This October I'm lining up for my 6th Hawkesbury Canoe Classic - a 111km overnight kayaking ultramarathon that is as much a mental battle as a physical challenge. This year, I'm paddling an ocean racing ski (ORS1), and aiming to beat my own fastest women's time of 9:28:55 set in October 2019. The tides are looking good, and I plan to have plenty of kilometres under my belt by the time I get to the start line. 

Alongside the thrill of racing, this event raises vital funds for Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation, helping to improve the lives of bone marrow transplant recipients through research and support networks. 

The photo below is of me leaving Wiseman's Ferry - the 60km checkpoint - in the 2022 race. It has just gone 10pm, and once I leave the checkpoint there will be little if any light. I will continue paddling for another three and a half hours. I might be a bit crazy in choosing to keep going, or at least relinquishing a hot drink in order to get the race done just that bit quicker. But it's crazy for a fabulous cause, and I hope that you will give generously because of that.