PAVEY PUSHES TO PBS

Kate Dzienis • July 2, 2022

Contributed by Amanda Pavey, AURA member (Heathwood, Qld)

SOUTHERN SYDNEY 24 HOUR ULTRA, BARDEN RIDGE (NSW), 3-5 June 2022

It started off so small, insignificant, barely noticeable. The size of a pin prick, easy to miss…nothing to worry about. What nobody could know except me is inside, beneath the tough exterior, it was pulsing, strong, warm and growing. By the time my blood splatter had become noticeable to all, so had my heart…and for the next 12 hours they would grow together.

The perfect reminder of how life delivers both agony and ecstasy, and we can live with both if we accept in the present. Some people live life with their heart on their sleeve, so it seems fitting as a runner, I am wearing the contents of mine on my shoe. I make a dedicated effort to say hello to everyone at least once, even if just a high five at the turn. Being a more quiet, shy person, this has been one of my race goals, and I decide to tick it off early.

But let’s go back a little.

At 6 hours I began to realise I was far ahead of where I had thought I might be. My previous PB for 100km on the track had been 12hrs 20min…and here it was looking like I could take off two hours.

Head down, let’s go…about 3 hours later, and I started checking with my crew where I was at. A sub 10hr PB was on the cards. It was with huge elation I went through 100km in 9hrs 50min, taking a massive 2.5hrs off my PB!

Nicola captures\d this moment on video, for which I am so grateful to be able to watch that back later.
I message my friend Kerry:

Me: ‘100km PB, by 2.5hrs’ (I was excited, but brief because, you know, I’m still running).
Kerry: ‘Sufficient so long as we hit the 24-hour target’ (I smile, typical Kerry).

My celebration is over. Back in the zone…there is still a long way to go.

My heart continues to grow, and as I look down at my shoe, I am able to marvel at the amazing capacity of my body, feeling gratitude and appreciation for the ability to overcome the discomfort. The sun sets, and my wonderful crew have layers ready for me to put on so I can make it through the night.

It’s cold and I’m from Qld. There can be no stopping tonight or hypothermia is a real risk. I can’t let that happen and although I haven’t sat down at all yet, some 10 hours into the event, I know I just can’t. As I change from my shorts to long tights, crew member Tanya tries valiantly to retain my modesty and shield me from those in the tent and running past on the track. However, she is unprepared (as were our two male tent buddies) for my large running knickers that have the potential to provide emergency shelter if required. So, the shorts come straight off, and tights on…no fanfare, built for speed (me, not my knickers)!

The night comes and goes in a haze of cold soup and Tailwind. A man called Graham crews for me. Calm, and quiet, he provides many words of assurance. I’m grateful for his experience of crewing to guide me through that night. As dawn begins to break, I start to believe the magic 200km might be possible.

At this point I am 180km in, my previous PB is a distant memory, surpassed hours ago. My blood splatter has grown large and visible, bubbling over, and exploding for all to see. Locked in and focused I’ve shifted into a quiet place, moving through the kilometres methodically and with purpose….with a simple mindful mantra ‘One step. One moment. One thought’. Until….

FRAN ARRIVES TO CREW ME TO THE FINISH!

Everyone on the track knows Fran has arrived, loud and vivacious, she breathes life back into all who surround her. With that, I know we’re traveling to the finish. Although a solo runner, I never felt alone. The support on and off the track is always there and it’s amazing.

We’re in the last few moments. I turn the rough wooden block that marks my finish position over in my hand, I’m spent. I’m cold, tired and very, very ready for my first sit down in 24 hours that isn’t inside a porta potty. I wonder what my foot inside of my shoe looks like. The whistle goes, and I look up to see Fran running 200 meters with a chair, coat and blanket. I think that should be a special running category, because she is both fast and focused.

So dedicated and inspiring in her role, that as she passes other crew tents, they scramble to do the same for their athletes. For one moment I smile through my pain at the scene unfolding among the crews, before she arrives at me, and I sit. I’m done.

24 Hours – 202.5km
2nd place, Australian National Championships
A personal best by 40km
100km PB by 2.5 hours
Also set PB’s for 30km, Marathon, 50km, 50mile, and 100mile.
C-qualifier for Australian National team selection

‘And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from’ – T.S. Eliot.

Pictured: Amanda Pavey being awarded her 2nd Female Trophy by AURA’s Simone Hayes at the 2022 Southern Sydney 24 Hour Ultra. Photograph – Supplied/Facebook.

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AUTRA News Report 19-02-2025

By Kate Dzienis • February 19, 2025

The latest in race results, covering Cradle Mountain Run, City Run, Oscars 100 Hut 2 Hut and Yaberoo Trail Ultra.

Final 2024 Points Competition Results

By Alexis Oosterhoff • January 30, 2025

Results for the 2024 AUTRA Points Competition have been finalised, and are available on our Points Competition page. Full details of the top 10 (as shared on Facebook during January) are detailed below, and results for all participating AUTRA members can be found in the documents at the above link. It was a real battle throughout the year between our top two finishers, Phil Gore & Kevin "BK" Matthews, with both giving it their it their all at events, and through contributions to the community - volunteering at multiple events, and submitting articles to our monthly newsletter, Ultramag. They finished within 2km of total distance for the year (Phil on 1203.087km, and Kevin on 1205.510km), and it was only Phil's final volunteering effort on 6 Inch Trail Marathon in December that gave him the that very narrow victory. As you'd be aware from previous communications, this marks the end of the Points Competition. With trail running (of all distances) now incorporated into AU T RA's constitution, and after careful consideration of the costs of the competition payouts in it's current form, the committee felt it was time for it's retirement. This marks my seventh and final year of delivering the points competition to membership (2018-2024), after taking on the role from Cheryl Symons. It has brought me great joy in doing so, and I feel like I've had an opportunity to get to know so many of our members through seeing their race (and volunteering) performances over the years! I'm continuing in my role as the AUS/NZL statistician for DUV (from whom we shared the data for the points comp), and you can expect to continue to find your ultra-race result on their site. 1st Place - Phil Gore (WA) - 86 points Phil's achievements this year have included a massive 265.653km (and 2nd place) at the IAU 24h Asia & Oceania Championships, wins at the Red Dirt Backyard Ultra (33 laps), the Australian leg of Big Dog's Backyard World Team Championship (96 laps), and the Soochow/Taipei 24h Ultramarathon (270.826km). He also knocked out an easy (!) 72km at the Light Horse Ultra 24h in between supporting his amazing wife Gemma. Those two 24h wins netted Phil new Oceania 24h Open Male records, IAU Level 1 qualifiers, and pushed him to the top of Australia's 24h trophy board (with only the great Yiannis Kouros having run further). Phil topped-up his points by contributing one article to Ultramag, worked as an Event Director at Herdy's Frontyard Ultra, and volunteered at a further five events through the year. He finished on 86 points. 2nd Place - Kevin Matthews (WA) - 84 points Finishing in 2nd place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Kevin Matthews. He monstered his way through the year with finishes at Australia Day Ultra 100km, Delirious WEST 200mi, 24 laps at Herdy's Frontyard Ultra, 190km at Light Horse Ultra 24h, 23 laps at Birdy's Backyard Ultra, and also completed Feral Pig 100 miler, Sandman 50km and Six Inch 47km. And to top things off, he contributed five articles to Ultramag, and volunteered at five events. BK ran 1205km in Ultramarathon races this year, all of them AUTRA-listed, and surpassed 100 marathon finishes (including 51 Ultramarathons!) Kevin finished the year on 84 points, a massive 34 points ahead of our 3rd place finisher Sue Robertson. 3rd Place - Sue Robertson (WA) - 50 points Finishing in 3rd place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Sue Robertson. Sue completed the Ultra Series 100 miler trilogy of Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST, and rounded out her year with the Sandman 50km and Six Inch 47km races. She received 30 points from the racing at AUTRA-listed events, and was awarded a further 20 points by volunteering across eight events and contributing two articles to Ultramag, for a total of 50 points for the year. Thank you Sue! 4th Place - Margie Hadley (WA) - 47 points Finishing in 4th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Margie Hadley . She was the top-female finisher at both the No Time to Die Frontyard Ultra & Wild Dog Backyard Ultra, 2nd at Birdy's Backyard Ultra, ran 182km at the Australian 24h Track Invitational and placed 3rd at Coast to Kosci. Margie received 47 points in the competition 5th Place - Melissa Robertson (NSW) - 44 points Finishing in 5th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is NSW's Melissa Robertson. Melissa took out 1st place at Irrational SOUTH 200 miler, 2nd place at Lakes Trail Festival 100km, 1st place at Hume & Hovell 100 miler, 3rd place at Rumble in the Jungle and 6th place at Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko 100 miler! She also volunteered at the GNW 50km event, receiving 44 points in the competition! 6th Place - Aaron Young (WA) - 42 points Finishing in 6th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Aaron Young . Aaron finished in 1st place at each of the Ultra Series "Triple Crown" of 200 milers (Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST), 55 laps at Big Dog's Backyard World Team Championship, and rounded his year out with Feral Pig 100 miler. Aaron receives 42 points, just nudging ahead of Maree Connor (who also finished on 42 points) on a count-back 7th Place - Maree Connor (NSW) - 42 points Finishing in 7th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is NSW's Maree Connor. Maree had an outstanding year, achieving 2nd place with 221km (and an IAU Level 1 qualifier) at the IAU 24th Asian and Oceania Championships, 1st place at the Lakes Trail Festival 100km, 1st place with 67km at the Southern Sydney 6h race, and 1st place with 116km at the Narrabeen Allnighter 12h. Maree also competed at Spartathlon race this year (for which she contributed an article to the September Ultramag on her experience), receiving 42 points in the competition. 8th Place - Darren Linney (SA) - 41 points Finishing in 8th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is SA's Darren Linney . Darren completed 34 laps at No Time to Die BYU, 199km at the Adelaide 24h race, and 814km at the Australian 6 Day race, for a total of 1241km raced and 41 points . 9th Place - Tristan Cameron (WA) - 40 points Finishing in 9th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Tristan Cameron. Tristan completed the Ultra Series Triple Crown of 200 mile races (Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST), along with Feral Pig 100 miler, for a total of 1154km raced and 40 points. 10th Place - Jen Millum (WA) - 39 points Finishing in 10th place in the AUTRA 2024 Points Competition is WA's Jen Millum . Jen finished 1st at all three of the Ultra Series Trilogy of 100 milers (Delirious WEST, Irrational SOUTH and Unreasonable EAST), and was 2nd female with 35 laps at the Wild Dog Backyard Ultra. With a volunteer stint at the Yaberoo Trail Ultra, Jen finished the year with 39 points in the competition. To view the complete list of members who secured points in 2024 click here and then follow through to Points Summary under the 2024 tab. All winners have already been contacted, with cash prizes distributed for 1st - 7th places, and AUTRA Store vouchers sent for 8th, 9th & 10th.