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Postpartum Wins, Two Bays Fireworks, & UTMB Carbon Debate feat. Kate Avery | Episode 92
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In episode 92 of Peak Pursuits, Sim and Jess are joined by Kate Avery fresh off a remarkable post-partum win at the Two Bays Trail Run.
Kate breaks down her return to racing, the realities of training and recovery after pregnancy, and how her confidence is building toward a stacked 2026 season. The team dives deep into Two Bays race results across the 28km and 56km, including standout performances from Caitlin Fielder, Toby Sparks and a red-hot elite field. They also tackle major global news with UTMB’s newly announced mandatory carbon offset policy and what it means for Australian runners.
Packed with results, athlete insight and topical debate, this is essential listening for anyone following trail running in Australia right now.
Results:
***Don’t forget, use code PEAK 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!
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Transcript
00:00:08
Speaker
Hello and welcome to episode 92 of the Peak Pursuits podcast. My name is Simone Brick and today i am joined by two of my favorite people. Jess Jason, how are we doing?
00:00:21
Speaker
Good, thank you. I'm back from another trip to the coast the weekend, so I'm feeling pretty refreshed. Love that for you. Love that for you. How's puppy life going, just quickly? Oh, so good. I just, yeah, she feels like my little baby.
00:00:37
Speaker
Love that. They wriggle into your hearts pretty quick. And someone else that knows all about that right now, we are lucky enough to be joined by Kate Avery, fresh off winning two bays yesterday. how are we doing, Kate?
00:00:49
Speaker
Good. Probably not feeling as fresh as Jess, but... ta Just a little bit, just a little bit. But ah you still were looking pretty, you looked pretty good coming across the finish line yesterday. So hopefully the recovery is not too bad. But getting into things, I actually i actually think we might just launch off with what has been sent in as a listener question. I just totally just told you before we got on here that it would come last.
00:01:16
Speaker
But in my head I've just realised it's a great place to start. um So um obviously Margot, your little bub, Kate, is how old now?
00:01:27
Speaker
Six and a half months. Six and a half months. and you've done, oh, what so what what order of races have you done so far in the return? Just to give context to people on what the build back has looked like. I did a race at Mount Macedon. I did 10K. And then...
00:01:43
Speaker
oh and burn I did the 13k roller coaster, then the 32k posi and then yeah two birds.
00:01:55
Speaker
And four pigs. Oh yeah, four pigs too. I was going to say. Just one peak. One peak. One peak or four peaks. I thought there was something else in there, ah but my brain couldn't couldn't figure it out. um Awesome. And honestly, it's been incredible to watch the return and especially even seeing your training sessions because as much as – Cozzy and two bays yesterday, incredibly impressive. because of Because of the distance, I think you're not yet at your fittest for that distance, which I think you'll agree with. But seeing you do some of the sessions already and I'm just like, damn, she back, at least over the speedy stuff. um
00:02:35
Speaker
So how's that felt in getting back in training? I think it's, well yeah, I probably had naive view on what it was going to be like coming back post-partum but it I think having like very grateful for Rocky and I saw a pelvic health physio and stuff like that and just trying to get the balance right because I feel like I could do more but then like is that sensible and just being okay with look this is where I am and I'm not doing like the big long ones um but my sessions
00:03:14
Speaker
I feel like I've built them up nicely. I started very small and the stuff that I've chosen to work on right now around like my 10 point threshold just seems to be coming on very nicely, which is helping with like the quicker work as well.
00:03:32
Speaker
So I feel like I'm in a good spot now. Nice. nuts Yeah, it doesn't feel like it's a rush. Nice, nice. And yeah, this is still building to our question about the race, but one thing from observation of being closer to you is that you really struggled at cosy with the distance, comparative to yesterday.
00:03:52
Speaker
So did you change anything? Is it just time in between those two that's helped? Did you do more long runs or like what was your longest run between those two to sort of help regain that endurance? My longest run was actually not planned with Jess the week before.
00:04:10
Speaker
and Why does that not surprise me? um and We were on a lovely run around Serenia Marysville and with its the GPS, the map we were following was five miles. just so that She literally just said, this is a lovely run. We didn't know where we were going and then Jess was like, we should have turned there and then we got back to it and I was like, there's not a trailer.
00:04:33
Speaker
yeah There's nothing there. ah So I did 21K but what had but what i have What I have done between is a couple of, I've incorporated a session and my long run together. Okay.
00:04:50
Speaker
And they've been around 20 years. So no, my long runs haven't been longer. item But I think just getting in more of that base work is something I respond really well to. So I think nailing that, whereas maybe a little bit before Cosi, I was like, oh, right, so I've Now I'm building, so then I should try and run a bit quicker and run quicker and maybe shorter.
00:05:13
Speaker
And actually, i think just going back to threshold work and temporal work is... Yeah, I think it's really better. Yeah, yeah, makes sense. at you Getting all the training in each week is the most important part um as opposed to how that training looks. Then within those sessions and those long runs, um how has it felt like how does it work combining feeding Margot, getting the sessions done, nutrition for all that? What's the differences between to previous versus now to get through that and make that feel good and then to finish that question off how did that feel or work during the well two bays especially but the longer races is there any differences you've had to change there um i think it's i feel like i've always been pretty good with nutrition but it's just making sure i get enough in um and then i mean it's very different at the minute because margot um
00:06:13
Speaker
refuses a bottle so she um it's it's like trying to get your timing right and also has that not being a stress to be away from her for too long um so people being on time like Brodie um for training has really helped and he actually has been oh good isn't you but yeah like around the races and like with Lachie's help um just make sure she's fed before. So two days at the weekend.
00:06:46
Speaker
I mean, even because each, I actually turned up and then I get in the car and I feed her and then I go warm up. And yeah, I think there's a big difference is hydration. I finished yesterday Sim was there and I was like, I need a drink. I ran out, I took a litre and I was like, it wasn't even a hot day.
00:07:07
Speaker
um so yeah, being... my search i You know, that makes sense. It's a good motivation to get back quick. You're just like, no, I need to get back so I can rehydrate so I can feed my daughter. um That's a damn good reason to make sure the time doesn't blow out. I love it.
00:07:26
Speaker
um Okay, then this brings me to what was our listener question that was sent in by ah me scrolling. Thanks, James, for putting this together. um From...
00:07:39
Speaker
Rory Crowley has said, this is all the context on the question. So Kate has a unique perspective in that she has had three wins at two base. The difference with this win in particular is that it came pretty soon after her pregnancy. I would love to know if this win felt more difficult for her compared to the previous wins. um Like was the race itself more challenging? Did it feel tougher on the but on your body?
00:08:02
Speaker
or was any aspect of the race itself different compared to the previous wins? Yeah. So if I go through the three of them, the first one felt pretty good. um That's where I met you two as we've been involved. was going say that's when the three of us were on the podium of that one. and Yeah, no, that felt pretty good. I was um getting ready for my first 50k in New Zealand. So that was a nice build race. I felt confident from that.
00:08:33
Speaker
I felt good. I felt good well. The win last year, ah I did not feel good. i was 15, 16 weeks pregnant.
00:08:44
Speaker
ah I felt awful. um and then, this not i I felt good, but this time I felt conservative. um I felt like I didn't have the confidence to be pushing in areas that I would have in the past. um But I finished, like obviously I worked very hard.
00:09:07
Speaker
um But, yeah, I finished feeling strong and good. So this is very – two bases were worlds apart from Cosi.
00:09:18
Speaker
Cosi was awful. I didn't feel like myself. And even, like, in the races leading up to that as well, like, yes, I didn't run bad at any of them, but I just didn't feel like me.
00:09:34
Speaker
I didn't feel – um Like I had the endurance, I didn't feel overly strong, um and it was more of a slog to get the races done.
00:09:48
Speaker
So two days, it's nice to finish and be like, Oh, felt good. And for context for everyone listening, when Kate says that she went out conservative, um how do you compare your approach to this one then to I know you didn't win the time you ran 201.11 and you came second that year, but how do you compare how you felt in both of like you were 30 seconds different? You were like 35 seconds off your fastest time, third fastest time ever on the course this year. And you're saying I didn't push at certain parts and I was feeling conservative. But then how does that compare to your the time you did run slightly faster, albeit really not that much?
00:10:29
Speaker
You're not far off your best. Yeah, so that time, no i I pushed it. I pushed in every – I wouldn't have said that I felt like held back at any point in that race. Like I just ran hard. I was chasing. So I didn't feel like I let up there.
00:10:44
Speaker
So, yeah, I need the chair and I'm doing it for working. but I reckon mum's strength is kicking in hard. I did say to Jess, was like, I'm waiting for that to kick in.
00:10:56
Speaker
oh I was like, I think it's already kicking in.
00:11:01
Speaker
I reckon. oh I was seeing your training already, woman. It was like it's there, it's just when does it kick in in a race? um yeah And, yeah, the speed. Honestly, I was i was working medic at two bays yesterday and so I was trying to track everyone coming along. And you don't get a huge amount of information but we get little bits. And so all I got was that lead female is through Bonio Road at an hour 38.
00:11:27
Speaker
And I went, awesome, because you are at your best. You're then making it in under two hours. In my head, no one can debate that because I'm just like, that gives you 22 minutes to cover the last five a minute and a bit, Kay, which i I'm going to say you're you're capable of almost all the time.
00:11:48
Speaker
car But that that was the only part where I was like, okay, Kate, not maybe six months post-pregnancy, maybe next year, she hits Boney O'Rod at that time and she's coming in under two hours because that's a that's a big enough gap. um And that was where I was literally standing at the finish watching the clock going, is it going to happen? Because I was ready to scream um if you came around that corner and it was going to be just under. um But then And 201, 46 was still just like, and and as soon as you hit Bonio Road where you hit Bonio Road, I was like, no, she's got a ah bloody fast time going on here. But I think the best part was seeing you come across the line and you were smiling and you were running strong. And it was just this moment of going, yep, okay, she's back.
00:12:33
Speaker
How does it feel now the next day? Like A, how's the body? And B, like what does that make you feel for sort of the next few months or what's ahead?
00:12:44
Speaker
It definitely makes me feel better about planning ahead. feel like I've been like, oh, yeah, I'll do this race. And even after cosy, I was like, oh, I don't know if I'm going to do two years.
00:12:57
Speaker
I don't want to race again feeling like that. Yeah. So, yes, i think it just gives you a bit more confidence to build the season now going forward and it's my body feeling, I feel pretty sore, you know.
00:13:12
Speaker
and Fair. Fair. But going into yesterday, like yesterday morning, if I told you you were going to run 201.46, like would you have expected that? Was it within yourself at all? No, I didn't think I'd run that quick.
00:13:26
Speaker
Yeah. um Yeah, i feel like, I just, and also just love that course. So I feel like I said to myself before, whatever anyone else is doing, like I'm just going to try and ruin my own race.
00:13:38
Speaker
I'm going to try and enjoy it, not try and, yeah, have a death march in like cozy. Which I think I achieved. and I enjoy, like when she gets into Green's Bush and a single track and then when she gets past going on a road and it opens up, was just like, okay.
00:13:57
Speaker
Did you have some guys to chase? Like were there people around you? Ah, yeah. You had one of those ones. I've had those ones at two days. It gets lonely. was like, I mean, I still very much enjoyed it, but somebody, one guy came past me like at the start of Greensbush and then i caught him back up in the last section and that was it. And then somebody,
00:14:20
Speaker
flew past me in the last 100 meters. Oh, yeah, I saw that actually. I was like, don't ruin her finish. Don't ruin the finish because they're trying to get there with the finish tape. And I was like, okay, Kate, just ease off a second. Run through the tape. Don't do the whole like where there's a guy and you running through the tape at the same time. No, I was like, you got that.
00:14:40
Speaker
It's like, you go. You go have fun. um Yeah, I love that. No, yeah, two bays I find can be a ah deceptive one in that way where I had what actually felt like a really bad run in the end because I did not see a soul from the entrance to Greens Bush to the finish. Like just no one.
00:14:54
Speaker
I did see a giant kangaroo in my path. Oh, that's beautiful. And it's the first time. And it was single trap. So when I've run there before just on a training room, I've had to stop because I've shouted at the kangaroos and I've like kind of got near them and they've not moved.
00:15:09
Speaker
And I was, thankfully, this is huge. Yeah, they get big. um Thankfully, he just like bounced off. But then whenever I heard like a rustle, because it was windy, I was like, is that kangaroo? He's coming back for me.
00:15:25
Speaker
Yeah, apparently there was an instance of a kangaroo, I think a smaller one, getting spooked by runners, but then jumping along the trail ahead of them for quite a bit. ah um as if they were kind of chasing it. And I'm like, oh, you poor little thing. um i don't know why. I don't think I've ever seen Ruse there during a race. So ah interesting that, I don't know, multiple people saw them this year. But overall, hate it was an epic run. Conditions were good for the 28, although I will say that sounds like this um course was quite sandy because of the hot weather previously. Like that course really does pack down if it's been raining and it gets quite soft underfoot if it's been hot um So it does make a big difference there. But thankfully the heat didn't pick up. It was hot for the 56s that were sort of mid-backpack and probably even front, to be fair, um or hot enough. um Which brings me to the results overall. So obviously we've already touched on Kate winning the 28K on the female. And then second was Sarah Howe.
00:16:28
Speaker
ah and then third, Amy Hessel. ah there Did you say that what someone took off faster than you at the start, Kate? So there was some difference? She was leading the men.
00:16:42
Speaker
ah the and i feel like I get out in races pretty well. And then, yeah, she off. was like. Love that. Love the, love the, uh, have a crack. Um, however, if it's your first crack at two bays, I think that people so quickly realize that, that if you go too hard up and down that hill, you're really going to struggle later. Um, but she still ran incredibly well to 11,
00:17:07
Speaker
um And I haven't seen her at Two Bays before. I'm not entirely sure if it's her debut there, but um yes amy i know has yeah Amy I know has been there quite a bit, so it's good to see her up there on the podium.
00:17:19
Speaker
On the men's side, this one was nice and close. um And again, it was a case of we weren't getting names of who was in front. We just knew that it was close enough. um And it was won by Toby Sparks, which is was awesome to see, but he was 147.07.
00:17:36
Speaker
And then Michael Tosin, who ah believe came fourth last year, um hit then came second in 147-18. and then Curtis Scott in one fifty twenty five which that's another good run because Michael Kernaghan was there in fourth ah in one fifty fifty And just for more context, James Lavin came Ended up coming sixth in 156.41. Now he is the course record holder at 142. So I'm not, i don't have context on whether some, like they went out hard and some of them faded or um I probably could have asked Toby, i had to chat to him at the end, but I didn't actually ask how the race went. So bad journalism by me. um
00:18:20
Speaker
But that just gives some context on the field that was going there because it was a pretty hot field. Um, and it was close at the front in the end cause it was what, 10 seconds. So it was a nice, good sprint finish in for Toby. Um, however, I did love that he said at the finish line in his interview, he's like, yeah, I had a, I had a Michael, but not the Michael I expected chasing me.
00:18:42
Speaker
um Because i've ah so he was probably expecting Michael Kernaghan. So Ripper Run by Michael Tossin for second in that one. And then we had the 56, which was so much fun to follow for so many reasons. um It was...
00:19:00
Speaker
I'll start with in the men in the end, Corey Milner got the win ah in 4 hours 14, Tom Dade second male in 4 hours 21 and Josh Goding third in 4 hours 31. Now I do know Rhys Edwards who ended up ah fourth in 4 hours 37 was leading it halfway but I think there was there was not much of a gap.
00:19:23
Speaker
um Like I think he might have been a minute ahead or so. however Caitlin Fielder was in town and running this race, which was very exciting. And at halfway, i just remember seeing she was in fourth, fifth overall. i think she had four four men ahead of her, but not far um because they came through halfway at about 2.01 and she came through in a very quick time of 2.04. For context, ah the course record, which was run by Lucy Bartholomew in 2018, she came through halfway at about two hours, 10. So already at halfway, I was looking at it and going, okay, well, we all know Caitlin's an incredibly good runner, but it was like, okay, Caitlin's here to
00:20:07
Speaker
run hard and also in shape looking good for Tara Weirra um also the thing that excited me is if Caitlin is the back-end queen of races so she absolutely knows how to chomp down on nutrition if you want someone to follow that has some epic nutrition stats uh check her out on Instagram because she I don't know how she gets down as much as she does but she's incredible she has guts of steel I reckon um and I was kind of watching it going, can she get the overall win? Like there was just part of me going, this would be
00:20:43
Speaker
epic. And then over the second course of the second half, this was the one race for whatever reason where names were getting fed to the finish line via text message strain streams to the MC. um And so it became pretty obvious fairly soon after halfway that Rhys Edwards had dropped off. um And so then it was Corey, Josh and Tom in the area, but pretty I can't remember at what point, um but Caitlin slowly moved up into third overall and then by, definitely by Bonio Road, she was in, or was it by Bonio? Yeah, think so. Yeah. yeah
00:21:21
Speaker
Ends up in second overall ah in four hours, 1721, which for context, previous course record, four hours, 33, I'm not sure on the seconds, but four hours, 33 something. um So what's that, 16 minutes or so off the course record, which very impressive. Comes across the line looking like a million bucks. um And I did ask her at the finish whether she knew Corey was only ah three minutes up the road and she said she had no idea she'd never seen him. She kind of wishes she had. um So ah that gives you some, like she was just happy to chat on the finish line. She was looking good. I was like, okay, our woman is looking good for Tarawera because that was a very good run and very cute finish with, I'm not in, I don't know if it's a relative
00:22:13
Speaker
niece something but she said the little girl she had with her was gorgeous um that she was across the finish line with I will say it was interesting seeing a few people on the two base Facebook mistake that for her child and say she was inspiring mothers everywhere and I was a bit like oh no no wrong idea people Not yet, exactly. Not at them not at this point.
00:22:37
Speaker
um So yes, that was just incredibly fun to follow along as Caitlin, as I knew she would, just picked off people as she came through um in the back end of the race. And then in second place, someone who I was also following closely and very excited to see on the start line was Anna McKenna, running four hours 39. And this was her first race, I think in about 11 months I think she was saying.
00:23:02
Speaker
And she I chatted to her very briefly on the finish and she said it was very hard but she was all smiles um because I did tell her on the start line, I'm like, just you have to enjoy this, please. Like don't make this a s suffer fest. So it looks like she ran very well um and came home. She was doing that in the middle of the training block as well. for Oh, really? Yeah, she's had a pretty decent week into it. Yeah, she's training for I don't care. Also the same weekend as Tarawa. Oh, okay. Which 100K? Is it one of the canyons? i don't know where it is. There's black canyons and then canyons. I don't know what the difference is. ah
00:23:39
Speaker
Yeah, i'm I'm with you. There's a few that are called stuff like that and I'm like, ah, one of them. So I'm assuming that's a – I think it's near Phoenix. That'd be a golden ticket race? Yes, I believe so. Maybe? Okay. Yes, and a good training block. So I think it's a very impressive run for weekend. Very much. looked Yeah. Yeah, very much so. um And normally that time would win.
00:24:05
Speaker
But when you've got Caitlin Fielder also there, um that makes life a bit hard on that front. um And then in third place was Michaela Gray in 5 Hours 22 to round out that podium.
00:24:20
Speaker
um It was also interesting to see, this is just complete side note. Have you guys ever seen the book or read the book Fit Not Healthy? Yeah, there was someone else that pointed this out to me on the start line. um But the author of that book, Vanessa Alford, was there running the 56 and came fifth. oh That is a complete side note, but for anyone that does know the book, um pretty cool. There was someone on the start line with me. They're like, I've read that book like five times. She's right there.
00:24:44
Speaker
um So, ah little and then there was there was a comedian or something in the 28 as well. Honestly, there was a few people coming out of the woodwork. But, yeah, it was a very cool day. um Good conditions all around. no lot No being cancelled for lightning or anything, which I must say as a medic was a relief because too it's... Do you know what happened to Rhys Edwards? Honestly, he he just came across the line looking like it overcooked it um because he still finished. Like he was still... yeah it it was I didn't get a chance to chat to him either though because he was pretty quick off ah through the line and away. um but
00:25:18
Speaker
um Yeah, like it um and I just say that in the way that he didn't look injured, he didn't look broken in any way other than he was moving slower than you would certainly expect Reece to move. um So where they I don't know what issues he had out there. I would have to try and get some context on that. um But, yeah, just wasn't his day, unfortunately, which...
00:25:39
Speaker
Yeah, it's a bummer because I still want to see someone break a guy break four hours on that course. Like when a course record, similar for the women's being two hours and 10 seconds, but the men's 56, it's like four hours and 30 seconds. And it's just like, come on, someone, someone get there um at some point, please. But um I think you already know it halfway of two bays 56 because the 56K is quite a lot easier on the way out underfoot. And so it's quite a lot faster the first half. So you know that they're going to lose time in the second half um compared to their halfway split, not just for the distance, but for the slight difference in terrain and courses. So um it's I do like it that way. You can kind of figure out where people are going to end up from their halfway split. But yes, another beautiful two bays trail run complete and another win for Kate. You're still starting to stack them back up there.
00:26:35
Speaker
um Kate, so do you have, like I know you just said it makes you a bit more confident to plan, but do you have anything on the horizon? and I'm going to do um one of the trails course events at Wilson's Prom.
00:26:49
Speaker
Oh, nice. Because, well, I just have always wanted to go there. um And then Kilcunda, I think is how you pronounce it. Yeah. It's one of the Ringwild events.
00:27:02
Speaker
Yeah, Kilcunda Half Marathon. Yeah. So I'm going to do them too and decide from there. i well I do have an entry for UCA 50. See how you go. But that also, yeah, I drop it down to the 20, but 50 in the minute.
00:27:19
Speaker
movement it And in like in like an ideal world, like what does this year look like? Is it just regaining confidence? Do you actually, do you have something you're working towards at the end of the year or? and No, im not right now. um I plan to go over to Europe to see family and Othie's going to work there for a little bit. So then I'll try and do some races, but okay we don't have exact dates. i haven't picked any. But yeah, I'm not doing UTMB this year.
00:27:52
Speaker
yeah I just, I don't want to put the work in yet. Like, sit no, I am putting the work in, but I don't want to do what's required, I feel, to run well at RCC. Yeah.
00:28:04
Speaker
No, that makes total sense. I hear you. It's a different kettle of fish to two days. Yeah, this year just, yeah, I'm not willing to do that with my book, so.
00:28:15
Speaker
Yeah, fair, fair. um Mentioning that though, I feel like this comes onto one of our topics of the week um that were we were going to bring up, but since we're already there and you're talking about possibly doing UTA but not doing UTMB for this year, um Kate, I don't think you've seen the new UTMB policy on carbon offset. Have you at all? No, I haven't yet.
00:28:40
Speaker
No. Okay. So I'm going to give people a quick rundown and then you can give your ah thoughts and we're going to hear Kate's thoughts fresh. I've had a quick look and honestly, i'm I'm not yet sure what it means, what to think entirely, but essentially what's been announced is that from this year, 2026, UTMB has introduced a mandatory mandatory carbon contribution for all runners.
00:29:05
Speaker
So it's applied at your registration and adds to your registration fee and it's calculated using your declared home address and your primary transport mode with the carbon priced at €25 per Now, I believe from Australia that then means your um your entry fee will increase by either by €100 to €130 to enter the race, as which then ah and do the carbon offset. um So for context, yeah France it's like 1 euro to 10 euros, UK, Italy, Spain about up to 20 euros, 45 70 euros, Asia to euros, South America and then us lucky Aussies to euros
00:29:53
Speaker
added to our price um And those variations are like for mode of transport. so I think when I looked at it, train was the cheapest or like express train um in Europe and then driving and then flying was like the most expensive Yeah, which we don't have much of an option on that front.
00:30:16
Speaker
um We will be flying. yeah So here's some of the just details, rules and enforcement. Like if your registration is cancelled, then the fee, this carbon offset is refund fully refunded. um If a runner arrives in Europe six plus weeks before the event, so for a full six weeks before, they may declare a European start point. But if your arrival is within six weeks, then your home country must be used.
00:30:42
Speaker
ah There's no adjustments if your travel plans change and apparently UTMB may conduct random checks and requests for address or travel proof. Thoughts at this point, Kate? was this When you entered the race last year, did this option come up? Yes, this was optional in 2025 and now mandatory in 2026. Not quite sure I should say my opinion.
00:31:07
Speaker
Fair, fair. I think there'll be a few people with you. um I feel like for such a big company, to put the expense on the participants is...
00:31:20
Speaker
possibly not the fairest. um I think if it was, you know, like a small, like local race and they want to do something like that, I'm all for it. But they even have, like, I just, I mean, I could be wrong.
00:31:37
Speaker
Someone could tell me I'm wrong. I feel like this is a massive global company that aren't struggling. Like I'm going to agree with you there and yeah I feel so for me one of the biggest points here is that um there's a lot of things going around going on in trail to try and improve sort of the global nature of it or like the inclusivity of all areas of the world. um It has been quite a Eurocentric sport and um maybe America too but in like the whole inclusivity thing. So for me
00:32:11
Speaker
I guess the biggest point for me is like I love the fact that they're trying to address carbon or like putting it at the top of the sort of people's minds in a way or trying to address global global warming, all of the things that come from the offset. Love love that that's a kind ah topic of conversation.
00:32:26
Speaker
But the fact that there's sort of this geographic penalty that happens where depending on where you live, you kind of are penalized even more so. Like if someone lives in France and travel, I get that there's, there's a or Spain, like I get that there's less of a ah carbon emission associated with them traveling to the race, but it's already quite cheap for them to do.
00:32:51
Speaker
And we're coming at this from the Aussies where it already is astronomically expensive to attend this race. You not only have the fact that it is quite like it's a decently expensive race to enter, we have to pay for the flights to Europe and then all the costs associated with that and the accommodation. And so it's kind of like this whole adding a whole extra, 130 euro, what's that, 250-ish Aussie bucks at this point. Yeah.
00:33:20
Speaker
um it's you know Sorry, does it say what they're going to do with the money? It says like emissions reduction projects. So whether they're actually running the projects themselves or they're just paying another company to run those projects. Yeah. yeah um For me, the yeah I guess the the whole mandatory nature of it as opposed to – like I've – There are many use very useful things and apps where you can calculate your personal carbon emissions for the year and then like pay a company or pay one of those programs to then offset your carbon for that year. Now, I've done this and it's something that I try to do as often as I can financially afford, which has been most of the time, thankfully.
00:34:06
Speaker
Now, I don't remember it. Like it's at least the programs ah that ah that are then I'm putting my numbers into, it's not adding up to quite as much as what they're saying in this one. That doesn't mean that it's not better to pay that little bit more or that I'm pricing things right. But that's been on me as an onus to kind of go I'm doing this so I want to do this and I can afford to do this. um The fact that it's mandatory, I don't know how much I like it.
00:34:33
Speaker
um ah and I don't know. it's Yeah, I feel like it, I mean, hopefully they're trying to do something good with it, but yeah, i feel like it being optional like it has been previously, maybe a better option for some people.
00:34:48
Speaker
Yeah, or or it's a case of kind of them doing some calculation, like them doing some calculations on then this is going to make other people more angry. I know it but from different countries and those sorts of things. But do the calculations on the overall carbon thing and just share it equally. Like make it equitable to everyone that's entering the race. like I don't think people are going to go for that.
00:35:11
Speaker
I know they're not going to go for that, but, you know, like it's but that's just part of me going just, oh, it's thoughts are stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one because it's very, like ethics a good of it good on it, but then how uneven it is depending on where you live in the world, I feel like I could, and I don't know what effect this will have on UTMB, but in terms of participation from like global participation from different countries like do you think it will actually affect who would go and who wouldn't um probably i don't think too much because it's already an expensive event to grow to like with accommodation travel the entry um people probably and like some people it's once in a lifetime to do this like we get into
00:36:00
Speaker
um the battle of lottery, whatever you want to call it. So probably not, but I think just maybe doesn't sit so well. i mean, I haven't done, this is the first time hearing of it. I haven't done any research on it.
00:36:14
Speaker
I think it's like when it's such a big company, could they be like, oh, so we have this many people in our event, therefore we're going to give X amount of money to a company that's going to do this project anyway.
00:36:29
Speaker
And it comes from them. rather than the participants. Yeah. Part of my question is kind of is there ways, like have they exhausted and I suppose it would, yes, it's always better to then approach both at both avenues, which I hope and I think they are, but it's like what ways can you just to reduce the emissions of the event itself um to then have possibly an even bigger effect than wherever this money is going? um And then, yeah, like thank you, James, for giving us a list of questions that I know James would be asking everyone if he was on this podcast right now. um But he's got the like why offsets instead of entry caps um or having the like final, like these finals because they're the final, as regional.
00:37:18
Speaker
Now kind of almost have regional finals in the course in the form of majors in a way. was just saying majors, yeah. Yeah, um but yeah, the entry caps is a good question, partly because that's already a question of like some people's experience at UTMB is pretty horrible because of the just lines of people on the trail. um Now this is going to be a... It is capped, right?
00:37:42
Speaker
It's capped, um but like... you could have a very similar carbon emission effect by taking a hundred runners off each front one. Like, and I'm not saying that's a perfect number of a hundred, but like reducing that a little bit, then obviously reduces the number of people coming, which reduces the emissions of the event sort of thing. So, and people are already kind of going, well, it's, it's,
00:38:08
Speaker
there's too many people in these races. That's as something I hear every year that some people will bring up. um And we don't get to experience that necessarily as being at the front of these races. But if you're further back, I've spoken to many people where they just go kind of, yes, it's a once in a lifetime thing, but also never again.
00:38:25
Speaker
um And that's to do with the number of people in the race. Now, that's never a perfect fix anyway, because it's like there's so many people that want to do the race. So yeah, I don't know There's many things there, but that is a a genuine question of like, well, if you reduce the number of people paying entry fees and therefore increase the experience level of the people there, you also are having a similar effect. Yeah.
00:38:46
Speaker
And then what's the, oh, is it climate leadership or reputational risk management? So is it that they actually care about the environment or they care about their reputation, which?
00:38:58
Speaker
i mean, we don't know the answer to that, do We don't know. Don't know. Never going to know the answers to those sorts of questions. Oh, yeah. was just going to say that one of these things, isn't it? Are they trying to help, like,
00:39:12
Speaker
The offset of the events or is it? I don't know. No, no, I get what, like, what you, like there's critics every year going, this is horrible for the environment. And that's one of the biggest critics of all of the big trail races. um We live in this, where we're in a sport where we have this conundrum of going, we love the environment. It's our playground. We all want to experience these things and there's that consumerism meets trail running where it's like, hey, if too many of us consume this, we're going to destroy the ability to do it.
00:39:41
Speaker
um That's just the reality of the sport we're in, which is kind of like there's always going to be then pros and cons. um Now I will say like I have an entry to UTMB this year. I'm not going.
00:39:55
Speaker
I don't like and ah to CCC but it's that's personal choice of – now having been at quite a few big races and going, I like my small ones um or smaller ones. And I'm personally, there's lots of other, I will be in Europe at the time, but I'm going to be racing other things that I enjoy more sort of thing. Um, that being said, like it is the race for some people.
00:40:18
Speaker
Um, Yeah, I guess like it's always been seen as like the pinnacle of the sport. um Even like when you compare it to Worlds, like how it is at the moment, like there's just more elite people going there because brands are more interested in it.
00:40:32
Speaker
um But I guess maybe it's reaching the point where it's like it's just not sustainable for like every everyone to be flying around the world um for that event. But then, I mean, you think of like the Olympics and all of that, it's kind of similar, but I guess maybe the fact that this is happening every year, it's like maybe that's the issue. There's there's there's major events of every sport every year. Yeah.
00:40:57
Speaker
The number, I wonder do what the numbers would look like. You should come back around to this. back around to this. Because like the Olympics instead of everyone flies through, Worlds isn't like the Olympics or the commies because it's just one, it'd just be their one sport, wouldn't it?
00:41:17
Speaker
Whereas like the Olympics is, all the sports and commies is probably a bit smaller, but it's still all the sports that people have to travel to. whereas I'm interested in the numbers because the numbers are huge for you, CMV, right?
00:41:31
Speaker
Oh, for like participants, yeah, there's thousands and thousands. um I don't, ah we could probably look it up, but like, it's a yes, it's a very, very big, event and big race, which does set it apart. then But then there's like part of me just just then look at and go, well, you've got AFL footballers in Oz flying every bloody week. You've got the NBA basketballers flying left, right and centre all over the America. And then even you look at the NCAA system, they're flying everywhere. It's just, I don't know, I feel like some sports people look at and go, well, yeah, the whole team's got to fly. So they've got their private jet and they're doing their things and it's just not even a question. But then being in trail running, you fly somewhere and people go, oh, did you have to?
00:42:13
Speaker
And ah like it's something I've observed from afar for quite a while and just gone. But I know business people that live in Melbourne and commute to Sydney every day or weekend. And I'm just like, because people have asked, they're like, oh how do you feel about flying so much? And I'm just like, i I get it. I fly a bit, but I'm also forever trying to minimize it as much as possible.
00:42:35
Speaker
And I'm like, no one's asking that businessman why he's flying so bloody much and why he lives in a different state to where he works. And it's just this whole thing I get a little angry where I'm just like, you're asking the people that care, like why they're doing this while ignoring the people that don't care.
00:42:54
Speaker
Or like, depending on what sport you play, oh, that's fine. But if you're in trail running, oh, but you you use the environment. So like you should care, so you shouldn't do this. And I don't know, it gets it gets my hackles up a little bit um because yeah i'm like the world's an odd place to live in.
00:43:13
Speaker
It's a very odd, like it's hard to navigate. um And yeah, this just is another thing where I'm just like, do you see others, like, and I love this about trail running where this is a topic and this is what we care about. that's That's the sort of conundrum of the whole thing. But do you see other sports kind of doing this sort of thing?
00:43:31
Speaker
like And then people caring or questioning? I don't know. It's like, i ah like ah and that's not saying that we're doing the wrong thing. That's more saying just, hey, people, why is everyone else not doing this? And then it then it would be normal and then everyone would expect it and no one would question it.
00:43:46
Speaker
um So, yeah, it's an interesting turn. I'll be very interested to see where it moves and, like, if other events start doing similar things or, whether whether it sticks around um and sort of future years, what happens, and even if it does at all affect UTMB this year, like what changes does it make um both in the event itself but public perception?
00:44:10
Speaker
Like there's many, many questions because it's only just been announced, but we're at the start of what might be a shift. I don't know. um Yeah.
00:44:21
Speaker
Interesting times. If anyone wants to chime in on this conversation, feel free to message us through your thoughts because then we can sort of, it can not just be ours that we air but, um, yeah Yeah, a very big event that did happen sort of this week. And also the best course of fourth air best source of information is always the UTMB website where they'll actually tell you, like it has all of the details. So we may not have got everything perfect. Go look it up. Definitely not. I've got everything perfect. Yeah. No, not at all. Not at all.
00:44:56
Speaker
me So, yeah, go have some reads, form your own opinions and yeah give us your thoughts if you if you want to on ah on Instagram. um Which one other quick ah piece of news, and I feel like this happens every year at Valencia 10K, we see a bunch of trail runners pop out a fast 10K. Have you seen any of these results, Kate?
00:45:18
Speaker
um No, I've seen some friends from home, what what they've done, butt it But Roadrunners and Caprunners haven't seen on the show. Yeah, nice. nice Okay. um Well, I've got the list, but Jess, did any of these stand out to you since you've got the list in front of you too?
00:45:39
Speaker
ah Yeah, I mean, I probably only noticed the ones that I follow on Instagram. So, Sarah Alonso going sub 33, which is pretty big. And then I don't know how to pronounce her name, but um one of – I think she won the um Classic at the World Champs. um yeah She didn't win, right but she was up there. She – Yeah.
00:46:06
Speaker
She was on the podium, I think. um Yeah, Aria Liarchi is her name. their team i From Switzerland. um And then terre Teresa Hruchova, I think is how you might pronounce it.
00:46:23
Speaker
um She was also, so this was an interesting one. she's She looks like she's a pro- um marathon road runner for Puma, but then she also was at World Champs in the short trail.
00:46:34
Speaker
um Was in third place for quite a while, ended up 21st, I believe, from my brief research. But yeah, she ran 31.02, which which is fast um And Rosa Lara, ah who has been storming through the Golden Trail last year, she ran, yeah, 33-34 on the men's, the major standout. Andrew Blanes, who people may know from, um did he win? He won Ciesanile.
00:47:04
Speaker
I am fairly sure, ah but wast ah is an orienteer and trail runner, 27.47, which bloody fast. And Joey Hadorn, who runs for Solomon, was in the Golden Trail series last year, 28.20. And honestly, there's then just a bunch of people that have all like – around 30 minutes and they're all trail specialists like Jan Torella's in there at 30.06. So it's just one that stood out um in terms of I feel like every year we see trail runners in the trail running European off-season pump out some incredible 10Ks and half marathons that I forever end up looking at and going, oh my goodness. It's such quick course though. For whatever reason that every year at Valencia somebody comes out and runs records.
00:47:53
Speaker
Yeah, true. there is There is also a video circulating of a large pack of people running very fast, cutting a corner by quite a bit, um like going up going off the road up onto the pavement and ah cutting the corner. But it was like a whole pack of like 30. We'll do it. It's fine. I i know. it It was on um official, unofficial time, um like the Instagram that's going after people that post di wrong times, et cetera, et cetera. But they ah it'll check their story and there's a very interesting video. There's like one guy of this whole pack that stays on the road and everyone else just up through like all the poles for the like there road signs and crap. it was It's an interesting watch. I'm like, how, what, why? Anyways. Yeah.
00:48:39
Speaker
i So I don't know if that will affect anything. But, yes, very quick racing um on that side. I'm sorry. I'm going to go. she She's crying. and She definitely does. Awesome. Well, then, at the moment, we're going to say goodbye to Kate so she can go feed the little Margot.
00:48:56
Speaker
That is A-OK. Thanks for having me. Thanks, Kate. Thank you for joining us and congrats again on yesterday. Keep recovering. Thank you. Bye. Yeah, congratulations. A quick break in the show to thank Bix. Bix has just come out with their 30 gram gel in two brand new flavors. This is a new gel, new flavors. You've got the choice of the salted strawberry or the berry. The salted strawberry is also packing 300 milligrams of sodium as an increase, whereas the berry has 200 milligrams. Both make them perfect for the conditions we have in Australia, whereas most gels on the market do not have sodium within them. What Bix has done here is take the recipe for the gels that work so well, that 1.8 ratio that is very, very friendly on the stomach and added a soft, subtle, but very tasty twist that you can dial in your race day and your training nutrition to that extra fine detail. As you know, bix has been supporting the show from the start and it literally helps keep the podcast coming to you every week. So if you want to support the show, level up your own nutrition game, head over to the Bix website, use our brand new code PEAK, P-E-A-K for 20% off at checkout. And with that, let's get back to the show.
00:50:02
Speaker
Awesome. Well, just to keep flowing on through Jess, the last little bit that James has chucked us for a news for the week, he's found an app called Run Fund App, which is a fan-funded prize purse platform with 100% of contribution going to athletes.
00:50:19
Speaker
And it's trying to fund like, this is in the US, I believe, but it's trying to fund like you prize money for some races I'm assuming where they have none. um But it's an interesting thought of going, so it equals but Equal Split Men's and Women's, they've they've funded some FKT attempts as well.
00:50:37
Speaker
um But I don't know what he means by US 1K top three, 5K top five, but either way, um something called the Run Fund app. The thought there is, what are your thoughts on like fans ah funding prize money?
00:50:52
Speaker
I think it's probably a good move for the sport. Like I think um in a way like other sports do that um in a roundabout way. Like when people pay for like memberships and things like that, like in AFL, um I guess that money kind of trickles down back into the clubs.
00:51:10
Speaker
um So I don't think it's a bad a bad thing. I think it's probably like a good way to keep boosting up the sport and the um like for the elites as well, like making it a bit more lucrative for them to go kind of like full-time athlete.
00:51:25
Speaker
Yeah, like i'm I'm with you. It's kind of this way you can go as if you're a fan of the sport, it's it is a way you can kind of look at it and go, well, I'm supporting the people that are so performing in these fields or like that you want to see race. i I'm just looking on their website right now. It looks like they've currently got like 1,300 US in the pool for Black Canyon 100K. There's another one, I've never heard of it, Miwok 100K that's got another,
00:51:56
Speaker
um thousand and fifteen Oh, I see what he means. So there it looks like if they get ah US dollars a thousand, the prize money goes down to top three. If they end up with a pool of 5,000, it goes to top five. And if they end up with a pool of 20,000, it goes to top 10.
00:52:14
Speaker
um So it's just looking like, yeah, that is then shared male, female and equally across Australia. Yeah, I don't know how to work. I'm going to be interested to see like track how this goes because I feel like if it if it works in the US, very cool. If it doesn't work in the US, will it work anywhere else?
00:52:35
Speaker
Unsure? Yes. Yeah, it'd be a good test case um for whether it works over there. All the luck to them, honestly, if it does work. um it's Part of me goes, yeah, unsure because if people really want to support athletes, they can probably, like there's many ways you can support an individual athlete um if you wanted to, but I guess it's for people that really want in competitive races to follow because it is the case that bigger prize money will make a more...
00:53:07
Speaker
interesting competitive race um as it goes but historically yeah prize money's come from sponsors of races and race entry fees etc so yeah watch this space essentially on run fund app we'll see we'll try and keep track of how that all looks um now jess i haven't caught up with you and i know this is a bit roundabout but i knew kate needed to leave at some point and i want to hear how you're going so just quickly fill me in my woman yeah um Yeah, so I guess I've really been on the podcast for a while. um
00:53:41
Speaker
but yeah, after Cozzy, I decided to have a bit of a break. I think I was like pretty burnt out, mostly mentally, but probably like physically as well. um Just last year was massive. I did I think it was like four races that were like 45 to 50K, which for me is probably a bit too much. um So, yeah, it definitely took some learnings from the year. I feel like it was a bit of ah a bit of a disappointing year, to be honest. um
00:54:11
Speaker
Just I think I went in with like some pretty high expectations and that I didn't really meet and that was like, I don't know, it's just it takes a lot to recover from a race that's like 50k and then when it doesn't go well it it takes even longer because it's really hard mentally to like bounce back from that.
00:54:32
Speaker
um So yeah, I think I was pretty, feeling pretty down, um just needed a break and had two weeks off completely from running and then I've just been slowly getting back into it, um jogging and like a couple of very low-key sessions, um, and trying to incorporate some cycling again, which I'm actually really loving.
00:54:55
Speaker
Um, so yeah I'm just going to keep doing that for a while. i haven't really, i actually, I have locked in one race for this year. So talking about, um, that one, i think, yeah, I, I'm keen to do it. Like, I just want to see what it's all about. Um, I think I haven't been to the event before and,
00:55:15
Speaker
it just seems pretty cool. So I've got to experience it at some stage. um So I think, yeah, I think that'll be like my big race for the year. um And then around there, I'm just going to do like shorter races in Australia. um Yeah. I think like,
00:55:33
Speaker
Probably one of the other things that I didn't do very well was, like, picking some low-key races to do in between the big ones just to, like, get a bit of a confidence build up. So I'm going to try and do that again, just find some low-key races around Canberra. um Yeah, have some fun with it. Yeah, i try. Yeah.
00:55:54
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, try and have fun again. i think I definitely, like, chose races for the wrong reasons last year. Like, um I think because it was, like, my first I was under, like, my first kind of contract as a sponsored athlete and um i probably didn't make the best decisions where, like, I chose races for, like, the incentive rather than, like, the love of what I was doing.
00:56:19
Speaker
um So, yeah, I think I'm just going to, yeah, learn from that and, hopefully make some better decisions this year. It is a very tough transition to navigate of going um when it comes to sort of sponsorships and people supporting you and going, well, if I choose this race, then there's this possible outcome, which then has the trap of if you have a bad day on that race in particular, it's hard to switch into, I'm just going to enjoy this mindset because you kind of see what you could have had disappearing off into the distance. Yeah.
00:56:50
Speaker
um which can really then, like it it it'll affect you. It can affect, instead of looking, like I made the same similar mistake um of looking at things like bonuses or prize money or anything like that of kind of looking at them as, um,
00:57:06
Speaker
when I enter a race, it's all and it's it's not this this way I'm looking at them, but it kind of subconsciously is where you kind of look at it and as you go, well, this is what I've got. And if I have a bad race, I lose it.
00:57:17
Speaker
As opposed to i have nothing and I just have ah i have a really cool opportunity to maybe get this. um It's that mindset of kind of, it's ah it's a subtle shift. Like obviously you're not standing on a start line going, yep, this is mine, but also it's kind of that number dangling across your head going, oh, but maybe. And then instead of being excited by that, it's almost this like pressure on your head um in a way. And so I know like and it does, it just drains you mentally ah during the race. It's like one thing goes wrong and you're like, oh, crap, like it's gone. Yeah.
00:57:55
Speaker
And then it's, as I said, like you can't switch off and just really enjoy the race and kind of jog it in going, yeah, it wasn't my day, but that's fine. We'll live to arise another day. You kind of spend the whole rest of the race in your head running, oh, but now I'm not getting anything out of this when really...
00:58:09
Speaker
You're still out there running. um it It really does shake you around a little bit. So it's a hate that you were there too, but I feel like it's very common um and also learning and working your way through that. For me, again, one of the biggest things is just enter races where there's no incentive, there's nothing to win, nothing to lose, and you're just there for the love of it and for the sport and just go do And even sometimes saying no to the bigger ones yeah and going, and and you almost feel better doing so. Like saying no to the big one and going, I'm going to go do this little one I know I'm going to love. Because at the end of the day, I started this sport because I loved it and I just want to do it. um
00:58:47
Speaker
And sometimes the coolest opportunities come out of doing that. So it's... I'm excited for you. I will say also just reframing last year in terms of what I saw from observation is just like one of your most consistent years. it's There was no injuries. There was like, yes, there was the ups and downs in racing and in form possibly. But even then, like, I feel like you were always entering these races capable. Just it's almost, it's very rare that a race fully goes your way.
00:59:16
Speaker
But we get caught in this mindset of watching someone else have the race of their life and going, oh, but why couldn't that be me today? Like, why did my body let me down today? um But I don't like you you had such a consistent year, which is then what those really good performances long term are built on, as opposed to battering your body into a really good couple of performances and crashing again and doing that cycle over and over, which I don't think anyone ever reaches their potential doing. But people do reach their potential having a couple of a boring year or two.
00:59:50
Speaker
And then going, well, now I have this such a big base that I can just build off that. um Because when was the last time you got through a whole year without any sort of major injuries or interruptions to training?
01:00:04
Speaker
Oh, yeah, like this is probably the first year that I didn't have like a niggle that put me out for three weeks. like um Because, yeah even 2024 I had that little shin thing that put me out for three weeks. So, yeah, first year of not being forced to have a break. And, yeah, I think I also like had to learn like when to decide to have a break as well. um So, yeah, I was happy to – Definitely happy to have that after Cozzy, but I think in hindsight, like I probably should have had it after Worlds.
01:00:38
Speaker
But, yeah, it's just constant learning. Yeah, like it's that trap of you've got something else on the calendar so you don't feel able to switch off um fully.
01:00:48
Speaker
But I think sometimes it just takes doing it once where like I'll never forget the first time where it's just like I did have something on the calendar, knew I needed a break, took a break, and then the next thing still went fine.
01:01:00
Speaker
And you just go, okay, so I don't actually just need to stay up in order for for me to do multiple things, even when I have something else looming um or feeling like it's looming. um Yeah, taking those breaks when when you need them as opposed to when the calendar seems to let you um is important for sure so I'm excited for you for this year like I think it's good yeah me too I think I've definitely grown as an athlete and yeah as you said like um finally built some consistency so I reckon that'll start to pay off oh it will
01:01:33
Speaker
a And just know that even if it, like for whatever reason, if something makes it so it doesn't pay off this year, like it will still pay off. um Like the number of times that you end up in a better place purely because you kept going and refused to go, this is too hard, I'm going to give up now.
01:01:53
Speaker
um like you you you get there ah like I've yet to see someone not get there if they stick with it so it's uh it's gonna be good it is yeah definitely gonna be good and um how have have you been going better yeah ah tentatively better um Like, no, actually actually quite a bit better in some ways. Like, amm the days of I can't get out of bed and I can't sit up right and I'm like do not feel human at all have mostly passed. um and
01:02:23
Speaker
Am I in that phase of having to like relearn limits again um and sort of try and push them without overpushing them? Like, I feel like it's a really – It's really annoying spot to be where you go, I'm trying to rebuild, but i I just have no idea how fast to do that, how slow to do that, what do. Now, I am taking the slow option. Like, I am not going to try and do this fast. I have been through, I've been to hell and back for the last four months and I'm not going back. so Yeah. um
01:02:54
Speaker
Yeah, like it's it's slow progress. That being said, i'm back up to about 30Ks a week. um I think I've done thirty ks i was looking at my Strava today actually and I'm The, it's been a long, I don't know if this is, well, when I started, but I don't know if it's ever been the case that my past 12 weeks, you know how it has the sort of kilometers on the side for the, for your whole graph, like the minimum maximum, like for the past 12 weeks, my maximum is up there at like 33 um ah To be fair, before that, I just didn't look, but it would have been lower. So I'm like, okay, we're building from nothing. But yeah, I've done i done four weeks now with like 30-ish Ks a week. And before that, there was three weeks at about 20.
01:03:41
Speaker
um before Before that, there was and nothing. Yeah. Are you training like a sprinter? so Sometimes, sometimes. So it was funny. I got into this phase of going, oh, no, this is kind of cool. I'm going to run my 400 PB, 800 PB and try and do all that. Yeah.
01:03:57
Speaker
I still will, but I got so sick of six by 200 meters with massive recovery. I was just like, nah, give me something different. So then thankfully Tim just started chucking me random things and it wasn't distances. It was like we're at Olympic Park and he goes, okay, go from each of the goalposts. They turned out to be like 80 to 100 meter reps. So even more sprinter like, but it is really fun to move fast. And I think it actually comes out that my parents were both sprinters. So I'm not, I can run, like I can run fast for a very short period. And I have this middle ground that probably starts at about 150, 200 and goes all the way to like Yeah. Where it's like, nah, that's all gray area. So I actually really like moving quick. So yes, I still have been, but I've been changing it up and trying to have some fun with it. Like last week, I finally, last week was what almost felt like a normal week of training. Like are my distances really low? Yes, it's three to sometimes maximum eight Ks now. Um, but on Tuesday I joined Kate and Katinka and Sophie Broom, um, all doing a session and it was haphazard. Like I jumped in for three of Sophie's 30 second reps and I jumped in, then just did some flat fast reps. Um, and then I tried to keep up with Kate, um, for as much as I could have, she was doing a session that I think it was like two by 1k and then um, so
01:05:28
Speaker
I know 1Ks were already quick, like 310, 312. And then she's like, I'm going to do a one. She was going to do two and she's like, I'm just going to do one. And I'm like, okay, I'm just going to buckle up behind you and see how long I can hold on for.
01:05:40
Speaker
um And I think I held on i found on for like just under 400 meters. But that was my longest rep in four months. um And it wasn't until after I realized that I was like, oh, my God, that felt like a long way. Like it wasn't slow because it's Kate. um yeah But also it was just like it felt easy until about 200 and then I was like, oh, no, my body doesn't know how to do this no more. um But I feel like that hopefully will come back quick because Friday I did – my first continuous session since the start of September, end of August. um And that was very simple. It was like I did one lap of Albert Park as one minute on and two minutes easy jog. yeah um And I had no idea what to expect. I will say when I first asked him for a continuous session, he went, oh, maybe three minutes on, three minutes off.
01:06:32
Speaker
And I looked at him and went, I think you need to basement level your expectations of me. um because I can't do that crap. So anyways, um I took off on the first minute and went, I don't know how this going to go. I'm kind of scared. And it was like 4.15s for a minute.
01:06:47
Speaker
And i was quite happy with that. was like, okay, cool. I haven't moved that quick like for a minute in other than the rep with Kate in quite a while. um And I was trying to get through a few of them. but then i So I went 4.15, 4.15, and then the third one felt harder and it was like four twenty And that's where, and I'm jogging the two minute breaks. I'm at like four, five 30 per K. Like ah I'm slow.
01:07:09
Speaker
And there's just like, there's this, when, when you've been at a certain capability and that's sort of your slower than marathon pace for one minute, um, much slower. Um, and it's freaking hard.
01:07:25
Speaker
It's a bit like, oh damn. But I think I'm doing a pretty good job of going, Hey, a month ago, I couldn't do that. So it's so fine. Yeah. And it did actually get better um because I did the whole, I have this tactic. I don't know if other people use this tactic where when I feel really crap in, especially in a session, in a short session, instead of like slowing down further, like after that 4.20, I ran a faster one, like I purposely just tried to go faster to go and not just kick yourself out of that sort of slogging, this feels hard kind of deal. Um,
01:07:55
Speaker
And so I actually got faster in the end. Yes, was it was hard, but at the end of the day, it was just like, I feel like sometimes you need to trick your brain into stopping overthinking things. Cause that, that slower rep, I was just overthinking it. I was going, Oh my God, why is such a slow pace so hard? Whereas when I went, no, I'm going to run hard and my brain expected it to be hard, it was faster. It was like four minute, four or four or whatever. But it was just like the expectation met reality a little closer.
01:08:22
Speaker
And all of a sudden it was a bit like, oh I'm better. Like this feels okay now. um As opposed to expectation not meeting reality makes your brain go kaput. Um, so, so yeah, that was interesting to notice. Um, but yeah, still be slow from here. I think the cardiologist, I did a stress echo, which was great because the cardiologist essentially ruled that my heart's fine. I can do anything heart wise. Um,
01:08:46
Speaker
And he kind of just suggested really, really slow build. So I'm probably looking at about 35 Ks a week for a couple of weeks and then 40 and like, it's going to be months before I'm up at normal ish. Like I'm talking normalish by like 80 Ks. Like yeah it's going to be a while. um But the good thing is that like I still have Kunun-Yi training camp coming up, um which is going to be a lot, but I do feel very capable of it at this point and I even cleared that with him ever he and he thought it was a great idea because I've been told that the whole point
01:09:19
Speaker
Like what I'm trying to do is try and convince my body and brain that exercise is good again and to not overreact to it and my nervous system to not go freak out. And um when I told him, I'm like, oh, it's like three days in a row of massive time on feet in the mountains but low effort, he was like, you know, that might actually go a long way to helping and not hindering, um yeah which I was like music to my ears. So, yeah, I've been cleared to sort of,
01:09:46
Speaker
I can go on really long hikes. um I can go like he's he's essentially just go enjoy long things. Like long, easy things are actually my friend. I haven't done too many yet um because I'm kind of just enjoying feeling like a human again. Yeah. so we'll get there. But no, I'm much more positive. Like I knew it was going to end eventually, um but it's a it I'm coming out of it slowly. um And I am going to try and, well, I'm going to do it how, whether I hike it or whether I run it, I'm going to do Warby
01:10:20
Speaker
okay twenty bouquet um And this is because Warby has become a family affair for me every year. Like my in entire a family is going to be there. And I have one of my old, another brother attempt, like I had one brother attempt the 22K and the poor thing, it took him seven hours. But I have another brother attempting the 22K again. So yeah it's kind of this whole thing.
01:10:41
Speaker
Again, for like like we were saying earlier, like go have some fun yeah with it. Oh, cool. yeah That's exciting. That's the plan and, yeah, we're getting there slowly but surely. I have no idea what the year holds in store. I'm kind of making plans as if things are going to be good. at That's kind of all I feel like I can do at this point. so Yeah.
01:11:01
Speaker
It sounds like you are doing everything right and, like, you just, yeah, you've got to be patient with it. Like, you can't, um, push yourself to, like, get back into anything, like, faster and, like, don't compare, it like, to what you were doing this time last year. Like, just take it day by day, week by week. Um,
01:11:20
Speaker
Yeah. Honestly, it's a it's impossible to compare anyway, which is makes it quite easy not to. um But yeah, you're right. And I actually am loving having waking up in the morning with there's no plan.
01:11:33
Speaker
Yeah. I'm going to do what feels good today. So every day feels good. And that does mean that like there's there's been plenty of days I'm like, no, I'm not running today. Yeah. And yeah. Part of me would have used to go, oh but then you're losing the momentum and like then you're going to create a habit of not running. But then lo and behold, I wake up the next day and go, oh, I want to run today. Let's go. yeah um So it works. It works. And it's quite a nice, I'll enjoy it while it lasts before there's a plan and there's exhaustion and there's big long runs to prepare for, et cetera. Yeah.
01:12:05
Speaker
It'll happen. It'll happen. Awesome. Well, i think we'll just do a quick, oh, we've already done the two bays results. um The only other result that we have for this week was the Adelaide Trail Runners ba Blair National Park. um The long ah James has sent us because on the men's side was won by John Songhai New 1.1606, but second was Joel Kittle in 1.1634, and third, Ben Melville in 1.1648.
01:12:39
Speaker
So what's that, 30 seconds, 40 seconds between first and third, which... ah Love to see it. That's pretty close. I know. And on the women, I feel like Adelaide, like Adelaide has such a good um ah for trial running community. That's what I was going for, trial running community when it comes to all this stuff. So like looking at all their races, I'm like, oh, I'm kind of jealous. It looks fun.
01:13:00
Speaker
yeah um On the women's side, Margot McIntosh got the win 1 hour 24, Melissa Rick hour and in hour So, again, very close for second and third there.
01:13:15
Speaker
um And that was at the Bel Air. like they they their so It's their third race of their summer series over there. um Awesome. And aside from results, ah race, well, semi-race previews, but...
01:13:29
Speaker
Bogong to Hotham is this weekend, which one of Oz's longest standing ultras, I believe, started in 1984, running from bottom of Bogong up the step up the staircase and then across around fork to around Falls Creek area and on to Mount Hotham.
01:13:48
Speaker
um We believe this is going ahead. It is... Outside of all the fire areas, um I will say our thoughts are with everyone in fire affected areas um and hopefully everyone can get up to this race safely.
01:14:03
Speaker
ah This is just a for anyone else that has asthma, since I'm that person, take your puffer. um if there's smoke in the area. um But it is currently an unaffected area and it should stay that way between now and the weekend, obviously, because we've got good weather that is giving everyone some relief. But yeah, 64K, an iconic race that often does bring a few good runners along to have a run. And on the women's side in the 64K, Nicole Patton will be running, um which
01:14:35
Speaker
Is this her first one we've seen her at since Worlds or didn't it was Nicole something I missed? She was at GPT. Of course. Of course, of course, yes. um And then Chad f Freak at on the men's side who was also at GPT. um He was one of our top Aussies at GPT 50K coming fifth um just behind ah Thomas Banks. So he had a ripper run there and it will be cool to see how both of those runs translate to Bogong to Hotham ah for them. But, yeah, there's some results that we'll have next week.
01:15:07
Speaker
I also saw in the start list, i don't know if it's the same Harry Garside, but he's the Australian boxer, Olympic boxer in the 64K. Oh, really? yeah Yeah. Damn, that'd be cool.
01:15:18
Speaker
Yeah. He's actually good runner as well. i think I follow him on Instagram and he does like a fair bit of running in his training. Okay. And that's surely that's not a very common name. So that might be one that actually pans out. Yeah.
01:15:35
Speaker
Exciting. We will report back next week. um We'll have the results on that one. And otherwise, what's your what have you got coming up, Jess? Anything exciting? oh Mostly puppy training.
01:15:48
Speaker
I'm starting puppy school next weekend, so that'll be fun. I'll bet. Yeah. um I've just like, I've been training her every morning, so it's getting me out of bed earlier than usual, which is probably good for my routine.
01:16:03
Speaker
Awesome. Yeah, no, I do find, yeah, animals are great for creating structure in days. That is certainly true. They do not let you, suppose if Kate was on the call, she'd be walking at us right now.
01:16:18
Speaker
yeah They might be the easier version of a child. At least I'm getting practice now. Yes, yes, we'll take it, we'll take it.
01:16:29
Speaker
What about you? What have you got on? um Oh, I've got and my next in my long line of specialist appointments at the hospital tomorrow. um This one's a haematologist, so a new one to add onto the long list I'm gathering.
01:16:44
Speaker
um But it's it's nice that like whenever they come around because you have to wait so long, it's kind of actually nice because you're like, okay, more answers, more information. um Information is power. But other than that, i'm because I can't use my legs so much to like explore mountain areas, I've been all in on kitting out my car um because I did like i did some four-wheel driving um out the back of Bright.
01:17:11
Speaker
And like i went we went I went camping for a week and like it was just so much fun having a car where I'm like, hey, there's gravel roads between here and where we want to go. Let's do it. Or like in order to get from Mount Beauty to Bright, we just, we went four wheel drive tracks the whole way. And it was so much fun yeah because you're like, normally obviously I'd run this, but I still get to explore it and have some fun and go see the peaks of mountaintops and all sorts of things. So like we drove for years. three kilometers ah from the summit of Bogong, like from where we could park the car four-wheel driving. It was only then three kilometers to get to the top and that's the tallest mountain in Vic and I was like, okay, this is fun.
01:17:51
Speaker
um i do know leave ah No, but it wasn't even. We'd just driven on way up because it was out the back other side from mid and midter. So yeah it wasn't too bad at all. But, yes, I'm currently spending all of my money on i'm buying an awning and a swag and and new suspension and all sorts of things. So yeah that's my new little hobby at the moment.
01:18:16
Speaker
So I've got lots of that lined up this week. And, I'm going back to study as well. So oh lot what are you studying? um I'm this year doing a graduate diploma in psychology in the end. so it's oh um it's a bridging course that's still at bachelor level, unfortunately, because I didn't major in psychology.
01:18:39
Speaker
I now have to do the graduate diploma in psychology in order to get into a master's. yeah And there's no Commonwealth supported places for that. So yeah i have year of study coming up Oh, God.
01:18:54
Speaker
Which, yeah, but like the guv we still it still goes on like my fee help government debt thing so you don't pay it straight away but it it's a hefty loan um to do one year of study, um yeah which actually i'll I'll do over a year and a half. But I have now officially enrolled and started on a journey that's going to be five years of study between now and the end of what I'm aiming for. so Yeah.
01:19:22
Speaker
interesting times it'll be worth it if you get to what you're really passionate about yeah yeah should be good should be good hopefully but that's yeah lots going on in my life which is kind of nice I'm keeping busy that's for sure so that's good anyways thank you everyone that has been listening this has been episode 92 of the peak pursuits podcast as always we love to hear your questions feedback thoughts all of the things um and We will speak to you next week. See you