Nothing says 'Happy birthday' like running 100 kilometres on your special day.
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Federal Labor MP Andrew Leigh is doing just that.
He will spend his 53rd birthday on Sunday running the Sri Chinmoy Canberra Trail 100, covering 100km of the national capital's hills and trails in about 12 hours.
He'll be joined by 100 other solo runners and 80 relay teams as they start at Rond Terrace beside Lake Burley Griffin at 6am on Sunday and finish "whenever".
This will be the fifth time the Member for Fenner has taken on the challenge.
The route explores central Lake Burley Griffin and Parliament House, before ascending Red Hill, Isaacs Ridge, Farrer Ridge, Mount Taylor, Mount Arawang, Cooleman Ridge, Stromlo Forest Park, the National Arboretum, Cork Oaks, Black Mountain Reserve, Mount Majura and Mount Ainslie.
It's held as both a relay, with each of four members running a 25km leg, or as a solo 100km event.
Mr Leigh is again running the 100km solo.
"My best time is a bit under 12 hours. I think I'll be a bit over 12 hours this year," he said.
The father-of-three trains by "running up steep mountains", including the one in his neighbourhood, Mount Majura.
"Mount Majura is out the back of our place so I was going up and down Mount Majura this morning," he said, last week.
"You try to crunch your quads as much as you can and get as much distance under your belt as you can. But, you know, nothing really prepares you for how you're going to feel at the six-hour mark."
Throughout the race, Mr Leigh keeps up his energy by eating chocolate.
"The problem is, by the end, your tummy doesn't feel like having anything else in it," he said.
"Ultra-marathons are sometimes described as 'eating competitions with a bit of running thrown in'."
Will there be room for birthday cake?
"All the birthday cake in the world," he said, with a laugh.
"It'll be lovely to come home to the family afterwards.
"The great thing about doing an ultra-marathon in your own city is that you can sleep in your own bed and have the family at the aid stations and so on, so that'll be lovely."
