Written by Annabelle Latz. Photos by Xavier Briel. Nothing could prepare me for it, and nothing will ever compare to it. Running on a white vastness, a cloud-whispered light-blue sky above, amongst an absence of landmarks and an abundance of flat land… Welcome to the Salt Pans Ultra Trail Marathon, Botswana’s inaugural ultramarathon stage race. For 100km, over three days, 25 of us ran across a section of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Located in Northern Botswana, this vast expanse of…
Guest post by Mountain Designs There has never been a better time for trail runners, hikers and nature lovers to get out into the world and take full advantage of the beauty of our glorious planet! It doesn’t matter whether you’re an experienced outdoors person or an absolute newbie who has never stepped foot into nature before – there’s something for everyone out there, and as long as you equip yourself with the right gear, you’ll be sure to love…
Written by Rapid Ascent At 9am (AEST) on Sunday, June 14, more than 450 competitors raced their own course at the exact same time together, virtually, at Race 1 of the 2020 Trail Running Series presented by MINI. Runners from all corners of Australia joined in, with many runners hailing from various regional locations as far afield as Flinders Island and Broome; along with our fan-favourite runner Cameron Bell from Scotland, who competed at midnight to coincide with the race….
@jsaragossa Written by David Lipman I am sure by now all readers are aware that on May 20th, the UTMB organisation announced that the 2020 edition of the event was cancelled. While disappointing many, this probably surprised none. In a very swift response to the news, last year’s winner, Pau Capell, has announced he will be running the course solo in an attempt to better his course record. Note: I will not be discussing the ethics of such an attempt,…
Willie Richards is an endurance adventure athlete based in Capte Town. Here, he shares his experience of running and working in Western Australia during the COVID-19 lockdown. Running and being outdoors is such a pertinent part of my life, especially during the past couple of years. It gives me direction and has helped me numerous times to resolve issues in my life, be they personal or work related. One of the first things I pack in my bag before I…
As we slowly start easing out of self-isolation, we need to get our bodies out of hibernation mode and start exploring again. Get ready to gear up for your next adventure and get KEEN for cardio. Whether it’s an urban exploration or a wilderness escape, it’s important to keep on moving, especially in times like this, as it’s beneficial not only for your physical health, but your mental health, too. Exploring the outdoors is a great form of ecotherapy. Taking…
I love a good podcast. I’m always listening to something on my run – yep, I’m one of those people. Hey, I have a young child who reigns supreme over the TV and now my portable speaker – my runs are the only chance I get to consume any kind of content not designed for the under 10s! So, I thought I’d put together a list of my favourite podcasts. They’re in no particular order – well, apart from being…
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been having trail withdrawals! All my local trails have been closed for weeks as a health and safety precaution due to the coronavirus pandemic. But they have recently re-opened – yay! If you’re looking at easing back into the trails, now is the perfect time to pull on your hiking boots. If you’re new to hiking or haven’t done it for a while, this helpful guide from Gabor Shoes will help you plan…
Brooks Puregrit 8 “They look, ummm, pretty,” I thought to myself when first unboxing the latest PureGrit from Brooks. I was – to be honesty – slightly disappointed. My general gut feel with trail running shoes is that I want a gnarly veneer. Rough. Ready for the ‘pure grit’ that the Brooks nameplate evoked. Nothing too, well, pretty! It turns out – as often is the way with me and first impressions – I was wrong. Perhaps I’m just too…
NZ runner Scotty Hawker. Picture: @fractelrunning Despite having finished third in last year’s Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, Scotty Hawker feels he has unfinished business in what many regard as the world’s most prestigious trail race. Due to the current pandemic, it’s business which might have to wait another year, but he’s taking a philosophical view on the current turmoil affecting almost every aspect of life globally. The New Zealander thinks the event – due to take place on August 28…
