SYDNEY-BASED GILL FOWLER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LOVER OF THE OUTDOORS, AND IT SHOWS.

THE TEAM LA SPORTIVA RUNNER ALWAYS LOVED SPENDING TIME IN NATURE, AND SHE FOUND A NEW CHALLENGE WHEN HE STARTED TRAIL RUNNING IN 2009 IN THE GREEN AREAS OUTSIDE OF SYDNEY.

SHE HAD THE CHANCE TO TEST HER ENDURANCE AND SPEED IN A SOLO PURSUIT RATHER THAN A TEAM EVENT. GILL ENJOYED THE SPORT, AND WITH REGULAR PRACTICE, HER SPEED PICKED UP, HER ENDURANCE WAS SUSTAINED, AND SHE WAS HOOKED. SINCE THEN, SHE HAS BEEN COMPETING IN ULTRA TRAILS ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH AMAZING RESULTS.

THE BTU TEAM IS SAD THAT DUE TO THE CURRENT COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS IN AUSTRALIA, GILL WON’T BE ABLE TO TRAVEL FROM SYDNEY TO BRISBANE FOR THE BTU BUT WE DID NOT WANT TO MISS THE CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW GILL BETTER, LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR’S EDITION TO SEE WHAT SHE WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE. SO FAR, HER RUNNING HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST YEARS INCLUDE:

2020

4TH PLACE, CRADLE MOUNTAIN 84 KM

2019

2ND PLACE, TNF100 HONG KONG 100 KM

1ST PLACE, BILPIN BUSH RUN 31.5 KM

1ST PLACE, HOUNSLOW CLASSIC SKYRUN 10 KM

BTU: What’s a moment that stands out when looking back at your running history and all the races that you have completed? 

Gill Fowler: There are so many moments. One is my first 100M race, the Great North Walk Ultra. I can clearly remember standing at the start line unable to comprehend what lay ahead and how i was going to cover that distance on foot (it was a strange feeling, or lack of feeling as there was no fear, or nervousness - just naive.  Then jump to the end of the race, and it was a run against the clock to slip in under 24 hours. 

BTU: How do you combine elite training with other activities in your daily life? How does this impact your personal life?

GF: Running is part of my daily life. It's a balancing act. I don't consider that I do elite training, lots of people do the amount of training i do, and lots do plenty more - it's about setting some goals and discipline, my aim to not miss out on other aspects in my life (social, family, work). I may race competitively, but I do it because I enjoy it, and I want it to stay that way. I guess it impacts my personal life when my partner complains he doesn't want to run as far or fast as my planned training run.

Gill’s training strategy is consistent with her base and adds runs that are specific for the race she is training for, based on terrain and length. In terms of the nutrition plan she follows, she says it is always the same, both in what she eats and what she drinks. They’re both crucial when training, racing, and recovering. She finds motivation in running when the sun is shining, so she doesn’t train each morning, particularly in winter. She has discovered with training that you become an expert in time management and can learn to like repetition (such as with. hill repeats) but it can take time.

What she finds special about trail ultra is that there are many more curiosities to see and experience when running on a trail. For Gill, trees beat power poles, and dirt and rocks beat asphalt and concrete. Her training doesn’t involve many roads running, although she admits it is good for speed training.

“THE REASON I KEEP RACING, RUNNING AND SEEKING NEW EVENTS IS FOR THE PLACES AND ENVIRONMENTS I GET TO SEE AND EXPLORE, TIME FOR MYSELF, TIME WITH FRIENDS AND PEOPLE I MEET. PLUS, IT’S A GREAT GOOD EXCUSE FOR A HOLIDAY”.

BTU: What type of emotions do you feel when you are running such long distances and how do you manage them? How do you keep a positive mindset when you encounter challenges in your runs?

GF: There lots of emotions in long runs, and in races I don’t always keep a positive mindset - there are times when my mind will win - but it’s important to be comfortable with your decisions, 'no regrets'. I know I can push through the ruts, and these can become some of your most memorable experiences.

 BTU: What do you think of the reach this sport can have on people in order to inspire them? If people were to be inspired by your achievements, what would you like to be looked up for?

GF: We run for ourselves and choose to spend many hours running on trails (often alone) over other activities. Hopefully people are inspired from within and not by me. I possess the same qualities as many runners. Inspiration can come from the challenge, the enjoyment and hanging out with other runners.    

BTU: How were you training for the Brisbane Trail Ultra? We are so sorry to hear that you won’t be able to come to Brisbane this year.

GF: I had a local long training run that takes in Mt Brisbane and Mt Nebo, it has some fire trails, lots of single trails, rainforest and some consistent long steep hills - surely it must be like the BTU.  I was most excited about running in warm weather and on some new trails...Although the prospect is not looking too good with the current border restrictions.

The BTU team thanks Gill for her time and looks forward to seeing her in the next edition of the BTU.