Trail Run #46 by Adventure Entertainment

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

EDITION 46 // 2023 // AU/NZ

TIP TO TOE: A MARATHON A DAY TO STOP EXTINCTION

HOW TO RUN YOUR

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50 KM

9 771839 749200

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

ONE WOMAN RUNS THE YARRA

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

SHOE REVIEWS // GEAR // TRAIL CREW // DREAM RUN

PAIGE PENROSE, The North Face Athlete

ho y o u w r ar e t t e, a m th e ’t n es

DISCOVER YOUR TRAIL.

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ke itself known.

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ED46 // 2023 // AU/NZ / AUTUMN AUSTRALIAN MADE. AUSTRALIAN PRINTED. AUSTRALIAN OWNED.

COVER: Queenslander Amelia Tsikleas, 30, takes on the 2023 Scenic Rim Ultra 25km for the fourth time. She’s continuously drawn to the event due to its incredible scenery and comradery of the community IMAGE: Dan Godson THIS SHOT: Runners snake their way along a bushy section of the Bibbulmun Track near Conspicuous Cliff on the Rainbow Coast in WA IMAGE: Astrid Volzke VISIT US ONLINE trailrunmag.com facebook.com/trailrunmag twitter.com/trailrunmag instagram.com/trailrunmag EDITOR: Kate Dzienis DESIGNER: Marine Raynard WRITERS: Vera Alves, Sean Beale, Naomi Brand, Brad Dixon, Kate Dzienis, Rodney Glossop, Renee Janssen, Isobel Ross, James Sieber and Gaby Villa PHOTOGRAPHERS: Seth Bartlem, Sean Beale, Xavier Briel, Evan Davies, Shioban Downing, Sophie Geraghty, Dan Godson, Calumn Hockey, Hilary McAllister, Daniel Meglas, Noeko, Siovonne Sieber, Teri Smith, StockPhotoSecrets, Paul Swan, The Eventurers, Gaby Villa, Astrid Volzke, Ben Wallbank, Paul Watkins and AJ Watt TRAIL RUN IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY ADVERTISING Paul Robinson Toby Ryston-Pratt Email: paul@adventureentertainment.com Email: toby@adventureentertainment.com Phone: +61 408 162 246 Phone: +61 413 183 804 SUBSCRIPTIONS & ENQUIRIES Email: magazines@adventureentertainment.com Phone: (02) 8227 6486 PO Box 161, Hornsby, NSW 1630 trailrunmag.com/subs EDITORIAL Kate Dzienis Email: kate@trailrunmag.com Phone: +61 (0) 413 432 800 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.

SPORTS

MICRONUTRITION Find out how to optimise recovery through improved sleep.

CONTENTS

EDITION 46 // 2023 // AU/NZ

22. TRAIL CREW

16. EVENT PREVIEW

TRAIL MIX 10. 18. 20. 22. 24. 62. 88. 98.

EDITOR’S COLUMN PEAK PERFORMANCE: GET INVOLVED TRAIL CREW: WOOSHA’S WARRIORS DREAM RUN: VOLCANIC 50, USA EAT, SLEEP, RUN: RICE PUDDING BUCKET LIST RUNS: UNREASONABLE EAST OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: BREATHTAKING VIEWS WISE WORDS: HILARY MCALLISTER

26. A DEVOTED ADVENTURE

FEATURES 26. 32. 40. 46. 54. 64. 72. 80.

MAD MISSION: A MARATHON A DAY PROFILE: IT’S A NOMADIC LIFE WITH NAOMI BRAND HOW TO RUN YOUR FIRST 50KM EPIC ESSAY: THE REVENANT BY SEAN BEALE DARE TO DREAM: WINNING THE ARCTIC ULTRA LET’S GET PERSONAL: UNDER-FUELLING IN MALES LEARN WHAT IT’S LIKE TO RUN LIKE TANYA GNARLY TALES: RUN THE RIVERKEEPER

REVIEWS 12. 16. 94. 96.

ALL THE GOOD GEAR: PRODUCTS REVIEWS EVENT PREVIEW: TRAIL RUN AUSTRALIA BOOK CLUB: SOLO BOOK CLUB: LOST & FOUND

GET OFF THE BEATEN TRACK A new year brings new adventures and what better way to chase those thrills than to get off the beaten track. So what are you waiting for?

MOUNTAINDESIGNS.COM

Photo Credit: Harrison Candlin

E S T. 1 9 7 5

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

ED’S WORD

KATE DZIENIS, EDITOR

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

A FULL YEAR OF TRM

Adventures

t’s been just over a year. It was the Feb/ Mar edition of Trail Run Mag (#42) that was my first as editor, and I had big shoes to fill. Lauren Forcey did a stellar job in the role after taking over from the legendary Chris Ord, who created the magazine back in 2011. Since I hadn’t started running until much later in the 20-teens (or whatever it is that you call that decade), when the reins were handed over to me it was a brilliant opportunity to go back and take a look at some of the stories and photographs that were featured in more than 10 years of editions. Talk about big shoes to fill – and not just one pair, but two.

Since then, the nerves of getting my first ever cover out a year ago have calmed down (I always get butterflies in my stomach before we go to print…surely that’s normal, right?). It was more about the fact that being the ‘boss lady’ of a magazine was a ‘whole-lotta different’ to being in the newspaper game. Coming from a PR and journalism background, with a fair bit of experience in the acting editor game, the confidence was always there. But when you’ve had two predecessors who have made waves with their editions, well… phew…it can be daunting. But the fact that I sit here today, proudly

knowing that TRM46 is in your hot hands right now, I could not be more honoured to be a part of this community. Over the course of my career, I’d met and spoken with a vast array of prodigious, extraordinary and implausible people, from neighbourhood heroes and communityfocused students to celebrity chefs and television stars (not bragging here…but Miguel Maestre is on that list). However, nothing has seen me more inspired and humbled than speaking to those I interview for Trail Run Mag.

The vulnerability and the honesty they give me is second-to-none. As I take in every word and then convert it to pages for my articles, I find there’s one thing each person has in common – resilience. Built up over time, it’s a trait that really separates trail runners from the everyday person, and it’s something much to be motivated by. Each edition of Trail Run Mag sees a hope in me that at least one person is inspired, and encouraged…because ultimately, it’s why I wanted to be a journalist. To share and influence others through the written language. In TRM40, Chris wrote in the 10th Birthday edition that ‘…maybe, just maybe, Trail Run Mag’s words and stories have journeyed through your eyes, into your mind and

heart, and lit a flame of hope, however small.’ Personally, nothing could be more true, and I couldn’t have said it better myself. In this digital age too, it’s outstanding to see there is a whole collection of people still enjoying a magazine hardcopy, and I sincerely hope that the joy of running (no pun intended) to the mailbox or retail outlet to collect the latest copy of Trail Run Mag never runs out (again with the puns…). In fact, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’d 100% love to see some selfies out there of you, our readers, with a copy of Trail Run Mag on Insta (@trailrunmag) – at your mailbox? On your fave trail? While having a post-run coffee with your trail crew? I digress. What I’m here to say is, for the past year my role at Trail Run Mag has been an incredibly fun adventure, and I simply cannot wait to be a part of many more editions where your stories, your images, and your visions can be shared across the Tasman. Each edition is like my own trail – hidden from sight until I venture through and let you all know about it.

KATE DZIENIS TRM EDITOR

ALL THE GOOD GEAR

PILLAR PERFORMANCE TRIPLE MAGNESIUM REVIEWER: KATE DZIENIS

WITHOUT A DOUBT, MAGNESIUM IS AN ESSENTIAL MINERAL WITH A BARRAGE OF VITAL ROLES WITHIN THE MANY PROCESSES AND FUNCTIONS for health as well as performance.

flavour, with Pineapple Coconut going berserk through their online outlet. It was inevitable I was going to test it out for myself, and needless to say – tropicana came calling.

Muscle contraction and relaxation, energy production, nerve function, cardiac activity, blood pressure regulation, hormonal interactions, immunity, bone health…all require magnesium.

Full of wholesome tangible deliciousness, the Pineapple Coconut did its job in terms of flavour whilst for recovery, Pillar Performance’s magnesium powders are high quality (check out p. 10: TRM42 for an in-depth review of the company and its research standards). Their Triple Magnesium formulation combines three scientifically demonstrated forms of magnesium to optimise your body’s results; those forms of magnesium have been specifically selected for their superior bioavailability profile, tolerance and capacity to work synergistically.

Since I started running, I’ve heard nothing but the words ‘take magnesium’ when I’d finish a long slog. I was always popping grocery store-bought capsules – until I came across Pillar Performance early last year with their Triple Magnesium Professional Recovery formula in the Natural Berry flavour. Created as a powder, one scoop is popped into a cup of water (or juice) and voila… an instantly refreshing ‘drink’ of magnesium for recovery. Later in 2022, Pillar Performance launched a new

Pillar Performance also now offers magnesium tablets for ease of use, and for those not too keen on powdered formulas regarding taste.

If you’re using magnesium, it’s worth investing in a quality one. Pillar Performance is the go-to for sports micronutrition at its finest. VITALS RRP Triple Magnesium Powder $38.99 AUD RRP Triple Magnesium Tablets $34.99 AUD pillarperformance.shop

THE NORTH FACE FLIGHT RACE READY BELT REVIEWER: KATE DZIENIS

THE NORTH FACE’S FLIGHT SERIES COLLECTION IS MADE WITH ATHLETES IN MIND. A premium, high-grade compilation of gear made to move with you, not against you, offering everything from vests and jackets to shoes and shorts. And one accessory that comes in spectacularly handy is The North Face Flight Race Ready Belt, designed to be your running buddy. It's super-lightweight and considered minimalistic, despite the fact it has more than you could ever bargain for. There are four stash pockets, one of which has a zip and is located at the front – perfect for some keys and a bank card – whilst two are handy for gels or lollies. The last stash pocket feature is located at the back, and is designed specifically for trekking poles, so if you’re not in the mood to carry your hydro pack to store them, the Flight Race Ready Belt is a decent alternative. The slip-on system isn’t ideal for those who don’t consider themselves slim, but once you slide the

belt on, it sits well and looks connected to the top of your shorts or pants. It does come in a range of sizes, from S to XL, but grab one size up than what you normally would get. I would say the M is equivalent to a women’s size 10 – however it also depends on whether you want to wear it at the hip or the waist. I always opt for the hip, so I like to go larger in size seeing as I have curvaceous hips (‘…that don’t lie…’). The belt itself weighs just 52g and features breathable fabric, an integrated bib attachment (woo hoo!) and soft-touch binding. There’s even a cord to attach a small water bottle to, but the bounciness of that might prove distracting whilst on the trails.

Beautiful stretch fabric, sleek in design that integrates seamlessly with your clothing, and creative thought into pockets and a pole stash, the Flight Race Ready Belt is the ideal extra ‘hand’ when you don’t feel like carrying extra weight on your run. It comes in either black or white, and will be the accessory you grab every time you head out for the trails.

VITALS RRP $70 AUD / $80 NZD thenorthface.com.au thenorthface.co.nz

KNOCKAROUND REVIEWER: KATE DZIENIS

OUR EYES ARE EXTREMELY SUSCEPTIBLE TO SUNBURN – OUCH! SERIOUSLY, DID YOU EVEN KNOW THAT? So just like we put sun protection on our skin, we really need to have a good pair of UV protective sunnies on hand when we’re out in the great outdoors. Actually, scratch that. We need a good pair of UV protective sunnies FULL STOP. It’s the best way to prevent serious eye conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration and ocular melanoma…and if you want to keep running on the trails, you need to be able to see what’s out in front of you. In comes Knockaround, providing us nutters with affordable shades since 2005. The name says it all – if you lose them or break them, no big deal. They’re your knockaround pair to use as much as possible; you can count on them, they’re dependable, and are good enough for a bit of a beating. To test, I was given a pair of Coastal Premium Sport and Coastal Fast Lanes Sport sunnies, glorious in their ice blue colour. Absolutely stylish with funky colours to suit all personalities. Knockaround’s fashion is designed with adventure and fun in mind, so perfect for trail runners. Gone are the days of paying over $150 for a pair of sunnies only to refuse wearing them anywhere for fear of scratching or damaging them. Knockaround provide rubberised frames with rubber nose pads, soft and non-jarring – I experienced less slip, slide and bounce, and didn’t experience a headache like I have done with other brands. Not only for trail running, but I used them for driving and anything else I was doing outdoors; I really got accustomed to them, and the shape suited my face. With polarised UV 400 protection, the mirrored lenses are ideal for Australian and New Zealand summers – look, not great for when looking at (texting) a device screen, but you shouldn’t be doing that anyway while wearing polarised sunnies. The colours of the lenses (mine were blue, but if you check out the options online, the variety is absolutely insane!) and the sharp mirroring make it seem like you’re wearing a statement piece. The Premium Sport and Fast Lane Sport are the go-to for athletes. If you have a wider face and are looking for wider coverage, Knockaround has a number of other designs including the Torrey Pines design, while those looking for something laid-back and smart can opt for the Mary Janes. There’s even a funky collection for children, you really need to check them out. The bottom line is that Knockaround’s sports range is super lightweight, form-fitting, polarized and colourful to match your personality. Can your runs get better with a pair of Knockarounds? They actually just might. VITALS RRP $59.95 AUD knockaround.com.au

ALL THE GOOD GEAR

PATAGONIA WOMEN’S ENDLESS RUN SHORTS REVIEWER: KATE DZIENIS

ALL OF PATAGONIA’S TRAIL RUNNING APPAREL IS MADE WITH A MIX of recycled materials and sewn in Fair Trade Certified™ facilities, without any compromises in durability and performance. The Endless Run Shorts are designed as part of an integrated system for mountain running. With a 4” in-seam, their construction minimises the need for additional pieces, thereby streamlining your kit. Two side pockets and a back pocket accommodate phone, snacks, map and more while you’re on the move, all the while reducing bounce. They’re made with NetPlus® 74% post-consumer recycled nylon made from recycled fishing nets to help reduce ocean plastic pollution, 26% spandex knit, and are Fair Trade Certified™ sewn, meaning the people who made them earned a living wage for their work. Other handy features include a reflective logo on the hem for visibility in low-light and an external drawcord for customisable fit. Sliding on the Endless Run Shorts, I could immediately feel the lush material was high quality. Absolutely formfitting to my shape, I happily reflect that Patagonia’s sizing is true to form, and am thrilled

that the size ordered was exactly what fit me. My black Endless Run Shorts were used on numerous training runs, where I discovered there was no ride-up to the crotch. There was no pulling down on the seams, and they sat well in their spot. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s continually pulling down on run shorts to stop them from riding up. Some of us women are a bit curvier than others; it’s wonderful to see Patagonia cater to everyone’s natural bodies. Both pockets located at the sides were well and truly big enough (and secure enough) to keep my Samsung S10 Plus at bay. One stored my phone, the other my car key, and that’s all I really needed. Not once did I feel like either one would fall out, resulting in me backtracking to look for my items. I don’t mind the extra kilometres when it happens, but it’s frustrating looking for something in the dirt. The drawcord is thin but strong enough to provide extra security to tighten or loosen, and I learned with interest that the Endless Run Shorts have what’s called HEIQ Pure – pure odour control. It’s a Swiss technology containing a biocide that works to eliminate bad smells from fabrics.

Now available in Black and Plume Grey, the Endless Run Shorts are stylish both in colour and in design, so if you’re looking for a quality run short that will last as long as your running career, hit up Patagonia. VITALS RRP $109.95 AUD / $129.99 NZD patagonia.com.au patagonia.co.nz

SUUNTO 9 PEAK PRO REVIEWER: KATE DZIENIS

SUUNTO’S NEW WATCH CAPTURES ITS HERITAGE IN FITNESS AND ACTIVITY TRACKING WITH AN ULTRA THIN AND TIMELESS DESIGN THAT LOOKS GREAT ON THE WRIST. Extremely tough in its build and extensive in its benefits, the 9 Peak Pro offers Suunto’s most advanced experience yet, including 21 days in daily use before requiring recharge; ability to design and track your own workout via the Suunto app; a plethora of route-finding options, turn-by-turn guidance and advanced training tools; and new water sport modes for snorkelling and mermaiding. Suunto claims the new 9 Peak Pro is its most powerful and best performing GPS multisport watch to date, combining comprehensive GPS tracking capabilities and an easy-to-use interface, and it was very sleek in its appearance the minute I put it in my hot little hands. The new iteration of the watch is extremely tough, yet I found it to be

one of the thinnest (10.8mm) and lightest watches I’ve tested. If you like all the environmental stuff associated with tech, the 9 Peak Pro is fully carbon compensated in a reforestation project with Verified Carbon Units via Tree-Nation. The units are validated by the international verification program, ensuring the quality of carbon offsetting projects, so it’s worth having a look at all the info online regarding Tree-Nation. The nitty gritty of the watch sees it at a weight of 64g in the steel model, and 55g in the titanium model, and is made with sapphire glass. Suunto says the watch has been tested to the highest military standard of toughness, with a barrage of tests conducted (tested against MIL-STD-810H standard tests during 20.6.-23.8.2022 in certified and accredited test laboratory Toptester in Finland, Rovaniemi).

Lovely to utilise and practicality at a premium, Suunto never disappoints when I take one of their watches out for testing.

VITALS RRP Stainless Steel $759.99 AUD RRP Titanium $959.99 AUD suunto.com Also available at Bing Lee, The Good Guys and Find Your Feet

End native forest logging and support the creation of the Great Forest National Park

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EVENT PREVIEW

TRAIL RUN AUSTRALIA | SNOWY MOUNTAINS SNOWY MOUNTAINS, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA

Discover the iconic snowy mountains with one of the most scenic and challenging trail run courses found in Australia! Australia’s home-grown trail running series Trail Run Australia heads to the Snowy Mountains for Round 3 of the National Series. The 2-day festival includes courses for every trail running craving you have – from hardcore ultra runners EVENT Trail Run Australia | Snowy Mountains WHEN 24-25 February, 2023 DISTANCE UTRA70, TRA42.2, TRA21k, TRA11k, TRA5k, Kids Run WHERE Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa, Snowy Mountains, NSW MORE trailrunaustralia.com.au/event/ snowy-mountains/

to beginners and the littlest mud rats, there’s something for everyone.

experience your very own Man From Snowy River along the way.

Events include Ultra, Marathon, Half, 11k, 5k and a FREE Kids Mud Rats run.

Join all the action at in2adventure.com.au but be quick because entries are limited and standard entries close very soon.

Before and after your run, it’s luxury all the way with full facilities at 4.5 Star Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa, which is the home base for the festival. Enjoy a true high country welcome, and

Trail Run Australia is proudly Australian owned and managed.

REGISTRATIONS CLOSE 17 FEBRUARY, 2023

Adventure more. Stress less. Pay-as-you-go insurance for $6 a day or $9 a week. Get cash payouts (up to $20K) for accidental injuries that happen whilst you’re covered.

Flip it getﬂip.com.au Read the PDS and TMD at getﬂip.com.au. Issued by HCF.

PEAK PERFORMANCE WORDS: BRAD DIXON IMAGES: AJ WATT

"I feel it’s very important for athletes to visit health providers that have a real understanding of their chosen sport."

LONG TERM WELLNESS HABITS •

Move more

•

Get strong, sit less

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Eat more plants, less crap

•

Prioritise quality sleep

•

Invest in your relationships

•

Live with passion

•

Strive to be more, have less

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Be of service to a cause greater than yourself

The founder of medicine, Hippocrates, had the correct idea over 2400 years ago to get to the basics and lay the empowerment platform for wellness. Power is not in the hands of the therapist – power is in the patient’s hands through life choices.

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

Journey

GET INVOLVED IN YOUR WELLNESS

Starting out as a physiotherapist in the late 1990s it was very apparent that most patients referred to me came with a preconceived idea that I would fix them. In the early phase of my physiotherapy career I obliged; I’d get caught up in what patients expected and dive down the rabbit hole of applying treatment at every session. I felt fully responsible for ‘fixing’ the problem when a more patient, integrative and holistic approach was needed.

Today, I treat more effectively by applying holistic focused treatment. Eighty percent of the time a therapist can gleam the diagnosis from an effective subjective interview. Using motivational interview techniques is important to sew the seed that the patient has the ability to tackle the problem with progressive direction, and that any hands-on work is secondary in the process. With an effective assessment, correct diagnosis, and a thorough home program the patient can start working on tightness, weakness and poor firing patterns, then blend the independent rehabilitation into daily life. To make this work it’s imperative to understand the patient’s occupation, sporting pursuits and daily activities – that means knowing exactly what they do during the work day; not just the job title and what their sport involves. This should be coupled with specific guidance on what activities can be completed, and what needs to be modified to allow a rehabilitation plan to gain traction. The goal is to make the occupation, sports training, and daily activities the most important part of the rehabilitation process. Real movements allow real results. Application of correct technique is everything I’m so fortunate to have referral sources who understand the way I operate, and they pave the ground work, referring a patient with the words “the physio will show you exercises to help you help yourself.” Mixed messages from medical professionals can create massive barriers to a patient applying the home exercises with dedication. If there is no buy in, or a lack of confidence shown along the referral chain, then injured patients will continue to search for someone to ‘fix’ them, taking them further away from a self-management, empowered, long term solution. Every patient should have a detailed home program sheet broken up into posture, micropause work (helping offload tissue and

recalibrate the correct posture), flexibility work, core/strength work, and then what daily activities, sports training, or work roles will enhance or discourage progress. Pictures should accompany the written direction with cues that remind patients of the specific points of the exercises. During today’s sessions, I find myself now talking and demonstrating much more than laying hands on patients than I ever used to. Athletes usually take to home exercises better than non-athletes so more education about the benefits of those exercises can be required for the non-athletic group. Motion is lotion – our bodies are designed to move! We should all be putting more emphasis on making lifestyle changes because people aren’t living longer – they’re dying longer. Let’s treat fire with fire. Long term disease needs to be treated with long term wellness habits. HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN WELLNESS •

After the first session, a working diagnosis should be found and a full home program sheet written up

•

Ask questions about your home exercises plan. Understand it, follow it

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Don’t consider your plan a chore

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Exercises should be done until the body has recalibrated and the injury sorted

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Be prepared to stop running with certain injuries to allow rehabilitation

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Think long term function rather than short term performance whenever you are treating training injuries

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Never feel like you’re a passenger in the treatment journey

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Know the diagnosis and the timeframe (this can be fluid) for tissue healing

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Above all else, learn to listen to your body to move towards wellness

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. 19

DREAM RUN WORDS: KATE DZIENIS, RENEE JANSSEN IMAGE: TERI SMITH

DREAM RUN: THE VOLCANIC

The Volcanic is unlike any other race around the world with participants circumnavigating an active volcano in Washington state (USA)!

volcano and the surrounding mountains. Seriously, be prepared to be amazed with everything you’ll experience in this event.

Each with a good pair of trail shoes and a trusty hydration pack, runners race all the way around Mt St Helens along the single track Loowit trail with stunning views of the

There’s a pure adrenaline rush as you realise Mt St Helens last erupted in 1980 and is still considered an active volcano. As you make your way around the course, you’ll

experience slopes of boulders that you rockhop across, lush forests that survived the eruption, a roped descent and ascent to and from a river, the blast zone where you can see into the crater, lava and pumice fields, and four aid stations to support and fuel you. Yes – you read that right.

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

You’ll see straight into the crater, lava and pumice fields! The Volcanic is a very remote and rugged course; possibly one of the hardest races you’ll ever run. Participants have said it feels more like a 50-miler than a 50km. The only requirement being that you’ve

previously run a 50km to show you’re up for the challenge but even with the difficult terrain, the amazing scenery and the whole experience is beyond worth it. The Volcanic is 32 miles and has 7400ft of gain and loss. There’s also a 25km with 3300ft of gain and loss – and just because it’s half

the distance, doesn’t mean it’s any easier. Overall, Volcanic by Go Beyond Racing in the US is 100% a blast (no pun intended) with the 2023 event being held the weekend of 5-6 August. Host: Go Beyond Racing Destination: Washington, USA 21

TRAIL CREW

WOOSHA’S WARRIORS

ANSWERED BY: RODNEY GLOSSOP IMAGES: PAUL SWAN

WOOSHA’S WARRIORS SOCIAL RUNNING CLUB

How did your group begin?

What local event do you rally around

Our Facebook group and official parkrun club was first created in an effort to get friends and family active by promoting events, highlighting achievements and special milestones, providing tips and motivation, and challenging and inspiring people to conquer their goals and aspirations.

Mainly exclusive Warrior Challenges, and Homestead parkrun but we’ve also had groups attend the Pemby Trail Fest, and also complete the annual RunningWorks Half Marathon Event.

Where does your group run mostly?

Take the leap of faith, and join us at Homestead parkrun…begin your journey.

Homestead Park in Thornlie, WA.

What single piece of advice would you give a newbie joining your group?

What is your favourite local trail?

If your trail group was an animal, what would it be and why?

It’s too hard to pick just one.

Definitely a meerkat.

The most common and favourite amongst members include Whistlepipe Gully, the Bibbulmun Track from Kalamunda, Sixty Foot Falls, Kitty’s Gorge…and further from home would definitely be the River Walk Trail in Margaret River, down south in the state.

We are one big family, friendly and sociable, always active and exploring new trails.

We also look out for each other. If you were heading out for a solo ultra run

and some bastard stole your pack so you can only take two things, what would you have in each hand? Water and red frogs! 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? Bushy parkrun in the UK, then we can complete the home of all parkruns and also tick off the ‘Where It All Started’ Challenge. 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? John Worsfold (my sporting hero), Freddie Mercury (my music idol), and Michael J Fox (my favourite actor). I first picked up the nickname ‘Woosha’ playing football for the Thornlie Lions and wearing the number 24 in honour of my

hero and West Coast Eagles Legend, John Worsfold. That’s where the running club name originates and it would be awesome to go for a run with this great man.

TRAIL CREW

The other two would make for an entertaining outing and likely lead to a huge party long into the night, more in line with a 24 hour ultra.

BIRTHDAY: July 2019

How have you seen participation in your group change people and lives? We have created a lovely welcoming, friendly and engaging community of people who are more active, regularly volunteer, encourage each other, seek new challenges, and have developed a healthy lifestyle and work/life balance. A member recently shared that they have made so many friends being part of the group. They said, ‘I always thought running was a solo sport but what I’ve found is that it’s so much more fun running with people.’ Another member said, ‘The club has given me a place I feel like I belong to, where everyone is so friendly, and it’s normal to love running.’

NAME: Woosha’s Warriors Social Running Club

REGION: Thornlie, WA MEMBERS: 141 (77 female, 64 male) AVERAGE RUNNERS AT EACH HOOK UP: 12 AVERAGE HOOK UPS EACH YEAR: 60+ SHOES OWNED IN TOTAL: One of our members has (lucky) 13 shoes in their current rotation. It’s best not to disclose who they are for risk of incrimination or retribution. UNOFFICIAL CLUBHOUSE: FreshBrew, Connemara Drive, Thornlie

EAT, SLEEP, RUN WORDS AND IMAGES: GABY VILLA

PRE-RUN RICE PUDDING PREPARATION TIME: 45 minutes

SERVINGS: 3

An energised body is a body that performs better. So an energyboosting meal or snack before heading out on your run is recommended, especially if it’s been more than four hours since you last ate. Apart from increasing your energy levels, it’s essential to avoid the risk of any gut upset during your run. Reducing fat and fibre intake in the lead-up to your activity is important to achieve this. Additionally, recent research suggests that lowering FODMAP consumption could be beneficial in minimising gut distress in runners. All of the above makes this rice pudding one of my favourite recommendations as a pre-training snack. It’s packed with carbohydrates, easy to eat and digest, and low in fat, fibre and FODMAP without mentioning absolutely delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS

NUTRITION PER SERVING

3 cups lactose-free milk

1. In a large pot, combine the lactose-free milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt

Calories: 345

2. Over medium heat, bring the milk mixture to a gentle boil

Fibre: 0g

¼ cup maple syrup 2 tsp vanilla extract

Sugar: 29g 3. Stir in the rice and reduce heat to low

⅛ tsp sea salt ½ cup arborio rice Cinnamon or pecans to garnish

NOTES • Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days • Dairy-free and vegan alternative: use coconut, oat or almond milk instead

Carbohydrates: 57g

4. Allow the rice to simmer gently and stir often. Every 3 to 5 minutes is better to avoid sticking and help the pudding thicken

Protein: 10g Fat: 8g

5. Continue for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and the pudding thickens 6. Remove the pot from the heat and let the rice pudding cool for 10 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools

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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14 HOURS COLD

MAD MISSION

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

A DEVOTED ADVENTURE FROM

tip to toe

IN TRUE AUSSIE FASHION, 32-YEAR-OLD ERCHANA MURRAY-BARTLETT (OF NO CURRENT FIXED ADDRESS) SET OFF WITH ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER LATE 2022 ON A MISSION TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. WITH HER HEART DETERMINED TO MAKE WAVES IN A BID TO HELP STOP AUSTRALIA’S EXTINCTION CRISIS, SHE RAN FROM CAPE YORK AT THE TIP OF QUEENSLAND ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO MELBOURNE, VICTORIA TO NOT ONLY FUNDRAISE FOR A CAUSE BUT TO BREAK A RECORD – RUNNING A MARATHON EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR 6200KM. KATE DZIENIS CAUGHT UP WITH HER ON DAY 83 TO GET TO THE ROOT OF HER ADVENTURE. WORDS: KATE DZIENIS IMAGES: SETH BARTLEM

Erchana Murray-Bartlett’s energy isn’t just infectious…it’s endemic in the sheer presence of her voice. Having just finished run through Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Land/Sunny Coast, I spoke with the vivacious 32-year-old on the phone on Day 83 of her exhilarating 6200km adventure, which saw the road-lesstravelled runner kick off one-marathon-aday on Friday, 19 August 2022. It’s an unbelievable feat in itself to run long distances, but tackling 42.2km every single day for approximately 150 days (give or take a rest day if needed) is something else. Starting at the tip of Australia in Cape York, Queensland with an aim to finish in Melbourne, Erchana set her sights

on running each marathon early in the morning to make room for sharing her journey as well as her ‘why’ with as many people as possible in the afternoon – it’s called Tip to Toe 2022. And what is her ‘why’ you may be asking. Erchana didn’t just quit her job in the food industry and sell her car for nothing…she’s on a mission to run through as much native bushland and national park as possible (and some road or footpath, but we’ll forgive her for that) to spread the dire message of extinction threatening Australia’s wildlife. Whether her words encourage school children to learn what extinction really means for their future, or they help bolster her fundraising target for the Wilderness Society, Erchana is racing against the clock

to do something about it. In 2022, the koala was listed as ‘endangered’ in Qld, NSW and the ACT under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act despite it being declared ‘vulnerable’ in mid-2012 with the hope something would be done to protect the species in that time. Currently there are calls by various wildlife charities and organisations to upgrade the koala’s listing to ‘critically endangered’ in the south east Qld bioregion – their threat coming from habitat destruction, domestic dog attacks, bushfires and road accidents. The koala is just one of many native species with an uncertain future. 27

MAD MISSION A DEVOTED ADVENTURE FROM TIP TO TOE

Erchana’s heart is in the wilderness, having grown up on the land and with a dad who loves nature, and she is hoping that by running a marathon every day from Cape York all the way down to Melbourne, her dedication to the cause will help spread the message far and wide that extinction of Australia’s wildlife is at our doorstep – and we need to do something about it. Having completed 3502.60km by the time we spoke, Erchana was well over the halfway mark, and stated she had had no rest days thus far. “The body is going through waves at the moment…there’s the general feeling of fatigue, my feet are just starting to swell up, and I’ve had three serious ‘niggles’ where I had to change the way I stride,” she explains. “Mentally it’s the same, it comes and goes in waves. Some days are better than others, and I run with everything as well as nothing…from music and podcasts, to chit chat with my partner (Ryan Kennedy) and then just nature’s sounds on the trails. I would say 75% of the time I’m running, it’s solo, but I’m trying to make this run as inclusive as possible so I’ve been encouraging people who live closer to towns to come join me.” It took Erchana a total of 12 months to plan from the minute she came up with the idea, saying she always wanted to run north to south so she could finish in Melbourne. “The original route needed to be changed ‘en route’ because even though I have the support, there’s not a lot of vehicle access,” she explains. “When reality hit me, we had to change the route slightly to ensure I’m not only going through as many national parks as possible but so that it’s easy for the public to join me and for my partner to meet me where I needed him…the original route is like a template I guess you can say, that gets chopped and changed depending on a variety of factors. “In terms of preparation, I come from a road marathon background and I hadn’t actually done much trail running before this. There was a point where I had to be 28

real about it and hit some trails to get a feel for what it’s like because it’s so different to hard and solid pavement or bitumen.” Hitting the gym to put on some weight was also a goal, to make sure her body was more resilient to the pressures of running long

distances day in and day out. She switched her mindset from fit and fast, to just being healthy – which Erchana says has been the key reason she’s been able to go as far as she has without sickness or serious injury.

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

“I tried to put on 5kg before I started Tip to Toe because I knew there would be fast loss.

so I really needed to Iook at calorie consumption,” she explains.

“In fact, I lost a lot of weight in the first month of it starting; I didn’t feel like I was under-eating, and I was trying heavily to focus on nutrition (I’m a nutritionist)

“As I started losing more weight, I upped the intake again…today on day 83, I’m consuming about 6000 calories per day. I’m relying on 4 healthy meals a day where the

focus is on macronutrients because I can burn anywhere around 2500 calories while running. “I’m going to bed most nights feeling overfull, almost sick perhaps, but I’ve tasted every ice cream flavour available to me, I’ve 29

MAD MISSION A DEVOTED ADVENTURE FROM TIP TO TOE

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

gotten to eat high carb foods, it’s insane and awesome at the same time. “I’m waking up hungry and have a big meal like oats and chia pudding before I start running – something I never ever used to do. It’s incredible how my body has adapted to running a marathon every single day.” There’s no way Erchana can run those 6200km and not go through a barrage of beautiful trails, with some of her favourites along the way including the Bump Track just outside of Port Douglas which she says was brutal but well worth it. “Friends said I’d love it, so I added it to my list and I did it – but no joke, it was brutal,” she recollects.

“I can’t remember the exact elevation, but let’s just say it was an f-tonne and it went straight up for about 2km, scheduled for me at dawn…I thought my friends must not want me to get this world record because they’re de-railing me. “But once I got to the top of the track, I could see all across Port Douglas and out to the sea – it was absolutely beautiful. “Another beautiful trail I fell in love with was Mt Sorrow in Cape Tribulation, as well as Noosa National Park, which was sandy, but oh-so-stunning. “I’d say Great Sandy National Park in Cooloola is another one I’ve added to my list of favourites.

“I grew up in the Yarra Valley and spent all my time running around outdoors where there were animals. I’ve always loved different species on this planet, but the more I learned about how bad the Australian extinction crisis was the more I felt I needed to do something for the cause. “My dad is very much a big lover of native Australian animals and I think that’s where my own love stemmed from, so I knew from the get go that when I was organising Tip to Toe 2022 it would all be for the Wilderness Society.” Together with Ryan, Erchana has been able to set her sights on the prize and focus on her goals, saying without her partner to help crew her nothing would be possible.

MAD MISSION A DEVOTED ADVENTURE FROM TIP TO TOE

THE FACTS SHOES: 10 Pairs of Tarkines (Goshawk) Total Distance: 6200km Wildlife Spotted: Crocodiles, Snakes, Emus Favourite Trails: Cape Tribulation Great Sandy National Park

“Ryan’s the one that does all the social media, he’s documenting the whole journey, he sets up camp and cooks all my food (we’re both vegetarian) – it’s impossible to do something of this magnitude without the support of something like him,” Erchana reiterates. “There’s also the emotional rollercoaster you go through, and you need a person (or persons) to be there for you in every aspect. “I also had my parents with us for the first 5 weeks around the Cape because dad’s a mechanic and he was there in case something went wrong in those areas with low reception.” At the time of our chat, Erchana was planning to finish Tip to Toe 2022 in Melbourne by running past Albert Park and taking her very last step at the end of the

jetty on Kerferd Road Pier. It’s where she’s always seen her adventure ending, inviting some running clubs to join her for the last few kilometres and celebrating the achievement. And what does Erchana plan on doing when she’s done? “I am 100% going to sleep,” she reveals. “Exercise will take a back seat for a little while, and I’m looking forward to having my first big sleep in.” Donations for Erchana’s Tip to Toe 2022 have closed since TRM46 has gone to print, however if you would like to support her cause, head over to wilderness.org.au for more information on how you can help stop the Australian extinction crisis.

100K

Images by noéko

50K

34K

www.ultraseries.com.au

21K

PROFILE

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

MILEAGE, MAGIC & A CURVEY GAL NAMED

Moomin'

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIVE NAOMI BRAND HAS TRANSITIONED SEAMLESSLY INTO NOMADIC LIFE WITH PARTNER XAVIER BRIEL, SEEING ALL OF NEW ZEALAND’S BEAUTY AND GLORY WHILST EXISTING OUT OF THE COMFORTS OF THEIR MOTORHOME. WITH A BEAUTIFUL ‘CURVY’ HOME-ON-WHEELS, IT PROVIDES NAOMI WITH MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO FIND HIDDEN TRAILS AND EXPLORE THE GREAT BEYOND ALL WHILE SOFTENING HER BLUEPRINT ON THE PLANET. SO IF YOU’VE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT BECOMING A NOMAD TO HIT THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED, READ ON TO LEARN ABOUT NAOMI’S EXPERIENCE.

WORDS: NAOMI BRAND IMAGES: XAVIER BRIEL

PROFILE MILEAGE, MAGIC & A CURVEY GAL NAMED MOOMIN’

There is vanlife and then there is living in a motorhome – and both of these things are very, very different. I first came to realise this as I was trying to squeeze all our life’s belongings into the tiny drawers of our new home-on-wheels (all the while giggling at my Instagraminspired naivety regarding this unique way of living). My partner Xavier, an outdoor sports photographer and avid adventurer, and I had been searching for weeks on end to find the perfect dwelling that would suit our pockets and lifestyle, but when I first stepped into Moomin (named after a Dutch cartoon hippopotamus, because she is just as curvy and completely white on the outside) I had no idea just how much she would colour in our day-to-day lives. Xavier and I had been in New Zealand for about 6 months when we decided to make the move into a motorhome – a nomadic, adventurous and at times challenging lifestyle. Originally from South Africa, we both grew up in ever-challenging circumstances and learned how it contributes to personal growth and general outlook; and both absolutely live for adventure of any form. Xavier met me at my first 100miler in the Addo Elephant Park (a large wildlife reserve in the heart of the Easter Cape bush in South Africa) where my career in ultra trail running officially kicked off. Since then I have had the privilege of running and racing all over southern Africa (across the Drakensberg Mountain Range which holds the highest point in Southern Africa, the salt pans of Botswana, Fish River Canyon of Namibia, volcanic mountains and beaches of Mauritius to name a few), Europe and, more recently, Oceania (and, very fortunately for me, I’ve had Xavier with me for a lot of it as race photographer.) The decision to move away from South Africa partly had to do with my career as a vet and all the study loans I racked up in 11 of studying wildlife and other animals; but mostly had to do with having more opportunities to race internationally and for Xavier to be able to work on bigger projects and races overseas. 36

I’ve been a serious runner since the age of 12 when I started running track and road races, as well as cross country in later years. I grew up on a sheep farm near the West Coast ocean of SA, and would spend hours running along the gravel roads and beaches at home. But my love for the trails, especially the long distance ones, started around 2014 when trail running was booming in South Africa. Once I started doing well on the local front, I craved stronger competition in distances that didn’t typically attract women at the time (totally different story today!) and was blessed and privileged enough to be able to travel to some European events to perform on a bigger stage. The bug bit me big time, and what followed was World Championships in Spain 2018, my first UTMB in 2019 and other big races like Tarawera. Unfortunately our planned move to the UK in 2020 and plans to race in Europe regularly was rudely interrupted by the big C, which continued after we moved to NZ. The last three years have been filled with a lot of turmoil and heart ache – having prepared for more than 30 competitive international races that were either deferred, cancelled or downright impossible to get to. I’m currently and slowly starting to build back, and after a disappointing DNF at UTMB last year due to injury, I was finally able to cross an international race finish line at UTA in October. I’m confident that the area we live in now (Otago, South Island) – albeit far from anything international – and the sponsors backing me (Gone Store and Patagonia Cape Town in South Africa) will allow me to prepare for and get to the big, competitive races that lie ahead. Which brings me back to our current living situation…our motorhome, lovingly called Moomin, is 24-years-old (which is Queen Elizabeth-age for car), and doesn’t go more than 80km/h, especially on the up-hills. But, in a slow steady grumble, she has taken us to the most beautiful places locally. Xavier and I both love to immerse ourselves in nature; and we’ve been lucky enough to wake up next to the ocean one day (with

seagulls fighting over a muscle on the roof and waves crashing in the distance) and in a national park the next (catching a possum red-handed in our ‘kitchen’ reaching for a banana, and swimming in crystal clear rivers instead of showering). This nomadic lifestyle has allowed us to step outside into a different playground to run, cycle and swim in as often as we want to, and in the process we’ve learned to adapt to many different environments and circumstances. I’ve been fortunate to experience a whole different range of trails this way, which has helped to keep training interesting and challenging and race-specific (we can move our home to different trails and terrains, and can even wake up at the trail head on the morning of a long run!). But the advantages of living in a motorhome go way beyond being able to move around. I’ve been a trail running ambassador for Patagonia for a few years now and as a result, having been inspired by the great work they do and the lifestyle they promote as a brand, I’ve been trying to live more mindfully. Mindful of the space and power and water we use, the waste and the noise we produce, the way we eat, the way we move through nature. Xavier, on the other hand, has documented important environmental issues as a photographer, eating plant-based for the past decade and has been looking for ways to simplify his life even more so he can decrease his footprint. In many ways living in a motorhome has helped us to actually put words to action. When your space is limited, your motto becomes ‘use it up, wear it out, make it work or throw it away.’ We’ve both narrowed down our closets to things we wear/use often, and a lot of thinking and consideration goes into any shopping – whether it’s for clothes, shoes or food. When we’re not plugged in, we rely on the sun for power, and we use only biodegradable dishwashing liquid and treat

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

PROFILE MILEAGE, MAGIC & A CURVEY GAL NAMED MOOMIN’

our wastewater with eco-friendly products as we sometimes have to discard of it into natural systems. Water use is limited because we have to fill up our tanks and fetch our water ourselves. Everything is smaller and simpler, and hopefully has less of an impact on our beautiful world. Although all of this can sound really romantic, I can assure you that motorhome-living definitely is not always smooth sailing. Having a full-on job as a veterinarian often entails working long hours, which leaves very little energy for all the chores and challenges that come with small living. Moving for the night means closing latches, 38

windows and bins, squeezing in bikes, skis and shoes, packing away everything that can move or break or bend...just to undo all of it a short while later. Privacy is sparce – inside and outside the home. There’s no spot to sneakily pop a pimple or have a private phone conversation, and often people just outside your door first thing in the morning are ready for conversation. A moment I will never forget was when I was shaving my legs in a bucket outside (as one does…) and I looked up to see a bigbellied shirtless man enjoying his afternoon beer in a camping chair across from me and staring at me like I was Netflix. I do sometimes miss having a bathtub after a long run to soak my tired legs, space to do

yoga or strength training, a garden to grow veggies and a proper table where I can sit and do art or prepare a meal. And I’m sometimes genuinely concerned that the wind will blow us over (strong winds of the Otago spring are no joke when you’re in a hollow block-shaped vessel). But…even with all of this considered, the sacrifices we’ve had to make have been small in comparison to what we’ve gained in experience and personal growth. We’ve saved a lot of money that we’ve been able to put towards traveling, racing and buying sports-equipment that we would otherwise not be able to afford. We’ve learned that you can get by with so little as long as you have a place to sleep,

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

a place to cook and a place to clean yourself. We’ve learned to adapt – often. And it has helped me a great deal in a stressful and ever-challenging work environment, and as an ultra trail athlete (we all know that ultras often do not go the way we planned). We’ve grown closer (if you can’t even slam a door, or sleep on the couch in the other room, you have to sort your stuff out). And our lives are everything but boring. Would I recommend this way of living to trail runners and other adventurous, conservation-conscious, free spirits out there? Absolutely.

But I do think that the possibility of making it work depends largely on the country or area you’re in, what your job entails and whether you’re doing it with others or by yourself. I would never have tried this back home in South Africa, as there are few places where parking would be free and safe; and very few ‘dumping’ stations that I am aware of. New Zealand is perfect as almost all towns have the facilities, and most places are safe and clean. I do think that working from home slots in better with this lifestyle, as I am still bound to my practice and hours. But, if at least one person is flexible, it already makes things easier.

And I wouldn’t be able to do any of it without Xavier. He is the reason why we ventured into this unknown new world, and his support and the values we share is what makes the challenges not-sochallenging. I hope that living in Moomin will allow us to see and experience many more beautiful trails – locally and abroad. INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: South African 33yo Naomi Brand goes by a variety of titles: trail runner, part-time artist, veterinarian, wilderness protector, and peanut butter eater. She lives for adventure, but when she’s not in the great outdoors with other fanatics, you’ll find her covered in paint or trying to wrestle a pill into a cat (which at times can be harder than a 100 miler). 39

RUNNER'S HIGH

Hut2Hut 2022, taking on the Bluff with Mt Buller Resort in the background and clouds from the valley that separates the two high points.

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

RUN YOUR FIRST 50KM… AND LIVE TO TELL THE

Tale

IF YOU’RE READY TO TAKE YOUR TRAIL RUNNING TO THE NEXT LEVEL, READ ON BECAUSE TRM’S RESIDENT SPORTS PHYSIO BRAD DIXON IS HERE TO HELP! SOMETIMES IT CAN BE DAUNTING OR OVERWHELMING WHEN RUNNING MATES SUGGEST EXPERIMENTING WITH FURTHER DISTANCES, BUT IF YOU FIND THAT IT’S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO AND HAVE THE COMMITMENT TO TRAIN, THEN THERE’S NO DOUBT YOU CAN INCREASE YOUR TRAINING TO FINALLY DO THAT 50KM RACE YOU’VE BEEN DREAMING OF. BRAD PROVIDES ALL THE LATEST TIPS AND TRICKS TO PREPARE FOR YOUR FIRST ULTRA. WORDS: BRAD DIXON IMAGES: THE EVENTURERS

RUNNER’S HIGH RUN YOUR FIRST 50KM…AND LIVE TO TELL THE TALE

An entrant making her way over Razorback in the 2022 Razorback Run.

Before completing my first ultra-trail run, I viewed ultra runners as ‘nutters’. Obviously, they were a bunch of ‘running away from life’ with issues that needed a couch and lots of therapy. After completing my first Tarawera Ultra 60km in 2016, running from Rotorua to the beautiful Tarawera falls in NZ, my view of the ultra running fraternity completely changed – they are the sane ones. Training and getting involved in these events is about embracing all the best aspects of life. I’ve coached trail runners for ultra distances from 50km right up to 170km. Before 2016 42

I competed in the odd triathlon, and I’d run road half marathons and marathons for almost 25 years.

Everfit’s coaching philosophy has always been about blending in training around life so joy is enhanced.

As part of my own training, I run on trails as they’re more forgiving on the joints so good for recovery runs.

What better way to achieve this than training with great people in our beautiful natural environment? The first major point I want to get across is your first ultra training plan doesn’t have to involve excessive running.

I know that endurance training is a mixture of science and art; I’ve gotten runners to the finish of their first ultra trail event with good results. In post event reviews, my trail running athletes would must often be buzzing. Full of the joys of life, and waxing lyrical about their experience. Now I understand why.

Mixing in cycling, swimming, yoga and functional body weight exercises will keep the body and mind fresh. This more balanced approach will decrease

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

A jump for joy at the 2021 Buffalo Stampede on Mystic.

the chance of injury and staleness. I tend to use a 3-4 run a week schedule with one long slow run (my longest for my first ultra was 3hrs 10min covering 32km on similar terrain to the race), and I mixed in 2x Les Mills RPM classes, 2x swims and 2x functional bodyweight exercise sessions (with a cycle or sand jog warm up/warm down of 5-10min). Three weeks out I did 2x 3hr runs in the space of 5 days as opposed to the usual ‘long run weekend Saturday and Sunday’. I couldn’t do consecutive long runs due to a

meniscus knee injury that flares with backto-back runs, so I’ve learnt to train around this with spacing runs out more. If an athlete has a history of chronic injuries that flare sometimes spacing out runs or using the bike to increase duration is a great strategy, so niggles are not aggravated. Getting to the start line with consistent training should be a priority with any first time ultra athlete. Over 16 weeks you should have 4x long trail specific runs leading into your first 50-60km ultra.

These should be completed on similar trail terrain and will build up from 20-23km for the first, followed by a 24-28km, then 2832km and finally 32-36km for the final long run 3-4 weeks out from the race. The other 2-3 runs in the week will be specific to the individual’s needs. I will use a mixture of drill runs, hill reps and speed work (mainly for improving technique and the ability to get comfortable with uncomfortable) with one cruisey run. I’ve been lucky enough to coach several trail runners with experience so as a trail newbie 43

RUNNER’S HIGH RUN YOUR FIRST 50KM…AND LIVE TO TELL THE TALE

Conditions were wet, muddy and slippery. I was thankful for the cushioning and trail tread on the Hoka Mafate Speed but found the toe box a little narrow. I’ll always have a pair of maximalist shoes as they were very beneficial in the wet muddy conditions over the long haul (I have used Altra shoes for the extra wide toe box in the past – and use Hoka shoes now). The Ultimate Direction pack was fantastic with ease of taking a drink in the slippery conditions plus the speed to refill at the aid stations ensuring no time was wasted. Another big thank you to the wonderful volunteers who calmly grabbed my bottles out of my pack as I was munching on watermelon (seriously – isn’t the watermelon the most wonderful fruit in the world when consumed during a trail run?), asked what I wanted – refilled while telling me how good I looked (I know they were lying as I looked and felt like a scarecrow in the rubbish tip), then placed them back in my pack while I exited stage left grabbing nicely chopped up banana to go. My self-esteem plus belief was always enhanced going into the aid stations, and it was usually enough to sustain the journey to the next one. 2021 Heathy Spur Alpine Challenge 42km running over Heathy Spur with Pretty Valley Pondage in the backdrop.

some of the information I required was more gear orientated than training specific. After the 2015 Queenstown Marathon I purchased a pair of Hoka trail shoes and began using them on the odd run and made sure they were comfortable on my long trail runs. I was hoping to run the Tarawera in my usual Asics Kayanos but if wet I knew I would need more traction. For most trail events I would recommend specific trail shoes, and trialling these out months before your event is very important. A comfortable pair of shoes will make or break your event. I deliberated on the running pack for a while, finally settling on the Ultimate Direction Anton Krupicka. The ease of drinking and refilling the bottles swayed my decision over the pack with a bladder even though in training it took a bit

to get used to the bottles on the front. The pack also had the ability to carry my seam-sealed jacket which as the race grew nearer was likely going to have to be carried as part of the compulsory kit. I now rotate my shoes between the Hoka Cliftons (road trainers), Hoka Rincon (road racing more than 10-21km) and Nike Vaporflys (track and up to 10km) and the Altra Lone Peak (trail). I believe feet love a variety of shoes and it’s beneficial to have a variety for different training and racing requirements. My first trail ultra was an incredible experience. I have to mention the volunteers and the 2016 Tarawera race directors Paul and Tim for shaping the culture of the race to deliver an experience that money could buy.

Talking to my wife the day after my first trail race, I made the comment that an ultra run or any endurance event is life compressed into a day. You have moments when you are flying along running effortlessly, feeling a million dollars, then in the next instant you are walking up rises with your hands pushing on your knees to reduce the ache. In those moments you start to doubt, but you keep plugging away. Before you know, it you’re cruising along feeling amazing again. The world belongs to the person who turns up and grafts. An ultra, more than any other endurance event I’ve experienced, teaches you that. If getting out and doing a little ‘grafting’ in nature was prescribed for people by our health practitioners, I truly believe we could improve this country’s health and wellbeing. There is something very special about getting a little uncomfortable in nature.

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BRAD’S TOP TIPS FOR YOUR FIRST ULTRA •

Look at getting a coach and/or get involved with a trail running group. Having someone to take away the decision fatigue and having the chance to tap into past experiences can be helpful while making the training journey more joyful

•

Build up your training as you would for a marathon; within capacity, and allowing at least 12-16 weeks before the race

•

Your longest run can be made up of 50-70% of the ultra distance 3-4 weeks out, or a double day weekend of 60-80% of the distance cumulative over 2 consecutive days

•

Look at building up a long run or big weekend every 4 weeks (build distance/time over 3 weeks followed by an absorption/easy week) of your plan over trail terrain and preferably with a group of good mates

•

Attempt to train on terrain that is as specific to your ultra course as possible. This will give you confidence on the day plus give you a chance to test your race equipment and nutrition

•

Add cross training into your schedule with cycling and swimming, useful to boost cardiovascular fitness, aid recovery and decrease load on joints

•

Full body strength training and restorative work like yoga or pilates will not only improve efficiency and performance, but will decrease risk of injury allowing for consistent training

•

Get used to a pair of trail shoes early in your training block. Choose a pair that will suit the terrain of the race you’re aiming for – be aware that it’s a good idea to have an option if it’s wet or muddy.

•

Be aware of the compulsory gear list leading into the event. Make sure you get yourself a race vest/pack that can hold everything that is required. Never start an event without the gear listed – not only could you be disqualified but you may put the potential rescue crews at risk

•

Many ultras have nutrition supplied at aid stations. Be aware of what’s supplied and either train with similar fuel or be prepared to carry what will work for you

•

Experiment with your nutrition plan from your first week of training. Having an informed nutrition plan is pure gold leading into your first ultra

2022 Great Southern Endurance Run jump shot on Mt Hotham.

After you become an ultra trail runner, your mission could very well be to accept everyone’s point in their journey while promoting getting active in nature at the level where that person is. Not everyone will want to participate in an ultra, so don’t frighten them – just nudge them into doing some more walking in a local park. Get them started within their capacity, and let them open horizons. Moving in nature is what we’re designed to do as human beings. Doing this with good friends with a common purpose is expansive on many levels, enhancing wellness. 2022 Great Southern Endurance Run running down from Mt Hotham.

EPIC ESSAY

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS THE REVENANT STILL STANDS WORDS & IMAGES: SEAN BEALE

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

Failure is the most likely outcome. When it comes to New Zealand’s most gruelling ultra race, that’s The Revenant’s motto. Not because failure is a bad thing…by far, it’s isn’t…we all learn from failure. But because it’s that incredibly tough, race directors don’t feel they should sugar coat what 200km at 16,000m of vert is like in the landscape that is Welcome Rock Station in Garston, South Island, New Zealand. The year 2023 will be The Revenant’s fifth event, and to date only four people have finished the four loops in under the 60hr cut-off. You read that right. Four people. Every year I get the privileged opportunity to lie in wait and photograph the physical, mental and spiritual journey participants take themselves on. Usually when I take photos at events of between 50km and 100km, runners can still hide their emotions when they see me about to take my shot. The Revenant is a whole different kettle of fish. After 40 hours of going through the hurt locker, there’s nothing to hide – everything they feel inside has started to reach the surface, and in the end it’s just me, the lens, and a runner’s pure form of pain. These images have been taken across the years with two Sony A9 II cameras – one features a Sony 70-200mm f2.8 GM lens and the other a Sony 16-35mm f2.8 GM lens. I shoot both lenses 100% of the time at f2.8; ideally, I’d love to photograph The Revenant just using primes, but with such fluctuation in shooting conditions, zooms are the way to go. The only real challenges I face with the weather and lighting conditions come with shooting during the night, so for this I generally rely on a runner’s headlamp…otherwise I’ll hold a headlamp in my spare hand and shine it on them to give enough light. It’s enough to provide me with the most intense storytelling through my lens.

EPIC ESSAY WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, THE REVENANT STILL STANDS

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

EPIC ESSAY WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, THE REVENANT STILL STANDS

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

EPIC ESSAY WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, THE REVENANT STILL STANDS

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

DARE TO DREAM

The 6633 Arctic Ultra is an isolating race, but in 2019 Paul was joined by an unnamed dog who started following him out of a small hamlet of Fort McPherson and continued to do so for almost 30km. Image: Paul Watkins

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

AN EXTRAORDINARY

Adventure IT’S A RACE TOO FEW HAVE VENTURED INTO. THE 6633 ARCTIC ULTRA…WHERE ADVENTURE AND EXPEDITION COLLIDE TO GIVE THOSE BRAVE ENOUGH AN EXPERIENCE OF ONE OF THE TOUGHEST, COLDEST AND WINDIEST FOOTRACES ON THE PLANET. AS A NON-STOP SELF-SUFFICIENT EVENT OF EITHER 120MI OR 380MI, ONE WORD SPRINGS TO MIND – ‘EPIC’. AFTER A DNF AT HIS FIRST ATTEMPT IN 2017, VICTORIAN PAUL WATKINS RETURNED TO THE RACE WITH A VENGEANCE IN 2019, AND JUST RECENTLY TRM WRITER ISOBEL ROSS GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH HIM TO FIND OUT WHAT IT TAKES TO GO THE DISTANCE AND WIN THE RACE.

WORDS: ISOBEL ROSS IMAGES: PAUL WATKINS, EVAN DAVIES

It was February 2017 and Victorian athlete Paul Watkins stood at the 250km mark of the 580km Arctic Ultra…frozen, hallucinating, starving and broken.

relationship with the Arctic Ultra. From this ‘failure’, Paul learnt he needed to have a broad and deep toolkit to draw upon – and that toolkit needed to cover mental, emotional and physical skills.

Was this where his dream ended? Mentally and emotionally he had been under siege from the very first five minutes of the race. His nutrition plan that had looked so beautiful on paper was completely unworkable in the -40c temps he was met with. He’d made poor sleep choices, poor pacing choices and slowly but surely had descended into physical and mental chaos. Paul withdrew from the race and returned home. But this was not to be the end of his

He realised that failure, whilst bruising, wasn’t necessarily durable and it left one with knowledge and experience – two tools he could use to write the next chapter. So after some physical recovery and time for his battered ego to heal, he signed up again to return to the Arctic in 2019. But before we begin that story, let’s take a look at how he even came to be in the coldest part of the world back in 2017 to start with. “I was completely rubbish at every other sport,” he recollects.

“In high school, sport was compulsory, training two nights a week and competitions on Saturdays. “Given that I was too small for footy, too short for basketball and too short-sighted for cricket – a life in cross-country seemed like my only avenue.” He continued running through university but once the life of serious full-time work began, it fell by the wayside. For the best part of a decade he didn’t run a step, and it was only after realising his health had completely gone by the wayside that he laced back up and started the long journey to running. Eventually, running become the backbone of his fitness training for almost a decade of high altitude mountaineering and extreme ultras. 55

DARE TO DREAM AN ADVENTURE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY KIND

And who better to blame than the world of social media and a magazine titled Outside for his Arctic Ultra addition?

depending on how little you can survive on without leaving yourself in danger or under fuelled,” he says.

It was one of the races listed within a 2016 article called 13 Toughest Races in the World. By this stage Paul had spent the last 8 to 9 years climbing ginormous mountains on all seven continents, and says the idea of extreme races like these made this article perfectly targeted click bait.

“Not only that, but there’s precious little snow in Illowa to train to drag your sled through. I then had to work on a pacing strategy.

“The description of the race was borderline ridiculous – a 583km single stage, unsupported ultra marathon inside the Arctic Circle,” he says matter-offactly. “An attrition rate of 80% to the point where in the previous 7 years only 11 people had made it to the finish line. Average temps in the -30s, katabatic winds and extreme isolation. What’s not to love?”. What, indeed. “Personally, my thoughts were that I didn’t compete in 2017…I simply attended a very painful training camp. On paper my preparation was spot on – I had trained really consistently and thoughtfully for the best part of a year; worked on pace logistics, nutrition plans, equipment choices; I was extremely well prepared for what I expected. “Only the race delivered something entirely different – and when your training doesn’t allow for you to adapt to vastly different conditions, the wheels tend to fall off.” And fall off they did, in spectacular fashion, with Paul DNFing at 250kms. The now 47-year-old went home to Illowa (Vic) and worked on preparing himself mentally and physically for the challenge ahead that would be the Arctic Ultra 2019.

“Pacing doesn’t sound that bad on paper. In 2017 I had 185 hours to cover 583km, it’s just over 3km an hour. It sounds fine until you realise that it’s 3km/h for 24 hours a day, seven days a week for over a week. And you’re dragging a sled, in the snow and on ice and its -40 degrees and you have to still eat, sleep and manage whatever pitfalls come your way. “You also need to be able to drive your body for that long with very little respite – that starts out as a physical game but ends up being purely a mental one. At some stage your body will give up and you still have to have the mental fortitude to keep pushing your depleted frame until you either hit the finish line or get pulled out by the medics. “The athletes who excelled weren’t necessarily the toughest or the fastest. They were simply able to make high quality decisions and then have the discipline to execute those decisions regardless of extreme exhaustion, crushing cold or distance remaining; they simply kept solving problems, making sound choices and would do that wide awake or asleep on their feet, until the distance was done. “This was developed through arduous training at all times of the night and day. I also needed to be okay with long periods of total isolation…it was normal to spend up to three-quarters of the race entirely alone, with the only human contact the occasional drive by from the medic crew.” That’s a long time to be in your own head, so you have to be pretty damn sure you have it sorted.

At least this time he knew what to expect. He explains he had to work on the capacity to drag a sled with all his food and survival gear. “That’s usually around 22 to 26kg all up 56

Paul found himself raring to go at the start line of the 2019 Arctic Ultra, that had now increased in distance to 614kms (380mi), which might not seem like much (only an extra 34kms) but certainly added extra difficulty.

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

Paul returned to the 6633 Arctic Ultra with sheer vengeance in 2017. Image: Evan Davies

DARE TO DREAM AN ADVENTURE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY KIND

crossed the finish line there would be some great outpouring of emotions, but in reality there was just relief. “You’re just happy that it’s over, you can stop,” he pours emotionally over. “I laughed, I cried, I sang show tunes, recited entire movie dialogues, I cursed and swore, I despaired, I was elated. It was the full rollercoaster. Sometimes you could cycle through all of that in a single 24-hour period.” Paul doesn’t credit his success at the Arctic Ultra to being a great runner though, saying it was all about the training and development of a skillset. “The skills that have allowed me to excel in mountaineering and extreme ultras has been a very high level of mental discipline and an ability to simply outwork others over long periods,” he says. “Once I’m in that mode of executing the race, I’m incredibly focused, disciplined and stubborn. I can stay like that for a very long time.” Clearly this worked for him and will help him with his future goals. “I’m preparing for the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra (MLAU) in Europe next March,” he reveals. Winner of the 2019 6633 Arctic Ultra, Victorian Paul Watkins. Image: Paul Watkins

He says the challenge of the race lay in the cumulative toll. “It’s all the little things. Even food – I managed to eat over 6000 calories per day and still dropped 10kgs from start to finish when I raced it in 2019,” he reveals. “Those last few nights were the toughest. Just the extreme sleep deprivation, hallucinations and eventually repeatedly collapsing with exhaustion became a very difficult and demoralising game to play. By the time I crossed the finish line, I had had roughly 15 hours sleep across the preceding 7 nights.” But it wasn’t all hardship and suffering. 58

“I loved the solitude. When the weather conditions were clear it was complete silence. No noise whatsoever – it was incredibly peaceful and quite surreal,” he remembers blissfully. “At nights you had to stop and pinch yourself to realise you’re dragging a sled, alone, on a frozen river, under the northern lights inside the Arctic Circle. It doesn’t get much better than that.” But in fact it did. After 195 hours and 41 minutes, Paul won the 2019 Arctic Ultra. He had assumed that when he finally

“A similar race to the 6633 Arctic Ultra… the MLAU is 500km, in the Arctic, unsupported and a single stage event but it’s all back country trails so more remote, harder ground conditions in terms of snow and elevation changes.” Paul is normally reluctant to give advice but does have this offering to runners dreaming of going further distances. “Don’t underestimate the impact of consistent work, no matter how much or how little,” he explains. “Doing something difficult, every day, and overcoming it with honest work and fortitude changes how you see yourself and the world. That’s the kind of conditioning that makes the difference in the dark hours during long races.”

DARE TO DREAM AN ADVENTURE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY KIND

Paul competed solo and unsupported for his 380mi Arctic Ultra except when he was joined by an unnamed four-legged companion for almost 30km. Image: Evan DavIES

THE FACTS

•

Only 3 Australians and 1 New Zealander have ever finished the 380mi/320mi

•

Only 2 Aussies have finished the 120mi

•

The distance changed from 350mi to 380mi in 2017

•

The first 6633 Arctic Ultra was held in 2007 (with no events held in 2012, 2014 or 2021)

•

Current record for the 380mi is held by Romanian Riberiu Useriu who ran the 2018 event in 172 hours 50 minutes

All smiles for Paul who made his 2019 the best year ever with a successful Arctic Ultra race. Image: Paul Watkins

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Cairns is like the trail lover’s gateway drug to all things adventure, forests, beaches and mountains. In whichever direction you turn, the sites are enough to stir the senses aching to hit the trails that you just know must be hiding up there in the mountains and forests. As the descent is concluding coming into land at the airport, what seems just like green and flat rainforests from the air, upon closer inspection you realise are intimidating, yet equally exciting bloody big mountains hidden by the forests.

habitats, alongside waterfalls, up mountains and all with never ending, never boring views in every direction, including frequent sightings of the Great Barrier Reef. And now, you have an event of extreme distances of 100 or 200 miles that offers you all the best of the Cairns trails, in one unforgettable adventure. The Unreasonable East.

The minute you step off the plane, you feel that far north Queensland air in the lungs, and you just know adventures are about to happen.

Brought to you by the Ultra Series family, the 100 miler saddles you up to start in the famous tourist town of Kuranda before winding your way through the trails and mountains on the outskirts of Cairns, past Emerald Falls, over Mt Edith and snaking your way back through gnarly tracks and single trails into Cairns, finishing along the foreshore.

Cairns is literally the only region in the world where trails meander and link up through ancient rainforests, over crocodile inhabited creeks, along beaches, through eucalypt forests, amongst cassowary

If 100 miles isn’t quite enough to quench that insatiable thirst for extreme adventure, how does 200 miles from Port Douglas to Cairns via Kuranda capture your imagination?

Starting on the world famous 4 Mile Beach at Port Douglas, you’ll adventure through more mountains and the tablelands to the north and east of Cairns, prime cassowary country, before joining the 100 mile course at Kuranda. Again, mind blowing fauna and flora surrounds you in every direction and the descent and views coming into Cairns for that last push to the Esplanade finish line will be something that sits with you forever. At Ultra Series, our niche is creating ultra marathons that are extreme, unconventional and unforgettable, because who wants ordinary, when you can create life changing and lifelong memories and adventures? Unreasonable East with 100 and 200 miles through some of the most incredible scenery and trails this country has to offer, is absolutely no exception. Head to ultraseries.com.au for more.

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

CONTRIBUTION

LET’S GET

Personal:

WHAT’S NOT TALKED ABOUT THE MORE WE TRAIN AND THE MORE WE FOCUS ON OUR RUNNING, THE MORE SOME OF US MAY COME ACROSS ISSUES NOT WIDELY KNOWN OR TALKED ABOUT, AND THEREFORE GET TO A POINT WHERE SEEKING SPECIALIST HELP IS OUR ONLY ANSWER. JAMES SIEBER EXPERIENCED LOW ENERGY AVAILABILITY (LEA) AFTER HE STARTED SERIOUS TRAINING, WHICH IN TURN IMPACTED MORE THAN JUST HIS PERFORMANCE ON THE TRAILS – IT IMPACTED HIS INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP IN THE BEDROOM. TODAY, HE TALKS OPENLY ABOUT THE RESEARCH HE’S DONE INTO LEA AND WHAT UNDER-FUELLING FOR MEN CAN LOOK LIKE. WORDS: JAMES SIEBER IMAGES: THE EVENTURERS, SHIVONNE SIEBER, STOCKPHOTOSECRETS

CW // Mental Health, Eating Disorders TRM would like to advise that this article focuses on James Sieber’s experience, and therefore discusses sex health, mental health and eating disorders. We understand that this discussion may be difficult for some in our community, and have included support services at the end of the article.

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

CONTRIBUTION LET’S GET PERSONAL: WHAT’S NOT TALKED ABOUT

Discovering I had entered a state of Low Energy Availability (LEA) was eye opening, but what did that mean? I had heard of the Female Athlete Triad which brought light to the risk of women losing their periods, known as Amenorrhea, but obviously this wasn’t for blokes. The term Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) was beginning to surface as a replacement for the Triad to encompass more aspects of health including men's health, yet the conversation about LEA in men wasn’t getting much traction. In actuality, awareness has been severely lacking and in dire need of promotion. What are the symptoms and signs of LEA in men? Well, I had no clue until they hit me. Until 2014, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) came out with a statement reframing the Female Athlete Triad as RED-S, it was thought that the effects of undereating, or more specifically not fuelling to meet the demands for your sport, where not applicable to men due to our different hormones. Since the IOC statement, a new definition has been accepted of ‘impaired physiological function including, but not limited to, metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis, cardiovascular health caused by relative energy deficiency.’ This brought to light many facets of under-fuelling for men, whose equivalent of the triad involves LEA, low bone mineral density (BMD), and sex hormone insufficiency. Conversations on this topic have been missed, deemed taboo, or simply kept quiet for fear of embarrassment. We all come into this sport for different reasons. My goals were weight loss and to spend time with my wife who had started running. I cleaned up my diet and started moving more, somewhat consciously restricting a lot of aspects of my old lifestyle. It worked. I did what I set out to achieve and really caught the trail running bug in the process.

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

CONTRIBUTION LET’S GET PERSONAL: WHAT’S NOT TALKED ABOUT

However, from early on there were warning signs which I didn’t see and no one told me to look out for. I mean, who would? I didn’t know to ask the questions and didn’t have or know the community around me to receive advice from. This eventuated in one symptom that I couldn't ignore…I completely lost my sex drive. It all felt so sudden but in reality had been building (well, decreasing) for a while. My mood would fluctuate like crazy, generally becoming depressed; I was tired all the time; I kept binge eating from hunger spikes, especially at night. Then the idea of sex was both unmotivating and unachievable. I felt broken, useless. Unfortunately and unknowingly, I had under-fuelled myself out of a sex drive due to a lack of awareness into what endurance athletes need to eat to keep adequately fuelled and the serious physiological and psychological health risks of not doing so. Plus, us guys don’t talk about our feelings and we try to be all macho, tough and stuff…pointlessly living up to the stereotype is only hurting ourselves and this needs to stop. When I began my journey, I figured that by using calorie tracking apps synced to my fitness watch, my nutrition box was ticked. After 6 months or so the headaches started. Then the dizziness, mood swings, extreme fatigue, the night time hunger. I just thought I was sick, maybe COVID-19, after all this was 2020. Mostly it sounded like it and felt like it, but the symptoms were getting worse and hanging around for a long time. The additional irony that this state of low energy availability was, indeed, making me sick due to a weakened immune system. Eventually I saw a general dietician when I couldn’t stand up without feeling faint and they even agreed I was fuelling adequately. So back to the symptom that got to me the 68

most, why has my libido disappeared? I decided to dig deeper. After hearing her name on podcasts and reading a couple articles, I spoke to registered dietician and endurance sport specialist Kylee Van Horn of Fly Nutrition. This highlighted that as distance runners, we need to eat a bit different from someone living a more sedentary lifestyle. “Misconception wise, I see a lot of male and female endurance athletes having no clue how to eat with increased training volume. They just eat the same amount each day.” I know this applied to me, or at least I’d think I should eat a bit more but truly had no clue how big the jump in requirements could be as volume is increased. I also didn’t want to eat more; we can easily flip not eating enough to be purposely restricting intake to lose weight. Either way, not good. When asked about warning signs for men to look for, Kylee continued that, “low testosterone is a big red flag for men to look for. We see a lot of GI issues, inability to push or hit certain paces that were easier in the past, inability to recover, sleep difficulties, and injuries tend to increase as well”.

I clearly had my concerns but I didn’t want to pay attention to them and didn’t know how to act on them if I did. No one else was really talking about the effects on men, not locally or on social media anyway, and I didn’t want to eat more or put weight back on. Actually, I was terrified of this. Eventually, after listening to a Trail Society podcast episode, it clicked that I might be under-fuelling, perhaps even to the point of having RED-S, and needed to do something about it should I want to continue to be healthy in running and day-to-day life. After listening to the podcast, I reached out to host Corrine Malcolm who is a coach and professional athlete. When I asked her for input on this topic she happily replied. “What’s striking is that while women are diagnosed more frequently with issues associated with energy imbalance, or depression/anxiety, etc – it’s clearly prevalent in the male athlete population and dangerously not addressed – either by men not seeking professional/medical help/advice or talked about in open dialogue.

This definitely covered a lot of my symptoms but she hadn’t mentioned sex drive yet.

“It’s akin to the horrific depression vs suicide statistics in which more women are diagnosed with depression and yet men make up something like three-quarters of all suicides.”

When asked, Kylee’s response to this, “Yes, reduced libido as a result of lower testosterone and lower Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAs) too.”

Quantifying Corrine’s statistic for the local audience in Australia, men make up 75.9% of deaths by suicide according to Suicide Prevention Australia.

Okay, this is starting to make sense, but I’d been told by another professional and by the apps that I was fine. It was all very confusing. Despite putting a couple of good race performances in, recovery was frustrating and workouts were getting harder and slower. Motivation was low. Sex drive even lower.

Until now, I have purposely not delved into the topic of mental health nor eating disorders, specifically, to keep focus on under-fuelling’s role in the onset of Low Energy Availability.

Fortunately, my coaches saw some signs and sought help for me, with permission.

Sadly, mental health and eating disorders have a very real foothold in the endurance community and, again, are not talked about enough.

I was lucky in this regard.

However, I would be doing a disservice to this conversation if I didn’t touch on it.

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

CONTRIBUTION LET’S GET PERSONAL: WHAT’S NOT TALKED ABOUT

The prevalence of restrictive eating and compensatory behaviours evident in Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia Nervosa, Other Specific Food and Eating Disorders (OSFED) – this one is me – as well as depression – also me – and anxiety is scary.

caught out or to even know that you might be on a destructive path.

Yes, some come to the sport to help overcome these but this is not always the case.

Only recently have I listened to my body and specific specialists to try and get my body and mind healthy whilst running and in life.

For me, under-fuelling and LEA has developed into a multiple year long journey.

For now, I will leave it there whilst highly recommending an amazing 2020 thesis by Jill Colangelo that brilliantly highlights the prevalence of mental health and eating disorders, especially as training volume increases, in ultra endurance athletes.

It’s not fun, actually it’s the hardest challenge I have ever undertaken, but it is what needs to happen. And for the best part…my sex drive is coming back. Albeit slowly.

For most of you reading this, however, the time to endlessly research and read articles may not be possible.

LEA shows up in many different forms; you’ll likely experience multiple symptoms from under-fuelling.

You may not work with a coach or not one that has a high enough understanding of this topic to see the early warning signs, you likely haven’t worked with an endurance specific dietician and your GP probably looks at you like you’re crazy when they hear how much training you do.

For me, mood fluctuations and reduced sexual function were my most prominent, but this may not be yours. If you’re reading this and can even slightly relate, please don’t ignore the thought.

This means it’s really tough to not get 70

Contact an endurance dietician or nutritionist to start understanding what you really need to consume and how to

think about training. It’s a cost that’s 100% worth it. If you can’t or aren’t ready, then reach out to someone you trust in your local or broader running community for guidance, including myself. We may not be able to advise, but we can highlight any concerns and talk openly about our journey. No person is the same. Our strong, fit and healthy will look different. That’s okay. Listen to your body and fuel it well. TRM is hopeful that by publishing James’ article, we’re helping raise awareness about personal health. If this story resonates with you or anyone you know, you can call Lifeline to speak to a Crisis Supporter on 13 11 14 (AU) or 0800 543 354 (NZ). INSIDER KNOWLEDGE: James is a British strength and running coach living in Albury, NSW. You’ll find him talking obsessively about running, running podcasts and running shoes to whoever will listen – usually his two dogs and two cats because they don’t tell him to shut up.

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Patricia McKibbin, BTU60 2nd Female

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GET READY FOR THE BEST BTU YEAR YET!

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ADVERTORIAL BRISBANE TRAIL ULTRA

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Winner of the 2022 BTU110, Mike Carroll.

Brisbane Trail Ultra (BTU) Spartan Trail World Championship (STWC) 2023 will be bigger than ever!

Connor (NSW), who recently won Coast 2 Kosi, Jacqui Bell (Qld) and Hayley Teale (Qld).

International borders are open and Covid lockdowns are history. BTU festival will be activated, bringing back the food trucks, and Wild Earth will present a Trail Running Festival. There’ll be free pizza, beer, cider and chips at the stunning Joey’s Café where the BTU BAR takes over.

135DownUnder’s only female finisher Karen Barrett (NSW) will be there and podium winner four years running across the BTU60, BTU110 and BTU100Mi local running legend and mum Carol Robertson all racing the BTU100Mi. We will witness the comeback of the legendary Kieran O'Brien (Qld), Noelis Rehault (Qld) and Ryan Crawford (Qld), who will be chased by Tassie runner and 2nd place podium in 2022 Drew Beswick (Tas).

Last year the BTU BAR pumped and spilled out onto the Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park in a seething mess of high-vis vests until 10pm. For those ultra runners who miss out on the BTU BAR on Saturday, it will re-open after presentations on Sunday. Phew! BTU is the most challenging event of its type in Queensland. For the 5th year running, it has secured a rare 5-point ITRA category for the BTU110 race making it one of the only events in the Oceanic Region to secure this lucrative ranking. That means it’s BTU is a UTMB series qualifier for the BTU100Mi, BTU110, BTU60, BTU30 and BTU20. So what’s changed at the BTU for 2023? BTU will add the BTU Kokoda Climb – a race within a race for the BTU30, BTU60, BTU110 and BTU100Mi runners. The Kokoda Climb will join the Suunto – Stair Climb at Kangaroo Cliffs and the BTU – Red Bull Climb in Mt Coot-tha. We can’t wait to see who will claim bragging rights for the year and be crowned King and Queen of Kokoda. BTU30 is now 34km with more good bits and includes the stunning single tracks of The Gap, views over Enoggera Reservoir and the infamous Kokoda Climb. The start list looks impressive. BTU will fly in two international guest athletes, plus it will provide accommodation for 10 interstate athletes. So who has confirmed? Running Mums Australia’s Nicole Bunyon will be again the BTU Race Ambassador and she’ll be joined by 2x BTU100Mi winner Maree

A special shout out to 2x BTU100Mi finisher and 5th place in 2022 Anthony Hayward, raising funds for Young Care and Braille House. Will Vlad Shatrov (NSW) come back? We will have to wait and see. In the BTU110, local superstar Reesha Lewis will race the brutal course with podium winners Jen Millum (WA), Ursula Adams (Qld), and Katria Baker (NSW). AURA’s Worlds Representative Jess Schluter (Qld) is still deciding which event she will take on. The men’s field will feature Mike Carroll (ACT). Like the BTU110, the BTU60 field is wide open with the return of Iain Best (NSW) and Lachlan Jamieson (Qld). Will Gill Fowler will make the trip north? BTU30 STWC and the Blue Ribbon Race of the BTU STWC; this race is electric. The field is impressive. Will the Spanish STWC leaders Antonio Martinez Perez and Sara Alonso Martinez make the trip back Down Under? Or will we see STWC runners from the USA and Asia? We can confirm the Aussies who are coming back – Aiden Hobbs BTU30 2nd 2022, 1st 2021, Piotr Babis (Polish/Tas) recently 3rd UTA50, Tom Brimelow (Qld) previous UTA50 winner, Gabriel Fior (Italy/Qld), recently 1st place at UTA50 Patricia McKibbin (ACT) with an international runner, Deborah Kaboer (New Caledonia), with the Victorians Simone Brick (Viv) Brodie Nankervis (Vic) TBC, Anna Munro (Vic) to confirm, it is going to be one fantastic event!

FEATURE

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

A courage TO FIND HER TRUE SELF

PICKING YOURSELF UP AND STARTING LIFE OVER IS IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM…EASY. AT FIRST, RUNNING WAS A FORM OF SURVIVAL, AND IN SOME RESPECTS CONTROL, FOR NEW ZEALANDER TANYA BOTTOMLEY. BUT AFTER LEAVING HER OLD LIFE BEHIND, TRAIL RUNNING BECAME MORE THAN JUST A MEANS TO AN END. IT WAS A WAY TO FIND HER TRUE SELF, EVENTUALLY SEEING HER CROSS THE SOUTH ISLAND’S 45TH PARALLEL IN 2022 – THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER DO SO. VERA ALVES GETS THE SCOOP STRAIGHT FROM THIS INCREDIBLE SURVIVOR. WORDS: VERA ALVES IMAGES: BEN WALLBANK/CHEEKY WEKA MEDIA CW // DOMESTIC ABUSE TRM would like to advise that this article touches on Tanya Bottomley’s experience, and therefore mentions domestic abuse. We understand this discussion may be difficult for some in our community, and have included support services at the end of the article.

You know how people who don’t run like to ask you ‘what are you running from?’ as if they’ve just come up with the world’s most original joke? Well, for a period of time, Tanya Bottomley was indeed running from something. When she first started running, just over 15 years ago, running was an escape from the abusive relationship she was in. Running was something she could control. It was her time, when she could be alone and feel safe.

From the beginning, running was a tool for survival. “I ran from the pain in my life…I ran to feel powerful and strong,” she recalls. We’re not going to keep you in suspense here – this is a story with a happy ending. Through running, Tanya found her strength and eventually she became strong enough to leave the relationship and a life she felt she had no control over. It wasn’t an easy transition though. Tanya grew up hating running and, as a

heavy smoker in her teenage years, found it hard to stay motivated to exercise. “I got into weightlifting at age 16 and really enjoyed it but I’d smoke a cigarette on the way into the gym and another one on the way out,” she says. Running was initially also a good motivator to quit smoking but eventually morphed into something bigger – bigger than what she could ever have imagined. About five years ago, she moved from Auckland to Wellington to go to Police College. It was in the capital that she

FEATURE A COURAGE TO FIND HER TRUE SELF

eventually became a police officer and swapped the roads for the trails. “Wellington was where I discovered the trails. I remember thinking ‘this is the most amazing thing, we can run in the hills’. As soon as I did my first trail race, I was hooked. It was a 30km race and I said to my partner, ‘I’m going to run 100 miles’,” she remembers. He thought the idea was ridiculous at the time but she was determined. There was truly no stopping Tanya now. While this may have all taken place less than a handful of years ago, there have been many thousands of kilometres on trails since then. Tanya ended up leaving the police force, moving to Nelson and eventually down to Wānaka, where, alongside her partner, photographer Ben Wallbank, she has found a community of like-minded 74

ultrarunners that already feel like whānau. In 2019, she ran that 100 mile she had decided she wanted to run, that day back in Wellington when she finished her first trail race. She liked the idea of running 100 miles for her birthday so picked the 100-miler in Hanmer because the date almost coincided. She had no idea how much that birthday celebration would end up changing her life. FINDING HER WAY After years of running multiple races, including a few ultras, Tanya (41) is now focused on finding her own adventures, and helping others find their joy and freedom on the trails. “I’m creating my own adventures now, because I like to see what I’m capable of beyond races,” she explains. “Races were a good place to start and they were safe but more and more I’m now

looking to see what I can do beyond that,” she explains. In 2020, Tanya completed the Peak of Possibility, a challenge that saw her complete eight laps of Roy’s Peak in Wānaka over 24 hours (for a total of around 120km with an astounding 10,000 metres of vert). She did it to raise money for Shine, a domestic violence charity. She also did it because, well, we all remember what an insane year 2020 was for us all and she wanted to end it with a challenge that was both a tribute to that year and, as she describes it, ‘an affirmation of hope’. A movie about the challenge went on to inspire countless other people to find empowerment and hope on the trails. By then, Tanya had already cemented her name in the New Zealand trail running community as both the smiling runner that so many had shared trails with, as well as an advocate and storyteller.

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FEATURE A COURAGE TO FIND HER TRUE SELF

“When I started sharing my story it was about sharing some hope that things can get better,” she says.

She began training for the Hanmer 200mi because it was to be the first 200mi race in New Zealand – Tanya wanted to be the first woman to finish it.

“I feel like I got a second chance in life. I try to be quite real. I’m very honest in my social media posts but I also want to add value to the world. That’s really important to me, I want to make a difference.”

“I ended up with stress fractures on both my shins. I was the fittest I’d ever been but the intensity of the training broke me,” she recalls.

Tanya, who has two teenage daughters, hasn’t stopped inspiring. Fast forward to 2022 and things escalated even further.

The real breakthrough was the realisation that, despite being very much injured and unable to race 200mi, Tanya had proved to

herself that she could do it. “I knew I didn’t have to run 200mi to know I could, so that was a really good lesson,” she says. “I had realised that I signed up out of ego, which doesn’t align with my values." "My values are adventure and freedom.”

From then, the idea for the 45th Parallel Traverse was born.

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Instead of a race, Tanya was going to recover and go on a beautiful adventure through Aotearoa’s wilderness, following the path less travelled (in some places, the paths never actually travelled).

and determination, when she became the first woman to complete that traverse.

Covering over 600km, Tanya traversed New Zealand’s South Island from coast to coast in 2022, following the 45th parallel.

HELPING OTHERS FIND THEIR WAY

She chose to challenge herself and turn what could have been a story of failure into one of bravery and adventure, of grit

“It was about finding my own way,” she says.

Through her business, Run Like Tanya, the athlete helps people find freedom in their adventures. As a qualified psychologist and NLP

practitioner, Tanya focuses on mindset coaching to help runners achieve their goals. She decided to specialise in the mental resilience aspect of coaching after benefiting from that type of training herself in the past and realising it’s often overlooked in favour of physical training. “A lot of runners use running as therapy, which is not hugely helpful, and I have done that as well but that wasn’t good 77

FEATURE A COURAGE TO FIND HER TRUE SELF

because outside the trails life was still shitty,” she says. “I found a coach that does what I do and it helped hugely. “A lot of people are really hard on themselves and talk to themselves atrociously and beat themselves up and it doesn’t create a good space for them to move forward. Lots of people also get into running because they think they should and they’re not doing it for themselves. “They have to find their ‘why’.” Tanya also works with a running coach so she can provide comprehensive running programs alongside her mindset coaching, and is an advocate for training the brain – just as you would the body. “Clients can contact me 24/7, which you don’t get with a counsellor or a psychologist,” she says. “You can train your brain just like you train your body. I hate the word ‘hard’ because the assumption is that the thing you’re doing is really hard, but it doesn’t even have to be hard to be a challenge. Language is so important and I’ve learnt 78

to really master that and take control of my brain and be very intentional with the words I use because they affect both how I feel and how I act.” Everything fell into place once she realised to align her running with her own values. Tanya stopped pursuing races for the sake of races and found true joy in exploration in the outdoors and in honouring her body for what it did for her. “When you align your running with your values, it’s much more enjoyable than just doing a race because you think you should,” she says. “I’m really grateful that I can move my body, I just love it. I don’t think of it as hard. That’s been a big switch. Running can be play.” Tanya now works to help people make that same discovery for themselves, and find joy and running rather than doing it because they feel like they should. She says she often sees keen runners do too much too quickly, without giving their body the time to build up the resilience for it.

“You can take time to build up to things; I did too much too quickly and was injured so often, it was really unhealthy. I was keeping myself patched up, I had three IV iron infusions,” she recalls. In the meantime, she’s also still chasing her own personal goals. The next one is another big one: a skyline circumnavigation of Lake Wānaka in March where the adventure will be about 200km through the mountains from the Wānaka Tree to the Wānaka Tree, and Tanya is inviting a group of other women to join her for the challenge. Grit, determination and, above all, passion. This is what it means to ‘run like Tanya’. Fast or slow, short or long, she will keep carving her own path on the trails with the certainty that, as long as she runs free, she is running in the right direction. If you or someone you know needs assistance in a domestic abuse situation, call 1800RESPECT on 1 800 737 732 (AU) which is available 24 hours, or the Shine Helpline on 0508 744 633 (NZ).

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GNARLY TALES

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

The yarra calls For a

Hero

CHILEAN-BORN KARIN TRAEGER IS A PASSIONATE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND COMBINES HER LOVE OF THE EARTH WITH WHAT BETTER SPORT THAN TRAIL RUNNING. SHE’S THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE YARRA RIVERKEEPER ASSOCIATION, AND LATE LAST YEAR IN 2022 TOOK MATTERS EVEN FURTHER INTO HER OWN HANDS WHEN SHE PLANNED AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THAT WOULD SEE HER RUN THE LENGTH OF THE ENTIRE YARRA RIVER TO COLLECT LITTER AND RUBBISH. KATE DZIENIS LEARNS FROM KARIN WHAT ‘PLOGGING’ IS ALL ABOUT, AND HOW MUCH WE DESPERATELY NEED TO SAVE OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS FROM DESTRUCTION.

WORDS: KATE DZIENIS IMAGES: HILARY MCALLISTER

It’s hard to not notice the world around you when you’re out on the trails, especially if you’re a mindful runner taking note of each bird call, second guessing if that stick 30m away is a snake or not, and keeping tabs on the terrain underfoot. You’d also be quick to acknowledge any debris, or rubbish, along your path am I right? Sadly, the widespread use of single-use plastics, improper waste management practices, and littering has led to large volumes of plastic pollution entering Australia’s beautiful waterways.

With no one really tasked to clean up local areas on trails and off-road paths, it’s up to groups like not-for-profit Yarra Riverkeeper Association in Victoria to raise awareness about environmental activism and encourage people to not only consider positive-impact decisions in day-to-day life (recycling, etc), but to spread the message of saving our rivers and streams. The Yarra River Association’s CEO Karin Traeger is an avid trail runner. The 35-year-old, originally from Chile, began running in her mid-20s until ultimately the world of ultras latched

onto her and didn’t let go. So when she took on her most recent role as chief executive officer, she was eager to combine her love of running with an important cause; in the end, creating and mapping out Run the Riverkeeper, a sixday 280km run along the trails and paths of the Yarra, from its source to the sea, to raise awareness of the importance of river recovery. When it comes to the Yarra, most people wouldn’t go swimming in it, but Karin is determined to change that. She successfully launched, and set

GNARLY TALES THE YARRA CALLS FOR A HERO

the end of the day, I felt so accomplished and happy that I’d done it. I’d gone through a personal hardship in previous months, and the weight of all that had disappeared when I started running along the Yarra for Run the Riverkeeper. “And listen, there was always going to be physical pain, it’s expected when you go in for long distance, but I was really surprised how well I held up mentally. I knew there’d be moments that suck, however it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would’ve been.” On day 2 Karin completed just under 50km (adding 10km to her original desired distance after getting a little bit lost) whilst day 3 saw her clock 37km and an elevation gain of 1,211m. Things didn’t go to plan on day 4 though, with Karin saying it was her hardest day. Not because of any logistical or weather issues, but because she had to do a decent 30km on the road instead of on trail. “I had to run along the highway with cars and trucks coming, and it was just incredibly draining,” she explains. “There was a lot of mental fatigue happening that day; first off, I only got about four hours of sleep by the time I had to get up in the morning, and then all the traffic that was zooming past me…I much prefer the solitude of the trails. out to run, Run the Riverkeeper on 25 September 2022 – coinciding it with World Rivers Day – to promote a healthier and more protected Yarra River. “Running is my way to connect with nature and challenge myself,” she reveals. “I love running along the Yarra River because it’s beautiful and peaceful; Run the Riverkeeper is my way to celebrate this incredible waterway while giving back to it through one of my passions. “Because parts of the river aren’t that accessible though, I had to add 40km to the run to go around parts of it – the 82

Yarra River is about 242km, so in the end it ended up being 280km. “I thought it was going to be a whole lot more complicated, but I needed to find a person or a group of people to join me during the week so I had my friend Hilary McAllister come on board and she crewed for me with aid stations and meeting me at certain points. Some friends joined me for a bit too, and a random runner, Scott Beams, who heard about me through the socials, ran with me for a bit also. “Day one started near Cambarville at 5am and I managed to do a decent 72km. At

“In the end I managed to do about 55km, but I felt ‘over it’…I wanted the stunning landscape back, not all that roadkill! “But then I reminded myself that it’s supposed to suck, at least for one day. It’s not going to be all rainbows and glitter; all worth it in the end though.” It’s hard for Karin to pinpoint her favourite and most beautiful parts of the journey, saying the entire length of the Yarra River was like nothing else in this country and Victorians should be incredibly proud of what they have in their backyards.

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GNARLY TALES THE YARRA CALLS FOR A HERO

There is, however, the issue of litter. Along with the usual suspects of plastic, coffee cups and other random bits and pieces of rubbish (which she and her crew collected along the way), Karin found a large amount of polystyrene dropped around the course (polystyrene is used in furniture, signage, packaging, etc), and that was quite upsetting. “There are a few issues surrounding the Yarra that I want the public to learn about,” she explains. “There’s a lot of plastic pollution in the river. I’ve been doing plogging events outside of work time, so getting people together and just going out to collect rubbish. “Doing this I can see how much single use products there are out there, especially when it comes to polystyrene which comes from industry like construction, food markets and retail. “Then there’s also the problem of urban 84

expansion, so more land clearing and construction means more pressure and more compromise on the river. “We also see fragmentation, so we see animals getting cut off from their homes and natural habitats due to the building of new homes, and also bushfires which creates less climate change resilience.” Karin ecstatically reveals that there is absolutely something trail runners can do to help restore and protect the Yarra River. “It’s so simple – pick up rubbish, go plogging!” she says. “There are a few events locally where people get together, hit the trails, and pick up litter all while socialising and getting their kilometres in. “I participate once a month in plogging, but even if you don’t want to join an ‘event’, just pick up a few pieces of rubbish, or at least what you can, while out and about on the trails. Every little

bit picked up has an impact on our environment. “If you spot a larger item like a mattress or something of that sort, using an app like Snap Send Solve is the perfect way to get the ball rolling on removing it.” The last day of Karin’s Run the Riverkeeper saw her follow the Yarra River through Fairfield, Kew and Abbotsford and then finish in the early evening at West Gate Park, Port Phillip Bay where she was greeted by her crew and friends. “I was so wrecked, to be honest,” she reveals. “We had a quick celebration with a beer once I’d finished, but I just wanted a shower, a burger and to go to sleep – so I did!” Karin’s shoe of choice was the Salomon Ultra Glides, and she is the first known individual to attempt running the length of the Yarra River.

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ETERNAL FIELDS The Heysen 105 follows the picturesque Heysen Trail in South Australia just off Wood Cone Road between Mount Compass and Mount Cone. The Heysen Trail takes in everything from pine tree forests and native bushland to cow pastures and the stunning coastline of Victor Harbour. Pictured is Shaun Bennett, finishing 2nd Male in the 70km distance in 2022. Image: Sophie Geraghty

ISSUE 46 | TRAILRUNMAG.COM

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK SA, WA & NSW

CHASING A CHALLENGE Enjoy everything from challenging climbs to easy flat forest paths while running along through the Perth hills of Western Australia. Trail runners are absolutely spoilt for choice here, and HOKA sponsored athlete Claire O’Brien Smith takes as much of an advantage as possible whilst training in the lead up to the Ultra Trail Kosciuszko 100 miler (Dec 2022). Image: Noéko

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WADE THROUGH THE WATER A runner in the 2022 Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB crosses Jamison Creek, upstream from Wentworth Falls, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. Image: Calumn Hockey

4th August 2023

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BOOK CLUB REVIEW REVIEWER: KATE DZIENIS

SOLO BY JENNY TOUGH day running was not a qualified ‘thing’ when I started this project. It wasn’t something that I could buy a guidebook for, or learn from anyone else. It was a daydream I had, a curiosity about what was possible for me, and a desire to explore by my favourite means of movement.”

It's the account of her solo and unsupported mission triumphing over her fears and overcoming all the obstacles nature throws at us, without the accolades of a start or finish line, cheering crowds, bling to throw around her neck, or her name set in record books.

Without a support crew or companion, Tough became vulnerable to the mountain ranges she traversed, opening up her mind and her body to the purity and integrity of true adventure.

She did, however, highlight the fact that where ever she was in the world, there was truly no safe place for a woman, with her recount of locals continuously cautioning her that she couldn’t do what she had planned to do.

Her surname is truly reminiscent of her character.

Jenny Tough is an endurance athlete and adventure traveller who hails from Canada and has in the past written across various media platforms about her solo mountain expeditions and tales of travel as a solo athlete. Now based in Scotland, her latest contribution to her portfolio of written work, Solo, is a 363-page chronicle of her five-year journey to traverse five mountain ranges on five continents – across the Tien Shan in Central Asia, the High Atlas in central Morocco, the Bolivian Andes in South America, the Southern Alps in New Zealand, the Canadian Rockies in North America, and the Transylvanian Alps in Romania. “Long distance, unsupported, multi-

It took her five gruelling years (broken up) to complete the project, and she delves into all the intricacies of her travels in Solo. A bit more broad than just running, Tough goes into detail about the countries she’s travelled through, with a lot of detail about the landscape and environment she pits her body against. The book reveals at length the routes she takes and has no qualms when it comes to writing about the negative aspects – when self-doubt crept in, when she questioned her own ability and when she was forced to stop due to sickness. In a sense, there have been a few reviewers who have noted Solo as part self-help book and part adventure story, and I couldn’t agree more.

It appeared to be a recurring theme, and whether the locals were well-meaning or not is unknown, but Solo reveals that women from all over are exploited by men in a bid to keep them ‘inferior’. A sad realisation once you keep turning the pages. Tough is reported as saying, “Ultimately, I want every reader to come away feeling inspired and empowered to take on their own proverbial mountains,” and I can guarantee you that once you close the binding of Solo and either put it on the shelf or hand it over to a friend, you’ll be lacing your running shoes and trying to make your way to the highest trail points you can get to. The only unfavourable element I took away from reading Solo was that at times I felt the writing was overly descriptive, but that’s open to interpretation.

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BOOK CLUB REVIEW REVIEWER: ISOBEL ROSS

LOST AND FOUND: WHY WE NEED ADVENTURE BY PAUL WATKINS In the first story section, Paul details the highs and lows (that eventually led to his DNF) of the 2017 Arctic Ultra. In that race he made every mistake in the book and at the 250km mark, where he found himself frozen, hallucinating, starving and broken…he withdrew from the race. He returned home to work on rebuilding his body, mind and of course his shattered ego. Paul then goes on to tell the tale of how he rose from the disappointment of 2017 to stand on the finish line of the 2019 edition of the race as the winner, in a time of 195 hours and 41 minutes. Gripping, inspiring and a rollicking tale of adventure have all been used to describe Paul Watkins’ book Lost and Found: Why We Need Adventure. And yes, they are all true, but this book is also so much more. In the early stages while reading the publication, Paul labels himself as a ‘nerdy, middle-aged dad from a regional country town with no athletic pedigree’ but this tale puts paid to that portrayal. Lost and Found: Why We Need Adventure is an account of hard work, adventure and the lessons learnt along the way that can, and should, be applied to every day life. It’s a book split into three parts – the stories of his two Arctic Ultra races, and the lessons he learnt.

It was a hard-fought win that involved very little sleep, endless solitude, crushing cold, enormous physical effort and nutrition designed to refuel, not to enjoy. What he learnt on this journey though made all of the suffering worthwhile. He learnt that the athletes who excelled weren’t necessarily the toughest or the fastest, but those who made the best decisions (and were able to act upon those decisions) and who were focussed, disciplined and stubborn for a very long time – all traits a nerdy middle-aged dad had in spades. Paul later goes on to explain the lessons he learnt from his training and racing. From this, you understand that suffering and solitude have much to teach us. They can teach us about developing resilience (physical,

mental and emotional), the benefits of hardship and the power of the mind. He also explicates on how you can apply these concepts to your own life. Most of it boils down to doing the work. As he says ‘…how you do anything is how you do everything’ – very true words. The magic is in the hard work. In fact, Paul recommends that we learn to love the hard work, to ‘…revel in it, to command it rather than be burdened by it.’ The third section of the book details the suffering and effort he endured to finish and win the Arctic Ultra. The way he writes really allows the reader to feel his emotions and understand his experience. Although you already know the outcome, it’s still a nail-biting end as you feel his pain and desperation. Lost and Found: Why We Need Adventure is an extremely well-written book, easy to read and hard to put down. You may not ever want to race anything this long, cold or arduous, but it’s a fantastic story of an every day athlete who, through hard work and dedication, excelled at the race of his dreams, after a crushing failure. We can all relate to having dreams beyond our current capabilities. This book lets you know those dreams can become reality.

WISE WORDS

HILARY MCALLISTER CO-FOUNDER & CEO FOR THE WILD PLACES I grew up in North East Victoria on flat, and often dry, Dja Dja Wurrung Country. We were 30 minutes from the closest town, with paddocks for days, and a river along the edge of the property. As a kid, I’d spent days building cubbies with cousins and siblings, helping Dad on the farm, or playing on the trampoline. It was a very wild childhood surrounded by nature, animals, and often oppressively hot summer days and frosty winter mornings. Fast forward a few years, most of which I spent in Melbourne/Naarm, and I’m now based on the beautiful Surf Coast in Aireys Inlet. Wadawurrung Country is home to rugged sandstone cliffs, orchid filled heathland and beautiful coastal bush – there are trails galore here, and I absolutely love still being surrounded by nature. I’m absolutely spoilt for choice here in Aireys Inlet; from my door I can head along the cliff top walk, along Fairhaven beach or out the back to Currawong Falls. There are a lot of trail running events (Surf Coast Century, Afterglow, Surf Coast Trail Marathon) around here, and for good reason! I love having variety when it comes to trails, so it’s hard to pick just one favourite! I recently took the V-Line bus to Anglesea and ran back through the beautiful heathland and bush and was surrounded by spring flowers and orchids. I used Strava heatmaps to find trails I’d never explored before! I love being able to find new places to explore whenever the opportunity arises to take the path less travelled. I’m usually a solo runner, but lately I’ve been enjoying spending trail time with Surf Coast locals who love nothing better than to strap on a vest and get lost on a Saturday morning! Now that the days of partying till all hours are (somewhat) behind me, I love spending time with friends, old and new, exploring trails together. My trail community extends well beyond my local area, from the For Wild Places crew to friends from trail camps, people I’ve met at events and people I’ve met via social media! I feel very connected to a broad community of wonderful people who share my love of the environment, and even if I do go for a run on my own, I want to take photos along the way and share the views, stoke and snacks with others via social media.

We are in a truly incredible time – I believe we’ll look back on this period and either think shit, I wish I did more to save the koala, swift parrot, Leadbeater’s possum and the environments we have here in Australia that are unlike anything in the world. Or we will look back and pat ourselves on the back, knowing we all pitched in and did what we could to ensure future generations can experience the same world we live in today. I think we’d all prefer the latter, and I believe right now is our chance to make this a reality. I might be a bit drastic about things, but I honestly don’t see the point in saving for a house or trying to climb the career ladder if it could all be up in smoke in 20 years. As Yvon Chouinard says, ‘Fuck Mars’. I want to live in this wild, beautiful, natural world and if living off bugger all and darning socks is what it takes, well…I’m up for it. This country has the oldest surviving culture on Earth, and since colonisation we’ve driven ecosystems into the ground, pushed animals to extinction and degraded landscapes beyond repair. What our Traditional Owners cared for, for over 10,000 years…we’ve depleted in just 234. The mentality of the environment being ‘ours’ to exploit, mine, chop down and burn needs to end. This year, Australia’s earth overshoot day was March 23, so just 82 days into a 365-day year, we had used up all of the natural resources in Australia to sustain our population. I truly believe we are capable of consuming less, and consuming smarter so we can ensure a healthier future for both people and planet. I’m pretty new to trail running, having only discovered the sport in 2019. I was always a keen hiker, and during training for Oxfam Trailwalker, started doing big 50km walks. It wasn’t until we were blitzed by Lucy Bartholomew’s team at Oxfam that I realised ultra running was even a thing! My first event was the takayna Trail 65km in 2020, and to qualify I did my first ultra at The Archie. I was hooked from the beginning – that feeling of crossing the finish line was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before! Since then, I’ve loved the freedom and sense of adventure that comes with trail running. In 2020 I made it my aim to visit every National Park in

Victoria (there are 45) and loved using the mode of trail running to traverse the varied landscapes. I’ve only done a handful of events; takayna Trail will always be a very special one and I’m excited to head back in 2023. GOW100 and Oscars100 are both on the must do list! For Wild Places came about after takayna Trail 2020, when event co-founder Simon Harris brought together a bunch of us after the event to see if we wanted to create our own organisation dedicated to protecting wild places under threat. Since then, we’ve been evolving and growing into a registered not-for-profit with a board of directors, staff, volunteers and lately, some grant funding. It’s been a huge learning curve for all of us, and we’re only in the early stages of creating the impact we’d like to have within the trail and ultra world. What I think makes us fantastic (and I’m not biased at all!) is that we are, first and foremost, a voice for the concerned and activated. Many of us are experiencing climate anxiety yet confused as to how to be involved. For Wild Places is a community of like-minded, activated and kind humans who want to see change at an individual and collective level. We will continue to harness this energy and enthusiasm, and advocate and fundraise to protect the wild places we love to explore. One place in the world I’d love to trail run? Well…I haven’t explored much in the United States, and I would love to spend a year or more exploring all (or at least, some!) of the incredible national parks there. From the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to Yosemite, Grand Teton and Zion, there are so many places I’ve read about and seen pictures of, and never been to. One of the few quotes that sticks with me is ‘If not me, who? If not now, when?’ I think this sums up nicely the approach I take to advocating and activism, in that we can all do our bit, and time is of the essence. We don’t need a few people doing ‘sustainability’ perfectly, we need millions of people doing it imperfectly – at least trying to be less wasteful and more resourceful.

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