TrailRunMag 20 by Diego Lezcano

VOLUME 5 ED20 // AUTUMN 2016 // AU/NZ/ASIA

HIMALAYAN REDUX – A RETURN TO THE FRONT LINE // FRENCHMANS FORAY – THE MAGIC OF MARBELEK // FAMILY MATTERS – JOURNEY ON THE HEYSEN // PLANT POWERED RUNNING // RUNNING SHANGRI LA // NATURAL BORN HERO - CHRISTOPHER MCDOUGALL // FASTEST ’TASH IN TASSIE – FELIX WEBER // RETURN TO FORM – TRAIL TECHNIQUE // SPUTNIK’S SPRAY PLUS REVIEWS, GUIDES, GEAR & PORN

I TRAIN F O R Higher Mileage Y O U ’ R E T R A I N I N G F O R M O R E T H A N A G A M E . P R E PA R E F O R Y O U R N E X T A D V E N T U R E W I T H A C T I V I T Y- S P E C I F I C W O R K O U T S A N D T R A I N I N G G E A R B U I LT T O D E L I V E R B I G G E R D AY S A N D B E T T E R M I L E A G E . T H EN O R T H FAC E .C O M. A U/ M O U N TA I N AT H L E T I C S

ROB KRAR

JOE BUDD / HAL KOERNER

TIM KEMPLE

DETAILS

VOLUME 5, EDITION 20, AUTUMN 2016

Foundation supporters (the

Yay-sayers)

Tour de Trails www.tourdetrails.com Wild Plans www.wildplans.com Brooks / Texas Peak www.brooksrunning.com. The North Face Australia www.thenorthface.com.au La Sportiva / Expedition Equipment www.mountainrunning.com.au

Visit us online

Editorial Australia Editor: Chris Ord Associate Editors: Tegyn Angel, Ross Taylor, Simon Madden, Pat Kinsella New Zealand Editor: Amanda Broughton Minimalist/Barefoot Editor: Garry Dagg Art Director: Jordan Cole Designer:Josh Mann Craft-Store.com.au

escape the pavement

www.trailrunmag.com www.facebook.com/trailrunmag www.twitter.com/trailrunmag

cover photo

Contributing Writers Sputnik Sputnik, Amanda Broughton, Tegyn Angel, Majell Backhausen, Tania Carson, Brad Dixon, Nathan Fenton.

COVER PHOTO: ‘King of Tassie Trails’ Felix Weber storms uphill on Freycinet Peninsula’s 30km loop trail. IMAGE: Chris Ord

Senior photographer Lyndon Marceau www.marceauphotography.com

THIS SHOT: Adventure runner Beau Miles hits the highline on Mount Buller’s Summit Loop run, part of the Run Buller trail routes.

Photography Amanda Broughton, Tegyn Angel, Sputnik Sputnik / www.swashbucklersclub.com, Simon Madden, South Australian Tourism, Anouk Ord, Kimber Brown, Majell Backhausen, Graham Hammond, Hanny Allston, Nomades Pro, Red Bull, Mark Watson, Miles Holden, Graeme Murray.

IMAGE: Lyndon Marceau.

Cascadia 11 Like an SUV for your feet, the Cascadia 11 delivers a cushioned, balanced ride when you go off road. The super grippy 4-point pivot system allows you to tackle tough terrain with ease while the Ballistic Rock Shield protects your foot from gnarly trail hazards.

Trail Run is published quarterly Winter / Spring / Summer / Autumn Editorial & Advertising Trail Run Magazine 10 Evans Street, Anglesea, Vic 3230 Email: chris@trailrunmag.com Telephone +61 (0) 430376621

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.

Founders Chris Ord + Stuart Gibson + Mal Law + Peter & Heidi Hibberd Publisher Adventure Types - 10 Evans Street Anglesea, Victoria, Australia 3230

GO OFF-ROADING >> brooksrunningau

CONTENTS

VOLUME 5, EDITION 20, AUTUMN 2016

106

112

124

REVIEWS 14.

Now’s A Good Time To Buy all the good gear

106.

Shoe reviews

Need for Speed, Rock Biter & Cascade of Dreams

TRAIL GUIDES 124. Mt Buller, Victoria 126. Pomona, Queensland 128. Freycinet, Tasmania

FEATURES

TRAIL MIX 8.

34.

Editors’ Columns

Australia – Chris Ord New Zealand – Amanda Broughton Australia – Tegyn Angel

32.

Sputnik’s Spray

22.

Event Previews

38. Fastest ’Tash in Tassie – the new King of Trails Felix Weber 50. Frenchmans Foray – a run into Frenchmans Cap, Tasmania 62. Family Matters – finding reason in a run along the Heysen 70. Himalyan Redux – back to the Indian frontline 78. Running Shangri La – a running adventure in Bhutan 94. Natural Born Hero – Born to Run’s Christopher McDougall 100. Green Machines – a look at plant powered running

Fame

From Down Under

112.

A Return to Form – how critical is technique?

Trail Porn

It’s dirty

EDSWORD

CHRIS ORD, AU

IMAGE: Anouk Ord

For the first third of the run, I felt fine. Dancing on my feet like a dandy, in fact. Then the distance started to bite.

THEORY OF RELATIVITY

THERE’S A SEQUENCE IN THE DESCENT INTO RUN DELIRIUM. THE LEGS START TO FEEL HEAVY. THE ENERGY SAPS, LEAKING FROM THE BODY LIKE IT HAS BEEN SKEWERED IN FIFTY PLACES BY A RAGING BULL – ENOUGH SO YOU CAN’T PLUG THE LEAK. I WANT TO LAY DOWN BESIDE THE TRAIL AND GO TO SLEEP. THEY TELL ME THAT IS YOUR ENERGY SYSTEMS TRANSFERRING FROM GLUCOSE (RESERVES NOW GONE) TO FAT BURNING. I JUST KNOW EVERYTHING IS TELLING ME THE GRASS TREE LOOKS A COMFY PLACE TO CURL UP. BUT SO EARLY IN THE RUN? Mentally it is over. But I’m a long way from home. So it’s not. Plod. Plod. Should I walk? Yes. No. Get to that post. Then walk. No, next post. A hill, great, I can walk without shame. From here it is a zombie run. Not the ‘fun’ type where horror film and makeup buffs congregate to trot out five kay dead-leg style in homage to their favourite living dead flick. This is just straight day of the living dead running, no Shaun references or makeup required. Halfway and there’s an inkling I might make it, but the stomach is turning over, flip flopping on a trampoline of indecision that has me simultaneously ravenous and on the verge of throwing up. This run is going to be the end of me. Of course, ultra runners may recognise this narrative well. The legs getting tired at 30km, the shift in energy systems at 40 or so… But the run I’m whingeing about was no ultra. It was, to be precise, a mere 6.4km run. Nay, an epic 6.4km. Epic in particular moments, at least. It may as well have been an ultra, so my mind chatter told me at the time. But that’s the beauty of running – challenge, brutality, pain, hunger, fear; it’s all relative to the solitary moment and the individual feeling it. And all just as valid regardless of time, distance, ascent or some other self-validating number used to beat a chest with.

Someone’s very first 2km run – perhaps the beginning of a life-changing journey from couch to metaphorical Kosciuszko peak – can be as nightmarish as the worst trainwreck written in the history book of the 240km Coast to Kosci itself. Which brings me to my point. Every run is worthy. Every run can hurt. Every run can be euphoric. Every run can also be a trainwreck with mental and physical ramifications as serious as the runner judges it to be. It’s all relative. Ultra runner Rich Bowles loves to say “you didn’t ‘just’ run (insert whatever kilometre distance you like). You ran (insert kilometre distance). Be proud. Any run no matter the distance is an achievement.” I agree – drop the magnanimous, selfdenigrating ‘just’ as though whatever you ran doesn’t really count when compared to…to what? Stop the comparisons. Why is your run any lesser to anyone’s, the Kilians of the world included? Because it’s not far or tough enough? Compared to who? To what? Because it didn’t hurt as much as someone else claims to have hurt? Judged by whom? It seems we are in a phase where the ultra is the new marathon – the thing to be held in reverence, to be revered as an experience that allows you into an elite ‘club’ of sorts. It seems the marathon, which used to be held in the same stead, is something to be whipped out between breakfast and lunch, a mere training run. It is no longer to be boasted about, no longer backyard barbeque fodder, for it no longer (seemingly) holds the gravitas it once did in the New Audacious Age of 100km, milers and beyond. Lest we forget we remain a niche sport. By the numbers, there are more people in our local communities who are yet to run 21km, let alone a full marathon, than there are those who have. That puts those who have run an ultra in a smaller minority again (note: this minority does not equate to superiority). Let us not lose respect for those who tread the trail at lesser distances. Lesser brutalities.

Lesser inclines. It’s all very well to push the limits of mileage and pain when your limits have already been stretched into the ultra zone. But don’t sneer down at those entering their own hurt lockers at a Park Run. They are no lesser runner. They are no less brave (for who knows their demons, their struggles and what a 5km run around a park could represent in their context – it may be the equivalent of your Northburn or Buffalo Grand Slam, hell it may be their own personal Barkley Marathons). Toughness is not measured in sheer distance, elevation or peaks bagged in one run. Respect should be afforded for the mere effort of lacing up and stepping into the environment, no matter where, how far, how long. No doubt that running an ultra is a massive achievement worthy of the cherishing and of the plaudits. And like any experience of life, once lived you will find you have secret handshake conversations with others who have lived through the pain. You may even succumb to the fallacy that those who have yet to run an ultra ‘will never understand’. Indeed, I’ve seen it bandied that you’re not a real runner until you tick the 100 box. Bollocks to that. If you take a step out your front door, manage to get a bounce in your step, and do a blockie at a pace greater than you would when collecting the fish and chips on a Friday, and you do it more than once a week with no other intention than to travel faster than a walk somewhere, around something, through something, to something – then you’re a runner. You didn’t just run around the block. You ran around the block. And while you may not have risked rhabdo or even dehydration, you ought still feel chuffed to have run at all. And we, as runners living all sorts of contexts, should be chuffed for you. Chris Ord, AU Editor

EDSWORD

AMANDA BROUGHTON, NZ

IMAGE: Chandima Kulathilake / 74Pics Photography

In March 2015 I made a bet with myself: no new running gear for twelve months.

ON THE 20TH OF FEBRUARY 2016, ELEVEN DAYS OUT FROM SUCCESS, I LOST MY OWN BET. With the exception of shoes, which need to be replaced when they wear out, the self-enforced rule was to buy absolutely no new running related stuff. After three years of running I had collected hydration packs, camelbacks, cases, braces, bottles, Buffs, jackets, full tights, ¾ tights, ½ tights, long shorts, short longs – you name it, it’s in my wardrobe. Trial and error with gear, buying then finding out it doesn’t suit, and picking up souvenirs and prizes from races can mean piles of stuff; in my case an entire chest of drawers dedicated to fitness gear. There came a point where I thought, maybe 14 pairs of shorts is too many for one set of legs? Would it be possible to do laundry more often than just on public holidays? Is all this stuff really necessary? Some gear will last a few months, anything you don’t like will last a few years. You will be spurred on to wear it in more and more dangerous places in the hope that those terrible grey tights you purchased will split at the seams so people will stare in wonder at you for your abilities and not the rorschach test sweat patches appearing around your groin. I definitely don’t ‘need’ any new running gear, and you probably don’t either. Connecting with nature through trail running could mean contributing to destroying nature on the other side of the world through ill-considered purchases. But who has time to

research into the ethics of each company when you’ve worked a full day, run for 90 minutes, cooked dinner and you still have 14 pairs of running shorts to hang out on the washing line. What difference does one running shirt make anyway? If you like trees (I like trees) and you think future generations might like the impressions that running through the trees can leave on your mind, your heart and your forehead then take a few moments to look at where your gear is coming from next time you make a purchase. Keep it simple. If you do need something, can you borrow it? (Only borrow from people who can’t catch you so if it breaks you can run away). Can you buy something locally made? Is it made to last? Can you run barefoot wearing a hand-spun merino wool loincloth dyed with turmeric and fastened with a sharpened twig? No. Only Anton Krupicka could pull off that look. The best way to start a movement in working towards less stuff, better stuff, and stuff that doesn’t ruin other stuff, is to do it together. Do some research, you’ve got time to make a three hour sales pitch on sustainable socks on your Sunday long run. I did so well not to buy anything new for 354 days. My t-shirts had taken on a permanent funk, someone at the gym asked me if I thought I should throw away one decaying singlet, and pair of shorts #7 and #12 were beginning to lose all elasticity. Then I saw them. Gold running shorts. Size? The perfect size. Price? $7. Be rude not to. Before I knew what was happening my fingers were stabbing my visa details

rapidly into the keyboard, the booty had been delivered and I was excitedly planning at which run these magnificent gilt beauties should make their shiny debut. I thought you weren’t buying any running gear for a year, what happened to that? Oops. Sometimes it is okay to run off course just a little if you still keep the end goal in sight, and you get back on track as soon as possible. The challenge to have less stuff will begin again, and when the fortnight of shorts has dwindled to just a few remaining pairs I will be considering a lot more than colour when I make my next purchase. Fingers and nail-less toes crossed for a metallic sports wear factory opening in my suburb soon. If you have any recommendations on trail friendly trail gear, please get in touch! Amanda Broughton, NZ

EDSWORD

TEGYN ANGEL, AU

IMAGE: Simon Madden

Mind Your (SOCIAL

MEDIA)

Manners

We live in an age where the term “Mass Media” has taken on an entirely new meaning. No longer the us-and-them domain of tabloids and television studios, media is now just as commonly created by the masses as it is for the masses. AS A KID, THE CLOSEST I CAME TO BROADLY DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION WAS PHOTOCOPYING A ‘LOST DOG’ NOTICE. YET IN A MERE 20 YEARS THE INTERNET, PERSONAL COMPUTERS, DIGITAL CAMERAS AND MOBILE PHONES HAVE GIVEN US THE MEANS TO PRODUCE CONTENT THAT IS INFINITELY REPLICABLE AND EASILY DISTRIBUTED. IT’S THE AGE OF CITIZEN JOURNALISTS WIELDING CAMERAS AND KEYBOARDS AND WITH IT A NEW, UNFILTERED POWER PARADIGM – ONE THAT CAN EASILY BE ABUSED. Youtube’s most popular videos now regularly hit a billion views and you can find a video blog that talks about everything from the inane through to quantum physics and the deepest of philosophical conundrums. It’s fairly common to find Instagram users with follower counts well into the millions. Wikipedia is the biggest Encyclopedia in the world and Quora is like an open source, user-generated, peer-reviewed journal where users can find and engage with a guru on just about any topic. Even something as simple as a ‘private’ Facebook or Instagram post can quite easily reach upwards of 1000 people. Any Tom, Dick or Harry who wants to generate content can do so from the privacy and convenience of their own smart phone. Take this magazine, for example. We’re a handful of interested girls and guys typing words, sharing photos and content via the cloud and publishing digitally. Ten thousand people a month are on the other end of our ideas and bias. An idea takes our fancy, we research and write about it, add a few pretty pictures, a nice clean design and ‘publish’ it to the ‘masses’. We feel, we write, we distribute. We have an opinion and we’re not afraid

to use it. Hopefully we don’t abuse it. However we operate as a ‘known commodity’ in the vein of traditional media where we can be held to account. The problem lies in the largely anonymous nature of online media, specifically the social kind, which has inexplicably caused us to forget our manners. Lance Armstrong recently won a 35k trail race in California. In a small, low-key field of 50, Armstrong took the win from 2nd place getter Roger Montes by two minutes and later tweeted: “[I] can’t remember the last time I had this much fun suffering for three hours.” He subsequently mentioned an interest in running an ultra event. The trail community’s response? Complete and utter indignation sprayed all over the Internet in a largely self-righteous, abhorrent fashion completely bereft of common decency. Half the men, women and dogs on Facebook started pissing abuse and nihilistic rubbish into their feed like rats fleeing a sinking ship, as if this one man could single-handedly bring down our beloved and apparently fragile sport in one fell swoop. Look out world! Performance Enhancing Drugs are contagious and if Lance runs your local community trail event then you can bet that by next year the mid pack mum looking to get fit and rediscover a love for the outdoors and a build a connection with a supportive community will be mortgaging her house to pay for an EPO program and claim what is rightfully hers: a pair of socks and a $50 gift voucher! I’m not here to argue either for or against The Armstrong being able to participate in trail and ultra events. Sage Canaday, Joe Grey, iRunFar, Runners World et al have written measured articles on the topic and there’s no need to rehash the debate.

Rather, I’m using this is as an example that’s well known and hopefully distant from the arguments that rage fairly regularly within our community. If this was a oneoff attack on Public Enemy #1 I probably wouldn’t have cared. Unfortunately, experience shows that when it comes to social media we’re pretty happy to speak to each other like this, too. As trail runners we paint ourselves as a non-judgmental and inclusive community, so let us be role models to the rest. Let’s drop the “I’m not doing anything wrong unless I’m caught” and “No one cares what I think (when I spray it online) therefore I can be an arsehole,” and start acting like mature, considerate human beings. Try this: before you fire your next beautifully crafted volley of spiteful slander and raging righteous critique, ask yourself if you’d phrase things differently were you speaking face to face. You may hate a cheat like Armstrong and everything he stands for, but would you lather such invective if he were standing beside you on the start line? Really? His cheating only points to the fact that despite what we all thought – he’s only human. And one that is seeking some solace for his sins on the trail, at that. The relative anonymity of social media is no excuse to forget that we’re talking to other people and that our words carry weight and consequence. Just like having a charity and a big bank balance is no excuse for being a drugs cheat, having a keyboard and a Book of Faces is no excuse to be a dickhead. Tegyn Angel, AU

NOW’S A GOOD TIME TO BUY Reviewer: Chris Ord

Men’s Thermal Speedwork Zip-Neck

Patagonia: winter run collection The mornings are getting nippier and so layers are starting to come out of the wardrobe ready for a run in the woods. We’re not sure anyone has fully nailed cold weather running systems, but here’s a coupling that finally does the job with aplomb: Patagonia’s Nano-Air Vest matched with its Thermal Speedwork top. The only problem is that it will need to get a mite cooler before you’d want to don both at the same time (and they do make a great layering pair), such is the cold weather comfort and effectiveness of both garments.

Reviewer: Chris Ord

the good gear Men’s Nano-Air Vest The Nano-Air Vest is warm, stretchy and breathable. The filling is a 60-gram ‘Full Range’ nylon fibre, making it easy-care, yet it still has excellent insulation characteristics. The Full Range annotation labels the way the insulation is stitched within so that it stays in place, without settling or becoming uneven (and therefore potentially creating cold spots – common in some down jackets). I’m a big fan of vests for running as they keep the torso and organs toasty, but allow you to rid any perspiration and built up heat because your pits and arms are still open to the elements. So you can wear it for the entirety of any run start-stop mission on the trails. The vest is well designed for active wear meaning its stretch and range of motion is high and the low bulk of features like the pockets allows for the wearing of a hydropack without issue. Further, the DWR (durable water repellent) ripstop fabric gives awesome durability. It’s also super lightweight and packs down to the size of two fists. This one goes straight into our fave kit bucket.

VITALS $219.95 AUD

When the temperature really drops, it’s worth looking at this one as a must-own layering option (or even by itself for spring weather). The Thermal Speedwork Zip-Neck is again super-stretchy and breathable with a zippered chest pocket and overlapping thumb holes at cuffs. I found this a nuclear heat bomb on test, the only problem being that if it wasn’t cold enough, it was too roasty! It’s a polyester-elastane material, so it’ll need a good wash after a good few sessions lest the pong factor get your household complaining, but the performance balance of comfort, fit and function is without doubt market leading.

VITALS $159.95 AUD

www.patagonia.com.au 15

NOW’S A GOOD TIME TO BUY Reviewer: Chris Ord

Reviewer: Chris Ord

The North Face Thermoball range I was about to write that as crucial as a puffer is to the winter wardrobe of any outdoor fanatic, you’d never run in one. But I’d be wrong. Anyone who has run at altitude, in big mountains, knows that sometimes you don’t have any option other than to run in a puffer. So while we love the Thermoball for a myriad of regular reasons – styling, fit, warmth – it’s also super functional running on trail as much as when you have just come off and are trying to warm up. The key here is that it’s not a down jacket, rather it provides market leading insulation via new-technology Primaloft Thermoball, a synthetic that doesn’t lose heat if it gets

wet (as down does). So when you’re running in the cold but there’s a likelihood you’ll get wet either from the elements or from within (sweating), this jacket continues to do its job and do it well. Further, for runners, it’s not a Michelin man set up. The Thermoball jacket is a slimline design, light and non-intrusive so you can still wear a running pack over it. It also comes in a few different set ups, from the full jacket, to a vest to a hybrid styling that has vest and hood married to regular sleeves. Essentially this is a versatile warmth layer jacket that can actually be used for intensive activity in extreme weather – which is why

it is a go to for snow sports enthusiasts, and, we reckon should also be a mandatory item for trail runners - especially those heading into serious wilderness. Added bonus, these things compress down into bugger all. Seriously, just go get one. [Sizing note: the Thermoballs tend to run a little larger than normal – you may find if regularly a Medium that you cinch into a Small].

VITALS

$199-$350

www.thenorthface.com.au

S-LAB ADV Skin 5 Set Salomon has always led the way in hydro packs and continues to be the go-to brand at the minute, despite others shaking up the sector with various design approaches, to varying degrees of success. Here we have a staple architecture – body hugging, stretch design that is much more vest than backpack. This model is for day outings, be that short (no need for the rear bladder) or longer (a total of 2.5L can be carried between the soft flasks up front and the bladder up back). Given most trail runs are less than a day and usually require less than 2.5L of water, this pack is a perfect all rounder capable of carrying all you need. It will be a bit of a regular go-to in the kit bag. Given its super lightweight nature and super stretch construction, it’s also the perfect racer vest for the go fast types. Changes over past versions include a 10%

lighter construction with less binding to reduce chaffing. Updates to pockets have seen some slightly strange positioning up front – the front shoulder pockets, one zip, one stretch lip opener, sit lower down, intruding into the top of the flask bottle top making access to anything lower in the pocket more obstructed. The zippers seem a little hardier, with one on the front pocket and two on rear hip slots. There are enough hidey-holes to store all you’ll need for any day mission: foul weather gear in main rear stretch pocket, food in rear hip pockets, bladder in main back cavity, flasks (not hard bottles) up front with gels and salt tabs stashed on front also. None of the pockets up front seem large enough for an iPhone, which is frustrating, although you may slide it behind one of the flasks. Accessibility to the pockets is in general good; the only reason you’d need to

dismount is to refill the main bladder. The lightweight, stretch nature of the construction makes the vest seem flimsy yet to date it has proven durable enough to cope with a belting. The fastening system on front has changed from a rigid plastic piping for the clips to grip on to, in favour of small material loops to hook on. The action is easy and the tightening quick with the zig-zag design of the two straps giving four attachment points for good delivery of stability. Overall this is a super comfy vest that will sit pretty and comfortable on your back for all but the longest of ultras.

VITALS

$199.99 www.salomon.com/au

NOW’S A GOOD TIME TO BUY Reviewer: Amanda Broughton

Point6 Running Ultra light Micro Socks They say that Albert Einstein gave up wearing socks completely because his big toe would poke holes in them. I’m also a genius with an impressive big toe and like to invest in gear that will go the distance; these socks will. After weeks of regular wearing and washing they still look and feel like new with no signs of holes anywhere! The Ultra light Micro Sock is ideal for people who like very minimal coverage, like triathletes who are use to going without socks. The thin layer of merino wool is light and breathable, and they don’t slip down into your shoe while you run so there’s no need to worry about blistering. They dry quickly, the colour choices are good and you can wear them with nonrunning shoes as every day wear. Wool tends to hold on to the odd prickle, but just don’t go walking around in gorse to take pictures of socks for a product review and you will avoid this catastrophe.

Reviewer: Chris Ord

ENGINEERED FOR HIGHEST PERFORMANCE Born for ultra racers by Salomon’s engineers and leading athletes, enjoy a running experience that gives you protection, speed, and lightness to turn every quest into your ultimate performance.

Kooee Snacks I am of the opinion that local ‘jerky’ is in the main dog food. If you want real dried meat with flavour – a great protein blast – you have to ask for biltong and be situated in South Africa. That stuff is so damn goooood. But now there is a local alternative that actually stands up against the Springboks’ muscle (see what I did there?). Kooee Snacks is made from grass-fed Tasmanian beef and available in a two flavours, Sesame Ginger and Smoked Chipotle. The latter, it has to be said, is addictive and goes very well with beer, making it the perfect accompaniment at the end of a hard trail session. I’ve heard the guy selling this stuff say that it’s most often favoured at the conclusion of a run (when protein injections are, they say, best timed). But I actually got cravings during a run and must say, they go all right in the grassy field from whence they originally came, as much as they go all right once under the finish arch.

VITALS

$32.95 NZD www.furtherfaster.co.nz

VITALS

$8-15

www.kooeesnacks.com.au

#SALOMONRUNNING

NOW’S A GOOD TIME TO BUY

SUUNTO AMBIT3 VERTICAL

Reviewer: Chris Ord

AIM HIGH

VFuel Powder I’m loving the flavours that hydration and nutrition products are putting out there now. No longer the straight strawberry or luscious lemon. Now we get things like Ginger Twist, Black Cherry Cola and Tangerine Cream. They are the latest, along with Cool Lime, in the VFuel line-up – but not as you’d expect in the gel form we’re used to from VFuel, a brand that has found high favour of late in trail running circles for its taste, digestibility and – to be blunt – excellent performance. This range has been reformed into powder to mix with water each packet serving containing

200 calories. They are great for those who still can’t face ingesting the gooey stuff or are precious about getting it all through their hydration pack! Taste tests will always be subjective – I mean there are those who actually like the Maple Bacon gel from VFuel (not for this reviewer) – but for us the Black Cherry Cola got the biggest thumbs up, Tangerine and Lime also tickling the palate. The Ginger was much anticipated but you need to be a real ginger-lover – it exhibits natural earthy ginger tones, more so than sweet ginger beer on the palate.

VITALS

$27 / 12-pack $9.95 / 4-pack

Free Suunto Movescount App - learn more on suunto.com/movescountapp

www.vfuelaustralia.com

Some call it obsession, we call it dedication. The Suunto Ambit3 Vertical is more than just a multisport GPS watch. Follow the altitude profile of your route while working your way up mountains. Keep track of your total vertical gain from your yearly total to day-by-day ascents. www.suunto.com/Ambit3

TAUPO ULTRA Taupo Ultra, North Island, NZ

predominately single trail, with some four-wheel drive, farmland and road routes connecting the trails with all events finishing at Whakaipo Bay. Event founder, Will Samuel reckons “the Great Lake Trail is an epic journey that showcases the best of what our region has to offer – New Zealand’s largest lake, mountain ranges, rivers, waterfalls and native forest.”

EVENT Taupo Ultramarthon WHEN 15 October DISTANCE 24km, 50km, 74km

Patagonia’s Houdini Jacket Our very best products are those that do more than one thing. That’s the way we’ve always played. If it’s dry, climb. If the dirt’s tacky, ride. If it’s crisp and breezy, run. A multifunctional piece of clothing does the same—it deploys for many activities but is partial to none. Take the ultimate opportunist, the Houdini Jacket. Made

and 100km

of weather-resistant, wind-blocking and

WHERE Taupo, North Island,

breathable 100% nylon ripstop fabric,

New Zealand

it’s a multifunctional heavyweight in a startlingly lightweight package that stuffs

Check out the event Check out the video

down to nothing and then vanishes into your rack, pack or pocket.

PATAGONIA.COM.AU

Photo: Ken Et zel

magine running around the shores of the largest inland water body in New Zealand, touching on five bays, the whole time being in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano? That’s the setting for the inaugural Taupo Ultramarathon which will see runners attempt an uninterrupted traverse across the entire Great Lake Trail, including over private land. The event runs with four distances – 24km, 50km, 74km and 100km – offering an ideal stepping ladder for those new to the ultra scene but enough mileage for those looking to crack the tonne. Unlike its Kiwi cousins who bear a bit more brutality (such as Northburn) this course is relatively accessible and ‘flatter’ – although the big one still has 3546 merres of elevation suggesting a rollercoaster ride in parts. Indeed, a look at the elevation profile shows rare flatline sections! The course is

It Runs It Rides It Climbs

Photo: Ryan Crear y

EVENT PREVIEW

HUBERT 30/50/80 Flinders Ranges, South Australia

irstly, no, this year there is no 100 miler as the name promises – you’ll have to wait until 2017 for that one. But there are still some hefty prelude distances on offer at this inaugural event in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. The outing takes its name from South Australian 20th century explorer, Sir Hubert Wilkins, who is famous for quoting “adventure is just a word used to disguise a series of unplanned surprises”. Hubert’s feats included mapping previously unseen land in the Arctic and Antarctic, being the first person to navigate a submarine under the Arctic ice and flying across the Arctic from America to Europe. He was also one of the first people to grasp the link between the polar regions and predict climate change. He was also born near the

mid-north town of Hallett, not far from Hawker, and the courses will cover parts of land that he probably once explored and that inspired his thirst for adventure. It’s a stark and unforgiving landscape, but one that is well worth exploring your own limits amid. The course takes in the best of the Flinders Ranges, focusing mainly on the land north of Wilpena. But be warned and self-sufficient: checkpoints will be an average of 20km apart.

EVENT Hubert 30/50/80 WHEN 1 May 2016 DISTANCE 30km, 50km and 80km WHERE Flinders Ranges, South Australia

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24 A U S T R A L I A

EVENT PREVIEW IMAGE: Kimber Brown

TORQUAY

HUMAN V HORSE RACE

3 sepTeMber 2016 | AngleseA ViCToriA eDiTion 5

100KM solo

BELLS BEACH

50KM solo POINT ADDIS

100KM relAy TeAMs An ultra marathon for everyone on the stunning Victorian surf Coast and great ocean road region.

ANGLESEA start/finish

PukeokaHu, NORth Island New Zealand

f you’ve ever described yourself as ‘running like a stallion’ you’re probably yet to pit yourself in a race against one. Now is your chance! The Great PukeokaHu Human V Horse race is an idea thought up by Welsh man, Llanwrtyd Wells, in the 1980s. The inaugural New Zealand version of the event was in 2015, and judging by the feedback from those who competed it’s an experience you won’t want to miss. PukeokaHu District is a small thriving community located in the back blocks of Taihape, which by most people’s standards can seem pretty remote. For trail runners this is perfect! Competitors may be shod or barefoot (whatever you are used to) but be aware that the course is run over farmland so is grassy and hilly with some rough and

rocky country. There will be aid stations on the course, including veterinary stations. The relay option in this event is for humans only, purely because the horses found it difficult to pass on the baton at the changeover points. All proceeds from this event go to the Pukeokahu District School and Community

EVENT The Great PukeokaHu Human V Horse Race WHEN 16 April 2016 DISTANCE 42.2km Marathon individual and relay (humans only in the relay)

WHERE Taihape District, North Island, New Zealand

AIREYS INLET

leg 1 | 0KM – 21KM

leg 2 | 21KM – 50KM

leg 3 | 50KM – 77KM

leg 4 | 77KM - 100KM

AngleseA  TorquAy

TorquAy  AngleseA

AngleseA  Moggs CreeK

Moggs CreeK  AngleseA

sunrise, sand and surf

BreaTHTaKinG surf coasT views

sinGleTracK, waTerfalls and wildflowers

looKouTs and liGHTHouses

This spectacular 50km and 100km ultra marathon is perfectly suited to those tackling their first ultra. www.surfCoAsTCenTury.CoM.Au

Check out the event ®

incorporating the 2016 Australian 100km Trail running Championships

EVENT PREVIEW IMAGE: Chris Ord

Trail Running +Trail Lifestyle

ﬁndyourfeet.com.au

RUN LARAPINTA Larapinta, NT, Australia

Retail & Online Store FREE Post for orders over $100

t’s become a hotspot for adventurous trail runners and not just because it’s in a desert. The Larapinta Trail, rolling along the east-west spine of the majestical West MacDonnell Ranges outside Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, has of late seen a blooming of run options – from several tour operators (including TRM’s own non-competitive run tour in May) to competitive events (including a rumoured miler). Leading the event pack, however, is Run Larapinta, a smartly-designed four-day, four-stage race that has you running highlight sections, including Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ormiston Gorge and Mt Sonder. Runners can tailor their experience, running the longer course set (The Malbunka option 20-45km each day), the shorter course section (the Namatjira

10-30km each day); or enter any single stage for a brilliant day run. Having filmed the inaugural event for event organisers, Rapid Ascent, we can highly recommend this as a stunner experience that delivers as much camaraderie and fun off trail as it delivers running adventure and challenge on trail.

EVENT Run Larapinta WHEN 12-15th August DISTANCE Four-stage, Namatjira (81km) or Malbunka (137km)

WHERE Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australa

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CMY

Gone Running Tours Japan Dolomites, Italy Chamonix, France Tasmania

Performance Seminars

Ultra Trail Australia Training Planners Webinars Podacsts

5-13 NOVEMBER 2016

EVENT PREVIEW

160km around Torres del Paine

IMAGES: Lyndon Marceau

SURF COAST TRAIL MARATHON Surf Coast, Victoria

Fully guided, luxe and refugio accommodation Own pace, non competitve, small group INFORMATION www.tourdetrails.com

PATAGONIA TRAIL RUN TOUR

LIMITED PLACES - BOOK NOW! CONTACT chris@tourdetrails.com / 0430376621

illed as a great marathon (or half) for those just getting onto trails or for trail the Surf Coast Trail Marathon has quickly become an annual mustdo for many. The coastal course encompasses nearly the entirety of the Surf Coast Wall, tracking from surf mecca town of Torquay, all the way west along the Great Ocean coastline to Fairhaven where it finishes at the surf lifesaving club. In the marathon, you can have a crack at the full distance solo, or knock off roughly half each in teams of two. Or try the half for a taster. In many ways, this is the perfect event for all runners eyeing the two quintessential distances. For road runners it offers a first taste for trail, without being intimidating as a relatively non-technical, nonremote, non-mountainous trail. For experienced trailites, the route still features stunning wilderness with coastal viewpoints you won’t believe (and becomes a truly gofast course with plenty of good twists and turns).

This is also a great lead up event – perfect in terms of timing and acquiring course knowledge – for those eyeing the equally beautiful if longer Surf Coast Century (www. surfcoastcentury.com.au), a 100 km ultra that shares some parts of the same trail with Surf Coast Trail Marathon. From iconic Bells Beach (yes you run a short stretch of this hallowed turf) to the clifftops of Point Addis and Anglesea and on to Split Point lighthouse at Airyes Inlet: the event is renowned for the sheer experience of journeying through a unique environment (and to be honest just a famous for the after party at Aireys Pub).

run the great lake trail

EVENT Surf Coast Trail Marathon WHEN 25 June 2016 DISTANCE 43km (solo and teams of two) and 21km

WHERE Torquay-Fairhaven, Surf Coast

Check out the event 30

New Zealand

www.taupoultramarathon.com

OPINION

SPUTNIK’S SPRAY

Training runs are null and void when it comes to staking your running roster claim – they just don’t fucking count according to our resident trail punk, Sputnik. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THE WORLD GO AROUND IS IT’S MADE UP OF ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN ALL KINDS OF THINGS. AND FOR THE MOST PART, THAT’S PRETTY AWESOME AND KEEPS THINGS INTERESTING. And personally, I don’t really care if you’re into roads or trails, dudes or chicks, what colour your skin is, which god, if any, you worship, what brand of running shoes you wear (unless maybe you’re wearing Huaraches ’cause they’re kind of ridiculous), or how old you are. I do care if you’re a bit of a fucking idiot though. Because fucking idiots are pretty annoying. Which brings me to my latest brand of fucking idiot:

THE

EVENT CLAIMER If I watch a video at home, I did not go to the movies. If I cook myself a meal, I did not go to a restaurant. And if I do a training run that is, for example, around 21kms long, I did not run a fucking Half Marathon.

I may have done a training run that is the same distance as a Half Marathon. But I shouldn’t tell people I just ran a Half Marathon. Because I didn’t. And I don’t have the right to add it to the list of Half Marathons I’ve run. Same goes with Marathons and Ultras.

Of course, that’s just my opinion, but you may as well know if you’re claiming a certain amount of ‘ultras run’ you’d wanna make sure they were actual ultras. As in actual events. Otherwise people like me, and I’m fairly sure I’m not alone on this, are thinking you’re a bit of a fuckwit. My favourite thing is when people put their race tallies in their social media profiles. If you’re going to put “10 x ultras” as your credentials and hang your hat on that, you sure as shit better have turned up to an actual event, that other people also entered, on a specific day, (not of your choosing), and run it. Oh, and finished the fucking thing. DNFs don’t count either. Unless you’re a fuckwit. Just like you won’t find me telling you I worked at Nike if I applied, went for an interview, but didn’t actually get the job. Turning up doesn’t count. Results count. The problem is I’ve noticed more and more people doing this, which got me wondering, is this sort of shit cool with everyone else? Am I just being an arsehole about it? Should I just shut the fuck up? Well, one out of three ain’t bad. I’m definitely an arsehole and I should probably shut the fuck up, but it turns out I’m not the only one who thinks this kind of thing is a bit shit. Not only that, but after a little bit of digging, I’ve discovered there are in fact some actual criteria out there that you can use as a guide as to whether your run counts or not. I’m sure there are different versions, but the general criteria seem to include things like:

Oh, and did you fucking finish? Because I repeat, DNFs don’t count. It’s not how many events you started, but how many you finished, surely? I’m not saying an event has to meet every single one of these criteria. Or that these are the only criteria going around. But fair’s fair, and with the exception of a few potentially grey areas, it’s usually pretty clear if something’s an event or not. So it’s also usually pretty clear if you’re being a fucking idiot or not. Hell, if you’ve got no integrity you can go and claim whatever the hell you like. I suppose technically it’s not really any of my or anyone else’s business. Otherwise, if you’re going to big-note your racing creds, don’t embarrass yourself by claiming training runs or social runs as official runs. And if you do, you may as well know there’ll be plenty of people out there who’ll be thinking you’re a Grade A fuckwit for doing it. Myself included. Happy running. #NamasteMotherFuckers

• Did a minimum amount of people enter – usually not just you and your mates. • Was it actually advertised or promoted somewhere so that other people could enter?

Follow Sputnik’s adventures (and occasional rants) @ SwashbucklersClub.com Facebook.com/Swashbuckler

• Was there an entry fee? • Was there an official time? • Were the results published?

TRAIL GURUCHRIS ORD // AUSTRALIAN EDITOR EDSWORD

A Return to Form WORDS: NATHAN FENTON IMAGES: LYNDON MARCEAU / WWW.MARCEAUPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Striving for better form will improve your function, resulting in less injury, better performance on the trails and an increase in the pleasure quotient to be found in your running, says run coach, Nathan Fenton.

“TECHNIQUE IS ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS” WRITES TRAIL RUN MAG EDITOR, CHRIS ORD, IN HIS PREVIOUS (EDITION #19), “...BUT ALSO ABOUT THE BIG THINGS LIKE KEEPING YOU IN THE GAME.” In a past life, when I traded German Government Bond Futures, my boss used to say you have to stay in the game and live to see tomorrow, otherwise it doesn’t matter how good you want to be. He was right. If I blow my bank today I’m out of the game. In running if I get injured today I don’t get to train tomorrow – thereby leading to an inevitable spiral of lost fitness and general unhappiness. I think good running technique is the single most important thing for any athlete. It is the most under-utilised aspect of running and I 34

for one wish I had realised this sooner. Good technique is a skill that has to be learned. Like handwriting it has to be practised over and over until the movement pattern is correct. It is a proficiency, like speaking another language, which improves over time as you attempt words previously unfamiliar to you. It is an artistry, like drawing, which is developed over years of experimentation. Luckily for all of us, good running technique is more easily acquired than talent with a paint brush! I’ve run for as long as I can remember. Nobody taught me to run. Just like most others I subconsciously thought “I have two legs; I can run”. Strangely, I never thought “I have two arms; I must be able to swim”. So I had swimming lessons. But never running lessons. If I had running lessons when I was younger I might have run faster and managed

to avoid many of the injuries which sidelined me for months on end. I was pretty happy with a 17-minute 5km, and 38-minute 10km. But then in my early 20s I plateaued. No matter how much training I did I just couldn’t get faster. I actually got slower. Content with running taking a backseat while I visited pubs and bars and chased girls, I continued to run a few times a week just for fun. But in my early 30s I got sick of not getting faster. So I started to experiment with my stride length and leg turnover. I tried long strides and short strides, fast feet and slow feet. Around the same time I found Crossfit Endurance and the Pose Method of Running and everything changed. The skill of running became the focus. Good technique is one that improves efficiency. Whether it be Chi or Pose or >>

TRAIL GURU

TRAIL GURU FEATURE

some other technique, running economy is paramount. When you allow gravity to push you along, as one does with Pose, suddenly the effort required to go long or to go fast is reduced drastically. With a level of fitness nowhere near that of my 17 year-old self, the 32-year-old Nathan broke personal bests for 10kms and the half marathon in the same week, finally cracking 90 minutes for the half. This was entirely thanks to a more efficient running technique. If you’re contemplating an ultra but don’t think you can make the distances, maybe improving technique is that ‘little thing’ that will make all the difference. The running community has a bad habit of thinking they need more volume. I’m here to suggest you need more efficiency. Think of the long game as much as the long run – become more efficient. Then, if you think you still need it, increase your volume. If you run badly, running more only ingrains that bad technique. Practise doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent. As a running technique coach I see a lot of aversion to running technique training because most people don’t see the value of it. A lot of clients come to me injured, despondent and willing to try anything to shake a chronic or recurring injury. Many have jumped from doctor to physio to osteo and back again to no avail. Often the injury itself is treated but the cause is never addressed. If you’re the type of athlete who loves running data check how many steps you took on your last run. If you’re landing funny or something is tight the implications of 5,000 to 10,000 steps (or more) can be disastrous. Add to that the force of bodyweight pushing through the legs every step and it’s no

wonder 80% of active runners are injured every year. Eighty percent! Ponder that for a moment... How big is your running crew? Twenty people? Just four of those 20 managed to get through last year without an injury that stopped them running. The pain and frustration of an injury. The financial expense of a medical professional. The misery of not being able to run... I can assure you that improving your technique is a very worthy investment. One of the most fulfilling experiences of my coaching career came when a recreational runner was referred to me by an osteo after a terrible car accident. The runner hadn’t been able to run since the accident without pain shooting through his back. We worked on shortening his stride, utilising the natural muscle elasticity of his feet, Achilles and calves to reduce the impact, and repositioned his bodyweight forward to allow gravity to push him along. Within six weeks he was running without any pain whatsoever. This wasn’t some special customisation for one individual, this was simply applying the techniques of the Pose Method and helping him move correctly. As a special bonus he was running faster after improving his technique than he was before the accident. I don’t know why I run. I have always run. I love going fast and I strive for constant improvement. If that day comes where I can no longer run I don’t know how I will handle it. I have watched friend’s parents reach that day – most in denial – and it’s hard to watch. I can only imagine it’s harder to confront. But for me, improving my technique was only partly about going faster. Mostly, it’s about going forever. Improve technique, reduce wear and tear, avoid injury, and let’s see if we can all run into old age.

Nathan Fenton has been running since he was 10 and doing triathlons almost as long. He is a Crossfit Endurance Coach and has his Strength and Conditioning certification and spends most of his time translating human movement into greater endurance performance. More information can be found at www.enferrunning.com 36

INNERVIEW

FELIX WEBER

Images: Chris Ord

FELIX WEBER INNERVIEW

“Ah, but then he found out that The Fastest Moustache In Cologne is not called The Fastest Moustache In Cologne for nothing!” IN A BUSH CARPARK OVERLOOKING THE MAGNIFICENTLY WILD FORTESCUE BAY, GERMAN FELIX WEBER LOOKS AT US WITH A WRY SMILE. He had just described a moment out running the Cape Pillar-Huay loop (42km), when a Dutch walker had decided on a whim to try and outrun Felix. A foolish whim that he may not have fallen to had he known he was drag racing the recently crowned King of Tassie Trails. A gypsy runner from Cologne (Köln), in the flatlands of central west Germany, Felix has no fixed address and spends his time ‘couch surfing’ as he rides from town to town. Where he fails to find a room or bed via the ‘Warm Showers’ website, a world bike tourers’ saviour, Felix camps, so long as it is free. Indeed, on his way to claiming the crown at the Tassie Trail Fest in March, Felix rode from Hobart to the small tin mining town of Derby, sharing paddocks with toughened east coast cows. En route he stopped off at Freycinet Peninsula, where he ran the long 30km circuit for a warm up (see trail guide later in this edition), before before pedalling over the ranges to Derby, where he promptly volunteered leading up to race weekend. It didn’t help that he lost his glasses (he has very poor vision) en route. The $500 winner’s purse, while not the lure for his journey in and of itself, would certainly come in handy for this student of the world living meagrely and in need of new spectacles.

In between setting up the event, marking and cleaning courses, Felix went on to win the inaugural King of Tassie Trails title, running the compulsory 44km marathon (1st, 3:54), 14km day run (1st, 1:11) and the 2km time trial (6th, 0:07:45). Deciding he still had it in the legs he joined Trail Run Mag on a journey to run Freycinet (he re-ran the 30km loop twice) and the Cape Pillar-Huay circuit (42km) in the three days after Tassie Trail Fest. We couldn’t catch him on the trails, but luckily spent some time chatting to The Fastest Moustache in Cologne (and now the Fastest ‘Tash in Tassie) in the evenings over a cold brew (like any good German, he likes his beer). As for the Dutchman, he couldn’t tell you what Felix looked like. Just a flying moustache seen in a blur on the trails of Tasmania.

Last year was the first year I trained in a running club and I followed a more systematic training plan. I improved my PB on 10km to 33min 09sec and at the following race the moderator knew about it and while I was warming up on the course he introduced me to the crowd as ´Der Schnellste Schnauzer Kölns´: ´Fastest Moustache in Cologne´. My team mates and friends loved this nickname and since then my ultimate lifetime goal is to defend this title.

Let’s get it out of the way – the nickname ‘The Fastest Moustache In Cologne’, tell us how that came about?

My life is basically driven by intuition and the search for freedom. For instance, a few weeks ago I looked up trail races in Tassie and I came across the Tassie Trail Fest in Derby. So I took a map and saw there are plenty of great outdoor places on route from Hobart. I decided to ride my bike there. I had not done much running training before and so it appealed to me to run on Freycinet instead of just putting the legs up and enjoying the beauty of Wineglass Bay. I don´t really plan far ahead in the future but I always try to look for different options and the best option is always the one you choose

I completed one X-Terra in South Africa and I realised in triathlon it is all about material, form and aerodynamics. With this triathlon background I spent a fair amount in the wind tunnel and I realised that when I run with my head in a different position from the norm. After long tests we discovered that the only way to improve my aerodynamics is a perfectly twisted moustache. 40

You’re a bit of a gypsy runner in that you travel the world, looking for spectacular places to run – describe your lifestyle and how you decide where to go?

FELIX WEBER INNERVIEW

“I claim I can run any view spectacular ”

when you squeeze the most out of it. I realised over years living a very minimalistic lifestyle that everything I need to live a happy life is found in nature and a pair of running shoes. [American singer-songwriter] Tom Snider sings that he “can drink any woman pretty” and I claim I can “run any view spectacular”. It is just a fabulous feeling when you can feel your heart pounding and reach the top of a hill with a great view.

Your favourite running adventures around the world to date? The MTB trails around the tin mining town of Derby were spectacular and a very different kind of running. However, I have done some running exploring in more than 50 countries and every place had something equally unique. The moments I will always remember are sunrise and sunset runs along the beaches in Xai-Xai, Mozambique; bombing down Mount Mulanje (3,002 m) in Malawi with my guide in sandals; and running through indigenous rainforest, small fishermen settlements and along pristine beaches near Paraty in Brazil. Another running highlight was definitely the GR20 on Corsica which is renown as being the toughest trail in Europe. Only up to 30% of the trail is runnable and although it was definitely not a Fastest Tash of Corsica effort, my running buddy Tommy (from Cologne) and

I completed the 180km and more than 10,000 vertical metres in five days.

I am still a student and I would say I face the same challenges as many other students. However, I found ways to fulfil my simple needs with very little amount of money. Wherever I go I look for volunteer opportunities which often provide food and shelter. And when I have some more costly expenditures like the replacement of my glasses, I ride my pushbike to events like the Tassie Trail Fest and push myself to the limits which, as in Derby, can result in a win and a cash purse.

How do you get around, where do you sleep and how do you sustain yourself during your travels? I try to move around as much as possible by foot and bike. There are two reasons for this. First, I just love being physically active and I also believe that you perceive the environment differently when you walk, run or ride. Secondly, I try to keep my ecological footprint as low as possible. This is one of the greatest challenges of my lifestyle because on the one hand I try to live very cheaply. On the other hand, I try to live in a sustainable way but in our consumerist society, flights and mass produced products are normally significantly cheaper than more sustainable goods. Living a very minimalist lifestyle I learned what things I really need, what I don´t and today my running gear takes up more space in my paniers than my casual clothes. Otherwise, I travel always with my camping gear. Camping is a great way to expose yourself to nature but every now and then I also enjoy some company and a warm shower. For this I use ´Couchsurfing´ and ´Warm Showers´ which are amazing website platforms to find open minded people with similar interests and who can share their local knowledge.

You’ve spent some time running the trails of Tassie – how have you found the running there? When I got here and spoke to the first people about good trails I was overwhelmed by the offerings and I still feel I will never have enough time to even explore a minority of the trails here. I have only been on island a few weeks but have already run around 400km of trails with around 15,000 m of vertical gain. The terrain is diverse and most trails involve a significant amount of ascending and descending. It is a trail runners’ heaven with all these single tracks and I love the variety of vegetation. Running the Freycinet loop or also the loop between Cape Pillar and Huay [as seen in this article’s images] are perfect examples. You run through grassland and >>

FELIX WEBER INNERVIEW

especially because the event as a whole was an unforgettable experience and I made plenty of new friends.

rather arid woodland vegetation and after a few ups and downs you find yourself in temperate rainforest. It is just a big joy running on Tassie trails and the more I explore the more I get addicted to them.

The Derby trails are mostly based on mountain biking trails, making for a very different running experience – how did you find running them?

You just ran and won the King of Tassie Trails at the Tassie Trail Fest what prompted you to enter and what are your thoughts on the win?

It is a dream of every trail runner to have around 80 % single trails and it was a great joy to be out there and push through all the switchbacks, berms and also some steeper climbs. These great trails and such pristine bush are a paradise to every trail runner or MTBer.

The last German King (of Prussia) Wilhelm II only reigned until 1918. Hence, there was no way for me to be crowned King in Germany and this is how my travels started on the hunt for a crown. Then when I arrived in Tassie three weeks ago and looked for trail races I saw that the Tassie Trail Fest involved a King and Queen competition and I immediately contacted the event organiser. The event sounded like great fun with a great vibe and lots of activities off the trails. I like multiday events because it is a more social event than just a competition and it is a good way to meet other trail runners who know some secret local trails. When I decided to participate I didn´t even think I could compete for podium, otherwise I probably wouldn´t have cycled there and run some trails on the way. Winning the King of Tassie Trails competition means a lot to me

What other trails are in your sights while in Australia? On top of my Tassie list are the Overland trek and the South Coast trek but there are so many other trails that I don´t know where to start. Meeting at the Tassie Trail Fest a bunch of people from Victoria and the Melbourne region, the Victorian Alps are also on my agenda and I have already planned to do the 100km Hut to Hut mountain run in the middle of April. Though I love the mountains and Tassie is the perfect playground for it I also want to do some faster runs and I am intending to compete in the Surf Coast Trail Marathon in June. Otherwise I am intending to cycle up the

West coast from Exmouth to Darwin and I will for sure locate some great trails en route.

You mentioned some big running targets, both training and racingwise, overseas, tell us about those? I would love to compete in some bigger multiday events around the world like the Transalpine Run (www.transalpine-run.com/ en/) at the geographic triangle of Germany, Austria and Italy or run in the 4Deserts series. However, there is a big downside to these kind of competitions: I need a sponsor. It is a great challenge to find a sponsor but it would definitely help me to elevate my running to the next level. It is one of my goals for the near future to find a company who supports me to compete in some international events but still allows me to explore new places and be free and happy in the woods.

What is your running background? When I finished school I kind of knew I wanted to do a marathon but I didn´t know when and where. One year some friends approached me and pushed me to go to the Oktoberfest in Munich with them but I wasn´t to keen and I needed a good excuse because they wouldn´t accept a simple ´no´. I was >>

FELIX WEBER INNERVIEW

You seem to both race and just run (at a ferocious pace) for fun – describe your philosophy and approach to running in general.

studying in Bremen in the North of Germany at the time and on the same weekend that my friends wanted to go to Munich and have a blast with lots of beer, the marathon in Bremen was happening. I entered the marathon and actually planned to train for it but unfortunately I compensated the foregone beers at the Oktoberfest with plenty of drinks and parties in the weeks prior to the marathon. Then there I was with about 50 training kilometres at the start line. I suffered badly but with 3h43 achieved my goal of sub-4. When I knew that I can run a marathon without much training I moved to the ultramarathon country, South Africa. I did the first Two Oceans (56km) and people told me that I am not a ´real´ runner because I have not crossed the finish line of Comrades (89km). The peer pressure got to me and sooner than expected I stood at the start line of Comrades with similar training as for my first marathon. With a 7h49m Comrades done and dusted, finally people referred to me as a ´real´ runner. These races showed me that I have some potential and I tried to train more but I struggled to find a good balance between my travels and running. Some friends of mine did off-road triathlons and runs and I realised that trail running is the perfect way for me to combine travelling and running.

For me running is the best way to relax and find peace in mind and absolute happiness. I don´t run to win or improve every day but I do it because it makes me feel better on a daily basis. Especially on bad days when you don´t feel like tying up your laces, I´ve never come back from a run and thought I should have stayed at home. I cannot count the times I have been out there in the bush and just started laughing out of happiness. I believe this pure joy allows me to push my body to its physical limits. Obviously racing is different than having a relaxed stroll in the bush, but it is a great way to reward yourself for the high mileage you have put in beforehand.

Running around Freycinet and Tasman Peninsula with you, we noticed you sprint nearly every hill… is that part of your training plan? What is your strategy for training? My strategy is to keep my ’tash perfectly twisted and then everything else will come by itself. Sprinting up the hills is like a mirror for

me to reassure my aerodynamics. Last year when I trained for the marathon in Porto, Portugal, I had a very rough plan of what I needed to do to prepare. However, I realised back then that my lifestyle does not allow me to follow a strict strategy or plan. My strategy is to go out there and play. My training depends 80% on my mood and what my body tells me to do. For example, today I was woken up by the rising sun and although I wanted to take it easy, the first thing that came into my mind was ´today is a good day to run up Mt Wellington´. So I ran it.

You are a vegan runner – how do you find that lifestyle when you are travelling and needing to fuel for running? In general, I would say that I feel much lighter and more energised on my runs and also for my general well-being since I follow a vegan diet. It is not always easy to find good vegan food on the go, especially in meat eating countries like South Africa or Portugal, but where there is a will there is a way. There are two key elements in a diet of endurance athletes: carbohydrates and proteins. Carbohydrates is pretty easy to find for vegans, e.g. rice or quinoa, but I am often asked the question what sources of proteins I use. As an endurance athlete you never feel fully satisfied >>

FELIX WEBER INNERVIEW

FELIX WEBER Age: 28 From: Cologne, Germany Occupation: Student - two parallel Master of Science degrees in Sustainable Development and Sports Management Past running highlights (competitive): Back to back medals at Comrades (2012/13), 7th in the multiday trail event Namaquaquest in South Africa (2013), winning my hometown´s marathon in 2h52 (2013), GR 20 in Corsica, France and 12th at Porto Marathon in 2h39 (2015), and of course, King of Tassie Trail Fest!

12 – 15 AUGUST 2016 ALICE SPRINGS / NT 4 DAYS / 4 STAGES

Follow Felix on his adventures: www.facebook.com/nomadrunner

the connection to nature and I just love being out there and playing around. Every day I try to have at least one moment that makes me happy even if it is just temporarily and the easiest and simplest way for me to achieve this is to go out and run in the bush.

and you always snack along the way and for me personally the best snack and source of protein are nuts. I just love eating nuts, seeds and dried fruits in every meal and at any time of day. To paraphrase activist Greg Yourofsky, people eat animal products not for health, survival, sustenance or self-defense, but for 4 reasons: habit, tradition, convenience and taste. It was quite easy for me to overcome the first three reasons because my ethical conscience was bigger than my drive to follow a diet as usual. When it came to taste I struggled a little because I grew up eating tasty Italian salami and cheese. But I really enjoy cooking and when I started experimenting new things with fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts and seeds I saw that a vegan diet can be a lot more exotic and tasty than a non-vegan diet. Every now and then I still try a little peace of meat to reconfirm my vegan diet and I don´t even like the taste anymore.

What are your running aims for the next few years? I was always a bit of a hybrid runner who loved the trails but did more running on the road. However, running 95% on trails here in Tassie made me realise that I don´t want to go back to the road for a while. I want to continue travelling and do this mainly on my fee and explore new places by running. Next year I am planning to do some island hopping on the Azores for a couple of months and explore all nine islands by foot. If I am able to find a sponsor for the Transalpine run this will be part pf my preparation for it.

What does running mean to you – what drives you to the trails?

Do you consider yourself a natural runner or a work-hard runner? Does your lifestyle make things easier or harder when it comes

Running means for me freedom and peace of mind. For the time being on my feet I can forget about all my concerns. The trails add

to maintaining your form? I don´t want to sound arrogant but I definitely consider myself more as a natural runner. It is hard for me to push myself to new limits in training because I lose the joy of running. I did a dozen of marathons and ultra-marathons without extensive preparations and I only finished them because I absolutely loved the experiences. Travelling and training is certainly a challenge. I was travelling and camping for half of the time of my marathon preparation last year and I struggled to do quality training sessions because I lacked comfortable sleep, rest and good nutrition. However, I would get bored just concentrating on my running and feel that travelling still gives me more energy than it takes from me.

When you run – where do you go in your mind? Freedom and peace, fulfilment and connectivity with nature!

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EDSWORD FEATURE

CHRIS ORD // AUSTRALIAN EDITOR

Long celebrated as a climber’s playground, Frenchmans Cap in Tasmania is also a running wonderland writes Majell Backhausen.

WORDS: MAJELL BACKHAUSEN IMAGES: MAJELL BACKHAUSEN, GRAHAM HAMMOND & KAMIL SUSTIAK / WWW.KAMILSUSTIAK.COM

THE MAGIC OF MABERLECK FEATURE

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‘Us walkers hate you trail runners.’ I ACTUALLY HEARD SOMEONE SAY THIS. TRUE STORY. IN FACT THEY WERE SPEAKING TO ME AND MY TWO RUNNING MATES AS THE THREE OF US TOOK ON A ONE-DAY MISSION TO RUN OUT TO MABERLEK – AKA FRENCHMANS CAP. WE CAME UPON A GROUP OF HIKERS AND THIS WAS THE GREETING ONE OF THEM USED, SOME KIND OF RUNNER-WALKER VERSION OF THE TWISTED SNOWBOARDERSKIER RIVALRY AND IT IS A BAD SIGN. EXPEDITION HIKERS, FASTPACKERS, RUNNERS – WE ALL HAVE THE SAME GOAL AND THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THE GROWING ANIMOSITY. Hours before, we had arrived at the car park of Frenchmans Cap to be greeted by a large sign stating ‘3-5 Day return hike’. We had no intention of making this a multi-day journey. Instead we would condense the whole thing into a single day. All you need for this kind of Maberlek mission is a couple of friends (in this case Hanny and Graham from Hobart trail outlet, Find Your Feet), a 4:30am alarm, an appetite for exploring, quick wits and fast feet. We were keen to do this not only for the sheer enjoyment of being outdoors but also to add further weight to the argument that minimal, light, fast expeditions open a new age for exploring our home and our own personal boundaries, and that it can be done in relative safety. Maberlek – dubbed Frenchmans Cap by the colonisers – lies in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park in the west of Tasmania. It may be only 1,446 metres high but it is a proud peak and a sought after summit. Maberlek is the name given to the peak by the Tasmanian Aboriginal people, who long walked the island guided by the land’s features. Indeed this natural iconic formation has acted as a beacon towards a safer existence for many different people. Sailors used Frenchmans 52

as an early landmark while navigating the treacherous west coast. I can imagine how escaped convicts on the lam looked towards it to orient themselves as they fought the clutching scrub and sucking mud of Western Tasmania. They would have relied on great teamwork, encouragement and tenacity, that is right up until – as most famously Alexander Pearce did – they fell upon each other in ravenous insanity and resorted to cannibalism to survive. Records suggest this eating of people commenced three to five days into an escape attempt, and I reckon this makes our choice to go light and fast seem even more like a good one. No one gets hungry enough to eat you on day one. The story goes that the name Frenchmans Cap derives from its appearance from some angles to the Liberty Cap worn during the French Revolution. Though it didn’t bring much liberty to the poor sap convicts sent to rot in Van Diemen’s Land. We weren’t rotting though we were running, and we moved fast not only to outrun the chance of cannibalism but because we strive to do something new. To push our boundaries. All of this brings me to think about how different the first European ascent of this peak would have been, way back when James Sprent summited in 1853. So different from our ascent on a well-marked and trodden track and yet at the same time undertaken in the same spirit of adventure and exploration. Chances are you – the reader – are literally and metaphorically on the same page as me (indeed as Mr Sprent). You’re a runner. Even more you are part of the minority who push the boundaries of personal and geographic exploration. Who like to move fast through places of phenomenal natural beauty under only your own power. >>

FEATURE THE MAGIC OF MABERLECK

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Rainforest gave way to vast, exposed ridgelines where progress is made only by hopping from boulder to boulder.”

The track has received some generous attention lately that has created a diversion from the ‘sodden lodden’ – a notorious section of sucking earth that in the past has seen many people struggling through waist-high mud. We were a little sad to miss out on the experience but on the plus side the new rolling trails meant that we could get into a running rhythm and enter the familiar flow that can make running so addictively transcendent. Rainforest gave way to vast, exposed ridgelines where progress is made only by hopping from boulder to boulder. We hiked up waterfalls to crest saddles and then descended again via north-facing dry, rocky slopes only to be forced onto all fours to scramble up exposed sections of rock face on the other side. As we got deeper into the mission I gained a deeper appreciation for the wild areas that still exist, and also a heightened sense of gratitude at being in a minority. You are most likely a part of this minority too. I think of us as well-grounded, super fit and untroubled people who are not running ‘from’ anything rather we run to achieve and experience something special. We seek pleasure in leaving our comfort zones by running for a long time in remote parts of the world.

Being a mainlander, I had no reference for the track to Maberlek other than it is billed as Tasmanian’s equivalent of Yosemite’s Half Dome (the comparison being a little hyperbolic). My ignorance, though, quickly turned into bliss. The track takes you around spectacular glacial valleys, across plains of buttongrass and through otherworldly rainforests choked thick with vegetation and moss-covered prehistoric pines. All of which leads to Lake Tahune, perched under the enormous silvery Precambrian quartzite cliff face of Maberlek, some of the oldest exposed rock in Australia. Beautiful it may be but this trail is no gimme. Biting off 45km in seven hours meant that we were going to be covering some seriously ‘native’ Tasmanian terrain pretty rapidly. By native I mean rough and wild. This part of the world makes you feel abandoned by all that makes the modern world safe. Even the common native animals prefer to avoid the area, opting instead for the peaceful edges of Lake St Clair, the tamed trail of the Overland Track and its hand outs from well-fed hikers. Safety out here is a matter of self-reliance. We three were mindful of the chances of a sudden weather change (this is Tassie after all) and knew that serious injury can fall upon anyone at anytime, especially so when they are tired and moving fast, so we did not gloss over safety. Getting help in this area takes a long time and we are adamant that fast and light does not mean reckless.

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This part of the world makes you feel abandoned by all that makes the modern world safe.

FEATURE THE MAGIC OF MABERLECK

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The bridge between us should be strong. The solution is simple – show respect. Enjoy together.”

Being as obsessed as we are it’s easy to think that everyone is doing this trail running thing, but in reality they aren’t. We are a minority, but we shouldn’t be exclusionary. Maybe we need to be more inclusionary with our minority. We need to make sure that the hikers we meet feel like we are a part of the same tribe, rather than as if we are at war with one another. We have to share the trails, runner, hiker, fastpacker alike. That may mean slowing down when you pass walkers, greeting them even though you are puffing, sharing some knowledge of the terrain or its hazards. Stopping and chatting about the weather, laughing at their awkward jokes and telling them there is a snake down the track (even if there isn’t, you can never be too wary.) We are all out there in the depths of the Tasmanian wilderness – or any of the world’s wild beautiful places for that matter – because we love the outdoors. We love the freedom and the exploration and that is what we should focus on, not the division of the speed our legs take us. The bridge between us should be strong. The solution is simple – show respect. Enjoy together. As we crested the summit and the wild vista stretched out in all directions, it was obvious that the trails are not ours alone, they are no ones’. Marbelek is for everyone.

FIND OUT MORE To check out more of Majell’s running and blogging:

Click Here Information on Frenchmans Cap

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Gone Running Tours via Find Your Feet takes running tours to Frenchmans Cap

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FEATURE

MATTERS WORDS: TANIA CARSON / IMAGES: SPUTNIK SPUTNIK

Reasons to run ultra distances vary, especially when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your first. But in the depths of any long run you have to find reason of some sort to take the next step forward. For Tania Carson, that reason was powerful and waiting for her at the finish line of the Heysen Half. >>

FEATURE HEYSEN HALF

HEYSEN HALF FEATURE

I lay in bed wondering if it is even worthwhile getting up. There have been a lot of mornings like that recently.

APART FROM MY GORGEOUS KIDS, I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE IS GOING NOWHERE – THAT I’D ACHIEVED NOTHING SIGNIFICANT. WORK HAS BECOME A CHORE, WHICH IS FRUSTRATING, AS I LOVE WHAT I DO. THEN, AS I LAY THERE SCROLLING THROUGH FACEBOOK, I SEE A POST ABOUT THE HEYSEN 105 (WHICH HAS A 57KM OPTION) AND, ONE WEEK INTO MY AIMLESS ANNUAL LEAVE, EVERYTHING CHANGES. I’ve always been a daddy’s girl. Growing up, wherever dad was or whatever he was doing, I wanted in. Whether it was building a fence, or concreting the new pergola area, or ridding the garage of red-bellied black snakes, I wanted to help. Then in October 2007, dad was told he had a malignant melanoma on the sole of his foot. That day in October was the beginning of a long, tough, emotional seven-year battle with melanoma. I’ve lost count of the number of surgeries he had – bottom of right ear lobe removed, a great chunk removed from the sole of his right foot, skin grafts, a great chunk removed from his right calf, more skin grafts. Radiotherapy. Chemotherapy. I remember driving home from work one day, and my brother called me saying I should meet him at the hospital as soon as I could. My heart leapt into my throat. When I saw dad he had tears in his eyes. He said one of the specialists was coming to chat with us. Dad believed this was it. Game over. The specialist came and went, but it wasn’t game over. Much to the surprise of everyone my amazing dad won his battle in July last year. He was clear. He remains clear to this day. Since then, I’ve been wanting to do something to honour his fight, but had not come up with anything that stuck until I saw the post about Heysen on Facebook. I‘ve never

been a runner. I find it a chore to be quite honest, but I didn’t want to do something easy. Perhaps… I send a message to an ultra runner I know, Matt Angus, and ask whether it is realistic for a newbie to take on the Heysen 57 in one month’s time. I’m sure he thinks I’m completely off my rocker when I tell him how little running I have done. But his response is ever so polite. He tells me it is possible and writes me a training plan, telling me we’ll reassess the plan in a couple of weeks and that if he is convinced I’ve done enough, we’d go for it. I have roughly three and a half weeks to prepare. I know it is going to be a tough ask. Just what I was looking for. I bug Matt constantly. In my head I have to be accountable for my training, so I send him screen shots of my runs with distance, pace, splits. I’m sure he wants to tell me to piss off more than once, but he doesn’t. He is encouraging and offers advice whenever I ask for it – not that I always like the advice I am given. With two weeks to go, my knees decide to let me know they don’t like what I am doing. Walking hurts, let alone running. I start a run one night after work and every step I take my knees feel like they are going to shatter. I want to finish that run early. But I don’t. To give my knees a break I ride my bike instead, and they improved after rest. The week before Heysen, I still haven’t registered. I’m not feeling confident that I’ve done enough. Again, I speak to Matt, who lets me know his thoughts on what I am likely to experience on the day in terms of physical and emotional challenges. But he leaves it for me to decide how much I really want to do it. I think of dad’s battle and register that night. Race day. Three AM and I can’t eat, nerves stifling any appetite for pre-fuelling. Instead, >>

FEATURE HEYSEN HALF

HEYSEN HALF FEATURE

HEYSEN 105 WINNER, ANDREW HOUGH. BELOW LEFT TO RIGHT: ERIN COLEBATCH AND GLEN BROOKS.

TANIA WITH COACH MATT ANGUS

but there are some sections that test his hypothesis. OMG. What a godforsaken, hideous stretch of road. Flies. Fuck me. My arms swing like helicopter blades. The runner I am trotting in tandem with, Darryl, cheerfully tells me about what is still to come. I don’t want to know, but I don’t have the heart to tell him that and let him roll out detail of what’s ahead while trying not to absorb any of the meaning. Instead I try to just concentrate on moving forward. We get to the end of the road and turn off onto the first technical trail section. I love it. It is absolutely stunning country, with enough sensory pleasure that I don’t even mind the climbs. It soon becomes clear that I’m not going to make checkpoint two in target time and my emotions suddenly swing. The mind battle begins as I try to rein in frustration and just enjoy a gloriously sunny day. As checkpoint two nears, a blue car cruises by. The lady driving notices my number and shouts: “Ah, your husband is at the checkpoint waiting for you.” Her comment comes as a surprise: I don’t have a husband. She tells me he is there with three kids. It clicks. It’s my dad with my crew. Husband. Sheesh. How old do I look? Nevertheless, it is wonderful seeing him and my kids waiting. The final section is where the mental games

I leave home with an apple and a banana hoping the stomach will settle. I arrive way too early for the 7am start, but time warps and all too soon we are running. I don’t have any idea what to expect but that’s the way I want it. A step or a few thousand into the unknown. Dad didn’t know what was coming at him most of the time, and as I am doing this for him, I want to deal with it the same way. I want to be scared. The fear doesn’t grip early on, however and I enjoy the first section, smiling as I try to avoid cow dung while traversing paddocks. Checkpoint one comes into view five minutes earlier than I anticipate. A quick loo stop, a handful of lollies and it is off for checkpoint two. The 57km Heysen ‘Half’ is the steppingstone to the full Heysen 105, which itself is a beefy but beautiful bite of the full 1200km Heysen Trail. From Parachilna Gorge in the north, to Cape Jervis in the far south of the state, the Heysen Trail takes in rolling farmland, sandy forests, rocky hillsides and wild coastlands. The runs, however, track from Newland Hill near the coast on the Fleurieu Peninsula to Mount Compass, with the 57km version stopping at checkpoint three. It still covers, according to Race Director Ben Hockings, “arguably the most scenic section” of the route. Ben is quite possibly correct, of course, 66

really kick in. I feel energised having seen my family and start thinking about the distance differently. I think about how far I’ve run – more than half way. There are more kilometres behind me than in front. Whatever mental arithmetic to get you through, right? The different parts of the following section become a jumble. I remember more technical parts, more paddocks, fences and cows (and pats) and more climbs. Two girls appear up ahead. I decide to try to catch them. Somehow I do but it saps my strength. At the water drop Darryl – still running with me – has to open my hydration bladder because I don’t have the strength to. He is again keen on detailing what is coming. This time I let him know firmly: I’m not interested in knowing. It is around the 40-45km mark. I only have 17km or so to go. My feet are sore. My calves hurt. I have blisters on my heels. The final kilometres are relentless and soul destroying. I think about dad a lot. When my feet start to bother me; when my blisters become more annoying; when I want to quit so close – I think about dad and I tell myself to shut up. I have no excuse to give up. Dad didn’t give up. I also think about mum and the fight she had during those seven years. Dad wasn’t the easiest of patients. She was left alone when dad went to Adelaide for treatment. >>

FEATURE HEYSEN HALF

HEYSEN HALF FEATURE

It has given me the motivation to get up each and every day and be grateful for what and who I have in my life.”

It was terribly hard for her to see the man she’d been married to for 40 years go through the suffering cancer imposes. But she was there the whole way through. A reserve of strength for us all. She didn’t give up, either. More dirt road. No shade. Sand. Who the hell left that great hulking tractor in the middle of the road? Didn’t they realise that means an extra ten steps to get around? More hills. Walk 30 steps, stop for a moment. Another 30 steps, stop for a moment. Darryl is sticking with me. Throughout the day there are times he goes ahead but then waits for me to catch up. But now I am going ahead while he stops for a breather. I check to make sure he is okay but then continue on. I’m ashamed to admit that my selfish side takes over. I know if I stop to wait I won’t get going again. So I leave Darryl behind. I have struggled with that decision ever since. The hills seem to end and somehow it gets ‘easier’. I haven’t eaten much during the day and I’m not sure how I’ve made it as far as I have without fuelling. Willpower trumps calorie deficiency. I don’t know. I do know I am not going to make it any further without eating something now, so I eat a browned banana I grabbed way back at checkpoint one. I have five missed calls from Coach Matt so I call him back, describing what I can see ahead, and quip “about two kilometres to go”. He bursts my balloon of hope by telling me that it’s a bit further than that. My legs don’t want to hold up any more. I am limping and every step I take feels like knives are being jammed into my knees. My right is the worst, surprising as the

left one gave me most grief during training. When Matt’s red beast of a car appears I limp down the road with tears rolling down my face. I’m sure he didn’t plan on it, but he jumps out and starts plodding along with me. I want to crumble when he tells me there is still 3.5km to go. I cry. But, I think to myself, that means I’ve done 54! I’m almost home. Then I see someone in the distance. It is Tyler, my 14-year-old son who runs up to me and gives me a hug. I lose it a little. There is a time not too long ago that we didn’t speak for three weeks. Over something so stupid I can’t believe it now. If running 57km is what it takes to reconnect the fractured relationship between mother and son, I’ll gladly run the full length of the Heysen next time we argue. Whatever it takes. Matt and Tyler chug along with me. I am hurting. Why isn’t the finish line closer? I round the last bend and suddenly see my family at the end. Matt takes off and Tyler sticks with me. All the tears I cry during those last kilometres are for dad, for mum, for leaving Darryl behind, for my son, and for lots of other reasons other than simply my sore and battered body. Dad stands on the side of the road and gives me a high five with tears in his eyes – I tell him I can’t stop, I gotta keep moving. Gotta finish this thing. Somehow I manage to sprint to the end. And again, there is my dad. I lose it completely. It is a finish he may not have seen if he had not fought, if he had not kept on keeping on. So to have him there, alive and proud at the conclusion of my own physical battle, resonates deeply. In the week and a bit that ensues, I do lots of thinking to the point of analysing why I didn’t

pop my blisters for so long (I think I wanted to hang on to them because they were evidence of having done something huge). I realise I ran the Heysen 57 for me as much as for dad. Getting it done has chewed up and spat out a lifetime of self-doubt. Now, I can bloody well do anything. It has given me the motivation to get up each and every day and be grateful for what and who I have in my life. In so many ways, me running the Heysen strengthened our family bonds. But perhaps just as importantly, the ups and downs of running an ultra strengthened me to be able to cope with the ups and downs of life. Because in the long run, as in life, things can change in the blink of an eye. And when they do, it’s good to know you have the capacity to put a foot forward to continue the journey. It helps, too when you know your dad is waiting for you with a hug when it does all finish. Tania Carson finished in 11:31:40. Tania wishes to say a huge thanks to Matt Angus and to her family.

FIND OUT MORE The Heysen 105 / 57 is run by the crew at Yumigo. Check out their events:

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FEATURE

H i ma laya n Re d ux

A fair few editions back, we ran a fairly provocative (and entertaining) piece by Martin Cox on the Himlayan 100, a stage race in India that has been run since before trail running was in fashion. Our question was, would the event â&#x20AC;&#x201C; could the event â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ever come into fashion, too? We sent our intrepid co-editor Tegyn Angel back to the front to find out. WORDS: Tegyn Angel IMAGES: Nomades Pro / www.nomadespro.com / Tegyn Angel

FEATURE HIMALAYAN 100

HIMALAYAN 100 FEATURE

THE HIMALAYAN RUN AND TREK (HRT100), ‘HIMALAYAN 100 MILE STAGE RACE’ (THE TWO SEEM TO BE USED INTERCHANGEABLY) IS, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, AN ANOMALY. Everything I know about the trail running, ultra marathon and adventure tourism says it shouldn’t exist. At 25 years old, it’s one of the longest-running multi-day trail events in the world. With aid stations every few kilometers, it seems one of the best-supported trail runs in the world. Offering the same support to the fastest runners and slowest walkers alike, with no regard for cutoffs and a very apparent discouragement of competition among the participants, it’s also one of the most inclusive events going. Maxing out and spending two nights sleeping at 3600m, and with an average elevation of 2800m, it’s likely one of the highest multi-day events in the world. And yet all this occurs in spite of very low participation and an environment that offers no shortage of logistical nightmares and adverse weather. And it happens all thanks to, or in spite of, the sheer will power of the Pandey Show. The Race Director, Mr C. S. Pandey, is the creator and biggest star of the event; a personification of the entrepreneurial prayer of “build it and they will come”. Pandey brings the same intensity to everything he does and it has a tendency to polarize people. Whether you end

up loving or hating the man, the HRT100 would be an entirely different event without him and for that we owe him thanks. The personalities of this event are as much a part of the event as the incredible views and cobblestones. I’d been recommended to attend HRT100 as a journalist and participant and had submitted my expression of interest. That was the easy part. The hours spent justifying my invitation and hosting, filling out forms and writing “official letters” paid full credit to the stereotypes of Indian Bureaucracy. Having done my research, I was fairly nervous about the whole affair. In the lead up I’d read about the HRT100 in this mag and others, spoken to other journalists and competitors who’d attended and spent months liaising with the indefatigable Mr Pandey. Everything seemed to indicate that it would surely be a love/hate experience in the truest sense of the term. I invited my girlfriend to come along and run the event with me and I spent the months leading up to the event fretting for two. I’d specifically kept her in the dark about the confusing reputation of the race lest she freak and bail out. We didn’t train specifically, focusing on other things, and just relied on our residual fitness to get us through. A mere week after my biggest race of the year we flew to India with flimsy preconceptions, awkward, perhaps unfounded opinions and far more social baggage than our backpacks could carry. >>

FEATURE HIMALAYAN 100

HIMALAYAN 100 FEATURE

We all huddled together in the icy dawn, four of the world’s five highest peaks before us; Mounts Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Kanchenjunga the Sleeping Buddha.”

After a day of sightseeing in Darjeeling and some cultural acclimatisation we woke early and took a bus to the quaint hamlet of Maneybhanjang. At the relatively low elevation of 2000 metres we were ‘serenaded’ by group of bagpipers and spurred across the start line by a crowd of villagers and local school children dressed in their Sunday Best. Climbing a massive 2500m over 33km, day one follows a rocky and rutted road that straddles the Indian-Nepalese border. We spent the first few hours climbing some seriously steep paved sections, the heat of the day making us sweat and keeping the clouds at bay. As the afternoon went on the temperature dropped and the clouds rolled in, obscuring the views of Kanchenjunga – at 8586 metres, the third highest mountain in the world – before a light rain gave way to snow. A little before sunrise on day two we clambered up to the small shrine behind Sandakphu dodging patches of ice. The sun warmed our backs as it crept up the mammoth peaks like an incoming tide. We all huddled together in the icy dawn, four of the world’s five highest peaks before us; Mounts Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Kanchenjunga the Sleeping Buddha. Day two has you run along a long, high ridgeline toward the Buddha and, when clear, affords spectacular views. It’s an out and back course which gives you plenty of opportunities to greet your fellow runners, something Mr Pandey strongly encourages, but at 3600 metres above sea level you’re generally too short of breath to give anyone much love. 74

The Mt Everest Challenge Marathon (ECM) is an event within an event. For participants in the HRT100, it’s the third and longest day on course. However, the event does occasionally see entrants who make the mammoth jeep trip into Sandakphu only to run 42km before getting driven out again. Our edition saw the arrival of one runner, a Japanese man who operates a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado. He’d flown to India specifically to run this marathon… the ONLY entrant in the marathon event. At least he was guaranteed a podium. Starting along the same ‘out’ course as day two, the ECM course then drops 1600m over about 12km. Combined with the elevation loss, this reasonably technical stretch of single track often sees the trail and mountain runners pull away from their road brethren and the field stretches out quite a lot. After dropping out of the Singalila National Park the course follows a paved road into Rimbik, the end of day three and the hub for the next few days. After three days of altitude and ‘cobble boulders’, the 20km section of pavement on day three comes as quite a relief. Treated to incredible views up the verdant valley, you pound your way down narrow mountain roads, switch-backing all the way to the raging river below before climbing out again. The elevation profile looks like a reverse bell curve, flattening out at the bottom before getting progressively steeper at either extremity. After running full steam ahead away from Rimbik you stop at a non-descript point on the road, board a bus and drive back over the course.

Day five is like day four in reverse, starting with bus trip from Rimbik back to the finish point of day four. The first half of the day climbs higher and higher out of the valley before rolling over the day’s high point and bombing down to Maneybhanjang to close up the 150km loop. Every day offers something new, whether it be traditional mountain culture or views. The running is very good, if not incredible, and offers an equal mix of trail, gravel road and bitumen. There is enough challenge to attract the elites and enough aid to support relative novices. But all these things aren’t particularly hard to come by, especially given the explosion of trail running globally. We love to talk about the familial feeling of trail running and a good event should embody this. As a runner you come out of a race glowing if you feel like everyone out there, from your peers, to the volunteers, to the Race Director, has your back and holds your best interests at heart. In our neck of the woods, the Northburn 100 reputation for this. Lisa Tamati, an incredibly experienced ultra runner, and Terry Davis, the Northburn RD, create a race environment that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Northburn is like a big Christmas gathering of cousins and uncles and in-laws where everyone rocks up, eats plenty of steamed Kumara and hot soup then heads home to sleep (or drink) it off. In contrast, the HRT100 is like a campervan road trip where three generations spend a week living out of each others pockets, smelling each <<

FEATURE HIMALAYAN 100

HIMALAYAN 100 FEATURE

The balance of spectacular scenery and an incredibly warm and welcoming community produce something that, in every conceivable way, is an adventure...”

other’s neglected bodies, learning everyone’s triggers and dealing with Dad’s mood swings, obscure sense of humour and occasionally awkward patriarchal good intentions. We’d be warned the race briefing was a wonder of the modern world: a Taj Mahal built as a monument to the Flogging of Dead Horses. After flying from Melbourne to Delhi via China due to airline cancellations, we sprinted for out connecting to flight to Bagdogra and the spent three hours bouncing into the Indian Himalaya on a rattling bus; the last thing we needed was another three hours of self-congratulation and well-practiced clichés. Paying no heed to the warnings we’d received, the race briefing defied our anxious expectations and proved legitimately valuable. As an event that targets the full spectrum of experience, the briefing gave a LOT of information and most of it was relevant. Sure, Mr Pandey has a tendency to give a little too much context and his verbose storytelling makes Lord of the Rings seem like a Haiku, but the time he spent explaining changes they’d made in the risk management protocols, for example, highlights a genuine desire to improve and render the event as safe as possible. Pandey also spends a good portion of the briefing introducing and thanking all the key staff; from the drivers and cooks all the way through to the local officials and his incredibly humble, very capable daughter and second in charge, Marsi. Without any prompts he was able to refer to every staff member, honoured guest and participant, by name, age, origin, resume, profession and, if pushed, village of birth. Mr Pandey has been known to refer to himself as both your father and mother, doting caregiver one minute and disciplinarian the next. If you do something stupid you will inevitably get a Pandey Whipping and will generally deserve it.

One of his stories tells of a runner who defied his instructions to stay on the Indian side of the border. Given that one side of the road is India and the other Nepal, this can be a fairly easy to rule to break. This particular woman ended up taking tea with a Nepali family and was found hours later by a panicked HRT staff. As a result, runners now have to physically sign in (pencil and clipboard) every time they pass an aid station or checkpoint (approximately every 3-4 km). I’m the first to admit that India is a country of contradictions. The airport security is hyper vigilant one moment and asleep the next; the people you meet would give you the clothes off your back in the morning and then charge you $15 for a cup of tea in the afternoon. Given this, it’s easy to develop preconceptions about an event like this. The HRT100 flies under most radars and that, combined with preconceived ideas about India makes people hesitant. Read a few melodramatic articles, listen to a few fireside stories, believe a few tall tales and all of a sudden you’ve been turned off on the soft grounds of rumour and innuendo. I mean, how can an event that has been running for so long be so unknown? The HRT100 crew love to highlight the fact that on more than one occasion by those few who have ventured forth, theirs has been labeled the most scenic running race in the world. As an introduction to multi-day racing or running in the Himalayas, you’d be hard pressed to find a better outing. The balance of spectacular scenery and an incredibly warm and welcoming community produce something that in every conceivable way is an adventure – and a Race Director – you’ll not soon forget.

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FEATURE

INTO THIN

AIR

Inspired by legendary trance runners, Chris Ord leads a trail run exploring the fabled Snowman trekking route set high in the Himalayas in the remote and mystical kingdom of Bhutan. WORDS & IMAGERY: Chris Ord

FEATURE RUN SHANGRI LA

PRELUDE: PRIOR PLANNING AND PREPARATION PREVENTS PISS POOR PERFORMANCE.

BENT OVER ON ALL FOURS, DRY RETCHING, I WANT TO DIE. 4,000 METRES. AND WE’LL BE GOING AT LEAST ANOTHER VERTICAL KILOMETRE HIGHER. The mountain vista behind me seems to cackle, beating its rocky chest with peaks reaching double our current altitude, pawing at the inky stratosphere. Of course, inanimate mountains can’t actually laugh. In reality, the chuckles come from my trainer, Oz, doing what trainers do so well: taking pleasure in other’s pain. He knows the lactic acid he has coaxed from my body is burning through every muscle and deep into my soul. And he delights in it. The mountains behind me are fake, a wallpaper montage of the world’s highest peaks – Everest, K2, Makalu et al – plastered up as inspiration for those who frequent this place, looking to ‘get high’ at sea level. I’m not even on trail yet. Instead, I’m about to throw up on a South Melbourne gymnasium carpet in the relative safety of a climatecontrolled room. I’m still a few months away from sucking voraciously into my lungs the ‘real’ thin air, tinged with sweet undertones of yak dung as it will be. For now it is simulated altitude and the fragrance is not of bovine faeces but of failure. If this is what it feels like to run in the high reaches of the Bhutanese Himalayas, I am not sure I’m ready for it. But don’t tell my clients that. 80

The mission is part tour, part expedition. 180 kilometres along the Snowman Trek, reputedly one of the hardest and most remote trails in the world. It climbs to high passes of more than 5000 metres and those who traverse it do so plodding an average well above 4000 metres for the majority of the trek. Apart from nomadic yak herders and the odd Tibetan village where the population is counted on two hands, there isn’t much humanity along its endless and monumental valley corridors. There is a lot of wild space. And a lot of mountains, which is the attraction for the few hardy souls who attempt the trek annually (on average only 50% succeed in getting through). While the remote peaks initially grab my attention, what truly ensnares my adventurehungry imagination is the fact that no-one has run the trail. Perfect fodder, then, for a trail running adventure. The plan is to run a tour along half its length, west to east from nearby Paro and its famous Tigers Nest Monastery (used in nearly every marketing campaign ever run since Bhutan opened its doors to the travelling world in the mid seventies), taking a U-shaped route skirting the Tibetan border around and back down to the hot-spring town of Gasa. The challenges will be many, no least convincing the Bhutanese I’d need on our side that running these mountains is a good idea. There are no Bhutanese on the Salomon Squad. >>

RUN SHANGRI LA FEATURE

And none lining up at the big city marathons. Nor at any distance in Olympic or World Champion races. Nope. Running is not a ‘thing’ in Bhutan. Archery, yes. Darts, yes. Given it’s almost totally Buddhist population, you could say meditation was the national sport. Note that all three require the participant to remain still, heartbeat low, zero risk of lactic burn. So, apart from the kid kicking a flat soccer ball around the dusty street, running is outside the Bhutanese frame of daily reference and thus the concept of running for fun along trails is of some amusement if not bafflement to them. The other problem is logistics. There’s no food in the hills (unless you can sustain yourself on dead, dry caterpillars that grow mushrooms from their foreheads – but more on that later) and nowhere to stay, so we’d need to be relying on mules or yaks to get our gear in, including enough supplies for eight days on trail. Of course, that is all academic – logistical problems solved by, let’s face it, throwing money and therefore manpower (and some hoof-power) at it. The real issue is the altitude profile. If you have time on your side – a lot of time – altitude is no issue (not until you reach the so-called Death Zone, 8000 metres, which we will not). Take your time, meander up roughly 300 metres a day, sleep a bit lower than your highest point of the day, and all will be well. Ours is a running trip, however, so we will be moving faster than most trekking forays. Secondly, we will have only eight days to cover the same ground walkers usually cover in 14. Not so bad, until you learn that even walkers 82

taking six days longer get struck down with altitude sickness. Even worse when you learn that altitude sickness – nausea, lack of appetite, crunching headaches, dizziness and a bunch of other delightful symptoms – can result without warning in HAPE or HACE. High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema and High Altitude Cerebral Oedema are both life threatening and can strike quickly without the warning bells of a slow onset. One minute a headache that reminds you of a Sunday morning from first year Uni, next minute fluid on the brain and/ or lungs. The only fix is a quick descent and at a rate that you’d better hope a helicopter is on hand. Problem is, when we arrive in Bhutan, we learn it is one of the only countries in the world that doesn’t actually have a helicopter*. Better hope that donkey can sprint downhill on technical trails like Kilian on a bomber Matterhorn mission. So, no rest days and a climb profile that has us rising 1000 metres lowest point to highest point, in one day, 700 metres more than recommended. And that’s in the context that the total climbing for some days will spring above 2000 metres, meaning the efforts are big and the fatigue punchy. Given I live at sea level (literally, I live in a seaside village where the waves lap 300 metres from my front door), and with past bouts of altitude sickness on prior big mountain missions, I know I am in need of serious conditioning both in terms of the acclimatisation and leg fitness, given ascents will be steep, technical and long. As we rise up through the atmosphere, every breath will contain fewer and fewer molecules of oxygen. The body will have to work

harder to obtain oxygen, by breathing faster and deeper. Of course running at altitude exacerbates the issue. So the sucking in of air is the body trying to grasp at more oxygen molecules, something that due to our finite lung capacity is virtually impossible to do. The only option is for the body to adapt, to use what oxygen it has available at such altitudes, much more efficiently. This is where either the slow ascent (allowing cellular adaptation) or prior chamber-based acclimatisation, such as our sessions at Melbourne Altitude Training, come into play. So I find myself at the mercy of Oz and his specialist gymnasium and training centre that incorporates an altitude simulation chamber into a training mix that, at least for us, takes hardcore to the next level. “My sessions are designed to make you fail,” he says. His design is a raging success: I fail at nearly every session multiple times, the format being five sets of exercises with high pace, high repetition, swapping from one exercise to the next with very little if any recovery time. My favourite failure – if one can think fondly of failure - is a 1000 lunges in 45 minutes challenge attempted at roughy 3800 metres altitude. 945 lunges later, time is up, I fail. I don’t think the altitude had anything to do with it, however. My walking style the next day – think John Wayne with serious gout – just highlights that I am unconditioned. “I specifically want to increase your leg strength, and your lactic threshold because you’ll be making serious efforts all day, day after day. I’m purposely not giving much rest >>

FEATURE

Where The Wild Things Run

Want to get high? Say hi to Oz and check out Melbourne Altitude Training, in South Melbourne, Victoria. Oz can design a program for anyone looking at big mountain adventures, high altitude, running or otherwise (altitude chamber training benefits sea level adventures and all manner of sporting pursuits), be that a Kilimanjaro trek or a run on tour in Bhutan. Ph: (03) 9041 4168 www.melbournealtitudetraining.com.au

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in between efforts so I train you to recover quickly,” says Oz. “We’re adapting you to the low oxygen atmosphere but just as importantly to the physical efforts that replicate what you will experience in the mountains: steep, strengthsapping, continuous climbs. Your legs need to be as prepared as your lungs.” Eyeing off the monitor that tells us our altitude – 4045m at the minute – Oz explains that the chamber works by “increasing nitrogen levels. At sea level we breathe in 20.9% Oxygen, and the rest is mainly nitrogen bar some trace gases,” he explains. “At altitude there is less oxygen per part in the mix, and more nitrogen, so in the chamber we separate the oxygen and nitrogen through a membrane and change what we pump into the chamber to simulate a high altitude environment. By changing the mix we can dial in whatever specific altitude we want.” The theory is that the simulation triggers your body to change on a cellular level. “It is about signalling your body hormonally, physiologically and mentally,” says Oz. “Hormonal adaptation is to do with increasing your EPO; triggering red blood

THE MISSION: RUN SHANGRI LA

cell production. There is also a process of cellular adaptation by exerting your muscle in a hypoxic (low oxygen) environment – your cells change to become a lot more efficient at using the available oxygen.” In an ideal world there is a minimum time you should be spending in the chamber to gain the required adaptations. “Most studies around the world suggest that six weeks is the minimum,” says Oz, “And at least 2 sessions a week, 45 minutes to an hour in length.” While my co-guide, Anna Frost, prepares herself for the altitude in the United States by winning the Hardrock 100, a brutal race with fast ascents to 4200 metres, I do what any time-poor non-talented person does – squeeze more into less. Every week for six weeks I join one of my co-runners, Louise Crossley, in the chamber. We attend only once a week but double our ‘chamber of pain’ time, extending sessions to two hours. Surely the maths works on that, right? Maybe.

KNOWN AS THE ‘LAST SHANGRI LA’, BHUTAN IS AN ANOMALY IN OUR TUMULTUOUS WORLD, AND FAMOUS FOR BEING SUCH. IT IS LAUDED FOR AN OFFICIAL POLICY OF GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS, A POLITICAL AND SOCIAL DIRECTIVE THAT MEASURES AND SEEKS TO INCREASE ITS CITIZENS’ GENERAL WELLBEING. THANKFULLY FOR US TRAIL RUNNING TYPES, IT ALSO HAS A STRONG ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY THAT PROTECTS BY LAW MORE THAN 60 PER CENT OF ITS NATURAL LANDSCAPES (IMPRESSIVELY, 72% STILL REMAINS UNTOUCHED). Since opening its borders to the travelling world in 1974, after centuries of isolationism, the kingdom (now democracy) has steadily walked a fine line between maintaining cultural traditions and heritage steeped in Buddhism, >>

FEATURE RUN SHANGRI LA

around Paro itself. Its existence bodes well for our project in that the local mountain guide coming on board, Rinzin, has run the marathon, not to mention guided treks along the Snowman. That and his easy smile affords us confidence that he’s the right man to get our crew of eight along the Snowman. Apart from Rinzin and his support staff (on trail we will be accompanied by a team of mules, handlers, chefs, camp managers and porters), the team is international made up of Australians, two New Zealanders, three Swiss nationals and a German-American using the trip as symbolic bridge-crossing between her past life as a corporate high flyer and new life as a student of the outdoors living out of a van travelling from adventure to adventure around the United States. “I won’t be able to afford trips like this in the future, so I thought this a perfect way to mark my transition to a new lifestyle,” says Sunny. To shake the jetlag we spend several days in the Paro Valley taking in acclimatising runs, including one up to the famous Tiger’s Nest Monastery which clings to the side of a monumental mountain edifice. Perched at 3120 metres – 900 metres above Paro Valley – it makes for a perfect thigh-burning climb and indicator of any early altitude issues given the rate of ascent – we are up and back before lunch. It’s a pace the venerable monks seeking servitude at the top are bemused by but we are told they are not offended. Originally built in 1692 (and rebuilt/ renovated twice since), the Tiger’s Nest has been noted as a site of meditation since the 8th Century when Indian Guru Padmasambahva flew from Tibet on the back of a flying tigress for the purpose and landed at the cliff, which he anointed as the place for building a monastery. The locals must have scratched

while also embracing the western world’s love for fashion, television and i-everything. Witness every Bhutanese youngster toting iPads and smartphones with gelled-up hairstyles and jeans at half-bum mast. The middle class blossomed in Bhutan long ago. The Bhutanese struggle with the tug-o-war between spiritual philosophies of the ‘Middle Way’ – rejecting attachment and materialism and focusing on the moment as a path to enlightenment – and a growing love for all things material (and thus inherently the pursuit of individual gratification). But in finding a middle way if not The Middle Way, the country has, by cherry picking from the outside world, found its own unique way. A melting pot of ancient and new. This is not a third world country to be visited solely to amp up on a dose of culture shock (admit it: we’ve all chased it), rather it is a civilised, peaceful place with a more nuanced and balanced cultural character. It is a nation equivalent, if you will, of the slow food movement. Perhaps then, our running – journeying at pace – through the countryside is at odds with things here, although, in truth, the mountains and their sheer terrain, along with the altitude will not allow us to run at anything more than a burdened pace. While we will be the first to run along the Snowman, we are not the first to introduce running as a leisure pursuit to Bhutan. There is already a competitive multiday event that explores the lower foothills between the only international airport gateway ‘city’ of Paro, snuggled in at just over 2000 metres in Bhutan’s north west, and our own trail terminus, the mystical valley of Punakha in the central highlands. There is also a marathon held bi-annually on both trail and road in and 86

their heads, but when the mystics commanded, they listened, and set about building the impossible. Padmasambahva is credited with establishing the Nyingmapa school of Mahayana Buddhism in Bhutan. Where the Guru flew up, we fly down, the trail hewn from the mountainside, complete with berms to round tight hairpin corners. As we sweep down, tourists look at us quizzically, while some monks smile more knowingly. I like to think that they have heard of the legendary Himalayan ‘trance runners’, men who are believed to “ride on the wind”, travelling long distances in short periods of time. In Heinrich Harrer’s famous book, Beyond Seven Years in Tibet, he writes about visiting a monastic school for such runners, the Tibetan Schalu Gompa monastery, famous for its Lung Gompa, or ‘trance runners’. The school was restricted to a few select students who trained in complete isolation, “building up leg muscles by running on a pile of grain, while strict teachers provide mental training”. Harrer noted the monks had to run for “one hundred or more kilometres to Lhasa without food, drink or rest. On reaching the holy city, the runner is received with due reverence by a guard of honour. He then runs up the many stone steps of the Potala where the Dalai Lama presents him with a white silk scarf in recognition of his feat.” In Bhutan there is no known school but certain legends exist of individual runners who seem to have attained the powers of a trance runner. In his article Riding the Wind (Bhutan, Issue 08, 2012), Tshering Tashi writes: “While they live elusive lives, most Bhutanese know about them and have high respect for them. Tsham >>

RUN SHANGRI LA FEATURE

Penjor is about 70 years old, Lopen Kado (over 80) and Lopen Chuki Lotay (82) are the greatest meditation masters in the country. So far all three of them have evaded my question about the subject but the two adepts agree that Lopen Chuki is an accomplished Trance Runner.” They may well be the last of their kind. The tradition of trance running – and the teaching of it – is an oral one, and not much has been recorded in written form. It is said that Buddhist masters such as the Lopen Chuki are capable of suspending their state of mind. A form of tantric religious practice, it is considered secret and misunderstood and never discussed in public. Lung Gompa is also regarded solely as a religious ceremony, with the masters decreeing that the runner’s almost supernatural abilities should never be exploited. Our guide Rinzin knows of the Lung Gompa, telling us about a Bhutanese runner who was renowned for running between the Bhutanese capital, Thimpu, and far flung villages in the hills – distances of more than 100km, in times that would seem supernatural. “We call him Guplunggikhorlo, which means the same as Lung Gompa.” As we pummel down the Tiger’s Nest trail to the valley floor, on past village hamlets, paddy fields and back to our accommodation, we settle on awarding a Guplunggikhorlo title, recognising the strongest runner of each day. After three days of acclimatisation runs, our team squeezes into a minibus for the fourhour, bumpy ride further up the Paro valley to Shana, where the trailhead of the Snowman and a paddock full of packed mules greets us. The first day deceives – it is autumnal running through snarled forests, undulating alongside and occasionally crossing the middle 88

reaches of the Paro River over rickety wooden bridges. The odd encounter with angry yaks has us wary about their erratic behaviour – they may be providers for those who live in the harsh high altitude environment, providing milk and butter and working beasts of burden, but they can also charge unwitting tourists, skewering or bouncing them off the trail and into the steep ravines we are skirting. The day sets up the routine for all those ahead: run; take a lot of photos; run; stop for lunch where the forerunners (who leave early each dark morning while we still slumber in tents) greet us with curries kept warm in portable, insulated plastic containers; run some more and on into camp where, if we are lucky and she has the reserves, Frosty takes a yoga session to ease hard-worked, oxygendepleted muscles. The trails are technical without exception however the days are not overly long in distance – between 10 and 30 kilometres but on average 20km a day. It is the climbing that ensures all our times will be the slowest recorded for each of us over those types of distances. My risk management matrix is a happy one, however: our running group includes one of the world’s leading ankle surgery specialists and his twin brother, who happens to be a cardiologist. Twisted ankles and heart attacks covered off, then. [As it happens, the twins’ medico services are called into action, although tending to a scalp wound while sitting at a 4100-metre campsite is not quite the clinically sterile medical theatre either would be used to. Much better views, however]. Many who considered chumping up the considerable sum required to come on the tour wondered at the difficulty of the run, pondering 100-mile training weeks in the leadup. The reality is while the ascent profile is no

doubt tough, big mileage is not what’s needed to qualify for this run. What’s needed is what Oz knew would be critical: leg strength and the ability to recover quickly and run again the next day. The fact is, the extreme remoteness of the trail means that anyone who gets in trouble up here – be it with injury or altitude issues – is in serious strife. No roads, no helicopter, no quick or easy way out. We travel with a spare mule, should the worse case transpire, but a long, slow, uncomfortable and arduous journey on the back of a grumpy donkey is not a journey anyone is keen to make. And so each day we pick our way carefully along the trails. Some stretches are smoothed and benched against the mountainside, which would make for easy running were there oxygen enough for the effort. Other times the trail pushes more toward vertical than not, forcing a power walk technique with hefty hand-to-knee pushes, or for those carrying them, extensive use of poles. Oz had specifically incorporated extensive upper body work, which becomes a welcomed reserve for the uphills as I draw the sticks out regularly. The views get bigger and bolder as we are blessed with blue skies day after day – a consecutive rarity we are told that allows three-sixty degree views of snowcapped peaks soaring around us to more than 7000 metres, Jomolhari being the highest at 7326m. En route we cross paths with nomadic yak herders who offer up their rock hard yak cheese and jars of dried caterpillars with mushroom heads – a delicacy in these parts that have made the villagers rich enough to stop relying on more traditional yak-delivered incomes. The fungus, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, takes over the bodies of caterpillar larvae, then shoots up like finger-size blades of grass out of the dead >>

FEATURE

IMAGE: Manaslu, Nepal running at up to 5200 metres. Photo courtesy Richard Bull / www.trailrunningnepal.com

but the only two to suffer in any degree. My onset is mild, and abates with a strong Panadol tea. Lou’s is more worrying, constant and for her at least, frustrating. The problem with altitude is that its early onset signs are consistent with other basics, like dehydration, which we are all doing at a more rapid rate than usual as a result of the dry mountain air. At sea level we need on average up to 2 liters on warm day at effort in an hour. Up here it can be as much as double that, or more, even though temperatures force at time the puffer jackets to come out, especially over the high passes, which top out at 5000 metres. Lou troops on while we monitor her closely, eventually the headaches dissipating. Her fortitude captures a Guplunggikhorlo award, which is shared around over the week as every runner ebbs and flows with energy according to the efforts each day. We co-mingle the trance runner theme with another, more visual Bhutanese cultural reference by handing over a carved wooden phallus to each day’s anointed Guplunggikhorlo runner. Intricate phallic artworks – depictions of colourful penises – are seen on houses

insects’ heads. Demand – mostly from China as an aphrodisiac – has seen their value skyrocket, making the traditionally more austere locals wealthy in relative terms. As we delve deeper into the Jigme Dorji National Park, our eyes are also peeled for tigers, snow leopards, and black-necked cranes, all of which live in these parts. It’s unlikely we’ll spot the first two, of course, but we had hoped to spot a Takin, Bhutan’s revered and protected national animal, especially when we arrive to camp in a valley that is a mass migration point. Unfortunately we are too late in the season, the Takins – an unusual goat-antelope sometimes known as a gnu – have all headed to lower elevations wary of winter’s onset in a few months. Instead we make do with sightings of blue sheep – not as rare but a herd of them congregating on a bare patch of mountain just below the snowline is a sight worth soaking in. Everyone is touched by the altitude to a degree, but most of the group suffer no more than laborious breathing and a quicker curve to exhaustion. That is, apart from the Aussie contingent. Louise and I are only two who actually underwent altitude chamber testing

across Bhutan, a lasting artistic and spiritual impression of the Divine Madman, wisdom master Lam Drukpa Kuenley. Often misrepresented as simply a rebel teacher of ribald philosophies, Drukpa’s teaching focused on freeing people from their attachment to the illusionary nature of routine life. He did so in many ways, one of which was through outrageous sexual exploits, but his lessons go well beyond the salacious. As Wes Nisker wrote in The Essential Crazy Wisdom, his message was that “Life is not a puzzle to be solved but a mystery to be lived.” A man who sought adventure through risk taking would have approved of our mission to meld pleasure with the seeking of meaning that is inherent in all adventure exploits. Not so certain is how the revered trance running monks and their masters would view our awarding a wooden penis in their name. They’d likely be just as unimpressed that what we take eight days to run, they would knock off in a day. Maybe, just maybe, we up it to two sessions a week in Oz’s chamber (perhaps with added rice) and this year’s running trip along the Snowman might pay more enlightened dividends.

Want to run Shangri La? Tour de Trails is again touring Bhutan in 2016, with the ONLY high altitude trail running adventure in the country. This year there will be two options: a three-star version and a five star version. Both groups run together on trail, the five star version inclusive of 5-star accommodation, food and massages, the three star ‘Explorer’ tour staying in more modest digs when off trail and without the luxuries of massage (although you can arrange them at own expense should you wish while there).

Check out all the details at: www.tourdetrails.com/bhutan-tour-details Tour dates: 30th September – 13th October. Price: US$7900 (explorer, 3-star); $11,550 (luxe, 5-star) There are limited spaces with bookings already near capacity, so register your interest now: chris@tourdetrails.com or +61 (0) 4 303 76621

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78 Moray St, Southbank VIC 3006 TEL. (03) 9041 4168

HIGH ALTITUDE RUNNING & AMS HOW DOES ALTITUDE AFFECT US? The higher the altitude, the less oxygen is in each lungful of air due to the lower pressure. Less oxygen obviously affects the way our body works. It can be dangerous and indeed, fatal. It does not matter whether you are fit or not – altitude sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) can strike anyone and there is no real predictor for who, other than the risk is significantly increased when you go too high too quickly. As we are running and thus ‘speeding up’ our ascent profile, AMS is something we need to be very aware of and watchful for. The mainstay treatment of AMS is rest, fluids, and mild analgesics: acetaminophen (paracetamol), aspirin, or ibuprofen. These medications will not cover up worsening symptoms. The natural progression for AMS is to get better, and often simply resting at the altitude at which you became ill is adequate treatment. Improvement usually occurs in one or two days, but may take as long as three or four days. Descent is also an option, and recovery will be quite rapid. Acclimatisation is the physiological process that allows humans to adapt to the oxygen-depleted atmosphere of high altitude environments, such as that which we are journeying to. When you go up slowly over extended periods of time (usually with go high, sleep low ascent profile over weeks if not months depending on how high a person is planning on climbing to), your body adapts naturally. Although there is a limit and the higher limits of places like Mount Everest have a known ‘Death Zone’, dubbed so for a reason: there is no full acclimatising to that height.

FEATURE

AMS is more likely to occur the higher, faster, harder, longer the climb. Cold wind, fear, fatigue dehydration and strenuous exercise, along with upper respiratory infections, all predispose one to AMS. •

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The preferred method of ascent is to always sleep lower than highest point each day – we will actually be doing that, our campsites usually situated at around 4000 metres or just below, when during the day we rise up to 4300-5000 metres.

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When you arrive at each night’s camp, take a decent amount of time to rest before you start moving around again. Let your body catch up to the effort you have just put in. A lie down of 30 minutes minimum immediately after arrival at camp (after getting warm) is suggested.

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• Headaches are the most common and obvious (and uncomfortable) sign of being affected by altitude – but this is not just the height, it is caused by an increased rate of fluid loss at altitude caused by sustained strenuous breathing in cold, dry, thin air. You want to drink 4-5 litres a day at altitude – or so your are still urinating a clear colourless stream. If your urine becomes dark yellow, you are already dehydrated.

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Avoid alcohol at altitude.

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Try to eat as many calories as you can – you will burn more than you think. The bigger the breakfast the better and try to eat as you run, small portions regularly. Then feed up as soon as you can after hitting camp.

The body’s normal physiologic change to altitude is: •

Hyperventilation (breathing faster, deeper, or both)

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Shortness of breath during exertion

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Changed breathing pattern at night

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Awakening frequently at night

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Increased urination 92

The preferred climb rate is (above 3000m) only 300 metres vertical ascent/day with a rest day every 1000 metres. To put that into our context: we have no rest days and some climb days have a top to bottom ascent of 1000 metres.

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ACTION

High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) usually occurs above 3600 metres. Severe AMS can kill quickly, so immediate action will be taken. Signs include:

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Descent at least 300 metres immediately, preferably 500- 1000m. Once down the victim must stay down.

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Headache (severe and constant, no relief from paracetamol, codeine or a night’s sleep.

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If oxygen available (100% oxygen canisters), administer.

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Inco-ordination (ataxia) – victim staggers as if drunk, fumbles fine movements such as holding a camera.

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Rehydrate with fluids

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Diamox – take 125-250mg once-twice daily.

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Languor – extreme fatigue (beyond being tired from your run!) is not reversed by rest. Victim won’t talk, eat or drink; lies curled up in sleeping bag, is irritable and confused. May hallucinate. May vomit. May drift into a coma.

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is where the lungs become waterlogged. It begins 36-72 hours after arriving at altitude and cured by descent. Rest and oxygen may help temporarily. It worsens at night. Symptoms include: •

Shortness of breath (dyspnoea) even on slight exertion and even present at rest. Breathing is irregular and fast at more than 25 breaths per minute. Victim does not improve with rest and hungry for air. Chest feels full and tight.

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Cough and sputum –tickling, hacking and dry without sputum to begin. Later, sputum is frothy and pink.

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Chest sounds - crackling, moist sounds can be heard by placing an ear at the back of a victim.

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Cyanosis – at rest, lips, face and fingers look blue.

•

Pulse – will be rapid, more than 110 beats per minute.

Normal Headache or onset of AMS? A frequent question is how to tell if a headache is due to altitude. See Golden Rule I. Altitude headaches are usually nasty, persistent, and frequently there are other symptoms of AMS; they tend to be frontal (but may be anywhere), and may worsen with bending over. However, there are other causes of headaches, and you can try a simple diagnostic/therapeutic test. Dehydration is a common cause of headache at altitude. Drink one litre of fluid, and take some acetaminophen or one of the other analgesics listed above. If the headache resolves quickly and totally (and you have no other symptoms of AMS) it is very unlikely to have been due to AMS. MORE INFORMATION:

www.high-altitude-medicine.com www.basecampmd.com

If AMS starts to become serious, immediate descent is advised – even as little as 300 metres back down can make all the difference. 93

TRAILTALK Interview: Chris Ord Images: Courtesy Christopher McDougall

CHRISTOPHER

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the most famous as the author of the-book-every-runnerworth-their-salt-has-read-even-if-itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-passe-to-now-admit-it: Christopher McDougall, the man behind and featured in the classic run novel Born To Run. Travelling to New Zealand for the New Zealand Festival Writers Week, the writer chatted to Trail Run Mag about his new book Natural Born Heroes, and his approach to running.

MCDOUGALL

CHRISTOPHER MCDOUGALL TRAILTALK

The most addicted runners I know get out there every day because it’s FUN.” Casting through your runningrelated writing, can you talk to the different reasons you have found within others (‘others’ being your subjects of study) as to why they run?

Reading your books, the characters (including yourself) all remain ‘forces of nature’ – that is, they all exhibit in various ways strong personalities, hence the fire and chase for life-inspiration through running – but how does (or could) someone not as full of passion and persistence find their way to a running life?

Think about how weird a spectacle it would be if an alien life form could look down from space and see tens of thousands of humans gathering in cities all over the world to run 26 miles in a giant pack. No other creature acts that way — you don’t see thousands of leopards getting together for a four-hour recreational jog. To me, that speaks to our ancestral roots as long-distance runners. No matter what day-to-day reason we give for getting out for a run, I’m convinced the motivation for all of us is the same: running is our native legacy, our first natural superpower, and some internal instinct never lets us forget.

It’s just playtime. The most addicted runners I know get out there every day because it’s FUN. Focus on fun and you can’t go wrong.

Running technique is everything when it comes to maintaining a running life. True or false and why? Yes, just like in every other human activity, the secret to doing something for a long time is learning how to do it right. Imagine you belly-flopped every time you tried to dive into the pool. Sooner or later you’d get sick of it and give up. Now imagine someone corrected your form and taught you a graceful, pain-less swan dive. You’d want to keep diving forever. Same thing with the way you hit the ground while running.

How and why do you think endurance running can ‘touch’ the average person’s life in a meaningful way? All you have to do is go for one short run and you’ll have your answer. Whoever came back from a run and didn’t feel better — physically and emotionally? I once asked Anton Krupicka why he runs 200+ miles a week, and he said, “I never came back from a run and thought, ‘Well, THAT was a bad idea.’”

As a sweeping generalisation, I tend to find that runners are readers – what part do you think literature (high and low) has played in reinvigorating an interest in running? For a long time, the running bookshelf was pretty slim. All you had were how-to books of generally useless or obvious advice. There still aren’t many really good adventure books about running out there. Adharanand Finn is just about the only writer who’s doing something interesting, and of course there’s always Dean Karnazes’ classic, Ultramarathon Man. Otherwise, I think the renewed interest in running is coming from the shift into trail and ultra-racing, which gets people out into the woods and brings a new sense of playfulness to the sport.

Born To Run was published a while back now – how have you seen the dynamic in the ‘trail/nature/ adventure/endurance running’ scene(s) change since then? Yes, there’s been a huge surge in trail running, which I think speaks to an embracing of our ancestral roots as hunting-pack animals.

CHRISTOPHER MCDOUGALL TRAILTALK

I recently wrote an editorial, where I stated that technique kept me in trail running and that I was on a mission to die on my feet, of old age, while running through the wilderness. What are your thoughts on the notion of it being possible to run until you drop, be that in your 80s, 90s or older? I saw Tarahumara geriatrics in their eighties and nineties cruising up switchbacks in the thinnest of sandals. If I’m still moving that way at their age, I’ll be happy. I think it’s all about consistency — do a little every day, and you’ll still be going late in life.

In your latest book, Natural Born Heroes, you travel to Crete to investigate endurance feats of a very different nature to those you covered in Born To Run – can you contrast the lessons you took away from Crete as opposed to those from the Tarahumara? Really, it’s all the same lesson: as humans, we have far more latent strength and endurance than we realize. Once we remember how to release it, we’re ALL capable of remarkable feats.

What has your journey been since Born To Run reached its crescendo of popularity (and must-read status) among the running crowd, in terms of your life journey but also your personal running journey? I’ve become a lot more like Barefoot Ted, who only runs for fun. I once asked him how on earth he could run a 24-hour Leadville Trail 100 on only 25 miles of training per week, and he said, ‘Because most people are busy practicing pain. I practice PLEASURE. All my runs are enjoyable, so I’m always ready to run more.” That’s become my motto. 98

A thematic in your latest book is about ‘unlikely types’ becoming heroes by undertaking physically demanding journeys, and also the ability of an individual to find a ‘hero’ within – “The art of the hero is the art of natural movement.” – what lessons have you gleaned about how ordinary folk can go about finding their hero within?

FIVE QUICKFIRES If I could only give one piece of advice to a runner, it would be… Focus on fun. My most treasured experience while running was… Pacing Barefoot Ted over the last four hours of his Leadville Trail 100. We had a fantastic party in the woods, and I grew to appreciate him more than ever.

The first step is to forget about competition and focus on skills. We tend to get all worked up about instant achievement — we all want to get faster and stronger immediately — but I’ve learned that the best way to really access our greatest talents is to forget about instant results and instead focus on the slow process of mastering skills.

The worst mistake I ever made on a run outing was… I get lost ALL THE TIME, but I’m not sure I’d call that a mistake. More like regular blessings in disguise.

How can an Ordinary Joe runner start the journey towards awakening their fascia profunda?

A place I have always wanted to run but am yet to get to is…

Take off your shoes. Learn how your foot wants to move naturally, without all that cushioning and motion-control gunk in the way, and go from there.

Auckland, where Lydiard created the entire sport of recreational running, and Percy Cerutty’s old Stotan camps in Australia.

In Natural Born Heroes you touch on nutrition and a return to the ancient fatty-meat, low-carb diet which sustained our ancestors until agriculture came to the fore. How do you answer critics crying ‘another fad diet on repeat’ and what does it matter to runners?

My next big run adventure is… Getting lost all over Wellington when I’m there for the NZ Festival’s Writers Week. I expect to spend half my time wandering happily around with no idea where I’m going.

It’s not a fad if it’s been around for 2 million years. Humans have thrived on a high fat diet since the dawn of time. The true fad are the white flour/processed sugar which have only been prevalent for the relative blink of an eye.

www.chrismcdougall.com

FEATURE

NUTRITION

Quiz-time: • • • • • •

what do you think the following list of top-class athletes have in common (other than success)?

Carl Lewis (multiple Olympic Gold medallist, 100m,200m, long-jump, 4 x 100m) Scott Jurek (fastest time for running the 2200-mile / 3540km Appalacian Trail) Patrik Baboumian (World Record for strongest man: can bench press 215kg, dead-lift 360kg, log-lift 200kg) Dave Scott (six-time Hawaiian Ironman champion) Mac Danzig (MMA fighter, won season 6 of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’) Peter Brock (motor racing icon)

The headline of course telegraphs the punch: they are all either vegetarian or vegan using plants to power their way to top performances in their resPEctive sporting pursuits.

WORDS: Sandy Suckling IMAGES: courtesy Grand to Grand Ultra

On his journey to becoming a plantpowered runner, Kiwi physiotherapist and sports coach Brad Dixon, along with his wife, Dr Coral Dixon, decided to take a straw poll to see how others manage to balance dietary decisions with the energy demands of adventure sports. 100

SOME MAY FIND IT SURPRISING THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE AMAZING PHYSICAL ENDURANCE AND SUPERIOR MUSCLE STRENGTH WHILST RELYING ON THE HUMBLE PLANT FOR NUTRITION. SOME OF YOU MAY NOT FIND IT SO SURPRISING OF COURSE, AND MAY ALREADY BE REAPING BENEFITS FROM A PLANT-POWERED EATING PLAN. BUT FOR THOSE CURIOUS, LET ME SHARE SOME OF MY OWN STORY AND THAT OF SOME LOCAL PLANT-POWERED PEOPLE, WHO BASE THEMSELVES IN BEAUTIFUL TAURANGA REGION OF NEW ZEALAND. My journey towards eating more plants started three years ago. It was a dark time, one any runner who has suffered significant injury will be able to relate to. I had planned to run the Kepler trail with mates and was looking forward to an epic boys’ trip in the deep south. Unfortunately, I tore a meniscus and my dream was smashed. My surgeon (who was also my running buddy) gravely informed me I shouldn’t be running for at least six month and that my running future was looking precarious. Glum was not the word for how I felt, more like bereaved. Not only would I miss the Kepler, but no running for months on end and the possibility of having my ability to run in the long term affected.

Soon after, I discovered that my uncle Murray was battling Grade 4 colorectal cancer. This was a shock to everyone as he was a fairly fit “good kiwi bloke”, and only aged in his midsixties. He had been given a grim prognosis and he immediately started to research cancer treatment and prevention, which led him directly to plant-based whole-food eating. He also started a blog to encourage friends and family to consider changing their diet and lifestyle. Of course my uncle’s situation quickly put my knee injury into perspective. My mindset shifted in an instant from “sulky, down in the dumps” to very grateful to be alive. I threw myself into my cycling and swimming, and started to think more about Murray’s advice. One of his blog comments hit home: “The cards are stacked firmly against prevention – who wants to be advised to change the lifestyle and eating habits of a lifetime, especially with our ‘cancer only happens to the other guy, never to me mentality’…you may think you could never in a million years cut down or cut out sugar, processed foods – particularly processed meats, dairy products, excess alcohol, fast foods – and replace it with a diet of fresh fruit and vege, particularly green leafy veges, berries, nuts, green tea , and smoothies…” - Murray Dixon, Blog, 8 March, 2013.

I had to cringe while reading this as I had a sudden vision of all the big breakfasts, steak and chip dinners and other crap I had fed myself over the years. A light-bulb went on. I felt a strong desire to change, and to treat my body with the respect it deserved. How could I possibly complain about my 37 year-old body letting me down when I had done so little to fuel it well? Around this time I discovered “Rich Roll” and the “Plant-based Whole-food” approach to eating, and started to make a slow but steady change in my diet. Initially, I just ate a lot more vegies/fruit and cut down meat to once a week, with no more processed meats like sausages and bacon. I replaced my processed snacks (muesli bars/biscuits/potato crisps) with nuts/seeds/ dried fruit/fresh fruit and vegetables. Over the next 8-10 weeks (with less training than I usually completed) I lost almost 10kg in bodyweight, gained new-found energy, had less muscle soreness post exercise, and an improved clarity of thinking. This initial experience led me to tweak my eating even further towards a whole food plant based regime, with a reduction in dairy, more nuts/seeds, and trying out some “real food” training fuel (bananas, dates and bliss-type balls), in place of the semi-synthetic gels/bars that I was previously using.

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FEATURE PLANT POWERED PEOPLE

PLANT POWERED PEOPLE FEATURE

Three years on, I am now loving this way of eating. You could call it a “wholefood plantbased diet”, though it really isn’t a branded fad diet, just a flexible way of eating. I have come to relish eating plant-based natural foods (mainly vegetarian, though some fish/eggs and a little dairy). The amazing thing is that I used to be a “double-meat” kind of guy (my favourite meals tended to have at least two types of meat), and yet I can truly say that I am eating exactly what I feel like, without any sense of missing out. I don’t believe in anything being “not allowed”, and at this point I am happy to eat

meat just occasionally, mainly if a friend has cooked a meat meal, but I don’t crave or even want meat at home or for takeaways. If someone had told me five years ago that I would be choosing a vegetarian burger over an angus beef burger I would have laughed. But now I feel so great, I wouldn’t want to go back. I love the food and meals I am eating, my weight is low and stable, I feel more energetic and creative than at any other time in my life. And did I mention, I’m running again? Yes, my change in nutrition and weight loss allowed me to build up my running again, to the point where I now have minimal ongoing

knee symptoms, and have managed to run two marathons, including a sub-3 hour, which is the best I’ve done since I was in my mid-20’s (and I hope to beat my half and full marathon PB’s before I’m 45). Reviewing my own mid-life change of dietrary habits, I wondered if and how others had found competing while powered by plants. With that I started to seek local athletes who are vegetarian, vegan or plant-based, and asked them about diet and lifestyle. Here’s what a few had found on their own journeys.

Jo Wills trail runner and sustainability manager

Alastair Franklin

trail runner, intensive care and coronary care nurse

“I would describe my diet as plant-based; I don’t eat meat, occasionally a little bit of fish and free range eggs, no diary, minimal processed food, and I try to shop local and organic when possible ie Farmer’s market. “After changing my diet I noticed major improvements in my athletic performance, I was running faster for longer, feeling stronger, recovering more quickly. “One big misconception is that you are missing out, in fact I think the opposite is true, I’ve discovered and continue to discover so many new and delicious foods! It is fun, you feel better for it, and you’ll probably lose some weight! You don’t need to cut out meat completely to make a difference. There’s a good Ted Talk about becoming a week-day vegetarian, with meat on the weekend if you like. If most people adopted this model it would make a huge difference to their health and solve many environmental issues.”

“The biggest misconception held by the public is that people who don’t eat meat don’t have energy or strength, though some of the fittest, strongest and healthiest people I know are vegetarian. Even by incorporating a small percentage of plant-based meals into your diet will give you a chance to feel benefits of more energy and a healthier system.”

Julia Trezise-Conroy

“I would describe my diet and lifestyle as vegan. I replace all animal-based products (ie meat, dairy, honey) with plant-based products (ie tofu, nut-milk, maple syrup), and I avoid buying products that have a negative impact on animals or the environment (i.e. palm-oil). “The more I researched the more I realised that plant-based eating is where it’s at for health and longevity. Health and sports performance were the two biggest factors, but as I became more aware of the environmental concerns and animal rights issues, I adopted more of a vegan approach. The biggest misconception the public has is that you won’t get enough protein. Most people who eat a standard western diet are in fact getting far more protein than they actually need. Like any other macro consumed to excess, surplus protein is stored as fat. Furthermore, protein is found in plenty of plant-based products.”

Chris Borchardt

surfer, runner, kayaker, mountainbiker, massage therapist

“Our diet mostly consists of raw vegetables, nuts, seeds, fresh juices, with a small amount of goat feta and honey and eggs: so I think vegetarian is the best description, and we are 80-90% raw foodies. “When people hear you are a vegetarian they say ‘where do you get your protein from?’ or ‘are you not tired, I would be too tired without eating meat.’ I think the opposite of this is true; the reduction in heavy animal protein and the supply of foods containing raw amino-acids (which your body then turns into protein) leaves you feeling light and with an abundance of energy. I believe if we all introduced more plant and wholefoods into our diets that our health and the entire health of the planet would benefit, and is that not what we all want in this lifetime?”

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half marathon runner, French horn player and Les Mills fitness Instructor)

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FEATURE PLANT POWERED PEOPLE

PLANT POWERED PEOPLE FEATURE

Dairy products and eggs are consumed by most vegetarians (but not by vegans) and can also be a good source of protein: eggs 13%, greek yoghurt 8%, edam cheese 27%. Proteins are made up of tiny amino-acids. There are 20 amino acids, nine of which must come from food, as we can’t make these ourselves. Of these nine “essential” amino acids, ALL can be found from a mix of plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, peas, green vegetables (though they can also be found in eggs, dairy, fish, meats). So you can get all the protein you need from a well-planned vegetarian diet without meat or fish if you choose to. You also get lots of other useful nutrients in the plant-based foods, which help with repair and recovery and many other bodily processes. For instance, they often contain vitamins/minerals and either “good carbs” or “good fats” along with extra fibre and water content. Meats and dairy on the other hand can contain more saturated fat which is known to clog arteries, and processed meats (like sausage/ ham) often contain many chemical additives. Protein eaten to excess can put stress on kidneys, and without muscle-building exercise will tend to be converted to fat. So you can get “too much of a good thing” with protein, and it’s easier to over-consume it when eating a diet high in meats and dairy. As Rich Roll points out in his book Finding Ultra: “Some of the strongest and most fierce animals in the world are plant-powered. The elephant, rhino, hippo and gorilla have one thing in common – they all get 100% of their protein from plants.”

A theme in the comments from my interviews was certainly the question of Protein, and I will admit it was a concern for me initially. My reading has suggested that the average (non-athlete) person only needs 60g protein per day(0.8g/kg of bodyweight), and for athletes the recommendation seems to be up to 1.2g/kg of body weight: i.e. a 70kg athlete would need about 90g/day. I have been pleasantly surprised to note the quite high protein content in some vegetarian foods: nuts& seeds roughly 20-23%; chickpeas/ beans/lentils roughly 15-18%; oats/muesli (dry) 13%. This is in comparison to canned salmon 22%, chicken breast 18%, fillet steak 35%.

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In summary, and not to overcomplicate things, I believe it is a matter of “Eat your greens… and other good things”. Don’t assume you have to eat huge amounts of animal-based protein for muscle strength and endurance, and make sure you eat a diverse range of nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruit, beans, and lentils to get all the extra micronutrients which will give you energy and vitality, and help with recovery and repair. Minimise processed foods, especially chemical additives as these have negative effects on many body systems (and possibly may increase cancer risk). As I pass forty years of age, I find myself living a more outward-looking, gratitude-focussed life, and feeling more fulfilled and content than ever. I often think of Uncle Murray and the nutritional “heritage” he has gifted me. Albert Einstein, arguably one of the smartest people in history also had a comment to make about it: “Nothing will benefit human health or increase the chances for survival on earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet”. Given recent announcements that he was correct about the existence of gravitational waves, you could afford him the credit that he’s spot on about this one too…

Nothing will benefit human health or increase the chances for survival on earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. – ALBERT EINSTEIN

Brad Dixon is a sports physiotherapist, endurance coach, and owns Endurobeet. His passion is helping people reach their potential with promotion of total wellness. Walking the talk helps deliver the message more effectively. If you want to connect with Brad he is at www.everfit.co.nz and on Facebook and Instagram (everfitcoaching).

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REVIEW

TRAIL SHOES // SAUCONY PEREGRINE

Image: chris ord

take outs SAUCONY PEREGRINE

Great for: Grip, mountain racing, cornering, technical trails, varied terrain trails. Not-so-great for: Extreme maximalist or minimalist runners. Otherwise, these are good for all.

Test Conditions: Technical singletrack, fire roads, approx. 95km

Tester: Chris Ord, Trail Run Mag editor

Tester Mechanics: mid-foot striker, tends to more technical style running.

VITALS

$220/AUD Further information at:

www.saucony.com.au

ROCK BITER

Saucony Peregrine

Okay, so that’s a hyperbolic introduction to the latest (version 6) Peregrines, but seriously, the first thing everybody does when they pick these snarling things up is to turn them over, raise the eyebrows and caress its underbelly. While not quite footballer lugs, I reckon you could get away with using these on the oval as much as on the trail. Rear facing stoppers on the front and forward facing pegs on the back, the Powertrac sole leaves nothing to the imagination and in motion allows you to plant your foot firmly wherever you place it and stick it every time. The result is a confidence on trail that is astounding. Prior

CAREFUL. IT BITES. JUST LOOK AT THOSE TEETH! IT’S LIKE THEY’D CHOMP YOUR FINGERS OFF OF YOU PUT YOUR PINKIES ANYWHERE NEAR THEM. WHOMP! LUCKILY THE NEW SAUCONY PEREGRINES ARE VEGETARIAN: THEY DON’T EAT MEAT (THAT WE KNOW OF). RATHER THEY EAT DIRT. AND ROCKS. A BIT LIKE THE ROCK BITER IN THE NEVER ENDING STORY: MUNCH, CRUMBLE, MUNCH, SWALLOW. THE TRAIL IS JUST NO MATCH (OR THINKING ABOUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THE PERFECT MATCH) WHATEVER ITS FORM. 106

to these, a particular member of the Icebug family – attuned as much to obstacle course market as the trail – were the kings of grip in our estimation (with a few others nipping at the heels including Salomon and Inov8 models). Peregrines were always near the top of the grip tree, too, but these take the art of clawing the ground to a new level. While the grip is the most visual difference and benefit of the latest Peregrines, there are some handy features in the architectural structure, too. Infused with Everun technology, these give an almost perfect balance of trail feel and cushion. The function of the Everun is to absorb more

first thing everybody does when they pick these snarling things up is to turn them over, raise the eyebrows and caress its underbelly. at impact, return more at toe off and weigh less than EVA, claims we reckon are all valid. The ride on this shoe is certainly responsive, the supple chassis giving enough flexibility to really turn over and get a feel for the earth, yet with enough mush to soften the edges should Mother Nature get grumpy. There are no hard or hot spots underfoot. Just comfort spots. Initially, I admit to thinking the Peregrines would be “too much shoe”, with a fairly beefy exterior, seemingly high stack and thick ankle padding. But on the foot they are deceivingly light and agile. The comfort factor is out of the box good and only becomes better with every kilometre run. A major change in these over previous models is the space given in the forefoot.

rock plate dulling any serious impacts. The sole is firm enough to protect the foot from angry, sharp rocks, yet it is supple enough for faster pace and quick-turn running. While there is a stack height, the heel to toe drop is a minimal 4mm, which we believe sits in the sweet spot for those looking to encourage better form. You know a shoe is good when a to-remain-unnamed elite trail runner supported by another flavor sees these on your feet and quips: they are awesome; one of the best trail shoes out there. I concur and, slipping on my Peregrines, I swear I can hear them paraphrasing in the same gravelly voice of the Rock Biter: “Ah, ha! Now I can see why you picked this trail! Limestone rock, my favourite…munch, munch, munch.”

The toebox is bigger, wider, which will please many feet in the traditionally slab-like market Down Under (apparently, as folklore has it, because we all ran around without shoes for most of our childhood, as opposed to the shoe-incarcerated European ‘endless winter’ children and their resulting narrow plodders). Another upgrade addressing a traditional Peregrine weakness is a more robust upper. Past Peregrines have all suffered from quick wear, easy tear characteristics. The new model retains a breathable, wicking mesh upper with a welded Flexifilm giving more structure and hopefully life where once there were holes all to quickly. There’s only a minimal toe guard, surprisingly, so watch the rocks ahead. But there is plenty of protection underfoot, the combination of big lugs, decent stack and a 107

REVIEW

TRAIL SHOES // SALOMON S-LAB SPEED

Image: Chris Ord

take outs SALOMAN S-LAB SPEED

Great for: Rough, slippery, loose, rocky, muddy, technical trails.

Not-so-great for: Anything hard packed; fire trails, park runs, roads. Test Conditions: Technical and non-technical single track.

Tester: Tegyn Angel; grip junky, lover of life-threatening descents and Associate Editor.

Tester Mechanics: Mid-foot striker with a preference for minimalism.

VITALS

$229.99 AU Information online at: www.saucony.com.au

NEED FOR SPEED

Salomon S-Lab Speed

they’re traditionally built on a very European, narrow “precision” last. I prefer a low stack height, low-drop, highly flexible, minimalist shoe and I’ve typically found Salomon’s to be built-up, high-drop and overly supportive. I want the sole of my trail shoes to look like footy boots and be as aggressive as Jake the Mus (Once Were Warriors). And I want them to weigh nothing. Salomon tends not to produce shoes that meet these rather specific criteria. That was until the S-Lab Speed. Built to replace the Fellcross, the naming convention clearly indicates the intended use of the shoe: to race as fast as possible across the most unstable, inconsistent, awkward terrain available. While I’ve not actually run an

WEARING THESE SHOES I JUST SET A NEW COURSE RECORD FOR THE STRAVA SEGMENT CALLED GLASGOW SUICIDE, THE STEEPEST, MOST TECHNICAL DESCENT I KNOW OF IN VICTORIA. THE END. Okay, okay, I guess I have to write more than that…although to anyone who knows the trail, that’s probably enough kudos. As much as I’ve wanted it to be otherwise, I’ve never liked Salomon shoes. They’ve always looked great, included premium technology and been worn by sexy people running incredibly quickly through amazing places. They’ve just never played nicely with my feet in particular. I have broad slabs and 108

English fell in these babies (they’re difficult to find in Melbourne), testing on our local mountain trails makes me think they’d perform just as elegantly in the rugged Scottish Highlands. Featuring Salomon’s opposing Chevron Contragrip, the outsole of the Speed seems willing to attach itself to just about anything. The rubber is soft enough to find good purchase on most surfaces but is stiff enough to both endure and shed the mud and debris it’s designed for. While too much foam in the midsole means you can’t feel a thing, too little means you’ll feel everything. With 19mm at the heel and 15mm in the forefoot, plus another 6mm of lugs, the sole is hardly thin, but I was very pleasantly surprised at how

it’s with no small amount of surprise that I say: I reckon i’ll be using these for my next few races.

comfortable, yet nimble, these are. I think Salomon has found an excellent balance between stack height/protectiveness and high performance sensitivity while providing enough cushioning for longer, technical events. The upper is a partially-welded mix of laminate and mesh that has been designed to minimise bulk and maximise abrasion resistance. The mesh is woven tightly enough to keep out fine grit while the rubber toe cap should help to protect the toes and reinforce a common wear point. While a tighter mesh would suggest they’re not going to drain quite as quickly as something with a more open weave, the high-tech materials means this is far less of an issue than you’d think.

The most technically advanced construction in the world is useless if the shoe doesn’t fit your foot and this “it’s me, not you” discussion has typically ended my most promising flings with Salomon. But the Speed is a different beast and I found these incredibly comfortable. The “Endofit” sock-like liner that sits inside the upper material hugs the foot and provides a precise, responsive fit without holding on like a vice. I often experience lace bite around my upper metatarsals (i.e. the boney high point just before my ankle joint on the top of my foot) and have to play around with lace tightness to get it right. Doing this with traditional knots is tedious whereas the Quicklace system on the Speed holds on tightly but distributes

this tension well, allowing for very precise, very rapid adjustment of the laces. I had high hopes but low expectations strapping the S-Lab Speed on for the first time and so it’s with no small amount of surprise that I say: I reckon I’ll be using these for my next few races. The Speed is a very well conceived shoe that’s been even better realised in the black flesh. While probably too aggressive to be comfortable on a fast, hard-packed fire road, for anyone after a high performance shoe for loose, soft ground and technical trails up to about the 50km distance, this is unquestionably one of the best on the market right now.

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REVIEW

TRAIL SHOES // BROOKS CASCADIA

Image: chris ord

take outs BROOKS CASCADIA

Great for: Grip, technical trails, mountain trails, longer runs, runners transitioning from road. Not-so-great for: minimalists, ground feel, fat feet.

Test Conditions: Super technical singletrack, some fire roads, approx. 125km.

Tester: Chris Ord, Trail Run Mag editor

Tester Mechanics: Mid foot striker, tends to more technical style running.

VITALS

$239.95 /AUD Further information at: www.brooksrunning.com.au/ shoes/cascadia

CASCADE OF DREAMS IN PAST REVIEWS OF THE CASCADIA, I HAVE BEEN HIGHLY COMPLIMENTARY OF THE MODEL. AFTER ALL, IT WAS THE SHOE – OUT OF THE BOX – THAT GOT ME THROUGH MY VERY FIRST TRAIL MARATHON IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

which had a sleek lightweight mesh and only the bare necessities of padding. Trot forward a fair few years and seven iterations, and the Cascadia has lost none of its prowess along technical trails, but seems to have put on a little around its middle (Men’s 329g). The upper is now quite plush with padding, with a thicker tongue (unfortunately not gusseted). The improvements over the V10 are focused on increasing durability to minimize some upper-tearing issues found in its predecessor. A tight-weave mesh layer has been added over

Back then (Cascadia 4 I believe), the shoe was a little more minimal. It still had the bulldozer-like qualities that all Cascadias have delivered, ready to roll through any bush terrain no matter the beef, but the V4 certainly had no puppy fat, especially on the upper, 110

Brooks Cascadia

the medial midfoot support webbing to prevent debris from getting between the webbing and underlying mesh. This makes the shoe more robust and – great for colder conditions – a little more insulated, too. Some of the beef is of course in the technology. Like a recipe for a finely crafted trail delicacy, Brooks lists: BioMoGo DNA midsole, which “provides adaptive cushioning”; a 4-Point Pivot System “gives you ultimate control” (I reckon there is no shoe in the world that magically gives a two-left footed klutz ‘ultimate control’ and a root popping

up out of nowhere will fell the most deft footed, but it does give some semblance of ‘better’ control, ‘ultimate’ being marketing waffle); a fulllength Segmented Crash Pad “allows smooth transitions”, something we found – especially as you get tired and form falls – does give true benefit; and forefoot Ballistic Rock Shield which “adds extra protection” – true although from bullets and projectiles as the word ‘ballistic’ implies…(waves disapproving finger at marketing types yet again)? The last has been narrowed a smidge from past Cascadias – potentially an issue for big foots, but I wouldn’t say it is totally slim-line, rather it sits in a sweet spot for most. Nevertheless, the midfoot is cosier than previously, giving great foot-hold when cornering tight bends. It may be too claustrophobic for some, however. A 10mm heel drop places these firmly in traditionalist territory, a good thing for those coming across from the road to get dirty. They will feel more like a traditional tarmac warrior on the foot, the runner sitting higher in the

We all know trail running “ain’t no war” – far from it – but feeling you are at least numbed from those little mini-explosions going off underfoot can be comfort for some trailites. The lacing system is a little unusual in that the first rows are traditional but the third comes across the foot slightly to the outside. This is a love it / hate it thing that does give more stability and hold across the top of the foot. For some it is too tight a hold. Overall, for the runner who wants total confidence in running gnarly trails, the Cascadia offers top-shelf performance. The feel is firm, fairly responsive, yet protective and, despite its beef still decently agile. It’s not for short and fast racers – it’s a bit heavy and slow on the turnover, and it’s not for plush maximalist runners either as it is not the squishiest thing on hard-packed surfaces and on downhill heel strikes. But just like James was addicted to the buzz of a blow up, the ability the Cascadias have to disarm any technical trail will have you coming back for more, bigger and badder trails than ever before.

heel. Heel lift from a low profile heel cup is remedied with an extra lace eyelet to tighten the ship. In terms of ride, Cascadia falls into the centre point of the bell shaped curve of cushion. As listed, there’s a decent stack underneath you, giving superb protection and good cushion for long runs, however it is not quite a springy touchdown, either. That’s neither bad or good, it just depends on how much trail-feel you prefer. Less cushioning means (usually) more feedback from the ground allowing better responsiveness. The Cascadias sit somewhere in between – a good balance perhaps – the thicker sole unit armed with the aforementioned BiMoGo and ‘Ballistic’ rated rock plate. It has to be said that a strength of these shoes is no matter what the trail throws at you (or shoots at you according to the marketing nomenclature bods), these will handle with aplomb. Putting them on, I always imagine the bomb disposal veteran William James in The Hurt Locker, climbing into his protective suit before heading off to face-off against a tide of explosives. 111

BY D

TRAILPORN

THE JUNGLES OF TARAWERA ULTRA GOT WET AND STEAMY THIS YEAR WITH MUD MONSTERS OUT TO DERAIL RUNNERS’ DREAMS. LYNDON MARCEAU WWW.MARCEAUPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

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TRAIL PORN

PRESENTED BY

BUILT INTO THE SIDE OF THE CLIFF, RUNNING THE 5KM-LONG NATIONAL PASS IS A VERTIGOINDUCING RUN AMID THE BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, NSW. MARK WATSON INCITE IMAGES

TAKING THE HIGHLINE IN THE RED BULL DEFIANCE ADVENTURE RACE. WANAKA, NZ. MILES HOLDEN RED BULL CONTENT POOL

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TRAIL PORN

PRESENTED BY

RUNNING WITH VOLCANOES ON YOUR SHOULDER IN THE TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK, NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND. SPUTNIK SPUTNIK WWW.SWASHBUCKLERSCLUB.COM

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PRESENTED BY KEPLER TRACK AT LAKE LEVEL SPUTNIK SPUTNIK WWW.SWASHBUCKLERSCLUB.COM

FELIX ‘FASTEST TASH IN TASSIE’ WEBER ON THE FREYCINET LOOP TRAIL (30KM) HIGH ABOVE WINEGLASS BAY, FREYCINET PENINSULA, TASMANIA. CHRIS ORD WWW.ADVENTURETYPES.COM

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PRESENTED BY

REECE STEPHENS ON HIS WAY TO A WIN IN THE HALF MARATHON AT THE INAUGURAL TASSIE TRAIL FEST, IN NORTH-EAST TASMANIA. WWW.TASSIETRAILFEST.COM.AU CHRIS ORD WWW.ADVENTURETYPES.COM

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PRESENTED BY

WHAT RUNS UP, MUST RUN DOWN HIGH ABOVE WANAKA NZ IN THE RED BULL DEFIANCE ADVENTURE RACE. GRAEME MURRAY RED BULL CONTENT POOL

THE REWARDS OF A BEEFY CLIMB ON KEPLER TRACK, NEW ZEALAND. SPUTNIK SPUTNIK WWW.SWASHBUCKLERSCLUB.COM

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PRESENTED BY

VICTORIAN ADVENTURE RUNNER SAM GASH GETS IN A COOL TRAINING RUN BEFORE HEADING OFF TO THE WARMER CLIMES OF THE SUBCONTINENT IN AUGUST. HER MISSION THERE IS RUN INDIA, A CHALLENGE ENCOMPASSING A 4000KM EAST TO WEST JOURNEY FROM ONE OF THE DIREST DESERTS IN THE WORLD, JAISALMER (RAJASTHAN), TO ONE OF THE WETTEST PLACES ON THE PLANET, MAWSYNRAM (MEGHALAYA). SAM WILL RUN IN SUPPORT OF WORLD VISION PROJECTS, MARKING THE ORGANISATION’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY AND SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON THE BARRIERS TO QUALITY EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN IN INDIA. SAM WILL RUN ON AVERAGE 50KMS A DAY FOR THE EXPEDITION DURING THE COURSE OF 75 DAYS. FOLLOW SAM’S JOURNEY AT WWW.RUNINDIA.ORG.AU LYNDON MARCEAU WWW.MARCEAUPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

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TRAILGUIDE IMAGES: Lyndon Marceau

30 mins to 1 hr

SUMMIT BUSTER Your Guide: Chris Ord Mount Buller, in the Victorian Alps,has to be considered as the most concentrated bunch of quality trails in the state. As part of the Seven Peaks trail running project (www.7peaksrun.com.au) and its own Run Buller initiative (run.mtbuller.com.au), the mountain resort has set out a collection of graded trails from easy (green) to more difficult (black) to encourage more recreational running on its flanks. This summit cruise is an easy loop that keeps you close to the Buller Village but also affords some of the best big mountain views going, a huge reward for what is a fairly short run!

UN IT:

1. Beginning from the centre of the village in front of the clock tower, run up Athletes Walk, past Abom and on to Summit Road. 2. Continue up until you see the Arlberg Hotel

on your right. To your lft there is a pathway that leads to a wooden arch. Get off that boring bitumen and hit the dirt trails.

3. The trail sweeps around the northern

flank of Baldy Summit, skirting above the Northside Discovery Centre (the trail hooks left just prior to reaching it, crossing a road) and Burnt Hut Reservoir before continuing on a slight, runnable incline and nice smooth trails towards the summit car park. There are some good vistas across the ranges including to Razorback Spur on a clear day. 124

4. Hitting the Summit Car Park, look for the summit signs on an out and back run to the high peak of Mount Buller (1805m). Here you will take in more high alps views in all directions.

Mt Buller, Vic

trail tips NAME: Summit Nature Run NEARBY TOWN/CITY: Mansfield,

5. From here it’s a downhill run all the way home. At the Summit Car Park, veer right to run along the southern side of Baldy, following the single trail (careful not to accidentally take one of the many criss-crossing trails heading down!).

42km; Melbourne 230km

EXACT LOCATION: Start from Mt Buller Village, underneath the clocktower in the main square.

TOTAL ROUTE DISTANCE: 6km TOTAL ASCENT/DESCENT: 270m TIME TO RUN: 30 mins–1 hr TYPE OF TRAIL RUN: Loop DIFFICULTY: Easy DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS:

6. You will run on some mildly technical

singletrack, crossing a dirt road below the Kofflers building before running below a dam. This is a fun little section that gently descends as it winds across the southern face of Baldy.

7. The Summit Nature Walk Trail will then spit you out near Skyline, opposite the Arlberg Hotel. Make your way behind the hotel to once again pick up the Summit Road (or you could run down the ski line) before picking up Athletes Walk and the final dash into the Village Centre.

fun flowing singletrack running, some technical underfoot, gradual climbs with one decent switchback section.

FEATURES OF INTEREST: Summit view across to the Bluff, fun singletrack on the south side of Baldy.

POST RUN GOODNESS: Options in the Village in summer aren’t as varied as in the winter rush, but try Apres Bar & Café, or T’s High Country Cafe. All have limited opening hours so be sure to check online HERE. Or wander up the hill to the Arlberg for a view and a beer. And there’s plenty of great coffee and regional produce in Mansfield at the foot of the mountain.

Online

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TRAILGUIDE

POMONA ROYAL RUN

30-60 min

YOUR GUIDE: Tegyn Angel Mt Cooroora might not mean much to you, but most will have heard of the Pomona King of the Mountain race, a relative ‘dash’ in trail running terms of only 4km, but it’s one of the most brutal 4km you will ever run. You can race it in the event, which takes place each year in July and is limited to 100 entrants, or you can use this guide to take your time, enjoy the views and – dare we say it – walk the steeper sections given the mountain provides at times an almost vertical climb. The return down requires strength, agility, a good sense of balance, and an immunity to fear. Tread carefully and if you want to admire the view – stop!

RUN IT:

1. Park on Reserve, Memorial or Hospital streets in Pomona.

2. Starting at the Shelter by the corner of

Reserve St. and Memorial Ave, run west up Memorial Avenue and turn south onto Hospital Street.

3. Cross diagonally (to the south west) on

the corner of Mountain St and School St and following that line head slightly south of the Scout Hall but keeping west of their next door (south eastern) neighbour. You’ll find a fire track here, which turns to the west.

4. Follow this trail in a west-south-westerly

direction, hand-railing the creek line and keeping right to maintain this direction until you hit the base of the mountain. You’ll know when you’re there!

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Pomona, Queensland

5. Climb the obvious trail up the eastern

trail tips

6. There is a lookout trail on the left before

NAME: Mt Cooroora (aka Pomona

face of the mountain. There are steps, handrails and the occasional steel chain so you’ll know you’re on the right track.

KOTM course), Tuchekoi NP

you hit the chained handrail (yes, it’s steep enough to need a chain to help pull yourself up!). You’re not racing so you may as well ad a hundred metres on and have a look.

NEARBY TOWN/CITY: Pomona, QLD. EXACT LOCATION: Stan Topper Park, Corner of Reserve & Memorial Ave.

7. Pushing on up and after topping out you can head along the ridgeline a short way to the western summit.

TOTAL ROUTE DISTANCE: 4.2km TOTAL ASCENT/DESCENT: 375/375m TIME TO RUN: 30-60mins (or peg

8. Return via the same route. 9. Now you’ve done the leisurely run, try

for the 22:43 record!)

TYPE OF TRAIL RUN: Out and back, mountain climb .

and beat the record of 22:43 set by Nambour local Neil Labinksy in 2009. That is for up and back! WTF!?

DIFFICULTY: Very difficult but very short so you’ll be right!

Note: If you’re struggling to find (or

DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS:

feel confident that you’ve found) the trail that leads behind the scout hall, just follow Mountain Street until it turns into Jampot Creek road and then follow the National Parks signs to the summit.

Undulating single track that very quickly turns into a very steep, highly technical mountain climb. Then turn around and come back down!

FEATURES OF INTEREST:

POST RUN GOODNESS:

Steep volcanic plug that sticks proudly out of the surrounding landscape; metal stairs/ladders in places. Home to the annual King of the Mountain Mountain Running challenge.

There used to be some good coffee in Pomona but unfortunately that has long since departed the area. If you’re not a snob by all means poke around and grab a milkshake, but otherwise head to Eumundi and check out Humdrum Espresso, 100 Memorial Drive, Eumundi. If it’s a Saturday beware the Eumundi Markets – they’re awesome but insanely busy. If Eumundi doesn’t tickle your fancy, head toward Noosa for a quick dip then treat yourself to Lunch and the Coast’s best coffee at Clandestino Roasters, 59 Rene St, Noosaville.

Online Map 1 Map 2

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TRAILGUIDE IMAGES: Chris Ord

BAYS OF PLENTY

3-5 hours

Your Guide: Chris Ord Freycinet is one of those words that by the sheer wave of plaudits flowing from those who have been, conjures up images of a coastal paradise. Such praise prior to visiting a place can end in a let-down. Not in this case. Wineglass Bay, Hazard Beach, Cooks Beach, Mt Graham summit – they all live up to the promise and then some. Better yet, the trails are perfect running fodder, with a mix of flowing technical, hardy ascents, challenging descents, beach kilometres and flowing trails that make this 31km loop (with an 11 km shorter option) pure trail running heaven, especially once you get out past Wineglass further onto the peninsula proper.

RUN IT:

1. After making sure you get your park pass at

the Visitors Centre, find the trailhead at the top of the car park, heading clockwise around. This is the best direction, especially if the weather is looking good early on, as it affords the big views prior to and after Wineglass Bay early on. It also gets the climbing and descending done in the first half, leaving the easier stuff for when legs are tired.

2. The trail will climb up, passing a lookout

back towards Coles Bay, before cresting the saddle between Mt Amos and Mt Mason. Just to the left you will find a short trail to the Wineglass Bay Lookout – well worth enjoying.

3. Lace up, it’s a fun, fast if slightly technical

Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania

5. If you have chosen the longer option and have hit the stairs, turn right through a small campsite at Graham Creek. Run on through the site as the trail starts to ascend. Get ready for some extended climbing.

TRAIL TIPS NAME Freycinet Loop (named as Peninsula Trail on maps)

6. The trail heads up through steep eucalypt

NEARBY TOWN Coles Bay, 4km / 5 minutes

country, with occasional views back across Wineglass and down to Hazards. As you rise higher, undulating occasionally over the odd creek, the views get bigger and better, eventually rounding up to the rear of Mt Graham. It’s worth taking a small track up to the summit (note: the best photo opportunities are just prior to the summit).

EXACT LOCATION Start from National Park car Park, accessed via Freycinet Drive, Coles Bay.

TOTAL ROUTE DISTANCE 31km (or 11km option)

TOTAL ASCENT/DESCENT 1200m (31km)

7. From Mt Graham, it’s a very steep and highly technical, rocky descent over East Freycinet Saddle and eventually onto a very runnable trail that exits at the stunning Cooks Beach, a great place for a snack and breather.

TIME TO RUN 3-5 hours (31km) TYPE OF TRAIL RUN Loop DIFFICULTY Moderate (11km easy)

8. If you were looking for extra kilometres,

DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS

9. From Cooks Beach, there is an undulating

FEATURES OF INTEREST

Fun flowing singletrack in large parts interspersed technical ascent and descents and some beach stretches

you can run to the far end of Cooks Beach and take the out and back Bryans Beach Track, which ends at the more remote Bryans Beach.

Numerous stunning high viewpoints with vistas across the Hazards and Freycinet ranges, remote beaches, forests and creeks

trail that takes you back north to the lower end of Hazards Beach.

10. It’s a 2km or so flat run along Hazards, passing by the Isthumus Track (where the short loop runners will come out). At the end of the beach there is a trail darting to the right.

Online

11. From here it is homeward bound, the

trail sneaking in a few cheeky short hills, but essentially a cruisey run back to the car park.

Map

run for about 1km down to the white sands of Wineglass Bay.

4. Popping out from the bush, run south along Wineglass Bay for about 1.5km, looking for a set of stairs nearing the end, to your right, where you pick up the Peninsula Trail. If you are looking at the shorter loop, don’t run along Wineglass Bay, rather take the Isthmus Track, turning right (west) at the start of Wineglass Bay beach. This will take you across the isthmus to Hazards Beach. 128

Post run goodness: Head back into Coles Bay for some nosh – we loved the high end food, coffee and local wines and ciders of Tombolo. The pizzas and salads are super fresh. We didn’t like the high end prices, but this is pricey tourist territory – lash out, the experience is worth it. www.facebook.com/ tombolofreycinet/ or (03) 6257 0124 129