Rhiannon Campbell, Hayden Austin, Jarrod Burke, Raven Burke and Bridget Burke paused for a moment while Jarrod (white cap) caught his breath during the run. Photos: Supplied.
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Three Echuca residents, two of them teachers, undertook the challenge of a lifetime by participating in the Grampians Peaks Trail 100 Miler run.
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This year’s event, which was held from Thursday, November 21 until Sunday, November 24, was the second iteration of the run, known as the GPT100.
Situated in the Grampians National Park, the trail is 162km long with 7700 metres of elevation from Mt Zero in the north to Dunkeld in the south.
There were three main categories of races to choose from, with the GPT100 Miler the most gruelling, with competitors having to run continuously along the trail until completion.
There was also the opportunity to run the trail in stages over four days, as well as a smaller 50km run.
Echuca locals Tarli Bird, Jarrod Burke and Paul Arthurson all took part in the event, with Bird and Arthurson taking on the challenge in stages while Burke looked to conquer the trail by completing the GPT100 miler.
Unfortunately, due to an extreme heatwave, the event was cancelled prematurely, with Bird and Arthurson having completed 100km while Burke had reached the 110km mark before the organisers pulled the pin.
Bird, who is a teacher at Echuca College, reflected on the event and was pleased with her efforts, despite the event being cut short.
“When they first opened up the Grampians Peaks Trail it was on my bucket list to do, but you need 13 days to hike it, so I thought if I could do it in four days that would be a great way to see the trail in less time,” she said.
“I really enjoyed the scenery, and it was a well-run event; unfortunately there was some bad weather that the organisers had to manage, but they did a good job given the situation.
The GPT100 takes runners through the Grampians mountain range.
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“I do enjoy running and hiking, so it was nice to do it as an organised event with aid stations and buses taking you to different points on the trail, which made it easier.
“It was rewarding to get as far as I did and there was a sense of satisfaction considering the heat.”
Echuca Primary School teacher Jarrod Burke uses extreme running distances to push himself and set an example to his children about keeping your word and never giving up.
“We as people quit so much earlier than our bodies and minds can handle. I have young kids, and you can talk the talk with them about never giving up and following through, but I like to lead by example,” he said.
“My family give me the reason to do it; when I see them, I know to keep pushing on.”
As much as Burke was in the Grampians to do the run, he made sure to not take the scenery of the mountain range for granted.
“I loved being in the Grampians, it was beautiful; it is probably the hardest 100-miler in Australia, and it is the most picturesque place,” he said.
“You can take all the photos you want from the top of the hill, but the effort to get to the peak and seeing it with your own eyes is absolutely stunning.
“I had never been before this, and I’d say it is an untouched beauty in Victoria, it is breathtaking.”
17°C