Triple Crown Under 2024

In 2024, due to the alignment of various planets and other random events, I entered and completed the Ultra Series Australia set of three 200-mile events.

It might be strange to ‘accidentally’ complete a series of 200-mile events, but sometimes life happens.

The events consisted of the Delirious West in the Great Southern Region of Western Australia in February, the Irrational South in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia in April, and the Unreasonable East in Far North Queensland in August.

Why did I accidentally complete this set of events?

Chance, perhaps. Or maybe love. Desire. Being afraid. Dealing with anxiety. Camaraderie.

I’m fairly new to running, from my perspective, having run for the last seven years. Having fallen in love with the Flinders Ranges when running the Hubert back in 2021, I was fixated when Ultra Series announced moving the Irrational South event to the top end of the Heysen Trail.

I entered the first year in 2023 and immersed myself. Along with my amazing crew, we embarked on this adventure of a lifetime. Due to a bit of rain (an understatement), the event halted early about 70 hours in.

I didn’t feel I had any unfinished business and wasn’t attached to completing the event, but given the opportunity to once again spend time in the Flinders with amazing people, after discussions with my amazing wife, I signed up for the 2024 event. This time I was without my coach or the extensive training I’d put in for the first event. And I was fine with that. I wasn’t there for the race – I was there for the experience.

As 2023 drew to a close, I noticed one of Ultra Series’ 12 Days of Christmas giveaways was a 50% discount code – one for each event on the calendar. Given Delirious West was only five weeks away, I doubted anyone would snap that up. So, after checking the calendar and flights, I spontaneously took the ticket.

My dad’s family live in WA, so I had my dad crewing for me again, along with my aunty.

Delirious cooked me. The scorching heat, sand, and hills took their toll. I tried to take advantage of the cool nights but ended up crawling, sleeping occasionally on the trail. I spent the rest of the event chasing cutoffs, meeting sweepers who helped me escape delirium, and at one point, I waited by the side of the road, unable to think, until another racer dragged me to the next aid station. Apparently, I was waiting for a lift from my wife (who was still in South Australia). I even managed to go the wrong way on a section of single trail. Peaceful Bay it was not.

On the last morning, as the sun rose, I knew that if I kept moving, I’d have a chance of finishing. The JADAM crew paced me for the last 10km, bringing me over the finish line about 17 minutes before the cutoff as DFL (Dead F#$%ing Last).

At the finish, race director Shaun Kaesler tried to convince me to consider Unreasonable East to complete the series. After barely finishing in the heat signing up for a 200 miler in Far North Queensland – nope. 

Irrational 2024 was beautiful from start to finish. I was more relaxed, and I rested when I needed to. I embraced the suckiness of the witching hour, and the sunrises were spiritual. The Aurora Australis at night was magical. Being on the land with inspiring, and amazing folks heal the soul and mind while the body is taxed.

I finished Irrational with plenty of time to spare. There was no way I was doing Unreasonable East.

Yet, sometime in May, I signed up for it. I would be crewless, traveling to a place I’d never been, with weather that, quite frankly, scared the crap out of me. It was the last time the event would run, so what was the worst that could happen? I would be among friends.

The baking heat I feared didn’t eventuate though. Instead, rain for over 12 hours and creek crossings led to new self-care challenges. And leeches. I acquired an injury halfway and, after doing downhills backwards, was convinced I wouldn’t make the cutoffs. The amazing medic team taped me up, and though I couldn’t run, I could move forward. So with continued motion, I made it.

What did completing three 200 milers in a year give me?

Apart from amazing memories of people and places around Australia, I’ve drunk from the cup of life.

I’m also considering challenges that scare me – things I feel I can’t do.

Whether I complete them or not isn’t the point.

I’ll continue to stand, sit, crawl, or run alongside my fellow travellers, attempting to fill each unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run..