Table of contents for August - September 2017 n13 in Trail Run

As I was preparing this issue of Trail Runner, good friends Malcolm Law and James Harcombe were blazing around the perimeter of Wales. Their ‘Chasing the Dragon’ project was an ambitious feat requiring the men to run 1700km, raising funds and awareness for Mind UK and the Mental Health Foundation NZ. Naturally, I was thinking about inspiring people as I trotted up the trail in the deliciously muddy Riverhead Forest one day. Approaching the brow of a hill, I pulled up alongside a woman out walking. It was a beautiful day and the trails were empty – it seemed ridiculous for me to blow past someone toiling towards the same crest I was, so I fell into step beside her. We exchanged pleasantries and, as is often the way in…

Kerikeri Where: Kerikeri, Northland, North Island, New Zealand Distance: 8km return from the Stone Store with options to extend along Te Araroa trail. There are many other short, historic walks around Kerikeri that can be combined into a very rewarding run. Degree of difficulty: Easy, well-graded trails suitable for beginners and buggies. Great for a fast but interest-filled run – ‘speed tourism’. Access: Landing Road carpark Why: Kerikeri holds enormous cultural and historic significance for New Zealanders. It is the place Maori and European first met, lived, worked and traded together. The area is largely made up of 200 million-year-old basalt lava fields, which are exposed at both Rainbow and Wharepuke Falls. Join the Kerikeri River Track in the Kerikeri Basin reserve, beside the Stone Store (built 1836). Take in…

THE FIRST EVENT DAY ARRIVED, AND I WAS 14 AGAIN. I’D SPENT 26 YEARS NOT BEING THIS PERSON AND HERE I WAS, BACK AT SQUARE ONE. STANDING ON THE START LINE, I WAS TERRIFIED. I WAS CONVINCED I WOULD BE LAST AND LAUGHED OFF THE COURSE – I COULDN’T SEE HOW THINGS COULD BE WORSE. I’ve been thinking about brains. Most specifically our limbic system and even MORE specifically, the amygdala: a primitive, lizardy part of our brain, which we share with other mammals, reptiles and fish. This part of our brain is not concerned with higher reason, but with feeding, fighting, fleeing and reproducing. But why that? And how does this relate to running? Stick with me... These two almond-shaped bundles of nuclei located deep within our brains are…

1 Non-REM sleep (75%) Stage 1. Light sleep of approximately 10 minutes (sleeper is easily wakened); brain activity is linked to muscle memory and processing movements throughout the day Stage 2. Body temperature falls; onset of sleep proper, the longest stage of sleep (45–50% of total sleep time) Stage 3. Delta waves characterised by high amplitude and low frequency; lowest respiratory rate and heart rate observed in this stage Stage 4. Rhythmic breathing and limited muscle activity; deepest and most restorative sleep. Human growth hormone released; energy restored; tissue growth and repair; increased blood supply to relaxed muscles 2 REM sleep (25%) First REM sleep occurs 70–90 minutes after sleep begins, three to five cycles per night. Not conscious but very active brain (maybe more so than during the day);…

Marathon des Sables Date: 6–18 April 2018 Location: Sahara Desert, Morocco Description: 250km: six stages over seven days. Competitors must be self-sufficient, carrying everything they need for the week (with tent and water rations supplied daily). Temperatures reach over 50°C. Song of the Sahara – Jaime’s story Canadian running coach Jaime Stevenson decided to run the Marathon des Sables for her fortieth birthday. Ten years ago my husband and I were living in Australia. At that point I was an avid road runner. Sitting in a hotel room one night, a programme came on TV about Marathon des Sables and I said to myself, “I need to do this one day.” It was one of those things that just stuck with me. The more I thought about it,…

THE FIGHT IS WON OR LOST FAR AWAY FROM WITNESSES – BEHIND THE LINES, IN THE GYM AND OUT THERE ON THE ROAD, LONG BEFORE I DANCE UNDER THOSE LIGHTS.Muhammad Ali In his book How Bad Do You Want It?, sports journalist Matt Fitzgerald discusses the concept of ‘choking’ – impaired performance caused by self-consciousness negatively impacting the athlete’s perception of effort. Fitzgerald argues the case for the opposite of choking – a mental state in which self-consciousness disappears, reducing perceived effort and boosting performance. He describes this as ‘flow’ – a state of complete immersion in a purposeful activity whereby the athlete becomes the thing they are doing. Optimising running form is less about reductionist tweaks, and more about global shifts to achieve the state of flow. My…

1 The level of competition What’s that old saying about soaring with eagles? Goodness me, these men and women can throw down. I’ve never been in a group like this before. Watching other people run that fast, and pushing yourself in a group like that can only be a good thing. And hey, you worried about ‘being out of shape’? Half the field are in your shape. Which leads me to… 2 It’s inclusive Cross country starts at under sevens and moves to masters, so you’ve got an amazing spread of ages, ethnicity and ability. It’s not a sausage fest, which is cool (especially in the younger ages, which gives me hope). The atmosphere is exciting, and people shout encouragement. Importantly, cross country is $15 a race. Come on –…

It’s a beautiful, cold, crisp, midwinter morning. You race out of the house and hit your favourite trail, only to be slowed by tightening in your chest and difficulty breathing. You may be experiencing a type of asthma that is common among runners – exercise-induced asthma. At present some 500,000 New Zealanders and 2,500,000 Australians have an asthma diagnosis – that’s one in nine adults and one in seven children. Asthma is the most common reason for hospital admissions in children. There are many types of asthma, but having the condition shouldn’t rule you out of running altogether. With good management, it is entirely possible to successfully train and race with the condition. Unconvinced? 700 athletes with a confirmed asthma diagnosis competed at the London Olympics. Asthma is a chronic…

If you are prone to gastrointestinal (GI) distress and gut issues, you are in good company. Up to 70 per cent of endurance athletes experience GI distress. So what is it that makes some more likely to suffer the ‘runs’ when running than others? De-stress me, please An increased likelihood of having gut issues comes down to a variety of stressors. They are: 1 Physiological stressors Higher intensity or longer duration training has implications for the gut. During these times, blood flow to the gut is reduced and diverted to working muscles – the medical term for this is reduced splanchnic perfusion – which means the cells that line the gut don’t receive optimal blood flow. Without adequate oxygen and nutrients, those cells become injured. This causes a state of…

For many years, the concept of running beyond a standard 42km marathon was deemed absolutely crazy. That is until the current ultramarathon boom. 50+km events have recently become the benchmark of endurance, a bucket list item for many. A quick online search speaks to this rise in popularity as ultramarathons pepper the race calendar all over the world throughout the year. Anyone who has experienced the hype at the finish line of events like Ultra-Trail Australia or The Hillary can begin to appreciate the appetite for long, gruelling races. As the attendance roll for long-distance events grows, so too does the demand for expert advice on how an individual should approach their physical, mental and nutritional preparation. While most runners understand there is a definite step-up in the need for…

FOOD ON THE GO It turns out there are quite a lot of edible plant options in our forests – enough to fill a whole book, in fact. Before you go racing off to forage, make sure you can differentiate between edible and poisonous species with confidence. There are an alarming number of plants growing wild that can make you very ill or even kill you. A Field Guide to the Native Edible Plants of New Zealand Andrew Crowe describes more than 190 edible trees, shrubs, herbs, ferns, mushrooms, lichens and seaweed. The book includes details on which parts are edible and suggests methods of preparation and cooking. A HANDFUL OF EDIBLES 1 Supplejack Also known as pirita or kareao, supplejack gets a bad rap in New Zealand. This is…

FIRSTLY, TO SET THE SCENE… THERE ARE PRETTY LOW BARRIERS TO CREATING AN EVENT. IT’S NOT LIKE WE NEED TO GET A QUALIFICATION IN EVENT CREATION, WE JUST KIND OF SET FORTH WITH THE OBJECTIVE TO CREATE SOMETHING SPECIAL. This might all sound a bit serious, the ‘birthing’ of a new event. Having been through this a few times now over the past 17 or so years, it occurs to me that the process of creating a new event does have some very similar attributes to the childbirth journey – believe it or not. Although the gestation period is often a fair bit longer (we’re around 20 months into our latest project so far, with event day looming at the beginning of October), but without a doubt we’re going through…

1 The basics a. Avoid excessively hot baths just prior to going to bed b. Ensure pillow/mattress are comfortable c. Keep the bedroom for sleeping and intimacy only d. Aim to maintain a regular sleep/ wake schedule e. Don’t oversleep 2 Switch off. Unplug and switch off devices an hour before bedtime and keep them out of the bedroom. The pineal gland is particularly sensitive to blue light in the range associated with electronic screens and energy efficient lighting. 3 Lights off. Dim the lights – relative light/darkness is crucial. Specialised cells in the retina detect the fall of darkness and relay a signal to the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in the hypothalamus and subsequently the pineal gland to release melatonin. 4 Cool off. Core body temperature and the brain’s sleep–wake…

1 You’re going to be pooping in a plastic bag all week. Put a stone in the bottom of the bag before you go – it gets windy in the desert and you really don’t want that bag to get whipped out of your hands at the wrong moment. 2 You might run, you might not. They don’t call it the Sahara Shuffle for nothing. 3 Blisters are inevitable. Even if you’ve never had a blister in your life, I promise you will get blisters in this race. You should know how to drain and dress them. 4 You will be bored. 251km is a long way and the scenery (while spectacular) doesn’t change much. Take a portable battery charger and an iPod full of tunes and podcasts. 5 The…

Q “I’m just starting to run again after a long lay-off with injury. I’m worried about getting injured again. Do you have any tips for getting back into training safely without risking hurting myself?” The most common mistake made by those sidelined through injury is rushing a ‘return to running’ programme. If mismanaged, resuming exercise can not only aggravate the original complaint, but also lead to compensatory injuries. Rather than seeing a slow, steady, managed return as frustrating, our experts urge the injured runner to use this time to consciously integrate long-term preventative care habits into your daily routine. Sporting longevity is the ultimate goal and embedding good habits now will go a long way to ensure you are running well into the future. LIVVY WILSON Track athlete and physiotherapist…

Phillip Island Where: 90 minutes’ drive southeast of Melbourne along the Bass Highway Distance: 7km one way Degree of difficulty: Some short, steep sections, stile crossings, farmland, narrow coastal path with steep drop-offs, sand and uneven surfaces Access: Southern end of Punchbowl Road or from the Bass Highway, Kilcunda Why: In 1797, explorer George Bass set sail from Sydney Cove determined to prove there was a strait between the Australian mainland and Tasmania. During his voyage, Bass discovered and named the tidal bay of Western Port, in which Phillip Island sits, and sighted the coast of Victoria. This delightful run that bears his name traverses a clifftop above the pounding Bass Strait surf. Bird life is abundant – look for Pacific gulls, black-shouldered kites and nankeen kestrels – and in…

The Kiwi Running Show – Hayden Shearman and Hamish Meacheam Disenfranchised after trawling through acres of rugby, cricket, fishing and netball in mainstream media looking for titbits of running, Shearman and Meacheam set up The Kiwi Running Show – a space dedicated to all things running throughout the country. Road, trail, mountain, track, cross-country – this is running-speak to the point where most people’s eyes glaze over. With high energy delivery, Shearman and Meacheam bounce off each other nicely and the informal style relaxes interviewees. These guys are completely immersed in all disciplines of the sport and occasionally move a little too fast for those who are not current. Tune in regularly, however, and the patois becomes familiar. Thanks, lads, for giving our ‘minority sport’ a voice. Born To Kick…

THINGS DO AND WILL GET BETTER. JUST REMEMBER, SUCCESS DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. SUCCESS IS NOT A GIGANTIC, CATACLYSMIC, OVERNIGHT EVENT. THERE ISN’T ‘ONE THING’ THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR REALITY: THERE ARE A SERIES OF THINGS THAT, TOGETHER, CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR STORY OF SUCCESS. NEVER GIVE UP.Turia Pitt TURIA PITT Age: 29 Family: Partner – Michael Hoskin Occupation: Motivational speaker, athlete In 2011 Turia Pitt was badly burned in a grass fire while competing in the 100-km Kimberley Ultramarathon. Pitt suffered burns to 65 per cent of her body, lost seven fingers and had more than 200 operations, coming close to death several times on the operating table. Not only did she survive the ordeal, Pitt has gone on to complete two Iron-distance triathlons. The 29-year-old mining engineer is now…

DO 1 Attend prizegiving, especially if you are at the pointy end Event organisers are proud of their events – proud of the locations they take people to and the experience they deliver. Part of that experience is rewarding those who have shone on the day. Showing up to collect your award tells the organisers you value the event and the title conferred on you, keeping the warm fuzzies alive. 2 Carry required compulsory gear Race organisers do not make gear compulsory for fun. Gear lists are compiled after a careful assessment of the conditions you could encounter on race day and are designed to be the bare minimum that would keep you safe and comfortable in the event of an emergency. Everyone carries the same gear and therefore the…

The Great PukeokaHu-Man v Horse Race Location: Taihape Date: Saturday 14 April 2018 Distance: 42k HOW IT PLAYED OUT  Horses: nine started, six finished; fastest time (and overall winner) 3:50:12 Runners: 13 started, nine finished; fastest time 4:23:30 Relay teams: nine started, eight finished; fastest time 4:34:52 Just 30 minutes from Taihape, the setting for the race is simply gobsmacking: a magical piece of the country that I suspect few Kiwis know about. The 360-degree views took my breath away... or was that the elevation? Gruelling, massive climbs that kept on coming were offset with steep downhills where we struggled to stay upright – there were very few flat sections. The race takes place over farmland – paddocks and four-wheel drive tracks. The horses started 15 minutes behind the runners…

Athlete MATT RAYMENT Occupation: Registered nurse, athlete Matt says: I’m excited to keep paraphrasing obscure punk and hip hop lyrics for my private amusement while I document my running progression for 2017. Coach JAMES KUEGLER Occupation: Doctor of Chiropractic, coach James says: My objective for Matt is to develop him into the best runner that I can, realising that maximum growth occurs on the border of support and challenge. For me, it is a case of challenging Matt in the cross country series in traditional athletic means in order to become a faster runner over various distances and terrains. “AS MUCH AS I STRUGGLE WITH CHANGE ON ONE LEVEL, I ALSO CRAVE EXCITEMENT, CHANGE AND NEW EXPERIENCES ON ANOTHER, ESPECIALLY IF THEY FALL UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF RUNNING. EVEN SURROUNDED…

Returning to running post-pregnancy is always a hot topic with new mums, especially those who were keen runners before pregnancy. There are many different factors to consider, and it is important to check with an obstetrician or women’s health specialist before contemplating resuming running or other exercise. Are you ready? 1 Did you run pre-pregnancy? 2 Did you run during pregnancy without any complications? 3 Was the birth without complications? 4 Has your body recovered well post-pregnancy? 5 Did you do pelvic floor exercises and basic core exercises during pregnancy? 6 Have you been doing pelvic floor exercises post-pregnancy? 7 Have you started a walk/run programme since having your baby? If the answer to all of the above is yes, then you are probably OK to begin gradually building up…