SALINOVICH TAKES THE 200 MILER AND SECURES 95 HOURS

Contributed by Matt Salinovich, 2019 Delirious W.E.S.T finisher (95:28)

Firstly, thanks to all the hard work and vision put in by Delirious W.E.S.T 200 Miler race organisers Shaun Kaesler and Bill Irving. This thing you have created is beautiful and is such an enjoyable and accessible race right here in Australia.

Secondly, thanks to all the volunteers. You were all amazing. The food was brilliant, I had no nutrition issues. Plenty of places to crash for a sleep, and the medics where incredible, I was so well looked after all my niggles and chafes were looked after extremely well.

Day 1 – Northcliffe to Walpole

Distance: 140.8km + 4km bonus
Time in: 10:00 21/2
Sleep: 45 minutes at Walpole

Leaving Northcliffe on Wednesday morning, 35 runners headed off surrounded by a crowd of spectators and volunteers. Quite funnily nobody noticed when all 35 runners hit the north trail turnoff 50 metres in. Some of the group turned back earlier, but the more stubborn of the group went about 2km down the trail until runner Candice Burt worked out we were on the bib track north trail on her phone map. Oops! Shortly after pacer Felix Poli caught up to us and let us know someone was coming to pick us up and take us to the start line. Jimmy immediately said “Bugger that, we’re runners,” and we ran along back to the start. Has Shaun paid a carton for each of the runners that went the wrong way yet?

The rest of the day was pretty steady, I can’t remember all that much of it now, but I don’t recall being too effected by the heat. I saw a large tiger snakes and a baby around Pingerup Road, the baby was right in the middle of the trail and I only just saw it mid step jumping over it. Thankfully I only saw one more snake after this and no tigers.

Through the night, I got to Mandalay Beach at about 2am, the next section would be one of the hardest and I regret not getting a quick five to 10 minute sleep. The section was a mixture of really soft sand dunes, overgrown single trail (gaiters would have been real nice here), and a few decent hills. I made it to Shedley Road about sunrise, I was exhausted, tired, and getting a little bit emotional. I gave the aid station volleys and crews a good laugh when I broke down after being told there was only 10km to Walpole, not 20km as I had thought. I was well fed, rejuvenated, and made my way onto Walpole arriving at around 10:00.

Walpole wasn’t a great stop for me, the rooms where hot and noisy in the middle of the day, and I seem to have lost a lot of time while only getting 30 to 45mins of sleep. In the end I got out before 13:00 and pushed onto the most picturesque part of the course, the giant tingle forest and valley of the giants.

Day 2 – Walpole to Peaceful Bay

Distance: 63.2km
Time in: 8:30 22/2
Sleep: 180 minutes at Conspicuous Cliffs

This section was absolutely spectacular, I’d hiked Walpole to Denmark in high school, and this brought back a few memories. The shear quantity and size of the enormous Karri and Tingle trees is just out of this world. However, fatigue was starting to take its toll and I would need sleep soon. I make it into the tree top walk (one of the largest sections at 22km) just after sunset. Dave Giles was just starting the tree top walk so I rushed to catch up with him and join him for the walk.

I tried again for some sleep here, but was cold, and couldn’t get comfortable on my designated park bench. In the end I lost another couple of hours and got no sleep. Onto the next aid station. Eventually I arrived at Conspicuous Cliffs at around 1am, I was buggered. Jimmy was there already, he was buggered. We both needed sleep. Bill and Jane gave us a brilliant feed, then extremely kindly of them offered us smelly strangers their tent and sleep bags. This was an offer we were not refusing.

The next 15km in Peaceful Bay was challenging, but on a good night’s sleep I thoroughly enjoyed it as one of my favourite sections. Getting into Peaceful Bay at about 8:30am I enjoyed a second breakfast, some clean socks, and then pushed on ignorantly well-mannered and unprepared into the hardest 23km section of the course with only 1.5-litres of water.

Day 3 – Peaceful Bay to Denmark

Distance: 63.4km
Time in: 5:30 23/2
Sleep: 50 minutes at Denmark

The day started well, it was nicely overcast, and myself and Jim set out and good pace to go catch Cheryl and Mark who had left 10 minutes early. We passed them about halfway to the kayak and continued making good pace. By the time we got to the crossing the sun was out, and it certainly wasn’t cool any more. After paddling across we sat in the shade for a bit and helped Cheryl and Mark ashore. I was quite happy where I was for the time and sat there for probably 20 minutes, the other three runners left, and I wouldn’t see another person for seven hours.

The rest of the day was a bit scary, the sun was out in full force, the loosely vegetated sand dunes offered almost no shade, and I could feel myself overheating quite quickly. I survived the day with a long sleeved shirt, two buffs, and wrapping my compression bandages around my calves which were getting very burnt, and seeking shade whenever I could. Unfortunately, the water only lasted until the first long beach section. There I tried to utilise my space blanket as a cape for shade but found it had deteriorated after sitting in my pack for a year in the tropics. Slowly I would push on, overheat, lay down when I found some shade, and repeat. After an absolute shit 7.5 hours, I finally made it to the Boat Harbour aid station were water could finally be found, and it never tasted sweeter.

Somewhere in the next couple of sections I found Jimmy and we teamed up for a bit until just before Light’s Beach Road. Here I was feeling extremely good and raced on to climb Mt Halliwell with George right behind me. Near there, we found the Indian runner who had apparently been lost up there for half a day. We all made it down okay in good time, and George must of found some crack or something because he raced off to catch the next ferry at four minute kilometres. I ended up making it into Denmark at 5:30am and had 90 minutes to pamper myself before getting the ferry. Originally, I was going to have a longer sleep here, but the shower must have had magical properties and I just felt so damn good after it that I only had a quick nap to make up time. Last minute before I left Jamie Reeves offered to pace me for a while, absolutely thanks mate!

Day 4 – Denmark to Albany

Distance: 63.4km
Time in: 5:30 23/2
Sleep: 150 minutes total at Lowlands and Shelley Beach, 10 minutes at Windmill Farm

It was nice to have someone to talk to for this section, and it soon became very apparent that I was sleep deprived. We powered through Eden Road no worries, but it was a slow four hours in the sun to Lowlands, and I utilised the heat of the day to get some much need sleep, around 45 minutes.

After the kip we pushed onto Shelley Beach, now this was a very long 17km and I was extremely lucky to have Jamie here with me for it. I started to fall asleep while hiking, and had to lay down a couple of times. At one point I lay down and kicked a soldier ants nest which gave me a good buzz. We started to have a good sing-a-long towards the end, this helped keep me moving a lot.

Descending to Shelley Beach was bloody painful and slow. We both needed sleep. I thanked Jamie for the help and lay down on a very comfy inflatable couch the volleys provided. Jamie got a lift back to his car.

After an extremely good 90 minutes sleep, I was awoken by none other than Jimmy and his pacer Nicola. Only 40 odd km to go with three aid stations and the finish. I was feeling good and smashed my way back up the hill. A light drizzle started which was pleasant moving fast, but sadly I believe it was a contributing factor to Cheryl’s exhaustion who I passed half way to Cosy to Corner being carried…only time it rains and it’s just before the sleep station she so needed, unlucky Cheryl.

At Cosy Corner, I gave myself my first serious time target. I wanted to finish by 7am and had seven hours to do the last 30.7km. I made good time through to Muttonbird, but started to feel fatigued again going past the wind farm to Sandpatch. I was falling asleep walking and had to take a 10 minute sleep break, which helped but wasn’t enough, and in the end I just focused on throwing my poles out in front of me and eventually I had passed the 13km.

Ali offered to pace me for this last section, she was awesome and did a great job, I let her know I wanted to be in by seven and she took the lead and a calculated pace. A few kilometres in we overtook Breeze, and I caught a glimpse of George not too far ahead. From here the race was on, I started smashing the downhills like I was fresh but couldn’t see George, he must have really taken off. But we maintained pace and in the last 2km we had made it 200m off him. Now things got silly…we steadily increased the pace, and I think we did the last kilometre at about 4:15. Kudos to George who maintained the lead. It was a fun way to finish the race.

It was all over – hugs, beers, showers, clean clothes awaited.

What an amazing event.

What now, where is the next aid station?

Pictured: Matt Salinovich at the finish line of the 2019 Delirious W.E.S.T. Photograph – Supplied.