ADF athletes take on the Guzzler trail

Twenty-two personnel conquered vertical mountain climbs and technical wilderness terrain in the Guzzler trail race, securing multiple top-10 category finishes.

Held at Mount Coot-tha and Brisbane’s D’Aguilar National Park, the event occurred over the July 18-19 weekend and featured four distances, ranging from 10 to 100 kilometres.

Representing the ADF Running Athletics Association, the team brought together competitors recruited through base notices, with several runners transitioning from private entries to proudly run under the Defence banner.

Event coordinator Flt-Lt Ethan Phipps, who competed in the 50-kilometre race, said the course offered a welcome break from standard road marathons.

“You have to negotiate river crossings, technical climbs, narrow tracks and open gravel roads, so there’s always something to keep you engaged,” Flt-Lt Phipps said.

“It's a great way to get outside and see the beauty that is in south-east Queensland by running through the national parks and the trails.”

Sqn-Ldr Lesley Leppard delivered a standout performance for the ADF team, placing fourth in her age category and 22nd female overall in the 50-kilometre event with a time of seven hours and 33 minutes.

“There is definitely a mental aspect to running the longer distances, to making yourself finish them,” Sqn-Ldr Leppard said.

“I try not to think too hard about it. I think about getting to the next checkpoint more than anything.”

She added that navigating the long course doubled as a form of mindfulness along the trail.

“I’m not a person for listening to music – it’s a mindfulness thing and you just get out there and start solving all your problems,” Sqn-Ldr Leppard said.

Pte Samantha Eagle also turned in a strong performance, placing seventh in her age category in the 10-kilometre event during her first official trail race since having a baby.

Having previously stuck strictly to flat-road running, the race marked her first time tackling off-road terrain.

“There were some parts of it where I was like, oh my gosh, uphill and downhill,” Pte Eagle said.

“I was a bit nervous leading up to it, but once you get out there on the track, the atmosphere and the support from the other runners just pushes you through.”

She encouraged anyone to swap the pavement for the trails.

“Get out there in nature, get away from the traffic, get away from the roads and go for a run,” she said.

Click here to join the ADF Running & Athletics Association.