A backyard ultra Experiment on myself as a Scientist/Runner

Background: I have had a Coffs Backyard Ultra entry since last year, but since I had a niggle early this year, I didn’t intend on using it. I tried to give it away to no avail, then I forgot about it and went on holiday in May. When we got home, two weeks before the event, I noticed I almost made 6.7km within an hour walking, and I had a thought…

Questions to explore: If a runner can run/walk 6.7km in an hour, hasn’t run more than ten kilometers on any given day or 30km a week, but has no injuries, walks a lot, has an endurance background and knowledge of the science of running ~ how many laps of a Backyard Ultra can they do? And what will be the pressure point that stops them from continuing?

Hypothesis: If well organised, well fueled and positive, it is hypothesised that I could run/walk four laps of the 6.7km course on the hour.

Experiment: Firstly, once I decided to do the event I wanted to to it properly, I’m all about respecting the event/distance. I made a list of all the things I needed to make myself as ready as I could be, and I got to work. I also listed all the “pressure points” I could think of for me when I run far ie. things I thought could go wrong for me, including chafing / blisters, heat/heart rate, feet issues, boredom, disorganisation, and a little one in the back of my head that was “what if I can go further than I think and there’s no reason to stop?”. I then wrote down how I could be prepared for or deal with these things if/when they came up.

In the two weeks leading up to the event I trialed various run/walk methods, that got me 6.7km in about 50 minutes (based on 6min/km running and 10min/km walking) so I could have some hopefully 10 minutes to refuel and deal with any issues. I plugged my top ten run/walks that I liked into my watch and knew that when I got to 90 seconds running with 90sec walking I was only just going to make it.

I wanted my fueling to be like a picnic, but also precise and scientific - and it was perfect, thanks Jacqui!

Fueling for endurance is up there with the most important aspects of preparation. I have previous experience in the things that work for me in distance running. Still I wasn’t going to leave it to chance, even though I though I would run 4 laps, I was going to prepare like I was going to run 10 laps… this is Science! I consulted with Jacqui from Food Culture ~ Nutrition and Sports Dietetics . We discussed the options and what works for me. She provided me with a detailed plan for what to eat and drink between laps and while running, and also a carb loading plan. Perfect!

Mindset. My mindset was to Keep it Light, but also to F%#K Around and Find Out. Be open, positive and flexible. And to believe in my ability to run/walk for a long time.

Results: How the experiment went!!

Lap 1: The fun begins, I really was happy and stress free. I had my watch set to 3 minutes run /1 minute walk but I didn’t listen to it until about 2km in because the vibe was so high. Then I had my first surprise. The track was narrow and congested so it was super difficult to overtake anyone when I was running, and people were really running slowly. I got a bit frustrated and I had to re-evaluate my plan. The course congestion meant I should just run when I could and walk until there was a gap in front of me so I could run naturally. I had to just get over it!

Pre-race with some of my athletes who were very supportive and encouraging of my experiment ~ especially towards the final laps

Lap 2: Continued on and learnt how to deal with the run/walk overtaking people issue… My toe started Really hurting after this lap though. I can’t even say why, so very random, but random things happen and you have to deal with them in these kinds of events. I changed my socks, and into bigger shoes and poked it with a needle as it was already blistering underneath the toenail, not going to lie deep down it was kinda stressing me out. Then… I saw a friend who said “just forget about it”, so I did, it went numb, and it wasn’t an issue anymore. In the spirit of keeping it light, I decided to do just that, and it worked!

Lap 3-4: I continued having the watch set up as 2min running and 90sec walking but I didn’t really always listen to it. I had “average pace” on one of my screens and knew that it had to be less than 7:30 minutes/km or less to get 10 minutes break. For all these laps I ended up running 44 minutes so 6:30 pace roughly. Was good because I had time to walk to my car and lots of chill time.

I just kept on like this, walking any tiny incline as well. In my head I was like “I am made for this event, woohoo!!” Not a negative thought in sight. Wowzers, maybe it was the flat cold coke, that’s a distance running treat, sooooo good.

Lap 5: Ok, so here, I had that feeling I knew would come ~ “What if nothing goes wrong and there’s no reason to stop!!” ~ I saw another friend and this anxiety came out as me yelling “Nothing is breaking, I can’t believe it!!” Hahaha. I said that. I really was stress free for five whole laps, that’s 33.5km, what!?

I saved each lap so it didn’t get to me actually how far I had gone, and I actively didn’t do any maths, just kept doing one lap at a tieme. If I knew, it may have held me back. So, sorry about the strava clog up. It was strategy.

Lap 6: Getting a bit over it in the break, I don’t know why, I whinged about the sun, but there was hardly any, it was mostly shade. I put the 90/90 run walk in this time, but I ran more than that - I still came in at 50mins. I said I was done. But then I sat down for a bit continuing to say I was done… at the same time I also realised if I walk away now I’m going to be slightly dissatisfied. I realised the goal should probably be to keep going until you can’t make the hour. So… I tried to pop my under the toenail blister again, pretty unsuccessfully… and off I went.

Ringing the DNF Backyard Ultra bell at 7 laps ~ 46.9km!!!

Lap 7 (!): Within this lap I felt like I was shuffling. I didn’t feel like there was a point to it anymore. And I knew that I would be satisfied with this day out, having a picnic, seeing what happened ~ and I’d already exceeded what I thought I could do. The shuffling annoyed me. I still made it in with 10 minutes to spare but in my head I had had enough. Satisfied.

Conclusion: Answers to posed questions ~ I made seven laps of the course, three more than hypothesised. And that was 46.9km ~ a lot more than my long runs this year that have maxed out at 10k!! In the end, the pressure points turned out to be both my feet just aching too much, and really just not wanting to shuffle run/walk for short distances anymore, I didn’t like the feeling of it. This will be something I have to learn to manage/handle, as I saw all the runners later really shuffling along. Also though, maybe also I just didn’t want to do it anymore, I’d done more than I expected and felt like that was enough!

And I guess the answer to that is to set a higher expectation… next time ;)

Five Ways Patience Plays a Role in Running

This Year, I’m leaning in to Be Patient with my Running (and myself!)

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Me remembering that being able to run and running long term is my main goal :)

I’ve realised that my journey with running over the past few years is connected to learning patience. I’ve always been a little bit impatient with myself as a runner. I get a kind of greedy with progress and improvement and I WANT MORE - my instinct is to ramp things up. That passion, while powerful, has led me into a cycle of injury at times. Now I’m working hard to break that pattern through patience and consistency.

Patience is often what separates those who achieve long-term, sustainable results from those who burn out or break down. Here are five areas where I’m learning (and relearning) to be patient with my running:

1. Patience in Base Building and Returning from Injury

Right now, I’m running 8–10 km every second day. I want to do more. I want to do speedwork. But I’m building my base, hopefully properly this time.

Base building is the foundation of endurance. It’s easy to skip ahead when you’re feeling good, but conditioning to running takes time to develop. That means 12 or more weeks of mostly easy running, gradually increasing volume and time on your feet.

The same applies when returning from injury. Connective tissue, bones, and even your neuromuscular system need time to re-adapt. Base building takes time. And yep, patience.

2. Patience with Weekly Volume Increases

Your body doesn’t adapt in a week, it adapts over many months and years. I’m aiming to be deliberate about increasing my volume gradually and including adaptation/recovery weeks, giving the body time to absorb load (like I would with my athletes!). Think big picture. Think months, training blocks and years.

3. Patience with Speedwork - forcing nothing

Speed gains come from the compounding effects of aerobic development, strategic workouts, and enough recovery. I’m trying to just keep running consistently, when I feel good my run might end up a bit faster, but I’m aiming to be non-judgmental, just building fitness and gains from consistency only. I’m working on deliberately not forcing or rushing my progress. And there-in will lie the progress!

4. Patience with Long Run Progress

Gradual increases and regular down weeks my focus. I see everyone around me running 20-30k, but I just have to be patient and build my base first, and my mental resilience.

5. Patience with the Current Version of myself

As runners, we’re often chasing a version of ourselves - maybe it's who we used to be, or who we think we should be by now.  If you’re like me and are in a cycle of over-reaching, you’re back after time off or injury, it can be hard not to want to prove your running like the previous version of yourself. I’m working on being kinder to the runner I am today. This is the version of me that is present and doing the work to progress.

Progress in running is measured in months and years, not days and weeks. When you feel like rushing your running progress, try zooming out, see the bigger picture and where you want to be, gradually building over time, remaining patient. If you can’t do it yourself, a coach can help structure your training for an optimal build.

Want Help Staying Patient, Calm, and Focused?

If you struggle with patience, confidence or focus, I created my Guided Visualization for Runners to help you stay centered and calm in your training and racing.

Click here to download it now and train your mind like you train your body.

Add a Game Changer to your Running!

It's true, training your mind is as important as training your body. I decided a little while ago I wanted to create a guided visualisation to help runners work on their confidence, help calm their nerves and practice how they want to react and talk to themselves when running and racing becomes hard ie. work on their focus and mental toughness. Deliberately work on this aspect of their running, like strength training for their mind!

My being authentic is so important, it's how i create, i have to be myself. I made this because i care deeply. It started out as me wanting to help my athletes that were struggling with confidence, race nerves, handling the discomfort when running becomes difficult. I genuinely wanted to help. I remembered a visualisation I used to do that helped me a lot in my training and also in my races. I couldn't find it, so I decided to make one myself... and taadaa... I did 🥰

As a runner who has also suffered with those negative thoughts that come up while you’re running and racing, to the point that it has made me physically sick and avoid taking part in races altogether (which is something I usually love to do as a runner!) - I know how it feels. What once was a joy can become a stress.

When things start to get tough in a race and those thoughts come up that you can’t finish, that you’re not a good runner, that you can’t maintain that pace - it can feel defeating and like you just don’t want to even do it anymore! I’ve been there…You know you’re body is capable, it’s your mind that’s getting in the way.

There’s a way to train your mind to be as strong as your body. A way to really get back to feeling confident as an athlete. A way to be calm and grounded at the start line.

The matrix of factors I consider when coaching someone!

There’s a LOT to consider when you’re designing a training program for an athlete. It’s more than is even this matrix of considerations. It’s all going on in my head. A coach should care this much!!

This was a lovely Christmas Gift!

This came in the mail with a yummy sweet treat (oops, that’s gone already). It really makes me smile that the coach/athlete relationship can have such a positive impact on someone's life. Also, say hi to my office companion always in the background, Neo my whippet also doing what she loves 😍

Celebrating 10 years of coaching - still obsessed - six reasons why.

Obviously helping athletes attain Personal Bests (which are certainly amazing, thanks Yvonne for the latest marathon moment below!), they are just the tip of the iceberg really. When it comes to why I’m still as passionate about coaching now, as I was when I first started helping out my friends with their training.

Sydney Marathon 2024

"I first reached out to Kate in 2022 after running my first marathon in Sydney with a time of 4:47. Since then, thanks to your personalised weekly training plans, I’ve taken an hour off my time—finishing Sydney this year in 3:47!” ~ Yvonne

There are inevitable lows and highs but here are some of the many reasons I continue to love my work;

1. I love figuring out patterns, looking for patterns in people's behaviour, testing and adapting to what helps get the best out of them as an athlete. I get to know who loves fartleks, long runs, easy runs, hills, speed. Oh, and what they need to work on. Every athlete has their profile and I enjoy getting to know what makes them tick and what they need to improve and become a better athlete.

2. I love taking the juggle out of busy people's lives, so they don’t have to think, removing the over-thinking and doubt from their training. Give me your availability and I’ll work with what you have. Week on/week off with the kids, FIFO, long hours, no problems.

3. I love realigning someone's training and schedule when there is a hiccup in their week, making sure they get back on track and continue to move forward. Let that run go, let’s move on, or let me adjust the rest of the week for you.

4. I love being the voice of reason. Seeing the bigger picture. Putting things in perspective for athletes. One crappy run, it’s ok, let’s keep showing up.

5. I love the unexpected gains that happen when you see someone showing up consistently over time, sometimes it’s a genuine surprise and sometimes I see it coming. A sudden parkrun breakthrough. A comment that shows running has become a joy with effortless easy running.

6. When I’m programming my athletes training plans I get right into the zone and I can concentrate on this, and this only, for some reason it is like art for me, the only time my brain doesn’t think about ten things at once! It’s never felt like a chore, or like “work” in the traditional sense. I often feel so proud of my work and honestly, it gives me great satisfaction to this day.

Designing your season and reigning in the FOMO!!

We all want to feel good on race day. Sometimes an athlete will come to me with a list of races they’ve already entered and I look at it and take a deep breathe and go hmmmm. It is getting harder to get into races, and the pressure to choose and enter further and further ahead is growing. However, with some thoughtful planning you’ll recover better, have a lot more fun, make more progression and race stronger within yourself.

Race distances and actual (not perceived) recover time between events;

5k - you can race a 5k every week, the recovery is short. You can still recover enough to do workouts during the week and show up for parkrun on Saturday, not every week will be 100% flat out but you can give it a crack each week for 5k.

10k - If you want to improve your 10k time you want to push them out to 6 weeks or two months, to give you time to do a good block of training between races.

Half marathon - If you want improvement in the half marathon I’m going to ask you to only run them every 3 months (you can add a 10k in there if you like!)

Marathon and beyond - When we are looking at road marathons and ultra-trail events recovery is four weeks, your muscles have micro-tears, your organs need to heal, your mind also. Best possible is 4 to 6 months between these longer events, minimum if you want to build back up, feel strong and ready to go again (to keep you challenged add some shorter events in between but not too close to the big ones.

So here are some factors to consider before the FOMO has you pressing that ENTER NOW button…:

• Your running experience - the longer you’ve been running the more you’ll know what you can handle and still stay keen and excited to show up to races, and recover between events. And it’s usually longer than you think.

• What do you want to focus on (finishing or performing?) - when I say performing I am not talking about making the podium or winning, I mean performing well within yourself, having the strongest race you can, having the endurance muscles build and training, and the endurance mindset that you’ve practised to keep moving forward. And if you want to improve your times, the more training you do between events the more you can build strength and speed.

• Don’t forget to think about the impact of your schedule, race travel and intense training on your family and social life too.

A perfect coaching/athlete relationship would see an athlete/coach formulating a list of “potential” events and distances between them, and then discussing this through toward the optimal race calendar (with some A, B, C goal races). It’s always good to have a FOMO free, objective and experienced coach work it through with you :)

Remember that usually, the same races (with all the distances!) will be there next year, if you prioritise well then you will be able to show up every year for your key races ie. you won’t be burnt-out mentally or physically, or have an overuse injury that puts out of the season all together. It’s a long game running, and you want to be running for the long term, so plan well team.

Finish strong, plan your season well with Coach Kate.

Get to know your coach ~ 2024 edit!

I asked my current athletes on our group chat to ask me anything - all things running, actually all things, I am an open book and I will answer candidly and off the top of my head… So here we go!!! **photo from 2017 running a half marathon PB, those were the days :)

What is your favourite distance to run Kate and why? (Christine) Ah I love this question because I think it's why sometimes (besides my imagination, pattern recognition, empathy) I'm a good coach. I honestly have had stages where I have loved every distance and have focused on each one at times. Loved v's being successful (personally I mean) are two different stories as well though!! 5k I love because it is intense and over quickly, and I love running fast! Pretty much the same with 10k but you have to hold on longer mentally and physically. Then the half you get into a rhythm and it is a strength distance (mental/physical) I think my best comparative times are in the half marathon (see photo!). As for the marathon, I do love this distance and have had my best "feeling" race in the marathon (one of those dream races where time doesn't exist and you lose yourself, are in the zone doing running/being running) but also some back end failures (in my head and legs, even though they were faster times) I'd say I/m in love with the marathon but it has been a cruel lover at times!. Trail/50k/100k - getting into the endurance groove is so invigorating, being in the bush and using powerful legs to go very long distances is just amazing - a total different experience but still also a favourite!! Uh oh, see what I mean, I love all the distances so there you go!!!!!

What has been your favourite race and do you have a ‘bucket list’ race you want to complete? (Lisa) Hmmm it depends on what aspect of the race I think about. Ones where I performed well (internally) seem to stand out eg. Melbourne marathon where I felt that epic flow in a marathon, gold coast half marathon with the sunrise and fast course. Then Tarawera 50k in NZ with Deb Thorley an amazing experience, scenery and I was super strong, Taupo 100k was like a dream come true to run all day in New Zealand. A couple of races I won, that was kinda cool! Oh and (even though I was injured and it was my slowest) I'll always be grateful to experience Boston Marathon, it was an unbelievable experience too!!!! So a wide variety there of favourites 😍

When did you start running and why? How did you get into coaching? (Beth) In my younger life I played netball and swam, did gym classes, walked, I did something pretty much every day, it just made me feel good (I guess people say it’s mental health, but back then I didn’t have the words or knowledge to say that) - I would not really like runners as they were always in their own world and never said hi when you passed them! Ha!! One night I had a dream, I literally dreamt I was running, and it was smiling, I felt a pure happiness and joy. So I gradually (in my netball shoes!) added little runs into my walks (I'm talking light post to light post) where no-one could see me and with a jumper tied around my waist (I know right!?)... and the rest is history?? That was when I was 30, after I’d had my kids, so about 18 years ago, in 2005

How did you start coaching?... I met Tim Crosbie at a race one time, he helped me coach myself to a marathon PB (36min PB!!) and then encouraged me to do my coaching courses. By this stage I was already coaching my friends anyway, and I knew I loved it, I just love everything about it. And also the rest is history??

I know that we are all suppose to be happy with our bodies the way they are but honestly what impact does your weight have on your running? I personally feel just 2 kgs makes a difference to how I run. (Leone) Very interesting first question, here comes my honest answer. As a taller and stronger runner (ie. I stood head over all the other fast-ish women in races) it's something that has been a "thing" in my running journey. But also something that we need to generationally get over. The key to this is ~ power to weight ratio ~ so I might not be the lightest person in the bunch but I'm stronger and more powerful and therefore can run just as well. Strength training is key. How you feel about yourself is key. If I feel strong I run strong and I don't weigh myself. Eat to fuel, don't eat shit, you'll feel good about yourself, you'll run better. That's it!

What’s the biggest mistake you have made either in a race or in training. Funny and/or serious. (Deb) This could be a whole post too... probably trying to run through injury has been one of those mistakes I kept making over (because the injury was different each time, because personality, because 🤯 runner brain). I will think of more but I think that is reoccurring lesson.