Trail report: Convicts & Wenches, Tas.

By TrailRunMag

Conditions were ideal for the 45 runners who toed the start line of the ‘Convicts and Wenches Marathon’ on 23rd March. It was a cool and calm 10 degrees as the field set off at the 8am on the out and back course.

Now in its fifth year, this 50km ‘fun run’ winds its way through Narawntapu National Park, on the north coast of Tasmania, a 50 minute drive from Launceston. It is a true trail ultra-marathon, run completely on pristine Tasmanian beaches and coastal single-track. Dubbed the “Serengeti of Tasmania”, Narawntapu is also one of the best places in Tasmania to view wildlife. The National Park boasts a rich array of animals such as the Forester kangaroo, Bennetts wallaby, common wombat, a plethora of birdlife, those slithery things that runners would prefer not to see, and even the famous Tasmanian devil. Along with the 50km ultra-marathon, teams of two can enter as a relay (out then back), with the day also offering a 25km, and 12km race.

After claiming line honours in the 25km race for the past two years, 23 year old David Bailey decided to take the step up to the 50km race in 2014 and from the start made his intentions clear. David, along with Queenslander Anderson Mocquiuti set the pace early along the first 6km stretch of the course which winds its way around West Head. This section of the course sees runners hugging the coastline along pine needle covered single track, rising up onto the headland and past some impressive sea cliffs, before dropping down to the first aid station and then onto Badger Beach.

The beaches along the course are flat, hard, and fast, with the race start being timed to coincide with low tide. After 5km along Badger Beach, the runners arrived at the 11km aid station ready to then begin the 7.5km stretch of trail across Badger Head.

This next ‘middle section’ of the course (7km) is a real treat as the trail rolls up and over the headland firstly to Copper Cove, then asks the runners to climb up and out of Copper Cove, over Little Badger Head, and finally drop down the switchbacks onto Bakers Beach. It is a truly remarkable trail to be meandering along with the ocean over your shoulder and taking in views of the beaches, coastal cliffs and rock formations, whilst also being able to look further afield at identifiable mountain peaks such as Mount Roland, Black Bluff, and the Dial Range which are inland to the west.

The field worked into a slight headwind as they covered the 7km length of Bakers Beach and headed out to the 25km turn point which saw David Bailey and Anderson Mocquiuti reach together. For the females, last year’s winner Amy Lamprecht was looking really strong and wasted no time at the aid station before returning for the back half.

As the clouds blew off and the temperature rose to a balmy 25 degrees, the wind also picked up slightly giving the runners a very handy tail wind to push them back along the course for the return 25km.

Leading from start to finish, David Bailey ran a near perfect race and took line hours in 3:51:55 whilst also setting a new course record, nearly 4 ½ minutes quicker than Aub Henricks’ 2013 winning time. After turning with the competition on his shoulder at the halfway mark, when crossing the finish line David had put nearly 15 minutes between himself and his nearest rival, that being second place getter Jonathan Worswick (4:07:35), with third place then going to Jarrod Shaw (4:11:37)

For the females, Amy Lamprecht was never challenged and smashed her 2013 course record by nearly 17 minutes in a blistering time of 4:16:35 (7th overall). Rounding out the top three for the females were Jennifer Boocock (4:50:30) and Kirra Lewandowski-Porter (5:12:12)

With 42 finishers in the 50km race for 2014, and now also offering the 25km and 12km versions which saw 61 and 17 runners compete, the Convicts and Wenches Marathon has grown in each of its first 5 years and is quickly becoming a ‘must do’ on the Tasmanian trail running calendar. Make sure you’re there for 2015!

www.facebook.com/convictsandwenchesmarathon

www.convictsandwenchesmarathon.com

IMAGES and words: Phil Beeston

Eyes on Translantau as HK trail season concludes

By TrailRunMag

Before Hong Kong finally wraps up its trail running season with the Translantau 100km and 50km race this weekend, the MSIG50 three race series finished off two weeks ago with a bang. In a first for a race of its distance, the 50km race attracted a bevy of international runners: Aussie’s own Brendan Davies, UK’s Stu Air, USA’s Cassie Scallon and Rudy Gilman and Italy’s Alessandra Carlini, just to name a few. While Hong Kong has been host to a an increasing number of international runners, to see so many in a race over simply a 50km distance is a sign, we think, of what’s to come for the Asia-Pac region.

American Gilman (who splits his time between hilly Yunnan in China and the USA) led the men’s field from early on, finishing in a new course record of 4 hours 51 minutes and 52 seconds. Although Davies was in the mix, his technical skills were no match for local mountain goat Stone Tsang Siu-keung, who finished second in 5 hours 5 minutes, leaving Davies for third in 5 hours 15 minutes.

In the women it was a close fight between Scallon and Italy’s Alessandra Carlini, with Scallon finishing in 6 hours 59 seconds and Carlini 5 minutes behind. Elite Hong Kong marathoner, Jo Jo Fan Siu-ping was the first local female in 6 hours 11, after overtaking current series champion Olya Korzh on the flatter terrain in the final kilometres.

All eyes are now on the Translantau100 which kicks off tonight.

Aussie’s Vlad Ixel, who has recorded impressive results in this part of the trail world, is looking for a hat trick for a podium finish after a 3rd place finish in the HK100 in January and the Philippines The North Face 100 in February. He faces a challenge from Japan’s Timo Meyer, who finished 6th in Tarrawerra last year, 6th at Leadville 100 and recently 2nd at the 2014H.U.R.T. 100 Miler.

The internationals also face stiff competition from the Nepalese as well as other Hong Kong elite locals, who have the added benefit of on trail knowledge.

Check in to: www.translantau.com/translantau100.html

– Rachel Jacqueline, Trail Run Mag Asia Editor, contributor Asia Trail Mag and Action Asia

Records tumble at Brooks Trail Run Festival

By TrailRunMag

It was a matter of a student overtaking master and a road runner showing up her trail cousins on home turf at the Brooks Trail Run Festival, which took place atop Mount Baw Baw in Victoria over the March long weekend.

ALL IMAGERY: www.marceauphotography.com

The three day festival invited off road runners to battle it out for King and Queen of the Mountain titles across multiple events ranging from a marathon to 13km and 1.4km ‘technical running’ competitions.

In the women’s category, Australian champion 50km roadrunner Natasha Fraser showed that while her specialty may be on bitumen, she loses no speed running on single track through the mountains. Fraser easily took the Queen of the Mountain title winning the marathon, registering third in a 13km event and winning the uphill outing in the technical run sessions.

In the men’s, it was odds-on favourite Blake Hose, who showed why he is being touted as an international trail champion, despite only taking up trail running one year ago following a successful period spent in the cycling and triathlon worlds. Hose dominated the event, registering course records in the marathon and technical running competitions to take out the King of the Mountain title. In doing so, the 21 year old also surpassed his current mentor and coach, NSW-based Matt Cooper, who set the original course records and won the KOTM crown in 2013.

Hose, from Geelong, Victoria, registered a course record marathon time of 4:02:13, running from the historical gold mining town of Walhalla to Mount Baw Baw, taking on a vertical ascent of more than 2500 metres.

His win over highly regarded trail runner, Joel Fitzgerald, who placed second 18 minutes in arrears, and South Australian Sean Sweetman (04:38:36) set Hose up for the KOTM title early on for the three-day festival, which is touted as ‘Australia’s biggest celebration of the trail running lifestyle’.

Hose went on to win Sunday’s 13km day run (01:05:55) , before registering the fastest descent and ascent on Monday’s ‘Free Mountain’ technical course (00:04:57) for the 1.4km / 300 metre ascent/descent) to ensure his crown was never in doubt.

A winner of the Great Ocean Walk 100 trail run and one of only four runners ever to record a sub-seven hour for the brutal Bogong to Hotham ultra trail, is regarded as a rising star of the growing trail run scene. Meanwhile Queen of the Mountain winner Natasha Fraser heads of to Doha, Qatar, to represent Australia at the 50km road World Championships. Both runners came away with a $1000 winners’ prize courtesy of Brooks and Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort.

The festival also hosted Round One of the Victorian Orienteering Series, with many orienteering competitors giving hint to the endurance talent that lies within their community when they discard the maps and compass. In the 13km night run, first to fourth men’s and first place woman were all orienteering competitors while first place in the half marathon was all secured by an orienteer runner. Interestingly, the winner of the 13km night run, Rob Bauer, beat even KOTM champion Blake Hose’s day run time, despite the disadvantages of running in the dark with only a headlamp to guide the way.

The competition across the Festival shifted up a gear from the inaugural outing, with course records falling across most categories. New times to beat were registered in the men’s marathon, both the men’s and women’s half marathon, and in all of the short course technical runs across men’s and women’s, down and uphill.

Overall, more than 400 competitors turned out over the long weekend to celebrate and participate in the trail running events, which also included a 3.5km family and kids’ fun run showing off the Baw Baw summit views, and numerous off trail sessions including nutritional seminars, technique clinics and a premier sneak preview screening of the Desert Runners feature film, a documentary featuring Festival ambassador, adventure runner Samantha Gash.

Runners travelled from far afield with entrants registered from Townsville, Adelaide, Brisbane, France, Germany, Estonia and the United Kingdom, the English competitor having flown specifically to attend the Brooks Trail Run Festival.

Engaging stories abounded amongst the field, with one marathon competitor knocking off his 92nd marathon at Baw Baw, it being only his fourth on trail. The winner of the uphill technical run is Estonia’s best orienteer runner. Several competitors had also never run a marathon previously, choosing to take on one of the country’s toughest off-roaders for their first outing. All debutants made the distance.

The Brooks Trail Run Festival will return next year, once again on the 7-9 March Long Weekend (Victoria, Labour Day).

All details at www.trailrunfestival.com.au

BROOKS TRAIL RUN FESTIVAL RESULTS

SUMMARY – DAY 01

MARATHON – Men’s
1. Blake Hose 04:02:14 (CR) // 2. Joel Fitzgerald 04:20:12 // 3. Sean Sweetman 04:38:36

MARATHON – Women’s
1. Natasha Fraser 05:09:22 // 2. Kellie Emmerson 05:30:26 // 3. Angela Harris 05:58:10

HALF MARATHON – Men’s
1. Kerrin Rattray 01:54:35 (CR) // 2. Joel Claxton 02:08:26 // 3. Cameron Goodison 02:10:39

HALF MARATHON – Women’s
1. Claire Boulange 02:16:14 (CR) // 2. Lucy Bartholomew 02:31:07 // 3. Bridget Wetherell 02:32:08

SUMMARY – DAY 02

13KM DAY RUN – Women’s
1. Claire Boulange 01:15:55 // 2. Fiona Gordon 01:17:19 // 3. Natasha Fraser 01:17:35

13KM DAY RUN – Men’s
1. Blake Hose 01:05:55 // 2. Tom Crosby 01:12:01 //3. Vincent Kerbarh 01:12:22

13KM NIGHT RUN – Women’s
1. Jasmine Neue 01:21:29 // 2. Fiona Gordon 01:27:49 // 3. Genevieve Blanch 01:36:05

13KM NIGHT RUN – Men’s
1. Rob Bauer 01:03:29 // 2. Rob Preston 01:03:29 // 3. David Brownridge 01:10:22

SUMMARY – DAY 03

1.4km TECHNICAL DOWNHILL – MEN’S
1. Blake Hose 00:04:57 (CR) // 2. Rob Baker 00:05:00 // 3. Rob Preston 00:05:24

1.4km TECHNICAL DOWNHILL – WOMEN’S
1. Liis Johanson 00:05:50 (CR) // 2. Jasmine Neve 00:06:00 // 3. Margaretha Fortmann 00:06:46

TECHNICAL UPHILL – MEN’S
1. Rob Baker 00:12:19 (CR) // 2. Blake Hose 00:12:29 // 3. David Fraser 00:14:10

TECHNICAL UPHILL – WOMEN’S
1. Natasha Fraser 00:14:46 (CR) // 2. Lucy Bartholomew 00:16:36 // 3. Liis Johansen 00:16:43

ALL IMAGERY: www.marceauphotography.com

High country to high street ultra success

By TrailRunMag

Two ultra runners have successfully completed a unique challenge to run all the way from the summit of Mount Baw Baw, in Victoria’s east, to the bustle of Bourke Street, in Melbourne’s CBD. Theirs was a 205km effort that took three days to complete, undertaken with a point to prove: that you can run all the way from mountain to mall using only trails and tracks the entire way.

Ultra runner Richard Bowles and adventure racer Jarad Kohlar set off from Mount Baw Baw knowing they had to complete the equivalent of five marathons to reach their downtown destination.

The high country to high street journey took them off the summit of Mount Baw Baw via the Australian Alpine Walking Track, before running through the Yarra Ranges National Park to Warburton in the Yarra Valley.

The environs turned from wild water catchment to semi-rural farmlands along the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail before a diversion through the Dandenong Ranges gave way to the inevitable suburban sprawl of the eastern suburbs.

Maintaining the run ethos of staying on trail, the pair took to linking up green corridors including the Dandenong, Eastern Link and Capital trails to eventually make it to the banks of the Yarra River, and on into Bourke Street via Federation Square where curious onlookers barely believed their claim of running into town from 205km away.

While the aim of the run was to find an off road route the entire way, the runners admit that they were forced to run on fire and logging roads on one section early on.

“It was still running on dirt,” says Bowles, who is used to running marathon distances day after day having run the length of Australia’s eastern seaboard and the length of New Zealand. “And the huge gum forest wilderness, zero traffic, and overall remoteness meant it was pretty much the same as singletrack – stunning fresh air running. It blows me away that you can run all the way from Mount Baw Baw to the centre of Melbourne pretty much all off road. I think we only touched a kilometer or two of sealed road to link up trails.”

“Even the final day from the foothills of the Dandenongs through suburbia and into the CBD, the whole way you would barely know that you were in the city as the green corridors provided plenty of nature to run through,” said Kohlar, who while an experienced trail runner, had not previously run the distances undertaken for the Baw Baw to Bourke Street Challenge in one multiday stretch.

“The highlight for me was the first twenty kilometres of trail out of Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort, along the Australian Alpine Walking Track. You’re up in the snowgums and then you drop down into tall Eucalypt forests, with big views. Also the last little stretch running past Flinders Street Station to Bourke Street amid all the hustle and bustle – it really brought home the nature of our journey from mountain to mall,” said Kohlar.

Bowles and Kohlar finished with a run down Bourke Street before dropping in to specialty running store, RunningFit, to celebrate their achievement with a cool and rehydrating beer, a fitting end to just under thirty hours of endurance running completed over three days.

The challenge was undertaken to highlight the upcoming Brooks Trail Run Festival, a three day event that focuses on the trail running lifestyle, held at Mount Baw Baw during the March long weekend, 8-10 March. Entries, including for the iconic marathon from Walhalla to Mount Baw Baw using some of the same trails traversed by Bowles and Kohlar, are still open and will be taken on the weekend.

www.trailrunfestival.com.au

Cradle Mountain Ultra

By TrailRunMag

At dawn on the 1st of February, 55 enthusiastic runners were lined up single file at Waldheim, just north of Dove Lake, ready and eager to take on the annual Cradle Mountain Run (CMR). You could feel the excitement and nerves as a final roll call was carried out, followed by a countdown to the 6am start and before you knew it, we were trotting off down Tasmania’s iconic Overland Track.

Runners approaching and passing Tasmania’s iconic Cradle Mountain at sunrise, approximately 4km into the run.

The Cradle Mountain Run is a one day traverse of Tasmania’s famous Cradle Mt to Lake St Clair Overland track. The beauty of this run is that it traverses wild alpine areas of Tasmania’s Cradle Mt Lake St Clair National Park and World Heritage Area. The altitude of the track in several areas of the plateau is greater than 1000 metres, which by world standards is not high, but here is well above the tree line. This low tree line illustrates the exposure and harshness of conditions that can prevail even in summer.

This is an estimated, not-accurately measured 82km trail run limited to 60 runners. The event is a Run not a Race and mutual help is an important aspect. Hills are steep, the mud can suck your shoes off and roots and stones make the going slow for the less nimble footed.

Moving through highland button grass plains with Tasmania’s tallest peak, Mount Ossa, beckoning us on

The Cradle Mountain Run has a rich history, with the inaugural run being held on the 14th of February 1981 (5 days prior to the birth of this author!). Now in its 34th year, it was inspirational to see CMR Committee member Richard Pickup who completed the original run back on that day in 1981, toe the start line again in 2014 and make it all the way through to Cynthia Bay in an extremely respectable time! (I won’t mention Richard’s age, although it can be seen on the results page on the CMR website)

From the start it was clear that ultra and trail-running legend Stu Gibson meant business, and it wasn’t long before he had hopped over Marion’s lookout and was out of site. It would be the last time any other runners would see him until the finish line.

Runners about to drop into ‘Waterfall Valley’, approximately 9.5km into the run

Following the 400m climb past the picturesque Crater Lake and then Marion’s Lookout, runners were greeted to spectacular views of Cradle Mountain as the sun was rising over her shoulder. After overcast conditions last year (which were ideally suited to running), it was a real treat to have clear skies and not a breath of air, and as we came along the Cradle cirque towards Barn Bluff the entire Cradle Reserve began to open up with mountains as far as the eye could see. It was a real treat to be running in the reserve that morning as we passed Waterfall Valley, Lake Windermere, the giant that is Mount Pelion West, through Frog Flats, and then arrived at the first checkpoint, Pelion Hut, 34km into the run.

By mid-morning the temperature had risen significantly following the cool start, and it was clear that management of hydration was going to be crucial to the success of the rest of the run. Lying in the saddle between Mount Pelion East and Tasmania’s tallest peak, Mount Ossa, the views from Pelion Gap were breathtaking before dropping down to Kia Ora hut. From there runners would spend the next little while (longer for some) moving through the forests before an exposed climb of Du Cane Gap, then would drop sharply down to the next check point at Bert Nichols Hut. Moving through to Narcissus Hut which lies at the northern end of Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest freshwater lake, runners were exposed to the sun beating down with temperatures now pushing 30C. Unfortunately for a number of entrants, this would be where their day would end after approximately 60km in the bag, having to catch the ferry back down the lake to Cynthia Bay.

Runners approaching Barn Bluff, approximately 8km into the run

Leaving the Narcissus checkpoint, the final 18km of the run would be spent trying not to trip over tree roots with our now heavy feet as we sidled Lake St Clair before the track widened at Watersmeet for the final 1.5km dash to the finish line.

Line honours for the day went to the in-form Stu Gibson who ran a PB and only the 10th sub 8 hour race in Cradle Mountain Run history (7:59:52). For the females, Gill Fowler came across the line first in 9:28:24, an hour clear of Katherine Macmillan in second place. The final runner would cross the line a tick after 9pm, 15 hours after we left Waldheim.

Well done to all entrants for 2014; although the track was dry and fast, it was a tough day in the office once the temperature began to rise. Also a huge well done and thank you to the CMR committee who put on yet another fantastic race day and weekend!

Words by Phil Beeston

Cradle Mountain Run website

Results page here

Down Under runners rank highly in HK100

By TrailRunMag

Trail Run Mag Asia Editor, Rachel Jacqueline, reports in from the recent Vibram Hong Kong 100, where the Aussie and Kiwi contingent ranked well, and the Nepali runners showed they are a force to be reckoned with on the tail.

The Ultra Trail World Tour kicked off last week in Hong Kong with the Vibram HK 100 2014. The Nepalese well and truly stamped their dominance among Hong Kong’s hills for a 1-2 finish from Tirtha Bahadur Tamang and Bed Bahadur Sunuwar.

In third was none other than the boy from Down Under, Vlad Ixel (below left), at home amongst the hilly terrain despite living in dead-flat Perth. Storming down the hill behind him and only seconds apart was Vajin Armstrong and Scotty Hawker, rounding out the top five – and making it a proud day for Aussies and Kiwis!

Although a smoking course-record breaking day was expected, a combo of burn out, unseasonably hot weather and perhaps a little too much pollution combined to see a lot of carnage over of the course of the day. By half way, Claire Price, Lizzy Hawker and other Hong Kong elite, Olya Korzh, had all pulled out.

Interestingly, the three top Hong Kong male runners – Stone Tsang, Jeremy Ritcey and William Davies – were all a good twenty minutes off from last year’s time. Maybe a sign Hongkongers are having a little too much of a good thing with all the races that have popped up in the last year?

I (Rachel – Asia Ed.) caught up with The North Face’s Jez Brag (10th) who gave a nice little summary of how the day played out from the front (while I was busy running somewhere a little further back!!!). Thanks Jez!

It was a fast start at the front, and the pace along the road to the dam at support point 1 was pretty smokey! Not too surprising given the depth of field, but it suggested there would be some casualties, which of course there were. I did my usual thing of running steadily and consistently throughout. I was with the leaders for the first couple of sections, but then continued a little more conservatively thereafter, to save some juice for the latter climbs. My climbing speed wasn’t really up to scratch hence I wasn’t quite able to mix it up with the lead guys, but that’s not something I’ve really focused on in training since UTMB, but I will start to more as the season gets going. I decided to approach this race in a fairly relaxed manner; it was a relatively short trip over, and running a course blind is never too easy.

The journey around the course was however amazing. I shared some spells with various guys, but a lot of it I spent on my own, with plenty of time to absorb the amazing views of the beaches, forests and city skyline. Oh, and lots of monkeys ready to swipe your gels given half the chance. I’m not sure there’s anywhere else in the world where you can experience such contrasts, so close to major world city. Watching the sun set over the city from the top of Tai Mo Shan 95 km in to the race (high point of the course at 957m) was a real highlight.

The Hong Kong trails are also pretty unique under foot. I had heard what the course was like beforehand, but I think until you’ve actually seen all the steps and hard surfaces, it’s hard to imagine. It’s not necessarily a negative, it’s just how it is locally, but quite hard attack without practice. The main difficulty with the course is the fact the climbing is mostly back loaded – in the 2nd half – which is always going to be tough after a fast, flat, first half. I’m not going to lie, I had to dig deep for my performance, like many did I’m sure. It’s a tough race, no doubt, which the results only confirm.

I felt it was a really positive opening to the UTWT calendar. It needs time to develop and find it’s feet as a series, but in terms of promoting and developing world class trail courses around the globe, it was very fitting to open the show in Hong Kong. It was a competitive race with a classy international field, and certainly bodes well for the year ahead.

As far as race experiences go, the HK100 offers a lot more than you may first think. In the space of four days I met an amazing array of runners from all over the world, experienced incredible views of Hong Kong from all different angles and ran some epic sections of trail through seemingly remote, rural areas. Definitely a trip to remember.

Are you going to add the Vibram HK 100 to your race calender next year?

Gear review: Compressport Trail Shorts

By TrailRunMag

Compressport isn’t new to the compression garment game having already made its mark in the triathlon scene with its flagship calf sleeves. More recently, and driven by the personal passion of the brand owner, Compressport has ventured into the trail running sphere, working with European trail running legend, Seb Chaigneau, to design a range of functional trail-specific compression garments. According to Caine Warburton**, the trail running shorts are one of the range highlights.

Design:

It’s evident out of the box that a lot of thought has gone into the garment. One of the most important parts of a compression short is of course the compression and Compressport comes to the game with their unique 7-stage graduated compression which has been stitched on medical grade compression machines.

But what does that mean in all practicality? Essentially it means that the shorts are tighter where you need them to be around the quads for extra support, but less so in the high mobility areas such as the hip in an attempt to provide maximum support as well as flexibility.

Unlike other compression shorts these are intended for use during sport and less so for recovery. This is evident with additions of silicone inserts on the bottom of the thighs as well as on the high waist band to prevent excess movement. They also feature unique silicone grip pads on the quads for use during power hiking on super steep climbs, a handy pull tab back pocket and flat lock stitching to prevent chafe.

Fit:

Compressport offers these shorts in four separate sizes (T1,2,3 &4) as well as a sizing guide to assist runners in getting the right fit by measuring key areas such as the bottom and top of quad. Personally, I was a T2 and for reference I am 75kg/180cm tall. Initially when you put these shorts on they are tight, even a bit of a mission to get on the first time however this does get easier with experience. They are longer than your usual trail/compression shorts coming down to just above the knee which to be honest didn’t really appeal to me at first. However once running I really did not notice the extra length and at the end of my first 4-hour run I was pleased to have the additional support though the entire length of my quad.

They have a high waistband section (designed to aid with posture) which was a bit odd at first as it comes up to around the belly button. On the legs they feel quite firm through the quads and hamstrings with the compression backing off towards the glutes and hips.

I own a few pairs of Skins and one important difference when comparing the fit was that my Skins are tight around the waist (uncomfortably so), a side effect of downsizing to get a good fit around the quads however the Compressport shorts are not excessively tight at the waist just firm. Now as described these shorts are a “next to skin” fit so potentially they could be a little revealing for the more self-conscious of runners out there.

Use:

Having worn these shorts for more than 400km of running over 8 weeks I have noticed a few key things. These shorts breathe! They are extremely efficient at wicking sweat and keeping dry and light. The fabric is quite thin for this quality of compression (by design) and it appears to have been woven in an “open” style, this greatly aids their thermoregulation properties keeping you nice and cool, to a point that is actually quite noticeable when compared to other brands such as Skins. After every long run (bar those in the actual rain) the shorts have been completely dry having wicked all the sweat away during the run.

The compression over the quads is noticeable while running downhill and I could feel the extra support my legs where receiving and a distinct reduction in muscle bounce when really pounding the non-technical steep downhills. I initially thought that climbing in the short may have been restrictive the however the reduced compression over the hip means that the leg lift isn’t compromised at all. I also noticed that the silicone grip pads made a massive difference to hand grip when things got sweaty and steep as I was power hiking the bigger climbs.

I was also a bit sceptical about the shorts’ ability to stay in place without slipping when hiking hard, hands on knees style, putting loads of force through the silicon thigh grippers. However over the course of a recent 100km race, which involved plenty of hiking, they performed exceptionally. I did notice about 5cm of downward movement at the start which once settled did not move again, indicating perhaps I had them pulled too far up?

The pocket at the back was large enough for me to get two Endura gels into without much trouble and the red pull tab assists well with accessing the contents on the run as the pocket sits flat against the body meaning it would be a hassle to open without it. This pocket is particularly handy for the training runs that are long enough to need gels but not long enough to warrant carrying a pack.

For a female perspective I had my wife (also an accomplished ultra runner) try these on. She reported that in her view they shouldn’t chafe around the groin however she did mention that black would perhaps be the preferred colour choice for most women due to the “tight” fit.

The Verdict

It’s clear that Compressport has developed a trail specific and functional product here. Their ability to combine the benefits of medical grade compression, flexibility and function make them stand out from the crowd in the current crowded market.

For me the benefits of these shorts really come out during long runs and races where vertical accent is over 1000m as their ability to support a runner’s quickly fatiguing quadriceps and hamstrings come to the fore. The addition of the power hiking grip pads means these are my preferred short when I know I am tackling anything over 20%. Provided you can get the correct fit, these shorts should be useful for anyone seeking compression for training and racing, however in my opinion they are most beneficial for those runners who tackle the longer distances.

RRP: $149
www.compressport.com.au

**Caine Warburton has a commercial relationship with Compressport via its support of the KSR trail race team of which Caine is a member. These shorts were sourced specifically for freelance review from Compressport before the relationship was developed, notes Caine.**

Great minds run alike – edition 11 editorial

By TrailRunMag

“Our search for understanding will never come to an end, and…we will always have the challenge of new discovery. Without it, we would stagnate.” – Stephen Hawking

I remember reading somewhere that some (many?) of the world’s most brilliant minds were and are runners. Not Stephen Hawking, obviously. But others of his ilk more fortunate in physical capacity.

Not only that, but when faced with one of their mind boggling problems – like, how do black holes work and is the universe expanding or contracting, that kind of thing – it was a run that emptied their obviously fruitfully full minds enough for them to see the light (or the dark in the case of black holes and dark matter) and solve the problem.

Sure, some people sit on the toilet for their lightbulb moments. Others take LSD. (LSD perhaps scatters the mental decks and a restroom stink is perhaps not the best olfactory seed for genius). I reckon it’s on the run where the brain best expunges the clutter, readies for clarity and follows the legs’ lead to go into overdrive.

It may be in a manner that dreams up your next creative vision (talking to all you painters, potters and rainbow makers). It may be a mathematical solution that you break the back of (talking to all you PhD physicists reading). Or it may just be cracking that damn Sudoku in last weekend’s newspaper (hi, Mum). But I bet you’ve had some kind of brainwave hit you on the trail (sometimes a second before the tree branch knocks it out of you, the distraction of your own brilliance momentarily making you forget to duck).

There’s some science behind why any scientist worth their weight in Nobel Prizes runs. Partly it’s about your Chief Executive Officer. That’s colloquial for the prefrontal cortex of your brain that they reckon steer the intelligence ship. It is the area just behind our foreheads that controls the “executive functioning”, which includes cognitive processes like prioritising, planning, initiating, managing working memory, managing time and resources, and self-regulation.

The results of a study by Hillman and his fellow boffins¹ suggest that intense cardiovascular exercise affects neuro-electric processes that underpin executive control. Simply, exercise improves your ability to manage cognitive processeses.

Another report² reckons that aerobic exercise training has antidepressant and anxiolytic (something that inhibits anxiety) effects, which protect against the harmful consequences of stress. The findings suggest that exercise triggers a process that helps not only endure and reverse, but prevent future stress.

And of course we all know and love the ‘runners’ high’, a euphoria felt after running described by as the so-called opioid theory. Boeker et al³ suggests region-specific effects in the frontolimbic brain area that translate to improved mood and an increase in general optimism.

Right, so running means that our brains work better, we stave off feeling down and indeed we get a little high. How does that translate into Eureka moments?

One factor is simply that with better delivery of oxygen and energy to the brain – it works better. Exercise increases cerebral blood flow and provides for more efficient glucose utilisation. Writes Craig Bennett, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, (and a runner): “The brain lives on glucose. Over 25% of the energy you take in is going to fuel that grey matter in your skull. When you are really working (thinking) on a tough problem that percentage only goes up as energy usage increases. If you can more efficiently get energy where it needs to go that would represent a major benefit to cognitive processing.”

Indeed, make a rat run in a laboratory and it gets smarter. Make it run harder than it otherwise might have of its own volition, and its thinking prowess improves further.

Of course, it is the act of running in the first place that some argue (including Christopher McDougall of Born to Run fame who most popularly leads the charge) led to mankind’s sudden warp speed increase in intelligence: we ran animals to death, ate the meat, our brains exploded with the protein pill leading to vastly improved cognitive functions and outcomes, like agriculture, politics and One Direction.

So where does this leave us? Firstly, that running should be incorporated into our education system, primary, secondary and tertiary. Post doctorate in quantum mechanics? You’ll be up for an ultra distance, then. Secondly: running (or some form of physical activity that is cardio vascular intensive) should be prescribed by doctors and psychologists more often than drugs – the science is in, the former can be just as if not more effective than the latter (obviously cautioned by a dose of context here – I’m not saying a psychopathic prone to bodily harm should simply be told to go for a jog). Finally: it doesn’t always work. After all, (Australian Prime Minister) Tony Abbott runs a lot and it doesn’t seem to laying the groundwork for any Eureka moments there.

And so, as Stephen Hawking said “…our search for understanding will never come to an end…” Better keep on running then. The answers – whatever the problem – are out there. On the trail.

Chris Ord, Australian Editor
chris (at) trailrunmag.com

[THIS EDITORIAL – ALONG WITH THOSE OF THE ASIA AND NEW ZEALAND EDITORS – APPEARS IN the LATEST EDITION (11) OF TRAIL RUN MAG. GET YOUR COPY HERE.]

1. Charles H. Hillman, Erin M. Snook, and Gerald J. Jerome. (2003) Acute cardiovascular exercise and executive control function. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 48 (3), pp. 307-314.
2. Salmon, Peter. (2001) Effects of physical exercise on anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to stress: A unifying theory. Clinical Psychology Review, 21(1), pp. 33–61.
3. Henning Boecker, Till Sprenger, Mary E. Spilker, Gjermund Henriksen, Marcus Koppenhoefer, Klaus J. Wagner, Michael Valet, Achim Berthele and Thomas R. Tolle. (2008) The Runner’s High: Opioidergic Mechanisms in the Human Brain, Cerebral Cortex, 18 (3), pp. 2523-2531.

Tarawera Ultra pumped for Ultra World Tour

By TrailRunMag

American champion trailite Sage Canaday from the USA, Brendan Davies of Australia, Japan’s Yoshikazu Hara and Brazilian runner Manual Lago are just a few of the international trail stars lining up as favourites in next year’s Tarawera Ultra, which is now only three months away.

With its new status as part the inaugural Ultra Running World Tour, Tarawera is set to cement itself as one of the bucket list races worldwide for both elites and weekend warriors alike.

For Tarawera Ultra Race Director, Paul Charteris, the World Tour status is an amazing opportunity for the Rotorua-based event, which “started as ‘crazy dream’ six years ago with a field of just 67 runners.”

In 2014 the numbers of entries will be close to 1000.

“Being invited to be part of the Tour is a real honour,” says Charteris. “As the Tarawera has grown we’ve attracted really quality fields and next year the very best international runners will be on the start-line.”

Sage Canaday (pictured right), who won the event in a blistering performance in 2013, reckons the Tarawera is worthy of a return Down Under.

“Paul Charteris really knows how to put on an amazing event, with a talented field of international runners,” says Sage. “His vision to grow the sport of ultra running both in New Zealand and on a world-wide scale is very inspiring to me and many others.”

Defending Kiwi honour in 2014 will be Vajin Armstrong and Marty Lukes. The standout runner in the women’s field is Napier’s Ruby Muir. She’s the defending Tarawera Ultra champion and recorded four wins in four countries in 2013.

Charteris says the Tour is all about bringing runners together in the spirit of friendship, adventure and competition. With less daunting 60 and 85km distances to choose from and family-friendly relay team options (where each runner tackles a half marathon) the Tarawera Ultra also appeals to a wide range of runners.

The other races on the Ultra World Tour are all successful, well-established events with long histories, big race fields and massive media interest. They include the Hong Kong 100k, Australia’s TNF 100 in the Blue Mountains, The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run in the USA, the Marathon des Sables in Morocco, The North Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in France, Italy, and Switzerland, the Ultra-Trail Mont Fuji in Japan and Grand Raid on Reunion Island.

Being part of the Tour and with Eurosport TV coverage to over 100 million viewers across Europe and Asia guaranteed, the Tarawera Ultra will showcase Rotorua and New Zealand to a worldwide audience.

“A beautiful environment and superb athletes – it really is a recipe for a fabulous day of racing,” says Charteris.

“The international runners who have raced in the Tarawera Ultra have all loved being here. Our beautiful lakes and the forests, spa and geothermal features and Maori culture are a unique and seductive combination.”

For more information and online entry: www.taraweraultra.co.nz

WANT TO KNOW THE STORY BEHIND THE TARAWERA? CHECK OUT THE FEATURE IN EDITION 03 OF TRAIL RUN MAG, DOWNLOADABLE HERE or CLICK ARTICLE BELOW.

Trail Run Fest returns: entries open

By TrailRunMag

Following a highly successful inaugural event earlier this year, the acclaimed Brooks Trail Run Festival will return to the flanks of Mount Baw Baw on the 8-10 March long weekend in 2014, with entries to the three day celebration of off-road running now open.

A unique three day outing on the trail running event calendar, the Brooks Trail Run Festival is the only trail event that combines a fantastic line-up of competitive runs with plenty of off-trail activities in the form of seminars, presentations and trail running films along with a uniquely social atmosphere, with most participants staying for the duration in Baw Baw village accommodation.

“We want to not only showcase what we believe to be some of the best single-track running there is to be had in the country,” says Event Director, Grant Seamer, “but also to celebrate the holistic aspects of the trail running lifestyle and the passion people have for it as their chosen sport. With that in mind we will be jamming the event program with a bunch of great activities from technical training sessions to nutrition seminars, inspirational talks and trail running films.”

For competitive trail runners out to make their mark, there will be a cash purse on offer of $1000 – one of the largest in Australian trail running, paid to the Brooks King and Queen of the Mountain title-winners. To be eligible, runners must participate in the Walhalla to Mount Baw Baw Marathon on the first day, and then choose from a 12km night or 12km day run the next day and then vie to be the fastest free mountain runner in the 1.5km technical downhill and uphill challenges on the final day.

“Of course, while we expect to see some of Australia’s best trail runners shoot for the money and glory, the event is first and foremost about enjoyment of running in mountains, so people can enter as many or as few events as they like: there is also a half marathon that is 99% singletrack, and a 3km kids and family fun run. Or people can just come up to watch some of the action – the free mountain running is spectator friendly being so short, sharp and spectacular – and maybe join in some of the break out sessions,” says Seamer.

The Brooks Trail Run Festival will again feature a line-up of Australia’s best competitive and adventure runners presenting and offering advice on mountain, with notables yet to be announced.

Says Brooks runner and event ambassador, adventure runner Samantha Gash (pictured running in the inaugural event, below right).

“The Inaugural Brooks Trail Run Fest ranks up there on one of my most enjoyable trail running weekends I have had. The energy of the whole weekend was extremely positive and uplifting, as not only did we have plenty of time to race hard but the three day format allowed everyone to get to know each other on a social level – which is part of the beauty of the trail running community in particular, it’s very welcoming and I think the Festival epitomises that. It’s definitely one to prioritise for the 2014 running calendar.”

Affordable self-catering accommodation is available on the mountain, with runners able to enjoy the benefit of having comfortable lodgings to rest and recuperate all within a few hundred metres of the finishing line. Also on mountain is a bar, café and restaurant, along with an Adventure Hub store, all open throughout the weekend.

Families will be catered for with a jumping castle and other kids’ activities to keep them amused while Mum or Dad runs, and there’s plenty else to keep everyone happy including mountain bike hire (XC and downhill, selected times) and of course walks, including to the summit of Mount Baw Baw for spectacular views across the Gippsland valley.

ENTRIES NOW OPEN: www.eventbrite.com.au/event/8964391737
Information at: www.mountbawbaw.com.au (Events)

Brooks Trail Run Festival

Saturday 8 – Monday 10 March (public holiday long weekend)

Confirmed line-up (more to be announced)

Saturday

Marathon – Walhalla to Baw Baw village, 43km
Half Marathon – Mt Erica Car Park – Baw Baw village, 21.5km
+ seminars and activities

Sunday

12km day run
12km night run
3km kids and family fun run
+ seminars and activities

Monday

1.5km free mountain technical run descent
1.5km free mountain technical run ascent
+ presentations

Entries are now open at: www.eventbrite.com.au/event/8964391737
Information at: www.mountbawbaw.com.au (Events)