At 39, Woodford ultra-distance runner Brendan Davies considers himself to be in the best form of his career.
He comfortably won the Western Sydney Marathon in Penrith earlier this month in 2 hours 43 minutes, and he swiftly navigated the 57km Run the Great Whitsunday Trail Run in September to take that out too.
So he’s feeling in good shape for a challenging month of racing ahead.
On October 29 Davies will captain the three-member Australian men’s team competing in the 85km Trail World Championships in Portugal, then it’s on to Spain for the 100km Road World Championships, where he’ll captain an Australian men’s team of six.
In Portugal, the event will take place in the Peneda-Geres National Park, featuring streams and waterfalls, ancient villages, granite rock and the real test – 4500m of elevation gain.
That’s the same elevation gain as the gruelling 100km Ultra Trail Australia held in the Blue Mountains in May, which Davies won in 2013. He expects the Portugal trail to be challenging.
“There are definite sections that are quite runnable and there will be tough climbs as well,” he said.
While the Portuguese and competitors from nearby countries would have a homeground advantage, he regards it as an all rounders event.
“It’s not going to be dominated by mountain runners, it will be someone with speed in their legs,” Davies said.
And that’s where his strengths lie. Strong on the hills and speedy as well, Davies is up there with the best of the best in both road and trail events.
“I’m feeling pretty pumped up,” he said. “I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been.”
Davies had hoped to break 2:30 in the Melbourne Marathon on October 15, but running into a stubborn headwind saw him finish in 2:39. The race was won by Thomas do Canto in 2:20.
Running 170km every week over the past few months, Davies has been focused on speed development. “Speed is one element that you need in any running,” he said.
After Portugal, and a short holiday, it’s on to the coastal spa town of Los Alcázares in Spain, for 10 laps of a flat 10km circuit through the town and along the promenade by the beach.
After placing 19th in last year’s world championships and 11th the two years prior to that, he’s hoping for a top 10 finish this time.