DEC 13, 2018
SNOWY MOUNTAINS, NSW | TWO MATES TAKE ON AN ULTRA-MARATHON MISSION AT TRAIL RUN AUSTRALIA IN SUPPORT OF RE-HOMING RETIRED GREYHOUNDS
Ethan Sharp and Tom Metcalfe will be taking on the ultimate trail run challenge in the Snowy Mountains in February to help re-home retired greyhounds.
Ethan and Tom have been incredibly moved by the plight of greyhounds who are often left homeless and abandoned after their racing career is over. Sadly, around 20,000 greyhounds are put down each year as the battle continues to find families to take in the retired dogs. This challenge became more urgent after the ACT Government legislated a ban on greyhound racing over a year ago. Since then greyhounds no longer have a career path in front of them and many dogs have become surplus to the requirements of the larger industry.
Greyhound Rescue, a charity run by retired couple Peter & Janet Flann, rescues and re-homes ex-racing greyhounds and currently it is struggling to cope with the numbers now coming out of the industry. There is often a two-to-three-month wait for retired greyhounds trying to find their forever home. The charity has already found homes for more than 1000 greyhounds which otherwise would not have had a life after finishing their racing career or failing to start one.
When running fanatics Ethan and Tom heard this, they knew something had to be done. So they resolved to raise money the best way they knew how – by running themselves.
“Tom and I know a lot of people who look after rescue greyhounds and we have heard stories of Canberra dogs who go into the racing industry and are left without a home after that their career ends,” Ethan shared.
“We were really saddened for these dogs who can have really shocking lives.
“We reached out to Greyhound Rescue to see how we could help out and we got to meet a lady who showed us her greyhound and told us all about her dog. We knew from that moment that we were going to raise money for the charity by running an ultra marathon.”
The duo will take on the 50k Snowies Ultra Trail Run hosted in the spectacular snowy mountains on the 24th of February, 2019. Starting at an altitude of 1260m, and with an elevation change of 530m, the duo will be tested with over 50k of rugged terrain, technical single track, a mammoth ascent, and awe-inspiring downhills, so this will not be a walk in the park for this intrepid duo.
It is hoped that supporters will sponsor them as part of the ultra run to raise much needed funds for Greyhound Rescue who provides all medical care for the greyhounds in their care, as well as their food, toys, bowls, treats, collars and leashes. As one can imagine, the costs can add up really fast.
The mates have set a fundraising target of $2,000, but tackling the rough terrain and facing up to the challenge factors into their excitement as well. And what have Tom and Ethan be doing to prepare for the epic challenge?
“We’ve been doing daily runs during the week and gradually increasing the distance. We’ve also been going up and down some of the surrounding mountains in the Canberra region on weekends,” Tom said.
“We recently ran a half marathon as part of a training. It hasn’t been easy but it is a good challenge. We are super excited for this opportunity to not only challenge ourselves, but to also raise funds for such an amazing cause!”
We look forward to welcoming Ethan and Tom as they take on the challenge of the Trail Run Australia Snowy Mountains Ultra and if you’d like to assist the guys in their fundraising, we encourage you to follow the links below and assist where you can.
- To support Ethan and Tom on their mission to raise money for retired greyhounds, click here.
- To adopt a greyhound or become foster carers, click here.
- Watch the video to see some of the amazing work Greyhound Rescue are doing!
About Trail Run Australia
Trail Run Australia takes runners to some of the most iconic and stunning destinations in this spectacular land down under. It challenges participants to get off road and take on a challenge against mother nature in some of the most demanding and diverse terrain that the country has to offer.
From stunning beaches, to historic goldfields, remote rocky outcrops and rich rainforests, all the way to the iconic Snowy Mountains. Trail Run Australia inspires runners to tread the path less travelled in this wild and beautiful land.
All festivals include a:
- Half Marathon;
- 10-12km;
- 5-6km; and
- Free Kids Mud Rats Events
The series finale also includes a 50km Ultra in Australia’s iconic Snowy Mountains.
2018/19 Event Dates
| DATE | EVENT | LOCATION | STATUS |
| 1 Sep 2018 | Race 1: TreX Enduro | Kurwongbah, Qld | Gold |
| 22 Sep 2018 | Race 2: TreX Port Stephens WQE | Fingal Bay, NSW | Platinum |
| 23 Sep 2018 | Trail Run Australia | Tomaree | Fingal Bay, NSW | n/a |
| 27 Oct 2018 | Race 3: TreX Sunshine Coast
Qld State Championships & WQE |
Sunshine Coast, Qld | Platinum |
| 28 Oct 2018 | Trail Run Australia | Sunshine Coast | Sunshine Coast, Qld | n/a |
| 24 Nov 2018 | Race 4: TreX Goldfields
Vic State Championships & WQE |
Bendigo, VIC | Platinum |
| 25 Nov 2018 | Trail Run Australia | Goldfields | Bendigo, VIC | n/a |
| 23 Feb 2019 | Race 5: TreX Snowy Mountains
Australian National Championships |
Snowy Mtns, NSW | Platinum |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Trail Run Australia | Snowies Ultra | Snowy Mtns, NSW | Platinum |
| 30 | 31 Mar 2019 | Race 6: TreX Back 2 Back | Mt Cotton, Qld | Gold |
| 27 April 2019 | Race 7: TreX Champs | Sunshine Coast, Qld | Platinum |
| 28 April 2018 | Sunshine Coast MTB Festival | Sunshine Coast, Qld | n/a |
For more information visit TreX here and Trail Run Australia here.
About In2Adventure
In2Adventure are Asia-Pacific’s premier adventure event specialists, and the proud hosts of the 2016 ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships. With a full calendar of national events scheduled throughout Australia, including cross triathlon, XC Mountain Bike, trail runs and corporate events, In2Adventure fully embraces all things ‘off road’ and ‘off the beaten track’ and offers a unique, individual experience for all ages and skill levels.
For more information visit In2Adventure here
Photo Credit: Courtesy Tom & Ethan
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