Australian 48hr – 1993
AUSTRALIAN 48-HOUR TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS
AND
QUEENSLAND 24-HOUR TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS
4-6 JUNE, 1993
It didn’t rain this year. The wind didn’t try to take any tents. All the lights stayed working. The main clock didn’t run out of power midway through the event. Organising the use of the field took one phone call. The Wynnum Rugby Union Football Club looked after us like we were long lost relatives. The trophies and T-shirts were ready well before the event. The number of competitors was dramatically increased over last year, and six records were broken. The world was a very good place to be in for a few days.
The Australian 48 Hour Championships attracted six great runners, Bryan Smith, David LaPierre (Canada) Peter Gray, Georgina McConnell, Bob Burns and John Timms.
At 9am on the 4th June they were dispatched on their way by Deputy Lord Mayor of Brisbane John Campbell. Bryan Smith streaked to the lead in the first hour with 12.8k and stayed there for the rest of the event. Peter Gray was never too far away most of the time. He continued to keep moving in his normal quiet efficient style. Canadian David LaPierre, suffered very badly from jet lag, arriving in Australia only a few days before the event and not up to his normal professional performance. He managed a very creditable 280.870k. Georgina McConnell was at her business-like best with 302.275k, and in the process managed to break the 250k, 300k and 48-hour Australian records, (congratulations Georgie). Bob Burns was back to his normal best, quietly working away to come in third place and John Timms was entertaining with his varied running style and culinary requirements.
The sun dawned brightly on Saturday 5th to another beautiful Queensland day, as the sixteen runners who were to compete in the 24-hour event prepared to join the six 48-hour runners. Local federal member Con Sciacca fired the gun at 9am and swelled the field to 22 runners.
Dell Grant put on one of the most impressive running displays seen in these parts for some time. She took outright lead at the fifth hour, and from then on, the best the others could do was to fight it out for the minor placings. Not only did Dell win outright in front of 15 others, she also broke the Queensland 100k, 100 mile and 24 hour records (congratulations Dell). Ron Grant, who came to help Dell along and have a bit of a training run, got caught up in the excitement of it all to come in first male and second over all. Dave Holleran snapped at Ron’s heels for most of the event to come in second male and third overall.
Seventy-six year old John Petersen, who has been a regular competitor for many years, had been suffering a bit with a muscle strain lately. He popped in to have a little run, stayed the 24 hours, and did a great 108k.
My encouragement trophy went to Kerrie Hall who walked the 24 hours to reach 126k. She is going to be someone to look out for if she ever decides to take up running.
It was great to see three new 24—hour runners enter the event, Gerard Hocks and John Stockman who had their first taste of ultra running in the Caboolture 12-hour a few weeks back. Both did 106k. Nanango runner Graeme Watts did 93k in his first effort at ultra running. It was very pleasing to see new runners entering our events up here.
Dell Grant
Cliff Young put on a great performance to reach 130k as it was only at the last minute he felt he could enter because of injuries and a cold.
As race director I was very pleased for all the runners, and the personal goals they reached. They all can’t get a trophy, but everyone in those two events deserved one.
My thanks to all our sponsors and helpers who made these events possible. Special thanks to Dave and Kay Holleran for their long months of work before the event, and during the event to Val Case for her tireless efforts, and to Lorraine. Camp Quality benefits from this event by approximately $500 with donations from sponsors and runners.
A VIEW FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE. – by David Holleran
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT RUNNING IN A 24 HOUR RACE WAS HARD. LAST YEAR I TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE OF ASSISTING RAY CHATERTON IN ORGANISING A 48-24HR RACE. HARD!! I’LL SAY. SO THIS YEAR I THOUGHT, WELL WHY NOT TRY BOTH AT ONCE. HARD, DIFFICULT, FRUSTRATING, REWARDING? ALL OF THE ABOVE. LAST YEAR I MADE MANY MISTAKES IN THE ORGANISATION OF THE RUN, BUT NOT THIS YEAR. WHEN YOU HAVE TO FORK OUT YOUR OWN Iy9NEY YOU LEARN REAL FAST.
A CHANCE MEETING WITH ALLAN JONES WHO WAS THAT..’NIGHT
TO BE VOTED IN AS PRESIDENT OF THE WYNNUM RUGBY UNION CLUB WAS VERY INTERESTED IN DONATING THE GROUND FOR US TO USE FOR FREE!!’ LIGHTS, TRACKSIDE TOILETS, (ELIMINATING THE COST OF PORT-A-LOOS) , FULL CANTEEN FACILITIES. THE NEXT DAY IT WAS OFFICIAL. WHAT A BEAUTY. TELECOM, WHO HAD BEEN MY TEE SHIRT SPONSOR IN AN EVENT IN DECEMBER SAID THEY WOULD BE A TEESHIRT SPONSOR FOR THIS EVENT. GREAT. TROPHIES, NO WORRIES. I APPROACHED 14 BUSINESSES WITH ONLY ONE REFUSAL. TROPHIES PAID FOR!! CERTIFIED TRACK, I RING ALLAN FOX A MARATHON RUNNER AND SURVEYEROF 31 YEARS EXPERIENCE. DONE. FRUIT, FOR THE RUNNERS. PERRYS FRUIT OF WYNNUM, NO WORRIES. SO FAR, GREAT.
TWO WEEKS TO CO AND BANG. TELECOM RENEG. NEVER TAKE THE WORD FROM A BIG COMPANY. 24 HOURS LATTER, CO VIDEO OF MANLY COME TG THE RESCUE. BACK ON TRACK. THEY ALSO DONATED ALONG WITH SPORTS CO CAPALABA LOTS OF GIVAWAYS. T.V. COVERAGE? SURE. The NEWS EDITOR OF CHANNELL 9 IS A REFERREE, AND f JUST HAPPEN TO BE THE FITNESS ADVISOR FOR:-THE REFS.
BRISBANE EXTRA, SATURDAY NEWS, SUNDAY NEWS, NEWSPAPERS, RADIO. WHAT: A BUZZ!! CO VIDEO ARE RAPT. SO MUCH EXPOSURE. NEXT YEARS EVENT LOOKS GOOD ALREADY.
THE RUN. SET LIP FRIDAY WITH RAY. IT’S COLD BUT FINE. I RENEW OLD FRIENDSHIPS. PETER GRAY AND MUM NORMA ARE ALL FULL OF SMILES. BRYAN LOOKS GOOD, GEORGIES CHIRPY, DAVID LA PIERE LOOKS ‘HAPPY AND TALKATIVE, JOHN TIMMS IS JUST HAPPY TO BE THERE, BOB BURNS IS HIS USUAL DETERMINED SELF. A SMALL FIELD BUT ALL QUALITY. RAY IS HIS USUAL EFFICIENT SELF, COOL AND UNFLAPABLE. NOTHING ELSE FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT. THE RUGBY CLUB IS SUP.PI YING A FULL CANTEEN SO HAVE SOME BREAKY AND SETTLE IN TO.’SbME PHOTO TAKING AND TALKING. CLIFFY IS THERE AND A STEADY STREAM OF PEOPLE COME BY TO MEET HIM. CLIFFY IS EVER FRIENDLY AND APPROACHABLE. CLIFF IS IN TERRIBLE PAIN WITH A SCIATTIC NERVE INFLAMED AND A DOSE OF FLU. I DON’T THINK HE’LL GET VERY FAR TOMORROW. BACK HOME AND TRY TO SLEEP. CLIFFY’S COUGHING ALL NIGHT. UP AT SIX, EAT, OFF TO THE TRACK. THE 48ers ARE LOOKING GOOD. MEET MORE OLD FRIENDS. GEE I ENJOY ULTRA PEOPLE. NO “FLUFFY STUFF” HERE AS RON GRANT WOULD CALL IT, JUST PURE PIONEER STOCK, THE TGUGH RUNNERS.
THE GUN GOES OFF AND DOWN TO BUSINESS. A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER I’M HAVING STOMACH PROBLEMS. OH WELL, PLAN B MAYBE!! 8 HOURS, GEE IT’S HARD, 12 HOURS, A COUPLE OF RUNNERS GO HOME, SOME TO BED. CLIFF IS GETTING STRONGER. SO AM I!! YOU BEAUTY. 6TH SPOT AND RISING. If HOURS – 4th, 15 HOURS – 3rd AND THERE I STAY. THE RUN FINISHED. RELIEF. SIT DOWN AND RELAX. WHAT’S THIS, KIDS WANT MYJAUTOGRAPH. WHAT A BUZZ!!
HIGHLIGHTS
BRYAN SMITH, BACK TO BACK 48’s. A TRUE AUSSIE CHAMPION. GEORGINA McCONNELL, THREE AUSTRALIAN RECORDS AND LOOKED GREAT ALL THE WAY.
JOHN TIMM’S FASHION PARADE. HE MUST PRACTICE QUICK CHANGES OF CLOTHES AT HOME.
PETER GRAY EVER CHEEKY AND NEVER A QUITTER. TENACIOUS DELL GRANT. WHAT A LADY, WHAT AN ATHLETE. YOU CAN’T HELP BUT BE INSPIRED. “ROTTEN RONNIE- GRANT, ALWAYS COMPETITIVE ALWAYS HELPFUL, NEVER A QUITTER. MARK FOLEY’S “ARE WE THERE YET” COMMENTS, GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR. ULTRA CHAMPION WIFE WANDA HAD A HELL OF A TIME TRYING TO FIND HIM AT TIMES. HE JUST LOVES TO VISIT OTHER TENTS AND HIDY HOLES. KERRIE HALL WALKED THE ENTIRE WAY NEVER COMPLAINED, EVEN WHEN I SANG, AND EVERSMILING. GERRARD HOCKS AND SIAMESE TWIN JOHN STOCKMAN, RAN WALKED AND TALKED FOR 24 HOCRS. GREAT GUYS TO HAVE ON THE TRACK. JOHN PETERSON COME FOR A LOOK AND STAYED TO RUN. JOHN HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO ME AND IS SADLY MISSED WHEN NOT COMPETING. AND OF COURSE, CLIFFY. IN PAIN, FULL OF THE FLU, FULL OF GOOD OLD FASHIONED GUTS AND DETERMINATION. RAY CHATERTON DESERVED A MEDAL FCi A WELL ORGANISED AND SMOOTH RUNNING EVENT. I KNOW HE’D RATHER RUN BUT HE PUTS IN MUCH MORE THAN HE TAKES OUT. THE RACE WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. LOTS OF LOCAL SUPPORT. SIX RECORDS BROCKEN, ALL BY LADIES. WOW!! MY BEST PLACING IN TWELVE 2t HOUR RACES. MY WIFE KAY DID A GREAT JOB, MASSAGING THE RUNNERS AND CREWING FOR ME. WHAT A LADY. AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, WE MADE MONEY FOR CAMP QUALITY AS WELL. THAT ALWAYS MAKES IT WORTH WHILE.
THERE IS NO DOUBT ULTRA RUNNING IS ALIVE AND WELL IN QUEENSLAND. WHY NOT COME AND TRY THIS EVENT NEXT YEAR.
DAVE HOLLERAN.
CO – RACE DIRECTOR.
