JONES TAKES INSPIRATION FROM OTHERS AT BUTTER 24 & 48

Contributed by Tia Jones, 1st Female/1st Overall at the Butter 24 & 48 and AURA member

Butter 24 & 48, 25-27 September 2020, Qld

The third running of the Butter 24hr race took place at a new venue this year at St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Boondall in Queensland. The track and its facilities were great for this format of race, with an international standard athletics track running surface, access to toilets, showers and electricity for hot food and water.

When Bryan and I arrived early on Saturday to set up for the race the wind was already gusting and from what race director Alun Davies told us they had to battle with high winds, heat and an evening storm from the beginning of the 48hr race on Friday. The winds had been so bad that they had taken down most of the gazebos, three of which were badly damaged and had postponed the race for a brief period due to an electrical storm.

We set up our seconding table and waited for the start of the race at 10am. 

The race was started promptly at 10am with 11 runners in the race. 

It was getting quite hot but the high winds were actually a relief and helped cool us down from the hot, dry heat. The race was progressing smoothly until around lap 21 when a huge gust of wind lifted the covering over the timing system and pulled up the electrical connection and wiring to the system.

Luckily no one was hurt as runners where running over the mat as it happened. This resulted in Susannah (co race director) having to manually count the laps of all the runners for three hours in the hot sun until Alun managed to reconnect the system and get it up and running again. 

It took a further two hours to update the system and to get information available again on the number of completed laps. Unfortunately the system went down again 45 minutes before the end of the race and Susannah stepped up again to manually count until the end.

A huge thanks to Susannah, Alun and his team for working so hard in very difficult and trying conditions to recover the timing system and keep the race going. As race directors you can plan and prepare as best you can, but when the elements conspire against you, you have to improvise and adapt and I thought they were brilliant.

The weather gradually started to calm and cool down and we were joined on the track at 4pm by the marathon runners and the 6hr runners. The 12hr runners joined us later at 10am.

The temperatures plummeted in the evening, and fortunately I had a long sleeved top to change into and a jacket, but forgot to bring gloves! I ending up running a number of hours with a spare pair of socks on my hands to keep them warm. It was lovely to see the sun come up and to listen to the birds welcoming in the new day. The race finished at 10am in hot but calm conditions.

Personally for me it was great to have my family, including my two granddaughters and friends come and support me at various times during the race, as most of my races are either overseas or interstate.

It certainly gave me a big boost to see them there. My husband as usual was an absolute star and I wouldn’t be able to do these races without his support. He was able to take a few breaks because Carol Wingreen who ran and won the marathon, joined him crewing for me through the night and next morning. Thank you Carol!

Vivienne Buss a big thank you to you as well for your support in the evening and again the following morning through to the end of the race.

I am always blown away by the strength and tenacity of ultra runners in 24hr races. It takes a lot of mental strength and hours of training to prepare and run in these events and there certainly was no lack of enthusiasm, courage and determination from everyone on the track. It was very inspiring!

Well done to all the runners and a big thank you to Alun, Susannah and their team.

Pictured: Tia Jones takes 1st Female at the Butter 24 followed by Kathryn Austin and Amanda Pavey. Photograph – Supplied.