Ultra-marathon runner Beth Rainbow from Jersey has described a gruelling endurance challenge in Australia as “carnage” after joining a team attempting to set a world record for running across Tasmania.
Rainbow was part of a six-runner relay team that attempted to complete the 308-kilometre route from Devonport to Hobart in record time during the height of the Australian summer. The group finished the distance in a combined time of 19 hours and 26 minutes, averaging an impressive pace of three minutes and 34 seconds per kilometre.
The attempt is now being submitted to Guinness World Records for official verification, as no team has previously recorded such a fast time for the same distance across the island.
Speaking after the challenge, Rainbow said the idea came from the team noticing there was no documented fastest time for the crossing and deciding it would be “a cool idea” to set one themselves.
The runners completed the journey in intense relay bursts, with three athletes sprinting one-to-two kilometre sections while the other three travelled ahead by car to prepare for their next leg. This rotation continued throughout the night until the finish line in Hobart.
Despite the extreme heat and humidity, Rainbow said the biggest challenge turned out to be the wildlife encountered along the road. She described the experience as emotionally difficult, particularly when passing injured animals along the route.
If approved, the record could take up to 18 months to be officially confirmed. Meanwhile, Rainbow is already preparing for upcoming races, including a half-marathon charity event in Jersey and the Copenhagen Marathon later this year.
