Ultra Runners Push Limits in Last One Standing Challenge

0:00The latest headlines, weather, and stories, right here on Sydney News today. Tim Copperzack, a 43-year-old runner and electrician from near Jalong, is on day 80 of the last one standing challenge. He started with one kilometer on day one and adds one kilometer every day after that. That means today's run is 80 kilometers, with a total already over 3,000 kilometers. He took time off work to keep going and is one of just two left from 314 starters. Meanwhile, the other survivor is 25-year-old Merlin Gammon, known as the Wizard of Run. He's tackling the challenge while crossing the Nullabor alone, pulling a cart with his supplies. For these ultra-runners, it's more about personal endurance than beating each other. This is the second year for the event, run by hardcore herries, a group behind tough fitness tests. They've seen a three or four-fold jump in participants chasing extreme goals lately. Organizers say it's a pushback against easy modern life, giving people a way to test a real grit.

1:02Runners like Perth's Margie Hadley, 45, show why. She got into Ultras after beating cervical cancer over 10 years ago and made it today 76 before stopping with nearly 3,000 kilometers under her belt. For her and others, it's simple. Why not see how far the body and mind can go? These stories highlight how everyday people discover their capable of way more than they imagined, sparking a wave of self-challenges across the country.