WORDS AND IMAGES: SARAH FOSTER Ultra runner Sarah Foster likes piña coladas. Fortunately, she also doesn’t mind getting caught in the rain! In 2020, she took a break from the cattle station she co-manages in outback Queensland to run and fast pack the rugged Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island. Here, she shares her story for Trail Run Mag. I grew up on the coast north of Townsville, Queensland, in a little Italian town called Ingham (and no, it is not…
takayna Ultra 2020: takayna forever
Photos: Majell Backhausen Trail runner and ultra athlete Majell Backhausen explains why takayna Ultra, in north-west Tasmania, is full of heart, connection, and like no other event he has experienced in the world of trail running. I’d like to acknowledge and pay my respects to the traditional owners of the lands which this event is held, the people of takayna. And pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. As I scan the space in Marrawah Hall, it’s…
Canyons, waterfalls, cliffs, and ice-cream!
In 2019, New Zealander ROGER LESLIE completed the formidable yet breathtaking Swiss Canyon Trail ultramarathon. He gives Trail Run Mag a recap of his remarkable adventure – packed with everything from mind-bogglingly steep ascents and descents, to stunning scenery, to helping an injured runner, to ice-cream! The 5am blast of an alp-horn released the pent-up energy of 500 runners into the brisk pre-dawn of the Val de Travers in Canton Neuchãtel, Western Switzerland. The front runners disappeared in a swirl…
THE LONG PATHWAY
Images: Mat Vaughan This year, Australian trail runner Lucy Clark, 34, turned heads when she recorded the fastest-known time on the Te Araroa, a 3,000km trail that snakes the entire length of New Zealand from Cape Reinga, the northernmost tip, all the way down to Bluff in the South Island. NICKI LETTS joined Lucy for part of her astounding feat. A few weeks after finishing her record-breaking run of the Te Araroa (TA) in January, Lucy Clark could barely run…
The Twisted D.E.E.R. 50km Ultra Social Run: DIY Fun
What do you do when all your events are cancelled? Make up your own! GARY BOYCE gives us a race recap of his Twisted D.E.E.R. 50km Ultra. With event after event either being postponed or cancelled, I thought why am I training? I get up, go for a run, come home and repeat. Running was losing its purpose and I was losing my love for the trails. I had read and talked to other runners and the same vibe was…
RECORD TIME SET ON ICONIC 268-MILE PENNINE TRAIL BY LITTER-PICKING ULTRA RUNNER
Damian battling wild weather at Tan Hill Inn – highest pub in England.INOV-8.COM / DAVE MACFARLANE Top ultramarathon runner Damian Hall has set a new record time for the 268-mile Pennine Way – while cleaning the trail of litter at the same time. The 44-year-old inov-8 ambassador completed the iconic route from Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders to Edale, Derbyshire, which includes a section along Hadrian’s Wall, in an incredible time of 61 hours 34 minutes, beating the previous record…
Running on a moonscape
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…
Running in WA rocks!
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…
Podcasts to keep you running
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…
Trail speak: A language of its own
If you’re new to trail running, not only do you have to get used to a whole new world of terrain and running gear, you have to learn the lingo, too! And even if you’re not a new trail runner, no doubt there’s some jargon you haven’t heard of or don’t understand. Thankfully, Posilicious has a thorough ultra running A-Z reference guide. I had not even heard of some terms listed, eg. neontino and recovery (kidding!). So, before you hit…
