The Alpine Challenge 60km: Beauty and the… Brumbies
I knew I wasn’t ready – physically, and maybe not even mentally. But I knew I wanted to do something…something challenging. So, it was between the Buffalo Stampede 42km or the Alpine Challenge 60km. My coach – knowing I was questioning my form – told me to choose the course I preferred rather than the … Continue reading The Alpine Challenge 60km: Beauty and the… Brumbies
Buffalo Stampede: Fast and furious, but still glorious
Evening races have never been my jam – the last time I participated I almost swore I’d never do it again. The anticipation throughout the day is a killer, and I can never quite get the nutrition right. The 10km Buffalo Stampede, however, was upon us (ahem, more like 12.6km). Short, but tough: up Emily … Continue reading Buffalo Stampede: Fast and furious, but still glorious
Warburton Trail Fest: The highs, the lows and the blows…
I hadn’t raced a multi-day since Lara Pinta in 2017 – which is strange because to this day it’s been one of my favourite racing experiences. I’d raced at the Warburton festival in 2020 and managed to take 2nd place in the Donna Double (22km) despite spraining my ankle at 17km. I wanted to do … Continue reading Warburton Trail Fest: The highs, the lows and the blows…
Surf Coast Century 50km: Redemption
My first race since March, and I really didn’t expect it to turn out the way it did… After weeks of not knowing whether it would go ahead, Surf Coast Century 50km was upon us. Different rules to last year, to any year: limited support crew and crowds, different start location, adjusted aid station rules. … Continue reading Surf Coast Century 50km: Redemption
Bright Run Fest: 10 days of 10kms
I’d given myself an ‘easy week’ leading up to the running Festival, but after two days of rest I was itching to get back, which was a bad idea. Because something in my calf was hurting and I prayed it wasn’t shin splints. So, I rested. And waited. And then Friday finally came. Day 1: … Continue reading Bright Run Fest: 10 days of 10kms
UTMB Virtual 50km Race
It’s been almost a year since I ran my first 50km race (Surf Coast Century in Australia with Jessica Short), which was a beautiful and brutal experience. I remember very vividly the excitement, atmosphere and the feeling of crossing the finish line. The UTMB Virtual 50km in Hong Kong would be very different. It would … Continue reading UTMB Virtual 50km Race
ATG Vertical Challenge – max elevation in Stage 4 lockdown
I’d love to say that when I was asked to join a team for the Asia Trail Girls Vertical Challenge, I didn’t know I would be in Stage 4 lockdown. But no, I knew. I knew I’d only have one hour of power to smash out as much elevation as I could, within a 5km … Continue reading ATG Vertical Challenge – max elevation in Stage 4 lockdown
Running Hong Kong’s big four trails (298km)
Running Hong Kong’s big four trails has been a goal of mine for a while now, so I’ve loved having the opportunity to explore them over the last couple of months. An adventure of epic proportions… but not without a few hiccups (boars, monkeys, snakes, stupidity, humidity, dehydration, more stupidity that led to more dehydration … Continue reading Running Hong Kong’s big four trails (298km)
Double Donna 22km: It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves… (and sometimes the mountain conquers us too, for a few minutes)
It had been five months since I broke my foot. Since I’d realised that I’d fractured it by dropping a 10kg weight onto it, then completely broken it during the Surf Coast Century 50km. The placement of the break made so much more sense – as the Sport Physician and Surgeon had pointed out that … Continue reading Double Donna 22km: It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves… (and sometimes the mountain conquers us too, for a few minutes)
You Yangs Running Festival: Lessons on Hitting the Wall
I took my weirdly swollen ankle to the Doctors the Monday after UTA50km “X-Ray.” The results confirmed a loose bone fragment (Betty) with it’s little jazz hands, having a party of it’s own – well away from the rest of my ankle bones. My Doctor told me that the rounded edges of the bone fragment meant that it … Continue reading You Yangs Running Festival: Lessons on Hitting the Wall
UTA50: 50km, 4,000 steps, 2,500m elevation… and one sprained ankle.
With just two weeks until my first 50km, a trip to the doctors confirmed my worst fear – the fatigue and nausea I’d been feeling since TSP was not one but TWO types of parasites I’d picked up. Suddenly the struggle to get out of bed (not just the darker, colder mornings) made a bit more … Continue reading UTA50: 50km, 4,000 steps, 2,500m elevation… and one sprained ankle.
The Speed Project – 550km of high, lows and everything in between. And some running too.
I arrived in LA at 6.00am on the Saturday morning, a week before TSP. Sleep deprived, I wondered whether I’d over committed myself by trying to get to a 5km run organised by Blue Ribbon Sports (the original Nike)…at 10.00am…on the other side of LA. I went anyway, surrounded by beautifully passionate runners – many … Continue reading The Speed Project – 550km of high, lows and everything in between. And some running too.
Spartan Elite – Trails, Obstacles, and all the Burpees
My training for Spartan mostly involved ramping up my mileage to account for the 13km+ trail running elements, and CrossFit workouts to help with the 29+ obstacles that would be on the course. A large part of which consisted of working on my (lack of) shoulder strength – stemming from a few too many sport … Continue reading Spartan Elite – Trails, Obstacles, and all the Burpees
Head over Heels….I mean Handlebars
A few things had happened since the Disqualification at Wonderland – I had quite a few words with myself, pushed down the disappointment. This happened for a reason – there must be a bigger picture. The answer? To ramp up my training in preparation for Spartan in November. Twice a day you say? Well ok … Continue reading Head over Heels….I mean Handlebars
The Good, the Gap, and the Heartbreak of the Headphones
After realising my time and distance in the Tussock Traverse and Run Larapinta qualified me for the infamous 36km Wonderland Run at Halls Gap, it took me a couple of glasses of wine to book it… it was only three weeks away and my training had been mainly focused on duathlons. My legs were grateful … Continue reading The Good, the Gap, and the Heartbreak of the Headphones
The Dirtiest Duathlon
The forecast for the weekend’s duathlon was…not great – Hail, thunderstorms and rain. I’d half expected it to be cancelled, or renamed a triathlon with some swimming thrown in. Either way, I tapered my training a couple of days prior to Sunday. That’s actually a lie. I’m awful at tapering. Friday involved doing an upper body strength … Continue reading The Dirtiest Duathlon
Do u athlon? Well, I do now.
It’s been a while…almost 6 months almost I raced in New Zealand. I missed it. But also my legs were grateful for the rest. As planned my focus turned to adventure racing – starting with running and biking (kayaking and swimming will probably wait until Summer…or until I’m somewhere tropical. With a cocktail. Jazz hands) … Continue reading Do u athlon? Well, I do now.
Tongariro Crossing – running up volcanoes.
So….After Lara Pinta, the Trail Series, and the rest – all the running, all the hills…I decided to do the 4 Peaks Alpine Challenge. Four days, four mountains. Sorry legs. I didn’t write about it because it was more of a journey than a race – a journey that involved four runs up four mountains, … Continue reading Tongariro Crossing – running up volcanoes.
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