GET TO KNOW YOUR 24HR ASIA & OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM – MATTHEW ECKFORD

Kate Dzienis • November 28, 2018

SPORTS OF ALL TYPES SEEM TO BE A BACKGROUND FOR MANY OF OUR ULTRA RUNNERS IN AUSTRALIA, AND MATTHEW ECKFORD FROM WIGHTS MOUNTAIN, QLD SHAPES FROM ONE PARTICULAR SPORT NOT MANY MAY HAVE STARTED OUT FROM.

The 38-year-old had competed in mixed martial arts and boxing for a number of years before trying his hand (or legs, so to speak) at running.

“Neck injuries sadly caused me to stop practising my sport, and I had to look for something else to do,” he explains.

“I’d always enjoyed running long distance instead of short, and so started in 2011 with the Gold Coast Marathon.

“I eventually found a coach in Martin Fryer and focused on 24-hour racing.”

Eckford reveals that just like the marathon, there is a universal race around in the world when it comes to a 24-hour event.

“Performances can be easily compared and measured, it’s such a simple yet complex race to master, making for a lifetime pursuit of the perfect race,” he says.

“My training is fairly simple; I run 200kms per week, except for the last two-week taper – split into 33.5kms per day single sessions, six days per week.

“I run for 14 minutes, walk for one minute.

“As the years have progressed, I’ve been able to slowly increase the run and walk speeds. My perfect training weeks will be at 4min/km run, 6min/km walk, which I should hit in 2019 when I think I’ll be at my peak.”

It should be duly noted that all of Eckford’s training is done at home in the garage on his treadmill, wearing minimalist shoes.

Now on the 2018 IAU 24hr Asia & Oceania Championship Aussie team, this will be Eckford’s third time racing in Taiwan and second time at Soochow.

“Soochow is my favourite 24-hour race in the world for its crowd atmosphere, host professionalism, and track facilities,” he says.

“I’m super proud to be representing Australia, love the team, and can’t wait to see what this training block will produce.

“In my personal opinion, running a 24-hour at Soochow is a bucket list race for any 24-hour track runner.”

Eckford will be racing alongside his Australian team mates at the 2018 IAU 24hr Asia and Oceania Championships in Chinese Taipei the weekend of December 1-2.

Pictured: Matthew Eckford. Photograph – Supplied.

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2026 AGM Notice (15 April 2026)

By Dave Martin • March 14, 2026

AUTRA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday 15 April 2026

AUTRA statement regarding Snowies Trail Run Festival

March 12, 2026

AUTRA has been in direct contact with the organisers of the Snowies Trail Run Festival, In2Adventure, regarding a recent situation involving an athlete and the event’s in‑person safety briefing requirements. In2Adventure has confirmed that the situation was discussed directly with the athlete at the time. From In2Adventure’s account, and for the purpose of clarifying the public record, AUTRA notes the following points: At no stage was the athlete prevented from breastfeeding at the event. The organiser states that the following options were offered to enable the athlete to participate while still meeting safety requirements: a quiet and private space where she could breastfeed while still being present at the briefing; the option to receive the required briefing at the 30 km start line after the start; and the option to change her registration to the 21 km event, where the briefing is conducted on the start line. At no stage prior to event registration on Saturday night did the athlete contact the organiser to advise of her situation or request alternative arrangements, which limited what could be put in place at the time. Face‑to‑face safety briefings have always been a requirement for In2Adventure events due to the remote and higher‑risk nature of the trails. AUTRA was aware that in‑person briefings were used and had not raised concerns about that general approach. The organiser has indicated that this requirement is driven by safety, duty‑of‑care and insurance obligations, and follows previous experience where remote or online briefings resulted in athletes starting events without critical safety information. The organiser maintains that the event was not conducted in a manner that was intended to be non‑inclusive, inflexible or discriminatory, and that decisions made on the day were based solely on safety requirements that apply equally to all participants. AUTRA’s aim in issuing this statement is solely to clarify the context and ensure that the public record reflects the information provided to us by the organiser.