NOT A RACE REPORT, BECAUSE SPARTA

NOT A RACE REPORT, BECAUSE SPARTA

Kate Dzienis • October 31, 2018
Contributed by Fergus Edwards, AURA member/Spartathlon runner

This isn’t a race report.

Thirty-five Spartathlons have been run in high heat and high humidity, with DNFs caused by dehydration, hyponatraemia, chafing, and blisters. Ours was the first one run through a cyclone (hilariously, Cyclone Zorba). The chances of any of you having to run this race through mild temperatures and a little drizzle, turning to sheet rain being blown into you by 90kph winds are so low that a race report would point your preparation in the wrong direction.

Prepare based on the races of other years, then pack your heaviest waterproofs and a flexible mindset just in case – because the race has no contingency plans for bad weather. There won’t be shelter, the cut-offs won’t change, and the medical scene at the finish line will be the same keen yet amateur scene held in a building with a roof but no walls. The CPs are close, though basic, so you never feel particularly isolated. The mountain is a small hill. The local support is fantastic. Everything I wrote about preparation worked (though the heat training was irrelevant this year) and I would do it all again.

But this isn’t a race report; it’s a polemic.

Checking in, there was a 25-strong GB contingent, all in GB shirts, all their supporters in GB hoodies. There was a 25-strong US contingent, all in US shirts, all their supporters in US shirts. What would you expect, right? Pretty local run for the GB runners, and pretty much what you’d expect from a US contingent? All a bit too keen.

Then the Polish contingent turns up. Then the Latvian. Then the Israeli. Then the Brazilian. And so on, and so on. These countries didn’t have many qualifiers, but their teams have clubbed together informally, they’ve had some shirts printed up, and they’re representing their nation as a team.

International races are expensive, time-consuming, holiday-absorbing, risky and unknown. Spartathlon is just a race, and it has no special international status – it isn’t a world championship, and none of the teams that turn up are nationally sanctioned, but the race is a year older than the IAU itself, its entry system has a country limit, and it hands out its medals country by country.

None of that’s true for UTMB or Western States and we’ve had (many) more Australian finishers at both than at Sparta.

Then, during the race, you realise that the national teams are doing three things that you can’t do alone.

Firstly, perhaps most importantly, they’re enabling the old hands to pass on everything they’ve learned about the race to the next set of runners. The new runner has a whole host of prior runners to call on directly and ask questions.

Secondly, they’re allowing the crews to help each other out.

If a crew gets a flat, or gets sick, or gets lost, or gets tired, there are a host of other crews that they’ve met and exchanged details with. And we all know that a happy crew, with friends to chat with at aid stations and an insurance policy in other crews they know, makes for a happy runner.

Finally, maybe least important of all, they’re advertising the running community they come from. Spartathletes might be a little odd – the Japanese runners wearing Injinjis and thongs, the Greek runner in Capri pants with a Powerade bottle jammed down the back of his shorts, but they all seemed nice people.

Everyone was so respectful of the distance, and of every other runners’ attempt at covering the distance, that they took pride in their own team’s efforts without denigrating anyone else, at any stage.

So, in the midst of all that, sitting alongside Sabina, Kerrie, George, and Luca at the finishing banquet, going up to collect my medal and having a photo taken with an Australian flag, I was just a little sad that right now Australia doesn’t represent itself at this awesome race as well as we could.

Don’t get me wrong, I had a great run; I think the others did too – we were all beaming at the rather disjointed, wet and windy closing ceremony. And four finishers is by far the highest number Australia has ever had, but I thought, well, there’s a chance that this could be a better race for the next group of Australians.

It’s definitely not AURA’s job to sort out an Australian Spartathlon team. The only way it will happen – the only way it should happen – is if the runners group together to do it themselves.

So: two small suggestions for anyone with a place for 2019:

  1. A Facebook group for everyone who’s run, crewed, or entered for Spartathlon so the crews (as much as the runners) can ask questions and help each other prepare. A lot of the ultra community knows each other, but not all of us. This year, I happened to be the one that the others didn’t know. I’m guessing there will always be someone on the outside who’d love to engage with others, if only to find out where’s best to go for dinner in Athens. I’d be happy to answer any questions any future entrants have about the race, and I’m sure others would feel the same way.
  2. A logo, so that any team members can print it on whatever gear they take out if they want, even if only onto a white t-shirt or a polo for check-in. It seems ridiculous and childish, but with every other country announcing it had some great runners out there, I wanted to see Australia represented alongside them. Maybe if there’s a Facebook group set up, the past runners can agree a logo that works?

One final note.

The story of the modern Spartathlon starts with John Foden, an RAF officer who in 1982 set out to find out if it was possible to run from Athens to Sparta in less than 36 hours as Herodotus had claimed for Philippides. So a European race founded by a Brit, right? Well, I was reading Scott Jurek’s account of running the race (and winning it), when I came across something I didn’t know about Foden.

Maybe you all do, but I didn’t.

John Foden, founder of the Spartathlon, was Australian.

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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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.
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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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