04/09/2026
A reflection.. what my first 64km šāāļø taught me.
Almost 2 weeks ago I crossed the finish line of a 64km point to point trail race.
I went in with a time in mind, but somewhere along the way, I decided to enjoy it instead of chase the clock.
Because by race day the hard work has already been done- the early mornings, long runs, setbacks and niggles. You canāt suddenly do more training on race day.
Race day is the celebration. š
So I stopped for photos. Walked through parts. Connected with people along the trail. Spent far too long at checkpoints eating and chatting š
I also fell three times. Hard!
Each time, I picked myself back up and kept going.
I cried too- from pain, from joy and disbelief .. āIām actually doing this!ā And somewhere along those 64km I also found myself grieving my Dad, who I lost in March. I carried his spirit with me that day ā¤ļø
Then there were the people. Brief conversations, laughs and shared struggles with people who became part of my journey before moving on.
All of this reminded me:
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
My ankle had been giving me grief and sometimes I had to adjust the plan rather than push through.
PACING IS EVERYTHING.
64km is a long way. You canāt treat the first 20km like a 20km race.
MINDSET MATTERS.
One kilometre, one hill, one checkpoint at a time makes something huge feel manageable.
FUEL MATTERS.
Keeping your body fuelled makes a huge difference. And sometimes food and a chat are exactly what you need!
RECOVERY IS PART OF THE PROCESS.
The finish line isnāt the end. Rest, nutrition, hydration, movement and time all matter afterwards.
And my biggest takeaway?
YOU DONāT ALWAYS HAVE TO CHASE THE NEXT GOAL.
I finished 8:39- 42nd out of 77 solos, 9th female overall and 1st in my age group.
Could I have gone faster? Probably.
The finish time is only one tiny part of the storyā¦
Whether you have a big goal ahead or simply getting through life, your body needs you to listen.
Sometimes it needs a push.
Sometimes it needs a rest.
And sometimes⦠it needs a good feed and a chat š