Greta’s Sydney 100km race recap

By Greta Truscott including a write up at the end by husband Chris Truscott on his insights

Greta - getting warm - image Bradley Farley

The inaugural Sydney International 100km road event took place on a sunny Autumn day 23rd April 2022. Race organiser Gary Mullins and AURA president, Ewan Horsburgh bent over backwards to stage these 100km Nationals so that runners could have the chance to qualify for the IAU 100km World Champs in Berlin 27th August 2022 and set fast times in open and age categories. The original course at Penrith Regatta Centre was closed due to flood damage so at the 11th hour, Gary had the Narrabeen Recreation Centre as a newly measured certified course of 30 x 3.32km including the track and 3 x out ‘n’ back roads and a car park starting with an extra lap of the 400m tartan track. We were relieved and thankful for the race to go ahead and for great conditions, albeit a touch warm in the middle of the day, it was definitely a great day for it.

certified course of 30 x 3.32km laps including the track and 3 x out ‘n’ back roads

I had entered the 100km race late January after seeing it pop up on Instagram. It seemed like an amazing opportunity to really test myself. I encouraged others to enter, but I couldn’t seem to get any takers! The longest ultra I’d ever done was the West Mac Monster 65km on the Larapinta trail in May last year. I had participated in just one multi-day event, Pat Farmer’s 1000 Miles to Light with an Aussie team (Pat, Deirdre Hopkins, Justin McDonald and I) versus an American team (Dean Karnazes, Shan Riggs, Samantha Pruitt & Katie Visco) in August last year. Each runner ran 40km a day, which added up to 400km per person over the ten days (280km in one week) and I held up pretty well… pretty sore towards the end, but it made me believe my body could do more than I thought it could (thanks Pat). So after the 1000MTL, I was on the lookout for something to grab my attention!! Turns out it was this 100km event!!

Greta & Barry - early start with head torches - image deirdre hopkins

After entering the 100km I thought that I’d love a coach to really push me harder than I’d push myself and harder than husband Chris would push me. We are both very experienced coaches in pushing others but I wanted that for myself too and also I didn’t want to take any frustration out on Chris. I hadn’t had a coach since my previous awesome coach Sean Williams left Sydney in 2016.

I contacted coach Barry Keem and my program started a few days later with 11 weeks of careful programming until race day. This consisted of 9 weeks of approx 120km per week including 2 x speed sessions and a long run that kept building to 60km, which was my longest run 5 weeks before race day. The target for this 60km was 5min/km and I managed 4.54min/km not stopping the watch and it felt good and steady. Many of my runs were lapping round Centennial Park getting used to lots of boring laps! But I really enjoyed achieving the long runs the most. It was reassuring that both Barry and I were working towards the same event with similar training except he was doing more weekly mileage.

Support Crew Deirdre Hopkins and Greta’s fuel/hydration table - image Bradley Farley

I’ve been running and racing for many years since my early 20s, and have done a broad range of events, but I don’t usually do big mileage weeks so Barry’s program was quite a step up!! 1000MTL was my biggest week but other than that my weekly mileage was usually around 60-80km / week. I am more of a mixed run swimmer due to a dodgy knee and ankle. I had knee surgery as a teenager to tidy up a badly torn meniscus with 2/3 of my lateral meniscus removed. My ankle that had been broken as a kid - snapped in the spokes of a bike - never seemed quite right especially the last 10yrs. A couple MRI’s on the ankle have shown some cartilage missing, joint compression and a navicular stress fracture. I run quite light and “toey” so I have quite strong calves and quads and with my ankle slightly supinated and dorsi-flexed for longer runs to help take the load off. I had lots of horse riding and “growing up rough & tumble in the Red Centre bush” type of injuries. I keep up strength work to manage my trouble areas and have always been careful on the mileage and unsure of the marathon and ultra distances. But what I I did have was resilience and a consistent base over many years.

One issue I had early on in the program was a sudden drop in weight to 49kg (I’m 164cm and usually 52kg) and loss of my cycle. I always eat heaps, but didn’t realise I had to eat even more so I ended up eating more than Chris! I clawed back my cycle by putting back on enough weight (my sweet spot for this race was 51kg) with plenty of eating and high calorie drinks such as smoothies (thanks nurse Cathy for some of those). Nutritionist Lisa Sherman checked my food intake and supplements again for this 100k race as she had done for me in the prep for 1000MTL. It’s so important the nutrition, plenty of energy and enough weight, to keep healthy bones as well as for performance.

Barry seemed to know how hard to push me without breaking me, and push me to my absolute max in a limited time he did!! Although there were a couple times I should’ve really told him how my dodgy ankle was feeling because it nearly did break after one of the long runs but after that I made sure to keep him posted properly. We tweaked things if we had to. Being around for a long time, I knew how to keep on top of recovery and niggles pretty well. And having a coach, I feel helps me to be a better coach too.

Thanks immensely all the supporters, keeping me going - image Bradley farley

Fast forward to 100km race day, it kicked off in the dark just before 6am with a cosy field of 19 runners in head torches along with Phil Balnave in his trade-mark sandals, a friendly comrade. Each runner had set up their table at the track full of their drinks and fuel. I was so grateful to see my support crew Deirdre Hopkins taking the early shift until Chris and Jaden arrived after school sport along with many other legendary Rejoovers and friends. There was a lead bike to show us the way for the first lap and marshals on the out n back U-turns. It was an intimate course and ultra-runners proved super encouraging on this battle field together.

I was leading the ladies for a short time then Clare Palmer took the lead with myself and Corrina Black closely following then somewhere in the second half Corrrina took the lead with Clare in 2nd and myself in 3rd, then I went into 2nd and Clare was coming 3rd. Us 3 ladies remained pretty close together until the last part of the race where Corrina made more gap holding her pace pretty tightly whereas Clare and I faded a touch more. I started pretty much at 4.50s and faded to low 5s pace average by the end. I was 4hrs 9mins at 50km mark, which is sub 8.20 (8.20 = 5min/km pace) if I held that pace but I was realistically aiming for 8.30-50 with a fall back of sub 9.20 if I blew up and a fall back after that was to finish!.. read on to see what happens…

The cheer squad started rolling in after sunrise throughout the day, including Jacqui, Cathie, Arianne, Helen, Mary, Allison, Susan, Grant, Lisa, Michael, Emma, Janine, Justine, Reidy & lil Freddie, Brad Farley, Nedd Brockman, Jemma Griffin, Dougie, Hayley Blease, Strommie & lil Elka, Will Woollams, Errol & kids Bronte & Emily. Plus amazing volunteers including Andy Heyden, Michael Distefano, Sophie Brown and all the support crews and families of all of the runners.

Chris and Jaden cheering out on the course

Going round the course, there were amazing, infectious smiles all day from Corrina and Pam. Clare was tenacious and encouraging in her debut 100k as was I. Dion was smooth, open and sharing all day, he even pointed out to me early on when I almost went the wrong way after I’d lost Geoff who I was following. Geoff was wonderful even when deep in the pain cave and we’d share quite a few words in passing. Barry was in the zone yet always checking on me as he went past. Others were so extremely focused like Clay who seemed like he was doing a half marathon race effort! Other runners like the two Stuarts, Dale and gang were unreal and such sports!!

Big thanks Chris, Jaden and all the amazing cheer squad & supporters - image Bradley Farley

I found my biggest problem was my quads that felt like they were getting tighter and tighter in the last 40km and that they were going to savagely cramp in the last 10-15km so I was managing those with breathing and pacing. All up I lost about 4mins of not moving from a few things. One, I had to have a loo stop losing about a minute. Two, my feet swelled more than I’d ever experienced so I changed shoes twice which lost me a couple mins, plus a flying superman fall over a speed hump cost another minute at about the 60km mark OUCH that took a chunk out of my knee and my elbow!! Lying on the ground, I rolled onto my back and looked up at the sky for a moment to shake out my spasming quads, awkwardly got up and kept running.

Constant hydration & fuelling - image Bradley Farley

Nutrition and hydration was a constant!! I took a gel every 6-8km. Constantly sipped my 150mL bottles of Tailwind, which I’d throw down at the table and collect a fresh bottle every lap from the support crew along with throwing cold cups of water into my mouth and whole bottles of water over my head as the day heated up. I was nibbling on solids every couple of laps EG banana, vegemite sandwich, potato, anzac biscuit. The Tailwind was essential for carbs and electrolytes especially as I found it hard to consume anything else for the last 20km. Coke was also a life saver for the last 3hrs to keep energised. My support crew were amazing in handing me items as I called out so I didn’t have to stop. Even in the latter stages I barely stopped a matter of seconds to gain more food items and try and stomach whatever I could as the ingestion battle grew towards the end.

I was counting down the final laps, which seemed to go on forever. I could see a few guys had finished and then Corrina. I became more excited in my final 3.32k lap and tried to pick up speed as much as my quads would let me, which wasn’t much. I knew it was going to be tight to break 8hrs50 so for the last lap of the track, I managed low 4min pace to duck under 8.50 (8:49:11 = 5:17min/km ave) with everyone cheering me in!! Big hugs with Chris, Jaden, Gary Mullins, Barry, Ewan and anyone willing to hug me in sweaty, covid times. Out of 19 runners that started, 13 finished including Dion, Clay, Andy, Josef McGrath, Kurtis Stirling, Corrina, myself, Clare, Geoff Millar, Stuart Hughes, Stuart Wallace, Pam Muston and Dale Paul. There were a few that couldn’t finish on the day for various reasons, but that is the nature of the ultra beast where you don’t always come out on top. It only fuels you more for the next race!!

Post 100k family hugs - image Bradley Farley

The top 3 men and women received beautiful medals from Athletics Australia and a massive box of Lindt chocolates each and a glass trophy.

Women:

Corrina Black 8.36.39 (B qualifier)

Greta Truscott 8.49.11 (B qualifier)

Clare Palmer 8.54.35 (C qualifier)

Men:

Dion Finocchiaro 6.30.43 (A qualifier and close to the Aus record Tim Sloane 6.29)

Clay Dawson 7.07.25 (B qualifier)

Andy McDonnell 7.17.06 (B qualifier)

Pam Muston broke the over 60s age group record in 11.23.33 wow!!

Greta & coach Barry - proudly sponsored by Suunto watches

I was so relieved and happy to complete this race within the time I wanted and have the energy to cross the finish line strongly and hug and smile with everyone.

Mentally, I was very focused going into this and was going to give it everything even if it meant finishing with injury. I wanted this and I went after it using what Dean Karnazes and Nedd Brockmann had taught me about how you can run in pain and injury. Kerrie Otto De Grancy (Evolve Yourself Institute) taught me to use the mind and breath to shift and manage problems going on in the body. She also made me think of my why. Why did I want to do this?

I wanted to prove to myself that I could run 100km, that even though I couldn’t get my head around it, I still believed somewhere deep down that I could do it. In the lead up, I had visualised what I would do throughout the race physically and mentally and what state I wanted to be in after I crossed the finish line. Barry believed I could do it and inspired me to try.

I was able to push myself very hard because not only do I love running long distances, but also I had anger and frustration and I wanted to achieve this for myself against the struggles of life and loss. I wanted a high, I wanted a win and I was willing to fight for it in a good, uplifting type of space. A space that would make me stronger and share in this experience richly with other runners and supporters.

I tell our boy Jaden that you win some, you lose some, and today I felt that I won and the whole family is still eating that massive box of chocolate.

Finish line happy with our boy jaden - image bradley farley

Huge thanks to:

My sponsors:

2XU – racing in my favourite crop and a philosophy that believes in community, change and growth

SUUNTO ANZ – capturing my adventure every time and sharing stories (Suunto family - Damian Commane, Anthony Gordon, Nathan Roderick & Clare Cole)

HOKA Australia – empowering team and outstanding shoes to make me go the distance and achieve my dreams

And:

Runners Shop NSW (201 Clovelly Rd, Randwick) – quality service and care

Tailwind Nutrition Australia – keeping me going big time!!

Sydney International event organisers Gary Mullins, TRT, Noemi Bangel & volunteers

Australian Ultra Running Association (AURA) - President Ewan Horsburgh

Rejoov Runners, Runners in the Dark, Hurts Squad

Lisa Sherman - Whole Life Nutrition, The Running Room / iMove (Alex, Paddy, Michael in Clovelly/Coogee), Recoverie Coogee, Central Performance (Ben Liddy) & Maya Remedial Thai Massage 173 Arden St, Coogee

My family, friends and coach - all of who share this experience in the lead up and ever since ;)

Beautiful glass trophy 2nd place - Sydney International 100km

Insights written by husband Chris Truscott:

The 100km distance isn’t for everyone. It takes a lot of determination outside of all the training & prep involved. Had Greta not have gotten herself through last year’s 1000 Miles to Light so well, I may have advised her against tackling the 100km given her previous background with injuries. Greta had also stood on the sidelines as I competed in several trail and road events of the same distance from 2008 and culminating in the World 100km Champs in Qatar 2014.

So it was now her opportunity and boy did she grab onto it. Race day aside, the way she handled the entire training process in the months leading up was inspiring. In part, having a new coach Barry who has lived & breathed the 100km event certainly helped. A coach she was not previously close with and as such didn’t want to whinge and complain to also made it a positive but methodical experience.

And in part, she is just one tough cookie. The Greta on display to everyone is always happy, positive and encouraging. One you can’t say no to when she takes your photo for the 1000th time. She certainly is like this most of the time at home, but there is also a fiercely competitive alter ego at play as well. And not necessarily against others, but definitely against herself. Proving her body wrong has become a steadfast past time of hers and this event proved once again the results that can be achieved with such a belief.

Race Day - Jaden & I rocked up just after the 40km mark was passed (compulsory school sport I assure you) to see Greta with a big smile on her face and handling it really well. She was in 3rd place with all 3 ladies on the 400m track section simultaneously which was fantastic to see. I got to check out the course soon after noticing the many speedbumps the runners had to encounter and even commenting on this to one of the marshals. Little did I know that not 10mins later Greta would take a dive over one of them. Ouch! Nothing worse than bark off on the bitumen with so many kms to go. Again that tough mental fortitude shone through and she continued.

The dreaded 60-80km section came and went as her gait turned into a rhythmic shuffle and time elapsed. She moved into 2nd position and this would be hers to keep till the end. The first lady, Corrina had the experience on the board already but needed to draw on this to run a huge PB just to keep Gret at bay. The pace slowed as is absolutely natural so the target was sub 8:50 and a B qualifier. I was doing the maths each lap. Jaden was wetting the sponges and eating mum’s lollies as lap by lap went by.

Then the bell.

One to go. Would she break the B qualifier? From our perspective, we were trying to run this last lap for her but she could only do what her body had left so she kept that focus and stared down the face of that forthcoming finish line. She broke into the 400m track section for the last time and with the largest contingent of supporters out there, was lifted for the whole lap to help get her over the line in 8hr 49min.

Final thoughts from me are in those post run hours and days. Greta continued to handle the enormity of the distance and her achievement extremely well. After a couple of my 100km, I have been a mess for days, but she continued to show why she is such an inspiration to all our Rejoov Running group.

Well done G.