SheRunner

Our SheRunnerAus Race Guidelines require race directors to show equity in time based awards. They should be gender specific to reflect gender differences.

The equity in this was demonstrated at the 100 km event last weekend.

To attain a silver buckle, men must run a sub 14 hour race, and women a sub 16 hour race.

16% of female finishers ran a sub 16, and 13% of male finishers ran a sub 14 hour race. If the old rules applied, then only 6% of female finishers would have qualified for a silver buckle.

A nice bit of simple math showing equity in action.

The Six Foot Track Marathon is an iconic and very historic trail race. It started in 1984, and is run from Katoomba to Jenolan along the 6 Foot Track. 45 km of trail with around 1500 m of climbing. To enter this race, you need to have completed a listed qualifying event in under the stated qualifying time. The team from Running Wild NSW are kindly supporting your chance to gain a qualifier for the 6 Foot Marathon by having '6 Foot' pacers in both their 34 km and 42 km races.

You need to complete the 34 km event under 4 hours and 15 minutes, and the marathon event in under 5 hours and 15 mins. Qualifying times are the same for athletes of all genders.

Jump on to the Running Wild page for entry details. Good luck!!

HOT OFF THE PRESS:
The upcoming Glenbrook event will have ‘Six Foot’ pacers for the 34K & 42K, enabling SFT qualifying times for the 2026 SFT.

Over 200 entries already sold, so get on it to make sure you’re lining up on race day!

Link to register in comments.⬇️

Kunanyi Mountain Run is the first event in Australia to come on board with us at SheRunnerAus. They have been leading the way when it comes to delivering an event that aims to make trail and ultra running more accessible and equitable for female athletes.

Here's a few reasons why SheRunnerAus loves and supports the Kunanyi Mountain Run -

👉KMR recognise that female and male athletes are physiologically different, and have set their qualification standards for the Ultra Solo and Alpine Marathon accordingly. Yep - different race qualifying times for men and women.
👉 They offer a fantastic pregnancy and birth race deferral policy for both women who fall pregnant after entering the race, AND their partners.
👉Race cut-off times that are set for the Ultra consider gender differences in speed and pacing, whilst still maintaining course safety.
👉Toilets can be found at all aid stations, and are stocked with menstrual products.
👉Child care is available on race day. How amazing is that.
👉 At the race hub you will find a family space that can be used for breast feeding and nappy changes, and as a more private area for women to change after the race.
👉 The event course marking is excellent, and the maps and information provided on the website is super detailed, providing a level of reassurance for both planning and race day safety.

ENTRIES OPEN for the Kunanyi Mountain Run at 11 am on Friday 29 August.

A shout out to the team from the Hume & Hovell Ultra - 100 mile, 100km, 50km & 22KM organising committee. They are one of our first SheRunner endorsed events to be using our race guidelines to deliver an accessible and equitable event for female athletes. 🙏

Hume and Hovell Ultra is proud to say that we've worked with SheRunnerAus for their endorsement - which means that we have met the requirements for, or are working towards, providing an equitable and accessible event for women.

We've always had a relatively high percentage of women participating in our events, and the course is a great option for anyone who is just starting out or tends towards the back of the pack. This year we're aiming to make the event increasingly accessible with the following:

🧚‍♀️ provision of menstrual products at every aid station
🙅‍♀️ private enclosed areas at Henry Angel and Paddy's Dam aid stations for runners to change/nurse/pump etc.
💃🏻🕺🏼 Gendered results page as a default
🚽 Toilets at all aid stations (except Coffee Pot in the 100km)

We're working on policies for pregnancy and new parenting deferrals, but if you find yourself in this situation, reach out and we can work something out!

To learn more about the SheRunner initiative, head to https://www.sherunneraus.com.au/ .

We were absolutely stoked to be able to chat all things women and running with Nicole from Running Mums Australia. Being able to talk about the challenges that women face in our sport, as well as discussing the solutions to these challenges was refreshing and exciting.

Episode 71 is now live! On this episode of the RMA Podcast we talk about the voice and visibility of Women’s Running, particularly in the Trail & Ultra Running space. I am joined by Ali Pottinger, Owner and Coach of Squadrun in New Zealand, Mum, Teacher, & Event Race MC, Catherine Graue, Partner of the race director & Communications & behind the scenes extraordinaire of kunanyi Mountain Run & kunanyi Trail Series in Tasmania, Lyndal Maloney, Owner and Coach for Serotonin Running, a women’s running group in the Blue Mountains of Sydney, and Founder of She Runner Australia, a working group comprising of women runners who are working towards increasing female participation in trail and ultra running events, as well as making the sport more equitable and accessible for women. They have been doing a fair bit of work on researching what women want, understanding the current trail and ultrarunning ‘climate’, and taking this information to develop a set of guidelines for race directors. The end goal is more women in the sport, and race directors putting on a fabulous, inclusive race.

All of these women are mums and runners themselves and passionate about getting women out running and helping to create environments in our communities and events that make us feel safe and supported as running women.

Women deserve to have a voice and visibility in women’s running and events, and we as recreational runner's have an important part to play in growing and shaping women's sport. In this episode are wanting to encourage YOU the listener, and all recreational runner's that they are role models in our sport and have an important part to play in sharing what is important to them as a woman runner both personally, and to the wider community so that we can collectively create powerful and positive change.

In this episode we discuss things like the unique challenges women face in the running community, and what can we do within our own circle of influence to improve things in these areas, support systems for women, safety, training for women vs men, pelvic health issues, fertility, breastfeeding or inclusivity for children at event at events, lack of confidence, the menopause transition, female coverage in media/social media in our sport, recognition and awards for female podium finishes, and what considerations should races be giving concerning women’s health and wellness; such as pregnancy, menstruation and postpartum support, and many more ways that races can ensure that their events are inclusive and welcoming to women, and how they can help foster a sense of community among female runners.

This episode is brought to you by fisiocrem Australia

You can listen on the link below of wherever you get your podcasts.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-voice-visibility-of-womens-running-in-trail/id1524199654?i=1000663647998

have just announced equal prize money for their next big event, the Sydney Backyard Ultra. This means that both the last female and the last male standing will both win the same amount of cash, irrespective of their final place at the end of the event.

If you are new to the Backyard Ultra race format, here’s a quick run down - every hour, on the hour, you run a set course of 6.7km. This lap running continues until everyone drops out except for one person. This last person must complete a final loop within the time frame to win the event and be title the Last One Standing. Everyone else is a DNF ( did not finish). It’s an extraordinary concept as individuals can attempt to push themselves as far as possible and basically be ‘racing’ themselves.

The concept becomes a little tricky when competition is inserted into this style of event, in the format of either qualifying for World Championships or winning prize money. All genders are fast and have incredible endurance, but overall men are physically stronger and faster than women. In the BYU format it is much more likely that a male will win the event. have removed this inequality by offering equal prize money. Bravo!👏 👏👏

Let’s get cracking girls and make this one a win for female athletes!