I Invented My Own Trail Running Challenge That’s Twice as Fun as an FKT

Despite never being able to break beyond a slow jog, Explorer Em dreamed of claiming the fastest known times for Australia’s most loved trails. That is, until she came up with a challenge that could be completed by mere mortals – the Half as Fast. Here’s how her first attempt went down.

We Are Explorers acknowledges this adventure took place on the lands of the Wiilman People of the Noongar Nation. We acknowledge that Traditional Owners have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and inhabitants of this area for thousands of years and pay our respects to their elders past and present. Sovereignty was never ceded.

I’ve always loved running. The rhythmic pounding on the footpath, the quiet mind, the post-run euphoria. It truly is a sport like no other.

My love for running has only ever been matched by one thing – my competitive spirit. This delightful combination means I’m the person who let a half marathon become their personality for the better part of a year. It also means I have an unusual obsession with Fastest Known Times (FKTs).

An FKT is exactly what it says on the tin – the fastest time recorded for a route or trail. The simplicity of the challenge has me hooked, and sees me keeping up with FKT attempts and daydreaming about crossing the finish line in my own bid for glory.

My fiery ambition and enthusiastic commitment mean I am mentally ready for the challenge. But, physically it’s a different story – some cruel trick of the fates saw me born with no actual running talent.

Read more: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To Trail Running

Yew thanks genetics!

A combination of bad asthma and short legs means my running style better resembles a baby elephant standing up for the first time than a gazelle springing across the savannah. Where others gain momentum, I’m left gasping for air while never breaking beyond a slow jog.

This dynamic hit home recently when a friend – very new to running – joyfully shared a recent 5km effort that was much faster than anything I’ve ever recorded.

While being back of the pack has been disheartening at times, I recently found my people in a dusty Fremantle bookstore. Lisa Jackson’s Your Pace or Mine had me giggling over her escapades running some of the world’s biggest marathons, rather slowly, and in fancy dress. She described the joy of going slow, the power of good company, and the delight of doing something for your own enjoyment.

And so, from the tension between ambition and inability, the Half as Fast was born.

The Idea

What’s a Half as Fast you say? Well, simply take your favourite route, find the fastest recorded time and double it.

The opportunities are endless. You’ve now got 7 hours and 57 minutes to cover the 30km Light to Light Walk. A whole 5 hours and 14 minutes for the 26km Royal National Park Coast Track! How about Tasmania’s Overland Track? Get moving, you have 14 hours and 50 minutes.

Okay the last one is pretty fast, but you get the gist. Suddenly an FKT becomes something you can plausibly do. Like, right now.

Very glad to slowly descend this hill on purpose

The Test

While the idea was genius, in reality I had questions (for myself). It was clear I needed a test case.

Firstly, I had to recruit a co-pilot, someone committed to the cause and who’d keep the vibes high. Luckily my partner Liam was up for the challenge.

Dream team

As a veteran ultramarathon runner, he was guaranteed to make the distance and, importantly, with no asthma and exceedingly long legs, he could be the team’s gazelle.

Secondly, I needed a route. Enter the Wiilman Bilya Trail, an 87km track in Collie, WA. While long, the trail is perfect – easy to get to, relatively flat, and has several car accessible areas for food drops or emergency pick ups. With the current record sitting at 9 hours, 22 minutes and 59 seconds, my goal would be 18 hours 45 minutes and 58 seconds.

How hard could it possibly be?

The Result

Turns out, both quite hard and quite achievable.

We headed to Collie the afternoon before our Half as Fast to drop food and water along the track. We’d previously scoured maps and made plans to only carry about 30km worth of food at a time. Being out for 18 hours meant we’d need a lot of calories!

After all food drops were complete, I found myself in our van brimming with nerves and excitement.

The night before the challenge

Mostly, I was concerned about how my body would hold up. A few months earlier my baby elephant run style saw me trip over absolutely nothing and tear a few ligaments in my ankle.

The next morning just before sunrise we were off! The Half as Fast had begun.

Having only run 21km before, I knew I’d need to walk most of the track. Luckily our goal time allowed for that – we had to cover 5km per hour. We started out with walk/run intervals of three minutes on and three minutes off and planned to adapt our pace as needed.

The walk/run intervals worked well for the first 35km, allowing us to make good progress but not so fast that I got tired. But, at the 35km mark my ankle started to raise its head. It was time to change the approach.

Aaaaand that’s enough running for now

We were back to walking full time, and while this was very achievable, it was slow. Very slow. To help pass the time we played games, listened to podcasts, and dreamt about our next resupply box where we could stuff ourselves with chips, jelly beans, and muesli bars.

Read more: LISTEN: We Ask the Trail Run Physio Nat Gallant How to Avoid Injuries and Keep Running Strong

Near the 70km mark, I had a terrifying realisation – I’d forgotten a towel. My dreams of finishing the track and rolling into a shower quickly vanished. And so did my motivation. I wasn’t up for drying myself with a sweaty run t-shirt.

As I sat there tired, on the verge of tears, and listing other items that could possibly substitute a towel, Liam reached into his bag. As he pulled out a chocolate bar, and in complete seriousness whispered, ‘For emergencies’, the absolute absurdity of the situation hit me.

Not today thank you – we were in this until the end.

Powered by chips, chocolate, and chat, we wobbled back into Collie River Valley Tourist Park only 16 hours and 35 minutes after we started. We’d done it!

That’s a wrap!

The Learnings

Lying in bed that night, I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. What started as a silly adventure turned into a bigger moment of self discovery. Beyond the practical hints of ‘remember chafe cream’ and ‘use every camp toilet on route’, I was left with three takeaways.

Going slowly creates space for joy, if you remain in the moment

Throughout the Half As Fast, whenever I let my mind wander to our overall remaining time and distance, it got harder. Time seemed to move slower and I became overwhelmed with the remaining effort. Letting go of expectations was key to accessing the joys of going slow.

Embracing slowness rewards you with the finer details of your surroundings

Once I did this, I became more in tune with my surroundings and began noticing patterns in trees or unusual birds. Focusing on my surroundings allowed me to experience the ecosystem, rather than just pass through it.

Read more: Why I’m Trying to Walk More Slowly

The conditions are never perfect, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try

There were a lot of things that made this adventure seem too hard. My ankle was still recovering, I didn’t have any annual leave, and I might not have made the distance.

Taking on this track as a Half as Fast helped reframe the adventure as a personal challenge rather than a perfect outdoor escape. Who cares if I couldn’t make it? The point was to give it a go.

Enjoyment >>> conquering

Allowing things to be ‘good enough’ meant I saw over 80km of beautiful bushland and completed my first ultra-marathon.

If I’d waited until I was fast enough to make the FKT, or until I had enough time to do it as a multiday hike, I guarantee we’d still be waiting.

Once you’re out there, do it your way

Once you’re on track, shift the focus to having a good time. I mean, it isn’t like we’re breaking records are we?

For me, this looked like hailing a taxi for the last 7km. My body hurt, it was dark, and a bull ant bit me – twice. I was done. We found reception and called the local taxi service for a ride back to town. While I was worried that I’d regret not finishing the track, a few weeks out I’m still chuffed with my 80km effort and see the taxi ride as a well-spent $30.

So stoked with my efforts

All in all, the world’s first Half of Fast was a big success. Not only did it give me the confidence to enter a real running race, but it finally broke my FKT obsession. Now, I am left daydreaming about going half as fast.

As for what’s next? The Yaberoo Budjara Heritage Trail is firmly in my sights – 30km in 5 hours, 35 minutes and 44 seconds? Easy.

So, get out there and give it a go. You never know, maybe going Half as Fast is just what you need to have twice the fun.

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