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A trail running podcast for all runners' ether you're at the front, the middle or the back of the pack. Hosted by Benn Coubrough, an accomplished ultra-endurance athlete and Mitch Clark an everyday trail warrior, gear nerd, and an unapologetic trail running fanboy. This show dives into the raw, ridiculous, and rewarding world of running wild.
Mitch (00:00)
Get to. Alrighty. Welcome back to another episode of the Happy Trails Podcast. we'll have to look one day what episode we're up to. I couldn't be more lost with that, but that is all right. ⁓ bit of a get back on track reset session almost after the Moab recap, which was ⁓ well received. got a few messages around that. Say a standard sort of thing, just around Benny's a nutcase. ⁓
Benn Coubrough (00:09)
Yeah. Yeah.
Mitch (00:30)
Very proud, but he's a n he's he's crazy, that sort of thing. ⁓ which I couldn't agree with more. But yeah, mate, how are you travelling? How's ⁓ how how's how's the body holding up?
Benn Coubrough (00:33)
Yeah.
Yeah, no, pretty good. Just been ⁓
jogging around, taking it easy and not pushing too hard, just sort of slowly getting in. Like I still I still managed to run sixty K last week. And and I'll probably be closer to eighty K this week. But the only thing I just picked up is ⁓ just got a really sore lower back. It's just really tight. I get I'm got some tr treatment today, so fine running, but it's just sort of just when I'm sort of need to bend over or anything like that. It's just right across that that my lower back is just really, really tight, which
Mitch (00:47)
Mm.
nice.
Mm, yeah, you signed this morning.
Benn Coubrough (01:16)
I think may have been I I did fall over on the weekend. But yeah. That was
Mitch (01:21)
⁓ fall over on a trail, fall over coming out of a pub, fall over
Benn Coubrough (01:25)
Full over full full overcoming probably coming out of the pub, I think.
Mitch (01:28)
Ha ha ha.
Benn Coubrough (01:31)
Can't say can't can't say that's w what happened or why my back sore, but yeah, did did did do a bit of let loose a little bit on the on the Sunday night by things just got got away. But yeah, but I saw but yeah, good times.
Mitch (01:45)
Yep, they tend to with that group.
Yeah, nice. Very good. It's funny. I think I might have to try and find myself a younger running crew. I got down there this morning and Mick was complaining about his back. I mean I can't talk. I was complaining about my knee. And then you started complaining about your back.
Benn Coubrough (01:55)
Yeah.
No you see, that's it.
But no, just just just you know, Mick and I just carrying people all the time.
Mitch (02:10)
Wow, that must be it. That must be it. And then throw Chris Allenson in there with that bloody moustache he's got going at the moment. He looks like a nineteen nineties porn star.
Benn Coubrough (02:16)
Yeah.
he's he's got the look. He's got we've got timing into November.
Mitch (02:24)
Yeah. Yeah, that's true. He's got a head start. yeah.
Benn Coubrough (02:27)
Yeah, so we'll be actually doing a little bit for with Carlos and Mo Miles. I'll be catching up with him later today to have a chat about some activation and stuff like we're doing a a little bit with foot motion. ⁓ with Mo Miles 'cause he's got his big event at the track I think on the twenty second of November which is ⁓ Coast Squazy weekend.
Mitch (02:39)
sweet.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, that'll be good. We had a run with him not l a few weeks back when we did the hocker test. And yeah, we're having a good chat around everything he's done. And ⁓ as most a lot of locals will know just how much ⁓ Carlos does for that charity and other charities and just in general, ⁓ for Mets Health. ⁓ I'll definitely get down for that.
Benn Coubrough (02:53)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mitch (03:13)
the I forget what he's calling it now, but he's essentially and I I love what he's doing with it too. Basically everyone who goes out and does it gets that pat in the back and the the little medal and things like that. It's not about winning, it's not about anything else. It's just about it getting out there and doing one lap, a hundred laps, whatever you can do. ⁓ which is really, really cool. So we'll give you a bit of an update on that as well as it gets closer. but that's good to hear foot motion and getting involved there.
Benn Coubrough (03:15)
Yeah my mouse.
Exactly.
Yeah, it's we try and do a little bit for the the local ⁓ local events and local people and stuff like that, so which is good. Will you will you be will you be shaving down and doing the mow?
Mitch (03:42)
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah, very good.
look I did last year I probably will. Probably will. I think it gives me a bit of an extra power when I race any rate, and that's ⁓ and that's Coszy. It's the s it's the secret source. and Coszy being in November I feel like I should
Benn Coubrough (03:54)
You did you did do it last year, didn't you?
Yeah.
I just I just
Yeah. I you know I'm I have to stay cleave from schools if I go up to a mustache. I might get like get arrested walking walking past the school.
Mitch (04:13)
You to be fair, you look like a year ten kid with a mustache.
Benn Coubrough (04:21)
Yeah. ⁓ so I'll ⁓
Mitch (04:22)
Yeah, I it's it's not a great look for me, at all, 'cause it's that full on big, ugly, solid, thick. There's nothing, you know, little and and quaint about it. But ⁓ no, I think I might I might try and yeah, set up a Movember page or something and and yeah, get get that big ugly slug back out.
Benn Coubrough (04:42)
Yeah.
Why not? Yeah.
Mitch (04:46)
Probably could've said that differently actually. I meant the the mustache. But Very good. Well I just thought on your on your training then, just sort of easing back into things a little bit, what did your 60k look like?
Benn Coubrough (04:50)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I it's it was more or less just jogging. Like I'd I didn't do I just when did I get back on the Wednesday, so Wednesday was just ⁓ two runs with one ⁓ one in the morning before the gym session and then in the afternoon with the the group down at Warness Bay, then Thursday was just yeah on the trails morning and night with the group and then Friday I just went for a little five, six K jog.
⁓ and went to the gym and then Saturday same just two jobs before and after work and then Sunday double did the went out to Heaton and did Heaton down to just to the junction of Mount Fork Road with Brooklyn and ran a bit with Jason and then just came back and an easy double in the afternoon. So just turning the legs over. this this week will be about the same. I'll probably ⁓ probably Sunday we might run a little bit longer and then Friday I'll probably get a little bit more of a run in. But yeah, just turning the legs over
but nothing for the next ⁓ like next four weeks basically.
Mitch (06:00)
Size a hundred K potentially.
Benn Coubrough (06:04)
Yeah, ⁓ maybe. I I probably I probably won't. I think I'll just go and crew, but now ⁓ I actually have to I c I should be okay for that week with work. I just gotta organise some staff changes. So which yeah.
Mitch (06:19)
Yeah. Yeah. Not sure if that's pod material, that one, but ⁓ yeah.
Benn Coubrough (06:25)
No, currently. Not ⁓ not a not a a pleasant thing, but unfortunately when you you have to make these calls and ⁓ yes, he was walking a typewriter as it was, and I sh yeah, unfortunately. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Funning games. But yeah. But no, but yeah, just been
Mitch (06:38)
Yeah, he made that decision pretty easy in the end, but that's all right. That's all right. Yeah, very good.
Benn Coubrough (06:48)
I've still gotta do a few more updates on my little Moab storybook. It just would have probably got it out a little bit quicker but it's just ⁓ Instagram and only lets you post so so many words in a reel or whatever, so got a couple more parts to post but ⁓ been getting some nice messages and stuff like that. But I think it's just good to just to sort of tell the story and let people sort of follow along bit by bit and section by section. And then
Mitch (06:52)
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, for sure. I don't mind it as well being drip fed like that. Because we're so bloody simple minded and have no attention span anymore. It's actually quite nice to go, ⁓ you've got five minute read there. And then you can come back and, you know, do another one a little bit later or the next day or whatever it is. It's actually kinda nice not to just look at it 'cause it's I remember looking at I think it was Bertie Burt when he I was really, really interested in one of his updates from the G and W back in the day and I just remember looking, I like, Jesus Christ Like I
Benn Coubrough (07:19)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, exactly. It's just a
Yep. Yeah.
Mitch (07:42)
I had to take this Saturday morning off kids and read it all. Like it took it took me half a day.
Benn Coubrough (07:45)
Yeah, that's ex i that's exactly right. So I think I'll yeah, it's good just then you can sort of post by post. I will probably put it all together in in one little blog post, but ⁓ but at the moment just to keep doing that. But yeah, it's sort of been just tr get back in the flow, but it's like there's been a lot happening, like with the satellite champs. that was sort of a bit of a I was trying to watch as much as much as I could.
Mitch (07:52)
Mm.
Yeah. Yeah, nice.
Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (08:14)
⁓ but I saw Phil on the on the live feed and the live stream and having his little comments and saying bits and pieces of where w what the runners are doing and what they may be coming across and how to manage the laps and the sleep and stuff like that. So I think it was it was quite good the way he passed on his knowledge as well.
Mitch (08:35)
Hmm. Yeah, it was interesting to watch. It was good to see you know, some of the other countries doing a little you know, quite a bit more than I guess they were expected to and ⁓ watching a few of those runners run around. But yeah, it was it was really interesting seeing this this battle, I guess, between Australia and and America sort of emerging. ⁓ I mean, most of it was down to Dowdles Instagram Malaki. ⁓
Benn Coubrough (08:56)
Yeah.
Yeah. Calling calling everything everybody out and
Mitch (09:05)
Yeah, exactly, exactly. But I mean it's but it was good like it was good and, you know, as much as I think he can be a bit of a twit and it's all about him, it was sort of it was good to drum up a little bit of excitement around it all and ⁓ it certainly fell into into the Americans' hands overnight. Pretty quickly in the end, like
Benn Coubrough (09:16)
Yeah.
Yeah, well ⁓ e ⁓ yeah. I mean we had ten runners and then like within a space of six hours we're down to two. Or thereabouts.
Mitch (09:33)
Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think it probably shows that group mentality, you know, like that I wonder if that first you know, if the if the first domino doesn't fall if there's another bunch of laps in there, if you know what I mean? Like, you know, because one two fell, then three finds are very easy to pull as well. I mean they're in they were all on PBs. So, you know, th it's still incredible, but it just yeah, it's funny. I wonder if if that plays into it.
Benn Coubrough (09:48)
Yeah. ⁓
Yeah. Yeah. And that
Yeah, well that's where the sort of the controversy sort of lies with as far as the rules. Like if Dowdle was calling out
how like the the Americans had were doing more elevation, etcetera and then they got to a patch where there was about half their team was struggling and ready to pull out, so then they changed they changed the night the night loop to make it just out and back road to make it easier, which then in turned allowed their guys to get back on track and and stay in the game. And then obviously th No, that's right. So that's the thing, like I mean
Mitch (10:35)
And they had no elevation.
Benn Coubrough (10:42)
I think there should be
Yeah, they should sort of look at some rulings and some sort of stuff just to prevent any of that sort of stuff, any of those sort of so I mean y your course your course is your course and that's the thing with a satellite, you're doing them in your own country, you're doing them with whatever whatever race is on and whatever course you're dealing with. And I mean it's Biggs it's all ventured and started with Biggs backyard and that's where they'll the Americans chose to do their to do to r to run their race. So I mean, it was funny he's calling all that out and then all of a
Mitch (10:47)
Mm.
Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (11:14)
sudden the they change the co they change it to to the night and then they and then they change it back again.
Mitch (11:20)
Yeah, that's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. ⁓ and 'cause you you w every country would have submitted their course, obviously, and got all that signed off, and they would have been they would have said it's a day loop, it's a night loop, but because it's America and Bigs and everything else they did what they wanted. I mean, I think it is safe to call filthy cheats. Like I think that's that's I know that's what you're getting at, so I agree. ⁓ led by Dowdle, who
Benn Coubrough (11:25)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mitch (11:46)
It's it's Mark, isn't it? So we gotta keep calling him Mike. ⁓ 'cause that's I did see one reel which I found quite funny 'cause most of the like all the Australian Insta things and everything else a media runs just calling him Mike.
Benn Coubrough (11:48)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Well though no, th and they're pronouncing his surname wrong as well. And they'll call But yeah and but I did like the like you had your rankings as well. So
Mitch (12:04)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Benn Coubrough (12:12)
You had ⁓ basically yeah could sorta see what their what their ranking was in the team and like they might be eighth rank but they're like coming second and they're so that was really good to sort of get to see how far like their the improvement on their P V, how their tracking compared to where their ranking was. That was really good. ⁓ the Belgians broke the record. yeah. I mean that's what
Mitch (12:20)
Yeah, yeah.
Hmm. Yeah.
they were awesome to watch.
Benn Coubrough (12:39)
the third time they've sort of taken the record I think over last couple years. And yeah. Yeah.
Mitch (12:42)
Yeah. Yeah, they've been beast, but they just they just do it quietly.
⁓ yeah, it's it's funny, I do I love the format of it with the teams event. So when you're you know, you're looking at it and we were we were ahead. But then as soon as one person drops, it then becomes a math game to say, well, if all of us stay in, we can get them by lap eighty seven or whatever. And it's sort of and then they drop so that pulls that.
Benn Coubrough (13:08)
Yeah.
Mitch (13:12)
estimate out a little bit and it's it's just such a great concept and I think it obviously, you know, when you've got your Phil Gores of the world out there, that's fantastic, but it doesn't mean as much, you know, like a you can't he can't win an event like that. ⁓ he can't win for the team. He's got to win for him and he's got to drag people with him. But if you could get ten people doing two more laps each than then supposed to
Benn Coubrough (13:14)
Yeah.
No, no.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, exactly. That's right. I think it was yeah, I think it's something I mean that's what they're calling for in the Olympics, to put through the backyard in the Olympics and have it start on the opening ceremony and then see if they can kin continue throughout to the closing. And
Mitch (13:37)
that's huge, you know, like that's that's much bigger. So yeah, really cool formatting ⁓
Yeah.
I I love that idea too. Yeah. Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (13:57)
To do it as a team like the satellite, like with that, that would be awesome. And how like you just every day you just sort of check in and go, Okay, well, you got yeah, Great Britain such and such and then the the US and whatever. So that would that would be something
Mitch (14:09)
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And you've still got things overnight. You know, like when when everything else turns off, if you're shift workers or come home from the pub or whatever, you've still got something to to flick on and have a look at and and watch idly.
Benn Coubrough (14:17)
Yeah.
That's it, exactly. You not watching the synchronized swimming or anything like that. You got
Mitch (14:28)
⁓ they're fucking dancing.
Benn Coubrough (14:32)
Yeah. Gymnastics, some some of that's alright.
Mitch (14:35)
Yeah ⁓ for the Ryban.
Benn Coubrough (14:38)
Hey it's y it's you gotta be ta you gotta be yeah well ⁓ we won't won't go there. Have you seen that doco? my I haven't even seen the doco but those have like things pop up. ⁓ dil d very deluded, delusional people.
Mitch (14:45)
I haven't seen it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (14:53)
But it was I was listening to Jeff Garmal's podcast r roughly too a little bit with our talking, covering off the the backyard, sort of s pretty much just spoke about what we spoke about and just then and then ⁓ talking about Moab and sort of looking at okay, well like sort of we touched on about the with the race
and the responsibilities and how it was done and and but 'cause obviously I was r racing and running, I didn't really notice it or see the amount of influences that were posting from the race. And they're saying like, I mean there was a lot of
Mitch (15:25)
Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (15:32)
influencers or whatever posting about the race being cancelled and how they they were gonna continue on and and then they're showing all those videos of people like taking on the the flood waters and stuff like that which again, yeah it was it was silly. Like I mean the race
Mitch (15:44)
Yeah. Pretty stupid.
Benn Coubrough (15:50)
the race had basically told the runners to stop and run back to Bridge Jack and hold because they had everything set up at Bridge Jack that they'd be able to keep the the runners warm and in a safe position till they could get access to and then obviously you had people running still and trying to jump through the floodwaters was quite yeah, quite dangerous. So I think that was sort of a a bit of the touchy subject with people saying well I mean risk reward, like yeah you you signed up to do this race but is it worth
risking your life for and hence worth I mean there's no way that they could have let any more people go through the section that I went through from Pole Canyon with trees coming down everywhere and it was only getting worse.
Mitch (16:34)
That one of the though the two or three peanuts who kept going and and finished the thing, good honor might get it. Like it's well, I've paid for it or I've done it, I'm over here. Like I I do get the mentality behind it, but at the same time, if they get lost or injured or whatever, or die out there, there goes the race. Like it's you know, you can't even though they've signed waivers, even though they've said, yep, I'm not part of the race, all that sort of stuff.
Benn Coubrough (16:41)
Yeah, huh?
Yeah.
Yeah, d Yeah, that's right. And the amount of
Mitch (17:02)
Forests are gonna turn around next year and go, Well, they were still they sa they were your party race. You left them out there and then they got themselves in strife and we had to go fix
Benn Coubrough (17:09)
That's it. Emergency services. Yeah, well that's it. Emergency services getting called out and then having to go rescue them or whatever. I mean there's already been that many cases in the last ⁓ couple of months where there's people people that have died from falling falling off mountains and and getting getting straight like I mean there's what was that girl in the l that got ⁓ went for a bushwalk in in America in Australia and ⁓ got found a week later dead.
Mitch (17:14)
Yeah. Yeah.
Mm.
Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (17:39)
So there's been two cases of that happened in the last ⁓ couple of months in Australia. It's just yeah. It's yeah.
Mitch (17:44)
Yeah. And it's so remote out there. Like I know it feels so much easier when you're in that race format, because whilst it doesn't feel like there's a ton of flags and stuff out there and you're on you know, you're remote, you there's structure behind it. So as soon as it you know, as soon as you're out there by yourself, it's so much different. But Yeah. Anyway.
Benn Coubrough (17:51)
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's it. But yeah, but we've I mean, we've still got November or December to go. I see Poopy got another win in another race.
Mitch (18:15)
What was he racing? I haven't been keeping up to be honest.
Benn Coubrough (18:16)
I can't remember it was ⁓ it was ⁓ two races. Some a race in Europe. It was only a shorter one but he he's ⁓ still still winning races which finishing one second off a course record. I should have done more research on that, I just I forgot. I was watch I saw it pop up just just d just then. but big November with Costa Cosie.
Mitch (18:24)
Yeah, it's good.
Yeah. Yeah, Cosy and Coasty Cosy.
Benn Coubrough (18:40)
in two of them week apart. Have you ⁓ have you had much of a look at the gone through the start list for Coast Cosby?
Mitch (18:50)
Look, I did at the start when it first came out, I did. and it's something I'm gonna do a bit more sort of diving into and we'll try and get somebody on to have a bit of a chat pre race. I'm I'm really excited about like I'm gutted I can't go down to watch this because I think and as we said as soon as the thing came out, I think that female field is really, really interesting. ⁓ and it's gonna be quick.
Benn Coubrough (19:16)
Yeah.
Mitch (19:19)
And I think by now I haven't heard any injuries, I haven't heard any withdrawals. so I'm I am super pumped to see what you know the likes of Steph and a couple of others can do down there. ⁓ and if I don't know, potentially we do see the first female winner. ⁓ possibly like I mean there's don't get me wrong, there's some really fast guys down there, and I think that I think the top
Benn Coubrough (19:20)
Yeah.
Yeah, no.
Couldn't
Mitch (19:45)
You know, the number that goes sub thirty or the number that goes sub twenty eight is gonna be just so much bigger than it has been, ⁓ potentially across the board. But I I geez, I think that top five's gonna be heavily littered with ⁓ with good female runners.
Benn Coubrough (19:52)
No.
Yeah, like you've got two ex w I think that well, I'll talk about the previous two previous winners that are probably gonna be up there. You've got Ben Wilson coming back on return just freshly off ⁓ UTNB which he had a pretty good race in. And then ⁓ David Vroom as well.
Mitch (20:18)
Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (20:24)
He's come he's come back. So ⁓ and I think he's still been I've only really seen what he's been doing in the twenty four hours track scene and stuff like that, but he's still been strong. You got ⁓ just talking male still, you got Chris Turnbull. so we know he's a beast and you know he's got the legs. So ⁓ I can't think of any other males at the moment that would
Mitch (20:24)
Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (20:52)
be up there. I mean I know, ⁓ what's his name?
Can't can't think. Is it Chris Weiler or is it Chris Weiler? Is that who I'm thinking of?
Mitch (21:06)
⁓ not sure. ⁓ I mean Tim Tim Moffat locals down there, he's he's pretty sharp as well. And then I mean I don't think I can give Toby enough credit to win the thing, but geezy's been putting in the case.
Benn Coubrough (21:12)
yeah, yep. Yep.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, yes. Yeah, so no, it'd be interesting to see. Like, yeah, I think they're all g they're all gonna be pushing but I don't know, ho Holly Ransom, I think she's I think Yeah, I think she's sort of up there with one of my picks.
Mitch (21:28)
So Tom Allen down there?
Yeah, that's so good. Yeah.
Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (21:53)
Steph Austin oversee.
Cassie Cohen's back?
Mitch (22:00)
Yeah, yeah.
Benn Coubrough (22:02)
So yeah, like that's
Mitch (22:04)
I mean that's that's three really quick people. ⁓
Benn Coubrough (22:08)
Yeah.
Mitch (22:11)
And it'll be Steph's first time local legend, but just an absolute weapon. And I I kind of think this can suit her. And she's gonna have the A-class crew ⁓ down there, with obviously Maddie Pilly, who's you know, run it a handful of times and come second a couple of times and certainly knows when to attack, how to attack, what the race has got. So she's in very good hands, but
Benn Coubrough (22:18)
Mm.
Hmm.
Yeah.
Mitch (22:39)
Yeah, just so keen to see how this plays out. I think it's gonna go pretty hard off the front.
Benn Coubrough (22:42)
Hmm. Yeah, well I mean if I mean ⁓ Steph had a r had a really good UT and V and like yes, very strong performance but you could it's not not quite her course. She's not not known for very like technical stuff.
Mitch (22:49)
Yeah.
Hm.
Benn Coubrough (23:03)
And although UTMB isn't very technical, but like some of the downhills, especially once you're running 100 miles, can beat up the legs quite a bit. But this is a road race. This is this is her bread and butter. So it'd be interesting to see how she goes over this distance. I mean she's done a lot of a lot of hundred miles and she runs. She runs over 200ks a week. So
Mitch (23:15)
Mm. exactly.
Benn Coubrough (23:32)
Definitely got the legs. It would just be yeah, it'd be interesting to see yeah how she how she goes in the heat and for such a long long period of time. But obviously did UTB so she's gonna be running for around the same sort time. But but yeah, no excited yeah, just excited to see that field race and s see what weather Yeah. Yeah
Mitch (23:46)
Yeah.
Yeah, it's really cool. And some old names as well, with Steve Redford and these sorts of guys coming back in that haven't been there for a while. So that'll be ⁓ that'll be really cool. That'll be interesting. Yeah. Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (24:00)
Yeah, like Nikki wins back as well, so but yeah, no it'd be yeah, it's gonna be just a like that that sort of top seven. It's gonna be very interesting to see how it plays out. We'll see what the weather is, see how hot it gets and see how they handle the heat. ⁓
Mitch (24:15)
Hmm. Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (24:17)
I know, I think yes, you was saw Holly or Mark was telling me ⁓ I think on Monday or Sunday, Monday Holly was out of the course doing some did Big Jack and ran the section on the on the on the highway, so she's doing some recon.
Mitch (24:27)
Yeah, yeah, I saw that.
Yeah, so good. And I mean it's it's it's hard to get a bit of a guess on what the weather could be. Like it's always up and down and roundabout for that week. ⁓ and on that race being w from where you start to where you finish. But I mean, every week at the moment says it looks like it's gonna rain all week and then it's sunny and it's but it changes on a dime, like a it could really be anything.
Benn Coubrough (24:40)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
Mitch (25:03)
PUH!
Benn Coubrough (25:03)
Just that mountain weather like you just once you get to Ginderbiden it's it's game on. But yeah, and then yeah
Mitch (25:06)
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Strongly doubt I'll be down there, but I'd do I'd love to sneak down.
Benn Coubrough (25:18)
Yeah. Yeah, I definitely unfortunately won't be able to get down there with work. But just got too much on that that weekend and then if I do try and get down for the following weekend, yeah, it's definitely can't get down two weekends. But but yeah, and then yeah, Cosy the week after, it's good to see Zayn posting his little training camp that he did down there.
Mitch (25:23)
Mm.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that was good. That was interesting watching some of that. ⁓
Benn Coubrough (25:44)
And and again with the alpine weather, like he got he was it was beautiful and sunny and then he got to the top and got stuck in a lightning storm.
Mitch (25:53)
No.
Which is one thing when you're running in a race, but it's probably another when you're up there by yourself. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓
Benn Coubrough (26:00)
Yeah well that's right, exactly. And then if I made a couple of shifts in the course and changed just I think it was must have happened just before I went to Moab that they changed the course. I haven't really had a very good look at it. But yeah, between the summit and and Charlotte Pass has been removed. So
And yeah. ⁓ no I know, sorry, that was last year. god, I'm getting getting the wrong facts. I've Googled and it's come up the wrong the wrong thing. No, that is the same. No, it's ⁓ sorry, I when I googled ⁓ it come up with the year that well the year that you did it for some reason, it's giving me when ⁓ when everyone got halted. Yeah, no, it's they've just changed the the back end of the course.
Mitch (26:29)
No, I think that's the same. I think that's okay. Yeah.
⁓ no, hopefully we're getting better weather than the last time I did it, that's for sure.
Yeah, it's just the finish, I think. Or predominantly the finish.
Benn Coubrough (26:50)
Yeah, so you don't come down you don't come down the stairs, you now follow the the trail down, so you wind your you you wind your way down now so you're not jumping down the stairs. So it's yeah, so I think the climb up and they've removed that sort of section around Dead Horse Gap, so you've got a steeper climb. So the climb is shorter, but it's steeper and then you've got a bit more of a runnable section to come down. So I think it's a little bit longer coming down because you're sort of winding yourself white ⁓ winding yourself back down instead of coming down the stairs.
Mitch (26:58)
Yeah, which is gonna make a big difference.
Yeah. Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (27:20)
So not not massive changes but again the weather can just shift and change so quickly like you can be 30-35 degrees stuck in humidity and then dealing with a thunderstorm. Yeah ⁓
Mitch (27:31)
Mm.
Yeah. Yeah. Which you can almost guarantee happens. I mean it's happened the last couple of years and they've had everything in that race. So it's one of those things it's it's certainly something I used to obsess about when I'd been, you know, this far out or a week or two weeks or whatever out from a race, getting on the long term weather forecast and having a look at that and fing you know, crossing fingers. It's I learned a couple of years ago that just to completely give up on that. There's no point. All you do is worry about it and there's nothing you can do about it. So
Benn Coubrough (27:41)
Yeah.
No, d yeah. No. You just prepare for everything down there and you
Mitch (28:05)
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And look and that's the thing, they've got such a heavy list of mandatory gear. You've got everything you need. Doesn't matter what the weather's gonna be, it's not going to get minus twenty five, so you you're fine.
Benn Coubrough (28:12)
Yeah.
No, that's it. And they've and they've made it a bit easier now with the course changes so you're not running ⁓ that you had that middle section where you're running for such a long time without aid and and that at that point of the race sometimes it was what's sort of a critical point of the race, but it's also sometimes at the hottest point of the day as well. So and you're at the lower sort of point as well, so you were a bit more exposed. So that's all changed now where you're getting a little bit more aid within
Mitch (28:28)
Yeah.
Yeah, it's right. Yeah, yeah.
Benn Coubrough (28:45)
And yeah, but it it is a very runnable course so that does catch people out and they look at the course. yeah, and then but when you you don't have the break up between the hiking, the hills and the downhills and you're just constantly running that either slight uphill or slight downhill, it does does add up at the end of the race.
Mitch (28:48)
Mm.
Yeah, definitely. And it's funny 'cause you've got that beginning section, you know, like leading into halfway through the race where you climb up Cosby and then run down the back of it. The amount of people I saw burning matches on that, like I started and I'll I'll try and go quicker this time around, but I started, you know, pretty much at the back. and just sort of made my way up to basically exactly halfway in the pack by the time I finish. But
Benn Coubrough (29:10)
Yeah.
Mitch (29:31)
I think from memory I counted fifty-two or fifty-five or something like that, walking up Coszy and I just hyped the whole thing. And then on the on the way back down, I couldn't catch anybody in front of me because they were all bombing down the back of it. And it was like there's ever and everyone's trying to run up and then stop and run up and stop and run up and stop. It was just you're just burning matches. Like getting to a for people like me who aren't racing it, ⁓ you know, that mid-pack person who is probably ninety-five percent of people who listen to this.
Benn Coubrough (29:38)
Yeah, okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mitch (30:00)
I think it is like for the big climbs like that, just try and just lock into nine minute case, eight and a half minute case, whatever you can do for a nice you know, don't dawdle, push a hike, but just s get in a gear and stay there. You don't you don't wanna lose time, you're not gonna make much time. ⁓ but it's good fun to watch everyone else burning matches around you for no reason.
Benn Coubrough (30:06)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's it. It is. And I mean there's what it's pretty much the mile is sam same elevation as UTA. Hundred K. So But they have you got your gardening gloves?
Mitch (30:31)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
I haven't got my gardening gloves yet, I do need to go and I actually I need to do some prep for this. I haven't done a lot. ⁓ I've got my Bivi somewhere from Tarawera. but yes, I need to get some gardening gloves for the cheese graters.
Benn Coubrough (30:54)
Yeah. That's there's been a few Yeah, few updates and changes in the in the Mantry gear. But no it's
Mitch (31:03)
And rightly so. I mean there's I wouldn't I wouldn't say no to a face guard. Like coming in honestly, like I saw coming into Charlotte's Pass. ⁓ I think it was Charlotte's Pass. Where'd we get stopped? Charlotte's Pass. Coming in there, it was all happening there any rate, 'cause the race had stopped and whatever. But I came in and there was a a lady there, it would have been probably mid forties.
Benn Coubrough (31:10)
Yeah.
Shots.
Mitch (31:33)
Asian lady and just had the perfect ⁓ pattern all down her face. And I thought, my God. And then sat sat next to her getting treatment was someone who had the same thing it looked like it it looked like a sleeve tap. They it was that perfect when you fall.
Benn Coubrough (31:43)
yeah.
Yeah.
Mitch (31:52)
It just grabs and rips and it was just the perfect outline of the cheese grater, so anyone who starts complaining about having to pack some gardening gloves and wearing them up on those sections, I if you haven't seen someone or wait till you see someone who's fallen over on it before you start complaining, because Jesus Christ it is brutal.
Benn Coubrough (31:52)
Yeah. Yep.
Yeah, no.
Yeah, I know. Yeah. And last year they had the wind, so a lot of people got blown over and were getting scratched scratched to pieces 'cause they'll get fallen getting blown over by the wind. But it's yeah.
Mitch (32:15)
Ha ha ha.
Yeah. Yep.
Yeah. So what are we? Four weeks out I think from that. ⁓ which is coming up quickly, it's
Benn Coubrough (32:28)
Yeah. Yeah, I think I actually I think it's five. I think it's five. no, no, sorry you're right four. No, you're right four. Sorry, so I'm a week behind. Yeah, no four.
Mitch (32:32)
Five, four, five, twenty six. Four. No, four. I it's I don't know whether I want it to be five or four, but it's ⁓
Benn Coubrough (32:41)
Yeah. Almost ready to taper.
Mitch (32:46)
Yeah, I need to do some more long runs. I've only had a couple of twenties, a couple twenty fives and a thirty. ⁓ I'm gonna go out to Patonga this weekend and do a nice I'm going camping for the weekend just down solo, down at Patonga, so I think I'll do a little bit of a hike on the Friday and then ⁓ just sort of up the hill there and say.
Benn Coubrough (33:01)
yeah?
Yeah. To the G and W course. Do yeah, the G and W follow just follow the G and W.
Mitch (33:15)
Yeah, do the GNW course. So if I'm if if the knees go knees have been a little bit sore, I was whinging about this before, but I'm just getting a little bit of tendonitis mainly on the right knee, just on the patella. Which I think will be fine just to ignore it till the end of COSI and then maybe take a little bit of time off.
Benn Coubrough (33:21)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mitch (33:35)
But if all going well, I'll probably go out and do like make this the big ⁓ the big training weekend and just do a bit of a hike on the front tomorrow. ⁓ and then do maybe forty K, fifty K maybe if I can get all the way to Giracul and back. but not quit like not pushing the pace at all, just sort of get out there and s because I've got nothing to do, so I'll just spend the whole day out there.
Benn Coubrough (33:50)
Yeah. ⁓ yeah.
Yeah, just No. Take some maybe even take some poles out to offload a little bit as well, maybe on some of the hills. Yeah.
Mitch (34:01)
Yeah, I'll be taking the pulse for sure. It's just if I can if the body feels like it can get to fifty, I'll go and drop a bag of water up at Giracle.
Benn Coubrough (34:10)
Yeah, yeah.
Mitch (34:14)
Or hide a couple of bottles or something up there. But otherwise you've got to take a lot. Like it's a long day out. ⁓ to go up there. But yeah, we'll see how we go tomorrow. But I'm excited about that. And I think that'll probably be the last really decent size run and then start to sort of pull back a little bit. I'm just really conscious on the knees. I I think I've if I can give them a thr good three week tafer, I think that'll be that'll be fine.
Benn Coubrough (34:16)
Yeah, yeah that would be probably a good idea.
Yeah, that's it. Yeah. Yeah.
Hmm. Pull it back a bit, yeah. Yeah.
Get in some ⁓ s get in some sissy squats. And some pistols just to help the knees.
Mitch (34:43)
Yeah.
Everything I do is a bit sissy. ⁓ so yeah, no, but excited about that. Like the body's I haven't been pushing the training the and real Ks too much. ⁓ but it's been pretty consistent throughout the last sort of eight, ten weeks. ⁓ just slowly sort of climbing up and, you know, again not hitting dizzying heights, but sort of around that sort of sixty five K mark, seventy K mark a couple of times. sixty five Ks and
Benn Coubrough (35:03)
Hmm. Yep.
Yeah.
Mitch (35:18)
⁓ with heaps of walking and stuff in the background as well and a bit more gym and a bit more sort of mobility. So I'm still think I'm on track to go for the sub sixteen. which is what I'm gonna push for and if it gets there it gets there. If I don't I don't but at least this time, providing we don't get stopped again, that'll be a pre midnight finish and head home.
Benn Coubrough (35:29)
Yeah. Hmm.
Yeah.
Mitch (35:45)
But yeah, we'll see. But it's yeah, I'm looking forward to giving it a bit more of a a push this time instead of just my last long runs of all like, you know, the longer races have all just been let's just get it done with a smile kind of thing. This one I want to sort of, you know, get it done and enjoy myself but push a little bit harder.
Benn Coubrough (35:46)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Hmm. Yeah. Well there's a lot of ⁓ crew about that's gonna be running, so that'll be that'll be good. Like Chris Chris Jordan's doing his first one down there, so he's all amped up for it. I really excited I'm really excited for Brooklyn. In the 50. So excited to see how he goes. I think yeah, he just needs to just watch his f
Mitch (36:08)
Yeah, it's easy.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, he's flyin'.
Benn Coubrough (36:28)
nutrition intake a little bit I think just sort of make sure he's a bit more conscious of that. Just so he doesn't if he does like he's gonna be fast, so he just needs to make sure he's maintaining the energy levels and doesn't ⁓ make sure he gets in enough so he doesn't bonk out in the last sort of twenty K. But yeah, but no, like really excited for Brooklyn and ⁓ you got N Zane's bit had a good block. So
It'll be yeah. Good to see Jason haven't have another crack down there too. Where he just messaged me and asked if I wanted to come for a coffee and I Sorry mate, doing the pod. I said, Pop in. I said come up the road if he wants and jump in, but I haven't seen him.
Mitch (37:00)
Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (37:08)
But yeah.
Mitch (37:08)
Yeah, think Jace will do well. He's he's had a couple of cracks and I think he's kind of learnt a fair bit from those two goes and I was out running with him last Sunday or Sunday before last and you know, he he sounds a lot more confident this time and you know, he just once it does get to that eighty K mark or whatever and it's hard, just suck it up ⁓ and keep going. So Yeah, that'll be good and it's always fun on the on the Sunday down there.
Benn Coubrough (37:16)
Yep.
Yeah.
Mitch (37:37)
Or the Saturday Yeah, Saturday down there after the race to sort of sit down in ginderbine at a pub or whatever and have a bite to eat and tell war stories.
Benn Coubrough (37:39)
Yeah, Saturday. Yeah.
Yeah, no exactly.
Mitch (37:49)
Which I think there'll be a few.
Benn Coubrough (37:51)
Yes, definitely. There'll be quite a few down there for the weekend, so but no, but yeah. No, it should be should be pretty good. But be yeah, I don't think I don't even think there's there's I'll have to organi actually got there's the ⁓ jingle bells run in ⁓ first week of December that we have to organise too. It's little
Mitch (37:55)
Mm.
yeah.
Benn Coubrough (38:16)
We have twelve twelve? Twelve runners and they're everyone runs a lap. So a little just a local club run club club event for the different running group running groups. But that's yeah pretty much well after after that we're sort of yeah, getting ready for the to pub.
Mitch (38:37)
Yeah, has I got a date yet?
Benn Coubrough (38:39)
Yeah, the sixth. The sixth of December.
Mitch (38:40)
Sixth of December, nice. ⁓ and then Narrabeen All Nighter.
Benn Coubrough (38:44)
So yeah, that yeah, that's yeah, just before Christmas as well, isn't it?
Mitch (38:49)
Yeah, which I don't know if I think it's I don't know if anyone's ⁓ from here's gonna jump on that. I wouldn't mind I wouldn't mind giving that a crack. I did sign up to Sydney Backyard Ultra. I don't think I told you yet. ⁓ In April, yeah, I just it's the this this is what happens when you take your phone to the loo. ⁓ Sat down with too much time on my hands and it popped up on Facebook. I was like, there's a good idea, quick.
Benn Coubrough (38:54)
Yeah, I don't think so. Yeah, I don't think so. Yeah. No? Okay, there you go. In ⁓ in April.
Ha ha.
Yeah. Yeah, I w I w I would I actually got invited to a backyard in South Australia. ⁓ they've got a new race coming up in March and they invited me down for it but it's on
Mitch (39:20)
Don't jump to mass.
yeah.
Through Sean.
Benn Coubrough (39:34)
No, no ⁓ don't know, don't think it's in Sean. But no, but it's on the same weekend as the the well, same weekend as six foot and the same weekend the boys are putting on the backyard in ⁓ up at in the Hunter Valley. So yeah, I've declined saying that I might be up in the Hunter Valley for their backyard, which I'll probably enter and not to say I don't know, I'll probably just do it as a bit of training. I don't think I'll be trying to win it or anything that. it's
Mitch (39:45)
Yeah, okay.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Benn Coubrough (40:05)
it'll be six weeks before COVID donor so it'll be one of the last training no, it'll be in within that last sort of week of training so I'll probably just do a couple of long runs and then just roll into that and just do some laps and then crew whoever's gonna be out there.
Mitch (40:08)
Yeah, probably don't want to go out and try and Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I think it'll depend on what how the how the mid year goes, 'cause that's July, isn't it? June. Mah, okay.
Benn Coubrough (40:27)
No, no, no, it's March. Just say March. March, same weekend as ⁓ si well that's the thing, I if I don't do six foot 'cause I need to do s sort of six foot as well, 'cause I wanna keep getting my I get a buckle I think this year. If I do six foot, so
Mitch (40:42)
Yeah, okay. That's right. I kind of I I gotta admit, 'cause I rushed it, I forgot the boys were putting theirs on. ⁓
Benn Coubrough (40:49)
Yeah, yes. So that's in March.
And then yeah, for there's a there's a track race in Newcastle on the 19th of December which will be fun. We're doing a 5K in at ⁓ at the Newcastle track at Fernley Doors. So that'll be that'll be good just on yeah local guys and we're trying out another a 5k so I think that'll be a bit of fun to run around the track. On a I'll have some bands and music and on a I think it's a Saturday night. So there's still still a few things to do, still a few things happening.
Mitch (41:05)
nice.
Yeah, and then what's Angus's race? The Velodrome.
Benn Coubrough (41:26)
That's on this weekend. So yeah, team of four and you do two hundred metres each.
Mitch (41:28)
That's on this weekend.
Yeah. Are you gonna go down to it? I'm away, but it'll be it'll be interesting to sort of to watch it to see how it all goes.
Benn Coubrough (41:34)
So it's just ⁓ I'm gonna try
Yeah, I'm gonna tr I'm gonna try and get down there. ⁓ it just I'll probably have to go straight after work. ⁓ and I'll just have to see. Yeah, I'll just and I'll j might try and get Nicole down there. I they're gonna have I think they'll have they've got music and stuff, so I might try and get down there for a and check it out. Yeah, w one one of the girls from work's running in it, so Yeah, so that'll be that'll be good.
Mitch (41:47)
Hanging out with the Gen Zs.
Yeah, I hope it goes well. that's a cool concept.
Yeah.
The first thing I thought of is it's this proves I'm not in the right age bracket to go into a race that has DJs and runs round of velodromers. I was I don't think my knees could do it. I know there's a flat section there but I was like it just feels like it's gonna be on a camper. I don't
Benn Coubrough (42:14)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, no.
Mitch (42:24)
That numb sly.
Benn Coubrough (42:28)
Yeah, that's the way it goes. But we'll and we'll tee up with a gentleman to get onto the podcast too. ⁓ am I on? Am I still on? Okay, I thought it cut out. Yeah, no, we'll ⁓ yeah, we'll tee up and
Mitch (42:41)
It did go sketchy.
Benn Coubrough (42:47)
work out a couple of podcasts. We'll we'll get someone from Coast of Cosy on, we'll get someone from that's doing UTK, we'll try and get Zayn back on again and finish his e redo his episode and yeah, maybe I don't know, we could even try to get Holly on again and chat about Coast Cozy or we could try and get Steph on or Mark.
Mitch (42:54)
Yep. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, I look up yeah, we'll we'll do that. We'll get one for each race at least. ⁓ and have a bit of a chat. It'll be I know Brent's doing a really n a really good ⁓ sort of road to ⁓ Cosie on the Peak Two suit podcast as well. So if anybody's sort of really wants to dive into the field and some of the runners, Brent's always the one who covers that race really, really well. ⁓
Benn Coubrough (43:13)
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Mitch (43:33)
And certainly for all the runners doing it, I'm sure you will do this, but ⁓ jump in and and listen to that on the way down. I recommend listening to the to Brent's podcast. He releases the preview, which is a a fantastic one, 'cause he you know, even the mid pack backpackers get a mention in that and and he he does a little bit, which is which I've got to admit I I absolutely loved on the way down last year. That was good that was a good fun listen. ⁓ But yeah, it's it's certainly ⁓ everyone who is
Benn Coubrough (43:36)
Yeah.
Yeah, ch yeah, Japan.
Yeah.
Yeah, no.
Mitch (44:02)
Doing Coszy or Coast to Cosy, Coast to Coszy especially, I guess. It's all the hard work really has been kind of done by now. you know, you look at some of the training blocks I've been following are absolutely outstanding. you know, Toby's really gone in, Mark's gone in, there's everyone else has really put a lot of effort in. So that that bulk of it's done, it's kind of started taper now and
Benn Coubrough (44:10)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
Mitch (44:29)
Yeah, it's gonna be exciting. Really exciting to see the lead up and and just the the race itself.
Benn Coubrough (44:31)
Yeah.
Exciting. Exciting end of the year.
Mitch (44:39)
Yeah, it is. It is.
Benn Coubrough (44:42)
Then we roll into twenty-seven and the years just keep getting bigger and bigger.
Mitch (44:49)
Yep, that's it. Yeah, it's a big it's a big year next year. I'm gonna go I'm gonna follow in your your little footsteps and do do a two hundred hopefully. ⁓ which I think I told you I was doing. If not I'm I'm doing B V R T two hundred. ⁓
Benn Coubrough (44:59)
Yeah.
Yes, yes, you are, yeah. And then yeah, we and then I yeah, Nikita and Kieran are heading over to Western Australia.
Mitch (45:15)
Yes, yep, I'm catching up with ⁓ Kita today, I think. So we'll check in on how they're going. But she's just did a a really good a nice hundred K over in New Zealand.
Benn Coubrough (45:19)
yeah? Nice.
Yeah, sh yeah, that's yeah, she's got that on, so that's they'll be tracking along. Yeah. All right.
Mitch (45:29)
Which is good. Which is good. ⁓ anyone floating around wanting a long run this Saturday? ⁓ yeah, I'm I'll be out. GNW. Lick us a message. At this stage I'll be going solo. I think there might be a couple of people potentially coming down to join, but out and back from Katonga. Plenty of case to be had. Ben Bailey, you've you've ditched me. You've
Benn Coubrough (45:37)
Yeah, reach out to Mr Mr Ben Bailey.
Yeah. And yeah, let's see. yeah, we can get he's Dogger.
Mitch (45:51)
He's doggeme's ⁓ he's got a touch footy thing or I can't remember. I barely read the messages. I just saw no. So
Benn Coubrough (45:59)
Yeah.
Mitch (46:01)
Something to do with I don't know, you had an excuse, you had an alibi, but ⁓ that's all right. We'll get a good run in soon, Benny.
Benn Coubrough (46:06)
Yeah. ⁓ yeah that's it. I'll be running in Mount Falk Road if anyone sees me there. Just ⁓ keep the cars out of the way.
Mitch (46:11)
Yep. Yeah. Very good. All right. Yep.
Benn Coubrough (46:15)
I know. Alright, well I better get we better get the day rolling, but ⁓ guys, thanks for the little catch-up. ⁓ just a little brief in of what we've got coming up and what we'll be discussing over the next couple of pods. But thanks very much for listening guys. And remember it doesn't matter if you're the back or front, somewhere in the middle, it's Abitrail.
Mitch (46:33)
Certainly is. Thanks, Betty. Thanks, Tabe. Catch up.
Benn Coubrough (46:36)
Cheers, buddy.