FINALLY GETTING TO THE SILVERTON ALPINE MARATHON

Kate Dzienis • July 19, 2023

Contributed by Hailey Hanney, AURA member (Engadine, NSW)

SILVERTON ALPINE MARATHON, SILVERTON (COLORADO, USA), 8 July 2023

When I was getting a baby cut out of me the week before Christmas the last thing on my mind was running a high-altitude marathon in Colorado. Originally, I was set to take on the Silverton Alpine Marathon in 2020 but like many runners Covid saw all events shut down for the unforeseeable future. When my husband was chosen in the Hardrock lottery and we started planning our USA trip, it gave me the chance to finally take on the challenge.

Any runner knows the toughest part of getting to any start line is getting to the start healthy and uninjured. But I also had to factor in a C-section that meant no running until 12 weeks after birth. As a personal trainer and running coach, I had planned to be active during my pregnancy. Severe morning sickness put an end to running as early as the first trimester.

So I kept myself as strong as possible right up until the birth and began light strength work and regular walks just four weeks after having our son. I was cleared to start running again in early March and got my coach Andy Dubois (Mile27) on board. In the four-month build up to the race, on top of looking after two young kids and studying architecture, I undertook 3-4 strength sessions per week and ran 3-4 times per week (most of those runs on the treadmill while the baby was napping, hopefully).

Remember that bit about healthy and uninjured? Just days before our trip to the USA a bout of Laryngitis and a cough/cold came home from daycare.

Layer on 30 hours travel with two kids and no sleep for the entire trip, let’s just say I was feeling pretty rotten when we finally arrived in Colorado. So I laid low for a week in the lead up to my race and hoped it was enough time to recover. Turns out I still wasn’t 100% by race day, but I was going to start anyway and give it everything I had on the day.

I got up early after a good night’s sleep (thank you little man) and walked up to the Silverton Memorial Park which was the Start/Finish area for the race. My husband and the kids showed up just before the start to surprise me and I also saw some friends from the last time we had visited Silverton in 2018 and 2019.

The race started on time, and I headed out with our friend Ryan Seher as we ran along the streets out of town and onto the jeep trails to the north-east. This section was quite flat. However Silverton is at 2,800m elevation and was the lowest point on the course so it would only get tougher from here. My game plan was to take it easy the whole day and just try to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Surprisingly, the first 13km had plenty of runnable sections, even though the elevation chart for the race made it look like it was mostly uphill till 30km. I mixed running and walking as we passed through Howardsville, Eureka and Animas Forks. There were many old building remnants along the way including rusted out mining equipment that speaks of the area’s history.

As we left Animas Forks the jeep road started to climb and I knew there wouldn’t be any more running until after we hit California Pass at about 27km and 3,950 metres (12,960 feet). The roads had been pretty soft underfoot up until this point, but now there were a lot more rocks and you really had to watch where you were putting your feet or you could easily roll an ankle. It was slow going and every time I looked up it seemed the trail towards the pass got longer and longer. I took a lot of photos here, surrounded by snow covered mountains and with some snowbanks over two metres tall.

This section seemed to go forever and as it got steeper I got slower and slower. I got passed by a few people who tried to make conversation but I was all out of breath, and could only speak if I stopped moving. It was a strange feeling to be totally out of breath while the muscles felt like the effort was easy, but that’s altitude for you!

The wind had been getting stronger as we climbed, and some of the gusts really pushed you around. I had to hold onto my hat as it almost flew off a few times, and I kept my buff around my neck so I could cover my mouth and try to keep the dirt out. There were actually a lot of ATVs and 4WDs out on the course, which brought up a lot of dust whenever they went past. It was getting pretty wild.

About 400m from California Pass a couple of men were overtaking me and pointed out the aid station ahead. We could finally see the top and I would soon be over the highest point on the course. It was a huge relief and really lifted my spirits. I had been telling myself that if I could get to this point then I could get to the finish. I knew the downhill would feel much easier and that I would be getting more and more oxygen as we continued descending to the finish line.

California Pass was spectacular, but I didn’t stay long as the wind gusts up there were super strong. Even the aid station had been packed away to prevent it blowing off the mountain. I grabbed a few photos and started to head down the steep trail ahead of me. I knew there would be another small amount of uphill to the nearby Hurricane Pass (3,880 metres/12,730 feet) but after that it would be mostly downhill. Descending proved so much slower than expected as it was super steep and rocky in most places, but I ran as much as I could as we passed through Gladstone at 32km (20.4 miles) and Niagara Gulch at 39km (24.6 miles).

My breathing started to feel easier as the road descended and got flatter. I was able to start running a little more and even catch some people who had overtaken me earlier. My legs felt surprisingly fresh but there were a lot more vehicles here and the dust made me cough quite a lot.

The watch ticked over to 43km and there was no sign of the finish line yet, “surely it couldn’t be too far?” I kept moving, running every downhill and walking a few small sections when I needed to catch my breath. A random timing mat sitting alone on the side of the road gave me hope that we were getting close.

The watch ticked over 44km and the road up ahead became tarmac. I begged the run gods for this to be the last corner. As I turned the corner I could see the Silverton Memorial Park down below and all I had now was a small downhill section to the finish line. The tarmac felt hard underfoot but I mustered every last bit of strength and started to increase my speed.

I had a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye as I hit the grass on the final 100m. I could see my family standing at the finish line, my daughter waving and cheering out loud. Finish lines have taken on a whole new meaning now I’m a mother, as the hurdles to overcome are greater, and the example you’re setting for your kids means so much more.

As I sat recovering in the gazebo, my daughter playing with my finisher’s medal, I felt incredibly lucky. Lucky to be in this beautiful place, and lucky to have the most supportive family and friends anyone could wish for.

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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