BRADFORD on Avon based runner Holly Rush flies out to Nepal later this week to prepare for her second attempt at the Manaslu Mountain Trail Stage race.

The event covers 197k in seven days and includes crossing a 5,100m pass, spending a night in a monastery, running over a glacier and getting close to the border of Tibet.

“Two years ago I signed up for my first mountain stage race and really haven’t looked back,” said Rush.

“Since then I have travelled the world to race in some spectacular places and met some crazy new friends along the way. It really has been life-changing.”

The Manaslu event will be Rush’s third time back in Nepal and comes just two weeks after the Festival Les Templiers challenge that left her physically shattered.

Fortunately Rush recovers quickly and is relishing her return to the Kingdom in the Heavens.

“I think (well I hope) that I am pretty clued up on what kit I need to take with me,” added Rush. “As the race is split over eight days and goes over 5,200ms elevation, we need to take a reasonable amount of kit but still pack light.

“We will have porters carrying our main bags daily but there is still a strict weight restriction and so therefore getting it right is essential.

"Last time I was there, overnight temperatures dipped below -15 at the pass but by the last day we were in shorts and smothered in factor 50.”