WOMEN IN SPORT PRE-RACE AT NOOSA ULTRA-TRAIL

CONTRIBUTED BY SIMONE HAYES, AURA TREASURER

On Friday (24 March 2023) I had the privilege of being a guest speaker at the Women in Sports luncheon hosted by Noosa Ultra Trail the day before their event.

There was an amazing turnout of athletes, mostly women but also a few men. I got to fly the AURA flag, talk about my Western States experience and others, but more importantly talk about the growth of the sport for women, the diversities and challenges women face as ultra runners, and I was able to encourage newer runners to have confidence in their ability and embrace new challenges and distances.

Athlete Jacqui Bell interviewed me which was a hoot and made for a relaxed and informal chat. We then formed a panel with myself, Jacqui, Kellie Emmerson and wheelchair athlete Natasha Price. Natasha and her coach Adam Sheppard are both amazing wheelchair athletes and together they became the first athletes to race a 10km trail run in a wheelchair on an adapted course. 10km took them 2 hours, and they smashed it, even though they said it was definitely a challenge, overcoming soft grass, steep trail and uneven terrain in their day to day chairs (not a racing chair or one that was made for trails!) Hats off to race director Nick Stewart and his team for leading the way and introducing the exhibition race making it an inclusive event.

The panel got to ask and be asked many questions which made for an interesting afternoon of discussion that I’m sure could have gone on for hours if we had the time (and didn’t need to race the next day!)!

Highly recommend this event next year!