Beyond the Wall
There's something within some people that strives for more, a spirit that wants to push the boundaries of what they're capable of and what we think is possible. Local school principal and ultra-marathon runner Michael Bray is one such person.
Photography supplied: ©Cape Wrath Ultra® | No Limits Photography
Published: 11 July 2023
Written by: Sam Kirby
It’s 4am – and the alarm goes off, and unlike myself, who on more than one occasion has found themselves panic-ly, fumbling in the dark for their phone, a sinking realisation that I was probably meant to do something important at 4.00pm the afternoon before – this is intentional – and Michael Bray pulls himself from bed to get ready to train. He needs to be out the door by 4:30 if he is to fit in a 20km run before the rest of the family wakes and he heads off to work.
Normally, Mike would train alone, but in an act of true journalistic sacrifice, this morning I decided to join him on a run - it’s lightly raining and only 8 degrees - enough to make me regret any earlier decision that this seemed like a perfectly reasonable idea.
Thankfully, I would not be running the full 20km; as only a relatively recent running dilettante myself, that would be almost double my longest run to date.
Yet for Mike, this was something he does up to six times a week (twice on some days), and only a fraction of the 100 mile / 168 km competitive races he is accustomed to, with his recent and biggest run to date, the 400km Ultra Marathon Cape Wrath where he placed 9th.
No no, my plan would be to join Mike for the first few kilometres, before “regrouping” (that’s writer code for trying-to-play-it-cool-by-not-dying-within-eyesight, and waiting somewhere nearby, cup of coffee in hand, to ask far too many questions about what makes this competitive ultra-trail/ultra-marathon runner and local school Principal tick.
First things first, a little about ultra-marathons. Ultra-marathons or ultra-trails, refer to a form of long-distance running that goes far beyond the standard marathon distance of 42km (for those among us who have ever run a marathon and wished it wasn't over so quickly).
Most are single-day events (don't let that fool you) varying in length from your standard 50km, 100km and 100mile (168km) races - think literally running for 20 plus hours straight.
Others, like the intense 400km Cape Wrath route, are multi-day behemoths, requiring participants to camp in tents and run just shy of ten back-to-back marathons - in this case, across the wild terrain of the Scottish fjords and highlands (historically not known for their calm and sunny weather), self navigating, and with only intermittent trails or existing infrastructure to guide you.
Sounds pretty epic right?
Photography: Kyle Pasalskyj
For Mike, his journey into "ultra's" was a roundabout one; and certainly not something he'd ever thought about until his late 30's.
"I was actually an amateur triathlete and cyclist" he explains.
"Nothing spectacular, but I did 'ok' and had had a little success at the club level, enough that that was how I saw myself.
In 2002, my wife and I moved to London as teachers, and I had no bike, so I started to run 'just to keep fit', fully intending on getting back on the bike as soon as we returned to Australia.
...but, by the time we came back...I was already bitten by the marathon bug!"
Fast forward 15 years of marathoning, slowly improving my times and ticking off some bucket list races like the Boston Marathon, I had a bit of a crisis wondering what was next?
That's when I discovered the world of ultra-running, particularly trail-ultras and switched my focus from fast, to far." (Editors note: Mike and I clearly have a different opinion of what still constitutes as 'fast').
From there I haven't really looked back, culminating in this year with what could be the biggest year of my life on a running level, first Cape Wrath, and then the big dance in September, UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc) which is the Superbowl, the Tour de France, and the FA cup of the ultra trail world all in one (171km and 10,000m of elevation gain through the French, Italian and Swiss Alps; you have to both qualify and then be selected via lottery to participate) - it's definitely a dream come true."
Asked what motivates him to undertake such intense challenges?
"100% it's passion", he says. "It has to be in any endurance sport. External motivation can only get you so far, it absolutely has to be an internal drive.
For me, doing the hard stuff, finding the discipline, and pursuing something I love [while being surrounded by some of the most incredible, pristine and remote locations around Australia and the world], it's incredibly satisfying.
At the end of the day, unless you love what you do: the challenge, the reward for effort, achieving things that seem impossible - it won't get you through it when it starts to hurt... and it WILL hurt.
It may be a little more obvious with doing what I do, but inevitably, I think to pursue anything you are passionate about will at some point require a level of discomfort and sacrifice to step out and go to that next level.
In the ultra environment, it's this constant battle of mind, body and willpower. I know that sounds obvious, but physically, being awake, on your feet and moving for up to 24 hours is exhausting (the feeling of being almost asleep while your body is still running is bizarre), and mentally, it's just a whole different game. Training for these events is a six month process, and there's plenty of lost sleep, muscle pain and not eating pastries that goes into it.
Every race is different of course, but they are all physically exhausting, and a roller coaster ride of emotion - exhilaration/grind/despair/grind/despair/grind/exhilaration/ relief/pride (note, the elusive runner’s high is a real thing and there's moments this wave of pure joy sweeps over you, and despite the hurt, and you feel you could run forever). But inevitably there comes a point where you feel like you can't keep going. You will hit the wall and either decide to give up or find a way through.
On more than one occasion I've hit the 80km mark and thought "there is no way I can manage another 20km of this!". Then I'll come into a crew point, see my family, get some calories onboard (calories solve almost all problems), and regroup and push through.
What I learned is that low points can always be worked through (a lot like life really). This has helped me in so many races thereafter when the wheels are falling off and I want to throw it all in. It can (and usually does) get better! (I still throw the occasional pity party for myself late in a race though). But when things are falling apart in a race or the inevitable lows hit 10 hours into an ultra, I’ll remind myself that I have been here before…and got through it. "
The other big motivator for Mike is his family.
"My family are incredible and honestly, I couldn't, and wouldn't want to do it without them.
The fact that my family are on board, and not only do they not complain, they (pretend at least) to enjoy it. Some races take up to 30 hours and that is a long time to be driving, waiting, only to see your runner for 30 seconds, but we make it a real family affair (it often helps that races are in pretty awesome destinations!). In reality they are my biggest cheer squad, and the grace, tolerance and support they give me. . . well, they're amazing. "
There's something to be said about community also, and Mike explains how lucky to be surrounded by some incredible communities and people.
"From a sporting perspective, the ultra community is next level and you’d be surprised how many ultra-runners there are in the Toowoomba area.
©Cape Wrath Ultra® | No Limits Photography
We tend to fly under the radar, but we are well represented at a lot of the big races and there are more and more locals stepping up. Having a trail network like Jubilee-Redwood-Picnic Point on our doorstep certainly helps.
I think racing these sort of crazy distances is a great leveller. It doesn’t matter how fast you are, everyone suffers, everyone knows that finishing isn’t guaranteed. That creates an incredible camaraderie. Races like Cape Wrath were there's 160+ participants and we're all camping together at night, there's a sense of we're in this together."
So, what's next for Mike?
"Coming off the back of Cape Wrath, celebrating the achievement is really healthy. Honestly I need to get better at this, I often achieve a big scary goal and immediately think, “What’s next?”, but I've learnt just how important this is.
Taking a rest is also so critical to injury prevention and sustainable training, so a few weeks off - that and a bakery binge usually hits the spot!... not too much though, as September and Mont Blanc will be here before we know it. "
On any lasting advice?
"Ultra running has taught me that you can handle way, way more that what you think. Our brains constantly look for the easy way out. That isn’t always helpful. I think my tolerance for adversity and fatigue have certainly been helped by my endurance pursuits. We live lives now where many of us can avoid hard stuff pretty easily. I think signing up for silly-long races actually gives me the opportunity to prove to myself that I can do hard things.
So, do hard stuff! It doesn’t have to be running or even exercise. Find things that challenge you and excite you and figure it out, practise, learn. I believe we have capacity far beyond what we think we do, but so often we don’t discover it because we are never tested. There is so much human potential that is never realised."
...Oh and if you are interested in ultra-running, don't jump in and try and do crazy distances straight away. Join a local running club like Park-Run, G.O. Run Club, Neeps, or several others in the region. Find some friends to keep you accountable, and slowly build up over time to avoid injury. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint.
Hungry now?
What are some of your achievements you are most proud of?
Honestly, I’m probably most proud of the fact that at some point I was brave enough to give this a go. It would have been so easy to put it in the ‘too hard’ basket, but by giving it a go I’ve discovered a whole new world of challenge and adventure.
My first 100 mile race – Tarrawarra, New Zealand. 168km in under 24 hours.
3rd place at Australian Ultra Runners Association National 100km championships.
2nd place at the Noosa Ultra-trail 80km this year.
9th place at the Cape Wrath Ultra - this was by far the longest race I've ever run.
I’m in my mid-forties and I’m often still placing at the front of the pack. There is a real satisfaction that comes from outperforming guys half your age! Ultra running is a sport that rewards patience and consistency and so a lot of older athletes still carve it up.
What has been a high and what has been a low?
High – crossing the fish line of Ultra-Trail Australia with my 3 kids running beside me hand-in-hand. It was a beautiful moment that I will never forget.
Low - Pulling the pin on a couple of races, but they are learning experiences for sure. In fact anything I could list here (I’ve had a couple of epic stacks, injuries, etc) I don’t consider lows because they’ve helped me grow as a person and an athlete.
©Cape Wrath Ultra® | No Limits Photography
