In 2012, I started running. It was a big event for me, as I thought I had hated running most of my life. Soon, my renewed passion for running led me to try ultras in 2017.

I run for pretty much the same reason as other runners run: it gets me outdoors, exploring beautiful places, as well as challenging my abilities.

The sunny southwest corner of Germany, close to the Black Forest, the Vosges and Jura mountains, is where I first started trail running. This region where three countries meet is a fantastic mix of Allemannic, Celtic and Roman traditions and influences.

I started running here solely as therapy for my soul. I explored both myself and the local area, running past castles on the Vierburgenweg, on an old Roman road to the Kaiserstuhl, from hell to paradise in the Black Forest, and played hide and seek with the Kolmewible (a forest witch) on Hochebene (near Titisee-Neustadt).

Later when I moved to Norway, I signed up for my very first races and eventually found the direction I wanted to move into (mountain and long distance running).

Even though I’m Australian, trail running in Australia is relatively uncharted waters for me. When I lived here last, I hadn’t yet developed my love of running. Today, running in Tasmania is like exploring a whole new world.

I don’t enter a lot of races. Main reasons are because I don’t like to run in a crowd and entry prices can be quite steep.

I try to find a race that is unique and different, which is the reason I joined the Bèrghem Ultra running club in Norway.

Most of the time I create my own trails and explore the local area I’m in. I bought my first GPS for the Berghem Ultra 135K in 2019. Before that I plotted all my runs after a run using MapMyRun. I prefer to run and navigate with a map.

The last ultra I competed in was in Norway in 2019. The last runs I did were back in 2022. I used to go for runs in my local area up to Westmorland Falls, Lobster Falls, around the Meander River in Deloraine, up Higgs Track to Lady Lake Hut and back, etc.

In 2022 I stopped running to give my body a bit of a break and take care of my health. In 2025, I plan to start up again, taking a more measured, healthier and sustainable approach to running, with the goal of running and hiking well into my 90s. :D

 

Official trail and ultra record

Some times or elevation gain are approximate because I didn’t always have a watch, GPS or timer. To read about the runs mentioned below or for any of my training runs, please visit my blog on Creative Nomads web site.

• 2019 - Bèrghem Ultra 135K - completed 52.89 KM - 1342m elevation - 11:44:00 running/hiking time
• 2018 - Bèrghem Furuberget Endurance 100 Miles - 32 KM or four loops of 8 km - 1953m elevation - roughly 7:00:00 running time (the fastest I have ever run one loop has been approx 1 hour 10 mins)
• 2018 - Skåbu Fjellmaraton 21KM - 21 KM - roughly 400m elevation - 2:40:00 (I started late by 10 mins so real running time is 2:29:00; I reached the halfway mark just over one hour)
• 2018 - Snowies Trail Run Festival 21 KM - 21 KM - 404m elevation - 3:23:00 running time
• 2017 - Bèrghem Stenfjellet Endurance 100 Miles - 57.5 KM or five loops of 11.5 km - roughly 1360m elevation - first four loops in 12:06:00 with breaks included, then I fell asleep and completed one last loop.
• 2017 - Bèrghem Ultraløpertid 70KM - managed 30 KM - roughly 400m elevation - roughly 4:00:00 running/hiking time
• 2016 - Furusjøen Rundt-løpet 17.8KM - 17.8 KM - not sure of elevation - 2:09:45 running time
• 2015 - Schwarzwald Marathon 10KM and 42KM - 10 KM - 186m elevation - 1:13:00 and 29.5 KM - 638m - 3:18:00 running time
• 2014 - 3sjøersløpet 21KM - 21 KM - 276m elevation - 2:21:07 running time
• 2014 - Stavanger Marathon 10KM - 10 KM - 50m elevation - 1:03:00 running time

 

Long distance hiking achievements

All hikes include food prep, logistics, food drops, route planning, recon, etc:

• 2018 - Larapinta Trail - roughly 185 KM (we didn’t do the last two stages to Alice)
• 2018 - Overland Track - roughly 65 KM
• 2017 - Skarvheimen - Aurlandsvangen (Tyinkrysset - Sulebu - Breistølen - Bjordalsbu - Iungsdalhytta - Kongshelleren - Steinbergdalshytta - Aurlandsdalen) - roughly 100 KM
• 2016 - Jotunheimstien (Landåsbygda - Venholen - Skyberg - Mustadroa - Vesterås - Mæhlumsetra - Volla - Skjelbreida - Kvitingen - Bleiken) - roughly 70 KM
• 2016 - Rondanestien (Oslo-Hjerkinn) - Dovrefjell to Sunndalsfjella (Hjerkinn - Kongsvoll - Reinheim - Åmotdalshytta - Loennechenbua - Gammelsetra - Gjøra) - roughly 580 KM

 

Weather

• Coldest run was in -12 Celsius for 19 km from Landåsbygda to Dokka.

Posted by Jasmin on Apr 30, 2020