SPOTLIGHT ON: BERNADETTE BENSON
Kate Dzienis • July 19, 2023
Introducing our monthly feature Spotlight On, where our AURA members get to know a little bit about some other AURA members!
Name: Bernadette Benson
Age: 54
Location: Wandiligong, Victoria
FAVOURITE RACING OR RUNNING DISTANCE
The last few years I’ve been leaning towards the ‘shorter’ races, whether road or trail, that are done within about 8-9 hours, as I enjoy the quicker recovery so I can be back playing on the trails again sooner.
WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND YOU GETTING INTO ULTRA RUNNING?
I stumbled upon trail runners around 2006 after I’d been running roads for 5 or 6 years in order to try to earn my beer and chips credits. I had no idea running could be fun or that people could survive – let alone enjoy – running more than 90 minutes at a time. I nearly puked trying to keep up with others on that first trail run, and I was sore as heck afterwards, but I was hooked!
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE ULTRA RUNNING EXPERIENCE SO FAR?
That’s an impossible question for me to answer succinctly. I loved some of my first races simply because it was all such a wild, new, unknown experience for me. My first trail races in Europe and my first 24hr, for example. I love the beauty of the Matterhorn Ultraks course in Switzerland. I love the long distance point-to-point nature of the Transalpine Run multi-day trail race. That one has always been a team event until this year – now that there’s a solo category, I want to go back to experience that version as well.
IF YOU WOULD WANT ANYONE IN THE WORLD TO PACE YOU AT AN EVENT, WHO WOULD IT BE?
If my partner ran at my pace, I’d love him to pace me because he knows me so well. I appreciate his wit and calm, rational nature. I would love to have the chance to run some miles with Ann Trason and have her share her wisdom and stories. She’s a legend and a pioneer in the sport.
WHAT ARE 3 THINGS WE WOULD ALWAYS FIND IN YOUR DROPBAG?
2Toms SportShield, fuel by Hammer Nutrition, sunscreen. I try to race efficiently.
RECOVERY IS IMPORTANT – WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR BEST POST-WORKOUT/RECOVERY STRETCH OR EXERCISE?
Most critical to me is to get my protein/carb replenishment right after a long run (I use Hammer’s vegan Recoverite). I also invested in compression boots this year and they’ve become a regular part of big days, especially. And sleep! Sleep might be my most favourite of all.
WHAT’S YOUR DREAM RUN OR EVENT?
I am really interested in doing one of Lizzy Hawker’s high altitude multi-day semi-supported runs in Nepal. Wild, big, high, minimal, quiet. Those things appeal to me. The Lapland Arctic Ultra also appeals for similar reasons.
All images supplied.
If you would like to be featured in our Spotlight On segment, email ultramag@aura.asn.au with your interest!
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
AUTRA are excited to announce our national championship events for 2027!
Greg Wilson recaps his time at the 2026 New Zealand 6 Day Ultra
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APRIL 2026
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IN OTHER NEWS
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
AUTRA are excited to announce our national championship events for 2027!
Greg Wilson recaps his time at the 2026 New Zealand 6 Day Ultra
