Charting the coastline course to Manly

As the sun rose over Bondi Beach, Defence personnel joined hundreds of runners embarking on the 80km Bondi to Manly Ultra across Sydney's coastline on October 24.

The ADF Running and Athletics Association (ADFRAA) used the four-person relay event as its annual triservice competition, which Air Force won in a time of 6 hours and 43 minutes.

Elite ADF runners also competed to win the overall race, with Team ADFRAA 2 placing second in 5 hours, 31 minutes and 14 seconds out of more than 800 teams.

The Ultra course encompasses some of Sydney's most iconic landmarks and demanding terrain, testing both physical endurance and mental resilience.

PTE Luke Chamley was a late entry in Team ADFRAA 2, replacing another runner who was out with an injury.

He blitzed the opening leg from Bondi Beach to Rose Bay, following a route through Dover Heights, Watsons Bay and South Head.

“Being the first person out, you want to get the team off to a good start,” PTE Chamley said.

The second leg covered Rose Bay to Kirribilli, taking runners past Mrs Macquarie's Chair, the Sydney Opera House and across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

For AB Surakanya Pracha and her Navy team, the challenge was more about supporting others than completing the course.

“It was very hard when I started, but I kept thinking about the team,” AB Pracha said.

LAC Dante Steffan tackled the third leg for Air Force, running from Kirribilli to Clontarf through the bushland trails and steep climbs of Bradley's Head and Middle Head.

“It's probably one of the hardest races I've ever done because of the elevation changes and not really knowing the route,” LAC Steffan said.

“You're always catching someone, so you have that little competitive spirit and think, ‘I have to keep going, I have to keep passing people’,” he said.

The final leg took runners from Clontarf Reserve along the Spit to the Manly track and around North Head before finishing on Manly Beach.

Taking on the final push to the finish line, Army’s CAPT James Boidin said the event highlighted the value of persistence when faced with a challenge.

“You can achieve things that you never thought you could by taking one small step at a time,” CAPT Boidin said.