Introducing our Run Vault Athletes
There is a clear synergy with the values enshrined in these athletes and Run Vault as a company always striving to do things differently.
We help fuel their passion by supporting them & sharing their stories with you.
They are amazing humans, doing extraordinary things.
They're also humble souls, so it's up to us to give them a shout out!
We love our Run Vault athletes - we're sure you will too.
Nicholas Bamford
Nick got into running to avoid embarrassing himself as part of a company Tough Mudder. He dipped in and out of recreational jogging for a few years, including having a go at the Brisbane Trail Marathon. He really started training properly in October 2019 to prepare for Tarawera 100 Mile Ultra in NZ.
He is coached by British Ultra legend Damian Hall and form coach Shane Benzie (Author of the lost art of running).
The key to his running is consistency - plan the next goal before completing this one and recognise that each session is a building block on a longer journey. He runs really happy because running makes him happy! He doesn't subscribe to the pain cave view of the world.
In his spare time he is the Managing Director of a measurement equipment company & draws on the strategic and analytical skills learned in business to train and prepare for races. (Yes, he does have a Powerpoint presentation and Excel model for each race)! In his sporting past he played Rugby Union at school and represented the University of Oxford at Ice Hockey and Tiddlywinks.
His recent race results are a testament to his commitment and dedication to the sport we love:
Ultra 100 mile MONT BLANC 2023 (27hrs 44min) - 98th overall
Tarawera Ultra 100 mile 2023 (15hrs 32min) - 10th male
West Mac Monster 231km Trail Race (46hrs 57min) - 1st Overall
Blackall 100km Trail Race Oct 2021 (10hrs 17min) - 1st Overall
Brisbane Trail Ultra 100 Mile 2021 (20hrs 5min) - 2nd Overall
Ultra-Trail Australia 100K 2021 - (10hrs 48min) - 10th Overall
Alpine Challenge 42km 2021 -
(3:32:27.8) - 1st Overall
Guzzler 100km 2020 (12hrs 14min) - 1st Overall
BVRT 100 Mile 2020 (16hrs 47min) - 1st Overall and Course Record
Coast to Kosci 240km 2020 (28hrs 58min) - 3rd male
Tarawera Ultra 100 mile 2020 (21hrs 51min) - 10th male
If he's not out running 200km training weeks and climbing the height of Everest, Nick will crack Scottish jokes while pacing you on your ultra race to keep you entertained. Nick is a grounded and genuine guy who puts in the hard work every day & is happy to share his knowledge.
Robyn Koszta
Robyn lives north of Brisbane near the stunning Glass House Mountains, where she does the majority of her training. Obstacle Course Racing is what she loves the most, and she developed a keen interest in the sport after first having two children.
Robyn is the first to admit she wasn't a runner and found even running a kilometre was a major effort when she first started out. Obstacle Course Racing, especially long distance, puts lots of kilometres in the legs which Robyn knew, so she kept at it and has eventually fallen in love with her time on the trails.
"I run because I actually enjoy it - its an escape from the daily routine and gives me my time with no interruptions".
Robyn is a Spartan Pro Athlete and races the Australian Obstacle Course circuit as much as she can, and has found herself on the podium many times.
Racing has also taken her overseas, competing in the Spartan World Championships at Lake Tahoe in the US, and the Spartan APAC Championships in Thaiwoo, China.
Robyn recently competed:
- Spartan Baw Baw 50km ultra and took out the win
- 3rd female at the BTU 100mile trail race
- 1st female for 2021 and 2022 at the Aussie Titles 24hr Enduro in Sydney
- 6th female at Worlds Toughest Mudder in Texas 2023
- Guzzler 100K trail race in Brisbane, 1st female 2021
Exercise brings Robyn's family closer together - they all have different goals and interests, but in different ways they overlap and it gives them common ground.
Robyn sees the importance of being an active parent, doing the things she loves and getting the kids involved. She feels exercise should be fun for her family, not a chore, and is grateful they are able to do the things they do.
One of Robyn's core beliefs is balance - whether it's the food you eat, your training, work or family.
As a busy mum Robyn has learnt that if she is pushing too hard with her training she becomes exhausted and fatigued, and this affects her as a partner and a mother.
"It's about finding what works for you, as this could be entirely different for someone else and that's OK".
You can follow all Robyn's adventures through these links:
Sonya Alba-Miller
A resident of Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands above Cairns FNQ, Sonya started running in 2005 for fitness, doing her first trail race not long after that and then falling in love with the sport.
Being a busy mother of three and working full time, running is her disconnect from a busy lifestyle and makes her feel happy, whilst she also loves setting goals and conquering them.
She has raised funds for charity and run in The Great Wheelbarrow Race in Far North Queensland on numerous occasions as part of a team, and also run the race solo twice, which is 140km in three days pushing a wheelbarrow!
She has competed at UTA 100km, Blackall 100km & The Great Pyramid Race, as well as other trail ultra races including The Guzzler and the Kuranda To Port Douglas 64km Ultra.
Some of her race results include:
Katie Dall
Katie is a qualified personal trainer and running coach based outdoors in Newstead, Brisbane with a passion for connecting her community in a positive and supportive environment.
She is an accomplished runner across road and trail with over 15 years of health and fitness industry experience. Katie specialises in run programs, strength & conditioning for runners and those new to running, general fitness, pre and postnatal fitness, nutritional health and working closely with clients to restore balance to their busy lives.
Katie’s achievements include:
Western Branch 100K Ultra
3rd Female (11:57:32)
Dead Cow Gully Backyard Ultra
Personal best distance
87.1km's - 13 laps
2006 Miss Nabba/WFF Athletic Australia
(body sculpting/figure)
Triathlon World Championships representation (age group - team New Zealand) in
London 2013 and Chicago 2015
3rd Place in The Guzzler 50km Ultra Trail Marathon 2019
4th Place in the GC50 road ultra marathon 2021
Jamie Hunter
After spending most of his childhood on the Gold Coast, Jamie settled himself in Brisbane Australia, enjoying the river city pathways and nature trails in the backyard of South East Queensland.
His passion for running and endurance sports didn't really start until 2016, when a family member developed dementia, a debilitating illness. The doctor's diagnosis was "treatable" but not "curable".
He started running to manage the emotions that came with this news, to stay strong and support his family during these difficult times. Quickly he saw how the pressures of life could be better handled with a positive attitude & by having exercise and fitness goals as his daily cleanse.
His first major event was the 24-hour Tough Mudder held in Las Vegas in 2016. In the lead up to this event he entered the very hilly Brisbane Trail Marathon around Gold Creek in 2016, organised by TRAQ. He remembers the event vividly and was texting his wife Vanessa during the race saying "this is so hard - the hardest thing I have ever done"! The Worlds Toughest Mudder event in Las Vegas was an unforgettable journey with his cousin Michael, where hiring an SS Camaro & thundering down Interstate 15 was as much of a thrill as the event itself!
Some notable race achievments.
- 24 hour True Grit Enduro Obstacle Race Aussie Titles 2021 and 2022 - 1st Overall
- Last One Standing Backyard Ultra 2021 - Assist with 41 hours and 275km
- Worlds Toughest Mudder 24 hour OCR race, Texas, USA 16th Male
Personal Achievements:
24 hour home isolation run challenge May 2020 - 204km
Everesting for Mental Health October 2020 - 113km, 8,848m elevation $9,048 raised
Australian Ninja Warrior Competitor Season three 2019 - Heats
An advocate for mental health awareness, Jamie's raised funds for charities including Alzheimer’s Australia and The Human Connection Project.
Jamie is also the Head Coach at Run Vault Performance and gets a huge buzz out of helping people across Australia getting more out of their running, racing and training. His motto in training is to always be ready - although his training is race focused, he is always looking long term for overall health and wellness.
He believes success in racing starts with mindset and a belief in yourself. Starting a race with self doubt makes for a hard day out!
As a Father of two young girls he finds great joy in guiding and watching them grow to become strong and independent women.
Next up for Jamie is the True Grit 24-hour Enduro, followed by the Clint Eastwood Last One Standing Backyard Ultra in August.
You can follow all Jamie's adventures through these links:
Instagram
facebook
Strava
Thomas "The Tank" Dade
Residing on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria’s south-east, Tom lives for endurance challenges, in particular ultra-running. Using training as a coping strategy for Depression and Anorexia, Tom wanted to give his training more meaning.
Gravitating towards long endurance challenges, Tom feels most at peace when pushing his body and mind - learning more about himself. He appreciates the struggle, as it reminds him of his privilege and to be grateful for what he has in his life.
Tom completed thirty-five ultramarathons in his first two and a half years of participating in the sport, with distances ranging from 50km-226km. Of those thirty-five ultramarathons Tom placed top three in fifteen of them, and has placed top ten in twenty-seven of them.
Some Race achievements:
The Unreasonable E.A.S.T 200 Mile 2022 - 1st Overall
Down Under 135 - 135mile
2023 1st Overall & 1st 3 time finisher
2022 1st Overall
2021 2nd Overall
Great Southern Endurance Run - 100mile 2021
1st Overall
Buffalo Stampede - Ultra Grand Slam (10km/100km/42km)
1st Overall
Oscars 100 Hut2Hut 100km 2022
2nd Overall
Oscars 100 Hut2Hut 50km/50km Course
1st Overall
New Years Eve Rock Around the Clock 50km 2020 and 2021
1st Overall
Beyond running Tom has a passion for health, fitness and community. He has experience in bodybuilding, boxing, swimming, triathlon and mountaineering.
“I enjoy pushing my physical and mental limits through these challenges. They show me time and time again that we are far more capable than we know. I hope that I can show people that they too can achieve more than they thought possible and motivate them to dream bigger”.
Instagram
Facebook
Strava