List of people who have run across Australia: Difference between revisions
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This article provides an overview of people who have |
This article provides an overview of people who have run across Australia, and information for individuals considering such a run. |
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==Distances involved== |
==Distances involved== |
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| Ron Grant || 1983 || 1983 || 217 days || Brisbane || Brisbane || CIR |
| Ron Grant || 1983 || 1983 || 217 days || Brisbane || Brisbane || CIR |
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| Robert Garside || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |
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| Sarah Fulcher || 1985 || 1985 || 96 days || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |
| Sarah Fulcher || 1985 || 1985 || 96 days || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' || ''unknown'' |
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===Ron Grant=== |
===Ron Grant=== |
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In 1983, Ron Grant ran 13,383 km around Australia in 217 days. Ron completed the run in an anticlockwise direction. Starting in [[Brisbane]], he then proceeded to [[Townsville]], [[Mt Isa]], [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]], [[Adelaide]], [[Melbourne]], [[Sydney]], then back to Brisbane. He maintained an overall daily average of 61.67 km, and was the first person to do it solo. Soon after this achievement, he was awarded the Queensland Sportsman of the year Award in 1983, Queenslander of the Year in 1984, and the [[Order of Australia]] in 1984.<ref name = "grant1">{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Ron Grant|url=http://austultrahistory.wikispaces.com/Ron+Grant|date=|accessdate=2011–03–21}}</ref><ref name = "grant2">{{cite web|last=|first=|title=World Harmony Run: 75 Ron Grant|url=http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/au/torch_bearer/gallery/75_ron_grant|date=|accessdate=2011–03–21}}</ref> |
In 1983, Ron Grant ran 13,383 km around Australia in 217 days. Ron completed the run in an anticlockwise direction. Starting in [[Brisbane]], he then proceeded to [[Townsville]], [[Mt Isa]], [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]], [[Adelaide]], [[Melbourne]], [[Sydney]], then back to Brisbane. He maintained an overall daily average of 61.67 km, and was the first person to do it solo. Soon after this achievement, he was awarded the Queensland Sportsman of the year Award in 1983, Queenslander of the Year in 1984, and the [[Order of Australia]] in 1984.<ref name = "grant1">{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Ron Grant|url=http://austultrahistory.wikispaces.com/Ron+Grant|date=|accessdate=2011–03–21}}</ref><ref name = "grant2">{{cite web|last=|first=|title=World Harmony Run: 75 Ron Grant|url=http://www.worldharmonyrun.org/au/torch_bearer/gallery/75_ron_grant|date=|accessdate=2011–03–21}}</ref> |
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===Robert Garside=== |
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{{main|Robert Garside}} |
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Robert Garside, calling himself 'The Runningman', is a British runner who ran through 29 countries on six different continents covering more than 48,000 km and covering a period of 2,062 days.<ref name = "garside1">{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Around the world in 2040 days|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/03/27/1174761428006.html|date=27 March 2007|accessdate=2011–04–04}}</ref> He started and finished in [[New Delhi]] on 20 October 1997, and finished on 13 June 2003.<ref name = "garside3">{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Earliest Run around the World|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/mediazone/pdfs/news/070327_Earliest_Run_around_the_World.pdf|date=27 March 2007|accessdate=2011–04–04}}</ref> Garside broke the world long distance running record in the West Australian outback. The record fell 3km outside Norseman on the Eyre Highway when he eclipsed the old mark of 17,814.4km held by American runner Sarah Lovington-Fulcher. <ref name = "garside4">{{cite web|last=|first=The Courier Mail|title=Briton sets World Record|url=|date=1999-09-11|accessdate=2011–05–14}}</ref> |
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Garside has been dogged by accusations of cheating by endurance runners sceptical about a man who claimed to have run through jungles and across deserts with no support team. Others accused him of embellishing his exploits and of skipping whole sections of the run, such as his trek through [[Afghanistan]] and harrowing encounters with [[Pakistan]]i bandits in his web diary. <ref name = "garside2">{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Running Man Battles Blisters, Bullets|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/siadventure/16/garside/|date=|accessdate=2011–04–04}}</ref><ref name = "garside3">{{cite web|last=|first=|title="Runningman" makes it into record books at last|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/2007/03/26/uk-britain-runner-record-idUKL2666293420070326|date=2007-03-26|accessdate=2011–05–14}}</ref> Despite this, the record for the first run around the world was accepted by Guinness World Records on 26 March 2007. Although Robert’s record attempt finished in 2003, it took 5 years to collate and confirm the record evidence.<ref name="garside3"/> |
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===Sarah Fulcher=== |
===Sarah Fulcher=== |
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Revision as of 08:38, 20 May 2011
This article provides an overview of people who have run across Australia, and information for individuals considering such a run.
Distances involved
People who have run across Australia typically chose to run from either of the geographical extremes of the continent, or from directly opposed cities on opposite shores of the continent. These would typically include the western-most city of Perth to the eastern-most city of Sydney; or the northern-most city of Darwin to the southern-most city of Hobart.
Latitudinal
- Western-most geographical point to eastern-most geographical point = 4030 km.
- Perth to Sydney = 3754 km (via the highways).
Longitudinal
- Northern-most geographical point to the southern-most geographical point = 3685 km.
- Darwin to Hobart = 3991 km (via the highways, and excluding a 423 km ferry ride between Melbourne and Devonport).
Circumambulation
Circumambulation of Australia is difficult and rarely attempted. From the people who have successfully circumambulated the continent, it took a range of 217–238 days to run around; and between 365–401 days if walking. Distances involved are in the vicinity of 14,300 km,[1] depending on the route taken.
Completed journeys
The names of the individuals who have run across Australia have been listed below in chronological order. Sources for data contained within this table have been listed within the body of the article, or where not readily available, directly from the individual concerned.
| Name | Start date | Finish date | Duration | Starting location | Finishing location | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Perdon | August 1973 | 1973 | 47 days | Fremantle | Sydney | W>E |
| Tony Rafferty | August 1973 | October 1973 | 74 days | Fremantle | Gold Coast | W>E |
| Ron Grant | 1983 | 1983 | 217 days | Brisbane | Brisbane | CIR |
| Robert Garside | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Sarah Fulcher | 1985 | 1985 | 96 days | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Jesper Olsen | 31 October 2004 | 11 February 2005 | 104 days | Sydney | Perth | E>W |
| Sarah Mycroft | 4 April 2010 | 27 November 2010 | 238 days | Sydney | Sydney | CIR |
George Perdon
George Perdon ran across Australia during the 1973 Trans-Continental Run, completing the 4807 km journey in 47 days, 1 hour and 54 minutes. He averaged 100 km per day, and set records for 1000 miles (1600 km), 1500 miles (2414 km), 2000 miles (3219 km) and 2,600 miles (4184 km).[2]
George became a household name in 1973 when competing in the 1973 Trans Australia race and racing his rival - Tony Rafferty. George was was unable to get time off work at the appropriate time and missed the official start, giving Rafferty one week’s head start before heading off from Fremantle. Perdon was to end up beating Rafferty into Sydney by a day. They took slightly different routes during the run, causing the run to generate front page headlines for a majority of the journey.[2]
George passed away on 29 June 1993.[2]
Tony Rafferty
In 1972, Tony Rafferty became the first man to run from Melbourne to Sydney, pioneering ultra-distance running in Australia. He was also the first man to run from Perth to Adelaide, Adelaide to Brisbane, Melbourne to Brisbane and Sydney to Brisbane. In 1978, he became the first man to run from Melbourne to Sydney and return.[3] In August to October 1973 Tony became the first person to run from Fremantle to the Gold Coast, and in the process became the first person to run across the Nullarbor Plain.[4] He completed the run in 74 days.[5]
Tony has received many commendations for his achievements. Most notably, he was a Torch Bearer for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and the recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2002 for services to Ultramarathon Running and the promotion of Community Fitness.[4]
Ron Grant
In 1983, Ron Grant ran 13,383 km around Australia in 217 days. Ron completed the run in an anticlockwise direction. Starting in Brisbane, he then proceeded to Townsville, Mt Isa, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, then back to Brisbane. He maintained an overall daily average of 61.67 km, and was the first person to do it solo. Soon after this achievement, he was awarded the Queensland Sportsman of the year Award in 1983, Queenslander of the Year in 1984, and the Order of Australia in 1984.[6][7]
Robert Garside
Robert Garside, calling himself 'The Runningman', is a British runner who ran through 29 countries on six different continents covering more than 48,000 km and covering a period of 2,062 days.[8] He started and finished in New Delhi on 20 October 1997, and finished on 13 June 2003.[9] Garside broke the world long distance running record in the West Australian outback. The record fell 3km outside Norseman on the Eyre Highway when he eclipsed the old mark of 17,814.4km held by American runner Sarah Lovington-Fulcher. [10]
Garside has been dogged by accusations of cheating by endurance runners sceptical about a man who claimed to have run through jungles and across deserts with no support team. Others accused him of embellishing his exploits and of skipping whole sections of the run, such as his trek through Afghanistan and harrowing encounters with Pakistani bandits in his web diary. [11][9] Despite this, the record for the first run around the world was accepted by Guinness World Records on 26 March 2007. Although Robert’s record attempt finished in 2003, it took 5 years to collate and confirm the record evidence.[9]
Sarah Fulcher
Sarah Fulcher ran 4363.2 km across Australia in 1985, completing her journey in a record breaking 96 days.[12] She is reportedly the first woman and only the third person to complete a 2,700 mile run around Australia.[13] Sarah also set the Guinness world record for longest continuous solo run with a distance of 17918 km (11,134 miles) in 14 months, an average of a marathon a day.[14]
Jesper Olsen
Jesper Olsen is a Danish marathon runner who ran across Australia as part of his first journey around the world. He departed from Sydney on 31 October 2004, and arrived in Perth on 11 February 2005.[15][16][17] He completed the journey in 104 days, before proceeding onto Los Angeles to complete the American leg of his run around the world.
Sarah Mycroft
Sarah Mycroft ran around Australia on 27 November 2010. She ran an average of 62 km a day for 238 days, covering a total of 14,772 km. In doing so, she also raised $3021 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).[18][19]
Associated risks
There are a multitude of risks which would be encountered by someone when crossing the Australian wilderness. These can include being struck by a moving vehicle, dehydration, heatstroke, sunburn, hypothermia, infection from chafing and blistering, getting lost, being unable to communicate due to a lack of cellular coverage, being attacked by a predatory animal such as a dingo, or being bitten by venomous snakes, ants or spiders.
See also
References
- ^ "Deborah DeWilliam's Town Itinerary" (PDF). 16 June 2004. Retrieved 2011–04–04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ a b c "George Perdon". Retrieved 2011–03–21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Speaker Tony Rafferty". Retrieved 2011–03–28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ a b "Tony Rafferty". Retrieved 2011–03–21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "A History of the Marathon Race — 490 B.C. to 1975" (PDF). Retrieved 2011–03–28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Ron Grant". Retrieved 2011–03–21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "World Harmony Run: 75 Ron Grant". Retrieved 2011–03–21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Around the world in 2040 days". 27 March 2007. Retrieved 2011–04–04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ a b c "Earliest Run around the World" (PDF). 27 March 2007. Retrieved 2011–04–04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) Cite error: The named reference "garside3" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ "Briton sets World Record". 1999-09-11.
{{cite web}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help);|first=missing|last=(help); Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ "Running Man Battles Blisters, Bullets". Retrieved 2011–04–04.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Campbell 1991, p. 16.
- ^ "Women's College Alumnae - Notable Firsts". Retrieved 2011–03–29.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ ""Why Sports Make Women Better"". 11 March 2011. Retrieved 2011–03–29.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Route Info - Part 4 - Australia". Retrieved 2011–03–28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Progress map". Retrieved 2011–03–28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Jesper Olsen Completes Australian Leg of World Run". 7 September 2009. Retrieved 2011–03–28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "One lap, no excuses". Retrieved 2011–03–21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Running mum: 'I ran around Australia!'". 21 March 2011. Retrieved 2011–03–21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help)