COACH’S CORNER - Cold Water (Discomforts) and its benefits by Mario Buchs

September 26, 2024

cold exposure offers numerous benefits, and can improve recovery, increase energy and support overall health according to mario buchs.

I’ve always been fascinated by the power of the cold and its remarkable benefits, particularly through cold water immersion. There’s something uniquely invigorating about plunging into icy water—how it shocks the system, sharpens the mind, and forces you to focus entirely on the present moment. Cold water immersion isn’t just about toughening up physically; it’s a mental battle as well. Over time, the cold becomes a teacher, offering lessons in resilience, discipline, and how to embrace discomfort in order to unlock strength that lies just beneath the surface.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I’ve also been captivated by the Ironman in Kona, an event that pushes the boundaries of human endurance in the sweltering heat of Hawaii. Watching athletes race through those conditions, swimming, cycling, and running all day long under an unforgiving sun, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. These competitors are the embodiment of perseverance and grit, battling not only the elements but also their own limitations. Although I’m not yet ready to take on an Ironman myself, the sheer determination and fortitude required for such a feat deeply resonates with me. Yes, of course WE(in our sport) have our own Kona, called Badwater 135, another extreme event in the hottest place on earth during the hottest time of the year.

Interestingly, both cold water immersion and Ironman’s heat (Or Badwater for that matter) share a common thread: they demand that we willingly step into discomfort, and there’s something profoundly empowering in that. As ultrarunners, we know this well. We seem to seek out these moments of discomfort, the ones that push us to the edge and reveal our true character. There’s something about facing extreme conditions—whether it’s frigid water or scorching heat—that strips away the noise and forces us to confront ourselves. And in doing so, we find clarity, strength, and growth.

Endurance sports, particularly ultrarunning, have a way of teaching us that being uncomfortable is not something to avoid but to embrace. It’s in those moments when we feel most challenged that we discover our untapped potential. The cold may be harsh, the heat may be relentless, and the miles may feel never-ending, but in the end, it’s all about pushing past the limits we thought we had. The satisfaction that comes from enduring through these extremes isn’t just about crossing a finish line—it’s about the journey, the personal victories, and the realisation that we’re capable of more than we imagined.

I often turn to experts like Susanna Søberg, Ben Greenfield, and Andrew Huberman to deepen my understanding of these practices. Søberg’s work on cold exposure and its effect on metabolism and recovery has been particularly eye-opening. Greenfield takes it a step further, discussing how it fits into a broader framework of biohacking and optimizing performance, while Huberman’s insights into how cold immersion affects brain chemistry have helped me appreciate the mental aspects even more. Each of them brings something different to the table, but they all reinforce the same idea: cold exposure is a powerful tool not just for the body but for the mind as well.

I personally try to follow the minimum rule (11 minutes/week) of cold exposure and found that my sleep is better, I am happier after a plunge and ready to work out in the gym if needed. Through winter the water was colder in my little outdoor tub and needed no additional ice, however, now a bag of ice is necessary to get it below 10deg C which seems to be my “sweet” spot. But hey, I am no scientist or another Wim Hof but I know what works for me and cold plunging seems to be a good addition to my weekly visit to the Infrared sauna. I made it through May till September without a sniffle.

This is such an individual thing but adding something like this to my One Percenters and when and how we apply it is up to each individual. I, for one use it for general health and getting set up for the day. Others may use it as recovery to ensure they can train again(hard) the next day.

How did I start this cold water adventure? It all began in the shower. After a normal warm shower, I decided to spend just 10 seconds under cold water. At first, it was a shock to the system—the icy blast jolted me, and every instinct told me to jump out. But I stayed. Day by day, I extended the time—10 seconds became 20, then 30, until eventually, I could endure a full minute. Over time, I noticed the mental shift just as much as the physical one. That initial discomfort started to feel like an accomplishment, a daily test of willpower that I began to crave.

What started as a small experiment quickly became a core part of my routine. From those early cold showers, I began exploring natural cold water sources, dipping into lakes, rivers, and eventually taking ice baths. Each experience deepened my appreciation for the cold and its ability to build resilience—not just physically, but mentally. Now, cold exposure feels less like a challenge and more like a practice in mindfulness and control, helping me reconnect with both my body and mind.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of people who can handle much colder water than me…BUT I find I have found another hurdle that I overcame and this gives me the confidence that in our beloved sport, everything is possible.

So whether it’s plunging into icy waters or dreaming of the day I might tackle Kona (or Badwater!!), there’s something about chasing that feeling of discomfort, that edge where growth happens, that keeps calling me back. After all, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the cold, the heat, and the miles, it’s that the real magic happens when we embrace the extremes.

mario buchs is a coach with TRT Running in sydney, nsw and runs his own coaching business, healthetica coaching).

iF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON BEING TRAINED BY mario, CLICK THROUGH HERE TO OUR AUtRA ENDORSED COACHES PAGE.

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AUTRA News Report 19-02-2025

By Kate Dzienis • February 19, 2025

The latest in race results, covering Cradle Mountain Run, City Run, Oscars 100 Hut 2 Hut and Yaberoo Trail Ultra.

Final 2024 Points Competition Results

By Alexis Oosterhoff • January 30, 2025

Results for the 2024 AUTRA Points Competition have been finalised, and are available on our Points Competition page. Full details of the top 10 (as shared on Facebook during January) are detailed below, and results for all participating AUTRA members can be found in the documents at the above link. It was a real battle throughout the year between our top two finishers, Phil Gore & Kevin "BK" Matthews, with both giving it their it their all at events, and through contributions to the community - volunteering at multiple events, and submitting articles to our monthly newsletter, Ultramag. They finished within 2km of total distance for the year (Phil on 1203.087km, and Kevin on 1205.510km), and it was only Phil's final volunteering effort on 6 Inch Trail Marathon in December that gave him the that very narrow victory. As you'd be aware from previous communications, this marks the end of the Points Competition. With trail running (of all distances) now incorporated into AU T RA's constitution, and after careful consideration of the costs of the competition payouts in it's current form, the committee felt it was time for it's retirement. This marks my seventh and final year of delivering the points competition to membership (2018-2024), after taking on the role from Cheryl Symons. It has brought me great joy in doing so, and I feel like I've had an opportunity to get to know so many of our members through seeing their race (and volunteering) performances over the years! I'm continuing in my role as the AUS/NZL statistician for DUV (from whom we shared the data for the points comp), and you can expect to continue to find your ultra-race result on their site. 1st Place - Phil Gore (WA) - 86 points Phil's achievements this year have included a massive 265.653km (and 2nd place) at the IAU 24h Asia & Oceania Championships, wins at the Red Dirt Backyard Ultra (33 laps), the Australian leg of Big Dog's Backyard World Team Championship (96 laps), and the Soochow/Taipei 24h Ultramarathon (270.826km). He also knocked out an easy (!) 72km at the Light Horse Ultra 24h in between supporting his amazing wife Gemma. Those two 24h wins netted Phil new Oceania 24h Open Male records, IAU Level 1 qualifiers, and pushed him to the top of Australia's 24h trophy board (with only the great Yiannis Kouros having run further). Phil topped-up his points by contributing one article to Ultramag, worked as an Event Director at Herdy's Frontyard Ultra, and volunteered at a further five events through the year. He finished on 86 points. 2nd Place - Kevin Matthews (WA) - 84 points Finishing in 2nd place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Kevin Matthews. He monstered his way through the year with finishes at Australia Day Ultra 100km, Delirious WEST 200mi, 24 laps at Herdy's Frontyard Ultra, 190km at Light Horse Ultra 24h, 23 laps at Birdy's Backyard Ultra, and also completed Feral Pig 100 miler, Sandman 50km and Six Inch 47km. And to top things off, he contributed five articles to Ultramag, and volunteered at five events. BK ran 1205km in Ultramarathon races this year, all of them AUTRA-listed, and surpassed 100 marathon finishes (including 51 Ultramarathons!) Kevin finished the year on 84 points, a massive 34 points ahead of our 3rd place finisher Sue Robertson. 3rd Place - Sue Robertson (WA) - 50 points Finishing in 3rd place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Sue Robertson. Sue completed the Ultra Series 100 miler trilogy of Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST, and rounded out her year with the Sandman 50km and Six Inch 47km races. She received 30 points from the racing at AUTRA-listed events, and was awarded a further 20 points by volunteering across eight events and contributing two articles to Ultramag, for a total of 50 points for the year. Thank you Sue! 4th Place - Margie Hadley (WA) - 47 points Finishing in 4th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Margie Hadley . She was the top-female finisher at both the No Time to Die Frontyard Ultra & Wild Dog Backyard Ultra, 2nd at Birdy's Backyard Ultra, ran 182km at the Australian 24h Track Invitational and placed 3rd at Coast to Kosci. Margie received 47 points in the competition 5th Place - Melissa Robertson (NSW) - 44 points Finishing in 5th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is NSW's Melissa Robertson. Melissa took out 1st place at Irrational SOUTH 200 miler, 2nd place at Lakes Trail Festival 100km, 1st place at Hume & Hovell 100 miler, 3rd place at Rumble in the Jungle and 6th place at Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko 100 miler! She also volunteered at the GNW 50km event, receiving 44 points in the competition! 6th Place - Aaron Young (WA) - 42 points Finishing in 6th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Aaron Young . Aaron finished in 1st place at each of the Ultra Series "Triple Crown" of 200 milers (Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST), 55 laps at Big Dog's Backyard World Team Championship, and rounded his year out with Feral Pig 100 miler. Aaron receives 42 points, just nudging ahead of Maree Connor (who also finished on 42 points) on a count-back 7th Place - Maree Connor (NSW) - 42 points Finishing in 7th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is NSW's Maree Connor. Maree had an outstanding year, achieving 2nd place with 221km (and an IAU Level 1 qualifier) at the IAU 24th Asian and Oceania Championships, 1st place at the Lakes Trail Festival 100km, 1st place with 67km at the Southern Sydney 6h race, and 1st place with 116km at the Narrabeen Allnighter 12h. Maree also competed at Spartathlon race this year (for which she contributed an article to the September Ultramag on her experience), receiving 42 points in the competition. 8th Place - Darren Linney (SA) - 41 points Finishing in 8th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is SA's Darren Linney . Darren completed 34 laps at No Time to Die BYU, 199km at the Adelaide 24h race, and 814km at the Australian 6 Day race, for a total of 1241km raced and 41 points . 9th Place - Tristan Cameron (WA) - 40 points Finishing in 9th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Tristan Cameron. Tristan completed the Ultra Series Triple Crown of 200 mile races (Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST), along with Feral Pig 100 miler, for a total of 1154km raced and 40 points. 10th Place - Jen Millum (WA) - 39 points Finishing in 10th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Jen Millum . Jen finished 1st at all three of the Ultra Series Trilogy of 100 milers (Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST), and was 2nd female with 35 laps at the Wild Dog Backyard Ultra. With a volunteer stint at the Yaberoo Trail Ultra, Jen finished the year with 39 points in the competition. To view the complete list of members who secured points in 2024 click here and then follow through to Points Summary under the 2024 tab. All winners have already been contacted, with cash prizes distributed for 1st - 7th places, and AUTRA Store vouchers sent for 8th, 9th & 10th.