When Peter Barnes removes his shoes on Saturday night, he could have accomplished something pretty special.
Saturday's Six Foot Track Marathon will be the Wentworth Falls runner's 30th race, and when he crosses the finish line, he'll match the record set by Max Bogenhuber in 2014.
The pair had some friendly rivalry going for years. Barnes said he beat Bogenhuber the first year he raced, then it took him another 10 years to finish in front of the runner 10 years his senior.
Aged 60, Barnes isn't hoping to complete his 30th race in a particular time - he runs because he enjoys it - and likes to support a local event.
The 45km track from Explorers’ Tree at Katoomba to Jenolan Caves boasts 1528m of climbs and 1788m of descents.
Over the years Barnes has witnessed the great rise in popularity of trail running, and seen how event organisers are catering for social runners, not just the elite.
"The normal run of the mill fitness person can do it and finish, and it feels like something special," Barnes said.
"In the first one, every one had to carry their own water and we would drink out of puddles. In the early days there weren't energy drinks which makes it more safer for runners," Barnes said.
This Saturday's event could well be Barnes' final Six Foot Track Marathon, but if it is, he doesn't intend to stop running.
Meanwhile, last year's race winner Vlad Shatrov will be chasing his third consecutive win - and a new race record.