Sinthy Kounlasa is not about to let anything stand in the way of her running. The 54-year-old, who hails from the US, will run the Solid Energy Huntly Half Marathon this month. Kounlasa, who is an Administrative Assistant for the University of New Hampshire's Whittemore School of Business and Economics, is in New Zealand with her husband who is a visiting academic at the University of Waikato. Kounlasa is so far the only international runner to enter this year's Huntly Half Marathon.

Though she and her husband arrived in February, Kounlasa's keen spirit saw her sign up for running events in New Zealand while she was still in the US. "As soon as I found out I was coming to New Zealand, I immediately looked online and I found one in New Plymouth."

Despite being sick at the time, Kounlasa arrived at the New Plymouth venue at 6am and ran in the rain to finish with a time of 3hr 56min. Soon after that was a race on Waiheke Island, the weekend of the tsunami warning as a result of the earthquake in Japan. "We didn't know there was a tsunami warning. It was raining and we were in a rush. We got ourselves to the ferry and when we arrived they announced the postponement. We came back the next day to do the race and I crossed the finish line in 1hr 50min."

Originally from Laos, Kounlasa started running at the age of 41. A late-comer to the sport, her only experience of running was as a small child in a country at war. "When you come from that part of the world, who has the time to run? We ran only during the day time when the teacher at school said that they were bombing our country. The teacher would say 'run home' and you didn't know if you would make it home to your family or not. The bomb could hit your head at any time. I was only 12 or 13 at the time."

Later to become a refugee, Kounlasa says the act of running was a necessity rather than a pastime activity. She has had to overcome adversity to make a new life for herself. "My father died when I was three years old. I didn't even get to know him. My mother went missing when I was six years old. She left the village to make money for our family and one day went missing. My grandmother went to look for her but they never found her body. Then my grandparents raised me. Once we moved to the city we were bordered by Thailand. I was in the refugee camps for 16 months."

She eventually got sponsored to live in the US and later took up running as a sport. "When I was 41 my colleagues told me there was a road race which was organised by an orphanage and the nuns and children were running in the event. I said 'well if the nuns and children can run so can I'. It was a 5km and I never raced before. I ended up coming 350th out of 1000 people. Then I ran with one of the little girls and I was holding her hand. Whenever I would let go she would ask me 'hold my hand'. That for me is better than a medal or a prize because I made her happy."

Kounlasa has become a frequent runner clocking up 30-odd races a year. "People always ask me why I run so much and I always say 'why not'. At my age what do I have to lose? I didn't die when I was fleeing my country and I didn't die when they were bombing my country. I go out running and I don't have to worry about anything and I don't have to worry about someone coming to shoot me so I feel so free. Sometimes I stop in the middle of my run and cry because I can't believe I am alive and I'm living in such a beautiful country."

Kounlasa says she has a love-hate relationship with running but the experiences she's had have made it all worthwhile. "One time I was running back in the US and I saw a man cross the road three times in front of me. I said 'Are you alright Sir?' He said 'Yeah I'm alright. I just buried my wife three days ago and this is the only way I know how to stay healthy and live longer.' And then he just broke down and cried and I said 'It's okay.' I was inspired all over again when he told me this. You know it was like I was there at the right moment – this is the kind of thing I enjoy."

Running isn't only an enjoyable activity for Kounlasa – it's also competitive. Though she doesn't run at an elite level, she is constantly challenging herself and always looking to improve her times. "I pick up trail and mountain running just to see how much further I can go. Like I said, what do I have to lose? Every race I enter the money they collect from entrants goes to good places. It goes towards something good like charity or the church and it's good to be a part of it."

Kounlasa started doing the weekly Eastside Run with the Hamilton City Hawks when she arrived in Hamilton. She then came across a flyer for the Huntly Half, which is run by the Hawks, and entered the race. With a combination of swimming, gym, core training and cycling, Kounlasa should be well prepared for the half marathon.

She says people thinking about taking part on the Huntly Half should give it a go and have belief in themselves. "I tell people just go and enjoy and pace yourself. As for me, I walk when I have to and I run when I can. Everyone tries to do their best. After all, we all have the same goal – and that is to get to the finish line safe and sound."

The 2011 Solid Energy Huntly Half Marathon and 2XU 10km run takes place on Sunday May 22, 2011. The annual event, which starts and finishes at the Huntly Park Domain, has $15,000 worth of merit and spot prizes on offer, including $1000 each for the first female runner and first male runner home.