The 21st Self-Transcendence 24 Hour Festival of Running 2004: A Report by Wim Michiels

24 Hour Running, you said?
The first time I heard about this kind of ultra-running event, I just could not believe it. 24 hours running… In fact, this festival features a 6- and 12-hour run as well, and even that sounded extraordinary to me. Why would people do this? Is a marathon not far enough? Then last year I happened to be in Adelaide when a good friend, Dirk Thys, participated in the 24-hour event. So I joined him as “support crew” and saw with my own eyes that this indeed does exist. And more than that, people do finish this race, some run more than 100 miles, even more than 200 km. Impressed! But I also started to understand what triggers these athletes – I’ll get back to that.

During that festival in 2003, I joined a team of Dirk’s friends in a 12-hour relay team, to support Dirk’s 24-hour endeavour. We were 6 in a team, so only 2 hours running each and we could switch as often as we wanted. That is actually how I got into running…

October 16-17th 2004, Adelaide, Australia: the 2004 version of this event, and I had decided to go this time for the 6-hour run along with Dirk. What follows below is my experience, and a report of the “festival”.

6 Hours, Big?
Ultra-running is often in fact a combination of running and walking – especially for beginners like me, even for a 6-hour run. For the ones that saw me walking the last couple of weeks during the Sunday runs: that was not without a purpose… I decided to apply a run/walk strategy for my 6-hour run. 6 laps (each lap is 400 m) run, 1 lap walk. During the walk you can refuel – which was absolutely necessary under a hot and dry Adelaide sun. And yes, a run/walk approach also needs to be trained well.

I was not worried about the first 3 to 4 hours of the run, and indeed it all went well. I was perfectly into the planned rhythm, doing an average of just above 9 km per hour. This lasted for nearly 4 hours, but then the going started to get tough. Dirk had warned me: there will be a moment that you just want to sit down and forget about it; battle through it and things will get better. Well, the moment came, I battled, and I overcame. After 4.5 hours of running, I was back alive. I did my marathon a bit slower than planned due to the “dip”, 4h50’. To reach my 50 km target, there were then still 70’ left for 8 km and the legs felt good enough. So: let’s go for it!

And I did go for it. I decided to make as little walking breaks as possible until I reached The Magic 50 km. It worked. With 6 laps to go I started to realise I would really make it, and it gave me a feeling of utter satisfaction I can not describe. In fact, it further strengthened me too. The evening before, I had joked that I would reach 52.7 km. Now in fact I could still reach 51.7 km (same same but different), if I went all the way. So I did. And I reached 51.691 km, after 6 beautiful hours of running!

There are 2 other factors involved in such a race: sufficient training (and I was lucky to have Dirk as a first-class “coach”, thanks Dirk!) and crew. Training makes your wife go crazy because you get up well before dawn on these long-run Sunday mornings. Your crew takes care of you during your tough race, and it makes a big difference. This did luckily not make my wife (Ellen) go crazy and she did an excellent crew-job for both Dirk and me during these 6 long hours. Thank you for your support Ellen, twice!

My pal Dirk did not have the chance for a lot of training in the months preceding the race however. Yet he managed to give it a good start, slowed down after 3 hours, but reached a distance of 56.867 km with which he won this race. The positive message from this experience is: training does indeed make a big difference. With a proper training, Dirk could have run between 64 and 66 km!

So now: what is the reason for embarking in this kind of crazy challenge? It is a matter of going beyond what you thought was possible, of exploring your limits and stretching them. Mind above body. You obviously need to be fit, but only focus and determination can get you through such a thriller. And that is what it is all about.
Furthermore, ultra-runs are competitive, but nevertheless participants help and motivate each other. It is not all about winning; it is about conquering yourself and helping others to do the same. Being on the track, colleague runners will continuously cheer you up: “keep going, mate!”. If that means that in the end you will beat them: no worries!

We were 9 participants in the 6-hour run, and all finished. And oh yes, a “detail”: number 2 finisher, Shirley Young, was a senior runner of 74 years old! She has been doing ultra-runs for many years and has broken a multitude of world records in various distances and age groups… I could not keep up with her!

12 Hour, Bigger.
So that was my own little story. If you think that 6 hours is crazy, read on: there was more. A few hours before the 6-hour departure, a group of 5 started the 12-hour run. I mentioned Shirley Young above. Well, with my 35 years I was the second youngest in the 6-hour field – after Dirk who is 34. In the 12-hour run, the average age was 60! It comes as no surprise that ultra-running is typically practised by seasoned runners, with the necessary mental power and experience.

To confirm this statement: the 12-hour run was won by Peter Lahiff, age: 69, with a distance of 102.433 km. While doing so, he broke a new Australian track record both in the 100 km and the 12-hour run in his age group. Again, all 5 runners finished, and the minimum distance covered was 73 km. Who says ultra-running is impossible?

24 Hour, Biggest!
If you think that 12 hours is crazy, read on: there was more. A group of 16 runners participated in the 24-hour race. While 6- and 12-hour runs are true challenges and real ultra-running, 24 hours is – what shall I say – more. Much more.

Now imagine. People have been running around the track for all these hours. They have gone through very difficult periods, they have battled themselves through this for hours on end. After 23.5 hours into the race, we came back to the track to witness the finish. One of the runners, David Billett, was running as if he had just started! What appeared to be the reason: he was catching up with another runner, David Jones. Both Davids gave a wonderful “show”, serious but still with a smile, and in the end David Billett won this battle with a difference of… 78 meters! After 24 hours of running, imagine! Distance covered by both Davids: nearly 167 km.

Don’t stop reading. There are so many other fascinating facts. Winner of the event was Mick Francis, with a staggering 221.323 km. He therewith extends his title as the Australian 24-hour Champion. 10 out of 16 (!) participants ran more than 100 miles – a magical distance for ultra-runners. One participant actually walked 100 miles, another extreme performance (no running at all, this means an average walking speed of 6.7 km/h during 24 hours). The oldest participant, Stan Miskin, has reached the fantastic age of 79 years and is still eagerly participating in ultra-events – and was not happy with his performance of 105 km. The youngest participant of the whole festival with 23 years, Felicity Joyce became Women’s 24-Hour Champion with 171.543 km. 2 runners had to stop in this race: one suffered from severe dehydration, the other one accompanied him to the hospital! ALL the others finished the race.

Seeing these people finish such a tough race with a fantastic smile on their face which says “yes, I did it!”, congratulating each other: that is what it’s all about.

A well-earned rest!

Yes, there is MORE!
If you think that 24-hour running is crazy: there is more. We were introduced to a runner who recently finished a 3,100 mile race; in 55 days. The number 2 of the 24-hour race, John Reidy, is getting prepared to participate in a deca-triathlon. Yes indeed, this means 10 triathlons. At once, that is: 24 mile swim, 1120 mile bike, 262 mile run (non-stop!). This race takes around 8 days to complete. He saw the 24-hour race as a “training”. Cheers! And these are just a few examples, because there is much more out there.
Oh yes, a Danish guy called Jesper Olsen is currently running around the world. It's called Project World Run and he wants to cover 26,000 km on 5 continents in less than 2 years.

Why? Well, breaking barriers. Discovering yourself. Achieving the unachievable.

And in Malaysia?
The 24-hour running festival in Adelaide was organised by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team organises high quality ultra-distance runs around the world – but not in Malaysia (or the region as a matter of fact).

As far as I know, no ultra-marathons are available in Malaysia. Surely the hot and steamy weather is partially responsible for this. Although, not too long ago, I read an article in the paper about an athlete who was setting out on a 47-day journey throughout Malaysia, covering 2004 km, ending on August 31. Merdeka Day, 47 years Independence, in 2004. Did she make it?

A new opportunity for the Pacesetters? Any candidates? I might consider to participate…

Wim Michiels
October 2004