No Men Beyond This Point….

I invite you to open discussion.

I’m Huge supporter of female athletes and I’m a massive supporter of equality and equity, but I fear I’m going to be that guy but it kinda really needs to be said. 

There is something incredibly special about ‘OUR’ sport you see it in events you see it on your casual local. The camaraderie and nurturing nature that Trail Running promotes is like no other in sport to be honest it’s why I fell in love with it. But something was brought to my attention the other day by one of our female runners and it saddened me as it did them.

For a sport where we are trying to press inclusivity and equality and equity I kinda feel this concept of FEMALE ONLY events just goes against what sport and definitely trail running is all about. And I get it I’m a male with this opinion however before jumping in and getting on high horses I’d ask you to think… what would the reaction be if all of a sudden a trail event was advertised but hey it ONLY allowed MALE athletes. I will also ask this again later.

I have since been in contact with the reputable Brisbane based name behind this event which I will choose to keep out of it as I do not see any positivity in promoting such an event that drives a wedge between gender acceptance and really feel they have lost touch with what OUR community is all about.

Among our exchanges which are there for public viewing should you choose to dig, they seem to find acceptance in the actions for excluding male competitors based on lopsided gender numbers in ‘their’ trail events and those around the world. 

It is no secret that male vs female participation in trail events can be somewhat lopsided (something which based on the research is definitely on the improve) however is this really an excuse for causing even further segregation and division between genders when the focus should be on how do we make our events more inclusive.

“We're hoping this event will be a way to show any women who have been hesitant about the sport that the men in the trail running community are great people and exceptional cheer leaders of their female counterparts.”

 I found this quote to be quite obscure, do females in our sport really feel that their male counterparts are not “great people”, encouraging of their efforts and accomplishments? I can’t say any I know feel this way again all I see at events and out on the trails is support and encouragement for anyone out there giving it a go no matter your gender. Is it not possible there hesitation could be due to other aspects…. Such as the distance, cut off times, they have children and can’t get them minded.

I put the question to you again if the roles were reversed. You see an event that catches your eye you go to register only to find it’s a MALE ONLY event…. Oh but you are welcome to run the family 4.4km event with a running buddy, but you are excluded from the main races. Being a female I ask how you would perceive this….

This is how the event justifies their choices when I put the same question to them.

“ A men's only trail race would most likely create some ire because men as a group have not faced the same barriers to entry in trail running (societal perceptions, family pressures, security concerns, less recognition, access to toilet facilities especially during periods, and more).”

Like come on really…… let me just say this a FEMALE ONLY trail race should cause the same amount of “ire”. I know plenty of male/trangender runners that have faced these same barriers, Geez I was and am still one of those males that face these same barriers at different times. 

These are your reasons which are being used to defend segregation and division between genders…. Ok sure I don’t have the burden of having to deal with periods but this is not a burden to be shared by runners this is something that is for the organisations and race directors to address and put cost aside and put equity for females at their events and Supply women only toilets and sanitation products at events,  that is the answer and if it means an extra $20 to the entry then so be it…. people are not going to be disgruntled with a small rise to help make our events more inclusive.

Instead of putting our focus into omitting one category from an event why is the focus not on how can we improve our current events to improve the equity for women. 

Before jumping the gun and concluding the answer is Gender specific races why not look at implementing some of these ideas into your current events.

-A women only area at the race precinct where females can change, mothers can breastfeed, etc

-Having different women’s support services represented at your events where women can get information.

- more focus on female athletes signed up for the event through social media

- information on local women’s running groups

- the possibility of child minding services/play group where kids can play while mothers and or fathers race (only practical for shorter races)

- discounts for women getting back into it after child birth

They are just a few ways you could achieve equity and equality without the drastic needs of Omitting a particular group.

Inclusivity seems to be the big issue which this Whole female ONLY event seems to discourage.

 I will say though I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed that in a world and time in history where females have had to fight to get the respect and recognition they deserve, Such a lack is shown in the creation of Events like this.

God forbid if you’re non binary….. then what?

Totally get that there are going to be haters to this but hey 🤷‍♂️ we all have different views. I would very much like to know yours.

Noosa Ultra-Trail 50

 "I want to let known my gratitude and respect for the Kabi Kabi people as the traditional custodians of the land in which was our play ground, throughout the beautiful Noosa Hinterland."

Sun, Surf and beaches played second fiddle as the buzz of the inaugural Noosa Ultra-Trail took centre stage. Coming off the back of a long consistent block of training things were feeling good and the body and mind were in a good place. I hadn't had a really good hit out since July so was excited to get amongst it, explore some of Noosa's trail network and toe the line with a competitive field. Its all so worth a mention that this was a family affair with my dad taking on his first solo trail event in the 25. 

It was a quick start out of the blocks as the front runners quickly opened a gap from the rest of the pack each of us finding our time at the front at some point during the first 6 kilometres. The limited elevation lead to the course being extremely runnable with just over 800 vertical metres over the 50 kilometres and highly suited to road runners and triathletes alike. A mix of road, single trail and open fire trail made slightly more technical due to recent flooding, there was a bit in it for everyone.

We headed out of Tewantin and through a relatively open trail cutting through Harry Springs Conservation Park, easy running underfoot with with a few muddy sections due to the recent rains. It wasn't long before we hit some single track and a nice little pinch climb as we entered Tewantin National Park. By this stage the front four had pulled out of sight and I found myself in my own little world, I was currently in 5th with a bit of breathing room and knowing those up front had not totally gotten away, Confirmed when I headed out through the rolling hills of the out and back section and halfway point of the course, some encouraging words swapped with the leader as we crossed paths, a matter of minutes between myself and the front four. It was Game On!

Well that was the intention.......

About 35 kilometres my race began to waiver as the heat began to rise and the intensity of the first half started to catch up on me, ahead I caught a glimpse of a runner and used this as motivation to keep the legs ticking over however pace was not easy to build. The last 10km would prove to be a battle of the mind, for each place I managed to pull back two places was lost, it was hard to not focus on what I had felt had slipped away, the feeling of a niggling glute strain which I had been pushing out of my thoughts started to creep to the forefront, my minds way of creating an excuse... I needed a distraction.

By this time the 25km event runners were starting to cross my path giving me that much needed distraction I was hoping for, they were no longer 25km event runners in my mind they became 50km runners I had to pass. Nevertheless it proved to be a much slower back half of the race. 

I'd have to say the highlight of the day would of been coming across my dad 500m out from the finish line, on the cusp of finishing his first solo trail event, brought to a standstill by cramp yet there was no way he was not getting it done. I stopped for a short second checking in and offering some words of encouragement, every part of me just wanted to put my race on pause and cross that line with him. Dad would have none of that though, "Keep going, I'll see you at the finish". 

Running offers me so much joy and has given me some of the most amazing experiences. I love to race, I love to train, even when I hate training I love it... However I can quite honestly say above all the highs running has given me none of it compares to seeing those you love achieve their goals they have set out to achieve. Today I got to see my dad achieve his goal and as a bonus pick up an age group 3rd place.

Today regardless of my own result, my own race, my own struggles throughout... Today was a gift. 

Results:

Finish time: 04:31:31

Place overall: 8th

Gender: 5th

Category: 3rd 

Thank you to my Family/Crew, My coach Ben Duffus, Thrive Health Co.  and my BTR family, my family at MAW Brothers, TrailBrew Nutrition, Chris Adams and the team from Injinji Performance Products. The support from all of you makes this journey so much easier and fun along the way. 

Anthony Gordon

Trail To Triumph - Tony's Journey

Trail To Triumph is a 250 km journey from Moranbah to Mackay via Eungella. It is more then just a brutal 2.5 day run through Queensland's mining heartland, its about mate-ship, perseverance and heart. Foremost though its about commemorating Tony Britton and raising awareness and funds for Mesothelioma (a terminal asbestos cancer) and dust disease research and treatment. The events founder, Matt Britton started the event in 2014 after his father Tony passed away from Mesothelioma in 2013. Before passing from the disease, Matt promised his father to do something "big" to honor his memory and make a difference to other victims. This is Tony's Journey.

Arriving in Moranbah we made our way to the Moranbah Hawks football ground which was to be our base for the night and the starting point of what was to be an epic adventure in the coming 2.5 days. It was straight into organizing the gear I would need for the following morning, whist also taking sometime out with the rest of the group to have a look through the Heart of Australia truck.

Day 1:

Things kicked off early Friday morning ready for a 3am start. We stood together as 'one' in the driveway of the football club,  Matt taking some time to reiterate the reason we were all here and to share with us that this journey was much bigger then just his father and shared with us Brooke's story.

As we left the Moranbah Hawks Football Club behind us we began our journey out of Moranbah, we made our way through the quiet suburban streets, the silence broken by the rhythmic drumming of shoes on bitumen and the not so subtle banter between our newly formed family. Early on it had been established that a 5 minute run, 2 minute walk strategy would be adopted something which I was not so familiar with as walking was not something I put much focus towards during training but I soon settled into the rhythm. The first leg into breakfast was a mostly road with sections of dirt to keep you honest, I say dirt because it was really not trail.... well not as I know it anyway. It was not long after the sun came up that we had made our way into our breakfast stop and the chance to top up any nutrition as well as to get stuck into a bacon and egg roll.... or two. Though it was early on things at this point were feeling strong and I had settled into the rhythm and my nutrition and hydration were ticking along as planned.

From lunch we continued to make our way along Red Hill Road with approximately 22km of road running for the day ahead of us before moving onto the compact dirt road of whats known as Pipeline Road. By now the temperature had well and truly began to climb as road temps peaked at close to 60 degrees while the ambient temperature capped out close to 40. 

Pipeline Road would see us see out the day, a brutal 43km dirt road which just seems to go on forever, a mix of long drawn out inclines and never ending flat sections of dirt which seamlessly disappear into the horizon before reappearing..... a vicious cycle that plays with the mind. It was this section where my day began to unravel, I had managed to hold off the elements throughout what felt like a pretty perfect day however nausea began to creep in and rear it ugly head as I reached 90km, and as the kilometres ticked on I found myself dropping further behind the lead group. I made the call at 98km to not prolong the inevitable as the nausea and the lingering feeling of holding up the other runners became overwhelming, jumping into the near by support vehicle my day was done. As much as it hurt mentally my decision was validated when I passed out the instant I got into the support vehicle only to be awoken as those that finished the day made their way into the back seat for the trip to our overnight accommodation.

Day 2:

Day Two Started where day one had finished off.... on the Pipeline Road. Yesterdays disappointment had subsided and I was determined to focus on the achievements of yesterday and continue to push that positive mindset forward into day two. The body seemed to have held up pretty well with the exception of some slight swelling in the ankles, I had made some slight changes to the nutrition strategy taking away from lessons learnt yesterday. From the beginning it was clear that there would be plenty of elevation during this section as we made our way towards and up the range. Due to unforeseen circumstances breakfast had been delayed which saw us push forward from the planned breakfast stop at Eungella Dam (approximately 17km into the day), as the decision was made to allow breakfast to chase us. With that we continued to push on along Eungella Road, it was not long until the undulating terrain began to take its toll on my shins. Breakfast had finally caught up with us and looking around it was a much needed stop for a few of us as the heat of the day had already begun to take its toll on a few, I looked at my watch and remember it not even being 10am. After a much needed calorie boost courtesy of a bacon and egg roll and a few pieces of fruit it was time to once again endure the grind up the range. 

Finally we were rewarded with short section of downhill before coming to what was for me a much anticipated trail section through the lush rain forest of the Eungella National Park. For me trail running does not get much better then this.... dodging vines, jumping and ducking fallen trees, of all the 200km I completed.... this relatively short 10km section is where I felt most at home, and for a short period I had forgotten all about the pain developing in my shins which had began to cripple me on the undulating terrain we had left behind. This however was short lived, with 3km left before lunch I was bought to a agonizing holt as once again the pain began to shoot through the lower section of my shins, I tried all I could to ease the pain but it just would not subside, by this point there was really no other way but forward as turning back was just not an option, I began what could only be referred to as a 'death march' determined to get to the upcoming lunch stop. 3km has never felt so long but finally on the back of some reassurance and encouragement from a few runners that had caught up and followed me in I made my way into the lunch stop which also doubled up as our overnight accommodation at Eugella.

 As I arrived at lunch I had all but ruled out shin splints as the cause of my pain as I had 'bombed' it down the final hill pain free, "10 minutes till we leave" was the call I was greeted with as I made my way into the hall..... 10 minutes..... at first I thought I heard wrong, by this point I was in a lot of pain my shins, ankles and now due to what I could only put down to compensating for those other injuries my right knee had also began to fail me. It was at this point my thoughts to the third and final day that lay ahead of me and with that I made the decision to call and end to my day and take advantage of massage, needling and ice baths to make sure I could get things at least in some way ready for the day to come.

Day 3:

The light was finally visible at the end of the tunnel, and with just under 50km left it was simply a training run that was between me and the finish line of Trail To Triumph. I had done all I could do to get the issues of the day before sorted and was determined to get the final day done. Just as the previous two days day three had its own challenges, long grinding straights of bitumen, unforgiving heat with zero shade to hide in and the unrelenting pain that had hindered my running for the past day. For me today was all mental it was all about disappearing inside myself turning the mind off to the outside world and just moving forward.... I was hurting..... we were all hurting, if anyone said they felt great they were kidding themselves, however we continued to push forward as one unit, as one family. 

"Walking at the white post", "Running at the yellow sign", "walking at the letterbox on the right" the rest was a blur as I cleared the mind of all but the commands of our naturally appointed run leader and the rhythmic drumming of shoes on the road. As we came into lunch by this point the pain in my right leg had brought me to nothing more then a shuffle, with massage tables filling quickly I was limited in my options as to how I would find a solution to the constant pain. 12km was all that lay before us and the much anticipated finish at Mackay Base Hospital, I fueled up and had by this time got my knee attended to by one of our doctors, as I relied on strapping tape to hold things together for the final push to the finish.  As we drew closer to the end the relief of the strapping was short lived as walking again become undesirable. 

As we crossed the bridge over the Pioneer River and our destination came into view it was only then that the magnitude of what had been achieved over this weekend began to set in, We had all set out as individuals with a common purpose yet each with our own goals, goals which by some were achieved and by others on this occasion were unobtainable, yet at the end we crossed the line at the finish as one family, as equals brought together by our common goal which was achieved by all, to honor and remember those who are no longer with us due to Mesothelioma and other related lung diseases and to raise awareness so as to hopefully prevent more families suffering in times ahead.

I feel so privileged to have been apart of this event for 2021 to be able to show my support to my good friend Matt Britton and to be surrounded by so many inspirational people, I have made new friends, explored lands of our beautiful country many others would not get to see and got to share this experience with my parents. I finished the weekend short of my goal however have taken away so much from this experience its hard to be disappointed. I will return in 2022 with the lessons I have taken away from this year to obtain what was just out of reach in 2021. 

If you wish to find out More about Trail To Triumph or donate towards this amazing charity you can visit the website via the link on my blog.

Thank you to my Family, my coach Ben Duffus, my Physio Mat Britton and my running family, my family at MAW Brothers, TrailBrew Nutrition, Chris Adams and the team from Injinji Performance Products, the volunteers/crew who took time out of the busy lives to get us all through it and to those that donated and sponsored the event. The support from all of you made this journey so much easier and fun along the way. We also had some amazing photography out on our journey and I would like to credit them for some of these amazing photos.

The Guzzler- The Big Sipper

The Guzzler has always been a favorite event on the racing calendar for me, since it's first installment I have found myself toeing the line at this increasingly successful event. 

I had spend Saturday taking in the event as a spectator as I cheered my wife around the 50km course as she tackled her first ultra, a perspective I had not had the pleasure of viewing in the past, to experience the emotions and atmosphere that I would otherwise not be aware of when I'm racing. However what I was aware of was the grit and determination it takes to cross that finish line so to be able to stand at the finish and clap and cheer my wife over the line of her first ultra is a memory I will always hold dear.

The usual feeling of race day nerves was hard to escape as I woke on Sunday morning, gathering my gear and making my way to Mount Coot-Tha, where we were to be picked up by bus and transported to the start line of The Big Sipper. It was a surreal (but oh so cool) feeling to be essentially dumped on the side of a mountain road, following a trail through the morning darkness into the middle of the bush, before a dimly lit arch came into view marking the start line. 

Participants continue to arrive and the tunes began to pump, cutting through the mornings silence. I ran through my race plan in my head, calming my nerves, I knew I had put in the work and knew I was ready even with such a short turn around from my hit out at Brisbane Trail Ultra. My eyes were on the prize, I had set my goal... To go under the current course record and knew that's what it would take.  

Then.... It was Go Time.

I took the first 5km of the rolling downhill start in my stride, knowing in 21km there is not much time to find your feet and I watched as the top three runners disappearing out of sight. I made my way along an out and back section leading into the one and only checkpoint of the race, receiving positive praise from my coach and race leader Ben Duffus as he passed by on his way around the reservoir. At this point I knew I was in fourth place and with still 16 km ahead of me I felt confident I could make up the ground needed to find my way on to the podium as my strengths lay in the mid to later sections of the course.

As the halfway mark approached, a runner became visible in front of me, as I closed in the decision was made with 10km to go it was time to put the foot down, there was one major climb to come in the closing stages, but I was confident I could keep the intensity to the end. Making the climb up from the reservoir on to South Boundary I pushed the pace, checking my shoulder as I made my way onto Boscombe Road Trail towards Gap Creek.

Passing through Gap Creek with plenty of fresh air behind me I knew all I had to do was just hold on, although grew curious about how far the next runner was ahead. It was now just down to the final climb, the climb that is Kokoda.... as I reached the top cramp began to find its way into my calves, with just over 3km to go I had no intention of letting this effect my race, I had created the time and took advantage of a few seconds to stretch each calf against a near by tree. The pain subsided and it was time to get it done. The final couple of kilometres everything just felt good, I knew I had run a near perfect race, I had secured myself a podium and had achieved my goal of getting under the previous course record. Crossing the finish line in third place, being greeted by my family and my coach.

Results:

Finish time: 01:42:49

Place (overall): 3rd

Category: 1st 

Thank you to my Family/Crew, my coach Ben Duffus, my Physio Mat Britton and my BTR family (with special mention to Ben Bergan and Noelis Rheault) , my family at MAW Brothers, TrailBrew Nutrition, Chris Adams and the team from Injinji Performance Products. The support from all of you makes this journey so much easier and fun along the way. 

Anthony Gordon

Ultra Trail Australia 100 2021 Race report

 "I want to let known my gratitude and respect for the Dharug and Gundungurra people as the traditional custodians of the land in which was our play ground."

As has been the case on a number of occasions in the past twelve months injury hampered my lead up into this years Ultra Trail Australia. I was determined to get things right, or as right as they could possibly be and stand on the start line to give myself the best possible chance to achieve the goals I had set.

This was my second visit to the Blue Mountains for this event so I was confident that course knowledge would aid me this time around. Staring from start group one I was focused on getting myself in a good position early to avoid the congestion build up that is known to happen through Landslide and at a later stage 'Tarro Ladders'. It was obvious early that thermoregulation was going to need to be monitored as icy winds contributed to a below zero wind chill factor for a good part of the day, so I had no intention of spending much time in the checkpoints. The first 44km in some way feels like a bit of a blur, as I made my way into Checkpoint 3 situated on private land aside the Six Foot Track. My crew was there waiting with a refill of nutrition for the next leg of the race, I was well ahead of my planned time..... maybe to ahead as I completed the first 50km of the course 15mins faster then my best 50 km time, the legs felt great, nutrition was going to plan and the niggles were at bay for now so I just focused on going with what felt right.

Then main crux of the course lay ahead and for me this is where the UTA100 really begins. On route to Check point 4 situated at the Katoomba Aquatic Center, I pushed along The Six Foot Track keeping my pace in check mindful of the climbing that was to come, continually trying to deviate my focus from the towering cliffs where I was to eventually end on top of. The climbing began as I ascended up the stairs of The Six Foot Track approx 380m vertical gain in the space of about 3km, brutal after a solid effort already in the legs, I had already decided to hike this section and use it as an opportunity to take in some good nutrition and get the mind in check for the remainder of the race. Reaching the top it was an easy trott through some more single track before the consistent feeling of bitumen leading into the Check point. My crew was a welcome sight and as before it was a quick refill of the staples and a quick run down of how things were playing out within the race, to this point I was tracking well still out in front of my goal time and the body was behaving, with body temperature in mind I quickly send my good byes and made the push to the final major Checkpoint. 

I'd have to say the next section of the course leading into Queen Victoria Hospital is always a stand out for me and by far the most brutal of the course. The track from Katooma towards Wentworth Falls gifts each runner with amazing views of the surrounding landscape as they traverse across the cliffs edge, giving it its reputation as a popular walking track in the Blue Mountains from Katoomba towards the Three Sisters. 

I had not really taken to much notice of the wind up until this point but it certainly had a kick during this section as I pulled down my sleeves to give some protection from the chill, it was reasonably quick going down the giant staircase as I used my gloves to allow me to slide using the hand rails minimizing the impact on my knees reaching the bottom the never ending theme of UTA continued.... What goes down must come back up… After descending into a valley it was a seeming endless and unrelenting climb back up the stairs and onto the flats leading in to Checkpoint 5, but I had done this before and knew the end was insight. I made my way into Queen Victoria Hospital, by this point things were starting to feel tough, I was still on track to hit my goal however it was going to take some work, the legs were tiring and feeling the effects of the harder push in the first half of the race. 

I began the final push towards the finish and the cheering supports that awaited the finishers at Scenic World. "Its now just a training run" I told myself as I made my way out of the checkpoint. I had complained to my crew of niggles that were beginning to surface and just hoped things would hold together for the final section of the race. "make sure you save some legs for Kadumba" is a common piece of advice thrown around the traps when running UTA, and with good reason.... 8 km's of continuous declining fire trail that descends 650m causing the most seasoned of quads to scream in these later stages of the race. On reaching the bottom its then all up hill, I passed through the emergency aid station set up with just over 8km to go paying know attention the warming glow of the fire they had set up..... "I know cruel right".

I had began a mix of hiking and a steady jog as I made my way up the steep ascent towards the cliff lines of the Three Sisters, by this time the light had faded, so the torches were out and the views were now faint outlines. With 5km to go I made my way through  Leura Forest along Federal Pass, by now the day had taken its toll and my calf had reached its point, running had now become painful and I had accepted that the last 5km was going to cost me my sub 12 hour goal... I used the time to reflect on the day that was, thankful of being able to do what I am doing in the surrounds I was blessed with, voicing my congratulations to each runner along those final few kilometres for the task we as individuals were on the verge of accomplishing.

The final push, I gritted my teeth and put all I had into the final climb up the 951 stairs of Fuber steps, my calf begging me to have mercy. As the top drew ever so closer the sounds of cow bells and cheers grew stronger, making my way along the boardwalk and into the finishers shoot, although different this year running down that finishers shoot at Ultra Trail Australia is a feeling that will never get old. My race was done. Although not all the goals I set out to achieve were accomplished on this occasion I walked away with a 50km PB of more then 15mins, a 100km PB of more then 1 hr 30mins and the much sort after silver buckle. All in all a good day at the office.

Results:

Finish time: 12:49:10

Place (overall): 77

Category: 30 

Thank you to my Family/Crew, my coach Ben Duffus, my Physio Mat Britton and my BTR family (with special mention to Ben Bergan and Noelis Rheault) , my family at MAW Brothers, TrailBrew Nutrition, Chris Adams and the team from Injinji Performance Products. The support from all of you makes this journey so much easier and fun along the way. 

Anthony Gordon

The Guzzler 100 2020 Race Report- The good, The bad, The ugly and a deeper dive into my journey

"Strength does not come from success. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength" Mahatma Gandhi

Standing on the start line..... things this time felt different. There were no nervous butterflies, there was no feeling of anticipation, none of that usual pent up tension..... I was calm.

My lead up into this years edition of The Guzzler had been some what up and down, a string of nutrition issues during long training runs and the relentless battling through the heat of Brisbane's warmer months had played on my mind a lot leading up to the event. News of a family illness added weight on race day eve, preparation suddenly seemed more of an after thought, logistics had a feeling of slight uncertainty, I found myself scurrying around with less then 10 hours before the start sorting gear, measuring nutrition, sorting out my crew bags..... yet standing on that start line and I was calm....

The 30 second count down began and the atmosphere and music ramped up.

I usually attach motivational messages to my bottles in my drop bags, you know the ones... "keep pushing", "you got this", those small messages of encouragement that keep you going, that keep your focus on the journey. What even most closest to me don't know is I carry those with me constantly, on the wallpaper of my phone, my laptop, and on a card in my wallet... the quote that sits above. But today there was no need for drop bags as my crew was on course. 10,9,8.

I steadied myself, adjusting my much loved BTR buff my focus drawn to the three words I had written on the inside of my wrist earlier that morning "Control the Controllable".

We were off.

Starting at Simpson Falls picnic area at the base of Brisbane's Mount Coot-Tha, it was an easy flat start before beginning the climb up Powerful owl. As per the previous year this was a section of the race called the King of The Mountain a race within the race, I took this climb fairly conservatively knowing that it was going to be a long day. Reaching the top and with the leaders insight it was down the familiar decline of Jacksonia, through Gap Creek and the undulating trails toward South Boundary Road. Things were tracking well as I made my way around the narrow single trail that hugged the edges of Enoggera Reservoir, a quick thumbs up from my crew who had made their way around to Walkabout Creek to view the runners as they came into checkpoint 1 (Walkabout Creek).

A quick exit from the checkpoint and I headed towards the rolling hills of Mount Nebo Rd Break. Things were feeling comfortable and all signs were pointing to a great day, I had put in the work, and it was paying dividends as I made light work of the short, sharp climbs along this section. 24km in I was greeted by the cheers of my BTR family, a quick top up of my water and some banana and I was on my way, through the gates into hell. Entering the 'Hell Hole Hussle' I had worked my way into 4th overall but with still over 70km of technical, hilly trails still ahead of me it was not time to become complacent. Gold Creek checkpoint (32km) beckoned and as I made way down the gentle slope of Gold Creek road. It was a refreshing feeling being greeted by my crew, I had come in under my planned time but things were feeling great with the body and the pace feeling comfortable. Some quick words of encouragement, fresh chilled nutrition bottles and a refreshing ice towel and I left my crew behind and pushed towards the halfway mark and the next checkpoint at Lake Manchester.

Following the winding, rugged single track around Gold Creek Reservoir, it was hard to not be distracted by the beautiful shimmering views of the water this trail frames. The junction at Layhys Break was where the 100km runners parted ways from the shared section of the course as I took a left and headed up Layhys Break up to Gold Creek Road Break.

I made my way along Gold Creek Road Break finding a more consistent stride as the trail widened and things flattened out. I relaxed into my stride, then as quick as I had found my groove my race was over.... a slight misstep was enough to cause my knee to twist, and I knew my day was done.... a sharp pulsing pain was followed by a dull ache, I made an effort to try and jog hoping it would subside but I already knew with still over 60km to go and the main crux of the course still ahead of me I would need to make peace with the fact my first DNF was inevitable. I still had 6km till I reached the water station at the 42km mark and with little chance of having medics get to me I began the painfully solemn walk, things were slow going from that point on, the passing runners carried the message of an injured runner with them as they reached the water station and with about 1km to go I was relieved to come across one of the volunteers from the water station who had made their way back to find me.

Certainly a day of mixed emotions, the overwhelming feeling of disappointment and failure in some kind of collaborative dance with the feeling of progress, strength and the acknowledgement that till the point of "bad luck" this had probably been my strongest run to date where things were in balance, the mind was focused, and the body was strong.

Until next year.... there will be redemption.

Result: DNF

Thank you to my Family, my coach Ben Duffus, my Physio Mat Britton and my BTR family, my family at MAW Brothers, TrailBrew Nutrition, Inspire Athletic, Chris Adams and the team from Injinji Performance Products The support from all of you makes this journey so much easier and fun along the way. Also a huge shout out to the team behind The Guzzler you do an amazing job with this fantastic event.

Anthony Gordon

Brisbane Trail Ultra 2020 Race Report

With the craziness of 2020 continuing to provoke changes to day to day life. This years running of the Brisbane Trail Ultra originally scheduled for the cooler winter month of June took place in the much warmer and humid month of the Brisbane "Spring". The advantage of the much earlier start (5am) was going to see me hopefully get it done before the temperature began to rise.

The original plan for this event was to be a filler between what was a packed race calendar (before the 'happening'), but with all the changes and cancellations it quickly became one of my A races of the year.

Starting at The Gap Corra-Mulling Park, I had managed to pull away from the pack with another runner as we began the climb up Python track on the way towards Channel 7, this 180m climb with 260m of elevation definitely gave the climbing legs a workout early but also provided me the chance to pull further away from the pack with Daniel Buenen keeping me company as we headed through Bush Box Picnic area, onto Eugenia Circuit, climbing up to Powerful Owl Trail before descending down into Ghost Hole towards Litchfield on our way to check point 7 and the only checkpoint of this event.

Running into checkpoint 7 was like coming home, its always an amazing feeling being greeted by my running family that is Brisbane Trail Runners, even with a long night behind them were still buzzing with enthusiasm as I breezed through the checkpoint and headed towards the next major climb in the race Pinnacles Track. This 1.7km  segment was also labelled the Red Bull Climb, was a cheeky race within the race (was happy to take out 5th spot overall on this section).

With the major of the climbs now behind me I pushed on along Powerful Owl trail, by now Daniel had managed to pull away and in some way it seemed so had my distraction. Following the gentle decline of Eugenia, across the foot bridge and up stringy bark track I felt in my element and felt confident with my home town advantage, I train on these tracks day in day out I know every rock and hill, and my timing thus far had been perfect. Heading on to Kulgun Circuit I took time in my head to just enjoy the moment of where I was and what It was that I was privileged enough to be doing, this section is a favourite of mine personally and definitely a highlight of the 30km course.

As I headed out of Mount Coot-tha there was a small trail section before I hit the urbane part of the course and with that things began to unravel.... The next 9km was the road section, I had planned and left myself enough in the legs to be able to maintain low 4:00min/km however what I had not planned for was how my trail shoes would perform on the road, I had never actually tested them on the road before and ultimately this was my downfall. by the time I had reached the final 4km of the course the pain in the bottom of my feet was unbearable and my planned pace quickly diminished in to a run/walk as I fought the pain of every step, I knew I had noone coming behind me as I fell into a false sense of security, forgetting that unlike a conventional start we had set off in waves so in effect it was more like a time trial.

Coming into Riverlife the atmosphere at the finish was electric and for a split second I had forgotten about the pain. Overall for me it was a day of mixed emotions, I could walk away pleased with a top 10 finish and knowing I had I strong run on the trail sections, yet I cant help but be left a little disappointed and unlucky with how my day panned out.... but as with every race its about the people you get to share your time with, the environment you get to enjoy and the lessons you learn about yourself along the way that is what its really all about. Congratulations to all those runners that took on their events and a special mention to Ben Duffus (60km winner and course record) and Noelis Rheault (100 mile winner and course record) you both play a huge part in my journey and was awesome to see you both come out on top.

Results:

Finish time: 2:37:04

Place: 6/206

Category: 3/51

Gender: 6/130

Thank you to my Family, my coach Ben Duffus, my Physio Mat Britton and my BTR family,my family at  MAW Brothers, TrailBrew Nutrition, Inspire Athletic, Chris Adams and the team from Injinji Performance Products The support from all of you makes this journey so much easier and fun along the way. Also a huge shout out to Shona Stephenson and team behind the Brisbane Trail Ultra you do an amazing job with this fantastic event.

Anthony Gordon