COACH’S CORNER - ADAPT during your race by Anne-Marie Cook

May 31, 2024

anne-marie cook from up coaching suggests a smart way to deal with race day setbacks. hint - don't panic!

There’s every chance that something will go wrong at some point in an ultramarathon. That’s primarily due to the length and the number of variables in trail and ultra running.

Sure, you can reduce the likelihood through meticulous training and preparation. But it’s still no guarantee. So, regardless of the scope and severity of an issue on race day, you need a plan to deal with whatever could go wrong.

So, try to A.D.A.P.T. It’s a race saver!

This handy acronym is a framework to deal with issues that arise during a race – from the simple to the life-threatening. A key attribute is that it can reduce your chance of panicking and throwing your race plan out the window. When you’re feeling exhausted it’s easy to catastrophise and make a decision you’ll regret later – like keeping on going even though you haven’t seen pink tape for a while, or pulling out of a race in a moment of fatigue.

You can and should practice this technique in training, so when sh*t hits during your race you can keep your head level and your eyes on the prize.

Accept

Mid-race, it’s easy to blow things out of proportion and lose rational perspective. If you’re prone to imagine the worst-case scenario, this is even more relevant to you! An example could be feeling a hotspot developing underfoot. Instead of appreciating the situation for what it currently is and how to deal with it, you might imagine a blister impacting your entire race. Staying in the present rather than imagining the potential future can help you accept your situation and make wiser choices about how to solve it.

Diagnose

Whether it be a rolled ankle, pouring rain or a stitch, you need to fully understan the issue. It’s important to not try to go straight into solving mode without all the information. If you’re not able to take on fuel, try to calm your mind and think about the symptom. Do you feel nauseous? Are you hot? How does the problem feel?

Analyse

This is the step in which you think through the current situation. An example of this step would be a rolled ankle: “My ankle hurts. But not too bad. I can walk on it, which is good. The next aid station is 2 kilometres away.” Even if you don’t have a solution yet, don’t panic! Take time to get panic under control and just name the situation without reacting.

Plan

In this step, you make an action plan to deal with the problem. The fewer issues you have to deal with, the easier it is to create a plan. But of course, the reality of ultrarunning is that several things could be going on/going wrong at once! If things are complicated, deal first with the issue that has the most potential to be catastrophic (e.g., if you’re getting cold but also cramping, first plan how you can get warm).

Take action

This is where the rubber hits the road – or trail! If you’ve diagnosed you’re feeling overheated, your action plan might be something like: “I’m going to walk to reduce effort and focus on drinking to cool my body. When I get to the shade just up there, I’ll stop out of the sun and put on my hat. Once I feel better, I’ll start a walk/run strategy.”

ADAPT in action:

Accept: Oh crap… I haven’t seen a trail marker for a while … Augh! I think I’ve gone off course! OK, this is not a disaster, let’s adapt to the situation.

Diagnose: I think I last saw ribbon at a junction. How far back was that! OK, it was maybe only a couple of kilometres.

Analyse: If I’ve taken a wrong turn, I will need to retrace my steps. Am I sure? I don’t know!

Plan: OK, I’ll get out my phone and check the course map and my location to be sure that I need to go back, before I waste any energy.

Take action: Yep! I can see the junction on the map. Back I go. But it’s probably less than a kilometre. I can get back on course, it’s not a big deal. Let’s do this!

With thanks to United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA) for introducing me to the ADAPT concept. Check out Jason Koop’s take on the framework here.

ANNE-MARIE COOK COACHES INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS IN TRAIL AND ULTRA RUNNING FOR UP COACHING IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AND ONLINE AROUND THE WORLD. SHE'S QUALIFIED AS AN ULTRA RUNNING COACH BY UESCA AND TRAIL & ULTRA LEVEL 3 HIGH PERFORMANCE BY ATHLETICS AUSTRALIA. AS AN ATHLETE, ANNE-MARIE HAS PLACED 7TH AT UTA100 AND 6TH AT THE AUSTRALIAN MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS.iF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON BEING TRAINED BY andy, CLICK THROUGH HERE TO OUR AURA ENDORSED COACHES PAGE.

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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