Australian ultrarunning sensation Phil Gore has traded the grueling endurance of the trail for a hospital ward after a record-shattering 152-hour solo run resulted in a serious medical emergency.
Gore, 40, who recently captured the world’s attention with a mammoth, week-long effort that saw him cover more than 1,000km, is currently recovering in Perth’s Fiona Stanley Hospital. What the athlete initially dismissed as a lingering post-run injury turned into a frightening health battle when doctors discovered a massive infection in his left thigh.
The ordeal began shortly after Gore completed his extraordinary solo Backyard Ultra attempt, a challenge that required him to complete one 6.7km lap every hour. Sustaining his body with a diet of cheeseburgers, meat pies, Coco Pops, and Nerds, Gore pushed past his own official world record of 119 laps to reach 152. However, a persistent pain in his leg followed him home.
“I just didn’t quite feel right about it, so I wanted to get a second opinion,” Gore shared in an update to his followers on Instagram.
Seeking medical attention on Monday, the runner expected a routine checkup for a haematoma—a common blood-swelling injury. Instead, the sports doctor attempting to aspirate the area made a startling discovery: it was not blood, but a significant buildup of pus. The doctor immediately recognized the signs of a severe abscess and urged him to head to the emergency room without delay.
The subsequent procedure at Fiona Stanley Hospital revealed the true scale of the infection. Surgeons performed a 12cm incision to clear the area, draining roughly 500ml of fluid—the equivalent of a full pint.
“Surgery went well,” Gore reported from his hospital bed. “I’ve got a drain in now, still clearing more out. I have to stay in the hospital for 48 hours while it drains and I’m kept under observation.”
Gore expressed gratitude to the medical staff, acknowledging that the situation could have deteriorated rapidly had he ignored his instincts and delayed treatment. He also offered an apology to the thousands of fans who have followed his journey for his temporary radio silence.
The veteran endurance athlete, who won last year’s Backyard Ultra World Championship in Tennessee, noted that he has since pinpointed exactly when his leg began to fail during his recent challenge. Reviewing footage of his live-streamed attempt, he identified the onset of the pain during Lap 104—meaning he had pressed on for two additional days, covering hundreds of kilometers, while the infection took hold.
Despite falling short of his ultimate goal, Gore’s effort was a resounding success in other regards, raising nearly $300,000 to support children’s health research and services in Western Australia. He remains under medical care, focusing on his recovery after one of the most physically punishing—and now, medically taxing—feats in the sport’s history.
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