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After winning one of New Zealand’s most grueling runs with a 100km mountain race, the 23-year-old from Christchurch is now preparing for an even greater challenge: a 160km race through Colorado’s Rocky Mountains in July. It will be the longest distance she has ever attempted.

If successful, the race will pave the way for her ultimate goal next year: competing in the legendary Hardrock 100, which features over 20,000 m of elevation gain and loss.

Kenton-Dau and her twin sister used to run home from school every day. Their 12 km journey from Avonside Girls’ High School to Mount Pleasant included a steep climb, a stretch she now remembers fondly, The Press reported.

The daughter of a Cambodian refugee mother and a Danish father, who immigrated to New Zealand 25 years ago, Kenton-Dau credits her family’s resilience and drive for shaping her competitive spirit.

Her father taught her that “There is no such thing as an easy tramp,” and it always reminds her to be prepared for the worst, according to New Zealand blog site Guenergy.

Kenton-Dau’s family inspired her to pursue both trail running and a career in medicine. She began running at age five and transitioned to ultra-distance trail events just three years ago.

In March, she was the first female to finish the Northburn 100 in Central Otago, completing the 100 km course with nearly 6,000 m of climbing in 15 hours and 45 minutes.

Last year, she placed third in both the 56 km Shotover Ultra near Queenstown and the 65 km Wellington Ultra, all while studying orthopaedics.

Now a full-time orthopaedic surgeon, Kenton-Dau runs her own practice, EOS Align, with her brother in Christchurch. Despite the demands of her profession, she manages 10 to 15 hours of training each week, including early-morning and lunchtime sessions. Her 20–30km runs around the Port Hills are both physical workouts and mental resets.

For her, the patient always comes first, but if she goes for a run and comes back, she does a better job because she is much more focused, Kenton-Dau told The Press.

Ahead of her U.S. race, she will also take on the Hyrox Sydney fitness challenge, which combines running with strength stations, as part of her cross-training to build resilience and prevent injury.