Catching up with Anna Frost, 28, of New Zealand (she’s based in Wales), around the bonfire at the GORE-TEX TransRockies Run was just like Anna herself — full of laughs, thoughtful and super fast. Frost had just won the women’s division of the inaugural Run 3 event, but wasn’t too wiped out to teach me how to make a "frosty special," her signature unroasted s’mores (a fresh marshmallow between two pieces of chocolate).

"She totally exudes the mountain trail running lifestyle," says Salomon teammate Adam Chase. "We joke that she has three lungs, two for running and one for talking."

Anna Frost poses with her TransRockies Run 3 trophy.

Frost arrived in the U.S. in August to test her Kiwi running mettle at two grueling events. First was the iconic Pike’s Peak Ascent in Manitou Springs, Colo., where Frost took third place in the women’s division. One day later, she lined up in Buena Vista with 300 other runners for the start of the GTTR and Run 3, the inaugural three-day version of the GORE-TEX TransRockies Run, winding through the Colorado Rockies, from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek. Frost took top prize on the three-day, 59-mile course, with a combined time of 8:32:06.

"I played field hockey from the age of 6 to 20, as well as trying rowing, rugby and triathlon — basically, I did anything to get out of class," says Frost with a laugh. "I’ve always been active and loved being outside."

Frost turned her attention to running in 2000, when she started racing road 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons and even triathlons. Her first mountain race was the New Zealand National Championships in 2004. Frost qualified for worlds in Italy after just one race, and uphill running became her specialty.

"I prefer 9-15K races — the steeper, the better," says Frost.

At worlds, she fell in love with the people, the travel and the international scene. She signed on for the international racing circuit in 2005. Her routine includes spending six months of the year traveling around Europe, racing and living in her van. The other six months, she returns to New Zealand to teach physical education and do other sports-related jobs. She went pro in 2008 and was signed by Team Salomon.

"The Salomon Team is incredible," says Frost. "I absolutely buzz after being around them, with their energy, enthusiasm and passion for our sport."

When Frost has a race on the horizon, she generally dedicates 6 to 12 weeks to race-specific training. But this year, with running the Pike’s Peak Ascent and Run 3, she has taken a more relaxed approach.

"I was ready to try different races, to test myself with new distances and explore more locations," says Frost. "I’m having fun and relishing in my passion for the sport of trail running and racing without too many restrictions."