President's Report: January 2025

Simone Hayes • January 30, 2025

january, 2025

Happy New Year to all of our members! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and break with your families, and managed to get in some good running in the middle of all the celebrations.

Here we are at the start of 2025 and the beginning of what will be another year of progress for AUTRA as well as a few changes, all of which the committee see as positive! Without change, we don’t grow.

You will have received in your inbox (for members) or seen on our socials that we launched the AUTRA Survey for 2025 which will assist us in shaping AUTRA’s future for the next five years and help inform our strategic planning which is taking place this year for 2025-2029. If you are yet to complete the survey, we urge you to do so and have your say. The survey will be open for responses until 7 February, 2025. AUTRA SURVEY 2025

This month we also asked our members for their annual votes on the Performance of the Year Award. This is the members’ opportunity to vote for members who they feel have had an outstanding single or collective performance in 2025. Thank you to all the members who took the time to vote and recognise these achievements. The announcements will be made over the coming days.

Our 2025 list of events is growing rapidly and I want to once again thank all of the race directors who choose to list with us. There are many long-standing, much-loved events listed and also many new ones, so if you haven’t had a look at the calendar recently pop over to the Events Page and have a look, and take advantage of some great race discounts.

Finding new events to try introduces us to new areas and communities, it lets us explore places we haven’t been and make new like-minded friends, not to mentions it gets us out of our comfort zones. It also supports our race directors who work hard to put these events on for us and the communities that host them – aren’t these some of the reasons we all run? I encourage you all to try at least one new event that you haven’t run this year!

This month sees the first of our Monthly Members Draw where we will be giving away some fantastic prizes every month. The first prize this month will be allowing the winner to get their hands on some new AUTRA merch! And on the subject on our new merchandise it is all in stock and available now! Be the first to don the new shirts and Fractel hats! There are also still some bargains left to pick up on the old stock. Visit the AUTRA Shop here.

Our Coaches Corner has some excellent articles for our members this month (and every month!) from our Endorsed Coaches team. Make sure you log into your member account and have a read over the weekend. This month the topics are Training Load, Downhill Running, the benefits of RPE (Rating of perceived exertion), and the running demands on stability and balance.

Finally, we have an announcement from the committee that there will be multiple positions made vacant at the next AGM and we would like to invite our members who feel they have the time, the passion and the commitment to apply and help take AUTRA into its next phase. This is a fantastic opportunity for people looking to be more involved, bring fresh ideas and help make meaningful impacts for the future. I have already announced I will stepping down due to family and work commitments, and some of the amazing people I have worked alongside for the past five years also feel it’s their time to move on. The positions that will be up for nomination at the AGM in May are President, Secretary, Treasurer and Governance Officer as these positions will become vacant. Please note that all positions are up for nomination on the night of the AGM and are subject to member vote.

Details on the specific positions and responsibilities will be shared soon. If you’re interested or have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out or email me at president@autra.asn.au. Please rest assured that anyone taking on these roles will have full support from the current committee for a successful handover process.

That’s all from us for January, we have at least 7 events on the calendar for February and that also includes the Australian 100km Road Championships in Canberra, which also doubles as the newly named Australian Athletics 100km Championships.

Simone Hayes
President

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Team Manager 2025 IAU Asian and Oceania 100K Championships

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