The Nerang 200 miler will be the first race in Australia held over this distance, taking place next weekend. With a number of 200 milers springing up in the US, interest in these events is growing.
As you might expect for the first 200 miler in Australia, the Nerang 200 miler field is much smaller than your average UTA 100kms for example – but the same could have been said when just over 130 people set-off on the very first North Face 100 over ten years ago now. Things will take time to grow and build and once more and more people see what is possible, I’m sure we’ll see an uplift in the number of people attempting this type of distance. Of course, doing the race could be regarded as the easy bit, the training is often the most difficult to negotiate!
For this first running, with the help of organiser Ian Cornelius, we have a list of the guys and gals taking on this monster!
Women – Nerang 200
Jessica Mackey 36 USA: Jessica is relatively new to ultra running and to date has contested the Nashville 50 miler in 2015 and the Zion 100 miler in 2018.
Natalie Reutter 35 QLD: Natalie has been contesting ultras since 2012 including Northface 100, Kepler Challenge, Northburn Station, Wild Horse Criterium, Cooks Tour, Blackall 100 and perhaps her best performance fourth woman at GSER in 2017.
Lisa Spink 43 QLD: Lisa burst onto the scene in 2008, winning Hares and Hounds, Cooks Tour, Glasshouse 100 miler and placing second at Coast to Kosciuszko. Since then she has contested a further five C2K’s, several events at Glasshouse, Great Ocean Walk (2) and others. Obviously, Lisa is a highly experienced long distance runner, normally finishing on the podium and will likely be a favourite for this race.
Kerrie Williamson 44 QLD: Kerrie commenced her ultra career in 2011, running five ultras that year with her best being third woman in the Glasshouse 100 miler. In 2012 she ran several races the best being second woman in the Glasshouse 100 miler and third woman at Coast to Kosci. Since then she has contested many races. In 2017 she managed a second place at Great North Walk 100 miler, followed by a fourth at Coast to Kosci. In 2018 she won the Canberra 48 hour race with a distance of 322 kms. Kerrie is also a very experienced campaigner and will be another lady going for top honours here.
Men – Nerang 200
Kevin Muller 48 VIC: Kevin is one of Australia’s great ever ultra marathon runners. He wins at road, trail and track. In a career spanning eight years he has contested a massive 88 events for a total of 10,743 kms. He is fourth ranked Australian at 48 hours (408 kms, 2013) and holds the Australian M45 6 hour record (81.414 kms). He has contested the Coast to Kosci race on five occasions for one win, one second, two thirds and a sixth. He won the Nerang 100 miler in 2016 and again in 2017. He is perhaps the logical race favourite.
Tim Cochrane 38 ACT: Tim raced his first ultra in 2003 as a 22 year old; the Canberra 50 kms in which he placed third. He improved on that the following year with a second place. He contested that race on many more occasions with a PB of 3:05:20 in 2007. He moved up to 100 km road races in 2007, winning the national 100 kms championships hosted by Gold Coast 100. He ran the world 100 kms championships that year, placing 20th with a time of 7:08:19. He also raced the Great North Walk 100 miler and Coast to Kosci that year, placing second and first respectively. In 2008 he contested no fewer than 10 ultras, finishing on the podium more often than not and culminating at year end with another win in Coast to Kosci. In 2009 he cut back to 5 ultras which included the 100 kms World Championships and the 100 kms Commonwealth Championships. At the Commonwealths he finished firth with 7:20:49. He also placed second in the Northface 100 that year. In 2010 he cut back to three events his best being a third at Northface 100. Time has been relatively quiet on the ultra scene since that initial form, but a good result at the GSER 100 miler last year should see him place well here.
Nick Barber 39 QLD:Nick contested the Coastal High 50 in 2018 but nothing is known of his running career outside of that.
Thomas Billett 24 VIC: The baby of the field, Thomas commenced his ultra career with one event in 2017, the Surf Coast Century of 100 kms and has done a number of other events in 2018 so far with the longest being the You Yangs 100 miler in which he placed 12th.
Keiron Douglass 33 QLD: Not much is known of Kieron other than he ran the Gold Coast 100 in 2016.
Shane Hanson 53 TAS: Shane commenced his ultra career in 2011 and has completed 10 ultras for a total of 781 kms. His longest event was the You Yangs 100 miler in 2016 in which he finished 16th. This longer distance could be to his liking.
Todd Hazelgrove 40 NSW: Todd has contested three ultras for two wins (Waterworks 100km and Buckleys Chance 50km) and a third place (Anzac Day challenge). He could be the dark horse.
Troy Ireland 39 QLD: Troy completed the Kokoda Challenge in 2015 but nothing is known of his ultra career outside of that.
Aaron Longmuir 34 QLD: Aaron placed third in the Nerang 100 miler last year in the smart time of 25:59:52. He certainly could be up with the leaders.
Daniel Marshall 30 QLD: Daniel has completed five ultras in 2017-2018 for a total of 393 kms. His longest was the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail 100 miler in 2018, in which he finished 11th in 23:43:18.
Akira Nakamura 43 JPN: The data on Akira is very sketchy but it would appear that he placed fifth in a 100 kms trail challenge in Brunei earlier this year.
Matthew Salinovich 25 WA: Matthew is a well performed youngster from WA with a total of 10 events completed in 2017-18 for a total of 914 kms. He completed two 100 milers in 2017 for a 12th and a fifth.
Lucas Sarra 36 QLD: Lucas has raced six ultras for a total of 472 kms. He placed second in the Nerang 100 miler last year just one hour behind race winner Kevin Muller and broke Kevin’s 2017 race record by a half hour. He is bound to do well here.
Matt Stone 43 NSW: Not much is known of Matt other than it would appear that he contested the North Face 100 in 2012 and the UTA50 in 2016.
Sam Weir 27 QLD: Sam ran his first ultra, the 50 kms Bribie Beach Bash in 2012 at age 21. All up, he has completed 17 ultras for a total of 2514 kms. In addition to the ultra events, he is quite an adventurer, having walked PNG north to south via Kokoda, scaled Mt Kilimanjaro and rowed across the Atlantic in 2017. His best ultra is likely his win in the 450kms Anzac Day Ultra in 2014. Sam is very strong, has great endurance, will be extremely well prepared and is bound to do well.
Stephen Wright 54 QLD: Stephen has contested 18 ultras in a career spanning 10 years for a total of 1205kms. He is a veteran of Nerang having contested the 100 miler in 2017 finishing sixth in the very creditable time of 28:36. Renowned for having the largest crew, he is bound to do well.
Good luck to everyone running the Nerang 200 next weekend and watch out for our 100 mile preview soon as well!
