“Hey Mama, take this badge from me, I can’t use it anymore. It’s getting dark to dark to see, feels like I’m knocking on heavens door.
Mama put my guns in the ground, I can’t shoot them anymore. That cold black cloud is comin down.” – Guns N’ Roses
My badge? – I’m an ultrarunner.
Why it was considered I might not use it? – I have advanced cancer.
A discussion post run in a carpark in early 2023 lead to an adventure, the opportunity to challenge myself like I haven’t before, and that’s saying something because I’ve done some amazing and really hard things in my running career, pre and post Cancer.
Then this; 50km in Hong Kong with over 3500m elevation gain – tough and then an even tougher cutoff 12 hours 30 minutes to finish it. Initially I was simply going to travel with friends and support and crew. A job I love and did do. However, as I was given the all clear to run I attempted to reclaim my fitness. Things in my body have changed due to the tumour and the hormone treatment and a lot of adjustment was required physically and mentally. From time to time I have to manage pain but running has had a positive influence on my recovery and of course general well-being. Being able to join in on training runs and coaching camps felt fantastic, a reclaiming of my identity of something other than a cancer survivor.
So preparation for this event began. We trained through some hot days and to make it hard repeated things like stairs and big hills in attempt to replicate what the course might be like. Nothing can prepare you for what is ahead of you. We were warned, there are lots of stairs, the DNF rate is high. We knew the elevation gain, we needed to get as much vert as possible in our training.
We prepared, we ran within ourselves, and we all completed our events. It hurt, those climbs were unrelenting, the views were breathtaking, the course was technical, there were monkeys, there were happy locals, a well-marked course, amazing checkpoints and people simply out hiking. It was warm and humid, the fresh breeze at the peaks a welcome change, it rained, I fell and recovered and just kept going until I crossed that finish line happy to see my running mates.
So in the words of Green Day it was;
“Another turning point a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go. So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why. It’s not a question but a lesson learned in time. It’s something unpredictable but in the end it’s right, I hope you had the time of your life.”
I am adapting well to living with advanced cancer. I remain active but my activities are restricted by the tumour in my spine. To most, unless I told you, it is not apparent that I am living with a chronic disease. I really miss being able to get out and run, the freedom of movement. I miss the connection with friends, the ability to just join in for a run and sunrises and passing through nature and the myriad of paths and trails available to us throughout Brisbane and South-East Queensland. I never took my health and fitness for granted, and I still get out in nature and with others regularly but I am to a degree limited and for now enjoy life at a bit of a slower pace.
I continue to be curious, adventurous and seeking fun but the sobering reality is that I will continue to require regular treatment and monitoring for the rest of my life. For now the hormone treatment (a daily table and a monthly injection) has slowed the growth and or spread of my cancer. As this treatment continues to work I live a relatively normal life. I am aware that the spread to somewhere other than my bones is likely.
This gown is actually quite on trend, took a shot just prior to my MRI Test at Queensland
Managing the Side Effects
This is a bit of a pain! My previous hormone treatment Tamoxifen had some minor side effects which really did affect me. My mood was affected I just wasn’t myself and I had a tendency to get injured more. After consulting my Oncologist she agreed dropping it would be okay, my risk was low. Five years later I am back on a different hormone therapy an Aromastase Inhibiter (daily tablet) and monthly implant. This time the most prevalent side effect is joint pain and stiffness. If I get up and get moving I’m okay but as soon as I sit for a while the stiffness returns. Now that I know this is a symptom of my treatment well I’m just going to have to run with it. When I run I do experience pins and needles and numbness in the feet, a result of the nerve damage caused by the tumour on my spine. However tests have revealed that my bone density is amazing, so there is no risk of fracturing the spine where the tumour has compromised the bones.
At this time I am slowly getting back to something that resembles running. I will for the rest of my life be regularly tested – blood tests, various scans, monthly GP appointment and injection and regular appointments with the oncologist. I have been able to reduce my medication. The upside, I want need regular mammograms because the PET scan tests the whole body for Cancer. I always seek the silver linings.
For those who might follow me on Strava and know me as a prolific runner may be wondering what’s up, well here’s your answer. It been a hectic few weeks.
My boobs are still trying to kill me. Even though the cancer had been completely removed from my breasts in February 2016 some sneaky cells got away. Just a few, an insignificant, isolated few that took a good 6 years to find a home somewhere else in my body. They didn’t know what they were doing though, by settling on my spine they certainly weren’t going to go undetected for too long. I developed what I thought was a bit of a piriformis issue (a pain in the butt) and had a sore back. As an endurance athlete I know how to treat these issues. It took a few weeks for me to realise when the pain wasn’t going away despite the tried and tested methods that something was up. It twigged perhaps my cancer had spread, I looked up bone cancer, secondary cancer and my fear was realised.
A visit to the GP, who said as I knew, your risk of the cancer returning is low it’s possibly a spine issue. An MRI and X-ray on a Friday evening and by Tuesday morning it was confirmed. My GP’s first call of the day was to me. You know it’s important when the GP calls you. She had called me before, my iron was low, come in for an infusion, this interaction was a little more hectic. What followed was a week of appointments and tests, all made for me. I was called or messaged, provided instructions and just turned up. Within a week of that call I had been formally diagnosed with Secondary Breast Cancer, a lesion had grown on my L5 Lumbar Vertebrae and S1 joint. The nerves and spinal cord were being pushed around by the invasive tumour 36mm in diameter. The cancer was much like my original tumour having strong hormone receptors. A good sign as it is very treatable and manageable with hormone treatment.
When I was considering my treatment options back in 2016 there was a very low risk of cancer turning up in my future and at that time we said we would tackle that if it happened.. Things seem hard now but I know they will get easier. I have been reassured that I will be able to run again. I have plenty of living to do yet. I will routinely be monitored and tested and will now live with Cancer. For most diagnosed with Breast Cancer the cancerous cells are removed and if caught early enough the prognosis is great, you can expect to live a long-life cancer free. It is not known why some people develop secondary cancer where the cancer spreads elsewhere in the body.
I have lived and will continue to live a full life. I live with no regrets, seizing the opportunities afforded me. I hope that by sharing my experience you draw inspiration to do the same. To live your life well, to be kind, to not be afraid to challenge yourself and I have been challenged. If you are curious to know what it is like to live with cancer and the challenges it presents please follow along, don’t be afraid to ask me questions and share your own experiences whether it be personal or that of a close family member.
This is what I do know. There continues to be significant research into Cancer. Treatment options are always improving and the time people live with cancer also increasing. In the 6 ½ years since my diagnosis there has been significant advances. I will certainly be around for quite some time yet decades even.
As my Cancer has strong hormone receptors I have been medically induced into menopause which has me suffering hot flushes. These I can deal with. They wake me adding to the insomnia but it is way better than the nerve pain I have ensured and still suffer a little with, medication mostly assists with this pain.
For the foreseeable future my current cancer has been treated. I will routinely undergo screening and the hormone treatment is likely to stop or significantly slow down the spread of my cancer.
Due to the medication I am on at the moment I feel a little foggy in the head but I am functioning as an effective member of the community and continue to enjoy my work in the Queensland Revenue Office and coaching my athletes some of which have some big events coming up.
A glimpse into what happens in the first few weeks of a diagnosis.
23rd August – GP called with my diagnosis, I was referred to my Breast Cancer Surgeon.
24th August – Appointment with Dr Nano who refers me to a Medical Oncologist and provides me with some effective pain killers and scheduled a PET Scan.
25th August – Had a PET Scan which will determine if the cancer has spread anywhere else in the body. I had to go on a low carb diet for this procedure, that was tough.
26th August – appointment with Medical Oncologist who will manage my treatment moving forward. Dr Keith Horwood took me through the PET Scan and it was good to see that the cancer was only in my spine L5, S1 joint and that it had taken 6 years to spread there.
29th August – Bone Biopsy of tumour to determine if it was Secondary Breast Cancer and if it was hormone receptive like my original cancer. Procedure was done as a day patient at the Greenslopes Private Hospital.
2nd September – Follow up appointment with Medical Oncologist who confirmed Secondary Breast Cancer, very strong hormone receptors and provided me with prescriptions for hormone therapy and referred me to Radiation Oncologist Dr Matthew Foote (also a runner – Comrades Marathon, Boston Marathon).
6th September – 1st hormone treatment injections with my GP something I will have every month for now. The hormone treatment slows or even stops the growth of cancer.
13th September – 1st appointment with Radiation Oncologist and planning for Radiation Treatment, had three more tattoos added to my collection for this treatment.
20th September – 1st of five intense radiation treatment sessions, experienced some nausea as the lower spine is in the area prone to triggering nausea.
22nd September – Memorial Day holiday but I spent it in quite a bit of pain after a morning of vomiting and in quite a bad way. Two trips to hospital on this day, one for anti-nausea medication and more pain relief and then later for scheduled treatment.
Weekend of 24/25th September – in quite a bit of discomfort, some nausea, not much sleep and quite a bit of pain.
26th September – Called Icon Cancer Care nurse and spoke to a Doctor who provided me with a script for Dexamethasone which proved to really help with the pain.
27th September – Last Intense Radiation treatment and appointment with Radiation Oncologist. I was pleased to get that last treatment done and things seemed to be getting better until they didn’t. I learnt that 1 in 10 experience a pain flare like I did and it happened to coincide with a day when I couldn’t keep anything down including my pain relief, the Dexamethasone really helped but it’s typically only prescribed short term and it seems the three days and then tapering off wasn’t enough.
1st October – after a night of no sleep and trying all my pain relief options I headed to the Greenslopes Hospital Emergency Department for help. I was provided with a prescription for Temazepam and sent home. That worked for a half a night so I got some sleep but was not the answer to my problems.
2nd October – early to bed again after taking Temazepam in the hope of getting some sleep, pain proved to be the winner a sleepless night followed. I was now experiencing a sharp pain in my lower leg, and some pain in my lower back and hip. This appeared to be nerve pain and opioids to treat this pain proved ineffective.
3rd October – I got up at first light and went for a walk as moving seemed to help or at most was a distraction. It didn’t help or offer much relief. Back to Greenslopes Hospital Emergency and by then I was I a pretty bad state. This was the day I became a human pin cushion to control the pain. It started with a dose of Fentanyl, admissionto hospital and transfer to ward 22, and my usual pain relief for the day. Days are usually okay for me it is the nights that things hurt. A sharp at times pain that radiates in my lower leg now. Sometimes in the hip and lower back. As it was a public holiday and the Doctors had already been through the ward I didn’t see anyone until Tuesday. The Monday night of the long weekend I spent sleeping in short bursts before the pain kicked in again, at which time I would press the call button and a nurse would come in with something, it alternated between two Endone tablets, and a Morphine injection throughout the night.
4th October – visited by representatives of Oncologist team in hospital. Yes I have a team… The opioids (Endone and Morphine) were definitely not doing the trick as my pain is a result of the inflammatory response of the intense radiation treatment. Couple this with some nausea due to all the opioids I was taking and I was pretty wiped out this day. Some anti-nausea medication meant I was able to eat and keep down the pain killers during the day and things significantly improved.
5th October – 2nd day in hospital and things did improve. I went for a walk exploring some trails in the bush I could see out my ward window. The pain was under control but I was nervous about the night and the pain returning. Fortunately the Dexamethasone did the trick and I had a good nights sleep.
6th October – Discharged from Greenslopes Hospital. After a relatively good nights sleep I felt much better in the morning and was cleared to head home with a stack of medication. I estimate I have taken more pills in the last month that I have in my first 50 years!
As of the 11th October the pain is something I am managing. This is due we think to the nerves untangling themselves after or as the tumour blasted by the Radiation is shrinking. Also an inflammatory response. I suffer some insomnia often getting up around 3am and then heading out for a walk around 5am as it’s starting to get light.
Spartan Trail World Championship Series – 30km and 100 miles
Australian Long Course Trail Championships – 110km
Despite the threat of cancellation less than 2 weeks prior to the event as a result of a short lockdown for the Brisbane Greater area, Townsville and Magnetic Island the race organisers held their nerve and with the lockdown lifted the event went ahead as planned. Unfortunately some participants were locked out due to ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 in other areas of Australia but the cancellation of the Gold Coast Marathon saw a sweep of late entrants that proved to be fortuitous for some.
The premier events at the Brisbane Trail Ultra were the 100 miles and 30km. A prize pool of $12,000 across the two events meant the regions best trail running athletes and indeed runners in general were lured to Brisbane to take part in the Spartan Trail World Championship Series events. Athletes traveled from Victoria, the ACT, New Zealand and all over Queensland.
Cecilia Mattas, 30km winner
The participants in the fun but challenging 60km starting at 8am were amongst the first to arrive at the finish precinct at the top of the Kangaroo Point Cliffs which provides a sweeping view of the Brisbane River, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, the Brisbane Central District with the Mt Coot-tha and Brisbane Forest Park which the participants made their way through on their way to the finish visible on the horizon.
One of the premier events the 30km starting at 3pm had the most competitive field. This event awarded prize money for the top 5 with a total prize pool of $2,500.
It was Queensland or Sunshine Coast local Cecilia Mattas who backed up her win at Ultra Trail Australia 100 with the win here in the 30km Spartan Championship. Cecilia lead the field from the start finishing 6 minutes clear of the 2nd placed female and proved her win at UTA was not by chance breaking former UTA champion Beth Cardelli’s course record set at this event in 2019. The minor placings were a little closer with 2nd through to 5th all with 5 minutes of each other.
The cancellation of the Gold Coast Marathon due to the 5 day COVID-19 lockdown proved to be fortuitous for Aiden Hobbs (QLD). The race favourite though was most definitely Ben Duffus with his intimate knowledge of the course and mountain running experience. Tom Brimelow the winner of the 100km in 2020 was considered a threat as was other top class trail runners Sam Burridge (ACT), Vajin Armstrong (NZ) and Brodie Nankervis (VIC). It was a battle out front from the start between Ben Duffus and Aiden Hobbs, both Brisbane locals but athletes with very different backgrounds. The only common ground being Cross Country with Ben professing he preferred it to Track in high school, while Aiden states that his favourite event is the 1500m on the track.
Aiden revealed he had entered the 30km event after his goal to chase a sub 2:20 marathon time on the Gold Coast the week before was taken away, his personal best being 2:23:00 (Gold Coast 2019). Monday he purchased a pair of trail shoes which he tested out on the trails with an easy 8km jog the day before.
Aiden and Ben came into the JC Slaughter Falls checkpoint within seconds of each other and the race was on up the Red Bull Climb, Aiden covering the 1700m hilly climb 4 seconds faster. Aiden strong road running background came to the fore but Ben challenged Aiden chasing hard up the stairs and around the park to the finish, Aiden taking the win in 2:00:51 and Ben crossing the line just 17 seconds later in 2:01:08, rounding out the top 5 were Tom Brimelow, Brodie Nankervis and Vajin Armstong.
The other premier event part of the Spartan World Championship series was the 100 miler. One of the toughest milers in Australia the Brisbane Trail Ultra event drew a quality field of men and women. Some were returning with a healthy respect of the challenges this course present with a few tackling the miler distance for the first time. It was the female participants that really shined through at this event. Maree Connor from Newcastle (NSW) who conquered the course. Maree was the female winner taking just over 4 hours off the course record set by Lisa Hurring in 2019 to finish in under 24 hours in 23:29:50. Jacqui Bell (QLD) the female winner in 2020 was one returning with a healthy respect for the challenge taking just 3 hours off her time from the previous year to finish in 24:55:09 rounding out the top 5 places was Carmen Atkinson (QLD) 26:18:51, Carol Robertson (QLD) 27:34:43 and Sheree Barnes (QLD) 27:42:55 for all three it was their first 100 miler. It interesting to note that it was the female participants that had the highest finishing rate with 77% of women who started finishing compared with 39% of the men.
Despite last years winner and course record holder Noelis Rhealt (QLD) out of the event due to injury and the inaugural winner Keiran O’Brien (QLD) having to withdraw due to illness the mens field still had some incredible depth with 1st and 2nd both going under the course record (20:36:36). Matthew Crehan was another to return, giving the course the respect it deserves, conquering it to cross first in 19:53:14 with Nicholas Bamford hot on his heals in 20:05:32, Rob Tabuteau supported by Noelis Rhealt on the night was third in 23:00:50 with Craig Robinson and Ingo Ernst rounding out the top 5.
The 110km was the Australian Ultra Runner Association, National Trail Long Course Championship with a generous cash prize of $1000 on offer for the Australian Champions.
The men’s race was hotly contested with a great battle out front between Mike Carroll (NSW) and Piotr Babis, both crossed the line looking like they had left it all out on the course or at least on the paths that follow the river for the final stretch to the finish atop the Kangaroo Point cliffs. Rounding out the 110km podium was Matthew Dunn sneaking in under 12 hours. At this time the course record 11:18:27 set by Vlad Shatrov is safe. So too is the womens course record. Jess Schulter was the first female finishing in 13:17:45 taking almost an hour off her time from 2019 and for the 2nd time claims the Australian Long Course Trail Championship previously claiming the title in 2017 at the Blackall 100. Rounding out the podium for the women was Jen Millum 15:31:22 and Hoa Banh 19:29:48.
The race organisers Shona Stephenson and Cora Lau have achieved something remarkable in just three years despite the challenges the current environment has thrown at them. They and the army of volunteers that support the runners over the weekend make this event something special and definitely one considering. With a wide range of events sure to challenge you but provide with great satisfaction on conquering it. I hope you will consider taking on this event or it’s sister event the Cairns to Port Douglas scheduled for the 21-22nd August 2021.
If you’re an ultra runner and/or plan to run in the dark then a good headlamp is worth the investment. I’ve had a Ferei headlamp (HL20) for over 5 years now and it hasn’t missed a beat. It’s likely to serve me for many more but don’t take my word for it. Here are some features to consider when looking to invest. I’ve recently obtained the Ferei HL40 which I’ve road tested or trail tested as it goes. It’s got some great features that improves on the HL20.
Brightness – Lumens the more the better. The Ferei HL40 has maximum output of 1000 Lumens. Now that is bright and your lamp at max output will last just over 4 hours with the battery it comes with. For many events you probably don’t need it that bright the whole time, but it’s easy to dial down the brightness or in this case dial it up. When you switch on your Ferei HL40 it’s at it’s minimum brightness 10% and you simply hold down the button to dial it up. This headlamp with it’s small battery will last longer and twice as long at 50% – 500 Lumens and that will get you through the night and that’s still BRIGHT.
Battery Life – Now if you’re hardcore and looking at multiple nights or prolonged use on high then I recommend getting a backup battery and an extension lead. At Last One Standing where I started running at 10pm the basic kit lasted all night. The next night I plugged in the backup battery seen here charging off my portable battery pack with the extension lead in my pack and again it lasted through the night, if only I had too!
HL20 Charging from portable battery pack via USB cable
HL20 fully charged from portable battery park via USB cable
Never miss a turn, lose your running mate or collect a spider with the HL40II
I’ve also had the honour of crewing and pacing through 3 nights on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail 200 miler. I was out on course providing support on the first night from midnight through to dawn, my runner making it to Esk for breakfast. I rested during the day but spent the next night in support traveling from Moore to Yarraman, the runner making it to the turnaround point around midnight. I also assisting another runner out on course in the dark not long after that, we ran into Blackbutt on the return journey in time for breakfast at the bakery. There was some time during the day to charge the battery up again for the next and third night where I paced my runner from Mt Hallam to Lowood 26km or 4 1/2 hours of fast hiking through the night. The Ferei Headlamp a constant and reliable companion in the dark over those three nights.
Python spotted on the Litchfield Track at Mt Coot-tha Brisbane April 2021.
If you love getting out in nature like I do you will be amazed what you will come across at night. I’ve spotted Koalas after hearing them growling in the trees at night runs in the Toohey Forest (Brisbane) the odd python (Mt Coot-tha also Brisbane), Tawny Frog Mouth Owls, Echidna’s and thousands of Cane Toads, in the Snowy Mountains it was Wombat Holes at the Hume and Hovell 100km. Now they are things you don’t want to miss. You’re sure to have many adventures and won’t miss the wildlife and hazards with this light.
Some other great features:
adjustable focus, easily switch from flood beam when negotiating technical trails in the dark or low light to spot beam when searching for course markers so you don’t go off course.
light weight the last thing you want when you have to carry a lot of gear is more weight.
2 year warranty from date of purchase I haven’t need to test this I’ve had continued faultless use for 5 years +
USB charger which is an optional extra makes charging anywhere easy, even on the go but you will need a spare battery if you want continuous use.
Get yours here from the guys at Run Vault. Get a 10% discount using the code JODIE10
It’s been a stressful week. I fear the we are not through the worst of it. I’ve experienced a lot of different emotions, frustration, anger and despair.
Let’s look forward and consider what is best for all.
Being Active is Good for You.
Unless you are sick there is no reason why you can’t get outside and move. Sure your race has been cancelled and you’ve had the hassle of rearranging the travel plans but it’s a great time to simply enjoy the running. Get out in nature and explore. Explore a new route be it road or trail. If you have a coach it’s a great time to reassess your goals and look further forward to fine tune your training to adjust training to really let that niggle settle and set some big goals for 2021. Stick to the program tick off the training, training is incremental and consistent training trumps one good run.
Stay Connected.
Let’s face it well all need to chill out. No better way to do this than by getting out with friends. Common sense prevails but it’s pretty easy to socially isolate outside and on the run. It’s a lot harder to pick up any airborne baddies outside. Our Brisbane lifestyle provides amply opportunity to get outside. Do it, support our local businesses and carry on.
Apply Mutual Respect.
Whether we like it or not this is affecting us all in some way. Be mindful of others and their situation we don’t know what they are going through whether they have loved ones who are vulnerable or livelihoods under threat.
Manage Stress.
Exercising, eating healthily and taking the time to do things that you enjoy all have a positive impact on stress levels and management. Now I enjoy a run especially a long one with friends. So as long as I am fit and well, that is not experiencing any of the well documented symptoms I will get out running.
My event may be cancelled but there are a myriad of other options popping up. Virtual events to name just one. My friend Travis at Run Down Under has just released a runners stimulus package. Check it out here.
Let’s really take the time to look to the future when this will all be behind us. If you continue to train you will be able to jump into practically any event later in the year that is most likely to be held. We all know our regions need our business in the months to come.
Plan Travel for 2021.
You can bet there will be some great deals on offer as soon as this has passed so it will be a great time to start planning a 2021 adventure. Be a little excited about the future when we will be able to talk about this very strange time.
Late in 2015 I heard about an event in China, the organisers were looking for International athletes of a certain standard to participate in a 50km event in the Gobi Desert. They would cover much of our expenses. It seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up. That year had been a great year for me performance wise. I had achieved personal bests over 50km, 100km, 12 hours, 100 miles and 24 hours.
Four years later I am one of just a handful of athletes from around the World that has attended every event conducted by the Kirin Sports company and major sponsor Changan Ford. Each event gets better in regards to organisation and attendance. Each experience was different, set in vastly different areas of China. The Gobi Desert was dry and cool there was not much vegetation. The Fuxian Lake Ultra was hot and humid and we ran past small farms where farmers tended their crops by hand. In Xianning we started in a busy city centre and ran through the country side and then completed a couple of loops of recently developed lakes district.
Some of the souvenirs I have collected at events in China over the years.
The first year I was competitive finishing 4thin a 50km trail type event the field was competitive. At that time I had undiagnosed Breast Cancer a small lump in my left breast. I returned to the Gobi Desert to run 100km recovering from Breast Conservation surgery and Radiation Treatment and determined that Breast Cancer would not get the better of me and I finished not last but in the back end of a competitive international field. In 2017 I attended the 50km Trial event for the 50km World Championships. I competed in the 50km discovering that I was still very much in recovery from Breast Cancer and now realise my Breast Cancer medication was now hampering my training and competing. I finished again enjoying the experience afforded me.
The fourth year I am considering a comeback year. My training had gone well, I was hampered by a hamstring injury in July but otherwise my progress has been great. I was thrilled to be invited by the race organisers to return to China. This year the race would be held in central China, we crossed many rivers and passed lakes on our 1 hour 45 minute bus ride from Wuhan airport to Xianning.
On arriving at Race HQ the Honeymoon Resort race and accommodation check in and payment of travel grants was seamless. I was soon settled into my container room at the Sweetbox Hotel and headed out the door to explore the facilities. I soon hooked up with the Australian’s and New Zealanders joining in the fun and several headed out for an easy run to shake out the legs after travelling so far. I was pleased to discover I was rooming yet again with fellow Brisbane athlete Marita Eisler, we roomed together at the 100km Championships in Qatar and again in Winschoten.
The meals were provided in either Restaurant A or B and it was a pretty good spread even for a vegetarian. I enjoyed noodles at every meal including breakfast and there was always plenty of fresh fruit and salad. Volunteers were everywhere in the café come bar and also the little general store all contained within the resort. Volunteers make an event and the majority were students from Wuhan studying English who were respectful but if approached were really engaging and helpful. I now have several new Instragram friends thank goodness for the translate option.
Thursday, 25thOctober
I slept well but woke up early the body clock still firmly tuned to Brisbane time. China has one time zone and it is 2 hours behind Brisbane so I woke very early. A small group headed out for a short run the road was smooth and the surrounds recently landscaped was pleasant but the humidity was noticeable. I took easy pleased to find I felt reasonably fresh and took some photos and video on the run.
Views to the lake outside our resort during the day.
Early morning view of the lake from the event course.
I enjoyed banter over breakfast with the Oceania team followed by coffee at the café. I think the staff had not had so many orders at once but we had all morning and the company was great so we didn’t mind. The race organisers appear to have engaged a media team and we were often photographed and interviewed. I was interviewed in front of the gang but it was fun, it’s not the first time but it is always strange to have this attention as an ultra runner.
The focus for the rest of the day was race preparation, a technical briefing was provided in English and Chinese. Walter Hill the IAU representative lead the English briefing and introduced those of us who had attended all 4 events which was nice. The competition guideline provided some amusing translations. Runners often called ‘players’, and the following are just some amusing examples.
“race number will be marked as a sign of finishing, please do not doodle on the race number.”
“Processes at the finish: participants dash out-get finish items-recovery massage-collect finish line bag-leave in shuttle bus for athlete hotel.”
“it is suggested that runners should immediately fill in dehydrated water”
“dressing and warm keeping”
The rules were in keeping of the standard of a competitive international event. No portable music devices, no outside assistance is allowed, no pacing, no littering. The Chinese are very proud of the pristine environment in which this event was held and runners appeared to really respect it. Aid stations were every 5km and personal drink bottles had to be dropped in before 6pm. Everyone was to be on the bus at 6:45am SHARP. Our race would start at 9:00am.
An early dinner more noodles although the meal was lighter this time and we headed to bed.
26thOctober 2018 – Race Day
An early start again. I’m still firmly on Brisbane time so it was not hard to wake before 5am and head down to breakfast. Then it’s a last minute check of race finish bag and we are on the bus. Ready to run. The bus ride to the start is uneventful we arrive in downtown Xianning a city in Central China which appears to be bustling. We travel down a six lane road which will be completely closed to traffic for a couple of hundred ultra runners in an hour or so. I’ve packed snacks for the bus ride and put away a banana and a Clif bar and share around some Revvies.
The race precinct is impressive as usual. A helicopter buzzes around and we make good use of the toilets. In Asia most often the toilets are a squat set up, luckily this is pre race not post race although I have managed to squat mid race in a 24 hour event.
We take a few photos, pose for selfies with anyone who asks and enjoy the buzz. Then it’s time to run. Rain and a cool start to the day had been forecast but this doesn’t eventuate and as the sky clears I regret for a second forgetting a visor and not bringing my sunglasses. The field soon spreads out down the road but there are locals intermittently watching from the roadside, we pass what I later learn is a school with a small group of children waving flags I high five a few as I pass.
My run is challenging, the course was considered flat but I certainly notice the slight undulations. I ease through the first 40km feeling comfortable and happy and I feel this will be a good day. I note around this time that I am missing lunch as I am passing our accommodation at this point. Police line the course every 500m or so standing attention on the roadside. They do rotate shifts and at one point I spy a police motorbike with a side car and 5 Police on board. Three on the motorbike and 2 in the sidecar. I was pleased that they didn’t have to stand in one place for too long just for me.
Through the heat of the day I made good use of the sponges sitting in iced water to cool me down and walked through the aid stations to ensure I took in water. Briefly I wished I had taken the 50km option but it soon passes. I soldier on, as 50km runners finish the number of runners on the road dwindles. The road stretches out in front of me from time to time and I take in the fields of flowers at certain points on the course. I marvel at the sunset over the lake as I run, later the sun large, heavy with a pink hue sets around 6:40pm and I have about 15km to go. I relish the cool that comes with sunset and enjoy the final stretch in the dark, ticking off the final kilometres I am constantly doing mental math to work out how much under 10 hours I will finish.
The finishers medal is one of the prettiest I have seen and another handy finishers token was a towel which I will use often. I finished in 9 hours 57 minutes and 10 seconds, 12th female in an Internationally competitive field. I am extremely pleased with the result the culmination of a good few months of training.
It was an amazing day. Another fantastic China experience. I arrived home Sunday morning after flying all night and in transit for 18 hours or so a little tired and with very sore quads but otherwise in one piece and into the great hands of the team at Body Leadership Physio who do a fantastic job of keeping me running. THANK YOU.
Why would you commit to running 100km? It’s a long way to run, it will take you the better part of a day and it will leave you sore, tired and possibly broken. To even consider such a feat you need to have a well established base, you should have run a few shorter events in preparation, you need to be standing on the start line fully committed to finishing. If you have any doubt, are thinking you preemptively need some sort of medication to get through and are not 100% healthy then you need to be seriously considering whether you should be starting.
The event that was the turning point in my running career such as it is, was the Comrades Marathon. The Worlds most competitive ultra marathon staged in South Africa between Durban and Pietermaritzberg it’s just under 90km of hilly road running. My running friends back then would spend the first half of their year preparing for this event. Every year they would go off to South Africa to run and come back with a raft of amazing stories from their experience. I knew many who had run it and I was intrigued. At that time I was running and racing regularly every other weekend a 10km or so event, a few marathons and half marathons a year, all local low-key events. My limited experience of ultra’s was the 6 Inch Trail marathon a challenging 46km trail event in Western Australia and the 6 Foot Track Marathon in the Blue Mountains. They were events that needed minimal gear that had aid stations that supplied practically everything you needed to finish.
It was an afternoon over a Gin and Tonic in 2011 with my friend Trish while our kids played in the pool after a morning of Little Athletics that we hatched a plan to run the Boston Marathon. At that time we planned to achieve a sub 3 hour 30 minute marathon and we had decided to run the Gold Coast Marathon to qualify. As is often the case our plans went awry when training to complete such a task took its toll and my running mates succumbed to injury. I successfully ran the Gold Coast achieving a break through finish for me in 3 hours 23 minutes but our Boston Marathon plan for 2012 was shelved at least temporarily and I had decided to attempt the Comrades Marathon instead.
So January 2012 training for the Comrades began. I enjoyed training most weekends with the ‘C’ Team in the Perth hills. In March my preparation included my first 50km the inaugural Lark Hill 50km on my husbands 40th birthday no less. I am eternally grateful for my husbands love and support of my running. It was a night run on a 3km loop and I ran with my mate Justin who was also celebrating his birthday. He ran with a sparkly Birthday headband right through the race which looked quite comical silhouetted in the dark. It was a fun and special night for me, it was the first time I had run 50km, the first time I had run a loop course, the first time I had run at night and the first race I had ever won.
40 Miler Race Start and Aid Station
Finished in the beer garden at the Mt Helena Tavern
Jodie and Bruce
The second event I ran as preparation was the iconic 40 Miler, held most years on Easter Weekend, a race run back and forth along a Heritage Rail Trail from the Mt Helena Tavern with a relay option. I completed the 64km was again first female in a small field my preparation for Comrades was going well.
My final event as preparation was the Bunbury Marathon. It made for a fun weekend away with friends many also running Comrades. I aimed to run a negative split and enjoyed the day but was also very excited to achieve a personal best by less then 30 seconds and 2nd place and my first ever prize money. Nothing significant but still a nice sweetener.
Simon, Bruce Fordyce (Comrades King), Jodie, Justin and Andre. Andre who is sadly no longer with us would run his 10th Comrades in 2012 and Justin ran with me in the Lark Hill 50km, we all spent a lot of time running together in our preparation for the 2012 Comrades.
I treated the Comrades as an experience I did not have any overly ambitious goals. I aimed to finish and enjoy the event, soaking up the views and atmosphere it would be my first international event. While I was not traveling with family I was with my ‘running family’. My extended running family who I had spent much time chatting with on the run agreed that a sub 9 hour finish or the coveted Bill Rowan medal as well within my capability. I roughly knew the splits required and I knew I was within them on race day but I didn’t push things.
The ‘C’ Team my running family, we spend a lot of time running together and it is this group of people that really made the event for me.
I certainly loved that run. Yes it was hard, my quads were taking a beating on the journey down Fields Hill, I ran/walked up Cowies and the steep incline onto the motorway for that final run through Tollgate to the finish in Kingsmead. I spent a lot of time waving to ALL the people on the side lines who on seeing me in my Western Australia singlet called out go Aussie, or Aussie Aussie Aussie, Go Sheila, Go lady from Australia. I was so excited to finally run into Kingsmead and to be well within the Bill Rowan cut off. So much so I literally danced across the line as you can see from this youtube clip.
It was the event that revealed my inherent capabilities as a ultra runner and which lead me to attempt to qualify for the Australian 100km team. I went on to represent Australia on numerous occasions. There are two ultra events that are up there as my favourite to date. The first would have to be the Comrades, the other Ultra Trail Australia or the Northface 100 as it was known at the time. Two vastly different events but both iconic in their own right. I finished both with results that far exceeded my expectations. I ran within my capabilities and felt no need to compare my performance with that of others. The joy of completing the event was not in the finishing time or place but the experiences and memories created on the journey there and in the retelling of the stores after.
I returned in 2013 to run do the ‘Up’ run and finished 21st in hot head winds. I ran down 3 women after summiting Polly Shotts but there was no dancing over the finish line this time.
It occurred to me sometime over the week that I was in Margaret River, Western Australia that despite the fact that I have now completed over 30 ultra events all over the World including 5 World Championships running one is something my immediate family my sisters, and Mum and Dad and co had never experienced first hand with me. They have always followed me and I have felt their support whenever I have competed in the big events overseas but this time they were right there and as a team got to run with me along the way.
Sisters doing it for themselves. Alison Kidman (top) and Josie Kidman who ran two legs a total of 36km.
When I made the decision to run the inaugural Margaret River Ultra Marathon they very quickly agreed to form a team just because I was doing it too. So my Mum, Josie Kidman an Aunt, Alison Kidman who both ran their first marathon at the age of 59 and my little sisters Georgia Kidman and Marcia Norrish who’s longest events have been a half marathon formed the team ‘Just Kidding’. No one had any idea how hard it would be. We did over the weekend between us run 101 miles. I’m not kidding.
Coming into Checkpoint 3 seriously hoping Bethaney remembered I wanted an Iced Coffee here. I got it. Awesome work Bethaney.
There was quite a bit of discussion on who would do which leg. Georgia took the first forest section, Josie took over from her, Marcia took on the rock hopping role, Alison took over for a long stretch of sandy beach running and Josie ran 2 legs covering a total of 36km on the day and had to run for a while in the dark to finish.
Bethaney did a great job of crewing, always there in plenty of time with everything I might need.
Lots of great memories were made and as hard as it was , slogging into a headwind in soft sand for what feels like ages, sand and more sand, rocky cliffs to climb a scary chasm of water to leap across I am sure no one regrets it. We are not a family who shies away from a challenge and I think we all have Grandpa Andrew to thank for numerous rambles through some of the most amazing terrain on offer in Western Australia. My dad also used to take us on adventures driving a 2 wheel car on tracks better suited to a 4WD in search of disused mine shafts or just to see what was there. I’ve spent many a day exploring granite outcrops and scaling random peaks and picnics of polony sandwiches. Ugh. I didn’t even mind when my Dad attempted to ease the cramp when I sat down at Checkpoint 4 to empty out my shoes and he vigorously rubbed my calf instead of my thigh.
My niece Brooke getting ready for the Kids run on Sunday morning. Proud Aunty here
I have a new appreciation that these adventures which I thought was something everyone did and perhaps something I took for granted, I have great respect as a consequence for the natural world and a sense of adventure. To never hesitate to take every opportunity to travel and explore.
Pocket Rocket Mallani who finished 4th female and 2nd in her category. Great stuff Mallani. Note it’s not a beach but there is still soft sand to run in. Amazing scenery though.
It wasn’t just my immediate family that were there in force. My running sisterhood from Brisbane were there too. There was a large contingent of the Brisbane Trail Running community and I was excited they were going to experience all that the South West has to offer I’m not sure they feel the same about the soft sand running, very different to what we have in South East Queensland. The following ladies who I’ve spent a lot of time drinking coffee and running with certainly did Queensland proud Mallani Maloney, Jaimi Greenslade, Raquel Warren, Cheryl Court and Deb Zigenbine.
I’ve represented Australia five times with pride as an ultra runner. I currently hold an Australian Record for 100 miles. At the youthful age of 46 I could be content with these accomplishments. I’m not. I have the determination and desire to do it at least one more time. I want to prove that Breast Cancer at the age of 44 did not get the better of me.
On Christmas Eve while out on an annual traditional run with my running club I had a less than courteous encounter with a runner unknown to me. I was down right rude, I actually swore. I immediately felt remorse but the opportunity to apologise had passed. It was behaviour so unlike me, I couldn’t explain it at the time and it took some weeks before the penny dropped.
That low in December carried through into the new year. I was functioning in the real world but only just. I was prone to bouts of depression and I was hard to live with. I survived thanks to my running. Despite it feeling really hard and even harder in the heat and humidity here in Brisbane I craved the company of my running friends where I could tag along often just slipping through the forest, one foot after the other, running in the company of friends, nature, the chatter, the easy silence and coffee afterwards the best type of therapy.
I recently wrote about road blocks. I had identified that the chemotherapy medication I was taking to reduce the risk of my Breast Cancer returning was what had been holding me back, both mentally and physically in my running. I sought the advice of my Oncologist and we agreed that the best way forward for my personal situation was to stop taking it. For someone who was so fit and healthy before the diagnosis the side effects of such a drug were really noticeable. It was a relief to find that the risk in my case due to my health and physical activity was low and for my long term well being the decision was easy. I was advised that it can take a few months for things to improve and I am happy to say they have.
My family L-R Gordon (Dad), sister Marcia, (sister) Bethaney (bride), Roger (groom), me, Georgia (sister) and Josie (Mum).
The people who have put up with a LOT my son Cale (gun XC runner and hockey player), me, husband Tim (sub 3 hour marathoner) and daughter Kira (going to run a half marathon when she turns 21).
A quick trip to the Albany in Western Australia for an event leading into my sisters wedding and my Mum’s 65th birthday was a great distraction and the opportunity to run in some much cooler conditions a great relief. March brought a commitment as a volunteer, a Games Shaper at the Commonwealth Games and April more Commonwealth Games highlights and a family holiday in Singapore for my sisters wedding and I continued to train with purpose. More running in some different places. I explored trails at the Mac Ritchie Reservoir in Singapore and the monkeys came out to play but the breakthrough was at parkrun East Coast Park Singapore. It was there despite the heat and humidity and some long days on the feet I managed a credible 2nd place in 23 minutes or so. A significant improvement (4 minutes) on my parkrun personal worst in January in similar conditions.
parkrun East Coast Park Singapore, a family outing and we weren’t the only Aussies in Singapore there either.
I adjusted my ambitious running plans in February and settled for now for events that I considered more ‘fun’. So it is with some excitement that I am now finalising my plans for a trip to Western Australia’s wine country for the inaugural Margaret River Ultra. I’m excited to be traveling with friends from Queensland I can’t wait for them to see the magnificent South West for themselves. I’m race ambassador at the Darkness to Daylight Challenge in May and I am returning to the Whitsundays in August for a trail ultra. All good fun.
During these tough times I’ve drawn much of my inspiration from the athletes I coach. I’m grateful for their patience from time to time when I haven’t completely had my shit together. I live vicariously through their successes and my heart goes out to them when things don’t quite go to plan. But we are always learning. Learning what it is to be human, to be humble, to be proud, to celebrate our achievements, to plan, to fall and get up again. to take pleasure in the simple things and to leap for joy. That success requires hard work, determination, perseverance and most of all patience.
Running Tales, Track, Road and Trail 