BVRT 100
Brisbane Valley Rail Trail 100miler. It has been an event that has been kind to me. Well, as kind as 100miles on foot can be anyway! The first year I did it I had a great race, finishing third and storming home. Last year I ran nearly 10min faster than when I finished on the podium but placed seventh! Guns turned up and showed their speed! What would 2021 bring? Time would tell!
I went into this year with an interesting build. It was always going to be tricky having done UTA100 only five weeks prior but with some added rest, a couple weeks of good k’s and an excited energy going into the race, I was keen to see what I could do.
The pre-race build was pretty standard. Trek out to the start with crew/pacers Tim and Sean, say gday to some friends, get cold, try to stay warm and sleep in the van. Before I knew it though, I was on the start line with about 70 other keen runners. We set off at 6am and I quickly found myself in the top five. We rolled along nicely, chatting and getting to know one another. New friends made and old friends reacquainted. I felt particularly honoured to run with and chat to my mate Carl Reed whom I have made friends with though the Ultraman community. He is an absolute weapon and I thought he might have gone off hell for leather so it was nice to share some time with him.
Our little pack stayed pretty tight and rolled along nicely, fracturing here and there but often regrouping. We ran together for 40-50k and going through the marathon in about 3:50, I was a little concerned the pace was a little hot. I felt comfortable though so what would be would be.
I got to about the 50k mark and things started to feel off. Even though I had been drinking plenty, I felt dizzy, light headed and had pins and needles in my hands/fingers. It happened again. Just like at UTA. Dehydration to a significant degree, even though it was cool. After the race and some conversation, I think the factor may be the wind. Sucking energy and moisture from me when I don't expect it to….even in the colder weather when I shouldn't need to drink as much. I wasn't in a good place. A few times I thought I may have to pull out later or be walking it in, neither of which I wanted to do but felt may be a real possibility. I came into the crew point at 60 odd k and was not good. I tried to force fluids in and my stomach just flipped. I thought I was going to vomit but managed to keep it in. After a short stop and as much fluid as I could handle, I kept moving forward.
Over the next while, I gradually turned things around. I focused on running as much as possible, drinking as much as I could and remaining present. There were A LOT of ks on my own. Hours in fact. The distance slowly ticked by and whilst I still didn't feel 100%, I began to turn it around. I spoke to Tegs and the girls on the phone which lifted my spirits and before long was at the 96ish k aid station where I would pick up Sean as my pacer.
I sucked back a heap more fluid and before long we were off. In the next 5ish kilometres I had a vivid hallucination of someone sitting on the side of the trail with their head in their hands wearing one of those snow cammo lycra suits….with the black stripes. A second after the words came out of my mouth about the person sitting there, Sean politely told me it was a small tree. What the heck?! Way too early for that nonsense! Anyways, onward we march! Tripper.
Sean was a gem of a pacer. He was patient but he surely pushed me. A few times I was going to ask him to slow down but I just rolled with what he was doing, tried my best to turn over our three k sections between drinks/food and do what I could to move forward as quickly as possible. Things were working well. My quads were pretty beat down from about the 100k mark which was odd. I think some residual soreness and memory from the climbing/descending at UTA was still there but shuffle I could.
Before long, my time was up with Sean and one of my best mates Tim (Jesus) jumped in to pace me. Maybe he could be my saviour!? We had a good time catching up a little but through the time the boys were pacing me, I didn't feel up to chatting much. The pain was increasing and I was doing everything I could to stay present, embrace the suffering and keep moving. Any extra energy expended on conversation was tough. Tim and I reached the last aid station and after some food and laughs, it was off into the night to finish the damn thing off.
Some time before this, I had moved into third position. I started getting paranoid. Looking over my shoulder, getting Tim to do the same to make sure no lights were coming and ticking the remaining distance off in three k blocks was all I could do. Eventually, we reached the concrete path at Ipswich and I knew it was only four or five k to the finish. We moved along still as fast as possible and after a short exchange about what way we turned off the path (I was wrong….funny that after like 18hours of running!?) we were nearly there. I was doing the math and thought we had about two k to go but then I saw the finish banner. I yelled like a little girl ‘There’s the finish’ and very happily ran the 500m loop around to the school gate, up the grass and crossed the line in 18hr 19min (official time, 18hr 22min by my watch). I was VERY glad to be done.
My 10th 100mile finish, third pace and a PB by over half an hour. So so stoked!
I bloody love these things hay. I know I have spoken about it before, but there is something so so special about the 100mile distance, more so than even 100k or other ultras. It truly is a lifetime in a day. A real expression of joy, accomplishment, suffering to its fullest and something everyone could do but not many people desire to do. It is my distance. I desire and love the struggle it produces. A true test. I treasure the gift every one has given me and this one will be remembered as one that took a fair amount of work but I am so happy with how I performed. 100miles on foot done.
Many thanks to Tim and Sean for your amazing crewing and pushing me to the finish. If it wouldn't have been for you guys I may not have finished or at least been a lot closer to 19hours. Thanks to my sponsors Fractal Headwear, Altra Shoes and Coral Coast Physio. Your support is greatly appreciated. Well done and congratulations to everyone out there who turned up, had a chop and got it done! Special congrats to Carl who smashed the course and Australian Trail record and Ryan Crawford (The White Kenyan) who completed the 200mile in just over 42hours. WHAT!? Well done boys.
So, now, a week off. Resting, eating, getting tattooed and refreshing the mind and body before a few bike events and then my next prep toward running across Australia. 50marathons in 50days starting 22nd of September.
Much love friends. Your support is appreciated more than you know. Have a rad week, keep pushing and pursuing more, you can achieve more than you know. Till next week. Peace.