Trail Run Magazine #50 by Adventure Entertainment

CELEBRATING OUR 50TH EDITION

EDITION 50 // 2024 // AU/NZ

LOOKING BACK: 50 EDITIONS OF TRM LOVING THE RUNNER’S BODY YOU’RE IN

KILIAN JORNET

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SHOE REVIEWS // TRAIL CREW // EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY // RACE REPORTS

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DETAILS ED50 // 2024 // AU/NZ AUTUMN AUSTRALIAN MADE. AUSTRALIAN PRINTED. AUSTRALIAN OWNED.

COVER: Spanish mountain and trail runner Kilian Jornet has long been considered the G.O.A.T of our sport for his incredible performances in racing, climbing summits, ski mountaineering and chaining peaks. Today, he lives in Norway with his family where he continues to enjoy the mountains. IMAGE: David Ariño THIS SHOT: PartA trail runner at the 2023 Run Larapinta takes a switchback during Stage 3 of the race, which is held on the Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory. IMAGE: James Tudor/Forktail VISIT US ONLINE trailrunmag.com facebook.com/trailrunmag twitter.com/trailrunmag instagram.com/trailrunmag EDITOR: Kate Dzienis DESIGNER: Marine Raynard LEGENDARY WRITERS: Kate Allman, Piotr Babis, Rachel Bridgewater, David Byrne, Ash Daniels, Brad Dixon, Kate Dzienis, Sophie Geraghty, David Grant, Jacinta Homann, Cecilia Mattas, Hilary McAllister, Chris Ord, Giles Penfold, Simon Poli, Sebastián Silva López, The Eventurers, Samantha Turnbull, Gaby Villa EPIC PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kate Allman, David Ariño, Piotr Babis, James Brewer, Oisin Cooke, Ian Corless, Nick Danielson, Jack Davis, David Delfour, Carlos Diaz-Reclo, Jaime de Diego, Kate Dzienis, Finisherpix, Gil McComb, Nick McGann, noéko, Noosa Ultra-Trail, Breslavtsev Oleg/Shutterstock, Omfotovideocontent, Race Atlas, Julien Raison, Rat Race Adventure Sports, Sebastián Silva López, Stockphotosecrets, Tempus Media, The Adventure Bakery, The Eventurers, James Tudor/Forktail, Mark Watson/ Incite Images, Hunter Vercoe, Gaby Villa TRAIL RUN IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY ADVERTISING Zac Merrion Email: zac@adventureentertainment.com Phone: +61 499 661 101 SUBSCRIPTIONS & ENQUIRIES Email: magazines@adventureentertainment.com Phone: (02) 8227 6486 PO Box 161, Hornsby, NSW 1630 trailrunmag.com/subs EDITORIAL Trail Run Mag Email: kate@trailrunmag.com PUBLISHER Adventure Entertainment ABN 79 612 294 569

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY Trail Running acknowledges and shows respect for the Traditional Custodians of Australia and Aotearoa, and their Elders, past, present and emerging. DISCLAIMER Trail running and other activities described in this magazine can carry significant risk of injury or Death, especially if you are unfit. Undertake any trail running or other outdoors activity only with proper instruction, supervision, equipment and training. The publisher and its servants and agents have taken all reasonable care to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the expertise of its writers. Any reader attempting any of the activities described in this publication does so at their own risk. Neither the publisher nor any of its servants or agents will be held liable for any loss or injury or damage resulting from any attempt to perform any of the activities described in this publication, nor be responsible for any person/s becoming lost when following any of the guides or maps contained herewith. All descriptive and visual directions are a general guide only and not to be used as a sole source of information for navigation. Happy trails.

ISSUE 50 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

CONTENTS EDITION 50 // 2024 // AU/NZ 14. DREAM RUN: TRANSGRANCANARIA

92. REVIEWING THE TARKINE TRAIL DEVILS

TRAIL MIX 12. EDITOR’S WORD 14. DREAM RUN: TRANSGRANCANARIA 16. COACH’S AID STATION 18. PEAK PERFORMANCE 20: TREADING LIGHTLY 70. RACE REPORT: GPT100 88. OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: BREATHTAKING RUNS 94. TRAIL CREW: PILBARA TRAILBLAZERS 96. EAT, SLEEP, RUN: ELECTROLYTE DRINK 98. TRAIL THERAPY

REVIEWS 26. ALL THE GOOD GEAR: SO MANY REVIEWS! 92. SHOE REVIEW: TARKINE TRAIL DEVILS

22.

34. TALKING WITH KILIAN JORNET

TRAIL RUN MAGAZINE CELEBRATES 50 EDITIONS! 44.

FEATURES 34. BECOMING KILIAN JORNET: Q&A WITH THE G.O.A.T 40. ‘LIVING LIFE BIG IN THE BODY I HAVE’ 46. HOME IN MOTION: ERIKA LORI’S BIBBULMUN FKT 52. MOVING ACROSS INTO TRAIL RACING 58: EMPOWERING FEMALE RUNNERS 64: ADVENTURES AT CRADLE MOUNTAIN 74: BEHIND THE SCENES: VISITING NINGALOO 80: CONQUERING THE LARAPINTA 86: A FATHER RUNS FOR HIS SON 10

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ED’S WORD

A DAY-BY-DAY YEAR AHEAD

In this edition of TRM, I could write about the whole New Year’s resolution thing and reveal what my goals are for 2024, but firstly, it’s February now and secondly, I’m not someone who does resolutions anymore – I did, maybe 20 years ago, but not so much anymore. That’s not to say that resolutions are a bad thing. If you have a big goal to achieve in the next 12 months before 2025, that’s fantastic to have. But the reason why so many people fail on their resolutions is because they either establish themselves with excessively difficult objectives that become unreachable, or the opposite happens – goals become too easy and thus, boredom sets in. I set the scene. New Year’s Eve, 2023. A friend asks me what my resolution is. I don’t answer immediately, busy munching away at a cucumber over a charcuterie board, listening to a sudden onslaught of kids canon-balling into the pool and a dog barking. For some time now, I’d stopped setting myself up with resolutions, mainly because there was never any follow through, and like most people feel, failure isn’t pleasant to deal with. But I looked at my mate and blurted, “Day-by-day. I need to take everything day-by-day, get through all the little goals…I’ve learned from all my 12

failures over the years, and I’m not making that mistake again…so I guess my resolution, if I’m to have one, is to take 2024 day-by-day.” Look, I’m like the next person – I love having something to look forward to. Whether it’s a holiday or an event, I’ve always enjoyed the prep work leading up to it. I’ve almost mastered my organisational skills when it comes to getting ready for something like scheduling a vacation or getting my training plan up and running (no pun intended), but when it comes to the word ‘resolution’, I’d rather get specific about my intended goals, choose a time of year that’s right for me, and set myself up for success by encouraging positive behaviour that’s more likely to stick. So this year, instead of one big resolution like ‘lose a gazillion kilos’ or ‘pay off half my mortgage’, I’m going to take 2024 one day at a time. There are definitely things in my life that need to be looked at ahead of time (like Trail Run Mag deadlines, for instance) but overall when it comes to what’s in my training plan, what I’m doing the following weekend… I’m going to take a more relaxed approach and see where every morning takes me once I wake up (if this is at all possible).

Over the past year, I’ve realised I rush too much in life to truly appreciate what and who is around me. So if I take it day-by-day, I’ll slow down, stop stressing (hopefully!) and learn to acknowledge and welcome what the universe has in store for me. This year will be a year of no resolutions. Instead, it will be full of little daily goals to see me through. I’d love to hear what your upcoming goals are and what you’re planning for in 2024, so please don’t forget that I always welcome your emails and messages via our Insta page with your feedback, ideas, photographs – all that great stuff! Goodbye 2023…time to change it up a bit in 2024! Happy trails!

KATE DZIENIS, TRM EDITOR

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YOUR DREAM RUN IN THE CANARY ISLANDS Seeking an adventure that makes you feel like you’re racing on a totally different planet?

The Transgrancanaria is a race like no other, offering participants the opportunity of a lifetime to traverse Gran Canaria, an island located in the Canary Islands archipelago, and explore the enchanting beauty of this captivating destination. A gem in its own right, Gran Canaria is of volcanic origin, known for its black lava and white sandy beaches, and offers an eclectic contrast in environments – on a single day, you can laze around on marvelous ocean fronts or hike peaks covered in pine forest while the backdrop overpowers with dark volcanic earth. The Transgrancanaria was Spain’s very 14

first official ultra marathon, and has long been considered the country’s pioneer race of endurance events. Runners who take off from the start line encounter the best Gran Canaria has to offer with its ravines, imposing rocks, cliffs and volcanic calderas. And there are plenty of options for athletes, whether you’re an elite or a weekend warrior, you can choose from a 126km, 84km, 46km, 21km and 12km. There’s even more exciting news though! From this year, the Transgrancanaria will be a part of the World Trail Majors, a new trail running circuit with nine of the most significant events in the field – Hong Kong 100 Ultramarathon (Hong Kong), Black Canyon Ultras (USA), Transgrancanaria

(Gran Canaria), Mt Fuji 100 (Japan), MiutMadeira Island Ultra Trail (Portugal), Swiss Canyon Trail (Switzerland), South Downs Way (UK), Quebec Mega Trail (Canada) and RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town (South Africa). The Transgrancanaria has seen reputable names compete at the event, including Marco Olmo, Courtney Dauwalter, Andreu Simon, Pau Capell, Caroline Chaverot and Ryan Sandes. Seriously. If this isn’t a bucket list dream run, we don’t know what is. Host: Transgrancanaria Location: Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain Date: 21-25 February 2024 Info: transgrancanaria.net

ISSUE 50 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

THE COACH’S AID STATION | COLUMN WORDS: ASH DANIELS IMAGE: BRESLAVTSEV OLEG

LEARN HOW TO STAY UP ON THE TRAILS

t’s the weekend long run and you’re out cruising your favourite trails. Suddenly, the ground is hurtling towards you. Your arms are outstretched in a vain attempt to prevent damage. As trail runners, we all understand the risk of running trails and many of us bear the scars of a gnarly trail! Through maximising our existing training, added strength and plyometrics, the use of other kit (think poles) and then putting it all into practice, there are several things we can do for when we hit those technical trails so we’re better prepared and we can run them more confidently and ultimately faster.

Maximise Your Existing Training Technical trails demand adaptability and resilience. Shift your focus from pace to time spent on your feet. By default, you will be going slower, removing the mental burden of hitting a pace and allowing you to relax more. This is not the time for PBs. Mixing up your runs with hills, rocks and roots gets your body accustomed to the unpredictable. Studies show that this kind of variety helps your body handle the chaos better. Whilst we may not have access regularly, there are always shorter local sections we can incorporate into our runs. Even running these on regular repeats is going to help. For very steep descents, practise a higher turnover of your feet (cadence) with shorter steps – think fast feet. Additionally, widening your stance, and using your arms out wide as a counterbalance will help the descent. Strength Training and Plyometrics Building a strong foundation is crucial for stability on rugged trails so include strength training with a focus on legs, and stability-specific training. Squats, lunges and balance exercises strengthen muscles and improve proprioception, reducing the risk of injury. Plyometric exercises like skipping, hopping and bounding drills enhance explosiveness and agility, which translates to handling the trails with more confidence. Where you have the opportunity, include longer downhill running where you use an eccentric muscle contraction. This will further strengthen your quads, and condition them for those steeper descents we all love (or hate). The Kit Choosing the right gear can make or break your experience. Trail-specific shoes offer enhanced traction, durability and protection against rugged surfaces (rock plates prevent those sharp stones from derailing your run). They supply better grip, support and toe protection to navigate rocky, muddy or slippery terrain. Skimping and trying to run in your racing flats is not going to cut it on the trails. Consider using poles for added stability and support, especially on steep ascents and descents, as they offer balance and reduce strain on the lower body. The key thing if you are using poles though is to practise – everything from correct technique to packing and unpacking them.

Bringing It all Together Theory without application won’t elevate your technical trail-running prowess. Start by gradually introducing technical trails into your routine so begin with shorter distances and gradually increase the complexity of the terrain as your confidence and ability grows. Trips to more technical terrain or training on the course of a race will further give you more confidence, knowing you have been there before. Focus on your form, keeping a lower centre of gravity, quickening your cadence and keeping a forward posture to navigate tricky sections efficiently. Being more observant and scanning the ground much nearer and up ahead to avoid branches at head height will help with choosing the line to take. Remember, falling is part of the learning curve in trail running. Embrace it as an opportunity to understand your limits, improve your skills and adapt. Practising controlled falls and learning how to recover gracefully can minimise the impact of a stumble and prevent injuries. Final Thoughts Nobody becomes a trail master overnight. Training for technical terrains involves a blend of physical conditioning, mental preparedness and equipment choice. Embrace variability in your training, strengthen your body, choose the right gear, and most importantly, practise consistently on challenging terrain. • Maximise your existing training by incorporating technical trail sections and steeper descents. It’s not always about the soulful runs • Incorporate strength and plyometrics into your training routine. It will make you a more balanced runner able to handle more gnarly sections • Have the right kit and learn how to use it. Poles take practise • Without hitting those technical trails, you’ll never know so give them a go and see how it feels • Don’t avoid technical trails, see them as an opportunity to practice

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Ash Daniels is a Level-3 Athletics Australia Performance Development coach at Journey2Ultra coaching, where he specialises in trail and ultra running. He coaches runners of all abilities and distances, believing everyone is a runner; just that some of us need a bit more help in getting going. Ash can be found at journey2ultra.com.au

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B O R N O F T H E M O U N TA I N S

PEAK PERFORMANCE | COLUMN WORDS: BRAD DIXON IMAGE: SUPPLIED

TURNING BACK TIME

fter starting his running career aged 32 with seven marathons (PB of 2:52 in 1983) and a similar number of half marathons (PB of 1:22), Maynard Williams gave it away in his 40s.

He decided to lace up his running shoes once again in 2014 at the age of 67 motivated by training his grandson and inspired by a friend’s recent success. Since then, Maynard has embarked on a remarkable journey to combat age-related muscle loss, work on running performance, and improve his well-being. The challenge? Overcoming the inevitable decline in performance caused by factors like sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass. To tackle this issue, over the past year Maynard incorporated strength training into his routine and switched to a high-protein, whole foodfocused diet. A year after doing an initial DEXA scan (a high-tech body composition analysis) he took the scan again. The results were astonishing. He had lost 1.1kg of total mass but gained 1.727kg of lean mass while shedding 2.840kg of fat mass. His fat percentage dropped by 3.8 points, and lean mass increased by the same amount. His Lean Mass Index also improved, and his bone mineral density remained excellent, ranking at the 99th percentile for his age group. So how can a 76-year-old make such incredible gains when many of his peers are starting to lose functional independence with their strength and general fitness a distant memory? I was fortunate enough to get the full rundown of Maynard’s strength plan and change in nutrition so his empowering message of strength and diet can be promoted more. RESISTANCE TRAINING Over the last year between the two scans, Maynard’s resistance training consisted of press-ups, dumb-bell rows, tricep dips, step-ups, squats, single leg deadlifts and bridges. Some months later front and side plank work was added with the core bird dog exercise. More recently Maynard added deadlifts with my recommendation.

The intensity and volume of most exercises were increased over time to maintain training stimulus or reduced if injured. Groups of these exercises would make up a workout and be used in a session at least 4x per week. The sessions with squats and deadlifts were not completed on days with hard reps or long runs. DIET In his younger days, Maynard was excessively weighted towards unhealthy processed food such as biscuits, muffins, slices, cakes, sugarladen coffee and tea, ice cream and desserts. His eating behaviours slowly shifted towards more healthy options as he started running again and over the last year these were the real game-changer habits. • • •

• •

Reduced snacking between meals Reduced consumption of unhealthy highly processed foods Increased protein intake from eggs, chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, lean red meats, fish, lentils, chickpeas, protein powder shakes, nuts and high protein yogurt More plant-based foods Smaller meal portions

The DEXA scans revealed the power of cumulative consistent habits that Maynard put in place over the past year. Having more strength also has helped his running performance. Just before publishing the article I received this email from Maynard… You may be interested to know that I did another 5km time trial this morning on my usual measured circuit and was completely blown away by the result: 25:59, which is 01:19 quicker than my last one just over 6 weeks ago, and 00:21 faster than my final and fastest time trial last year, in late September just about 1 month before the half marathon. This is completely consistent with the vastly improved DEXA results this year and convinces me of the value of the resistance work (and dietary changes) I’ve been doing, not just for avoiding injuries but also for improving endurance performance. To be honest, I did NOT expect this sort of improvement. I’m already revising my goals for the half marathon! While these impressive results may not be definitive scientific proof, they align with research demonstrating the positive effects of resistance training and diet on body mass, composition, health, and performance. Our society is becoming sicker, fatter and it’s aging. The percentage of NZ’s population over 65 was 16.5% in 2020 and it is projected to be 21% by 2036 (Australia’s stats are similar). Our health system is not coping at present. Maynard’s dedication to wellness, fitness, and vitality serves as an inspiring example of how it’s never too late to make a change and turn back the clock on age-related decline. Let’s all get stronger and eat better.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Brad Dixon is a sports physio, coach and wellness evangelist at EVERFIT Physio & Coaching. He’s written a book titled Holistic Human, and believes the power is in our daily habits. Find him at everfit.co.nz or through his socials @everfitcoach.

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TREADING LIGHTLY | COLUMN WORDS: HILARY MCALLISTER IMAGE: OMFOTOVIDEOCONTENT

MAKE A CHANGE: VOLUNTEER W hat’s the one thing every trail runner can agree on? It’s definitely not what race nutrition plan works best or which satirical ultra-Insta account has the best memes. The one thing we can all agree on: event vollies are the best. Volunteers are a ray of sunshine amongst the darkest of our race moods, from cheering us through the most treacherous times to filling outstretched hands with lollies and chips and filling up flasks when your fingers are too cold to function. I’ve volunteered at a few races – generally, when I’ve been injured and want to be involved in the event but can't race. These experiences have often been more enjoyable than doing the event myself; I have the time and energy to invest in and support other people’s success and partake in the post-event celebrations rather than falling asleep at 7pm. But despite the joys of volunteering and the joy volunteers bring to our event experiences, the number of volunteers is decreasing, not just within trail running but nationally. According to Volunteering Australia, formal volunteering in Australia has declined dramatically since COVID-19, falling from 36% of the population in 2019 to 24% in 2021. In terms of time, this translates to 489 million hours in 2020, and in terms of value, this is $290 billion of labour being contributed annually. But like many of the volunteer roles within society such as carers, emergency services, social services and environmental groups, the contribution of volunteers at trail races is sadly overlooked and underappreciated. As Tour de Trails race director Chris Ord puts it, “Without volunteers, essentially, there is no event.” The logistics of organising a trail event, in particular ultras that traverse some of Australia and New Zealand’s most remote terrain, requires a considerable amount of personnel, and to ensure race fees don’t ebb into the thousands of dollars, volunteers are essential. Despite our unanimous love of event vollies, race directors are finding recruitment harder than ever. Ord contributes this to the growing number of events on the trail calendar, and passionate volunteers are burning out faster over time. Race directors are always looking for different ways to incentivise volunteers, including offering discounts and donations to local groups. The Rapid Ascent crew host some massive events including Run Larapinta, Surf Coast Century and Margaret River Ultra, and reach out to local Lions and Rotary Clubs for volunteers and in doing so, donate to the club for their contribution. What will the future look like with volunteer numbers in decline and the number of events increasing? As someone invested in caring for the places we love to explore, I’m inspired by American events requiring entrants to volunteer to do trail work to guarantee race entry. This model also inspires Rapid Ascent race director Sam

Maffett, who appreciates that event entry (for most events) is at a different competitive standard in AU/NZ than in the US. Maffett commented, “We seem to take more than we should.” In a saturated events market, cash is a difficult commodity to offer volunteers. However, supporting local community groups and charities through donations is an excellent way to get people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the atmosphere and energy of a trail event whilst giving the community a sense of ownership. In turn, they become invested in the event’s success and reputation. But it isn’t just events that require our time and energy. Environmental organisations, community groups, emergency services and your local parkrun rely on volunteers to create positive outcomes for our community and environment. I ask that you keep these ideas in mind when mapping out your event schedule for the coming months and years. Consider sitting this one out, volunteering instead, or contacting your local Landcare Group, CFA or Community Garden to see how you can contribute. As busy as life may seem, the benefits of contributing your time in service to people and the planet can be more rewarding than adding another medal to the shelf.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Hilary McAllister is an experienced yet accident-prone outdoors woman, often unmotivated ultra runner, serial nomad, political wannabe and environmental advocate. She combines her passion for exploration and environmental activism through her work at For Wild Places, a charity she co-founded that combines trail running and sports activism.

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FEATURE WORDS: CHRIS ORD IMAGE: SAMUEL COSTIN

CELEBRATING 50 EDITIONS OF TRAIL RUN MAG H eraclitus’ statement portrays how life and everything in it is subject to never-ending transformation. Nothing stays still. The implication is that we must move through change, cope, accept, even encourage as it washes through incessantly.

In my first editorial for Trail Run Mag I railed against the fact that things all too often changed in unfair and tragic ways – a beloved friend passing from the ravages of cancer – and, dichotomously, that they also remained tragically the same: an innocent being shot by Israeli forces in cold blood in Jenin, in occupied Palestine. Oh, how things do despairingly remain the same. Or do they? The murdering of innocents may be a constant since the first edition but the scale has most certainly magnified horrifically given the current genocide of Palestinians. Indeed, it may be argued that the humanity of the world has most certainly changed in consistent regression to medieval times. I wrote back then that I was as I am now: a self-described Angry Trail Runner. I was angry then at the world and its unjust machinations. And I am still today. To cope with my magnified disappointment at the world, I lean on other ‘coping constants’ that thankfully do not change.

While my age marches on, my youngest daughter beanpoles to heights taller than me, my career flips and flops, and the world lurches to unfathomable places, I seek comfort in things I know will never change: friends, family, loved ones, sunshine, rain dances, the scent of wet eucalypt, the wilderness of nature and the conveyor belt to a consistently reliable bliss found on the trails. Another constant that I am grateful for is Trail Run Mag which is marking its half century just ahead of my own. The publication I dreamed up fuelled by the unexpected change of redundancy, then gave digital birth to before cradling into print, remains alive, 50 editions in.

Amid the maelstrom of big and small changes in a sometimes incomprehensible world, the regular delivery of tales from the trail accompanied by images of inspiration has given me and hopefully you the reader constant sanctuary since the first digital edition went live in the winter of 2011. Twelve years of trail tonic without missing a beat. That’s a constant I can celebrate. I passed the baton as editor after Edition 34. It was time for some new and more vigorous flame to burn brightly on the dirty pages of TRM. The relentless constancy of getting an edition out every quarter had finally worn me down. I was running trails less and burning a climate

change-inducing amount of midnight oil to get each edition out the door. I needed a different constant back in my life, one of the singletrack kind. Looking back, I remain proud of enduring all those years. I had wonderful (constant) friends at my side helping with edits and content and I felt the readers remained loyal, too. The fact that the magazine remained grassroots, literally being produced from a back garden shed, meant another constant hung around: heart and soul; that of everyone who ever contributed over the years and their telling of a wild yarn relating our shared human experience out on trails across Australia, New Zealand and the world. Put fresh and with love on the pages, Trail Run Mag’s stories connected us by reflecting what happens to us all out there. Alone or together on the mountain, in the valley, out in the desert, we feel part of something bigger. And the magazine continues to celebrate that connection all these editions later as a pillar of the trail running community in Australia and New Zealand. May it get through another 50 editions and then some so that we may say that “the only constant in life is change…and Trail Run Mag”. Stay dirty, Chris Ord Founder, Trail Run Mag

ISSUE 50 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

VOLUME 8 ED30 // SUMMER 2019 // AU/NZ

FAVOURITE COVERS AN EDITOR’S RETROSPECTIVE The Savage FRONTIER — CHRIS ORD

VOLUME 8 ED30 // SUMMER 2019 // AU/NZ

W I T H L U CY

BA RTHOLOM

Trail Run Mag was different – I answered to no publisher boss (I was he), nor a Managing Editor (I was he). Nor even an intern of coffee boy (I was also them). So I argued with myself. A lot (usually in the wee hours). Some I think I got right. Others…meh. Here are a few of my faves and why:

VOLUME 7 ED28 // WINTER 2018 // AU/NZ

WARRIOR Can trail running help save the Tarkine?

THE LOST ISLAND RUN THE JUNGLE

WWW.TRAILRUNMAG.COM

Besides the newsstand imperative (masthead high, coverlines short and sticky, movement and colour), one can argue until the wee hours about the best shot and where to place text (which I and my colleagues often did in many years of editing adventure magazines).

TRAIL MUSE: ROCK AND ROLL TRAIL NUTRITION: CAFFEINE HIT TRAIL CREW: TRAILS & ALES

Madeiran Majesty THE GARDEN ISLAND Snake Charmer FKT IN THE WILD WEST Conversations TARAWERA CHAMP CAMILLE HERRON Dirt Church PODCAST PIONEERS Weekend Worrier JOURNEY TO A MILER

COACH: TRAINING FROM THE HEART DREAM RUN: VOLCANIC ULTRA SHOE REVIEWS // TRAIL GUIDES // TRAIL PORN 11

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For any magazine editor, covers are one of the most vexing things to produce. There’s a certain alchemy to getting it right. There’s also a certain subjectivity. A lot, actually. What I think is a striking cover is not what you may think of as such.

EDITION 30 I shot this one up on Mount Buffalo, Victoria. It’s Joe Dorph, an elite trail runner and now RD of the Grampians Peaks Trail Miler. I just love the general light flow of his running style – a little poppy like his orange shirt. The snow speckled background gave hint to the beauty of Buffalo without a full reveal and the patterns and shapes in the granite landscapes just drew me in. His movement overall is also great. If he’d been eyeballing the lens it would have been ever better! INCORPORATING TRAIL RUNNER NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA

TRAIL MUSE: RUNNING PREGNANT TRAIL COACH: MAINTAIN THE RAGE TRAIL CREW: BOUDDI BOYS SHOE REVIEWS // TRAIL GUIDE // TRAIL PORN

EDITION 21

EDITION 28

Shot by TRM’s then Associate Editor Simon Madden, this one of Kiwi Emma Lawrey bombing a downhill on the Ormiston Pound loop, Larapinta Trail in the NT, was taken on one of Tour de Trails’ run tours.

Shot on the relatively mild trails of Yarra Bend Park on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne, Victoria I took this shot of Salomon runner Simone Brick soon after her winning a place on the Salomon team at Warburton Trail Fest.

For me it is about the dynamic and powerful movement, the different angle taken from below and the sheer power of her stride. Makes me want to go bomb some! It wouldn’t have worked on a top-placed masthead, but with a then side masthead positioning (pre-newsstand) we could push the boundary and cut the top of her head to accentuate the edgy feeling of the shot.

To me the image clearly conveys her steely determination and bravery, which directly related to the story she told inside the magazine of the challenges faced in her rise to the top of Australian trail running. Concentrated, flowing, feet afloat – a balance of strength and technique – the dead front on form different body placement to many of the other covers that tend to show diagonal momentum across the page.

EDITION 44 // 2022 // AU/NZ

BLITZING THE

Backyard HOW TO CONQUER ONE MORE LOOP

MEET AUSTRALIA’S MALE ULTRA RUNNER OF THE YEAR LIFE AFTER BABY: RETURNING TO THE TRAILS

RUN WITH THE HERD: THE BUFFALO STAMPEDE IT'S ALL IN THE FAMILY: A MOTHER-SON DUO THE FOREST GOAT: HARD RECOVERY

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OLD GHOST ROAD ULTRA // TRANSPYRENEA - VEGAN ENDURANCE ODYSSEY // RUN LIKE A TIGER - TASSIE TRAIL FEST // BUFFALO GAL GRAND SLAM // YUKON QUEST // PAUL HEWITSON // EQUALITY ON TRAIL // PLUS REVIEWS, SHOES, GUIDES, GEAR & PORN

RRP AU$15 (INC GST)

VOLUME 6 ED21 // WINTER 2016 // AU/NZ/ASIA

ALPS 2 OCEAN: A KIWI CALLING MAD MISSION: LARAPINTA FKT INNERVIEW: SIMONE ‘THE FLYING’ BRICK

SHOE REVIEWS // EVENT PREVIEWS GEAR // TRAIL CREW

HONOURABLE MENTION EDITION 44 I wasn’t around for this one (that was Kate Dzienis in the editor role), but hey, that’s my fiancé on the cover. Winner! Image by Marco Noe. 23

FEATURE WORDS: KATE DZIENIS

CELEBRATING 50 EDITIONS OF TRAIL RUN MAG I

’ve worked for over 20 years in my chosen profession as a writer, with today – in 2024 – heralding my bucket list job as editor of a magazine, and being at the helm for Trail Run Mag’s 50th edition.

When approached for the opportunity to go from journo to TRM editor, there was no way I was going to say ‘no’. It was the cherry on top of my continental cheesecake – being already a runner, I could take it even further and really hone in on sharing the stories and photographs that I believed could make a difference. TRM50 marks just over two years as editor, with four editions per year and each edition taking just under three months to put together. I can’t always be time crucial with content, but I can take the time to make sure everything going into the magazine is well worth your cup of coffee or tea – either iced or hot. As I write, I’m taken back to reflect on particular moments over the past two years that are memorable for me and mean

the most in my journey as the editor of a publication delivered and read across the Tasman. The first happened not long after TRM42 (Feb-Mar 2022) was released, this being my inaugural edition with every hope that I’d done previous editors’ justice, when a race director mate of mine came up to me full hug in flight, at an event I was reporting on, and told me what an amazing TRM I’d created – that the stories were ‘spot on’ and he was proud of the work I’d achieved. I still feel that hug to this day. Another is the interviews. I’ve had the opportunity to speak to people like Lucy Bartholomew, Phil Gore, Dion Leonard, and in this edition Kilian Jornet. It’s one of my favourite things about being a journalist – the people I get to interview. I also like to think that I’m a journalist of a different nature; keeping in mind that I don’t do hard news or police and court reporting, I like to see myself as someone who shares the tales of other people’s lives in the hopes of motivating and inspiring even just one person.

Which brings me to another memorable moment during my time as TRM editor. TRM45 (Nov-Dec 2022) saw the publication of Conquering Trails and Adversity: Fighting The Demons Within (re Thomas Dade and his battle with an eating disorder) and There’s More Behind Felix Than Meets The Eye (re Andrew ‘Felix’ Poli and his experience running with ADHD). Never have I had more correspondence with readers than with these two articles; over the course of eight weeks or so, I received texts, emails and social media messages from trail runners who had in one way or another connected to the stories, telling me they related to either Thomas or Andrew and thanking me for writing and publishing their plights. Connecting with the trail running community is the best way to make sure I’m doing what I need to be doing – giving rise to your voices. If I don’t hear from you, I don’t know what you want. And without your stories, I can’t write anything (I mean, I could write something, but you, the readers, are what make TRM exactly what it is today). So as we get down and dirty into 2024, I lift my insulated coffee cup in cheers to the incredible people who have made an impact in the last two years – indeed the last 12 years – as story givers, contributors, writers and photographers to Trail Run Mag. And to Chris Ord, because without his Angry Trail Runner reputation and the desire to kickstart a magazine out of his garden shed in 2011, a newly declared Mood Booster Runner (that’s me) now gets to keep the legacy going with big thanks to Adventure Entertainment. Happy trails, Kate Dzienis Editor, Trail Run Mag

ISSUE 50 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

FAVOURITE COVERS AN EDITOR’S RETROSPECTIVE — KATE DZIENIS

The following are four of my favourite covers (although it’s incredibly hard to choose…if I had more space, I’d include all of them).

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ONE WOMAN RUNS THE YARRA

DARE TO DREAM: WINNING THE ARCTIC ULTRA THROUGH THE LENS: STORYTELLING THE REVENANT PREVENT UNDER-FUELLING: RECOGNISE THE SIGNS

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EDITION 48

This one’s a bit of a story. I was on the hunt for a cover and just so happened to be perusing through social media when I came across Lucy Bartholomew’s FB page where she’d posted a couple images of her running through the Grampians in Vic. Falling in love with the shots, I noticed she’d credited the photos to Aaron Collins. I’d worked with Aaron before and immediately called to ask what the go was, essentially questioning what would be the chances I could use one his photos for a front pager. After 30 minutes collaborating with Aaron, Lucy and GPT100 organiser Colin Taylor, I was emailed a gallery.

EDITION 49 // 2023 // AU/NZ

Adaptive Athletes MUTTERINGS, HALLUCINATIONS & A PIRATE 14

SHOE REVIEWS // GEAR // TRAIL CREW // DREAM RUN 9 771839 749200

MAD MISSION: ON THE TASSIE TRAILS THE WILD: ONE WOMAN’S ROAD TO RECOVERY SHOOTING STORIES: FROM THE RACE PHOTOGRAPHER

BOLD MOVES IT’S A RUNNER’S LIFE

GET READY FOR SUMMER: RUNNING WITH DOGS

A LOST HOBBIT RUNNING FOR NZ WILDLIFE

SHOE REVIEWS // TRAIL CREW // DREAM RUN RACE REPORTS // EVENT PREVIEWS

EDITION 46

EDITION 47

This woman on the front cover, Queenslander Amelia Tsikleas, is her own gateway drug to the trails. Photographer Dan Godson provided me with full gallery access to the 2023 Scenic Rim Ultra and as I clicked through hundreds of photos in the hope of spotting a front pager, there she was, exuberating the very essence of why people love to run. Immediately I had my designer create a mock cover to ensure we could make the image work, and thank goodness it did because I could not have asked for a more energetic, dynamic and lively individual to grace the cover.

WA photographer Astrid Volzke is a wonder to work with, and I know I can count on her to send me artwork if I need it. As it happened though, she’d sent me a gallery of select images from the 2023 Delirious West 200 Miler before I’d even asked her, and this cream of the crop with beloved trail runner Jagpawan ‘JP’ Dhillon topped the list. His body positioning, enthusiasm and zest for the trails were the perfect fit – and being from WA myself, showcasing the magnificent backdrop of my state just finished it off in the most ideal way.

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GST)GST) RRP AU$15/NZ$15 (INC (INC

A WORLD FIRST FOR

SHOE REVIEWS // TRAIL CREW // DREAM RUN EVENT PREVIEWS //LATEST GEAR

EDITION 47 // 2023 // AU/NZ

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50 KM

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TAKING

Trails TO THE Olympics

BUMPER EDITION: OUR 2024 EVENT GUIDE

I N C O R P O R AT I N G T R A I L R U N N E R N E W Z E A L A N D & A U S T R A L I A

TIP TO TOE: A MARATHON A DAY TO STOP EXTINCTION

First

DARE TO DREAM: FROM BODYBUILDING TO TRAILS

The image has to have a lot going for it – first, and foremost, is framing; the framing of the shot has to allow for text on both sides of the subject. Second is positioning; the subject has to be positioned in a way that is flattering to their physique, and without obstructions to the bodily features we want showcased. Third, I look at the ability to zoom in or out (this goes with framing), any blurriness/pixelation, parts of the body that might be deemed embarrassing (yes, I need to look for potential ‘exposure’ and make sure clothing is not see-through), and colours. Lastly, it’s about the background – my personal preference is to not have two editions following one another with a beach shot on the cover, for instance, so variety is key.

HOW TO RUN YOUR

GRAMPIANS PEAKS: ULTRA RUNNING TO NEW HEIGHTS

IT’S A RUNNER’S LIFE: GETTING OUT OF THE DARK HOLE

With each edition, I’m faced with no less than 20 photos either sent in from photographers I know and trust, and with whom I’ve collaborated with before, or from sports photographers who have shot an entire event and then sent me a gallery of between 300 and 700 images to flick through.

EDITION 46 // 2023 // AU/NZ

EDITION 48 // 2023 // AU/NZ

MAD MISSION: SNOW RUNNING IN COLORADO, USA

Choosing a front cover isn’t as easy as one might think. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes in getting the image right, because it’s not just a matter of promising a photographer they will get front page with the one image they send me.

N O W I N C O R P O R AT I N G T R A I L R U N N E R N E W Z E A L A N D & A U S T R A L I A

I N C O R P O R AT I N G T R A I L R U N N E R N E W Z E A L A N D & A U S T R A L I A

EXCLUSIVE: BACKYARD WORLD RECORD HOLDER INTERVIEWS Q&A: NZ’S WESTON HILL DARE TO DREAM: TURNING GRIEF INTO STRENGTH

SHOE REVIEWS // TRAIL CREW // EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY // RACE REPORTS

EDITION 49

New Zealand’s Simone Maier screams ‘warrior princess’ to me in this image by the very talented Ben Wallbank, as he took shots of her rock-running in preparation for the 2024 Coast to Coast race. Not only does her body positioning and facial composure depict the intensity of what it takes to hit technical trails, but the colours for this front pager are my absolute favourite – and let’s not forget the calf muscles! Geez, I wish my calves were like that…being able to feature such a strong trail runner, both physically and mentally, in their element was the best way to close off 2023. 25

ALL THE GOOD GEAR

ARC’TERYX ATOM LT HOODY REVIEW BY GILES PENFOLD The Atom Lt Hoody is finally here. Just kidding… it’s been around for 13 years, and isn’t going anywhere. Coined as the ultimate chameleon of insulated jackets, it’s a top pick for active enthusiasts after a great fit and superior breathability. Its versatility is exceptional, making it a go-to choice for a wide variety of outdoor activities. Weighing in at 375g, the Atom is impressively lightweight, and serves as a puffer, but without the bulk and movement restriction. Featuring two zippered hand pockets as well as an internal zippered chest pocket, its storage is solid but nothing crazy. The Atom features Coreloft Compact insulation, a form of synthetic insulation which combined with the water resistant Tyono 20 fabric, helps keep you dry. The stretchy fleece panels also add great overall value. In terms of performance, I was genuinely impressed at how well the jacket held up during my autumn training runs in the northern alps of Italy (Val d’Aosta). As a heavy sweater, I was concerned that training in an insulated jacket would create

a sauna-esque ecosystem under my clothes, but to my surprise, the Atom’s breathability was top notch, far from the suffocating heat a lot of jackets induce when running. I also gave it a 2hr whirl through rainy five degree weather and managed to stay as dry as a bone. How designers make a jacket breathable and water resistant, I’ll never know. In terms of warmth, the Atom punches well above its weight but keep in mind its versatility can’t be ignored, working well as a standalone jacket or as a mid-layer too. It can also be worn casually, and for me, has worked itself up the pecking order of my wardrobe staples. The Atom’s low-profile design has a ‘fitted fit’ which means it’s been designed to hug the body whilst still providing enough freedom of movement. In my experience, competing jackets can often be tight and restraining in the upper section, an uncomfortable reality for any runner. The liner also felt great on my skin, and the stretchy side panels were elastic enough to improve the jacket’s already excellent mobility in the shoulders.

The Arc’teryx Atom LT stands out as a versatile choice for outdoor lovers that want the best of both worlds. I was genuinely impressed by the way it held up in rough conditions whilst also offering great breathability. With a functional and comfortable fit, this jacket is perfect for varying conditions, whether running or not. Overall, a big thumbs up. VITALS RRP $400 AUD / $460 NZD ARCTERYX.COM.AU / ARCTERYX.CO.NZ

BLACK DIAMOND DISTANCE 22 BACKPACK REVIEW BY GILES PENFOLD Tailored for alpine adventures blending running and scrambling, the Distance 22 is a versatile hybrid pack. Integrating a vest-inspired suspension for running, it merges lightweight comfort with ample storage. In terms of tech specs and features, the pack weighs in at 412g, comes in three different sizes, and has pole storage pockets on both sides. Dual side compression and a ripstop fabric complement a wide array of different sized pockets in the front section, maximising accessibility and convenience. The comfort and fit of the Distance 22 is quite solid. For a larger sized trail running pack, the lock down around the torso is snug but not to the point where restriction of movement becomes an issue. When full to the brim and weighing around 8-10kg, I experienced some bounce whilst running, and the padding feels great on the back. The main large compartment is voluminous and does the trick, making for a great fast packing option.

The only downfall is that it can feel slightly narrow at times, particularly when stuffing things inside. The front straps contain two zippered pockets, two soft flask pockets, and large front stretch pockets, making for great organisation on and off the trail. The weight and portability has a compact design and feel to it. If you’re looking to go ultralight on the trail and comfortably carry enough, this pack fits the bill. Durability is also solid, although it’s worth mentioning I haven’t had the opportunity to test it in extreme conditions. Overall, the Distance 22 is a great option for longer excursions and I enjoyed its features and overall size so much that I started using it as an everyday backpack as well.

VITALS RRP $299.99 AUD / $369.99 NZD BLACKDIAMONEQUIPMENT.COM.AU FURTHERFASTER.ICO.NZ

ISSUE 50 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

LEKI ULTRATRAIL FX.ONE POLES REVIEW BY GILES PENFOLD Trail running poles were once limited to European mountain goats and UTMB enthusiasts. Today, things are a little different as those two little sticks enter the mainstream down under. If you've run a hilly 50km+ race or follow international trail events, there’s a good chance you’ve seen participants wearing funky, fluorescent yellow gloves attached to red poles. Surprise, surprise…these are Leki sticks, and I’ve been testing a pair of them to see what all the fuss is about. Straight off the bat, the Leki Ultratrail FX.One’s feel ridiculously lightweight, and at a length of 120cm at 182g per pole (how good is carbon?) it’s worth noting that the brand makes an even lighter version known as the Superlite’s (137g per pole!). Both versions include a ‘Trail Shark’ grip-strap system, which is 30% lighter than its predecessor.

In basic terms, it’s that fancy looking glove mechanism. The poles collapse down into three sections, at a manageable height of 33cm, while also featuring a smooth thin profile. It’s a very minimalist product which has been marketed as having game changing performance features. The Trail Shark system means putting on a pair of wrist straps that clip into the pole grip with a loop sewn into the strap. I was sceptical of this in the beginning and having never used a gripstrap system before, didn’t really know what to expect. It’s strange at first and there’s definitely an acclimatisation period, but it’s well worth it in the scheme of things. After years of using traditional loop strap poles, I was accustomed to squeezing the grips and pushing the straps down to generate force on steep climbs. The Ultratrail FX.One’s have a more direct force transfer through the ground, an epic attribute that significantly enhances both the tactile experience and overall performance. The straps also created no irritation or blisters whatsoever, with my longest run in them being six hours. Their collapsibility is as it should be – smooth as butter. Actually, I recently used them at the Ultra Trail Kosciusko 100km.

To me, this solidified them as the best trail running poles available on the market today. The array of benefits is well worth the investment if you’re an avid explorer of mountains. VITALS RRP $429.99 AUD TMOSPORTS.COM.AU

VIVOBAREFOOT PRIMUS TRAIL III REVIEW BY GILES PENFOLD (Vivo)barefoot. A new, yet more tellingly, ancient principle of wearing shoes that imitate being barefoot. These guys make wide, thin and flexible shoes that are designed to feel as close to barefoot as possible. They’re also a Certified B-Corp, use recycled materials, and have an impressive recycling program. Raised an eyebrow or two? Good. I’m here to explain how Vivobarefoot’s Primus Trail III hold up on the trail, and why it could be worth integrating some form of barefoot movement into our daily lives. Straight out of the box and onto my feet, the Primus Trail III’s feel almost concerningly lightweight and flexy. Shoeless some might say, and with a stack height of 2.5mm on top of its 4mm lugs, it’s easy to see why. The toe box is one of the widest available on the market, yet the lockdown and foot protection punches well above its weight, at 250g per cleat. Durability is also solid. I’ve thrashed my pair over the past five months and there are very minimal signs of wear and tear.

The Vivos do exactly what they advocate. Initially, the lack of cushion is a shock to the system and like anything, novel stimulus requires adequate time to adapt. Feeling and connecting to the ground through our feet is something the brand advocates. If you’re reading this magazine, there’s a good chance you’ve also read or at least heard about Anthony McDougall’s book Born to Run. He discusses how a powerful sensory connection exists between our feet and our brain, and going barefoot promotes this, whilst cushioned modern day footwear blunts it. The Primus’ definitely hold true to this notion. Having said that, Vivobarefoot shoes shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you’re not used to going shoeless, slowly introducing them in a non-running context is advised. Walking and strength training in minimalist shoes is a great first step to improve functionality and stability in our feet. In 2021, research at the University of Liverpool revealed wearing minimalist footwear for just 6 months increased foot strength by 60%. An impressive stat that has serious potential to positively affect running performance. The Primus II’s get a big thumbs up from me. They are thin, highly flexible, and durable shoes that carry a vast array of benefits. If you’re interested in trying a pair, use code TRAILRUNMAG at checkout for a 15% discount.

VITALS RRP $289.95 AUD / $329.95 NZD SOLEMECHANICS.COM.AU / SOLEDISTRIBUTION.CO.NZ

ALL THE GOOD GEAR

THE BUG BITE THING REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS Whenever I get bitten by a mozzie, I seriously think why they’ve even been put on this planet. Seriously, what purpose do they serve?! Is there an answer on this, anywhere? Both of my kids get welts so freakishly large after being bitten that the only solution has almost always been drowning them with anti-histamines – not ideal given that firstly, it can be an almost daily dose for weeks at a time, and secondly, the medications make them drowsy. My own bites itch and itch for a while, but I slab some cream on and within 20 minutes or so the pain is gone – but my poor little people. Nothing works except medicine. Until now. Believe it or not this small, plastic tube-thing called

The Bug Bite Thing is placed over a mosquito bite, you pull up on the handles until there is full suction, hold for 20 seconds and then release. I kid you not, instant relief from itching and swelling. I tried it on myself, and the suction isn’t painful at all; I also got a chance to avoid creams, and found relief instantaneously. Trail runners, this is 100% something I encourage you to put into your hydro-packs or aid station drop bags. Please note though, it’s not for snake bites – only blood sucking mozzies. VITALS RRP $13.99 AUD THEBUGBITETHING.COM.AU

DERMAL THERAPY FOOT & KNEE PAIN RELIEF GEL REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS Aussie made and owned skincare company Dermal Therapy have expanded their foot care range and introduced a new foot and knee pain relief gel, so if you’re someone who suffers from plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, Achilles or bunions, I’m talking to you. Right now. You. Yes, you. I am someone who is going through the horrid healing process of having a tear in my PF, so when a product lands on my lap with every potential to help relieve pain, I’ll take it and give a real good trial. The nitty gritty is that Dermal’s Foot and Knee Pain Relief Gel targets mild nerve pain and provides symptomatic relief from the aforementioned ailments plus other foot injuries, and the brand is really focused on spreading the word about its pain relief for PF. No doubt, it did its job, with wintergreen oil, peppermint oil and Arnica

Montana (also known as wolf’s bane) to aid in the swelling and inflammation as I sat recovering from a morning of pain after purposefully not wearing my arch support shoes (all in the name of testing for TRM, right?!). The aroma is quite strong, but soon the soothing process began and I was pleasantly surprised with the results. Dermal Therapy’s Foot & Knee Pain Relief Gel is a great option that comes in a 50g tube for convenience in drop bags and at aid stations for help with soothing other parts of the body too like knees and heels, and get this – it also promotes the healing of bruising. VITALS RRP $14.99 AUD LEADING PHARMACIES

SQUIRREL’S NUT BUTTER REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS Oh my gawd! I say as I clench my jaw…how painful is that chafe after a race, and you literally feel the slow burn as you hop into the shower? Nothing could be worse after that high of crossing the finish line, celebrating with mates…and then BAM! It hits you like a second-degree burn, and then when you finally do dry off, don’t even think about clapping those thighs together at any point while walking from kitchen to lounge. Squirrel’s Nut Butter was a purchase-product of mine on a whim. My old chafe cream had run out, and I’d heard through the grapevine quite a lot of good things about SNB so whilst online shopping for (more) running gear, I picked up an All Natural Stick and sat by the mailbox until my bundle arrived.

At first smell, SNB didn’t have a sweet aroma to sell itself on. The brand markets itself as a product that works, and the fact that it doesn’t try to sell you on how flowery or aromatic it is sold me on the fact that it does what it’s made to do. And it darn well does. Made with only four ingredients – coconut oil, cocoa butter, beeswax and vitamin E oil – SNB All Natural Anti-Chafe Salve works amazingly day in and day out on my inner thighs, while during training or races I’ve used it under my sports bra and in places where my hydro-pack might rub. The vegan version has no beeswax in it, by the way, and I hear it works wonders for eczema.

VITALS RRP All Natural Stick $27.95 AUD RRP All Natural Tub $29.95 AUD RRP All Natural Vegan Blend Stick $27.95 AUD SQUIRRELSNUTBUTTER.COM.AU

ALL THE GOOD GEAR

HUNTAWAY RUN CO. TRAIL TEE & 3R CAP REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS New Zealand, you seriously know how to create running gear that’s out of this world. Seriously. Huntaway Run Co. is in a league all on its own, and deserves to sit at the very top of the game. Let me explain. Dr Inia Raumati and Dr Vicki Lim who, as it just so happens, have both contributed articles to TRM in 2023, and it was through collaborating with them on their contributions that I discovered the couple were the driving force – the creators – of Huntaway Run Co. I was on board to test out their products and see what they’d developed for the trail, so in no time at all I was delivered the company’s Ranger Trail Tee, Foster Trail Shorts (which I’ll review in an upcoming edition of TRM because they are just so mint!), and their reversible 3R Cap. With the inspiration of their branding coming from their own furbaby Doug, a rescue Huntaway who has since become their favourite running partner, Inia and Vicki came up with hard-working trail gear that’s truly hard to beat. The Ranger Trail Tee is probably the smoothest, most softest material I’ve ever run in. No joke, despite it being all black, I hit my local off-road paths and trails right at the height of summer, and didn’t feel any burn. And even though the sun was out – and out high it was – I knew I should have been sweating; but the Huntaway Run Co. Trail Tee wicked everything away and when I came through

the door, surprise had taken me that there were no sweat marks to be seen. I’m also generally not a fan of shirts that don’t feature a v-neck version, and thought I’d have been pulling at the neck line for most of my run, however that never happened and I later forgot that usually it was something that bothered me. Onto the tech specs of the shirt. The Ranger Trail Tee is made of a TENCEL and Umorfil blend (TENCEL is soft and silky with a drape-like finish and breathes beautifully like cotton, whilst Umorfil has skin health properties imparted in the fabric, provides protection from UV light, and is an innovative product – both have sustainability reputations), meaning it kept me cool while at the same time being kinder to the planet as a product made from regenerated cellulose and upcycled fish scales from the aquaculture industry. The Trail Tee fits to size with room to spare, and it’s one of those shirts you actually don’t want to take off no matter how much you’ve sweated in it. The logo looks awesome on the front left while a bigger version sits at the back, and this is one of my go-to’s for hot, humid run days because I know the performance won’t disappoint.

with a neat deep green pattern on the ‘inside’ (fun fact: it’s actually a topographical map of Inia and Vicki’s Riverhead stomping grounds) and the original ‘outside’ pattern featuring the Huntaway dog from their logo with a deep greyish-blue colour, it doesn’t sit on my head like a stiff baseball cap. I quite like the logo when I’m wearing it, but enjoy the fact I can so easily ‘flip it and reverse it’, and it’s also good to know that both sides are recycled, reflective and reversible (hence the 3R in its product name). When it comes to price, yes, it might be a bit on the more dear side of running shirts and hats, but I’m telling you now it is 100% worth it. When I write that you won’t regret making the purchase or hitting the trails with a Huntaway Run Co. product, I mean it. Inia and Vicki have poured their life savings into athletic gear that is high quality, comfortable and dare I say…perfect. It’s made for the trails – or anywhere your dog takes you. VITALS RRP Ranger Trail Tee $58.00 NZD RRP 3R Cap $38.00 NZD HUNTAWAYRUNCO.COM

The Huntaway 3R Cap is also a favourite. Reversible

ROAM ENERGY NUT BUTTER & PEA PROTEIN REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS Something that is not super sweet, that isn’t bulky like a muesli bar, is vegan, and a bundle of them can be carried in a hydro-pack without taking up much space or weight? Is that even possible, I hear you ask? New Zealander Raeana Connell is the genius behind Roam Energy, who took to grinding her own nuts after a stint exploring the South Island trails and being completely over sickly sweet bars and gels. Soon, with partner Andrius at the helm for taste testing, Raeana landed on a roasted almond and cashew nut butter blend that sent them on a totally new adventure in sustained energy – and thus Roam Energy was born. All natural ingredients with no artificial flavours or fillers, utterly and ridiculously delicious, and backed by supported evidence that yes, it works, Roam Energy Nut Butter is the newest go-to for your training and events. I’m the same as Raeana – it’s difficult for me to use gels and my stomach simply can’t take a hint, so with Roam Energy revealing itself as light on the tummy and having three delectable flavours of chocolate, coconut and espresso, it was a hard ‘yes’ when I was asked to trial them. This nut butter is so versatile, I utilised it in every way the brand’s website told me I could – for my trail running with a single pack in my pocket during short runs and my hydro-pack for during longer ones; as a snack during a busy work day that included multitasking with errands; and as a ‘secret

ingredient’ on top of fruit like chopped up banana, strawberries, and mango. All three ways of using Roam Energy Nut Butter worked, but more so it worked during run activities. Finally, something I could ingest that wasn’t ‘liquidy’ – the nut butter singles packs you must knead the packet before opening so the consistency becomes a bit more thick. And out of all three flavours, I’d say my favourite is the coconut, but honestly they’re all brilliant on the taste buds. Roam Vegan Protein Powder (made from plantbased pea protein isolate) is super smooth and provides over 22g of protein per serve. Available in both chocolate and vanilla flavours, this product is soy-free, gluten-free (kudos for me!), nut-free and HASTA certified. Users are encouraged to Shake It (with your choice of milk for a cold post-workout drink), Blitz It (in a smoothie), Stir It (scooped into porridge or cereal) and Bake It (baked in a protein

bar or protein cake). If you’re someone who is also into strength work, than this powder caters to your BCAA intake and carries 1.8g of leucine – not to mention the tastes for each flavour are divine! When it comes to protein ‘shakes’, I’m a vanilla person but either one is fantastic; not overly thick, not too thin, pretty much the Goldilocks theory of ‘just right’. Go and check out their range, because Roam Energy is the new kid on the block who will fast become your best friend. VITALS RRP Energy Nut Butter Singles $4.50 AUD RRP Energy Nut Butter 3 // 15 // 30-packs $13.50 // $67.50 // $135.00 AUD RRP Roam Pea Protein Powder 90g $17.00 AUD RRP Roam Pea Protein Powder 500g $65.00 AUD ROAMENERGY.CO.NZ / ROAMENERGY.COM.AU

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PATAGONIA WOMEN’S MULTI TRAILS SHORTS 51/2 REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS If I could sleep in Patagonia gear, I would. The Patagonia Women’s Multi Trails Shorts 5½, which I got to test in Nouveau Green, have been made for running, hiking and getting things done everywhere. Hands down, they are my new favourite short and I essentially do everything in them over the summer, but when it comes to taking them into the great outdoors it feels like you’re not wearing anything at all (that would be awkward…). These shorts are ultra-lightweight and full of high tech spec which I’ll get into soon – oh, and by the way, you’ll absolutely love the zippered pocket security on each side of the leg. There’s also one back snap pocket for smaller items on the go (and to stuff the shorts into for easier packing if needed!). As a non-average sized runner, external drawcords are a plus for me and the Patagonia Women’s Multi Trails Shorts 5½ have one that ads to the adjustability and comfort so on a bloated day, I can get loose a little bit more than usual. The brief liner doesn’t pull into my skin which is crazy because my problem is always having brief liners in shorts that either ride up all the way up into my crotch or they dig straight into my skin, so this was another plus for me. The 5½” inseam is probably the shortest I would ever go with running shorts (I prefer about a 6 to 7) but given everything these shorts have going for them, I overlooked that and was confident wearing them out in public without a worry. The fabric used with the Patagonia Women’s Multi Trails Shorts 5½ is incredibly breathable, and I love

how sustainable the brand really is – these shorts are made with quick-drying 90% Prevented Ocean Plastic recycled polyester sourced from plastic waste recovered from at-risk coastal communities and certified by OceanCycle, whilst the remaining 10% is spandex woven with four-way stretch and a PFCfree DWR finish, which is durable water repellent coating that doesn’t contain perfluorinated chemicals (all of Patagonia’s products are made out of sustainable material and they are a strong believer in linking sports with activism to drive positive social and environmental change). They’re also made in a Fair Trade Certified factory. I tested these shorts out in as many environments as I could get my legs into – trail runs (full range of motion, freedom of movement 100% abundant), gardening, shopping, softball training, and lounging around at home. I have to say I experienced no riding up, no pulling down to keep the length, and the secure-fit waistband did its job perfectly. One of the most versatile pair of run shorts on the market, the Patagonia Women’s Multi Trails Shorts 5½ come in three earth-tone colours – black, evening mauve and nouveau green. If you haven’t tried Patagonia before, they are true to size once you get on their size guide and find your measurements (this is always the scary part!) but honestly, if you are a size 12 then the Medium, and so on. These are the only shorts you need for your next wild adventure.

VITALS RRP $119.95 AUD / $139.99 NZD PATAGONIA.COM.AU / PATAGONIA.CO.NZ

VERT NUTRITION REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS Sustainable gel powder endurance? Now I know you want to hear more. Vert Nutrition products, based out of Brisbane, don’t need any preservatives, acidity regulators or humectants to give it shelf life. Nor does it need any of that stuff to make it taste flavourful. Additives lead to stomach upsets that can well and truly ruin your race day – and its why many runners, when they find something that works for them, stick with what they know. Founded by Queenslander Ben Paris who is a dietitian and runner, gels just never ‘gelled’ with him in terms of the way empty packets would always be littering his favourite trails and the way they made his hydro-pack or pockets sticky. With his knowledge in his chosen industry, Ben created a gel powder and a reusable flask so athletes could get the benefit of gels without the plastic – or the rubbish. Available in an incredible 8 flavours, I was given the opportunity to taste test and performance test Vert Nutrition’s Lemonade and Mango varieties (also available in Maple Syrup, Unflavoured, Orange Juice, Kiwi Fruit, Raspberry and Apple). There is preparation involved, but it’s actually quite minor – all you need to do is ensure you prep your gel powder either the night before race day or at least an hour beforehand you walk out the door so the warm water you use can cool down in the fridge. The instructions: 20ml of warm water to 2 scoops of gel powder, stir, and let sit in the fridge. You can scoop it immediately in cold water, but the gel powder won’t dissolve completely – which is fine. It

doesn’t affect the carb stats; mixing with cold water will make zero difference performance wise. You’ll just be left with granules that sit at the bottom of your cup before pouring it into the Vert Nutrition flask (I’ll talk about that in a sec). When it comes to taste, the two flavours I tested were exactly as they said they were. A little more sweet than I’m used to, I diluted both slightly, but otherwise both the lemonade and the mango were quite refreshing when cold and I was left with no lingering taste. The main carbohydrate ingredient used is sucrose, which has a 66% lower carbon footprint when compared to dextrose/glucose (made from corn); sucrose is produced here in Australia too, so the food miles are dramatically lowered. Vert Nutrition also doesn’t use single-use plastics and all of their packaging is compostable, while their mail/ delivery boxing is simple cardboard and features carbohydrate recommendations and serves per hour printed on the actual inside.

acknowledge there are plenty of runners who put their gels in their pockets or belts, and they can fit a good five to eight, maybe even more, in there. And yes, a flask is bigger than a small pack of gel. But if you’re wanting to make a bigger impact on the environment without leaving behind a footprint of rubbish (because those gel packets have got to go somewhere, right?), then a product with more sustainable power should be put on the table and tested out. It deserves a go.

Don’t get me started on Vert’s flasks though – they are absolutely mint. Small in size (150ml), they fit perfectly in my hydro-pack front pockets when filled and were easy to use whilst out trailing it. And look, I don’t normally have gels, they don’t mix well with my stomach, but as mentioned earlier, the fact they have no additives or preservatives, I was taken by surprise that I had no churning happening or sickly feeling.

Ben Paris has created a winning product for gel enthusiasts, and price-wise, it ends up being only $1.80 per serve.

If you’re a runner who enjoys their gels, Vert Nutrition seriously needs to be taken into consideration for your training and prep work. I

The only thing you want to leave behind while out racing is your PB. Vert Nutrition can help you get there in more ways than one. VITALS RRP Gel Power 450g $30.00 AUD RRP Vert Flask 150ml $12.50 AUD RRP Slider Scoop 20ml $10.00 AUD VERTNUTRITION.COM.AU

ALL THE GOOD GEAR

HYDRAPAK VELOCITY IT 1.5L BLADDER REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS Bladders for our beloved packs and vests are, generally, quite well cared for by trail runners. When we start using them, we learn how to clean them and use them properly to prevent bacteria build up that can occur within the material. But sometimes, our bladders break, for whatever reason, or they’re just not-salvageable after a decent time of use, and our instinct is to go back to the original brand we bought our pack or vest from, and go from there. HydraPak’s bladders are built to last in all environments and are known for their reusability, durability and radio frequency welding. I was able to test the new Velocity IT 1.5L bladder recently, which fit into my Ultimate Direction pack snuggly, and quite frankly, is really very swish. In my hands, the quality is seriously top notch, with even the drinking tube covered in a firm weatherproof material, giving it a rugged construction look that makes it look insanely high tech. Even taking it out of its packaging I was immediately impressed and excited to get out on the trails for yet another test run.

The cherry on top is that this is the first insulated bladder on the market. Designed for keeping your water cool from all outside temperatures, its Isobound Insulation technology double-wall cell foam insulation creates a barrier, slowing heat transfer between the body and the bladder. This prevents condensational warming and keeps hydration at an ideal temperature longer than the standard bladder. There’s an extra wide opening for fast refills at aid stations, and the leakproof seal is quick and easy to slide tight; the lightweight Comet Bite Valve is highflow with a self-seal that showed no signs of leakage while in use and can be opened and locked with one hand to prevent leaks when not in use. Oh, and to give it even more umph, the Hydrafusion drink tube is insulated as well!

The Velocity IT 1.5L also features a flexible grab tab for quickly taking it out and back into packs, and a universal hanger designed to work with clips, hooks and loops in a wide variety of vests and packs including Salomon, Nathan, Osprey and CamelBak. It’s all 100% BPA and PVC free, too. This is a bladder for those who are performance driven and inspired to take themselves out further into the great outdoors with a trustworthy and reliable reservoir. You won’t go wrong when you partner up with it. VITALS RRP $84.95 AUD // $99.99 NZD HYDRAPAK.COM.AU / HYDRAPAK.CO.NZ

LSKD REP RUN BELT REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS Minimal design, maximum storage. That’s what LSKD’s Rep Run Belt is all about. Aussie brand LSKD is known for its high quality range of clothing, and it has now broken – officially – into the running market with its new Just Keep Running range to appeal to a wider spectrum of people. For starters, I love their leggings for winter running, so already they are somewhat ‘in’ the market anyway, but it looks like they’ve specifically started targeting runners now – and that’s great news! Their Just Keep Running collection includes – for all genders – day and performance tanks, sports bras, running tees, running shorts, briefs, sprint suits, flasks and their Rep Run Belt, which I got an opportunity to put to the test.

We all like our own personal things when it comes to accessories that help us on the trails, and the LSKD belt is a great storage solution for those times you can’t quite fit your phone into anything and aren’t needing a vest or hydro-pack. It uses the brand’s signature REP fabric with 4-way stretch to allow for maximum storage capacity in a compressive fit, and features a bonded zip for protection from moisture as well as a fully adjustable strap. What I liked about the LSKD Rep Run Belt is once it sat snuggly on my person, there was little to no bounce and my Samsung S23+ fit in the back zipped pocket along with my car key, no problem. For the runner who doesn’t take much out with them on the trails, this belt will do the job for you perfectly.

VITALS RRP $45.00 AUD LSKD.COM.AU

WRIGHTSOCKS REVIEW BY KATE DZIENIS I’m a sock person. I love me some good, comfy socks that fit well into my runners, and give me a blister free performance. I’ll be honest. I had never heard of Wrightsock before, so intrigue stepped in when I was provided two pairs for testing – the Eco Run Tabs in GreyBlue and the Run Reflective Quarter Socks in Grey-Pink. Firstly, the brand. Over 2 plastic bottles are in every pair of Eco Run socks, and they use a patented double layer to reduce friction with Dri-WRIGHT II performance yarn to improve moisture management and durability. So blisters are not on the agenda with these bad boys. Both pairs are ideal for mid-distance running, hiking and other sports and my feet were kept dry and comfortable each time out on the trails or

outside doing other fun activities. Their thickness scale is on the lower end (a 2 out of 4) so if you’re looking for a sock that can cater to ultra distances, I’d suggest looking at the lightly cushioned Endurance socks. The Eco Run Tabs and the Run Reflectives were very comfortable and didn’t interfere with my shoe sizing. I’m keen to keep them on in the winter months to see how they fare against wet conditions, but in terms of summer performance both were breathable, lightweight and overall a good partner

to my shoes. The only difference, I felt, between the two was that one is a crew cut style and the other an ankle cut. Their website is filled with a variety of socks for every need, and they even have a quick questionnaire so you can find the right fit for you. VITALS RRP Eco Run Tab Socks $39.95 AUD RRP Run Reflective Quarter Socks $49.95 AUD WRIGHTSOCK.COM.AU / WRIGHTSOCK.CO.NZ

Q&A

Image: Julien RaIson.

ISSUE 50 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

BECOMING

Kilian Jornet

A Q&A WITH TRAIL RUNNING’S G.O.A.T HE IS ARGUABLY TRAIL RUNNING’S GREATEST OF ALL TIME. KILIAN JORNET BURGADA IS A SPANISH PRO SKY RUNNER, TRAIL RUNNER, SKI MOUNTAINEER, ULTRA RUNNER AND EXPLORER OF ALL THINGS OUTDOORS. DOMINANT IN THE SPORT OF RUNNING SINCE 2007, KILIAN’S LIST OF PRESTIGIOUS WINS AND TITLES IS LONGER THAN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE. HE’S ALSO SUMMITED MOUNT EVEREST TWICE, BECAUSE WHY NOT?! EDITOR KATE DZIENIS TOGETHER WITH GUEST INTERVIEWER SIMON POLI, AN AVID TRAIL RUNNER WHO HIMSELF HAS ACHIEVED INCREDIBLE RESULTS IN THE WORLD OF RACING, WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH KILIAN TO SEE WHAT HE’S DOING NOW WITH HIS NEW BRAND NNORMAL AND HOW LIFE IN NORWAY WITH HIS FAMILY IS TREATING HIM. Q&A: KATE DZIENIS & SIMON POLI IMAGES: DAVID ARINO, JULIEN RAISON, NICK DANIELSON

Q&A BECOMING KILIAN JORNET

Image: Thomas Le Provost/Golgotha Agency.

TRM: After living in Norway now for so long, do you ever think about how life would be different if you had continued on a professional skiing mountaineering path?

KJ: Honestly, it’s difficult to say how my career might have shifted if circumstances were different. I’ve always seen skiing, mountaineering and trail running not just as sports, but as complementary activities of a lifestyle connected to the mountains. My journey in both disciplines has been less about pursuing goals and more about the connection I feel with nature. Being able to train in Norway’s stunning landscapes has been a privilege. This place has been a constant source of inspiration and a perfect setting for both trail running and skiing mountaineering. TRM: You have been labelled as arguably the G.O.A.T of trail running. Does this label add extra pressure when you compete knowing that everyone expects you to win? How do you best handle that pressure?

KJ: Honestly, I’ve never been one to chase after labels or titles. My focus has always been on pushing my own limits and exploring what’s possible. I believe in being the best version of myself, both as an athlete and as a person who deeply 36

respects and loves the mountains. When it comes to pressure, it’s true that in the early days of my career, feeling the weight of expectations could be challenging. What used to feel like pressure when I was younger has transformed into something more akin to nerves—a kind of anticipatory energy that heightens my focus and keeps me grounded in the moment. These nerves are important; they remind me that what I’m doing still matters deeply to me, that I’m still passionate. TRM: Does having that label influence what events you compete in?

KJ: I don’t think so. It’s about embracing the experience, staying connected with my surroundings, and remembering why I fell in love with each trail running race. TRM: You seem to be able to back up race after race and do so successfully, what does an average week of training look like for you and do you ever have weeks where you just think about not training? KJ: My training routines are totally based on how I feel in each moment. There’s no objective rather than the training itself, and that’s how I try to improve every day. My goal has always been to enjoy the process, to explore myself and my inner limits. Competitive results are a part of

this, which makes you push yourself even more. In the end, competing is the perfect excuse for athletes to train harder. TRM: What is your go to nutrition and does it ever just go wrong?

KJ: I focus on a balanced diet ensuring I get a variety of nutrients to support my training and recovery. I also pay attention to hydration, especially before and during long runs. Nutrition during ultras can be unpredictable. What works in training doesn’t always translate perfectly to race day due to various factors…when things go wrong, it’s about adapting. TRM: When not running events you have a habit of doing something that most mortals just think wow! I.e. Mt Everest Climb, 7 Peaks of Romsdal, Vertical KM, etc. How do you decide on what or where you want to challenge yourself?

KJ: There is no special way of deciding, usually they come across by reading about them or just imagining if some routes or adventures could be possible. 7 Peaks of Romsdal is a project that I always had in mind. It’s just a matter of finding the moment and conditions where I’m able to fit these kinds of activities into my training. It's also about the connection I feel with the place and the story behind

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Image: Nick Danielson.

Q&A BECOMING KILIAN JORNET

every adventure. For instance, I wanted to tackle the Bob Graham Challenge because of the history of fell running and to better understand and connect with a community and a history. In any case, there’s a deep respect for the mountains and the natural environment in every challenge I take on. TRM: Having a very successful career with one of the world’s major trail/ skiing brands in Salomon, what and when was the moment you decided to start NNormal?

KJ: I’ve always been obsessed with gear. When I was just a kid I spent a lot of time imagining how my perfect running shoes would be, and then drawing them on my notebooks. Having the opportunity to conceive a project like this is something unique and I’m super excited to have started a partnership with Camper one year ago. We met with the Camper team as we had friends in common, and we started talking and realised we were sharing the same philosophy and vision and we thought we were the right partners. We agreed that we needed a new way of thinking and acting in relation to our environment and outdoor activities, so sharing these values was the most important reason to start working together and launch NNormal. TRM: Are you and the NNormal team surprised by the quick success of the brand and where it’s currently positioned in the trail running world?

KJ: The feedback that we are getting is very good and we are very happy for that. However, we know we need to keep working and putting all our effort into our commitment. Some customers have proudly told us how many kilometres they have run with the same pair of Kjerag without losing functionality. Seeing that our shoes resist kilometres and kilometres is undoubtedly the most satisfying, since this is the main purpose for which they were designed, and it motivates us to continue working on developing our products while trying to change the game rules in the trail running gear industry. TRM: The NNormal Project is an amazing success which I would put down to your name and attitude being a major factor, do you think this will encourage other brands to really focus on a sustainable sport instead of focusing on high turnover and mass producing gear?

KJ: We have always wanted NNormal to be more than a company, a tool that creates a positive impact. One of the company’s missions is to change the rules of the game in the industry, promoting the circular 38

economy and avoiding overconsumption. If that serves as an example for other companies or contributes to the transformation of the economy, we are more than satisfied and will undoubtedly continue to strive towards that. TRM: With the values of Nnormal focused on reducing the impact on the environment, whether it be through education in the running communities, reusable and recyclable gear or always reviewing production practices, we wanted to ask about events. What approach is Nnormal taking towards running events?

KJ: We knew that running events would be something challenging for NNormal, since there is an environmental impact associated with them. Our approach is to address these issues head-on, while also being realistic about the practicalities of hosting and participating in events. Firstly, in terms of gear, we emphasise the importance of durability and repairability. We encourage people to use gear that lasts longer, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Our products are designed with this ethos, ensuring they are not just environmentally friendly but also durable and practical. Travel is another significant aspect. While it’s challenging to completely eliminate travel for events, we advocate for more local and regional races to reduce the need for long-distance travel. We aim to have a presence in the running community to spread our message, but we want to do so responsibly. We try to stay true to our values and we believe that by leading by example, we can collectively work towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly running events. TRM: Most running couples with kids have to flip a coin to decide who gets to compete in an event, is there a similar decision making process with you and Emelie?

Balancing family and competitive running is indeed a significant aspect of our lives, but Emelie and I have been fortunate in managing this balance quite harmoniously. It’s a team effort, anda this support system allows both Emelie and I to train and compete without compromising on our family time. It’s about finding that equilibrium where our love for our family and our passion for nature complement each other. Besides, we love to explore and enjoy nature with our girls as well. FIRST IMAGE: JULIEN RAISON. SECOND AND THIRD IMAGE: Nick Danielson. FOURTH IMAGE: Jaime de Diego.

See the light at:

AU: 02 9966 9800 sales@spelean.com.au www.spelean.com.au NZ: 03 434 9535 sales@spelean.co.nz www.spelean.co.nz

You’re passionate about the outdoors. You get outside regardless of conditions, in any season, night or day. A bright, powerful, and reliable headlamp will help you get the most out of every experience, like on this trail run. Versatile by nature, SWIFT® RL is the headlamp you’ll reach for on every adventure.

FEATURE

‘LIVING LIFE BIG IN THE BODY I HAVE’ WORDS: SAMANTHA TURNBULL IMAGES: TEMPUS MEDIA, RAT RACE ADVENTURE SPORTS

HIGH LEVEL ENDURANCE ATHLETES, AKA ULTRA AND TRAIL RUNNERS, COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, AND WHAT’S EVEN BETTER IS THAT NO MATTER YOUR BACKGROUND, OUR COMMUNITY WELCOMES EVERYONE WITH OPEN ARMS TO HELP GUIDE THEM INTO A LOVE OF THE SPORT. SAMANTHA TURNBULL TALKS TO ULTRA RUNNER CATH WALLIS WHO IS BREAKING THE STEREOTYPE OF WHAT A RUNNER LOOKS LIKE, AND WHO SAYS SHE HOPES TO INSPIRE OTHERS WHO MAY NOT FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A PLACE IN ON THE TRAILS. Cath Wallis looked at the form blankly. It was one of those ‘get-to-know-yourcolleagues’ questionnaires. The ‘hobbies’ section had her stumped.

She saw an advertisement for the Canberra 100 – a trail run through the hills, parks and bush of Australia’s capital city. ‘

“I realised I had none,” she says.

That’s it, Cath thought. There was just one catch…the race was three months away and the longest distance Cath had runwalked previously was 5km.

“In the 20-plus years since I had finished school I had really focused on advancing in my career, and on my kids and all their activities. Beyond that I really had no idea who I was. I couldn’t even tell you what I liked to do anymore. It was like I was so busy, that I had lost myself.” The then 40-year-old Canberran mum-ofthree set out to fill the blank space on the form by finding a hobby and, in turn, herself. 40

“Yes, I went from nothing to 100km,” Cath laughs.

times and compared them to her walking pace, she figured she could do it. “The appeal was that it was non-technical – that if you could put one foot in front of the other, then you were doing it,” she says. “And I was attracted by generous cut-offs that seemed to suggest slow people like me were welcome to be there.”

“I was clueless! I remember about three weeks out, someone asked me who was crewing me and I didn’t even know what that was.”

The temperature soared to 36 degrees the day of the event and, at one point, Cath found herself lying on the ground in the shade on the side of the trail thinking she couldn’t possibly continue.

But when Cath checked the event cut-off

“When it gets really hard that little voice

ISSUE 50 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

starts saying, You’re not good enough… why did you think you could do this?” she says. “You just have to find a way to make that voice stop and I’m pretty damn stubborn.” Cath picked herself up and made it across the finish line, eight minutes before the cut-off and with a new hobby well and truly ticked off. Seven years later, Cath has travelled all over the world competing in ultra marathons and smashing stereotypes about what an ultra runner ‘should’ be. Cath is a self-described ‘bigger’ woman who is determined to ‘live life big’ in the body she has. “I am fat, and there is nothing graceful about my style,” Cath says. “These days I consider myself a body neutral advocate – that is, what I care about is not what my body looks like but what my body can do. I’m focused on getting stronger legs and a strong core, and I’m working a lot at the moment on balance and flexibility. “I know that I could move faster if I was lighter, of course I could, but that is not the body I have right now, and I’m not going to wait around and miss out on wonderful trail events in the hope that one day my body will be look leaner.”

Cath is also a proud back-of-the-pack athlete and she knows what it feels like to come in last, but says placings are not important to her. “I am in awe of the fast people, but my personal goal is completion,” she says. “I want to be clear that being a back-ofthe-packer does not hold anyone up,” she says. “I have definitely heard that back-of-thepackers are not serious enough – even occasionally that we don’t deserve our medals because someone faster ‘could have done my time without any training.’ “There is room for us all to be proud of what we achieved. The event medal signifies the completion of a physical and mental challenge, and anyone who has completed the course within the rules of the event has taken on that challenge and is deserving.” Cath has also become comfortable with the acronym many ultra-runners dread: DNF. While competing in the multi-day Oman Desert Marathon, Cath began suffering from heat-related health issues on day three. “I was stumbling on the course and the medical staff pulled me from the event,” she says. “I remember being so angry with myself,

OPPOSITE: Cath in Exuma. TOP LEFT: Cath in DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, IMAGE BY RAT RACE ADVENTURE SPORTS. TOP RIGHT: CATH DOING THE Simpson Desert Ultra , IMAGE BY TEMPUS MEDIA.

FEATURE ‘LIVING LIFE BIG IN THE BODY I HAVE’

with my body for failing me. I was running over and over in my mind all my training and preparation and picking apart how I could have done better. And crying. A lot.” A crew member took the crestfallen Cath sightseeing to distract her from her disappointment, and it gave her a new sense of perspective. “We fed his camels and drank tea and I realised that, yes, I had DNFd, but the whole experience was what mattered,” she says. “That experience was wonderful. It changed my whole view on success and failure.” Cath’s current attitude represents a huge transformation from the way she approached life as a younger person. “My parents tried really hard to give us lots of opportunities: swimming, hockey, netball, cricket but I was terrible at all of them,” she says. “At the same time I was really good at school work, and so I opted out of sport in favour of what I was good at. Back then it never occurred to me that you didn’t have 42

to excel at something to enjoy it.” Now, Cath complements her own ultra running with motivating others to join her. “After recognising what trail running had done for me personally, and once I started sharing my story, I was being contacted by a lot of people telling me they were not brave enough to do what I do,” she says. Cath became an accredited coach and started a business, Adventure Without Boundaries, taking teams of mostly women to ultra events everywhere from Mongolia to outback Queensland. “I choose an event that I know ticks all the boxes for natural beauty, friendliness and is a challenge but achievable,” she says. “Then I select and train a team to go to that event. It’s a wrap-around concept that provides support, friendship and training.” Cath and one her teams even featured in a short documentary film titled Normal People Would Drive with support from the Queensland government, Tempus Media and the Simpson Desert Ultra. “I love that I am out there living my life

and I am not waiting around for some day in the future when I might be faster or stronger,” Cath says. Her advice for other would-be runners, or athletes looking for their next challenge, is to dream big but realistically. “I have a really clear process that I follow when I pick an event,” she says. “First I get really clear on what I need to be able to do to complete the event. Then I go out and test my current ability to get honest about my start point. Next, I do up a training plan to get from where I am, to where I need to be. Stick it somewhere prominent and tell everyone! “Finally I enrol people to help me – whether that’s coming to training with me, taking care of kids so I can train, or calling me to check I went training.” Cath says her other advice is not to procrastinate or wait for a time down the track when you think you’ll be faster or thinner or more worthy. Cath also says her most memorable ultra moment was in Namibia, when a message in the sand revealed what she had come to

love most about her new hobby. “I had really been struggling with the enormous dunes and had had a bit of a cry about whether I could make it,” she says. “Then I passed this flat section of sand and one of the faster runners had written ‘Keep going Cath’ in the sand. “Ultras are a fantastic vehicle to show people what is possible when they have the courage to try something big and scary. Every single participant comes away changed, with new friends and a new sense of self. “And that means so much to me.”

Cath’s documentary Normal People Would Drive (directed by Olivia Holt and Patrick Wood) was made in 2021 and can be viewed on the Adventure Plus streaming service by going to adventureplus.com OPPOSITE: CATH IN MONGOLIA. IMAGES BY RAT RACE ADVENTURE SPORTS. ABOVE: Simpson Desert Ultra.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Samantha Turnbull has been a journalist/writer for 20+ years, but only started running (well, shuffling) in 2019. She’s a self-described slowpoke, but loves the camaraderie of trail events and the feeling of fierceness as she crosses the finish line after a very long race. Her fave trail is the Motatapu in NZ.

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Motion HOME IN

ERIKA LORI’S SHARED ADVENTURE ON THE BIBBULMUN

AFTER RUNNING 1,002KM ALONG THE BIBBULMUN TRACK IN LATE 2021, ERIKA LORI SMASHED THE TRAIL’S RECORD, SET BY SHANE JOHNSTONE, BY HALF A DAY. RUNNING FROM ALBANY TO KALAMUNDA IN JUST OVER 10 DAYS, SHE SAVOURED EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY, AND DESPITE FACING SOME UNPREDICTABLE CHALLENGES – INCLUDING A MEDICAL CONCERN – SECURED HERSELF AN FKT. KATE DZIENIS SAT DOWN WITH ERIKA TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND FIND OUT NOT ONLY WANT WENT WRONG, BUT WHAT WENT RIGHT. WORDS: KATE DZIENIS IMAGES: NOÉKO The Bibbulmun. Western Australia’s trail of self-discovery, solace and reflection along 1,002km from Kalamunda in the east of Perth all the way down to Albany. People from all over have been known to walk parts of it on weekend getaways, and even more people have filled their backpacks to the rim and hiked either north to south, or south to north – whichever tickles their fancy at the time. Few have run the majority of it.

According to fastestknowntime.com, Bernadette Benson was the fastest female to have completed the distance in November, 2011 in a total of 15d 9h 48m 0s whilst Shane Johnstone of Transcend Trails fame held the record for fastest male in April 208 with 11d 7hr 8m 0s. Enter West Aussie Erika Lori, 34, who in October 2021 smashed those records and did it all in 10d 17hr 57m 0s as an official supported FKT (from Albany and working her way north to Kalamunda). A runner who thrives on multi-day runs, Erika took to the Bibbulmun like a fish to

water with her history of the sport (cross country and triathlons) coming from primary and high school. “I did the Larapinta Stage Run with Rapid Ascent in April 2021 and realised how fun it was with all the community, especially bunkering down at the end of every stage,” she recalls. “Stage running, running over multiple days, ended up being so incredibly fun for me…later I had an eye operation and couldn’t run for two weeks so spent time online looking for the next adventure that could give me a trail over a number of days. The Bibbulmun popped up, and saw Shane’s name pop up so once I’d decided that that would be the one I’d go for, I sat down with him to find out his logistics… essentially how he did it. “I didn’t want to take the fun out of the adventure, so when my brother suggested I could do it in just over 10 days, I was a bit hesitant to look at it that way. With me doing the Bibbulmun, and having doing it as a non-race, I really liked the idea of my family and friends helping me, meeting me at certain points, pacing me, and

basically making it all my own. This was what got me so much more excited.” Erika’s training, pre-Bibbulmun, had been neither here nor there – always just sticking to what she felt like with her own made plan and doing four or five days when she felt like it. She admits she hadn’t gone out to explore WA trails prior to the Bibbulmun, so her training incorporated hitting local bush tracks to prepare for the adventure. “It was so much fun in the lead up. Shane was training for a 200mi, which was actually a week before I headed out, so I had lots of company on the trails with him and his crew,” she explains. When it came to the logistics of having everything she needed at each meet-up point with her crew, Erika explains she was grateful for her family as they always have her best interests in mind. “I was so fortunate that my dad organised every ‘aid station’ – he’s great at making spreadsheets, he even made a map with pin-drop locations of where the meet-up points would be, allocating spots with 47

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names, all of that,” she explains. By Day 2, Erika had successfully done 182km, and her dad had revealed to her that there was more concern for her pacers and support crew as they tried to keep up with her, than there was for Erika (avg 5:30 min/km – 6:11 min/km). But then the concerns came for Erika after day 7 when she, along with her crew, noticed facial swelling, which progressively got worse as it moved down to her legs throughout the day. Erika’s sister Andrea (who just so happens to be a doctor) indicated worry for her adventurous sibling because of a chance of renal failure due to muscle breakdown, and with 3 more days to go, the risk was real. However Erika being Erika, continued with setting her sights on the finish whilst Shane (who was a part of her support crew and paced her as her coach) ensured nutrition was priority to prevent dizzy spells and fatigue. “Nutrition-wise, the first few days were quite good,” Erika explains. “I’ve never been able to properly eat large amounts, I’m a bit of a snacker, so I knew I’d be facing a challenge in that respect. On Day 3 I had a bit of an upset tummy, and then I started to go into a bit of a deficit which is when I attempted to claw it back up. Towards the middle and the

end, that’s when I could eat a lot on the trail, like cheeseburgers and sausage rolls, so my body eventually adapted but went through the swelling response.” There were a few theories about Erika’s swelling, including not having enough protein and the body’s physiological response to stress, and even when she went to hospital the day after finishing, she was told by specialists that everything was normal and all the fluid retained in her body would find its way out through sweat or urine. Recovery post-Bibbulmun was a different story, and Erika remembers attempting going for a run about a month later, but her quads giving up on her while hitting a downhill and not being able to control her legs. It took another month or two before she started feeling well enough to do proper runs, and now is back in full swing again, even having done the UTMB 100km in Chamonix, France last year (2023). The Finish

Erika finished her Bibbulmun adventure in just over 10 days, and remembers the moment exactly as it was. “Finishing was so surreal,” she recalls remembers. “I remember walking up the trail and thinking wow, I’d made it. It did take a while to sink in, but everyone was

there at the finish and there smiles every which way I turned. “I was just happy to stop moving, to be honest, so there wasn’t anything I did straight away that I wanted to do like eat all the food or sleep. It was that feeling of, ‘I get to stop!’ that did it for me – but in the most happiest, most proud way possible.” A documentary about Erika’s Bibbulmun FKT, titled ‘The Bibbulmun: A Shared Adventure’, was featured in the 2023 RunNation Film Festival.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Kate Dzienis is your TRM editor, and thrives on the combination of trail running and good wholefoods. With the majority of her time spent editing, writing and corralling her children, when she does get out into the wilderness it’s all about mindful running and taking in the view from the top with a container of cold berries.

ADVERTORIAL WORDS: JOSEPH DORPH

10 YEARS OF THE BUFFALO STAMPEDE Come on a journey and reminisce about the successful decade-long Buffalo Stampede at Mount Buffalo, Victoria – where runners are morphed into superhumans.

It was back in 2014 when Sean and Mel from Mountain Sports launched the inaugural Buffalo Stampede Festival, with a vision to create a gnarly trail race with enough vertical gain per kilometre to be granted the title of Australia’s first sanctioned skyrunning race. So why Bright? Marcus Warner, thenPresident of SkyRunning Australia, was looking for ‘extreme altitude, extreme trail and some of the steepest hills.’ Sean and Mel recognised the location as ticking all the boxes required to create (in Sean’s words) “…the most extreme mountain run in Australia,” because as far as mountain towns in Australia went, Bright was – and still is – the pick of the bunch, with a 360 degree web of trails stretching from its heart in Mt Buffalo to Mount Bogong and the Alpine Park. In the early days, the race managed to 50

draw big international attention with names like Dakota Jones, Landie Greyling and Tom Owens. Dakota famously won the inaugural edition of the 75k Ultra with a time of 7:48 that would never come close to being touched. In his post-race interview, Dakota notably said, “As far as vertical and difficulty per kilometre, it was one of the hardest I’ve ever done.” That meant a lot coming from the man who had beaten Kilian Jornet at Transvulcania just two years earlier. The stakes were high in Year 1 for the Aussie runners with the first Australian guaranteed entry to the World Skyrunning Championships in Chamonix, France. This brought an exciting field headed by Jacinta Travena for the ladies, who claimed victory in 10:48, and Blake Hose and Ben Duffus, two very young talented names destined for a bright future. Their

battle would go down in history as they traded places in second and third only 20 mins behind Dakota most of the day. That was until both of them ended up DNF, with Blake even deciding to take a nap in Baker’s Gully Creek just 7km from the finish. The race fuelled the growth of the sport of trail running in the country, with many new trail races entering the scene, and often each race was trying to be harder or steeper than the next. The Stampede went a little stagnant, always recognised as a hardcore mountain race, but sometimes overlooked. 2020 saw the cancellation of the race just a couple of weeks before due to the pandemic. The future of the Stampede, much like every event, was very much in doubt. 2021 saw the return, with a new face. SingleTrack Events, a new company

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gotten better, with the SkyMarathon now taking in more of the trails on the Mount Buffalo Plateau and the SkyRun 20k now incorporating a more diverse mix of trails, from steep climbs, flowy downs, MTB singles and rocky technical trails.

established by three friends and endurance sports lovers Colin Taylor, Luke and Nigel Preston. Their knowledge of event management was deep and since 2019 numbers of runners have been rocket fuelled from circa 400 in 2019 to 1800 in 2023. The new mission of the race – to make trail running for everybody! 2022 saw the evolution of the courses with me, Joseph Dorph, local to the area, coming on board to design a new suite of courses that would showcase more trails. The new cornerstone of the festival would be a race which would embrace everything Mount Buffalo has to offer. To run competitors to the highest peak on the Plateau, the Horn (1723 m asl) from Bright and then return, not the same way, but along a different route so runners could achieve more of a sense of journey.

This worked out to be a beautiful round number of 100km, and so the Bright Ultra 100k was born. 2024 will once again see the Buffalo Stampede in a new light. The transition of the event trailhead from Bright Brewery to The Pavilion at Pioneer Park. It’s the 10th Year of this race and the 10th edition, and so SingleTrack believe now is the right time to nail the finishing touches and find the Buffalo Stampede its forever home. Last year, the race was full to the brim at its beloved Brewery site, and with unknown future plans for the block, the move to a bigger, better, more dynamic site of Pioneer Park is a must. The courses have slightly changed to accommodate the move, and also accommodate the massive fields projected for the 2024 Festival. The good news is they have only

Jacinta Travena won the inaugural 75k race and has since fallen in love, moved to Bright from Melbourne, had two gorgeous girls and is now, 10 years later, considering her comeback. The goal? Complete the very popular Buffalo Stampede Grand Slam 72k in a total elapsed time of less than her winning time in 2014 of 10:48. It’s stories like these which make this beautiful sport of ours go round. They may at times be trivial, or seem silly to the outsider, but in a sport that can be a part of your life for 50 years or more, what matters to one person won’t matter to another, and it’s a great example of finding your meaning in the sport. This is the one thing that SingleTrack now defines as the future of the event. It’s about people from all walks of life getting together to run with nature, and share their journey. Consider running the Stampede yourself in 2024 and join what will be the trail party of the Year. Pursue your goals and Find Your Epic! 51

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SO WHAT’S NEXT? TRAIL RUNNING, OF COURSE! FROM TRIATHLONS TO SURFING, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, ATHLETES FROM COMPETITIVE SPORTS ACROSS THE GLOBE ARE TURNING TO, AND FINDING THE BENEFITS, OF TRAIL RUNNING IN A BID TO EITHER COMPLEMENT THEIR TRAINING OR TO MOVE ACROSS ENTIRELY. KATE DZIENIS SPOKE TO NOOSA ULTRA TRAIL’S NICK STEWART AS WELL AS 2022 LONGBOARD WORLD TITLE CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER HARRISON ROACH TO FIND OUT WHY TRAIL RUNNING HAS STARTED TO BUMP ATHLETES OVER TO THE ‘DARKSIDE’. WORDS: KATE DZIENIS IMAGES: HUNTER VERCOE, FINISHERPIX

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FEATURE SO WHAT’S NEXT? TRAIL RUNNING, OF COURSE!

When you find a sport you love, and that sport is something you are uniquely amazing at, it’s only natural that you would take the bull by the horns and turn your hobby into either a career or at the very least, a financially supported ‘side hustle’ aka a sponsored athlete who also works full time in their field of choice.

If you’ve ever trained for a trail race, you’ll know how much time and effort goes into preparing for the event – from scheduled hours to get time-on-feet and testing out new gear, to changing your nutrition for optimum performance. Athletes from other sports do the exact same thing, that’s nothing new. But what many have recently started doing is using trail running as a form of cross training for their other chosen sport – and are absolutely loving it. We’ve all known of a basketballer or footy player who goes out for morning runs in the suburbs, getting their cardio in and getting ready for the day. But others, like Harrison Roach, have taken to the trails and started taking it further by not only using it as cross training, but as a form of enjoyment and, lo and behold, way to challenge themselves and aim for a goal – like a race. Because athletes, by nature, are competitive. Does the name Harrison Roach sound familiar? He’s a professional surfer, having won the 2022 Longboard World Title Championship, and his home territory is

Queensland – where the natural wonders of beautiful terrain lay claim to trails, and where runners take solace in the landscape. For Harrison, surfing has always been an individual pursuit and a lifestyle choice having enjoyed the solace and time alone that can be found in the ocean, but in the last five years it’s become a lot busier in the water and he explains that in that time he’s been keen to expand his horizons. “I’ve always been a runner, but trail running in itself is something I’ve just recently started to explore and have done a couple organised events, like Noosa Ultra-Trail,” he reveals. “It’s great as a form of exercise, which surfing has always been, but with it being more busy in the water I wasn’t get as much exercise like catching a lot of waves I suppose. But I’ve also got a dog, and there’s beautiful state forest near where I live, so I began running through there with her and it became addictive, which I hear is a ‘thing’. “The similarities between surfing and trail running is that a lot of people do it for no other reason than for themselves; I’m not overly familiar with the competitive aspect of trail running, but that’s what I’ve noticed – the solace (not all the time though!), the time to be out in nature, and to enjoy it.” Noosa Ultra Trail’s Nick Stewart reveals that trail events have been attracting a variety of people from all sorts of sports,

including triathlon and water-based activities. As well as welcoming Harrison to the fold at the most recent Noosa Ultra-Trail, Nick says others are falling in love with the sport and using it as a part of their training or as part of a transition. “We’ve had some incredible cross-over athletes compete at Noosa Ultra-Trail last year, including Mel Hauschildt (2x IRONMAN 70.3 World Championhip winner and ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships winner), Pete Jacobs (2012 IRONMAN World Championship winner), ex-pro triathlete Beth McKenzie, Harrison Roach as mentioned, and even celebrities like chef Mat Golinski, from Ready Steady Cook,” he says. “This year, for 2024, we’re also attracting track and field athletes – we have Clara Smith who is a champion race walker registered, and that’s so incredibly exciting. “Our location in Queensland opens up the door for more people to experience the beauty of trail running, and it’s wonderful to see athletes from other disciplines accepting the advantages and benefits of another sport. OPENING IMAGE: harrison roach HANGING 10, IMAGE BY hunter vercoE. OPPOSITE: Pro surfer Harrison Roach about to cross the finish at Noosa Ultra-Trail THIS PAGE: Three-time IRONMAN World Championship winner Mel Hauschildt at Noosa Ultra-Trail; HARRISON ROACH WITH HIS DOG, IMAGE BY HUNTER VERCOE.

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FEATURE SO WHAT’S NEXT? TRAIL RUNNING, OF COURSE!

“As we see races cater to those who aren’t necessarily looking for high technical trails, we’re witnessing entry levels increase and our sport gaining popularity. I think there’s a natural progression from track, road, triathlete, adventure sports to now come and see trail running, and that’s something we’re pushing hard and we’ve seen a great take-up.” Noosa Ultra-Trail puts a quick survey on their registrations forms asking what participants saw themselves as – about half of the event’s entrants over the years come from a road running background, and one-fifth are triathletes/multi-sports. “It won’t surprise me if in a year or two or five, we hear that a former Olympic marathoner or a former multisport world athlete crosses over to trail running and takes out UTMB or Western States,” Nick says. “Many athletes cross over to other disciplines at the end of their career to extend their careers and try something 56

different, and as Craig Alexander (3-time IRONMAN World Champion, 2-time IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion and 12-time Australian Champion) once said to me – they would train on trails, and it always offered a different perspective on preparing their bodies.” All trail runners are advocates for our amazing sport, so keep telling your friends and your family about how crazy we are (in a good way!) because there is still so much growth to be seen, and with people like Harrison Roach, Mel Hauschildt and Craig Alexander helping showcase how exhilarating it is, we can only see more adventures come our way. CLOCKWISE: Australian celebrity chef Mat Golinski has taken to the trails too; IRONMAN World Champion and Australian Champion Craig Alexander takes 2nd in the Men's 25km at Noosa Ultra-Trail; IRONMAN World Champion Craig Alexander tackles the Noosa Ultra-Trail course in 2023; Noosa Ultra-Trail has caught the attention of athletes from other sports, including pro surfer Harrison Roach

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EVERY DAY, IT GETS

Better

MOMENTUM. TRAIL RUNNING IS ALL ABOUT THE MOMENTUM, ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AND GETTING FROM A TO B (UNLESS OF COURSE YOU’RE DOING A BACKYARD ULTRA OR LOOPED RACE), AND WE CAN USE THIS AS A METAPHOR FOR HOW THE SPORT IS TICKING ALONG FOR FEMALE RUNNERS ACROSS THE TASMAN – AND INDEED, ACROSS THE GLOBE. SOPHIE GERAGHTY DELVES INTO THE FACT THAT TRAIL RUNNING HAS UNLOCKED SOMETHING DEEP IN FEMALE RUNNERS, AND RESEARCHES NOT ONLY WHAT THE SPORT HAS DONE TO MAKE IT MORE ACCOMMODATING, BUT ALSO WHAT CAN BE LOOKED AT AND CHANGED. CONTENT NOTE TRM respects and promotes the acceptance and value of all people, and where possible uses inclusive language and makes no assumptions about the beliefs or commitments of any reader. We acknowledge this article refers to female runners – tying in with events that include female and male results, and the majority of participants within these events. However we strongly recognise inclusivity and support that this piece may also refer to people who were assigned female at birth and who identify as women.

WORDS: SOPHIE GERAGHTY It’s no secret that the world of trail running has unlocked something in female runners.

I’m not talking about the elite, powerhouses of the running world. I’m talking women, like me, who have found something in themselves that is lit on fire by being surrounded by trees, rocks and country. By reading this, I know you’re a trail runner, so you know the feeling of runners’ high – of course, these feelings are not limited to female runners, but I would argue that the butterfly effect of these feelings are where the power, and the change, lies for women.

Let me preface this entire article by saying this is not a literary bashing of male trail runners. It’s not about citing the history of every time women have experienced disadvantage or inequality. This is about momentum. Women are different. We have different needs and by having a conversation, we step towards change. Accepting these needs and the barriers to entry in trail running allows first, conversation and ultimately, increased participation and improved experience in the world of trails. Trail running is an opportunity to lace up, switch off and get down and dirty with challenging terrains and breathtaking 59

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landscapes. It’s a privilege and something we should all be grateful for, and in recent years, the sport has seen a significant surge in female participation. For women who are newer to running, trails can feel like an intimidating step. Without diving into the history of women and inequality, let’s simply agree women have had it tougher than men. Trail running has become a tool to overcome this, a channel for social and personal change. It’s incredible to see the journey of a female runner who started with a goal of parkrun, or as a way to clear the mind after work; how that escalates to setting goals they never even dreamt of. Women are excellent sharers so our love of running spreads quickly amongst groups of friends with the understanding that trails are generally slower and we can hike the hills, giving trail running a reputation of accessibility and making it less intimidating. The completion of a conscious, quantitative goal like running a marathon has a subtle, subconscious effect on other aspects of our lives. Maybe I could apply for that job, start my own business, change this relationship, etc. The impact the beauty and inspiration of the trails has on us, bleeds into other aspects of our lives. 60

This sense of self-discovery for a female runner is bold and empowering. The most powerful influence, I believe, is women inspiring women. After decades of inequality in sport, women are seeing a shift. Monkey see, monkey do; if we are able to see women in sport, we will be women in sport. If we want our young girls to be strong, courageous women, they need to see strong, courageous women. If we want our boys to encourage confidence and power in women, they need to see confident, powerful women. Trail running is a sport that lends itself to physical longevity. With better media coverage of female athletes, we get to watch women in our own age brackets compete, win, lose, cry and celebrate – from our very own Lucy Bartholomew or Lou Clifton, to Sally McRae, Courtney Dauwalter or Camille Heron. Irrespective of their placings on race day, the connection we feel to these athletes keeps us inspired by and maybe slightly fearful, but these women are groundbreaking. So that’s the great stuff, all the main bits we love. But what about the areas that need a little work? Unequal Representation: Event

organisations and race directors are strongly catching on to the fact that trail running is gaining more momentum with women. Matt and Meg from GSER are strong advocates of women on trails and coined the hashtag #womenofgser to promote their initiative in a bid to increase female participation. Equally, Six Foot Track has changed its lottery to ensure a 50/50 split between male and female applicants drawn for their 2024 race. Imposter syndrome is real for many female runners, so to have races actively working towards helping women feel included and like they have every right to be there is an excellent step forward. Safety Concerns: Heading out on the trails by yourself, or night running, is a real barrier for female runners. History shows us that they are at risk of being harassed, attacked or worse, and that’s a hard one to overcome. Everyone has the right to feel safe which makes it heartbreaking to hear that someone is limiting themselves out of fear. There are tracking apps and pocketsized safety devices available, but I think the solution here is power in numbers. Groups like Running Mums Australia

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create networks of like-minded women in communities who train together. Ladies, don’t ever let fear stop you from doing something you love. Be safe, yes, but never let fear get in your way. The remoteness or feeling of isolation can also be a barrier, especially in Australia with safety concerns around getting lost. Mapping apps like Avenza or Gaia, or having the course on your watch is a massive confidence booster. Trackers like Life360 allow family/friends to track you. As far as the bitey-sticks, nope-ropes and danger-noodles, always run with a compression bandage and know how to use it. Knowledge is power, you’ll be amazed how much that will change things in your mind. Time: In multiple studies, female runners have citied a delay in taking up running to later in life due to prioritising family. Sleep deprivation, juggling work and home life, dealing with sick children, extra-curricular activity taxi service, its all-consuming. Community and support is everything and many mums will attest to how much they lean on their friends to take turns with getting out for a run. Gear and Apparel: From shoes and socks, to vests and sports bras, the list is of things we struggle to find the right fit for, is endless. Individual proportions vary more than for men and whilst the businesses developing women-specific apparel and accessories is rising, sizing mainly focuses on averages. As someone who is petite, I have struggled to find a wellfitting hydration vest where as others are challenged with a larger chest size. Greater options and room for customisation or modification is ideal. Menstruation: Yup, periods. These days, society seems to be letting go of the taboo nature of this subject. There will always be women running whilst on their periods. Not only can this have an impact on performance due to hormonal changes, but the logistics and operational nature of having a period on race day is an absolute nightmare. This year I got my period during a miler. I knew beforehand that it was likely to happen, so I was prepared with tampons in my dropbags and ran with a ‘period kit’ in my pack. Unfortunately, the event toilets at every aid station contained a urinal instead of a sink, so when my period hit at 130km, although I had somewhere to ‘take care of business’, I had no running water or soap to wash my

hands.

There’s clearly so much good, inspiration, positivity and support out there, but nothing is perfect and there is always room for conversation. Here are the 3 areas we can work on to improve trail running for women.

actively encouraging and supporting female participation. Initiatives such as women-only events and training camps, equal participation KPIs, mentorship programs and equal prize pools contributes to greater inclusivity. If you have a local event, encourage RDs to look at the support and services they provide their female participants. Promoting female inclusion, providing sanitary products and bins, more toilet facilities with running water or private areas to change are starting points. Give feedback to your events when they are missing these things.

Promote Diversity: Race organisers play a crucial role in promoting diversity by

Educating and Empowering: Educational initiatives focused on safety, navigation

This isn’t a criticism of race organisers specifically within this event, as this truly is a wider problem. On another hand, GSER gets 5 gold tampons for having sanitary products available at all their aid stations! Fostering An Inclusive Culture

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and gear selection can empower female trail runners to navigating the trails with confidence. Workshops and clinics led by experienced female trail runners provide valuable knowledge and foster a sense of community. Event companies, coaches or running stores hosting running groups or female running retreats helps build confidence and experience on the trails. Collaboration: Businesses must continue to collaborate with female athletes and explore diversity to develop gear and apparel that meet specific needs. By listening to the voices of female trail runners, and applying that in testing and R&D, these industries can contribute to a more equitable and enjoyable experience for women. The path of female trail runners is beginning to be carved out on the mountains and trails. As we carve our way into the rich culture of trail running, female runners and continue to overcome challenges and defy expectation. We bring a dynamic energy to the trails running community and by addressing the unique issues women face, we not only celebrate our differences to our male counterparts, we strengthen the community as a whole and make trail running a pioneer in the sports world. Most importantly, by celebrating the contributions of our female runners we ensure that the trails remain a space where all runners, regardless of gender, can find empowerment, camaraderie, and the joy of exploration. As the footprints of female trail runners leave their mark on the trails, they pave the way for an even more inclusive and inspiring future in the world of trail running.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Sophie Geraghty is a photographer and Level 2 Run Coach. When she’s not photographing ultra events, she’s running them herself and uses her superpower of endurance to photograph everything from weddings to luxury cars. Sophie loves to coach women exploring new distances, and she can found at sophiegeraghty.com.au or @ thedirtnapdiaries. 62

28TH, 29TH, 30TH JUNE 2024

CONTRIBUTION

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HIGH UP IN THE CLOUDS AT CRADLE

CRADLE MOUNTAIN IS ONE OF TASMANIA’S MOST POPULAR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS, WITH RECORDS OF UP TO 200,000 VISITORS PER YEAR. IT’S ALSO ONE OF THE MORE DANGEROUS TRAILS TO HIT GIVEN THE WEATHER CAN BE CHANGEABLE AND COMPLETELY UNPREDICTABLE, WITH SNOW, HEAT, SLEET, RAIN AND WIND BARRAGING THROUGH EVEN IN SUMMER MONTHS. KATE ALLMAN, AS CRAZY AS THEY COME, DECIDED TO TACKLE CRADLE MOUNTAIN’S ‘HIKE’ WITH HER HUSBAND NICK IN 2023; READ ON TO FIND OUT WHO WON THE MOUNTAIN V HUMAN RACE. WORDS: KATE ALLMAN IMAGES: NICK MCGANN, KATE ALLMAN It’s a special kind of crazy that sees a 12.8km return hike up one of Australia’s notoriously challenging mountain peaks and think, I can run that. Crazy, or just a trail runner. Sometimes the terms are interchangeable. Either way, when I read about the famous Cradle Mountain Summit hike in the wilds of northwest Tasmania, I knew exactly how I would tackle this ‘hike’. THE LOCATION Cradle Mountain is a legendary destination. A place where rugged bushland and rocky moors meet pristine lakes reflecting snow-covered mountain peaks. Wombats and pademelons (cute, nose-wrinkling wallabies) amble about the land apparently naïve to the threat humans posed in prenational parks eras. The unmistakable dipped crown of Cradle Mountain towers out of the wilderness in

Cradle Mountain-St Clair National Park. This is northwest Tasmania, a region where towns, roads and phone reception become sparse as you drive further through the winding farmland west of Launceston. Elevation slowly climbs past 1000m as we navigate around tight turns and undulating Tasmanian countryside. The peak tends to always be hidden by cloud – no matter the time of year, day or otherwise, and once we enter the mist, the foliage changes. From the lime greens of farmland there’s a transition to dense rainforest that could swallow a solo trail runner up. Driving into such foggy unknown yields trepidation. Naturally, it’s one of the first places any outdoor adventure-seekers plop on their map when jotting down bucket-list realms to visit in Australia. THE MISSION

We stay overnight at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, just beyond the base of the mountain. It’s located just outside the gate of the Cradle Mountain-St Clair NP where there is no accommodation other than camping. Even campers need to register their stays, so remote is the region. Most of the tent-carrying visitors make their way here for the famous Overland Track, a 65km, six-day hike known as one of the most difficult and dangerous in Australia. Rapid changes in weather at altitude so far from phone reception is the biggest risk. The guidebook mentions deaths but doesn’t go into any more detail. The Cradle Mountain Summit hike is the marquee section of the Overland Track. Tasmanian National Parks advise eight hours to make the return hike of the summit. Eight hours for just under 13km? Seems generous, was my thinking the night before. Maybe 1-2 hours, tops. More if we 65

FEATURE HIGH UP IN THE CLOUDS AT CRADLE

take extended breaks. To be sure, I log into the AllTrails running app to search for reviews by any runners who may have done the summit. A handful of users have run the trail in summer (December-February) and clearly survived to tell the tale, but I can’t find any from late May, a notoriously fickle month for weather. The mapped route climbs 600m in elevation and warns about large rocks to cross. It’s also rated ‘Grade 5 – very experienced bushwalkers with specialised skills, including navigation and emergency first aid’. No worries, we will pack plenty of snacks and water in our CamelBaks. A sandwich made from breakfast buffet bacon, fruit, muesli bars and some trail mix all squashed into the top pocket. HERE WE GO 66

My husband Nick and I layer on a variety of running clothes the morning of our run. It’s almost winter in Tas, and the evening temperatures drop close to zero. The forecast on the day was a top of 12°C with a smattering of incessant rain. It’s never totally cloudless, the receptionist at the lodge tells us. There’s always cloud over Cradle. A polar fleece headband, long running tights and socks that cover up the ankle and lower leg are the order of the day. My waterproof Asics running jacket layers over a long sleeve thermal and gloves. Trail running shoes with plenty of grip are crucial – the lack of sun here tells me the ground will be soft and the rocks up the top turn into little ice rinks when wet. Some of Cradle’s signature rain swooshes down at breakfast time but it holds off as we clamber into the shuttle bus to the

mountain. In single-digit temperatures such rain can feel like ice shards. There’s a group of hikers wearing thick thermal socks, long raincoats, indestructible-looking hiking boots, and huge turtle shell packs. They are tackling the Overland Track. They have a determined, though slightly anxious look out the windows as the bus trundles upward into the mist. All raise their eyebrows when Nick and I spring onto the aisle wearing our CamelBaks and slim line running outfits (Nick even went for shorts, he’s a madman). THE CLIMB We trot off around silent Dove Lake to begin our journey. The tread on my runners makes that familiar, heartening crunch I always associate with off-road running. From a slightly elevated vantage point, the view is stunning. Just below the

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mist and clear enough to see a reflection of the bowl of greenery surrounding the water, but it’s not long before the mountain interrupts our rhythm. First there’s a river crossing over wet rocks that have as much grip as bowling balls. Then the gradual incline ramps up and turns to irregular basalt stairs. We reach a section where vertical chains hang off a cliff. A prickly tree takes a swipe at me as I emerge. The nature of trail running is no one really cares about or checks on your pace – but if they were, it would be nothing to write home about. We are now officially in the clouds, at a place called Marion’s Lookout. Nothing but swirling fog surrounds us. There’s not much to look out at, but we decide to take a breather and munch on trail bars and some tangy Kiwi fruits. Marion’s Lookout is about 4km from the

car park and presents something of a point of no return. Beyond here, you run deep into a marshy tundra and then up the steepest pitches of the mountain. You won’t get another good viewpoint until the peak. Many day hikers are turning around when we arrive. “Weather is changing, it’s starting to rain and no views…we’re heading back,” one couple tells us. They, too, raise their eyebrows as we begin to jog off uphill. From Marion’s Lookout, it starts to drizzle and I’m glad for my waterproof jacket and gloves. We trot along boardwalks with chicken wire straddling them to stop us slipping. Now, running is both a necessity to keep warm and to finish our mission before the weather gets very bad. A bunch of hikers are sheltered in a hut at the base of the final climb to the summit. These Overland Track huts are nothing

more than a bunch of wooden boards knocked together with two platforms for sleeping and a small standing area. The hikers boil water on gas burners and pour over 2-minute noodles. They’re debating whether to call the six-day hike off, given the weather, and end their mission today in the carpark where we started. Nick and I are adamant. We came all this way – we’re not going to let a little rain dampen our spirits. So we set off for the final kilometre to the peak. THE SUMMIT The notoriously ‘large rocks’ that the guide book warned us about begin to crop up. I’m 177cm and many of those rocks are larger than me. We scrabble onwards and upwards. Using my hands to grip and balance is necessary but devastating for my previously dry neoprene gloves. The cold is no longer creeping in – it has well 67

FEATURE HIGH UP IN THE CLOUDS AT CRADLE

CRADLE MOUNTAIN STATS Length: 12.5km Duration: 7 hrs Grade: 4 Style: Circuit Location: Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park Closest town: Cethana CHECKLIST FOR CRADLE MOUNTAIN → Waterproof Jacket: I wore the Asics Accelerate Waterproof 2.0 Good Grip Shoes: Asics Gel-Trabuco → Fleecy Headband → Running Gloves → Long Tights: Asics Metarun Tights → Long Socks → Weather App: Do NOT go without checking this

and truly arrived. The wind is howling and neither Nick nor I can see each other. We shout to keep in contact. All the stopping and starting and heating up then cooling down has set off some horrific cramps in my hamstrings and quads. I’m reaching the end of my tether. “Babe, I can’t do any more, I need to turn back,” I yell out into the wind. The stupidity of this mission is dawning on me. An image of TV headlines with my face missing in the mountains flashes across my mind. Gosh, I would hate to be that person who went out running in bad weather against all advice. I’m not going to be that person. “Okay, I’ll meet you back there. I’m going up!” Nick shouts back. My cramping groins hurdle me slowly down the mountainside. I find a spot out of the wind and try to recover the feeling in my fingers for a few minutes. That’s when Nick reappears. “I decided it’s probably a bit ridiculous to go on. Can’t see a thing in this cloud anyway.” We hobble downhill and briefly stop in the hut for water and more snacks. Running downhill is always harder – especially when you’re leaving unfinished business behind. Cradle Mountain has been a bucket-list conquest for me for some years, and when I finally reached within 500m of the summit, I was forced to turn back. But every cloud has a silver lining. Joy electrified by a newfound runners high jolts through me after we reach Marion’s Lookout and I realise we’re not going to be a statistic left on a mountainside. The view returns for a few moments, and the sun beams over the iconic peak of the mountain we were so close to conquering. I snap a few photos and promise to tell Nick’s friends he made it to the top (who would know anyway, the photos up there would be just cloud)! This time, the Cradle rocked us.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Kate Allman is an award-winning journalist and sports broadcaster who writes and commentates on travel and sport. She is well known for tackling trails in the most wildest of places. If you can run, ski, surf or catch a ball in a destination, Kate has usually been there and done that.

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LET’S TALK RACING GPT100

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TRAVERSING THE GRAMPIANS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH The Grampians Peaks Trail is situated in Gariwerd, the Grampians National Park and spans across 164km of trail with 7,702m of elevation from Mt Zero in the north to Dunkeld in the south. The GPT100 is broken up into four chunks, each with major aid stations, with Halls Gap playing host to the event’s basecamp and headquarters.

WORDS: CECILIA MATTAS IMAGES: RACE ATLAS

23-26 NOVEMBER 2023 – GRAMPIANS, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA: The GPT100 promised a challenging yet rewarding adventure. The race kicked off with a midday start at Mount Zero and before it all began, John Kelly delivered a beautiful Welcome To Country, filling me with calmness and gratitude for my body and the stunning Grampians. The weather set the tone with moody clouds, and as the race started, rain poured down. I embraced it, relishing the feeling of freedom and vitality that running in the rain brings, especially in the embrace of nature. The First 50km The first 50km to Halls Gap were characterised by a focus on pacing, an intentional restraint to save energy for the challenges ahead. Single

track led us through familiar terrain, thanks to my earlier participation in the GPT100 training camp. However, a sudden slip on wet rocks sent a jolt of pain through my lower back, reminding me to be cautious. The rain made all surfaces slippery, and I had to tread carefully. Despite those challenges, running along the spine of the range, with waterfalls flowing due to heavy rain, felt exhilarating. Around 30km, I caught up with the leading female, Kellie Emmerson, and running together, we shared stories about running and life. Halls Gap Aid Station Entering Halls Gap, mental fatigue started to creep in. Energised by the cheers of spectators, I headed towards Borough Huts, facing both challenging terrain and mental exhaustion. Realising my lack of specific training on technical trails, I acknowledged the need

for more race-specific preparation. My crew’s support at aid stations became crucial. Tom, Luke and Kara really lifted my spirits. Borough Huts (73km) The next 23km unfolded as a mental and physical battleground. The terrain became more demanding, and my lack of specific technical trail training became glaringly evident. I found myself slowing down, not just due to the terrain but also due to the growing fatigue. Another aid station was a beacon of relief. Here, my crew, including Tom and friends Luke and Kara, greeted me with smiles and unwavering support. The sight of familiar faces brought a surge of gratitude, temporarily alleviating the mental strain. The sun dipped below the horizon, and darkness enveloped the landscape. It was time to

LET’S TALK RACING GPT100

bring out the head torch, but fate had other plans; the head torch refused to cooperate. Fumbling with the equipment in the dark added an extra layer of challenge. I settled for a lessthan-ideal backup headlamp in my hand, a constant reminder of the unpredictable nature of ultrarunning. Simultaneously, a storm began to brew. Fearful of being caught on the exposed range during a lightning and thunder storm, I quickened my pace, every step fuelled by urgency. The rocks underfoot were treacherously slippery, each misstep a reminder of the precarious conditions. Despite the looming storm, the Grampians in the dark held a mystic allure. Finally reaching Borough Hut, my crew made a swift decision. Concerned about my struggle and

the impending storm, they decided to introduce a pacer earlier than planned, starting from the 73km mark. This meant a few extra minutes of waiting for the storm to pass, a welcome respite before the next leg of the journey. Borough Huts to Jimmy Creek (104km) Tom, my partner, joined as my pacer. The time had crossed midnight, and exhaustion was setting in. This section, spanning from Borough Huts to Jimmy Creek, proved to be the most challenging stretch of the entire race. Navigating through darkness, buffeted by wind and rain, we encountered technical trails that demanded an extra level of focus. The fog added an eerie quality, reducing visibility and making navigation even more challenging. It was an otherworldly experience, a surreal dance with the elements

in the middle of the night. The realisation hit hard as we soon reached Jimmy Creek– I had another 8-10 hours ahead of me. Mentally, it became a daunting prospect. As the sun prepared to make its grand entrance, I took a moment to let the tears flow. It had been a gruelling night, a test of endurance that pushed me to my limits. However, the sight of the next aid station, where Luke and other volunteers greeted me with encouraging words, marked a turning point. Despite the exhaustion, I knew I wouldn't pull out. Tom reminded me to focus solely on reaching the next aid station – a strategy that provided the mental clarity needed to press on. Final Push With Kara (126km) The next 20km saw me running

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without a pacer. It wasn't fast, but it was purposeful. I dubbed it a ‘focused death march’, a slow and deliberate progression toward the ultimate goal. Reaching Griffin Fireline, I picked up Kara, who would accompany me for the final 32km. The rain persisted, alternating with bursts of sunshine, creating an everchanging backdrop as we traversed ridge lines. I began to rediscover my stride, running with a newfound vigour. The kilometres melted away, and I found joy running with Kara. The views from the ridges, despite the challenging conditions, were breathtaking. The feeling of being unstoppable began to permeate my exhausted body. The finish line was drawing near, and a we ran past fields populated with kangaroos, I imagined them cheering us on. The connection with nature and the sheer joy of running brought a sense of euphoria. Finish Line With the finish line in sight, the final sprint was a burst of energy. I ran with every ounce of strength

left in me. Crossing the line after 29 hours and 28 minutes, I had conquered 158.3km with 7510m of ascent. As I reflect on the journey, I know I’ll be back for more, drawn by the challenge, the beauty of the Grampians, and the camaraderie that defines the world of trail running. A big thank you to SingleTrack events for running such an excellent race. The organisation was second to none. We felt informed and supported throughout our adventure with excellent energy from all the volunteers along the route. I highly recommend this race, it provides such an incredible challenge, amazing scenery with great vibes from everyone involved.

Event: GPT100 Location: Grampians, Victoria, AU Distances: 100mi, 50km When: November 2024 (TBC) Info: gpt100.com.au

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TAKE ALL THE MEMORIES LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS WHEN IT COMES TO RUNNING IN WILD PLACES, SOMETIMES IT’S A CASE OF THE SLOWER THE BETTER. IN THE CASE OF EXPLORING THE NINGALOO AND CAPE RANGE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S STUNNING NORTH COAST, THE GENTLER THE FOOTPRINTS, THE GREATER THE IMMERSION. DAVID BYRNE, ALONG WITH MATE BLAKE HOSE, TOOK THEMSELVES ON AN ADVENTURE IN THE REGION AND WILL BE SHOWCASING THEIR RUN IN A NEW DOCUMENTARY OUT THIS YEAR CALLED ‘FOOTPRINTS’. WORDS: DAVE BYRNE IMAGES: MARK WATSON/INCITE IMAGES Seven years. That’s how long it had been since I last visited the Ningaloo. In that time my life had changed immensely.

Marriage, kids, work, all the things that adult life entails and that often see your pathway change direction. For me, it meant that I travelled less and spent more time engrossed in the amazing journey that is fatherhood – but always in the background was the itch to explore. However, as I’ve matured, my interests have also shifted towards more reflective notions. The idea of revisiting instead of unearthing. There’s something special about going back to places where fond memories are held and seeing how they’ve evolved and grown as you too have changed. One such location that’s particularly special to me is the Ningaloo Reef. 74

Before going too deeply into the why and what of this particular visit, I should first put the destination into some form of context. The Cape Range National Park and Ningaloo Reef are located about 1,200km north of Perth in WA. The reef itself, along the coast, spans 260km, rich in marine life with a biodiversity that rivals the most abundant environments on the planet. The interior is an arid and hilly landscape, a good portion of which is occupied by the National Park. The Traditional Owners of the region are the Yamatji peoples of the Baiyungu and Yinigudura. They’ve lived in cohesion with this remarkable part of the world for centuries. The why of this journey is simple. I’ve been coming to this region since I was a

child. At first it was family holidays where the days were spent playing on the sand and floating in awe of the countless fish that lived amongst the coral. Then it was my passion for angling that saw me ‘exploiting’ and taking from this pristine habitat. Upon reflection, now a little more mature as previously mentioned, I have come to realise that some pursuits are best left behind. This visit was primarily about seeing how things had changed and to shine a light on the need to protect this unique habitat. I also wanted to share my understanding and enthusiasm for the region with a good friend, who too has strong beliefs in the acknowledgement of traditional custodians and conservation. So joining me was Blake Hose, a fellow trail runner and passionate environmentalist.

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CONTRIBUTION TAKE ALL THE MEMORIES, LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS

Now, To The What

You’ve probably been wondering where running comes into it. The plan was to traverse a loop, starting and finishing in Exmouth, that would take in a stretch of the west coast, visit a few of the key gorges, and finish with a traverse across the heart of the Cape. In all it would see us covering a little under 200km, with a mix of flat roadside grinding, beach sections, some singletrack and technical terrain, plus a bit of desert bashing. The landscape would be mostly flat, but what it lacked in vertical gain was more than made up for by the oppressive heat, wind and logistical challenges of access to water and supplies along the route. There’s essentially nothing out there once you leave Exmouth. You’ve got to be totally self-sufficient and the final leg of the journey also involved a lot of navigation. To get around the supply issue we embarked on a social media campaign, reaching out to a couple different Facebook pages where we could connect with tourers that were happy to drop water and other necessities off at key points. These kind folk not only hid stashes for us, but picked things up that we left behind as we went. Being aware of the hypocrisy of asking others to care for nature while we create a massive carbon footprint, we carried out some key actions prior to departure, including offsetting our harm by raising money for a couple of environmental causes, as well as doing our own work in this space. Our run began in the cool and quiet of darkness, with a pre-dawn start that would see us avoiding the worst of the heat and tourists in town. It was only a matter of an hour or so before the ominous glow of the sun would peer above the distant sea. It coincided with us turning our backs to the east as we made our way across the top of the peninsular. Gorgeous morning light brought a freshness to our stride as we both remarked about how still and stunning the landscape was. But things would quickly change, as coupled with an increase in the air temperature came a steep rise in the wind. After crossing the peninsular we turned southward at Vlaming Head Lighthouse. From here we would follow the Ningaloo Reef along a mostly flat, straight path, punctuated with several side trips that would allow us to spend some time on the beaches as well as in the shady gorges. These sojourns to the interior would later 76

prove to be highlights of the journey. As much as seeing the blue water and spotting turtles, stingrays and even reef sharks was pretty special, both Blake and I had a real connection to the rugged landscapes and technical terrain that Cape Range provided. 65km In

The first section of our run finished at Tulki Beach Campground, 65km from where we began. The major lesson learnt from that opening leg was put into place the following morning, when we started the 45km section from Tulki to One K Campground. The hot, dry wind meant our water requirements would be nearly double what we’d expected so with an extra 2.5lt onboard, we headed off. Our first stop was a short while later at Turquoise Bay, one of the most popular spots for a snorkel amongst the coral. For us, the soft sand proved a bit of a minefield, where the fatigue of the day before meant our tight Achilles’ were given a rude awakening. The key highlight of this part of the route was Mandu Mandu Gorge. Apart from giving us some more technical trail to run on for a change, it broke up the monotony of the inland scenery. The gorge itself is explored via a 3km loop track that starts by following the dry riverbed with its large white pebbles, before climbing steeply to the plateau to reveal epic views of both the coast and weathered heart of the cape. It’s home to birds of prey, black flanked rock wallabies and various reptiles. A morning arrival meant there was plenty of wildlife around. For Blake, who works as a conservation officer with Trust for Nature, this was a particularly special part of the trip. There are few places that combine such rich marine life with a similar abundance of terrestrial critters too. The Last Two Sections

Section 2 of the run saw us getting into One K Camp in the early afternoon. One thing to note at this point is that we never set about travelling through this route at speed. This was a journey of reflection; a chance to move slowly, appreciate the world around us and learn from our interactions. Too often as trail runners we travel across wild places quickly, suffering along the way as we ‘race’ or train hard while surrounded by nature that we never truly immerse ourselves in. This was the opposite. We were here to spend quality time, using the gift of our

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CONTRIBUTION TAKE ALL THE MEMORIES, LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS

running ability to move under our own steam, as quietly and softly as we could. The last section was by far the most challenging. We dubbed it ‘The Long March’ as it was about 90km and would take us from the west coast, backtracking briefly with a side trip into Yardie Creek, followed by a largely unmarked bush bash which spanned the desert interior. We set off in cool and still conditions, with a first-light arrival atop the gorge at Yardie Creek. We deliberately saved this landmark as a bit of a reward for the final morning, and it didn’t disappoint. From there we made our way back along the road before reaching an un-signposted turnoff that would be the start of the cross-desert sojourn. Following The Mud Map

We had been given a bit of a mud map from a local hiker that indicated a route from west to east, following gorges and easily identifiable features of the landscape. The hours that followed would see not only the wind and temperature rising, but the tension too. The scrub was thick and the route was a case of ‘choose your own adventure’ with no defined path. Despite that we managed to follow our noses, using instinct and the rough map to find our way. It was with 78

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Maybe next time we’ll avoid the wind and heat and see what winter wonderlands we can explore? The documentary ‘Footprints’ will be touring Australia with Dave Byrne and Blake Hose from March 2024. Stay up to date with screening dates and locations through The North Face Instagram account @thenorthface_aunz.

a sense of relief that we emerged at the other side. The falling light brought about cooler conditions, and as we finally reached the Big Prawn back in town, both of us were a combination of exhaustion and excitement. The journey had been challenging, but the rewards along the way made it more than worthwhile. Our purpose was engagement. To be connected to the country we passed through and detached from the clutter

Ultra Solo 66km

of the outside world. In doing that, we gained a greater appreciation for not only our capacity to move freely, but also the wilderness that is the Ningaloo coast and Cape Range. In the days that followed we had a chance to reflect and also to spend a bit more time exploring the reef. During the quieter hours of the evening we debated the future of this incredible environment, while also throwing around ideas of where our next adventure might take us.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Dave Byrne is a trail runner with The North Face and CamelBak, and is currently refining his selfie-taking technique after years of avoiding social media. He’s passionate about exploring wild places by any means that requires human power, and equally driven to conserve them for his kids to someday be inspired by too.

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FROM

LUSH GREEN TASSIE TO THE

DEEP RED CENTRE THE LARAPINTA TRAIL IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST SPECTACULAR ADVENTURES, SET RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE COUNTRY ALONG 223KM OF BUSHWALKING AND TREKKING TRAIL. WITH ITS RUGGED LANDSCAPE TRAVERSING RIDGELINES FROM EAST TO WEST, THE TRAIL IS SITUATED JUST OUT OF ALICE SPRINGS AND IS NOW GAINING IN POPULARITY AMONGST AVID TRAIL RUNNERS. TASSIE LOCAL PIOTR BABIS IS KNOWN FOR HIS PODIUM FINISHING PERFORMANCES, CLAIMING MANY 1ST MALE WINS AT EVENTS LIKE BRISBANE TRAIL ULTRA 110KM AND GONE NUTS 101, BUT IN EARLY 2023, HE TOOK ON THE EPIC LARAPINTA TRAIL SOLO AND RECAPS HIS TIME SPENT ON THE ANCIENT AUSTRALIAN LAND. WORDS & IMAGES: PIOTR BABIS In March 2023 I was offered a job on the Larapinta Trail. I’d heard about the walk from fellow guides, saw Lucy Bartholomew’s effort, and knew about the West Macs Monster race held in May. A thought to attempt an FKT crossed my mind, but it was too early to lock anything in. I had to see how my running season unfolded. In June I finally decided to race the 100mi at Brisbane Trail Ultra, so a 235km FKT a month or so later made sense but I had to see how I’d feel physically and mentally after the big race. I didn’t know anyone who could support it at the time. Regardless, it would be hard to match the support provided during West Macs Monster (supported FKTs were recorded during the race). Having a miler the month or so earlier, I also preferred less of a run and more of a fast pack attempt.

The recovery after the race went well. I’d an amazing season, but the reason I got into trail running was the challenge, the desire to push my limits and explore new places. This FKT matched all those criteria. The date was set for 13 August 2023 – coincidentally, a couple days after my birthday. The weather forecast a few days before didn’t look good. The temperature was about to go up to 32°C. I knew heat would be part of the challenge, but it made me think about postponing it altogether. I didn’t have to think about it too much though, since the same day I found out that there was a bush fire on the track – a controlled burn got out of hand, which shut Sections 1 and 2, so it was only fitting that I postpone for Thursday, 17 August in the hopes of the trail reopening. 81

CONTRIBUTION FROM LUSH GREEN TASSIE TO THE DEEP RED CENTRE

By Wednesday evening the trail was still closed, which meant I had to wait until my next days off – the following weekend. On Thursday morning I spoke to the ranger in charge, who told me the affected sections would be reopened that day, Thursday, or Friday at the latest. I had to make a quick decision. As I didn’t want to prolong the anticipation, I decided to go for it then and there. I got dropped off by my friend Dean and started 82

my FKT at 5:31pm. THE GEAR It was my first unsupported, multiday adventure, but I was able to pack into a 15L pack, which weighed 10.5kg, cold weather gear, electronics (phone, in reach, head torches, power banks), poles and food. About half of my food was Hammer Nutrition including bars, gels and liquid calories, while the other half was a variety of food to ensure good appetite and

sufficient calorie intake. I calculated I needed about 17,000kcal. THE TRAIL Redbank Gorge to Alice Springs information shed: the same course as most FKTs and West Mac Monster course, I took South Route at Ellery Creek and High Route at Standley Chasm. I wish I had a chance to check the entire trail, but I was able to recce only some of the sections. The trail is very challenging, uneven with lots of loose

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CONTRIBUTION FROM LUSH GREEN TASSIE TO THE DEEP RED CENTRE

rocks, and doesn’t promote fast movement, especially with a heavy pack. Quartzite is razor sharp, and there’s lots of sandy and rocky dry river beds, gorges and steep climbs and descends. THE STRATEGY I got away with less sleep that planned. I wanted to have a few naps, but was unable due to the cold or flies. I had one nap that lasted all of 5 minutes. I was also worried that once I fell asleep the alarm wouldn’t wake me up. THE RULES I followed the same unsupported rules as current FKT holders, which included carrying all of my supplies; the only facilities used were water tanks, toilets and sleeping platforms; no food drops; no use of food kiosks or power outlets; and no support from public walkers. I summited Mt Sonder in 65 minutes and caught an amazing sunset – what a great way to start the project. The night was peaceful, and I arrived at Ormiston (50km mark) in 8 hours, and had a longer stop to refuel, repack and fill up on a lot of water (the next water availability was almost 30km away). 84

In the early afternoon of the next day, I arrived at Ellery Creek (106km) and was, coincidentally, able to meet my work colleagues as well as the very group of guests I was working for the past few days. I made it to the halfway point in about 22 hours feeling well. I knew the other half would be much more challenging, so didn’t get too excited. The kilometres before sunset were slow, I admit, but consistent, and the trail suddenly got easier. I wanted to have a quick nap, but it was too cold so I kept going.

day. I did have minor hallucinations before the second night (certain objects looked like something completely different ) but that one coming to Standley Chasm just before sunrise spooked me – a tree trunk looked like a witch. I knew it wasn’t real but as I came closer, it didn’t change in appearance until I was right in front of it.

Hugh Gorge was beautiful and majestic in the light of my head torch, but I had to travel on very soft and rocky ground, moving from one side to the other to avoid water. I was happy to finish with this section, but there was more challenging terrain to come. After a few steep climbs I reached the top of Razorback Ridge and I was expecting a downhill trail from there, but instead I entered another gorge straight off the summit!

When I woke up, I climbed the High Route and felt great – there were only about 55km to go from here. The descent felt good, but that was the beginning of the end of ‘feel good’ because from there I had to fight for every step.

I kept going, climbing more steep hills, and eventually got to the summit of Brinkley Bluff – it was very cold and windy, but that’s where I saw the first light of the new

This experience and overall fatigue made me think I might finally get some sleep. The sun just started to hit the trail so it was warm enough, and I had a beautiful 5min nap right on the dirt trail.

Runnable single-track turned into sand at Fish Hole. The temperature had risen significantly and my energy levels went down. The 15km to Simpson Gap were the hardest kilometres. I was extremely tired, sleep deprived, my knees were aching, my feet were cooked, I had scabs in my nose from the dry air and I still had relatively long way to go. Last, but not least – the bush flies. It’s not something that would

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usually bother me, but they were an insult to injury. It was a great relief to arrive at Simpson Gap. The temperature started to cool down and I only had 25km to go. I climbed the Wallaby Gap and Euro Ridge; my sore knees were not looking forward to the last descent. I finally reached the train crossing (where I had to wait for 2min for the train to cross) and the underpass under the highway – 4km left! I knew my running and work friends were waiting at the end and this motivated me more than anything to finish. I felt I was moving fast, but my watch data didn’t confirm it: sub 7min/kms was my fastest speed. It’s a weird state of absolute exhaustion when you feel like you’re giving it your all, but you’re actually moving quite slow. I finished just before 11pm on Saturday, greeted by about 10 friends and hot food. FINISHING ON A HIGH I had some low moments, of course, and it wasn’t always fun. Overall, I’m very happy how my mind and body handled this effort. It’s amazing how you can adapt to these

sorts of challenges – 235km with nearly 8000m +/- through some hard terrain with all the supplies on my back. It took me 53h 50min 40sec. What an amazing journey the land of Arrente people, a great adventure and new challenge. A perfect way to end another successful and exciting season and one of the highlights of my time in the Red Centre. Thank you to everyone to came to greet me at the finish line, and a special thanks to Simon who held the unsupported FKT (and still has the overall record of 39h set this year at West Macs Monster). He was a big fan of the attempt from the beginning and provided a lot of support. Thanks also to Arc’teryx Australia and Hammer Nutrition for being the main sponsors of this project and on-going support from T8 and Leki Australia. SO WHAT’S NEXT? I didn’t have much time to rest. I woke up at 6.50am the next day to start an 80 hour week. Part of it was because of the delay due to the fire, part my own decision. I could have taken a day off, but didn’t want

to lay in bed and feel sorry for myself. My body was feeling reasonably well and going back on Larapinta was a great recovery. I did quite a lot of walking that week and didn’t rush my first run, waiting until the following Wednesday. I will slowly start building back up and getting ready for the next season. My first plan is to use the races in Australia as a preparation for the summer in Europe. Maybe it’s time to pay Chamonix a visit.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Piotr Babis is a Poland-born, Tassie local. He has spent the last 10 years working and travelling around the world, and fell in love with Tasmania when he first arrived back in 2018. Piotr is an ultra runner and adventurer who enjoys both races and wilderness projects. For him, being in the pain cave is his new comfort zone.

Welcome to Adelaide (WHERE SUFFERING IS OPTIONAL) Ultra Adelaide - 6th July, 2024 10k, 21k, 34k, 50k, 100k

Run through the Mountains down to the CBD

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CONTRIBUTION

AN ULTRA TOO CLOSE TO HOME

the C25K app and built up my distances from there until I ran the Mt Baw Baw Half Marathon in early March 2023. Training for UTA started pretty much after that race. Race Day Fast forward a few short weeks and suddenly there we were, on the starting line of the UTA50. As happened so many times during the day, my thoughts turned to our son and our shared time recovering in hospital after surgery. I was calm, I knew that I had trained strongly and that I was confident in my race plan for the day, as I pictured him hopefully sleeping in, or relaxing at home in the early morning with his girlfriend Alana and their little dog Alfie.

THERE ARE ABOUT 1,000 PEOPLE WAITING FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT AT ANY ONE TIME IN AUSTRALIA, WHILST IN NEW ZEALAND MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE SIT ON THE WAITLIST. BEING A DONOR OFFERS THE GIFT OF LIFE, AND WHEN TRAIL RUNNER DAVID GRANT’S 24YO SON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH END STAGE KIDNEY FAILURE IN 2022, IT WAS A NOQUESTIONS-ASKED SCENARIO WHEN IT CAME TO DONATING HIS OWN KIDNEY TO SAVE HIM. SINCE BECOMING A LIVE DONOR, THE VICTORIAN HAS RACED THE UTA50KM AND SHARES WITH TRM READERS THAT GOING THROUGH AN ULTRA IS AS CLOSE AS HE COULD GET TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT HIS SON HAS GONE THROUGH.

To be part of an event such as UTA is simply spine tingling. For a start, there’s the simply awe-inspiring terrain that makes up the course, but also there’s the way that the race embraces the Indigenous history of this special place. Then there’s the 7,000 runners who challenge themselves across three days of racing. The First 5km The first 5km or so of the run was a great way to start the course before the challenges that lay ahead. I was able to fall into a nice rhythm and felt strong as we traversed some of Katoomba’s hilly streets and bush tracks.

WORDS: DAVID GRANT IMAGES: SPORTOGRAF Sitting down enjoying a latte with my wife Elly after another run through the rolling hills and bushland that we are so lucky to enjoy on Melbourne’s northeastern fringe, I was surprised when she suggested I run in the 2023 UTA 50km. I’m not sure why after a decade of road and trail marathon, and even ultra running, that this thought had never occurred to me before. Set in the heart of the spectacular Blue Mountains, this is surely the pinnacle of trail running in Australia. As I considered Elly’s suggestion, a few thoughts went through my head. Whilst no doubt being the little sibling of the beast that is the UTA 100km race, the 50km version is certainly no walk in the park with nearly 2,500m of climbing and descending over the course and thousands of stairs, including the 991 of the Furber Steps that make up the last brutal kilometre of the course. On top of this, I would have turned 58 by the date of the race. The thing that was the largest ‘unknown’ swirling in my head, though, was how could I cover the distance and the terrain just eight months on from donating a 86

kidney to our son Declan? The History Whilst Elly and I had taken long service leave for three months from April 2021, little did we know that 24-year-old Declan was fighting a battle within during that time. Simply ‘feeling unwell’, he put it down to being busy and stressed with work, but after weeks of his partner Alana insisting he go see a doctor, Declan finally agreed for a medical check-up. Literally on our first day back from the holiday, our son was rushed from the Grantville doctor first to South Gippsland Hospital and then Monash Medical Centre after blood results showed he had only 7% kidney function. What followed was a diagnosis of end stage kidney failure, a couple weeks in hospital, multiple surgeries, and 18 months of peritoneal dialysis. We soon learnt that other than the latter treatment, the only ‘cure’ was a transplant – from that point on it was a no brainer. I was a match for Declan and offered my kidney for surgery in September 2022. The Lead Up UTA50km was in May 2023 – eight months post-surgery. To get back into form, I used

To spread the field, the almost 2,000 runners in the UTA50 are split into seven waves, each leaving 15 minutes apart. I was allocated into Wave 4 which was maybe a little late in the field compared to my goal time of seven hours, but it meant that I could run those first few kilometres without being dragged along at faster speeds than I should be running in an ultra. Thoughts Whilst Out After 7km, I was so happy to see Elly standing on the concourse of Echo Point, the site of the iconic Three Sisters rock formations, and I was a little surprised when she called out ‘You’re in sixth place!’ Did she mean, in my wave? I didn’t understand, but felt buoyed that I must have been travelling along okay in these early stages of the run. Once again, my thoughts turned to Declan. What was he doing, how was he feeling? Three days after transplant surgery we were crushed by news that the transplant wasn’t successful. I would never not go through what we did with the transplant, but there’s no doubt that life can sometimes be unfair, and for a smart, strong young man like Declan, this was certainly one of those times. After quickly saying hi and bye to Elly, the course really started to show its teeth and its beauty; a perilous trip down the Giant Stairway and then into the awe-inspiring Leura Forest. As much as I wanted to stop

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to soak in the views of the sandstone cliff faces which were practically ‘glowing’ in the early morning sunlight or stop to soak in the forest I pressed on with the run.

day, then I could get past another hill.

Seemingly in no time at all, we were more than 17km into the race and arriving at the Fairmont Resort checkpoint. I had great help from volunteers filling up my water flasks, then quickly grabbed some fruit and was off again. Apparently, I arrived at the checkpoint still in 6th position in my 55-59 age group and 338th out of the 1,940 starters in the field.

As I get older as a runner, there’s no doubt that climbing steep hills is not getting easier, but thanks to gravity, running downhill is still a joy, and the part of the course that leads into the Kedumba Valley was certainly joyful for me. Once again, I felt great running down the steep 6km downhill, whilst other runners were shuffling or even walking to lessen the stress on their screaming quad muscles. To me, there’s always a part of a race where you know ‘Yes, I’ll make this,’ and passing other competitors climbing out of the Kedumba Valley was that time.

Feeling nourished and still fresh and strong, I pushed on, starting to notice that I was passing multiple runners with every kilometre that went past, but rarely being passed myself which felt great.

Usually this is a time for just a little internal euphoria, but today was different; thinking again of Declan, suddenly I could feel tears starting to fall as I pressed on and on.

I do have the most fantastic little family. Our youngest son Harvey is so different to Declan, but we are equally so proud of the young man that he is. We are all close and laugh a lot when we’re together or over the phone. That said, life for one of us is harder that it should be and if ever a part of the course started to feel hard, I only needed to think of one person for inspiration to keep pushing.

Moving On Up To Finish

Rejuvenated at 17km

Declan had started haemodialysis at home (early 2023), so if he could manage to needle himself with so much courage and positivity, and then sit hooked up to a dialysis machine for six hours every second

Getting to the base of the Furber Steps, I didn’t know it at the time but I’d managed to make my way up to 2nd place in my age group and had passed dozens more runners in the field before that final grinding kilometre of steep, steep stairs. After 16 minutes and 200 metres of climbing, suddenly there was the finish shute and the cheering crowds with Elly yelling encouragement and Declan pushing me on inside. Finally the race was finished. I had made it home in a time of 6:37:12 – 2nd Place out of 82 in 55-59 age

group, and 194th out of the nearly 2,000 starters in the race. Out of the crowd Elly appeared, as did another tear or two from my eyes as we shared a sweaty hug. Since going to print, Declan – on Saturday, 9 December 2023 – received a call from Monash Medical Centre advising that a donor kidney was available. By 6am, he was admitted to hospital for surgery that evening. On Friday, 15 December 2023 Declan was discharged with his new kidney working and a future free from the grind of dialysis.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: David Grant is a 58-year-old professional horticulturalist with one remaining kidney who has finished about 30 marathons and ultras. Married to Elly and father to Declan and Harvey, he’s a passionate gardener and plant nerd who loves running through the beautiful Kinglake and Yarra Ranges. Spotting orchids is always a highlight of any run, and so is the latte when the run has come to an end.

HELLO

s r e d lin

Irrational South 100 & 200 Miler May 8th - 12th, 2024

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OFF THE BEATEN

Track

THE BEST PICS FROM THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHERS CAPTURED THE MOST SCHMICK TRAIL, LANDSCAPE OR VIEW WHILE OUT FOR A RUN? TAG OUR SOCIALS HANDLE @TRAILRUNMAG ON INSTA.

TECHY ASCENTS Tailwind trailblazer Rachel Bridgewater climbs one of many punchy ascents that you can expect at the Mt Isthmus Traverse Race, set in beautiful central Otago, NZ. This mountain boasts stunning views above both Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka, and is for those runners looking for technical terrain, solid climbing and a sweet mountain downhill to finish. Image: James Brewer @jbtrailsnz

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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

CHASING ROLLING HILLS Jarrad Allen hits the 50km mark in the 2023 Heysen 105 (115km) in South Australia, where he secured himself 2nd Male. Here he weaves through the picturesque tapestry of rolling hills, farmland and paddocks on the stunning Fleurieu Peninsula. Image: SSebastián Silva López

B elair M Belair Marathon ar athon 50k, 42k, 21k, 10k, 5k

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REVIEW

TRAIL SHOES // TARKINE TRAIL DEVILS

WORDS & IMAGE: KATE DZIENIS

ALL YE, WORSHIP THE (TRAIL) DEVIL WHETHER YOU’VE BEEN A LONG TIME FAN OF TARKINES OR YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF THEM BEFORE, THIS SHOE IS BY FAR A PREMIUM RUNNER AND DESERVES RECOGNITION. Lightweight, responsive, and filled with support, runners who bought a single pair have become instant fans of the Tarkines and never looked back. Tarkine is the newest and fastest growing running shoe brand developed out of Western Australia, and their high-tech product has been selling like wildlife since about 2021-22 for an incredibly large variety of athlete – from serious and elite runners, to everyday joggers and lifestyle wearers.

It also says something when their sponsored athletes include names like Phil Gore, Erchana Murray-Bartlett and Joshua Chugg, all of whom have been featured in previous editions of TRM. But onto the tech specs and the review. With a huge stack height of 33mm (forefoot) and 39mm (heel), the Trail Devils are an incredible fit and are definitely true-to-size. I love not having to go into a shop physically and trying on shoes to see if they fit well and the Tarkines are a brand you can purchase easily online, knowing they’ll be exactly what you’re looking for. Cushioning is premium thanks to a

padded heel counter, the ZenFoam midsole provided me with bounce and softness while at the same time reducing foot fatigue, and with a wide toebox my little piggies had a great amount of breathing space as they began to settle into a splay. These shoes screamed comfortability the moment I put them on – I was ready for any technical trail. On the outside, the Trail Devils have some sweet rocker geometry happening for more efficient racing, and the lugs are 3.5mm in depth with a robust tread pattern – this gave me incredible grip on pea gravel during times when I thought I’d be slipping and sliding on the downhills (I’ve bum-planted way too many times for

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THE LOW DOWN my liking). The extra high toe cap region provided that extra security to protect my toes from fallen trail debris like sticks, roots and flying pebbles, and when it came to the upper, it gave great lockdown due to a brilliant bungy-like recycled lace (I always give double points for a bungy lace), keeping each foot secure whilst opening to the wide toebox as mentioned earlier. It’s my belief that trail shoes always work best with thin tongues, but I acknowledge there are some people who are unable to handle the lace pressure. The Trail Devils feature a beautifully thin tongue that minimises weight, yet is incredibly soft so for me, the feature is top notch and allowed me to run at optimum when I was going for speed. One of the only things I think Tarkine could consider is including a hidden flap of velcro to the back of the heel counter for those wanting to use gaitors, but if that’s the only suggestion I can give, the Trail Devils are freakin’ flying. Other than the actual technicality and technology of the shoe, one of my favourite things about Tarkine is the company’s Return To Tarkine recycling program – which is exactly as it sounds.

Worn your Tarkines to their absolute end point and are ready for a new pair? Return them to the Tarkine warehouse in O’Connor, WA so that they can be recycled into things like bags, rubber mats, yoga mats and fabric. That’s not all though. Tarkine values environmental responsibility, and promises that 2% of every sale, indefinitely, is donated to help save some of the world’s most wild and sacred places (1% of all revenue every month goes to the Bob Foundation, and 1% of all revenue every month goes to For Wild Places). Please remember too, that the Tarkine Trail Devils are a sexy-looking shoe, so make sure you use them to their full advantage at races and group runs where you can show them off, talk them up, and match your running gear to their colours – available in Black-Purple, Black-Pink, Black-Green and Black-Blue for both men and women. It’s time to worship the Tarkine Trail Devils and bring everyone you know to the darkside.

GREAT FOR: All technicality, all terrain NOT SO GREAT FOR: Flat pavement, cement TEST CONDITIONS: Single track, crushed gravel, pea gravel, grass TESTER: Kate Dzienis TESTER MECHANICS: Severe overpronator with wide feet VITALS RRP: $240.00 AUD WEBSITE: tarkine.com CONDITIONS: Shoes (Black-Pink) provided for testing by Tarkine for testing by La Sportiva

TRAIL CREW ANSWERED BY: MATT BENDALL, KARLEE BREWER, RAY MCDERMOTT, JANE ERREY, JACINTA HOMANN, JAMIE OBORNE & ZOE RUTHERFORD IMAGES: GIL MCCOMB, OISIN COOKE

PILBARA TRAILBLAZERS

How did your group begin? A few Karratha runners were training for Broome Marathon in 2021 and they were sharing their long runs on Facebook, inviting other local runners to join them. They didn’t know what they were in for. A few people turned up…then over the weeks, a few more…suddenly there were all sorts of nutcases training together for someone else’s marathon! We made friends, found our tribe and realised there was a community of local like-minded others with a shared love of running (or jogging, slogging, and shuffling) and a real need for local events to participate in that didn’t involve extensive travel out of the region. Since then, we have hosted four local large-scale road and trail running events in Karratha, and we still get together for social runs and long runs, often joining in on each other’s training. Where does your group run mostly? We love the trail network in the Baynton 94

hills. With trail names like Watch the Rocks, Xylophone Ridge and Kangaroo Whisperer there’s great natural landscape features to explore, as well as a few funky added manmade surprises to keep things interesting. What is your favourite local trail and why? It’s tough to pick one! There’s a fantastic trail route at the Burrup Peninsula that includes rock art, a shell midden and water holes. We also love the trail loop around Karratha airport and our Red Dirt Backyard Ultra course. Outside of the Pilbara, a few WA favourites include the Railway Reserves Heritage Trail, Eagle View Trail in John Forrest National Park, and the Bibbulmun Track. What local event do you rally around? Our Red Dirt Backyard Ultra, which was first held as a 12-hour event in 2022, and then as a 24-hour event in 2023. Everyone gets pumped and the comradery among organisers, participants, and

volunteers is infectious. We’re super excited about 2024 when we go official with our first uncapped BYU race. What single piece of advice would you give a newbie joining your group? We’re not scary! Yes, there are some of us who run fast or run far. But there’s plenty of us who don’t. Everyone is welcome to join and be supported to achieve personal goals. This quote sums it up perfectly: My longest run is your warm-up, my fastest pace is your cool down, yet you cheer for me, and I cheer for you, because we’re all runners and we’re impressed by effort. And, if you’re not convinced, Pilbara Trailblazers members get a discount at the Brewery, so it’s worth it just for that! If your trail group was an animal, what would it be and why? The Tata, waving our arms wildly as we scurry across the red rocks under the hot Pilbara sun.

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If you were heading out for a solo ultra run and someone stole your pack so you can only take two things, what would you have in each hand? Water bottle and snake bite kit. Desert running essentials! The world is ending. Nominate a trail anywhere on the planet that your group must run. It's the last trail you’ll ever see. Where is it? We’d head out on our Red Dirt Backyard Ultra course. One More Time. IYKYK. Your group can choose any three people on Earth, living or dead, to come join one of your runs. Who are they and why them? We put this out to our crew and got some excellent suggestions from Pheidippides, the first ever marathon runner (surely, he’d be an interesting cat?) and trail running legend Courtney Dauwalter (because she seems fun), to great Australian runner Steve Moneghetti (who could probably still run quicker than any of us over any distance,

aged in his 60s). We also love everyday hero, Ash Bartholomew, for his inspiring effort at WSER. That’s four not three, but you’ve got to admit, it would make for a freaking excellent group run, wouldn’t it?! How have you seen participation in your group change people and lives? You learn a lot about people when you run, walk and shuffle along beside them for a while and we’ve heard wonderful stories of individuals achieving personal health and running goals through participating in our events and programs. At our Red Dirt Backyard Ultra, many entrants run further than they ever have before, and at our KTA multi-distance trail event, we saw people completing a half marathon for the time ever, or even simply completing a trail run event for the first time. It really makes your heart happy to see people having those experiences and proudly celebrating their accomplishments.

NAME: Pilbara Trailblazers BIRTHDAY: September 2021 REGION: Pilbara, WA MEMBERS: 70 AVERAGE RUNNERS AT EACH HOOK UP: There’s no average, just always enough to have a good time. AVERAGE HOOK UPS EACH YEAR: Two major events, a few other local events and races, and a lot of social runs. SHOES OWNED IN TOTAL: Most of us have around 2 to 4 pairs, a combination of trail and road shoes. Some of us have a few more pairs than that. We all know who! Collectively, probably enough pairs to start a shop… UNOFFICIAL CLUBHOUSE: North West Brewing Co.

EAT, SLEEP, RUN WORDS AND IMAGES: GABY VILLA

REFRESHING ELECTROLYTE DRINKS SUMMER IS HERE! Summer’s arrived in the southern hemisphere, and with that, the possibility of dehydrating during a nice long and hot run increases. Sweat is your body’s primary mechanism to keep your temperature cool. When the outside temperature rises, your body produces sweat to cool down your skin. Apart from losing fluids, your sweat carries electrolytes, which are minerals in charge of several essential functions in your body, including contracting muscles. These drinks can be the perfect companion for trail runners during summer. The combination of natural ingredients and electrolytes makes them an excellent choice to support your body's hydration throughout the day. You can either drink them during your workout or keep them in the fridge as something to look forward to consuming after your run. PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes SERVINGS: 3 LEMON BOOST – INGREDIENTS • 1 cup coconut water • 2 cups water • ¼ cup lemon juice • 4 tbsp maple syrup • ¼ tsp salt CITRIC CHARGE – INGREDIENTS • ½ cup orange juice • ½ cup coconut water • 2 cups water • ¼ cup lemon juice • 2 tbsp maple syrup • ¼ tsp salt

DIRECTIONS 1. Combine all ingredients in a water jug 2. Enjoy! LEMON BOOST – NUTRITION PER SERVE • Calories: 117 • Carbohydrates: 28g • Fibre: 0g • Sugar: 25g • Protein: 0g • Fat: 0g • Sodium: 233mg CITRIC CHARGE – NUTRITION PER SERVE • Calories: 82 • Carbohydrates: 18g • Fibre: 0g • Sugar: 16g • Protein: <1g • Fat: 0g • Sodium: 218mg

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: Gaby Villa is a sports nutritionist, dietitian and founder of IntensEATfit who specialises in optimising performance for ultra runners by making food their best ally in sport and life. Find her online at intenseatfit.com for more info.

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TRAIL THERAPY WORDS & IMAGE: THE EVENTURERS

TAKING IN THE VIEW Tim Robinson nearly finished his 60km trail run at Falls Creek in Victoria as part of the Running Wild Alpine Challenge in November, 2023. Once he touched the door on top of Mt McKay though, he decided to stop and savour the view, all the while contemplating on what he was about to achieve. At this point, there were only 5km left to go. Pictured: Tim Robinson was snapped by Ian and Velta Fellowes of The Eventurers fame in a quiet, contemplative moment atop Mt McKay last year. Camera Specs Canon 50D ISO 125, 45mm, f4, 1/60

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