Table of contents for February - March 2018 in Trail Run

Blue In the feature film Blue, passionate advocates for ocean preservation take us into their world where the story of our changing ocean is unfolding. Watching Blue will undoubtedly make you feel uncomfortable. It puts the human race to shame, with the industrialisation in the world’s oceans over the last century mirroring the events which triggered mass extinction on land. Industrial scale fishing, habitat destruction, species loss and pollution have placed the ocean in peril. Half of all marine life has been lost in the last 40 years. By 2050 there will be more plastic in the sea than fish. Released in late 2017, the feature documentary directed by Karina Holden comes at a time when critical decisions are being made which will decide the legacy left for generations to…

YOU NEED TO WANT TO DO IT. IF YOU ARE FORCING YOURSELF TO DO IT BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING IT, YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GET VERY FAR BECAUSE IT’S HARDDylan Steeples If you were to ask ten different people for advice on food as fuel, you’ll likely get ten different answers. Certainly, nutrition strategies go in and out of vogue with regularity. Vegetarianism and its wholly plant-based relative, veganism, have remained popular choices among many runners for some time now. In the trail-running community, the best known advocate of a plant-based or vegan way of life is ultra-running legend Scott Jurek, whose book Eat and Run has both inspired people to run and to consider a plant-based diet (or at the very least, to try some…

Shaun Collins was one of the first people to run the Hillary Trail a week before its official opening in 2010. He was also the first person to run a double Hillary, covering the trail back-to-back, then in November 2017, he became the first person to run the ‘Trillary’ or triple Hillary Trail. Shaun completed the 228 kilometres, complete with 11,000 metres of vertical gain, in 49 hours. It’s easy to imagine that the trail’s namesake, mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, would have been pretty impressed with such a feat. While not running the trail himself, Shaun is the brains behind Lactic Turkey Events, the organisation responsible for The Hillary ultramarathon, whose 80, 34, and 16 kilometre distances are equal in their challenge and beauty. The Hillary Ultra is also part…

North Island February 4 Get Moving Run/Walk Festival, Warkworth, 10k, 5k, 2,5k, 1k, run/walk, road 10 Tarawera Ultramarathon, Rotorua, 100 miles, 102k, 87k, 62k solo/relay, off-road 11 Orewa Beach Half Marathon, Orewa, 21k, 10k, 5k, kids 2k, run/walk, road 11 The Honest 10, Wellington, 10k, 5k, road 17 Coastal Challenge, Auckland, 33k solo/relay, 22k, 17k, 11, 6k, run/walk, off-road 18 Round the Bays, Wellington, 21k, 10k, 6.5k, run/walk, road 24 Ruapehu Express, Ohakune, 21k, 16k, off-road 24 The Hillary Ultra Trail Run, Auckland, 80k solo/relay, 34k, 16k, off-road 24 Tararua Mountain Race, Tararua Ranges, 35k, off-road 25 Plimmerton Fun Run, 21k, 10k, 5k, 2.5k, run/walk, road 25 Albany Lakes Summer Series, Albany, 10k, 5k, 2k, run/walk, road 26 Kapiti Harriers Summer 5km Series, Raumati, 5k, road March 4 Mountain to…

Ultra-distance trail events are very varied in nature. They can vary from a relatively ‘easy’ 50km flattish run, all the way up to a mountainous 100 miler. Regardless of what event you are training for, there are many consistent considerations to take into account for your planning and preparation, as there is nothing worse than spending four or six months training for an event only to break down at the last minute. Based on my experience as a physiotherapist and ultrarunner, the following tips could be the difference between achieving your huge goal or watching others completing your bucket list event from the sidelines… or, worse, calling an Uber at the half-way mark! Start early We’ve all heard of people who sign up for an event at the last minute…

It’s the itch. It’s that wee tickle in your big toe you sense when the sun is shining and the hills are calling. Without it, it would be easy to ignore the fact that at Christchurch’s back door, there are the eroded remnants of the most prominent volcanic feature of the South Island. The silhouette of the Port Hills behind the city is unassuming, however that jagged skyline hints at an eventful past and a future of possibility. There is a rich history of volcanic explosions, uplift and erosion. The area has been home to iwi and explored by colonialists. The beaches, bays, trails and crags now offer an escape from the urban jungle on the ridge of an ancient crater. It’s addicting and itch inducing. For an adventurous group…

First Place 26 year old Tokoroa resident Linda Downes finish at the 23km Tikitapu adventure run was captured by Allan Ure as Linda as she crossed the line with her 17 month old daughter in her arms. We loved the composition of the photo, and subject matter knocked us out. The look on Linda’s face says it all; the triumph of completing such a strenuous event and above all the love for Alice, her daughter. The majority of us have family connections and it’s true that It really isn’t worth getting out in the trees if there is nothing to come back for. This was Linda’s second time competing at the Tikitapu Adventure Run after having a break whilst Alice was little (Linda did complete the Tarawera Marathon in 2015…

Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia and, as yet, there is no cure for it. Every year tens of thousands of people across Australia join together to support Dementia Australia at more than 60 Memory Walk & Jog events across the country. The events, which started as a small community effort in 2004, are now one of Dementia Australia’s biggest fundraisers. In 2018, there will be 10 flagship events across the country and more than 50 DIY events organised by motivated runners and supporters. Every event is pushchair and pram friendly, and you can go as quickly or as slowly as you like. To make it even more inclusive, if you can’t find an event near you, check out the website and pledge your kilometres for…

I had a child about a year after running my first ultra. ‘Which experience was tougher?’ queried a surprisingly high number of people. The former, I assured them, although there were a significant number of parallels between the two experiences. I often meet mothers who claim they ‘could never run ultras’, and think: C’mon! You’ve already passed most of the pre-reqs by default. Ultras just provide an excuse for the maximum amount of downtime a run can offer – and the opportunity to use the toilet alone. Where ideas are born Recently I ran in circles in the rain for 202 kilometres at the Sri Chinmoy 24-Hour Self-Transcendence Run. It was simultaneously satisfying and gory. I do have to admit, it was all on a (cough) athletics tr@#k [apologies…

This is a recipe for green banana nice cream, which can be served in a bowl with toppings or made as a smoothie. It’s packed with carbohydrates to replenish your glycogen stores so your body can instantly start recovering and healing for the next run. The turmeric is added for its incredible healing and anti-inflammation properties. And most importantly it tastes amazing whilst also leaving you feel light, recovered and full of energy after a big run. INGREDIENTS 3–4 frozen bananas 2–3 spinach or kale leaves 3 mint leaves 1cm fresh turmeric root 2 pitted dates 1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds 1 Tbsp flax seeds Pinch of cinnamon 1/4 cup of water (add more if needed) Dash of pepper (to aid turmeric absorption) INSTRUCTIONS  1 Place bananas in hide speed blender…

The Spartathlon ultramarathon was first conceived by John Foden, a retired RAF commander, in 1983. The event follows the route between Athens and Sparta that the Athenian Hermerodromous Pheidippides is believed to have run in 490BC in an effort to seek help from the Spartan king before the battle of Marathon. He is said to have covered this mighty distance in 24 hours, before going on to run himself to death in the following days. The first encounter that I had with Spartathlon was through reading Robin Harvie’s book Why We Run. The book is a sombre account of an ordinary man who trains obsessively to tackle Spartathlon. It did not look like he had a joyous time, so ever after Spartathlon was filed away in my consciousness under the…

I HAVE BEEN BENT AND BROKEN, BUT – I HOPE – INTO A BETTER SHAPE.Charles Dickens, Great Expectations It was 5am on the morning of Saturday 14 October, 20 minutes before the mandatory roll call for the Great Ocean Walk ultramarathon. All I needed to do was put on my running gear and walk the five minutes to the start line. Putting on my well-worn shorts, I noticed that one end of the drawstring had disappeared into the waistband. Somewhat annoyed, I extracted the drawstring (which I really needed because the elastic on these shorts is not what it used to be) and started to rethread it. I won’t go into the details of what followed, but it involved a combination of a safety pin, swearing, a ticking watch,…

IF AN ATHLETE HAS A HISTORY OF CHRONIC INJURIES THAT FLARE, SOMETIMES SPACING OUT RUNS OR USING THE BIKE TO INCREASE DURATION IS A GREAT IDEA SO NIGGLES ARE NOT AGGRAVATED. GETTING THE ATHLETE TO THE START LINE WITH CONSISTENT TRAINING SHOULD BE A PRIORITY. Before completing my first trail run I viewed ultra runners as nutters. It seemed to me that they were a bunch of people running away from life, who had issues that needed a couch and a lot of therapy. After completing the Tarawera 60km – running from Rotorua to the beautiful Tarawera Falls – in 2016, my view of the ultra-running fraternity totally changed. Now I think they’re the sane ones. I see training for and getting involved in these events as a way…

WHILE DEHYDRATION IS A REAL RISK, YOU ALSO NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE RISK OF OVER-HYDRATING, WHICH CAN RESULT IN EXERCISE-ASSOCIATED HYPONATREMIA (EAH). THERE’S A FINE BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO, AND THEY HAVE VERY SIMILAR SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS AND CAN BOTH BECOME LIFE THREATENING. It is a beautiful, hot, still day and I am at the start line of a 16k race. I’ve done the one thing I tell my clients never to do – I have ditched my hydration pack. “It’s only 10 kilometres to the first aid station…” I say to myself, even though I know that that 10 kilometres is made up of brutal hills and a ridgeline track, every bit of it exposed with very few trees for coverage along the way. The hooter goes…

• Heat training in preparation • Drink to thirst – no more, no less • Protect your drink bottle during the heat of the day, the water can get too hot to drink • Focus on getting heat out of your body. A $5 sarong dipped in water and wrapped around my legs worked wonders. • Sun protection is everything – do not allow the sun to touch your body • I was constantly dipping my head in a bucket of water to help with heat dissipation • My goal each day was to ‘arrive awesome’ focusing on arriving in the best possible condition • Take care of any issues while they are still minor. • I kept my heart rate very low. I trained to do this. My target…

1 CEP CALF SLEEVES 2.0 NZ$ 64.95 AU$ 49.95 www.cepsports.nz www.cepaustralia.com I’m a sucker for bright training gear and these calf sleeves are so bright that your calves can be seen from miles away. Partial to the Hawaii blue and pink combination myself, not only do these calf sleeves look good, but they also feel great. Targeted medi compression guarantees calf stabilisation, less soreness and faster recovery. You can feel the effects of the compression immediately, with enhanced coordination, an improved sense of motion and reduced pain from any existing injuries/ niggles. These calf sleeves can be combined with the matching socks like CEP Ultralight or Merino socks, depending on the temperature. Michelle 2 CEP ULTRALIGHT SHIRT - SLEEVELESS NZ$ 79.95 www.cepsports.nz This shirt…

Nightcap National Park Where: 30km east of Byron Bay Distance: 13km return Degree of difficulty: Moderately challenging – mostly due to its remote location and unpredictable weather. Turns are sharp and there are some sheer drops from the cliffs above the falls. Watch out for slippery surfaces when it has been raining, and take adequate drinking water if it is hot. Check the weather forecast before heading out. Access: There are two entrances to this section of Nightcap National Park – from the east/north and from the south. Once you find the park entrance, drive along Minyon Drive and follow the signs. Parking is available at both Minyon Falls and Minyon Grass picnic areas. Why: Run Minyon Falls track to experience history and nature on a massive scale. This track…

Trail Runner Nation www.trailrunnernation.com This is the granddaddy of all trail running podcasts. Don Freeman and Scott Warr are just so damn affable it’s hard not to be positive listening to them. From the hokey adverts they produce at the start of the show to the myriad of excellent guests and insights into everything to do with trail running, this podcast is a must listen. The Rich Roll Podcast www.richroll.com Rich Roll’s story is one of almost complete transformation, from an unhappy, unhealthy 40 year old to one of the fittest people on the planet. Focusing on holistic expressions of health, this podcast is a great one for getting inspired. Rich has a stream of high profile guests, the former lawyer isn’t afraid of hard questions – his grapple with…

We thought that we would like to put on an event that focussed on PEOPLE not PLACES. An event that anyone was free to enter wherever you are in the world! There is NO set start time. An event where you could run with others or by yourself, you could coordinate with your friends from different time zones to run virtually together. You could run somewhere grand or head out your front door. You could run it anywhere, trail, road, gravel. YOU CHOOSE. -The idea is we all run for 120 minutes. You can run as much or as little as you like in this time period. And can do so ANY time between 12.01 AM Saturday March 10th to 11:59 PM Saturday March 10th (your time) You can run…

I’m sitting here having just posted to Facebook the Total Sport position around an upcoming event, which is held on the fringes of Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges, and the effect of the impending rahui (a form of tapu restricting access to a certain area/s) about to be put in place for conservation reasons. My hope is that, by the time this magazine hits the shelves and finds its way into your hot wee hands, this issue will have found a reasonable outcome and a sensible, achievable course of action will have been taken. As a result of the post around the issue of the rahui, it seemed to me that this column could be a wee surface-scratcher around exactly what it is that we at Total Sport do. We get asked…

HURT100-mile endurance run When: Each January Where: Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii Distance: 100 miles (160km), five laps, three aid stations per lap Time limit: 36 hours Elevation: Ranging from 90 to 580 metres, with the total cumulative elevation gain roughly 7500 metres Level of difficulty: Difficult The HURT100 is not for the faint-hearted. The pride and joy of Hawaii’s long-distance running scene is staged in the mountains above Honolulu on the island of Oahu. Rated as a very difficult event, it is designed for the adventurous and well-prepared ultra runner. There’s a lottery for entry and that closes in August. Runners face technical single tracks, which were once pig trails, and surfaces including roots, rocks and soil from sun-baked clay to mud of varying depth. Sudden hairpin turns and steep inclines…

The ultraslam is an unrecognised achievement, which entails completing three 100-mile races in New Zealand (Northburn, Great Naseby Water Race, Around the Mountain), plus running at least 100 miles at the Sri Chinmoy 24-hour track race, all in a calendar year. It was first completed by Lance Hunniford in 2014, followed by Croydon Paton in 2016. A big part of this achievement is not just running the four races in a year, but running the last three in the space of 10 weeks. There I was in 2016, standing around at Naseby having run my first 100 miler and needing a new goal. Somewhere along the line I had met Croydon Paton, a fellow Dunedin runner and he first brought to my attention the idea of the ultraslam. (Croydon went…

“It’s the PCT, mate. The Paul Charteris Tax. We factor it into our budget yearly. It’s a bit of coin.” Gene laughed as he explained to me that every year since 2009 his budget has included the entry fee for The Tarawera 100km. “But why? Why do you keep doing it every year? Surely nine times is enough? It must be time for something else…” I asked as we sped along the Waikato Expressway in the pre-dawn headed for Rotorua. Gene stared out the windscreen for a bit, then answered simply: “It’s an itch I can’t scratch, I don’t know why I keep going back”. It seems that the Tarawera 102km (and the associated 60 and 85 kilometre events) provides an itch that many people across Australasia and beyond find…

In November 2014, I ran a solo ultramarathon of 860 kilometres over 12 days through remote and regional areas of New South Wales. The average daily temperature through these areas in November soars to the mid-thirties and above. During my run we had the hottest November in 57 years with radiating heat from the road reaching above 50°C most days. It was a scorcher and it set a benchmark for the management of heat stress during multi-day ultramarathons. As a comparison, these temperatures are as bad as it gets in Death Valley during the Badwater Ultramarathon, but rather than surviving it for one day we had to endure it for over a week. Only after I had finished the run did I find out that people had expected me to…

It has long been recognised that both running and yoga have significant effects on our overall wellbeing (physical, mental and emotional health). Our mental outlook can fluctuate significantly from moment to moment as we respond to the challenges of running as well as daily life. One of the significant benefits of regular yoga practice is that it helps promote mindfulness, which can help get us through long, challenging runs as well as enhancing our overall mental health. Mindfulness can also help us recognise what motivates us to continue on our running journey and inspire us to take on new running challenges. When we achieve a long-term goal, our motivation will often wane immediately afterwards as we search for a new goal. Yoga and mindfulness give us the opportunity to observe…