The Snowy Mountains are alive this week — not with quiet alpine breezes, but with cowbells, head-torches, nervous laughter, and the unmistakable whiff of sunscreen, electrolytes, and ambition.
Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB is officially underway. Whether you’re toeing a start line, crewing an overly optimistic mate, or scrolling the live-tracker from your desk, the Kosci weekend has taken over trail-running in Australia.
It’s easy to see why. Kosciuszko is the crown jewel of Aussie alpine trail running, a high-country playground with an event to suit every ability. The races range from a “just spicy enough” 30 km to the legendary 100-mile KosciMiler.
Last year, Zali Steggall OAM, politician and Olympian, managed to fit her running training into a busy schedule and finished the 2024 Ultra Trail Kosciuszko Kosci100. She said she enjoyed the challenge of the Kosciuszko ultra run so much that she’s returning this year for the 2025 Koscimiler (168km).
Each time, it’s a win against yourself!
The Kosciuszko location is a trail running mecca. It has sweeping alpine ridgelines, forests, long runnable sections, and just enough cruel climbs to remind you exactly where you are: the rooftop of Australia. This year, for an added bonus, the snow is hanging on a little longer than usual.
This event sits at the sweet spot where big UTMB race atmosphere meets the rugged, raw Aussie grit and determination. Here, runners aren’t just chasing podiums — they’re facing down their fears, their goals and pushing through those wobble moments until they finally hit the village and hear the finish-line roar in Thredbo or Jindabyne.
Out on course today, hundreds of runners are deep in their own unique universes: pacing, grimacing, swearing, maybe smiling, bargaining with their quads and high-fiving volunteers who are somehow more caffeinated than the athletes. Crews are packed into cars, and spectators are out and about with signs, cowbells, and questionable costume choices. The whole region feels alive.
Even if you’re not racing, Kosci seems to weave its way into your psyche. Seeing runners push through challenging alpine conditions flicks the switch in all of us, and makes us wonder if “maybe I could do that next year”, or at the very least, go for a run this arvo.
So here’s to everyone out there in the Snowies today: the front-runners, the mid-packers, the back-of-pack grinders, the crews, the volunteers, the people living off caffeine and hope. Kosci weekend is special. And the stories coming off those trails? They’re going to be epic.
More to come once the dirt (and snow) settles.
