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Episode 39: Welcome to 2025!
381 Plays23 days ago
Welcome to Episode 39 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 is a bit of a round-table discussion on all things coming up in 2025, including:
- World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. Australian selection policy and nomination form here: https://www.athletics.com.au/get-involved-athletics/world-mountain-and-trail-running-championships
- Golden Trail National/World Series: https://goldentrailseries.com/
- UTMB Series: https://utmb.world/
- SkyRunner World Series: https://www.skyrunnerworldseries.com/
- World Trail Majors: https://worldtrailmajors.com/
We finish by running through our planned race calendars and reasons behind our choices.
Lots to get excited about this year!
***Don’t forget, use code PPP at https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!***
Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!
Sim: @theflyingbrick_
Jess: @jessjason
Vlad: @vladixel
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R
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Transcript
Training in Extreme Weather
00:00:08
Speaker
Hello and welcome to episode 39 of the Peak Pursuits Podcast. My name is Simone Brick and I am here with Vlad and Jess. Vlad all the way over in Perth. How are we doing? Early morning? ah Not too bad. Yeah. Got some hills down this morning. It's going to be a nice warm day. 39 degrees today. So got some of that training out of the way this morning. We seem to do a good yo-yo. Is it hot for you today, Jess? Because we had that yesterday, but today we're cold. Yeah, it's pretty hot here. It's like 35 or something. Yeah, damn. But cold tomorrow, so. Yeah, we've done that typical Melbourne thing of I think we had 36, 38 and now 20.
00:00:49
Speaker
and raining. That's about right. Exactly. yep We've gone from staying indoors because it's way too hot to go outside to staying indoors because it's just wet and cold outside.
00:01:02
Speaker
You are can't win at this point, but that's all good.
2025 Trail Running Season Preview
00:01:06
Speaker
ah This is welcome to 2025, this episode. There is not much in the way of results or things happening in the trail scene as yet. The year for most would probably kick off this weekend, but there's a lot in the year ahead to chat through. So this episode is going to run a little differently.
00:01:26
Speaker
The three of us are going to talk through what is coming up in the air ahead, both nationally on the Aussie scene and globally, because yeah, between World Champs, all the usual series, we've got all our Aussie national champs and national series and everything. There's a hell of a lot. And that's one of the, one of the hardest parts I find of being a trail runner is there's so much bloody option.
00:01:49
Speaker
and you want to do everything, but we can't. So let's try we'll try and get us started, but to to start us off as we normally would, just give us the quick update, Jess, on ah how your 2025
Coastal Training Adventures
00:02:01
Speaker
has kicked off. Yeah, pretty good. I spent most of Christmas and New Year's at the beach, so that was lovely. Nice. Got in some pretty awesome runs um along the coast. One of my favorites is probably the Kaima coastal walks.
00:02:17
Speaker
see views the whole way um on like a grassy kind of single track. Really nice. um And then yeah, go back to Canberra last Thursday. um Straight back into work, unfortunately. But um yeah, pretty much back to semi-normal training.
00:02:39
Speaker
um I did a session with Philo's group ah Thursday afternoon um last week. Friday was just a jog and gym and then it was nice to get back back into the gym actually. like I didn't really go while we were camping over the Christmas break so it was good to get back into the gym. like How long of a break did you have from the gym?
00:03:04
Speaker
Um, probably like two weeks. Okay, that's not too long. For me is though, like, I don't know if it's in my head, but I just start to feel like my muscles aren't working. How we feeling getting back in then
Challenging Trail Runs with Elites
00:03:15
Speaker
afterwards? Do you get sore often after two weeks off?
00:03:18
Speaker
Yeah, I did actually. I was pretty sore for this weekend. So um Saturday, I just jogged really easy with Hayden, my partner. And then Sunday was actually, I was sort of chasing a group to run with and um because everyone's still away, like my only option was running with like some of the guys in Philo's squad, they were actually heading out for like a trail run.
00:03:44
Speaker
And on paper, I was like, it looks perfect. Um, like 22 K loot with like only 500 meters on like fire roads. I was like, Oh, nice. It'd be pretty, like pretty chill leading into two days next weekend. Um, but I, yeah, I didn't really know like who I was going to be running with. And, uh, um, when I got there, it was kind of like a few guys, um, Marty dent. I don't know if you probably know him. He's a ex Olympic marathon runner. And then I'm a very good mountain runner.
00:04:14
Speaker
Yeah and um yeah he's actually doubled in the trials a fair bit um and then his son was there and Philo and a couple of other guys and then Keely Small was actually there so I was like oh thank god ah and then we were we sort of started the run and like it was typical like road runners just fucking smashing the first few k's uphill.
00:04:36
Speaker
And we me and Keely were already off the back after like the first K. I was like, oh, God. um I was like, OK. At least we have each other. And then she's like, oh, I'm going to turn around. like I don't feel great today. I was like, no. So then on I didn't like download the maps or anything. There's no reception out there. So I had to like catch up to the guys. And I was just pretty much hanging off the back of them for like the rest of the run, just like staying in touch so that I could actually see which way to go. but I was like, I don't know, I haven't done a long run at like 430 pace for a while. So it, yeah, it kind of cooked me and it was pretty hot. So yeah, and 430 pace over hills is not 430 pace. I'm running like the equivalent of low force the whole time. So yeah, I'm pretty tired from that today, but, um, the rest of this week will be pretty crazy leading into two days. So I'm sure it'll be fine.
00:05:31
Speaker
Oh, it's just a sharpener long run race before the race, right? Pretty much. It's actually so funny. like I don't know, being a trail runner now, because I used to be the same, but like a rock up. I'm
Preparing for Two Bays Race
00:05:44
Speaker
the only one with water like and it's like a 35 degree day. like No one else has water. and We're starting at 8 o'clock, which isn't like super early. It's like already getting pretty hot and they're all laughing at me for having water. i'm like Jesus Christ. Yep. That's, I'm pretty sure that was similar when you started. I started taking you to traffic, I guess. Like I'd have water, you'd have nothing. And we'd get to the top of the hills, you'd be standing there taking a break because you'd just slammed to the hill. yeah And I'm like, thanks for dropping me again. That's what it was like. Like they're literally just like,
00:06:19
Speaker
I don't know, like 20 to 30 meters in front of me the whole way. And then they'd like stop for me at like the top of the hill. I'd be like, okay, could you just like take, like put on the brakes a little bit? Love that. Fun. Well, that's a good week. It's good that you could hang on. That's a good one. Yeah. Good little fitness builder. Nice. And so how are you feeling overall going into two bays first race of the year? I know you're not taking it too seriously overall, but still first start line of the year for you.
00:06:50
Speaker
Yeah, I feel pretty excited. like I don't feel heaps of pressure. um's yeah It's just sort of like one that I'm fitting into the schedule for a bit of fun. um There'll be a few friends down there which will be nice. um yeah Looking forward to it. I ah loved the race two years ago so and it was like the first trail racer I ever did. so keen to get back down there and see how much I've improved. Nice. That'll be good. If you've done much improvement, you'll be knocking on a bloody fast time. You're already damn fast on the course, woman. Nice. I'll be there. um I'll be as medic. You better not need me on that finish line. That will be hope not one of your aims because I'll be there, but just don't make me pick you up. Awesome. And ah Vlad, is your race this week too?
Balancing Work and Training for Hong Kong 100
00:07:40
Speaker
Next week? When's yours?
00:07:42
Speaker
Thursday, so I kind of have about 10 days from now. Yeah, okay. Nice. And so that one's Hong Kong 100. I was excited to see them do a post about the five Aussies they've got coming over, shared that one on our socials. And that so I didn't realise that so many of them were doing, so many of us were doing it. There's you, Billy Curtis, Kelly Angel, David Longo and John Ellis. I think we're all of them that are doing it. I did not realize Kel was jumping in this one. That's exciting. But you're doing the 30k, correct me if I'm wrong or something. 33. Okay, cool. How are you feeling? Yeah, not too bad. I think that obviously
00:08:25
Speaker
I've been, um I mean, I've been training well, but like I think that I'm still holding back a little bit knowing that it's still going to be a long year and I don't want to start going like too hard too soon. Um, so I've been holding back a little bit and kind of realizing that next few weeks might get a bit harder with training. So, um, yeah, there's a pretty big expo connected to this race. This expo is, I think will be like the,
00:08:50
Speaker
Biggest expo in Asia. um Last year was fairly big. This year is like double the size. So, um yeah, a bit more work in this expo. And then, yeah, race is on Thursday and I actually fly back on a Saturday. So it's a quick one-way one-week trip, mainly for the expo, but an event that is fun to be a part of. I've done the 100K in 2014, 2016, and then the 50K.
00:09:18
Speaker
in 2016 and last year I did the, sorry, 2017, and last year I did the 33K. So a really fun event in Hong Kong. but So will you be aiming like, if it's similar condition, based on your fitness right now versus your fitness last year, will you be aiming for a faster time? I think I was fast, I was fitter last year. Okay. Only because I did not have a break last year for like nine days off.
00:09:46
Speaker
So was yeah, I just had a bit more fitness coming into it. So someone might argue you're fresher this year. I think that like, you know, I think that this break will pay off in a couple of weeks when I yeah start training a bit harder, but maybe fresher. But last year I also so didn't taper as well at all. Like I looking back at the train, I was looking back at some of my training last year and I actually did like 21K workout two days before the race.
00:10:15
Speaker
Um, why? Because I was thinking about the soccer marathon. So I was like, okay, okay. Again, I came, I went to Hong Kong for the expo and you know, ah I just can't let go of any races. I try and race as much as I can. So I was like, I might as well do a race if I'm already here. It's a good race. It's, it's fun. Um, but I kind of train through it. Um, yeah, so it was a big kind of a week and I wish I would have type it for it because, um,
00:10:44
Speaker
I literally like rolled my ankle about one K from the finish and got overtaken a K and a half from the finish. like yeah It's a bit unlucky, probably because just tired legs and a lot more road running leading up to that race. I was actually quite fit, um but not trail running fit. So like, yeah, once we got to the technical sections, my ankles weren't too happy. um So everything you just told me says that we wouldn't be surprised if you actually ran faster this year. If you tape it, you're fresh and you're more used to trails, you might actually go better.
00:11:18
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think I'm going to take it too much, but I'll definitely take it easy race week. So um last probably three or four days, I'll take it easy. There won't be a 21 K workout. Yeah. Um, two days before. Um, but yeah, not a hundred percent sure. We'll see. I just kind of like thinking about it. Like it's a long year. I got a lot of races kind of plan. If I go too hard.
00:11:41
Speaker
with training right now, like it might be a lot harder in three or four months to put in big blocks of training. Yeah. Yeah.
Rebuilding Fitness: Challenges and Setbacks
00:11:50
Speaker
That's very, very smart. And I think, yeah, it's a good point for a lot of people. But then again, it's so strange with trail running how there really is no off-season, at least for us Aussies as the way it goes. Yeah, I was going to say. Yeah. Because we don't have the winter season, like for us,
00:12:09
Speaker
There's A, still very good trail races in Oz and B, there's all of the big trail races overseas. So sometimes that's the hardest thing is picking a time to actually have down because you can't be up at all times. um As much as, as my body is reminding me, the down periods suck.
00:12:26
Speaker
when you start to rebuild um with a capital S. Because yet what you were talking about um earlier, Jess, for me, I didn't touch the gym. like I didn't lift heavy in the gym since I was in Switzerland in October until like a week ago.
00:12:46
Speaker
So by the time I jumped in the gym, it had been what? November, December, well over two months. um And the week I only did my first one was actually fine, but this last week just gone. I did track session and heavy gym Tuesday.
00:13:05
Speaker
had that fun feeling in the track session where I went lactic in a 330 kilometer when it was my fourth one. So I'm just trying to rebuild mileage, get back into training. And it was kind of like, oh, I'll try this session in full, do it properly, see what happens. Knowing I wasn't going to be running super fast was four by 1K, four by 500. And I'm like, sweet. If I can run the 1Ks in 330s, I'll be happy. We did it. It was like 328, 329 for them.
00:13:33
Speaker
but the last one was like a couple seconds slower. Get to the 500s, and my first 500 is slower than every single 1K. It was great. It was perfect training. um So I had to skip a rep, and then I could get faster. But it's just that humble slap in the face of going, yeah, nah, body says no.
00:13:51
Speaker
um ran the legs off myself while not running that fast. So that was great. But I did a heavy gym session after that, and I feel like I've been destroyed ever since. But I did still do a heavy gym session Saturday as well. And so the similar thing you were talking about with Sunday in that I ran in Bendigo with a group. um And I was going to avoid hills for a lot longer, but ended up in Bendigo. They do this typical Tower Hill loop um every single Sunday without fail. And normally it's the sort of one where it's a big group and you've got the bendigo bats up the front. And what you described is exactly what my first run there was like, because I was an idiot and went off with the front pack on the road. So by the time we turned on the trail and I've got no idea where to go, I have to hang on or I lose the way. So that one I ran way too fast. This one,
00:14:39
Speaker
Thankfully, same course, but I think I would have, like most of the times I've run this, I treat it like a hard long run and I'm averaging, yeah, the four thirties or whatever. it like Just one, there was thankfully not many people there. I did have company the whole way, but I was dying. My average heart rate was in the one fifties and I averaged like 508 pace. And there's only like 300 meters elevation gain in this. Like it's not that crazy, but I just got to the end and I was like, thank God that week's over.
00:15:06
Speaker
because rebuilding sucks. It's like every single day you get this little slap in the face of you're not quite fit, you're sore, you're tired, and everything that you had four weeks ago is is right now feels like it's gone.
00:15:19
Speaker
But anyways, we're doing the rebuild. I did get to 85Ks this week. So like I'm getting back into territory of feeling like I am training. And so 85Ks with actually three sessions sort of in the end. Um, cause I did a Thursday session and I jumped in and paced a friend for an attempt at a sub 20 minute park on Saturday. So like when I look at it, I know why I'm tired. Um, like.
00:15:46
Speaker
Longest week, three sessions, two gym sessions and some elliptical in there. But all I have to say for this week is that rebuilding sucks. And I'm looking forward to another few weeks like this and it feeling easy again. It's hard this time of year as well when it's like so hot, just makes everything feel harder.
00:16:04
Speaker
True, true. Like that long run was hot. um I don't know what it was, but close to 30 degrees by the end, I would assume, because it was a 38 degree day that day, um even though we get it done early. So I normally love the heat. I think when I'm fit, I love the heat though. But when you're unfit, the heat is just not welcome.
00:16:24
Speaker
um Every little bit of coolness works. At least Melbourne does give us these breaks, where today it's bloody cold. So tomorrow's session might not be in the heat. Hey Trailrunners, it's Jess, one of your hosts on the Peak Pursuits podcast, and I've got something exciting to share.
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00:16:41
Speaker
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00:16:58
Speaker
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00:17:19
Speaker
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00:17:31
Speaker
We can get started on what we are all building for, like what's Vlad talking about when he says there's a big year ahead, what are me and Jess sort of ramping up for.
2025 Trail Running Events Overview
00:17:42
Speaker
And that is the year that is 2025. Do we want to start globally or nationally for this chat? Didn't talk about this.
00:17:51
Speaker
Nationally, I reckon. Nationally. Let's start with what's on the Aussie scene. I think in terms of the Aussie scene, the most or the biggest and most exciting thing is that the ah selection policy for the making the Australian team at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2025 has been released. ah We talked about this for a couple of months now of like seeing other other nationalities ah selection policies come out and wondering when ours would and it has dropped.
00:18:20
Speaker
So we, I suppose, can start there. And that is chatting about an international event anyway. The World Mountain and Trail Running Championships this year are in Canfrank in Spain. Do I want to say Spain? or Is Canfrank Basque Country? Damn, I should have looked this up. I'm pretty sure it's Spain. It is in Spain. Yeah, Spain. But but I'm wondering, is it Basque Country? um Anyways. I think so.
00:18:50
Speaker
I think it is. um But anyways, it is in Canfranc in the Pyrenees, but it is in September from, what was that? but End of September. End of September. Yeah, I think it's the 25th to the 28th of September.
Selection Policies for World Championships
00:19:07
Speaker
um And yes, Canfranc is in like North Western Spain, um close enough to.
00:19:15
Speaker
but There is in this event, um so there's the two mountain running distances, there's the uphill and there's the classic distance up down. And then there is the short trail, ah which is anything I think, technically from 40 to 60K and the long trail, which is 80 to 100K. In this instance, the short trail is 40,
00:19:36
Speaker
5K with 3600 and the long trail is 81K with 5400 up and down. Now, for the Aussie team, um both of you, actually, I'll just ask you both. Vlad, are you looking at going for this Aussie team? Yeah, I think I'm going to put my name down. Obviously, September is pretty far away, but I'm planning to do a bit of a um probably shorter trip to Europe a bit later on in the year. So I think it would kind of work well. i've We've already put, we've already paid for the UTMB Expo with VIX. So obviously, I would definitely be going to kind of like, works well together. I want to be racing UTMB kind of working that week, but then a few weeks later, ah hopefully making the team and racing out there in Spain.
00:20:23
Speaker
ah Yeah, it works well because we'll get into this, but ah you wouldn't be able to race UTMB and world champs. We'll touch on that as that is now part of the policy. ah But Jess, you're also looking at short trail. Yeah, I definitely put my name down for the short trail. Yeah, definitely got some redemption to do after. Yeah. Not being out of race. So I was going to say being at the last one, they're not being out of race. Yeah, I just, I can't wait for you to be there and show what you got, girl.
00:20:53
Speaker
So... And obviously, Sim, you're going to be a race in UTMB. Yes. So I believe... Not a race in the World Champs. Yeah, I will add in that I think Brody's going for World Champs. I think Short Trail as well. um But yes, I am going to be the odd one out in that I have just obviously laid down my qualifier for CCC.
00:21:12
Speaker
and I will be racing UTMB, which ah does, well, I wouldn't do it anyway because that would be a dumb double up for me. um I'm not saying it's impossible to do, but a lot of federations and now Australia's is included in that, actually disallow that. So I suppose we can very quickly start there in that the selection policy is a lot more detailed, I think, than we've had in the past.
00:21:35
Speaker
um It is the a combination of, like they do say, it's a combined effort from Athletics Australia teaming up with Ortra as the member federation. But ah there is part of this selection criteria that does stipulate how long before the championships you are not allowed to race, depending on the distance.
00:21:59
Speaker
um which I suppose is my question for you Vlad, how are you going to go stick into this? You can't race for a full we're six weeks, four to six weeks before the race. No, I think it would be okay only because that UTMB week is just so hard with Expo and I've already started planning that Expo and trying to bring a couple of people on board to help us out because It is such a hard expo and the last two years of doing it, I've been kind of like doing a 20, 30 minute jog at like nine o'clock at night because I'm just so dead from the expo itself. Um, ah so actually kind of works well because I wouldn't be able to do too much, um, around that UTMB expo, but being few weeks, three weeks after it kind of will allow me to build some fitness, maybe rest a little bit and then put a little small block before it. Um, yeah but.
00:22:51
Speaker
Yeah, I think that it's actually kind of like interesting that a lot of runners of federations are not allowing runners to race at ETMB and the World Champs. And it will kind of create a bit of a division between like, what do you do? Do you support your sponsors? Are you kind of trying to support your country? Obviously, in Australia, the sport is pretty small, but like in countries like Spain, Italy, France, where a trail running is pretty big, you do get some some financial support from the from your Federation's winning world championships are doing well in world championships and national championships.
00:23:27
Speaker
could actually, you know, affect your sponsorships, especially probably outside of trail running brands. So I think like in Australia, um we are pretty ah like even the US, most athletes are sponsored by Hoka, ASICs, whatever, where like in Europe, they have a lot of sponsors that could be not trail running brands, it could be banks or insurance companies or car companies. And yeah sometimes those brands will kind of without knowing too much about the space will go well, yeah, UTMB looks like a big race, but a world championship is what it might judge somebody by.
00:24:06
Speaker
or kind of put a bigger weight towards. So I do think that we'll see a bit of a divide of runners actually doing UTMB, which is a big race now, um to runners actually choosing to focus on the world champs. So I think from countries like, you know,
00:24:26
Speaker
Australia and stuff like that. We'll see like a mixture um where I think some European countries could choose the world champs as the main race and not kind of push towards UTMB. For sure. um I think it will be yeah a little bit of a divide. Everyone's got different reasons, I think, for doing each race. But I think one that just to quickly go deeper into the um, not, not allowing racing. Um, the one on the Australian policy is essentially that for any selected athlete, um, you aren't allowed to race a hundred miler in the last 10 to 12 weeks, a hundred K in the last eight to 10 weeks, a 50 K in the last six weeks and a less than 50 K. Like anything else, London to 50 K, you're not allowed to race for the last four weeks.
00:25:21
Speaker
which I did calculate does actually allow someone to do ETC. And, um and one of the, so like if someone was to get there a month early, they could do ETC because it's I think four weeks and two days before the start of the championships, which I think is perfectly reasonable. It's a 15K race. um But that is one way that someone can get involved in both, but that is the only way an Australian can get involved in both. um So yeah, I think that's just an interesting thing that's been added that was not there before. I can definitely vouch it wasn't there before because I did a dumb double a couple of years back when it came to world champs for various reasons, mostly financial. And yeah, I think it is overall the good thing. um It's just asking essentially the team that is selected to prioritise this one race and kind of takes it out of the athlete's hands in terms of um
00:26:14
Speaker
I think that choice thing, that thing where it's like it's hard, you get that FOMO of wanting to do everything and wanting to do as much as possible. But if it's like, well, here's a hard, fast rule saying that you can't do this if you do this. Like personally, for me, it's almost like this nice thing of going cool, like choices out of my hands.
00:26:29
Speaker
um Yeah, I mean, it's it's good and bad. I think it's very based on the road running kind of world champs and the selection policy that Otra had for years of like, all right, you want to do 100 k road or 24 hour road, you know, allowed to race six weeks before. And that was kind of brought into the trail, which is, you know, because I was so I was obviously a a small part of Otra subcommittee um team for a little bit. I dropped out of it a few weeks ago because I don't know. I felt like my kind of ideas and suggestions um maybe weren't going in line with some of other people's ideas. And, you know, in my head, I was kind of like I was trying to communicate that look for trail running is a bit different than road running. Yeah. Road running is a bit more impact, same muscles where trail running.
00:27:17
Speaker
is, you know, it's a bit different. And, and you see some of the best runners in the world do back to back races and do well at them. And if anything, use some long races as a buildup towards another race. So I thought that, I thought that the selection process should take into account your racing prior to a race so for example just would put a name down um but would have to list you know any races issued to ten weeks before the championship race and.
00:27:49
Speaker
you know, kind of take that into account when they're selecting her because I'm saying like a runner A that races UTMB or any of the UTMB races could still be a lot better than somebody that, you know, is fresh and is training back home in Australia. So I think that because the sport is pretty small, we should be a little bit more flexible and Like let's say maybe, Sam, if you were doing OCC four weeks before the short world trail, like you could actually work and you could have a good result in both of them and yeah make your sponsors happy and still represent your country. Um, so I think that the sport is in this place where we could be a little bit more flexible and especially, especially because it's a self-supported.
00:28:32
Speaker
adventure, right? Like if if if they were kind of going, hey, this is a selection policy because we are going to pay $5,000 for every athlete to take that trip to Spain and accommodation and all that, then I'll be happy to to not race for 10 weeks in the lead up. But because you're paying for the whole thing, I think it should have been a little bit more flexibility. And that flexibility could help grow the sport and not create like those kind of like you know lines between do we want to grow the sport and stop some people from participating in both while helping their sponsorship you know and their you know ability to represent the country. Yeah I think that's a that's very good like incredible points because it's
00:29:16
Speaker
There is that half and half thing of 100%. If I with had was wanting to do OCC, I would personally think that I could do OCC and four weeks later be totally fine for the short trail. If anything, be in a good spot for it, having already had a big race four weeks out. like I personally, for me, don't see a problem there.
00:29:37
Speaker
I think some people do run into that problem and maybe don't recognise or there's people that do try and do too much. But at the same time, I don't think that's those mostly those at the top end of the sport that would be at and a world championships anyway. um See, I do think that there's there's what you're saying in terms of that we're paying for it, like the people on this team are paying a lot of money to represent the country, then yeah, it's it's being told what you can and can't do for in terms of sponsorship. Like I'll just pretty much say that my choices are based on the fact that there is
00:30:14
Speaker
money and sponsorship and prestige and all these things that I can earn a living off by going to UTMB. Whereas I would love to represent the country. I absolutely adore every single world champs I've been to.
00:30:28
Speaker
but every single one has just cost me so much money. And there's no matter what my result at World Champs is, like I'm very realistic on like my top position so far has been a 26th. Like the, no matter how much, like breaking into the top 20, how getting anywhere near the top 10 would be an incredible run for me personally, I'd be incredibly proud of it, but it wouldn't do much for me.
00:30:57
Speaker
in terms of, and that is, a I'm so aware people are going to hear the selfishness in that. That is or A-OK. But the reality is that ever like I have utmost respect for every single person that represents Australia and so many other countries in the world in this sport currently, because it is a it is a sport of passion. It is a sport of where you have to put so much of yourself and your finances into it to make it happen that Sometimes it's a bit like when it goes wrong, you kind of go, I just spent I spent every single bit of my savings at the time on my first World Champs and it went to crap. And I think by the time it's broken your heart a few times over. Yeah, it's like.
00:31:37
Speaker
you're asking a lot of people in that way. So yeah, it's an interesting one. I think that debate was going to is going to rage on forever. And I think like, you know, if you think about it, like if you had an athlete that might get some support from going to UTMB by a brand and then that means that they being part of the world champs just means that they have to pay for a couple of weeks of accommodation in Europe. You know, it's a little bit cheaper than like doing the whole trip out and back.
00:32:05
Speaker
So technically, you know, we are losing, we're definitely losing some strength to the team for sure. Like, there's no way of, of kind of having a win-win situation here. um We're definitely losing some, you know, good runners are going to choose UTMB event for the sponsorships. And I think it's fine. I think while we're paying 100% for this trip, there just should be a little bit more flexibility. I don't mind rules. Like, you know, I think that setting rules is important. But you have to justify those rules with like,
00:32:35
Speaker
Well, those rules are there because we are paying for your flight and accommodation for the strip. And then you go, OK, well, that makes sense. But setting some pretty tough kind of rules when yeah literally we have to pay for our own uniform.
00:32:50
Speaker
You know, I think that's my point of view. You don't have to pay for your uniform now, thankfully. So I'll go through a few of the changes that have happened. I will say, just to make sure, like, we have had to pay for our uniform in the past, this current selection policy.
00:33:06
Speaker
you get singlet shorts polo covered. So it's just that that is what you get supplied. You are expected if you then represent in future years, you are expected to use the same uniform. So if it's the same uniform, so you can't like you then if you need more in future years, you still have to pay.
00:33:28
Speaker
if you want any items outside of those three items, I think it's three, um you do still have to buy it. um But they are providing the singlet and shorts and the mandatory polo at least, which wasn't the case in the past. There is still a team levy, I believe it's $350 now, um which is less. I think last time I went to a World Champs, I paid 670 to Athletics Australia and that is a team levy to cover, I believe, administrative costs, I think that's what they say. Or have a person on the ground. Yeah, and yeah, so that includes like the team manager and everything. So the when it like, I suppose we can run into it that this selection policy, like when a team member gets selected, um they because it's self funded. And reality is, there isn't any money for them to draw from currently to actually fund the team.
00:34:21
Speaker
100% get that. There's a lot of athletics teams, juniors teams, everything when it comes to athletics, road and track that are not funded as well. like you do This is not a trail running thing. This is a global sport kind of, at least from all the information I've got. um that yeah they the athlete pays flights. They pay accommodation outside of what the local organizing committee offer, um which might be three or four nights. What was it for you, Jess, at Austria? Do you know? The cost of accommodation. Yeah. I think we got five nights.
00:34:55
Speaker
I think it was five nights. But that's that's from the race. So I think that we should make that clear. Yeah, that's a local organizer has got to give five nights accommodation to anybody flying an X amount of miles to get to the race. If you are from Europe, then you only get three nights accommodation. So I think for the Australian athletes, we got five, where like somebody from Germany would obviously only get three nights. But that's nothing to do with AA. That's all. That's the race.
00:35:24
Speaker
But still what what comes out of the athlete's pocket is the flights over there, any accommodation outside those five nights, and obviously all your food and all that, um the team levy, um and any uniform items you would like outside of what is offered now, um which i'm I'm very glad to see that added at
Financial Implications of International Representation
00:35:43
Speaker
least. I believe that is, i' funding for that is coming from Ortra. But,
00:35:49
Speaker
Yeah, so that's just the costs of like everyone that does get selected, which I do know ah is a limiting factor for some people. It is definitely something that stops athletes that would deserve to go and would be very competitive to from going because reality is when you're looking at this, I would probably guess that it's like return flights, $2,500, $3,000 depending on when you manage to get them. like By the time the team selected and announced, it's normally a bit more expensive. That's just the reality of it because it's closer to the event. And then if like if you want to actually perform, you're not getting there two days before to then have the two nights accommodation before, two after, or whatever it is. Even three nights, four nights before, you would normally, what if you want to perform, you're getting there two weeks before. um That's what I would be budgeting for at a minimum, and therefore,
00:36:41
Speaker
By the time you factor in flights, accommodation and everything, like at a minimum, I'm going to guess 6,000 Aussie. And that would be a pretty budget trip. I know my first world champs cost me more in the like realm of 10. Because of the locations these are at, like you're looking for accommodation and food and everything in mountain towns um in areas that not everything's super accessible.
00:37:06
Speaker
you've got to factor in transport to and from. Like, yeah, there is a lot of costs that go into these things, um which is why, yeah, just have upmost respect for everyone that does it. I've done it before myself, and it is beautiful. And being part of the team is amazing, but it is hard, and it takes a lot. So that's the reality, just to give everyone a bit of a rundown of what this Aussie team will be doing.
Australian Team Selection Criteria
00:37:29
Speaker
But to move on to some of the nitty gritty of the team selection, the qualifying period started on the 1st of April, 2024. So it has already been going for however many months that is, like eight months. And it ends on the 31st of March, 2025.
00:37:48
Speaker
So essentially what that means is that everyone has until the 31st of March to nominate. And when you nominate, you are putting down three races, I believe it is. Just correct me if I'm wrong, but um three races that you put forward to the selection committee for a discretion selection. Everything in this policy is discretion.
00:38:13
Speaker
So there are no automatic spots up for grabs. In previous years, there has been automatic qualification via, say, the Australian Mountain Running Championships. ah Sometimes the trail, not always the trail. In this case, the Australian Short Trail Championships actually aren't in the window. They're in April, so they will not qualify.
00:38:33
Speaker
the Australian mountain running championships do actually have a high weighting. So they list that as a race with high weighting. That is the only race listed with high weighting for mountain running. There are none others listed for short or long trail. um They do also list the Kuna Nu VK, but I don't think they quite realise that the VK is not happening anymore. So that one's listed in there, but you can ignore that one if you're reading this because that doesn't exist.
00:39:00
Speaker
So they've swapped it to a downhill VK, is that true? Yeah, Kunani swapped it to a downhill VK, but um yeah they just, in the writing of this, didn't quite realise that that was the case, I believe. But um yeah there is the Australian Mountain Running Championships, which will be held at Cleland in Adelaide on the 16th of March, 2025.
00:39:19
Speaker
and they have um will have a lot of waiting when it comes to just the classic up-down mountain running discipline. ah The course for that has not been announced yet and has not been finalised. ah In chatting to people that are i'm going to be looking after the course, we'll announce it as soon as we can, and but it is going to be similar to the medium course of the Adelaide Trail Runner Summer Series event that is on that day.
00:39:45
Speaker
but with more vertical, or they're going to try and add more vertical to that. It's currently a 15K course with 610 meters up and down. So adding a bit more vertical does make it pretty similar, vert-wise at least, to the world championships, which are 14K with 767 meters up and down. So that is that's the selection policy in a nutshell sort of is essentially that anyone that would like to go or would like to put their name forward The link to do so is already up on the ah Athletics Australia website, as is the document with the entire selection policy. And the window is until the 31st of March. That includes things like Buffalo Stampede, it includes Cununya, it includes, or other races I can think of would be Donna Double. um I'm not sure what else is in before there that has a lot of vert and technicality and um things that might
00:40:42
Speaker
play into people's hands in terms of selection. But I do know, then this is just me giving tips for anyone that's out there. I do know that head to heads often matter. Like if you're putting your nomination down and you've got similar races to another athlete, but you've ended up ahead of them in the races, then like,
00:41:01
Speaker
logic says that you will be selected. um So by trying to put forward races where that have been competitive and have been against other people that you know are going to be nominating, then that is only going to work in your favor. But you do have complete freedom in what three races you select to put forward to for nomination.
00:41:21
Speaker
matches has to be done by the end of March. Yeah, anything else we haven't covered there, that's a long chat about that. And there's lots of, I do like i personally know a number of people which way they're going in terms of UTMB or um world champs, we'll let them announce it as we get them on. I'm not about to just start.
00:41:42
Speaker
listing names here because I don't know who's made that public yet or not. um I think if ah some of the people that we've seen online chasing UTMB qualifiers is a fairly obvious one. You just know that everyone that's doing UTMB cannot do World Champs. So I for one, this is probably the thing I'm most excited to see is to see what team we send.
Pros and Cons of Smaller Teams
00:42:02
Speaker
Oh, I suppose one quick extra thing that they have added to this selection policy is that Athletics Australia There's a line in here saying they expect it to be a smaller team than previous teams because they have stipulated that selection relies on them believing that the selected athlete has the capability to finish in the top 50% of the field in their discipline. um yeah what do you think What do you think of that?
00:42:30
Speaker
Pros and cons again. um There's always two ways to go about these selections. There's the keep it open to everyone and build the sport that way in terms of it's both easier to make the team, but therefore um more people can do it. And you build people up that way, you give them the experience, you hope they get better. Or there's the other way to go, which is the way that they have worded this, the way they're going of you have a smaller team that's much harder to make, much more prestigious.
00:43:00
Speaker
And in that way, you build at least the prestige of the team. um And so I think there's two ways to look at that. I personally think there's pros and cons of both because currently I do believe in Australia, there's a little bit, at least probably less from the trail runners and more from the running world as a whole that the mountain running team is not a hard team to make, is the view. That is something that I have been told by people many times after having made the team.
00:43:28
Speaker
And i'm I wouldn't be alone in having heard that from people. And so I think what they're trying to change is that view from people that this is an easy team to go for. It's an easy team to make and therefore there's not much much prestige in making this team. Now, the reality of that versus the view isn't always in line. I actually think it's been getting harder and harder to make this team and there's been years Like how the first year I was on this team, I was the only female because they didn't select all the other people that were nominated. So I would say that was a hard team to make, but at the same time, it was also a team of five people.
00:44:06
Speaker
Now, do I think that did much for the sport? It did a lot for me. It gave me my first opportunity at an Oz Singlet, and that started my career. Could that have helped someone else that was on the up and up? I don't know. um So, yeah, I don't know if that gives you an answer. It's just some of my thoughts on the two ways to go about this. But Jess, what are your thoughts?
00:44:27
Speaker
Um, I think like given the timing of UTMB, like you can't do both. Um, I think it's a little bit risky choosing a smaller team and not giving people that haven't raced over in Europe yet, like a chance because how do you really know how they're going to perform? Cause it's totally different to the races in Australia really. Um, so I dunno, I think a smaller team is probably not going to help grow the sport. That's my opinion.
00:44:58
Speaker
Yeah, I think we're too early, like in our, I guess, growth of trail running in Australia to be that strict. um You know, I think there's been a massive growth in trail running in Australia in the past three years. And maybe something that had to do with that is the big teams that we sent to Thailand um and Austria. And I think that we need another two or three world champs of sending big teams before we can go, you know what, we've been fairly competitive and the sport is pretty big. Let's make, you know, the world championship as like the pinnacle pinnacle of the sport. And like, that's where, you know, let's be very, very strict. But I just feel like it's too early to be strict when we're not doing that well. Like, you know what I mean? Like, we don't have the results to kind of justify being strict. And yeah, understand that kind of one good results. And top 50 in any world champs in any, any kind of a sport is really, really hard.
00:45:56
Speaker
Um, but I still feel like, you know, we could just have a couple more years where we'll look for big numbers that will affect different runners, different communities and might get more runners into the sport.
00:46:09
Speaker
rather than kind of send a very small team. This could be a team of eight people this this time, it could be 10 people, um which I don't know if it's great for the sport from social media amount of attention that they're going to get from results. um Obviously with trail running, a lot of things can happen. um You know, it's not as, I guess, black and white as as road running. um but So yeah, I think yeah I think would have so would have looked at a bigger team for now.
00:46:36
Speaker
um yeah and that The saddest thing ah I do think you miss is the up and coming out liar that has is given their shot, puts everything at it and comes out with a blinding result that like like big but that was outside of what was expected or better than what was expected.
00:46:56
Speaker
And that then launches them into improving and improving and improving. um I think you you you miss that when you don't select people that base, when you are really cutthroat with selection, I think. um Or you're looking for only people that have past experience, past pedigree. um Because I do think that if you look at if you look at previous world champs and you look at who's finished in the top 50%, it is not that many people.
00:47:24
Speaker
um on the whole. ah But especially, I think, in the shorter distances, maybe. Although, and as the distances get longer, we might have had a couple more. I'm not entirely sure on that fact. I could have looked this up. I'm sure it looked this up. but Anyways, that is something that they have set in there, so I am going to be very intrigued as to see who they select, um what the team's like. It is a strange feeling for me to not be putting my my foot forward in it. It's the first time since 2018, I haven't.
00:47:57
Speaker
um So weird feeling, but also now I just get to be an epic fan of this whole process and try and see who's in it. And look, at the end of the day, no matter what team selected, no matter the size, no matter um who is on it, I just hope that the community at large gets behind it.
2025 Golden Trail National Series Preview
00:48:14
Speaker
And we will do our best to get every single selected member on in the process before World Champs so that each of them are known, you know their story, you know what they're racing, um where how they've gotten to where they are and build it at least a little bit that way and see if we can get some support drummed up for them.
00:48:32
Speaker
I think that probably is a long enough yeah though on world champs. It is the biggest thing in the calendar year for this year in terms of something that doesn't happen every year. um Everything else that is going on in the calendar year is your, I'm not going to say stock standard, but at the same time, it happens every year. And so on the national scene,
00:48:54
Speaker
Well, I say this happens every year. It is only the second year of it. There is also the Golden Trail National Series again. um Now, there will be more communicated about this coming up. I believe that they are waiting for some more guidance from some changes that are happening at the global level to the national series um and the national series final. I mean, how how that looks. But the races are all the same. They're the same four races as 2024 which that is Donna Double at Warburton Trail Fest on March 9th and Cununya Mountain Run 25 kilometre March 29th. There is then the Coastal Ascent I'm gonna say June 8th that's a bit of a guess though but I think that's right either June 8th or 9th and then the final at Brisbane Trail Ultra on June 29th
00:49:44
Speaker
There's no four races. That is your chance to get involved in a series, to be racing the same people, to have that depth of back and forth racing. that I hope we have again this year. um Yeah, your your two thoughts on um having that series again. I'm not sure, like in terms of a national series, that's the only one there is. Yeah, I think so.
00:50:04
Speaker
um Yeah, I think it was good last year. It'd would be interesting to see like whether people prioritise it with World Champs this year. um Yeah, it'd be interesting. I think in some ways with World Champs, it fits in really well for those that still that do race that distance, just by the fact that the season, the national season's over June 29th.
Planning and Strategies for 2025 Season
00:50:26
Speaker
And if you happen to make this final, it is, I believe, three weeks, four weeks after World Champs. So again, there's that chance to double up. um Now this one, you can double up, 100%, you can double up, even if it was two weeks, you could.
00:50:40
Speaker
so If it was one day, Golden Trail doesn't care. Golden Trail ain't caring. You can go. So I think this is people's chance to double up on a trip for two big races. Like if you were to race the national series, make world champs, say whatever it is at world champs you make, you can stay over in Europe and get that second big race in at the final. And that is a that is ah really cool season calendar, I think. so yeah It fits really well. Also, the first two races are inside the window. um And I think they're good races overall for the fact that, Donna Double, you got 20k with 1200 up and down. Great big up and down. And then Kunanya is also what, 1500 up and down over 25. So
00:51:23
Speaker
in terms of being good racers to put forward for selection and then also just tying in well for a season, like I think they're good, hopefully. um But in then in terms of other big racers for the year that are more of the standalone, the ones on my list, we've got UTA being a major for the ah region now, Oceania.
00:51:43
Speaker
and having a miler, then you've got Grampian Peaks Trail being part of the World Trail Majors and just some other big races that I think we touched on last week. There's Buffalo Stampede is being ramped up and going to have a strong field. I'm going to guess things like Six Foot Track is always a really fast and strong event. There's the XTERRA Dunsborough over in WA that is the XTERRA Asia Pacific Championship. I think I've got that one right. Good rise money for that one.
00:52:12
Speaker
but Very good prize money for that one. Same weekend as Buffalo and Koonaune there. Yes, there is the clash of the year in on March 28th, 29th that weekend um in the Koonaune and Buffalo ah on the same weekend. Two of my favorite races. It is very, very unfortunate, but then also Exterra Dunsborough over in WA. I'm not sure you'll have many people ah from the Eastern Seaboard coming over to WA for that one. so Some good prize money there, though, just to alert everyone. um think yeah I think before you book your flight, it's only a thousand US dollar prize money. No, it's um six thousand US s for the marathon. and like
00:52:58
Speaker
Wait, really? Yeah. No, no, no. I had a look at it. I think that's literally last week. That's the overall maybe. But the win is 1000 US, 600 and 400. Still cheap flights to Perth. 1000 US is like 1500 or more Aussie. Yeah, but that one cover your trip because Dunsborough accommodation, not cheap. So like three or four nights. How far from Perth is Dunsborough? Three hour drive. Oh, okay.
00:53:28
Speaker
I'm not fair, I'm gonna rent a car. Yes. I mean, if you rent a car, ah you know, if you win it, you might cover your trip or like, you know, it'ska it's good. Yeah. Yeah. WA listeners, listen in. Head down to Dunsborough on the 28th or 29th of March and go win yourself some money. Um, so that's just, well not and you do win a trip to Hawaii or wherever the final is, I think, or at least you get the chance to go to the final. I think the entry, you get the answer entry. You don't go yeah you get the entry. entry Yeah. Okay.
00:54:01
Speaker
fun. um And then I'm not sure what else is on your two calendar is terms of big races for the Aussie scene as a whole. um Yeah, so I was looking into that race. I was looking into it being obviously not far away from Perth. And I think I'm aiming to like step up a bit in distance. Um, so past few years I've been doing kind of like the 20 K races, um, where this year I'm hoping to do a couple of longer ones, especially like leading up to the world champs. It is short trail, but with that amount of elevation gain, it's closer to a five and a half hour race of five hour race. So no very short. So I'll be definitely looking to try and do a couple of, um, four and five hour races. Um, so I have, I had a, I had a look at that trip at that Dunsborough.
00:54:49
Speaker
um marathon, which is 38k of like kind of like um sandy coastal trails, which could be pretty fun. um yeah um I am thinking about it. I'm thinking about UTA 50, which last time I did it was 2017. So it'd be nice to um be back at that race. um I am thinking about the Dona double, even though it's only like a week back from India. It's only like one week.
00:55:17
Speaker
I really want to do it. So I think in in two minds, like Bix is doing really well in Australia now. So im like in my mind, I'm like, Oh, I should probably race a bit more in Australia and less in Austria. um So yeah, I think that this year I'll do a couple more races in Australia. And my only chance of racing in Victoria could be Donna double. Donna double is a good one. It's a good, good one. I promise.
00:55:44
Speaker
Yeah, so I've been asking him a bit about it last week because I have been thinking about it. So I'm still a bit on the fence, but might just do it for fun and trying to be part of that kind of an event, which looks, yeah, like you said, fine and kind of perfect to what I like to race, which is straight up, straight down. Yeah.
00:56:02
Speaker
I think another one on my list now that it's back is the Klimaton in Malaysia. So this was like a really big event when I started running. So I never got to do it because I had a massive break of a couple of years of not doing it. But it's pretty much from um Mount Kota Kinabalu, which is not far from Mount Kota Kinabalu City, in Malaysia. So you pretty much go straight up and down.
00:56:32
Speaker
um which goes up to like 4,200 meters of gain. Used to be a big event, Killian won it once or twice before. um Now it's back part of the Sky Running World Series. um So I am thinking about doing that one. Do it. I think it'll be a cool event.
00:56:49
Speaker
um cool downhill, painful way of finishing this race. It's like 2,600 up in 13K and then 2,600 down in 13K or something along those lines. Pretty rocky as well. Good. That's what I like to hear. Yeah, so like compared to, like I guess something similar would be the Pikes pikes Peak, Pikes Peak Ascent. Good. um but That's a bit more runnable.
00:57:16
Speaker
where I feel like I've climbed this, I've never ran up it, but it's a little bit more kind of rocky and technical and could be slippery because it gets a bit wet there. But yeah, that's definitely on my list.
00:57:27
Speaker
um Yeah, am I might try and do ah one or two of the Golden Trail national serious events. um Well, if you do done a double, there's already one. Yeah, exactly. So I'm not sure if I can do all three, but I'll definitely try and do at least two just to be a part of it.
00:57:46
Speaker
And then I was looking and talking with some people in South Australia doing the um the pike the five peaks. So the Australian short course, which is 58k. Not very short, but yeah.
00:58:01
Speaker
It's a good race that one. It's um it's very runnable, um very smooth. If they still do the same thing as when I did it, you at every peak you get a wristband that has the name of the peak on it. So you have to collect like five wristbands along the way, which is kind of fun because then you're running along with this little collection of wristbands that you keep at the end. um But they do put on a brilliant event at five peaks.
00:58:22
Speaker
say So is that, um other obviously World Champs will be that one in September, but is that all of the races that you've kind of looked at and are really thinking of for this year Vlad? Yeah, pretty much. I think that that list is, so I'm still on the fence on some of them, um but my goal definitely for this year is to race a bit more in Australia. You know, I've kind of been telling myself is like, Oh yeah, this year I'm going to do a bit more next year. I'll do more races in Australia next year, next year, next year. And that never comes. So I think like well we try and hold you accountable.
00:58:53
Speaker
Yeah, no, I think I think so because like with Europe getting really expensive. So the last trip that we did to Europe last year was really, really expensive. Yeah, so I still I am going to go to Europe, but maybe for a short amount of time. um So it combined, hopefully like UTMB Expo and the world champs, you know, kind of a four or five week trip.
00:59:11
Speaker
um doing another 14 weeks is just a bit too expensive. um But yeah, also at the same time, like, you know, I think that I realistically, you know, I just have to be where Bix is at. And we've been getting a lot of support in Australia. um So I think that just kind of motivates me to do more in Australia. And that's racing a bit more in Australia, but also some more like, you know, group events and stuff in Australia. And it's a bit hard when you kind of go away for four months to Europe and you kind of disconnect from the community. So I want to be a bit more connected to the trail running community in Australia this year. So yeah, that would help by doing more races here. Good. AKA Aussie racers. Send Vlad office. Let's go.
00:59:58
Speaker
He's right for the taking. um Awesome. Awesome. Well, that'd be good to see. And Jess, for your your year, what are we thinking? Where's your head at now? What are you looking at Aussie scene and worldwide? um So, Buffalo would be the first big race. I've already locked that one in. um And then... It's the marathon?
01:00:19
Speaker
Yeah, the marathon. um And then most likely, UTA 50. Yeah, definitely want to do that one now that it's a world major. It just excites me and I think it's a cool opportunity. um And like being based in Canberra now, it sort of makes sense um being so close. Yep. And yeah, then probably just worlds. Yeah, I don't like to race too much.
01:00:46
Speaker
I might do, I might try and fit in like another shorter one if there's one around, but. Come to pick to you. Yeah, I need to save my money for Worlds to be honest. Yeah. yeah So I probably won't be. Canberra's a lot closer to Brisbane though. I'll just pick you up on the way if I drive up. Yeah, I could just drive up. It's not too far. Yeah, but no, I'll pretty much be like making, like focusing on local races and then saving up for Worlds.
01:01:12
Speaker
Yep. Makes sense. Makes sense. Cause yeah, you've, you've got, you've already got such good races in the window for putting in for the nomination, which is good. Hounselow being in there is going to be awesome for you. That is good. Good, good, good. Now, um, I suppose for me in my calendar, I actually have got almost entirely sorted. I'm the person that starts the year with this, like, here's how the year's going to go. And it never does.
01:01:39
Speaker
But, but I'm going to try. um So I'm, I'm not racing again yet until March. I will do Golden Trail National Series. I just, I a love the races that's in it. And B, it's a lot of fun, obviously, also absolutely there to support my sponsor, Solomon. So That is the guarantee. So I'll be doing Donna Double. I actually haven't, I want to get my course record back to be fair. Lara took it this year as as I would hope she should. um But now I get a chance to go back and chase that, which is fun. And I haven't run Donna Double in a number of years, but it was my first big break into trail running. So a lot of fun to go back there. Then Kunanyi Mountain Run.
01:02:19
Speaker
uh that is my next race but I'm I'm actually probably almost doing a switch with you here Vlad. I'm gonna race a lot more in Asia is the plan um in terms of just not wanting to do such long overseas trips. I want to limit that and I want but I still want the experience of these big races and just seeing where I fit on a world scene. So I'm currently haven't like the actually it ended today, the um nomination for all of the support for this, but I've put my foot forward for Sky Running World Series. um So the races I have selected in that series for me, and I'm really looking forward to, one of them actually is the Climathon Vlad. So you better be there, please. Could use your expertise there. But ah it starts for me actually in Malaysia as well on the 26th of April,
01:03:14
Speaker
Geez, I haven't even got the name of that race here. All I've got is Malaysia 30K. It's Penang. Yeah, that one. oh So it starts on, yeah, for me, the 26th of April, one week later in Japan, ah there is the race in Yuita. So Kailas Penang Sky Race, April 26th, and Yuita Sky Race on May 4th.
01:03:42
Speaker
At that point, I pretty much start my big build for CCC, um which I will do BTU in the middle of, but I'm almost looking at the entirety of May and June after that fourth of May race being a build towards um CCC, obviously also most of July, but to tie into my trip over for CCC, I'll be leaving sort of mid to late July, because I'll also put in the Tatra Sky Marathon, ah which is a 45k Sky Race, which runs almost, well, part of the course, it's the exact same race I was at that got cancelled this year. So hopefully I go back and that doesn't happen again, because that would royally screw me over. um But I don't think it would. it And I might actually get to a Polish mountain peak this time.
01:04:31
Speaker
which I didn't do in my entire two weeks last year. So let's just have another crack at that one, shall we? ah But the 45K this time, which I think will suit me a lot better. It's one of the longer sky races. So excited for that one. But that is, I think, five weeks before, three yeah, five weeks before CCC. So for me, what I think is a good time, it's a 45K into the 100K. If anything, I would normally go a bit longer. ah But being part of the Sky Running World Series, it just works in.
01:05:01
Speaker
September I have put down as a write off I'm expecting because I'm going to be recovering from CCC, ah but only ah what a five or six week trip over to Europe for me. And then I finish off the sky running World Series season with the climathon in end of October. Six days after the climathon is the um South Korea Sky Race, the two peaks, the one that Brodie did this year. that i'm a That's a backup that I'm a little bit nervous about just for that massive descent that we've got to do in climathon and then to race six days later might be a bit dumb but also the Sky Running World Series changed this year to include your top five results plus the final not four.
01:05:47
Speaker
So originally going into planting my season, I thought I'd only need four, then they released an email to all of the elites saying that it's going to be five. I think that that's all now gone out everywhere. But last minute added in the climathon. But if you're going to be there Vlad, I'm fine. It'll be good. It'll be a good chance to um also it does excite me everything except that altitude.
01:06:05
Speaker
um that's going to take some preparing for, ah especially after Mammoth. I just, you know, told everyone I would never race at that altitude again. But the thing that this race has going forward is it starts a lot lower. um So it is very similar to Pikes Peak and I did not mind Pikes Peak. I did quite well there. So I look forward to getting to go back down. And then the Sky Running World Series final is in November, on November 8th, which is this for unfortunately the same day as GPT.
01:06:33
Speaker
So it rules me out of GPT, which was one I was going to really look forward to being part of on the Aussie scene. um But hopefully that season yeah goes well for me. I might shut it down there. This is where I always run into trouble, right? Because that's my season all planned out. I think it's 10 races. There's a few months of the year where I have no races, so I do have breaks in between. It feels all like smartly planned out and not too much because I've got just that 100K, everything else shorter. But then you go, well, if I want to do anything at UTMB the next year, you have to chuck in another 50K plus. Like it just feels like it didn it never ends the sort of, if I want to do this, I have to do this. And like part of me is just hoping they come out with an announcement saying they've changed the window. Cause I know that PTRA, the Pro Trial Runners Association are in talks of trying to get them to change that window of qualification.
01:07:24
Speaker
should work in my favour at this point. But there's a chance you'll see me at either Thailand or UTK to end the year if I do want to do um anything at UTMB in 2026. Part of me is going, well, if I just skip UTMB for a year, I can finally go do keema, which is always at the same time. But we'll see. That's just all the thoughts that happen when trying to plan out a season.
01:07:50
Speaker
Too many races, not enough time. Too many races, exactly. Too many good races. Exactly. They're all good ones. And yeah, like you will see me at other Aussie races, but just all the other Aussie races that I happen to jump in will will for me be classed as trading races. So the sort of one that I go, OK, I'm here to like get a rust buster or whatever it is that is going to serve for me in that race. um But I think I used to run into the trouble of treating every single start line like I had to race all out.
01:08:19
Speaker
And now I've sort of gotten to the point where it's like, no, OK, this race has this purpose and just tick that purpose and save the all out races for the times it matters. um Which by the time you've got 10 of those races on the calendar, that's already a lot.
New Opportunities in World Trail Majors
01:08:33
Speaker
I think one thing, yeah, one thing we should mention is that the world trail majors have an announced that they will also have like a short sub ranking.
01:08:44
Speaker
yeah And you only have to do two races. So obviously if you're, obviously if you're from Australia, there's quite a lot of options. It's a bit later than now instead. And ah if they would have announced it a bit earlier, I would have done the 50 K in Hong Kong instead of the 33 K, which is almost the same. Um, but yeah, they have like a new kind of race circuit where it's around 40 and 50 K and some cool races. I think that, um, that sub ultra racing category, um, it's going to benefit from this.
01:09:18
Speaker
for people that don't want to do UTMB events. um Obviously, for people that maybe don't want like a super technical sky running race. um So it's pretty cool. I think that maybe next year, I'll try and do a couple of those races and, and support them as well, because I think they actually, you know, offer a different opportunity for runners and yeah, I think it's pretty cool, actually.
01:09:41
Speaker
Yeah, i like i like i do I like that they've got that because well while it was only 100K, it was almost like I just wasn't even looking at it. I'm like, what's the point? I'm not up to that distance yet. There's no way I'm doing more than one in a year at this point for me. um So it was like, for me, it was always, oh, that's a future thing when I can do that distance and multiple times in a year and I want to look at it. So it is nice that they've bought that out. I think it's it's only going to serve them and help everything. but um Is there like, is this, do you get a ranking over the season of world trail majors? Like how does that actually work? I've never actually looked into it for four said reasons. Yeah. So I think you only have to tour races a year to get a ranking, which yeah. It's not much, right? I think it's, it's not, it's actually quite a lot. If you do a hundred K races, but for the kind of 40, 50 K 60 K kind of option, they could have bumped it up to three and maybe they will next year. Cause
01:10:36
Speaker
I feel like there might be a lot of like really close rank or tight kind of ranking from just two races. But yeah, I think I'm just happy that they're kind of creating another option and, you know, kind of, I guess highlighting some races that might kind of be a bit in the shadows of UTMB events now. So events like Mount Fuji, which I think UTMF, which is a really, really good event. I've done that twice. and Now that it's kind of part of this, kind they have a 40K option for the first time this year.
01:11:09
Speaker
It's kind of like a race that I would want to come back to. Obviously, I love Japan, and racing in Japan is just really, really cool. um And then race is like Transcrant Canaria, that is a big race, but, you know, standing on its own two feet is kind of getting, it gets a bit hard with with the amount of UTMB events that are on right now. um So, um like, I think it's just cool that they kind of like, you know, there's those kind of like races that are pretty big.
01:11:35
Speaker
um but not a part of anything are a part of something that could, you know, get people traveling for a 50k event because I think it's a good, it's a good distance to travel for, you know, like always like 50k races. And this is still like, this is very much similar to sort of the well marathon majors in a way where they just, this is a list of what they are calling destination races or the biggest races in the world that they so like are very cool to do and really great experiences. Is that the idea still behind it?
01:12:06
Speaker
I mean, I think like, you know, to be honest, like, I think it was just something to stand up against UTMB. But yeah, they they do offer, um like, I mean, like, you know, with all fairness to UTMB, they have destination races as well. And the adding, I think like the cool new thing is, is China Great Wall kind of races.
01:12:24
Speaker
ah Golden Trails got one. I was gonna say Golden Trails got a great wall race and that is like that almost got me back over onto
Trail Running Series Options Overview
01:12:31
Speaker
them. Yeah I was gonna say like you know that's an event that I would travel for because I reckon that's a destination race plus like something so different similar to the climaton like You know, I think it's just like a cool event that yeah even if you have a bad day, you still went through this cool adventure. Um, yeah, that results are like just a bit less important. Um, yeah, but obviously, yeah. Um, world, world trade world majors, world trail majors. Um, they got, um, mute as well, which, um, Madeira, which is a beautiful, partner i also want to go around to, um, they got a couple of races in Europe. They've got black Kenyans.
01:13:10
Speaker
So yeah, a list of really good races. So I think it'd be kind of cool to see, you know, how that kind of grows in the next few years. But I think, um yeah, I think I'm really hoping they do well and he just gets bigger and gives people another option.
01:13:28
Speaker
you know yeah as much as a lot of UTMB, it's nice to see different options. Yeah, yeah there's now the the sort of four main options where there's World Trail Majors, there's the UTMB series, there's Sky Running World Series, and then there is Golden Trail World Series. I will also add in there that there is the World Mountain Running Cup, um but that is by many means much smaller in terms of um like its shorter distances for the most part, and um that's run by World Mountain Running Association.
01:13:55
Speaker
but Yeah, in terms of like ah sky running has like 26 races now or even more there' a lot to choose from. In the terms of logistics of that one, if anyone wants to do it, you do your top five results plus the final. Golden Trail, they've got a few new races in this year. And I will say that part of me is like, I keep flip-flopping from going, I'll go do some of these new races. But then the one, the main thing that's um got me leaning towards sky running this year is just that the Golden Trail final is, I think it's like five or six weeks after CCC. And I just
01:14:29
Speaker
I've been at that final too many times cooked or like not ready to perform. And I'm like, there's just a part of me goes, what's the point again? um And also it's, I've said that I wanted to do less travel to Europe and I would want to come home between the two, which makes it even harder and more expensive again. So those was like sort of my choices, but they do start in Asia on, I think this is an awesome back to back where they've got Kobe trail in Japan, which is gnarly.
01:14:57
Speaker
on the 19th of April, and then the 26th of April, they've got a new one, the great, the Jiang Xiangling, I think it's called, Great Wall Race, which is 24K, 1400 up and down. I'm assuming partially on the Great Wall, they've got photos of people running along it.
01:15:13
Speaker
So that's damn cool. And then only a few weeks later they've already got the the one in Italy, El Golfo del Isola. That one was the final two years ago and now is just a normal race. ah They've left in Zagama. Zagama is then on the 25th of May. They've added in Broken Arrow Sky Race across in America on the 23rd of June. They do now go to Mexico on the 29th of June. So one called Tepec Trail.
01:15:41
Speaker
um in Mexico and then the final is, oh sorry, one more, then two more. There's um the Pitts-Alpine Glacier Trail in Austria, is then just before Sierzanal and Sierzanal is the last one of the normal season. So the normal season is all over by the start of August, then they have a massive break because of UTMB and World Champs fitting in there because the where the final is I think still like the 20th of October or the 19th of October. um So the main season and the final are very separate so that ah to allow runners to make sure that they can do sort of at least one of the UTMB and world champs, if not both, as well as Golden Trail. So it's pretty compact really for that one.
Global Trail Racing Challenges
01:16:27
Speaker
um And then UTMB is UTMB. They're all over the shop now. How many races are there now? Like there'd probably be 40.
01:16:34
Speaker
Oh, yeah. I think in Europe a lot, there's about 40. Oh, gosh. Okay. Lots. Lots to choose from there. So, yeah, I suppose on the world scene, there yeah there's the sort of four series that are still going strong um and popping up. and i'm like I just, I wish it was easier to do a lot of them from Oz. Cause there's so many, like if you're in Europe, you can double up so many of these damn series fairly easily.
Exciting Trail Events in Asia
01:16:59
Speaker
um But yeah, I feel like every year I get to January and my thing is going, I've always wanted to try sky running. I've always been just a mate, but Golden Trail got so many friends there. Don't be surprised if you see me like at least going to Chia Siers and all this year, just so I can go see them. Part of me has almost entered it, just cause I'm going to be in Europe.
01:17:18
Speaker
but um But yeah, I think on a positive note, you know, there's a bit more events are going on in Asia, which is a good thing for us. For sure. Obviously, same time zone makes it a lot easier. Trouble is a lot cheaper. But yeah, a few more races, UTMB races, Golden Trail races, Sky Running races, World Major races. So yeah, I think the auctions are pretty good out of Asia. And Realistically, it's not a crazy trip. Some of them are only like five, six hour flights. so No, yeah. I've been looking at the logistics of it. And yeah, the ability for me to just go do a two week trip, two races, come home without too much jet lag. Like it's huge. So I'm really excited for it. It's my first time trying to do too much
Upcoming Australian Trail Races
01:18:03
Speaker
of it. So I'll be reporting back all year on what it's like just to jump across to Asia, do a couple of races and come back. um But yeah, I think that's that's a very much a very long summary of ah
01:18:15
Speaker
what's going on in the year of trail, what our plans are. We'll get Brodie to quickly run through his when he's back on. I'm not even sure what his yeah are at this point. I'm not sure he is either on the last time I chatted to him. But yeah, we would love to hear other people's thoughts on what they're doing. we're going I'm going to try and get as much info from ah some of our top trail runners about their seasons as possible so we can know who to look out for, who to get on before the big races, um some of the bigger line, lineups that are happening. ah But in terms of the the year kicking off and what's coming up in just the immediate ah future, there's only a few races on this week, but it is the start of some bigger ones.
Highlights of Two Base Trail Race
01:18:54
Speaker
There's the, there's two one in Adelaide.
01:18:56
Speaker
both the Trail Running South Australia Twilight series and then the Adelaide Trail Runner Summer series are both on this weekend and on the Victorian scene and our very own Jess Jason running in Two Base, which is a huge one in the summer um in Victoria. It's one of my most loved events for sure.
01:19:13
Speaker
um want Do you want to run through the fields? I've got like a list. I was hoping so. I know the women's field but I didn't know the men's field so I didn't want to like run through one and not the other.
01:19:26
Speaker
Uh, I don't have like just the elites. I just have like a list of everyone. Oh, okay. Fun. Um, we might, uh, we might be able to do an Instagram story of ah posting to who we think the top names are. Cause I know Jess, you're up against good old Kate Avery, a lovely friend of the show. And I believe Sarah Klein. I believe Adam McKenna. Yeah. Um, ah Demi Caldwell. Demi Caldwell. Nice. There's another one to add in the mix. This is in the 28 K.
01:19:54
Speaker
Yeah. um And I haven't yet seen the list. We can go through the rest of them for the men's 28 and the 56. But one thing you can be guaranteed with two bays is some hot competition and some very fast times on the trail.
Mandatory Gear for Two Base Race
01:20:07
Speaker
It is some nice buttery smooth for the most part trail to run. Have you ever done it Vlad? No, not yet. Not yet. Not yet. I love how you say not yet. You'll come across at some point. Yeah.
01:20:19
Speaker
It's a pretty cool one because um the only mandatory gear is 500 mils of water. Which you better carry because winners have been disqualified for not carrying before. Rightly so, because it's not hard to carry 500 mil. So if you're not carrying 500 mil and you win, you will still be disqualified.
01:20:37
Speaker
has happened, I think a couple of times. um But yeah, is it snake bite bandage still too Jess or no? No. Nice. It's just recommended. Not mandatory. Okay. Nice. So just the 500 mil, which I will say it's very snakey territory. So you might want one.
01:20:53
Speaker
um Guaranteed to see snakes at
New Trail Running Shoes and Brand Switching
01:20:56
Speaker
times. um But yeah, very cool race. If it is glad you would love it, it's a ripping fast one, that's for sure. um So that's one to kick off the year for us in Vic. But I think that sums up for what our start to the year is. Anything else you guys are mostly excited for for 2025, running or non-running related? Maybe some of the shoes that are coming out. I think that I'm pretty excited about some shoes because yeah, I'm trying to find a shoe that I'm going to be racing in this year. Nice. But yeah, I think like North Face will come up with some good shoes this year and then I've heard that Adidas will improve on their carbon plated ultra shoe, not next year, the year after.
01:21:39
Speaker
Um, but yeah, I'm actually quite excited about shoes. Um, Oh, actually I'm excited to hear some of the moves, brand moves. Um, cause people, there's a lot of announced, like not a lot, but there's some announcements come out of like people that are leaving brands, but they're not yet announced who they're going to.
Katie Shied's Remarkable Performance
01:21:58
Speaker
yeah So that'll be coming up soon, which will be, I think there's definitely some big moves happening for a few people. Um,
01:22:04
Speaker
yeah both well seen which actually this is a total side night but i was looking this up this morning didnt katie shied around a 10k and she ran 34 minutes i was so impressed i saw that yeah it's pretty cool she kind of for like She came like 400th in the race, I'll say. Yeah, I know. 449th, I think she said. Such a, that's a very deep 10K. That's where you want to do it. But yeah, to go from October UTMB record to a, it just shows the speed you need, I think. I love it when people like, like she's obviously got such range, but yeah, she just went and ran, what was it? 3410 for a 10K PB? like That's goals right there.
01:22:42
Speaker
um That's a complete side note.
Hosts' Racing Aspirations for 2025
01:22:44
Speaker
Anyways, go back to what you were saying. ah goodness Jess, what are you excited for? um I'm just excited to like do some races that i've been like that have been on the bucket list for a while, like Buffalo coming up. Missed out on that one last year, so excited to do that one. um And yeah, just like exploring more of this side of Australia, I guess.
01:23:07
Speaker
Yeah, fair. East and coast. Love it. Love it. Awesome. Yeah. It's both similar for me. I'm excited to check out a new series. I'm still going to have so much FOMO from a lot of my bucket list races that aren't getting, I'm not getting to this year yet. Buffalo is actually one of them. Um, but, but yeah, there's many, many years, hopefully for many, but for everyone on the trails coming up and 2025 is going to be a big one. So thank you.
01:23:32
Speaker
for listening to this episode. We hope you come along for the ride for the year with us.
Promoting Trail Running Through Storytelling
01:23:36
Speaker
um I think we've got a lot of exciting things coming up, podcast related too. We're gonna be trying to build as much hype as possible for everyone that's out there having a crack from the back to the front of the field and just help and grow this sport that is trail running and making sure people know the names of who's out there.
01:23:55
Speaker
and some of these stories because there's some pretty and special ones going on. So thank you for listening. Welcome to 2025 and we'll speak to you next week. Thanks guys. Thank you. See you guys.