Roy Morgan research revealed on Thursday that with Pitt on the cover, the Australian Women's Weekly (AWW) scored its most read issue so far this year, reaching 2.2 million Australians.

The last readership figure for AWW was 1.8 million readers per average issue for the year to June 2014.

The cover even outperformed, by a hefty 10 per cent, one of Prince William and Kate during their first trip to Australia.

In the preceding months AWW had featured the more stock-standard, beautiful, blonde covergirls including Nicole Kidman, Rachael Taylor, Cressida Bonas and Jesinta Campbell.

But none of these caused more than a quiver.

Then, on the July 2014 cover, the magazine decided to feature the badly burnt ultramarathon runner Turia Pitt.

The bright red text next to the image said: "I'm the luckiest girl in the world".

During a 2011 run Pitt had been racing through the Kimberleys when she was surrounded by bush fire and suffered burns to 65 per cent of her body.

She ended up spending 864 days in hospital, enduring more than 100 surgeries, had fingers amputated and had to learn to walk again.

The physical feat she endured was not the most breathtaking part of her story.

It was that someone can suffer such pain and be so visibly scarred and have the strength of spirit to call themselves the luckiest girl in the world.

At the time, Pitt said it was a "huge honour" to be on the cover of the magazine.

"I feel very humbled," she said.

"For me, it sends the message that confidence equals beauty. There are a lot of women out there who are so beautiful but don't have the confidence, and that's what gets you over the line."

The cover received an overwhelmingly positive response, with industry figures praising the choice as "bold and beautiful", "inspired" and "profound".

The 29-year-old, who has a double degree with honours in mining engineering and science and who was named the NSW Premier's Woman of the Year 2014, continues to be an inspiration.

This year, she rode her bike from Sydney to Uluru, swam a 20-kilometre race in Western Australia and walked the Great Wall of China, all to raise $200,000 for charity.

On her website, she says her time is spent training for an Iron Man, doing yoga, studying for an MBA and travelling the world giving motivational speeches.

Pitt, who lives with her partner in Ulladulla, has also released a memoir, Everything to Live For.

"Never, never, never give up. Live life to its fullest. Be determined. Persevere," says Pitt.