The ultimate
running motivation pill…
a night with Shane James and three WA Ultra Runners.
In 2015 the Kep Ultra has, for the first time ever,
appointed a race ambassador. Shane James will be coming over from Tasmania to
run the Kep 100km event. Shane James is an inspiration; he suffers from a rare,
often fatal, disease called Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS). He is beating the
disease through ultra running, running up to 400km per week, and taking part in
major events in Australia and overseas.
As part of the 2015 Kep experience we are hosting an ultra
running information and video night on the Friday before the race, May 29, at
7:00pm at a location near central Perth. A number of WA’s more experienced
ultra runners will be discussing a number of topics that should be of great
interest to those running the Kep Ultra, members of the general running
community, and those just wanting a good dose of motivation and inspiration.
The cost is $30 per ticket, and all profits go to Shane’s charity of choice,
one supporting children with rare diseases. The speakers are:
Karen Hagan: Tips and
tricks for running your first 75km or 100km ultra
Karen Hagan is a local ultra runner, ultra mountain biker,
ultra swimmer and adventure racer, who readily admits she is a mid to back of
the pack finisher in most running events she enters. Karen’s first 75km race
was the 2012 Kep Ultra, which she finished in 9:49. In 2013 Karen returned to
Kep to finish her first 100km race, not only completing the event in 12:35, but
defeating all other women (and many of the men) to claim first female position.
Karen is uniquely qualified to speak about how to run your
first 75km or 100km race, and in her presentation will discuss how to prepare
mentally, beating the low spots, correct race nutrition and, most importantly,
how to have fun while running your first long ultra.
Rob Donkersloot: Strategies
for completing a 240km ultra
Rob Donkersloot is a serial ultra runner, having completed
six 6 Inch trail marathons, the 100km Kep Ultra twice, the Lantau 50km in Hong
Kong, as well as the North Face 100km race, and the Glasshouse 100 Miler in
Queensland.
Rob is obsessed with Australia’s longest single stage race,
the Coast to Kosciuszko, a 240km event from Eden in NSW to the top of
Australia’s highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko. He has twice crewed for runners
in the race, and in 2013 ran the event himself, finishing the inclement weather
course in just under 40 hours.
In December 2014 Rob crewed at C2K for Queenslander Mick
Thwaites, helping Mick to third position in under 28 hours. As such, he has
experienced both the pointy end, and the back of the pack in this amazing
endurance event. Rob will speak on how to prepare for an ultra-long event such
as Coast to Kosci, crewing tips and race strategies. Rob’s strategies can be applied to all ultra races, not just those of 240km in
distance.
Bernadette Benson:
Running the Bibbulmun Track in under 16 days
Bernadette Benson is a Canadian-born West Australian ultra
runner who, over the last five years, has been at the forefront of women’s ultra
running in Australia. She has represented both Canada and Australia at 24 Hour
World Championships, and is currently the Australian female record holder for
24 hours (238km), 100 mile and 200 km track.
Bernadette was also the first female at the Coast to
Kosciusko race (240km) in 2012, fourth at The North Face 100km that same year
and, two weeks after North Face, set the current 100km women’s record at The
Kep Ultra when she won that in 9:24.
Bernadette will speak about what many claim is her most impressive
performance of all, setting the fastest known time (male or female) for an end
to end of the Bibbulmun track: 1000km in less than 16 days. * subject to availability
Shane James: Kep
Ultra 2015 Race Ambassador
In 2006, Shane, a
native Tasmanian, discovered he had a broken back, the cause a mystery. At the
same time, he suddenly was racked with severe muscle spasms and seizures. Shane
endured a life of hell for 18 months until he was diagnosed with Stiff-Person
Syndrome (SPS). A rare neurological disorder with the features of an autoimmune
disease; there is no cure and no understanding of its origins.
Losing half his body weight, and sent to live a shortened
life in a wheelchair with pain meds by his side, one day Shane had an epiphany.
While struggling to walk along the beach near his home with the aid of a
walking stick he called "Lance," he would fight back. And fight back
he did. Trusting his intuition that learning to walk again, and then run, would
do more good than bad.
Working through immense pain, he broke through SPS barrier
after barrier, to the point that he decided to fulfill a life dream and run the
Boston Marathon. In 2011, he did it. In 2012, he did it again, this time
placing second in the mobility impaired division. Since then, he has run a PB
of 21:25 in a 100 miler.
Shane still runs through pain - what ultra runner doesn't? But,
in his case, the pain weakens SPS and at the finish line he feels more than an
endorphin rush. He feels victorious over SPS and extremely happy to have a
second chance at life.
Shane will talk about his unique relationship with ultra
running.
Finish: Panel Question
Session