RUN LARAPINTA RACE REPORT

WORDS: LONNEKE KEFALAS   IMAGES: MATT HULL PHOTOGRAPHY, LONNEKE KEFALAS Run Larapinta: Malbunka long course, 21-24 April 2021 Run Larapinta! It was a long time in the making and it went by too fast! We registered in November 2019 for the August 2020 event, which, due to COVID-19, had to be postponed to April 2021. It was well worth the wait! What an amazing four days of running in beautiful scenery on rugged terrain (brutal at times), with a group of…

DAMIAN HALL FASTEST PERSON TO RUN ACROSS NORTHERN ENGLAND

Ultramarathon runner Damian Hall has set a new record time for the 185-mile Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route. Running west to east, from St Bees on the Irish Sea coastline to Robin Hood’s Bay on the shores of the North Sea, the inov-8 athlete completed the iconic cross-England challenge in an incredible time of 39 hours and 18 minutes. Damian beat Mike Hartley’s previous record, which had stood for 30 years, by 18 minutes. Established by legendary guidebook author Alfred…

GEAR REVIEW: RONHILL PIONEER 8L VEST

  REVIEWER: LAUREN FORCEY Good value, durable, comfortable and lots of pockets – all things you want in a running vest! The Ronhill Pioneer 8L Vest ticks all these boxes and more. Soft yet robust, this is a versatile pack that will be your go-to for commute runs, day hikes, trail runs and ultras of 50km to 100km. Firstly, I was surprised at how comfortable the overall feel and fit of this vest was. I typically have a lot of…

UTMB and IRONMAN join forces for UTMB World Series

UTMB Group has joined forces with The IRONMAN Group to boost the sport’s international development. Together, they will launch the world’s ultimate trail–running circuit: the UTMB® World Series.   From as early as 2022, the UTMB® World Series will bring together many of the best international events on the planet, which will provide exclusive access to the sport’s pinnacle event, UTMB® Mont-Blanc. Runners across the globe are invited to be part of it and “meet their extraordinary”.   An extraordinary adventure for all runners   The UTMB® World Series will bring the trail running community together through a new, integrated sports system that is…

Would you run to save the Pilliga Forest?

BY SIMON HARRIS I was lucky enough to visit the Pilliga Forest in north-west New South Wales recently, where a few of us were scouting the area to find trails for The Pilliga Ultra, an event to support The Wilderness Society’s campaign to protect the Pilliga Forest and its communities from damaging fossil fuel extraction. We had an absolute ball running over breathtaking rocky outcrops while taking in the stunning views and rare eucalypt woodlands. We found two beautiful routes,…

Run Larapinta stage race about to kick off

The Run Larapinta stage race gets underway tomorrow in the four-day, four-stage event, which will see participants take in some of the most spectacular sections of the iconic Larapinta Trail in Australia’s Northern Territory. Held from Wednesday to Saturday, 21-24 April, this is the rescheduled 2020 event after it was postponed due to COVID-19 last year. The popular stage race has developed a cult status among trail runners since its’ conception six years ago, and organisers Rapid Ascent can’t wait…

Patagonia Run sets standards for a safe return to racing in Argentina

A huge weekend for Argentina’s trail running scene was lived in the stunning mountain village of San Martín de los Andes, in Argentina’s Northern Patagonia. Following guidelines and protocols from the local and national authorities, Patagonia Run was held with over 4,000 runners distributed in its six distances, from 10k to 100 miles. The second stop of the inaugural Spartan Trail World Championship was affected by the country’s safety restrictions not allowing international runners, but it was still a huge…

inov-8 bucks the carbon plate trend with Graphene-enhanced foam running shoes

inov-8 has unveiled the world’s first-ever running shoes to utilise a Graphene-enhanced foam, bucking the carbon plate trend and doubling the industry standard for longevity. Collaborating with Graphene experts at The University of Manchester, the trailblazing brand has sped its way to landing the biggest sports footwear innovation of 2021. The Graphene-enhanced cushioned foam, called G-FLY™, features as part of inov-8’s revolutionary new trail shoe, the TRAILFLY™ ULTRA G 300 MAX, which is designed for ultramarathon and long-distance runners. Scientific…

inov-8 unveils world-first running shoe

inov-8 has unveiled the world’s first-ever running shoes to utilise a Graphene-enhanced foam, bucking the carbon plate trend and doubling the industry standard for longevity. Collaborating with Graphene experts at The University of Manchester, the trailblazing brand has sped its way to landing the biggest sports footwear innovation of 2021. The Graphene-enhanced cushioned foam, called G-FLY™, features as part of inov-8’s revolutionary new trail shoe, the TRAILFLY™ ULTRA G 300 MAX, which is designed for ultramarathon and long-distance runners. Scientific…

Shoe Review: Hoka One One Mafate Speed 3

REVIEWER: TEGYN ANGEL I’ll be frank, I’ve never been a fan of maximalist shoes for trail running. I spent years being a Hoka Hater before I ever laced a pair up. With that said, I do try to keep a relatively open mind and avoid letting unwarranted bias colour my experience. It just took me a little while to realise I was being the sort of close-minded, self-important zealot I would otherwise write off.   You see, I love mountain running and…