AMAZING PERFORMANCES FOR AUSSIES IN IAU 6HR VIRTUAL SOLIDARITY RUN

Kate Dzienis • October 1, 2020

By Kate Dzienis

Australia this year participated in the IAU’s 6hr Virtual Solidarity Run which was held across the weekend of 29-30 August, 2020 and AURA contributed a full team of 9 men and 9 women to participate.

Each participant could choose how they ran their 6 hours – meaning they could choose to run road, trail, treadmill or laps (due to any state restrictions from COVID-19) of a location.

AURA president Ewan Horsburgh put his hand up to be one of the team members, and started his virtual solidarity run at midnight with Kristen Brace in the Blue Mountains National Park. They managed to secure 50kms with about 1200m vert, finishing up with a well-deserved coffee.

Patrick O’Leary from Canadian, Vic had to get creative due to state exercising restrictions but managed a whopping 55.12km along a ‘figure 8’ road course in Ballarat.

“It was my first 6hr event,” he said.

“I ran 3:44 for the marathon (a 5min PB!), 4:53 for the 50k (a 49min PB!) and hiked 5km to cover 55.12km in the allotted 6hrs; my 20-year-old son paced me after 14km and then I let him finish off his 36km long run when I had to walk after about 45km.

“Because we are in Stage 3 restrictions in regional Vic, I couldn’t get anyone outside of my family to help so my wife ran the aid station and my daughter took pictures.”

Others who faced challenges in Vic included Donna Urquhart from Black Rock (with Stage 4 restrictions) who managed to run 400 x 100m loops of her house, which included 100m of driveway, 5 gates, 4 corners, 5 steps and a u-turn. She was thankful for 6 hours of photo and coffee donations as well as virtual walks-and-talks with family and friends.

Both Amelia Griffith from Watsonia and Karen Mickle from Newport were limited with just one maximum to get their runs in, so made the most out of their restrictions. Griffith completed 11.01km around Princes Park.

Also in Victoria was Greg Wilson who had not done an non-trail ultra since 1998 but managed a cracking comeback, securing 65.5km.

“Having not done an AURA event in 22 years, I put my hand up for the run and was pleasantly surprised to get a place for the team,” he recalled.

“I started and finished at Five Mile Creek Park in Woodend, three loops of a fairly flat 20.85km loop on bitumen and gravel roads in the Macedon Ranges; first lap was completed in 1:54:00 and my marathon of 3:47:00 was just 2 minutes slower than my effort of a month earlier and in much worse conditions.

“It was a very satisfying total for my 6 hours; not a PB, but very happy. A pleasure to have been part of it and thanks to all the runners and supporters involved – especially my pacers Christy and Anna.”

In WA it was AURA secretary Julia Mackay-Koelen from Stirling and Harmony Waite from The Vines who participated in the 6 hour. Mackay-Koelen ran her first 20km in a trail race by the Perth Trail Series in the hills of Perth and then kept running with her extra time, finishing with a total of 25.60km. Waite started her journey at the trail head of the Kep Track in Bellevue and kept moving east, finishing with a successful 51km effort.

Mackay-Koelen said she was humbled to be a part of the event.

“I felt very privileged to be taking part in this wonderful solidarity run and to run for AURA for the very first time,” she said.

“I knew it was going to be tough, and I was absolutely stuffed at the end of it all…I had to drive 45 minutes to get home and then couldn’t walk when I got out of the car as everything had seized up, but it was so very worth it to be part of such an incredible event with other runners Australia-wide.”

Waite just kept running on the track towards her eastern states comrades.

“I treated myself to a famous Bakers Hill steak and mushroom pie and iced coffee,” she revealed.

“I was happy with a relatively consistent pace throughout my long run, hoping all the other athletes around the world were having as a good a time as me.”

Four Queenslanders chose to run together enjoying all the sights the Brisbane River had to offer. Cassie Smith, AURA vice president Matthew Eckford, Dan Symonds and Barry Loveday joined as one to do their 6 hours.

Joseph Ward from Fairlight, NSW was happy with his average pace of 4:30min/km where he completed 79.67kms. Starting at 6:30am, he ran at the Narrabeen Academy of Sports Athletics Track in NSW, and while participating said he thoroughly enjoyed eating 8 bananas for energy.

“I am so happy with my average pace, and with the amazing support by my mate Chris Jackson and mates from the Manly Beach Running Club,” he said.

“So proud to be a member of this awesome Aussie team and what a fantastic event.”

Stephen Redfern from Engadine, NSW ran at the Barden Ridge Athletics Track where he achieved a measured distance of 74.113km and secured it as a PB.

“The race was great, and I have to say everything went to plan but it was still one tough event to do with hour 5 being quite difficult,” he recaps.

“What made this race so special for me was all the friends that came up to support me and make it real for me, having at one 8 others also running around the track too; special mention to mate Stuart Wallace, who stayed and ran the whole 6 hours with me, and my wife Penny who counted all my laps and looked after my nutrition.

“This was such a great idea by the IAU, and with over 400 runners from around the world taking part this was certainly one race I felt I really needed.”

Still in NSW, Heather Hawkins from Coogee and Jeremy Rankin from Normanhurst, ACT ran with a theme and both spelled out letters and words for their support of a great cause. Hawkins managed 56.6km with laps of Centennial Park and created the letter “O” in support of Ovarian Cancer, whilst Rankin went one further, producing some great Strava Art after achieving 60.7km with the full words of “Run Against Violence”.

Photograph – Supplied.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2027

By Jin Kato • July 8, 2026

The world-class trails of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington will play centre-stage for one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, after the Kunanyi Mountain Run (KMR) was awarded the hosting rights for the first-ever combined Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships (AMTRC). KMR was awarded the National Championships after a competitive bid process, overseen by the Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association (AUTRA) and Australian Athletics (AA). AUTRA President, John Claridge, said that KMR “offered everything we were looking for”. “World-class trails, proven event management and a passionate community. It provides the perfect stage for Australia's first combined National Trail Championships," he said. It’s expected that Australia’s elite mountain and trail running athletes, and support crew, will travel to Hobart, as they vie for a spot in the Australian team that competes at the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. "This is a landmark moment for trail running in Australia,” Mr Claridge said. "We're excited about what this championship represents; not just next year, but for the future of trail running in Australia... helping grow the sport and inspire the next generation of trail runners." The 2027 AMTRC at KMR will be the first time that all championship distances have been held together, at the one festival. “It aligns us more closely with the way World Championships are presented, creating a stronger pathway for athletes and raising the profile of the sport,” Mr Claridge said. KMR, a 3-day trail running festival which has been held annually since 2022, expects to draw more than 1500 runners and hikers from across Tasmania, Australia and internationally next year. The AMTRC will be embedded within KMR’s existing event program, allowing elite athletes to compete for the national titles, while sharing the same spectacular trails and event-experience as recreational runners. “We’re honoured to have been selected as host,” KMR’s founder and director, Lincoln Quilliam said. “KMR continues to welcome runners, and hikers, of all abilities. From the elites who want to represent Australia on the world stage, the group of mates or work colleagues who run the team relay together, the mums returning to running after having a baby, as well as those who are trying trail running for the very first time,” Mr Quilliam said. Tasmanian runner, Jessica Collins, who has represented Australia, said it was exciting news for KMR, Tasmania and the sport. “This is such a great opportunity for Australian athletes. I’ve run many of the KMR events and know the courses and the terrain are on par with what we see at the World Champs,” she said. The City of Hobart has supported Kunanyi Mountain Run since its inception, and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she was “thrilled” with the news. “Events like this not only showcase the natural beauty of our region but also reinforce Hobart’s reputation as a vibrant destination for world-class outdoor experiences.” The 2026 edition of KMR brought in $4 million to the Tasmanian economy, generating more than 8000 bed nights across the state, which Alex Heroys, Chief Executive of Destination Southern Tasmania, said was a “significant return for the visitor economy”. “Kunanyi / Mount Wellington is one of Tasmania’s great natural assets, and the Kunanyi Mountain Run shows exactly how powerful events can be in driving regional tourism,” he said. “We have an epic mountain right on Hobart’s doorstep, an airport less than 30 minutes away, and a city that is well set up to welcome thousands of visiting athletes, support crews and spectators.” “This event also reinforces Tasmania’s growing reputation as a world-class trail running destination. With steep, technical trails and real mountain terrain, Kunanyi offers conditions that are genuinely comparable to what athletes will experience at the World Championships, making it an ideal place to compete, train and visit.” For more information: Kunanyi Mountain Run Dates: 19-21 March 2027 Pic credit: David Nolan & Ryan Slater