Finding Rhythm at Lake Sonoma

My stats from the race & a comprehensive report

Before we rip into this week’s article. This Thursday 8th May at 7:30pm NZT I’ll be hosting a live AMA (ask me anything) where I’ll discuss the upcoming Ultra Trail Australia event & provide an update on how things are tracking towards Western States. Plus of course answer your questions, to help with your training, racing & everything in between. AMA’s are available as part of the paid subscription ($5 per month) and are available to view at your convenience if you can’t make the session. If you have any questions ahead of time. Please comment them below or send me an IG DM.

There are two ways to get home from Europe—both long, both exhausting. You can go back the way you came, through Asia (as I did via Singapore), or detour through North America, usually via San Francisco or Los Angeles.

This time, I figured I’d make the most of the journey. After all, I’d travelled to the other side of the world for our adidas TERREX team camp, so why not break up the trip and squeeze in a race on the way home? Not just any race—but a return to Lake Sonoma. This place holds a bit of history for me. It was where I ran (and won) one of my first international ultras back in 2022, the 100km. This time, I signed up for the Lake Sonoma Trail Marathon on April 12.

Aside from the convenience, there were a few good reasons to race:

• It was a chance to put my recent training from camp to the test (I’ve written many times about the value of putting build-up races into your training plan)

• The marathon distance offered a great stepping stone ahead of Western States.

• Lake Sonoma was now a key Adidas TERREX event, with the brand stepping in as title sponsor—so it was a perfect opportunity to reconnect with the team and represent TERREX at an icon race.

Before landing in California, I did a bit of bouncing around. I spent some time exploring Barcelona, catching up with good mates Ketan and Becca. If you ever find yourself there, I’d highly recommend a run up to Tibidabo. It’s a proper climb with trails that stretch on for miles over the ridge. We also did some sight-seeing, tapa taste-testing, and attended a FC Barcelona football game. After that, I made a trip to Girona—an endurance sport mecca, especially for cyclists and triathletes. The place has some rich history, top-notch cafes, and an energy that makes you want to train. La Fábrica stood out—bloody good cortado.

Then it was time to travel to the States. Once in Sonoma, I kept training pretty hard. There was no full-on taper for this race, but still, that pre-race stretch feels a bit like sitting on your hands waiting for the inevitable. Eventually, the day arrived.

Race Recap

Conditions were good. Cool in the morning with the sun promising to warm things up as the day went on. The trails were relatively dry—just a few muddy patches. We set off at a solid clip, with my teammate Cole Campbell taking the early pace over the first hill. It didn’t feel easy, but it wasn’t outrageous either. A short stretch of road let me find a bit of rhythm before we hit the Lake Sonoma trail.

Now, if you’ve never run this trail—it’s deceptively brutal. It’s unrelenting. Every couple hundred metres the pitch changes, and you never quite settle. Sven Koch, another TERREX teammate, was running very well and pushing the pace hard here. I was tucked in the group, holding my own, but not exactly comfy.

By the halfway aid station, things were stretching out. I had to make a call: dig in and potentially blow up, or run my own race and hope I could bring it back later. I let the gap go. It stung—I was pissed I couldn’t hold on—but I reminded myself to stay in it. Sven and Ryan Becker (another strong runner over shorter distances) were up the trail. I caught the odd glimpse, but they stayed about a minute or two ahead.

Then, around the 30km mark, something shifted. My body woke up. I started rolling, moving like I should’ve been earlier, and before long, I was back in contact. I surged past. Ryan came with me—and just in time for the biggest climb of the day.

We duked it out all the way up. After my surge past I knew I couldn’t show weakness by slowing on the hill (interestingly I looked back afterwards and this move on the hill elevated my HR to the highest it had been in the whole race).

Suunto Race - Heart Rate and Elevation data - noting the 200ish metre climb that raised my HR to 177bpm

I was the one with renewed confidence and I couldn’t let that shift back. I pressed hard over the top and opened up on the downhill. That turned out to be the move. I hit the final road section with a comfortable lead and rolled home for the win by a few minutes

.A Well-Timed Benchmark

The timing of this race couldn’t have been better in the context of my Western States build. It sat in a sweet spot—close enough to be relevant, but early enough that I could recover properly and absorb the effort. More than anything, it gave me a great benchmark. I left Sonoma with confirmation that the work I’ve been doing is moving me in the right direction, but I have work to do. So now, I’ll shift gears and begin the specific block that will carry me into the mountains and canyons of Western States with focus and purpose.

Initially, I was frustrated that I hadn’t been able to fire earlier in the Lake Sonoma Marathon. But on reflection, it was a good reminder about patience. Run your own race, stay in it—even when it’s not going to plan—and close with intent when the opportunity comes. Not every day is going to feel great from the gun. The key is to stay engaged and not write yourself off too early.

And staying positive doesn’t always mean speaking kindly to yourself. Trust me—I had a few choice words with myself out there. But I stayed in the fight, and it made that post-race celebration that much sweeter 🍷.

To top it off, the TERREX team had some great results across the board. A special shoutout to Stephen Kersh who got a win in his first race back as a new father. Getting to debrief and share these moments with the team was a great end to my trip.