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SupportI hate running.
Hang on, I can hear Mum’s voice in my head, “That’s a bit harsh. You don’t hate anyone or anything.” Okay, I strongly dislike running.
There are notable exceptions. I love pushing a basketball ahead of me as I run, especially as the court opens up during a fastbreak. Large, hungry-looking animals and large angry-looking humans can get me to run. And, I’ll nearly always run to waves if they’re pumping. Well, it’s frequently more of a weird skippy jog-type thing, depending on the toughness of my feet at the time and the searing heat/gravel sharpness/volume of sharp sticks on the pathway to the surf.
A few years ago, I worked on a publication that was documenting Nils Arend’s The Speed Project – an unsanctioned 500km relay race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. I quickly learnt that the participants were nuts! But, heck, you had to respect the hell out of them.
From that point on – while knowing that I’ll likely never pitter-patter across death-defying mountain saddles like the sure-footed Kílian Jornet, experience a ‘runner’s high’ (or chafe my nipples raw in the pursuit of fun) or have the sense of accomplishment of jogging anything further than 10kms – I’ve had the utmost admiration for those who can experience these things, except the ouchy nips.
And, for those who run ultramarathons, I’m in awe.
“...at the close of race in one special year, the gap between the winners was only a minute and a half.
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Like many of you, I thoroughly enjoy walking down at Wilsons Promontory. It’s a magnificent time, strolling through the bush or beach and lapping up those incredible vistas.
Recently, I began hearing about what could be Australia’s “most picturesque” ultramarathon event down at the Prom. You could run in a 100km division if you wanted, and there was a cool 25th-anniversary medallion on offer for participants. Once word trickled in from some Melbourne-based race volunteers about how much they enjoyed the event, I had to learn more.
Paul Ashton is the founder of Running Wild and the organiser of The Prom 100, as well as other coastal runs at Kilcunda and Darby River and alpine running events on Mount Baw Baw and Mount Buller, to name a couple.
Of course, when I rang Paul, he was preparing for a run. Not just a leg-stretcher around the local park, but getting ready to board a plane for Italy to run 20km up and down the Dolomite Mountains every day for nearly a week. This is coming off a trip to the Grampians in April where Paul punched out a cheeky 160km over a few days. Not too shabby for a gentleman who is nearer to 70 than 60 years old.
Paul explained that he started running seriously after two runners caught his eye while watching the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He began with a 30-minute run and just kept going.
While living in Alice Springs, Paul joined walking and running clubs. He did the same when he moved to Tasmania too, and eventually Victoria when he moved here in 2000.
Paul jokingly explains, “I used to call myself an elite, but slow, runner. Now, I’m just slow.” He still enjoys his 15km to 20km long runs, as “they keep me at a certain level of fitness”.
Running Wild’s approach is to focus on three things: great runs, great places and great people. Paul began introducing these beautiful places to the running community earlier than many other race organisers. His first race at the Prom had just five runners. This year’s anniversary run had 400 entries. Paul says that the events have grown organically by continually returning to the three attributes he focuses on, emphasising that, “Without amazing volunteers, these runs wouldn’t happen.”
We chat about how some runners are fanatical about their Strava times, and that more obsess over their food – popular race snacks being banana and honey sandwiches, as well as lots of potato chips.
Paul speaks of spending five years researching the route for the 100-mile (160km) Alpine Challenge, which heads up and over Mt Feathertop, Mt Hotham, Mt McKay, Spion Kopje, Mt Nelse and Victoria’s highest mountain, Mt Bogong, and has five river crossings. With some reverence, he mentions that at the close of race in one special year, the gap between the winners was only a minute and a half –160km and they were 90 seconds apart!
The 2022 Prom finishers are held in particularly high esteem as they endured 100mm of rain, 100km/hr wind and still ran 100km – truly an “epic” in Paul’s mind, “It really tested people!
“They were racing over Mount Oberon in horrendous conditions then, at the 80km mark, you run through the Tidal River race area and people are having hot soup, eating good and getting warm. It takes something to go out and do another 20km in those conditions.”
Running Wild hosts seven runs between November and May, with shorter distance events (2km+) at Darby River serving as an introduction to trail running, particularly for kids, to a range of distances and locations that all act as a training ground to build your confidence to tackle the marquee ultramarathons.
Wishing Paul all the best for his upcoming Italian adventure, I think that I may have to shift from only busting the ‘Running Man’ on the dancefloor, to being a real running man hitting the trails. At least if I join one of Running Wild’s races, the breathtaking scenery will keep everyone distracted from my horrendous running style.
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To learn more about Running Wild’s trail running program, jog on over to runningwild.net.au.