The Olympic Games reveal what we are capable of, show us how great and good we truly can be: beyond sporting prowess and achievement, to the beckoning goal of world peace flowering from our hearts’ intense aspiration, our lives’ focused dedication.
Yet for all the Olympic Games’ magnificence, spectacle and glory, they bring us only a glimpse of human possibility, only a glimmer of the light which is humanity’s inner Sun. On the other side of the globe from Paris, a group gathered lakeside in the stillness of Canberra’s pre-dawn darkness. Only a few would be elite athletes; while all were dreamers, lovers, adventurers, artists, warriors, devotees, daredevils, explorers, missionaries, even seers – setting out with a purpose to chart further realms, challenge further barriers, plumb deeper depths and scale further heights. For themselves, for us all. Our own Olympic drama would play out over the next 18 hours, expressing the same hunger, the same spirit, the same satisfaction – and more.
THE SOLO RACE
Both our female and male champions had been eyeing this race for several years. For both, today was their first attempt. Both ran exemplary races, both conquered the course and the field, both established incredible new course records. Nothing more could have been asked for. Champions, in every sense of the term.
Steph Auston drove herself from Newcastle, arrived with no helper and not even a single drop bag; she would “live off the land” relying only on what caught her eye at the aid stations. She traveled light, physically, mentally and emotionally, allowing her to seemingly flit weightlessly around the course. To lower what was already an impressive course record by nearly one hour, to set new best times for each of the 4 legs of the race, to be the first woman under 10 hours, to place 2nd overall (her time would have won the race outright most other years), to be smiling, coherent and fresh at the finish – write it down … 9:47:11. We can only cheer, in grateful wonder.
Being a local, Reece McKenzie had the advantage of knowing the course intimately as his accustomed training ground, and knowing what he had to do to chase down Brendan Davies’ legendary course record of 9:33. But knowing what has to be done, and actually getting it done, are two different worlds. Reece ran a solo race the entire day, only being passed fleetingly by 4 relay teams en route to his phenomenal finish in 9:25:38. An emphatic triumph, on every level.
Through their respective soaring effort, sacrifice and achievement, Steph and Reece have lifted us all on their shoulders, elevated the standard of ultra and trail running, and enhanced the stature of the race itself. You feel that Canberra herself – the city and its landscape – is proud and grateful to have hosted this wondrous day.
Every solo finisher in an event of this magnitude, deserves not only a mention, they deserve an entire race report dedicated to their personal achievement. Yet here we will acknowledge only a few, and to all the rest – you have our silent appreciation, admiration and deepest respect.
James Quaife, finishing in 9:49:26, was the third runner to better the magical 10 hour barrier. Cassie Cohen (11:20:59) and Anne-Marie Cook (11:21:54), each would have won the women’s race in many previous editions, and finished full of running within a cooee of each other. Damian Smith – a finisher from the inaugural staging of this event back in 2013 – returned to take out the Male 50-59 title in 12:13:05; while Stephen Graham was best among the Male 60-69 with his excellent return of 14:47:14.
THE RELAY TEAMS
“The Hakuna Matatas” were the outstanding Team of the Day. The swift ensemble of Britt Harriden, Rachel McCormick, Jessica Ronan and Keely Small would not have been out of place racing in Paris this week, offering a superb display of fast, controlled trail running to blaze a new All-Female Team course record of 8:20:26, and placing 3rd outright among all-comers. En route to the team victory, Rachel McCormick and Jessica Ronan both set new course records for their respective legs AND Rachel McCormick ran the fastest split including all the male team runners for leg 2 (2:03:00). Next best among the All-Female teams was "FELT" (Cecily Reid, Fleur Flanery, Stella Creighton and Paola Lonchampt) in 10:05:08.
“m@d kr3w” (Tim Carton, Alan Craigie, Jacob Grooby and Alex Dreyer) certainly ran better than they can type, leaving all in their wake to take line honours by over 17 minutes, and win the All-Male Teams category in 8:00:29. Next home was “Kudos Running Crew Canberra team 1” (Jac Pascoe, Craig Benson, Daniel Carson and Victor Violante) in 8:17:59. On this team, Daniel Carson ran an outstanding leg 3, his 1:51:20,15 and a half minutes ahead of the rest of the field. It should be noted also, that the course record for leg 3 was set when this leg was shorter than now, due to the closer proximity of T2 to Black Mountain in those days.
Fastest Mixed Team (and 4th team overall), also contended for Best Team Name: “Lost in Pace” (William Barlow, Conor Simpson, Ellen Bradley and Rowan Lewis) recorded 8:30:34 for the 100km journey; followed by 2nd placed “Elevate Ensemble” (Matthew Groves, Prue Davies, last year’s women’s winner and defending course record holder Allie Corripio, and Emily McLeod), in 9:17:14.
Boundless gratitude to all helpers, volunteers, supporters, spectators and well-wishers. Along with happy runners, the event photo gallery shows many beaming faces on the sidelines of the action, this wave of uplifting energy contributing tremendously to the success of this unforgettable occasion.
