27 May 2025
Flight Lieutenant Jordan Cowley is charging towards the Kosci100 race at the Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko event in November.
The formidable challenge will follow an attempt to defend his title at Canberra’s Stromlo Running Festival Marathon earlier that month.
Ultramarathon running tests body and mind over distances further than the traditional 42.2km marathon, often with significant changes in elevation and equally breathtaking scenery.
“You become quite closely attuned to your body and to the magic of nature,” Flight Lieutenant Cowley said.
His 2024 Stromlo win embodied this, with sunrise views from the top of Mount Stromlo and plenty of kangaroos, energetic volunteers and other runners spurring him on.
One of Australia’s top distance runners, Flight Lieutenant Cowley will need grit and determination to complete the Kosciuszko event. The 107km race from Perisher to Thredbo, among the nation’s highest mountains, will be his longest yet.
“It will be an entirely new challenge and test of my mental strength,” he said.
Flight Lieutenant Cowley follows in the swift footsteps of his family, which includes his brother, a three-time Olympian and Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist in race walking, his sister-in-law and his father, who have all raced for the same athletics club in Melbourne.
“I’m the slow one in my family,” he laughed, despite ranking as Australia’s 40th fastest male marathoner in 2024.
'You become quite closely attuned to your body and to the magic of nature.'
Running became an important anchor for Flight Lieutenant Cowley early in his 16-year career.
By giving valuable structure and rhythm to his day, he persevered through multiple setbacks in training before ending up at 'the best job in the Air Force', as an air battle manager controlling aircraft on the E-7A Wedgetail.
Later, as an instructor at the Air Mission Training School at RAAF Base East Sale, he passed that experience and mindset on to the next generation of Air Force aircrew.
Now on the AIR5428-3 Transition Team at Russell Offices in Canberra, he explores local trails to clear his mind. He describes the practice as “meditative”.
This relaxed yet determined mindset helps him through his most challenging moments.
After missing a drink hand-off during the 2018 Melbourne Marathon, Flight Lieutenant Cowley collapsed in the final kilometre.
“There is an image of paramedics attending to me in the background of someone else’s race photo,” he said.
“It was a powerful talisman in my ‘post-traumatic growth’ and helped me set a huge personal best the next year.”
Flight Lieutenant Cowley, 34, also used his running to remain centred during challenging Middle East deployments in 2017 and 2020.
He used the mantra 'just put one foot in front of the other' to push through tough times while confined to base during the COVID-19 pandemic.
'That support helps motivate me and gives me a platform to perform at my best both on course and in the office.'
Recently recognised as an elite sportsperson, Flight Lieutenant Cowley receives Air Force Sports Council funding for race entry fees, easing the cost of events like the Kosci100.
His supervisor’s encouragement and flexibility allow him to balance early morning training with duties at work.
“That support helps motivate me and gives me a platform to perform at my best both on course and in the office,” he said.
Flight Lieutenant Cowley sees a direct link between sport and operational readiness.
“Physical fitness, mental resilience and a team orientation are vital to both domains," he said.
"Consistency and hard work ensure you and your team can get to the starting line and give the best account of yourselves through to the finish.”
When asked if other aviators should lace up, Flight Lieutenant Cowley suggested starting small.
“Parkrun or groups like Running for Resilience are great ways to connect and set goals,” he said.
“Don’t let comparison be the thief of joy. Running is about more than records and medals, and you enjoy those a lot more with company. Honour the work, do your best and celebrate those achievements together.”
With a packed 2025 meet schedule, Flight Lieutenant Cowley is set to redefine his limits.
