Back in my school days, even a 10km run around Chartwell and the surrounding farmland - now all residential housing - felt like a big challenge. Fast forward to late November, and I found myself tackling my first-ever 100-mile trail run: the Kosciuszko Ultra-Trail 100 Miler (162km, 4,800 m elevation). Pushing my body and mind to limits I never thought possible, I somehow crossed that finish line… barely!

This race had everything: wild weather, brutal climbs, and terrain that tested every ounce of resilience. It all began at 3 a.m. Friday, 28th November, after just two hours of nervous pre-race sleep, under a star-studded sky beside Lake Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountains, NSW. The early stretch past Gaden Trout Hatchery and onto the Thredbo Valley Trail to Bullock’s Flat (32 km) was blustery—dust swirling, hats flying, and even one runner turning back with a rolled ankle. From there, we climbed into a sheltered valley before hitting the exposed ridgeline to Perisher, where the wind roared, and temperatures plummeted.

The views were breathtaking: glacier-carved valleys, wildflower meadows, and snow gum forests. By mid-afternoon, I stood atop Mt Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak, after crossing a snow drift cut by volunteers—a surreal 360° panorama that almost made me forget the pain.

The real battle began after 94 km. Blisters burned, fatigue set in, and rain turned the trail into a slippery mess. My pacing legends—Peter Scott (Scotty) and Ben Richardson—kept me moving when quitting felt inevitable. Through freezing nights, wrong gear choices, and sweepers closing in, we fought on. At one point, the race was halted for 45 minutes as hail and lightning lashed the Thredbo ski fields. Medics wrapped me in a survival blanket at Eagles Nest, while Scotty kept me focused and calm.

Then came the final push. With just 3.7 km of downhill left, adrenaline surged. We had six minutes for the last kilometre to beat the 36-hour mark. Every step hurt, but I ran harder than ever - and crossed the line at 36:00:17. (210th/223 finishers with 117 DNFs).