Trials by Miles doco freeview released

By TrailRunMag

Adventure runner Beau Miles has released his trail running film, Trials by Miles, on You Tube for free viewing. Here he looks back at the adventure he documented…

It was five years ago that I ran, ah, shuffled across the Australian Alps Walking Track. So here I sit, thinking about that wet-dry-dusty-snaky trail in what was seemingly one-long-day, yonks ago.

Setting off from Tharwa ACT at 6:45am on day one and drinking Moet in the Walhalla rotunda 13 days-10 hours later is the longest day I’ve ever felt.

The film splits it up nicely with on screen text, a different shirt (occasionally) and the old sunset-to-sunrise shots. My increasingly swelling right leg, after the first week, put on the weight that the rest of me was losing. It was a compressed experience.

Intense, kilometre-counting, creek counting, sleeping in fits, anxious, excited, overtired. Yet all was fine. A little barked up from all that post bushfire roughage, but ok, and ok means you trot on.

[click on the frame squares bottom right to enlarge screen view]

I travelled slow enough not to fly apart completely, and fast enough to be back at work on time. I’d hate to exaggerate, like we do, because we can, but it was honestly a very doable thing.

Far fitter, stronger shufflers would do it faster, neater, better. But there’s a certain pleasure and ‘whatever’ about doing it as a personal, as well as ornamental ‘first’.

Click away and enjoy my jog across the Australian Alps Walking Track: Trials of Miles.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6TbeiKxpSs

www.beaumilesfilm.com

Gear review: Patagonia Houdini Jacket

By TrailRunMag

Grant Guise is bit of a gear expert – as an elite trail runner, he has professionally banged gear along trails and up mountains for years – he knows his stuff. And he was intrigued enough by murmurs of Patagonia beefing up its trail running presence Down Under. Here he gives the lowdown on the Patagonia Houdini jacket along with a brief four-one-one on just what the hell is the point of a wind shell anyway… (RUN IMAGES: Brook van Reenen)

The “wind shell” (wind breaker) must be the most undervalued and under-utilised piece of kit in trail running. Certainly, it is the most misunderstood piece of kit, at least in this neck of the woods.

While our North American brethren, whom we seem to most closely follow with trends and gear, have long been rocking this super lightweight, packable layer for mountain missions of all kinds, we here in New Zealand (and Australia) are a little slow on the uptake….

I have witnessed many an excited consumer grasp a sleeve of a feathery light windshell, rubbing the tissue paper like fabric between their figures in amazement. The first thing to spew from their mouth in excitement “is it waterproof” and before that can even be answered, “is it seamsealed?!”.

The only thing dropping faster than the jacket sleeve from their hand, is the excited look on their face, as you answer “no” to the two quick-fire questions. It is like you just pulled a cruel joke on them and they walk away, unimpressed and uninterested before the merits of this amazing little jacket can be explained……

But it is to be expected – many races in New Zealand require “waterproof, seam sealed jackets”, so what use is a jacket that is neither of these things?!

Well, very useful! OK, not for your required “race jacket”, or if it is totally bucketing down, but those days are few and far between in the bigger picture.

Much more common are cold frosty mornings, windy summits and light showers, and this is where the windshell shines. And from my experience of trying many different windshells over the years, the Patagonia Houdini shines the brightest.

I am a big fan of carrying as little as possible – it is one of the reasons I go trail running and not over-night hiking – and on those days when the weather and conditions are a little iffy, the Houdini is a great piece of insurance to carry.

Packing down to the size of a kiwi fruit, in its own stuff pocket, I tuck the Houdini into my running shorts and set off for the summit of Roy’s Peak, above Lake Wanaka. It is warm and calm down at lake level and quickly I work up a sweet on the 1200m climb to Roy’s 1578m summit. I reach the ridge a few hundred meters below the summit and the only thing that hits me more than the stunning views into Mt Aspiring National Park, is the cool westerly wind, that whips over the ridge. This cool breeze, and my burning legs, are enough to make me second guess pushing on to the top of Roy’s today……. Then I remember the forgotten piece of kit, stashed away and unnoticed and unneeded till now. Without missing a beat, I don the Houdini and keep pushing on. The wind is cut from my core and because of the jacket holding in my own body heat I quickly warm up.

The fitted hood protects me further as I take a few moments to appreciate the hard-earned view over Wanaka township, the Pisa Range and Mt Aspiring. As I bomb back down the way I came up, the Houdini is removed a few hundred meters below the summit, stashed away and forgotten about again…….

This scenario has played out dozens and dozens of times for me – running over Flagstaff and Swampy in Dunedin, around the Port Hills above Christchurch and even ski touring in the Craigieburn mountains – a windshell is almost always there.

The super lightweight Houdini is made of 1.2-oz 15-denier 100% nylon ripstop with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish, which makes it feel very light and unrestrictive on, meaning you can still move fast, and not be weighted down like you might with a traditional “hardshell” jacket.

You need to pack accordingly, but if you are a fan of going light, and the conditions allow, the Houdini is a great piece of kit. I will often carry this jacket, a “buff” and my phone, all stuffed in the Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts (a review for another time) and head out for a few hours in the hills.

It’s not all rainbows and lollipops, no. For me, the biggest drawback for the Houdini is its weight. At a tad over 100grms in a size Med, it is not heavy, but there are lighter options out there. But, they lack a hood and/or a full-length zip like the Houdini – two things that are a must for me in a jacket, so I can deal with the little extra weight.

Patagonia Houdini

102gr/ men’s med
Full zip
Zipper chest pocket/ stuff pocket
One pull adjustable hood
Reflective logo’s front and back
$129 AUD/ $160NZD
Details at www.patagonia.com.au

Big V: new trail run series for Victoria

By TrailRunMag

A new trail running event series – The Big V Trail Series – is set to slot into the road, trail and cross country running calendars with the moto of “friends, family, fun, fast” being the inspiration.

The event series is being produced for the Victorian Running Network and will be supported by Athletics Victoria, with one round – Field of Dreams at Lysterfield Lake Reserve in December – doubling as the Victorian State Trail Running Championships.

The Big V Trail Series is the creation of Dion Milne from TrailLove Global, which also produces the highly popular Bellarine Sunset Run.

Says Dion: “The Big V has been introduced to provide runners of all levels and abilities accessible trails with destinations suitable for a fun family day out. We believe we are doing a few new things that are different from other events and families will specifically benefit, with ticketing for 4+ family members for under $100.”

Tim Crosbie from Athletics Victoria welcomed the launch of the series saying: “Athletics Victoria and the Victorian Running Network are pleased to be supporting the Big V Trail Series. Although aimed at grass roots participation, the series will also feature the Athletics Victoria Trail Running Championship at Lysterfield Lake and the Nitro Trails at Cruden Farm where runners will vie for cash prizes over a sprint trail format.”

“We believe there are still a reasonable percentage of people who still see trail running as an extreme pursuit,” says Dion. “Our aim is to dispel the myth that trail running has to be extreme.”

“This series will prove it with family-accessible trails for all ages and experiences. Of course, it could also be your first step towards some of the more crazy, extreme stuff that happens running trails too – the Big V is a great place to start that journey.”

“The series aims to educate runners about trail running and creates a pathway and a focus to enable people to progress from running their kilometre or two on pavement to enjoying the beautiful off road beauty experienced in cross country and trail running,” says Dion.

“We have a well-respected coach who will help us throughout the series with videos explaining how to progress and tips as the series moves from flat wide bush trails in Eynesbury to introducing some single trail and a couple of hills at Westerfolds Park before moving to a more traditional trail run in Lysterfield.”

“To finish off at Cruden Farm runners will get a chance to belt out what they’ve learnt on a hybrid trail / cross country course in an all-out celebration event.”

The a series covers four unique locations across metropolitan Melbourne offering distances of 3km / 6km / 12km with distances creatively scheduled to maximise family participation.

“People can run the 3km with family or friends for free after completing their 12km. The 3km distance has been included specifically to tempt parkrun enthusiasts with it being identified as the perfect entry level to trails. It is also our belief a maximum effort over these distances is every bit as challenging and rewarding as the traditional longer distances and the also the perfect distance for kids.”

The Big V Series marks the continued growth of shorter distance ‘series’ styled events across Australia. In Victoria alone there are now three distinct trail series of three or more races each (including the popular Hoka One One Trail Series). Queensland has two of its own series (South East Queensland Trail Running Series, Glasshouse Trail Series plus the Adventure Sport North Queensland crew has a virtual series) , New South Wales has the Sydney Trail Series, South Australia the SA Summer Trail Series and the SA Trail Running Series. Tasmania has the Endorfun Trail Series while Western Australia’s Perth Trail Series has registered strong growth with a Summer Series and a Night Series.

BIG V EVENT SCHEDULE

Click GO the Shears – Eynesbury
October 30, 2016

Temple of BOOM – Westerfolds Park, Templestowe
November 13, 2016

Field of DREAMS – Lysterfield Lake Reserve
December 10, 2016
**Includes Victorian State Trail Running Championships**

CULTURES @ Cruden – Cruden Farm, Langwarrin
January 28, 2017
**includes Nitro Trails 1 mile dash for cash**

bigvtrailseries@gmail.com
www.bigvtrailseries.com

Trail runners light up Surf Coast

By TrailRunMag

The Surf Coast in Victoria is set to glow, glitter and glam it up with an announcement that the Black Diamond Afterglow Night Trail Run will return on Saturday 26^th November, 2016, attracting up to 700 runners attired in their disco ball best.

Sporting everything from bad-taste tight-and-bright leotards (that’s just the blokes) to glow-in-the-dark costumes, runners will shine their night lights on the Surf Coast Walk, choosing to run either a 21km or a 12km route, both finishing in Torquay.

Last year the event proved such a hit with serious and fun runners alike, that it doubled competitor numbers from its inaugural outing, breaking down the perceptions of trail running as a hardcore, mountain-staged pursuit, and re-casting it as a fluorescent family outing.

“The trail running is some of the best, most accessible to be found in the state,” says co-race director and Torquay resident, Peri Gray. “But what we love the most is the vibe created when hundreds of runners compete more vigorously to see who can dress the brightest – or most inappropriately – than they compete to win the run!”

“Watching a wave of florescent diving into the bushy singletrack at the start line at Point Addis is a sight to behold,” says Gray, who expects this year’s crowd to pump up the volume of their run attire to new volumes.

Runners will again be greeted on course with plenty of entertainment to help the kilometres pass, including saxophonists, a didgeridoo player playing in the sand dunes and eighties DJs appropriately spinning retro funk tunes.

“We purposely theme our event way over the top to provide a different running and very social experience,” says Gray. “It’s one welcoming of runners new to the trail, or indeed to running!“

While most enter the Afterglow Night Trail Runs for fun and frivolity, those at the pointy end still prove handy on the hop, with Olympian Craig Mottram still holding the half marathon Afterglow course record, sitting just over 1 hour 18 minutes.

Australia’s only night-time half marathon distance trail outing will take place on 26^th November. Details and entry at: www.afterglowtrail.com.au/

Afterglow is supported by the Surf Coast Shire via its Major Events Grant Program, along with Black Diamond, Tailwind Nutrition, Surf Coast Trail Runners, Bomboras Kiosk, The Happy Runner, Torquay Sports Medicine Centre, The Geelong Running Company, Kongo Industries, Adventure Types, Tour de Trails and Trail Run Mag. www.afterglowtrail.com.au

Review: shock therapy with Compex SP8.0

By TrailRunMag

If you follow the racing and social media exploits of any of our elite trail athletes, you may have noticed the random growth of strange white discs on their wearied post-race legs, as seen on a myriad of athlete Instagram and Facebook posts. What you’re seeing is the application of electro muscular stimulation (EMS), a new wave of self-applied treatment using old (but updated) technology that promises to refresh your legs quicker than Kilian can knock off a suburban Park Run (can you imagine that?). Elite Salomon/Suunto runner and Skyrunning ANZ athlete representative, Caine Warburton, gives the lowdown on an EMS offering from Compex, the SP8.0.

As our world develops in leaps and bounds it is no surprise that we are seeing ever advancing techniques, textiles and technologies popup in the running arena. When it comes to running, such advancements, for the most part, allow many more of us to achieve greater results with our bodies than we could have 20 years ago.

Electro Muscular Stimulation (EMS) is a technology that fits the bill here. EMS has been used in the medical industry for rehabilitation and recovery by physiotherapists for over 30 years, however in more recent years the value of EMS in a dedicated sports application has been proven by Olympic athletes and specifically trail runners including Salomon’s Killian Jornet and Emile Forsberg.

EMS works by replicating the natural muscle contraction by electrical stimulation disseminated by conductive electrodes placed on the body. EMS has many sporting applications such as strength training, power, endurance, muscle hypotrophy, recovery, pain management and more. However, in this review we will focus solely on its application in terms of recovery and rehabilitation.

The brand Compex started working with medical EMS in 1986 under the guise of medical giant DJO GLOBAL and was the first to facilitate personal (at home) EMS use in 1996. Improvements in technology and processes have resulted in the latest offering, the completely wireless SP 8.0 model.

The SP 8.0 is the top of the range sports-orientated electrostimulaor on the market. It features wireless connection to four separate stimulation modules, 40 pre-set training programs, 4 separate stimulation channels, a rapid 2hr charge battery time and a 3-year warranty.

Although the SP 8.0 has many applications such as strength and endurance training, when it comes to recovery and rehab it has 17 dedicated programs for anything from training recovery and massage to tendinitis programs.

The Recovery/Massage programs in the SP 8.0 include:

Training Recovery: To recovery after a physical effort.
Competition Recovery: To recover after intense muscle fatigue
Reduce Muscle Soreness: To reduce the duration and intensity of muscle soreness Ie DOMS
Relaxing Massage: To generate a relaxing effect
Reviving Massage: To relieve feelings of tiredness

The Recovery/Massage programs are, like any good recovery activity, designed to increase the muscle blood flow thus decreasing toxic waste by-products in the muscle and increasing the distribution of nutrients to the (now stressed and damaged) muscle. To achieve this the individual programs, use a variety of low intensity (shallow) muscle contractions/twitches in a range of sequences and frequencies.

Compex claims that the benefits of these programs include (when compared to traditional training alone):

Reduction in lactic acid by 25% (Warren CD, Brown LE, Landers MR, Stahura KA – Strength Cond Res. 2011)
Increase in blood flow by 300% (Zicot M, Rigaux PF, 1995)

The pain management and Rehabilitation programs in the Sp 8.0 include:

Pain Management TENS: To alleviate all types of localised pain
Reduce Muscle Tension: To decrease muscle tension/tightness
Muscle pain: To create analgesic actions to block pain
Neck pain: To treat pain in the neck
Back pain: to treat pain in the back
Lumbago: To block the transmission of acute lower back pain
Epicondylitis: To decrease persistent elbow pains (tennis elbow)
Tendinitis: To decrease persistent tendinitis
Heavy Legs: To eliminate a heavy legs sensation
Cramp prevention: To assist to prevent cramps
Muscle Atrophy: to regain muscle volume lost via inactivity or injury.
Reinforcement: To complete rehabilitation once muscles have reached normal volumes.

To help the average runner to get the most out of electrostimulation use, Compex has developed a range of technologies known as Muscle Intelligence (MI) that are included on the SP 8.0 model. The first of these is MI-Autorange, which does the thinking for you and automatically scans your muscle and sets the optimum intensity of contraction for the outcome of the program.

MI – Range scans and indicates the optimum range of stimulation while MI – Tens used during a Tens (pain relief) program automatically decreases the intensity if a muscle contraction is created.

Practical use:

I found the Compex to be surprisingly easy to use despite its wide range of applications and in depth medical background. The user interface is very straight forward and even uses pictograms to indicate where electrodes should be placed and in which body position programs should be conducted. However understanding how each programs works and what it is best used for in detail needed some user manual referencing.

For the Recovery and Rehabilitation programs (as described above) the focus is on more gentle contractions or tingling (Tens) style stimulation compared to the intense deep contractions of strength training, as such its little surprise that most of these programs feel really nice when applied to the muscles.

Personally, I have used the programs: Training Recovery; Heavy Legs; and Reduce Muscle Soreness. All have aided recovery after a hard training session in preparation for the next day. I noticed that my legs felt looser and peppier the next day, more so than they usually would. While I am yet to really test the effectiveness of the Cramp Prevention program (as I haven’t raced recently) this program is one of the most interesting, as cramp effects many runners.

During the time of this review I have been working around some tendinitis in my ankle which I have been using the Tendinitis and TENS programs on regularly. While tendinitis is a difficult beast to shake I am getting noticeable pain relief using the TENS style programs on the Compex, although I have noted that electrode placement can be difficult to get right when working around bony structures such as the ankle.

Conclusion:

After 12 weeks of using the Compex SP 8.0 I can definitely see its advantages as a recovery/rehabilitation tool alone, I am waking up fresher and getting that extra bit out of my hard training sessions. The programs are well set up and are effective at reducing soreness and promoting muscle recovery by increasing blood flow and blocking pain.

The other major advantage of the Compex is that I can fit it around my hectic life. In the busy schedule of a Dad/Husband/Fireman/Elite Athlete recovery is usually the first thing to go out the window when time runs out, but with the Compex I have found I can achieve some effective training recovery after everything is done while I watch TV and relax at night or during my lunch break at work.

There is no denying that the EMS provided by Compex can be a valuable addition to an effective training program and assist runners to achieve more with their running. However, it won’t replace contemporary recovery measures, you will still need to stretch and when needed ice!

REVIEWED BY Caine Warburton, Skyrunning ANZ Athlete Representative, elite Salomon/Suunto runner and blogger at www.runningontheedge.wordpress.com

VITALS:

Price: Compex Sp 8.0 $1725 RRP
Local Retailer: Find Your feet www.findyourfeet.com.au/
Manufacturer Website: www.compexstore.com/au
Scientific studies: www.compexstore.com/sites/default/files/documents/COMPEX-CLINICAL%20STUDIES-EN.pdf

Trail shoe review: Merrell All Out Crush

By TrailRunMag

Crush’n It: It’s been a while since the Merrell brand has in any serious way popped its head up in trail-land in Australia. With a fairly successful outing in the minimalist category years back (with its broadly well-received Trail Glove range), they seemed to disappear on our radars, content to concentrate on the urban wanna-be adventurer category (comfortable shoes for pavement to pub that give the illusion the wearer is about to head into the wilderness).

[the following review first appeared in Edition #21 of Trail Run Mag. Download now at www.trailrunmag.com/magazines]

There was a brief aborted attempt to re-emerge last year with a shoe that was more fast packer than runner (Capra). Now, Merrel has realigned with the release of its All Out Crush, a shoe originally designed with the mob behind – specifically for – Tough Mudder. It is however, one that defies my middling expectations on trail as a solid sweet spot performer.

Traditionally styled, this lightweight dirt-muncher was, according to the blurb, targeted squarely at the obstacle course market. I can’t attest how they go tackling the fire and pseudo brimstone of a muddy paddock packed with pyrotechnics, but I can say that taken out on singletrack, these are a great all round performer that firmly places Merrell back on the consideration radar, especially for the recreational (as opposed to pointy end competitive or extreme) trail runner.

A fairly firm forefoot ride means these are on the touchy-feely side, great for trail feedback (proprioception), and excellent when on soft trails that provide their own mulch cushion. The 5mm lugs – reminiscent but not quite as aggressive as Salomon Fellcross models – back up on that kind of terrain, too, giving excellent grip when they have something to bite into.

Where the midsole’s firmness starts to bite back is on hard-packed surfaces or pebbly, sharp rock terrain that continues for long stretches. On such surfaces your feet feel the pinches and prongs after a while and tenderfeet types will certainly notice the incursions. It’s fine for sub-30 kays on flatter, firmer surfaces – indeed I found these a measured balance of trail feel, grip and comfort on fast paced runs in this range – but anything longer requires a more forgiving undercarriage, in my opinion. The Crush’s pre-disposition for mushier ground makes sense given these were aimed at folks running around obstacles in mucky paddocks at distances at most stretching to 20km.

The Crush are also for runners who have a broader, squarer forefoot as there is more room in the toe box than many other narrower Euro-brand shoes which traditionally have narrower lasts. In general, the Merrell would be considered a more traditional, conservative shoe, but it’s no lesser option for it and may actually service a wider array of runners because of it’s no frills approach.

Where these are not as conservative is in the heel-toe drop – a lower range 6mm (traditional being more in the 12mm range) means that you need to at least be striving toward better mid-foot strike and good general form.

Those with small slabs up front may find these swim a little in the toe box with the ability to tighten the hug across the middle of the foot barely there, as the first rung of laces and general upper design doesn’t allow much adjustment.

The obstacle course considerations prove a benefit to trail runners via drainage ports wicking away water quickly once plunged in puddles. The mesh upper layered with a perforated pliable rubber lining allows the shoe to release heat just as quickly. Overall, the shoe remains comfortable on the foot at all times in anything except the coldest of weather.

If any concern, it would be that of longevity. Being lightweight, the upper and the sole are supple and if one were to guess, may not be the longest wearing of shoes. Hard to tell after only 150-odd kilometres.

Overall a great shoe for those tackling the many short course (5-25km) trail series taking place across Australia and New Zealand where event terrain tends to be softer, the trails less extreme without hard rocky sections, but where a need for grip, comfort and all weather wear is primary.

Great for: grip, softer trails, door to trail, training all-rounder, wet runs, obstacle courses
Not-so-great for: sharp, hardcore rocky or mountain terrain, thin feet, ultras
Test Conditions: singletrack, mildly technical, some hardpacked, some fire roads, approx. 155km
Tester: Chris Ord, Trail Run Mag editor
Tester Mechanics: mid foot striker, tends to more technical style running
RRP: $179.95
Website: www.merrellaustralia.com.au

Launched – Trail Run Mag Ed21 free download

By TrailRunMag

Winter’s here and so is another edition of your fave trail mag, Trail Run Mag AU/NZ, with the latest Edition #21 (happy coming of age to us!) covering all the glorious singletrack dirt Down Under.

Get your FREE download direct from www.trailrunmag.com/magazines

In this packed edition:

GHOST TRAIL TALES – Mal Law takes on the inaugural Old Ghost Ultra, South Island, NZ.
PYRENEES ODYSSEY – vegan adventurer Jan Saunders looks to power her way through 800km+ mega-mission in the French Alps fuelled solely on plant power
RUN LIKE A (TASSIE) TIGER – TRM Kiwi editor Amanda Broughton takes on her first ultra multiday at the inaugural Tassie Trail Fest
BUFFALO GAL – Melissa Robertson goes for the Grand Slam at Buffalo Stampede
A YUKON QUEST – running on thin ice
LATE STARTER – man of many facets and multiday fancies, Kiwi Paul Hewitson
EQUALITY ON TRAIL – Sputnik’s Spray
PLUS REVIEWS, GUIDES, GEAR & PORN

DOWNLOAD AT www.trailrunmag.com/magazines

13 Lessons: UTA mid-pack perspective

By TrailRunMag

Everyone loves hearing the inspirational feats of the elite runners. Our jaws drop as we hear the winner’s time (9.20…how is that even possible?). But what went down in the middle of the pack? Is there anything to learn from those runners for whom a silver buckle is a distant dream?For anyone who is more likely to crawl up the Furber Steps than sprint, and who maybe had a little meltdown on Nellies stairs, this is for you. Here are some lessons from middle of pack runner Nicki Letts from www.runoldgirlrun.com:

Plan nothing else for the day

Stop seeing the run as race, and instead think of it as something you are doing for the day. As explorer Lawrence Oates famously said, “I am just going outside and may be some time”. Okay, he never returned, but the point is 100km is a bloody long way. Accept that this is something that will take all day and night. Once you can get your head around this, the rest of these lessons are a breeze.

Choose accommodation close to the start/finish line

The last thing you want to worry about is how to get to and from the start/finish line. Especially if you don’t have a support crew. We stayed at Katoomba Falls Caravan Park, less than 1km from Scenic World (book early!). Walking to the KCC and Scenic World is far easier than dealing with shuttles, taxis and car parking. And when your brain isn’t functioning pre- or post-race, easy is exactly what you need.

Get tech tips from the second oldest runner in the field

At T minus 24 hours, we were eating our brekkie in the campsite kitchen when Alf walked in, munching on a bowl of cereal. He quickly pegged us as runners and humbly introduced himself as the second oldest runner in the field, at 73 years old. If this wasn’t inspirational enough, he then taught us how to use the UTA app. Alf told us the app is especially comforting for him, as he could pinpoint his exact coordinates if he wandered off course. Who can argue with that? We downloaded the app.

Invest in the right compression bandage

It’s no secret that UTA guys are strict on the mandatory gear list. We enjoyed a very thorough safety briefing explaining why. But there’s nothing quite like a real-life encounter to drum home the message. On a pre-race morning walk along the trail to Echo Point – the very same track we would be running along – we came across a rather real, big anguish. That’s Latin for snake. And very close to the word ‘anxious’, closer still to the word ‘anguish’. Needless to say, we packed a snake bandaged and passed mandatory gear inspection.

Devise a bulletproof nutrition strategy

Ultra runs are really all about the food and drink (and not just the celebratory drinks at the finish line). They can actually be won and lost by fuel choices – or lack thereof. We went into this run knowing what we would be eating and why.

We train with Clif Bars, so that was a no-brainer, and a choice of four flavours meant we wouldn’t get bored. Kooee beef jerky for protein goodness. Mars bars for the later checkpoints when everything starts to taste the same. Electrolytes and salt tablets would keep the cramps at bay. And 2 minute noodles would provide the perfect mix of salt, sugar and warmth at the final checkpoints. Admittedly, we don’t train with 2 minute noodles, but everything else passed the high-energy no-reflux challenge with flying colours.

Drink to your uni days

There’s not a lot of nutrition advice I’d take from my 19-year-old self. Which is why it’s probably surprising that there are two things we consume during the run that once only passed my lips as a hangover cure. The first is flat coke – it gives you all the sugar and caffeine you need for a final push, without any unwelcome bloating. The second is Red Bull. We never drink this stuff, so downing a can at the final water stop gave us wings for the last 5km.

Soak in the views

“The colours are magnificent”, said David King in the Welcome to Country. He hit the nail on the head. I’m not saying you should stop and pull out your selfie stick at every viewpoint, but you are in one of the most breathtakingly beautiful spots in Australia – if you don’t bask in the views, you might as well be running around your local footy ground.

8. Train on stairs

Confession: when running this two years ago, I had a meltdown in the middle of what’s best described as the waterfall section (Leg 5). I simply wasn’t prepared for that many stairs at that stage of the race. It didn’t help that we were running in the dark and could only hear what we presumed were very beautiful waterfalls (this wasn’t good for bladder control either!). This time, not only did we train for stairs, we made it our goal to get to this section in daylight. Meltdown averted.

Don’t count the Furber Steps

There are 951 uneven stairs climbing up, up and across the finish line of UTA100. But do yourself a favour: do not count them. Sometimes it’s just better not to know.

When all else fails, dance up the hill

As trail runners, we don’t run with music. We talk or enjoy the silence and the sound of waterfalls (sigh). But there’s nothing like your favourite tunes for a pick-me-up. I carried it the whole way and only used it to pull me out of my darkest moments (specifically between 85-95km).

That said, I am incredibly grateful to my co-midpack-runner, Mat, who told me halfway up the Furber Steps to turn off my music. I did, and my reward was the sound of cowbells and realisation that the end was really, really close.

Hide a treat at the finish line

After 15+ hours of drinking and eating, more food and drink is usually the last thing you crave. But crossing the 100km finish line puts you into a whole new mentality. You want to celebrate before you collapse into a post-run coma. But being a mid-pack runner, there’s no guarantee the bar will still be open when you rock up. That’s why this year we popped a mini bottle of wine and beer into our finish line bag. And man, did it taste good!

Don’t anticipate a good post-run sleep

The night’s sleep after 100km must be the best of your life, right? Wrong. Your brain is asleep but your legs are still out there on the trail. Get ready for a night of twitching, dancing and kicking. They will even start running at one point. You’ll dream about falling over twigs on the trail and wake up in frenzy. Do yourself a favour, enjoy the finish line for a few hours – stretch, relax and cheer other runners across the line. There’s certainly no sleep waiting for you back at the hotel! Oh and if you usually share a bed, warn your co-habitant that they won’t be getting any sleep either.

Forget what you said at the finish line

Remember when you swore you would never do this ever again? You lied. You’ll stew for a couple of hours/days/weeks. Then the pain will fade. And only the good bits are left. Like when you were running through Leura Falls and the sky turned purple. Or when the volunteer at the final water stop told you to “get out of here, we don’t want you to hang around!” Or when, halfway up the Furber Steps, you were fighting back the tears and the runner behind gave you a pep talk. Or when you grabbed your partner’s hand and sprinted across the finish line to cheers and bells. Oh yes, you’ll be back. And next time, while it will still hurt, you’ll know just how incredible it feels to reach the end.

Read more of Nicki Letts’ musings on a trail running lifestyle at www.runoldgirlrun.com

RESULTS from UT: http://uta.livetrail.net/classement.php

TRAIL SHOE REVIEW: Scarpa Atom

By TrailRunMag

Scarpa, one of the world’s best hiking boot brands, have so far not had much success breaking into the Australian trail running market so when Dan Slater got the opportunity to test out their top model, the Atom, he was intrigued as to whether they deserved a fair go.

*NOTE: this one’s for international readers or those looking to get a feel for Scarpa trail shoes in general, as this particular model is not available in AU unless you’re an online shopper with a mate in Euroland or the US. But it’s sibling, the Proton, is and will be reviewed soon by TRM.*

With a 4mm drop and base weight of 249g per shoe (size 42), the Atoms are a different beast entirely to my current chunky runners, but with those guys finally falling to shreds and a big race on the horizon, I snatched up the offer and launched into testing like Hermes knocking off the Mt. Olympus Sky Run.

I’m not sure if the name is a nod to their minimalism hut I was immediately impressed with the weight, or lack of it, especially since I would be carrying them in a backpack for a few weeks before the race. Being built around a European-style last (the Scarpa TRM) means they aren’t the widest-fitting footwear ever, duck-hoofed flappers might need to look elsewhere, but they suited my European foot well enough.

I liked the little lace pocket in the tongue, reminiscent of the classic Salomon design but for real laces, of which the Atoms came with a spare pair (I never needed them). It took my pampered pods a few kilometres to get used to the lower drop but soon I was comfortably training in the 20km range. The few miles of tarmac on the way to the dirt, however, convinced me that I’d be better off strapping frying pans on my feet and stomping around Lake Eyrie than using them on roads. The 1.4 to 1.8 cm compression moulded EVA midsole just isn’t adequate for metalled surfaces, nor is it intended to be.

The next level of testing involved a training run through The Labyrinth on Tasmania’s Overland Track. The Vibram Genesis Lite sole’s space invader-shaped lugs gripped the mud, roots and rocks just fine and the lightweight polyester mesh fabric precluded overheating. Also, a good splash about in the mud produced no ill effects. However, that same thin fabric soon began to show signs of wear. Being a clumsy clodhopper I trip up a fair amount so the toes take a beating, and after less than 100km total run time I could see the garish upper colours beneath the thin black TPU of the toe bumper, plus the gel Scarpa branding was being knocked off letter by letter. However, they were still comfortable.

Satisfied with their performance during training I decided to trust the Atoms on the NUTR, or Nui Ultra Trail Run, a 68km course around the coastline of Rapa Nui (Easter Island). It was a fantastic event but I learned that as great as lightweight minimalist shoes are on an even dirt track, the rigours of bounding over rubble strewn volcanic grasslands require slightly more supportiveness. Over the course of the day I kicked, skidded, skated and hoofed rock after porous lava rock, tripping hundreds of times and falling flat on my face on several occasions. By the finish line the uppers of both shoes were wearing through at the crease points and my plantar fascias were sore and stretched, but I was still upright and blister-free. And hell, I even won!

So, with roughly half a million trail shoes on the market to choose from, do Scarpas deserve consideration for your next shoe purchase? Absolutely. Here’s the thing – the Atoms aren’t currently available in Australia. What? I’ve just wasted five minutes of your precious time? Well, not quite. Given the choice now I would probably plump for the new Scarpa Proton anyway. It’s similar in many ways (welded upper, lace pocket, polyester mesh) but sits a little further along the weight/durability scale, and while the Atom is a good minimalist choice for even distances, the Proton boasts a fat 10mm drop and a full Vibram Genesis sole with more cushioning and deeper lugs. The weight compromise is almost 100g but let’s face it – unless you are going to carry them on your back for several weeks, that’s not a huge issue. I’ll personally be sticking to a bigger drop on longer runs from now on.

TAKEOUTS:

Great for: mid- to long-distance even trails; running travellers/travelling runners
Not-so-great for: rubble strewn south pacific volcanoes; tarmac
Test Conditions: Centennial Park circuit; The Overland Track; Easter Island; 263km total
Tester: Dan Slater, organiser, sole runner and reigning champion of the NUTR
Tester Mechanics: slight pronator; heel striker; narrow foot
VITALS: Scarpa Proton – $259.95/$229.95 Gore/Non-Gore
Website: www.scarpa.com

Ultra Trail Australia – a Hawkeye view

By TrailRunMag

Our last post took a look at an example of the heart and soul of events like Ultra Trail Australia – ordinary people achieving extraordinary things – but of course up the pointy end, there is always some good racing going on to satisfy the bookies and pundits. One of them, writes Dan Lewis, is Scotty Hawker, who registered second place behind international interloper Dylan Bowman in 2015. Will he take a step up this year for the ultimate accolade? Dan also takes a top end quick list-look at who’s going to be on whose heels come race day…

Scott Hawker finishing second in the 2015 The North Face 100, Blue Mountains, Australia.

When fertility specialists told Scotty Hawker that being an elite ultra-distance trail runner was affecting his chances of becoming a father, he decided to step back from the sport he loves.

The 29-year-old Kiwi, who is now a resident of Katoomba in Australia’s Blue Mountains, gave up the gruelling training runs and the 100km races. And it has all paid off.

Hawker is looking forward to fatherhood and going one better than his effort last year in Australia’s most prestigious trail running event, Ultra-Trail Australia.

He believes that the long break he needed to take from trail running so his wife, Liz, could fall pregnant (their daughter is expected in late July) has also left him with the freshness to take out the marquee 100km race through the Blue Mountains bush on Saturday, May 14.

“It’s really been a blessing in disguise,” Hawker says of the career pause since coming second in last year’s UTA.

It was the proud Kiwi’s best ever result, but he only raced once afterwards, in Italy in June, before specialists told him that if he wanted to become a father he needed to restrict himself to “normal exercise … just doing a bit of walking and a 30-minute jog here or there”.

It was tough for a man who has always loved the buzz of extreme exercise, but Hawker followed their advice and by late last year Liz was pregnant.

Beth Cardelli (AUS) – a strong contender in the women’s race.

Hawker then got back into training, but his body wasn’t happy. “I was walking up hills I would normally run up without blinking an eyelid,” he said. “I had all these niggles that let me know I had had a lot of time off.”

But Hawker persevered and now he feels like a stronger runner than ever before.

His training times have been “absolutely awesome” and in his one competitive run since coming back, the 45km Mount Solitary Ultra in the Blue Mountains on April 17, he finished a close second behind his good mate and training partner Jono O’Loughlin – another favourite for this year’s UTA 100km title – “with a bit of fuel in the tank … I think it’s on the card to have a pretty good run [in UTA on May 14].”

Hawker believes tough challenges will also come from the likes of 2012 UTA winner Ryan Sandes of South Africa and China’s Yun Yan-Qiao, who was third in last year’s UTA.

In the women’s field, favourites include Australia’s Beth Cardelli, who frequently trains in the Blue Mountains, and Li Dong of China, the first female to finish in UTA 2015.

Hawker is Christchurch product who was living in flat, hot Perth before deciding to move to the Blue Mountains last year to guarantee a landscape and climate that could help maximise his trail-running potential.

When Hawker raced UTA last year, he was cheered like a local hero rather than a Kiwi raider. If he were to go one better in 2016, they might just hear the roar at the Scenic World finish line in Katoomba all the way over in New Zealand.

As well as the elite fields gathered for the UTA 100km and 50km races on the Saturday, the running festival boasts a new 22km race this year from Wentworth Falls to Katoomba on Friday. It will also be hotly contested by some well-credentialed runners including Brendan Davies, Aaron Knight and Lucy Bartholomew.

UTA LEADING RUNNER CONTENDER ROLL CALL 2016

100km > Women

Fiona Hayvice , New Zealand

2016: 1st Tarawera Ultramarathon 100km New Zealand
2015: 3rd Kepler Challenge 60km New Zealand
2015: 1st Tarawera Trail 50k run New Zealand
2015: 4th Tarawera Ultramarathon 100km New Zealand

Beth Cardelli, La Sportiva, Australia

2016: 1st Mt Solitary Ultra 45km
2015: 1st Hillary 80km Ultra New Zealand
2014: 2nd Kepler Challenge 60km New Zealand
2014: 11th Western States Endurance Run 100 miles USA
2013: 1st The North Face 100 Australia

Melissa Robertson, Australia

2016: 2nd Tarawera Ultramarathon 100km – New Zealand
2015: 4th The North Face 100 Australia
2015: 2nd Stromlo 50km
2015: The Great North Walk 100 Miles

Dong Li, Salomon, China

2015: 1st The North Face 100 Australia
2015: 2nd Hong Kong 100
2015: 2nd MSIG Sai Kung 50k 100 – Hong Kong
2015: 3rd TNF Transgrandcanaria

Kellie Emmerson, Salomon/2XU, Australia

2016: 1st Buffalo Stampede Marathon
2015: 1st Surf Coast Century 100km
2014/15: 1st Surf Coast Trail Marathon
2015: 1st Maroondah Dam Trail Run
2015: 19th IAU Trail World Championships Annecy

Ildiko Wermescher, Mammut Pro Team, Hungry

2015: 3rd Madeira Island Ultra Trail 85 km
2014: 6th Ultra Trail Tour du Mont Blanc (UTMB) 168km
2014: 2nd Eiger Ultra Trail 101 km
2014: 4th Transgrancanaria 125 kms

Katherine Macmillan, Australia

2016: 2nd Bogong to Hotham
2015: 1st Yo Yangs 50 miles
2015: 3rd Cradle Mountain Run 85km
2015: 6th The North Face 100 Australia

Gill Fowler, La Sportiva, Australia

2016: 1st Razorback Run 64km
2016: 1st Hillary 80km Ultra New Zealand
2015: 4th Lavaredo Ultra Trail 119km Italy
2015: 1st Cradle Mountain Run 85km

Caroline DuBois, Australia

2015: 1st UltraVasan45, Sweden
2015: 1st Les 100 km de Vendée – Champ. Nationaux, France
2015: 1st Les 100 km de Vendée, France
2013: 2nd 100 km du Périgord Noir, Belves – Champ. Nationaux, France

100km > Men

Scotty Hawker, Hoka/Compressport, New Zealand

2015: 4th Lavaredo Ultra Trail
2015: 2nd The North Face 100 Australia
2015: 1st Ultra Easy 100k Sky Run New Zealand
2014: 7th Lavaredo Ultra Trail Italy

Ryan Sandes, Salomon, South Africa

2016: 3rd Tarawera Ultramarathon 100km New Zealand
2014: 1st Madagascar Race 250km stage race
2014: 2nd Ultra-Trail Mt. Fuji Japan
2014: 1st Transgrancanaria 125 kms

Yun YanQiao, The North Face, China

2015: 3rd The North Face 100 Australia
2015: 1st Beijing Mountain 50K
2015: 1st Ultra Trail 100K Mt Gongga
2014: 1st The North Face 100 Hong Kong

Jono O’laughlin, Australia

2016: 1st Mt Solitary Ultra 45km
2015: 4th Six Foot Track Ultra 45km
2015: 1st Mt Solitary Ultra 45km
2015: 4th The North Face 100 Australia

Mario Mendoza, Nike Trail, USA

2016: 3rd Lake Sonoma 50 Mile USA
2016: 2nd Chuckanut 50K USA
2015: Runner up at Ultra Race of Champions 100k
2015: 1st Trail Factor 50K USA

Jordi Gamito Baus, WAA, Spain

2016: 10th Transgrancanaria 125 km
2016: 6th Hong Kong 100 Ultra Trail Race
2015: 5th Hong Kong 100 Ultra Trail Race
2015: 2nd Ultra Trail De Barcelona 100km

Pau Capell, Compressport, Spain

2016: 3rd Transgrancanaria 125 km
2016: 4th Hong Kong 100 Ultra Trail Race
2015:6th Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix (CCC)
2015: 1st Ultra Sierra Nevada 103 Kms Spain

Andrew Lee, The North Face, Australia

2015: 7th Hounslow Classic Ultra SkyMarathon
2014: 2nd Yurrebilla Trail 56km Ultra
2014: 9th The North Face 100 Australia
2009 The North Face 100 Australia Champion

Ewan Horsburgh, La Sportiva, Australia

2016: 7th Buffalo Stampede Ultra
2015: 14th 24 hour IAU World Championships
2014: 1st Alpine Challenge 60 km
2014: 1st Tahoe 200 Mile Endurance Run

Ben Duffus, Hoka, Australia

2015: 1st Hounslow Classic Ultra SkyMarathon
2014: 3rd 80km du Mont-Blanc France
2014: 5th The North Face 100 Australia
2013: 1st Surf Coast Century 100 km

Freddy Thevenin, Prudence Creole, France

2015: 3rd Grand Raid Reunion (167km)
2015: 8th Transgrancanaria (125km)
2014: 4th Lavaredo Ultra-Trail

50KM > Men

Vlad Shatrov, Australia

2016: London Marathon – 2:25:47
2015: Berlin Marathon – 2.18.40
2013: 1st The North Face 50 Australia

Mark Green, Australia

2016: 4th Six Foot Track Marathon
2015: 2nd Mt Solitary Ultra 45km
2015: 3rd Six Foot Track Marathon

Garry Mullins, Australia

2015: 2nd Centennial Park Ultra 50 km
2015: 1st Self-Transcendence 100 km Road Race, Christchurch
2016: 6th Canberra 50km Ultramarathon

Craig Dean, Australia

2016: 5th Buffalo Stampede Marathon
2015: 13th The North Face 50 Australia

Sam Burridge, Australia

2016: 3rd Buffalo Stampede marathon

Wes Gibson, Inov8/Hammer, Australia

2014: 6th Knapsack 6hr Australia Day Lap Race
2013: 9th Sri Chinmoy Canberra Centenary 100 km
2013: 4th The North Face 50 Australia

Tony Fattorini, Australia

2014: 9th Six Foot Track Marathon
2013: 1st Six Foot Track Marathon
2012: 2nd Kepler Mountain Run

50km > Women

Sophie Brown, Australia

2016: 3rd Six Foot Track Marathon
2015: 1st Alpine Challenge 60km

Maggie Jones, Australia

2016: 3rd Buffalo Stampede Ultra 75km
2016: 3rd Razorback 64 km Run
2015: 3rd Hounslow Classic Ultra SkyMarathon

Hanny Allston, Shotz Sports Nutrition/Suunto, Australia

2015: 1st Surf Coast Century 50 km
2015: 1st Buffalo Stampede Marathon 2015
2014: 1st Six Foot Track Marathon

www.ultratrailaustralia.com.au