Desert Runners follows a group of non-professional runners as they attempt to complete the most difficult desert ultra-marathon series on Earth, pushing their minds and bodies to the limit in an inspiring display of human strength and perseverance.
The runners trek across four 250km ultra-marathons in the world’s driest (Atacama Desert in Chile), windiest (Gobi Desert in China), hottest (Sahara Desert in Egypt) & coldest (Antarctica) terrains, all the while carrying everything they need to survive.
The film is now available for digital download and DVD, as well as screening across the country. You can purchase Desert Runners at
desertrunnersmovie.com and enter the code FITNESS for a $1 discount!
Samantha is an ex-associate at international law firm Baker & McKenzie and now Head of the Sports & Entertainment client group at Wealth Enhancers, Samantha Gash may seem like another run-of-the-mill 20-something-year-old struggling to find the right balance between work, life and her purpose… it takes less than a minute’s worth of conversation with Samantha to realize that she is exactly the opposite.
Even the briefest glance at her life experiences to date reveals a truly outstanding, unique, and above all, inspiring worker, athlete, student and person. Incredibly well rounded with a finger in various pursuits and projects, Samantha’s thirst for adventure, experience and thrill for life has enabled her to find time where no one else could. Her impressive and ever-growing list of life achievements include:
Finalist in the NAB Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards in the award category of Inspirational Ambassador.
Nominated for a Pride of Australia Medal in the community spirit category.
Named an i2P Inspirational Ambassador for Impossible2Possible. i2P’s mission is to ‘encourage youth to reach beyond their perceived limits, and to use adventure as a medium to educate, inspire and empower our global community to make positive change in the world. In 2012 Samantha worked with the Expedition Team in Botswana for the youth ambassador expedition (2012, 2013).
National Crusader for the League of Extraordinary Women – the mission is to inspire and empower the next generation of young female entrepreneurs throughout Australia (2012, 2013).
Co-founder of the fundraising run ‘Ultra Spirit’. A 2 loop run around the TAN for Turia Pitt and Kate Sanderson, victims of the Kimberly 100km ultra marathon (2012).
Travelled to Cambodia to identify not-for-profit initiatives for employees of Zest Marketing Solutions to engage and collaborate with (2012).
Female perspective writer and editorial board member for Ultra168 – Australia’s No #1 ultrarunning website (2012, 2013).
Named Patron of Nutrition Plus, an Australian schools-based initiative aiming to engage Indigenous and other low socio-economic children attending those schools, their families and communities in the pursuit of good health with a particular focus on improved nutrition (2011, 2012, 2013).
Completed a three-month internship with The Gulf Region Advocacy Center (GRACE), an independent, client-centered, Houston-based charity providing quality defense to indigents facing the death penalty (2010).
Founded a not-for-profit organisation, Monash University: Connecting With Indigenous Communities, which sent university students into Indigenous Communities to facilitate sporting-based holiday programs. The goal was to increase the frequency and quality of positive interactions between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians (2008).
Work in Mutijulu and Kaltukatjara – Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory – sparking Samantha’s ongoing interest in the issues concerning Indigenous Australians, particularly the access to education and health of Indigenous Youths (2007).
Never one to accept the impossible or cease to challenge herself, Samantha embarked on her first ultramarathon in March 2010 to push her mental and physical boundaries.
Inspired by the unique setting of these races, her fellow competitors and the belief that mental discipline can overcome all limitations – she hasn’t looked back.
In 2012 she ran 379km solo (supported) non-stop across the Simpson Desert in Australia. Raising over $30,000 for an early education mobile playscheme vehicle for Save the Children. Samantha is continuing to collaborate with Save the Children to raise $69,000.
- Northburn 100km (New Zealand), placing first female.
- Northface 100km (in team category), placing second mixed team.
- Rollercoaster Run 43km, placing first female.
- Mount Macedon 55km (Australian Trail Running Championships), placing second female.
- Great Ocean Walk 100km (in team category), placing second team.
- In 2011 she ran 222kms in the highest ultramarathon in the world called La Ultra.
- Racing 250kms in a multistage ultramarathon in Nepal.
- In 2010 she became the first female and youngest person to complete RacingthePlanet’s Four Deserts Grand Slam in one calendar year. Included four 250km ultramarathon in the driest (Atacama Desert in Chile), windiest (Gobi Desert in China), hottest (Sahara Desert in
- Egypt) & coldest (Antarctica) deserts on earth.
- Placing 4th female and 25th overall in the Hells Hills 50km event in Texas.
All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
Samantha Gash Extraordinary Achiever, ultramarathon runner and fundraiser in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
In the field of ultramarathon running you have reached success by completing a 379km solo non-stop across the Simpson Desert in Australia, Racing 222kms in the highest ultramarathon in La Ultra, Racing 250kms in a multistage ultramarathon in Nepal and the first female and youngest person to complete Racing the Planet’s Four Deserts Grand Slam in one calendar year. The list is endless. What factors you consider were responsible that made you achieve that?
Ms. Samantha Gash:
I seriously took up running in 2010 when I took on the Four Deserts Grand Slam. If you asked me in 2009 if I thought my chosen way to travel would be on foot I would not have believed you. Something happened when I did the 4 Deserts, I realized I had the capacity to make whatever I wished to be true if I wanted it badly enough and had the belief within myself that I could.
I think is important to say that I don’t consider myself as a “top competitor” in the field of ultramarathon running. It isn’t what interests me even though I really enjoying competing to be apart of the amazing running community. What drew me to ultramarathon running is a love for the outdoors, to being outside of my comfort zone, to constantly wanting to see how far I can push my own limitations and to exploring unknown places.
My initial interest in all of those things has now turned into a love for using running as a vehicle for social change. This harnesses so many of my passions – running, social advocacy, collaboration and creating something from nothing.
Through this sport I have surrounded myself with some incredible people that have motivated me to think even bigger and to never place limitations on my ideas – even if they sound crazy to other people.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
One question which comes in everyone’s mind when they see you running for miles at a stretch is, How you are able to ‘beat the monotony in thought’ in hours of running apart from physical endurance needed for reaching the success at the end?
Ms. Samantha Gash:
I don’t ever feel that monotony when I am in a race or during an expedition. The mind is so full and the locations I choose to run in are beautiful and engaging. Often during the longest of races you have to keep your mind connected to survival – your fluid and nutrition intake, salt tablets, the direction you are going. Because you are pushing so hard, there isn’t much space in the mind to be thinking about “the monotony” of the long stretch ahead of you.
In the Sahara and Simpson desert I could see into the distance for kms ahead of me. There would be nothing but endless sand and for some reason I found that incredible beautiful. It also gives me perspective to what is important and i cherish the time that I can be in the present moment – which is something I get when I am running
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?
Ms. Samantha Gash:
Well I obviously run and within my running program I do plenty of trail runs, track work and a touch of road running. I love hot yoga and I am slowly growing appreciation and definite respect for strength and conditioning training. I recently took part in an adventure race in Ireland where I had to kayak and cycle – two things I had never really done before race day. My boyfriend and I are now chatting about buying some kayaks as another way to train as well as for the enjoyment of being on the water.
Video
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Samantha Gash:
I am super lucky to receive health and wellbeing guidance from Natalie Baldock from The Naked Word (http://nataliebaldock.com). She has completely changed my perspective of food and I truly believe my race performance and recovery are benefiting from it. I focus very much on an alkaline diet with loads of greens, great fats and oils, salmon, almond milk, etc. I don’t eat red meat and haven’t done so since 2003. I am not a saint when it comes to always eating nutritious food – I have a big love for Salt & Vinegar crips but I save them for races when I can’t carry a celery stick and a bunch of kale
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding ultramarathon girls who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in field of ultramarathon ?
Ms. Samantha Gash: Oh at the end of the day I would just say do what you love. If you love running on trails and doing ultramarathons, surround yourself with a community of people who also do.
Set some goals and create a strategy to work towards them in a sustainable and smart way. I would also say to build up gradually to distance and technical terrain. There is nothing worse than destroying your body because you haven’t given either the distance or terrain the respect it deserves.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
How did you feel before and after your memorable win at Racing the Planet’s Four Deserts Grand Slam in one calendar year?
Ms. Samantha Gash:
Before I started the year there was a lot of trepidation, nerves and anxiety about what the races would throw at me. I didn’t feel confident as a runner and I didn’t know what to expect.
Afterwards – Well I never though of it as a ‘win’. I was the first female to complete all four races in a year based on my time, but there were two other amazing ladies that I shared the journey with that year – Lucy Rivers Bulkeley and Linda Quirk. I was so elated to have achieved something that provided more than its far share of challenges. I felt empowered that I survived the adventure and I felt truly blessed that I was able to see some incredible landscapes and places.
A big take-away is the people that I met. If I hadn’t have done the 4Deserts I wouldn’t have a network of close friends in pockets all over the world.
Video
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have been associated with a number of charities which are all dear to your heart, tell us how you have been able to achieve and quench your thirst of giving back to the society through this endeavor of your?
Ms. Samantha Gash:
I have done quite a bit of work with Save the Children in Australia and my project (Freedom Runners –www.freedomrunners.org) with UK ultra runner Mimi Anderson this year is also working with this fabulous global NGO.
My parents provided my sister and I with an incredible education at a small girls school called St Margaret’s. At that school I was often involved in fundraising activities and there was a big focus on learning about the world around us and particularly to communities that weren’t as fortunate as ours.
I guess I feel that there is a duty and responsibility for people who are as lucky as I have been with education, opportunities, gender equality, etc to give back in a way that they can. My way is through attaching my love for ultra marathon running to issues or plights that I care about.
It is a constant learning curve on how to best do that but I believe it is always best to work with others who have a similar viewpoint as you. I might be ok at creating an expedition but without my creative designer Nic Davidson from the Bushy Creative, I would never be able to share my fundraising campaign with the masses.
I collaborate with those who have strengths where I have weaknesses. Jennifer Steinman and Yael Melamede (director and producer of Desert Runners) are two women that are able to share a story better than anyone I know. Fundraising is all about getting people to feel connected to a situation that they find difficult to relate to, and they help me to do this for my fundraising projects
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are an influential woman in the field of ultramarathon running, corporate speaker, qualified lawyer, Inspirational Ambassador for impossible2Possible, Crusader of the League of Extraordinary Women, fundraiser and spokesperson. How you are able to manage such a remarkable multi-dimensional, multi-faceted lifestyle?
Ms. Samantha Gash:
HaHa, thanks for the compliment but at the end of the day I am involved in things that I love to do. When I was younger I did so many things that were completely unrelated to each other. I said to myself that I wanted to expose myself to as many things as possible so I knew where i wanted to focus my time on when I got older.
Over the past few years I have been narrowing down but intensifying where i want to dedicate my time. I knew in the long run that corporate law wasn’t going to be the right profession for me and I now work for a company called REDgum Communications that utilises my experiences , passion and strengths.
I am big fan of setting lofty goals and I am more than lucky to have a boyfriend, parents and a sister that support me in what I do and help pick up the load when my brain is jumbled and all over the place.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your greatest influencer and motivator in your success in the field of your career as ultramarathon runner ?
Ms. Samantha Gash:
Ray Zahab (http://rayzahab.com/) and
Jennifer Steinman
(http://www.jennifersteinman.com/).
Ray because he is an example of what I hope to use my running for and for his endless belief in me. Jen for her friendship, wisdom and commitment to helping me put my ideas together.
Video
All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.