Running the Himalayas: My Unforgettable Multi-day Adventure.

In April of 2024 I completed my first multi stage race, the Marathon Des Sable (MDS). At the time this was the toughest thing both physically and mentally I had ever done. An amazing experience running 250km in the Sahara. Following this I seeked out my next adventure which was my first 100mile race, the Tarawera Ultra in New Zealand in Feb of 2025. The two events could not have been more different, from sand to ancient rain forests.

By now the adventure ultra running bug had bitten and I was searching for the next challenge and something to give me a strong focus to train towards. Not long after completing Tarawera my coach Kerry Sutton from Perpetual Motion had planted the seed of getting a group together for the Everest Trail Race in the Himalayas which was to be held in November 2025. 16 years previous I had trekked to Everest base camp and the wonderful memories still remained with me. From the amazing towering giants of  the snow capped Himalayas, to the beautiful smiling friendly people of Nepal and the craziness of Kathmandu!

I started searching for youtube videos to see what the ETR was all about. It looked like the challenge I was looking for and a multi stage event that was the polar opposite of the MDS. As soon as registrations were open and Kerry confirmed the attendance of herself, Maya , Sarah and following on my MDS tent mate, Chris,  I signed up. Family and friends thinking I was mad and my fiancé knowing she was again going to loose me to the early morning starts and long Saturday training runs, not to mention the constant chattering from me around training and equipment weight, saving grams by buying new jackets, sleeping bags and any other gadgets that popped on my socials. Participating in an ultra or multi stage event is an amazing achievement but often what excites me the most is the training and preparation that goes in to tackling such an event.

The lead up – I live in Australia by the beach with only a few small hills around so it was critical for me to be creative in my training to try simulate the elevation and terrain that would come in the Himalayas. Kerry who had coached me successfully in the past rose to the challenge and before I knew it my Training Peaks programme started taking shape with endurance runs, cross training with cycling, strength work, treadmill sessions with gradient and new to my usual training programme, the STEPPER ! I knew I needed to become a stronger athlete in order to tackle the daily elevation that lay ahead. I loved every part of the training leading up to the Everest Trail Race (ETR).

ETR is different to the MDS in regards to what you have to carry. For the MDS you need to be self sufficient including your food, daily running gels and electrolytes where with the ETR the organisation takes care of the food, tent, sleeping mat and they supply you with 2 gels and 2 carb bars daily so I only had to focus on the equipment. Saying that it was going to be cold so I needed a new warmer sleeping bag rated to -9 degrees and a warmer down jacket plus thermals. Ahhh more research and shopping! My total pack weight ended up being 4.5kg which I was happy with.

During the lead up to Nepal I had many long training runs with the full weighted pack so from that regard I was prepared. How cold would it get in the Himlayas? The information on the ETR website mentioned preparing for -9 degrees but I live in Australia and even in winter it never gets in the minus temperatures so I needed a mini training camp in the cold. New Zealand is only a 3 hour flight so in early Sep, 2 months out from the ETR I entered a 50km trail race in the South Island of New Zealand, taking over my warm equipment to trial and camping in a little tent. This was great preparation for the ETR.

The start of the 50km race was in the cold wind, rain and was probably around -2 degrees. I was comfortable with my gear I would need for the ETR. It was also a good test of my fitness level being 2 months out. Saying that the race only covered around 1200 metres of positive elevation over 50km. In Nepal we will be covering 2000 – 2500 metres  of positive elevation in 25-30km so I was going to need more strength and hill work before the ETR. Back in Australia with 2 months to go Kerry had my programme dialled in.

A couple of solid training blocks and I was feeling strong. My favourite sessions ended up being the indoor gym work where I would hit the treadmill with some great incline followed by the stepper. I certainly received strange looks as the sweat pooled up around the machines. I also enjoyed the Saturday morning trail runs. Hit the trails for 3 hours, then the gym for an hour on the treadmill with the incline dialled up.

Before I knew it my bags were packed and I was off to Nepal. When it comes to overseas races I always get nervous that my checked bag would go missing so I make sure to take the essential running equipment as carry on. There is nothing like the relief you get when your luggage appears on the carousel on the other side of the world. How do they do it ? I had a night in Kathmandu ahead of my friends and the other athletes so after dropping off my bag at the hotel and a quick shower I strolled around the craziness of Kathmandu.

The next day everyone else arrived and it started to become real, knowing an adventure was about to begin. It was great to see Kerry and Chris again and to meet Sarah and Maya.

We started to meet the other participants who were mostly from Spain but also Portugal, Italy, Netherlands and 3 athletes from Nepal. All in all the race started with 26 participants which  was probably the lowest number of entries they had had for some time.

Another day in Kathmandu where the organisers went through our mandatory equipment making sure we had enough warm clothing for what lay ahead as well as the medical team studying our medical certificates and ECG chart ensuring we were physically up for the challenge. A last night’s sleep in a comfy hotel bed and a nice shower then we were off.

Getting to the first camp involved a 9 hour bus ride through the countryside of Nepal. Never a fun experience when you are 6 foot 7 however it was great to see the countryside and local way of life.

Our first camp was at an altitude of 2950m. The first night allowed us to settle in to what the camping life lay ahead. It was a cold night but inside my sleeping bag with thermals on I was nice and toasty. It was also great to be back on another adventure with my MDS tent buddy, Chris.

After a cold nights rest we were woken up by a Sherpa with a hot cup of tea. It was all about to get real! What would the next 6 days entail.

In Kathmandu we were given a road book or what I call my multi stage bible. This book had the maps, the daily elevation chart and where to expect the check points. It did not take long to realise that we were in for one hell of a ride. The daily elevation ups and downs were going to be something never before experienced. Trust the training I kept saying. I had faith in Kerry that I was ready for this! Dressed in my running gear I headed to breakfast, then back to the tent to finishing packing for the day ahead.

Around 8am, 26 runners were on the start line ready with excitement. This first stage we completed 24km. We started at an altitude 2950m covered around 2500m of up and down elevation, finishing the stage at an altitude of 3500m. The last 10KM were brutal. Over these 10km we covered 1000m of elevation! Crossing the finishing line I was sucking in the oxygen. You certainly knew you were in the Himalayas and the adventure was on! Once I had regathered myself I could take the time to appreciate where I was. The scenery was truly amazing.

I was happy with my first days performance and felt strong. Moving at altitude was tougher than I had imagined and on reflection I was a bit casual about what the effects of altitude would be like. The ideal solution is to arrive earlier and try acclimatise but that is never easy with work commitments and getting time off so in hind sight maybe more strength work in the gym. All the participants dine together. Most evening meals start off with garlic soup which is good for altitude, then rice, potato’s and dahl. Dinner was followed by a hot chocolate and then off to bed. The tent was really comfortable just a tad cold but you soon figured out how to stay warm and what you needed to put on when going to the toilet in the middle of the night. The toilet being a hole in the ground with a tent for privacy. For the first 4 nights we camped and the last 3 nights we were in local tea houses. The tea houses tended to be quite cold inside but the benefit being an indoor shower and flushing toilet.

Day 2 the pattern continues, tea in bed, get dressed, breakfast, collect water and running gels for the day, final packing, 10 minutes before starting a briefing and then off! My legs were tired from day 1 but they soon loosened. Stage 2 had us heading straight uphill to Pikey Peak, from 3500m to just over 4000m in just over 4km. Tired legs and really gasping for breath at the top  the views were amazing. Its hard to put in to words to describe the beauty so I recommend for everyone to come to the Himalayas. You don’t have to run though you could do a trek. From the top of Pikey Peak it was a steep downhill section for 2 km followed by more uphill then a long down hill section of around 8 km. Besides stage 6, the last day, the general pattern tended to be go up and then down it was just the length of up and down that varied. Total kilometres for day 2 was just under 27 and we ended up back at an altitude of 2700m. Today we crossed our first suspension bridge. Tricky for those who don’t like heights. You do cross multiple suspension bridges over the race and if you can look around while crossing the views are stunning.

The big challenge however is to take care that when crossing you are not confronted by a trail of yak’s or donkeys crossing as well. The general rule is to wait and let them cross. Tricky if you are trying to run and don’t want to lose time waiting. I only had to stop and wait once which was on the last day and I probably waited for 10 minutes for the animals to cross but it gave me time to take in the surrounds, get my breath back, sip some water and snack on a snickers. I had a great second days run. I felt really strong and confident on the downhill sections which had been a key focus in my training leading up to the race.

The 3^rd day was a tough one for me. I woke at 3 AM and had to be sick. I will spare the details but lets say it was top and tail. This lasted for 3 hours. I had lost a lot of energy. Fortunately day 3  had an option that if you wanted you could take a small detour, cutting out some elevation and distance however this would come with a 4 hour time penalty. Quick consultation with the medic and Kerry and I chose the detour. Kerry, Maya and 2 other runners also chose this option. A sherpa guided the 5 of us for this section leaving us at checkpoint 2 where we were then back on the main route. As we started the day though I was tired and weak but after a couple of kilometres we came to a tea house at the top of a hill. One of the runners from Spain popped in a bought me a coke. Ester, you are my coke angel! I started to feel normal again. I was relieved to finish stage 3 and rest. All in all taking the short cut meant we completed around 24 km versus the others who completed 28km. It was a tough stage for those who did not take the shortcut but I was glad I did. I was however now a couple of hours behind in time.

Stage 4 and 5 were both incredibly tough. Short steep hills followed by steep downhills. I was feeling tired but strong. I was looking forward to day 5 knowing that we would be staying in a tea house in Tengboche. I had fond memories from 16 years previously when I was in Tengboche and was able to experience going in to the 500 year old monastery and listen to the monks pray. A truly spiritual experience. Tengboche also offers the most amazing views of the mountains. You get to see Everest and on the right the towery beauty of Ama Dablam.

Now as mentioned I was super excited for this stage and getting to Tengboche however the last 500m involved scrambling straight up the side of a mountain on what could hardly be called a trail. Reaching the top you ended up at the back of the monastery coming around and crossing through the days finish line. It was quite an emotional end to finish the days stage. Days 4 and 5 had been strong race days for me and I had regained most of the penalty time lost from day 3. After regathering myself I went in to the tea house for a shower and lunch and then back outside to wait for Kerry, Maya and Chris to finish. Later that afternoon we all went in to the monastery soaking up the chanting and incense as the monks prayed.

Day 6, the last day. I woke early with mixed emotions, part excitement knowing that I only had 27 km to a cold beer and pizza but also the realisation this was coming to an end. After breakfast I went outside to soak in the surrounds. It was a cool morning with a light wind. The sky was clear and looking up the valley there was the most amazing view of Mountain Everest, majestic in all her glory. To think that here we were at an altitude of 3800m and she was 8800m. It is also a sad thought that many had died trying to summit and are still there. Ready and packed back on the start line. A final team hug. Part of me wanted to enjoy the day, taking it easy and hanging with Chris but this was a race and I wanted to finish strong so 5 4 3 2 1 and I was off. 2km steep downhill followed by the last longish steep uphill of 2 km. I was then on my way down towards Lukla.

Todays stage is on the main trekking route that runs between Lukla which is the entry point when flying in to the mountains and Everest base camp. It was a busy day on the course with trekkers, villagers and animals carting supplies up and down the mountain. As it was a busy day it was great to get the cheers and applause along the way. Really made you feel like you were in a race. A beautiful sunny day running down the valley through the villages and crossing 7 suspension bridges. Even though the day is mainly downhill it was still a tough physically. The ground underfoot is tricky with rocks and tree routes and if not careful easy to roll an ankle. The kilometres flew by. The days first checkpoint was in Namche Bazaar. This is quite a large town and many trekkers stop here for a couple of nights as they acclimatise on their way to base camp. No time though for sight seeing. Top up water, grab some nuts and a snickers bar and keep on running.

Before I knew it I was on the last hill. It seemed to appear so quickly. As I turned a corner there it was, the finish line. Crossing the finish the emotions kicked in.  I had done it. I had just run 150km with a total elevation ascent and decent of 22000 metres. I was tired but so grateful for this experience.  After dropping my bag at the tea house I hurried back to the finish line. I wanted to be at the end to welcome in Kerry and Maya and Chris. A beautiful moment when Kerry and Maya finished. Such an awesome experience for a mother and daughter to do together, although some might say family time could spent doing more relaxing activities than a multi stage race but I know those two would not have wanted it any other way. Not long after it was Chris’s turn to finish. Our second adventure together. Looking forward to the next one! We headed to our tea house for a shower and then out for a well deserved beer and pizza!

After one more night in the mountains we were up early for tea and breakfast and then off to the airport for the trip back to Kathmandu. Flying out of Lukla is one wild ride.  Google the worlds most dangerous airports and Lukla is one of the top. Semi organised chaos with planes arriving, doors swung open, luggage and passengers unloaded and before you know it people are getting on and in the blink of an eye the plane is taxing out. The runway is short so the pilots need to pick up speed quickly. As you wait to take off you can feel the anticipation. The throttles are pushed forward and the engines start to roar. As the brakes are released  the plane jumps forward down the runway. These pilots are skilled and just before you think you are going to fall off the end they pull back, the plane lifts and you are up skirting the tops of the mountains. Once relief kicks in you get the most amazing views of the snow capped Himalayas.

Back to the craziness and noise of Kathmandu but the welcome of a comfortable hotel bed and hot shower.The following night we had the gala dinner and awards ceremony. No matter where you place in a multi stage, just completing is an achievement. It takes months and months of preparation and sacrifice. Saying all that I really wanted to have a solid race and had the belief from Kerry I could do well. I placed 10^th overall,  3^rd in my age group and 2^nd in the team division with Chris. I am really happy with how I went. I was well prepared and I had trained hard under Kerry’s guidance. As my body gets some well deserved rest, the mind is already thinking about the next adventure!

ETR was my second multi stage race and I loved it. I love the concept of running and camping. Every day is a new challenge. Pushing oneself day after day when tired and exhausted. Ultra running does not discriminate against age or sex, case in point where Chhoki and Humi two 4 foot 11 nepalese ladies beat me. Yes they live in the mountains but they were strong and determined. You also get to meet like minded outdoor enthusiasts all with some part craziness. What I really loved about the Everest Trail Race was the fact it was a small group of only 26 participants so you really got to feel like one big family.

Everest Trail Race is run by a Spanish company Grup Adeaventura. It is very well organised and well executed. There were plenty of staff on hand. They worked with the local sherpas to ensure we were well fed, course clearly marked, aid stations in order with food and snacks and most of all they had a strong medical support team who were always checking on our well being. Merce was my main contact throughout the booking process as well as on the ground in Kathmandu and along the course. She was amazing. Jordi, our race director ensured all ran smoothly and it did. Thank you Merce, Jordi and team for this amazing experience!

Anyone reading this if you have never done a multi stage race, I say do it. My top tips would be:

·       Lock in the event with plenty of time to train and prepare.

·       Ensure you have trained with all your gear, keeping your pack as light as possible

·       Get a coach! I am so grateful having found Kerry from Perpetual Motion. Standing on the start line I have the belief and confidence I will succeed and do well with Kerry in my corner. It was also an amazing experience to do the ETR with her 😊

Until the next adventure………….