Relentless forward progress: My 250km Namib Desert Challenge

Kia ora. My name is Karen, and I am 62. Since I can remember, I've been drawn to seemingly impossible challenges. At 16, long before Strava or Instagram were a thing, someone suggested cycling from Johannesburg to Durban. Yes! We finished our 630km odyssey on the iconic Down Comrades Marathon route. That appetite for adventure stayed with me. I hiked the 5-day Otter Trail three times.

After emigrating to New Zealand, I was drawn to new challenges, including triathlon, cycling, and open-water swimming, including the 160km Lake Taupo challenge. 4km swim around Mauao, the Huka Extreme River Swim.

At 55, I paused to complete a bachelor's degree. But a series of fractures thwarted my return to running. With strength training, physiotherapy, and support of kind, strong women around me, I finished five challenging half marathons.

Jeff Pelletier’s Racing Namibia YT series sparked a new challenge. The Namib Desert holds a special place in my heart, shaped by unforgettable family adventures and a near-fatal misadventure, compelling me to return and honour the second chance it gave me. But it was my friend who began running at 57 and completed 3 Racing the Planet desert races, who pushed me out of my self-doubt, “Karen, you’ve got this. Your journey has started”. He lit the fuse.

Sadly, he passed away before he could return to Namibia, the one desert he hadn't finished.

I hope to honour his memory by giving it 100% effort, proving that age, setbacks and loss don't define one’s limits.