GET TO KNOW YOUR 100K WORLD TEAM – TIA JONES

It’s little wonder that Tia Jones, who was named the 2017 Australian Female Ultra Runner of the Year, is on the 100k World Team heading to Croatia this September. Her stats include running the 10th best distance in the world for a 12hr (128.689kms/Aust W50 record) set at Canberra 12 Hour in March 2017* as well as the Australian W50 record of 200kms of 22:26:21 at the 24-hour race in Adelaide on July 9 that same year.

But would you believe that the now 52-year-old, who was born in South Africa, only started getting back into sports after having her first child?

“I used to play hockey and squash when I was at school, and later did a bit of volleyball,” she recalls.

“When I was in my late teens, I stopped all forms of exercise and only started up again after having my first daughter.

“I started with race walking, which I did for a few years, and then decided I would have a go at running the Comrades Marathon in 1999; I had no idea of what I was doing, or how to train correctly, and so ended up with severe ITB.

“I managed to run Comrades that year, but it was a struggle from beginning to end.

“At the end of 1999, we left South Africa and began our many years of expatriate travel to Qatar, Jakarta, Slovakia, and then Perth in 2009.

“I had stopped running from 1999, but when I arrived in Perth, I decided to start again from scratch.”

Jones moved to Brisbane in 2012, and then in 2014 her husband Bryan was transferred to Dubai, which is where she is currently living – until September of this year, when she will be returning to Brisbane.

Jones’ qualifying race to be a part of the World Team was the Canberra 12 hour in 2017.

“I was hoping to run a good 100km, and then run out the balance of time to get a decent total at the end,” she says.

“But the weather was hot, as it was again this year, and I managed the 100km in 8:57:42, which is not my best time.

“I applied for the team in the hopes that my past performances at last year’s Comrades (7:56:57) and Barcelona 6hr (74.671kms) would be taken into consideration by the selectors, and was surprised and delighted when they did select me for the team.”

Being one of the oldest women on the team, Jones encourages others to do the best they can.

“Don’t let age hold you back,” she explains.

“If you work hard and train sensibly, there are no limitations to what you can achieve.

“I am very proud to be representing Australia, and will do all I can to be well and truly prepared for the World Championships in September.

“We have a wonderful team of fantastic runners, and I know that we will make Australia proud.”

Pictured: Tia Jones at the Canberra 48hr in her 12hr race. Photograph – Supplied.

* Jones has since bettered her 12-hour record in Canberra this year, yet to be ratified but can be found here.