WINNING THE 12HR LIKE IT WERE KATH AND KEL

Kate Dzienis • April 30, 2021

Contributed by Kirsten Maplestone, AURA member & 1st Female at 2021 Coburg 12hr

Coburg 12hr, 17-18 April 2021, Harold Stevens Athletic Track Vic

This was my second time at the 12hour run, yet I clearly forgot how much the track packs a punch to the old body. I hadn’t been training but there was no way I was going to miss such a social event, catching up with friends and watching my idols hit the track. I couldn’t wait for the laneway banter to start flying and seeing heaps of people supporting the athletes was so uplifting. Including many I’d spoken to on Facebook but never actually met – what a thrill to finally meet them (195 times to be exact, every time I circled them)!

I got to the track behind schedule and literally threw my shoes on after only taping my small toes…..what a mistake, which would undo me for the whole race. Next it was setting up my small aid station, then hugs and chats with friends. After the briefing it was quickly off to Lane 3, my home for the next 12 hours. A surprise appearance by Jon Lim to send us off with a live cross to VUR was super exciting, although I’m sure the viewers quickly tired of the repetition.

Shortly into the race I felt the blisters start in my arches, I was in a rhythm and tried ignoring them but they kept screaming ‘hello’ and got rapidly bigger but I was caught in the hamster wheel. As time went on I could see the toll it was taking on people (myself included).

I could no longer run, the arch blisters were well out of control and unrepairable and my ITB decided to come for the ride too so I reverted to my fast pace walking which I learnt during the COVID bubble.

There were two hours left and I set my sights on 81km, so it was game on. I kicked my ‘Kath and Kel’ style walking back into motion – it was working, I was getting closer and then it was time to throw the sandbag down. Pain set in straight away. AURA member George Mihalakellis kindly came off the track during his race to help me get my shoes off and gave me a blanket, then it was time to collect the freaking awesome trophy.

Yes, I’m very bling orientated, but I have never in my life come first at anything. Sure it was a Steven Bradbury type of win (Connie Schroeder, 3rd Female pulled out early) but I still gave it my all and held on to finish while Lucy Stabb (2nd Female) stayed right on my heels.

I love entering the club rooms the most, it’s where all the history is displayed and the members are welcoming, and there are CHAIRS. It’s brilliant to see what everyone achieved yet no one can walk normally anymore.

Afterwards, I headed to my car to set up for the night, I watched the 24hr and 100km people tire into the zombie shift, into the cold, cold night. I tried to get some shut eye but the pain was too much. I was up again with the next light of day and cheered on athletes from the back of my car. A mix of exhausted and shattered 24hr people and the fresh 6 hour and marathoners adding new excitement to the mix.

I shuffled down to say my goodbyes but ended up getting chatty and then fell asleep on the track grass and Scott put a blanket over me. I woke for the final laps and cheered like crazy with tears welling up in my eyes seeing them all in so much pain but still pushing on.

I could feel their elation that it was nearly over. Hurray and well done to everyone, no matter what, distance, time and outcome, it was certainly the place to be in April. Oh and Heather (from the canteen) and I are having a pyjama party, she’ll be wearing her Paul Frank Monkey pants and my fluffy rainbows pants will be back. Until then, see you around and around and around. And as all the Coburg members say in their sweet convincing voices, “See you next year!”

Pictured: Kirsten Maplestone (1202) racing at the 2021 Coburg 12hr last weekend. Photograph – Bernie Goggin.

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Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2027

By Jin Kato • July 8, 2026

The world-class trails of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington will play centre-stage for one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, after the Kunanyi Mountain Run (KMR) was awarded the hosting rights for the first-ever combined Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships (AMTRC). KMR was awarded the National Championships after a competitive bid process, overseen by the Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association (AUTRA) and Australian Athletics (AA). AUTRA President, John Claridge, said that KMR “offered everything we were looking for”. “World-class trails, proven event management and a passionate community. It provides the perfect stage for Australia's first combined National Trail Championships," he said. It’s expected that Australia’s elite mountain and trail running athletes, and support crew, will travel to Hobart, as they vie for a spot in the Australian team that competes at the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. "This is a landmark moment for trail running in Australia,” Mr Claridge said. "We're excited about what this championship represents; not just next year, but for the future of trail running in Australia... helping grow the sport and inspire the next generation of trail runners." The 2027 AMTRC at KMR will be the first time that all championship distances have been held together, at the one festival. “It aligns us more closely with the way World Championships are presented, creating a stronger pathway for athletes and raising the profile of the sport,” Mr Claridge said. KMR, a 3-day trail running festival which has been held annually since 2022, expects to draw more than 1500 runners and hikers from across Tasmania, Australia and internationally next year. The AMTRC will be embedded within KMR’s existing event program, allowing elite athletes to compete for the national titles, while sharing the same spectacular trails and event-experience as recreational runners. “We’re honoured to have been selected as host,” KMR’s founder and director, Lincoln Quilliam said. “KMR continues to welcome runners, and hikers, of all abilities. From the elites who want to represent Australia on the world stage, the group of mates or work colleagues who run the team relay together, the mums returning to running after having a baby, as well as those who are trying trail running for the very first time,” Mr Quilliam said. Tasmanian runner, Jessica Collins, who has represented Australia, said it was exciting news for KMR, Tasmania and the sport. “This is such a great opportunity for Australian athletes. I’ve run many of the KMR events and know the courses and the terrain are on par with what we see at the World Champs,” she said. The City of Hobart has supported Kunanyi Mountain Run since its inception, and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she was “thrilled” with the news. “Events like this not only showcase the natural beauty of our region but also reinforce Hobart’s reputation as a vibrant destination for world-class outdoor experiences.” The 2026 edition of KMR brought in $4 million to the Tasmanian economy, generating more than 8000 bed nights across the state, which Alex Heroys, Chief Executive of Destination Southern Tasmania, said was a “significant return for the visitor economy”. “Kunanyi / Mount Wellington is one of Tasmania’s great natural assets, and the Kunanyi Mountain Run shows exactly how powerful events can be in driving regional tourism,” he said. “We have an epic mountain right on Hobart’s doorstep, an airport less than 30 minutes away, and a city that is well set up to welcome thousands of visiting athletes, support crews and spectators.” “This event also reinforces Tasmania’s growing reputation as a world-class trail running destination. With steep, technical trails and real mountain terrain, Kunanyi offers conditions that are genuinely comparable to what athletes will experience at the World Championships, making it an ideal place to compete, train and visit.” For more information: Kunanyi Mountain Run Dates: 19-21 March 2027 Pic credit: David Nolan & Ryan Slater