- The Australian of the Year put in a grueling race last weekend
- It took place on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.
Grace Tame burst into tears as she finished a 60km ultramarathon as the first woman to cross the finish line, and her time was so fast she took sixth place overall.
The 2021 Australian of the Year couldn’t contain her joy as she finished the demanding race at last weekend’s Great Ocean Road Running Festival southwest of Melbourne in an incredible time of just four hours and 43 minutes.
Tame later took to Instagram to share her incredibly intense experiences as she pushed her mind and body to the limits and opened a four-kilometer gap on the next best woman.
Tame couldn’t contain her emotions after finishing first among female runners and sixth overall at last weekend’s Great Ocean Road Running Festival ultramarathon.
The 2021 Australian of the Year hugged her father after finishing in an incredible time of four hours and 43 minutes
‘It is said that nothing worth doing is easy. That wasn’t easy. But for the stunning scenery, the shared joy, and the new lessons forged in pain, it sure was worth it,” he wrote.
After giving his followers a breakdown of the obstacles he faced – including “a brutal headwind and horizontal rain almost the entire way,” as well as a steep climb that lasted over 5km and a devastating hill that was covered in ” rocky mud” – she recounted how she felt when she crossed the line.
‘I ended up crying, in all the pain, soaked and muddy. “The roaring crowd got me over the line,” Tame said.
‘For the first time, I broke the winner’s ribbon and fell to my knees. Then I saw dad and jumped again.
At one point, Tame opened a 4km gap on the next best runner during the grueling mind-body test.
The Tasmanian activist said the tortuous ride was worth it “for the stunning scenery, shared joy and new lessons forged in pain.”
Tame previously spoke about how running helps her deal with her autism symptoms.
‘Dad traveled from Tassie with me to be my support team. 21 years ago, he saw me win my first cross country race when I was 8, and he was there with me on Sunday.
‘Running is a team sport. If it weren’t for Dad getting up at 5:00 a.m. to drop off water bottles at the aid stations, or for the camaraderie of fellow athletes, spectators, and staff, there might have been a race, but there wouldn’t be. there was a purpose. .
‘We run, just as we live; be together.’
Tame previously spoke about how running has helped her deal with her autism.
“Like many autistic people, I get overstimulated very easily, especially with sound,” he said in a short film he made with Aspect, Australia’s largest service provider for people with the condition.
‘Regulation is quite a big task because I have to manage the symptoms of autism as well as the symptoms of complex post-traumatic stress.
“I have found that running is a fantastic and healthy way to regulate emotions and is also a means of spiritual and human connection.”