240 kilometres with Michaela McDonald

Running Things

This week on the show Riley speaks to Sydney based ultrarunner Michaela McDonald, ahead of this week’s ‘Coast 2 Kosci’ – a 240km ultramarathon finishing at Mt Kosciuzsko. Michaela is an experienced ultrarunner but this will be her first time tackling this event, and we get the rundown on what it’s like to train and prepare for something so monumental.

We talk through nutrition plans for the race, which Michaela expects to take around 30 hours (give or take) – as well as real food, Michaela is packing 60 to 70 gels – surely enough to dint even the strongest of iron stomachs.

Ultra races can seem daunting – with good reason – but Michaela shares her plan for getting through the distance, and it’s similar to any other race distance – breaking up the race into manageable chunks, worrying only about the chunk you’re in. It’s good advice for anyone, whether you’re an experienced road runner or new to the sport entirely.

The Coast 2 Kosci is a very grassroots event – this year will see just 49 entrants on the start line, and it relies heavily on local community support. It’s one of the things that generally makes ultra running in Australia so good – the sense of community and camaraderie. And while the Coast 2 Kosci typically flies under the radar, this year the TEMPO team will be there to document Michaela’s race and shine a light on one of the longest races anywhere in Australia.

Links

Watch Running Things on YouTube
Michaela McDonald on Instagram
Coast 2 Kosci
Riley Wolff on Instagram
Tempo Journal on Instagram
tempojournal.com