Running with purpose

Many people get into trail and ultra running for different reasons: to improve fitness, curiosity, to tick off a bucket list item or to test physical and mental limits.

My path to ultrarunning was a little different. I wanted to run to save a forest.

Takayna Trail Event

Having run trails for years but not knowing it was an actual sport, when I saw the takayna Trail event down in lutriwita/Tasmania in mid-2019, I felt drawn to do something out of my comfort zone to protect it. I wasn’t overly sporty or competitive, so I needed additional motivation to go from half marathon to ultra, and this fight to save a rainforest was just that. Training for the 65km race along windswept beaches and through ancient Gondwanan rainforests felt more doable with the knowledge that I was doing it for a reason greater than myself.

On race day, we were met with howling winds, sideways rain and unresponsive, numb fingers. And after months of training, fundraising and telling everyone why this vast stretch of the cool-temperate rainforest should be protected, the kilometres passed by rhythmically with a constant procession of smiles from strangers, conversations with fellow runners and moments of encapsulating awe.

The race itself was just a part of the experience. The real magic happened on the edge of lutriwita’s wild west coast, where I found myself surrounded by people from across the country, all united by a common cause. In that moment, I realised the power of collective action and the sense of belonging that comes from being part of a community that shares a passion.

Sports Activism

The possibility of sports activism remained with us as we headed back to the mainland, inspiring many to use their love of trail running to affect positive environmental change. Not only has takayna Trail raised $1.6 million to support the Bob Brown Foundation’s campaign to protect takayna as a World Heritage-listed National Park and returned to Aboriginal ownership, but it’s also spurred the creation of sustainable running shoes such as Tarkine, and charity organisation focused on empowering trail runners to become wild place protectors, like For Wild Places.

Since 2019 there has been a rise in events and races fighting to protect the land they are run on. This has given rise to a growing movement of sports activism, and people are travelling across the continent to throw their support, care and passion behind different environmentally focused campaigns. 

As mentioned, one of these groups is For Wild Places, which I was fortunate to co-found in 2020. Since then, it has grown to a community of more than 1,000 runners worldwide who actively protect the wild places we love to explore. 

Events are a unique way to bring people to a place they may have never heard of or had any desire to visit. A perfect example is the Pilliga Forest, located in northwest NSW. Despite being the largest area of remnant bushland on mainland Australia, this forest is unfamiliar to most. The Pilliga is home to endangered species, including the critically endangered regent honeyeater and swift parrot, but regardless it is under threat from potentially devastating coal seam gas projects.

For Wild Places

This is why For Wild Places is bringing people to this overlooked part of NSW by hosting the Pilliga Ultra, a weekend of running, hiking, entertainment and education. In September 2024, the event will bring hundreds of people to the forest, allowing them to witness the rugged beauty of this place first-hand.

Asking people to drive for hours to run or hike 10k, 20k or 50k through an unknown location is just the beginning. 

Once they arrive in the Pilliga Forest, it’s up to the forest to embolden them to take action. From the challenging sandstone trails to the vivid array of spring flowers and endless vistas of impenetrable bush, we are certain that every runner or hiker crossing that finish line will feel connected to the country and be motivated to take action to protect it.

If the wombats, wildflowers and wonderful volunteers don’t sway them, maybe the Gomeroi elders’ stories of the Yowie will. 

I hope there are more events in the future that go beyond just a race, and tap into a greater purpose for the sake of our wild places.

If you’d like to join me and For Wild Places in the Pilliga, find out more and register today at www.pilligaultra.com.