RUNNING HIGH
My addiction to running high kicked off in earnest a couple of years ago while trekking in Peru, when I got to experience life above 4000 metres for the first time. I have a distinct memory of the tearing feeling in my lungs as they tried to draw enough oxygen to fuel my legs up the mountain. My physiology was working as it had never known and I could feel the dopamine rushing into my body. Part way through the climb I decided to take pause and let my oxygen levels catch up to my workload. Perched on a rock, my eyes landed on a truly majestic scene.
Running across the ridge in front of me, some local horsemen and workers herded their pack horses along the trail. Grinning wildly, they appeared to be floating across the terrain. It was beautiful and – dare I say – breathtaking.
Not an inch of Lycra in sight, these people had mountain running ingrained in their DNA. They were running high. They were running happy. From that moment I knew I wanted to be a part of that.
I booked my return trip to Peru within weeks of arriving back in Australia. That trip was in May
