Kea Series

Katie Morgan ahead of her return in the 21k Shotover Moonlight on the Kea Series

Katie Morgan is a familiar name to many in the New Zealand trail scene having won the iconic Kepler Challenge three times along with a host of other top results here and abroad. 2025 was a rollercoaster year of ups and downs for Katie however, highs included winning the New Zealand Short Trail Championships at Three Peaks + 1 in Dunedin, signing on with the Merrell Performance Team, and coming 2nd and just 17 seconds behind Caitlin Fielder at the Canillo Trail in Andorra. However, the year also came with a big injury toll with persistent achilles issues exacerbated by an ankle ligament tear at the World Mountain and Trail Champs. We were lucky enough to talk to Katie ahead of her opening her 2026 campaign at the Shotover Moonlight 21k on the Kea Series.

Making Wanaka Home

Katie moved to New Zealand from the UK around a decade back, before subsequently making the move to Wanaka a little over three years ago to find consistent work in one spot, to live amongst some of the most picturesque mountains in the world and for the freedom to run on some of the best trails New Zealand has to offer. Katie says: “I always try to get in new trails and peaks, though currently I’m mostly sticking to my favourite undulating trails such as Glendhu, Sticky and of course Mt Iron.” That regular and easy access to some of the tallest mountains and top trails in the country has clearly helped her training and racing performances including a win at the Ultra Trail Whistler 50k in 2024. But she’s still yet to be convinced by the frosty deep south winters and is always seeking out some overseas destination races for the Kiwi winter, “I HATE THE COLD!” she says.

The Recovery Trail

Things have not all been smooth sailing since moving to Wanaka however, she has had persistent achilles issues for the past several years, which were made worse by tearing her ankle ligaments on the technical trails of Canfranc, Spain at the World Championships. Katie says: “The ankle is pretty good, but unfortunately the achilles tendonosis I have has been most unhappy with the 8 weeks I had off running due to the ankle.” It’s been a frustrating process that has required a lot of patience and cross-training, bringing more pool sessions and time on the bike into the mix. Like most athletes as they get older, a big focus for Katie during this training & racing block is maintaining and building her speed over the shorter distances. Speed is such a crucial and sometimes overlooked aspect in endurance running, if you can run a shorter distance more quickly and efficiently it makes covering a longer distance at an albeit slightly slower pace feel more manageable and comfortable. Katie said: “I’m looking forward to the challenge of trying to run faster and do my best to keep somewhere near those young guns such as Maia and Jessie!” She also points out that the shorter recovery times are a major bonus of taking on shorter, faster races this summer.

Onwards and Upwards

Hopefully 2026 will be a steadier and more fruitful year for Katie as beyond the Kea Series she is aiming for success at three signature events Ultra Trail Australia, UTMB OCC and The Kepler Challenge. Katie says however ultimately her running is about having fun: “I’m not going to be taking anything too seriously or putting any pressure on myself as honestly just will be happy to make it to the start lines I have planned!” This seems like a smart strategy as ultimately some of your best performances often come from feeling relaxed, and comfortable in your own performances.

As one of New Zealand’s top trail runners Katie has done so much in the sport, it’s great to see her continue to both enjoy the sport and strive for excellence within it. She has shown admirable persistence and consistency which has taken her to heights she could barely have dreamed of even a decade ago. We can’t wait to see what she’ll do next in the year ahead and watch her take on the 2026 Shotover Moonlight event!