WORLD FIRST: ‘Iron man’ runs 164km Overland Track round trip

Is this the toughest bloke in Tassie? In what has been coined the ‘Overland Back2Back Miler’, an extreme athlete has run the 164km track in 30 hours – than had a quick kip and popped off to work. READ HIS AMAZING STORY + SEE THE PICS

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IN what could be a world-first, a Tasmanian iron man has run the Overland Track in both directions – about 164km in 30 hours – and then headed off to work.

Piotr Babis, originally from Poland, has been travelling the world, competing in Iron Man events, marathons and trail running.

He made the spontaneous decision to run the Overland Track with another companion, Ben Dhiman, and Hobartian Lincoln Quilliam a few weeks ago.

Babis managed to complete the northern leg, starting at Lake St Clair and running through the night to Ronny Creek, in about 13 hours.

It was a quick stop where Quilliam helped him refuel, taking it tag team with Dhiman, and Quilliam joined Babis for the return leg.

Lincoln Quilliam and Piotr Babis have tackled the Overland Track in the middle of winter. The experienced trail-runners and outdoorsmen ran the track. Piotr managed to run both directions, 164km, in about 30 hours – then heading to work a couple of hours afterwards. Lincoln met Piotr half way and acted as a pacer, providing him with motivation, nutrition and hydration for the second leg of the journey.

“The idea of the Overland Track came very last minute. I basically had some races planned this season, I was planning to race Ultra-Trail Australia in May but because of this COVID that got cancelled,” Babis said.

Babis continued running throughout lockdown, keeping in shape the best he could, but spent the time contemplating what his next big adventure could be.

“I just had to run my lockdown trails and as soon as they opened I thought, ‘I want to do some big adventures to compensate for the races’ and also set some goals to keep me motivated for training,” he said.

Babis is very familiar with the area and the track, and even competed in the Cradle Mountain Run last year while working at the Cradle Mountain Hotel.

Babis at the trailhead for the Overland Track.

“I know it’s pretty challenging, the Overland Track is said to be one of the top trails in the world and ... when my races got cancelled I was looking for some challenges,” he said.

“It took us like 13.5 hours through the night, just with headlamps, to get to Ronny Creek to meet Lincoln.”

Babis stopped only to change his socks and shoes and have some food before hitting the trail again.

The plan was if they didn’t arrive by 7am, Quilliam would run out to find them. They came in just before 7am, “very tired – mentally fatigued”.

“Running that whole 80km in the dark is pretty gnarly. While the weather conditions were quite amazing – still, clear and fresh and no rain – it was tricky track conditions,” Quilliam said.

Lincoln Quilliam and Piotr Babis have tackled the Overland track in the middle of winter, with the experienced trail-runners and outdoorsmen running the track. Piotr managed to run both lengths, a 162km run in 30 hours, heading to work a couple of hours afterwards. Lincoln met Piotr half way and acted as a pacer, providing him with motivation, nutrition and hydration for the second leg of the journey.

After Pelion Gap the pair hit snow, and at the Cradle Mountain end, a lot of ice on the trail.

“Sheet ice, sheer, slippery ice. You can see it but it’s ... the entire track width is just slick ice. Trying to run on that is a bit tricky – in fact you just can’t,” Quilliam laughed.

With fatigue playing heavily on Babis after more than 13 hours running through the night, Quilliam had to encourage him not to nap or give up.

“On something like the Overland Track you can’t just stop, there’s no escape, it’s very committing, you have to get to the other end or turn around and go back,” he said.

Lincoln Quilliam approaching Pelion Gap on the Overland Track. Quilliam found his passion for trail running after hitting the Kokoda Track and completing it in 30 hours.

After a slower 17 hours on the return trip, the pair finally reached Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre – slightly overshooting the end of the trail and running part of the Platypus Bay Circuit.

The pair have coined the run the Overland Back2Back Miler, estimating Babis completed the 164km run in about 30 hours and 20 minutes.

It’s the first known back-to-back run of the premier track that draws people from across the globe each year – and therefore the fastest known time.

“What an achievement, massive high fives and slaps on the back at his achievements, and I was just stoked to be there and support him,” Quilliam said.

And to top it all off, Babis had a two-hour kip in the car afterwards, before heading to work – on a farm in Cressy no less.

For more of the pair’s extreme outdoor adventures follow Babis on Instagram at @iron_explorer and at his website and Lincoln Quilliam at @silverfox.runs.

Follow @navaronefarrell