Kattamorda toptrailsperth moving house and UTA entry

In June 2017 I discovered the Kattamorda trail. I had seen a sign or two for it many years ago, but until I saw BB's posts I had no idea there was a 30km trail from Bickley Dam to Mundaring town waiting to be discovered. 

I explored all 30km of it during July and August, and it gave me something to work on while still unable to get a new job having been unemployed since May 10th. I took photos and tried doing videos with my phone. Discovered sections of the Kattamorda which I suspect have not been used for about 29 years. It was exciting and I even managed to organise a free event which was attended by a few people as we together explored the amazing trip back in time that is the Kattamorda. 

Inspired by Steven Essa ideas I made a  facebook business page for toptrailsperth, further developed my website toptrailsperth.com for a trail touring and coaching business, took phonecalls and emails from prospective clients, and explored how to develop a business. Exciting times that helped me forget the despair of unemployment a bit. Then I signed up for a business course to try and take things to another level.

However the lease on our rental came to an end, and my wife and I spent most of September searching scores of houses and applying for a new rental house for our family of 5 people. 
As the deadline approached I experienced significant angst, but thankfully God offered us an option and one of our many rental applications was successful. The cost and stress of moving was massive for our family, but we negotiated it and made a successful move. In the meantime by late September/ I could no longer cope with the expense and time demands of trying to grow the business, so i put it aside for a few weeks to try and focus on getting the move done. However I did take on board some good ideas from the business course that I dropped out of and incorporated them into my business ideas. Interest from a few people has failed to develop into any income at all as yet, and I am yet to spend more than about $20 (facebook Ads) on advertising. However the facebook page has generated about 85 likes, including about half from people I don't know well, and I think many people have enjoyed seeing the information that TTT has shared. For sure I have enjoyed discovering it, and sharing it.  So I think there is big scope for development, but it is so hard to do anything with income so tight, and so many debts piling up.

So the business idea remains, but the progress I envisaged has stalled due to lack of income from any source, and the emotional, social, and logistical toll of trying to carry on has been significant. 

For the first time since my first road marathon in 2004 I have not raced a road marathon in 2017, and my favourite race the Melbourne Marathon has not been visited by me this year, after being there every year since my first time there in 2007. My weight has ballooned to around 88kg, and still no success on what seems to be a very hopeless job front for me. One position I applied for had 450 applicants I learned. I made the top 30 but couldn't snare one of the 9 positions available. That seems to be the pattern. About 500 applicants for every job going that I am suiteed to, and little probability of any change or progress. 

I remain determined to try and get back to UTA 2018, however its a massive challenge, and I need to reverse this decline significantly. Its hard to see good ways forward at the moment. There is certainly things to do but everything seems so hard. 

KOM 16km JJ 21km and Truth 50km to get racing again

Was hard to saddle up again after the disappointment of UTA 100km DNF, and all the financial obstacles that presented post UTA but I eventually did.

Pre-race at Jolly Jumbuck 21km. Nervous as I knew it was going to be a good challenge and test of where I was at.

My renaissance began on the 2nd July with the WA Marathon Club King of the Mountain 16km race which I had been keen to have a shot at for many years.
Was an excellent morning on the trails and roads alongside the Helena River to Fred Jacoby park near Mundaring Weir. An amazing historic part of Perth hills. I had the strong start as per usual keeping the leaders in sight, and then settled into the plod along the trails and being passed by many. Was able to run ok though and get it done in well under 1 hour 50min.  The river didn't have much water in it this time, so my feet stayed dry. Great race with a long climb at the end.  Lots of food at the finish and a fire to warm things up.

The Start/Finish for Jumbuck at the State Equestrian Centre. Cool venue!

My next race on July 16th was a Perth Trail Series race called Jolly Jumbuck at the state Equestrian centre near bells Rapids where the Avon Descent whitewater river paddling race goes annually, which was making its debut. I did the long course 21km, and put some distance between me and the rest of the field as we ran across the equestrian area and out onto the riverside trails. Couldn't sustain that, so trailblazing duties done, I settled into enjoying the riverside trails challenges before and after Bells Rapids. After about 4km we hit "Merinos" a tough singletrack ascent with 203m of vertical elevation gain, which is about as hard as it gets on the Darling Scarp hills near Perth. Then it was the panoramic views to the coastal plains below near where the wild goats often roam. A steep descent after wondrous Walyunga vista views, trails through the centuries old Aboriginal Yams gardens, and then some tricky riverside singletrack. Then it was up Merinos again, and onto a long singletrack descent on the western side of Jumbuck hill, some switchbacks and then back across the Bells rapids bridge to where we started. I was rather tired by the end of this 2 hours 54minutes of trails treasures attack. Excellent racing and back in my happy place racingwise... Nice to be part of the first Jumbuck race and caught up with many friends pre and post race.

Next race was the Truth and consequences 50km on 6th August in historic Jarrahdale which I have had 2 previous attempts at. My first attempt in 2015 I finished outside the 8hrs 30min cutoff with 8.49 after damaging my ankle severely 14km into it. Last year I was too sick to run and after about 4 hours of trying to deal with a very snotty nose I DNFed at 25km. Was keen to get this one right this year.

Walking up the start of the Three Steps ascent in the Truth 50km. Thanks to Brady photography.

I'm on far left of picture chasing Bason and Gould two top notch runners early on in Truth 50km.

Sadly I had stacked on the weight a bit to 85kg by now with not much training, and also was a bit sick again. The first 2km was good, and the rest was a bit ordinary for me, just wasn't running with a lot of energy, and my ascents were even slower than normal. However I was able to find some good rhythm coming down to the Serpentine river on the first 25km lap and seeing a few people I know on course was good inspiration to stick at it. Hoped it wouldn't be a repeat of last year but I felt better, and with a conservative racing strategy and a many hours of nervousness wondering if I would make it in time I managed to finish it in 8 hours 22min 59 seconds with 7minutes to spare.  Really glad to tick off a tough race...