Sports ~ 100 Km GOW Ultra Trail Marathon. People that inspire us every day interview.

YOU RUN HOW FAR ? ~ INTERVIEW

Sports Special ~ ULTRA MARATHON RUNNERS *Inspirational people that inspire every day*

BRETT MORRISON – Performance & Business Coach, The Leadership Sensei Business Lecturer and Trainer

Seriously, you ran how far?

When this Clarke Kent strips off his suit at night it’s easy to see the metamorphosis into Superman as he goes about his vigorous training schedule. Brett has transformed the lives of many people on a regular basis transforming them and their corporations to be the best they can be. Here I take a sneek peek into this superman’s journey and immerse myself into his world of ultra marathons to get some idea how he does it.

100km trail run means that you may be running continuously anywhere between 10-18 hours. Running a 100km trail run isn’t an ordinary feat . It’s one reserved for supermen/women. I have observed you running over sand for km’s, inclining the tallest cliffs in Australia, the Gables, through forests, rivers and desert exposed to weather conditions that are unpredictable.

Qu 1. What motivates you to run so far? ANS~ My first running event was the Melbourne marathon in 2012. Initially it was the challenge of completing a marathon as only about 1% of people ever finish one. After that though, the idea of seeing just how far I could go seemed like the next logical progression. The whole concept of knowing your limits is interesting because you can't really know your limits until you hit one and then push through to see what happens. The US Navy SEALs have a saying that when your mind says you are done, you are really only about 40% done. Every ultra marathon I finish provides further evidence to myself, of just what I can achieve if I only choose to...

I have observed many great athletes and marathon runners that are knocked around either physically, or are exhausted mentally and emotionally understandably. There are others such as the both of you, that seem to run on ever ready batteries without a sign of redness or sweat, no grimace on face, no injuries coming into pit stop, only a grin on the face.

QU 2 ~ Do you ever hit a wall mentally, physically or emotionally? What skills have you mastered to get past this challenge? Do these skills that you have masteredvia exposure to such physically, mentally and emotionally grueling days transfer to everyday life?

ANS ~ Well I'm not sure about that so much. I do suffer out on the trail on the long runs. I have hit the wall on occasion. But the great thing about walls is they normally have a door in them. The challenge is to be able step back, assess the challenge, and find the doorway through to the other side. I've finished a run with a broken foot, yet still managed to finish. One run I had to stop and rest for a long period to regroup my energy and mindset before going on to complete it. Many people thought I was done, but I knew I wasn't. The body had run out of fuel so I gave it the opportunity to get back on track before going again. Running ultras, as is achieving anything in life, is mostly about mindset. I have worked with many people as a Life and Business Coach, and when someone REALLY wants to achieve something, then nothing gets in the way. For me, this is about discipline. I know it's not sexy or even fun sometimes. I know I'll finish the races I enter because I know I've paid the entry fee through discipline. I've done the hard miles in training. Running in the cold, the wet, on weekends when it would have been so much more fun to do something else. Running an ultra is a metaphor for life. There are no short cuts to success. Finishing a long run, or creating life changing strategies, is not easy, but they all start with a choice. And that is where our real power lies.

Qu 3 ~Do you have any specific food intake requirements before, during or after the race to keep your endurance functioning optimally? ANS~

I'm not the fastest runner out there so when I do an ultra I need plenty of fuel. I eat a mostly plant based diet and feel great for it. I don't change my diet leading up to a race and that works for me. During the race I eat energy balls and bananas primarily. I will also eat the odd muesli bar. I carry some chocolate with me for emergencies in case my blood sugars drop too low which has happened when I forgot to eat regularly. I hydrate with a combination of an electrolyte drink and straight water. I try to keep it as natural and clean as possible.

Brett Morrison can be contacted in the following ways: Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/theleadershipsensei Email: brett.morrison1@gmail.com