Bunbury set to hold State's only 24-hr run

Bunbury will host the State's only 24-hour ultramarathon event, which is expected to attract interstate and overseas runners, in August.

Organiser Ron McGlinn - who was also behind Australind's inaugural Australia Day ultramarathon event this year - said the   endurance event had not been run in Western Australia since the 1990s.

The field of contenders for Track Ultra WA will be capped at 75 and 33 runners have already committed to the event, which will start at Bunbury Regional Athletics Arena at 11am on August 15.

Bunbury City Council is supporting the ultramarathon by providing free use of the facility and Mayor Gary Brennan congratulated the organisers for hosting the event in Bunbury.

"It is fantastic to see yet another significant sporting event come to Bunbury, bringing with it cultural and economic benefits for the region," he said.

"Events such as this are great drivers of tourism and with competitors expected from around WA, interstate and overseas, we look forward to them taking back positive memories of Bunbury to their families and friends."

McGlinn said some elite athletes from Australia and overseas would look to break Australian records but 90 per cent of runners would participate just for the challenge.

"It's quite a special event and you have a very close feeling, being out there with people for 24 hours," he said.

"The realisation of what you have done doesn't set in for weeks and you can't walk away feeling stock-standard normal again.

"The whole dynamic also changes in a track race because you don't have to carry supplies and it's a flat course, rather than technical."

McGlinn described ultramarathon running as a growing sport and pointed to increased registration numbers in existing events during recent years.

Track Ultra WA will have three, six and 12-hour categories in addition to the full 24-hour run.

McGlinn's other event will also return to Australind on January 23, following Harvey Shire Council's approval to hold the run again.

McGlinn is hoping to attract from 75-100 runners to that event - which will have 50km and 100km races along Australind's foreshore.

Registrations for the Australind event will open in July.

Patterson, page 12