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Targeting The Ticket Episode 4!
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Episode 4 of Targeting the Ticket is hosted by Sim and we hear from Toby, Bridget and Nathan after the most recent race of the series, Kunanyi Mountain Run. Toby gives a recap of his 2nd place, Bridget recaps her win at Buffalo Stampede 20km which she ran instead of Kunanyi, and Nathan recaps his training after also giving Kunanyi a miss to prepare for Coastal Ascent in June.
The crew then talk through the current points standings and their thoughts as they prapre for the last of the normal season races at Coastal Ascent on June 8th.
Thanks for joining us on Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod and share your thoughts, questions, or your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!
Nathan: @nathanpearce_
Bridget: @bridget_lunn
Toby: @lang.toby
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life
License code: VJ9EPZM2AQUSWRXL
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Transcript
Episode 4 Introduction: Targeting the Ticket
00:00:28
Speaker
Hello and welcome to episode four of Targeting the Ticket, our series that is following the Golden Trail National Series through the season with our three epic guests, all of whom are doing very well in the season so far.
00:00:43
Speaker
But the only person that's done two races is Toby, Toby Lang. I'm joined by. How are doing, Toby? Pretty good. It's been a little while after the last race, but we're going for that. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. we we There's a big gap now
Race Intervals: Reflection and Strategy
00:00:57
Speaker
between races. So to try to fill the gap that we have had a bit of a pause um and then there's more more time to reflect on everything. So also joined by Bridget Lunn, who was at Buffalo recently and it had a win there and also had a second place in the first race of the season Donna, third, second place.
00:01:18
Speaker
Donna Double. Jeez, this is me getting my ah my brain all mixed up. um Bridget, are we doing? Yeah, doing well, thanks. Awesome, awesome. And last but not least at all, Nathan Pearce, who was at Donna.
00:01:32
Speaker
And Nathan, where'd come? ah Came second there. Came second there. Okay, cool. I like your i knew I was going to get that one wrong. yeah Awesome. Has since then the only race you've done is National Champs, which we chatted about last time, but we'll get a catch up from.
Featured Runners: Standings and Upcoming Challenges
00:01:48
Speaker
skip out of that one quickly.
00:01:50
Speaker
Nathan, yeah, that one is already in the back ah back of our minds. We're fine. um Awesome. Well, for this episode, we're going to catch up with all three of you ah briefly and then we'll chat through where the standings are, how everyone's feeling going into the next race, which is Coastal, which all three of you will be racing.
00:02:10
Speaker
But first of all, because the most recent race was Kunun-Ni Mountain Run and we had Toby there who came second, in a very good run. Toby, I'm going to throw to you first.
00:02:21
Speaker
um It's a while ago now, so you might have to – it's a couple of weeks, like it's not that long, but still, you might have to remember a few things. So ah just give me a rundown of how you were feeling going into the race and then how it panned out on the course on the day.
Toby Lang: Kununyi Mountain Run Experience
00:02:37
Speaker
um Well, before the race, I was kind of feeling like kind of nervous, but it was also my favourite race from the series last year and the one I did best at last year. So I kind of had that – sort of confidence going into it and then especially after the good result at Donna like i was feeling fairly confident but you know i still had that doubt in me that you know that Donna just been a fluke and it could have just completely changed um yeah I was feeling what our brains do to us it's like yeah I've lost in like the last two weeks for sure it's just definitely gonna happen
00:03:10
Speaker
Yeah, like I was feeling a bit sort of, I got sick in between Donna and um ah Kunani. Like was just a little bit of a cold, but that just sort of made me feel quite like doubtful.
00:03:22
Speaker
Like my legs were feeling a bit sore, you know, all that sort of thing. But then i got to Donna, I did a shakeout the day before and I was feeling quite good. um So yeah, um started the race ah fairly conservatively, I think. was sort of sticking to like the front pack, um not trying to go out too hard at the start.
00:03:45
Speaker
um Up the first climb and even up the second climb, I was just sitting right behind Ethan. I do feel kind of sorry for him because I was just... sitting right behind him, um like, you know, two steps behind him for the whole first climb and the first bit of the second climb.
00:04:05
Speaker
um It was sort of like I wasn't trying to do it intentionally. It more like I was too scared to overtake him, but also I didn't want to let him get in front of me too fast. Like the only thing that I felt like I should do is just like sit right behind him.
00:04:19
Speaker
um So do feel sorry for him, but you know. Be the weight that's dragging him back. Yeah. Yeah. Then overtook him at some point on the second big climb.
00:04:34
Speaker
um On the way up and past the boulder fields and stuff? um um A bit before the boulder fields. Yeah. so maybe, I don't quite remember, maybe like half an hour into the race or so. Yeah, it'd be about 6k or so in, yeah.
00:04:49
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. um And then in front of me, I could see Michael Curnahan. He was going up, like I could actually, he was in sight, which was completely different from Dona.
00:05:00
Speaker
um So I just caught up to him and then did the exact same thing did to Ethan. I just sort of sat behind him. I was too scared to overtake, but, you know, I didn't want to let him get too far in front. It's just smart uphill running. That's fine. Let it chop everyone else.
00:05:17
Speaker
Yeah, it did make it a lot easier for me, I think, and probably harder for those two, but. That's fine. I guess it worked. um Yeah, then we got to that flat bit, which is like just below the summit.
00:05:28
Speaker
It's about two kilometres of flat section where Michael just… Technically downhill if you look at the stats. Yeah, little bit downhill as well. like 630 metres downhill or something.
00:05:40
Speaker
More than you think. Yeah, but Michael just completely took off at that point and… He was moving very quickly and I lost sight of him there. um So I was running on my own for a bit there.
00:05:52
Speaker
it was like the last little climb, um the last little climb to the summit. I sort of caught back up to him there. He looked like he was struggling a bit. um So I did sit behind him. um saw Leo who was in first place. He was coming down the hill, um which is ah sort of maybe three quarters the way up that last hill.
00:06:12
Speaker
Yeah, okay. um So he was a long way in front of both of us. I think I was in third place at that point. But yeah, Leo was just running his own race, doing something crazy. He was a long way in front, a lot further in front of me than last year.
00:06:27
Speaker
Yeah, overtook Michael Cunahan at the summit, started heading down, and then it brought me back to memories of last year where ah was running the entire descent by myself, but I knew that at least Ethan Penk, he's lot better at descending than me. So i was just looking over my shoulder every you know minute or two expecting to see him right behind me and he was going to overtake me, but I managed to get through all the descent without seeing
Post-Race Reflections and Recovery
00:06:57
Speaker
him. So that was pretty good and came into the finish, I think one minute faster than last year. Yeah. I was going to say, you're fairly consistent.
00:07:05
Speaker
Yeah. I saw Leo who had been there for 10 minutes in the finish zone. So he was probably a bit lonely there by himself. But yeah, he ran to a new course record, I think, which is incredible.
00:07:19
Speaker
Yeah. Leo had a day. Leo definitely had a day out there where he I like I was a ways back, but it was also like I wasn't sure what was going on when I was going up zigzag and I saw you first because I miss Leo because he's already on the way down. So I see you and then I see Michael and then I can't remember who else I was seeing, but I was like Leo's either way out in front or he's stopped running.
00:07:43
Speaker
Yeah. I wasn't sure which one it would be. um But it felt like a while i was up before I saw you and I hadn't seen anyone else. So, yeah. i He was just so far in front of everyone.
00:07:57
Speaker
he was To be fair, you were you were moving the fastest of anyone on that downhill, that first section, um as I was heading up, definitely. It was kind of noticeable at that point, the difference. I was just so scared.
00:08:11
Speaker
Yeah, and that's the thing. When you're running scared, you will. expecting someone see. Yeah, and there's lots of spots on that. It's like you' you think you're scared, but they're just like they're hurting and they know that you're further ahead. And they're just like, and I think that there's comes into play that you're scared, so you're probably running quicker than what you usually would.
00:08:32
Speaker
And then they're going, oh, he's too far ahead. It's like last year, me and Ethan, we looked at our splits. Yeah. and We compared them and he was gaining on me on all the descent kilometres.
00:08:48
Speaker
He was like was catching up to me on the descent. So I knew going into it this year that Ethan can descend faster than me. So I sort of had the mindset that, yes, I'm in front, but Ethan's catching up. I know he's catching up. And I think that probably helped me like work harder because because like every single downhill kilometre, I felt like Ethan was catching up. So that sort of made me push...
00:09:11
Speaker
the downhill kilometers faster, which I think helped me bit. You were like three or four minutes faster than Ethan on the downhill this year. Yeah. So I guess that must've helped. It definitely helped. Cause yeah, I don't know. I haven't spoken to Ethan, so I don't
Bridget Lunn: Winning Buffalo 20K
00:09:26
Speaker
know what happened for him out there, but yeah, you were definitely a lot faster this year, um, on the downhill.
00:09:32
Speaker
Actually, even maybe than last year, um, in total, you might've been faster, um, On the downhill, I'm looking at some of the splits. Oh, you were actually very even.
00:09:44
Speaker
You almost ran the exact same race. You were 30 seconds faster this year but running almost exactly the same race. But that's still pretty cool because, like, obviously last year you were – a bit further back in the field and then um then this year you managed to hold on to second.
00:10:01
Speaker
Thomas Banks, did you ever see him? Like did you see him who came in third, a couple of minutes behind you? Did you see him at the summit at all or do you know who he was? No, I didn't. um ah remember i was I was looking out for Ethan on the descent like when i turned around at the summit to see like how far behind he was but – after that, it was kind of hard to tell who was like someone doing the ultra or who was doing the mountain run.
00:10:27
Speaker
Cause I don't, I don't know Thomas Banks, so I don't think I recognize him. Which shout out to Thomas Banks because I had a chat to him at the finish and and he thanked us for and saying that he would be up the top up near the front in our preview. So yay for getting that right because, yeah, he did hold on for a very good run for third um with, yeah, he was maybe only 30 seconds behind you at the top ah but then held on, had a very, very good run.
00:10:55
Speaker
um So we got something right in the preview. So shout out, Tom. ah Yeah, I think how's then, like, what are your thoughts now? you You're leading the series because you've got the two races. There's there's not that many people so far that have done two. Michael Kernaghan, who was first in the first race of the series,
00:11:15
Speaker
He was just behind you at the summit, but by the end he came sixth. um So not as the same – he couldn't replicate the same performance he did at Donna, which puts you leading the series.
00:11:28
Speaker
um Did you know that when you crossed the line? Because ah couldn't remember. Not when I crossed the line, but when went home I did some – some own calculations and worked it out. So was pretty happy with that.
00:11:43
Speaker
But I, yeah, I don't think that's going to last until after Coastal Ascent. Because I think these first two races, they really, think they really suit me. I really like the, you know, big climbs and big descents.
00:11:56
Speaker
Whereas Coastal Ascent is more like it's flat and there's just little climbs and little descents, which really sort of drain you. Like mentally and physically, they drain you. I think like a big dis ah a big climb and a big descent is sort of you get up the climb and then mentally, you know, the race is almost done sort of.
00:12:14
Speaker
Yeah, get you. know okay just Like a different type of race going downhill. So sort of like a milestone you reach, whereas is not really
Training and Coaching Insights
00:12:22
Speaker
anything like that in coastal. Yeah, so I get you. Yeah. I get That's a big staircase at halfway.
00:12:29
Speaker
yeah Yeah. Compared to zigzag, that ain't a big staircase. Yeah. yeah but it it it does burn after the bloody sand.
00:12:40
Speaker
So, you know, it's very, very different race, very different challenges. um Before we move on to the recovery, Bridget on eighth, you got any questions about the race itself for Toby? um I did. Well, first of all, I had a comment.
00:12:52
Speaker
I actually saw Leo on the weekend who was racing the, Canberra Marathon 10k. um So he won that, obviously. ah He's very fit at the moment. um But I was just wondering, Toby, how did you find um like the boulder fields? like How do you mentally, physically prepare? What do you think about Is it difficult?
00:13:13
Speaker
Do you find it easy? um like They weren't that long, really. um like it's only There's two boulder fields on the way up. They're only 100 or 200 metres across each.
00:13:27
Speaker
I don't know, I feel like having a background as an orienteer, that really helps with sort of balance and running through rough stuff like that. So I don't think for me personally, it was that much of a challenge.
00:13:39
Speaker
And you can kind of, like it's on the climb. So you can kind of just, I just found that I could just kind of stop running and just sort of walk a lot of it because you don't really need to run the whole thing really. Yeah. They're also the spots where you get the view.
00:13:50
Speaker
So finally you're like in all the brush and then all of a sudden you can see the views and Like they're pretty cool and it's because it's such a different mental or different surroundings. It can be quite a good mental break from the single track climb you've been on for quite a while at that point and those sorts of things. But it's just rock hopping at that point.
00:14:08
Speaker
it's ah and big And Toby's right, because it's on the uphill and you're moving slow, I think it's a lot less of a challenge than if you're on the downhill trying to move quick and you hit them at speed because you hit them at quite a slow speed really. Yeah.
00:14:20
Speaker
so slightly easier to navigate, I would say. Cool. Any questions, Nath? Oh, no, I think you you covered most of it. But, like, when you were at the top, um like, obviously, yeah, you get to sort of go back on past the others. Yeah.
00:14:40
Speaker
Did you sort of do the calculations of how far behind, Ethan was? or Because when you were at the very top, were you ahead of everyone? Were you in second at that point?
00:14:51
Speaker
um Yeah, so I passed Michael call just as we got to the road yep and the top, which is like maybe 100 or 200 metres from the turnaround point. um And then i wasn't really doing the calculations in my head or anything, but I remember where I saw...
00:15:09
Speaker
Ethan at least last year. um So as I think I saw him about the same place this year or maybe even closer to me this year. so I think that really was why I felt a lot pressure this year.
00:15:20
Speaker
Yeah. um Like I wasn't really doing any maths. I was just sort of just gauging it out like how much time it was between us. Yeah, and because it was you, then two seconds later, Michael, and then you might not have even recognised him or known he was in the same race at this point because you're right, it was slightly confusing, but Thomas Banks was about 30 seconds back and then a few minutes to Ethan, ah two and a half or so, um back to Ethan who was in fourth at that point.
00:15:48
Speaker
What's that, fifth? So, yeah, you would have had a bit of clear air before you then saw anyone else, which is cool. always a bit of a relief when you turn and it takes a little bit of time to start seeing big groups of people that are chasing.
00:16:03
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. Awesome. Awesome. Well, my only last last question is how have you recovered? How's the body been since and training, getting back to training and things?
00:16:14
Speaker
I took like, well, was in Tassie. I took maybe five days or so off running. I did a hike. in Tasmania before coming back to Canberra. Um, that was just no running, like let it reset and then start to get back into it.
00:16:28
Speaker
um I think I've only just started getting back into the big mileage weeks. So I'm just starting to build up, you know, sessions again. build up mileage, and I'm going to try and get to like another big block in before Coastal and the final. Yeah, so far it's going pretty well.
00:16:43
Speaker
We're like seven or so weeks out from Coastal. And is Coastal your next trail race? Like I know you've got some orienteering, but for trail races is Coastal. Yeah, Coastal be the next trail race and the final. Awesome.
00:16:55
Speaker
And then, yeah, seven weeks and then a few weeks later. Great. Well, yeah, we'll chat a bit in after we've catched caught up with the others. We'll chat about the season and the ladder itself. But Bridgette?
00:17:07
Speaker
You weren't at Kununyi, but you were at a very different race back in Vic. You were at Buffalo ah winning the 20K. How did that go? um I mean, it was really interesting. I'd never actually been there before. I think I'd driven through Bright, but it yeah, definitely hadn't really spent much time in the area or anything.
00:17:26
Speaker
um Yeah, kind of, don't know. i think I feel like I ended up in this race kind of by accident, but well, that's a story for another time. um But yeah, i was in the,
00:17:37
Speaker
the actual like athlete accommodation for this one. um And that was really cool. Like was, yeah, staying in this nice house. um The night before the race, actually, as we're laying in bed, i got like woken up in the middle of night. was like pouring rain, um which is really nice because currently I live in an apartment um and I don't get to hear the rain.
00:17:59
Speaker
um But also, yeah, raining before. a big, um big muddy hill race. Maybe not the best omen, but no, I actually enjoyed it. um Yeah. So when we got down to the race start, it like it was still raining. It wasn't pouring, but everything was absolutely soaked. um lovely like i I mean, as I've mentioned before, I was going to focus on my nutrition in this race, having sort of failed that at Donna a little bit in the second half.
00:18:28
Speaker
um But my plan was to eat porridge in the morning, but because we're in this big house, I didn't want to turn on the microwave and like wake up like the other athletes who were running like a hundred K's or another race.
00:18:40
Speaker
Um, so I actually just had a gel for breakfast and a coffee, but it was fine. Um, Yeah. I don't know. Sorry, I'm waffling. No, it's fine. I'm being so used to Athlete.com. I know these struggles, but also I am now the person that will turn that microwave on.
00:18:58
Speaker
It's like yeah I'm in the race as well. You've got to do it. You do your race. You just, I know that like other people are there to race for sure, but you are also there to race. So it's like, you've got to look after yourself at that point. And everyone is, everyone understands because everyone's in the same boat. So It's like the given of athlete accommodation that if you're anywhere near the kitchen and you're not racing that morning, you'll probably get woken up early, but it's fine.
00:19:21
Speaker
Like do your thing. Next time, have your porridge. Promise it's fine.
00:19:26
Speaker
Yeah. Well, my coffee was nice anyway in the rain. um Yeah. So like they changed the Buffalo 20K course this year. So it's just you go up the hill and then you run a sort of flat-ish bit and then you go down the hill.
00:19:42
Speaker
And then there's like a tiny little killer hill right at the end as well. So yeah, it was raining for most of that uphill. um And I kind of started out towards the front, like definitely the front of the women, um you know, just watching the men go further and further away.
00:19:58
Speaker
um And yeah, I don't know. like, I walked the hill. That's, that's how I tackle hills, I guess. um And at the very, at the top of that hill, i was in third, I think.
00:20:10
Speaker
So Laura and so Demi in front of me. Demi was looking pretty inconspicuous I think but Laura had these bright pink shorts so
Trail Running Challenges and Strategies
00:20:22
Speaker
I could follow her shorts in the distance to know how far away she was.
00:20:26
Speaker
um Yeah it was really tricky because it was so wet because there's a lot of really steep up and downhill like even though it's fire trail you wouldn't think it's that technical but because it was wet i found I just had to slow down so much on those downhills in particular.
00:20:42
Speaker
um And yeah, I don't know. I guess I ah picked up some speed. Like my strategy in my head was just to run the runnable parts as fast as I can and then just not worry about the really steep stuff.
00:20:55
Speaker
um And I think that worked pretty well, really. ah It was really nice at the turnaround point. There's about three kilometers, I think, each way of like an out and back.
00:21:06
Speaker
And so you turn around and then you can see everybody else coming up the hill and they're like cheering you on. And i don't know, I found it really nice. um A few people I knew and like lots of people that I didn't just cheering.
00:21:17
Speaker
Um, Yeah, and then, yeah, it was nice. ah There was a few men actually wearing here for the women's race shirts, and I don't know, I thought that was nice too.
00:21:28
Speaker
love that. Yeah, so then you get down to middle track, which is that really steep, really technical descent. I think it's only maybe like 2km long. it's Like it's not that long, but it is really steep.
00:21:41
Speaker
um Probably a bit similar to Donna. ah But I was wearing some different shoes and like the size of the shoes came up a bit. And so they were like hitting on my ankle bone because my feet pronate quite a bit. And so like honestly, every step of that hill was pretty excruciating. Had these big bruises on my feet afterwards, but out um got through it.
00:22:05
Speaker
And i was still hitting my nutrition plan of eating gels, even if they're gross. um And then, yeah, I ended up catching up to Laura right at the end, like just before the second hill. um So it was like a really flat, straight.
00:22:24
Speaker
Well, it wasn't straight. It was quite bendy, but it was flat. through the forest um and I caught up to her and I don't know, I get the impression she might've been cramping or something cause she didn't even try to really chase me after that. But I kind of just, yeah, kept powering through. i feel I felt like I had lots of energy which was really good. That's what nutrition does.
00:22:45
Speaker
ah yeah Funny how that works, hey?
Coastal Race: Strategy and Standings Impact
00:22:48
Speaker
oh But when I was about, you I don't know, 500 metres from the finish line, like the weirdest thing happened to me. um So I wear these earrings. I have like double piercings in each ear and I wear um sleepers, which is like tiny little hoops.
00:23:04
Speaker
And as I was running, a branch managed to stick itself through one of the hoops. Ah. And like not actually touch any other part of my body. And I like ripped it out of my ear. And I was like, oh my God, like I've just ripped a hole in my ear.
00:23:15
Speaker
But it was in the, like the earring was in the right orientation and it just opened the earring. And it didn't actually rip anything. And like I don't know, that was just so strange. Like when does that ever happen in a race?
00:23:28
Speaker
And so I just carrying this earring. Like I think I wrapped it around my pinky finger for the rest of the race. was like, oh God, that was weird. um Yeah. That definitely goes pretty high on it. tape on it Yeah. Yeah. Maybe I'll do that next time.
00:23:44
Speaker
So strange. um Yeah. Then I got to the finish line, obviously first ever win on the trails, which was really cool. Love and And then, Yeah, because I had just heaps of energy at the end.
00:23:57
Speaker
I then spent six hours at an aid station on my feet and like felt totally fine the whole time. So yeah, really good experience. Love for filling runs. Yeah. Love that. Love, love, love that. Well, congrats on your first win. That's always a ah memorable occasion. So that is pretty damn cool.
00:24:14
Speaker
That earring story definitely goes pretty high on the odd things that happens on trails. Because the tree the trees manage to attack all sorts of things. I have gotten caught.
00:24:25
Speaker
One thing I've learned is never wear a bun on top of your head. as a female runner or down technical descents, the number of times I have gotten like the tree branch full on grabs me and I fall back and my head hits to the ground because the branch actually manages to grab onto the bun or you whack your head. Anyways, things we learn.
00:24:43
Speaker
um That's why I almost, you we've got to do braids or like low hair. Don't do high hair on trails. Trees will grab it. But anyways. Good to know. But yeah, that sounds that sounds very cool. And that was what, two, how many weeks ago are we talking now? Two weeks?
00:24:59
Speaker
ah Two and a half? three three three three Three weeks. Three weeks now. Damn, time flies. um So that was three weeks ago. how have we been since? Yeah, I've been totally fine. i've um I've started with a new coach as soon as that finished basically. So now with Alpine Performance.
00:25:16
Speaker
Oh, nice. Yeah, just trying that out and seeing how how it goes. Bit of a different training structure. was going to say, what's changed? um Well, now it's only two like sessions a week.
00:25:28
Speaker
as opposed to I've been doing three in the past. um Yeah, I mean, hard to say at this stage because, like, we i haven't really worked out everything yet, but, yeah. It's cool.
00:25:41
Speaker
It's cool. Different stimulus, different coach. Obviously, is it um Alpine, is it Blake that you're with? Yeah, yeah. So it's the first, like, sort of one-on-one coaching that I've had. So,
00:25:52
Speaker
Yeah. see how it goes Exciting times. So have you got the plan written up to Coastal and seen sort of what you're going to be doing or? No. Not yet. Yeah. i mean yeah I just had like a month.
00:26:06
Speaker
written out in the plan. yeah, I think we'll just see how that goes and, yeah. Exciting times. I love to hear it because, yeah, one-on-one coaching makes a big difference in the long term for sort of even picking races but getting ready properly ready for races and all sorts of things. So, um yeah, I think that's a going to be another leap forward for you.
00:26:26
Speaker
ah Boys, anyia any questions for Bridget on her race recovery? um How many gels did you have? Oh, yeah. Good question. Good question. I feel like it... Apart from the one you had for breakfast.
00:26:41
Speaker
Yeah, that's not I like it might have been six including that one I had for breakfast. So five. Five. Jesus. Does that sound right? Five in two hours is pretty good. Which gels are we talking?
00:26:52
Speaker
Go. Go.
00:26:54
Speaker
Okay, okay. I didn't even know how much those have in them. all ah I've never actually had one myself. I feel like they just have this um reputation that follows them for not being the nicest gels, but I don't actually know.
00:27:08
Speaker
Yeah, that's on me for getting into this with absolutely no idea. that At the time, they were the only gels I'd ever had. Okay, fair. That's a good call to only use them then. That's a very good call. Smart move.
00:27:19
Speaker
have since broadened. yeah The single track trail team is like supported by Pure, I think. So they gave us a few of their gels to try. they're delicious.
00:27:31
Speaker
Yeah, they actually taste like food. Yeah.
00:27:36
Speaker
Love that. Who gets the job done? Oh, I was going to say, yeah, 100%. It's energy. It's something. So you will take it. And they've got what? I'm looking it up.
00:27:47
Speaker
I think it's 22. I was going to say 22. So five is like 100 grams. So it's 50 grams an hour um or 55 or so. So getting there. I think, yeah.
00:27:59
Speaker
I think I had like 40 hour. So maybe I only had four during the race. Okay. Okay. Room to improve. But I'm glad that you did something. Baby steps. We like this.
00:28:10
Speaker
We like baby steps. um It'll be cool to see that evolve as well
Series Standings: Women's and Men's Insights
00:28:14
Speaker
as you move forward. But I'm glad that you've already had that anecdotal evidence of, hey, this actually works. It does. So...
00:28:23
Speaker
Love that for you. Awesome. Awesome. Well, Nath, throwing it over to you, you did ah you haven't raced in a little longer, one extra week, um so much longer, ah but you were having, obviously, you were having the calf issues before everything. Is that completely gone and how has training been since Auschex?
00:28:44
Speaker
No, the body's pulled up pretty well. so Good. Yeah. after obviously yeah not being able to sort of go either to Buffalo or KMR due to being in Sydney that week for work and yeah yeah pretty pretty sort of long long hours there but um yeah finally strung together some solid weeks and got out to the Dandenongs the same weekend that KMR and um ah Buffalo were on so that was the first time back out there since the new year So that was good fun.
00:29:16
Speaker
um Once again, i so i took on the the reins of fueling as well. I was like, good let's see what this can do. um And, yeah, I i felt fine. like I think my gap pace was like, yeah, in the 350s just on a long run.
00:29:33
Speaker
was like, oh. Perfect. Feels pretty good. so um So I've been continuing that. So, yeah, then went out to King Lake the following weekend to get some more um climbing in and longer run and now just sort of trying to get that sort of VO2 up, so the threshold and um get those now in those Tuesday sessions. and But it's a bit grim now that we've lost our beautiful sunlight here in Melbourne. Yeah.
00:30:01
Speaker
We're going into the dark ages and and i've just I'm starting to move place this weekend. So few few stressful things going on, but I think, yeah, all in all, I'm um i'm sitting pretty.
00:30:15
Speaker
So happy days. Good stuff. Love to hear it. Getting getting more of the, and yeah, i'm looking at your your Strava now. It's like a very slow incline the whole time. So that's always good to see.
00:30:28
Speaker
We like I always try to, OCD does come into it a little bit when you just sort to go, Oh, because I think it is, there's always the common knowledge of like 10%.
00:30:39
Speaker
When you come back from an injury, you sort of obviously that first jump can be 40, but then from there you sort of slowly increment at sort of a 10% increase. So, yeah, I think I do have a nice little squiggle up. Does that mean that that week you went like 96K one week and then 92 the next? Did that do your head in?
00:31:00
Speaker
Yeah. Well, that was the race. That was Nationals that week. Okay. That makes so much more sense. So obviously, yeah, having a coming off and Donna and then into Nationals, I was expecting it to dip down.
00:31:16
Speaker
Yeah. And are you the person that on Saturday evening your Ks that you're on for that week dictates how long, how many Ks you run the next day? Like do you change your Sunday run based on what Ks you're hitting on Saturday?
00:31:29
Speaker
Are you that person? To be fair, I don't even know what Tuesday session, like the session I'm doing on a Tuesday until an hour before, until our group chat starts sparking up going, I want to do this, want to this. So I'm pretty relaxed, but yeah, it does sort of hinder it in.
00:31:45
Speaker
um Like if... Yeah, like on Sunday, I obviously put it into our group chat that I'm going to go do some of the Glasgow track, do some loops. And I think, yeah, it's a seven-kilometer loop that will be 21K, but I think I'll still want to get sort of 25, 26. Yeah, I was going to say, I'm that person too. So like no hate here because I'm the person that will look at the end of Saturday and go, okay, what was I last week? What am I now? How many Ks am I running tomorrow?
00:32:11
Speaker
But I will say, like, Ks, since I've come to the trails, Ks have been less of a metric that I've looked at because obviously, yeah, with vert, you've got to you' got to acclimatise to that. So time on legs is the biggest thing. So, like, I think I used to average ah hundred and twenty k doing flat stuff, and I think it would be within seven hours or, yeah, like seven and a half hours or something like that.
00:32:40
Speaker
And then I could be completely
Trail Running Dynamics and Personal Growth
00:32:41
Speaker
wrong on that. So that no one fact check me on that. But then I'd go and do 100k weeks with 4000m vert and you're looking at almost 11 hours of time on legs.
00:32:52
Speaker
So it's, yeah, there's a whole different shift. And obviously, yeah, you might not be putting it too much strain on the uphills, but you're putting way more load through on the down. so Yeah, yeah.
00:33:03
Speaker
No, that's been me recently. I've i've run the times that I've, like the amount of time on feet for my weeks recently, I used to be able to put 180 to 200Ks in on the flat when i'm when I was running flat weeks. So it's like, and I'm running like 130.
00:33:17
Speaker
So it's like 50 to 70K difference, but the time's the same kind of thing because of the vert. So yeah, I'm with you. It's so different. Yeah, no.
00:33:28
Speaker
How is the calf with the vert though? And how's the legs and everything? Like, are you at all worried about it anymore? Or is it kind of you're at that stage where you go, okay, this is healed, I'm good? Yeah, I'm pretty – I've had that many injuries in the past that I know one once something's good, I just – yeah, I don't even think about it. Time to go. Done. Yeah, it's time to get going. So, yeah, no I haven't had any issues.
00:33:50
Speaker
i Obviously, once you do get onto the vert after having a bit of time off it, you do start to feel some – sort of inklings here and there, but it's just that's just general soreness. so But, yeah, realistically, ah those some of those long runs I was climbing better than I've ever felt, which is a good sign coming off an injury. So um I think the gym work's working well and hopefully Leo can be scared in his boots come coastal, but...
00:34:23
Speaker
We'll see. Hopefully, yeah. We'll chat about Coastal. I find with the adjustment to vert, I go through the phase of, to begin with, it actually can feel quite good and fast and easy. And then you get so much load of vert in your legs that for a few weeks you're like, oh this is hell again.
00:34:36
Speaker
and then it comes good again. Yeah. And it's like. I'm probably still not at that plateau phase, but we'll see this weekend, I reckon. um Yeah, but you've got time to get there before Coastal anyway, so it's fine.
00:34:48
Speaker
Exactly. But, yeah, obviously, yeah, UTA coming up in a month's time now. So doing the 22 there, which will have plenty of dirt, plenty staircases. So um the 1,000 steps might get a ah bit of a run in in the next couple of weeks.
00:35:04
Speaker
That's horrible to run up, though, just because of how many people are constantly there. Well, was thinking of maybe sneaking out at 6 a.m. job on on a weekday. Yeah. Fair.
00:35:15
Speaker
that That's about all you can do um to avoid people in the thousand steps. So very fair. Very fair. Well, speaking of Coastal, which is the next race, it is still, what is it, six seven weeks away or so. So we've got time and we will have another episode a couple of weeks out to check in
Season Summary and Future Goals
00:35:32
Speaker
with.
00:35:32
Speaker
how everyone's training's going, fitness, and i um I'll be interested to see if these thoughts I'm about to ask you all about change. But the standings as they currently are is Toby with two races is leading on 182 points.
00:35:48
Speaker
um Close behind is Koerner's Michael Koernerhan in 175. And then the next three on the leaderboard, all with only one race, is Leo, Nathan, you're in fourth, and Thomas Banks, who was just behind Toby at...
00:36:02
Speaker
um Kunanyi on the men's side. And then on the women's side, I'm currently leading, but that will not be the case going into the final because I'm not going to Coastal.
00:36:13
Speaker
um And there are, I am the only person, I'm leading by default because I'm the only person on the leaderboard that has done two races. um So second and equal second, and I'm going to say pretty much equal leader is Mia Noble and Katinka.
00:36:30
Speaker
um the two winners of Donna and Kunanyi. Bridget, you're in, look, they've put equal third on the website and I've, with an equal second, I'm pretty sure it makes you equal fourth, but it doesn't matter too much.
00:36:45
Speaker
Yeah, it it looks very strange because they've got one, then two seconds and then two thirds. And I'm like, that's not normally how it's done, but we'll we'll survive. ah um But you're on the exact same points as Steph Austin.
00:36:58
Speaker
um So we've got two equal pointers. On the women's side, it's actually there's so many more people listed because also the people just behind you, Isabel Warner and Matty O'Donnell, also equal.
00:37:09
Speaker
Demi Caldwell and Grace Lennox, also equal on 78. Yeah. So there's a lot of women in it, which is great. It'll just be interesting to see which of all of those women actually come to Coastal to then stay in the series. um So throwing it to the men first, ah Nathan, you're on 94 points.
00:37:31
Speaker
You're six points behind Leo, who's also only done one race. And Toby, in one of your races, you would have gotten 94 points, I believe, um in – kianni But what are your thoughts, Nathan, rocking up to Coastal? Obviously, you've already said that you're hoping you can give Leo a scare. He's on a tear at the moment.
00:37:53
Speaker
um So what are your thoughts leading into it now? Yeah, he is. um I think... It's a course that suits Leo as we saw last year as well.
00:38:04
Speaker
A bit more of a road-centric course. I think it's 27k as well. So we're now pushing um to the extent of my limits as well. But I think with a few more weeks under legs, one more race at UTA, I think I'll be in the best shape. I'll possibly hopefully be in.
00:38:28
Speaker
So if that's what it takes to get a win, then great. But I'm also pretty complacent with second um because how the points all sort work, if I can come second at Coastal and win at Brisbane, I win overall. So that's still in the back of the mind there. So...
00:38:49
Speaker
um But the problem with Coastal, as Toby sort of touched on with his sort of great result at KMR, is that's a good result because not many people go do a crazy race like KMR. But Coastal Ascent last year, we saw a couple of...
00:39:10
Speaker
um non-traditional trail runners come along so we might have that sort of situation again where you have people that probably haven't raced in the series just yet might come along just for the one odd race so that could always throw a spanner in the work so if I could have done what Toby did and a sort of bank a more very extreme trail race I would have liked to but um I think after Nationals it would have been probably stupid to try and rush back for another race. So um I know I can only do what I can do, but as I said, I'm i'm feeling pretty strong um at the moment and I think um with yeah seven seven more weeks under the belt, I can get sort of a bit more tailored stuff to it.
00:40:00
Speaker
Yeah. So are you feeling, last year you were seventh there. um Was that, are you feeling stronger than you were last year? Because that was, you were 10 minutes behind Leo. You've got a 10 minute gap to make up.
00:40:10
Speaker
Well, now that race last year, that was my first one back from dislocating my hip. so I was going to say, I think, I couldn't remember the circumstances, but I knew there was something. Yeah. Okay. That makes sense. Having an injury at the start of the year is becoming a trend and i Hopefully it doesn't continue. But, and we have yeah yeah, so coming straight off a yeah or ah pretty bad hip injury, um the descending and just it was still playing up at that point. So think of just um having a hip joint that loves to catch and cause havoc. That's what it sort of felt like halfway through those races so or that race. So um i was still sort of,
00:40:53
Speaker
having residual pain from that. But um I still still thought I'd run pretty well. But, yeah, as as I said, look it's more road-centric course. And you give a fit Leo a bit of patch of um footpath or any flat terrain, he... um he'll drop three-minute pace and see you later. So um it'll be interesting. Like seven week seven weeks away, like anything can happen.
00:41:19
Speaker
um But um as I said, I can only sort of do what I can do and I think I'm on the right path. So we'll see. But hopefully um hopefully it's not too deep of a field and...
00:41:36
Speaker
Toby's banked in that section. You've just got to get fitted, man. Don't hope for the, like, to Goodfield. You'll be fine. I do also love how you said earlier it's the it's getting to the limit of your distance, but this time-wise, this is a shorter race than Donna and Kunanyi by a fair distance, by, like, half an hour for Kunanyi and by 20 minutes or so for Donna.
00:41:57
Speaker
So yeah it's shorter, really. It is shorter, but I think in my, like, I still go back to like my road-centric thinking or yeah I don't even know if that's the right term, but my road sort of mind. And yes, it's shorter in time, but the accumulative intensity is higher. Yeah. Yeah.
00:42:18
Speaker
So like you're, yeah, it's shorter, but running further for quicker. So it's like there's more sort of room for error, I think. um So fueling is going to be one of my number one sort of ticket points because i don't I don't, last year I don't even think I did have anything i think i took water and i just kind of ran so i do remember you saying that and going why yeah fuel is fuel is king like come on um but yeah so i think yeah with fueling and that sort of stuff and i'll probably yeah i'll i'll start getting my thresholds i'm gonna start looking at doing sort of um
00:43:02
Speaker
almost like mid-marathon sessions to try and get um get the legs used to running low threes for that amount of time. So we'll see how that goes.
00:43:13
Speaker
I like it. I like it. And then joining you will be Toby. Toby, for you going into this, I suppose when I look at it, I'm like, well, yeah, you can defend points and you can get in between people and like do everything you can so that you're a few points higher at the final.
00:43:28
Speaker
Is that how you're thinking about going into coastal points wise or race wise? um Yeah, I think so. Like in terms of points, I think I've already done more than I ever could have imagined. So I feel like I don't really, I don't really feel like I can change my own points during the race. But yeah, there is the fact that I can go get in front of someone and like try and be a few points up come the final.
00:43:55
Speaker
So I think that's one reason. And just, you know, I feel like I just may as well go to it. I don't feel like I need to go to, coastal necessarily because I don't yeah I don't think I'm going to change my points but yeah I think I may as well go as well like try and get like do what I can before the final to like get myself as many points up I love it because it's like a free swing for you like you don't need the points you don't need the position it doesn't go well changes nothing for you going into the final but at the same time If other people go out really hard and there's people to mop up and get ahead of and take points off them, essentially, is what you'll be doing, like, I think that's great for you.
00:44:33
Speaker
And it can be a great motivator on the day to just be like, well, ahead of you means more points for me, less points for you sort of thing. Like, same points for you, but it means less points for them. So it's great. Yeah.
00:44:45
Speaker
It's just no pressure on the race at all, really. So think that'll be good. I'll go. While we're on this topic, what would you guys say? Obviously, we've got the four races and you only need to compete at the two of the main three. What if they made it just compulsory to run all four?
00:45:02
Speaker
ah Like it's possible, but you'll get a lot less people that are then still in the series come the final because people will like when you come, it it's harder to fit into the whole season. It's harder to fit in with.
00:45:15
Speaker
other race commitments like Bridget had to be at Buffalo. So all of a sudden we lose a Bridget out of the whole series if that's the case. And financially, there's so definitely some people, especially on the younger side of under 23s, they can't afford to get to all three.
00:45:30
Speaker
um Like it's already probably on some people it's a lot more of a financial strain. But at the same time, it's just it's designed that way always to keep the more people in it for the finals.
00:45:44
Speaker
so that there is more people fighting for the series um because just by definition of like life and injuries and all sorts of things, there will guaranteed be less people that do all three.
00:45:56
Speaker
if you make it the compulsory. Yeah. Because it's just, yeah, I don't know. like Because when you do think about it with how Toby's in this situation where he can maybe not necessarily make points, but he can take points. And then it's the same as if, let's say, don't know, 10 roadrunners roll up to this race.
00:46:15
Speaker
They will accumulate 10 positions, but they've not done the previous two races. So you then have the situation where you go into the final and someone that may not have been able to get to KMR or not to Donna and has rocked up to this coastal and has just sort of been like, i don't know, in a worse position than what they normally would have.
00:46:40
Speaker
Then you run this issue where you get to Brisbane and it's like they could win Brisbane, but it means absolutely nothing. Yeah, that's what I did last year. Yeah. It's like exactly what I did last year.
00:46:53
Speaker
um just take i like To be fair, it does change the series because i by me being there, I changed the points at the end of the season for who won, who went who got the golden ticket and all those sorts of things. um So that's 100% the case.
00:47:10
Speaker
um I will say that is also the case in the World Series though. You rock up to a Ciesanal and there's people there that are only there to race Ciesanal and you can guarantee your position is going to be way further back than a lot of the other race series. So your points are going to be worse.
00:47:23
Speaker
But no, a lot of those people don't give a damn about the series and they're not going to rock up to any of the other. like And technically anyone can enter that final, go win that final and they don't win the series.
00:47:34
Speaker
Um, That's where each race is still a race in its individual right um and then, like, yeah, for better or worse in some ways, but I actually prefer it this way because it's so much more interesting, I think. And, like, at the end of the day, your points are like ah ah linked to your position in that individual race for the series.
00:47:56
Speaker
Because what if someone ran Brisbane and doesn't hasn't run any of the other races? Do they then get the top points? They get the points, but they can't win the series. So they can't win the prize.
00:48:08
Speaker
So they take the points off someone else winning it. Yes, 100%. whoever gets- They've not competed in two the- Yeah, they'll still get the points. Like I did last year. I'd competed in one and then I got the points for the win at the final.
00:48:21
Speaker
But then I just get removed from the leaderboard at the end because I haven't fulfilled the- i hadn't fulfilled the um the rules of you have to do a certain number of races to be ranked at the end. And so it's kind of like all the points are still added up exactly the same at the end. And then anyone that hasn't fulfilled the rules of two season races is just straight out removed from the ranking and the ranking is left then with everyone that has completed all of the races.
00:48:48
Speaker
um necessary. So yeah, some, and anyone can rock up to Brisbane, win Brisbane, and they'll just take the points and affect who wins overall for sure. um But yeah, at the end of the day, you've got like there, it's just written such that the points that are assigned to a position are assigned to that position and that position only having no sort of real standings on like the season itself or who's racing the season.
00:49:14
Speaker
um It's just that race is assigned those points sort of thing. So It's interesting. It makes it more interesting, really. Like the things can things can change a lot more um and I think it would be a slightly more boring series if it was different and like they just took out all the people not racing the series. It would look a bit weird, I think.
00:49:36
Speaker
I don't but tell me your thoughts on it. Like, are you asking this question because you don't agree and you don't like it that way? No, just thought it was an interesting topic to get put on.
00:49:46
Speaker
um But, yeah, like it obviously, yeah, it has its perks. But then any way you'd run it, if you had it as compulsory to run all three, there's ah obviously issues with that as well. like You have the where people won't be able to make a certain race or if they do get injured, they won't have enough time, that sort of thing.
00:50:06
Speaker
But I don't know. they ah think there are always things to sort of work on and sort of see what um yeah what may or may not work better.
00:50:21
Speaker
um I think having this big enough of a gap between the races is probably not great. because I think or you spread them out further. But, hey, what about you and Toby, it you, Bridget, and Toby?
00:50:37
Speaker
um What are your thoughts on that? I think nothing think i he he's and he's now starting to think. He goes, actually, i'm umm I'm in a good position here. And you've just given him ideas, Sam.
00:50:51
Speaker
So we're in trouble. he's He's just going to be out there with a baseball bat.
00:50:58
Speaker
Like it's, yeah, I think it's probably the best way they could organize a series. least having the compulsory two out of the three, like first races. um Yeah. I think no matter what you do, there's going to be some sort of issue. So I think it's probably the best they could have done. Yeah. I think it definitely makes them more interesting.
00:51:18
Speaker
Like you don't just get the same squad rocking up to every race and you're like, you can pick out exactly who's going to win before the race even happens. Yeah. But yeah, I think like the Golden Trail series, in my opinion, in Australia, it's like like there's not that many people that like do the series anyway. like Obviously, there's a couple, but like yeah, I think it'd be really hard to get everyone to all four races. So I think, if anything, they could just add more non-compulsory races.
00:51:47
Speaker
Yeah, that would be – well, that would be – it's designed to be based around obviously the World Series, which has eight races, three of which are compulsory but not actually compulsory. So it is different because in the World Series, it's eight races, three are compulsory in order to be ranked and receive the support for the final. I will have to look actually because the rules do – are amended every year um but at least the rules when I was racing – Changed quite a few times over the years, but the most recent rules when I was racing was three races were compulsory to then be ranked ah receive support to get to the final.
00:52:25
Speaker
But your number of races throughout the season didn't matter whatsoever. Only the final was technically compulsory. Now, obviously, you're not going to win the series if you just rock up to the final. You're never going to have enough points.
00:52:37
Speaker
But there was certainly people that, say, only raced one or two races in the series but won them and then rocked up to the final and ended up in the top 10 in the series overall because they kind of won, won, and then came top 10, say, at the final.
00:52:54
Speaker
And then they actually ended up still they they're still in the ranking. um It is designed in such a way that the person that wins the series, I don't think it's possible for them to not have raced the three cs the three races that are going to give them points because it's too tight at the top.
00:53:10
Speaker
um But it is sort of in that lower down sort of maybe fifth to tenth that it is maybe possible if you've won a couple of races to not do any more and still be ranked. So it's it's ever so slightly different in that they're not compulsory to be ranked at the end of the season, but they are compulsory to receive support to get to the finals.
00:53:29
Speaker
Or at least that was the way it was when I was in it, um and which does make a big difference when and monetarily for receiving support and flights and all these sorts of things and accommodations. So.
00:53:42
Speaker
It's all designed based on the same system. um And, yes, in an ideal world, obviously all of these seasons would have more races. um But the Oz season, I know from when they discussed the design of it, um ours is earlier for a reason because they know that the travel then to the final is so much more involved getting there from Oz. So they wanted to give the winner enough time to actually plan to get there.
00:54:08
Speaker
because I think some of the series actually only end two, three or three weeks or so before the final. So the person doesn't know they're going until three weeks before, but there'll be the European ones where it's ah maybe a two to four hour flight away, not a 24 hour trip.
00:54:24
Speaker
um So yeah, there's always, we do suffer the Aussie disadvantage of it's a bloody long trip to get there. So you need to give someone enough warning so they can actually do it because it's always going to involve time off work and all sorts of things.
00:54:39
Speaker
But, yeah, I think for now it is what it is in this way and I think it's going to be interesting this year. I'm going to be so intrigued by this final because we have had that change in the amount of points the final's worth this year, so it is worth so much more, which brings me to the women's side, which at this point has a lot more women in it if in the fight for um those top few positions because – um There's so many people that have, ah like most people have only done one race.
00:55:10
Speaker
So there's almost all the podiums of both races still listed and still quite high up um in the ranking, which is you, Bridget. So how are you feeling sort of going into coastal and what the different positions might mean for you then going into the final?
00:55:26
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I haven't really thought about it. Just trying to like like take the race as the race rather than really try to think about positions because like obviously you can't control how other people people race and where they finish and things like that. So yeah, Coastal, yeah, obviously I didn't do very well in it last year. So I think I'm just focusing on trying to improve on all the things that I can for this year and then see what happens and maybe make a bit more of a strategy around positioning stuff for the final.
00:55:55
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's the same going into the final. It can be where, like again, you can't control things. and so But it can be, like as Nath was saying, it can be the case that he knows that even just getting a second is actually a really good result when it comes to the series.
00:56:12
Speaker
So e things happen in the race, you can switch from fighting for first to very much protecting second, if that makes sense. So having an idea of where your points lie or where other people are, like that's the only white time it helps is with some decision-making sometimes in race.
00:56:30
Speaker
Usually if your race isn't going to plan, because you can go, well, as long as I'm in this position ahead of this person, that is actually the result I need for the day. So that becomes what you fight for, as opposed to I need to be as high as pop as possible.
00:56:44
Speaker
which I think can actually, for me at least, it can actually help when a race is sort of not going to plan but you have something there that is still a carrot that you can go, yeah, but I can do this still. um I don't know if your guys' thoughts are the same, but that's definitely a thought pattern I have where it goes, okay, like goal A is kind of out the window at this point, but I do have a goal B that I can very much fight for and still mean something to me for the series, if that makes sense.
00:57:11
Speaker
No, you just got to go for the win. Hail Mary. Hail Mary. There's no point being there. You've just got to run fast.
00:57:22
Speaker
Bang or bust. Hate to tell you, but yeah, winning the race at all costs and then not even making it to the final or something doesn't get you on the plane ticket. So sometimes, sometimes having contingency plans is good. But no, I like it. I like it by you, Bridget, of just you you know the course.
00:57:40
Speaker
um Is there anything in particular when it comes to this course that you think ah you struggled with last year that it will be the main change for this year? The sand. That sucked.
00:57:53
Speaker
I hate running on the sand. That's my tat must my tip. get Don't be worried about getting your feet wet and running the hard stuff right near the water.
00:58:04
Speaker
No, I mean, like, yeah, I have different shoes that I think would be a lot better. um Obviously, again, not camping the night before and sort of getting kicked out of our campsite undefined people in the morning. um Yeah, full night's sleep. i Yeah, honestly,
00:58:23
Speaker
It'll be fine. be fine. Yeah. I think you're a very different athlete to the way you were last year too. So I think it's going to be very interesting to see. And I will be also very interested to see who rocks up of the rest of the runners. Now I'm going to make the assumption that there will be, well, I know Katinka will be there tomorrow Mia, I'm assuming, will be there. Steph Austin lives in Newcastle.
00:58:45
Speaker
So am really hoping she does actually run the 25 and not the 50. I do know that she's kind of just choosing races for fun from what she's saying. So I'm hoping that she actually comes and does the series.
00:58:58
Speaker
Being Newcastle, it's like, come on, race the 25 in Newcastle and then Brisbane's not far away. So um hopefully we do see Steph as well because ah she would definitely have hometown advantage.
00:59:08
Speaker
These are the trails that she runs constantly. um which makes things interesting. And then the likes of sort of Matty O'Donnell and Demi Caldwell. um I'm maybe going to be there. We might have to reach out to everyone and be like, who's rocking up?
00:59:24
Speaker
But sometimes it's more exciting to just see who's who's standing on the start line next to you and where the points lie at the end. So cool. I think, is that a good ep for today? Anything else we want to discuss? Nath, you want to bring any other hypotheticals into the situation or...?
00:59:40
Speaker
No, I didn't want a hypothetical, but no, I think think we've covered everything today. Good, good. Well, thank you for joining me again. ah we will catch up with everyone. I'm going to say like maybe a week out or a little over a week out to um get everyone's thoughts going into the race.
00:59:58
Speaker
um I'll try, actually, even I'll try and get a start list. I should be able to do that. Vlad's the race director. So I'll try and get a start list and we can ah go through a start list and do a preview in our next episode for this. So we can have a bit more of an idea of exactly who's going to be there, how fit everyone is and how everyone's feeling just before the race. But for now, ah thanks for joining.
01:00:20
Speaker
And yeah, I hope you've all enjoyed. it We'll speak to you all soon. you later.