Blue Mountains Local Tackling Ultra-Trail Australia in Support Of Mental Health

On 29 October, 31-year-old Pia Storey will put her mind and body to the test as she takes on the 50km event at Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB® (UTA), raising vital funds and awareness for Lifeline.

Pia was born and raised in New South Wales’ Blue Mountains, home to UTA, and after spending her youth overseas, returned to Katoomba in her early twenties where she has lived for almost 10 years.

Pia took up running in 2019 after her younger brother tragically passed away in a car accident. During the months that followed, Pia embarked on a fitness journey to support her mental wellbeing and process her grief.

“I took up running when my younger brother died in 2019, to process my loss and grief, and this became an important daily routine in that first year, especially as we entered COVID lockdowns during that time. Being able to run through the Blue Mountains daily is a grounding experience, being in nature, feeling the stillness and vastness of the world around me,” said Pia.

Her brother spent much of his adolescent years struggling with his mental health. Following his death, and upon entering UTA, Pia decided she wanted her efforts to count towards something bigger, and so decided to raise money and awareness for mental health support charity Lifeline.

“Mental health struggles are something that impacts us all and looks different based on our own experiences. My younger brother struggled with depression and anxiety and is a contributing factor to why I wanted to raise money for Lifeline, so that people in similar situations that don’t have a safe space can feel supported,” said Pia.

While studying for her master's degree in Psychotherapy and Counselling, Pia has spent the last eight months volunteering on the phones at Lifeline, something she says has opened her eyes to the human experience of distress and despair.

“I think charities like Lifeline are important as they offer a place for individuals to turn to for hope when they are feeling distressed, a space of safety and unconditional positive regard. Having these free services available 24/7, run mostly by volunteers, is something worth supporting,” she said.

As a first-time participant of UTA, Pia has been training with Blue Mountains Fitness, joining their weekly run groups and UTA guided training runs, as well as attending bootcamp training.

“This is my first time entering UTA, and the first time that I will have completed a race that is more than a half marathon distance. I am aware that I thrive out of my comfort zone, and the thrilling accomplishment of pushing myself beyond my limits,” said Pia.

“Trail running has benefited my mental health, not just by the physical and emotional attributes related to exercise, but from the community I have become a part of in the process,” she said.

Pia will join thousands of others on the UTA start line at the KCC Oval in Katoomba, with trail-runners from across Australia and around the world taking one of the four distances on offer, from the UTA11 (11km) and UTA22 (22km), to UTA50 (50km) and UTA100 (100km).

“I am looking forward to the personal growth and challenges of being involved in such a big event,” she said. “Finishing UTA50 this year will mean celebrating a new accomplishment and looking forward to the next.”

To support Pia’s fundraising efforts for Lifeline visit https://ultratrailaustralia22.grassrootz.com/lifeline/pia-storey