Spotlight On: Peter Scott

Kate Dzienis • October 30, 2023

Introducing our monthly feature Spotlight On, where our AURA members get to know a little bit about some other AURA members!

Name: Peter Scott
Age: 58
Location: Riverview, NSW

FAVOURITE RACING OR RUNNING DISTANCE

100 kays on the trail. I have run a one hundred kay race (TNF/UTA in the Blue Mountains) every five years since 2012. Long enough and hard enough to be a real test, this race has never failed to test my limits, challenge all that I am as a trail runner and deliver a memorable experience for myself and my crew.

WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND YOU GETTING INTO ULTRA RUNNING?

I trained for and ran a first road marathon in Perth, WA in the late 90s when I was looking for a challenge outside of work and something to keep me on the straight and narrow. Half a dozen years later I was introduced to the Six Foot Track by an old schoolmate and ran a first ultra there in 2006. That beat me up good and proper, so it was a few years before I came back for another, but my passion for the sport and connection to the ultra community has only grown ever since.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE ULTRA RUNNING EXPERIENCE SO FAR?

I finished UTMB this year (September 2023). Everything about this race was epic. The buzz of Chamonix and the undeniable thrill of standing on the same start line (albeit a little way back) as some of the world’s best trail runners. The personal step up from sub-14 hour hundred kay races to a 42 hour plus miler. The length of the days, the depths of the nights, the relentless ascents and torturous descents, the majesty of the alps, the passion of the fans and the love of my support crew. Even the frightened and squealing little marmot that I saw as a claw-baring, fang-gnashing, charging beast early one morning! What a phenomenal event.

IF YOU WOULD WANT ANYONE IN THE WORLD TO PACE YOU AT AN EVENT, WHO WOULD IT BE?

Lucy Bartholomew. Listening to Lucy, I think she epitomises the spirit of trail running. I’d love to hold pace with her for a bit and soak up whatever came my way.

WHAT ARE 3 THINGS WE WOULD ALWAYS FIND IN YOUR DROPBAG?

My wife and daughter are my Formula 1 support crew, so I rarely need or use dropbags. They, however, never leave home for the trails without cow-bells, a bucket of good cheer and an ever-ready kick up the bum.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE FILM OR BOOK ABOUT RUNNING?

The marketing team at Fremantle Press would sling me up if I didn’t mention my memoir, Running Deep: An Australian Submarine Life. True, it’s more a book about submarines than a running book, but the importance of running at different times through my life is a clear thread. What’s more, it’s full of stories of challenge and adversity, adventure and misadventure, connection and disconnection – and I figure that’s what many of us love about ultra running.

RECOVERY IS IMPORTANT – WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR BEST POST-WORKOUT/RECOVERY STRETCH OR EXERCISE?

We took a nine day family holiday after the UTMB this year. Coastal, small town, no commitments, unlimited naps, healthy appetites, sunnies and colourful drinking shirts. It’s my new favourite big race recovery ritual.

WHAT’S YOUR DREAM RUN OR EVENT?

As I write, I have 600 days to run before I turn 60. I’m on the hunt for the race to celebrate. In the meantime, my dream run is the run I’m on!

If you would like to be featured in our Spotlight On segment, email ultramag@aura.asn.au with your interest!

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AUTRA Race Report 23-3-2026

By Kate Dzienis • March 23, 2026

Herdy's Frontyard Ultra, WA Gold Coast Backyard Ultra, Qld I'm Still Standing Sydney, NSW Trail Run Australia - Tathra, NSW Sri Chinmoy 48hr Track Ultra (Australian 48hr Track Championships, ACT Washpool World Heritage Trails, NSW Tamworth Trailblazer, NSW Upcoming Events WEEKLY NEWS REPORT FOR 23-3-2026 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 2026 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.

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.