Former New Zealand Cross Country champion Kerry White is turning her interest to the trails in a much-anticipated return to racing in The Goat at Mt Ruapehu as part of the Kea Mountain Series this Saturday.

The race is notorious for being one of the most physically demanding and technical races in the country.

White said her background in cross country would help give her the speed and strength she needs for the trails as cross country “requires a lot of mental toughness, which I’m sure I’ll need a lot for the Goat”.

In just over a year, so much has changed for the 31-year-old Tauranga local including becoming a parent to a baby boy with partner Eli, and returning to work at local Kiwifruit exporter Zespri.

White admitted trying to get out running in the middle of it all had been a challenge, but given her dedication and track record, few would count against her success.

“Being time poor has forced me to be more efficient with my time and plan ahead better.”

When asked what tips she had for new mums getting back into exercise and running, she said something that can be overlooked is the importance of hydrating and fuelling properly while breastfeeding given the additional calories you need, and not overdoing training especially when you’re low on sleep.

When it comes to running she said she’s learnt to enjoy doing what she can when she can, and that focusing on the fun aspects has ultimately made her a better runner.

When looking for role models and advice, she has looked to inspiration from marathoners Camille French and Lisa Cross; two athletes who have achieved so much after having kids, and taking advice from top runner turned coach Angie Petty.

Saturday is not only Kerry’s first attempt at The Goat, it is the first race of the new Kea Series, a collection of eight mountain races from around the country working together.

The focus of the series is on bringing the best athletes in the sport together on the same start lines, building athlete support, increasing the level of promotion for the discipline and giving athletes the chance to hone their skills locally before going into international competition.

“It’s exciting to have Kerry join a host of other women’s off-road stars who have committed to the Kea Series, including Katie Morgan, Jessie Speedy, Maia Flint and Miriam Clark,” organiser Michael Sutton said.

“I think they’ve been particularly drawn to focus of the series on athlete support, developing the next generation and building a community.”

Mountain and trail running is already a major force internationally everywhere from the Andes of South America to the Alps of Europe. The most recent World Championship brought together more than 1700 athletes from 80 countries, and talk of Olympics inclusion is on the horizon.

Although a relative trail running novice, this is not White’s first foray into the mountains. She won her home race, The Mauao Queen of The Mountain, in 2024, which will be part of this year’s Kea Series on Sunday April 19, and came 3rd when Mauao hosted the New Zealand Mountain Championships in 2023.

Given she hails from the base of one of the North Island’s most daunting tracks, Mt Te Aroha, which rises 930m in just 3.8km, her aptitude for the mountains is perhaps unsurprising.

Starting off as a junior 800m runner, she became one of the nation’s top cross country runners with highlights including winning the New Zealand senior women’s race in Dunedin in 2021 and representing New Zealand at the World Championships in Bathurst, Australia in 2023.

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