Karen Barrett

Speakers: Karen Barrett

Running began for me as a way to try and quite smoking. I was a 2 pack a day smoker and I found I couldn’t smoke and run at the same time, so I just kept on running.
My love of running all started when I ran my first 5km at 41 and my first marathon at 42 to an elite athlete and setting my first-course record at age 45.

At 48 I became the first and only female to finish the Down Under 135miler in the history of the event then last year finishing 4th overall in the Gold Coast Ultra 500km and am now considered to be one of Australia’s best endurance athletes

I run with my kelpies Cadence and Pace, I love how they run with such joy, for them everyday seems to be an adventure. For me it’s my way of connecting with nature, I don’t tend to stick to the normal trails preferring to go bush bashing or finding long forgotten single trails. I love discovering new little treasures in the bush, whether that be an insect, flower, bird, cave or tree that I haven’t seen before

My mission is to show people, especially children that no matter what your circumstance you always have a choice. I want to positively impact one million and one people no matter what their age and prove to them that they can achieve whatever it is they set their mind to.

I am completely intrigued as to what the mind and body can go through and on a mission to find my limit or if I even have one and I am really looking forward to becoming Australia’s best 50+ year old endurance runn