From The President (JAN 2026)

Ultra running in 2026: time to embrace the different

"lessons from goodge, brockmann, gore, ranson, and the next wave"

G'day everyone,

As your President of Australian Ultra & Trail Running Australia (AUTRA), I've been reflecting on where our sport stands heading into 2026. Last month's piece broke down what your $49 membership fee actually delivers as transparency matters, and so does looking ahead.

Ultra & trail running has always been about pushing limits in the quiet of the bush or the grind of a backyard loop. But lately, the conversation has gotten loud..  and that's not a bad thing.

Take British runner William Goodge's 2025 trans Australia attempt, breaking endurance athlete Chris Turnbulls old mark of 39 days. He smashed the record by four days on a brutal Perth to Sydney crossing, finishing in Sydney amid huge crowds and media buzz. Yet the aftermath turned toxic.

Questions over suspiciously low heart rate data, accusations of watch muling (sharing GPS devices), crew controversies, and even roadside drama caught on camera. Some celebrated it as inspirational, others called it suspicious or overhyped spectacle.

Love it or hate it, that noise didn't stay in our small ultra circles. It hit ABC News, social media feeds, Reddit threads, and beyond.

People who never considered lacing up for anything longer than a parkrun suddenly knew what a transcon run looked like. Visibility, even messy visibility, puts ultra on radars it never reached before. The old school mindset says ultra is raw, unfiltered grit, minimal crews, no cameras, no Strava flexing, just you versus the trail.

Gatekeeping like that has kept our sport tight knit, but also small, aging, and less diverse. When everything stays hidden, how do kids in regional towns, city suburbs, or from backgrounds not traditionally represented see themselves out there? The bold, different approaches shaking things up right now are changing that.

To be great is to be different. Here are a few Aussies and internationals proving it and inspiring the next wave along the way.
Nedd Brockmann, the mulleted legend from Forbes, NSW, who turned ultra into a national conversation. In 2022, he ran Perth to Bondi (around 4,000km) in just 46 days, one of the fastest ever, while raising over $2.6 million for homelessness through his Uncomfortable Challenge.

Then in 2024, he looped a single Sydney Olympic Park track for 1,000 miles (1,609km) in 12 days, averaging 128km daily and pulling in 10,000+ spectators at the finish.

Critics call it more charity stunt than pure ultra,  fans see genius, using pain for purpose and drawing everyday Aussies into the sport.

His efforts earned him 2026  Young Australian of the Year. Nedd shows regional kids and non-runners that ultra isn't just for elites, it's for anyone willing to get uncomfortable.

Phil Gore, our WA firefighter who's redefined backyard ultras. He set a world record with 119 loops (798+ km) at Dead Cow Gully, then backed it up by winning the 2025 Big's Backyard Ultra World Championship in Tennessee with 114 laps (around 764km over five days). No fancy influencer polish, just relentless grit broadcast globally. Phil proves you can dominate from a small Aussie town and motivate tradies, firefighters, and weekend warriors to test their limits.

Holly Ranson, advancing women's ultra in Australia like few others. She's smashed national records across 12 hour, 24-hour, 100 mile, and 200km distances, plus course records in 100km races and standout performances in events across Australia1st female.

As a dietitian and pro-level athlete, Holly blends science with suffering, breaking barriers and showing the next generation of female runners that trail and ultra are theirs to own and dominate.

Internationally, the fire keeps spreading. Courtney Dauwalter redefined what's possible by winning overall (not just women's divisions) in brutal 100-milers, all while rocking her signature long boardshorts—comfort and personality over convention. She turned "weird" into winning, inspiring thousands to run their way. Recently she ran a marathon in her famous boardshorts in 2:36.

And Cameron Hanes with his son Truett are chasing massive goals, like dropping to elite Olympic qualifying marathon times, aiming for 2:16 standards with that "Keep Hammering" family driven mentality. Visible, vocal, and unapologetic.

These runners aren't copying the old playbook. They're different, charity focused, record chasing, tech savvy, stylish, purpose led, and that's exactly why they're pulling in new blood.

Young people, women, regional runners, and everyday folks who now see ultra as exciting, attainable, and meaningful. Go and look at the hundreds of run clubs across the country. AUTRA can bridge tradition and tomorrow. 

We honor the Cliff Young spirit, (one of my heroes) the quiet legends who built this sport, while welcoming evolution.

I ask you, let's float some ideas: a "Different Voices" series spotlighting young, regional, women, and diverse runners' stories; clearer guidelines for record attempts (transparent tracking, support rules) to reduce toxicity, more inclusive entry points like shorter trail intros, urban events, family days, more access for impaired runners & their guides and beginner workshops.
Ultra running is Australia's toughest sport, but we don't have to make it too tough to join.

From Nedd turning runs into rallies for homelessness, to Phil's unbreakable loops, Holly's barrier breaking efforts, Courtney's boardshorts rebellion, and even the debates around Goodge's push, these bold paths are lighting the way for the next wave. They're not just running far, they're making ultra bigger, more inclusive, and more alive.

So, what's your "different"? What's one change that would make our sport more welcoming? Drop a comment on our socials, email me, or start a thread, let's debate, share, and build this together.
See you on the trails (or the track, or the road... wherever your different takes you)

Gary Mullins
President, AUTRA

Next Month

Doing better for runners with impairments.