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MOAB 240 - 2ND PLACE 68:52:44

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This goes back to about 2018-19 when first started strolling the internet / you tube watching the iconic races around the world. Where the 200 miler scene began to grow. Found Badwater, Hardrock, of course WSER. But there was Moab 240. Stories and journeys of the across the UTAH desserts and mountain rangers. Michael McKnights records, Jeff Browning, Courtney Dauwaulter and of course David Goggins. Back then it was just pipe dream, more amazed with the athletes going that distance. Wouldn’t it be amazing to do that one day and or to even go that far long in a race. It took be a few years in to sport to earn my strips so to speak. I alway prefer to give the races I do their credit, the distance the respect to race it. I did a few 100km races, from 2019-2022. Then 2023, began the 100 miler debut in Tarawera, onto later that year for UTMB 172km, going 29hrs, a little off my time goal but still happy, knowing what I had to overcome to still achieve it. Those distances didn’t scare my anymore, thats when Coast to Kosci 240km came in for 2024, I crewed my mate Dillon in 2023 and that sparked the goal to win C2K. This was another pipe dream from following the race for many years, in awe of the winners of the past. 2024 Winning C2K, going all in for that race, competitive field and beating some of the best in Australia across the 240km distance.Australians biggest ultra and a privilege to be on the winners list.


I find I can only truly go all in once a year, or maybe twice but I when I know I have to put myself on the hurt locker and give everything I have, it’s one effort the one race. 2025 was Moab 240. Had a few friends in my ear you should go for Moab, or race a 200 miler. So I entered the lottery, didnt expect to get in, thought it would take a few tires but the morning I checked my email after coaching the SNL team, I was eyes wide open, dropping f bomb more then ever in my life. I was going Moab 240.


How was I going to train for this, how was I going to manage the Footmotion Store, coach and still fit in time with my wife. Lucky I am a planner and try to be organised if was easy to get in a routine and just amend a few things. Monday - Thursday was simple - work 9-5:30pm, coaching 5am or 6am and 6pm, 60km and two gym session. Not getting home till 8pm most nights was hard, especially not having much time with Nicole. Eating late at night wasn’t the best but you just make it work. Friday was my day off, so that mean day for training. I worked the kms, the hours up from there. 3-5:30 hrs, 40-60km . I tried to get a few hours sleep in on a Friday so mostly getting up about 7am, so this took up my day running and then in the afternoon, I coached a couple boys for cross country and football. Friday night was date night, taking Nicole to our locker for a few drinks and a bowl of fries :) Saturday I worked at the store so it as just a couple of recovery runs mostly on the treadmill before and after work. Sunday was the other long run, most with the SNL team, but I started before them for a loop and then run after, again to build up from 4-5:30hrs - 40-60km. Sunday was lunch date with Nicole, and thankfully she waited for me as the longer runs got longer and the lunches when from  starting @ 12:30 to 1:30pm.


As you can see there is nothing special in my training, I just fit in what I can, when I can. I averaged 180km per week for about 10 weeks. Max 195. I squeezed in an easy double on a Friday and Sunday after my long runs to test and see how fatigued I was, but also to shake them out. I live at Sealevel so there is no altitude training. I was making sure I added more rice to my lunch and dinners and lots of bowls of fries to get the extra calories in and the Tailwind recovery to aid my recovery. In the last few weeks before Moab I added in Sauna session in the evening and saw my Osteopath fortnightly. No other recovery methods besides my stretching and tendon activation routine daily. I don’t get massages only my massage gun. I can’t fit anything else in so my recovery is what it when I not running.


Nicole was in all full support and I wouldn’t have been able to do this if it wasn’t for her. She is my rock and a big part of my why. Thankfully I had 4 of my mates heading over to support me. Mitch, Ben, Brooklyn and Tristan. All just put there hands up without asking as long I was going over to have a crack! And that was it, I wasn’t just going all the way to complete and tick a box. I wanted to mix it up with the best that the USA could muster. Big dreams, but I knew I could give it a shot. Wanted to go sub 70 hours, the stretch goal was 68 hours. As to win I knew I had to beat Max’s time from last year. Was tracking Kilian and his races throughout the year. I scanned the startles going for competition and measured myself against there results and knew I was in with a change.


We landed in Salt Lake City Tuesday night 6pm and Wednesday 4pm we arrived in Moab. The rest of the crew arrived and we did a little shake out. Sleep when we arrived in the US was great on the Tuesday, but Wednesday morning I woke at 3am and could’nt get back to sleep, to Thursday checking into the race was a long day, especially doing some tourist things, going to the Archers. Then at 3pm before checking was closing my Tailwind hadn’t arrived. This was my fuel for the race! It was shipped not being delivered and it arrived something Saturday Morning. So thankful, Jenny drove down 2:30 hrs from Dever to delivery my Tailwind personally !! So it was a later night separating my tailwind into ziplock bags for all my drop bags as this was the main source of fuel for the race, 172 scoops, 500ml per hour - 2-3 scoops in each ziplock.


Race morning woke about 8am, thankfully a better nights sleep and we got ready and hit the startling. Kitted up in my normal Fusion short and tights, socks, Salomon 10 set pack and the Salomon Genesis. Was raining on and off for the last couple of days and the rain was about. Squeezed my way into the front few lanes at the front. Nobody knew me, I knew those that were racing though. So the anthem was played the preface vowel and we were off. Rolling out at 5min per km pace and we heard that for about 6km. I just marked myself behind Kilian and Brody. Good to see the crew drive past, when they called out I can see a few looking about the group of about 10 of us, who is Benn. Off the road an into the first climb on the trails and we were all single file, I could see and tell there were a couple working a little hard this early and I was dripping in sweat. The humidity was up from the cloud cover. Just before the first aid station a little break happened, in the middle of the pack Eli had his poles out and moving slower, I could see he was causing a bigger gap from Kilian, Brody plus a few others, and it soon became breakaway. I had to wait a little before I could get around as it was tight in that section. But from what I could tell I was in about 8th spot. Rolling straight through Hidden Valley and rolling through to Amasa Back the second aid and the first time seeing the crew, Wow the scenery was amazing and was soaking it up but not stopping for any photos, I was racing. Amasa Back and I had gone through the 1500ml of Tailwind and 500ml water, taking in extra tailwind as it was so humid and I could feel cramping had begun. In and out with the crew taking 3 litres. 4 x 500ml Soft flask + 2 x 500ml Hand held) This was long section was long without the crew. There wasn’t any drop bags from this point 26k - 109km.


Through to Base camp I was running with a runner from Boston and he had reckoned the course, so had so great navigation and goof lines to follow. But Mose of this section I was revisiting the many clips of the race and stunned to see the course in person. I was checking in with myself continuously to make sure I was on my tailwind and pacing myself, as there were a few about really pushing the flats.

Leaving base camp I refilled my tailwind from the ziplock bags and left seeing a few still in the aid station. One guy looked like hell, his face was red and was in a chair looking like he wasn’t going anywhere. This was now a long section with out aid, I had 7k till a water stop and then 36km to The Oasis. I left thinking I had taken a few spots, was maybe 8th position. I made sure I consumed the 500ml water before the water stop and had a couple of chews to keep up the electrolytes. If was getting hard on the way to the Oasis and I just found myself running behind Josh Emery, he was powering, I had pulled the poles out as there were just little rollers and the terrain was a bit sandy so I wasn’t to off load where I could. But he was running everything, I will fall behind a little hill and then bring him back on the flat or down. This went on all the to the Oasis before I broke away and could see his light. I was sparing my fluids at this stage, my Tailwind was gone as for the humidity and I have my 2 x hand held of water with precision hydration chews. But I was all out about 3-4km from the checkpoint. Was in and out quick as the volunteers were great and refilled my 3 litres, had to use never second this time. So I had a little extra fluid before I left to get back on top of everything. I heard them say something about position but I didn’t take notice I just wanted in and out.


Rolling into Indian creek to pick up Mitch. I Was still doing ok but there was a lot of the trails, which I heard from the race briefs, so mentally I was prepared for that. I saw someone jumping and calling out my name but didn’t realise it was Nicole as I was only expecting to see Mitch as it was non crewed section now.  Nicole called out I was in second but again I didn’t trigger just focused on getting in and out. Refilled the tailwind with Mitch and we headed out still dark. Then ben asked if I wanted to know where I was in the race and he said 2nd! I was shocked and installed picked up my shuffle out of the aid station. Wow i was second and it was early days, I normally work my way through later in the race and there I found myself in 2nd on the biggest race in my life. Well that was it. Nothing was going to stop me. The next few aid stations The Island, Bridger Jack were slow as we hard hit the rain and the mud had formed making it hard to run on any of the inclines and or stay upright in sections. Missed the sunrise as we were deep in the valley and it was just clouds all around us, getting cold and wet. Could start to feel a few of toes rub. The aid stations were great, by that time knew my number and name, the Aussie crew. It was tough navigating as the river was up and the course making kept sending us back and forth across the river, but only ankle deep not waist height to which other later in the race had to manage.


Climbing up to Shay Mountain, 955m in 4.5km, straight up on single track, like the GNW course but straight up. We hit the aid station and Ben and crew were great got me a pepperoni pizza, no cheese (weird request for them) Ben ripped my shoes & socks off and my feet were wet and a few blisters had started. I also had a pain in my ankle, felt like it was locked up and I wanted a pin to realise the blood, the physio on duty just looked at me and said well we ain’t doing that ! So she rubbed perskindol in and tried to move my ankle, I said sorry I can’t relax. She said “shut the f*** up and just eat your pizza.” Haha With a bit of work it felt a little better and my feet were clean and kit change into dry Fusion gear, a new pair of Salomon Genesis and I was out of the checkpoint with Ben, 3rd and 4th had rolled in as I was leaving, heard Michael say he was sleeping for 2 hrs but I thought that was just for me to hear that and he was out in 40 mins.


Shay Mountain with Ben was a really good section my legs were a little hard to get going, but Ben persisted and got me running every flat and downhill, we saw 4 Deers. And we were rolling through the single track and then the storm hit, pouring rain straight down and was letting up, put on our jackets and gloves as the temps dropped and would have been close 2 degrees. Finally my legs came good and Ben got the most out of me. I was starting to get tired. It was about 30 hours in to the race. I asked to sleep at Monticello but it was still raining heavy and the crew was not allowed there anymore so I had to wait till Dry Valley. So refilled the tailwind and a shot or coke and red bull I was running down the road with Brooklyn, thinking when is this rain going to past, I had the worse chafe that I had been dealing with from 80km in and we were now at 203km. This was on paper a 1000m negative drop down in elevation but the rain turn the course into clay and mud as we descended down, must of been about 13 switchbacks all the same turns and undulation, you could hardly run due to the build up of clay on your shoes, added kilos of weight and pulling you over every step, we finally made our way down slipping and sliding hitting the road and we finally got the legs rolling again, poor Brooklyn (17 years old) The aid station was shocked that a kid had such an important role in the race) but he ran with rocks filled in his shoes that ripped holes in socks and stuck to his feet. Not once did he mention it, just carried on.


Dry valley 231km in and it was time to sleep (37 hours into the race) I had a hamburger, a bottle of tailwind recovery. Ben did anyone awesome job on. My feet, to which they were heaps better from Shay Mountain. They put me to bed in the car, 20min. I first started to close my eyes and for some reason I had this asian dude in my head scream you need to sleep. Who know but I did fall asleep and I was dreaming that I was asleep to hen Ben knocked on the window and I jumped up ready to go. They gave me a bottle of coke and red bull to drink and I was again with a pair of road shoes, Brooks Glycerin Max, but I had left heal raises in and the rocker was hitting my toes where they were tender so had to remove them at The Needles. Leaving Dry Valley I had my cousin Tristan with me and how the pace rolling, thing it was 5min pace it 6:30min pace. But my gut when bloated and I had pains to which the coke and red bull combo when straight through me, knowing we still only had 3-4 mile lead on 3rd I stopped and pulled out the WAG bag (those playing at home its a garbage bag you hold over and poo inside with some chemicals to which you them place a vacuum seal bag to care to the next aid station) well Its hard to aim and maybe a female my have ben luck but did my best and sorry Tristan but you helped me put it away in my pack.


The Needles 253km, we had 2 storms hit us, pouring wth rain + wind in our faces with passed through ticking along pretty good around 7 min pace, grabbed a coffee as I could feel myself getting tired again. We were just waiting for the sunrise. Going into Sunday and I hadn’t seen a sunrise or a sunset before of the clouds. Tristan was a legend and placed music with talked about his live now in London his partner Anna. But I was falling apart. I was getting so cold from the wind, found out it was snowing in the mountains to where we were headed next. But the fun started, I stated to hallucinate. I was running along and I could feel like I had been here before, I had seen this road before and I could picot it in my head trying to think if we had been here in the days before, but we hadn’t been anywhere near this location. I was looking out to rhetorical right and saw 4 gorilla’s sitting together, no thats a bush but why am I seeing gorillas. There is an army tank, jet and truck on the side of the road, A machine run in a branch. The rocks all started to name faces. I stopped at rock to try a focus as I was clearing seeing things, said to Tristan nice flower and.i can see gorillas over there I think I need to sleep!! The sun had come up but it was still covered by the mountains. The road was long and went forever, trying to breakdown the kms to the aid station. i started to count 400m running, 200m hiking, 400m running repeat, But Tristan then said ok we are running to the telegraph pole up there and by the time we got the I was too focused and forgot which one so we just kept going past them. Until we saw the photographer and some people and the aid station was close. The crew drove past about 1km out ( I didn’t realise but they had slept in and almost missed me) Grabbed an egg and bacon wrap and jumped back into the car for a sleep. I fell asleep straight away and Ben was knocking on the window 20mins later. Cleaned my feet, they were still in good knick. Changed my tights and shoes (Salomon Ultra Glide 3) next to the fire and this time had just a coke.


Road 46, back with Ben ad pacer. We was on from the get go, this was such a make or break section. 2200m - 3200m and pretty much hovering 2800m - 3200m for Most of it. My legs had come back and was moving better the more we climbed. We saw a massive Stag that jumped up on its back legs just ahead of us and soon after we saw a few hunters on quad bikes, we didn’t mention it to then though. Ben was on the tracker and doing the numbers, this section was on wider 4x4 tracks that just when up and around to the next checkpoint, were we had gained a mile on Kilian and a couple of miles on 3rd and 4th place, Hitting Pole Canyon 298km around 11am. Cup of Cokes and refilled the Tailwind, we were back out for maybe the hardest section of the race. We just kept on climbing and winding our way through the single track. I was just trying to breath deep in through my nose to get as much oxygen in as I could. Started to feel like I also on the edge, but Ben was drilling me, you have to push as the others behind are all from Colorado and your from sea level. You have to run every step of fast and down, they are going to catch you, 3000m for them is like Sealevel for you !! So I pushed and pushed, we hit snow and was running through the snow of a lot of the single track, but we were still going, were is Geyser Pass. We still hadn’t reached it. For a lot of this trail I was having de jeavu, like I knew the trail and what was ahead, I turned to Ben and said I have been here before and he said the same, it was strange, I was running along knowing where the trees were and it opened up. The sun was setting and that was when I realised it had taken us all day to do this section, we just kept going up and then down a little and then we hit the last ascent and ben was still pushing, the sun was down so we stopped and put out jackets on as the temps were dropping fast. I was close to out of water and I didnt realise till after that Ben the whole section only had 4 bottles and kept a bottle for an emergency. Night had hit and made out way out of the single tract Geyser Pass aid station. What a section, one that will be my favourite and one that Ben truely pushed me and got the most out of me. I can’t thank him enough, he knew  If he ran ahead I would try and keep up and not let him get too far away, one stage he took his poles out and then put them away again. I was like smart arse haha. Knowing I was from Sealevel, no altitude training and we still were 2nd fastest over that section, 30min quicker then Kilian and almost pulled away with a 14 mile lead from 3rd and 4th.


Geyser Pass 322km, I had another pepperoni pizza (no cheese) they knew already, a coke and a no doze, Cleaned my feet and changed back into my first pair of Salomon Genesis. Off is was for the final sections of the race, I was tired but didnt want to sleep. Wanted to push on through, scared that it might come back and bite me but I had to go. Leaving now with Mitch again for the second time. We were still high up and the road soon turned into ice and there was more snow around us. But we got rolling still and I was still running the flat and the downhill section, hiking as fast as I could. We went back on the road and we still had a 14 mile lead hitting Porcupine Rim 356km. Last section ,the aid station had been waiting for us as they hadn’t seen anyone since Kilan, refill the bottles with tailwind, had some more coke and the volunteers said 28km left, 20k downhill all runnable until you hit the road and then 8km to the finish.


Those words really suck in with my all runnable. We took off and hit the rocks, I was like this was not runnable for my legs, I stepped on some rocks that felt like it ripped the ball of my foot open, I was hitting with every step, I was slowly letting the course beat me. I was getting tried, I couldn’t focus, I kept leaning on my poles and then come too facing to the side of the trail, I kept yelling out to Mitch not much further and each time we had gone like 100-200m and it just didn’t make sense. We got through about 18k and I I don’t remember much between that and 15.5km to go. This is when I woke to hear Mitch on the phone to Nicole and then I hear that voice. Ben yelling on the phone. “ 3rd Is 4 miles behind and coming up fast!! You have to run, run everything. “ That when I clicked, I had awoken and I flew past (maybe not that fast as Mitch caught me pretty quick) I started running down the rocks and having no regard for my sore feet, was like, why wasn’t I doing this before !!! Mitch but didn’t you wake me. Well he had but I just didnt respond to anything, its hard as a pacer and it was just. The tough love I needed when I heard Ben and Nicole. They knew how to get me going. They had seen me respond at C2K in the last 20m of the race and pumping out the fast kms of the race in the last 5km.


We were moving along the rain was still about and it was hard to find the line, as the course was not marked the best and it’s felt like forever trying to find footing and avoid some of the slip rock. I had ran out of tailwind (had two in the back) but was focus on hitting the road, we were now 8k from the finish and thinking the road was upon us we were wrong it was 5k.. so we followed the slip rock and push on, I was hot and getting dehydrated, I still was too scared to stop and change bottles or take my jacket off. Just yelled to Mitch keep going we need to hit the road. I knew once I hit the road i would turn it on. Then we saw our car and the crew fuelling run!!!


Hit the road, Ben yelled you have to go it’s C2K all over again !! I pushed as hard I could, I grabbed a tailwind from the back and drank for the first time in about 30 mins. I was feeling six for the last 24 Hrs, had started to feel like I had the flu, had a headache and I was coughing, I had pushed this aside for ages, but running now as hard I could, I was coughing and aching. I slowed to take my jacket off and put my pack back on paranoid to see over my shoulder someone coming behind. Nobody was there but I didn’t care I was just running as fast as I could, I was breathing heavy, squirming in pain. Yelling for distance check, still 4K - 3k, the car driven past and I hear Nicole calling out go Benn, push!! Ran under the bridge and straight in a stream of water waist height, pushed on and about a mile out Mitch pulled over, dropped my pacer again :) Mitch had done everything I needed and really had me a tough time but got through it.

Brooklyn, Ben and Tristan were yelling at me, to the bridge, I couldn’t see much I was just focused on pushing my legs as hard as I could, I don’t think I’ve push harder in my life. Finally I hear them same around the bridge and you have 400m, I didn’t let up I just wanted to feel that pain, knowing I got everything out of myself! I wanted to finish as close to Kilan as I could and wanted to be under the course record from last year. So I rounded the corner and hit the caravan park and into the finish shoot, completed cooked. Shocked, stunned and proud. I had finished 2nd. Looked for Nicole she race up and gave her the biggest hug, we did it, we did it. Found the boys and embraced them all and I can’t thank k enough for everything they had done for me to achieve this result. Debut 200 miler, first time on the USA, no altitude and first podium to do a shoey. I had no idea that had discussed that but I glad I did it… a shoey from a local IPA from Moab.


Thanks so much to everyone that followed, messaged before, during and after, it truely means a lot. That you for the SNL Team & FootMotion for the help, Salomon, Fusion , perskindol and Tailwind for the fuel over there, it’s all so appreciated !!!



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