A calm mindset and smart strategy proved the winning formula for Anna Cameron who won her first ever Mountain Run at the Kathmandu Coast to Coast on Friday.

The 44-year-old Christchurch runner competed in the veteran category and ended up with a time of just under 3.5hrs after adapting to a late course change.

With weather forcing organisers to alter the traditional route over Goat Pass, competitors faced significant uncertainty with a B course that includes a lot more river bed running before heading up and over the Otira Viaduct in torrential downpours. 

For Cameron, that unpredictability became part of the challenge.

“It was a huge unknown this year, especially with the changing course,” she said. “You never really know who you’re going to be racing or how it’s going to play out. I just put my head down and ran my own race.”

The revised course removed the usual benchmarks athletes rely on to measure pacing and progress.

“The organisers can’t help the weather. It’s about keeping everyone safe and making sure we still have a great day out. It just added a bit of a curveball into the mix.”

A key tactical section proved to be the viaduct, which looked barely runnable from a distance. Cameron adopted a measured run-one, walk-one strategy through the tougher terrain — a decision that paid dividends later in the race.



By focusing on effort rather than competitors, she steadily moved into contention before sealing the win in 3 hours and 24 minutes and 23 seconds.

“I just focused on running my own race, and to come away with the win — I’m absolutely stoked.”