Table of contents for February - April 2022 in Trail Run

IF you’re looking to add a trail race to your ‘must do’ list, then the Mt Oxford Odyssey in Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand is destined for a placing in your Top 10 – and not in pencil, so you can’t rub it out. With four distances to choose from (15km, 21km, 33km and 42km) there’s something for the trail runner on every level; love running every day but not quite committed to a super uber-long run just yet? Check out the 15km where you’ll hit a fast pace along the scenic route in a most stunning location, starting at the base of the mountain – perfect for those not wanting to head up and over Mt Oxford but still desiring to explore what this part of…

HOW DID YOUR GROUP BEGIN? We all work together and for several years, runners at our city office would head out for the occasional lunch run along the Brisbane River. At the onset of the pandemic, we had to adapt this running gig given the sudden change to working from home, so one week someone organised an early Saturday run. It was on this infamous day that big bag of Allen’s Pineapples suddenly exploded in someone’s shorts pockets. Lollies were seen falling on the ground and somehow, it was through the leg of the shorts. From there it only seemed fitting to name this motley crew the ‘Pineapples’. From a core of 5, we are now 16, known for our vibrant and well-coordinated bespoke running attire. We take enjoyment in…

WITH races across the Tasman postponed or cancelled throughout the past two years, so many runners have spent a majority of those 24 months itching and scratching to get their trail shoes back onto dirt. Thankfully things have started to slowly open back up again in the hopes of eventually putting the recent pandemic behind us. In the meantime, a number of runners got creative when it came to wanting to hit the trails during lockdowns or restrictions, and one Sydney-based woman did exactly that. Charity runs are generally known to be held on road and offer distances to non-runners that are attainable as a challenge, however UK-born Susie Campbell turned her dream of running an ultra into a reality despite the difficulties of 2020 and 2021, and put it…

PILLAR PERFORMANCE SPORTS MICRONUTRITION REVIEWER: KATE DZIENIS Sports nutrition is a bit of a personal thing. Whether you consider yourself a professional athlete or not, most humans need a little bit of help when it comes to vitamins and minerals – aka micronutrients. Crucial for a variety of activities in the body, including turning food into energy and keeping your joints stable, you may find it interesting to note that there are some which can affect how well you perform on the trails. Let’s face it – as we get older, we tend to start lacking particular micronutrients, so it’s key to point out that deficiencies are likely to happen. Case in point, I’m vegetarian and to avoid anemia and nervous system damage I need to get my hands on…

Running in general is a hard task as it is. Hit the trails or go beyond marathon distance, and we’ve known runners to physically break barriers beyond our comprehension. There are books galore and articles throughout the entire world wide web on how to train for your first race, but there’s not much out there to help you get through the psychological challenges of ultra running. Until you pick up Mental Training for Ultrarunning: Your Psychological Skills Guidebook for Ultra Success by Addie Bracy, a distance runner with a background in performance psychology. Throughout her publication, she outlines tools and techniques you can use to protect yourself from unfortunate scenarios, and provides suggestions on how to overcome the mental and emotional challenges you may be confronted with on the trails.…

THERE was once a time in my life at age 10 where I wasn’t too sure if I would make it to live to a ripe old age. At 13 I nearly proved myself right. I had been to hell and back more times than Doc Brown went Back To The Future. But for me, there was no going back to change the outcome of what I would go on to endure. I may not have been able to control what I had been through, but I knew that what I could control was what I was going to do next. Back in July, I received a message from Brisbane film maker Louie J Hadfield asking if I would like to be part of his next documentary film. Although excited…

SIXTEEN years ago, Malcolm Winnie’s life changed in an instant. Always drawn to nature and and the great outdoors, forging a career as a professional adventure guide, Malcolm’s job enabled him to travel the world, and he had all the opportunities to see and partake in the world’s best adventure spots – from guiding through canyons to kayaking down pristine rivers and rock climbing. In 2005 though, on November 5 at about 1pm, his world turned upside down – literally. Having just returned to New Zealand from an international job, he was working on a DIY renovation project when a concrete wall collapsed. And it collapsed onto him. “It’s hard to explain, but the best way to put it is it was absolutely terrifying,” he says, taking in a deep…

I grew up playing soccer. It was all consuming, and I was on multiple teams rushing from one place to the next competing on a national level. I’m originally from the US, and when you live there and you’re told at a young that you’ve got to go to college, you’ve either got to come from money or be good at sport to secure a scholarship. So I trained hard. It was stressful, and I’d always sneak out to the parks and trails to breathe. I’d run. I’d sit. I’d contemplate. It’s where I connected with myself and found a stillness amongst all the noise. I joined the military to chase adventure and pay for my college. I was stationed stateside, and overseas in South Korea, Afghanistan and Turkey. I…

ALMOST everyone and anyone who’s hit the trails across the Tasman has heard of Ultra-Trail Australia, and to be fair it’s on a lot of bucket lists. Known to be the biggest trail running event in the southern hemisphere, well known athletes like Matt Crehan, Lucy Bartholomew, Ruth Croft and Vajin Armstrong have all raced and left lasting impressions on those with future prospects of entering. As part of the UTMB World Series, the 2022 UTA event will be held in mid-May with nearly 7500 runners provided an opportunity to test themselves across four separate distances – 11km, 22km, 50km or 100km, and no fewer than 29 countries will be represented this year. One of the most amazing announcements of late by UTA is that 2022 will be the first…

NORTH Island’s Riverhead Forest has got it all, and race directors of the Riverhead Backyard ReLaps Ultra and Relay are challenging everyone to see who can outlast their tough last one standing race this April. Well, ‘tough’ is an understatement. There’s 160m of vert on each loop with a mix of sweet single track, 4WD tracks and a bit of gravel forest road to change things up a bit. And then if it rains, be prepared for mud, mud and more mud with conditions cutting up the trails and demanding all your energy to get through ‘just one more lap’. The 2019-founded Riverhead Backyard Relaps Ultra made a name for itself worldwide when in its inaugural year Katie Wright became the first woman in the world to win a backyard…

“I’ve always been fascinated by the sport and the people who choose to participate in ultra marathons. As a filmmaker, and someone who’s in the process of building their own ultra running career, sharing these stories is something I am truly passionate about. Kieron has always been so much more than an ultra runner; when I learnt about his story, I knew there was more to tell so when the opportunity presented itself in 2021, I jumped at it. For the past few months I have put everything into this piece. I am very excited to share this incredibly personal story exploring Kieron’s life, from his running career, his childhood, family and the legacy he is building. I believe this story is one that many will resonate with. It’s a…

THE GOLDFIELDS PIPELINE MARATHON in Kalgoorlie, WA has always been an event close to my heart, having lived in the town myself for roughly 3.5 years between 2013 and 2017. I was saddened by the cancellation of the 2020 event due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, so was not going to let the 2021 event out of my sights. For me, it was fabulous that the 2021 Pipeline Marathon event went ahead, it’s always superbly organised by local couple Grant and Rhea Wholey, who are legends in their own rights. Grant has a mission to complete upwards of 100 full marathon distances, and I’ve completed the Goldfields Pipeline event four times prior, with the 2021 event held on 18 July, and the first time an ultramarathon distance had been mapped…