Table of contents for October - November 2017 n14 in Trail Run

Shortly after starting school, my classmates and I were asked to draw what we wanted to do when we grew up. True to character, I attacked the task with enormous gusto, and felt it was going rather well until Mrs Welch stopped by my desk and took a long look at my picture. “Vicki, what is this?” she asked. Surprised that it wasn’t obvious, I dutifully informed her: “Trees and birds and hills; these are deer and that is a little creek. Oh, and the sun.” “Yes, but you were supposed to be drawing what you wanted to do when you grow up,” she admonished. Swelling with pride, I announced: “Yes! I want to fill up my eyes before I die!” My smile slowly died away in the silence that…

GRASS FINCHES For several hours I had been exploring winding single trail flanked by thick stands of timber when, with little announcement, the forest peeled back and poured me onto grassland. A cacophony of chirps arose from a chirm of finches that had been disturbed from their daily foraging. 1 Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) Fewer than 2500 mature Gouldian finches remain in the wild. Thanks to the conservation efforts of farmers and other land-users within key habitat regions, the Gouldian finch is beginning to increase in numbers and has recently been down-listed from ‘endangered’ to ‘near threatened’. 2 Red-browed finch (Neochmia temporalis) Height: 11–11.5cm The red-browed finch is common on the east coast of Australia. Locally nomadic, they range within a limited area so there is a strong chance you…

 We go through things in our lives don’t we? Stuff happens all the time – to us, to people that we’re close to, and to people we’re not particularly close to. IT’S ABOUT SPREADING OURSELVES SO THIN THAT WE BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO. ALL WE REALLY BECOME IS FRANTIC.WE DON’T REALLY DO ANYTHING PARTICULARLY WELL, BUT WE CONVINCE OURSELVES THAT BECAUSE WE ARE BUSY THAT MEANS WE ARE PRODUCTIVE, IMPORTANT AND POSSIBLY IRREPLACEABLE. I consider myself to be very lucky, generally I’m on a pretty even keel and things go quite well. But at this precise point in time, as I write this, I have a kind of unusual and not particularly enjoyable feeling of being in a place that doesn’t feel that great to me. I…

I’ve run all sorts of loops, repeatedly sometimes. Between my alternate years of finishing and not finishing at the Great Naseby Water Race, I’ve got to know that figure-eight, 10-kilometre loop reasonably intimately. For me, there is something strangely satisfying about repeatedly testing yourself over the same piece of ground. The Grandmaster I have run literally thousands of loops of a 400m track – but nowhere near as many as Auckland-based world 100-km barefoot champion, Wayne Botha, and I doubt he’s remotely close to the one and only Gary Regtien. The title of ‘legend’ is bestowed a bit too frequently these days, and not always for adequate merit – Gary goes way past that. He is best described as an original, setting many of the first ultra and trail ultra…

Did Not Start Making the decision not to start a race you have entered – generally as a result of illness or injury – can be a torturous process. Here are some things to be wary of: • Ignore the $$ If there has been significant financial outlay – race entry fee, flights, accommodation – this can heavily bias your decision to withdraw. The first thing to do is to look at how each of the costs can be mitigated: can entry be deferred, transferred or withdrawn with a reduced refund? Can travel arrangements be deferred or turned into a different kind of holiday: a romantic break, family holiday or sightseeing trip? • Sideline the emotion Another factor that can prevent a runner from making an honest assessment of their…

Q “I’ve been having problems with my shins and knees. I’ve heard about the benefits of forefoot running, so am thinking of changing my running style from heel striking to being a forefoot striker. Is this a good idea for me, and how I should go ahead?” There are many layers to this question that make it complex and therefore difficult to give a simple answer to. Breaking it down, there are five components: knee pain; shin pain (which may or may not be related); the pros and cons of forefoot running; the pros and cons of changing running technique; and how to implement a new running technique. There is no ‘one size fits all approach’ in answering this question, nor is there a general consensus around the answer, but…

RARE BEAUTIES 1 Weka Stewart Island weka: Threatened – nationally vulnerable Other sub-species: Not threatened The weka is frequently mistaken for its more famous cousin, the kiwi. There are four sub-species – North Island, Stewart Island, Buff and Western. North Island weka are common in Northland and the East Cape, while the Western weka is found in Nelson, Marlborough and Fiordland. The Buff weka is abundant in the Chatham Islands, while the Stewart Island weka’s home is self-explanatory. The birds exhibit a cheeky curiosity, entering homes to steal food and nose around, and often hang around huts looking for food. The weka call is distinctive and quite beautiful: a repetitive, loud ‘coo-eee’ heard in the early evening and before rain. 2 Kaka South Island Kaka: Threatened – nationally vulnerable North…

THE MIND IS THE KING OF THE SENSES AND THE BREATH IS THE KING OF THE MIND. Hatha Yoga Pradipika IN PEOPLE WHOSE BREATHING AND MOVEMENT IS WHOLE AND INTEGRATED, THERE IS A DISTINCT RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE LOWER BODY DURING INHALATION AND EXHALATION. Donna Farhi, yoga practitioner 1 From our first stuttering gasp to our last sigh, life is but a series of breaths. For most of our day we are unaware of the subtle, steady rhythm of our breath. As runners, we become acutely conscious of it at the start of our run, and when we pick up the pace for intervals, tempo runs or racing, and as we take on hills. Painful or emotional experiences can quite literally take the breath away, and for those…

Shotover Moonlight Mountain Marathon Location: Ben Lomond High Country Station, Queenstown Date: Saturday 17 February 2018 Distance: 42k, 30k, 21k, 10k, 5k Terrain: Sheep tracks, water races, beech forest, exposed rocky ridges, scree slopes and tussock Difficulty: Challenging Description: Now in its seventh year, the ‘Shotover’ (as the event is colloquially known) strikes fear into the heart of the ordinary marathoner. And rightly so, with 2500 metres of climb over the 42k distance. Shotover has also become synonymous with staggering beauty. Various vantage points during the race offer glimpses of the Shotover River, Moonlight Creek, Ben Lomond and its sister Bowen Peak. Mid-run selfies feature the vast high-country panoramas we have come to associate with South Island running. The course changes slightly every year, but what doesn’t change is the…

As I have matured as an athlete, I have started to open my mind to more efficient ways to achieve improvement. It’s important to be open minded, but not so open that your brain falls out. Before accepting the latest fitness ‘hack’, trial it and evaluate it yourself. I learnt this the hard way and would like to share this story with you. Ignoring the warning When I was a young triathlete I had far more time to squander than I do now. With no dependants or financial commitments, I could indulge my passion for triathlon with endless training. I trained 12–20 hours a week over three or four disciplines, and every session was at least an hour (anything less was a ‘waste of time’). I ate what I…

Darwinism. Survival of the fittest. Good ol’ fashioned evolution. The idea that our species has evolved over many thousands of years is a concept we’re all familiar with. When we refer to the characteristics of any species that has existed on earth for a reasonable amount of time, we think about things like physical strength and endurance, reproductive capacity, intelligence, environmental niche and so on. Perhaps less commonly considered is a single, distinct concept that encompasses all of these things and is therefore, arguably, the defining factor of an individual’s aptitude to survive and thrive: adaptability. Thrive or survive? Adaptability is the ultimate predictor of an individual’s likelihood of survival success. Further, just how adaptable that individual is will determine his or her ability to go beyond the holds of…

As athletes, we often assume we are healthier than the general population and at lower risk of getting chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. After all, we are clearly fitter (and often leaner) than our sedentary counterparts. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. Fitness and training can mask the development of illnesses that could reduce our longevity in the sport we love. Three easily tested measures can together offer some clues as to our overall metabolic state. They are haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose levels and serum ferritin (iron levels). Blood sugar control Haemoglobin A1c is a measure of blood sugar control over 90 days, and is used as a marker of prediabetes or diabetes. Haemoglobin is a protein that transports oxygen. HbA1c indicates sugar that…

What Doesn’t Kill Us Scott Carney Over the last two years, I have practised aspects of Wim Hof’s teachings, including taking daily cold showers, cold-water swimming, and meditation. I have had fun getting out of my comfort zone for the sake of getting better. I was very interested to read What Doesn’t Kill Us, as author Scott Carney (sceptic and investigative journalist) sets out to debunk Hof’s claims that he can use environmental extremes to stimulate his inner biology, pushing past normal limits with mind-body connection. Carney travelled to one of Hof’s workshops to learn his methods, then put them to the test with scientists, world-class athletes and Hof followers (some of whom have alleviated autoimmune diseases, lost weight, and found a deep joy in the process). I believe this…

I did it! In the words of the legendary Sir Edmund Hillary, “I knocked the bastard off.” Pouakai Crossing conquered. So many myths busted in the land of sleeping giants, on the cusp of daylight. After four years and nine months of being out of action while first I carried my children, then delivered, fed, stayed awake all night, and generally mothered them, I was finally free to go off on my own adventure – and what an adventure that was. Since we moved to Taranaki three years ago for my husband’s work, I’d been hearing about the mighty Pouakai Crossing on the slopes of Mount Taranaki. My husband – nimble mountain goat that he is – had run the crossing multiple times. Friends raved about it, and then…

Crocodile pose (makarasana) diaphragmatic awareness 1 Lie on front, fold arms, resting forehead on forearms. Elevate chest and shoulders (prop up with cushion if necessary to allow neck, shoulders and upper body to relax). Keep legs a comfortable distance apart, with no tension or pinching in lower back. 2 Begin by bringing awareness to the breath. Take five smooth, easy breaths in and out through nose. Do not force or strain, aim for equal length inhalation and exhalation. Direct attention to the upper abdomen and feel how it presses into the floor with each inhale. Note how it softens back towards spine on exhale. Repeat three times. 3 On the next inhale, expand the abdomen, directing breath up and around the ribs to back of the body. Fill and expand…

The tenth running of the 100-kilometre Ultra-Trail Australia race (previously known as The North Face 100) took place in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales on 20 May 2017. Inclement weather forced the Ultra-Trail World Tour event organisers to change the route the day before the race. Fears of flooding on the trails initiated a deviation from the event’s traditional point-to-point route in favour of an out-and-back course. The alternative course took out a climb to Iron Pot on the first section, then traced an out-and-back leg to Queen Victoria Hospital instead of the traditional loop into Jamieson Valley. Despite losing some elevation (1100 metres in total), the number of stairs added and more time spent on technical trails made this version of the event more difficult than the…

MY FRIEND RICHARD AND I WERE ON OUR SECOND GLASS OF CABERNET SAUVIGNON – I’M PRETTY SURE I READ THAT RED WINE THE NIGHT BEFORE A RACE HELPS CONSERVE YOUR MUSCLES’ ENERGY. (ACTUALLY, THAT’S A LIE. I JUST FELT LIKE SOME RED AND RICHARD HAD ALREADY OPENED A BOTTLE...) Some ultras end with medals, some with beer steins, others with belt buckles. This one ends with a chocolate Freddo Frog or, if you’re feeling decadent, a Caramello Koala. I finished the ultra at about 2.15pm – it took me eight hours and fifteen minutes. My Freddo Frog lasted about three seconds. Setting the scene I entered the 60-km Wilsons Promontory ultramarathon two weeks before race day. I say ‘race day’, but as ‘race director’ Paul Ashton notes on the event…

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…

“I’M AN EXPERIENCED ROAD RUNNER BUT AFTER TURNING TO TRAILS, I QUICKLY DEVELOPED HIP PAIN. WHY?” In many ways trail running is much more forgiving on your body than road running, but descending hills is an area where injuries can develop in trail running and this comes down to angle of decline and the resultant impact. Slippery slope There are a few injuries that can develop in the hip, but by far the most common is a gluteal tendinopathy, most commonly occurring in those over 30. It is felt on the outside of the hip, over the greater trochanter (the bony bit of the hip) and generally develops slowly, either over the duration of a long run, or incrementally over a few runs – a tendinopathy is typically not a…

KEEP RUNNING. IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, THEN DO IT AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN. WHEN YOU FIRST START, IT SUCKS, BUT STICK WITH IT BECAUSE WHEN YOU BREAK THROUGH THAT BARRIER, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL THING. Dom Harvey Age: 44 Occupation: Radio host at The Edge Do you consider yourself a runner? Sometimes I catch a glimpse of myself as I run past a shop window and think ‘Wow, I look like a proper runner!’ instead of the runner I wanted to be. I definitely consider myself a runner, now – I have all the gear so I’m in way too deep. What are your earliest running memories? I ran at school – tried hard, but I wasn’t fast or good at…