The Imposter Podcast AU
Join former first responder and army veteran Burso as he plunges into the human psyche with insightful discussions on imposter syndrome and how it affects every aspect of our lives. Using personal stories and expert advice, he uncovers the secrets to overcoming feelings of inadequacy and stepping into your authentic self.
From boardrooms to crime scenes, the Imposters explore guests real-life stories of triumph and struggle, shedding light on how imposter syndrome impacts career advancement and personal fulfilment.
Whether you're a first responder, veteran, CEO, mother or student, this podcast will empower you to silence your inner critic and thrive in every endeavour.
Don't Die Wondering!
The Imposter Podcast AU
#45 Nick’s 100K Adventure: Preparation, Perseverance, and Recovery
Ever wondered what it’s like to push your body and mind to the absolute limit? Well, in this episode, Burso sits down with Nick The Runner, fresh off the back of completing a 100km ultra marathon, and let me tell you, it’s a wild ride. From blistered feet and sleepless nights to mid-race moments where he questioned his sanity (and his ability to keep going), Nick gives us the raw, unfiltered truth about what it takes to tackle a race most of us would avoid at all costs.
There’s no sugarcoating here—this is about as real as it gets. Nick dives deep into the pain, the self-doubt, and the unexpected emotional moments, like when his two-year-old son cheered him on from the sidelines, nearly reducing him to tears. Along the way, we hear about the bloody struggle to stay hydrated, the bizarre sensation of losing toenails, and how his body started to shut down as soon as he crossed the finish line. And if you’ve ever wondered what happens when your wee looks like Coca-Cola after a 70K run... well, you’re about to find out.
But this episode isn’t just about the physical grind—it's a story of mental resilience, mateship, and the strange sense of satisfaction that comes from doing something completely mad. Whether you’re a runner or just someone who loves a good yarn about overcoming adversity, this episode will make you laugh, cringe, and maybe even feel a bit inspired to take on your own challenge. So grab a beer, get comfortable, and dive into Nick’s ultra marathon madness.
Matty Morris of https://www.zerolimitspodcast.com/ helps us out with a banger of a tune. If you want to hear about some real intense moments from Veterans and First Responders. Check out Zero Limits Podcast.
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best video. That's weird. It's weird having a video. Yeah, we'll see. We'll see if that even sees the light of day. But you know you get that in the big jobs we can only try so we have back with us the successful Nick the Runner, as he is known in the social media world. So I just wanted to say thanks very much for having us here, mate, and congrats on doing 100K. Get around sound effects.
Nick The Runner:Thank you very much. Thanks for having me back and thanks for coming out on Saturday. It was a bloody long day, but we got it done.
Burso:It was it was, so it's now Thursday and it was Saturday that you did it. Yeah, might just go back to the actual race day first, okay, and then we'll talk about how you're feeling now. I'm just wondering. So, what time did you actually start? It was like 5.30 or something, wasn't it yeah.
Nick The Runner:5.30 Anglesea Beach. We started.
Burso:So did you actually start? Like the run starts at 5.30? Yep, so what time do you have to get there to register and do?
Nick The Runner:all that sort of stuff. So registration we went down on the Friday afternoon. So that's, you know, pick up your race pack with your bib and your timing chip and all that sort of stuff. And then on Saturday we just essentially got there at 20 past five, walked down to the beach and off we went. So it wasn't too much hassle on the morning of the race.
Nick The Runner:And is it done in like waves and stuff or this year was I believe it's the first year that they've done it a wave start. So there was three starting waves, which is there was a 5.30 start, which was the guys who were really pushing it. There was a 5.35, which is when we took took off, which they were calling mid-pack runners, and then there was a 5.40 start, which was just people who were cruising along where we probably should have been in the end yeah, I find it weird though, like if you're, if you're going to take longer to do it, you'd go later.
Burso:I would. I would have thought you'd start later. If you were like if you're going to do it in 12 hours, why are you starting at 5 30?
Nick The Runner:um, I guess it's probably for congestion, because some of the track it's single track, so the guys who really want to push it, they want a clean run and not have to jump around me on the track does.
Burso:Does anybody actually run 100k's?
Nick The Runner:yeah, the bloke who won it, um, he's out of control. I think he finished it in like a touch over eight hours or something.
Burso:Eight hours.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, so I had a look at his Strava. I think his average pace was five minutes or something, five minutes per K for the 100.
Burso:Yep For the whole thing. Yep, I can't even do five minutes. Ks to 8Ks.
Nick The Runner:I could probably do a 25-minute. 5k these days, oh really, yeah, yeah, I could probably do a 25-minute 5K these days, oh really, yeah, yeah. But to hold that for 100, mate and Strava. Strava already has a thing called a gradient adjusted pace. Right, it adjusts your pace to a count Heels and stuff Heels yeah. So his gradient adjusted pace for the 100K was 4 minutes 30 or something.
Burso:Yeah right.
Nick The Runner:So absolutely sending it.
Burso:To be doing that. He must have been doing some three-minute Ks at times, because there was some steep ground there.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, he must have been like down the hills. He must have been absolutely bombing it.
Burso:Yeah right.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, that's nuts. I can't fathom doing that run in eight hours.
Burso:Yeah, so how did you sleep the night before Like you're nervous, shocking, yeah right.
Nick The Runner:Shocking. I went to bed early because I knew it was going to be an early start, but I think I woke up at like 12.30 and I reckon the last time I checked the clock was maybe two.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:And Fitzy said the same thing, just shocking sleep, yeah, and Fitzy said the same thing, just shocking sleep. I was nervous, couldn't stop thinking about it. Shocking, shocking sleep.
Burso:So Fitzy didn't sleep well either.
Nick The Runner:I don't believe so no.
Burso:Okay, did Fitzy tell you about earlier that week, like when you were running around.
Nick The Runner:No.
Burso:Oh, so I'll add him then. So like on Monday, right, because he was like oh, do you want to go for a run? Obviously I was like no, but um, but he was like I was gonna go for a jog with him. But then he, um, he said he ran about 200 meters and he was just limping and he couldn't work out what it was. He's like he felt like he'd done his ankle or something. And then so he went and saw a physio that afternoon. They rubbed it did nothing. Tuesday went to acupuncture um no good, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Burso:So he went, got like dry needling done, which he hadn't done before, did a couple of other things and they just weren't helping. And then on Wednesday I think it was he did something and it just like clicked. You know how your ligament just seems to be out of place. Yeah, so that was him Monday. Tuesday he's like I can't even run 200 metres, it's not going to happen. And then Wednesday went and got it rubbed again on Thursday to make sure that it wasn't just going to come back in. And then, yeah, and then he was good to go. But that's literally his week in the lead up and I was like you going to tell Nick and he goes, no.
Nick The Runner:Because he did stink like DP last time, didn't he yeah, yeah, yeah.
Burso:He was on Struggle Street trying to work out what was wrong with him. Yeah, because he was like oh no, I can't, even if I have to pull out on the day he's like, I'll do that.
Nick The Runner:Imagine standing on the beach with him and he goes. Actually, man, I'm not doing this, yeah.
Burso:I would have cried, but at least you still would have gone there. I don't know what would have been better if it was a. At no point was he pulling out was the thing that I was getting from him, not before, yeah, but even like during. I think he would have still like hobbled around, like around you, yeah, like it didn't sound like he was able to actually run, but no doubt he would have been in his car appearing like I was but doing it more often, yeah Right, so no, so little sleep.
Burso:What sort of like, what sort of prep do you need to do with my food and drinking and all that sort of stuff?
Nick The Runner:So, leading in, I just ate so many carbs. I ate spaghetti for lunch pretty much every day. Leading in for the week prior. Did you put on weight? Oh yeah, I didn't weigh myself, but I would have because.
Nick The Runner:I felt awful. I felt so bad. So I ate a lot of carbs. I just ate all week and drank. I was probably drinking four or five litres of water a day just to try and get as much liquid into my body and as much energy to have sitting there in reserve. But yeah, felt the week in Eating that much like pasta and bread.
Burso:I felt so bad, would you? What would you do differently? Would you eat that much again? Do you reckon that was probably? Yeah, probably it did.
Nick The Runner:I felt during the run. I felt pretty good in terms of my nutrition. Um, I think it probably helped.
Burso:Yeah yeah, yeah, um, so you're sitting there on the beach at 5.30. Is it like a bighorn, or is it those cowbells that I heard at the end, or like, how does it go?
Nick The Runner:The cowbells are big. In trail running I've discovered that Everywhere.
Burso:Yeah, not enough cowbells.
Nick The Runner:No, we had. There was like a PA system down there we were playing Eye of the Tiger.
Burso:Of course they are.
Nick The Runner:I was ready to go, ready to punch a hole in the sun.
Burso:I find that bizarre to be like a motivational song at the start, like you should be motivated, yeah, everyone's ready to go. And it's like that much energy. I don't need that much energy at the start. I'm going to sprint, I'm going to be like I'm winning this race and then I'm going to be cooked for the whole rest of it Take off down the beach and then you're done. So you've got the? Um, I have the tiger. Is it like a? They fire a gun or something like how's it?
Nick The Runner:I can't remember I'm sure there's probably a horn or something. Yeah, maybe I don't remember saying I'd be disappointed if it's just somebody going go yeah right, I turn along.
Burso:It's like um, so you've got the, you got the beach. They say go once you've started jogging, are you? Are you feeling good now?
Nick The Runner:I'm certainly happy to be started, but I think it's a big thing. In those races you sort of get caught up in a pack.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:Your heart rate shoots and, like I did in my last run, I got halfway down the beach. I'm like, oh fuck, I'm running way too quick, pull it back.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:But it starts on Anglesea main beach, sort of facing away from Torquay back towards Road Knight.
Burso:Yep.
Nick The Runner:So there's only probably maybe a 200, 300-metre section of running before you start climbing up the Anglesea boat ramp and then it sort of really bunches up and it's a pretty slow go on the first few k's of the run because you run back to Point Road Night and then back after 4Ks you're back at the start line heading towards Torquay.
Burso:Yeah, right. So are there people like running fast at the start because they want to clear the traffic, to get to the trails first.
Nick The Runner:I didn't see any of those people, but I would imagine the people who are really pushing it. Yeah, I would imagine they're trying to clear off as quickly as possible, so they've got clear trail.
Burso:So how long did you have to wait, like how many people were doing it?
Nick The Runner:I believe they had like 1,600. Okay, but I think that was all events. So they do a 100K which is split up into solos, or you can do it in a team of four.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:I'm pretty sure you can even do a team of two. So all those people take off at the start and they also do a 50K run which they start an hour later.
Burso:With a team of two. Do they do that in two lots of 50, or do they? Do 25 and then swap 25?
Nick The Runner:50 each, I believe. I wonder what would be, worse if you.
Burso:I guess the cool down time because old mates doing 25, not that quickly, that's enough time to seize up probably. Yeah, that'd be interesting actually, yeah, the team thing would be interesting. I've been trying with my other work I want to try and organise doing like 20 people doing 5k's and then just having a large team. It's obviously not part of it, it would just be a different thing. But yeah, if I can get that across, that would be sweet. Having a whole bunch of people doing 5Ks, yeah, there's a lot of admin.
Nick The Runner:The team down there is really good, like a lot of people get involved. I think sporting clubs do it and obviously, because you're only running one leg, they really push the pace. Yeah will finish in like I think the course record's seven hours or something for the team.
Burso:Oh really.
Nick The Runner:Which is that's flying?
Burso:That's cool, yeah, but that's nuts. That old mate still do it in eight.
Nick The Runner:Mate With a team doing four. And like he's an older bloke, I think his category was the 40 to 50 or something.
Burso:Oh they're old as those blokes. Well, you'd think you dudes like I've seen that are trail runners and stuff are generally older. Yeah, like dudes that are doing powerlifting and stuff aren't. But yeah, the older bikes seem to be pretty good.
Nick The Runner:This bike I think he puts in, you know, consistently, puts in like 100K weeks all the time. Yeah, it's just another day out for him, just an average day.
Burso:Yeah Right, so you've kicked off right before the thing. You would have been pretty nervous, oh yeah. And then, as soon as you've taken your first few steps, is that just all gone, because you're like, I'm just doing it now.
Nick The Runner:No, it took me a while because I think, like I said, my heart rate shot right up because I got caught up trying to find your rhythm and on Saturday the swell was huge. So usually you don't get too wet, but I had wet feet in the first like yeah, it was awful, and I've actually got this massive blister on my pinky from it still. So coming back from road night back to Anglesea it's all along the rocks.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:And yeah, my feet got so wet, so wet.
Burso:Some of the boys did the Spartan race and the first thing they do is they make you run across the river. And the boys just sat down, took their shoes and socks off and just walked across the river like, took their shirts off, tried their feet, put them back on and they were like genius. None of them had an issue with their feet, because that was their thing. The biggest thing that's going to be an issue here is our wet feet. Yep, yeah, so I can't believe they did that to you in the first 200 metres.
Nick The Runner:Well, they advertise it, it's like you'll get wet feet in the first leg. When I did it last year, I didn't get wet feet until like just before Torquay, like with you know 500 metres to go, they make you cross the river. So I was like, ah, it'll be like that again. So I wore an old pair of shoes that aren't the comfiest and I was like it's okay, because I'm going to be dry until Torquay and then I'll get them off. Yep, Nah, Can you do shoe changes and stuff? Yeah, so I did. Ah, cool. So at the first aid station in Torquay I changed my shoes into my comfy.
Burso:Did you on this one, did you?
Nick The Runner:have changes of. But having wet shoes so early, my pinky toe started rubbing in my old shoes and I got this big blister that gave me a bit of grief.
Burso:How far in did doubt start creeping in? Was it literally as soon as you started running going? What have I done?
Nick The Runner:I think first leg was pretty good. So the first 21K I was fine, and it's also a pretty cruisy run too. The first leg. It's pretty flat along the beach and you're fresh. So you know, all those carbs that I ate during the week were still on board.
Burso:Being heavier though, were you like? Oh, my knees are a little bit.
Nick The Runner:It wasn't too bad? I don't think. But then Torquay back to Anglesea. I don't know if it was doubts, but yeah, so is that after 21? Yeah, yeah, but then Torquay back to Anglesea.
Burso:I don't know if it was doubts, but so is that after 21? Yeah, yeah.
Nick The Runner:So then, from Anglesea to Torquay, first checkpoints at 21Ks, just at the rotunda there down underneath the Surf Lifesaving Club. So I changed my shoes, filled up my water bottles, dried my feet, made sure all that was good.
Burso:And then so the first 21Ks you'd run with wet feet. Pretty the first, Because what's that 5.30 in the morning? Until how long does it take you to do 21?
Nick The Runner:I think it was two and a half hours, I reckon. So, did you guys run that whole thing. Pretty much, yeah, like there's bits where you the idea is you run when you can and you walk when you have to, essentially. So there's a big cliff or a big hill in the first section. You're not going to burn your legs out by going up it, so just power marching up it and then, when you get to the top, get your breath back and then back on the run.
Burso:Yeah. So is there like, how much stuff did you and Fitzy talk about with like strategy and that sort of thing? None, none, no. Did you and Fitzy talk about with like strategy and that sort of thing? None, none.
Nick The Runner:No, I think that sort of stuff it's just like an unwritten, like we'll walk up the hills, we'll run when we can, when it's flat. You didn't have like a, we're going to try and stick to six and a half minute Ks or anything like that.
Burso:No.
Nick The Runner:No, no, first leg was a lot quicker than the others, obviously because you're fresh. But no, we didn't. Time was never really an option, we just wanted, that's what Fitzy said.
Burso:Fitzy said he wanted you in under 16 to get beers.
Nick The Runner:There are cut-offs, certain cut-offs which we made comfortably, but no, I just wanted to get it done in a respectable time. I didn't want to be crawling over the line at midnight.
Burso:But it wasn't too far away from that. As it turns out, you were only an hour off. What fits you wanted to get in.
Nick The Runner:I'm pretty sure. Yeah, and I've had a little look back at you know, because there's timing maths all through the course. Yep, and probably time again. Probably spent too long at a couple of the aid stations, maybe especially the Anglesea one and the Moggs Creek one, Like I think the Moggs Creek one were there for almost 40 minutes.
Burso:Really yeah.
Nick The Runner:Because the idea is you go in and you want to come out better than you've gone in, feeling yeah. So you could certainly shave that time down. But again it's a double-edged sword, because if you go in there and rush out and then you get 8Ks down the road and go oh man, I wish I had have done this, I wish I had eaten that.
Burso:Yeah, so it'll work out. What about water? Because you were pretty dehydrated by our conversations that we were having. I had an incident, yeah.
Nick The Runner:I thought I kept up my fluids pretty well, but obviously not.
Burso:But you might have just been like sweating a lot more than you were thinking.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, so I don't know how accurate it is, but I've had a look at some of my stats from my watch and it said that I would have estimated sweat loss was like 11 litres or something.
Burso:And how much do you reckon you would have taken on? Not that much, no, but like, because your I mean your pack wasn't that large, like how much water are're carrying in you?
Nick The Runner:So I've got two 500ml flasks, you're right. So I had one with water and one with, like an electrolyte drink. So I was trying to there's pretty much somewhere to fill up your bottles every 10K. I was trying to make sure that I had at least finished one flask by every water point, which I didn't always. Sometimes I'd have to tip something out, but trying to really consistently just sip on water.
Burso:Yeah, so out, but trying to really consistently just sip on water, yeah.
Nick The Runner:So every 10K you should have had a litre.
Burso:Ideally, yeah, and that still would have been under where you were at, so you would have been nowhere near hydrated.
Nick The Runner:I would have been bloody pissing everywhere.
Burso:That's funny because, like, we always used to have to have at least like three or four litres of water on us when we were like pack marching and stuff like that. Yeah, and we obviously weren't. I mean, we were sweating because a lot of the time it was hotter and stuff up there. But yeah, like if you didn't have at least that much water on you and then if it wasn't gone by the time you were able to fill the water wells again, people were having a go at you. But there's obviously no self-police, there's just self-police stuff there.
Nick The Runner:No, like you've got no water points or aid stations. That's what you've got, is what you've got. So you sort of.
Burso:That's what I mean, like would you take more water next? Well, I mean you didn't drink it all, so there's not really much point carrying more water if you're not going to drink it.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, some people do like have the two flasks and they put like a camelback in their pack as well.
Burso:Yeah, but I mean you wouldn't wear any more water. No, I was pretty happy with that. But would you like be more consistent, maybe about drinking, Like would you force yourself and go? Hey, I need to stop and have a drink, or whatever.
Nick The Runner:So I think what I did this time to prevent what happened last time when I botched my nutrition is on my Garmin. I can set you can set reminders when you run. So I've got a little reminder. When I set a run, every 40 minutes it buzzes and reminds me to eat. So I probably would have done that with water because I was just trying to constantly, you know, just have a sip, but you forget. You just you know I haven't had any water for a while, so I'll have it, but yeah.
Nick The Runner:So you weren't getting thirsty or anything. It was a cold day, so not really. Yeah, it was sort of cold, wet and windy, so I didn't have a dry mouth or anything like that. But I'm getting a dry mouth now. Thank God I've got this.
Burso:That was a solid one-handed open too it was staunch.
Nick The Runner:That's nice. Yeah, what was I saying?
Burso:Got distracted you were talking about setting alarms for like your water and stuff like that, but it was cold and you weren't.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, I was never thirsty. There was times where I'd drink and be like oh, that tastes so good.
Burso:Oh, the electrolytes, one, yeah, no. The water, oh really.
Nick The Runner:You're really thirsty and water tastes great.
Burso:Well, that should have been your heads up. What is this? This is the best drink I've ever had.
Nick The Runner:It's just plain water, yeah, yeah.
Burso:So are you going to talk about the incident or whatever it is you want to talk about?
Nick The Runner:Well, that was very late on, was it 70 Ks in, I reckon? So I guess, go on. So Anglesea to Torquay good, and then Torquay to Anglesea a second leg, leg two, I think. It's about 27 Ks, where you go back up along the cliffs of Belles and then you go into the Jarosite Basin which is off near Belles Beach, and then you shoot in at the back of Anglesea. So that felt good in there. It wasn't too bad in terms of I was eating, I was drinking, I was trying to eat ahead so I wasn't playing catch up. So I felt like I probably took on more food, like you know, gels and stuff in the early stages of the race so I could sort of bank them for later. I had a bit of a lull probably 35k in, 35, 40k in where I just wasn't having a good time, didn't feel good. You know all the food you eat, like I said, it's all bars and gels and it's all sweet, so like my mouth was all it was disgusting. That's probably why the water tasted so good yeah true.
Nick The Runner:So I felt good, got into Anglesey and it was pouring, so that was 48.
Burso:Ks. When I was driving back from Grand Bend Way, I was just like what a terrible day to be doing anything outside, let alone having. I was looking at the clock and I'm like it's already been nine hours. I'm like, screw that, not interested.
Nick The Runner:So I think we got 48Ks, was Anglesea and I think we were probably six and a half, maybe seven hours in, so moving pretty well and then got into Anglesea, changed my socks, had some food and off we went. And as you come out of you actually to cross the Great Ocean Road, they make you crawl under the Anglesea Bridge. And that was the worst 48Ks in hands and knees on like this. Really it was like mini golf turf. It was so spiky and hard.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:Just doing anything. Apart from running at that stage with your legs Like it was the worst, I had to crawl under the bridge almost in tears.
Burso:Yeah, how far is that? It's only like 10 metres. Well, you didn't have to say that, well, it's still crappy, but it's. The other thing is too like. Do anyone? Because it's like a was it just under a bridge or was it like through a tunnel, sort of thing.
Nick The Runner:No, it's just under a bridge and like probably, maybe a metre, maybe high, yeah, maybe a metre, maybe high, yeah, and like water right next to you.
Burso:Yeah, it's just a weird thing for them to throw in.
Nick The Runner:Well, I guess if you've got, you know, 1,600 people trying to cross the Gratishan Road, it's probably going to cause some havoc.
Burso:Just get some cops there.
Nick The Runner:Stand there for 18 hours or some stop-go guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Burso:But cops are cheaper? I think Probably. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but coughs are cheaper? I think Probably, probably not at the moment, yeah, so where was that? That's like 40-something K in 48 K in yeah, so at 21,. You said that that was the first time you sort of started thinking, hmm, what's going on?
Nick The Runner:Yeah, I think so, because you're fresh, and then you've already done 21 Ks and you go.
Burso:Like I'm not even a quarter away.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, you've only got 80 to go and, like we spoke about last time, leg two is where I all came undone.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:Probably because, the same as last year, I felt good at the start because I'd eaten and I'd drunk and then it all fell apart and that's. I don't think I ever felt that creeping in, but I certainly remembered parts of the race like, oh yeah, I felt really bad this time, but I certainly remembered parts of the race like, oh, I felt really bad this time I was really struggling at this point here. But no, coming into Anglesea I wasn't feeling too great, but there was never any doubts.
Burso:Do you reckon, if Fitzy wasn't there, it would have been different?
Nick The Runner:Oh yeah, absolutely Do you reckon I don't. We'll never know. I don't think I would have quit, but it would have been easier to. Yeah, a hundred percent. It would have been easier to, because you know, in a way, you don't want to let the person you're running with down, and vice versa.
Burso:But even after how you felt after the last time, I wouldn't have thought you'd like. Even if Fitzy had pulled out, I would have thought you would have been like well, regardless, I'm doing this.
Nick The Runner:And angle C is the really hard one because it's the halfway point, but it's also the start, yeah, and it's also convenient. It's like, well, I've done 48Ks. Yeah, that's right, it's the most convenient place, whereas I just knew if I could get out of that aid station I'd be golden and I was as soon as I got out.
Burso:How long did you stay that?
Nick The Runner:one, probably 20 minutes maybe.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:I reckon. So change shoes, have something to eat, fill up your water bottles, had some fruit. And then 50's wife was there and she's a savage. She's like you guys need to get out. Why are you still here, essentially, and I was like yes, mum, yeah, yeah, and off we went, and leg three is the they call it the crux of the course, and it is. It's a really, really tough section.
Nick The Runner:I think it took us the longest. It took us almost five, five and a half hours maybe to do 48 to 77. So it's a big leg and it's from Anglesea out the back of Anglesea, out the back of Aries Inlet, letting it end up in Moggs Creek, and it's pretty much just all climbing, it's all hills.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:And it's really really hard and it had been a wet week, obviously, and some of it, like some of those hills, it was like walking up and trying to get down, like walking on peanut butter. It was just so sloshy and gross. Yeah, it was really hard. Yeah that's not ideal.
Burso:No, it was funny I was having a bright for that and there was like we had some of that rain and just how quickly the trails turn into like clay slides is, yeah, not ideal.
Nick The Runner:Yeah those ones out the back they were. I had running poles and like there were times where they saved me like from going over. Oh, yeah. Yeah, definitely. But also like trying to get up some of the hills and like you plant your foot and it just slides straight back.
Burso:So you've got no traction at all, yeah, and then if you get, I find even just going for like when you're walking in boots and stuff, and then you're like when we're doing four-wheel driving and then the clay that just sticks to your boots, now your boots weigh like another five kilos and then like trail shoes.
Nick The Runner:They're almost sort of like 40 boots in a way, because they've got really long lugs. Okay, but once they fill up you're just sliding all over the train. They're really hard to get out.
Burso:Oh no. So at any point there it's like you and Fitzy talking about I just wonder, because if I was running on the yard I'd be like, oh, how are you going mate it. Like I just wonder, because if I was running on the yacht, oh how are you going mate. It's like thinking, well, you reckon should we cut it away or how are we going?
Nick The Runner:No, it was funnily enough, I almost went mute for a large section. Oh, I'm aware you were mute when I met you, yeah, and like you saw and I don't know what it was, I think on reflection, it's probably I was so my brain could only comprehend doing one thing, and that was running.
Burso:Moving forward. I was going forward.
Nick The Runner:There were certain sections where and like, don't get me wrong, I love Fitzy.
Nick The Runner:I was sick of I even told him like I'm sick of talking to you, mate. It's been nine hours. I'm sick of you and you know sometimes you'd have a chat to. You know, I had a chat to this one bloke on the trail who you know. His biggest run had been 46 and I think I met up with him it was before that it would have been in the 30s, and then we crossed over again at what had been 50 or so. I said to him mate, you're winning, every step's a win and it's good to talk to other people. But then, when it was just me and Fitzy, it was just like well, I just got to move forward, like I just that's all my brain could do.
Burso:I loved, like Fitzy obviously had a little video that he'd been making with the GoPro the whole time. When I got there and Fitzy's like I was like oh, hi, man, how are you going? Yeah, no, you been good, yeah, good film and stuff. Like Nick, how are you going? Yeah, that was all I got.
Nick The Runner:I had to say to a couple of people who, like at the very end we tagged on with a couple of people who finished the last section with us and I just said to the lady we were running with I'm really sorry, like I can't, I can't, I just all I can do at the moment is go forwards. I can't chat, I'm sorry.
Burso:She's like no, no, it's fine. I don't understand Very quiet parts. So that's 41 till 77. That's in Moggs Creek Because I would have met up with you around probably 82, 83. Yeah, I reckon so you just got through that crappy part. That would be why you didn't explain it at the time. Still grumpy.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, so the next aid station. After that there's a watering point at 60K which is, I guess, you're out the back of Aries and it was really nice at 60K, it just so happened my best mate's mum, deb, and her daughter, my best mate's sister, rach. Deb and Rach I just was running and I heard her nick and like to see some friendly faces when I was in a world of hurt was the best. And Deb, obviously my best mate's mum, is like in turn, like my second mum, and she just went full mum mode. It was so sweet. She's like have you been eating? Because she listened to the first.
Burso:Oh really, yeah, have you been eating? Make sure you drink. It was so sweet. You're like, I haven't been drinking actually.
Nick The Runner:So that was really nice at 60 and then from 60 the next aid station at 70 and it's pretty much a 10k climb. So just straight out the back of the hot ways, just going uphill, which is really really hard which is rude, considering you thought you were already going uphill the whole time and it's a long section because there's no water, no, nothing, and it's just mate. I was so sick of being in the bush get me out of the bush.
Burso:I was so sick of being in the bush. Get me out of the bush. I was so sick of it. You just want to do some more beach running or just out of the single trail rubbish.
Nick The Runner:It was so beautiful, don't get me wrong, but it's just where my brain was at. I was like I don't want to be in here anymore, I want to go home.
Burso:Yeah, do you reckon if, given the opportunity, like if your missus cameass in the car or whatever, you just want to tap out you would have gone.
Nick The Runner:I don't think so I would have kept going, but it was also like because she wasn't like, ash did come out at Torquay.
Burso:Yeah, she ate you after the last pod, were you like? It's on her that I failed last time? No, not at all.
Nick The Runner:It was so sweet she brought Henry out and that, like seeing them at Torquay at the start, was really good. And then so, after 60K I climb up the next aid station at 70, which is at Distillery Creek, out the back of Aries. So I filled up there, had some food and then I went to the toilet First wee I'd done since the morning and that was really interesting.
Burso:I think the term coke was used. Yeah, looked like cola.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, and kind of felt like cola too.
Burso:Um, it was like all bubbly and stuff, nah like syrupy.
Nick The Runner:Oh, it was just kidding yeah so. So I go, I go and do a wee at 70k's at the toilets there and I just, you know, stand in there expecting to do a wee and got the shock of my life when, yeah, coca-cola coloured wee came out.
Burso:And I was a little bit concerned Just having my awkward savvy moment over here on my own.
Nick The Runner:While I talk about wee coloured, so I was a little bit. Oh, you can hear it.
Burso:It doesn't look. Looks about the same.
Nick The Runner:Wow, mine's a lot darker, yeah. So that was interesting and I think got out of the toilet and I said to Fitzy I was like, oh, this just happened. He's like, yeah, yeah, you'll be right. Apparently, it's really bad yeah.
Burso:I remember talking with Mel about it afterwards. I'm like no, that's not supposed to happen.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, that's not a, she'll be right moment. Yeah, yeah, yeah, and I think it probably turns out that I'm lucky I didn't tell anyone, because they probably could have said no, yeah, cut it away. Let's go.
Burso:Yeah, I mean you can look at it that way or you can go. They might have saved you.
Nick The Runner:Well, I finished yeah.
Burso:It's funny because you just wonder, had you have kept pushing like? Running real hard and that sort of stuff, whether it you know, because the rest of it was it downhill, then after that Sections yeah, sections were Because it's yeah, because it's interesting, because if you'd kept heating up and stuff like with a rub though it would have been a thing in which case that would have been your last trail run, pretty much.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, great.
Burso:Because it's generally you're more susceptible to get it again and easier, so like if you have it one time.
Nick The Runner:Well, I didn't do any Googling post, because Didn't you?
Burso:Oh no, Didn't want to hear about it.
Nick The Runner:No way, and I didn't really want to tell Ash about it either. That's all right, she won't listen to this. I told her and then at home she saw it because I had to show someone, sorry, do your thing man. So, yeah, 70k, and then the next big aid station was 77K at Moggs Creek, and so that's when it really, I think it really hit me that, yep, I'm going to finish this thing.
Burso:At 77? I think so. Yeah, it was nothing stopping me from doing it. I was going to ask you that. At which point did you think yeah, I'm finishing this.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, probably.
Burso:At the start, did you think you were going to finish?
Nick The Runner:No, and like we spoke about it, there's nothing. Anything can happen. Anything can happen.
Burso:But were you confident you were finishing it?
Nick The Runner:I was confident that the preparation that I'd done would be enough. Yeah, but no, I wasn't confident in finishing, and there were times like it's such a long day. We were out there for 17 hours yeah, nine, 17 hours. And I think the thing about doing ultra running is you can go to hell during it, but then you can come back and feel good, but then, because it's such a long time, you go back down into hell and then you could also come back. So there were so many ebbs and flows during the day.
Burso:At 77, you're like, yeah, I'm going to make this. At 82, you're like, no, I'm not.
Nick The Runner:Because, funnily enough, after 77 there was a huge climb out of Moggs Creek and I was going up this hill for like 4K. I was like I can't do this anymore. But coming into the aid station at 77K, ash had come down with my son, henry, and he had made this sign. You know it said Go Daddy on it. He'd coloured it in and as I turned the corner to come in he was standing there with the sign above his head going Go Daddy, go Daddy and mate, I lost it.
Nick The Runner:I turned to water, I started bawling my eyes out.
Burso:But you didn't have water to lose.
Nick The Runner:So that's again. That's on you, ash. Thanks for that.
Burso:He's already dehydrated, and electrolytes, because you're losing salt now as well. No good, never again. Never again, do that.
Nick The Runner:So, yeah, a combination of coming into that aid station knowing that, yeah, I've only got you know 20-odd or whatever it is to go, and then seeing my family like, oh mate, I was a mess I like the way you make it sound like 20 is nothing when you've done 80.
Burso:You know, like, like it's all relative. I guess like, if someone's like oh, let's go for 20k, I'm like, no, not even remotely interested I think that now yeah after it, yeah but like at the time, like oh, we've got, like we've got like one fifth of the way left like it's nothing, it's.
Nick The Runner:It's funny because we actually had a section. Whatever the maths is, is, you know, 50, 58k in I remember saying to Fitzy hey, Down to 100,.
Burso:mate, then you're 58%.
Nick The Runner:I said to him mate, it's only a marathon to go, oh yeah. And that's how chopped my brain was like, thinking that I'm only having 42K to go. Oh, the marathon's nothing now, Nah.
Burso:That's what's funny about it. Like is like 165K that's too far. So now him doing 100Ks is probably Training run, yeah, I just wonder because even when I saw his face like he didn't look phased Like no offense, because you did, but I just wonder if that's experience you know, like because now you've done 100. So like doing a 50 now is probably not as big a deal anymore, like you'd probably get to 40 and go oh, I've only got 10 left. I'm going to sprint this one now.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, and all the feelings I was feeling, like the ebbs and flows of just my emotions. I guess he'd probably felt that before it was I hadn't, Like there was times where I was really, really struggling in a really dark place, Like I don't want to do this anymore.
Burso:Yeah, I to go home.
Nick The Runner:This is really really hard.
Burso:I get that delivering mail, I might go around the block to drop something off. I should have taken the one wheel.
Nick The Runner:But then you know, 5k down the track, oh, I'm good, let's go for a run. Yep, get a bit of a consistent pace going. So there was so much of that. I was experiencing it the first time. It was probably taking a bit out of me emotionally as well, taken a bit out of me emotionally as well. Yeah, but yeah, he's probably felt that before and knew.
Burso:You can see that in footy teams. You know, like when the other team gets like three or four goals and they're like like they're not any less fit, or whether they're just like mentally they're just starting to give up. So everything's harder now, yeah, but when you're in a good head space.
Nick The Runner:But like you know, getting seeing a friendly face like I did. I saw Deb and Rach at 60 and that was like, oh yes, how good seeing someone that you know and who is there to support you and cheer you on. And then coming around the corner and seeing Henry and Ash, like that was just too much. Body was like nah, you're going to cry now. So I'm sitting at the aid station, not trying to eat minestrone soup, just bawling my eyes out.
Burso:People are like what's wrong with the soup? You're like I hate this flavour.
Nick The Runner:Why didn't they have something else? Yeah, so that was lovely. And then yeah, so it's. 77 is the last big change. Because it was coming into night time, I put some warm clothes on, changed my socks again and off.
Burso:We went for the last 20, 23-odd Ks which was when you sort of popped up those two people that you were running with. That weren't obviously fitzy. How long had you been running with those guys for? So?
Nick The Runner:the lady, her name was Rachel. We ran a fair section of leg three with her. She sort of teamed up with us and we just sort of we would go on the same pace. So that was good. And then we actually thought that she had taken off at the 70 kilometre aid station. We thought that she'd gone off ahead of us and we'd not lost her, but she'd gone Not lost her, but she'd gone. And then we took off from Moggs and the next point is 85km in Aries, and we were sitting there refuelling and then she popped up and was like oh, nick and Fitzy, you're here, can we do the last leg together? I'm like absolutely jump on.
Burso:And then did you feel bad that you'd left her behind.
Nick The Runner:We thought that you'd gone off ahead of us because she was really, really looking good.
Burso:Yep, she was up and about when I saw her.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, and then the other bloke we met the French guy was at that aid station too and we just tagged on and that made the last 15K pretty good.
Burso:Yep, it was funny just appearing at random places. Oh good, so we're trying to use your dots. And it's interesting because the dot I don't know like if Fitzy came in maybe 10 metres ahead of you or something else like that, but because it goes off an average time the dots end up spreading out, I'm like, oh, that's weird that Fitzy wouldn't be staying with him. And then I remember Fitzy's like oh, they're not 100%. They don't follow you the whole time.
Nick The Runner:Oh, I didn't know that, because Ash was saying the same thing. She's like they were really hard to follow.
Burso:And the drama is like if you're not going to an aid station, so you can sort of assume that you guys will stop. You're just like, oh, is the dot in front of me, is it behind? Whatever else it is, and it doesn't have like a time that works out on average, because it'll change because of the up and downs and that sort of thing. Right, okay, but yeah, so there was a couple of times when I'd gone there and both of your dots had gone past and then I was like, oh, here we go. But I'm like, nah, because there's four lights together. And then I was thinking, well, maybe they split up, maybe I missed it. Yeah, right, the four lights was easy win. But yeah, it was interesting.
Burso:The first time when I came past oh sorry, when I was waiting there and you know like it's almost like a suburban street that you went past and there was this couple that were there and their daughter was in the car. I didn't know she was in the car, but I was like, oh, how long have you guys been here for? They're like, oh, we've been waiting for a bit. I was like, what's the average time? Like how they do this and stuff, and they're like, oh, we're just waiting on my daughter's fiancé or husband or whatever he was. And then she's like, oh, it's like oh, they're not running together. She's like, oh, no, she's finished. She did it in 12 hours. I was like what a weapon. And I'm like talking this bird up. I'm like that's amazing, what a weapon. And I'm looking and it's like three hours later, this poor bastard is still trying to catch up.
Nick The Runner:He's not going to hear the end of that, is he? Yeah, yeah.
Burso:And he didn't care at the time, because when he ran past he's like oh. And then I was like, oh, so she was waiting in the car. I assumed they meant back at the like she'd finished and she's just like taking it easy, just waiting in the car. And then I was like, oh, that's amazing, 12ks this and that. And she's like, yeah, thanks, and she was in the car. I was like, oh, this is awkward, I've been talking enough and racking on her husband while she was there.
Burso:She didn't argue that part, though. No, she wouldn't, she was happy to go along with that. But yeah, that was sort of explaining seen at and stuff like that as well. So you know that they've definitely been there, because it was like last seen at. And then the dots are just an estimate because of the pace you'd been travelling at to sort of get from there to there.
Burso:So if Fitzy had come in, I don't know like 20 metres in front of you over the next however long, it just does it at like three seconds difference, so it just he keeps getting ahead or whatever.
Burso:But yeah, so I just went off your one because yours was a lot more accurate than Fitzy's one was. But yeah, like when I turned up at that bicycle track because it was just on the, I was just following it because Fitzy was like, oh, I'll see you later, mate, there's probably no other places to see I was like, yeah, we'll see about that. Yeah.
Burso:I was like I know exactly where you are side of the road, the Great Ocean Road, because the path comes up to like within sort of 200 metres. Okay, that's how I found you at that time. So I just parked on the side of the road and then walked into the bushes. But that was. I felt bad because that was weird for people running.
Nick The Runner:Big, huge guys. Yeah, Slap someone else.
Burso:Yeah, I'm just waiting on a mate. Don't mind me, I'm just in one going the other direction and there's these poor ladies just running through the bush by themselves already 85K in going. I'm literally defenceless.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, that's all they need to see you in a hoodie behind a tree.
Burso:Yeah, some random unit just hiding in the bush going. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Just waiting for a mate. Yeah, it's so awkward because I'm like how far do I go before these boys get here, because your dots are gone, yeah, and I'm like, well, I mean I can keep going here, but anyway, that was good fun and I saw the gang. It was good. Yeah, you guys were Fitzy was up and about, and then that Rochelle was it.
Burso:Yeah, I think it was Rachel, Rachel right, yeah, and then you and the Frenchman were just muttering to each other. I couldn't understand the bloke when I was saying that that might just be how they talk.
Nick The Runner:He might have been speaking French to a lot of them.
Burso:But yeah, it was funny though, because then I started walking with you guys, but it wasn't a casual walk, you guys were still moving.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, so at that stage we weren't running, I guess by the letter of the law, for a couple of reasons. Running, I guess by the letter of the law for a couple of reasons. Legs were pretty shot, but also the trail like where you get. Oh, it was dangerous man.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, I probably wouldn't have been confident running it, like I've already stubbed my toe and almost fallen over like four times during the day, yeah, so I was a lot more comfortable, just sort of power walking it, because even then I was hitting tree roots and rocks and stuff.
Burso:Going through it at dark I was like this is dumb yeah.
Nick The Runner:I'm glad you guys had torches. It's good, but it's not great.
Burso:I'd want a really really good head torch to be comfortable. I saw some of the people that went past had like a belt on and the belt had a torch, so it was on the ground. Ah, that's a good idea. And then they had a head torch. So where they were looking was obviously the other thing, because there's sticks as well. There's like sticks that are going to get you in the eye and that sort of stuff as well as the track, and everyone's just staring down because they hate their life and then, yeah, they're just going to miss the stuff that hits them in the eyes. But, yeah, that was nuts, how dark that was.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, pitch black.
Burso:Because there's no. I felt so bad Like I sort of I'd see a light coming. I'm like, hey, how are you going Like trying to be friendly beforehand, because I'm just like these poor punters are, just like I'm exhausted, I'm going to get murdered.
Nick The Runner:Great, you know like that's just what I need.
Burso:Yeah, and they're just die. Great, Just went out of my way, and even just on the trail. Obviously I just got out of the way for them and they're like oh, thanks.
Burso:And then some other poor bloke goes oh, how did you get in here? I'm like, oh, the road's only like 100 metres away. He goes oh, I'm calling my wife. I car's killing me. It's been locked up for ages. Because I'm thinking I'm now the Nick. I'm like he's going to say take me out of here and take me home. And I was going to be like, no, not at 81K, I'm not going to do it to you, mate, I'm not going to do it to you.
Burso:He'll be like you will. But no, yeah, because he wanted to come up to where I was parked and then just give me sticks and she wouldn't answer. He was livid.
Nick The Runner:He would have been furious he was livid and he's like oh, I guess I'll just keep going then.
Burso:Well, you knew what you signed up for. Yeah, yeah, but it's funny because, yeah, like you've changed shoes, you had walking sticks, you had all this sort of stuff.
Nick The Runner:Like it's a fair mission, yeah and it required a lot of organisation and that sort of stuff as well, and you're very reliant on aid stations to fill up bottles and have food and that sort of stuff.
Burso:So then I would have seen you. There was those punters that were dancing near the car. They had tunes and stuff.
Nick The Runner:Oh yeah, I think it's Urquhart's Beach.
Burso:Yeah, that's it.
Nick The Runner:And there was lots of those people like just randomly because there are spectator points, but you just kind of like, how did you get in here? Yeah, and yeah, playing tunes. And you know there was one section, it was way back in Torquay. There was like little kids that set up a lemonade stand oh, rocky Road, how's inflation going?
Nick The Runner:No, they had bloody little square pay like card payments, etc. That was entrepreneur stuff, yeah right, but yeah, heaps of little pots where you'd just pop up and people would be ringing those bells and playing music. It was great.
Burso:It was funny when you guys left and their friends came through and then they went to start the car. It just didn't work. It's like tick, tick, tick, tick. Oh, to start the car. It just didn't work. It's like tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. I'm like, oh, here we go. Lucky you were there. Well, I mean, they probably would have. He was like, oh, we can roll, start it. And I was like, well, you can, but I've literally just got this little device thing. Meanwhile they are worth their weight in gold. Like as soon as you jump start yourself once off, that basically an RS. It's pretty much the same. They're not 220 bucks, just a heads up. Anyone's there get a jump starter kit? Okay, it saved me and other people so many times.
Nick The Runner:Anyway, besides, that, yeah.
Burso:so then you guys ran off down the beach and it looked really good actually, with all the people along the beach, and then I went to I think it was a there's some other lookout or Gavos or something like that. So, Gavos, there's like a little car park at the top again.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, Govo's Beach, yep.
Burso:Off the Ocean Road and then you park there, but it's a lookout as well, so you can see all the lights coming up the beach and all the ones that still went.
Nick The Runner:It's cool seeing like and even in the morning as well, because you start in the dark. You just see the, you know kilometres of just headlights along the beach and then at night it was the same, just like dots along the beach yeah, it was really cool to see.
Burso:Yeah and um, so that, yeah, that was cool, went to all you guys there and then it was funny that people had written all those notes and stuff on the sand as well.
Burso:You could have written a note I know, and then I didn't think about it till we came back, because I didn't see the notes until we were walking. We're like, oh, people have written stuff, but um, yeah, that was pretty nice as well. It's just funny what little things like that will do for you. And then so I left Gabbo's. I met you at Road Night. Yep, there, you guys were fair moving then.
Nick The Runner:It was funny.
Burso:Sometimes you guys were more open to having a yarn whilst you were strolling, and then other times you were just like moving. As soon as it was flat, you guys were moving.
Nick The Runner:Well, that's yeah, and I think at that point too, I think we might have had what 4K to go, or something.
Burso:So I could taste it.
Nick The Runner:I could smell the finish line.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:And by that stage I just wanted to get off my feet. Yeah, I just wanted to lay down.
Burso:Yeah, have a shower, because it was awkward then too, because the road night is another hill, like there's another up and down there. Yeah, that's not ideal, but then after that it's pretty much downhill and then flat into the finish line, and then could you hear the cowbells going, yeah, and you knew you were getting closer, yeah.
Nick The Runner:And that was a good thing. During the day too is like when I was really struggling, you could hear the aid stations coming up, because you could hear the music or whatever. You could hear people or see you know cars through the trees or something, yeah. But when coming back down the hill into angle see past the surf life saving club, even then I could like you could hear the music in the wind, yeah, and the faint echoes of cowbells, and I was like you know that was the last one, so close yeah just to stomp through another kilometre of sand to get there.
Burso:Yeah, yeah, yeah, which is lame. Why do they need to add sand?
Nick The Runner:Too much sand, so much sand.
Burso:It'd be interesting to do one out in the Simpson because it's so flat, Like if you did the Unanatta track or something. But screw that weather.
Nick The Runner:Zero shade, the mob that do this one, they do one out, they do an ultra out in Alice Springs. I reckon, oh really, that'd be pretty gnarly.
Burso:Yeah, I don't know how I feel about that. Hot, yeah, hot. So you come around. How far out do you reckon?
Nick The Runner:you start celebrating in your head that you've made it, I think at 77. Really, I was quietly celebrating Okay, there was nothing going to stop me from finishing that race at that point Okay. I think I'd had. Yeah, it was still 20 odd Ks to go that was you celebrating when I saw you.
Burso:You're not much of a party animal.
Nick The Runner:And I, just when I did finish, went across the finish line. Like almost 17 hours later, I had nothing. I had nothing. I'd used every part of my physical and mental energy to get myself across that line and then, like I forgot about the medal, like I was about to walk up and like, no, you medal, you medal. I was like, oh yeah, here we go. Thank you, mail it to me, I don't care, I was so cooked. Yeah, because I think for so long, all I was focusing on was one foot in front of that, one foot in front of that, one foot in front of that. That's all I could do.
Burso:It was funny watching you come in and you pulled up pretty much two metres beforehand and then, just like you were jogging and then just walked and you had the sticks under your arm and you got like a metre past the finish line and you're like no that's me done.
Nick The Runner:I'm not moving anymore. It's me done.
Burso:I wanted to be teleported from there horizontal into my bed. It was almost like because, they, um, they're like I'll come get a photo and do this and do that. Okay, sure, sure, I don't care anymore.
Nick The Runner:And it was so like it was a lot. It was 17. It was the longest time I've ever done anything, for yeah at once, like I've never. I've never worked a 17-hour shift, I've never done anything Must be nice. I've never done anything, I don't think for 17 hours before yeah One thing, and I was sick of doing it.
Burso:Yeah, yeah, not a good thing to be doing for 17 hours. At least when I've worked 17 hours. I've been sitting my ass for a lot of it, yeah, Doing nothing. But yeah, it was funny too, because then you'd like they're like here, have one of these, it's like a beer and you're like okay.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, it seemed hopefully enthusiastic. The first sip of that was so good.
Burso:Oh yeah.
Nick The Runner:And then the second was like oh, it was disgusting. Nothing against the beer. It was just at that stage it was the last thing my body wanted was a beer.
Burso:Yeah, oh, a diuretic excellent.
Nick The Runner:But yeah, and it's funny how quickly my body started to just I don't know what happened, but my body just started to like shut down. It was just like no, you're done now Like I started getting really cold. I didn't probably prepare for that part of the race at all. You know, fitzy's getting changed, changing his jocks and putting clothes on you were.
Burso:you did well to get your tracker off straight away.
Nick The Runner:Oh, I didn't want to. Yeah, I was done.
Burso:Yeah, even Fitzy hadn't remembered his tracker thing, so that was that was pretty switched on to do that, so your brain was obviously still functioning, but yeah.
Nick The Runner:I had nothing.
Burso:It's just dead quiet. I've literally got a microphone on you and not even heavy breathing, it's just shut down.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, I had nothing. I had nothing left to give. I'd given it all.
Burso:Yeah but that's good man, that's a win. Left it all on the thing and you came away with a win.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, which was it was great so what happened.
Burso:It was funny because you tried to have that beer and then it went everywhere and then went all over your hands so you couldn't even answer your phone. I thought I was about to watch a meltdown when you couldn't know, couldn't, you, couldn't answer the phone call so yeah, across the line, and obviously ash was sitting at home because it was must have the tracker yeah, what 20 to 20 to 11 or something at night.
Nick The Runner:Um, and it was probably what, 40 seconds after I'd crossed 30 seconds and I'd cracked open the beer I'd be over my hands and yeah, I could feel my it's same time, like you'd crack it, and then I saw the light on you because it's on the video. I couldn't bloody swipe. Yeah, I was like I'm going to miss this beautiful moment. Yeah, but luckily Mel was there to save the day.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:Which was that was really lovely, seeing Ash wait up and call me when I finished.
Burso:Yeah, it was lovely, it was fun on your face, but like when you answered it and then actually the video you got about.
Nick The Runner:I've watched it like a lot of times.
Burso:It's really really lovely yeah, it's funny, the instant one just stops as soon as the phone answers. It was great to see like afterwards I don't even know that you guys said much nah, it was just you, just, I think.
Nick The Runner:What did you say? Like, like, oh, you're going to hang around. I was like, absolutely not. Yeah, I would not have thought that, yeah, that's right.
Burso:Yeah, yeah, because I was like Fitzy. I'm like oh, you want to get your ice cream and that sort of stuff, mate, what do you want to do? He's like no, he just wants to get back, mate.
Nick The Runner:Oh, I'll get back.
Burso:Yeah, Fitzy obviously got changed into his new outfit. You just sat there debating your life and then. So what happened? Then? They drive you back, you get home.
Nick The Runner:Got home it was, yeah, close to 11 or a bit past 11. Ash heard me come door, came down and gave me a big hug, which was lovely, and he was like you stink. Well, I just walked straight to the laundry and just started because I had so much stuff. I had three bags that I'd taken to the aid station, all my stuff. I just got all my kit off in the laundry and then, as soon as I got my clothes off, I just like started shivering uncontrollably.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, I had to somehow get myself upstairs, which that's been an issue this week. That's been a real issue and I jumped in the hot shower and I was obviously chafing in place.
Burso:I didn't know I had when the water started hitting me because Well, that's lucky, though, that you didn't know that at the time, because that's a real game changer, like when your nipples are.
Nick The Runner:No, they were taped.
Burso:Oh genius.
Nick The Runner:They were taped.
Burso:It's funny, man, like stuff like that you just don't think of, and it's like it's such a crappy way to go out, like it's such a crappy way to go out, just bleeding nipples.
Burso:Yeah yeah, because it wasn't until I'd done army stuff that I realised that that was an issue and same as like skins and stuff. If you get like, certain skins will sit there and just pull the hairs out of your legs, as opposed to other ones that will just be beneficial. And it's weird, like if you don't train with your stuff beforehand, don't just buy something new and then use it. Make sure it works, not great.
Nick The Runner:Well, I used a lot of. When I did that Coca-Cola wee at 70K, I was in the toilet block.
Burso:I don't know that they're going to be overly keen of us just using Coca-Cola as in like the trademark for what it was. Brown syrupy urine, cola's fine Cola's, not trademarked.
Nick The Runner:So I'd done my way and then I, um, was like I better put some. I'll put some vaso on my butt, like in my butt crack, and yeah, sorry. And so I'm there, obviously, with this bag of vaseline, like doing what I'm doing, yeah moving yourself up this bloke, walks in and I was like I'm sorry man, I'm sorry, and he's like all good mate, I understand.
Burso:We've all been there, mate Big weekend. So that was good yeah, so you've got home, gone up and down. How long did you sleep for and did you do any posts up like? Did you just sit there and force yourself to drink five powerades and just rack out?
Nick The Runner:now I? There was actually some leftover pesto pass from the night before, so I annihilated that. Yeah, didn't touch the side. I actually ate it in bed, like sitting on the side of my bed yeah um, that hot shower um like filled up my water bottle. I put a whole heap of himalayan salt my water bottle and had a couple of sips and then had some pasta and I was out. Didn't sleep great, obviously, because I was so sore. Like every time I moved it hurt.
Burso:How long were you in bed for, though? No, or did you have to wake up because you were a dad? Yeah, pretty much.
Nick The Runner:And that, like on Sunday, I was in so much pain. But a two-year-old doesn't understand that there's a dad's home. Let's party.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:And dad couldn't party. Dad was really sore.
Burso:I saw dad celebrating and it's not a big deal, mate. He was not up and about.
Nick The Runner:It's almost like being hungover when you're kids. It's the worst thing ever. Yeah, and Ash was really tired because she had been up late as well. Yeah, she's like today's your day. Yeah, and she was amazing, and but on the flip side of that was we were both cactus on the sunday and henry was like all right, let's go, guys. What are we doing? Jumping along?
Burso:oh, careful at dad's legs yeah, um, so that was did you, did you manage to do anything? On sunday, though? That was like recovery. Was you ice bath? Did you do?
Nick The Runner:actually no, I did. I did do a. I did a quick ice bath just on my legs for sort of five minutes. Yeah, um, but I think it was the point of beyond repair. Then I wasn't gonna fix anything, I just ate like I just ate, ate, so much food yeah because I think like, according to my watch, I think I burnt through like 10 000 calories during the day yeah, 11 liters and 10 000 calories. So there's not no way I put in did you weigh yourself?
Burso:no, I should have, so just funny yeah, um, but yeah, I just tried to be nuts, because that's 11 kilo just water wise yeah, is it accurate, though?
Nick The Runner:like would it be?
Burso:probably I'd say why not like? I do it again, probably need to lose, yeah, yeah, just another one but it's all water weight though, so it's not like it's a, you know I've proved some of it.
Burso:I mean with the 10, so it's not like it's a. You know, I've proved I can't Some of it. I mean with the 10,000 calories. Definitely some of that has to be fat, but yeah, Because if you just replace the water and not the food, maybe you would have been like vascular, as Just read. It Should have done a calendar.
Nick The Runner:But no, just Sunday was just all about eating and just yeah, not doing anything. It was so nice. I just sat as much as I could off my feet.
Burso:I can remember I was like I sent you that thing about trail running or whatever it was afterwards, like the 100-miler.
Nick The Runner:You had the audacity to send me the link to a 100-mile race at like 4 o'clock on Sunday. I knew you threw threw my phone.
Burso:Absolutely, If not. I think it was the reply and in capitals too. You weren't definitely shouting in text.
Nick The Runner:Absolutely Not a chance. That's too far. Yeah, it was funny.
Burso:I sent it to Fitzy as well and Fitzy said I don't think Nick's ready for that.
Nick The Runner:So he's got to go.
Burso:Yeah, that was the thing. Fitzy didn't say no, he's just like, didn't you say Fitzy's got another race on?
Nick The Runner:He does. Yeah, he's doing the Great Ocean Road Ultra in. I think it's mid-October. He must be like three weeks out now. Yeah, right, how far is that Another 100?
Burso:Yeah, he's doing 100. Yep, he's a weird unit, fitzy.
Nick The Runner:Yeah.
Burso:Do you reckon like, because it's not a week yet and you're not interested. Do you reckon in another week you might be like?
Nick The Runner:oh, maybe I have done some Googling Really. Yeah yeah, yeah, it's sort of funny, like without getting deep and dark, it's because it was a focus for so long and then it was over. I sort of had this a bit of a mental crash where I was like, well, Makes sense. Yeah, like I've got nothing now. Yeah, what's next?
Burso:We've spoken with a few people about it before Like if you don't have goals, like whether it be a holiday that you've planned or a competition that you're doing or whatever and that's why sport's amazing, because you've got, like you have to go to training with the boys or you've got to do, you know you've for or I mean, even if you're just doing a pickleball tournament, like they have tournaments and stuff that you go for, like it's something to aim for, something to be, something to do, the mundane Monday to Friday stuff, yeah, with a goal in mind. So whether it's, I don't know, a podcast you're trying to do stuff with, or whatever else it is. So it's like if you don't have another thing to focus on, then you just don't.
Nick The Runner:It's like a ship without navigating really, it's just now, you just Just flying around, flying around, yeah. So yeah, I did sort of probably Monday, tuesday, I was like oh, monday.
Burso:Yeah, I was like oh, yeah, right, so I missed it by a day. Is that what you're telling me? If I'd sent it to you Monday, you're like yeah, I'm in.
Nick The Runner:That one's a gnarly around the Grampians. I think I've done I think.
Burso:I maybe Googled something like good beginner ultras or something. Mate, you're a pro. Now You've already done one, just one. I was wondering how you'd go afterwards, cause I didn't know if it was just going to be like a thing where you'd want to tick it off, cause you're just like it's a hundred K and I've done it now, and now I'm into triathlons or whatever else it is. I was curious to see where you'd go.
Nick The Runner:Because, without the ultras aside, I do really enjoy trail running. Okay, like I think that's something I can tell.
Burso:You're wearing T-shirts and everything now You're just all about that life.
Nick The Runner:Look at me. I didn't even realize.
Burso:Didn't you? Suja said, I was like this bloke.
Nick The Runner:I was like come on now. Yeah, because at the end of the day, I really enjoy trail running, running. I do um, and I guess an ultra marathon is probably just a progression of a trail run. You know that's sort of like what, where you end up?
Burso:um, I probably just push the envelope a bit quickly initially when, um with trail running, one of the other boys brought up um, he was listening to your podcast and he's like he's. Oh, I thought the same thing. I thought trails was just open gravel gravel lovely roads that's a trail.
Nick The Runner:yeah, yeah, there's a couple. I've got a photo I'll show of, like one of the hills we climbed. I'll see if I can pull it up. It is just like you look at it and go, what are you doing?
Burso:Pull it up, Jamie.
Nick The Runner:Where is it?
Burso:Now we need one of those extra dudes like a cackling jack or something you can have.
Nick The Runner:a look at that and like you can zoom in and see the people all the way at the top and that-.
Burso:Is that the file trail on Anglesea?
Nick The Runner:Yeah, that's out the back between Anglesea and Aries Inlet and underfoot. Like I said, it was like peanut butter.
Burso:Mate, going up the hill would have been frustrating, but going down the hill would have been loose.
Nick The Runner:No, it wasn't. I actually found going down. I was more comfortable going up than going down, because going down like your feet that's what I mean I was more comfortable going up than going down, because going down like your feet that's what I mean Like going down is loose.
Burso:Yeah, because it's. You don't have any traction and you've got more pace and you're going to fall on your ass at any point.
Nick The Runner:So you're trying to really slow yourself down?
Burso:Yeah, and I think the way my body was going down. It was a lot more heavy on my, it really, really hurt. These little people don't understand those must be guys.
Nick The Runner:But no, to answer your question, I will. I'll do it again. I'm not going to say that I'll do it again next year, but You're lying. No, look, I don't know. It is really hard for our family. Like I said to you before, like Ash and I don't have any help with our son.
Burso:Is she keen on getting into running?
Nick The Runner:Ash does run, okay, not now. She's 30-something weeks pregnant, so not at the moment. And also she's not going to come out and do a 50K with me.
Burso:Yeah, but like you could alternate I don't know that way you can both train together with your super mad strollers or whatever. It is that we're going to get you a sponsor for that would be nice.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, send us one. Then Big boy running. If there's a brand out there, get around us. There's a market for it.
Burso:I don't know that there is. I don't know how many It'd have to be.
Nick The Runner:But no, like me doing this run it was really selfish and it was really hard logistically to manage as well. Like, obviously for the training you've got to do long runs and it's hard. Just to say to her I'm going to go take off for three and a half hours now.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:Enjoy, henry, it's a two-year-old causing havoc.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:And we've got another baby on the way. So I think this year coming 2025, I'm not sure I'll be able to get up for it, but we'll see what happens, see how family life is managing, but that's where my focus is at the moment. But, yeah, I will definitely do it again, because it's a really good day and I really enjoyed it.
Burso:So it's in that actual race again.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, I'll do that, yeah.
Burso:There's not other ones that you'd be interested in getting around instead.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, there are, don't around. Instead, yeah, there are, don't get wrong, there's heaps of ultra races around. The problem with them, though, is that they're expensive to do so.
Nick The Runner:Registration for these races are upwards of 400 so the surf coast century is really good for me is because it's close. Yeah, um, it's, you know, 20 minutes down the road, so it'd be great to go. You know there's a good one in bright that they do. But with that comes the 400 registration and then obviously you're probably going to need two nights accommodation where it's all inflated because of the race.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:So you're not coming out with much change under $1,000, I wouldn't have thought yeah, it's an expensive sport.
Burso:Especially for something that's not even fun. You're a prick. So Monday you started Googling stuff again. Yep, it's now Thursday. Like how are you feeling now? Like have you been for a run since?
Nick The Runner:I haven't. I haven't been for a run and not like I could. I probably could have gone for a trot on Tuesday.
Burso:Or motion to lotion.
Nick The Runner:someone told me once he's an idiot, but like I guess going like I don't really have anything to train for at the moment, yeah, yeah, yeah, but I'm also enjoying just having a break as well, just spending as much time as I can with family. Yeah, when you're training for these things, it does take a lot of time away. So, no, I haven't, but no body, I'm fine. I've come out injury-free, I think.
Burso:Yeah.
Nick The Runner:I haven't found.
Burso:I'd like to think you'd know by now.
Nick The Runner:Well, I haven't been for runs so I don't know, but I think, well, like stress, fractures and stuff you'd probably know. Yeah, no, I'm golden.
Burso:Oh, you were talking about your toenails are missing.
Nick The Runner:Oh, I'm going to lose a couple of them for sure. Yeah, I think out of the 10, I think I'm probably only going to have seven left, I reckon three are going to go.
Burso:Yeah, but yeah, that's probably the only thing that's lingering is my feet are still a little bit sore, and just the toenails. So tips for new players what would you do differently?
Nick The Runner:Firstly, I'd say just do it. Yeah, just do it. Sign up, even if you've only run a certain amount before just do it.
Burso:Fitzy would suggest do some running beforehand.
Nick The Runner:But in excess. Just do it, certainly, train for it.
Burso:I'm all for it, mate, just do it.
Nick The Runner:The hardest thing I personally think is the nutrition. It's really, really hard because obviously you want to practice it leading up to the run but, like I just sort of said, it's hard to practice it when, to practice it properly, to the run. But, like I just sort of said, it's hard to practice it when to practice it properly. You need to go out for a four-hour run which I couldn't do every week because of our family situation.
Nick The Runner:So you need to be experimenting with you know how many carbs your body can take in while you're moving, and there's all these guidelines and stuff, but it's there's no one solution, um. So that's probably the hardest thing I think to nail and I think I did pretty well on saturdays and probably post 50ks I didn't the eating really dropped off just because, like I said, like it was all sweet and gooey and I was over it, um, but even at the 85k aid station, like I managed to have think a packet of shapes and like a bit of fruitcake or something. So I was still getting stuff in. That's the hardest thing is getting your nutrition and figuring out what works for your body. So you know, you can have these huge gut issues if you're doing too much carbs or if you're doing not enough. Your brain turns to mush.
Burso:And post you'd have. Like what takeaways did you have? Afterwards You're saying like not having clothes and stuff to jump into.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, so at the end of the race it was obviously I got cold really quickly because I stopped moving.
Burso:And it was cold.
Nick The Runner:And it was 11 o'clock at night, yeah, so definitely take a spare pair of warm clothes to get changed into. I'd do that differently, for sure.
Burso:Yeah, and an alert on your phone for water, or? Yeah, I'd do that differently.
Nick The Runner:for sure, yeah, and an alert on your phone for water, or yeah, I think so, although you'd be getting an alert a lot, maybe just consciously remembering to just nibble, nibble, sip, sip just keep.
Burso:Did you have a Camelbak, or is it like something you have to actually pull out and drink?
Nick The Runner:No, they're sort of like two flasks that slide into pockets of your pack and you can just bite and suck.
Burso:Okay, yeah, like camelback sort of nozzle things.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, that sort of nozzle, but just two flasks.
Burso:Yeah, because that was the thing. Our camelbacks used to come around and just be sitting there, so you'd just do it anyway, just because you were doing it. But if it's out of sight, out of mind, you just sort of forget. It's like when you have a water bottle at home If you have a water bottle sitting on it you'll just sip, whereas if you don't have a water bottle you're just like why have I got a headache? I haven't drunk for seven hours, that's so dry. Yeah, is there anything?
Burso:else you want to say to the people out there, or your future self, when you're thinking about signing up?
Nick The Runner:Well, no, One thing I did want to say is, during the day I think I finished the run and had 30, 30 or 32 text messages just from from people like just wishing me well, support who, obviously following along on the tracker and, you know, being like. You know, mate, whatever 70k is in, you're killing it.
Burso:You're doing so great we had a little newsletter. There's only like 30 people read it, but we put the little tracker thing on there.
Nick The Runner:So yeah, that was um, um, but yeah, I got cool I said, I think it was 30 or 32 text messages during the day that I had to catch up with the next day and that just meant so much that people offered their support and were thinking of me during the day when I was just on the struggle bus for most of the day. It meant so much. Ash and Henry at that aid station, like I said, that was just. It turned me to mush, I couldn't control myself. Deb and Rach at 60Ks that was also a bit of a boost. But also the people from doing the last podcast with you, mate, like the people who I haven't spoken to for so long, who reached out and were like oh, mate, I listened to this. It was really good. Good on you. I've even been called inspiring a couple of times. It's like I'm not that's rich?
Nick The Runner:Yeah, let's not talk it up too much.
Burso:No, I'm just a guy who enjoys running and I wanted to challenge myself. The thing that's funny is, though, like so the people we have that I have on here are doing like some pretty cool stuff, but part comes into it. None of them are like arrogant about it, like, a lot of them are just humble. I mean, sometimes we play it up like we are, but, um, most of the people are real humble and whatever else it is. So it's really weird when you because you have people on and like how you feeling about the podcast coming out and they're super nervous and awkward about it, because they're literally like oh god, I mean, I guess they're under the impression that 10 000 people are going to listen to it, but they ain ain't. But yeah, it's just funny, though, because I found it as well when we started Like then mates start sharing it to other mates that you haven't spoken to for a while, and then other random people do just start contacting you Like hey, man, I heard about this and that.
Burso:The other thing that I find weird, though, is because I've done them. When people speak to me, they act like we've been talking for ages. It's like Matt, I haven't heard from you in six months. And then they're like oh yeah, but they know everything. We've obviously talked about it and that sort of stuff. So that's been really interesting, where there's that sort of thing, whereas if you're on here more often then people would just be like, oh, I don't need to talk to Nick because I've already caught up with him. I know that guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's funny that yeah, it does. People come out of the woodwork and just say g'day, which has been that's been a real big positive about this whole thing. Yeah, and it's funny when I get, because I get feedback like, oh, I love that interview you did with such and such, but like, these people don't know you.
Burso:So, as far as they're like, oh well, you think you're better than us, and then like that's where the tall policy syndrome comes in. But other ones are like he's just a dude like us and he's done it, and it's like maybe I can do it. So people go, it's like an insecurity, I can do it. So people go, it's like an insecurity thing. I think you know, people see it and they're like, oh, I really like Nick, he's a great bloke and this and that. He's like, if he can do it, I reckon I can do it, and then other people are going oh, why does he think he's? And it's like if you look at me, if I can do it, you can absolutely do it.
Burso:This is why I wanted to have you say like your height, weight, etc. Etc. Because you're a larger dude and there's like, if I like I'm 42, 102 kilos, you would not pick me as a person doing 100k, which is fair, because I'm not, but you're also tall and 97 kilo, so you're not far off. So when like you doing it, like fitzy doing, I'm like, whatever fitzy does it, yeah, but you doing it to me is more of a like, well, that's, I'm actually closer to Nick, maybe I could do it. That's where it's been a thing that's interesting, where you're like if just a punter that I know can do it, maybe it is something I can do. That's where the inspiring thing comes into it, I think.
Nick The Runner:I am just some punter who did it because I just was looking at my phone like I'm not good at it good at it because I came 354th out of 393.
Nick The Runner:Oh, you smashed some people, yeah, some. How many of them? Yeah, the people, if you like. So I'm not good at it. I'm I'm really bad at it and I'm only learning about this whole thing. And you know, like we spoke about at the very start, the bloke who won it was probably in his mid 40s, so I've got time to improve, but at the moment I'm just some bloke who plods around the surf coast for a long time but it's.
Burso:It's. I mean, but the thing is like you did the first one and you got to 50k and tapped out, you've done another one and you've done the whole 100k. You know, like and that's what we're saying with, like, with fitzy it's like he's done a bunch of them now. You know he's been, he did the um to be in switzerland and stuff like that. It's like that's a thing, because once you've qualified to do that stuff, now it's like well, that's something you do. Like, once you've done another one, like you've done a 50K one, now you've done a 100K one, now you sign up to another 100K one by a certain time. Now you're like well, this is actually what I do now, and each time you'll obviously get better at it and like come on, mate, you'll be right.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, and I think what you say. I think this is just what I will do now, Like I will have a break while family life sorts itself out. But I think I've probably found my hobby. I've found what I enjoy doing, as stupid as it may be.
Burso:Yeah look, it's not why there was other things you could expect.
Nick The Runner:Yeah.
Burso:Some things take 40 minutes mate and they're.
Nick The Runner:I don't think I need to be just.
Burso:And you can just go and have dinner afterwards. It's not a big deal Stomping around for 17 hours, keep your toenails and stuff Like I'm not. At no point am I advocating trail running, but Nick and Fitzy love it.
Nick The Runner:Yeah, and I think I found my little niche of something that. I enjoy and I don't think I've had a proper hobby before that I can think of albeit silly, I really enjoy it, or that I can think of albeit silly, I really enjoy it. It's good for my mental health. Like I said, I'll probably have a break.
Burso:You said like obviously the sense of achievement when you were crossing that line was a big thing and that was something I was like I was happy to be there for it. So it's like if you do have a mate that's going to go, do it like get around them. It's so much easier to just turn up and say good job than it is to actually do the race and you still get to hang out and be part of the celebration at the end. Spectate the shit out of that.
Nick The Runner:It's so much better, like I said in the last podcast and this podcast, like seeing friendly faces along the way, like, although it didn't show, when I saw you, like it was great.
Burso:Sorry, fitzy said it was nice yeah it was good.
Nick The Runner:Like Fitzy said, it was nice. Yeah, it was good, Like, oh, there's someone here who is here for us and same when I saw Deb and Rach, my best mate's family, they'd come to see and support. And it really does. I don't know what it does to your brain I'm sure someone smarter than me knows but it really does give you a boost and if you have the opportunity to go and support someone, do something like that. I couldn't recommend it enough because it means the world meant the world.
Burso:to me, that's probably a good finish.
