“During the COVID lockdowns, in the UK, a friend invited me to complete a half marathon training programme with him, and I obviously couldn’t say no… I wasn’t doing anything else!
I’ve always been really into sports and had a base level of fitness. So when he presented this half marathon plan as something to do during lockdown to a group of us, we all got on board. I stuck to the programme pretty religiously, even when he and all the other friends dropped out. Then the event that we were going to sign up for was cancelled because of further lockdowns, so I ended up doing my half marathon on my own around Loch Leven in Fife, in Scotland.
It was a very spontaneous half marathon. I was supposed to be catching up with a friend but he got COVID. I was having mince pies, like a Christmas treat, for breakfast and then just got up and went and did my half marathon by myself… fuelled by pies!
I had recently moved to Scotland and it’s still COVID time, so I began exploring and doing lots of hiking, rediscovering how much I love being outdoors and the sense of freedom. I love that the outdoors gave me the chance to clear my mind, to live in the present, and the feeling of appreciation for awesome views when you have to earn them.
I moved to New Zealand in January 2024 and my love for the outdoors spiralled even more. I spend every spare minute I have, pouring over maps, planning the next adventure. Then every weekend I’d be out hiking in the mountains.
I turn 30 this year, so I set myself some goals for the year… and first on the list was the challenge of running a marathon! I signed up for the Queenstown Marathon and found a local running club in Wanaka where I now live. It’s called ‘Heatwave’ and it’s a fantastic community. In the build up to the marathon we did structured weekly training together as a group, which was amazing – just to have other people doing the same thing, and meeting like minded people who all want to get out there and run. Being new to a place and looking to create a network of friends, the running group really provided that for me.
The idea of running Milford Track was posted by a friend in the running club chat. I was a YES straight away. Just the fact of being in Fiordland, on an exclusive trail, it’s something you can’t do everyday. I thought, with my marathon under my belt, and all the hiking I do, surely I can drag myself through 60 odd km’s. And I did and I absolutely loved it! It’s definitely sparked an interest to do more of that sort of thing, where you pack light and move faster through the mountains. It was just amazing. Now I’m keen for some ultra distances and to maybe sign up to some trail races. I like the idea of having something to look forward to and being able to explore somewhere new – trails and races that are on land not normally accessible to the public.
I love that running allows me to push my body and provides an escape from everyday life. Running has helped me create lifelong friends and feel included in a new community too. I look forward to this new found love for trail running and for it to take me further and faster into the hills and mountains, whilst connecting with others, and sharing adventures.”
Sarah @sazjackson
(Wanaka)
Photo taken in Fiordland
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