AN AUSSIE AT THE UK’S CHILTERN RIDGE ULTRA

Kate Dzienis • May 28, 2022

Contributed by Clifford Jones, AURA member (Palm Cove, Qld)

CHILTERN RIDGE ULTRA 50KM, Chiltern Hills (England), 7 May 2022

I WAS VISITING THE UK FOR PERSONAL FAMILY REASONS AND WANTING TO MAKE THE MOST OF MY TRIP, so looked for an ultra event around the weekend of 7 May as this would be in the middle of the break.

A quick review of the UK ultra scene identified the Chiltern Ridge Ultra 50km Trail as a good event to participate in. Located in the Chilterns, rolling countryside to the North West of London, the event was booked as soon as I had flights and accommodation confirmed.

My A Race for this year was the Noosa 80km, taking place 5 weeks beforehand. My coach looked at my plans with the weary gaze of someone who knows his student suffers from FOMO and we tried to formulate a plan. In the end, my only goal was to complete the event, which in retrospect was just as well!

And so it was, on the morning of 7 May, I arrived at the start line. The promised pleasant morning had turned into a cold, drizzly spring morning that only people who’ve lived in the UK fully understand.

Layers were the order of the day. Running shirt, thermal top and rain proof jacket were worn, with running vest over the top. Sun visor was worn in the hope it might eventually perk up. Sunglasses were dismissed and left in the car. Oh ye of little faith, you lived here for long enough, you should have remembered what May was like…

Clifford Jones at the Chiltern Ridge Ultra 50km Trail in the UK. Photograph – Clifford Jones.

The start was delayed due to a queue for the loo. How very English! Culturally accustomed to queuing, you don’t start until everyone is ready!

The race started in the beautiful English countryside. The Tuscan hills it was not, but the scenery was still worthy of the effort. The terrain was a mix of farmers’ fields with a sprinkling of sheep, lambs and cows as well as the occasional horse. One of the delightful things about England is ancient rights of way and whilst farmers loathe them, they allow runners, walkers and people out for the day access to areas you’d not expect to be able to access. The course also took in areas of natural beauty and historic areas under the control of the National Trust.

A particular novelty was running across two golf courses…I had to wait for a tee shot on one crossing. Didn’t want to exit the event with a golf ball to the noggin’.

There were 4 main checkpoints with 3 of them being village halls. This meant there were proper toilet facilities available. Each checkpoint was manned by lovely crew and a great feature was that a chalk board with the distance you’d run, how far to the next check point it was and the distance to the end. Well equipped with water, nutrition and nibbles, these would be essential.

You would have noticed that I hadn’t spoken about how my race went…I have problems with nutrition and on this particular day I was to experience the worst of this. I was fine and running well within myself to about 25km when nausea appeared, similar to the Noosa event. Unfortunately this time I eventually was sick, so that was a first for me! Not something I wish to repeat and definitely needs to be addressed.

I am never going to place in these events, my aim is to simply push and learn about myself, but being sick does not help with whatever race pace you had. However slow I am, I more than make up for it in being stubborn and so I worked a strategy to get to the end, with a combination of running and walking, setting goals as I went.

I strolled into the finish chute within the cut-off, collected my medal and whilst not happy with the time, happy that I completed my first overseas event. And as they say, what doesn’t kill you does make you stronger.

Pictured (feature): Clifford Jones at his Noosa race earlier in the year. Photograph – Supplied.

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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