The $1000 prize money he wins helps alleviate the cost of the airfares for the Hobbs, who use the running event as an opportunity to visit Mount Isa based family. 

Hobbs held the previous record for the current track which ends at Tony White Oval, which he broke by slightly more than three minutes in the 21 km run. 

“I went out at a pretty strong pace sitting on about 3.30 to 3.35 minutes per kilometre, and yeah, I just made sure I had enough time up my sleeve the whole way along,” Hobbs said. 

He had endured a head cold in the lead-up to the race. 

“I have been a bit crook the last few days. I have got a young fella just turning two and he’s been sick, and I picked it up,” Hobbs said. 

“I did not feel it too much along the way,” he said, occasionally breaking into coughs during the interview.  

Hobbs previously lived in Mount Isa for three years until 2013. From there he moved to Longreach and made the transition to south east Queensland. 

He tried competing in Outback to the Stack as often as he could, and held the record in 2016. 

“It’s been two years since I have been down there training with a squad, and the running club I run with is in training.” 

Hobbs appreciated the generous prize money and thanked the sponsors for their “fantastic job”. 

“To put up that sort of prize money is just incredible,” he said. His time was 1 hr 18 mins and 4 seconds. Last year his time was 1 hr 21 mins and 22 seconds. 

IsaRats committee member Michelle Ball said there were 194 entrants in the event, which was a good turnout but down on last year’s numbers.

There had been a 21 km run, a 10 km, and a 5 km. 

“It’s good motivation to get people out of town to compete in the event,” she said. 

Half marathon division female winner Bridget Webber is now based in Townsville, but grew up at Nardoo Station in the Gregory. 

The former School of the Air student returned to compete in the race. She won with a time of 1 hr 37 mins and 4 seconds and also broke the record made in 2015 by Marie Sorrell. 

It was not Webber’s personal best time. That was 1 hr 32 mins and 23 seconds which she achieved racing in Mackay earlier this year. 

This is the first year Webber races competitively and aims to compete in all of North Queensland’s half marathons this season. Outback to the Stack is the only one not affiliated with Athletics North Qld, she said. 

“We have to do something about that,” Webber said.