Four female trail runners conquered the heat and the mountains last weekend in the Shotover Moonlight Marathon, held at Ben Lomond Station. 

The group all regularly run together in Central and go on missions into the hills.

Alexandra’s Julie Williamson (53) won her category in the ultra marathon (56km) with a time of 9 hours and 53 minutes. 

An experienced trail runner, it was Julie’s third time completing this event, and she carefully paced herself.

“I passed people who were crawling over the finish line, maybe they hadn’t done that distance before, or in this type of heat, and they went out too fast… it was blokes, mostly.”

Earnscleugh’s Tania Copeland (39) came second in the 18-39 year old marathon category, completing it in seven hours. 

Tania, a mum of three aged four, five and eight, said it was a brutal race with temperatures close to 36degC.

“At one point I thought ‘I’m done’, but you find it within you… and I’m so stubborn my brain says ‘you’ve got to keep going’.”

Tania crossed the finish line with her children (from left) Charlotte (8), Jed (4) and Finn (5). PHOTO: Supplied 

Tania, a former top level triathlete, said trail running suits her now as she finds the soft ground gentler on her body.

“You’re using all those little muscles.. It’s functional and not running on [asphalt]. I find I’ve got no injuries.”

Fellow Alexandra residents Victoria Wearing (52) and Chelsea Donnelly (47) completed the mountain marathon (42km) in eight hours and 2 minutes.

The pair crossed the finish line together, both winning their categories after enduring what Victoria called a “suffer fest.”

Chelsea and Victoria ran together, supporting each other through the ups and downs of the race. PHOTO: Supplied

Victoria said the pair made a last minute decision to enter the marathon although both had run it several years ago. 

She said the finish line feeling was “so good” even though she was one and half hours slower than her time from 12 years earlier.

“It wasn’t about that. It was all about being able to get out in the hills, that’s what fills my cup.”

Chelsea last completed the race nine years ago, and back then she was carrying an injury.

“I wanted to do a better time this time around.”

She did a faster time and was “thrilled’’ to cross the line with a mate.

The group agreed one of the best things about living in Central was being able to lace up your shoes and explore the trails, or head up into the hills in only a few minutes.

“Connect with nature, it might only be for 30 minutes, maybe it’s when the thyme is out and it feels so good,” Victoria said. 

Tania, Victoria and Chelsea. PHOTO: Supplied 

The ladies are focusing on refueling and resting for a few days, then working towards their next running missions.

Julie is heading to run ‘The Dragons Back’, a six stage ultra marathon from the top of Wales to the bottom in September.

Tania will be lining up with other local runners in the Alexandra Airport Carousel Backyard Ultra Marathon (BYU) in April.

The BYU is in its first year and organised by two other local runners Hannah Presswood and Tom Heath.

Find the Alexandra Trail Running Group on Facebook, they run on Tuesdays and Thursdays all year around. 

New runners are welcome and they assured The Central App there is a fair amount of walking involved too, especially on the steep uphill sections. 

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