WINNING DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN COMING FIRST

I was able to have 8 small naps during the night, and although I didn’t feel that I actually slept long during any of them, they helped me stay rested. On Lap 22 at 7am the sun was lighting up the sky, I was looking forward to seeing the trampled course properly and running headlamp free. Apart from a 50m section of flooded back paddock and newly added muddy haunted lake, the course was dry and easy to run. The wetter sections required slowing down the pace to a walk in order to keep dry feet and avoid slipping over. 

Arriving back from a lap of the course, I found my wife visibly upset and when spoke to her she informed me that she’d received news that her papa back in Colombia who has been battling illness and recovering from recent surgery, had been rushed to hospital. Facing the unknown, I comforted her and then informed my crew so they could help support her as well.

As there wasn’t any other news of the situation, Tatiana reminded me to stay focused on my routine and the laps ahead. It’s been a tough time for Tatiana over the last few months, already battling pain and discomfort of her own with feet troubles, suffering with plantar fasciitis, add the stress of being away from her sick dad and feeling helpless of his situation, learning a new role at work and then supporting and crewing for me. I really can’t thank her enough, I’m so blessed to have her by my side, she’s so strong although I know she doesn’t always feel it.

That lap, I also found out that my parents were coming to support me mid-morning, so I’d called my mum with a request for her to bring me some Gaviscon so I could try and get rid of my reflux. When I arrived back from the 9am lap they were there to greet me. I had a dose of Gaviscon and waited in hope for it to take effect. As I ran the 10am and 100 mile distance lap nothing had changed, I was still suffering with the horrible reflux. With nothing having any effect I was very frustrated, but apart from the weird feeling on my chest, I was able to push on lap after lap. 

Most laps during the second morning begun with Carl and Trevor Bosveld who liked the pace we were running at, so he ran with us for the first few kms before walking some as part of his race strategy. The laps continued throughout the day, and the number of runners slowly dwindled down. After the 1pm lap, I begun feeling a little bored. Something I’ve not felt in any event ever before, knowing the second night of laps was ahead, I began overthinking and anticipating a long night ahead. I was also still struggling with the reflux, so after running a couple of laps solo, I decided to try and take naps during the afternoon breaks to see if this would help. I informed my crew of my intentions and after each lap during the afternoon my routine was set into motion. I managed to sleep really well each break and by the time the 6pm lap came, I decided to have a hot shower to go with my scheduled full kit change to freshen up for the night ahead. This worked a treat as I felt great afterwards. I felt so good that after running the next lap, number 33 and after 221km I couldn’t believe it, I felt like it was my first lap. Nothing hurt and nothing was tight. The routine of afternoon naps and then a hot shower, as well as a full kit change had freshened me up so well, I decided to stay in that routine for the laps going into the night. 

We lined up for the 7pm lap and I didn’t realise that Carl had rung the DNF bell after completing the previous lap number 33. He had beaten his PB of 31 laps and decided he was done. I felt a little bad as I’d been so self-focused in the afternoon that I didn’t realise he was close to his end. We’d talked early in the event about him reaching his PB, and going further onto the 36th hour. I couldn’t help but begin to wish that I knew where he was at and that I may have been able to pace with him and get him a few more laps. At the beginning of lap 35, there were just 4 runners left (all AURA members too) – Sergio, Margie Hadley, Phil Gore and myself, none of us looked like stopping any time soon.

My plan was to continue my hourly nap routine and it worked so well as the night flew by and I found myself loving the second night of laps. This was such a good feeling as I knew the second night would be a big hurdle to get over in order to reach my first two goals for the event. My first goal was to complete lap 41, a new PB for me. The second was to reach and complete lap 48 to put my name in the 200 mile club. 

After lap 36, Sergio rang the bell and DNFd, leaving just three of us. Then after lap 38, I saw Margie upset and in the hands of her crew and on the cusp of what looked like defeat as she’d just made it back under the hour by a few minutes. I walked up to her and with my hand on her shoulder I encouraged her to do one more lap. “You can do it,” I said. She agreed and walked straight to the corral. She would time out on lap 39 and leave Phil and me to continue as the last two runners.

Lap 40, and it was a little case of deja vu from last year. I wondered to myself how long we would keep going as just the two of us, knowing that if either if us DNFd, the event would come to a close. The event for me then seemed to shift up a gear, and I knew it wouldn’t be ending in a hurry. 

As the Saturday night laps passed I reached and passed my first goal to complete 41 laps. Then I remembered thinking about all the jokes that had been tossed around between some runners at the early stages of the event about the event still playing out on Monday and I began thinking that it was a real possibility, especially with Phil and I in such good form and neither of us looking like or showing any sign of stopping.

I thought about my crew, my nutrition and wondered if I had planned long enough, if it was to in fact go that far. I especially thought about my favourite pumpkin and potato soup, and yes of course I had enough. I quickly answered my own questions as my race plan was very long and I always over prepare. Better to plan and over prepare than to fall short and scramble.

The rest of the night laps passed quickly for me and as the hours rolled on, a heavy dew and then fog rolled over the course. It was great to experience and made it kind of eerie, but fun. The new haunted lake addition to the course was great to run around at night too, with the sound of frogs croaking and with the muddy single trail between all the trees, it was so much fun. 

On lap 43, which began at 4am I was running through the sweeping long grassed single track before the makeshift bridge when suddenly felt the sole of my right foot begin to hurt. I’d felt this pain before and knew the sensation. It was the Plantar fasciitis I’d been nursing for the last 12-18 months. I hadn’t had much issue with it at all in the last 2-3 months, so this scared me. I was able to keep my pace and still run as the pain was only very mild. When I finished that lap, I was surprised by the fresh faces of support, my parents who had gotten up early and travelled to support me once again. It was nice to have them in my camp, especially when I wasn’t feeling great. I told my crew of my latest issue and took some Anti-inflammatories. Hoping these would kick in and help to enable me to keep running and not let the pain not get worse. It seemed to remain the same for a couple more laps but it began to ache a little more with each passing lap. I also noticed that my right knee begun aching at the same time. Both my foot and knee continued to hurt more and more, lap after lap. 

On lap 45, the dark of night was slowly disappearing and the sun rising on the horizon made for an amazing feeling and view over that fields of fog. I was still running sore, but determined to continue. I was half way through that lap when suddenly a sharp pain went through my left heal. As if I wasn’t in enough discomfort with reflux, plantar fasciitis and knee pain. Now another previous injury of Tendinitis had suddenly flared up too, something I’d also been nursing during the same period of time as my plantar fasciitis issue, but it too had been at about 90-95% for a couple of months. The pain level of my Tendinitis quickly matched that of my right foot and knee. I was really hurting now, probably a 6/10 from all three issues and my reflux seemed to be getting worse too. On a positive note, I remembered thinking that I’m glad my TFL wasn’t an issue. 

On completion of the 45th lap, I updated my crew with the bad news of my situation. Another lap down and things didn’t get better, they were just getting worse. I took some Panadine forte, with hope I’d be able to press on. With the new day rising, so was my pain level with each lap. I began thinking my run was going to have to come to an end. I was so close to my second personal goal for the event and I was determined to reach it even if that was as far as I could go. I wanted to complete the 48th lap, I wanted to reach 200 miles. I told Tatiana what I was thinking and began planning my finish, I asked her to have my white the.next.run t-shirt and Bix buff ready to change into so that I could finish my run wearing them. She then asked me if I was sure about stopping, wondering whether I really was content in my decision. She could tell I wasn’t as I was upset as the idea, so she decided to hold off giving me the shirt and buff. I then spoke to the rest of my crew, they were so encouraging and my parents too. They tried to convince me to have another hot shower and at first I didn’t want too, I didn’t see the point as I’d decided to complete the next two laps to reach my second goal and then ring the DNF bell. Before taking off for the 47th lap, I quietly told Kara to have my things ready when I got back so I could have a hot shower. I changed my mind thinking this is a once in a lifetime moment and was hoping another shower would help all my issues and keep me in the game. I finished the lap and went straight into the showers. The hot shower and change of clothes had me feeling fresh again, and ready for to start lap 48, my pain seemed to have eased a little. This gave me hope I could keep going deep into the day. 

I was so happy to be starting the next lap knowing it was a personal milestone lap for me, that I didn’t really feel the pain I’d been feeling previously. But as soon as I began running the lap, within the first 100m all the pain returned and every stride became hard and hurt more and more. I pushed on but slowed down a little and just focused on just getting though that lap. When I arrived back to cross the line everyone was there to congratulate me on reaching the 200 mile club, I was elated but in so much pain.

I headed straight into my camp with my crew. I was contemplating ringing the bell at the beginning of the next lap, but my crew and parents convinced me to just push on. So I did, another lap I thought, just take it easy and get one more done. That 49th lap was hard, I was so sore and the pain continued to worsen. Another lap down and same routine, straight into my camp with my crew. More pain updates but no good news. With more encouragement and I lined up again for lap 50, but now I was sure I couldn’t go on much more. Somehow I got around the course once again, but on this lap I was in excruciating pain to the point that I actually walked some sections of the course and was just willing myself to finish it. Telling myself that I was done and gave myself permission to stop once I crossed the finish line. But once again, my crew met me as I came in and we went straight into camp again and with their neverending encouragement. Tatiana once again asked me how I felt if this was to be the final lap of my run, I told her that I was ok and completely happy with my accomplishments and my final decision. She could tell that I was and handed me my finishing shirt and buff. The crew and I made a plan to start the next lap, and if I got to the bridge and couldn’t bare the pain I would stop and return to ring the DNF bell. Mitch told me that he would meet me at the bridge with my Bix recovery drink if I did decide to stop and return to DNF.

It was midday on Sunday and the before the countdown for the 51st lap began, Shaun announced that both Phil and I had received an official invite from Lazarus Lake to go to Tennessee in the USA, in October to compete at Big’s Backyard against the best in the world. I was hurting so much that the fantastic news didn’t really hit home. I acknowledged it as good but couldn’t get passed my pain. I congratulated Phil and shook his hand. Then the countdown began, we set off and 200m from the start I stopped, turned and as he approached I stood and spoke to Phil as he ran towards me. I told him I was done and that I couldn’t go on, he seemed annoyed and disappointed. He tried to convince me that I could keep going, telling me that “we were making history”. I explained to him of my situation, but he kept trying to convince me to just run/walk with him, “you only have to do 8:50 pace”, he assured me, “surely you can do that”, he insisted. For a minute I agreed, thinking surely I could do that, and we began walking together, but with each step I was reminded of the pain that I was in. Finally I stopped again, and began to apologized to him and said that I want to keep going but I couldnt, that I was done. I told Phil to complete the lap and win, that I’d see him when he returned. I then walked the slow and emotional walk back to the starting corral, by then everyone saw me coming and cheered me home. My crew greeted me along the way and tears flowed. As I approached the DNF bell I was asked to wait and stage the ringing to signal the end of the event for me.

Right after I’d rang the bell, Mitch came running up to me with teary eyes, upset that we didn’t meet at the bridge. Turns out due to a miscommunication, he went to the far bridge and was hoping to convince me to keep going and finish the lap I’d started. But we never met up as I didn’t reach the second bridge before turning around. I hugged him as he told me that he was so proud of me, and that he was so happy to have been able to help crew for me and be involved. Of course this made me cry with him, he’s such a bloody good egg and I couldn’t speak highly enough of him. 

I was then presented with my DNF spoon by Felix, had a big hug and posed for a few photos and I was done. I then went with my crew at our camp and waited to see Phil to complete his final lap and become the last man standing.
So many people to thank for such an amazing weekend. To all 142 participants who began the first lap and pushed for more out of themselves, congratulations for being brave enough to star in such an awesome event and for striving, whether it was for a lap number, certain time or a distance goal. Well done!

Firstly my crew, my beautiful bride Tatiana and my great friends John Hertsfeld, Kara McPheat and Mitch Crook. I couldn’t have done those 50 laps without your tireless support, thank you. 

To my parents, Andrew and Joanne who are always supportive and encouraging of my crazy running adventures, and for letting us use their camper trailer, thank you. 

To Vlad Ixel from Bix Hydration for your ongoing recovery support, thank you. 

To Mark Guest from the.next.run, for your ongoing support, thank you. 

To Tony Smith my coach, you always have me performing at my best, thank you. 

To Brett and the team at Fieldwork Health, for your tireless work to get me up for this event. Six weeks out I was very doubtful that I wouldn’t be fit enough to even start one lap, but you helped me complete 50, and reach a new distance PB, thank you. 

To Graham and Astrid, for hosting the event and for capturing it through all your wonderful pictures, thank you. 

To Shaun, Felix and all the USWA volunteers that made this fantastic events happen, for all your hard work and sacrifice of time, thank you. 

Last but not least, to Lazarus Lake, thank you for keeping up with the event online and for recognising our efforts with your invitation to Big’s Backyard. Although I have declined it this time, I hope to be in a better situation next year and to gain another invitation to test myself against the best in the world.

To the last man standing, Phil Gore, congratulations once again, not only on the win, but good luck for your next adventure at the world championship Big’s Backyard.

Pictured: Michael Hooker at Birdy’s Backyard 2021. Photograph – Jo Malcolm.