might be a, hopefully, if I can get my act together in across the holiday period, a couple of polls pop up online.
00:26:37
Speaker
um for other people to weigh in. ah But I'm going to get started in asking Jess, what is the best piece of gear that you've used and used over and over again in 2024 or seen come out and maybe haven't even used for yourself?
00:26:57
Speaker
Um, yeah, I don't think this this is a new piece of gear, but for me it was definitely, um, the big nutrition belt. Um, because yeah, I hadn't run in a belt before. Like I'd, since I started trail running, I'd only used the trail vests and I tried the handheld bottles, which I really hated. Um, so yeah, the belt has been a bit of a game changer for me. I'm a big fan.
00:27:25
Speaker
Yeah, I love it for like when you don't need to carry heaps and heaps of stuff. um I just feel like you can breathe easier without the vest on. And when it's hot, we just cool down a lot better with the vest on. so Yeah, definitely the nutrition dose and the Bix one is pretty good. Nice. Hello Peak Pursuit listeners. This is just a quick interruption with some exciting news to say that Bix hydration are offering everyone listening the chance to get 20% off
00:27:56
Speaker
All products online if you just use the code PPP. That is 20% off the gels, off the hydration tablets. There's salt tablets on there and there's the fuel mix. All online, 20% off. Just use the code PPP at checkout to pick up some Bix products that will help you get through those runs a little bit easier and recover better for the next one. um Awesome. What about for you Vlad? Best piece of gear for 2024.
00:28:25
Speaker
Well, this is not coming from me. This is official data from Outside magazine, but it's the big 40 jail. um No, just kidding. I think i think just touching just touching on Jess's comment, ah like designing that belt was just because I hate running with backpacks. um Really not a big fan. or I'm always like you know as little as I can take. um That's my goal when I go running. um So yeah, the belt is something that I use like literally every single day. um I think best know best piece of gear, though, for 2024,
00:29:05
Speaker
Oh, a bit hard to say because um yeah i was expecting a like I know that the next one is talking about shoes, but I was expecting some better shoes to come out this year and I was really looking forward to a few shoes. So for me, would still be the shoes tech tones. Oh, come on, not shoes, because we've got to do shoes. The next question, something else. I just feel like that's such a big piece. It is, but there's so many other things you use. Come on.
00:29:35
Speaker
um I don't know. Chorus hasn't really improved much like, um you know, watch wise and all I really use is is my watch, my belt um and my shoes. Okay, fair. You're a simple man. What is yours? What is yours?
00:29:52
Speaker
Oh, mine's actually pretty easy because it's one I've fallen in love with through the year. um And it's only a more recent one. And that's the headphones I'm wearing right now, which is the Shox, the Open Swim Pro. And it's purely because they are fully waterproof. So you can jump in ah in water and not care, which massive for me because I've done that far too many times with headphones. I shouldn't do that with. um But also just because they're the swimming ones, ah they have Bluetooth as well as MP3.
00:30:20
Speaker
So even when I don't have my phone, I've got music. And I am just the person that loves, loves running to music. So I will almost always be wearing these on the trail. And they've been just for the fact that I can't destroy them. They're Simone proof. Yeah, they've been they've been my choice for sure.
00:30:39
Speaker
Yeah, i guess like i guess so I guess because I'm doing shorter races, i just nothing comes into mind for for gear. um Fair. Go for the shoes then. No, I have seen a lot of those open ear um earphones that actually won headphones and I won a couple in a few races. And I've always given them away because i don't I don't know. But I might actually... Wait, have you actually tried them before giving them away? I've like given away three that I've won because I like giving them away. Do you try this first?
00:31:08
Speaker
I just feel like it's too much. like I feel like they're almost like too big. Oh, these I can't even feel I'm wearing, if they're good ones. It looks like half a helmet. like honest Try them on, man. You have even put them on your head and you're trying to say what they feel like. I'm just thinking of what they look like. It's almost like it looks like I got braces on with like that thing.
00:31:31
Speaker
That's a new take. yeah well you know it's We don't do trial running for the looks, Vlad. You're in the wrong sport if you're doing it for the looks. Come on. i might I might have to give them a try. But yeah, I've given three away. Because in Hong Kong, they love giving them away in races. Yeah. Try one next time.
00:31:53
Speaker
oh ah Good. Well, we'll move on to the shoe question for you then. If something comes up, just just shout it out. But yeah, best shoes for each of us in 2024 with the caveat that Vlad doesn't currently have a shoe sponsor, but me and Jess are probably biased, but love our sponsors. So ah go Vlad, you were already ready to go with your shoes.
00:32:16
Speaker
Yeah, so I was going to say before that I'm obviously without a sponsor, that means that I can try different shoes and get excited about new shoes that come out. I have to say that I've been a little bit disappointed. Obviously, being there in UTMB and like, you know, Tekton Freeze, I was really kind of excited. And and even the Zigama 2 is from Nike, I was really excited about.
00:32:38
Speaker
few other shoes that, you know, I was kind of really looking forward to, um even like, you know, the Salomon's, the Pulsar's, the really light ones that I ran with the whole of last year, even this year. A little bit disappointing, you know, from my point of view, of course. um yeah But I am hoping that, you know, 2025, you know, some better shoes come out. So I think that one that I'm really looking forward to is the Terra Kigers 10.
00:33:06
Speaker
So I ran in terra cuygas one back in like 2014. um And I think that was my first Instagram picture as well of like 15 pairs of terra cuygas. I had all the colorways and I thought it was the best trail shoe ever. um So umm I'm excited about the the new ones, the 10s. But Yeah, I wish I could say what was my favorite trail running shoes from 2014, but it's actually from 2013 or even 2012. It's still the Hoka Tektones 1. I love it. All of the advancements in shoe technology and your favorite shoe is from 11 years ago. Yeah. All the messages about get ready for and think about the best piece of gear and shoes this year. And this is what I come up with. But yeah, I don't know.
00:33:58
Speaker
I wish, yeah, I wish I had some better answers, but I don't know. I feel like... Okay, what shoe did you wear the most? What trail shoe did you wear the most this year? Yeah, definitely the Tekton 1s, the Hawker Tekton 1. So that's why I was really looking forward to... Like the shoe from 2013, you mean? I think it's even like... two thousand No, no, that's 2022.
00:34:19
Speaker
Oh, okay, okay. Yeah, I'll protect on one. Okay. No, that's the Terra Kiger from 2013. That was a really, really good trail shoe. Nice. Nice. Cool. Okay. And Jess, what about for you? What's your favorite pair of shoes from this year? Yours will be a bit easier than whatever we just got from Blatt, I reckon. um Yeah, I'd say like the shoes that got me most excited were definitely um the Metafugi Trail. Definitely like can honestly say I hadn't run in a trail shoe that was anything like that before.
00:34:53
Speaker
It's super fast. like It's just as responsive as the super shoes that you use on the road. um And it's got like pretty good grip on the bottom of it. And I just love climbing in it. like It just makes climbing feel so fun, like so fast and, like I don't know, easy. um Yeah, like there's definitely still like improvements, I reckon, for technical terrain and like stuff like that. that's why i chose to wear the and it's easy for me to use.
00:35:30
Speaker
But yeah, it's definitely like a shoe that's getting me excited for what's coming in the future. Nice, nice. Love shoes that just make it exciting to go out for a run. That's what we all want. ah Cool. And I suppose on my end, I kind of love, hate this question because for me, I'm always like, but for what terrain? Like, am I going up and down hills or am I on the flat? Is it smooth? It's always like I have different, different favorite shoes for different terrain, but um I'd have to say like my favorite, well, I'm going to say that the shoe I wore the most this year, at least in the second half of the year, was ah the Solomon Genesis, but the non-SLAB version. So not the SLAB Genesis, just the normal Genesis.
00:36:14
Speaker
um naming system different. um But then the shoe that I raced in the most and therefore like I love the most for shorter distances in racing was was the Pulsar were up to three. um The S Lab Pulsar three. The red ones always feel faster in red shoes. So but that like the combo of those two shoes I could probably get through the entire year.
00:36:36
Speaker
which is always the sign of a good shoe when they have very versatile and I was like Genesis I could felt like I could wear everywhere so that's why it was my my favorite daily everything I got a and question I got a question if you guys weren't with your sponsors which shoe would you must be excited to try out I feel like I haven't looked at other people's shoes forever because there's almost like ah love all I've had on my feet for eight years is Solomons. It's been a long time since I've worn anything else. I do like to be perfectly honest, I get a little bit like um wanting to try things like the Alpha Flies. I've never put a pair of those on. Oh wow. And road shoes. like i You haven't lived yet.
00:37:24
Speaker
like I wore a pair of the original Vaporfly flynets. I think technically my 5K PP is still in them, but I wore them for one race and threw them out because I had, or sold them because I hated them. um So it'd be interesting to know if I would like the Alphaflies because I'm the person that puts on really cushioned shoes and goes, hang on, where's the ground? um So, but if they make me feel fast, like, you know, that'd be cool. so Yeah, for me, the only shoes I've paid much attention to is and get anything like, oh, I would love to at least try it is a road shoes that and the Mizuno, the funky looking Mizuno one with no heel.
00:38:05
Speaker
look like yeah um I don't even know the names of these things, but surely people understand what I'm talking about. But yeah, for me, it's it's this it's the super shoes on the road um that I more look at and go, oh, that'd be actually kind of cool to try. But what about you, Jess? Yeah, I'm always like pretty interested in the carbon plated trail shoes. um Before I joined our seats, I had tried the Hawker Tectons, and I like, ah yeah, I like i really liked the first iteration. So I'd be, yeah, interested to try the middle ones, or like in Adidas Terrex. They look pretty cool as well. I think i think like next year, 2025 North Face would would come out with some really good shoes. I feel like seeing the shoes that
00:38:56
Speaker
they were showing at the running event. I feel like North Face is going to have a good year, so I won't be surprised. This is going to be weird. i've been but i was sponsored for with no I was with Face for six years and hated their shoes and they knew it. They had really bad shoes, but finally now they're coming out with some good shoes. I feel like I'm actually going to buy a couple of North Face pairs next year just because I feel like they've come a long way and I'm actually really excited to try some of them.
00:39:24
Speaker
Yeah, nice. I'm excited for, I haven't, I've put a pair on my feet, but I haven't like got to run in them yet. The um and New Solomon S Lab Ultra Glides, they look like bubbly, um bubbly soles. And I'm excited to try those ones. But i'm I'm totally the person that goes and looks at a shoe and goes, it looks cool, therefore I want to try it. um And then they they go through all of this sort of ins and outs of what's in the shoe and everything.
00:39:52
Speaker
um when we go get like ah introduced to all the new footwear and stuff and I'm a bit like cool, let me put it on my feet um and see what it feels like and how it runs. um I feel that that that's always more important to me at least.
00:40:07
Speaker
um So, yeah, cool. Well, we might get to the next one, ah which actually I'm going to go to one we've sort of discussed a little bit um off air because we were trying to
Trail Running News & Controversies
00:40:20
Speaker
figure this one out. And that's ah just what we think the biggest trail running news was of 2024, like the things that popped and became sort of um Yeah, bit of wide-reach news. So Vlad, what's yours? Yeah, I think Vincent winning the UTMB, an employee of HOCA, beating all the full-time athletes um and winning UTMB, I think that
00:40:47
Speaker
Yeah, that was that was pretty cool. Being there on the weekend and just the whole buzz that that got on social media. I thought that was pretty cool. um But we talked about two other big events, right, Sam?
00:41:01
Speaker
Yeah, yep. One of which um that, I don't know, just but for the, we haven't actually done any updates on it, but I suppose wider reaching sort of um media attention it got, it felt like was just the spring energy, the gel controversy of, yeah, just not having the right amount of carbs in gels. I feel like I've got a lot of people talking about nutrition and yeah, how to make sure that we're actually getting in what we're meant to be getting in and stuff and Yeah, I just wouldn't have picked that to maybe ever happen. So that was interesting. And Jess, what about for you? Yes, it was also the sideways Camille Herron and her Wikipedia shenanigans. So a bit of a yeah odd one that you just wouldn't really pick to happen in a lot of trail and uptown. Yeah, and again, another one that I haven't
00:41:57
Speaker
probably thankfully seen much about or heard much about of recent times. So um so no idea where where that story is even at. But um yeah, those were definitely some three surprising ah her stories from the 2024 year. ah So next one for us is ah the best or biggest, maybe doesn't have to necessarily be the best because sometimes they're hard earned learnings. um But the biggest learning from training. What about for you, Vlad? who um I think, well, but that's something that I've kind of learned over the past three or four years that um being fit, you know, having a fast 5K, having your VR2 max maxed out or at a high level does really help on the trails.
Training Lessons & Challenges
00:42:44
Speaker
um Even when I don't do a crazy amount of
00:42:47
Speaker
elevation, I feel like from fit, I am running well on the trails. um So I think that's also like a positive thing for people that don't live too close to the trails or train on like smaller hills, live a bit more in the city. If you are fit, um you will do quite well on the trails. So that just took a bit of pressure um from my training when I kind of get to the trails, I'm not getting the amount of elevation that I'm looking for. I know as long as I get the key sessions in,
00:43:15
Speaker
on the track, on the roads. I'm still it technically improving my trail running. Yep. I love that one. That's a cool, very cool lesson. What about you Jess? Jess, it's pretty hard to choose because I feel like I've learned a lot um this year, but I know like it's kind of like the center of a lot of memes at the moment, but I'd say like just how important recovery is. And like like just thinking back to Buffalo, I just can't believe how much I'd packed into that trip to Melbourne and thought it was okay. Sorry, I yeah flew over there, had the Wolverton race.
00:43:55
Speaker
And then like the next day I had my cousin's wedding where I was like dancing the whole night and then had like a week and then it was Buffalo. And like in that week I was like trying to see all the trails that I loved and like wanted to experience while I was over in Melbourne and just like trying to fit in way too much. And now if I think to like council, I was like just mostly working on eggshells week before and just like so tuned into my body and like making sure that I was recovered. I think it's paid off a lot to start thinking in that way and like being a little, probably a little bit more like but professional. I don't know if that's the right word, but like just taking recovery as part of like, like
00:44:45
Speaker
the preparation for the race and get more seriously. um That's coming when I've learnt. Yeah. Love that. That's a, I feel like you've you've had, if anytime you're like, yeah, fairly new to the trail, you're going to have so much learning all in one go. So it's a, it's a steep curve, that's for sure.
00:45:03
Speaker
um Awesome. Well, yeah, for for me, I don't know, like two come to mind, very different ones. um One being that hip stability is everything. um And that's just that after all of the hip troubles that I had and like I am, I have hypermobility and then and just not having any clue how much of an effect that was having on my running. Because after the months and months of rehab I did um and I'm actually keen to get back into another round of it now.
00:45:34
Speaker
And then getting back into running, how different it felt to run was insane. It was like, my goodness, my hamstrings and glutes are pushing me forwards and they're not going up and down. And like, yeah, it was just, I think, like I've never, I don't think I've ever had a rehab block that when I finally got back to running felt like it was so well spent um because yeah.
00:45:58
Speaker
running has actually felt different since. And so now I'm like, okay, keep these hips stable. um Does a lot of good for you. And hypermobility is ah not fun. But um and then the other just big learning, which I feel like I've probably touched on throughout the year is just that I'm i'm not any i'm no longer up for or wanting to do long travel trips and train.
00:46:21
Speaker
um And race so like just the fact that try just keep up going into this year Probably thought that training away from home and being away from home and racing Solo would get easier with time and I suppose I learned that it actually gets harder not easier or in my case It has gotten harder um and so that's a big lesson I'm taking into next year in terms of sort of my race calendar and travel plans and those sorts of things so Yeah, two things I'll be doing next year is continuing the hip rehab and not a long trip but not ah not ah as long of a trip at least.
00:46:54
Speaker
Cool, so hopefully other people can take away from some of those learnings. I feel like the best lessons learned are ones you learned through other people's experience rather than making your own mistakes, at least we try. and Now, one more thing one last thing we're gonna touch on this week that is a little bit of a results thing, um in and but also just sort of discussing pros and cons and what our thoughts are on it, because we haven't touched on it too much this year so far.
Itra National League Discussion
00:47:22
Speaker
and And that is that the Itra National League, so the Australian Itra National League results came out this week. Oh, I better get the thing, the Instagram post up to get the results for us. um But I suppose the discussion around it is just what our thoughts are on the National League. I know that it's something that's made by Itra to promote ah more local racing and local competition ah to Yeah boost the different regions around the world and so you're only like you have to do three races within a one region or country and ah to qualify and then just your points your interest scores are added up at the end of those three races.
00:48:07
Speaker
And so for Australia, the top three males were Leo Peterson, um and then in second was Billy Curtis, and in third was our very own Brody Nankervas. On the female side, the first was Kate Avery, second was me.
00:48:26
Speaker
feel weird reading that out now. But anyways, then third was Cecilia Matys, who is well known to the podcast as well. And yeah, I suppose first, what are your thoughts on it, Jess, on the whole National League? Yeah, so I don't know too much about it. I did see the announcement, which I thought it was really cool, like anything and to sort of boost the competition in Australia is like a good thing for sure. um But so correct me if I'm wrong, it's like anyone from any nationality that has done
00:49:02
Speaker
has been so long till best in Itra races in Australia is like eligible. Yeah. So it's, ah well, it's only Itra races in Australia that are part of the National League. So it's not every single, um it's not every single race. I think they have to go through a separate, um yeah, separate thing there's a thing they can do on Itra to actually make themselves qualify as a National League race. But it is a good portion of the races that are in Australia on Itra are part of the National League. ah So I know like the three that counted for me were BTU, Brisbane Trail Ultra, Triple Tops, which was my lowest score ever, which I only just looked up when they did this. And I was like, damn you. But yeah, then Grampian Peaks. So
00:49:52
Speaker
Like some big races are definitely on there. I know Buffalo's definitely on there. I think that was one of Kate's. But yeah, I suppose that's probably one of the things that come to mind is just that I wasn't aware of which races I was running that were actually part of the National League or not. So to me as someone that ended up so second in the series, I wasn't actually aware of being there or competing in the series. um Which, yeah, I suppose isn't just an interesting talking point on it's I'm not Kate also wasn't aware of what races or like, anything like that. So what value um in that way, like what's missing there is a piece because normally for something to be
00:50:38
Speaker
I don't know, competitive and look towards it's like people are aiming towards that thing. So yeah, what are your thoughts on that Vlad? Yeah, I think it's got like a massive potential. and And I think it's been going on for probably like two years, um a bit more in the background. um So I think, like, what they're trying to do is get people technically traveling a bit less and, um you know, kind of racing a bit more sustainable, if if if that's a way of putting it. um I think they could really make it a bit more special in many ways, like almost choosing a race that is closer to the end of the year or any any race realistically, um that might have one and a half the amount of points or something like that. Yeah. Of making it more like the Itra national
00:51:27
Speaker
selected race, I wouldn't say call it championships or anything like that. um But just making a bigger deal out of it rather than kind of a surprise at the end of the year. um I know that they kind of trying to push it a little bit, but it's probably something that they just going to slowly drip and, you know, hopefully gets bigger um yeah with time. And maybe they can, I don't know, um kind of improving it if it's Because I know that it's also like, yeah, if you obviously live in that country, you also get scored. um But yeah, maybe they could use it in a different way of getting selection to to some some world champs or, um you know, just have something a bit more behind it, you know, could be could be like, you know, if you finish in the top three,
00:52:16
Speaker
um you get an automatic spot in the Asia-Pacific Trail champs or the European champs or the South American champs or the American champs that they're on. um It could be just a bit like a bit more behind it that people kind of think about it and plan maybe their year to try and get some ranking points. Something like that would actually make a huge difference because then all of a sudden you've got people vying for spots somewhere or um the, yeah, like a ah and a reward for the competition that because otherwise like me and Kate were just and um I don't know if it speak for everyone else but I i can speak for Brody as well it's like we're just doing the races that were already on our calendar now I have just figured out that um
00:53:02
Speaker
the it's all races on the Itra calendar for Australia as long as they were registered before November 30th of the previous year so it is every race as long as they're up there on time. um So a lot of the 2025 races are already there and yeah I think it's going to be super interesting to see where it goes because even as you said like if even if top three it's just a Like world trail majors are a lot to do with Itru, right? So a free entry into one of their events or yeah um yeah things like that, where they are tied into other things, they do then hold a lot more. um Or even, and because obviously they're trying to promote local racing and not travel. So even if it's a free entry into the closest world trail major to where you live,
00:53:45
Speaker
um to keep that sort of local and those sorts of things. Because I do love the idea of having sort of just this national and level league. um Yeah, I don't know if where it can go or what they can do, but I suppose it was one of those things I saw online, did see some of the posts and stuff, but wasn't looking at or changing races around or anything for it.
00:54:10
Speaker
So to me, the moment almost becomes an extension of the ranking for the year, as in the ranking where you sit in your country. um It's almost an extension of that, in a way, is what it feels like. Like you can get to the end of the year and sort of go, okay, where am I yank ranked now, as opposed to the start of the year? And that's a similar concept because you're still just looking locally.
00:54:31
Speaker
um What did you just get an email going like, hey, congratulations. I got tagged in the Instagram post. That's it. There was an Instagram story and all of a sudden I could add it to my story and I got tagged in the Instagram post and I messaged Kate and told her I was coming for it next year and did she have any idea that this was going?
00:54:51
Speaker
This was happening, so yeah. No, no emails. I did actually get, they almost did a, it's almost like a Strava wrapped, but for Itra, I got that email today that has like how many races you did for the year, how many hours you spent racing, how much elevation you used to win a race. I got that a few days ago. Yeah, so like I got that from Itra.
00:55:13
Speaker
I think they're actually doing better. They've been communicating a lot better. They're sending out the emails for some results. um So they're definitely getting better. There's a bit more money, I guess, behind them. um There's obviously the the sponsorship from Morton and some other brands that will come on board with them. So they do they are like at least i'm moving forward and things are looking better. um yeah But yeah, hopefully they can have something behind that National League and make it a bit of a bigger event next year in the the coming years after that.
00:55:43
Speaker
yeah Yeah, I think it's just it's forever going to be slightly confusing with like the points and like just the fact that it is still ranked on the points. And I totally understand where the points come and come from and those sorts of things. Well, what they're trying to do with the points, but sometimes you look at a score, you get for a race and go, okay,
00:56:03
Speaker
this doesn't compute, and then you look at a score for another race. and it does like It feels like sometimes you can put in the run of your life and get a really low score. And sometimes you can jog to a high score. yeah So well I think for us- I don't know, it could be the weather thing. So like some people say that weather conditions are affected in the results, some people don't. So I went on a deep dive this week trying to figure this out. And from what I can tell, so do not take this as gospel, but from the reading I did, they they take the world record time for the flat distance of the race. yeah and then they apply a factor to it that is based meant to be based on the terrain, the weather, and the can like the terrain and the conditions, so the difficulty. yeah Now, the way they get that is by seeing a trend across the entire field. So the entire field, almost everyone or a lot of people will have races they've done before, often of similar distance. They look at the time taken to cover it and the difficulty of that one. Try and find comparable ones
00:57:04
Speaker
They find a trend over the entire field, and that's how you can end up with sort of higher scores or lower scores, because that's the factor they apply to the world record pace thingy. Now, that is how they take into account heat and those sorts of things, because if it's a really difficult day conditions-wise, the trend is that everyone's going to be 10% slower than normal, so you get a 10% higher score.
00:57:27
Speaker
Now it's not a 10% higher score, it's some coefficient for the image gig. But that is from what, and it like they're very um clear in stating it has nothing to do with who's in the field, how many elite runners, like it's just how fast you run on that course and they take the best time possible, which is the world record time with the coefficient applied, whatever that is. And that time gets a thousand and then you just get ranked be it from as the whatever time you ran up until there. So yeah, it has nothing to do with your position in the field or anything, um but how well the field does on that day affects the sort of coefficient thing they apply, difficulty rating. Yeah, and I think what makes it even more confusing is that UTMBs go their own index. Oh yeah.
00:58:18
Speaker
wait And you can have the same race and you get more points in one. And maybe I've been just going like by my whatever is highest, if it's the ITRA score, I just say that's the ITRA score, whatever is the UTMB one. I'll just yeah, go ah go behind the UTMB numbers. yeah Yeah, it's a bit, obviously, it's pretty hard to score trail races and Yeah, like the problem is that it's an almost an impossible problem to fix. Yeah, because I've seen a post from a friend of mine in Germany early in the year where the winner of a race, you know, that he kind of compared it for like four years in a row. And the winning time was pretty similar. But the ITRA scores were all different um yeah to that time, which yeah, was a bit kind of weird if
00:59:06
Speaker
Yeah, somebody won the race last year in five hours, got 800 points. How come running under five hours this year only gets you 780 points? Yeah, I have actually had Itra Correcta score for me before.
00:59:21
Speaker
out And that's based on almost not necessarily my own research, but just I won a race in a faster time than the previous year. And from people that were there both years, they said conditions were identical. Like there was no one year was hot, one year was cold. It was similar conditions, ran faster, got a much lower score.
00:59:41
Speaker
And I just emailed the elite people, go the Itra people go and hang on a second. Like, can you just check? And then all of a sudden my score went up by like 80. And I'm like, big difference, guys. They're like, yeah, there was a mistake with this one. So it's actually not always. And they they're totally fine with you actually emailing to check. Was this actually the score I meant to get or not? um And I'm not sure how common that is. that But they were really good about it.
01:00:08
Speaker
because Because I feel I should be on 900 plus and I'm only on 800. Thanks for clearing that up. I don't know if I'll have to email them about it. I'll just yeah i'll just count that as as as I'm 900 because they make a lot of mistakes. A score of 900 is bloody hard to get. fraer I think that's the other thing. is like It's ranked on the fastest possible time for a man.
01:00:32
Speaker
um is what the 1000 points is. So the world record split time they're taking is the men's like just the overall sort of fastest time possible. Yeah, um which is why we're like, that's why we're all on the same ranking, which I actually think is totally fine. But then it's it is interesting to see. It's not a bias, but it's like just this that, because women are comparatively closer to the men in the ultra distances, the scores achieved are often quite a lot closer to the like higher end than in the shorter distance. Correct me if I'm wrong. like If I'm doing a 20k race, I'm kind of judged by the half marathon. Or if I'm doing a 22k trail race,
01:01:17
Speaker
I'm judged by the half marathon world record, where if I'm doing in 101k race, I'm judged by the 100k world record. So technically, you're going to get more points the higher you go, because obviously, um as this goes up, you know, it's less competitive. So yeah technically, if you're doing 100 miles, you better look for a race that is 100 and, you know,
01:01:43
Speaker
two or three miles. So you kind of judge on that rather than if you go under 100 miles, then you'd be judged for the 100k world record. Well, I think they actually just, from what I read from the way I understood it, they actually take the exact distance of the race and sort of somehow figure out a world record the closest or and take that pace, no idea. But it seemed to be, it seemed to suggest that it was like the distance of the race, the exact distance of that race, the fastest possible flat time, yeah and then they apply the coefficient. yeah Well, fastest time ran by a man, I guess.
01:02:20
Speaker
um yeah So yeah, it kind of, obviously you see you notice that through that the highest, well not the highest scores, but most likely to get higher scores are the longer distance races. Well yeah, I was looking at this and the highest scores for men do actually still come from the shorter distance races. It's like Killian at Sierzanal or um Remy Bonnet, ah I think he's got a crazy high score at one of his ah short uphill races. Yeah, yeah. So the the highest distance, the highest ones for men do come from the shorter distance, but From what I can tell, most of the highest ones from women come from, yeah, 100K, 100-mile kind of distance. um Which, as again, it actually does make sense when you look at the fact that, like, just the difference so is closer from men to women as the distance grows. Goes up, yeah. Makes sense. Anyways, we went on a bit of a tangent there, but that was some Itra chat. After all of that, I still don't know how the scoring system works.
01:03:19
Speaker
I'm not sure anyone ever will. it's ah it's It's a little bit of that and applied in a wishing well. I think that is the Etra people are still a bit unsure as well. They get to work every day. Do you know how to work? I'm not sure. There is a mathematician somewhere that could explain it, but none of us would understand the explanation. Let's tell them it's the wind this week. Yeah, next week we'll blame it on um on on humidity.
01:03:43
Speaker
Yeah. And this is not ragging on it. I actually think they're doing a brilliant job um yeah of trying to do something incredibly hard when it comes to ranking everyone. And by and large, when you actually look at the rankings and things like that, it kind of comes out OK because of the averaging out of races and those sorts of things. So it is it is overall a much better system than anything else we've got. So I do it better than what we could do or come up with. Exactly. We're not doing any better.
01:04:12
Speaker
but there are out Although our our votes for next week are not going to be based on interest scores. I will say that we are not there mathematicians. um no no The ah cool. Well, that ties up this week, part one of 2024 wrapped, and part two is coming next week, and which is an exciting one because it we are going to cover our thoughts on the best female and best male Aussie performances of the year, the best female and best male worldwide performances of the year.
Upcoming Races & Events
01:04:45
Speaker
ah One of my favourite, the best Aussie race battle. So mid-race battle that someone had ah that we got to watch over the year. Most improved, male and female Aussie, who to watch in 2025.
01:05:01
Speaker
and then the last one we'll cover is what we are most looking forward to in 2025. So that's what you have to come next week and I'm warning everyone because I'm going to try and put up a couple of polls or just a couple of, not polls, questions. I want names from everyone of who they think is the best female, best male Aussie performance, best worldwide performance. We'll be putting all these up for everyone to, all the listeners to um have their pitch in. And obviously people understand after today's show that we can't really choose the best gear or or best shoes. So we definitely need some help. so yeah Yeah, we do need help, please. Come on Instagram and help us out. there's There's a lot that probably we missed and then we will do a deep dive of everything that gets sent through and go, oh, damn. um um yeah So this is, ah please help us. um That is what that is, definitely.
01:05:55
Speaker
ah For other things coming up, there is actually a couple of races this week that is Roo Run down on the coast near Geelong Anglesey Torquay kind of area. Then there is the Glass House Standing Backyard Ultra up in Queensland and the New Year's Eve Rock Around the Clock in the Yu Yangs. It's one that I've always looked at that looks kind of fun. I think you think it's time such that you end one year running and start the next year running um because there's everything up to a six hour event.
01:06:24
Speaker
um kind of thing, from what I can tell. But yeah, those are some races coming up, but we have lost Jess, by the way. That's why me and Vlad are laughing along here, and there's no Jess in the background. Ulladulla does not appear to have the best reception, but that's good. She's getting her digital detox in. So what have you got coming up, Vlad, other than trying to train through Christmas? It's kind of my least favorite week to train when I've got a race coming up. Yeah, definitely, I think.
01:06:51
Speaker
It's definitely hard to get the training in, but I think like actually I'm um'm less worried about it this year because I'm not drinking as much as previous years. Like all let literally I've been not drinking as much alcohol. Yeah, that helps. I'm not too worried. Yeah, like I think last few years I've been drinking a lot more um and it wasn't helping when now I know I'm just going to have like one or two glasses of wine or something and it's not going to affect my training. So yeah, I'm going to do as much as I can in the next week.
01:07:20
Speaker
Nice of you, a double run on Christmas Day kind of person, because I totally am. Christmas Day, yeah, probably. I think New Year's um Christmas Eve um it might only be a one kind of session, which is tomorrow, which is a track session at 7.30 in the morning. Yeah. But yeah, New Year's probably a double.
Holiday Training & Future Planning
01:07:38
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. On Wednesday. Nice. Yeah, for me, it's I get back on the track tomorrow, but I'll just jump in and out of the session to feel. Is that a morning session for you?
01:07:46
Speaker
It is 9 a.m. for us, a little bit nicer than 7.30 a.m. I like my 9 a.m. start. Everyone else in the group gets to jump on Pro Hours, and I'm all for it, group session. And yeah, other than that, just surviving the Christmas chaos um and New Year's chaos. So I have no idea how many, like, I'm actually enjoying just running when I feel like running for as long as I feel like running and not caring how long, fast, hard or anything that is. And I've got at least one more week of that left to end the year. So it's a nice way to end the year. And first race is? No. Well, that's this is an interesting one. I've actually got a chat with coach tonight to try and figure that out. But um yeah, March 9th, Donna Double, Warburton Trail Fest will be my first um race back followed by Kunanyi.
01:08:35
Speaker
in March. But yeah, figuring out the rest of the year. And I'm pretty much planning on doing what you've described in terms of getting to the 100k in August. allla But my longest race currently on the plane is still only 45k before the 100k. So yeah, we'll see how we go. So that will be TBC. I'll figure that out. and By next week, I might actually have a calendar. So will ah We'll see. But thank you for listening, everyone. It has been a pleasure. And thanks for everyone that's listened. If you've listened to all 37 episodes, please message us because you're a legend. um And thank you for joining us from April until the end of the year so far. And we've got one more coming out here for the year. But for everyone, I don't know when you'll be listening to this, but Merry Christmas. And thank you for listening. See you, guys.