INJURIES DON’T STOP MCLEISH FROM CONQUERING 100K ADU

Kate Dzienis • January 31, 2019

Contributed by Andrew McLeish, AURA member

The 2019 Australia Day Ultra (January) race was a huge goal for me. Last year’s event was my first attempt at the 100km distance and I experienced my first ever DNF. As a result I struggled through mental blocks and injury most of 2018 and had a fairly inconsistent year of training.

Three months before race day this month, I was facing lower back and hip issues. Disappointingly, an MRI revealed some long term problems, and I was advised by my doctor not to run for six weeks, which would have taken me to mid-December.

As many know all too well, my running break lasted only about two weeks as I was climbing the walls, and just between you and I – pretty much losing my mind. I worked with the physio and managed a solid two months training block.

One of the minor hurdles of ADU for me was, and still is, the midnight start time. It can be trying at times to work out pre-race nutrition and achieve adequate sleep.

This year it forecast be a very hot 38°.

My A goal was simply to finish the distance within the cut off time of 15 hours, though I’d hoped to come in under 10:30:00.

Leading up to the big day, I’d also restricted my longest training runs to 32km so as to not flare up any previous niggles, so I was understandably nervous for not having included a particularly long run in my training – I was, however, happy with consistent high mileage weeks.

Another big thing I had been working hard on was slowing down my pace; I have a tendency to go out too fast and blow up early, so my plan was to start at a 5:30 pace and hold it as long as I could, knowing I would slow down after a few laps. A normal cruising speed for me is about 4:30.

One part of ultra running I love is the whole lead up to the race – all the planning, nerves and adrenaline.

Race day plan was to get up, eat a hearty but healthy breakfast, light healthy lunch then rest, rest, and rest – and not eat again until 10pm when I’d eat my normal race day breakfast. It was awesome advice from WA ultra runner David Kennedy; this way I wouldn’t be running on a full day’s worth of food, and it worked a treat because I didn’t stop for a toilet break until around the 70k mark.

Finally midnight arrived. Lining up at the startline I tried to seed myself towards the back of the pack to stop the adrenaline from getting the better of me. Off we all went down a dark path with a beautiful view of the red moon shinning over the top of the water.

My first lap was slower than planned. I was averaging around a 5:40 pace which I was very happy with, and for the first time in the three years I’ve been running, it felt comfortable to run at a slower pace.

Around 37km my knee started playing up (this was a new issue and not one I’d had before) and it felt like it was clicking every time I lifted my leg and was getting quite painful.

I quickly re-adjusted my goal to 15 hours. I was going to finish this no matter what. Early on, I decided on a walk/run strategy and to focus on breaking the distance down into 3km segments, so each aid station. These 3km segments felt more like 10km though!

I reached the 50km mark, halfway through. A quick shirt and shoe change, a few Panadol and my wife had managed to find me a knee brace – and what a difference it made. I was pain free for the next 15km and managed to run more than I walked.

By now the course was pretty full with competitors, because as the sun came up the shorter distance events were starting. It helped enormously to see lots of my friends on the course, and it was great encouraging them and getting the same in return.

The 75km point came around, and I was in a lot of pain, walking more than running. On a positive note though, I hadn’t had any cramping, I usually struggle with cramping around the 40km mark so I was staying focused on the positives.

The final lap was quite emotional. Thinking about my two girls brought on happy tears. I had almost done it, I knew I was going to finish. With 6km to go, the low battery indicator flashed up on my Garmin, and all of a sudden I was running a fast pace again – I had to crack that 100 before my watched died!

Finally, I could see the finish line. What a massive feeling of accomplishment running in to the cheers of all the Ultra Series WA crew, family and friends. Hearing my wife and brother-in-law screaming me over the finish line, what a feeling! The atmosphere and the comradery felt amazing, such an inspirational group of people all in the one spot.

In the end, I finished in 12:26. It’s the longest distance I have ever run and it was the longest time on legs. Strangely perhaps this TOL is what I am most proud of.

I still have the long term goal of completing a 100 miler and this latest accomplishment takes me one step closer to that.

Pictured (feature): Andrew McLeish at the 2019 ADU 100km event. Photograph – Shannon Dale.

Pictured (above right): McLeish with his daughters after finishing his 100km. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook.

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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