Race Report: Run4Kids by marie Boyd

April 29, 2024

Run4kids - 22-24 March 2024 - corona, california, usa

contributed by marie boyd, aura member (usa)

The event is held by the 100 Mile Club to encourage young school age children to run 100 miles during the school year. Many schools participate. Runners commit to a fundraising effort, with all proceeds going to the club, which uses the money to encourage kids with awards, etc.

Held on a 0.82km route, mainly hard packed dirt, at the Auburndale Middle School, with trackside camping and parking available for ultra-runners, the course easily accommodated the runners, crews, and many families who came out in droves on Saturday morning, to run a 5k event.

The event started on Friday evening at 8pm, so provided a different opportunity to plan for running and resting. There were 9 runners in the 48 hour event, many more in the 24 hour and 100 mile iterations. Weather was mixed, with high winds, rain at times, then wonderful sunny spring conditions at various intervals. As usual, on a loop course, I was wearing the right clothing for about 1/2 way round.

My plan was fairly simple - start out at a steady pace, take only a couple of short breaks on Day 1, then plan a little more rest time on Day 2, but try to maintain forward momentum throughout.

Day 1

Day 1 just flew by, and I happily continued with one easy, one power walk, one easy, and one easy run 4 lap combination. Taking just 2 short 30 minute breaks, I was excited to surpass my previous Australian 12 hour, 50 mile and 24 hour records, set in Adelaide last September at the Australian 6 Day Ultra Marathon Festival.

Day 2

Day 2 had the same weather combinations, and although my pace slowed somewhat, I pushed on, taking 2 short rest breaks. At about 3am, I noticed I was weaving slightly, and possibly hallucinating, thinking the traffic cones were children dancing! Time for a proper sleep, so I lay down for an hour, fell right to sleep, until the phone alarm woke me. I lay there for several minutes, thinking I was a home, and just incredulous that I was in the tent!

Pushing on after that well-earned rest, the miles slowly accumulated. The next goal was the 100 mile record, which to my amazement, was almost 13 hours faster than the sufferfest total in Adelaide! It is now an almost respectable 42 hours, not 55. The weather turned cold, wet and windy again, as the final afternoon and early evening hours approached.

Next goal - the US women’s 75-79 48 hour record at 103 miles, and done! Now came the hard part - the weather was cold, I was tired, and starting to feel the effects of long miles on very tired feet.

Regretfully, I gave in to the temptation to call it "good" at 106 miles, with 2 hours still on the clock. All of a sudden, sciatic nerve pain caused me to rethink the wisdom of continuing in the wet and cold weather. I hope to not do that again, but at the time, it was the right decision.

Lovely belt buckle and finish medal, and I will look back fondly on this event.

I have learned much from this event, and have some ideas for my continued training for the Australian 6 Day Ultra Marathon Festival this October.

The numbers:

New AUS 12h record: 51km / 31.8 mi (old: 48km / 29.8 mi)
New AUS 24h record: 97 km / 60.6 mi (old: 81.2 km / 50.4 mi)
New AUS 48h record: 170 km / 106 mi (old: 133km / 82 mi)
New AUS 50 mi record: 19:57:29 (old 23:57:24)
New AUS 100 mi record: 42h 52:15 (old: 55:32:51)
New AUS 100km record: 24:30:11 (no existing old record)

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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