Highs & Lows Of The 48Hr with Allicia Heron

Kate Dzienis • March 31, 2022

Contributed by Allicia Heron, AURA Member (Theodore, ACT)

SRI CHINMOY 48HR TRACK FESTIVAL (AURA 48HR CHAMPIONSHIPS),

AIS ATHLETICS TRACK (CANBERRA), 25-27 March 2022 (1^st Female, 48hr)

I arrived at the track with a car load of ‘stuff’ and thought to myself, ‘Alright, here we go, 48 hours of running..what am I doing?’. However, as soon as I stepped on the blue track, it brought back memories of last year’s race and it somehow calmed every nerve I may have had.

At 10am we began. Starting the race I felt great, and I soon started to execute the plan I had in place and settled into the routine I had planned. Things were going well, and in comparison to last year, I pushed back the sleep to chase the goals I had in mind. At the 24hr mark, I had exceeded my initial goals for the event – securing an Australian qualifier for the Aussie 24hr team.

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon. It was hot. Too hot. I was thrilled when the crew provided me with Zooper Doopers and cups of ice. I had never imagined that a cup of ice would be as amazing as it was! Between the heat, and the increasing fatigue, I could no longer focus and I started questioning everything, so I took my first nap around 30hrs into the event. If I was to continue, I needed to listen to my body, and stop, rest, and let my core temperature settle.

When night fell on the Saturday night, much like last year, the mighty Canberra Raiders were playing in the stadium next door. It was great to have some distraction and noise coming onto the track. There were a few of us doing the Viking clap whilst we were running around, which was a welcome break from the monotony of the field as we all started to struggle, with the exception of the 12hr competitors who didn’t seem like they were approaching the end of their event.

In the early hours of Sunday morning I hit a big low. I needed to stop and reset myself as every second lap (so a total of 800m) I was nauseous. I came in to my crewing area and said I need to stop. I needed 15 minutes, I needed to sleep. So, much to my delight, I sat down on my chair and I went to sleep! I was completely out of it for 15 entire minutes. It was amazing. Waking up was a different story though, I didn’t want to get out of that chair.

All of a sudden I had a coffee and hash brown shoved in my face and was told to drink and eat. A few minutes later, I was back out there, on that blue track…layered up for the first time, and walking a few laps to allow myself to warm up again. To my surprise I felt alive again, and before I knew it, layers were off and I was back to shuffling (in my head though, it was lightning fast running, however I am fully aware it was not). Only 4.5hrs to go!

Shortly after sunrise, as I was continuing my routine of shuffling and walking straights and curves, AURA’s Stephen Redfern surprised me by asking if I knew I was breaking my age category record? I had no idea! This drove me to dig deeper and hold it together for the remaining hours with my 100m runs and 100m walks.

At 46:52:00 I reached the 200 mile mark and this blew my mind – this had been a stretch goal and I still had just over an hour up my sleeve to push things a bit further!

When the countdown finished, I placed my drink bottle (race number marker) on the track and was met by family and crew. I think I cried, it’s a bit of a blur as I began to process what I achieved this weekend.

Pictured: Allicia Heron reaching the 200 mile mark. 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