Queenstown's Tracey Woodford ran the "100 miler" last year for the first time and crossed the finish line in no less than 35 hours.
This weekend she will do it all again and the personal trainer is completely comfortable with that.
"I was absolutely terrified last year.
"It was about getting out of my comfort zone. I wanted to see how far I could push myself. It's more mental than anything."
Mrs Woodford pushed herself far enough to cross the finish line as the winner, which she said put a small amount of pressure on her this weekend to do well.
"Physically, I am prepared; mentally, it is hard to live up to last year.
"I feel a lot more prepared than last year - I feel real fit.
"For me, the goal isn't to get a first place, it is just to enjoy it and finish it.
"If you get too stressed about running and getting a first, second or third, you forget about the scenery."
Mrs Woodford started running just four years ago because she found her fitness walking regime was taking up too much time.
"It's ironic: you did it because it's time efficient and [it's] taking up all your time."
She runs hours upon hours almost every day for training and admits she is addicted.
"Its definitely a high. Sometimes I get a bit more a high after the race because it's good to get the satisfaction of feeling absolutely drained."
Drained, you might ask - surely that's not a feeling someone actively seeks?
"It's just elation, isn't it.
"'You guys are mad' - I used to think that as well. I think, 'Why do I do it to myself? I'm a bit of a sucker for punishment.
"Running is all about enjoyment and getting outdoors with like-minded people."
She is one of three Queenstown competitors in the 160km leg along with Paul Faulkner and Tony Emanuel.
The three will battle it out with 41 other keen runners from around New Zealand and overseas in the race that has been labelled one of the "toughest" in the world.
In the past five months, Mrs Faulkner has raced in the Queen Charlotte Ultra Marathon (71km), Kepler Challenge (60km), Big Easy marathon and Moonlight Mountain Marathon, and last weekend she completed the Motutapu Marathon.
Apart from the "huge buzz" she gets out of completing a race, Mrs Woodford said the amount of physical pain was worth the mental gain.
"They say it's 10% physical and 90% mental.
"Where the mind goes, the body flows."
