Sarina ultrarunner Pieter Van Vuren completes gruelling Gobi March desert race

Running without music, alone in the desert, a North Queensland man endured seven days of brutal terrain, and he’s not stopping there.

Sarina long distance runner Pieter Van Vuren is halfway towards his goal of becoming part of the exclusive 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Club. Photo: Gabriel Heusi / RacingThePlanet.

A Sarina man is halfway to completing one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges, pushing personal boundaries most wouldn’t dream of.

Pieter Van Vuren has his sights set on joining the exclusive 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Club, and after conquering the 250km Gobi March in Mongolia last month, he’s well on his way to achieving that goal.

He has now completed two of the required four 250km races, having previously run the Namib Race in Africa and next on his list are Greece in September and Antarctica in 2026.

Wilmar Sugar and Renewables’ Pieter Van Vuren ran 250km through the Gobi Desert in Mongolia last month as part of the Gobi March footrace. Photo: Gabriel Heusi / RacingThePlanet.

Despite being his fifth multistage ultra-marathon, the Mongolian race presented new challenges.

Pieter said he struggled early on, weighed down by a heavy pack that forced him to walk most of the first few days.

“Mentally, it was very tough,” he said.

“For the first few days, I really struggled but then for the last couple of stages, I felt strong.

“Once my pack became lighter, I ran nearly the whole thing because I felt a lot better.

Runners and support crew slept in traditional yurts during the seven-day Gobi March. Photo: Gabriel Heusi / RacingThePlanet.

“That was despite the fact that my blow-up mattress blew a hole on day three, so I had to sleep on the floor for the later stages of the race.”

Around 80 runners took part in the self-supported event, but Pieter said most of his time was spent alone and, with this being his first event without a mobile phone, he didn’t have the usual distractions.

“There was no music or audio books; it was just me and my head. It reveals a bit about yourself,” he said.

Even so, there wasn’t much time for reflection with the difficult terrain and constant need to manage nutrition and hydration.

“You need to stay focused,” he said.

Pieter Van Vuren said ultra-marathon running has made him more resilient and patient. Photo: Gabriel Heusi / RacingThePlanet.

Pieter placed 30th overall and described the experience as “awesome.”

He said the skills built through ultra-marathon running helped in all areas of life, including his role as group manager of operations at Wilmar Sugar.

“I think, mentally, it makes you a lot more resilient and probably more patient,” he said.

“It also proves that you can do anything you really want to. The body is an incredible thing.”