How you can improvise under duress

My goal was to attempt the 138km Cape to Cape trail in under 24 hours. With 40kms to go I was on track to beating the standing female record of 22h 52m 25s. As night drew near, I went to pull out my head torch, a mission-critical item needed to complete the run by night. It was missing. I searched again. My torch was gone.

I was attempting the run, unsupported, which means I was to receive no external support and obtain my water from natural sources along the way. From the start I had to carry all of the supplies that I would need for the duration of the run. This included any food, clothing, medical supplies & emergency equipment that I deemed necessary.

In my preparation, I recce'd the entire course, studied the maps, spoke to people who had run and hiked the trail and made a plan for my pace, nutrition and fluid intake. On the start line I was carrying 5000 calories of liquid & gel nutrition in my pack and in the pockets of my shorts.

Equally, if not more important, was the recognition that I would need to draw from the mental strength I've gained through a challenging year. After spending more than 100 days in Victoria’s stage-four lockdown and two weeks in quarantine in Perth with my husband and son, I had a short and unconventional build-up for a project of this magnitude. To mitigate that weakness, I prepared myself to tap into that mental reserve. I truly believe we can turn hardship from one circumstance into inner strength to endure in other areas of our lives, this was a new chance to put that concept to the test.

With a decade of experiences in ultra-running, completing expeditions in harsh environments around the globe and embarking on the greatest adventure of all time ‘motherhood’ - I’ve honed the application of being realistically optimistic and applying adaptability and gratitude when things don’t go to plan. Doing the Cape to Cape unsupported was a new experience for me, and this would be an opportunity to grow.

Over the past few years, I've tackled some epic endurance projects. These include a 77 day run across India in partnership with World Vision, exploring the barriers to quality education for women and girls. I completed Bear Grylls' World's Toughest Race - a 700km nonstop adventure race in Fiji. I also took part in a 6-person non-stop relay run from Adelaide to Melbourne, raising funds for men's mental health programs. In all of these endurance feats I had team mates or support teams. The power of that safety net allows you to lean on others in the dark moments and you can balance out individual strengths and weaknesses.

Doing the Cape to Cape unsupported was a new experience for me. It takes a specific type of mentality to deal with solitude and realise that the buck stops with you.

After spending more than 100 days in Victoria’s stage-four lockdown and two weeks in quarantine in Perth with my husband and son, I had a short and unconventional build-up to the Cape to Cape. Taking the silver lining out of an unpredictable year, is that you learn to make the most out of an opportunity - you don't agonise decisions, rather you hone in your commitment and make the most out of it.

Completing WA’s Cape to Cape without stopping is a challenging adventure. Most people take six days to walk the trail, and it is incredibly rare to move without resistance over the arduous terrain. There are no easy kilometres, which means you earn every step you take.  The soft sand is relentless and uneven. There are two 6km-plus stretches of sand before you reach the 30km mark. Then you still have over 100km to go and your legs are already feeling heavy and worked. The rocks can be cumbersome and sharp and at time I was using my hands to climb up some of the steep sand dunes. 

 Although the trail is marked there are several ambiguous sections, so an unsupported run requires you to follow your maps closely, which adds to the mental fatigue. After a solid 12 hours on the trail, with the usual hiccups of fatiguing legs, things start things started to fray in the final sections of the run.

With a scattered mind after banking 90kms, I missed one of the few opportunities to refill my water. It resulted in severe dehydration and left me slogging out the final 40kms in discomfort. 

Most critically was leaving my head torch behind. Not having a light to shine the way on a technical and navigation-dependant trail was a show-stopper. With my mind on overdrive trying to work out how I was going to get through this, I realised my best option was to use the light from my mobile phone.

I pulled out my mobile phone, using it like a torch. I carefully shuffled the last 30kms, holding it low like I was looking for my dropped car keys the whole way home. I was grateful and relieved that I packed and carried the whole way a portable charger.

I collapsed into the arms of my crew, and husband, at the top of the lighthouse. I was done. I had broken the record.

20 hours 47 minutes from when I started at Cape Leeuwin lighthouse, I collapsed into the arms of my husband at the top of the lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste. I was done.

Summary

I love the Cape to Cape because of its exposing and wild nature. Here you can’t help but understand more about yourself. It wasn’t smooth, these endeavours rarely are, but a little time to pause and the power of grit, your capacity to problem solve can shine the next best plan.

Thank you to Andrew Bates who currently holds the male unsupported FKT of 20 hrs 4 mins (September 2020). He went above and beyond to provided me with endless support in the lead up.

Next up

With borders permitting, I will be heading out to Tasmania in January. Tackling an adventure in support of the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s mental health and wellbeing programs for rural and regional Australians.