Table of contents for Autumn 2024 in Trail Run

In this edition of TRM, I could write about the whole New Year’s resolution thing and reveal what my goals are for 2024, but firstly, it’s February now and secondly, I’m not someone who does resolutions anymore – I did, maybe 20 years ago, but not so much anymore. That’s not to say that resolutions are a bad thing. If you have a big goal to achieve in the next 12 months before 2025, that’s fantastic to have. But the reason why so many people fail on their resolutions is because they either establish themselves with excessively difficult objectives that become unreachable, or the opposite happens – goals become too easy and thus, boredom sets in. I set the scene. New Year’s Eve, 2023. A friend asks me what my…

(Vivo)barefoot. A new, yet more tellingly, ancient principle of wearing shoes that imitate being barefoot. These guys make wide, thin and flexible shoes that are designed to feel as close to barefoot as possible. They’re also a Certified B-Corp, use recycled materials, and have an impressive recycling program. Raised an eyebrow or two? Good. I’m here to explain how Vivobarefoot’s Primus Trail III hold up on the trail, and why it could be worth integrating some form of barefoot movement into our daily lives. Straight out of the box and onto my feet, the Primus Trail III’s feel almost concerningly lightweight and flexy. Shoeless some might say, and with a stack height of 2.5mm on top of its 4mm lugs, it’s easy to see why. The toe box is one…

Oh my gawd! I say as I clench my jaw…how painful is that chafe after a race, and you literally feel the slow burn as you hop into the shower? Nothing could be worse after that high of crossing the finish line, celebrating with mates…and then BAM! It hits you like a second-degree burn, and then when you finally do dry off, don’t even think about clapping those thighs together at any point while walking from kitchen to lounge. Squirrel’s Nut Butter was a purchase-product of mine on a whim. My old chafe cream had run out, and I’d heard through the grapevine quite a lot of good things about SNB so whilst online shopping for (more) running gear, I picked up an All Natural Stick and sat by the…

Cath Wallis looked at the form blankly. It was one of those ‘get-to-know-your-colleagues’ questionnaires. The ‘hobbies’ section had her stumped. “I realised I had none,” she says. “In the 20-plus years since I had finished school I had really focused on advancing in my career, and on my kids and all their activities. Beyond that I really had no idea who I was. I couldn’t even tell you what I liked to do anymore. It was like I was so busy, that I had lost myself.” The then 40-year-old Canberran mum-of-three set out to fill the blank space on the form by finding a hobby and, in turn, herself. She saw an advertisement for the Canberra 100 – a trail run through the hills, parks and bush of Australia’s capital…

When you find a sport you love, and that sport is something you are uniquely amazing at, it’s only natural that you would take the bull by the horns and turn your hobby into either a career or at the very least, a financially supported ‘side hustle’ aka a sponsored athlete who also works full time in their field of choice. If you’ve ever trained for a trail race, you’ll know how much time and effort goes into preparing for the event – from scheduled hours to get time-on-feet and testing out new gear, to changing your nutrition for optimum performance. Athletes from other sports do the exact same thing, that’s nothing new. But what many have recently started doing is using trail running as a form of cross training…

How did your group begin? A few Karratha runners were training for Broome Marathon in 2021 and they were sharing their long runs on Facebook, inviting other local runners to join them. They didn’t know what they were in for. A few people turned up…then over the weeks, a few more…suddenly there were all sorts of nutcases training together for someone else’s marathon! We made friends, found our tribe and realised there was a community of local like-minded others with a shared love of running (or jogging, slogging, and shuffling) and a real need for local events to participate in that didn’t involve extensive travel out of the region. Since then, we have hosted four local large-scale road and trail running events in Karratha, and we still get together for…

Seeking an adventure that makes you feel like you’re racing on a totally different planet? The Transgrancanaria is a race like no other, offering participants the opportunity of a lifetime to traverse Gran Canaria, an island located in the Canary Islands archipelago, and explore the enchanting beauty of this captivating destination. A gem in its own right, Gran Canaria is of volcanic origin, known for its black lava and white sandy beaches, and offers an eclectic contrast in environments – on a single day, you can laze around on marvelous ocean fronts or hike peaks covered in pine forest while the backdrop overpowers with dark volcanic earth. The Transgrancanaria was Spain’s very first official ultra marathon, and has long been considered the country’s pioneer race of endurance events. Runners who…

Tailored for alpine adventures blending running and scrambling, the Distance 22 is a versatile hybrid pack. Integrating a vest-inspired suspension for running, it merges lightweight comfort with ample storage. In terms of tech specs and features, the pack weighs in at 412g, comes in three different sizes, and has pole storage pockets on both sides. Dual side compression and a ripstop fabric complement a wide array of different sized pockets in the front section, maximising accessibility and convenience. The comfort and fit of the Distance 22 is quite solid. For a larger sized trail running pack, the lock down around the torso is snug but not to the point where restriction of movement becomes an issue. When full to the brim and weighing around 8-10kg, I experienced some bounce whilst…

New Zealand, you seriously know how to create running gear that’s out of this world. Seriously. Huntaway Run Co. is in a league all on its own, and deserves to sit at the very top of the game. Let me explain. Dr Inia Raumati and Dr Vicki Lim who, as it just so happens, have both contributed articles to TRM in 2023, and it was through collaborating with them on their contributions that I discovered the couple were the driving force – the creators – of Huntaway Run Co. I was on board to test out their products and see what they’d developed for the trail, so in no time at all I was delivered the company’s Ranger Trail Tee, Foster Trail Shorts (which I’ll review in an upcoming edition…

Sustainable gel powder endurance? Now I know you want to hear more. Vert Nutrition products, based out of Brisbane, don’t need any preservatives, acidity regulators or humectants to give it shelf life. Nor does it need any of that stuff to make it taste flavourful. Additives lead to stomach upsets that can well and truly ruin your race day – and its why many runners, when they find something that works for them, stick with what they know. Founded by Queenslander Ben Paris who is a dietitian and runner, gels just never ‘gelled’ with him in terms of the way empty packets would always be littering his favourite trails and the way they made his hydro-pack or pockets sticky. With his knowledge in his chosen industry, Ben created a gel…

I’m a sock person. I love me some good, comfy socks that fit well into my runners, and give me a blister free performance. I’ll be honest. I had never heard of Wrightsock before, so intrigue stepped in when I was provided two pairs for testing – the Eco Run Tabs in Grey-Blue and the Run Reflective Quarter Socks in Grey-Pink. Firstly, the brand. Over 2 plastic bottles are in every pair of Eco Run socks, and they use a patented double layer to reduce friction with Dri-WRIGHT II performance yarn to improve moisture management and durability. So blisters are not on the agenda with these bad boys. Both pairs are ideal for mid-distance running, hiking and other sports and my feet were kept dry and comfortable each time out…

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Seven years. That’s how long it had been since I last visited the Ningaloo. In that time my life had changed immensely. Marriage, kids, work, all the things that adult life entails and that often see your pathway change direction. For me, it meant that I travelled less and spent more time engrossed in the amazing journey that is fatherhood – but always in the background was the itch to explore. However, as I’ve matured, my interests have also shifted towards more reflective notions. The idea of revisiting instead of unearthing. There’s something special about going back to places where fond memories are held and seeing how they’ve evolved and grown as you too have changed. One such location that’s particularly special to me is the Ningaloo Reef. Before going…

TECHY ASCENTS Tailwind trailblazer Rachel Bridgewater climbs one of many punchy ascents that you can expect at the Mt Isthmus Traverse Race, set in beautiful central Otago, NZ. This mountain boasts stunning views above both Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka, and is for those runners looking for technical terrain, solid climbing and a sweet mountain downhill to finish. Image: James Brewer @jbtrailsnz CHASING ROLLING HILLS Jarrad Allen hits the 50km mark in the 2023 Heysen 105 (115km) in South Australia, where he secured himself 2nd Male. Here he weaves through the picturesque tapestry of rolling hills, farmland and paddocks on the stunning Fleurieu Peninsula. Image: Sebastián Silva López…

Trail running poles were once limited to European mountain goats and UTMB enthusiasts. Today, things are a little different as those two little sticks enter the mainstream down under. If you've run a hilly 50km+ race or follow international trail events, there’s a good chance you’ve seen participants wearing funky, fluorescent yellow gloves attached to red poles. Surprise, surprise…these are Leki sticks, and I’ve been testing a pair of them to see what all the fuss is about. Straight off the bat, the Leki Ultratrail FX.One’s feel ridiculously lightweight, and at a length of 120cm at 182g per pole (how good is carbon?) it’s worth noting that the brand makes an even lighter version known as the Superlite’s (137g per pole!). Both versions include a ‘Trail Shark’ grip-strap system, which…

Something that is not super sweet, that isn’t bulky like a muesli bar, is vegan, and a bundle of them can be carried in a hydro-pack without taking up much space or weight? Is that even possible, I hear you ask? New Zealander Raeana Connell is the genius behind Roam Energy, who took to grinding her own nuts after a stint exploring the South Island trails and being completely over sickly sweet bars and gels. Soon, with partner Andrius at the helm for taste testing, Raeana landed on a roasted almond and cashew nut butter blend that sent them on a totally new adventure in sustained energy – and thus Roam Energy was born. All natural ingredients with no artificial flavours or fillers, utterly and ridiculously delicious, and backed by…

Bladders for our beloved packs and vests are, generally, quite well cared for by trail runners. When we start using them, we learn how to clean them and use them properly to prevent bacteria build up that can occur within the material. But sometimes, our bladders break, for whatever reason, or they’re just not-salvageable after a decent time of use, and our instinct is to go back to the original brand we bought our pack or vest from, and go from there. HydraPak’s bladders are built to last in all environments and are known for their reusability, durability and radio frequency welding. I was able to test the new Velocity IT 1.5L bladder recently, which fit into my Ultimate Direction pack snuggly, and quite frankly, is really very swish. In…

TRM: After living in Norway now for so long, do you ever think about how life would be different if you had continued on a professional skiing mountaineering path? KJ: Honestly, it’s difficult to say how my career might have shifted if circumstances were different. I’ve always seen skiing, mountaineering and trail running not just as sports, but as complementary activities of a lifestyle connected to the mountains. My journey in both disciplines has been less about pursuing goals and more about the connection I feel with nature. Being able to train in Norway’s stunning landscapes has been a privilege. This place has been a constant source of inspiration and a perfect setting for both trail running and skiing mountaineering. TRM: You have been labelled as arguably the G.O.A.T of…

WHETHER YOU’VE BEEN A LONG TIME FAN OF TARKINES OR YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF THEM BEFORE, THIS SHOE IS BY FAR A PREMIUM RUNNER AND DESERVES RECOGNITION. Lightweight, responsive, and filled with support, runners who bought a single pair have become instant fans of the Tarkines and never looked back. Tarkine is the newest and fastest growing running shoe brand developed out of Western Australia, and their high-tech product has been selling like wildlife since about 2021-22 for an incredibly large variety of athlete – from serious and elite runners, to everyday joggers and lifestyle wearers. It also says something when their sponsored athletes include names like Phil Gore, Erchana Murray-Bartlett and Joshua Chugg, all of whom have been featured in previous editions of TRM. But onto the tech specs…

Tim Robinson nearly finished his 60km trail run at Falls Creek in Victoria as part of the Running Wild Alpine Challenge in November, 2023. Once he touched the door on top of Mt McKay though, he decided to stop and savour the view, all the while contemplating on what he was about to achieve. At this point, there were only 5km left to go. Pictured: Tim Robinson was snapped by Ian and Velta Fellowes of The Eventurers fame in a quiet, contemplative moment atop Mt McKay last year. Camera Specs Canon 50D ISO 125, 45mm, f4, 1/60…