The Untamed Border Run is a running festival through the mountains along the QLD/NSW border with course lengths of 50 km, 21 km and 10 km, and maybe, in 2024, some extra courses. The first festival, depicted on the front cover, was held in June 2023, with over two hundred participants.

Competitors flew in from as far away as Taralgon in Victoria, Cairns & Townsville in Far North Queensland and some made long drives from Theodore, Queensland and from Sydney, NSW.  Reports back after the event were that it was worth all the effort to get to the start line. Described as "a well organised event, that provided challenge, scenery and community atmosphere."

The first image below displays Kristian Penrose and Iain Duncan exhilarated over the joy of running. They ran 21 km course and attained formidable times of just under 3 hours, or about 8 minutes per kilometre.

Then in the 21 km, Dugald Spenceley, in the over 45 years category, ran 2 hours and 3 minutes, or 5 minutes 51 seconds per kilometre as the best result in that category. Later participants would also have been around 16 minutes per kilometre.

The next pic shows three runners of the 50km course. In the middle is Paul Gourley who finished best in this category, with 4 hours 28 minutes or 5:22min per kilometre.

In the category of the 10km run, Angus Eager finished his run in 1 hour and 2 minutes, or ran at about 6min and 15sec per km.  Later participants were running at about 15 minutes per kilometre.

The pic on the right hand side abve shows the colon of runners from one end to the other. Some 200 participants had nothing but joy at this truly remarkable fun sport community event at the border area near Killarney.

Below are some more impressions from the event with many more runners in all three categories.

Interest is already building for the 2024 Festival on Saturday and Sunday, 22nd and 23rd June 2024.  So, let us band together and see if we can achieve 500 entries!

Go online www.untamedborderrun.com to find out all the details or phone 0407 587 303 and speak to the organiser.

Susie Blissner and husband, Gavin, moved from Brisbane to the hills of Killarney about four years ago, for a green change. Gavin continues to work as a Station Officer at the Warwick Fire Station.  Susie retired from office work but found herself wanting mental stimulation, so her passion for sport and community melded into a running festival.   Susie wanted to create a not-for-profit event and turned to her favourite physical activity. Not book-keeping!

Susie knows about running!  Back in the 80’s, as Marketing Assistant for Adidas she had numerous meetings with Robert de Castella, one of Australia’s best known Marathon champions.  In the 1970’s, secondary school for Susie was Methodist Ladies College, Kew Vic, about four hundred metres from Xavier College where Robert, as a Burke Hall junior, would participate in the Xavier Cross country team in 1969, of which I (Gerry Clarke of PB) was the Team Captain then.

Together with her husband Gavin, Craig Steffens of Zillmere for IT support, and Karen Gilchrist, founder of the Warwick Pentathrun, the four established Untamed Border Run, a not-for-profit community association, benefiting the local community; last year $5,400 was donated to local community groups.

So, mark the date in your diary: Saturday and Sunday, 22nd and 23rd June 2024. It’s the winter solstice, or the shortest day of the year in the southern hemisphere, and the actual start day of winter. Over the two days of the festival enjoy the start of winter in the heavenly clouds and mountains of The Head, The Falls, Acacia Creek, Legume and Killarney. (This is the start of the Condamine, Darling, Murray river system.) Whether competing, or volunteering, you will be welcome.

Course descriptions are available on the website and a potential competitor won’t be left wondering about the challenge and scenery that this event offers. Gavin’s description of the course is thorough!  Susie says that the four organisers have a wealth of knowledge and experience between them.

There are age limits for runners on each course,  purely for safety reasons. However, for the younger athletes a Kid’s Fun Run will be part of the festival in 2024 and beyond.

Maybe, just possibly, some additions in 2024 might include an extra 10 -12 km hill-climb, or a 100 km course.  Check for details on the website and watch for the Entries Opening date in January 2024.

Competitors are encouraged to stay in Killarney at the motels, hotel, and caravan parks ready to start early on race day.  50km runners must catch the supplied bus to the start line for the sunrise start, however 21km & 10km runners can catch a bus or drive to their start line just over the border in NSW for the very reasonable start at 11.00 am.

As Susie says: “With exclusive access to 17 private properties, the Untamed Border Run is an event to be enjoyed. On a perfect winter’s day, 50km runners may be rewarded with a view to Brisbane over 120km away. All 3 courses cross between NSW and QLD on farm and forestry tracks. Emerging from temperate rainforest into glorious farmland, runners will be blown away by the beauty of the area. This is not an easy run and competitors may well choose to walk at times, but the views from the mountains to the lowlands will ease the pain of climbing some big hills. The Untamed Border Run will be challenging but well worth the effort.”

Come and enjoy the Untamed Border Run. (Even if you walk some of it.)

Go online www.untamedborderrun.com or phone organisers on 0407 587 303.

Photos by Linda Coombes & Annie Bradford and Capture The Dog photography..

Kind regards,

Gerard Clarke, Pocket Books, Ph 5438 1811 and 1800 680 830.

And I run, too.