Sandy Barwick is an ultra-running pioneer and one of New Zealand’s most incredible but under-recognised athletes.

She is in her 70s now and is the fittest person at her retirement village.

In the early 1990s this Kiwi was one of the world’s greatest female ultra-runners. And this was a time where anyone doing these sorts of events were seen as being a bit odd, and women were discouraged from doing them at all.

Here are some highlights from her CV:

+ At her peak she was training up to 350km per week. 

+ First woman in history to complete 1300 miles in a certified race.

+ She held multiple ultra-distance world records.

+ She ran the length of New Zealand to raise money for diabetes

+ She was awarded an MBE in 1994 for services to athletics.

We chat about her remarkable journey from a running novice to a world record holder, the evolution of ultra running, her experiences as a female athlete in a male-dominated sport, and the mental and physical challenges she faced.

Sandy reflects on her training regimens, nutrition strategies, and the importance of mental toughness, including her use of self-hypnosis.

Whether you know the name or not, you are about to learn more about a true kiwi legend.

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