This week’s win: digging deep enough to win my age group in the Gravel Muster stage race in the Australian outback, by about 40 seconds.
The Gravel Muster is a four-day event over 400km with seven timed segments totalling around 230km. I went into the last 42km race stage with a 70-second lead after a ding-dong battle over the event with my rival. I had the edge in endurance but I knew she was a better sprinter, so it was all about fuelling, mental grit and strategies to stay at the front of the bunch (aka strategic use of your mates as domestiques!).
In the end it boiled down to hanging in as much as possible in the inevitable balls-to-wall smash fest in the last 2km when it was every man and woman for themselves.
I dug deeper than I’ve ever done before in that last 2km but it was worth it!
XTERRA recently featured my story in “Give It A Go,” a piece that reflects the spirit behind backing yourself, stepping forward, and discovering what becomes possible when you choose action.
In this Slowtwitch feature, I’m profiled alongside two other women with deep ties to New Zealand’s outdoor culture. The piece explores the role of movement, place, and community in shaping a life — and reflects on how I’ve rebuilt that connection across countries, coastlines, and endurance communities.
Let’s talk about where things are stuck, what decisions need to move, and how to create momentum.
Book a conversation
