Ultra runner aims to make light work of Canberra Marathon
A run all the way from Canberra to Bungendore and back is not most people's idea of a fun afternoon.
But for Pam Muston, there's no better way to unwind with a mate.
She ran her first marathon in Canberra in 1996 and has been hooked ever since.
Having run events such as Coast 2 Kosci - which is 246 kilometres long - she's no stranger to an ultramarathon.
She will be running in the ultramarathon as part of the The Canberra Times Australian Running Festival on Sunday, April 14.
It will be her 10th consecutive Canberra 50-kilometre event, and her 18th Canberra Marathon - enough for she and her friend Ruth to claim the title of most Canberra marathons ever completed by a woman if they finish this year's run.
But Muston has no plans to stop at 18 - she ultimately aims to complete 30.
Growing up on a sugar-cane farm, Muston says she was always used to being psychically active.
So going to university, where the most strenuous activity was walking to class, was a shock to the system.
That's when her love of running started.
To make sure she is race-ready, Muston uses a mixture of running and walking, making sure she does one of those every day.
She enjoys trail running because of the interesting terrain she gets to see, and its mixture of running and walking.
"I don't like to go out for anything under 10 kilometres," she says.
"My training is between 10 and 40 kilometres. It's great fun."
And while the ultra scene may seem more intimidating than shorter distances, she says she finds it easier.
"The shorter races with speed, they are harder," she says.
"The hardest run I do during the week is the YMCA Summer Series which is five kilometres."
Muston's biggest challenge on race day is staying mentally on top of her game, able to deal with whatever the race throws at her.
"Sometimes you just get mentally tired," she says.
"Every few Ks I check myself to make sure I'm still in the moment.
"There are very few races where everything happens perfectly."