Steph Auston and Keith Law have both claimed remarkable results in recent outings, while also crossing paths at the recent Canberra Fun Run. 

Auston was the first female finisher of the 14km distance event, setting a blistering time of 52 minutes and 31 seconds. 

Just a few weeks ago, she finished runner-up in the Australian half-marathon championships in Queensland. 

“I like the half-marathons and longer distances because they’re more controlled,” Auston said. 

“I was probably more sore after that 14km because you’re on rivet the whole way,” she adds with a laugh. 

Meanwhile, after a year off injured, Law is back and focused on his 5km distances, finishing fourth outright from 1300 entrants in Canberra. 

As a 60-year-old, his time of 18 minutes 42 set a course record and Law said he was thrilled to be setting good pace given his previous ankle injury and year off. 

“I missed the entire domestic season, two national titles and two world titles events last year, but now I’m running just 11 seconds off the pace of the record I want to break,” Law beams. 

“Don’t let age hold you back, just get out and run.”

Auston said much of the pair’s success boils down to a love of running, but does take hard work. 

Both runners go through shoes pretty quickly, clocking up plenty of mileage in training. 

“I’ve been up to about 145km a week and just starting to taper off a little,” Law said, while Auston said she liked to consistently do 160km a week. 

“What changes is lots more speed work before a half and lots of hilly trails before other events,” she said. 

Law said his next event would be a pace-setter for the Bermagui Reboot run in about two weeks. 

He said he wouldn’t be going full-pace, but a flag bearer for anyone wanting to match a 25-minute finish time. 

Then he’ll look to get into the summer racing season in Canberra as he eyes up breaking long-standing 3km and 5km distance records.

Meanwhile, Auston said she had a full docket of events coming up building towards a marathon in Dubai in January. 

“I am doing the Surf Coast 50km this weekend in Angelsea, which is my fourth race in a row,” Auston said. 

“Then October is busy with a half-marathon in Melbourne, the Gippsland Adventure 55km then the Bega Fun Run where I’ll do the double again [both 5km and 10km].

“Then it’s a 12-week block of training where I hope to run a big PB at a marathon in Dubai.”