HOW OUR MEMBERS ARE STAYING MOTIVATED

Kate Dzienis • April 29, 2020

Despite the cancellation and postponement of races across the country due to COVID-19, AURA members are staying motivated and inspired to continue their training and adapt their goals. Here’s what some have said when it comes to continuing their physical and mental practices and exercises – and in fact, it looks like most of our runners are taking advantage of the quieter times.

Kay Bretz

“I was in peak fitness, ready to give the 100km World Championships’ qualifier a go when Coburg (April 18, Vic) got cancelled. A shame, but my long term vision to be in great shape for the 24-hour World Championships next year in May has not changed. Perfect timing for strength work and back to interval training to get faster. Mix it up and enjoy the variety running has on offer. What if travel and events in 2021 also got cancelled? It’s not in our control, and it wouldn’t be the end either. This is the time to re-encounter the joy of running for running’s sake. Events are just the icing on the cake! No virus can take away our love for crazy long runs.”

Barbara Fieberg, WA

“The crisis became real when all those races were cancelled and all that planning went out of the window! Of course the first reaction was disappointment although the reason behind it all most understandable. Then I reminded myself that it’s only a first world problem – luckily no reason for me to lose my job (nurses are now more needed than ever).

I had just entered the peak of my training for the Sri Chinmoy 100km race in Christchurch and was feeling great and without injuries, everything went according to plan. I drastically reduced my training volume and intensity and I have to admit that on some days I didn’t even feel like running! Skipping a session made me feel even more miserable and it could have ended up in a negative cycle.

My coach Andy DuBois and I agreed to keep the training plan flexible so I won’t lose my current fitness even if I only do the bare minimum. I reckon that was the turning point for me: I learned to appreciate my fitness, looked at the hours spent running as valuable ‘me time’ and enjoyed the movement of running even more.

I reminded myself why I love running in the first place! So with no races in sight and nothing planned, I’m still happily running and grateful I’m able to do so.”

David Von Senden, Qld

“From what was going to be a very exciting year with the Comrades down run in South Africa the main event, 2020 came to a disappointing standstill. No races, no club or group runs, motivation increasingly difficult to maintain. So, how am I maintaining some motivation? Virtual races (which I think are a fantastic concept) unfortunately don’t appeal to me.

I’m lucky (and sometimes not so) that my partner is a more than avid (slightly obsessive) runner, I’m also lucky to live in the FNQ rainforest in these uncertain times. Training has gone from straight roadwork for Comrades back to a mix of road and trail which really helps with the head space. The weekly longer run isn’t an issue as running in the nearby national forests with my partner doesn’t require much motivation to be out there (as long as you don’t mind regularly being smacked in the face by guinea grass).

It was the smaller 15-20km weekly runs that were becoming a struggle, it was my partner’s idea to chase segments using the Strava app, I thought this was a bit lame at first but after a couple of solid hit outs which included 4-5km at max chickens (with intervals up to 2.7km) in a 15-17km run, I had changed my mind. Pushing for a PR, cup or crown or pacing my partner to achieve her plan is both challenging and rewarding and there is no shortage of segments on any route you care to choose.

This now forms part of our weekly running regime. Here’s hoping everyone’s events during the second half stay on track, for us it’s Larapinta, Yurebilla and Feral Pig and I hope to see some familiar faces. I won’t have race legs, but it’ll be great to be racing. Best wishes to all.”

Luca Turrini, NSW

“Today’s COVID-19 isn’t great, but it is also a blessing in disguise for our running community. It has given those with enough perspective to appreciate how lucky we are (compared to other countries), a unique opportunity to press pause, and re-discover our own goals. Because truth to be told, our addiction to running is not always healthy.

Our “passion for running” can rapidly and silently escalate in an endless chase of results, performance, and races to do. It is a journey without end, there is always another peak to reach. What’s the new exciting race in the calendar? What’s longer? How can I go faster? What’s more extreme?

Our ‘joy of just running’ can transform into constant training for something, anything. In other words, we forget WHY we started running in the first place. We become conditioned by the perceived goals and expectations our social environment put on us. Peer pressure and FOMO are certainly first world running problems.

Maybe it’s just me, but COVID took a heavy weight off my shoulders. During a year where pretty much all races have been cancelled, I can just run for the sake of it. For the pleasure it provides me, and for as much or as little I want. And funny enough, I have been the most consistent I have been in a long time.

I’m on my 8th week of a running streak and I never felt as happy and as strong in ages. I don’t have to go out training, I go out running because I am better for it. Last week I joined a friend running 21 half marathons in 21 days to support a mental health awareness campaign. Because, why not? This is what I truly love to do. And I am certainly not the only one feeling this positive wave of change. Many friends have come up with their own races, challenges, experiments, some go longer, some go faster, some go with their kids, some don’t go at all and dedicate their time to other things they love and have neglected in the past. Am I missing racing? Not a bit. Will I go on a sign-up rampage when races are back on the calendar? Nope.

I am back to running just because.”

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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