Mixin brah
For those who don’t know, recently, I took on a Coach for the first time (apart from Ultraman where my mate Brad coached me but that kinda doesn’t count cause it was a triathlon). Luca Turrini got referred to my by a social media friend Troy who ran across Australia a couple years back and also my friend Will who is running a marathon a day across at the same time I will be smashing out my hundo a day. Luca himself has an extremely impressive resume! In 2017 he held the world record for 24hrs on a treadmill….running 262km….complete insanity. So, he knows how to suffer and how to get people ready for an adventure like I am taking on.
Someone far smarter than I once said, ‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result’. Or, something like that! I have been training well and fairly decently my whole ultra running career but for this new project, I felt like I could benefit from some outside assistance. Given the enormity of the run, it would take a very specific person with some very specific skills to get me there. After my initial conversation with Luca and getting to know him a little over the last month, I am convinced he is the perfect guy for the job to see me in Byron on the 10th of November, turning 40 having run over 5000km in 50days! BOOM!
After an ‘easy’ week last week recovering from Noosa 100k, this week has seen the beginning of dialled in testing and training for a particular skill set I will need come September-November. Apart from my volume ramping up over the next five months, yesterday saw the introduction of ‘walking meals’ where by I am doing half hour walks while eating breakfast or lunch and then completing a training run with the food in my belly. This is obviously to test what foods work and don’t upset my gut and also what I can carry/get down easily. The other element of it is that I actually need to train walking. There will be stretches of walking when I am moving with my two feet across the country and walking gait uses very different muscles to running. These need to be trained and built up similar to my running muscles.
These kinds of techniques seem basic but to be honest, if I wasn’t being directed to do them, probably wouldn’t have focused on them. Yet, it makes perfect sense. What I will be doing on the run needs to be trained and practiced in the lead up. And, practiced well! Over the next five months I will develop an arsenal of foods and drinks that work and I know I can eat and then get running without any drama.
Food/drink aside, I trust Luca and his plans. I am a good soldier and will do all that is set out before me. I have seen and heard enough to know he is the right coach for me for this event. I was saying to someone at work today that I know there will be surprises and unexpected issues along the way but I will be doing EVERYTHING in my power to be 100% as ready as possible to crush 100k a day for 50days. With Luca and the rest of my team, we WILL get the job done.
That is all a long way off yet. There is a HELL of a lot of work to be done between now and then and to be honest, although I am petrified, I am also very excited about what’s in store for me. I look forward to testing, crushing, breaking myself down, recovering, prepping logistically, fuelling well, staying posi and being completely sold out to getting this crossing done. There will be sacrifices, tears, tiredness, triumph, development, leanness, achievement and problem solving but it will get done. Mark my words.
Friends, I hope this finds you all well and kicking goals. The weather at the moment is perfect so I trust you are out enjoying it and getting your own training/racing done. Much love yall, have a rad week. Consistency + Commitment. Mat