SARA VERMEULEN

SARA VERMEULEN : CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

Based in Christchurch, Sara Vermeulen balances a busy professional and family life with a passion for endurance adventure. She works full-time as a Nursing Lecturer and is a proud mum to Frankie (2½), while also sharing life with two energetic Border Collies.

Alongside work and family, Sara is also completing postgraduate study in external supervision. Interestingly, many of the skills she’s learning – reflection, resilience, and growth – translate surprisingly well into endurance sport.

And if there’s ever any spare time left, you’ll often find Sara experimenting in the kitchen and getting creative with food.

The Endurance Journey

Sara’s journey into endurance sport started much like many others – with a simple challenge.

It began with a half marathon, which soon led to a full marathon, and then the legendary Kepler Challenge. After each finish line, one question kept appearing:

What’s next?

That curiosity quickly snowballed into bigger and bigger challenges – a 100km ultramarathon, then a miler, and most recently a week-long adventure race.

At the heart of it all has been a simple but powerful question:

“Could I actually do this? Am I strong enough?”

So far, the answer has always been yes, as long as the training is done.

Finding Structure with TEAMCPNZ

Before joining TEAMCPNZ, Sara admits her training style was a little… unpredictable.

Her husband jokingly referred to her as an “off-the-couch athlete” – someone who would jump into big events without consistent preparation. While she managed to complete a 100km race without coaching, it came with a few injuries along the way.

When the goal shifted to tackling a 100-mile race, she knew things needed to change.

Sara reached out to Richard and TEAMCPNZ, looking for structure, accountability and guidance.

“I wanted consistency and someone to help me avoid both over-training and under-training.”

That decision helped her train smarter, stay injury-free, and continue building toward bigger endurance goals.

Training Life

Sara’s favourite sessions are long adventures in the hills. There’s something special about spending time in nature, moving through rugged terrain and feeling that sense of exploration.

But when it comes to weekly sessions, she also has a surprising favourite: speed work.

“I’m still not sure if it’s the frequent rests or the fast running that I love most!”

Ironically, the sessions she dreads the most are the long ones, even though they’re often the most rewarding.

Before training, it’s coffee first, no question.

And afterwards? Nothing complicated – just deep fried chips.

The Big Moment

One of Sara’s most defining endurance experiences came during The Magnificent 2026, an event that pushed her closer to her limits than anything before.

The race was physically and mentally demanding. With only around two hours of sleep most nights, and a major navigation error that saw the team severely lost during Stage 4, there were plenty of moments where things could have unravelled.

But instead, the team worked together, solved problems, and kept moving forward.

“We didn’t break.”

Crossing the finish line mid-pack felt like a huge victory given the circumstances. More importantly, the event taught Sara valuable lessons about teamwork, resilience, and her own capabilities.

Looking Ahead

Sara’s calendar is already filled with exciting challenges for the year ahead.

First up is the Akaroa Marathon in May, the inaugural running of what promises to be a spectacular course.

Then in June she will take on the Midwinter Backyard Ultra, with an ambitious personal goal:

200 kilometres.

It’s a huge challenge, but exactly the kind of challenge that motivates her.

Longer term, Sara would love to return to The Magnificent and push even further, aiming to compete at a higher level and crack the top 10.

The TEAMCPNZ Difference

For Sara, the biggest highlight of being part of TEAMCPNZ is the community.

While the coaching provides structure and accountability, the team atmosphere brings something extra, shared motivation, humour and encouragement.

“From the casual banter to the friendly competitions, it’s a space where you can celebrate progress and connect with people who love the same challenges.”

Training becomes about more than just sessions, it becomes part of something bigger.

Advice for New Athletes

Sara’s advice for anyone thinking about starting their endurance journey is simple:

Set a goal that excites you, and scares you just a little.

Once that goal is in place, find the guidance that will help you get there safely and consistently.

And most importantly, remember that big achievements don’t happen overnight.

“You can’t eat an elephant overnight. Big goals are simply lots of small steps taken consistently.”

Trust the process, celebrate the small wins, and enjoy the journey.

Quick Fire

Sunrise or sunset training? Sunset
Gravel or road? Gravel
Hills or flats? Hills
Zwift or outside riding? Outside
Long slow ride or hard intervals? Hard intervals

TEAMCPNZ
Everyday people achieving epic things.

PODCASTS

181: TEAMCPNZ QUICK CONNECT EP 35 – WITH SARA VERMEULEN – ‘STAY INFORMED AND STAY CONNECTED’

199: CRATER RIM ULTRA 2025 : RACE DAY, BROUGHT TO YOU BY CP MEDIA