2023 Race plan

In 2018, I had the opportunity to share my passion for endurance running on national television as a guest on SBS Insight. During the episode, I made a bold declaration - I wanted to tackle one of the world's toughest races: Badwater 135 (and I got in trouble with Lidia for saying that!). This challenging race is a 135-mile (217km) journey, starting below sea level in California's Death Valley and ending at the top of Mount Whitney, with a total elevation of 4,000 meters. Held In the middle of the California's summer with most extreme weather conditions and temperatures reaching a scorching 54 degrees, it's not for the faint of heart, for sure.

Getting into the Badwater is no small feat, with only 105 runners selected each year from a pool of 1000+ applicants worldwide. The minimum qualifying standards are three 100-mile races (24h events are excluded nowadays) but, as the website points out, not all the 100-mile races are created the same! so particular attention is given to extra difficult ones and the overall runner's resume.

I have decided to apply for the 2024 Badwater 135, with applications being accepted in January 2024. The Badwater 135 is a formidable challenge that's not meant for the inexperienced. With the average age of participants hovering around 44 and some even over 50, now that I'm turning 45, it's the perfect time for me to take on this challenge.
With this in mind, I've created a plan for my racing year, not just to meet the minimum qualifications, but to maximize my mental and physical training.
Here's a rundown of my plan:

• 25th March: Noosa Ultra-Trail 100km -> Building my base
• 28th May: Noosa Marathon -> Improving speed
• 6th June: BRVT 100m -> Building base on fast 100-mile course
• 7th July: Brisbane Trail Ultra 60km (could upgrade) -> Build elevation, hilly course
• 24th August: Unreasonable East 100m -> Testing 100-mile race with elevation
• 14th October: Blackall 100km (tentative) -> Absorption run
• 1st November: Noosa Triathlon -> Cross-training to prevent injury
• December: Coast to Koshi 245km (if selected) -> A dream come true! Mental training

I aim to gradually build up my volume, elevation, and race difficulty.
​Wish me luck! 

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6x uphill strides