Records were broken in Saturday's Six Foot Track Marathon by two Tasmanian raiders.
The historic Six Foot Track earned its name because it was originally a bridle track six feet wide so horses could pass each other as they carried tourists over the outrageously rugged 45km of terrain between Katoomba and Jenolan Caves. That horseback journey used to take all day.
On Saturday, however, it was hundreds of runners trying to pass each other in the famous marathon. And the winners did it in times that put the horses to shame.
Stu Gibson and Hanny Allston reached the finish line at historic Caves House in 3:14:14 and 3:34:50 respectively to claim the male and female titles in one of the world's most challenging endurance races.
Because of its legendary toughness, the race attracts runners from around the world and has become a sellout, with the field limited to about 900 runners. This year's race sold out in 15 minutes.
The 2015 marathon also saw the return of Chris Stephenson as race day director. He was one of the original seven who ran the first Six Foot Track Marathon in 1984.
Another of the famous seven, Max Bogenhuber, was missing from the race for the first time this year, having retired after last year's race at the age of 71. His No. 1 race bib has been retired with him, but he was at the start line to fire the gun.
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This year's race featured two other Six Foot Track Marathon Living Legends - runners who have completed 24 races - and one of them was Peter Barnes of Wentworth Falls, who was going for his 27th finish.
The average running time for the Six Foot Track Marathon is five hours and 30 minutes, but Blue Mountains local Ben Artup had set the previous race record in 2009 with a remarkable effort of 3:15:24.
David Bray, a member of this year's race organising committee, said a combination of perfect weather, track repair and a top-class field had helped Gibson to better Artup's time. The top five placegetters all recorded times that would have won last year's race.
Allston, a former world orienteering champion, was in a class of her own in beating Emma Murray's 2006 record of 3:37:27. She was more than half an hour faster than the next best female finisher.
While the Six Foot Track Marathon is tough, the next big Blue Mountains challenge for trail runners is even tougher - The North Face 100 in May. TNF100 starts and finishes at Scenic World in Katoomba and travels for 100km over the likes of the Jamison and Megalong valleys, Narrow Neck, Kedumba Pass and the Six Foot Track.
Warrimoo's Andrew Lee, who was 21st in Saturday's marathon (3:51:34) and famously tied with Gibson to take out the 2010 TNF100, hopes Gibson will be back to race him again in this year's TNF100.
The pair have become good mates and Lee was delighted to see the no-nonsense Gibson claim this year's Six Foot Track Marathon for the first time after also winning last year's TNF100 in 9:31:11.
"He turns up, no fuss, and just gets down to business ... he's a very humble guy," Lee told the Gazette.
The Six Foot Track Marathon raises thousands of dollars each year for maintenance of the track and for the Rural Fire Service, which mans the aid stations along the race route. This is the 30th year the RFS has been involved with the race and Mr Bray especially wanted to thank the 200 RFS volunteers who made the 2015 race possible.