Not a race report - DNF @ Birdy’s Backyard Ultra 2020

This blog was meant to be a race report for my run at USWA’s Birdy’s Backyard Ultra 2020 held at the picturesque but freezing location of Lake Towerrinning.

It was meant to detail what I discovered about cutting laps around a lake with 125 others with the designated title of “crazy runner”.

I was going to talk about the food preparation of my chicken risotto, vegemite and cheese sandwiches, white chocolate and macadamia cookies and baked potatoes. The power of ginger beer and a couple panadol.

I was going to talk about the race director Felix, complain bitterly about the crazy wind, and how I discovered that when running in almost zero degree celsius temperatures it is possible to drink too much water - the water sloshing noise I could hear was not my hydration pack. It was result of my sweating being reduced to almost nil and my body being so cold it couldn’t process the water I was putting in it.

I could literally hear the water splashing in my stomach! - I’m told this happens but for me it was a first and I was shocked- had the water overflowed into places it shouldn’t be?

I was also going to speak about the best of the race - the buzz of the “on the hour” start line, getting to witness so many others smashing their personal best records for distance, and the comradery of a challenge shared with friends and soon to be friends alike.

Getting to see the grit and determination of those willing to do “just one more lap”, and not let go was amazing, only to be eclipsed by the power of will showed by Michael “the cyborg” Hooker with 40 laps as the winner of the event. Michael’s first lap was his slowest and his fastest was his penultimate lap. A testament to his approach to the race and also the quality of the other runners pushing him so much further than his run last year at USWA inaugural Birdy’s Backyard Ultra.

But that’s not what this post is about…this post is about the 2 lessons I learnt whilst earning my first DNF

Upon reflecting on my training leading up to it, the tapering, the event and my PB run and the afterglow (or aftermath) one thing stands out as my takeaway.

Motivation is all it takes. If you a motivated you can do anything, if you are not - you can do nothing.

In my previous post on why I blog I touched on the fact that my motivation to train was through the roof compared to last winter. And this motivation continued specifically into my run at Birdy’s. I had never run any distance further than 21.2km in a event setting, and only 52 km in one continuous training run previous to Birdy’s.

I set out specific goals for sections of the race. I did have an end goal and a stretch goal for the race but I also had some very specific goals motivating me throughout different stages of the run.

We started the race at 10am on Friday morning after a less than perfect night’s rest.

Lesson number One - take extra blankets and don’t forget your pillow next year.

My first motivator was the need to run until my wife Talia and son Aston arrived on Friday night. Talia and Aston don’t get to see me running very often, so I had to put on a good show for them. This was going to be around 7pm and 60.3kms - that I knew I could do. Arriving a little later at about 9.15pm and missing the hourly start meant that Aston was in bed asleep when I got back from the lap just before 10pm and 80.4kms.

The next goal was to make it to midnight and this was a tough stretch. I was feeling unwell due to the fact that I had drunk too much water. I was sloshing around for several laps but the motivator for this section was to enjoy having Talia crew for me for a few hours before she went to bed and I was on my own again.

The next motivator was pride. A great weapon when it’s part of friendly competition - I just had to outlast Simon. - He made it hard, PBing at just over 100 kms and 15 laps. It was 1am, I had set a target of 100 kms as my goal and by doing just one more lap I would have hit my goal and beaten Simon. Tick and tick! I had stopped sloshing with water but I was starting to feel sore.

I had a stretch goal of 24 hours and 100 miles but I hadn’t really seen it as possible. And at 2am and 107.2 kms it seemed so very, very far away so I didn’t keep moving for it. I focused on the fact that Aston hadn’t seen me run yet. I had really enjoyed finishing races in the past with him cheering for Dad so I hoped that he might wake early. I just had to hold on until he woke up. I started to think of things that might help me get to that time.

I had been given some advice that I remembered.

“Just make it to daylight and you will lift” - thanks Nick, and “When you think your body is too sore to go on - take a panadol” - thanks Patrick.

Relief administered, I also noticed that the group was shrinking rapidly, this was for me like reaching that last 5 km in your local run - you just feel stronger not matter how tired you are only because you know the end is near.

I kept going until sunup and then it wasn’t long until Aston was awake. The wind started howling but the sun was up and I was feeling much better. I was planning with Aston when and how he could run with me and Talia was getting a shower bag ready for me. It was just before 6am, 134 kms and my mind started doing the calculations. 4 more starts, 3 more sit downs until 24 hours and 100 miles.

Just one more lap - 3 more starts and 2 more sit downs. Just one more lap - 2 more starts and 1 more sit downs. Next thing I know I am telling Talia to take Aston down to finishing straight so I can finish my 24th lap with him. This is nuts!

I finished the 24th lap and made it to my first 100 miler. I hugged Talia and Aston and grabbed my shower bag. I was done, the relief was immense and I was going to get warm. I had reached a goal I never thought I would get to, but here I was.

As I hobbled to the shower block I was stopped by Shaun. “What are you doing - surely you're going back out for another lap?”.

I replied very matter of factly - “No I’ve done what I came here to do. I’ve done a 100 miles and I got to run with Aston. Why would I go back out?”

Shaun then pointed to the 40 minute lap I had just completed. “You’re not that tired - you must have more in you, you have heaps of time before the cutoff hour. Just one more lap! Being sleep deprived I was very susceptible to suggestion and next thing you know I was lining up for lap 25.

Lap 25 was hard, really hard. It felt like I had lead weights in my shoes - but it wasn’t because it was too cold or because my body couldn’t push anymore - it was the motivation had vanished. I had ticked all my boxes and now I couldn’t see the point of running anymore.

I still finished the lap with 16 minutes to spare so the body was still OK but my mind had moved on.

Lesson number Two is “Make sure you have a list of reasons to run as long as your race.”

I’ll be back next year but with the first goal being 24 hours and we’ll see what I add to the list. I have 49 weeks to get ready! So what’s thenext.run?