Emma Grey in action in the UTA100 last weekend, and at the finish line.
Last Saturday, while the rest of us were likey enjoying a lazy weekend breakfast, or standing on the sideline with a coffee watching children play sport, local woman Emma Grey was pushing herself to the limits, securing her place amongst the top trail runners in the world.
The HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB attracted the top runners from across the globe, going head-to-head in the Blue Mountains. Emma was amongst the 1,588 runners to compete in the UTA100, crossing the finish line in an incredible 7th place! “It was such a privilege to be able to run in the beautiful Blue Mountains at Ultra Trail Australia in its first year as a UTMB World Series Major.
“The course was tough, with very wet and muddy conditions, but as ever the scenery, other runners, volunteers and supporters made it a fantastic day. I crossed the finish line saying I would never run it again, but only three days later I am already thinking about next year!” said Emma.
For the rest of us, the numbers surrounding Emma’s race may very well be inconceivable. Emma completed the gruelling 101.7km race with an elevation gain of 5,232m in a time of 12:14:06. Her average speed was 8.3km/h and astonishingly her total rest time was a mere 6 minutes and 28 seconds.
Emma’s 7th place finish has qualified her for the CCC which is one of the races at Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB). UTMB is the World Series Final race which spans three countries – France, Italy and Switzerland. This year’s UTMB will take place from 25 – 31 August.
Before then, Emma has a few other events to get through. “Next up for me is a 100 mile race in the UK along the North Downs Way, and then I will get back to some road running with the Melbourne marathon,” said Emma.
We wish Emma the very best of luck!