From Coping Mechanism To So Much More by Geoffrey Langhans

December 21, 2023

contributed by geoffrey langhans, aura member (happy valley, sa)

Looking back at 2023...on Good Friday in 2020, I tackled the Yurrebilla Trail knowing that it would push me beyond anything I’d done before. I’d never heard of ultra running before and I wasn’t the trail fiend that I am now but I did it for a different reason.

I did it because I had to.

Six months prior my now ex-wife left me and my ability to sleep departed just as promptly. In an attempt to sleep better, I started exercising to exhaust myself and what started as long walks evolved into jogging and then running greater and greater distances. The further and faster I’d go, the fitter I became and so I’d have to go further and faster again to aid me in my quest for sleep.

Yurrebilla turned into a double mara, closely followed by running past the 100km mark for the first time and then somehow, I heard about the Adelaide 12hr race coming up in October that year. Given I was running ultra distances nearly every week, I thought why not?

During that race, I met some inspiring people and got my first taste of a community that is unparalleled. I’ve played many sports to various levels, none so more than table tennis in which I have represented SA and sit on the Board of Directors, and while I’ve enjoyed each of those sports, there have always been too many of those who seek to win at all costs. Those who will bend and break rules and certainly never support others. I’m sure ultra running has some like this but I’m yet to meet one.

Who I have met are countless people who go out of their way to help others: to encourage them and help them achieve something they could not have done alone.

Ultra events also took me to remarkable places I didn’t know existed. Some on my own doorstep. Then there are the wildlife encounters that you can’t plan for. I’m sure many of us have almost (or actually) stepped on more snakes than we’d like but I’m still grateful to be out experiencing the nature around us.

So late in 2022 when I was looking ahead, I realised I had the opportunity to simultaneously take running further, travel to see more of this amazing country and meet many more inspirational people. 2023 was going to be my year of running. I filled my calendar with ultras across SA, WA, Victoria, NSW, the ACT, Queensland and Tasmania. There were track, trail and road races. Point-to-point, loop, distance and time based, as well as LOS events.

In every single one of them there was something I am thankful for experiencing and people I am grateful to have met. I didn’t enjoy everything: the humidity in Queensland and northern New South Wales, or the monotony of the athletics track weren’t very fun but it was still worthwhile doing those events. Even the Alpine Challenge in Falls Creek where I DNFd with a few torn ankle ligaments had positive lessons that I could take away.

As I reflect on my year that had 19 ultras with one to come (the postponed 12hr Dusk to Dawn in Adelaide), I am nothing but happy that I decided to make the most of the chance I had in 2023. If you are reading this and have an ultra event (or more) that you are considering signing up for but have some doubts whatever they may be, do it. Take the time to travel further because it’s worth it.

The people, the experiences, the feelings: get out there and embrace this community all you can.

GEOFFREY LANGHANS

< Older Post

Newer Post >

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