Sia Kindberg came to Australia as a backpacker in 2003 and fell in love with the diversity of Australia and decided to stay and study at RMIT university.
An interior designer by trade and a single mother of two girls who often accompany her on hiking and camping trips. She speaks 5 languages, understands 7 and had a diverse upbringing. Born in Thailand, moved to Sweden at the age of eight, studied in Germany and Greece.
Previously a Road Ultra Marathon runner, now focusing mainly on trail and mountain running.
An experienced and passionate trail & Ultra runner with at least 50 Ultras under her belt, Sia Kindberg is currently training to participate in The Track 520 km. It’s a ten days self sufficient - Ultra marathon foot race, running from Alice Spring to Uluru in May 2025.
In February 2024, Sia became the first Australian to finish a 5 day event, 230km self-sufficient ultra marathon, running across snowfields, Arctic tundras and frozen lakes in temperatures as low as - 40 degrees in the Swedish Arctic Circle.
Sia was inspired to sign up for the Ice Ultra after losing two friends to aggressive cancer at the start of 2023, which served as a potent reminder that “the best time to do something we love or want is always now! We sit and wait for “the right moment” and forget that tomorrow might not even come”. By running the Ice Ultra, Sia is fundraising to rebuild her childhood school in Thailand. Having experienced poverty in Thailand, she understands the way out of it is through education.
A passionate advocate for outdoor life, Sia believes that running / trail running is accessible for everyone - arguing that it is a sport for all sizes and ages. “It’s not about how fast or how far you go and sometimes it’s not even about running. It’s about getting out there moving and being outdoors''.
Nature, she believes, has an incredible power to heal, cleanse, strengthen and give peace. It’s important we incorporate that into our own and our children’s lives!
We had Sia visit our workplace for one of our fortnightly mentoring sessions. Aside from developing our physiotherapists clinically, we're interested in them being better humans too. Instilling values, gratitude, leadership and translating this to our team are all aspects we look for in external speakers for our busy practice. Sia was perfect. Her story - not only building towards the Ice Ultra - but about her upbringing, why running was important to her and how she juggled raising her young family while training (for what is surely the most gruelling race on earth) was truly inspirational. It elicited emotion, laughter and ultimately motivation for our team and we wouldn't hesitate in recommending Sia for team building or motivational speaking engagements and we plan on having her back after her next event.
John Keller - Keilor Road Physiotherapy
