Triathlon Training Diary

Day 6 & 7 Camino Portuguese to Santiago 20 & 21 Septemebr 2025

2025-11-10T19:41:00.000+08:00

September 20 ,2025

Day 6 Tomaar to Alvaiazere 33kmThere were a few hairy moments. I basically couldn't find cafes as I mentioned earlier. Finally got one in about the 18 kilometer mark. Had to deviate off the course and walk back up the hill. Continued Just before that, I took one of the Camino courses (there were two alternatives) . I went through a forested area that looked like it wasn't well walked. That was a bit uh hairy, but got through. It was obviously getting warmer. But about 9ks from the end, met up with Chiara, whom I had walked with between Goleja and Tomar. We thought that there would be about 6ks out from our destination, but there wasn't any. I just continued walking and she had a rest. I managed to get my accommodation, had a good lunch of soup and apparently looked like a set menu so I got a fish which was good. First big meal. Got some shopping done and didn't have dinner. Went to bed about 9. Got up at about 3am. Tried to sleep a little bit more but got out of the door about 5:40. It's pitch black. and quiet. But hopefully I can get 10ks done before it gets warmer. Have a coffee break and then get another 10ks done and then the final 10 to 12ks into a place called Rabacal which I'm hoping that I will have a bed in a single room if not a bunk bed and then after that it's on to Coinbra which is one of the bigger towns on the route and there's lots of accommodation so that will be good and then after that it's just another three nights to Porto so making reasonable progress. No illnesses or injuries . I am feeling tired at the end of the walk and just wanting to relax or try to do some meditation today just to try and quieten the mind a little bit. But otherwise it's been great last two or three days. Haven't really seen too many pilgrims and haven't had too many conversations. So, the only communications obviously have been the social media platforms, family and friends. Other than that, it's been really peaceful and uneventful, which is absolutely great. People have been friendly by and large. Language has always been a difficulty. I wish I knew a little bit more Portuguese, but otherwise it's been good.

Day 7 Walk

Day 7 September 21 2025

Today is day eight but just a summary of day seven. I walked to Rabacal turned out to be about 33 kilometers. The morning started really well as I've described previously. Ended up having a cafe break about 11ks into the walk. next to a church. Sat in the church for 5 minutes contemplating and meditate for 5 minutes wonderful peaceful and actually the whole walk was quite a nice walk on day seven Sunday as it didn't get hot and there were cafes along the way so I had enough fluids in me and food and generally most of the individuals that I had met earlier during the Camino were along in this section. We ended up Uh we ended up at the Abergue in Rabacal. I got there about just past 2. It was super busy so it took a while. Didn't manage to get lunch. which was soup and chips, vegetable soup was really good. Then managed to get my washing done. Managed to have a little bit of a rest and shower. There were no individual rooms, so I had a bunk bed which was going to be interesting. Basically then in the evening the group gathered, had a long chat with Chiara She's from Italy. She's into Tao, but not Taoism. Not quite sure what that is, but it's more like a philosophy. And we had a great discussion on Buddhism. Then there is Edward. He's from Kazakhstan, but lives in Germany. Some sort of electrical engineer on ships or he works for a company that builds these power generators on ships and he was also into the spirituality and talked about Kailash which was a sacred mountain in Tibet. So quite an interesting eclectic discussion that evening. Then there was Emmanuel from Italy young man He's going out to Australia on a working visa next year. He has obviously walked the Camino Frances and is now walking the Portuguese. he seemed pretty laidback and relaxed. Again, interesting discussions around religion. Then there is Barry. He's from Holland, civil servant in the Hague and he had some mental health issues and uses meditation to help him and was just walking for that purpose. So it was a really nice sociable group. There were the two Aussies that I met in Golega and they were still behind but may see them down the track. Other than that, it's been a Really pleasant 8th day starting out from Rabbakal heading to Coimbra. I booked the hotel which is good costs about 55 Euros but it's peaceful and quiet and hopefully I'll have a good break and it's 4 days to Porto which I should get through on Friday. Hope to then have a day break on Saturday before then starting the last final leg to Santiago. Edward was talking about taking the litoral or central route rather than the coastal route simply because the coast is just a lot of hotels and modern buildings rather than the more tradition culture of Portugal. So, I'll consider that after I leave Porto to see whether I head inland and I'll just see and that may work better in terms of distances between towns and accommodation. But aside from that, it's been so far uneventful and pleasant, peaceful, all I can hope for in a walk. No injuries which is the most important thing. The left leg is a little bit more tired because of the ligaments being weak but nothing significant. Um hopefully I'll make good progress today and find a cafe in a couple of kilometers and have a break.

Day 5 Camino Santiago 19 September 2025

2025-11-10T19:39:00.001+08:00

Day 5 19 September 2025 This is a basic summary. I started out from Golega to Tomaar . Finished it in about 32 kilometers, 33 km. I started a little bit late about 6:30 and it's quite a pleasant walk through the town and then the fields eventually coming to little small settlements along the way. There were abandoned estates. Walk by five cats sitting peacefully. They looked well fed, but there was no one in the area. So, I'm not sure whether they basically brought food, but it was very eerily quiet in these abandoned estates that once were probably significant farm households. Basically passed some small towns. I had a break at about 10 11ks in to the walk at a cafe and had coffee and the biggest meringue ever and continued walking. to a small settlement called GU famous for the architecture of the church which looked very postmodernist and then from there it was fairly grudging walk into Tomaar through the side of a national highway with the cars speeding by. It was obviously warm by then. Ran into Edward from Germany when I stopped at the last cafe, 7ks from Toma, I had Coke, ran into five Italians walking, very jovial. One of them, Joseph was very talkative and had done quite a few Caminos, but in stages. They were walking to Porto and and they'll come back next year to walk the second leg from Porto to Santiago. I passed them as they were basically waiting for their friends. That was probably just a boring walk from the suburbs of Tomaar into Tomaar. Toma is a fairly oldish city. I understand from the middle ages. It was a Templar settlement. I stayed in a place called Residential Lutz. Pretty basic hotel, but right in next to this town square and everything was convenient. I think I only had about 2 L of fluid. It was unfortunately too hot. On the fifth day. Um 31ks. Lunch was a toasted tomato and cheese sandwich. Managed to get an ice cream as well. And for dinner, I had a vegetarian curry with naan, which was pretty good. Again, can't eat the whole meal, but at least I've got uh food in as I was rapidly losing weight not being able to eat a lot of food. The hotel didn't have any air conditioning, but it was pretty comfortable. Managed to get some hours of sleep. Got up at 5 and basically set off by about 5:40. There was no one about in the streets and hopefully I'll get to a coffee shop soon. soon enough to have a cafe coffee and something to eat on starting on day six which is to a town called Alz which is again about 31 32 kilometers and hopefully um I'll be able to get there early enough before it gets too warm. Although So today, Saturday the 20th of September, it's not expected to be uh terribly warm.

Day 11 , 12 , 13 & 14 Camino Portuguese to Santiago

2025-11-10T18:02:00.008+08:00

Today's day 11 and it's from Guala to Jo Jose Montterio I think is how you pronounce it. And that's about 29 kilometers. And again, I started very early at 6:00.

It was quite a pleasant walk.Still got hot towards the end. Again I saw Edward about 6ks from the end .We had a break at a small bar before walking the last few kms . He had stopped and I was moving on. Again started very early 6 am and had no issues. It was reasonably good walk. I also basically shipped back 2 kilos of my clothes and my walking sticks from the post office and it only cost €40, so that was worth it. The pack feels a lot light, and I wasn't using any of those clothes. So, I'm happy about that decision. And I wasn't using the walking sticks, so I think that was the right thing to do. Again, no injuries, just soreness generally. I am hoping to get to Porto by 3, get my second passport/ credential, because I'm running out of space and I'm hoping then to be able to get to the hotel, get some laundry done, and rest and then have tomorrow, my birthday free to just relax, do the Samatha meditation zoom group. Then walk around for a bit and then start again on Sunday morning. The last leg, which will be part coastal and then part central. Other than that, it looks pretty good. I think the lessons are to travel as light as possible. Just like life, a lot of stuff, baggage we think we need, we don't and not worry, not think too much of anything. and just let everything go. It's really just the space and the moment, which are really good lessons. The lesson learned yesterday at the post office was just to be patient. They took about half an hour, 40 minutes to sort out the costings and packaging, but that was fine. So, I think this walk's been pretty interesting in so far as all the lessons I've learned so far are reinforced. They're not new. And more importantly, all humans are the same. And that's what I'm seeing in walking.

This is technically day 12 of my walk. I arrived on Friday, day 12, I walked into Porto, just after 3. It was a good walk. The weather was great. I met Edward about 5 km out. I ended up doing 36 kilometers. Beautiful and the entrance to Porto , Walking over the bridge, was amazing and I got some good photographs. I really enjoyed that. Got to the Cathedral and it was crowded with tourists as usual. Managed to get my credential. Got to the hotel without any difficulties or actually service apartment. Got in and then I had a full two days rest. I used that opportunity to do the bus tour round Porto. I managed to do the Samatha UK 7:30 am meditation zoom session with Peter Harvey. That was very good. Got 40 odd minutes of meditation in and then did the bus tour. Then I walked to Decathon which was a bit of a rush to get a jumper because it was turning cold and I got one for about €25 which was good value I think. I then booked myself in for my massage which was really good. It helped as I had a really sore back and I think there were a lot of knots in the muscles. And it was just nice to have a relaxing 1 hour. Hurt a bit. The guy who did it was obviously quite strong, but at least I managed to get the massage in and it was €55, with €5 discount from 60. And then had lunch, and then I went for a 1 hour Fado concert uh which was really good. Managed to tape some of the music. I enjoyed it. Had Japanese for dinner. Got an early night. Then the next day, which is the 28th of September, which is a Sunday, I started off at six t.There was a weather alert because there was a low depression sitting off Portugal which I think is part of hurricane Humberto off the Bermuda or islands near America. It had basically moved towards America rather than heading towards Europe which was a good thing. There was a lot of rain overnight but when I started my walk whilst the roads were wet and it looked like the rain had stopped. That was good. So, I enjoyed that. The temperature was great and it felt a little humid, so that was good. By the time I hit the coast, CNN Portugal was already filming the u huge waves hitting the coastline. So, that was interesting. Today's walk is Porto to Vila do Condo which is about 33 kilometers from Porto. It was a great walk. I started up pretty early at 6:00am . So I saw the sunrise. The weather was a little windy and wild. Slight drizzle but nothing much. Pretty much the coastal route along the coast. and I got in just after 3pm. So it was pretty good time. Found a hotel without any difficulties.Had a rest. Got dinner from the supermarket it wasn't that great, but had to do and I had soup for lunch anyway, so I think I've had enough. carbs in. I've got enough drink. So a good easy start and I plan to walk along the coast for the next 4 days to C A M I N H A and then from there turn inland towards Tui and then for the last 4 days basically heading inland and to Santiago. That's the plan. The last day is going to be a hard day with over 43 kilometers of walking, but I think that's manageable if I take my time. Other than that, it looks like a really good start. Hopefully, I get in early and um have a good rest. I also had a call from Junaid from Singapore it was nice to chat to him and I'll try and meet up with him on my way back.

28 September walk to Villa do Condo

Day 8 & 9 Camino Portuguese

2025-11-10T17:36:00.000+08:00

This is a summary of day eight as I walked from Rabakal to Coinbra . A beautiful city and took about 31 kilometers with no major issues other than the first 15 kilometers there were and noticed the fig trees and the olive trees but I didn't eat any of the fruit.There were quite a few towns along the way. Most of it was tarmac. There was obviously some trail. Again pretty beautiful scenery. I walked for most of it with a Dutch guy called Barry who was having shin pain. When we eventually got to the cafe at the 15k mark, gave him some neurofen that settled the pain down a bit. The rest of the walk was pretty good. It obviously got very busy towards Coimbra. Bigger roads, more traffic, but coming into the city and the river was spectacular. I made the mistake of walking up the hill to the Coimbra University's library which I accidentally had put into my Google Maps instead of the hotel. The Library is famous because JK Rowling taught English in Portugal and the library apparently mirrors the magical library in Hogwarts So I ended up doing an extra 1 and a half kilometers uphill. The hotel I booked was called Zero Box which basically had no windows. It had no TVs. It was just a really nice quiet room with private facilities. And I managed to get a good rest. The whole group on the WhatsApp that had been walking through the whole period up to Coimbra got together at a restaurant called Passport at 7 and we had cocktails. As I didn't drink, I had a mocktail which was nice, but it was getting late so I didn't stay for dinner. Had a vegetarian burger meal from Burger King and went to bed at by 10:00. Had a really good night's sleep. Got up once only and then got up again at 5:30am , got ready and left by about just past 6. So it was an easy quiet walk out of Coimbra along the river and then cutting inland. Didn't see anyone except another pilgrim which I followed for most of it. I got lost at some point at a cross junction and so he got ahead. But eventually I found the route and tried to find a cafe. So took a detour, but that cafe was closed. But eventually at about the 10 km mark, I found a cafe and ran into the Dutch couple Sonia and Michel, which was nice. They were basically finishing up and leaving. I had a nice break here with some chocolates, grapes, Pepsi, water, and coffee. So, at least now I've got enough route to get me through for the next 10 or 15ks. But hopefully it'll be another cafe in about 8 or 9ks from here. I'm planning to take this fairly easy as I don't really have to get to the next point by 2:00 pm and that is a town called Anadia which is about 34 kilometers in so at the moment it's only about 8:30 in the morning.

A summary of day nine which is the 23rd of September. I reached Anadia. It was about 33 kilometers. So wasn't as long as I was expecting. Fairly busy roads. Did get hot towards the end. as expected, but at least there were a couple of cafes, stopped at two. Um, got to the hotel, had no issues, had dinner, which was pizza. I had a long chat with Sonia and Michelle, Dutch couple, and talked about life in general. They're heading the same way and doing very well. So, we're the three that started from Lisbon and saw them first just after Villa franca De Xira ,that are still together. I also ran into Edward whose foot was swollen so he slowed down and stopped a town back from Anadia. Other than that, don't know anyone else on the route at the present moment. I did have a chat with Paul on WhatsApp, and depending on whether I finish early, I'll see if I can get out over to Portsmouth for a visit, but the feeling is it's down to Lisbon as soon as I finish to spend a few days there. I'll just see how it goes. Butt otherwise, it was a fairly good leg of around 33 kms and I'll be in Porto on Friday. So there's three more walks and about 90 kilometers to go or just under 100kms to get to Porto which is over the halfway mark by then. Other than that I'm trying to take this easy today. Not getting any injuries. Today's start was at 6:30 am. I didn't sleep as well because the phone rang at about 2:00. So, I didn't get to bed till about 4 am. But I still got enough sleep. I hope to get to the cafe and have coffee and something to eat in an hour or two. The walk was pretty quiet. The sad thing is I saw a dead cat on the road and another cat seated by it side and it moved away as I approached. Just reflection of life still goes on no matter what. But generally the weather's been okay. There is an expectation on Sunday of a storm, so hopefully that doesn't happen because that's when I start my walk out of Porto . But we'll see how it goes.

Day 10 Camino Portuguese 24 September 2025

2025-11-10T17:34:00.002+08:00

Day 10 summary. I walked from Anadia to Albergavia-a-Vella which was about 34 km but because I stopped my Garmin a few times it's probably 35 km. I got to the Service Apartment and thankfully the instructions to get in were on email. It was really hot at the end. I did meet up with Edward for five or six kilometers but then continued on my own for the last four or 5 kilometers. I did start a little bit late but that's because I couldn't get into the Apartment till 4:00pm and I did arrive just after 4pm. Thankfully I managed to get enough food and there was a cafe nearby. It was a reasonably good walk in in the scheme of things. I had lunch at McDonald's, which was quite good. Veggie burger with soup and fries and a fruit juice. I think I had enough fluids. The first seven or eight kilometers there was no cafes open, so it's nice to find one. First two hours were pretty cool. So thankfully I had the jumper on and there was nothing difficult about the section. Nice and calm. There were very busy roads in a very industrial area. But other than that I enjoyed it for the peacefulness. There was hardly anyone other than Edward that I saw. So it was a really interesting section. The town was a reasonably big town. But I just basically confined myself to the room and dinner. Went to bed at 8:00 and got up at about 4am. So I did have reasonable amount of sleep. Other than that it's just day 11 and 12 to Porto. So, I've got about 60ks to go to get to Porto.

Camino Santiago Day 3

2025-11-10T17:05:00.000+08:00

Day three. 17 September 2025 Day . I walked from Valada to Santarem It was only 20 kilometers. Started really early at 6:00 in the morning. The sunrise was really nice , an orangey red sunrise. There was a German father and daughter that started off from the same hostel as myself and we basically walked most of it passing each other with the Dutch couple that I seen the day before. Again, in terms of fluids, I had half liter of orange juice, a bottle of water, 500 ms, and one donut. And that basically lasted me the four and a half hours it took to get to Santarem. Thankfully, it wasn't too hot given we started at six. I finished at 10:30 in the morning. Got a hotel room. Had Chinese for lunch. It was just too much. I had fried rice and a mushroom soup. Couldn't eat the fried rice. I took it back, but never finished it. And for dinner, I just really had some fruit and nuts. and orange juice. Again, the stomach's basically I think adjusting to the extensive heat.I found it very difficult to just eat too much. But so far the stomach settled. I had a really good rest in Santarem. Managed to get a USB charger so I could charge both my devices at once. Just a recap on day two which was rather tough day. Started off at 6:30 am from Franca De Xira. Plan was to walk about 30 kilometers but ended up doing about 35 and got to Valada suffering from heat exhaustion. The stomach was basically not taking in any fluids or food. Struggling.The walk started off pretty well. Did pretty good time. Doing just over 4ks to 5ks an hour. But as it got warmer, there was a section of 10 kilometers without any shade from about 12km into the walk . And that basically caused the stomach to shut down. I managed to get to a bar to have a drink. I accidentally ordered iced tea which didn't go down well. I had a seven up that did help a bit. Had diarrhea which was not good. The minute I left to walk the final 2.5 kms to the accommodation I started throwing up but managed to get to the hostel.It was obviously a basic accommodation with bunk beds but at least I got there. I decided not to take the further 3ks to the next accommodation and the stomach was basically pretty much closed down. Went to the toilet a couple of times. Couldn't eat much. Just had a bowl of rice with a hot tea and went to bed. Slept for a few hours. There was a father and daughter in the next room who got up pretty early at about 4:00. They were planning to walk to Santarem as well. So I got up at about 5. I've got ready and left. Today's a much shorter walk. It's only 20ks and I'm hoping to at least beat most of the heat and have a short walk so that I can recover properly in Santarem as the following day it's 31 kms to Goleja. Generally, I think I'm doing quite well. There is no expectations about finishing, but hope that if I just take each day at a time, I'll be able to work through any difficulties. It'll be good to figure out how to avoid the heat exhaustion and try to keep fluids up when the stomach's shutting down. That would be an interesting issue if I can work that out, I suspect that's the main reason for my DNFs. Even when it's not terribly hot, the stomach basically with the exertion over a couple of days begins to shut the stomach down, refusing to take food. Everything becomes unpalatable and that obviously perpetuates the difficulty with moving forward. But having said that, I met some very interesting people. The father and daughter combination uh from Germany just outside Dortmund and they're taking a slow walk. The daughter will go as far as Porto. The father will keep continuing possibly or going back. Then there was another German who is doing his third Camino. Chose Portuguese because he didn't have enough time and he's hoping to try and get to Porto at least in the next two weeks. He thinks 25 days is enough time to finish the Camino Portuguese. That means I really would basically just get to Santiago and then fly back to Lisbon to catch my flight back. But that makes it hopeful. At least today I'll be able to rest, have some more food, and get ready for the next day.

Day 15 & 16 29 & 30 September 2025 Camino Portuguese

2025-11-10T16:57:00.004+08:00

Today is day 15, Um today, unfortunately, I made a mistake of booking an accommodation 3 miles from my actual end destination town that I wanted to be in. So, unfortunately, I'm going to be about 5 km off. Not much, but means starting early tomorrow and today might be a very short walk, but Those are the planning issues that come with the Camino. There are a lot more pilgrims. Not so talkative, which is fine. I met a lady this morning who's done four and basically wished me well and said to enjoy the walk, which I am. It's been pretty good. The weather looks pretty good today. So, I think this will be a really good day. It's a short day. So, I'll try and rest up for a much longer day tomorrow. May not make any bookings so that I can go as far as I can and see how far I can go. But aside from that, um, everything seems going well. No injuries and my packs a lot lighter. So that's pretty good.The weather was a little windy and wild. Slight drizzle but nothing much. Pretty much the coastal route was along the coast.

I then Ubered back in the morning which was day 16 of the trip which was from Espondse to V I A N A Do Castello and it's about 26 kilometers away and then it's just the last coastal section to Caminha which is about 30ks. I then head in to Tui which is the first Spanish city or town. So just another day of walking on the coast. ,which has been good because it's relatively flat. Uh the weather's been great. And they've been shorter trips. So Not sure about the measurements because they were all going to be closer to 30 km. It turns out there's a slight variation. A huge number of trails on the apps and the signage is not that great. But anyway, I'm not hopelessly lost and it's been a great journey. I've learned a new word Bondia here which I think is hello or good morning. So I've been saying that and people have been responding rather than Hola. So and Abigabro is thank you. The two main words I've been using and " tudoben" is everything all right another word but I've not used that much. The other pilgrims that I met up with before Porto are about two days behind because they took a break. But I will probably be there when they get to Santiago.

Day 17 & 18 Camino Portuguese 1 & 2 October 2025

2025-11-10T16:52:00.001+08:00

And today I walked from V I A N A Do Castello to C A M I N H A which is on the border with Spain. separated by a river. Instead of crossing the river, I plan to walk on to Tui which is the first Spanish town that I will enter through on a bridge. This is the border between Portugal and Spain. So, I've booked my accommodation at Tui. It's about 30 km, but it's probably going to end up with being in excess of 30 kilometers. I plan to try and leave around 6.00 am or 6:30 a.m. and get an early start. I'll be moving inland away from the coast and plan to get to Santiago by Sunday, the 5th of October. That gives me 4 days on the central route. Today Day 17 was quite a nice day. Weather wasn't too bad. I met a lovely couple, Julie and David from Wollongong in Australia. Walked with them for an hour or so. Aside from that I thought it was a reasonable walk. There was a few hills and I did about 400 m of elevation. Took loads of pictures. There were lots of cats around, some beautiful spots and some beautiful churches along the way. Uh, just reminds you that the pilgrims obviously um were fervently spiritual in their journey. um and obviously the churches were there to support them. Aside from that, um no injuries and accommodation's been pretty good today. I got in at about 2, but they host didn't check us in until 3:00. It was private accommodation. I got my own room. I had a fish meal. for lunch, which helped at least try and supplement the um lack of food that I've been having. And tonight, I just had a banana vanilla ice cream, which was pretty good. Although, interestingly enough, the Portuguese ice cream tends to be a little bit more sourish. Not sure why, but managed to finish that comfortably. But I still can't eat a lot of food and I'll just try and keep up um as much carbs as I can. Although I don't feel a weakening or bonking when I walk. I am drinking and having Coke and coffee which has helped particularly with sugar. So I think that's helped a bit but I'm not obviously replenishing the carbs that I'm losing. But I don't think that's a problem given that I'm not running. Anyway, tomorrow hopefully once I cross into Spain, I'll have a much better idea as to finishing the the walk in Santiago and I'll probably book my accommodation in Santiago. Then other than that, it's been enjoyable, peaceful. quite a few hours where there's no one around and that's been good.

Today's day 18. It's Thursday morning. Spent a good night at Caminha. And today's walk is about 35ks to Tui on the SP on the Spain Portugal border. Started early just after 6 and got to see the sunrise. Started in the wrong direction. Walked 500 m before I realized that I was going the wrong way and had to turn back, but managed to get over the bridge on the way to TUI. Had a coffee break about an hour into the walk and making good progress. I was making it a point to wish everyone hello or good morning that I meet. Um And some sections of this particular walk is on the main highway. So the traffic's basically heading at you at 100 kilometers an hour. And that's obviously the only issue with this Camino. There are large sections of the walk on the main road from Lisbon onwards, but otherwise it's been really Nice, pleasant. Weather's good again. No rain. Might get that in Spain, so I have to be prepared. Just thinking of all the good people I've met, thinking of all the goodness and metta in this world. and just having equanimity with everything that goes on. I think that's basically the lesson I've learned from this walk. Not to be reactive.

I finished day 18 at TUI. That was about 35 kilometers, or just short of that. It's a really hot day, and I had problems getting into accommodation because my data ran out. But aside from that, I didn't have any other issues. Had a really hot thick chocolate and then went to the supermarket and bought some stuff, had a sandwich, olives, stayed in the hotel. It's just too tiring to do any sightseeing. Spain's an hour ahead of Portugal, so I lost an hour, which made it difficult, and that's why I couldn't get in. Eventually, a young German lady allowed me to use her phone to call the hotel. Well, and they gave me the codes which they said they sent on Booking.com. I then found out that my Esim data had finished. So, I had to download new data which I had to go to a cafe to do. But at least I got a good night's sleep. Got up early and now I'm walking out of TUI. I haven't booked any accommodation. Hoping to do around 35 to 40 kilometers, get as far as I can and then try and find accommodation. I know I'm about 112 kilometers out from Santiago, so hopefully I will be able to finish the walk on Sunday. Iam going to try to keep the last day to a minimum amount of walking. That means two big days today and Saturday tomorrow. But Other than that, it's um again not been a complicated journey. If anything, led to really simplify the life to just walking, eating and sleeping, finding accommodation, finding food. Not much else to worry about. The only thing that probably I should have kept away is social media. still reading the news but not allowing it to interfere with my journey and my thoughts ( though the reality we have no control over what pops into our head and are they really "our thoughts" a real lesson in non self , "annata " philosophy) .

Day 21 Camino Portuguese

2025-11-10T14:19:00.000+08:00

Day 21 5 October 2021 Walking into Santiago De Compostela

Day 19 and 20 Camino Portuguese 3/4 October 2025

2025-11-10T14:16:00.001+08:00

Day 19 3 October 2025

This is day 19, the 3rd of October 2025

I started really early today because of the day the 1 hour ahead. Um technically I'm starting at 5:30 in the morning so it was still pretty dark and even by 7:30 it still was not very light but It's cool. I started off from Tui again in the dark with no one on the streets and it was a good 2 hours before sunrise I had passed a town O Porrino where I had a break and was a reasonable size town with some large churches. It was soon after the town that I passed the 100km maker to Santiago and I met an Englishman walking. He had started from Tui but he actually drove to the next town O Porrino as he had started late because his flight was delayed. So he was only an hour or so into the walk when I met him. His name's Graeme and he lives in Brighton. He's an accountant. So we had a chat for about an hour till I got to Mos. Then we went our separate ways. . There were again magnificent views especially coming into Redondela . I met up again with him just after Redondela and we walked the last 8 kilometers to Arcade where he was staying .The view of the verdugo river just before getting to Arcade from the hill was amazing . the Englishman i met was planning to finish his walk on Monday a day later. He was doing just under the 100k mark. But it was nice to meet someone and have a chat all things general. I managed to cover 40 kms. I didn't find accommodation but I was directed to a private Albergue and I knocked for quite a while and was about to leave when eventually someone did come and it turned out to be the cheapest stay at €12. There was no one else at the hostel but about 9:00 pm I think some walkers came in. They stayed in another room and I left fairly early. I never saw them. So I had a room to myself for €12 and it was a nice bathroom that was shared. That was fine. I had a good sleep anyway.

Day 20 4 October 2025

This is day 20th which is the 4th of October. Plan to finish on the 5th. Got up at about 4:00am . Went to the toilet twice. But otherwise felt pretty refreshed and glad that I managed to get a room. The hotel I was looking at booking was completely sold out again today. I got up early and started out at 6.30am in the dark. So for 2 hours I was in the dark and it made for slow going and it's been drizzling non-stop the whole morning but I got through to about 17ks in just under 4 hours. Plan was to get to the Caldas de Reis is 33 kilometers hopefully by lunchtime. And that will give me the afternoon to get to Pedron which is another 19 kilometers. So it'll be a massive walk of 50ks. I'll try and find accommodation nearer or just outside Pedron and give me some flexibility. But so far there isn't any. So I may have to walk to Pedron. But I have the whole day. So hopefully I'll get there but it may be late. Other than that it's coming to the end of the journey. Great experience. Nothing has unnerved me. I'm glad for that. And it just shows how life can be simplified and still be wonderful. The slow drizzle continued for much of the day and there were lots of pilgrims on this section and all the cafes were crowded .The main town was Pontevedra which I passed in the morning and had coffee. There was a Dutch woman pilgrim who started off near Arcade and we basically walked till Caldas De Reis where she stopped. I had a break at Caldas before then walking the remaining distance to Padron.I managed to book a room in a small hotel but it was difficult finding it and I had to rush to get to Padron before the reception closed. It was a small motel with just a few rooms but got there at about 6.30 pm walking 53 kms. Found a place to do laundry and have dinner of chips and scrambled eggs at a small bar nearby,

Camino Santiago Day 4

2025-11-09T10:19:00.004+08:00

Day 4 18 September 2025. Santarem to Golega 34 kms .Got up again fairly early at about 5. Couldn't do the hotel breakfast that starts at 7:00. So I basically had some yogurt. I did have an egg sandwich, but it didn't taste very nice, so I didn't eat it. Again, some cashew nuts and some fruit, orange juice, and then headed out in the dark. I had to cross the castle wall of Santarem and basically walk down in the dark, which was a little nerve-wracking given that there was no fence line. But managed to get down and now on the fields. Today's walk is to G O L E G A. It is uh 30 kilometers away. So I'm hoping to try and get most of it done before it gets hot, but at least the last 10ks is going to be hot. So it's going to be slow going and hopefully I don't get any of the issues I got on the second day with the stomach. Generally I don't see too many pilgrims. So, this section is obviously pretty light on with pilgrims. I suspect also that the weather has played a role given that today it's expected to be about 34 /35°. Same thing tomorrow. Tomorrow, Friday, the 20th.

The temperature is hopefully starting to fall off to the 24s which hopefully will be more comfortable to walk in. Managed to book a room at an equestrian property that had rooms, most expensive so far at €55. Not probably the best. There's no breakfast. I also had lunch which was fish and fortunately I couldn't eat the whole meal and then for dinner I just had an omelette with fries again .Again couldn't finish the whole thing so I'm definitely not able to eat a lot on this trip. Anand my friend from Singapore visited which is a great surprise .We had a long chat and hopefully I'll meet up with him at the end of the journey.So far not had any major issues other than the ability to eat food or eat lots of food, but I'm managing well. Keeping my fluids up, but still probably a little dehydrated. Yesterday I started off at about 5:45. and got to Golega at about 1:30 and then had lunch. Waited around for the reception to open up. I met some Aussies who are walking Camino . They are doing the same trip and have allowed for 26 days. So hopefully I'll get to Santiago with a few days to spare and then meet up with Anand before heading back. But that's still far way off. Today its just getting tfrom Golega to Tomaar which is 31about kilometers. I'm hoping that as the weather starts to cool, I'll be able to keep up 30 kilometers a day, which so far I'm managing. And the next big town is, C O I M R A, and that's another three days away. And then after that, it'll be Porto. So, it's getting closer.

Camino Santiago Day 2 16 September 2025

2025-10-29T19:13:00.040+08:00

I started out pretty well. Got up at about 5am. I had a good night's sleep or pretty good anyway. I got changed, had breakfast, started off at about 6:30 a.m. with two other pilgrims, a Frenchman and a Japanese man. And basically stayed with him for only about a kilometer. The Frenchman was a very good walker and lost sight of him after 30 minutes. Yesterday's drinks and food intake comprised two bread rolls with cheese. Aside from breakfast, a liter of Coke, 2 L of water, and 500 mls of orange juice. So, overall 3 and 1/2 L of fluids, the rolls, and I also had some toasted bread with balsamic oil and that was at lunchtime. But I couldn't eat much. For dinner, it was fish with potatoes and rice. Again, I ate as much as I could. Had some fruit and a vegetable soup for €10. And that was pretty much dinner. Breakfast again. I had toast, cheese, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and coffee. On day two which was rather a tough day I Started off at 6:30 am from Franca Xira and the Plan was to walk about 35 kilometers. I ended up doing about 35 but got to Valada totally suffering from heat exhaustion. The stomach was basically not taking in any fluids or food. I was struggling. The walk started off pretty well. Did pretty good time. I was doing just over 4ks to 5ks an hour. But as it got warmer, there was a section of 10 kilometers without any shade from about 12km into the walk . And that basically caused the stomach to shut down. I managed to get to a bar to have a drink. I accidentally ordered an ice tea which didn't go down well. I also had a seven up that did help a bit. I did have diarrhea which was not good. The minute I left to walk the final 2.5 kms to the accommodation I started throwing up but managed to get to the abergue .It was obviously a basic accommodation with bunk beds but at least I got there. I decided not to take the further 3ks to the next accommodation and the stomach was basically pretty much closed down. Went to the toilet a couple of times. Couldn't eat much. Just had a bowl of rice with a hot tea and went to bed. Slept for a few hours. That was good. There was a father and daughter pair in the next room and they got up pretty early at about 4:00. They were planning to walk to Santarem the same place I was heading. So I got up at about 5. I've got ready and left. Today's a much shorter walk. It's only 20ks and I'm hoping to at least beat most of the heat and have a short walk so that I can recover properly, as the following day it's 31 ks to go. Generally, I think I'm doing quite well. I have no expectations about finishing, but hoping that if I just take each day at a time, I'll be able to work through any difficulties. It will be good to figure out how to avoid the heat exhaustion and try to keep fluids up when the stomach's shutting down. That would be an interesting issue if I can work that out, I suspect that's the main reason Even when it's not terribly hot, the stomach basically with the exertion over a couple of days begins to shut down or can't take as much food in. Everything becomes unpalatable and that obviously perpetuates the difficulty with moving forward. But having said that, I met some very interesting people. The father and daughter combination uh from Germany just outside Dortund and they're taking a slow walk. The daughter will go as far as Porto. The father will keep continuing possibly or going back. Then there was another German who is doing his third Camino. Chose Portuguese because he didn't have enough time and he's hoping to try and get to Porto at least in the next two weeks. He thinks 25 days is enough time to uh finish the Camino Portuguese. That means I really would basically just get to Santiago and then fly back to Lisbon to catch my flight back. But that makes it hopeful. Today hopefully will go well. I'll be able to rest, have some more food, and get ready for the next day.

Camino Portuguese ...Lisbon to Santiago De Compostela

2025-10-29T18:08:00.279+08:00

My journey on the Camino starting from Lisbon . I am now at the lounge waiting for the flight. Full of trepidation, excitement, but taking it one day at a time. Looking at it as a journey of meditation, self reflection. I have a slight cold and flu, but hopefully I'll be better by Monday , 15 September and be able to keep up the pace of doing at least 30 to 40 kilometers a day.

14 September 2025

Today is the 14th of September, my mom's birthday, and it's a very nice day in Lisbon. I arrived last night. It's a good flight, but still suffering from the effects of the flu that I picked up in Singapore, but I managed to get some sleep on the flight and got in at about 10:30pm to the hotel. It was a fairly quick exit from Lisbon airport, although very long wait to clear immigration and it was very quick to get my baggage and walk out. I had to wait about 25 to 30 minutes for the driver that I booked, but got into the hotel in about 20 minutes with no difficulties. Today I managed to get a pretty good night's sleep. Got up a little early because of the time difference and then went for a walk after breakfast at 10:00 am down to the tourist office at the center of the city where the river Targus is located.Lots of tourists. It was quite warm. I passed the street where the tram crashed, killing 15 people a week ago. I then went to the Lisbon Cathedral and managed to get my credential Camino passport which is a great start so that I can start on my Camino walk early tomorrow after breakfast. The Camino has a fairly well documented history in summary around 44 AD James was killed in Jerusalem and his remains were brought back by two of his disciples to Galatia where he apparently converted and taught in the Iberian Peninsula between 20 AD and 44 AD. That's at least is the legend. They brought his remains back and buried them and they were lost in history at least the burial spot till about the 9th century when a hermit found the remains and a church was built at Santiago de Compostela and basically from the 12th to around the 15th century it became a significant pilgrimage spot with many pilgrims coming from all over Europe. It basically that pilgrimage declined rapidly after the black Plague and various wars but was revived again at the end of the 19th century and has become extremely popular now with the Camino Frances and the Camino Portuguese , being the two most popular routes of the main five. I start the Camino Portuguese tomorrow, the 15th of September, with the plan to try and complete it before the 8th of October. It really will depend on whether I can walk 30 odd kilometers a day and get to various accommodation along the way. It will be a good experience. I have no expectations. Today I went to get the credentials/passport and had a good moment to sit in the Lisbon Cathedral and do a short meditation, a metta meditation which I think was a good start. I feel pretty relaxed despite the flu and it would be nice to just be out on the journey walking in solitude and peace. Hopefully the weather will be good although it has been raining in northern Portugal. I would expect that there will be cooler days but presently it is nice and warm. And I look forward to the journey.

First Day September 15 2025 . The first day of the walk on the Portuguese Camino. I started off from Lisbon from the hotel and I had to walk about 2 and a half kilometers to get to the Lisbon Cathedral and then from the cathedral I used a GPS navigation tool on my Garmin which had downloaded the route at least the first two sections which totaled about 35 kilometers. Unfortunately, walking from the hotel and with a number of deviations on the trail because of construction work and closures, I ended up doing 40 kilometers today and it was quite a hot day. I didn't check the temperature, but I'm sure it was between 28 and 30 odd degrees. It wasn't humid, but it was very hot because there was no shade for most of the walk as it was next to the river. It's interesting that the first five or so kilometers was through industrial estates and fairly poor suburbs. There were absolutely no Camino markings. I then got onto a walkway which was obviously a much modern part of Lisbon where the Oceanarium is and that was fairly well set out. I had a drink at a cafe there which was run by Sikhs interestingly enough. so I had a coke and a water and I then continued from there. Unfortunately there was no cafes for about 12 kms and finally found one at the end of the walkways and had a break with coke and bread.there had no cafe. Got my first stamp as well.

I then continued to villa Franca. I met a Hungarian girl walking .We walked together for about an hour till the next town and she was staying there for the night as I continued .I got to Villa franca de Xira about 5 pm and tried to find accommodation but eventually asked the locals and I was directed to a private hostel and I got a bed and they directed me to a restaurant for dinner.

Lesson Learnt beyond Ultra running in 2023

2025-03-31T12:32:00.002+08:00

After Delirious 2023 and the2nd failure to complete the distance , I decided to have a break. As hard as the lesson was. Letting go and not clinging to a goal over 2 years in the making was hard .yet and it is often said , some of the best lessons in life come from failure and not success. In fact our tortured turmoil of how we assess our life or any event in our life is what causes our suffering.if it was not illness, or an exam result , a career promotion , advancement, recognition or respect it is the inability to finish a race that torments us and our view even our self worth.

The short break from running was to recharge and re assess life or in some sense to regress to lick ones wounds quietly . I felt I had not been good enough in some way or deserving to be in the ultra running community.Hence the seclusion and the time to just sit . In a way it was good from a spiritual and mental expansion of the reality or the mind and how we see devils in dark corners.Yet it also meant a loss of fitness and maintaining strength .In the interim 8 months , the weight stacked on .

I have come out at the other end with lessons learnt from my meditation practice reading and just sitting and contemplating life.

this is a summary of these lessons which I just have to remind myself from time to time .

1 Acceptance

There is no cause and effect . Life does not owe me and I may be a good person ,ate all my vegetables and did all the training and some how the result is presented. Life is like a race there are complicated twist and turns .The best laid plans can fail and often do . The desire to finish is necessary , the will is critical , but sometimes that is not enough . How we see the outcome ,how we view the world in our own mind is all the more important . I have allowed myself to come to the realization that the desire the clinging to a result despite the hype about not having any expectation is important to fulfill a goal but also very counter productive when it is not achieved unless we can have equanimity with the results in our life from the small day to day matters to the life ending ones. It isn't about giving up but it is about knowing and being fine about whatever the world throws at us and whatever result in life we have.It is about living in the moment with equanimity and no emotion as hard as that may be because it is the stories we conjure that ruin the moment the effort and dissolve it to a result fueled point.We miss the journey the experience the joys .

The perception of failure is the measure we make and it come from comparison . This is what sis counter intuitive.Why start a race .If it is to achieve a result or it is to find acceptance respect ?The reason becomes important If we know ourselves and we are not bothered about perception then the reason to run and to participate becomes irrelevant and the result to a degree also less important.It is about a challenge , a test and being satisfied about how far I got in that challenge.

The koan about Hakuin the Monk easily comes to mind.Can I be like Hakuin the Monk.

The story about Hakuin the Monk

2 Goals (without the trauma )

Having goals and striving for them is good .More importantly is knowing when to let go , to have equanimity with the result ...seemingly outsiders see this as someone who is a fatalist but the reality is striving to do one best but also knowing what is important in life what can fall away as just rain to the ground . Not allowing the mind to suffer for the lack of a successful result as that all stems to ego and desire . It does not stop one from striving to achieve the best.

After a break of a year in mid 2024 I started a slow build to Delirious 2025 . It has been enjoyable and less stressful given th lesson learnt from the past.

In 10 days I venture out to have another go. More lessons to learn from a 200 miler but I feel that the biggest lessons have already been learnt and for that Iam thankful.

The year of lessons

2025-03-31T12:23:00.000+08:00

Not quite Running related but the journey in Ultra running for the past 4 years has had many twist and turns.In particular the rabbit hole of spirituality and meditation.

Here are my list of lessons and thoughts and discoveries:

Know what is Happiness . Not attainable . It is really the desire to keep improving .To know happiness we all have to suffer. Arthur C Brooks

https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2022/12/features-arthur-brooks

Happiness and the Meaning of Life

For Brooks, you just break down the problem of life’s meaning into three concepts of positive psychology. These are:

“coherence” or “how events fit together,” which is “an understanding that things happen in your life for a reason”
“purpose” or “the existence of goals and aims,” which amounts to “the belief that you are alive in order to do something”
and “significance” or “life’s inherent value,” which is “the sense that your life matters.”

Being Happy is to find meaning in life To know what you are , your purpose where you are heading

Read Thich Nhat Hanh's book The essence of Meditation

https://tricycle.org/article/thich-nhat-hanh-continuation-day/

Read Aya Khema Book Being Nobody Going Nowhere

Learn to Meditate

Learn to Let Go or from a Zen view Zazen ....Just sit .

Be Compassionate to yourself and all beings

To truly understand the nature of no self and as Thich Nhat Hand termed Interbeing ...the consciousness /energy that is the life force .by trying to appreciate that interconnection do we appreciate and have compassion for all beings .

Laurie Santos The happiness Podcast

https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos

The end of the Line: Reflections on Delirious 2023

2023-02-13T15:52:00.384+08:00

O foolish and afflicted mind, you want, you crave for everything, but everything is never enough -Shantideva (late 7^th to mid-8^th century CE) was a Buddhist monk, philosopher, and poet .

Travelling Wilburys ...The End of the Line

Well, it's alright, ridin' around in the breezeWell, it's alright, if you live the life you pleaseWell, it's alright, doin' the best you canWell, it's alright, as long as you lend a hand

Well, it's alright, even if the sun don't shineWell, it's alright (alright), we're going to the end of the line

Starters at Delirious 2023

Another year of training and Delirious has rolled round. After last years disaster with nutrition I made specific efforts to dial down the nutrition as best I could .I had documented my runs and the nutrition , spoke to a nutritionist and at least up to 100km had worked on the nutrition with the same issues I had faced.

Aside from the training which started again in June 2022 , I now would have 2 years of running trails .Quite a number of long runs , one in September on my own and unsupported although that was in cold weather . I also had religiously worked on a strength program working out in the gym to strengthen my very weak left leg(injuries from the hockey field 40 plus years ago)

I also had over 2 years of meditation and was doing at least 7 plus hrs a week sometimes 10 hrs a week of meditation. I had no fear as to the course and had now done most of it bar maybe 60km of delirious.

The lead up to Delirious as usual is lots of Preparation. I had Jonathan Smith again pacing and my son also Jonathan crewing.(his first ) So we both drove down 10 days before the race to recce the aid stations he would be at .For the aid stations up to Mt Clare I also had small drop bags with additional food.

As far as preparation I could not complain. I had also made the preparation a lot simpler .Just 2 crew and a vehicle . Keeping everything flexible. and not expecting everything to go to plan.

Tuesday 7 February 2023.

Started off to Northcliffe and it was an easy trip arriving after we checked in to our motel in Pemberton. Got registered and hung around for an hour before heading to back.I had dinner and then settled in for the night .Jonathan Smith got to Pemberton at about 8.30 pm .

The next day he drove me to the start line and I got the tracker fixed . I remember Shaun saying something about this being Redemption(having DNF in 2022) .I didn't think much and just sat waiting for the start. Had a breakfast of coffee and a croissant. Had all the food and 2 litres of fluid . I knew what was ahead but felt confident . I did have a cyst on my back that had become infected but had some antibiotics for it and was just hoping it would not burst .I did speak to the medic at Pingerup Aid Station.

In hind sight the cyst had masked other underlying issues that were not so evident to me till after the race.

The race started promptly with 80 plus runners.I had not slept well but it was more the excitement then nerves and surprisingly felt calm and good and not overtly worried.

We started off and I just followed at the back to the turn around and then back to the start line to everyone's cheers and Glenn just behind filming . Soon with a few kilometers I was pretty much on my own with a few runners in front and a few at the back. The first 2 aid stations were pretty uneventful accept for the humidity . I had some cramping pretty mild but got a few more salt tablets from Rob and then discovered a whole bag of salt tablets later tucked deep in my vest. From Chepsapeake East to Dog Leg. I was with Greg and Kirk ( who is an ultra legend having done 4 of these 200 milers) So I just kept up with them. We made it to Dog Leg where I had something to eat , a Milo and got my bottles filled. I had lots of food but I was not eating as much but felt good. I started off , with the rest following soon.George another ultra legend soon joined us and we all got to Pingerup at I guess about 9 pm . Greg saw a small snake in the dark. We had our vest and torches out . Still moving relatively well on the straight road to Pingerup.

At Pingerup I had a soup , a drink and then loaded up with tailwind and water headed off into the dark .To be joined and passed by Greg, Kirk and George who ran off in the dark. (He runs in the dark ) It was a full moon and this was one of those priceless moments just a few runners the quiet of the night and the full moon with the stars out.

Not a lot to complain about .This was why I was running this ultra to test my self but to be out here enjoying these moments. I was alone again as Greg moved on and I changed my batteries in my lights .

I got into Broke Inlet Aid station.Jonathan and Rob were there. I had a sleep for 2 hrs and headed out at 3.30 am I was slightly ahead of my schedule. I did find myself lightheaded and a little more fatigued. I did have a dirt nap a few kms further . I was slowing abit .I still kept eating and drinking and by the time I got to Mandalay had consumed my 2 litres of fluids . I had pancakes at Mandalay another Milo and Jonathan C was there with my food and again 2 litres of fluids .I left at about 10.30 thinking I would be able to make Walpole in good time. The only issue the watch battery was running low and for whatever reason the charger was not working despite showing it had over 80% charge.I should have switched the chargers at Mandalay but didnt and the watch did die at 3 pm .I unfortunately struggled on this leg which was only about 20 plus kms . There was just lots of short climbs and I began to just find it difficult and I was getting very lightheaded. strangely there was no panic , just putting one leg infront. I was taking 2 hrs to do 5km and that was worrying . I was passed by Frank about 15km into the section I estimate and he was moving well. I did mention the cut off at Walpole which surprised him. he soon started moving ahead of me and I could not keep up . The watch had died but I was just following the bib markers anyway. As I got to the start of the climb up Mt Claire, Lauren and the sweeper Nick came up and we all got into Mt Clare together.I was really hurting now the legs were just seizing up from what was like just too much lactic acid despite not really going very hard .

At Mt Clare all I remember is getting more fluids and having a pepsi. That felt good .Rob saying I had 2 hrs and ten minutes to make the cut off. I started out not feeling confident I would make it but I was going to try as I had agreed with Jonathan Smith I was not quitting this time . Better to try and not make the cut off. The first 5-6 kms were ok a few climbs but I was walking and trying to run a bit. As we got to the last 2-3 kms of the 10km section is when the body really struggled to just move and in the end it was a death march .I got to the corner of the recreation centre and knowing that I had not made cut off, Jonathan drove the car and got me the last 300metres.

That was the end of the quest . Not the fairy tale ending I had hoped or the great memories . Life doesn't always work out that way .Strangely there was no huge outpouring of emotion. I had given my best and failed. I was sad .I was disappointed. In the days following the DNF a lot of sad reflection. I did think of the story of the Farmer and his horse as I mellowed in self pity after failing to make the cut off at Walpole.The Real Lesson behind the Farmer and his horse . Written by Dennis Adsit

The lyrics of the song above mean heaps. If you live the life you please doing the best you can as long as you lend a hand . One run doesn't make life.I may never finish a 200 miler . Why feel miserable. There lies the truth .Is it the validation of the running community we seek ? Having a start line and a finish line is exactly about racing and finishing which is the nature of a ultra run race.Until I can separate what is important about running , about Delirious about more importantly the experience I will continue to be miserable and see the failure in finishing It becomes a judgment of a moment without a reference point .

I can focus on what I experienced , the small moments of joy in struggle. I will remember the many helpers at Aid stations, the fellow runners , the moments chatting, the full moon as I moved through the night . The help I got from family and friends . I will forever be thankful for the experience and like the Farmer I will strive to find equanimity with whatever result because like every life it leads to only one end and making the best of each moment rather then wallowing in it must surely be the best way to spend ones time.

I have no plans after Delirious and do want to thank my Coach Rob Donkersloot and family and friends I have made along the way in the particular journey.It has opened my eyes beyond just ultra running and for that I am thankful.I think I am a better person for it. The journey end was always the desired outcome but I know whilst I did not get there I have had a journey and it is in that suffering that I have felt most alive and one with life.I have learnt to love life and be compassionate for self and all beings.

In the end the lesson learnt is to let go of all the inner emotions, inner demons , all desires ,not crave not judge ,easier said then done as it is in the human nature . Live life in the moment and learn to have compassion for self. I am reminded of a quote from Apolo Ohno who was a decorated Olympic speed skater and did Hawaii Ironman:

“If I have given my all and still do not win, I haven't lost. Others might remember winning or losing; I remember the journey.”
― Apolo Anton Ohno

Post note.

Jonathan S gave me his reflections which I had on my phone .I knew them but did not need to refer to them in the race. I had moments of catastrophising but they never stopped me in the process. For that I believe the meditation had me in a really good head space. I was always in the present moment be it just slow.

Other thoughts :

1. You get to a certain point with pain. Then doesn’t get any worse. Just a constant 10.

2. Do not ever do anything not positive. Slippery slope (getting lost, snakes, pacer behaviour)

3. When you think you’re done. You’re only 1/3 done. Suck it up and go again. Repeat.

4. Meditation works

5. It only takes a single person to believe in you and say something positive to change your whole mindset.

6. Your brain will tell you it’s ok to quit. And then tell you lots of stories as to why is ok. It’s not. It’s so not. Don’t believe the brain. It’s trying to save you.

7. Bad patches do pass…and you can come really good

8. Just focus on the next step (not the one after that). One aid station at a time. No further.

9. Ego has no place. People will go past you….so what?

10. Seriously…when you’re going through hell, keep going.

11. Just stay in it…until the situation changes. Cause it will.

12. Equipment and mandatory gear….double check everything. Didn’t do gear check list at Denmark and caused issues (phone, hi-viz, headlamps, batteries, food)

A week before the race I did managed to speak to my Doctor regarding my blood test results done in December when I saw him about the infected cyst.With the Christmas holidays and break they never got the results . He did ring for the results .A week before the race I did learn I had a very low Iron level 31 . I understood the norm would be much higher . This possibly explained the infection , the lightheaded sensations and the cold limbs. The fatigue on the longer runs I had put down to the extreme heat leading into December and January. The bloods having being done 7 weeks earlier meant they may have been worse. I had also donated plasma as well. Unfortunately not having picked up these signals and pushing though everything did come back to haunt me.

Adult male: 30-620 µg/L.
Application:	Investigation of suspected Iron deficiency or Iron overload.
Interpretation:	Serum ferritin levels ≥30 µg/L up to the method-related upper reference limit demonstrates healthy iron stores as long as co-existing inflammatory disease or hepatocellular damage are not present. A serum ferritin level <30 µg/L for an adult is diagnostic of iron deficiency. Serum ferritin levels of 30-100 µg/L in an anaemic adult may represent iron deficiency if there is coexisting inflammatory disease. In these cases the ratio of ferritin to soluble transferrin receptors gives better discrimination.

Adult male: 30-620 µg/L.

Application:

Investigation of suspected Iron deficiency or Iron overload.

Interpretation:

Serum ferritin levels ≥30 µg/L up to the method-related upper reference limit demonstrates healthy iron stores as long as co-existing inflammatory disease or hepatocellular damage are not present.

A serum ferritin level <30 µg/L for an adult is diagnostic of iron deficiency.

Serum ferritin levels of 30-100 µg/L in an anaemic adult may represent iron deficiency if there is coexisting inflammatory disease. In these cases the ratio of ferritin to soluble transferrin receptors gives better discrimination.

Post script

Into the Demons Mouth

Since my reflections I have had the opportunity to read some great articles and self reflect and this piece in

Tricycle I think summarize what I say above about failure in any aspect of life and the lessons and the difficulties transcending the true reasons for suffering from such failures.

"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.” —Matsuo Basho

Present Moment , Perfect Moment

2022-11-13T21:34:00.001+08:00

Saturday runs in October between Kalamunda and Discovery Centre

Training for delirious has been more a journey but not a journey about ultra running.It has morphed into everything . It is now 2 years and a moment of reflection. I came upon MFR mind focused running after my spectacular DNF at Feral 2020.That was as the 2019 100 miler was cancelled and so I carried my race to 2020 but in the meantime did little or no training and as such the DNF at Sullivan Rock 42km into the race.Not unexpected. I had not physically trained for it but more so I had pulled out of races I had trained the minute something was not going the way it was planned. Unlike life , races were always supposed to go to plan.

Thats when the journey of discovery with Rob Donkersloot (I signed up with MFR) started with meditation and a structured run programme. A year later I finished Feral , just , and then at delirious 2021 had lessons learnt with nutrition and just being as prepared as I could be. But like life there are lessons to be learnt in failing.In fact looking back it was far better to have the experience of a DNF as I learnt so much about myself the race and the experience.

Delirious mark 2 is just as daunting but the first lesson is to embrace the experience and not have expectations even to finish ...if we can truly let go and it is just more then saying it , we can really enjoy the moment , the experience. Somewhat like the Buddhist 4 Noble truths and that act or desire to cling to anything and everything is what causes us dukkha (loosely translated suffering)

Upādāna is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means "fuel, material cause, substrate that is the source and means for keeping an active process energized".^[1]^[2] It is also an important Buddhist concept referring to "attachment, clinging, grasping".^[3] It is considered to be the result of taṇhā (craving), and is part of the dukkha (suffering, pain) doctrine in Buddhism. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na

This year staring in July , the training has also included trying to work out my nutrition and having a regular weights program and it has helped with the running getting the weight down and endurance.

In October I had Saturday and Sunday long runs averaging about 43 km for the 2 runs. Last Saturday I was the sweeper for Feral from Sullivan Rock to Brookton Hwy intending to then follow the sweeper back to Perth Hills Discovery Centre but did not get to Brookton until 30 minutes after cut off and the aid station was packed up and the sweeper had left .Without food or water it was not worth the risk of trying to get to the next aid station especially if they assumed after the sweeper left they would pack up.

It was a good experience following the last runners as they tried to make the cut off .The 32km were hard in seeing the suffering and not really being able to do much . I saw my first Feral pig just after Canning Camp on the course. I was disappointed I could not do a long run but again planning for the unforeseen is possibly something that should be in all ultra runners toolkits possibly everyone in life.

Sweeping at Feral 100 mile between Sullivan Rock and Brookton .The climb up Mt Vincent.

That meant a long run the next week 12 November 2021 .I had nine hours for the weekend but ended up running for 8.45 hrs on Saturday doing Disco to Waleigh Campsite ...about 43 km and 1500m of elevation .On Sunday a local run to the gym of 16km return and 30 mins at the Gym.Legs were tired but fine.I did have my first encounter with a juvenile tiger I thing black and shiny I ran past the just over half metre snake and he did not move fortunately.It slithered away and on my return was on the path again but I saw him and stopped allowing him time to move off.I did trip just before I started my run and had a stiff left knee for the run which did not help with the long climbs.

Views from Saturdays run between Disco and Waleigh Campsite

As we head into the last 3 months before Delirious I am feeling good with training , with where Iam and most of all accepting of everything. With acceptance comes peace and my mantra seems to be Present Moment , Perfect Moment.

A New Beginning

2022-10-22T20:34:00.003+08:00

Margaret River weekend 11 September run

Running on Sand Margaret River September 2022

Murray Street Mall at the end of run on a weekday In August

John Forrest NP August Long Run

John Forrest Park Falls August Run

Kings Park in the evening after run

It has been 8 months since Delirious and I have had a 4 month break from running .I started my training again at the end of July with a slow return to running. It has been good to have a break.What has continued uninterpreted has been meditation.Increasing the time spent meditating to at-least an hour a day.Partly on my commute and then at lunch and in the evening.

Starting with 7 hours of running with a 2 hour run in the hills and building slowly in August to 4 hour run and 75km in a week with an easy week after 3 weeks.

In September the training really started to mount with the plan to do a long run at the end of the month on a Long weekend from 24 September to 25 September 2022.

The long run on the 24 September was a good test .Had a heavy pack as I had all my bars and food. I started at 7am with Lindsay and Judy running with me to Helena .That was 11 km from Perth Discovery centre. I then continued to Waleigh and Beraking Shelters where I had water from the tanks and a break . From Beraking there was a diversion because of the back burns and so there was no shelters accept for a temporary open camp with a toilet and some cans of water. That was about 45km into the run and then I turned at about 55km and then worked my way back to Beraking with the Intention of having a short sleep .I got to Beraking at about midnight and it was cold I had slowed the amount of fluid I was consuming as well as food but felt OK .I had a survival body bag I was hoping would keep me warm in the shelter but it did nothing .The temperature was about 7C but felt colder. There were 2 hikers in the shelter and unfortunately my rolling in the body bag probably woke them up.By 1am I decided to just keep moving so filled up my flask and headed back on the bib to Discovery Centre. It got light by 6am and I managed to get back about 9.30am .I was exhausted and with the cold and lack of sleep hallucinating a bit. But it was a good test I know the amount of fluid I have to take even on a cold night.I think if I can keep up to 35gms of Carbohydrates per hour I will be good. Even the salt intake seem ok.

It was the longest run in 6 months.

[?]

Quick Add Workout Library Full Add Garmin

September 2022

Cross Training: 0.0 km ~ 4:39:28 // Run: 52.0 km ~ 6:57:57 (8:00:00) // Meditation: 4:48:00 (1:10:00) // Strength Training: 0.0 km ~ 54:00 // long run: 22.2 km ~ 3:45:13 // Total: 74.2 km ~ 21:04:40 (9:10:00)

Cross Training: 5.0 km ~ 5:30:03 // Meditation: 4:20:00 (1:10:00) // Strength Training: 0.0 km ~ 1:02:53 // Run: 59.1 km ~ 8:34:09 (8:50:00) // Total: 64.1 km ~ 19:27:05 (10:00:00)

Cross Training: 0.0 km ~ 4:01:35 // Meditation: 4:12:00 (1:10:00) // Run: 38.6 km ~ 5:55:12 (6:00:00) // Strength Training: 0.0 km ~ 1:33:05 // Total: 38.6 km ~ 15:41:53 (7:10:00)

Cross Training: 0.0 km ~ 4:23:34 // Meditation: 2:05:00 (1:10:00) // Run: 120.4 km ~ 27:55:58 (21:30:00) // Total: 120.4 km ~ 34:24:32 (22:40:00)

Cross Training: 0.0 km ~ 5:03:51 // Meditation: 4:27:00 (1:10:00) // Run: 27.8 km ~ 4:31:27 (6:00:00) // Total: 27.8 km ~ 14:02:19 (7:10:00)

Mindfullness , Meditation and ultra running Lessons I have learnt

2022-04-11T21:08:00.002+08:00

History & start and meditation

Briefly I started training for a miler in November 2020 with a Mindfocus Running course with Rob learning to meditate .This has mushroomed into a concious daily exercise of at least an hour a day and I have done a few coursera courses including Buddhism and Psychology by Robert Wright .That was very instructional in explaining some scientific basis for the buddhist view of the mind and meditation.

I then on 1 April did a 3 day course at the Jhana Grove Meditation centre .Had a lot of opportunity to meditate and learn about meditation.

These are just some of my notes on the weekend and the 2 sessions recorded and on the Buddhist Society of WA You Tube site.

At the Buddhist retreat I attended 1-3 April 2022 at the Jhana Grove meditation Center at Serpentine I managed to increase the amount of meditation I would do.For the week I managed 14 hours .

Lessons learnt in Meditation and trying to reach the deep meditations or Jhanas all aim for

practice , practice and more practice.It will not always be perfect .Learn loving kindness or metta for your self .
Have compassion and loving kindness for self not forced meditation
follow the 8 fold path
The Noble Eightfold Path
- Right understanding (Samma ditthi)Right thought (Samma sankappa)
- Right speech (Samma vaca)
- Right action (Samma kammanta)
- Right livelihood (Samma ajiva)
- Right effort (Samma vayama)
- Right mindfulness (Samma sati)
- Right concentration (Samma samadhi)
Practically the whole teaching of the Buddha, to which he devoted himself during 45 years, deals in some way or other with this path. He explained it in different ways and in different words to different people, according to the stage of their development and their capacity to understand and follow him. But the essence of those many thousand discourses scattered in the Buddhist scriptures is found in the noble eightfold path
(see the article on Tricycle The Noble Eightfold Path ,The Buddha’s practical instructions to reach the end of suffering By Walpola Sri Rahula)
live a wholesome and virtuous life , as a drug dealer can't reach the deep levels of meditation bliss
be in the moment
do everything mindfully leads to doing your best in everything
Ajahn Chah "always put 100% in everything you do"
Ok to be sad , angry and cry in the moment but not dwell on it ,always learn to let go
no quick way to samardhi
try all techniques ...there is no one path to mindfulness meditation

Ajahn Santuthi mentione an often cited story of Ajahn Chah ( Ajahn Branhm mentor and teacher is the Mango tree analogy , monastics have to wait for the mango hanging on the tree to fall to the ground not climb the tree Takes time to reach jhana or deep meditation states

In the oldest texts of Buddhism, dhyāna (Sanskrit: ध्यान) or jhāna (Pāḷi: झान) is the training of the mind, commonly translated as meditation, to withdraw the mind from the automatic responses to sense-impressions, and leading to a "state of perfect equanimity and awareness (upekkhā-sati-parisuddhi)."^[1] Dhyāna may have been the core practice of pre-sectarian Buddhism, in combination with several related practices which together lead to perfected mindfulness and detachment.^[2]^[3]^[4]

^Wikipedia

It is a Marathon not a sprint

Dharma Talk By Ajahn Brahmali

Dharma Talk

Article in Trcycle on self and ego

Delirious 200 miler 9 February 2022

2022-02-22T13:47:00.100+08:00

The journey I started in November 2020 with MFR and Rob culminated at Delirious 200 miler on 9 February 2022.Regardless of the outcome like life there is no finality and there is no end . Everything is impermanent . This like life is not a fairy story .It is the perception of my mind whether I finished the race , DNF or anything else ,it is my own single and very inaccurate perception .That is why in Buddhism , everything is an illusion as we see the world from the prism of our really inaccurate malfunctioning mind.

I did not finish . I DNFed at 120km into a 340 km run . Nearly 15 months of preparation .There is failure, sense of loss ,even despair. My ego damaged . But quite the opposite. I had nothing but a sense of thankfulness, appreciation and love for all around me. I had no feeling .There were moments of regret and sadness but they did not last long and is the remnant of my old ego bound individual self. If I was frank that which I cling to,desire , the source of suffering at least in Buddhist Dharma is something I cannot completely let go hence the pangs of failure as I am human .I have the feelings which is what the Buddhist called Dhukka because we follow the 3 poisons of delusions desires and attachments. The attachment is to attach value of self because of achievement . But in the past months I have learnt more then running .I understand the suffering and leaning into it especially when running such distances . I had faced it and knew I could . I also knew I did not have to do it at all cost as I had no desire other then my own journey to test my self in that cauldron of suffering .

This is a race report about failing to finish but really fundamentally for me it is a learning about what it is to be alive to be human .I have fallen into a group of people , ultra runners who share the joy and love of running long distances who care for each other, who fundamentally have a love for the sport that encapsulates what it is to be human enjoying our environment, caring for it and looking out for each other and supporting each other no matter what.Here is a microcosm of what it is to be a good human being if we could share this with the rest of the world. That is a small lesson taken from the week of experience.

Had I finished the emphasis would have been about achievement . But I learnt more seeing everyone deal with their demons and difficulties .I had to deal with mine . I learnt much and I think I have grown

But each race report has a beginning.This starts post Feral 100 miler with a decision as to whether to give Delirious a go. It took a month to decide as I knew it would be hard.Did I want to make the commitment.Could I get crew and pacers and the logistics of such a big event.All these concerns . But I knew fundamentally , I had to give it a go if only to confront my own character.testing it and to leave my ego and be willing to fail.It is easy to not try for fear of damaging my ego and my misguided view of how the world will see me. But here we have this very Buddhist view of the 3 poisons. I did not set out to fail but knew lots had to go well for the race to come together perfectly .yet I knew what I needed to do having paced half the race in October.

I knew my shortcomings and my strengths. But life is about the challenges one faces but more importantly how we conduct ourselves and face these challenges. There was always doubts about running such a daunting distance but the past year of training and meditation has taught me that I have nothing to fear but the fear of ego and failure . My only doubt after Feral was nutrition which I had never mastered . Unlike all the other aspects of the race , I felt least prepared when it came to nutrition.

This became the main issue again.But starting from the beginning is the Planning.I had a Race Plan which was adapted from Jonathan's very detailed plan.I had listed all the nutrition, clothing changes and had dropped bags as well.

There was organizing the crew and caravan .I felt quietly confident having planned as best I could.The drive down on Tuesday was pretty straight forward and I for once did not feel nervous before a race .Like Feral I had come to a peace in my mind. I had some great friends helping in the support crew .I was filled with gratitude . I would never dream I would be giving this a go.

The race and my pacing was pretty much as planned from the beginning and up to about 54km or Dog Road Aid station I was doing well.As the day wore on and there was the afternoon stretch trough the Pingurup plain which was just low bush with no tree cover where I suspect I probably did not have enough calories and then as the day moved to night and the temperature dropped I tried to fill myself thinking I needed more nutrition as I could see my energy levels drop.Unfortunately that was counter productive as I tried to get to Broke Inlet i started to throw up .This would have been at about 90-95km into the race .i got to Broke Inlet with Jonathan and Lindsay walking out to meet me for the last 3-4 km and had a 2 hour sleep a change of clothes and that helped a lot. Got some food down ...not sure what and felt good for the first 5-8 km before again feeling the energy go and finding it hard to stomach anything . Managed to hget to Mandalay Aid station about 110 km in and again had an hours break .It was warm and started off on the sand and it just progressively got harder with just no energy to move up the dunes. I made he hard decision to turn around as I did not want to collapse and create a problem for the RDs . Again physically i had no issues other then my nutrition intake and my gut not tolerating food. I knew I would regret the decision but as the weeks rolled in months post race I have found peace with the choices and accepting that I run for no one other then myself .I do not do this for ego and in the vacuum of no self and no feeling , the race is despite the issues that arose a joyous experience .It is personal and so much more then finishing or distance.

It has been a15 month journey with Rob and the MFR Sangha ...after 4 months of rest and lots of contemplation I have learnt much . I may not be or have not developed as a runner .I am certainly not faster then 5 years ago but I think I have become a better human being for the experience.

Lessons I learnt just Running in 2021

2021-12-31T11:43:00.006+08:00

The latest addition Kurumi meaning Walnut

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”“This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.”

― Dalai Lama XIV

King's Park Perth November 2021

The year 2021 . Another year of control, restraint ,closed borders and uncertainty and lots of worry . For West Australians we have been fortunate . The border closure and restrictions have to some degree set a different tangent of outcomes. I was certain of my position and views .I have now tempered my views .They have not changed but my compassion and understanding of others has. Without rehashing the whole year of training and discovery which are set out in the blog , I have set out below some valuable lessons .

I have tried to distill the main points I think I have learnt about myself in this journey we call life this year .Not to look back or forward but to understand . Aside from finally doing a miler ,the main lesson or revelation has been Meditation.After Wild Goose Chase 100km in June I started to meditate more and even up to an hour a day spread out over the day.Some sessions troubled with thoughts others sheer moments of emptiness of thought and bliss in that I had no thought , no feeling , no worry , no concern.The revelation has been as I meditated more the more I felt at ease with everything.The stress of the day , of life seems to have melted away ,at least for the moment and I seemed to have an inner peace to deal with greater clarity anything in front of me.

I learnt a new word...Equanimity .I learnt to not take everything to heart , to react to let every action, thought comment consumed me. In a way , to disassociate from everything but still be connected seems to be the way . To recognize we are all the same energy . I began to subscribed to Tricycle and started listening to the Secular Buddhist ( thank you Chailee) . Rob then suggested listening to Ajahn Brahm and I found the WA Buddhist Society and lots of dharma talks and guided meditations. I read Shinzen Youngs Book the Science of Enlightenment ( well had in on an audio file) It is a work in progress as having had the book read , it needs more then one reading for the understanding to sink in. But it has helped.

I did the Coursera Yale course the Science of Happiness at the beginning of the year and it more or less reinforced all the concepts I was picking up .Meditation , and many other helpful hints to deal with life in the course there was a suggestion to keep a gratitude journal which I did for a short while and will return to that in the new year.

Being Conscious of the moment

The main lesson is to live ,conscious of the moment ,the here and now.The past is a memory it is tampered by our unreliable mind and the future is not here. By living in the moment we are enjoying what we have in the now. As one of the many talks I have heard , we can never dip our feet in the same river . To be in the moment is what we should strive for and meditation helps with that.

I have reoriented my goals . Running has not been about winning . I have always been a back of the pack athlete but it was about striving for goals.I realized that I it just made the exercise tiresome and one dimensional. All along I could have been enjoying the total experience of the exercise rather then focused on a time , a result.Its like striving to identify a new insect whilst missing the beauty of the insect or nature.Both reasonable quest but one certainly more inspiring and revealing then the other.

I have learnt to be less judgmental ...On myself and others.In the past I would determine what is good and what is bad. The world has both and more so mixtures of both in all . Whether it is in professional or social life there is no one dimension of the cartoon good vs evil. I have had to hold my tongue and be kind and to not be so quick to judge . A lesson I wish I had learnt 30 years ago and a lesson I am still learning as it is easy to divide the world in black and white .

Impermanence

A very Buddhist concept but everything is an illusion because we see the world in and through the prism of our mind. A faulty and unreliable machine. As such life is impermanent , we humans strive for stability , happiness and a good life. All concepts that have no meaning .

The true goal in Buddhism isn’t to achieve happiness. It’s to achieve liberation or freedom. Once you’ve come to understand that life is impermanent, you can transcend this pursuit of happiness and the constant running away from fear that is so common in our lives and learn to live by letting go. Letting go is the path to real freedom. Letting go of the idea that we are permanent and understanding that we are impermanent and death is a fantastic way to do this. To practice death is to practice freedom. Yet, the only requirement to be happy is to be free. Happiness is the result, but happiness isn’t the goal, and there are two things we can confidently say about death. It is an absolute certainty that we will die, and it is uncertain when or how we will die. The past is past and the future is not yet here, and even the present as we experience it, it becomes that past. Really, the only thing we really have is now. It is only when we believe things to be permanent that we shut off the possibility of learning from change. Sogyal Rinpoche says, “Life is nothing but a continuing dance of birth and death. It’s a dance of change.”

From Noah Rasheta Secular Buddhism

By understanding Impermanence and having that freedom we will be happier or really liberated.

There is the concept of the three poisons in Buddhism, which is thinking that there are things that if we can have, we’ll be happier. If there are things that we can avoid, we’ll be happy, and the third one is ignorance. It’s the ignorance of thinking that way.

The truth is that the present moment contains everything that is perfect Milarepa, a famous Tibetan poet says, “My religion is to live and die without regret.”

In one of Noah Raheta's podcast . He sets out 11 tools :

The first one is meditation The second tool is to be present. Meditation is the practice for being present. You know that feeling when someone has been talking to you then suddenly you realize, you actually haven’t been paying attention so you kind of have to pause and say, “Wait, say that again.” Yeah, this is the opposite of that. Being present is something that you do throughout the day all the time and you have to remember, and remembering is the trick The third tool is to watch for distractions. We constantly have the urge to check e-mail, check social media. Then fourth, we’re going to let go of all expectations and here’s the thing. We all have expectations all the time.Life is like a Tetris game and we need to quit playing it like it’s chess game That leads us to the fifth tool, accepting people as they, accepting life as it is. This kind of leads to the sixth tool, to learn to be okay with discomfort. The seventh tool, watch your resistance. When you try to do something uncomfortable or you try to give up something, you’re going to find resistance, but you can just watch the resistance and be curious about it. The eighth tool for mindful living is to be curious. See, too often, we’re just stuck in our ways and we think that we know how things should be. We know how people are, how people should be and instead of being curious in finding out, we need to allow ourselves to experiment and let go of what you think you know he ninth step, is to learn to be grateful. The tenth one is to let go of control. the eleventh step. This to me is the most important one. It’s to learn to be compassionate.

Death ,Karma and Mindful Living... the Secular Buddhist by Noah Rasheta

Then from a different perspective there is an interesting interview by Rich Roll with Tommy Rivs about his dealing with cancer and his perspective of life . Not so much from a religious perspective but embracing some of the rules Noah set out for really accepting and living life fully .

Rich Roll podcast interview with Tommy Rivs , A poet of endurance and philosopher of the human spirit, Tommy is a highly credentialed elite marathoner and ultrarunner with many victories and accolades to his name.

Finally a Deepak Chopra interview in You Tube:

If I could sum up the year it was:

Firstly calming the mind by meditation

Learning to really embrace the moment

Living with Gratitude and Kindness

Being present not reactive

Not trying to be , letting go of desire.Whether it is to finish a race in a specific time or a material possession .

Not having ego.

Finally in the journey of meditation I come across a fair bit of Thich Nhat Hand's thoughts and articles and meditation practices On his 95th birthday Tryclce did a short piece titled

Ten Teachings by Thich Nhat Hanh for His 95th Birthday

A selection of wisdom and practices from the Vietnamese Zen master and peace activist .

We can learn much from his teachings.

Here's to a 2022 where we learn to embrace and develop these worthy skills.Robert Wright said

Meditation isn’t the only path to peace, but it might be the simplest and best one.

Why Buddhism is true Robert Wright on the wisdom of mindfulness meditation.

THE POET OF ENDURANCE RAGES ON: SURVIVING CANCER, THE GIFT OF PAIN & THE HEALING POWER OF GRATITUDE

TOMMY RIVS

THE POET OF ENDURANCE RAGES ON: SURVIVING CANCER, THE GIFT OF PAIN & THE HEALING POWER OF GRATITUDE

Post Feral Training Week 51 -52

2021-12-21T19:57:00.003+08:00

Kings Park Hill workouts on Mount Street(below)

After Feral 100 miler ,I had a month of a slow recovery and then a start towards training for Delirious 200 miler. There is the logistics to plan and the crew and that has been good.I made the decision to run delirious only a few weeks after Feral as I felt it was necessary to be calm , to work though the issues and most importantly the Why .That had changed from another challenge this past year to more a journey of discovery and an opportunity to experience the highs and lows and to embrace all the feelings and emotion both good and bad. It is in a way a test of all that I have learnt but not a test to pass but to experience .To be in the moment and to enjoy in nature. First 3 weeks was just walking for 30 minutes as I recovered /I had a good rest with lots of meditation that helped.Only casualties was 2 toe nails. From the end of November I started back on a plan . First week in December I had 4 hours with 2 hours just on the bike path and then drove to Busselton to watch Ironman and on Sunday ran for 2 hours as well.

Following the first week the routine build has been a hill session and a speed session and an easy run and then long runs on the weekend with some walking on sand . It has been a nice easy build.

City Beach walk on Sand 12 December 2021

The Feral 100 miler 6 November 2021

2021-11-12T22:01:00.114+08:00

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind.

Breathing out, I smile.

Dwelling in the present moment

I know this is the only moment.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace

                                            I live, I breathe
                                            I let it rain on me
                                            I sleep, I wake
                                            I try hard not to break
                                            I crave, I love
                                            I've waited long enough
                                            I try as hard as I can

Sunrise Mt Cooke

Remarkably as I finished my first miler late afternoon on Sunday 7 November 2021, the thrill , the overwhelming relief , joy and high I use to get from such events is not there. The odd feeling was no doubt of achievement , of quiet thankfulness , the overwhelming satisfaction of kindness ,love and concern that I felt from everyone around from the MFR group I have been with for over a year , Rob , the Vollies, the runners at the back of the pack and the spectators at the finish line . This remarkable transformation for me over a year has been down to the coaching of Rob in respect to 2 aspects of running :

Not about speed and physicality , but the mental ( though training is important)
the sort of the spirituality of running if there was such a concept .

For me the meditation and scaling it up has calmed my thought processes, that as others had described as though the colour of life around me has become so present and magnified. The sole training of the mind to remain in the present seems to calm the soul and mind that no event , incident ,emergency or episode has jarred me like situations in the past.

15 years ago as I started swimming in the Ocean I recall the anxiety attacks which I dealt with by confronting it head on and with just sheer determination of practice to overcome and I learned to love the ocean for the freshness and openness with nature.Though that same fear and anxiety would come back from time to time.

This time the mind has become the control as we cannot change our external forces but we can control how we see the world .It is our mind and emotions that really determine our flow in the world and how we see , feel and react to the external forces. It makes me realize quickly what I can effect and what I cannot and to accept with equanimity the situation. It has been an eye opener. It is still a learning journey of decades but one I enjoy starting. Oddly the more I have meditated the more I do not worry or stress .As I train , it has become more the default set to my mind. For that I am thankful .It is never perfect but we are never perfect, we strive to be and that is the journey.

So there as the race is finished , the lows of the day and the highs of the day seem to even out.Is that good or bad.Well for an emotional heart on the sleeve character possibly I miss out on the highs , the tears of joy crossing the finish line, but oddly I felt so much joy seeing Jonathan finish I was moved to shed a few tears (maybe it was the tiredness seeping through,but it was gladness for what he had achieved) .This time round there was none of that .Maybe I was just so tired or like the highs they had been filed down by the mind as were the lows. I honestly had no low points or points I felt I had loss control. At the end the tiredness was overwhelming but not sufficient for me to stop ,just slow down.

The start of this long journey goes back to 2019 when Feral was cancelled (extreme heat that weekend and the Bib was shut down) I know why now. I did do the 50km run on Sunday and that was hot . I had run into Rob literally as he was training for a journey run in Sumbawa a few weeks earlier. I knew him as the Aura President . I then spent the next year 2020 not really training but having spurts of activity .It was a weird year. A Covid year. My entry rolled to 2020 and I started the Feral at midnight and 15 km into the race it was over as I walked and shuffled to Sullivan's rock and threw in the towel . That started the call to rob and the Mind Focused training . It was not easy . Goose in June the first test was a DNF .I was wanting to give up at 40km . Rob at Big G calmly said just go for another loop and it worked. The hallucinations the cold night the solitude did not freak me out. I was coming to understand the importance of the acceptance of everything or equanimity with everything a race will and does throw at runners. But the disappointment of being pulled 5km from the finish line after being sent the wrong way on the last loop was a lesson to be learnt. Not quite accepting yet.Not quite understanding equanimity .

The next test WTF again was a DNF . Quads blew up on the downhills. But there was an acceptance and calmness . I learnt sometimes tough decisions have to be made but it is knowing when to make them. I could have struggled through WTF or rested and went round the next day. Maybe again fate had played a hand . I was pretty Ok after a few days and able to pace Jon in Delirious 10 days later. That was an experience in 4 days and knowing I could handle the conditions, the trail ,the low spirits and there were lots was heartening. I saw lot of great runners and how they handled themselves .I saw the beauty of running without expectation and worry .

Those were the seeds of a rather unorthodox preparation for Feral 100 2021 but a WTF DNF meant Feral was a chance for redemption and practicing what I had learnt. If things are going to go wrong and they inevitably do we must learn to accept with equanimity that which is thrown at us and we know we have the strength to deal with these curve balls.

The lead up to the race started with a race planner 2 weeks before the race .A little late but better then none. I had practice with WTF a month earlier. Downloaded the course again on Garmin and GAAI . Had all my lights and batteries recharged. Got my 2 power banks .Got food , lots of nuts , bars and lollies, coke , chocolate milk and coconut juice and even noodles at the Perth Hills Discovery Centre aid station.

Had my running gear sorted and shoes and socks . I felt confident that I had prepared well. The only time I felt some anxiety was the long ride out to North Bannister on Albany Hwy. Meditating was hard .I did try. Then at 1120pm we arrive and there is just a dirt road and darkness . As Shaun gathered the 45 runners round a clearing in a circle he spoke about the adventure , the new found mates around us , savor the moment .It will come with the lowest of moments but we can do this. That is my limited foggy recollection .But I will forever remember looking up into that star lit night and I thought how lucky am I standing here about to start this adventure and I am surrounded by so much of this great southern night sky . At that moment there really was no fear anxiety or worry I knew it was the right thing to do whatever happened I was doing this because I wanted to .I was in the moment and I was feeling everything I could from the moment.Nothing else matted. For that little gathering I must thank Shaun as it forced me to look up .

Without much fanfare at just 11.59 Emma counted down the start and off we went heading towards Albany Highway on a 3km loop and then back to the start . I was at the back and continued running down Albany Hwy till someone shouted the turn around was the Hwy. Back I came . I just ran my own race and probably after passing the start line and about 8-10 km into the race ran into Rosa and Ash . I stuck with them as there was no race strategy other then not to go out hard. That continued till they got to Nerang and used the toilets.I went ahead thinking they would catch me pretty quick but it wasn't till we were at the foot of Mt Cooke that I saw them coming.That was about 30km into the race. We climbed it together and fortunately did not get too lost we had a spectacular sunrise waiting for us. Timing was good.

Rosa's picture of the sunrise

the 3 of us on Mt Cooke

Climbing Mt Cooke

It was a further 10-12km to Sullivan's Rock and the First Aid station.Got there just before 7am >I had my tailwind refilled and coke and coconut water. A quick bite of a small muffin . Just a bit too dry and I headed off and waited for Rosa and Ash at the top of the rock .As they came we followed the course on my gpx and we were back on the bib heading for Brookton Hwy Aid station about 31-32 kms away. The sun was up and this section Rosa said had a fair bit of climbing and gnarly sections . There was a fair bit of climbing and then some good down hill sections There is Mt Cuthbert and Mt Vincent on the course. We stuck together till about 5km out Ash dropped off the pace and Rosa and I ran into Brookton .It was warming up . I had a good break and refueled .Had a hash Brown . By this stage I had taken 2 Nurofen and 2 Panadol and 1 salt tablet.As it turned out may have not had enough salt during the run.i had an icy pole and headed out of the Aid Station.With Rod there all went well . I got a cold Ginger beer and that helped with the hydration. I think I had 15 or 20 minutes at the aid station .Changed my top and headed out. Checked with Rob and Shannon that Mt dale I thought was 13km but maybe 17.8 km. Got to Brookton after 1.15pm and I think I left at 1.40 or 45pm

As Rob crossed Brookton hwy with me it was on to the next Aid Station .I was now 73km into the race. A km down the road I started to get sick and had my first spew. Then a toilet stop in the woods . Felt a bit better but should have realized the lack of salt despite the hash brown with salt was not going to be enough. This section I was alone as Rosa was still resting at Brookton. I did get passed by one of the guys with his pacer near the Mt Dale Hut .We all thought the aid station was here but it was a few more kms away .We got there in the end. Great to see the Mt Dale Aid station with Harmony and had a rest. I was making the cut offs and I had got there by 4pm . The next Aid station was Beraking. I did get a little lost but just before Beraking Rosa caught up with me .Great to have company and I managed to keep up with her. Beraking was about 11.5 km away and was about the 98km mark of the course. Alexis who was sweeping the Start to Brookton was there putting in a long day and night like Rob . Great to see them and managed to get a hot cup of green tea. We were there about 6 pm .I was not able to hold down much and had spewed a bit more . I had some water melon and kept drinking as much as I could but knew I was not getting enough food or fluids in. Again no panic just accepting that I was still able to move forward. The last leg to Allen's was about 13 km and was dark and we both set off as Kate came in with the sweeper Mark. They caught up with us along the way and we soldiered on. This was a long slow stretch I think it took us about 9 or 10 pm and then the last push to PCHC . Kate had a rest at Allens as we started off from Allen's . I had a bit to drink and some fruit. This was a gnarly section with lots of climbing and un-runable sections ,not that we were running . I just recall how long and slow this section was . Rosa eventually dropped me about 5km I guess from PHDC . This section took a lot of time and I got in at about 3 am . I think we would have left Allen's around 10pm but that is my best guess as my Garmin had reset when I was recharging it and in the end died at the Kalamunda turnaround. I was cold and feeling really tired.

Camel farm Aid station having a melon

Kalamunda Aid Station

Camel Farm

Crossing the Weir

At the finish

Rob smiling , me not so much

On the last leg

I had a rest for about an hour .BK had just finished so he was sitting at the finish line telling me how tough the out and back course was ...he called it the Death Loop. Didn't quite register as I was just trying to get warm and have a little sleep Jon Storey did have a go at BK for being so discouraging. remember that much. Did not work .Harmony came over and I did mention I was just waiting for Rob and she offered to wake him up.He came over and we agreed we would leave as soon as he was ready and I think we left soon after 4am. It was dark and I just followed him out . It was a slow march but anything slightly downhill he encouraged me to jog and I was able to do it. I don't remember much else. Accept seeing Shaun and Sarah and his pacer coming back and Shaun giving Rob and me a hug. Then it was off down and up the weir .A bit of discussion about whether to follow Mundaring Weir road but we found the point to cross Mundaring weir Road and then the long walk up hill and there were lots .I could not recall how many hills there were .

Glad to get to the Camel Farm aid station and had a cup of tea which I kept down. A short rest and then we headed for Kalamunda. Ran into Glen and Darlene as we were heading to the Powerline and they said it was only a gnarly 4km section. I wasn't really projecting other then moving forward. We also ran into Rosa as they were heading down the climb and we pushed ahead but Rosa caught me on the climbs . We also had the runners for the 23km start rushing down as we headed up to Jorgensen park. It was good to get to the turn around .had a bit of fruit and a coke and then started the last leg back. It was on the climb back down when I had another spew. . But it was just knowing that there was no projecting just dealing with the moment. No expectation . My watch had died ( forgot to switch the power bank at PHDC Aid station) and I was relying on Rob's watch and following him .This did make me slightly disorientated as I really could not recognize the Bib course

Towards the end ,I was really tired with the heat and the lack of food ,suggesting to Rob we have a rest when he told me that we were at the end. Nothing in the last 4 hours of the Bib looked familiar other then the Weir and the road crossing. In fact I thought Rob was taking me on an extra long course as a test .Not quite delirious but just rationalizing the time I was out on the last leg. Importantly I was not disagreeing but prepared to take the challenge? It wasn't and we were pretty much on the bib course all the time , again the importance of being focused in the moment.

The finish was an anticlimax. I was relieved to finish but as stated above there was none of the raw unbridled emotion. A quiet sense of finishing what I set out to do and comfortable with my effort.

As I drove home , collapsed into a deep sleep and after letting everything sink in, I have identified the learning's both practical and more esoteric:

1 Definitely prepare for the unknown in that to expect the unexpected.Here my throwing up which I had not experienced before

2 Meditation in the weeks leading to the run were valuable

3 re evaluating my food , nutrition and salt intake before a race is now critical. I will have to put more effort into the food intake and what is in the drop bags.

4 Again the sense of calm and gratitude was invaluable especially in the moments alone and in the dark. Absolutely no anxiety which was a regular feature of my races

5 An absolute sense of gratitude I was able to race , to be in the moment , to take part , to be in nature ,amongst a great group of people , friends and finish.

lost nails post run

The strava map of the run incomplete as Garmin died about 18km from the end

Delirious 200 miler 2021 5-11October 2021 A pacers perspective

2021-10-18T15:19:00.030+08:00

A Wildworld

If there is any lesson to be learnt in this adventure called Delirious 200, it is that there is joy and friendship and gratitude even when the spirit is low.

I had never paced or crewed a runner but last year in 2020 just before the Covid lock down I had volunteered to pace Jonathan Smith a local WA runner who I had met whilst training for UTA in 2019.

We had done a few walks prior to the race In particular in 2020 on Australia Day we walked from Cottesloe to Mullaloo and back , 50km overnight. Then last year we tried to walk Cape to Cape but made it to Gracetown before it got too dark to cross the river mouth further ahead at night. We managed 50km and a further 20km the next day.

He had failed to finish Delirious 2020 having gut issues just before Walpole so this was a second go at a very difficult race postponed again in February 2021 with WA having a lock down in February the usual month for Delirious.

That is the synthesis of the start of Delirious 2021 on 5 October 2021 at Northcliffe. I missed that start line heading down to Walpole and along the way meeting Jonathan at the aid stations .I got lost at Dog Aid station so missed him .That was about 50 km into the race and saw him at Broke inlet 85km in and then again at Mt Clara aid station on Thursday morning about 10km before Walpole. This was a particularly hard section as there was lots of water . Jonathan or 99 as his bib number (aka Barbara after agent 99 actress in Get Smart) was now a few hours behind his expected finish times at the various aid stations but this was only day one . I returned to Walpole to meet up with Sam main support crew member with all the gear (tents and stove) and leave my car and wait for Jonathan to arrive . He got in before 1pm and had a shower and sleep .

Sam and I at Walpole waiting for Jon

Tingle?

Walpole to Tree Top Walk

We set off at 4pm for Giant Tingle tree Aid station and then the Tree Top walk .The distance to Tingle was 7.5km and then about 23 km to Giant . All that I recall of this section is as we started it was light but within 90 minutes it was getting dark and then the torches are out. It starts to drizzle and then rain as we walk through the Forrest. It is a quick stop at Tingle with Sam there and chance to get water and some food down .It was then on to Giant walk . Again lots of water on the track and it rained for a bit . By now it was pretty late and we were hoping to have a sleep at Giants so rang Sam and asked if he could set up the tent. When we got there and looked at the course and aid stations we discovered we had a cut off at Conspicuous Beach which was 8am the next day meaning Friday so we had no time to rest we just had to leave after Jonathan had his foot looked at by the medic. We did the tree top walk and waited for the medic. After that we left heading for Conspicuous Cliffs.

Tree Top Walk to Peaceful Bay

From Giants it was just trying to stay awake and conscious of cut off . For Jonathan it 2 nights with less then 3 hours sleep. I don't remember much other than after the Conspicuous beach aid station it was getting warmer ,it was mid morning by then and we had to be at peaceful bay by 3pm .This was a 30km section from Tree Top and lots of scrub and undergrowth . This is where Fee and Mick her pacer passed us and then we were all stopped by a snake possibly dugite or brown and a large one.A call to the Race Director Scott and we got the ok to take an access road then called back to go back on the path and not divert.We lost about an hour. Jonathan and I accepted the decision . Fee not so much . In retrospect after the race I accepted it was part of the race there would be snakes and we would just have to work our way round them . The snake eventually moved . We saw 3 more after that and I just tried to cause as much vibration through noise so they move off the path. We got to Peaceful bay with 10 or 20 minutes to spare .I was ahead of Jonathan and probably too far ahead but wanted to get in as quickly as possible to get food and water before Jonathan came in and Sam able to focus on Jon .

Jon at Peaceful Bay

Peaceful Bay Caravan Park with Rob

Peaceful bay

Peaceful Bay to Parry's Beach

We were out of Peaceful bay at 3 and had some fish and chips before heading to Boat Harbor.This involved a 6-7km track to the inlet mouth where we had to canoe across the inlet . There was Roy Chipperfield , Fee and Lou her pacer and us . Great fun with the sweeper Clarkey going all the way to Parry's Beach. This ended being the hardest part . As the sun set we were on the beach heading for boat harbor . This was my second night out and Jon's third .The waves were thundering into the beach as the sun set and there was no one for miles .If anything it was the most beautiful part of the race but then as the sun set the real slog started. Lots of climbing in the dark as we swung inland for the most part before eventually getting back to the beach front trying to find the route to the aid station.It was dark and both Jon and I were hallucinating .I kept seeing the lights in front of other racers as though they were going in and out of cafes and walkways .Jon had the same hallucination. Our spatial awareness was stuffed and kept feeling like we were on walkways and on a ledge. At the end there was a 1km trek inland to the aid station over 2 water courses which were up to my shorts in freezing cold water in the dark and in the rain with wind thrown in. I was at the lowest ebb then.Fee was really cold and all I remember she had waded through the water and Lou was using her foil blanket to keep her warm as she lay on the ground with Lou trying to cover her in the foil with the wind just blowing at the foil blanket. We got to the aid station and stayed there. I tried to have a sleep . Jon tried to rest in a chair.Eventually Fee Left and we then got thrown out just after midnight. (we got shown a way round the 2 water courses) Roy was with us with the sweeper as we slowly walked to Parry's beach about 12km away. I recall a discussion with Jon about he was happy if he finished here as he now knew his limits. This was a really hard session. There was just lots of up and down on the track and we could not really make out the trail. Lots of rain and wind. Remember my Garmin going out and then another few hours of just Jon and me. Struggling though the howling wind and passing a few others .Then we were alone and by then the wind had died down as we got into Parry about 5 or 6am . I thought at that point we were out.Despite the low point surprisingly there was no stressing and angst .Surprisingly or maybe just dog tired there was an acceptance of the outcome. I had found the race so far whilst tough surprisingly serene in many ways .There was the absolute beauty of the coast despite the wet conditions and I would be forever grateful for the experience. Sam and Ralph were there so we went straight to bed . I was out in a few minutes. The next morning about 4 hours later Sam wakes me up and says Jon has gone.They woke him up after an hour and Ralph was pacing him to Monkey Rock. I felt so much better after the sleep and had a quick piece of toast and headed with Sam, to Monkey Rock. We saw Jon through safely and the clock was now on to get to Denmark Recreation Centre by 3 pm Saturday 10 October 2021.I had the luxury of a few hours till 3pm to get ready for the last push

Conspicuous Beach

Denmark Recreation Centre to Cosy Corner

This was the last night session .From the Recreation Centre it was by car / wagon to Nullaki Jetty and there was Roy, Fee and her pacer and Jon and me. We got there at about 3.45pm and after the picture at the Jetty we started off heading to lowlands. About 23 kms . We were on our own for the most part .My lights went towards the last few kms . There was fairly large burnt out part of the forrest /bush in this section and as there was no wind it was fairly still .We got in before the rest of the group although we could see and hear them at some points . I managed to recharge my lights and have some pot noodles and then an hour sleep or sort of sleep . We the headed out . At this point we were feeling like we were making reasonable progress with getting to Cosy Corner in the morning by 8am . The others eventually caught up with us with Kelli sweeping from the back. Jon was tired and we were really slow in this section as it was the 4th night for him and the third night for me .Fortunately it was a reasonable night with no rain and the temperature was fine. We had the beautiful light as the sun broke . We managed to push through and get to Cosy Corner before the rest. We were now within reach when just earlier today all hope was lost.

Sandpatch to Finish

The easiest part for me as it was a 10km run from 1pm with the deadline cut off of 3pm but before we started we were informed that as the last 3 runners had been given the wrong directions they were given an extra 45 minutes to finish the race. We just needed a few more minutes as we crossed the line at about 3.05pm .It was hot and Jon was definitely tired .340kms tends to do that. It was overwhelming. I was glad to have been part of the run for 165kms of it .I got to test myself in all sorts of weather and terrain .Learnt about digging deep and the mind oddly was calm for the most part. I did get reactive regarding the snakes just voicing disappointment in having been diverted onto the access road only to be called back Jon felt the same way but we really just got on with it . The only other flare up of emotion was wading through water to get to the Boat Harbor aid station. That was a low point but again we just plodded on . Again in retrospect we had nothing to complain about everyone had the same course and the RDs could not get the vehicle down to the beach because of the water obstacles so we had to go to the aid station.Just made it really hard.

The end was a relief and emotionally draining.After 4 days with 5 hours of sleep I felt done and shed a tear just getting there . Just felt I had given it everything but then you find there is always more to give. As we both found when we had thought all was lost at Parry's beach, a sleep later and there was a chance to live to fight another day and we did.

Lessons learnt

Getting the time and pace is crucial as far as finding sleep spots
having a camper van at aid stations will help
Eating at the aid stations
have back up lights after both my sets went on the way to Lowlands ( we thought we were out so we did not have a chance to get our gear sorted out from Parrys but we regrouped)
trying for an hour or 2 of sleep along the way would have helped .Working out where to aim for the night runs and trying to aim for a pace that was sustainable knowing we would slow at night especially .So sleeping at night for an hour or 2 may be more effective . Possibly a recce of the course may help
getting crew and pacers help as when tired after 2 days ,decisions are really going to be hard and better made by fresh heads.
foot preparation especially in wet trails crucial as it slowed down many runners . My feet were pretty good as I had only 2 blisters .Did change shoes twice as they were soaked through and had fresh socks and I used nappy rash cream on my feet .
Always have back up power sources for the watch and phone.

Facebook Post following Delirious:

Rob Donkersloot:

What an amazing week that was witnessing Mind Focused Running team members take on and conquer the Delirious West 200 mile race from Northcliffe to Albany on the Bibbulmun Track. Watching Fee Salmons overcome the incredible hurdles she was facing and struggling with cutoffs was incredibly emotional, Kevin Matthews absolutely proving he can finish a race that's over 100km and running it superbly while all the time focusing on the number one goal... to smell the roses while getting the DNF monkey off his back and lastly Nick O'Neill who found out that focusing on experience rather than performance doesn't mean you give up a great result; third place, sub 3 days plus a one hour PB all the while relishing having his teenage daughters crew for him. So very very proud of each of their performances.

But as well as that, and equally as important were all the other Mind Focused Running team who were at the event crewing, pacing or volunteering showing what a special group MFR is Louise Wallace, Alexis Oosterhoff Natalie Beasley Linda Phillips Bill Irving Kelli O'Neill Rebecca Kirkwood Emma Luscombe Peta Moore Jodie Phillips and the honorary MFR Sue Murray. I should make special mention of John Cooke who after not quite getting his miler done at WTF a few weeks ago ended up pacing Jonathan Smith for close to 170km, an incredible performance. That's 14 Mind Focused Runners participating at Delirious in one shape or another, over half the team... brilliant guys!

Jonathan Smith :

Delirious West 200 Miler - Oct 2021

4 days later and the swelling has gone down and I can finally see my kneecaps. I keep having slight panic attacks every 40mins wondering where Roy and Fee are and whether we’ll make it to the next cutoff

Massive thanks to my awesome crew Ralph Bates, Hosam Aly and John Cooke who ran 170km himself

John Cooke:

I would just like to thank the Vollies at the aid stations ,sweepers ,RDs , crew members particularly the ones in the back of the field , and everyone at the race for the time ,the support , the love, the care and even words of encouragement these last 5 days . As a pacer /crew it was wonderful to see and at times especially at night supporting a runner I did not have the chance to thank them ,just too delirious and focused on making cut offs but it is truly appreciated . It Made the journey an experience to treasure and very grateful for the opportunity . Lots of great memories and an emotional roller coaster.

Sandpatch Aid station pretending to drink a bush chook

The finish line Delirious 200 miler

with Ralph Bates

Roy Chipperfield

WTF 100 Miler How to fail well

2021-09-29T20:23:00.006+08:00

King Jarrah Walk Leg 2

Powerlines

Powerlines Ian McCready who finished the Miler

Leg 1 walking the hills

Nanga Camp Start of WTF

Don't Dream Its Over ...Crowded House

The race course till my Garmin died

The build up to WTF my first 100 miler (after 2 false starts) was as good as it would get.No injuries and really a lot of meditation to settle the mind to all the issues that will come up in the run ...a long run.

But as in life nothing goes to plan. It was a great course just a little hilly. I had done most of the course in 2 outings so I knew what I was in for. The race preparation was organized and I had done a race plan a few weeks earlier and had my drop bags sorted , nutrition worked out a little generalized but knew I just had to keep my fluids in and salt and food in every hour.

Got to the Nanga Camp and registered by 4 pm on Friday 24 September 2021 and had all the gear sorted. In bed by 9 pm and did try and sleep but just being in a new environment with the excitement of the race made it a little difficult.Had a bit though. Interestingly the mind was a lot calmer .None of the usual tension that comes from nerves before the race. I do put it down to the meditation I have been doing . Heaps of it , be it the difficulty is everything is imperfect that is what makes us human . Fortunately the night was not as cold as sleeping in a tent in the Avon Valley.

All the usual runners I see at races in the state were there and some new ones . A world Champion Triathlete Pamela was there having done a few milers at 69 years of age.So there is hope for me yet.

Got up nice and early at 4.30 am . I was ready with a quick breakfast . The race briefing was short and we were off. No fanfare. The weather was perfect. Got into a slow rhythm and the first leg the hilliest with 1000 plus meters was hard with 2 loops of a 5km section with the feet getting wet crossing the streams .The worry was the wet feet and blisters. I did that leg in under 5 hours and was back at HQ before 11am to tackle the longest section the 32 km King Jarrah section. Rob was there and a few words of support and refueling and off again. The mind was just focused on the task in the present.I meditated every time I started to feel any negative thought but fortunately there wasn't much at this point .Just appreciating the moment for what it was and the gratitude at being there doing this. Again kept the pace pretty steady.Legs were tiring but had no issues .Having the aid station 2 at about 7.5 km was good to refuel with coke and water . Had a can of coconut water as well. I was taking salt tablets every 3-4 hours to supplement the tailwind as well and had no cramps so far. I finished this section following Sue and Sharon most of the course as we overlapped until the end when I followed them back in . Found it hard to keep up with their walking preferring to jog or shuffle .

Got back to Nanga and again a bit of a cheese sandwich and then refueling the bidons and off on leg 3 a 22km section .It was 5pm and was going to be dark and my watch was low in battery life so had my charger as well . This section turned out to be really hard .For most of the run I was with Sharon and Sue till the end.Fortunately as I would have had to rely on the Gaai maps as the watch died at about 76km 6-7 km from the end. This was a hard slog as the legs slowly started to seize up in the cold.The quads were just not working as I struggled to move.

We got to the turn around .Along the way seeing several runners as they headed back . The sun setting and the eeriness of the pine forest made for an interesting run but having done this section in early morning darkness I knew what to expect accept that I had not run to the end.The turn around could not come quick enough. The legs were definitely struggling although I knew that it was going to be hard getting out again. Here is where the difficulty in knowing when to persevere and when to stop. The last 4-5 kms were really hard as the legs and quads especially were just seizing up .Probably with the cold and maybe not enough calories although I was eating every hour just a bit of nuts , sandwich, nutbar, coke , coconut water , and lollies .

I was really struggling the last 2-3 kms , the watch died at 76km and I used my Gaai maps to at least make sure I was on the right track . I got dropped by the 3 girls I was with about 4kms from the end . I think I would have finished in about 15.5 hours for the 83kms . I got into camp Nanga in pain with the quads just not functioning and not so sure what I would do next.Had a bit of rest .Changed the top and then the mind was just not really sure.The one difference from Goose , I was not really upset or depressed. Just really absorbing the situation unfolding but not sure of the next move.Do I try to move .In the end with Robs suggestion I gave it a go. Took some Panadol and got out there. The watch was recharging and I had Nick to lead me out . We took the first km up to the top of the hill .Even before I got to the top I knew the legs just weren't going to sustain the walking for several hours. Difficult decision but the one lesson learnt is that I did have to make a decision and make it without emotion.In comparison to Goose there was a fair bit of introspection and a bit of blaming others .This time I had no emotion other then sadness at disappointment for others who had supported me . I think the one lesson I can take is that there is no ego in ultras and it can be a good and it can be a bad day for anyone. There is like life lots of disappointments but in the end it is going out to try . A few weeks earlier on a Buddhist website I came across an article by American Buddhist nun Pema Chodron’s advice for leaning into the unknown

She starts by stating:

If there is one skill that is not stressed very much, but is really needed, it is knowing how to fail. There is a Samuel Beckett quote that goes “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” That quote is what will help you more than anything else in the next year, the next ten years, the next twenty years, for as long as you live, until you drop dead.

There is a lot of emphasis on succeeding. We all want to succeed, especially if we consider success to be things working out the way we want them to. Failing is what we don’t usually get a lot of preparation for.

And as in life and running we never prepare to fail , but isn't the whole point of running a 100 miles is to test the mind and the body and surely there is a chance of failure. I had done the training, run trails , worked on my strength , tried to keep healthy and fit and increased my meditation. Yet the test was in actually running the distance . In that I failed . But I have taken in a lot of lessons in the past 10 months . The main one as in life is to accept pain , failure and even success with equanimity.Nothing is permanent . Nothing is real .It is our perception of the world the winning , the losing that is the dream . We put our heart in that false measure for it is our unreal perception of the world.

The Beckett quote has been used as a call to arms to not quit generally by the world ( and some think really out of context as Beckett did not mean that). But as Pema Chondron from a Buddhist perspective and her meaning is maybe don't be so hard on yourself .Don't beat yourself up for failing but maybe learn and maybe even if you think you failed you may learn that you did not and it may be as she says open new channels of discovery.

The alternative perspective from Melissa Turkingto's article below :

Out of context, quotes like this offer you a measure of reassurance—famous artists fail, too—and the motivation to dust off and press on. All you have to do is keep improving and everything will work out.

Oh, my precious little cherub, no.

Not to spit in your Wheaties, friend, but this line is an excerpt from a pretty dark story about the futility of trying. It’s not a call to action, it’s a warning.

Beckett was a nihilist. His work focused on such uplifting themes as isolation (social death), the absurdity of life (psychological death), and death (death death). He was hardly interested in encouraging his audience to persevere. Heck, Waiting for Godot is literally about waiting for an intervention that never comes.

The man was seriously obsessed with quitting.

Yet as she concludes :

In his own gloomy way, Beckett reminds us that success is not a goal, it’s a secondary outcome. As is failure.

In that view, they are equally pointless rubrics. The only ghost worth chasing is the personal enigma that seems to sneak its way into everything you write, the eternal question that rattles around between your ribs.

Let go of the pressure to succeed, whatever form that takes for you, because life in all its absurdity is motivation enough.

Excerp from Mellisa Turkingto's piece on Beckett Fail Better: What Samuel Beckett Can Teach Us About Quitting

So this blog started as a log of training for Ironmans and then getting to Kona , thousands of hours training and travel and time away from family and then pivoting to ultra running , harder and longer events . Is it ego or a desire to fulfill a need or a want. I don't know . It has certainly taken me on a journey I never expected . It has been a revelation and learning odyssey . Never safe and actually full of DNFs in recent years , torment and failures and frustration at finding that secret formula to success in Triathlons as in Ultras. Maybe the secret is there isn't one but just looking and testing oneself and even failing is part of life . I Don't begrudge the fellow travelers their success . They are not on the same journey. I Don't compare , don't measure . I am now content that I have done my best , as flawed as it is .

In Dwellingup , on the WTF course , there were few highs and lots of moments of perseverance and at the end pain and disappointment. But throughout there was also friendship and beauty and being present in that moment . It was not an earth shaking moment in mine or anyone's life yet it formed a moment that can't be taken away .

It took 24 hours of self reflection but with my meditation routine I have found I do not Yo-yo between huge highs and significant lows of depression . The DNF at WTF whilst disappointing has not brought out the old self of reactivity .I put that down to the meditation. As flawed as my meditation is .I see the bigger picture from failure , you learn if you are curious and we can all keep failing .It makes us no less human, no less perfect , no less loved or no less . The contradiction in any race is the measurement of distance , time and worth in that measure and in our mind . Escaping that or trying is the lesson in this journey so far.

This same weekend , the AFL Grandfinal was played in Perth for the first time and Melbourne Demons won the flag as I was out on the course. I am not a footy fan but it took the club 57 years to win the flag since they last won it in 1964 , about the same time I have been on Earth. It does not define the club or their players or their fans . I think they all participate because they love the game , the result as we say is the icing on the cake . Or is it.

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