Journey to 100 miles - GSER PART SIX

Well, here we are almost at the end of October, and as promised here’s my final GSER update prior to tackling my first 100 mile race in 3 weeks’ time.

The long runs are done & the hay is in the barn – it’s time to lower the volume & focus on staying healthy as race day approaches.

My final training blocks included an all-night run around a month ago, which covered 50 kilometres & close to 2,300 meters of vert. The run started at Mt Coot-Tha just after 8:30pm & finished back at the same place just after 6am.

We were so fortunate to have support from friends & family who made sure we had Coke delivered at 2am to the top of Scrub Road, a full picnic at the corner of Blacksoil Road & South Boundary Road around 3am, and then an amazing breakfast spread back at Mt Coot-Tha at around 6:30am.

Many thanks to CJ Pearson, Saff Firkins, Jen McKinnon for the on-course support & my wife Glenda Vigorelli for the breakfast.

Here's the Strava link & some photos from the night:

https://www.strava.com/activities/7824458213

I also tackled a mini Chainsaw Massacre at Camp Mountain, and finally another 50 kilometre run with 2,000+ meters of vert this weekend just gone.

I ran with Christy McFadden who is also taking on the GSER Miler, and a mate from the Toohey Trail Runners, Thomas Lee.

We had amazing weather, with only a couple of downpours along the way. Nice cool running conditions & beautiful green trails – especially as we got closer to Mt Nebo where you enter the rainforest section. We took this run nice & easy and finished with plenty of fuel left in the tank.

 Here's the Strava link & some photos from the day:

https://www.strava.com/activities/7999567983

I’ve spent a lot of time now studying the course maps & descriptions, as well as planning drop bags & other logistics.

I’m very fortunate to have my Crew Chief Glenda Vigorelli coming down to Victoria with me – she has crewed for me at every major ultra I’ve ever done & knows exactly what I need to get to the end.

I’m also so lucky to have an incredible pacer who’s willing to stay with me for both pacing sections of the race, a total of 110.6 Km’s. Andrew Moore is a very experienced ultra-runner in his own right, but he’s also a running coach, Mountain Goat Trail Runners male runner of the year & just an all round good bloke! He’ll join me at 51.1 kilometres into the race & be with me until the end.

It turns out that there’ll be a large contingent of runners from Brisbane at the event – I’m sure there’s others from Brisbane & Queensland generally, but here’s the runners that I’m already aware of:

Christy McFadden – 100 Mile

Jalna Clair – 100 Mile

Kelly Correll – 50 Mile

Rania Beattie – 50 Mile

Rob Martin – 100 Mile

Rowan Cassidy – 100 Mile

Todd Mumberson – 100 Mile

Ross Murphy – 50 Mile

Lachlan Smeed – 50 Mile

Craig Dodd – 28km

The race organisers have put a strong focus on female runners this year with the “Women of GSER” series, so it’s exciting to see both Christy & Jalna from QLD in the Miler.

All my mandatory gear is now sorted, along with my gear choices for the race.

Nothing has really changed there – the shoe of choice is the Saucony Xodus Ultra & the pack is the Raidlight Ultralight 24L with trail quiver to stash the Leki poles when not in use.

The Coros Vertix 2 GPS watch will easily last the whole race without needing to be charged.

I’m feeling good, with no injuries & no niggles. Even to get to the start of a race like this in good shape is an ultra in itself!

Huge thanks to the (unofficial) Run Vault training crew who have always been there to train with every weekend. Here’s a few more photos from various runs over the journey:

The regulars include “Irish” Nick Roberts, CJ Pearson, Greg Folan, Jaimi Greenslade, Naho Cvetinovic, Saffron Firkins & also appearances from Mallani Moloney, Kath Reid, Thomas Lee & Sylvia Pfeffer.

I’ll continue to do all my weekly runs, along with something a bit longer on the weekends, but the taper has begun.

This has been a journey that began all the way back in 2017 when I was a pacer at the inaugural GSER when it was a point-to-point race from Mt Buller to Bright – a distance of 181 kilometres!

 I’ve been entered in this race twice before, but not been able to run either due to race cancellation or COVID rules – surely this is the year, unless floods somehow ruin the event! 🙏🙏

Fingers & toes are crossed and I’m really excited to get down to Victoria & to get out in those alps again. Time to finally get the job done!