The AUTRA Playbook

The AUTRA Playbook

Gary Mullins • October 30, 2025

The AUTRA Playbook: Bold Steps for the Future of Australian Ultra and Trail Running


Australian ultra and trail running has always been built from the ground up, by runners, volunteers, race directors, and communities who simply love to push beyond. From trails to the track, from 50 km to 24 hours, it’s that shared spirit of endurance and community that defines our sport.

It’s from that same spirit that the AUTRA Playbook has been created.

Over the past few months, the AUTRA committee has worked closely with voices from across the country to shape a bold, ambitious roadmap for the next five years. The Playbook lays out a clear direction one that’s driven by purpose, grounded in collaboration, and focused on taking Australian ultra and trail running to the next level.

This isn’t just an organisational plan. It’s a shared vision.

It’s about community and connection. It’s about creating better support for race directors and runners across every discipline. It’s about building stronger local engagement, developing pathways for athletes, and ensuring the long term sustainability of the sport.

From governance and policies to marketing, sponsorship, and financial stability, each pillar of the Playbook connects back to one goal: investing in the sport and the people who make it thrive.

AUTRA Playbook

The Playbook officially launches today, marking a major milestone for AUTRA and for everyone who’s helped shape the journey so far. It’s bold, intentionally so, because that’s what’s needed to lift Australian ultra and trail running to where it deserves to be.

To everyone who’s contributed through ideas, feedback, and belief, thank you. This is your Playbook.
And this is just the beginning.

Together, we’re building something extraordinary for every runner, every discipline, every finish line.


By Kate Dzienis • November 2, 2026
Illawarra Escarpment Traverse, NSW Kunanyi Trail Series - Cascade Slide, Tas Harry's King of the Hill, Vic Upcoming Events WEEKLY RACE RECAP FOR 2-11-2026 As always, we're continuously on the hunt for your stories and reports, so get those race reports and photographs in to ultramag@autra.asn.au with the following information: Word document, single spaced Include the name of the event, the date and the location anywhere in the report (just a bullet point at the top is great) Please attach photographs to the email – do not put images in the body of your Word doc. You’ll just get me emailing you back asking for the photos sent in the correct way! As many photos as possible. With our new website, it’s now easier than ever to include a nice gallery in each race report No PDFs please And remember, it doesn’t have to be about an AUTRA-listed event specifically! You just have to be an AUTRA member for the 2026 year. Also too, if you’ve run in a non-AUTRA listed event anywhere on home soil or internationally, we’d love to include your race results and experience in our Member Updates, so please do reach out to us via email to kate.dzienis@autra.asn.au If any corrections need to be made in any of the results listed below, please alert me via email.
By Kate Dzienis • October 28, 2026
Weekly results for the past races, including 2026 Backyard Ultra World Team Championships, Run Bibbulmun Track Stage Race, Great Ocean Trail Ultra, Heysen Trail Ultra and Smurf's Backyard Ultra.
By Kate Dzienis • October 14, 2026
Results for 2026 Lonely Mountain Ultra, WTF, Kunanyi Trail Series Ridgy Didge, Australian 6 Day Ultra, Garden City Backyard, SA Track Ultra, Coastal Pathway Ultra, Hume and Hovell, Fisiocrem GC50 and Coombabah Trail Run.
September 29, 2026
Michael Griffin recaps his time at the 2026 Lighthorse Ultra 24hr.
September 29, 2026
Andy dubois ANALYSES THE WINS FROM UTMB
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By Kate Dzienis • November 2, 2026
Illawarra Escarpment Traverse, NSW Kunanyi Trail Series - Cascade Slide, Tas Harry's King of the Hill, Vic Upcoming Events WEEKLY RACE RECAP FOR 2-11-2026 As always, we're continuously on the hunt for your stories and reports, so get those race reports and photographs in to ultramag@autra.asn.au with the following information: Word document, single spaced Include the name of the event, the date and the location anywhere in the report (just a bullet point at the top is great) Please attach photographs to the email – do not put images in the body of your Word doc. You’ll just get me emailing you back asking for the photos sent in the correct way! As many photos as possible. With our new website, it’s now easier than ever to include a nice gallery in each race report No PDFs please And remember, it doesn’t have to be about an AUTRA-listed event specifically! You just have to be an AUTRA member for the 2026 year. Also too, if you’ve run in a non-AUTRA listed event anywhere on home soil or internationally, we’d love to include your race results and experience in our Member Updates, so please do reach out to us via email to kate.dzienis@autra.asn.au If any corrections need to be made in any of the results listed below, please alert me via email.
By Kate Dzienis • October 28, 2026
Weekly results for the past races, including 2026 Backyard Ultra World Team Championships, Run Bibbulmun Track Stage Race, Great Ocean Trail Ultra, Heysen Trail Ultra and Smurf's Backyard Ultra.
By Kate Dzienis • October 14, 2026
Results for 2026 Lonely Mountain Ultra, WTF, Kunanyi Trail Series Ridgy Didge, Australian 6 Day Ultra, Garden City Backyard, SA Track Ultra, Coastal Pathway Ultra, Hume and Hovell, Fisiocrem GC50 and Coombabah Trail Run.
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