Trail and ultra-marathon runner Kelley Hill has completed the Cape to Cape Track, running 124km in 3 days in the ultimate test of endurance! Cape to Cape Explorer Tours offer a tailor-made 3-day package for endurance athletes who are keen to run the equivalent of a marathon every day! It includes morning and afternoon transfers, coastal accommodation, delicious catering and all logistical support.
“Not everyone’s idea of a holiday!”
Kelley lives in Albany and does much of her training on the Bibbulmun Track. The 40-year-old also works as a pilates instructor. So keeping fit and healthy is in her blood. “I started running 10 years ago in Alice Springs. My friends were all mountain bike riders. And I was too frightened to be on a mountain bike, which meant that I learned to run downhill really fast. And it’s taken me about 10 years to build up enough fitness to run far,” she says. “I started racing two years ago. Half ultra-marathons and then the full ultra-marathon. With Covid, a lot of events were being cancelled so I thought I’d find something local to do. I’ve always wanted to do the Cape to Cape. But the opportunity to run it was really exciting. Not most people’s idea of a holiday! But it was also a 40th birthday present to myself. Once you’re used to it, you can really appreciate the beauty of the terrain you’re running through.”
Kangaroo encounters while running the Cape to Cape Track
She said Day 1 was longer than anticipated, with difficult terrain in places. “But at least it was dry! No rain. That was lucky. And I almost, literally, ran into a massive kangaroo. I came around a corner and there he was having his breakfast. He was as tall as me and his tail was so thick. I had to think about what to do because he wasn’t moving. So I played really loud music and that worked! Kangaroos do not like Buena Vista Social Club. That scared him off.” She said crossing Wilyabrup Creek was a challenge. “So were the sand dunes at Quinninup. There was no record pace set. But I absolutely loved it. Great experience,” Kelley says.
Top tips for running he Cape to Cape Track
Her tips for others considering running the Cape to Cape were to drink plenty of water. Prepare for plenty of sand. And to remember to enjoy the experience! “There’s sand. And then you think the sand it finished. And then there’s more sand,” she says. “My main tip is don’t rush it. You don’t have to set a record pace. Just enjoy it.
“The body is feeling pretty good. And the mind is feeling excellent. People ask me what I think about when I’m running. The answer is not much. ‘Oh wow, there’s a rainbow’. ‘Oh look, a whale’. That’s the beauty of it!”
Bookings now open for all 2022 Cape to Cape walks
Our 2022 calendar is filling up fast. So book your self-guided adventure on the Cape to Cape Track or walk with our expert guides on our 8-Day Guided End-to-End adventure. And we’ll see you on the Track soon!