Ultra runners Grace Tame, Jacqui Bell, and Brodie Kane are three powerhouse women, each breaking barriers and inspiring others in their own distinct ways.
The trio were the stars of the Noosa Ultra-Trail lunch on Friday 21 March at Park & Cove Restaurant, Peppers Noosa.
As the 2021 Australian of the Year, special guest Grace Tame is known for using her voice to create change.
“But what a lot of people don’t realise is she’s also a total machine on the trail,” Jacqui Bell said.
Jacqui knows a thing or two about that herself, as the youngest person in history to run an ultra marathon on all seven continents.
She’s conquered 1000km’s across some of the harshest deserts and terrain in the world from the hottest desert in Africa to the coldest in Antarctica.
Likewise, Grace has made history as the first woman to run the Bruny Island Ultra in under five hours, along with winning multiple other ultra marathons, including the 60km Great Ocean Road.
In her youth, Grace lost interest not only in running, but in many things that she was deeply connected with, when she was abused by a teacher at high school.
“I don’t want to get too dark, because today is a great day where I don’t get to talk about pedophiles,” she said.
“But I did lose interest, and that’s what those sorts of experiences in life do. They’re kind of like a cancer that infects every aspect of your life. And in the aftermath, often unconsciously you do everything that you can to cut that out and to be a different person. I gauge as many survivors of child sexual abuse do in maladaptive coping mechanisms.
“Then purely by accident, when I was in my early 20s and living overseas, a friend of mine helped me get back into running by suggesting that we do it before a work out one day to warm up, and we both noticed how effortlessly I could do it, and I sort of rediscovered this thing that’s quite innate in me. I love running. It’s a big part of my identity.”
In this sport there’s sometimes the idea that lighter is faster, but Grace counters that to say stronger is faster.
“I went from being really quite lean, and again that was a hangover from years of anorexia complicated with other complex traumas,” she said.
“And when I learnt that the stronger I am, the better I run, and the longer I can run. I thought, great. It’s the same thing with fuelling. I don’t run to eat, I eat to run. That’s what my motivation is. So I shifted into doing a lot more strength based stuff. Over the years I’ve done a lot of yoga and resistance and that will make you lean but it won’t give you the muscle mass that is really useful for especially ultra running.”
Grace said running helps build a world of self belief that is transferable to other parts of life.
“Pain is an inevitable part of life,” she said.
“We are strange creatures, human beings. A lot of the barriers we face are actually psychological. There’s obviously real pain and I’m not going to sit here and say running 64km or 100km is easy, it hurts. It’s hard to do. When you use it as proof of how much you can achieve, that’s when it starts to get really motivating and you learn that pain is actually your friend.”
As someone who usually runs races that are 42kms, Grace’s game plan was to have fun at the Noosa Ultra-Trail.
“It’s going to be a 25km sprint for me. I’m sure it’ll probably go south but I’ll see how I can go,” she said.
New Zealand broadcaster and professional hype-woman Brodie Kane brought the laughs to wrap up the pre-race event, making sure first time runners knew just how important Vaseline was going to be during their race.
“It’s going to be hot. You’re going to sweat. Genuinely a chafe could ruin your day… Or your life,” Brodie said.
“I think it’s inevitable that we’ll all dive into Satan’s asshole tomorrow. I say embrace it. If you’re like me and you really lean in to being a hybrid athlete, then still have a glass of wine. I’m equal parts athlete, equal parts party animal. Don’t stuff with your routine.
“When I’m deep in the pain cave, I remember that it is a privilege to be able to do it.”
To see results from the 2025 Noosa Ultra-Trail visit www.noosaultratrail.com.au
