COACH’S CORNER – COMPARISON IS THE DEATH OF JOY

COACH’S CORNER – COMPARISON IS THE DEATH OF JOY

Kate Dzienis • May 30, 2019

Coach’s Corner is a new feature for our AURA members, where qualified trained professionals provide you with advice and tips on improving and enhancing your ultra running performance.

Contributed by Tash Fraser, Run Coach at Vespa Optimised Fat Metabolism, Vic


Tash Fraser is a Level 2 Recreational Run Coach, accredited with Athletics Australia. She coaches all levels of distance running, and most recently was a part of the Australian team for the 2018 100km World Championships in Croatia where she claimed 23rd spot in a time of 8:12:37.

COMPARISON IS THE DEATH OF JOY

It’s happened to us all at some point, that shiny new personal best time or longest ever weekly mileage suddenly pales in comparison when you check out what others are posting on social media.

Your brain just naturally seeks to compare your performance against others in order to create a reference point, but it pays to keep in mind that we all have different factors which affect our running.

Work and family commitments, biomechanics and age all come together to ensure we are on a unique and individual journey. Taking these other factors into consideration, ask yourself if you are really doing yourself a favour by comparing your results to someone who could be at a different stage in life.

Running is a demanding sport on the body and mind, the effort required from each individual whether they are at the front or back of the pack is universal regardless of pace or distance.

It is completely normal to want to compete and see improvements from your training, but it is also vitally important to keep a healthy prospective of why you run and to avoid constantly comparing yourself to others.

Instead of rating your progress by what others are achieving, how about zoning back inwards, try tracking your sessions and improvements (pace, strength, endurance, mental health, etc) in a training diary as a way to reflect on your progress and honestly look at your social media feed. Is it making you feel happy or inferior?

Think back to what got you into running in the first place.

Are you staying true to that joy or have you got caught up with what others are doing? We have one life to live, so why not just seek to be better than we were yesterday if anything?


By Kate Dzienis September 11, 2025
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By Kate Dzienis September 11, 2025
Run The River Half, Qld Murphys Creek Challenge, Qld Lighthorse Ultra, WA Kunanyi Trail Series, Rialannah, Tas Upcoming Events WEEKLY NEWS REPORT FOR 12-09-2025 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 2025 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 Gary Mullins September 8, 2025
Location : Bangkok, Thailand Dates : November 21 - 24 2025 Role Type : Volunteer Position Time Commitment : Pre event planning + Travel Application Deadline : 17th September 2025 Thank you for your interest in supporting the Australian team for the 2025 IAU Asian 100k Championships. This role goes far beyond logistics. It’s about leadership, inclusion, and creating a positive, empowering environment for athletes competing on the world stage. AUTRA is committed to opening doors for those outside traditional pathways. We strongly encourage applications from coaches, former athletes, club leaders, volunteers, and passionate community members. You don’t need to have served on a board or managed a team before as we’re looking for people who genuinely care, are highly organised, and can proudly represent our athletes and country. Role Overview As Team Manager, you’ll work closely with AUTRA President Gary Mullins and Vice President Geoff Russell to prepare and support the national team before and during the championship. Pre-Departure Australia Act as the main contact for selected athletes and crew Assist with final entry forms and travel planning Prepare a Championships Agenda in alliance with the Team Managers Agreement Document Coordinate flights, uniforms, and team communications Help identify and organise crew support Attend online team planning meetings On the Ground in Thailand Be present and ready as athletes arrive Ensure all athlete needs are met so they can focus fully on their race Attend all technical meetings and represent the team professionally Coordinate team attendance at the opening and closing ceremonies Ensure the team and crew are prepared, organised, and calm Address any issues that arise with efficiency and discretion Provide hands on leadership and moral support throughout the race Support Provided Accommodation in Bangkok for 3 - 4 nights will be provided by AUTRA An official team uniform will be supplied A volunteer allowance of $1500 will be provided to acknowledge your time and service during the championship period. What You’ll Need Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Strong organisational ability under pressure A calm, inclusive, and athlete first mindset Commitment to AUTRA’s Code of Conduct Member of AUTRA Applying To apply for the role of Team Manager please CLICK HERE and fill out the Application Form. Applications Close at 5pm 17th September 2025. Selection Process Following the application deadline, the AUTRA Committee will review all submissions and select the most suitable candidate. All applicants will be contacted by Gary Mullins within 7 days of applications closing. Gary Mullins AUTRA President
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