Kyneton ultramarathon runner Greg Wilson has broken his own Australian M70 Age Group Record at the Australian 24 hour track invitational at AIS Stadium, Bruce, ACT, July 5-6. At this event, Australian Ultra/Trail Runners Association presented him with AUTRA Runner of the Year Male 2023 and AUTRA Cliff Young Award 2024 (for the best performance by a runner aged over 60). Greg shared his account with the Express.
Running events of this duration are difficult and to be successful there needs to be an aligning of factors, including training, health, weather, tactics and nutrition. It is unwise to compete unless “all your ducks are in a row”. In my particular case, there is also the age aspect. It cannot be denied that our athletic prowess diminishes as we become older.
A solid few months of training almost came unstuck after a couple of hilly runs, not properly prepared for, nor recovered from. The weather forecast was not looking promising and I came down with a head cold when due to travel to Canberra.
Two factors saw me jump in the car. One was the final running event in which most of my age record achievements have been set. The other was a planned presentation of trophies for some of my earlier achievements.
A race plan I hoped to stick to would have me run at M70 record pace aiming at the 100 mile at 24 hour record, held by myself.
As I am two years older and have already improved the marks, it was an ‘optimistic’ schedule.
On arrival, I discovered that I had the essential crew to support me for the complete distance. Also weather, while “brisk” was the best I have encountered in a July Canberra visit.
Ten minutes prior to starting, the AUTRA (Australian Ultra/Trail Runners Association) presented me with the following awards: AUTRA Runner of the Year Male 2023 and AUTRA Cliff Young Award 2024.
No pressure then to follow that up with a worthwhile performance!
The first 12 hours with Justin Hiatt as my crew went perfectly and I was a couple of kilometres in front of the ambitious schedule. All this while running relaxed and without obvious effort in order to avoid “hitting a wall” too early in the race.
I had a total of 100.4kms at the halfway mark. Then the real race begins as I wait for the inevitable second-half problems.
With Nicholas Matthews having the “graveyard shift” all went well until the 15-hour mark.
I was three to fours kilometres in front of schedule when I switched to running the straights and walking the bends. Near 20 hours I had an episode of vomiting and so, with no food on board, I willed myself to run again, to ensure the 100 mile record was achieved.
I reached the 100 mile mark with a time of 21 hours 13 minutes 47 seconds, which shaved 34 minutes five seconds off my previous Australian M70 Age Group Record.
I had put in a burst of running to achieve that and paid for it with a couple of hours walking at six kilometres per hour. Then during the final hour I managed a steady run to ensure the 24 hour record was safe.
My new Australian M70 Age Group Record for 24 hours is 178.4kms, which surpasses the old mark by 3.366kms.
Now there is recovery, followed by six weeks of training, leading to a final six-day attempt at Christ Church, New Zealand.
