Stranded in Oz but setting records
Joasia Zakrzewski made the most of being stuck in Australia for five months by entering her first-ever 24-hour endurance race.
And after a day of rain, sun and freezing conditions, the Dumfries GP eventually walked off the track with four Scottish records and a new UK mark to her name. The 44-year-old travelled Down Under in March, planning on only staying for a three-week holiday. But her flight home was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and she has been living in Sydney ever since.
Joasia decided to brave her first all-day race in Canberra last weekend.
Despite a lack of training or support team, she eventually clocked up 236 km (146 miles), which earned her a place in Scottish ultra-running history. “I’d vaguely wondered in the past what a 24-hour race would be like,” said Joasia from her temporary home in Oz.
“I thought it would be maybe best to do the first one where nobody knows me and there’s no pressure.
“I didn’t know if I was strong enough mentally to do it. But, apart from toilet breaks, I didn’t stop until I had got to 200km.
“Once I passed that, I had a really strong hankering for a warm Pot Noodle! So that was my reward. And it was the best one I’ve ever had! “But I definitely made some rookie errors. I’m normally known as someone who eats a lot in a race, but I don’t think I ate enough as I definitely had energy dips. “I also didn’t have my usual kit with me as I’d only come for a three-week holiday in March. “At the end, although I was freezing cold, I still only had on a T-shirt and a thin waterproof. I could hardly feel my hands. But I’m so glad I stuck with it.” To make it more special, Joasia broke the records on the anniversary of her marathon appearance for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games.
She added: “On July 27, and every year since 2014, I always put my Scotland kit on and go out to do a little jog to mark the anniversary of that proud moment.
“I didn’t have my kit with me this year, but I realised after I’d set the records on that same date. “That made it even more special!”