Magazine Ed 11

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ANNA FROST & THE ALTAR OF ATLAS //
KAMI SEMIK ADVENTURES IN CHINA //
TRAIL LUXE // UTMB // VIETNAM MARATHON //
JULIAN BEE // DAMOCLES SWORD // ULTRA AMAZON //
TRAIL PORN // GEAR & GUIDES
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ANDREWTUCKEY GETS ONE LAST RUN IN BEFORE THE NORTH FACE 100 IN BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK. PHOTO: MARK WATSON
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Disclaimer Trail running and other activities described in this magazine can carry signicant risk of injury or
death. Especially if you are unt. Undertake any trail running or other outdoors activity only with proper instruction,
supervision, equipment and training. The publisher and its servants and agents have taken all reasonable care to ensure
the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the expertise of its writers. Any reader attempting
any of the activities described in this publication does so at their own risk. Neither the publisher nor any of its
servants or agents will be held liable for any loss or injury or damage resulting from any attempt to perform any of the
activities described in this publication, nor be responsible for any person/s becoming lost when following any of the
guides or maps contained herewith. All descriptive and visual directions are a general guide only and not to be used as a
sole source of information for navigation. Happy trails.
VOLUME 2, EDITION 11, SUMMER 2014
Editorial
Australia Editor: Chris Ord
New Zealand Editor: Vicki Woolley
Asia Editor: Rachel Jacqueline
Minimalist/Barefoot Editor: Garry Dagg
Roving Editor: Mal Law
Sub-Editing: Simon Madden
Design
Jordan Cole
Craft-Store.net
Contributing Writers
Anna Frost, Kami Semik, Tegyn Angel,
Richard Bowles, Lien Choong Luen,
Steve Brydon
Senior photographer
Lyndon Marceau
www.marceauphotography.com
Photography
Vicki Woolley, Tegyn Angel, Richard Bull,
Sanja Jugovic Burns, Shaun Collins /
Cabbage tree Photography, Rapid Ascent,
Kami Semik, Chris Ord, Vicki Woolley,
Spontaneous Combustion Productions, Ultra
Trail du Mont Blanc, Franck Ouddoux, Pascal
Tournaire, Anna Frost, Jeri Chua, Kirill
Talanine / www.my-visual-life.com, Stewart
Aickin / www.mountainrunning.com.au, Eddie
Chiu @ A Photography, Anthony Grote / www.
anthonygrote.com, Koichi Iwasa / www.
dogscaravan.com
Trail Run is published quarterly
Winter / Spring / Summer / Autumn
Editorial & Advertising
Trail Run Magazine
10 Evans Street,
Anglesea, Vic 3230
Email: chris@trailrunmag.com
Telephone
+61 (0) 430376621
Founders
Chris Ord + Stuart Gibson + Mal Law
+ Peter & Heidi Hibberd
Publisher
Adventure Types
10 Evans Street
Anglesea, Victoria,
Australia 3230
Visit us online
www.trailrunmag.com
www.facebook.com/trailrunmag
www.twitter.com/trailrunmag
Visit us online
www.trailrunmag.com
www.facebook.com/trailrunmag
www.twitter.com/trailrunmag
cover photo
Lyndon Marceau Photography /
www.marceauphotography.com. (And image
below) Dusk running atop the summit of
Mount Buller, Victoria, Australia.
Disclaimer Trail running and other activities described in this magazine can carry signicant risk of injury or
death. Especially if you are unt. Undertake any trail running or other outdoors activity only with proper instruction,
supervision, equipment and training. The publisher and its servants and agents have taken all reasonable care to ensure
the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the expertise of its writers. Any reader attempting
any of the activities described in this publication does so at their own risk. Neither the publisher nor any of its
servants or agents will be held liable for any loss or injury or damage resulting from any attempt to perform any of the
activities described in this publication, nor be responsible for any person/s becoming lost when following any of the
guides or maps contained herewith. All descriptive and visual directions are a general guide only and not to be used as a
sole source of information for navigation. Happy trails.
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DETAILS
CONTENTS
VOLUME 2, EDITION 11, SUMMER 2014
REGULARS
10.Editors Columns:
10. Australia - Chris Ord
12.New Zealand - Vicki Woolley
14. Asia - Rachel Jacqueline
104. Richs Rant
Rich discovers his inner Britney
TRAIL GUIDES
130. Mt Buller & Stirling
Victoria, Australia
132. Mt Pirongia
North Island, New Zealand
134. You Yangs
Victoria, Australia
136. Dome Valley Track
INTERVIEWS
36.Julian Bee
Running the nine Great Walks
REVIEWS
16. Nows a good time to buy
Be a dirty elf this Xmas
106. Shoe reviews
Three for between the trees
FEATURES
32. Damocles Sword - philosophies of bad technique
44. China - the ancient Tea and Horse Trail in Yunnan Province
56. Trail luxe - gourmet running at Lake Crackenback
62. Jungle marathon - a multiday mission in the Amazon
74. UTMB - conquering paradise?
88. High Atlas Altar - Anna Frost in Morocco
98. Running the Nam - ultra marathon in Vietnam
TRAIL MIX
22. Event Preview
Mountain Raid, Fall Creek,
Victoria, Australia
24. Event Preview
Partners Life DUAL, Hauraki Gulf
islands, New Zealand
27. Event Preview
Sydney Trailfest, NSW, Austraila
28. Event Preview
Shotover Moonlight Marathon,
Queenstown, New Zealand
31. Event Preview
North Shore Coastal Challenge,
Whangaparaoa, New Zealand
116. Trail Porn
Its dirty, not kinky
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EDSWORD
CHRIS ORD // AUSTRALIAN EDITOR
Our search for understanding will never come to an end,
andwe will always have the challenge of new discovery.
Without it, we would stagnate. - Stephen Hawking
Our search for understanding will never come to an end,
andwe will always have the challenge of new discovery.
Without it, we would stagnate. - Stephen Hawking
EDSWORD
I REMEMBER READING SOMEWHERE
THAT SOME (MANY?) OF THE WORLDS
MOST BRILLIANT MINDS WERE AND ARE
RUNNERS. NOT STEPHEN HAWKING,
OBVIOUSLY. BUT OTHERS OF HIS
ILK MORE FORTUNATE IN PHYSICAL
CAPACITY.
Not only that, but when faced with one of
their mind boggling problems like, how do
black holes work and is the universe expanding
or contracting, that kind of thing it was a
run that emptied their obviously fruitfully full
minds enough for them to see the light (or the
dark in the case of black holes and dark matter)
and solve the problem.
Sure, some people sit on the toilet for their
lightbulb moments. Others take LSD. (LSD
perhaps scatters the mental decks and a restroom
stink is perhaps not the best olfactory seed for
genius). I reckon its on the run where the brain
best expunges the clutter, readies for clarity and
follows the legs lead to go into overdrive.
It may be in a manner that dreams up your next
creative vision (talking to all you painters, potters
and rainbowmakers). It may be a mathematical
solution that you break the back of (talking to
all you PhDphysicists reading). Or it may just
be cracking that damn Sudoku in last weekends
newspaper (hi, Mum). But I bet youve had some
kind of brainwave hit you on the trail (sometimes
a second before the tree branch knocks it out
of you, the distraction of your own brilliance
momentarily making you forget to duck).
Theres some science behind why any
scientist worth their weight in Nobel Prizes
runs. Partly its about your Chief Executive
Ofcer. Thats colloquial for the prefrontal
cortex of your brain that they reckon steer
the intelligence ship. It is the area just behind
our foreheads that controls the executive
functioning, which includes cognitive
processes like prioritising, planning, initiating,
managing working memory, managing time
and resources, and self-regulation.
The results of a study by Hillman and
his fellow bofns
1
suggest that intense
cardiovascular exercise aects neuro-electric
processes that underpin executive control.
Simply, exercise improves your ability to
manage cognitive processeses.
Another report
2
reckons that aerobic exercise
training has antidepressant and anxiolytic
(something that inhibits anxiety) eects, which
protect against the harmful consequences
of stress. The ndings suggest that exercise
triggers a process that helps not only endure
and reverse, but prevent future stress.
And of course we all knowand love the
runners high, a euphoria felt after running
described by as the so-called opioid theory.
Boeker et al
3
suggests region-specic eects in the
frontolimbic brain area that translate to improved
mood and an increase in general optimism.
Right, so running means that our brains
work better, we stave o feeling down and
indeed we get a little high. How does that
translate into Eureka moments?
One factor is simply that with better delivery
of oxygen and energy to the brain it works
better. Exercise increases cerebral blood owand
provides for more efcient glucose utilisation.
Writes Craig Bennett, a postdoctoral researcher in
the Department of Psychology at the University
of California, Santa Barbara, (and a runner): The
brain lives on glucose. Over 25%of the energy you
take in is going to fuel that grey matter in your
skull. When you are really working (thinking) on
a tough problemthat percentage only goes up as
energy usage increases. If you can more efciently
get energy where it needs to go that would
represent a major benet to cognitive processing.
Indeed, make a rat run in a laboratory and
it gets smarter. Make it run harder than it
otherwise might have of its own volition, and
its thinking prowess improves further.
Of course, it is the act of running in the rst
place that some argue (including Christopher
McDougal of Born to Run fame who most
popularly leads the charge) led to mankinds
sudden warp speed increase in intelligence: we
ran animals to death, ate the meat, our brains
exploded with the protein pill leading to vastly
improved cognitive functions and outcomes,
like agriculture, politics and One Direction.
So where does this leave us? Firstly, that
running should be incorporated into our
education system, primary, secondary and
tertiary. Post doctorate in quantum mechanics?
Youll be up for an ultra distance, then.
Secondly: running (or some form of physical
activity that is cardio vascular intensive) should
be prescribed by doctors and psychologists
more often than drugs the science is in, the
former can be just as if not more eective than
the latter (obviously cautioned by a dose of
context here Im not saying a psychopathic
prone to bodily harm should simply be told to
go for a jog). Finally: it doesnt always work.
After all, (Australian Prime Minister) Tony
Abbott runs a lot and it doesnt seem to laying
the groundwork for any Eureka moments there.
And so, as Stephen Hawking said our
search for understanding will never come to
an end Better keep on running then. The
answers whatever the problem are out
there. On the trail.
Chris Ord
chris@trailrunmag.com
GREAT MINDS
RUN ALIKE
GREAT MINDS
RUN ALIKE
1. Charles H. Hillman, Erin M. Snook, and Gerald J. Jerome. (2003) Acute cardiovascular exercise and executive control function. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 48 (3), pp. 307-314.
2. Salmon, Peter. (2001) Eects of physical exercise on anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to stress: A unifying theory. Clinical Psychology Review, 21(1), pp. 3361.
3. Henning Boecker, Till Sprenger et al. (2008) The Runners High: Opioidergic Mechanisms in the Human Brain, Cerebral Cortex, 18 (3), pp. 2523-2531.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Lyndon Marceau / www.marceauphotography.com @ Mount Buller
10 11
Im injured. Cant run. Im fat, unfit, and need an aid station to get to
the letterbox. And Im shitty... actually, spoiling for a fight: so lets
take a long, hard look at one of the ugly sides of running. I call it ARS
Addicted Runners Syndrome*, and whether or not you suffer from
ARS can be determined by taking this simple quiz:
EDSWORD
NEW ZEALAND // VICKI WOOLLEY
SIX WEEKS INTO MY INJURY I WAS
MOANING PUBLICLY BUT STILL
RUNNING IN SECRET WHEN A FRIEND
POSTED ON FACEBOOK: THINK
YOU NEED TO WORK ON MENTAL
DISCIPLINE.
Flying into a rage, I was poised to throw the
laptop o the balcony when the light came
on. There is no denying people with addictive/
compulsive/obsessive predilections are tough:
they can survive hell on earth for their x. But
mental toughness and mental discipline are
not the same thing. It takes tough to push a
screaming body through an o-road ultra. It
takes discipline to stop when that body really is
at breaking point.
Eventually, even the most hardcore running
addict realises that whatever is broken can only
be xed by rest. So how do running addicts
deal with going cold turkey on their drug of
choice?
Dr Brendan ONeill is a senior sports
physician at Unisports in Auckland. He
says: In the old days, injured athletes were
completely removed from their team-mates.
They didnt attend training; they had rehab
at a clinic somewhere else. We noticed
these athletes were impacted on a social and
psychological level as well as physical they
had lost their family.
These days, so much of our modern-world
communication takes place electronically,
causing a social isolation. Yet people crave
connection; out on the trail with mates every
weekend, we dont just talk politics and sport.
We talk about the issues most perplexing
us: my kid is in trouble; I have this problem
with the boss; my wife is sad; my business is
struggling. When running is our connection
with ourselves, with nature and our peers,
injury downtime can mean losing our physical,
spiritual AND social x.
Dr Brendan oers this advice: Try to keep
to schedule. Nowadays the injured athlete
attends training. He joins in where he can, and
does his rehab with the physio alongside the
team as they train. He gets the inside jokes, he
stays current he remains part of the team.
Shortly after becoming injured I had to
honour a commitment to support friends on an
epic run. Railing against the injustice, I showed
up... and had a blast.
The following weekend I could have stayed
home with a bar of chocolate and bottle of
wine. Instead I ate a teaspoon of cement and
went out to support a bunch of mates as they
ripped up some trail I had never been on. I
helped at registration, listened to the start-line
nervous talk. Saw each competitor as they
crossed the line. Heard their story, attended to
their discomfort. Stayed part of the team and
felt ippin brilliant for it.
Im learning there are options to sitting on
the couch with a tub of ice-cream reminiscing
about the days when I was a runner. Im
learning to muscle doggedly through despair
the same way I would muscle through low-level
pain on a long trail run. Im taking control of
the Tiger.
*Note: ARS is a completely ctional
condition concocted by the Editor, with no
scientic basis whatsoever.
Your frustrated but ever-wiser editor,
Vicki Woolley
SHE WHO RIDES
THE TIGER CAN
NEVER DISMOUNT
SHE WHO RIDES
THE TIGER CAN
NEVER DISMOUNT
Doc says you need to shelve the shoes for a while. Doc says you need to shelve the shoes for a while.
you:
or:
b). Nod, smile...
then go out and run
whatever the hell
you want?
a). Dutifully follow
rest/recovery/rehab
instructions to
the letter.
Im injured. Cant run. Im fat, unfit, and need an aid station to get to
the letterbox. And Im shitty... actually, spoiling for a fight: so lets
take a long, hard look at one of the ugly sides of running. I call it ARS
Addicted Runners Syndrome*, and whether or not you suffer from
ARS can be determined by taking this simple quiz:
12 13
PHOTOGRAPHY: Sanja Jugovic Burns
EDSWORD
ASIA // RACHEL JACQUELINE
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE -
SOMEWHERE THAT ULTRARUNNERS
FEAR THE MOST - IS A MIDDLE
GROUND OF MONOTONY. THE
PLACE OF BOREDOM. THATS RIGHT:
ULTRARUNNING CAN BE, LETS BE
HONEST, KIND OF BORING AT TIMES.
Now before you running purists take o your
trail running shoes and peg them at my head -
get in the moment, man hear me out.
Ive had these boring thoughts before. But
they were only eeting, say when struck with
an unanticipated bout of concrete on a long
run, or moments mid-race after the high of a
checkpoint has worn o, its 15 kilometres to
the next and I know I simply have to grind it
out to get through.
But a few weeks ago I had a case of the
ultrarunning borings, as Id like to coin the
term, at its absolute best. What I really mean
is, at its most drearingly, ho-hum painful - and
Im not talking about a blister the size of a 50
cent coin festering under the ball of your foot.
I guess its what mice on a treadmill must feel
like, if they had a brain. But I digress.
After a quiet summer (you may recall my post
about bludging for two months to try and get
injuries back on track and rediscovering my
passion), I put together a training regime and
locked focus on some upcoming goals. (One
of them was the Inaugural Vietnam Mountain
Marathon, featured on page 96). Now, Im not
a fan of running uber-long distances week
in, week out (I believe in quality training and
avoiding burnout), but at the end of the day, in
this sport you need time on feet if youre going
to run some of the long ones. Theres no other
way around it.
So one grizzly, overcast Sunday morning
at far-too-early oclock I set o for my long
Sunday run: four hours of grind on super
slow boring speed. I stepped outside my
door and instantly I wanted to turn back,
but discipline and a stubborn drive towards
improving my PB drove me forward. I plugged
in the iPod and hoped for the best. After thirty
minutes on slow burn, the rain set in. While it
seems totally rational to run in the rain during
a race, a long training run in the rain isnt
so compelling. I turned up my music louder
and tried to comfort myself with the happy
thought that this was good for me. My brain
refused to cooperate. Boredoutofmybrain.
Neverthless, I trudged on.
At the two-hour mark I ran into a friend,
none other than famed ultrarunner Kami
Semick, and I couldnt help but blurt out: Im
so bored.
Her response?
I just did a 100 kilometre training run last
weekend.
I gulped. In the depths of my ultrarunning-
borings state, I couldnt think of anything worse.
But then she regaled me with stories of getting
lost on the myriad of trails around her beautiful
hometown of Bend, Oregon. I mean, who
wouldnt want to run for 100 kilometres willy
nilly there? My run, meanwhile was on some great
Hong Kong trails, but they were soggy, and with
the pollution and rain the sights werent anything
to write home about. Note to self.
Somewhere and somehow I mustered up the
will to continue and nished my run. I was too
bored to even acknowledge my achievement
and grunted out a sigh of relief before slowing
to a walk. It wasnt until a good hour or so
later, after a shower, some warm clothes and a
good feed, that I was ready to shake the blues
and go on with the rest of my Sunday.
As I steeped out the door, the clouds parted
and the sun tickled my face. I found myself
smiling and soon forgot about my case of
ultrarunning borings. Out of nowhere, that
tingly, warm fuzzy feeling of achievement
spread through me. I kept going when I wanted
to quit today, ran on repeat through my head.
And then it hit me - number 3677 reason why
ultra running teaches you everything you need
to learn in life. Lets be honest, sometimes life
throws us an unexpected curveball and were
force to buckle down and get on with it, even
though wed much rather be doing something
else. Like Scott Jurek says in Eat & Run,
Sometimes you just do things. Sometimes you
have to grind through the hard points. If youre
in this game long enough, youre bound to have
the failures and the disappointments and how
you deal with them denes your success as
much as the podium nishes. Rell your water
bottle, plug in the tunes and soldier on: the
summit is yet to come.
Your student of the ultra life editor,
Rachel Jacqueline
ULTRA BORING?
ULTRA BORING?
Running ultras can take you to the highest
of highs, both literally and figuratively, as
you journey over high peaks and discover the
depths of what is possible. But it can take
you to some pretty dark places too.
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You can get it to scrunch to a cricketball
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Against the elements, it works a treat
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run light, but not sure what the weather
is doing.This puppy most denitely does
what it name suggests.
THIS IS THE VEST that Jez Bragg
used to hydrate his way through the
length of New Zealand on his Te
Araroa run. Its a nifty bit of kit that
has been designed to a high standard
that most certainly takes the quality
and comfort challenge to the other
venerated run packs on market the
likes oered by Salomon, Ultimate
Direction and UltrAspire. Lightweight
(325gm) its chassis is a super breathable
and uber comfortable vest that takes
a bib-approach. That is, two shoulder
straps hang down, aring out into the
front pockets area, while on the back
hangs the main bag. The sides are
non-existent bar two straps to adjust
the formation snugly around. The front
of the vest benets from two lines of
ribbing running down the inner chest
- giving it structure and weight bearing
where needed. The rest of the vest is
soft, mesh material that conforms to
pretty much any body shape. There are
pockets a-plenty. On the front a velcro
enclosed compartment (on each front
strap), with an open-top stretch pocket
behind it. Further up the shoulders
drawstring compartments can be
used for slimline bottles while stretch
pockets on their outer are perfect for
gels and discarded wrappers. There
really is a plethora of quick access
storage up front, perfect for lugging
lots of carbs, maps, tech and hydro. On
the rear there are nearly too many more
pocket options: two small zip pockets,
a larger stretch hold-all for quick grab
wet or warm gear, and yet another
large zip pocket up top. Thats just the
exterior cargo bays. Then theres the
main good-sized compartment with
four sections, one zipped. Here is the
only downfall of this bag: while the
velcro tab holds the hydro bag up, the
pocket beneath isnt deep enough for
a decent bladder. So it ends up sitting
in the main compartment and does
get a bit of a wobble on if not held in
place by other stowed gear. It needs an
internal strap to compress the bladder
and stop the slosh. The loops on the
exterior to hold trail poles are great for
ultras, too, as is built-in whistle and
front click in straps (easy use). A great
bag for long day runs and ultras where
you are going lightweight.
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training run (or even slightly more on a
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are comfy in the hand and easy to access,
and having two means you are balanced
and can split the juice between water and
electro fort variety. Ensure you whack the
elastic over the bottle top lest one falls
out on a super jumpy downhill section (it
happened to me), and remember to close
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your rear end (it happened to me). But if
you get the set up right, this is a perfect
lightweight, just the basics run belt.
Theres a stretch pocket that will squash
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change for the Piccolo en route. This has
become the go to for the midday tenner
whirl on local trails.
SOCKS ARE JUST SOCKS, right? Nup.
I can tell you from experience that
some give you welter blisters. Others
run you hot. Of course, peoples feet are
as individual as childhood memories,
and not one sock will suit all. Some
socks that others swear black and
blue by, Ive sworn black and blue at
for giving me blisters. Or rather, the
combination of the sock and shoe
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blame. Mund are socks that are most
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expeditionequipment.com.au
mundsocks.com

Mountain, Cordura for extra durability.
The Coolmax is the heart of both socks
(if socks have hearts): a high-tech fabric
that uses four channels bre with a
wide surface area: wicks away the sweat
apparently. Whatever the combination
of fabrics, weave and shape on the
Munds, I reckon they are crackers.
Christmas, Fathers Day, Mothers Day:
lets face it, socks these days are no
longer the little cheap present on the
side: they are both a serious investment
dollars-wise, but for the runner, worth
every cent from about kilometre ten
onward. Good news is, Munds arent
the most expensive on the block. But
they are up there with the best.
SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2014
MOTUTAPU & RANGITOTO ISLANDS
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Seven EVENT OPTIONS

42.2KM MARATHON 21.1KM HALF MARATHON
10KM RUN / WALK 6KM RUN / WALK
45KM MOUNTAIN BIKE 30KM MOUNTAIN BIKE
OFF-ROAD TRIATHLON (SWIM / MTB / RUN)
ENTER AT www.thedual.co.nz
18
Ay Up Head
Torch Kit HT13
Ay Up Head
Torch Kit HT13
AY UPS LOOK like serious bits of
kit because they are. Anyone on trail
(running or riding) knows that these
are the lamps lighting the way in more
ways than one. Where most head lamps
sold to the running crowd are oshoot
tangents of the camping scene (and so by
default often too heavy, to cumbersome
or forward weighted), Ay Ups have been
expressly designed for intensive, fast
paced activity, where users are moving
at speed through the dark in wilderness
situations and where comfort on head
while bobbing around, ducking branches,
is paramount. Ergo, no wonder Ay Ups
are regarded as the best ame for your
trail running noggin. They have been on
market for a while in the form of Run
Specic and Ultra Lite Kits, however here
we have a new set up that has improved
once again in terms of comfort, longevity
and are value. One of the problems for
ultra runners in the early models was a
barely 3hr light life - but this has been
well and truly beefed up! Ultra runners
will now take note of the incredible
8+hrs of light power ooding from the
dual LEDs. The light pattern is broad
and even, reaching out into the night to
show up contours and dene those roots
and branches and undulations looking
to knock you o your running stride.
There is a new Multi Mode Battery with
3 light levels (100%, 50% and 25%), a ash
option and a fuel gauge. Comfort - which
I reckon was already top end has been
improved by a specic light harness with
comfortable padded, air mesh vented rear
battery holder. There are also two large
rear reective panels for extra safety. The
unit is still lightweight - only 260 Grams
- and once on the head and adjusted,
you tend to fogey about it (and indeed,
sometimes you forget its night time such
is the brilliance of the lightthe poor
roos). For the techies, the dual beam
light oers up 700+ Lumen Light. Thats
enough for one user, up on a mountain,
to accidentally ag down a passing
airliner ying above, the pilot wondering
if the light was a distress signal, and
sending in the local troopers. Yep, these
things are bright alright.
VITALS
$231
ayup-lights.com
V-Fuel
good fat - important they argue for
that 71st mile (VFuel is the only gel to
contain fat). The MTCis interesting: it
actually gets metabolised more as energy
than as fat, it goes straight to the liver
and used immediately as a quick energy
source. It also does not require energy
for absorption, utilisation, or storage,
while, at the same time, being a dense
source of calories. Aperfect marriage
for the endurance athlete. Each of the
other components listed have their own
benets, the unique concoction making
this a gel very dierent to anything Ive
tried prior. The natural ingredient
approach gels with my sensibilities, too.
But to the important factor: howeasy
is it to get down? Actually pretty easy.
Ever had a chocolate Yogo (kids custard
like snack)? The chocolate is like a richer
READTHE ingredients list and you
cant decide if youre in the chemists, the
naturopaths or Breaking Bads lab scene:
MCTOil, taurine, Glucuronolactone,
OKG(go on, we dare you to try to say
it: L-ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate),
Citrulline Malate, Magnesiumand
PotassiumAspartate (nowwere back in
familiar territory), sodiumcitrate and
caeine. Nothing is complete without
caeine. Most of you will have skipped
over that list of ingredients, but lets just
say that a lot of study has gone into it,
likely a fewPhDs, and a fair whack of
arguing at sport dieticians conferences.
Its worth reading up on a fewof them
though as the logic behind themseems
sound and I like the fact that MCTOil
is simply coconut oil with all the bad
stu removed. Left behind is still the
version, same consistency. Its pretty
good. And for someone who shies from
vanilla, even that avour went a treat on
a long run. Peach Cobbler? Well, that one
was my least favourite, but then I dont
like peach. V is for victory, in the long
run, we say.
VITALS
$3.60 NZ each
$20 NZ sampler six pack
backcountryrunner.co.nz
vfuel.com

20
Fundraising for the Born to Run Foundation
supporting Type 1 Diabetes Research
Much more than a run ...
enjoy SYDNEYS best trails
all meals provided
hot showers & camping
great campsite entertainment
& camaraderie
Be part of this fantastic
new event!
LIMITED SPACES
Register now
www.trailfest.com.au
24 to 27 April 2014
AUSTRALIAS FIRST
100KM STAGE RACE
PHOTOGRAPHY: courtesy Rapid Ascent
EVENT PREVIEW
RAIDING THE CREEK
FALLS CREEK
victoria, AU
T
WO COURSES FORM PART
OF THE INAUGURAL FALLS
CREEK MOUNTAIN RAID
ON 15 AND 16 FEBRUARY 2014,
AT FALLS CREEK, VICTORIA.
THE FULL EVENT IS A FULL-
ON ADVENTURE RACE, BUT
FOR THOSE NOT WANTING
TO PARTAKE IN MOUNTAIN
BIKING, PADDLING AND
NAVIGATION, THERE ARE TWO
STRAIGHT TRAIL RUNS ON
OFFER.
The 8km and 14km courses make
best use of the spectacular alpine
trails and lofty mountain summits
of Falls Creek. Both courses feature
a owing mix of single and double
track, with short sections of 2WD
dirt road; past old snow gums and
wild owers, and beside bubbling
streams. The terrain of Falls Creek
and the Bogong High Plains
includes plenty of rock with the
trails deemed moderately technical
where youll need to watch where
you put your feet.
A couple of decent hills are also
throw in to keep thighs and lungs
pumping hard. Equally so, there
are a handful of steep descents that
will require concentration to avoid
getting up-close and personal with
a snow gum.
A beautiful place to run: no
wonder some of Australias top
runners including Steve Moneghetti
and Craig Mottram are often seen
blazing the trails here.
EVENT Mountain Raid Trail Runs
Date 16 February, 2014
ONLI NE
PURE JOY
AMBIT2 S WHITE
THE GPS FOR ATHLETES.
The stylish Suunto Ambit2 S White comes with a soft,
elastic strap for greater comfort on smaller wrists.
The Suunto Ambit2 S is designed to fuel your passion
for sports. Latest GPS in a light and sleek design with
advanced features for running, biking, swimming and
more. Thousands of Suunto Apps available to add new
features to your watch. Perform at your absolute best
every time, everywhere.
Find your Ambit2 S at www.suunto.com
22
EVENT PREVIEW
DUAL EFFORT
Hauraki Gulf islands,
NORTH ISLAND, NZ
H
ERES AN EVENT THAT
GIVES YOU SPECIAL
SPORTING ACCESS TO A
COUPLE OF STUNNER ISLANDS
TO TEAR TRAILS UP ON.
The Hauraki Gulf islands of
Motutapu and Rangitoto are
favourite day trip for Aucklanders
and impressive in their volcanic
youth (Rangitoto only rose from
the sea 600 years ago and is the
youngest and biggest volcano in the
Auckland volcanic eld).
Its on the two islands joined
by a WW2 causeway that the
Partners Life DUAL oers its
weighty line-up of dirty fun, both
of the running and riding kind.
On roster are trail runs and walks
of 6 and 10km, half marathon
and marathon distance trail runs,
mountain bike-only options (30km
and 45km) and a full on o-road
triathlon.
Its fair to say youll see a better
slice of both islands if you take
on one of the longer options, the
marathon being the pick of the
bunch as it takes in Rangitoto
Peak and a few dierent loops on
Motutapu. The Half teases, running
a ring around the 260m cone, while
the run/walks stay on Motutapu.
The o road triathlon (1km ocean
swim, 30km MTB, 10km run) punts
you all the way to the western shore
of Rangitoto.
All events have you weaving
around WW2 bunkers, tunnels and
gun emplacements, and feature
spectacular views of the city and
Hauraki Gulf. Those who run up
iconic Rangitoto should eye out for
the lava caves and views from the
top across to the rugged horizons
of the Waitakere Ranges in the west
and Hunua Ranges in the east.
Given the protected status of
these two island reserves, entry
numbers are limited, so make sure
you get your Partners Life DUAL
entry in early.
EVENT Partners Life DUAL
Motutapu & Rangitoto Islands,
Auckland, New Zealand
DATE 22 March, 2014
ONLI NE
HELIOS
24
PHOTOGRAPHY: courtesy Trailfest Sydney
EVENT PREVIEW
SYDNEY TRAILFEST
sydney
NSW, AU
T
AKING PLACE ACROSS THE
ANZAC DAY WEEKEND, 24-
27 APRIL 2014, AUSTRALIAS
FIRST 100KM MULTI-DAY
STAGE TRAIL RUNNING
AND TREKKING FESTIVAL,
TRAILFEST SYDNEY, LOOKS
TO BREAK THE MOULD OF
ORGANISED TRAIL OUTINGS IN
AUSTRALIA.
Its peri-urban but trails through
bush corridors. Theres no kill-
you distances. The food will be
good. The socialising equally so.
The camp will be in one spot. Its
dierent.
Exploring spectacular National
Park trails on Sydneys North Shore
and Northern Beaches, this three-
day event will take runners through
the scenic trails of Manly Dam,
St Ives, Roseville, Belrose, Duys
Forest and Bobbin Head, rewarding
with views of Bantry Bay, Middle
Harbour, Cowan Creek and Broken
Bay.
Returning each night to
camp under the stars at St Ives
Showground, runners will view
the days action on a big screen.
An Anzac Day Dawn Service will
also screen live in the campsite and
there will be daily motivational
guest speakers. Its a cross between
a training camp, a competitive
run and a celebration of all things
singletrack.
Launched by the team behind
the Big Red Run ultra-marathon,
Trailfest Sydney will fundraise for
the Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation (JDRF) through the
Born To Run Foundation, a charity
founded by amateur runner and
Trailfest founder Greg Donovan,
whose son Stephen was diagnosed
with the potentially fatal type 1
juvenile diabetes at age 14.
Trailfest participants are not
required to fundraise, but if they
do they will be entitled to entry fee
rebates as they reach fundraising
milestones.
EVENT Trailfest Sydney
DATE 24-27 April 2014
Northburn video
SCAN or CLICK to WATCH
100miles
8000m VERTICAL GAIN
+ 100km + 50km
+ 21km half marathon
+ 5-10km night run
+ 1.5km kids fun run

22-23 MARCH
2013
OTAGO, NEW ZEALAND
RACE
SURVIVE
IT
YOU DONT
IT
YOU
WWW.NORTHBURN100.CO.NZ
ONLI NE
26
PHOTOGRAPHY: courtesy ActiveQT
EVENT PREVIEW
SHOTOVER MOONLIGHT
QUEENSTOWN,
STH ISLAND, NZ
A
sk anyone why the Shotover
Moonlight Marathon is quickly
becoming an iconic NZ o-
road event, and they will most likely
answer: unbelievably stunning
OMG scenery, and great
southern hospitality. Just a short
drive from Queenstown, the race
that has been described as a whole
lot of magic is held entirely on
private land that is only accessible
on race day, when participants
are given a warm welcome from
event director Adrian Bailey, and
landowners John and Ginny Foster.
Despite gobsmacking views to
take your mind o the pain, this
race is not for the fainthearted
with approximately 2,000 metres
of elevation over the marathon
distance (21.1km, 10km and 5km
options are also available). This is a
veritable trail running smorgasbord:
expect to encounter beech forest,
river crossings, overgrown water
races (a hangover from goldmining
days), farm roads, rutted stock
tracks, tussock, valley oors, rocky
ridges, mountainous climbs and
treacherous descents as you traverse
Ben Lomond High Country Station
from the Shotover River to Moke
Lake. And if you fall/you die ridge
running isnt enough adrenalin for
you, then add some style of your
own: stay at Ben Lomond lodge and
helicopter to the start line!
EVENT Shotover Moonlight
Marathon
DATE 22 February 2014
ONLI NE
28 29
PHOTOGRAPHY: courtesy Total Sport
EVENT PREVIEW
COASTAL CHALLENGE
Whangaparaoa,
new zealand
T
HERE ARE LONG
RACES. GNARLY RACES.
MASOCHISTIC RACES.
BUT AS FAR AS CRAZY RACES
GO THE NORTH SHORE
COASTAL CHALLENGE TAKES
THE CAKE. STANDING ON
THE SAND AT ARKLES BAY,
WHANGAPARAOA, THE RACE
BRIEFING SIMPLY INSTRUCTS:
KEEP THE SEA ON YOUR LEFT
AT ALL TIMES... UNTIL YOU
REACH DEVONPORT SOME
33KM LATER.
Now in its 12th year, urban legend
has it that the event was started
by a bunch of friends who decided
to run to a barbeque, carrying
their sausages. These days, food is
available at the nish line for those
brave enough to take on either the
Full Monty, or one of the shorter
distance options 6k, 11k, 17k or
22km. The longer distance options
include two estuary-mouth swims
which vary in length according to
the tide on the day it is wise to
train and prepare for these!
One wonders whether the
Coastal Challenge can actually
be called a trail run, since much
of the journey involves creeping
along ledges, clinging to cli
faces, hopping nimbly over pine
branches and monkey-walking
around submerged boulders. And
just when you think you cant take
any more of that kind of crazy, you
round a headland and spill out onto
another picture-postcard beach.
With luck you will nd the hard
seam of sand, and with even more
luck this particular bay may contain
an aid station, buoying you up for
the next scramble. You will laugh,
curse, cry, and in all probability,
injure yourself. But trust me - as
the tide roars and thunders around
you, and rogue pebbles bounce from
the sea clis towering overhead...
this is the MOST FUNyou will have
in an o-road event!

EVENT North Shore Coastal
Challenge
DATE 1 March 2014
ONLI NE
MARATHON + HALF MARATHON
12KM DAY RUN + 12KM NIGHT RUN
1.5KM FREE MOUNTAIN DOWNHILL & UPHILL
3KM FUN & KIDS RUN NUTRITION & TECHNIQUE SEMINARS
8-10 MARCH 2014
ACCOMMODATI ON DEALS AVAI LABLE
WWW.TRAILRUNFESTIVAL.COM.AU
K
I
N
G

&

Q
U
E
E
N
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F

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H
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M
O
U
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T
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I
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W
I
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$
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REGI STER ONLI NE NOW!
30
EDSWORD
FEATURE
story: gary Dagg
illustration: Jordan cole
Sword of
Sword of
Damocles
Damocles
NOT
THAT IM AN OLD
MAN, BUT I ENVY THE
LIGHTNESS OF YOUTH.
WATCHING A YOUNG
RUNNER, LIGHT IN BODY AND BURDEN
DRIFTING OVER OBSTACLES, AGILELY
DIVING INTO SWITCHBACKS AND
FLOATING OVER THE GROUND YOU ARE
REMINDED OF THE MAXIM; THERE ARE
TWO TYPES OF RUNNERS, THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN INJURED, AND THOSE SOON
TO BE INJURED.
Youth who have not tasted the angst of
an overuse injury pace without concern,
unknowing of the pangs of pain and
withdrawal that can spring from one step
too many. Once you have been through the
stages of grieving of dealing with an injury;
from denial to disbelief, through anger and
eventually acceptance and recovery, every run
and footstep is forever marked. Can you really
run freely again? Minimalists argue that you
can, but really there is more to it than simply
casting aside your shoes.
The Ancients, as is custom, had a far better
way of explaining this. The Sword of Damocles
is told by the Roman philosopher Cicero about
the desires of Damocles to have the lappings of
luxury that his tyrannical leader has. So he is
given such comforts and is housed on an ornate
throne with a bevy of waiters and all the food
and goods he requires. His needs are beyond
sated and every want he could possibly imagine
is catered for, a nirvana for the non-meditator.
As a catch though, in a message that
happiness always hangs on tenterhooks, a
sharpened sword hangs at the mans neck, held
up only by a horses hair. Any hint of excess,
joyous movement or carelessness could plunge
the sword onto his throat, belying the storys
message of the transitory nature of life, the
fragility of existence, and the dangers of excess.
The Sword of Damocles reminds us that the
higher our pleasures and there can be few
higher than itting through wilderness along
singletrack the more there is to lose. The
price, according to Cicero, of having sought out
pleasure is living with fear and anxiety.
While the Greeks and Romans threw up
many a worthy tale, perhaps none serve
the wounded trail runner better. Once
plantar fasciitis, ITB syndrome, runners
knee, tendonitis or any of the litany of over
indulgence complaints of the long distance
runner are up, seeds of doubt germinate
and ferment in the running mind. Niggles
can cast clouds over the lightest of outings
while the fatigue of a long run throws up a
litany of complaints long enough to send
a hypochondriac to the doctors chair. Or
should it be the psychiatrists? The prevalence
of psychosomatic overuse injuries is a little
explored area of medicine, but no doubt
prevalent. Perhaps Damocles sword is not a
physical one but a metaphysical one, as the
high numbers of A-type personalities that tend
to run long distances on trails are also the ones
who suer from undiagnosable maladies that
physicians and wizened Chinese practitioners
prescribe to the mind.
But back to the matter of marrow and
ligament.
Once having gone through that painful
hobble home, many runners move next to
the stage of denial, the running addiction
too strong to lay aside for any recovery. That
process of just running through it can snap the
horses hair in two, bringing the sword down
into the stage of anger and self-retribution. Or
does it? Many running doctors believe most
running injuries can only be cured by keeping
on running and in Tim Noakes legendary book,
The Lore of Running, he states that, barring
stress fractures and injuries that physically
prevent you from running any suggestion to
stop running should be met with doubt.
Perhaps you should, perhaps you shouldnt,
but any long process of recovery leaves mental
scars normally deeper than any physical ones.
>>
32 33
SWORD OF DAMOCLES FEATURE
Once that part of the body ares up again, even
in later years, the mind starts to wander further
down that road towards the Damoclean sword
plunging towards you.
Minimalist running has been perceived by
some as a panacea, a way of ridding yourself
of the sword above you. It is not. Minimal
running is a way of running better, with better
technique and in a more mindful way, but it
is not a guarantee against injury. It will not
ward o overuse any more than it will ward o
irate dogs or chang. But used well, minimal
running will oer you a far gentler way of
running and will certainly oer you a form of
early warning against injury.
The appeal of barefoot and minimal running
is that Damocles sword hangs above your head
not by a thread but by a rope. Running with bad
technique cannot be supported. Any frailties
in your technique will lead to pain that should
be a warning signal to either stop running or
change your technique.
At the heart of most overuse injuries
lies overstriding, poor core stability and an
unbalanced stride pattern, and just a mile
without shoes will let you know all about that.
If running barefoot on a hard surface for ten
minutes hurts, then you have not only lost the
joy of being human, you have lost the ability to
track your own body. If you ignore these signs,
are addicted to running or see pain in the body
as a weakness, minimal running wont stop the
sword dropping down somewhere on those legs
of yours. But if you listen right, treat your body
rmly but fairly, then running light and easy
will keep the Sword of Damocles up above you,
where it belongs.
Garry Dagg is Trail Run Mags resident
barefoot/minimalist sage, writing on issues,
opinions, styles and techniques of barefoot/
minimalist running and pretty much whatever
he damn well pleases. We love his work so we let
himand his words roamfree, as is his want and
right. Any queries for Garry, ing themthrough
on info@trailrunmag.comor Facebook themat
www.facebook.com/trailrunmag.
<<
IF RUNNING BAREFOOT ON
A HARD SURFACE FOR TEN
MINUTES HURTS, THEN YOU
HAVE NOT ONLY LOST THE
JOY OF BEING HUMAN, YOU
HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO
TRACK YOUR OWN BODY.
34
NEW ZEALANDER
JULIAN BEE
S
CHALLENGE TO RUN
ALL NINE OF HIS
NATION
S GREAT
WALKS HAS SET
HIM ON A JOURNEY
OF UNEXPECTED
PERSONAL GROWTH.
36 37
INNERVIEW
JULIAN BEE
WORDS: Vicki Woolley IMAGES: Shaun Collins, Cabbage Tree Photography
WHAT
HAPPENED?
HE RECOUNTS A HORRIFIC TALE OF
AVALANCHES, TRAILS LOST AT HIGH
ALTITUDE AND NECK-DEEP SNOW.
But Im getting ahead of myself.
It all started on a ight from Wellington to
Auckland in March 2013. 35 year-old Julian
Bee husband, father of two, IT Manager
and ordinary man glanced idly through the
inight magazine. It had a feature on New
Zealands nine Great Walks for which Julian
had developed a vague interest.
It had just occurred to Julian to attempt
running the nine Great Walks when: My
brain smashed me on about fteen dierent
fronts: make it a fundraiser; do it for Cure
Kids; do it to inspire others; youve always
wanted to run ultras! Make it a mission, make
it massive...OMG!
Back in his hotel room that night a plan
was conceived: to raise funds and awareness
for Cure Kids by running New Zealands nine
Great Walks: Rakiura, Routeburn, Tongariro,
Waikaremoana, Whanganui, Milford, Kepler,
Abel Tasman and Heaphy.
Julian excitedly messaged a friend. Minutes
later a message came back: Julian. You do
realise one of the nine Great Walks is a river?
The entire challenge hung in the balance for
a few agonising moments as Julian desperately
brought up the Whanganui map. He found
what he was looking for a section of trail
running alongside the river - and messaged
his friend back: I WILL nd a way to do it.
Game On.
From the outset Julian realised he would
be pushing himself and his family beyond the
comfort zone on many levels.
Ive long been inspired by tales of ordinary
folks doing extraordinary things, but there
was always something about their exploits
that I didnt connect with. In almost every
case, their crazy goals became full-time
commitments, which to an ordinary bloke
with a job I couldnt leave, made me think I
could never set such lofty goals. So in setting
myself this goal, Im hoping to demonstrate
that you can still set, and achieve, big gnarly
goals even though youve got the job/house/
wife/kids-box-set.
Wife Fiona agrees.
I never had doubts about his running
abilities, but I had concerns about his
administration and marketing skills. Not only
is he a bit of an introvert, but with a full-
time job, young family, and a property which
demands regular maintenance, the time factor
was massive.
So why Cure Kids? Although Julian thanks
his lucky stars that he has no personal
experience to link him to the child health
research foundation, he is quietly passionate
about the relationship he has built with
them over the last two years. Cure Kids
cover a broad range of research topics
with wide ranging benefits, and as their
research focuses on finding cures rather than
palliative care, they fit my more pragmatic
approach to the world.
They work with you to fundraise, they
dont just turn up at the end and take the
cheque, so you feel part of the Cure Kids
family - not just someone that lls some
collection buckets and goes home.
Fast forward six months and after a
whirlwind of publicising, fundraising,
organising and training, Julian is one-and-a-
half challenges down when I check in with
him. How is it going?
He shakes his head, then nods... the learning
curve is steep and, at times, scary. The rst
Great Run was the 32km Rakiura Trail on
Stewart Island. It went well, Julian thinks, but
getting separated from his running buddy
taught him a lot about the responsibility of
engaging others in his challenge, particularly
running partners. He muses: This is more
than just me and a few mates going for a run.
If something were to go badly wrong, it could
>>
THE FIRST QUESTION I ASK JULIAN BEE IS:
WHAT
HAPPENED?
38 39
INNERVIEW
JULIAN BEE
THE GREAT NINE
JULIANIS RUNNINGTHE GREAT
WALKS INORDEROF SHORTESTTO
LONGEST, TOENABLE HIMTOWORK
UPTHROUGHTHE DISTANCES INASAFE
ANDSENSIBLE WAY.
HERES THE ROUGHDATES
AS ATCURRENTPLAN:
October 2013 Rakiura (32km) and
Routeburn (32km)
November 2013 Tongariro Northern
Circuit (43km) and Waikaremoana
(46km)
December 22nd 2013 [longest day of
the year] Whanganui River (145km,
40km run)
January 2014 Milford Track (53km)
February 2014 Kepler Track (60km)
March 2014 Abel Tasman (54km)
April 2014 Heaphy Track (78km)
CHECK OUT THE RUNS
When he is here he is able
to spend quality time as
a focussed, fit, joyful
dad and husband. He has
definitely found his mojo.
40 41
INNERVIEW
JULIAN BEE
seriously damage Cure Kids public image.
Routeburn was aborted halfway through
in atrocious weather conditions, but taught
him a lot about honouring the environment
and the challenge, and listening to gut feel.
It turns out the part about neck-deep snow
and getting horribly lost actually happened to
another guy, an Australian solo tramper Julian
met near Earland Falls.
Julian recounts: I looked into his eyes
and saw real fear, and utter exhaustion. It
took the guy six hours just to cross Harris
Saddle after losing the trail in a whiteout.
He kept falling in pockets of snow at one
time he was neck-deep and had nothing to
dig himself out with. He was so desperate to
reach shelter that when he saw the hut was
on the other side of the lake, he seriously
considered swimming across, a sure-fire
hypothermia recipe.
By the time Julian reached McKenzie Hut
the snow had settled enough to obscure the
ground surface, compromising his footing
and he had plenty of time to consider the
conditions he would most certainly encounter
higher up the mountain. After a brief moment
of introspection in one of the most beautiful
places I have ever seen, Julian wisely but
ruefully turned back.
Does that mean Routeburn is scratched?
The reply is emphatic: NO. The Great Runs
Challenge IS the Great Runs. Its not over
until they have all been completed.
Talk inevitably strays to family, and work,
and how HOW does he get the work/
family/training balance right?
Ha! Impossible. On a given week I get two
out of three about right, and its anyones
guess on a given week which one wont
make the cut. I try and make the most of my
lunchbreaks or early mornings for training,
and trade a great many breakfasts in bed for
my wife for weekend training runs for me.
I ask Fiona about the impact Great Runs is
having on family life.
Julian had a wife and two kids, nice house,
good job... but was treading water for some
time. Something was missing.
She continues: So while the kids and I
see him a little less [during the Great Runs
challenge], when he is here he is able to spend
quality time as a focussed, t, joyful dad and
husband. He has denitely found his mojo.
Fiona and the children, Lara (5) and Oscar
(3), will have to be patient a little longer: six
months of enduring a part-time husband
and father await them as the Great Runs
Challenge takes on a life of its own. Already
Julian has to find time for radio interviews,
photo shoots and speaking engagements
such as addressing guests at the infamous
Stewart Island Quiz Night. Complete
strangers Bruce and Sue Ford mobilised
almost the entire island for the Rakiura leg of
the challenge. Far from being daunted, Julian
enthuses: Its one thing having a crazy idea
that energises you and drives you forward,
but the feeling you get when you explain
your idea to someone and it energises them
enough to want to help and move the thing
forward on their own - its electrifying!.
He encourages other runners to engage the
wider community in their adventures: Get a
sense of how incredibly rewarding it is to add
a charity-avour to your running projects. We
as runners are a really close-knit and giving
community of people, regularly doing things
for others in the community (crewing, pacing,
encouraging, etc), but when you bolt on some
charity endeavour to your running activities,
it just turns everything up to eleven it
gives you one more reason to get out for that
training run, or push that little bit harder on a
tough race leg.
Julian and I share a quiet moment in the
car between photo shoot and training runs,
and I ask if he feels he has changed as a
result of taking on this feat. He thinks for a
moment, then refers me to a quote that he
carries around in his heart, and that, probably
more than anything else, is the inspiration
behind this challenge: Set a goal so big that
you cant achieve it until you grow into the
person who can.
He may be surprised: having recently
celebrated the couples tenth wedding
anniversary, Fiona has this to say: I guess
the one unanticipated occurrence is that I
have found someone who inspires me. It is
so unexpected to see this typical Kiwi bloke;
this quiet, unassuming IT Manager, someone
you thought you knew so well challenge
themselves to the edge of their ability. Sure
I have seen a few flickers of doubt, but he
always comes out fighting. He is relentless,
stubborn and brilliant.
At time of writing, Julian had raised over
$2,000 towards his goal of $20,000 for Cure
Kids, and was about to embark on his third
Great Run, Tongariro.
<<
You can follow Julian on his or WEBSI TE FACEBOOK
Its one thing having
a crazy idea that
energises you...but the
feeling you get when it
energises others - its
electrifying!
42 43
INNERVIEW
JULIAN BEE
EDSWORD
High Tea on the
WESTERN FRONT
IV drips, pack dogs, stomach bugs and lost team
members on big mountains: The ancient Tea and Horse
Trail in Yunnan Province, China, delivered adventure in spades
for The North Face trail expedition athlete, Kami Semick.
WORDS: KAMI SEMICK IMAGES: Courtesy Kami Semick
FEATURE
44 45
MODERN CHINA IS A TALE OF
TWO OPPOSITES. WITH 1.3 BILLION
OF THE 7 BILLION-PLUS GLOBAL
POPULATION, CHINA HOLDS FOUR
OF THE LARGEST TOP TEN CITIES IN
THE WORLD. ALTHOUGH SIMILAR IN
GEOGRAPHIC SIZE TO THE UNITED
STATES, FOR EVERY ONE PERSON IN
THE UNITED STATES, THERE ARE
FOUR AND ONE THIRD PEOPLE
IN CHINA. THE POPULATION
DISTRIBUTION, HOWEVER, IS
SKEWED. NINETY-FIVE PERCENT
OF THE CHINESE POPULATION LIVES
IN THE NORTH-EAST, CENTRAL AND
SOUTH EASTERN AREA OF CHINA.
LEAVING THE WESTERN FRONTIER
REMARKABLY OPEN.
The Western Frontier of China, specically
the north-western region of Yunnan province,
has piqued my curiosity and captured my
heart. Sparsely populated and geographically
isolated because of the demanding terrain,
this Eastern Tibetan region is rich in cultural
heritage and ethnic minorities. It is also where
we, as a team of The North Face athletes, start
our journey of the Tea and Horse Trail.
For more than 1000 years, this trading route
connected west and southwest China with
India via Tibet and Burma. Goods, people and
ideas owed both ways, starting in the Tang
Dynasty (AD 618-907) and reaching a climax
during the Second World War, just a few
years before the trails demise in the 1950s. It
rivaled the Silk Road in terms of its historical
importance to Chinas communications with
the outside world.
Guided only by GPS waypoints, in seven
days we are stringing together bits and pieces
of footpaths, herding trails and painfully
cross country travel, covering 300km
from Dali to Zhongdian. Our route takes us
over high mountain passes, through valleys,
skirting deep gorges, only to then climb the
next mountain pass.
Trail running?
Unfortunately at this very moment, we are
caught in thorn bushes. Our GPS annoyingly
states that we are on the trail, and the next
waypoint is directing us 1600 meters up a thick
mesh of thorn bushes. This is not the rst or
the last time we will pick our way through
thorn bushes, forest draped in thick spider
webs, scrambling up and down steep mountain
sides, where seemingly no trail exists. The only
positive reinforcement being our GPS stating
we are dead on the trail. Even now, many days
on, the small thorns embedded in my palm are
a constant reminder of days on the trail and
representative of the unfolding journey. The
cuts on my legs are healed, the scratches on my
arms no longer visible. But its the small thorns
embedded in my palm that itch and itch.
Trail running in China is a rude awakening
for an ultra running American. Lulled into an
almost comatose state when it comes to route
nding, Westerners are generally accustomed
to a lavish amount of information regarding
trails. Maps, books, and websites are full of
route descriptions. Trails are signed. Except
for Hong Kong, this kind of information is not
available in China. Maps showing terrain and
trails are illegal and having so much as a hand
drawn map, especially in the sensitive Tibetan
region, is reason for imprisonment.
Local knowledge of how to move from
one village to the next, the best route over a
mountain pass, the most efcient way through
a valley, is handed down from generation to
generation. This tacit knowledge has never
been documented or mapped. Even with GPS
waypoints the route changes on a seasonal
basis. Although some parts of the old trail
are well preserved, we nd some sections to
be particularly challenging. The footpaths
shift based upon rain and snow run-o, the
direction a pack of mules or a herd of goats has
ascended or descended over a pass.
Our source of knowledge of this region
>>
M
47
CHINA ADVENTURE RUN FEATURE FEATURE CHINA ADVENTURE RUN
46
sprung from a chance relationship forged
with one of the foremost experts on the Tea
and Horse route. Over a year ago when I
started researching this exploration run, I
came across Ed Jocelyn, an Australian-born
Englishman who has lived in China since 1997.
The stars had somehow aligned to facilitate
our introduction. Me, an exploration runner
looking to map a course through the rugged
terrain of the mountainous region of western
Yunnan/ Eastern Tibet; Ed, a well-respected
China historian looking to preserve this
ancient route. Ed is somewhat of an endurance
legend himself, having retraced the steps of
Mao Zedongs Red Army in what is historically
known as The Long March, a 4000-mile (6500
km) journey, which was the material source for
his book The Long March.
Tea for war horses
South-western Yunnan, with its fertile and
lush low altitude mountains, is the birthplace
of tea in China. Somewhere around the seventh
century, Tibetans started developing a taste
for tea. The Tibetan plateau, with an average
elevation exceeding 5000meters is unsuitable
for growing much at all, tea included.
Chinese tea seemed to ll a gap in the
Tibetan diet, especially with the addition of
yak butter and salt. This concoction provided
stimulation and medicinal properties to help
counter the eects of high altitude living.
Around the same time, the Chinese had a need
for war horses to protect their northern border
from Mongol invasion. Thus a trade began,
Chinese tea for Tibetan war horses. From the
seventh century continuing into the twentieth
century, the Tea and Horse route became a
major trade route between the two regions.
We start our journey due north of the tea
growing region in Yunnan. Because of time
constraints and a desire to tackle the most
demanding terrain, our team is focusing on
a 300km route from Dali, an ancient trading
hub, to Zhongdian, recently renamed Shangri
La by the Chinese government in an eort
to promote tourism in reference to the 1933
James Hilton novel, Lost Horizon. The isolated
villages that dot the valleys and hug the sides of
the gorges represent high altitude agricultural
zones. To the south is the tea growing region,
tobacco in the Dali region, corn through Shaxi
and Lijiang, hemp plots thriving at 3000 meters
near White Water Terraces, and medicinal
herbs in the plateaus around Zhongdian.
Each of these villages represents a dierent
ethnic minority. Because of the roughness
of the terrain, traditionally the tribes in each
village rarely mixed, and have remained
isolated for centuries. Many of these
minorities maintain their own traditional
<<
>>
Knowledge of how to move from one
village to the next, the best route over
a mountain pass, the most efficient way
through a valley, is handed down from
generation to generation.
48
49
The North Face
Tea and Horse
Expedition Team:

Kami Semick: Team Leader,
American runner living in Hong
Kong. 2009 World Champion 100km;
2009 World Trophy Champion 50km;
2010 Vermont 100 mile Champion;
2011 Western States 100 Runner
Up; 2012 Beijing 100km Champion.
2013 Round the Island Champion and
record holder; Winner of numerous
USA National Championship and
Awards.
Nikki Kimball: American Runner
living in Montana. One of the top
100 mile runners in the world; 3
time winner of Western States 100
mile; UTMB Champion; Leadville 100
mile Champion. Winner of numerous
USA National Championship and
Awards.
Xing Ruling: Chinese runner
living in Beijing. 2009 TNF 100
Beijing female Champion; 2010 2nd
Woman TNF 100 Beijing; 2011 2nd
Woman TNF 100 Beijing.
Stone Tsang: Chinese runner
living in Hong Kong. 4 x Overall
Series Champion HKs King Of The
Hills mountain running series ;
1st place Trailwalker 100Km - Hong
Kong; 1st place x 2 and record
holder 65km Round the Island trail
run Hong Kong; 1st place x 4
times and record holder Raleigh
Challenge Wilson Trail 78Km -
Hong Kong; Runner-up Racing the
Planets International Gobi March
250Km China.
Yun Yanqiao: Chinese runner
living in Beijing. 2009, 2010,
2011 Runner up Champion TNF
Beijing 100km; 2009 Singapore TNF
100km Champion.
51 50
dress, customs and food. And, we learn, their
own intestinal bacteria.
Early into our adventure, we landed in a very
isolated village, sweetly named Pear Orchard.
This village is primarily reached by boat across
a lake. Our run took us approximately 70km to
a boat launch. Boarding the boat at sunset, the
team was looking forward to the basics of food
and sleep. Our route out the next morning was
over the high mountains that kept this small
village in almost perpetual darkness in the
wintertime.
Upon reaching the village the generous guest
house proprietor had laid out a feast. Tired and
hungry, we dug in and enjoyed a delicious and
very typical Chinese selection of salted duck
eggs, chicken and sh soup complete with
heads, claws and ns, a huge array of vegetables
prepared many ways, rice and tea. Thoroughly
satised we headed to bed. And then the
bacteria multiplied in our gut.
Some were hit by the trots, others by severe
vomiting. One by one, the soldiers fell. So
early in the adventure, I wondered if we were
going to be sidelined completely. Fortunately,
we had a secret weapon: one of our runners,
Stone Tsang, is a trained paramedic. For those
who could go on, we ran to the next village
where we were able to buy an IV kit and several
bags of saline. Unfortunately, for our patients,
the IV needle itself was more like a toothpick,
something from the 1950s.Through screams of
anguish, not from the gut but from the large
needle, Stone patiently rehydrated those who
were worst o, and got them back on their feet
in 24 hours.
Mans best friend?
Dogs are a rare companion in China. As one
moves easterly across China toward the Pacic
Ocean, dog is more likely to be on the menu
than viewed as a companion. But in Eastern
Tibet dogs are used to guard precious herds of
yak, sheep, and a bison/yak hybrid that dot this
mountainous area. To the invading ultrarunner
passing through these high altitude pastures,
they signify a true threat. Their instinct is to
kill, and dierentiating between the once in a
lifetime runner versus a wolf or a thief, is not a
distinction these dogs stop to ponder.
We heard her screams before we heard the
barks. One of my team mates had slowed her
pace to eat as the team moved across a high
pasture. The dogs seemingly came out of
nowhere. Three had her surrounded. Working
as a pack, they systematically each went in, jaws
snapping closer and closer as she screamed and
swung with her hydration pack. When attacked
like this the only response is to ght back.
Armed with sticks and rocks the team
sprinted back to ght o the dogs. Fortunately,
the herder was also alerted by the commotion
and sprinted across the pasture to call o the
pack. Through this far too close of a call, we
were reminded to run together. These wouldnt
be the last dogs we had to fend o, but we
adapted. Heading across any high pasture with
signs of herding, or through any village, we
formed ourselves into a well armed gang. Sticks
were gathered, measured and tested, rocks
weighted to balance runability with heft. The
team would group together, someone faced in
each direction ready to defend as we descended
into enemy territory.
Finding Shangri-la
Our nal challenge presented itself in the
last miles over a 4500 foot pass that would
drop us into our Shangri-la. Skies in the
early days of the journey had been blue and
bright. Ominously the weather forecast had
<<
We heard her screams before we
heard the barks. The dogs came out
of nowhere... jaws snapping closer
as she screamed and swung her
hydration pack.
52 53

Two trail runs in a spectacular alpine landscape
8km and 14km on mountain trails
Open to runners of all abilities

2-day, 2-stage, navigational adventure race
Teams of 4 racing together
Kayaking, Trail Running, Mountain Biking
(Kayaks and support available for interstate teams)
15-16 FEBRUARY 2014 FALLS CREEK, VICTORIA
www.MountainRaid.com.au
Brought to you by the same folks who organise The Salomon Trail Running Series and The Surf Coast Century. We love trails too!
predicted a change in weather, bringing cold
temperatures and rain at 2500 meters. With
a 4500-meter pass to navigate in the middle
of the wilderness with no real outs, we had to
make a call.
Go up or wait it out. Being the team leader,
I decided we would have to go up and at least
have a look. Although a 5-6 hour run/climb
to the start of the pass, the thinking was we
would see how it looked, and retrace our steps
if necessary. The ascent up the south side was
pleasant enough, despite being a bit damp
and cold. Majestically, autumn had swung her
magic wand, changing the foliage from green
to gold, rust and red. With everyone in good
spirits, we decided to complete the full length
of the pass, and drop down onto the north side.
Instantaneously, once at the high point of
approximately 4500 meters, the pass conditions
changed dramatically. Wind, freezing rain/hail
at times and a complete white out greeted us on
the north side. Navigating the ridgeline on slick
snowwith running shoes and a no fall zone, the
teamworked together for two plus hours to move
to a safe point. Our objective was to navigate to
the top of a scree slope where we would drop
steeply out of the wind and fog into a valley, and
then eventually to our road out. Except we didnt
have everyone with us. At the key point where
we started running down the steep scree slope
to catch a barely visible trail to the west, one of
the teammembers bent down to tie his shoe. At
that exact moment, the fog moved in dropping
visibility to zero. Once the fog lifted, he found
himself alone, not a trace of the teamin sight.
The safety whistles on the hydration packs
work and are highly recommended in this type
of situation. As two of us stayed in place, two
went back to nd the lost runner. Forty-ve
cold and terrifying minutes later, three runners
emerged from the fog.
Running into the new Shangri-la - the
old Zhongdian - 300 km from our start,
approximately 15,000 meters of ascent later,
our bodies displayed a collective story telling
of our journey: all with hundreds of small
cuts on arms and legs, some modifying their
stride to compensate for overused muscles,
others forced to pause because of the intestinal
travelers we carried with us, and another
catching a sleep at GPS waypoint checks.
Enriched by the journey, but glad to be done,
we made our way to the town center, and then
o to the three constants along the trail: a cold
shower, warm food, and a hard bed.
<< Stay tuned to more of Kamis
adventure runs at:
THE NORTH FACE
KAMI SEMI CK
54
CHINA ADVENTURE RUN FEATURE
pain
pain
after
after
Is trail running inextricably linked to deprivation? Can dirt,
sweat (and potentially blood) mix with whitewashed linen
and massage oil? We assign our intrepid correspondent
Tegyn Angel to find out on a trail running mission based
from a resort. Yes. A resort.
WORDS + IMAGES: Tegyn Angel / www.wildplans.com
FEATURE
Pleasure
Pleasure
56 57
...THE AUTHORITIES TELL US, IS A
DIRTY SPORT. SO MUCH SO THAT
WHEN WE RAVE TO OUR FRIENDS AND
FAMILY ABOUT A RACE, HOW FILTHY
AND ROUGH IT WAS RANKS UP THERE
WITH DISTANCE, ELEVATION, TIME
AND ATTRITION RATE AS ONE OF THE
MORE IMPORTANT DETAILS. A GOOD
YEAR IN AUSTRALIAS CULT RACE, THE
GOW100 (GREAT OCEAN WALK 100), IS
DETERMINED BY HOW MUDDY IT IS.
Sure, the soft focus on Salomons Knights in
White try pretty hard to make the sport seem
shiny and glamorous, but videos and posts
of the pros getting pummeled and looking
bedraggled attract more than their fair share of
attention. Footage of Kilian getting slammed
by Mount Kinabalu or a half-frozen Emilie
Forsberg dragging her way up a mountain in
the sleet makes us smile. Part of it is a sense
that their suering makes it more human.
Bigger than that though, we want to be there.
On the o chance running epic distances
through rugged mountains or intense heat
wasnt enough, a drenching rain, blizzard or
sand storm is sure to make the punters happy.
Personally, I feel most alive when Im
bombing a loose technical trail, throwing up
rocks and trying to avoid breaking my neck
on a stray stick, racing the weather and my
lung capacity. Going for a run in the rain or
freezing cold always feels a little more edgy.
I hate the heat and humidity, but swimming
through my own body-shaped pool of sweat
on a tropical run makes me feel that little bit
tougher than I do on a bellbird 25-degree day.
This appreciation of extremes and challenging
conditions is part of what denes trail running
and distinguishes it from road running.
But heres the glossed over postscript: no one
said anything about staying out in the ice and
slush once the run is over. Yes, its actually okay
to go and warm up, take a hot shower, melt
into the safety of a comfortable loungeroom,
treat yourself with some ne food and wine.
Reward is part of the balance equation, isnt it?
There is an apparent dichotomy: smashing
yourself on the trails and relaxing in luxurious,
pampered comfort. They almost seem
antagonistic, as if from dierent worlds. Surely
theres nothing stopping us from replacing
the kilograms we lost to dehydration with a
ne shiraz? Whats to stop us working on our
cramped muscles passively, while lying on a
heated massage bed? Is there some unwritten
law decreeing that words like pamper
and luxury should be expunged from the
vocabulary of trail runners, except where
writing-o road runners?
There isnt. Get over it.
In Ayn Rands epic Atlas Shrugged, the
characters Hank Rearden and Dagny Taggart
are portrayed as champions of the highest
ideals of humanity. In one scene Rearden
and Taggart attend an extravagant saln
party and are juxtaposed with the rest of the
guests, portrayed as aimless and incongruent
moochers. The two are discussing why
they so often loathe the parties they attend.
Parties Taggart suggests, are intended to be
celebrations, and celebrations should be only
for those who have something to celebrate.
She closes by musing that Perhaps were the
only ones who were meant to enjoy them.
Condemning the senselessness of throwing a
party for its own sake.
While itd be ridiculous of me to be as hard-
line as Rand and suggest that celebrations and
indulgence should be reserved only for those
whove slogged out a hard session or earned
it, theres no doubt in my mind whatsoever
that as trail- and ultra-runners we bloody well
deserve an occasional bit of luxury. Far from
feeling guilty or ill-at-ease for enjoying the ner
things in life, Id argue that we should dismiss
this sense of conict as ridiculous.
Trail running continues to experience
massive growth, not only in Australia but
internationally. While its still nowhere
near the popularity of road running, a study
published by the American Trail Running
Association reported that between 2000 and
2012, the number of US trail races rose from
450 to 2667 and race participation jumped from
90,105 to 326,098. As the race calendar gets
more crowded, both with the more traditional
ultra distance events and a newer breed of
short, sharp, fast events, brands like The North
Face, Brooks, Salomon and New Balance
help to bring the sport to a wider audience
>>
TRAIL RUNNING...
smashing
yourself on the
trails and relaxing
in luxurious,
pampered comfort.
58 59
FEATURE TRAIL LUXE
by sponsoring events, media campaigns and
charismatic champions.
With an increase in participation comes
a widening of the participant demographic.
No longer a cult of eccentricity and a subtle
anti-social outlook, the new breed of socially-
networked trail runner spends almost as
much time praising their warm and inspiring
communities as they do discussing shoes and
training strategies. People from all walks of
life, from hand-to-mouth running-bums to
white-collar professionals in Mercedes are
ocking to races around the world.
In what may be one of the only benets
of climate change, ski seasons seem to be
shortening almost as rapidly as trail running
is growing. As mountain resorts lose winter
revenue their focus shifts to increasing the
protability of their green seasons. Alpine
resorts like Novotels Lake Crackenback
Resort and Spa are perfectly positioned to
take advantage of trail runnings growth. By
leveraging their existing accommodation,
catering, transport and marketing
infrastructure, mountain resorts are beginning
to apply the lessons learnt from mountain
biking to trail running. Multi-use trails,
running-specic signage and maps, organised
events and even training workshops by the
pros are starting to pop up around the country
and cater to the needs (and wants) of the full
spectrum of trail runners.
In October, I spent a few nights a Lake
Crackenback, in the NSW High Country, and
took part in the rst of Hanny Alston (Find
Your Feet Coaching) and Brendan Davies (UP
Coaching) Trail Running Camps to be held at
the resort.
Hidden fromthe Alpine Way, driving down
the private road felt like passing into another
world. The steep Alps stare up at you fromthe
lakes surface and beg an opportunity to beat you
into submission. The Thredbo river winds its
way through the property and oers some fast,
owing riverside single track. It will soon reach
all the way to Thredbo, oering some awesome
opportunities for long runs into the high country.
The Resorts spa beckons weary legs while
the ne dining restaurant and caf both
serve a great feed, perfect for recovery and
rehydration after a hard day on the hoof. The
accommodation is well appointed and most
apartments would easily t a family group.
What Crackenback is doing here is in keeping
with what other alpine resorts around the
world are doing in leveraging their oering
for the growing green season market. This
beautifully pairs the rawness of trail running
with a bit of sophistication and luxury. To top
it o, the resort manager is a long-time runner
currently training for 2014 The North Face 100
and his passion is clearly seen in the program
he is curating and the support he has thrown
behind Hanny and Brendan.
As an outdoor guide and instructor, people
often tell me how much they hate cities and
urban spaces. In a former suit-and-ofce-
bound life I regularly had people look at me
dumbfounded when I told them I went into the
wilderness voluntarily. I think true value lies
somewhere in the middle. While the chaos,
claustrophobia and crush of humanity found
in cities fosters in us an appreciation of the
simplicity and stillness of our wild places, the
hardships, brutality and base indierence of
the wilderness tends to do the same for our
appreciation of the convenience, comfort and
security of modern society.
Trail running is no dierent. We put in
the hard yards, tolerate adversity and deny
gratication so we can binge-eat, share a round
with mates and have a good yarn. If we dont
deserve a party then who the hell does?
<<
The Resorts
spa beckons weary
legs while the fine
dining restaurant
and cafE both serve
a great feed
Know more
Tegyn Angel was hosted at Lake Crakenback for
the rst in its series of trail Running Weekend
Packages hosted by pros Brendan Davies and
Hanny Allston. The Resort will put more on in
2014, beginning with its 7-9th February Camp
with a theme of Maximising your potential.
Packages from $360 pp (six share) incl 2 nights
accommodation, breakfast, dinner, Saturday lunch.
Hanny Allston takes to
the trails around Lake
Crackenback Resort
HERE
60 61
TRAIL LUXE FEATURE FEATURE TRAIL LUXE
FEATURE
L
O
R
D
S

O
F

T
H
E

J
U
N
G
L
E
L
O
R
D
S

O
F

T
H
E

J
U
N
G
L
E
BUGS THAT EAT YOU, SWAMPS THAT
SUCK YOU ASUNDER, AGGRIEVED CHEATS
THREATENING VIOLENCE, SNAKES
THAT CAN KILL YOU AND RAZOR SHARP
PLANTS THAT RIP YOU APART: ALL PART
OF THE ADVENTURE THAT IS THE JUNGLE
MARATHON IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON.
W
O
R
D
S
:

L
ie
n

C
h
o
o
n
g

L
u
e
n
IM
A
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S
:

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l
e
x
a
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e
r

B
e
e
r

/

w
w
w
.
a
l
e
x
a
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e
r
b
e
e
r
p
h
o
t
o
g
r
a
p
h
y
.
c
o
m
62 63
GROUP OF RUNNERS MOTOR ALONG AT
A COMFORTABLE PACE WHEN ALL OF A
SUDDEN THE TALL BRAZILIAN AHEAD
HOLDS UP HIS HAND SIGNALING FOR US
TO STOP. HE URGENTLY POINTS TO THE
GROUND. SLITHERING IN THE GRASS
ACROSS THE TRAIL IS A MOVING PARADE
OF RED, YELLOW AND BLACK: THE
MARKINGS OF A HIGHLY VENOMOUS
CORAL SNAKE. HAD WE TRODDEN ON IT,
IT WOULD LIKELY HAVE SUBJECTED US
TO AN INTENSE BITE OF POTENTIALLY
FATAL NEUROTOXINS: YET ANOTHER
REMINDER OF THE BEAUTY AND
DANGER INHERENT IN THE LUSH SEA OF
GREEN SWIMMING WITH LIFE THAT WE
HAVE CHOSEN TO RUN THROUGH.
Death threats, elusive jungle trails, malaria-
carrying mosquitoes, stingrays, caimans,
tarantulas, jaguars, venomous snakes, legions
of stinging and biting insects, debilitating heat
and humidity, razor-sharp plants, multiple
swamp crossings and endless hills all these
and more give credit to CNNbilling the
250km UVU Jungle Marathon as The Worlds
Toughest Race.
Its not like the event hides the fact that
it will be a tough week at the adventure
ofce, either. On the ofcial website (www.
junglemarathon.com), organisers ask potential
entrants:
Can you cope with temperatures of 40
Degrees Celsius? Humidity of 99%?
Primary Jungle with a dense canopy covering
and not a chink of daylight?
Swamp crossings where anacondas lurk?
River crossings with caiman and piranhas
as companions? Insane elevation, often on
slippery, muddy slopes?
Sleeping in deep jungle to the sounds of
jaguar and howler monkeys?
Despite it obviously being no luxury cruise,
the event had always been high on my bucket
list. In 2005, after completing the 250km Gobi
desert ultra-marathon, I was inspired to see the
opposite extreme. Id done the very dry. It was
time to run the very, very wet. As it happened,
work and life conspired to keep me from the
seething Amazon wilderness for another eight
years.
Set deep in the Amazon forest of north-west
Brazil, the format of the event is simple. Shirley
Thompson (a lovely petite lady, but also an
incredibly formidable race director who has
been doing this for almost 10 years) and her
team are responsible only for marking a trail,
providing drinking water at check-points,
oering medical coverage and clearing a camp-
site every night. Everything else competitors
must bring along to survive the 6-stage, 7-day
race: food, clothes (racing and sleeping),
medical kit, hammock, jungle knife and other
emergency items.
Ensuring an optimal trade-o meant endless
rounds of packing before we set o with
plenty of agonising over the number of power
gels and salt tablets to bring along, whether
to jettisoned unimportant and important
equipment and many interminable exchanges
of Does anyone have a spare (insert: safety
pins, anti-malaria tablets, head-lamp, batteries,
wet-wipes).
In such an extreme environment, a missing
piece of gear can have disastrous consequences.
Equally, carrying too much could also blow
things up. In the end, most had packs weighing
>>
A
65
JUNGLE MARATHON FEATURE FEATURE JUNGLE MARATHON
64
between 610kg. Not light at all, especially
when you factored in the weight of the packs
when completely soaked, which they were most
of the time.
Before race start, we had two days to
acclimatise, and to go through training on
understanding the ora and fauna, a factor
perhaps more important here than anywhere
else in the world. In the desert, heat is a passive
killer (the 50+ celcius heat endured in the
Gobi was certainly signicant). In contrast, in
the Amazon everything is actively trying to
put you at the bottom of the food-chain. The
humidity and heat also add an intense toll on
the body and, equally, the mind. Coming from
Singapore, I have spent signicant amount of
time in tropical jungles, in Borneo (Brunei),
as well as in West Malaysia, so I was well-
adapted to the environment. Indeed I found it
strangely familiar and comforting. Not so other
competitors used to more temperate home
climates.
Hammock siting also became a valuable skill.
Occasionally, the tree / sapling our hammock
was attached would suddenly lean over in the
darkness, depositing us unceremoniously on
the ground; or we could be next to the dreaded
snoring bear; or tied in to a tree with highly
toxic caterpillars; or teeming with army ants.
With drills down pat, warnings processed
and gear as sorted as it would ever be, we were
all anxious to get racing. Once running, there
would be no second-guessing and the nervous
energy could nally be put to good use.
On the rst day of the race, I woke at 5am to
a hive of camp activity with headlamps dotting
the darkness as racers started packing away
hammocks, applying lotions to their nether bits
likely to blister, donning on racing gear and
lling water bottles. The tension was palpable.
The rst stage began with a beach start and
then a steep hill climb out of the village. Having
been through this kind of melee previously, I
was measured in take o, wary of the looming
fact that we had 250km of Brazilian jungle to
endure.
The rst checkpoint brought a mandatory
15-minute rest, required for all checkpoints in
the rst two days to reduce the likelihood of
heat injury. Then came the rst of many river-
crossings, a version of which we would face
most days, the only variable being how deep
and what critters lay in them. Our feet would
rarely be dry for the next seven days.
The course also waded through deep, muddy
swamps: not just a shoes need washing mill
ponds, but mudpits reminiscent of Florida
swamps that suck you in and never spit you
out.
Once away from the soft, sucking earth, we
contended with a series of steep hills leg-
burning, lung-busting climbs, the ascent of
which made all the worse by a heavy cloak of
humidity. It was interesting to see who was
stronger on the downs, the ups and the ats
as competitors played leapfrog in the placings,
particular personal strengths allowing one to
surge ahead of another. Coming from the table-
at terrain of my base in Shanghai, where the
nearest hill is more than an hour away, this was
a serious pain-point for me.
Along with the ups came the downs steep
descents that promised sliding and slipping
and the nascent emergence of hot-spots within
shoes full of grit. The conditions of blister-
formation heat, moisture and friction (the
unholy trinity) were present in force, and
would exact a heavy toll as the race progressed.
The rst leg punished, taking more than
four hours. I overheard someone telling Shirley
that a racer from the previous year had scoed
at how easy the rst leg was. I guess this was
delayed payback. The close of day one also
presented the rst heat-casualty, a British
competitor administered IV at the medical tent
and making the tough call to run no further.
The second day began with another swim
across the river (this was turning into a
multisport event). Unfortunately, my big dry
bag was completely non-functional and de-
laminated, so I carried lots of water in my dry-
bag, adding unnecessarily to my burden. The
second day was also scorching hot, resulting in
more competitors crashing out at checkpoints.
<<
>>
66
67
69 68
That nights campsite was nearby a cemetery
appropriate even in these early stages, for
a few runners were already feeling like death
warmed up. One competitor had ve big
blisters on each foot drained and relled with
friars balsam meant to act as a hardening
agent to hold the dead skin in place, like
super-glue. The down side was that it felt like
someone was taking a red-hot poker to his raw
skin. Each time they plunged the needle in he
would scream with a vengeance.
The third day asked us for another 34km,
not a long way for many ultra runners, but in a
jungle, numerical values take on little relevancy
to their counterparts on dry land.
As we ran, we shared the forest with many
creatures. I found out the hard way what
interval training in the jungle was when
the bees and hornets come swarming at you,
it gives a huge jolt and incentive to sprint for
it. Several times in the race we came across
angry bees and had to make a mad dash. It
was bizarre, as I had soaked my clothes in
Permethrin, a strong insect repellent supposed
to be especially toxic to bees, but they did not
receive the scented memo.
For me, as Im, sure many others, an
adventure run like this is also a break from
work, emails, laptops and Powerpoint. An early
day at my day job ends at midnight; a late day
could be anything stretching to a bleary-eyed
4am. So I relished lying in my hammock at
night, listening to the sounds of the jungle
around me and savouring the smell of fresh air.
Day four was a marathon stage, in part
routed down a fast-owing stream that we
swam along a challenging eort with fallen
trees in the way. Clambering over them tiring
and painful each time. By this stage our skin
was so raw and chafed that any slight scrape
was sheer agony. Trying to move fast was
wishful thinking. We did a kilometre or two
slowly, then the fresh fast-owing water
petered out into a swamp, which continued to
a monotonous and excruciating degree. The
second half of the day was a long hot slog on a
dirt road, before coming to a beautiful beach.
Resting up that night and wary of a 2am start
the next morning, we were caught surprised by
the calling of a sudden town hall meeting. One
of the local competitors who had been in rst
place had been caught cheating on a motorbike,
and so disqualied. Irate, and considering a loss
of face, he made threats against the race and
one of the other runners, who was vying for
rst place. Given that our route went past his
village, it was difcult to say what we would do
go on, or retrace our steps or ?
While organisers worried about the rogue
competitor, our concerns were focused on
getting as much rest as possible before the
108km stage essentially, we were only halfway
through the race.
Early next morning the decision was
made we would carry on, with a modied
route entailing a boat ride around the
disqualied competitors village area to avoid
confrontation. This meant that what was
usually a time cut-o (60km in 10 hours) to
prevent people from being in the deep jungle
at night was now a cut-o by place the rst
10 runners to reach the 38km mark would push
o rst, with a 3-hour round-trip between the
launch and drop-o point. I was determined to
make that cut-o, but it would be tough I was
usually around 15th in the pack and would have
to dig deep to make it.
After the rst leg, I got lost in the jungle
and had assumed I was out of contention
when I found out at the rst checkpoint that
I was in 10th position. However, 11th and 12th
placed runners were right behind me with
only another 20km to go. With a long spell
<<
70 71
TRAILRUNNINGTOURSCOMINGSOON. REGISTERYOURINTERESTBYEMAILINGYOURCONTACTTOTOURDETRAILS@GMAIL.COM
EAST TIMOR >> PATAGONIA >> PERU >> JAPAN
>> UNITED KINGDOM >> USA >> LARAPINTA
TASMANIA >> ALPS >> GREAT OCEAN WALK >>
EUROBODALLA >> CAPE TO CAPE >> GRAMPIANS
COMING SOON
IMAGE: MT BULLER, AUSTRALIA / WWW.MARCEAUPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
of running beach, jungle and road ahead, I
summoned all the reserves I had, pounding
a few power gels along the way with a strong
push, and arrived at the check-point within 15-
20 minutes of the front pack, still in tenth.
It felt like catching the last chopper out of
Saigon. The rest of the night was on the beach,
pushing, running and walking. Part of it was
not marked but we were now a team of four: JP,
a Dutch soldier and super t; Krystof, a polish
engineer who had studied in Singapore; and
Jason, a former trader from the US. That night
was unforgettable, as we fought fatigue and
exhaustion moving along the beach, climbing
rocks and trying to nd a path.
Near daybreak, we were making up time
on the front team when we suddenly found
ourselves in a deep swamp in the dark, with
no trail to follow, and no more water. All
our attempts to skirt around the swamp or
follow the road were to no avail. In the end we
resorted to jumping a school bus to the nearest
town (the kids smelled so clean and fresh that
we were embarrassed), then a cab ride back to
our last on route point so that we could run
back to the nish line and complete the leg.
That night was epic. In the end we covered
an extra 30km and what would have been a
super-fast time had us arriving mid-pack.
The nal day covered last 10km along a
scorching beach, with a nal swim taking us
to the nish line. There were a multitude of
injuries in the wash up, from a huge gash that
split open the calf of one racer (he still nished,
including the swamp and swims), to heat and
monster blisters engulng whole feet. As the
race drew to a close, it was a battle of attrition.
Tights were ripped loose on legs, skin scraped
and burnt and everyone suered heat rash.
I counted myself reasonably unscathed
which meant that my whole body was speckled
with blood spots from the heat rash and
completely burnt and cut-up, but nothing more
serious, and unlike many others, my feet were
completely blister free.
After the race ended on a Saturday afternoon,
I was hours later in a plane and transit for
40 hours. When I stepped o the airport in
Shanghai, I had such severe swelling of my lower
legs, they were as big as my thighs and when I
walked, I could feel the uids sloshing around.
Only after four days could I nally see the bones
on my feet, and the veins on my calves.
I landed back in Shanghai on Tuesday at
8.30am and was at a conference in a suit and
tie by 10am. That night, at an ofce event, I
reected how bizarre it was to be back in a
city, wearing black-tie, when I would rather
be asleep in a hammock and shivering in my
shredded race clothes. For all its creature
comforts the workday ofce will never match
the allure of the adventure ofce, even with all
its creatures and decidedly no comfort.
Masochistic side? Enter the 2014
edition of the UVU Jungle Marathon.
Distances offered include: 42km,
122km or 254km.
<<
JUNGLE MARATHON
73
FEATURE JUNGLE MARATHON
EDSWORD
FEATURE
CON
QUEST
OF
PARA
DISE
CON
QUEST
OF
PARA
DISE
LOOKING UP AT
THE SWISS ALPS,
CONSIDERING
ALL THE HISTORY
AND HARDSHIP
THOSE MOUNTAINS
REPRESENT, STEVE
BRYDON COULD
FEEL EVERY CHINK
IN HIS ARMOUR.
HE HAD NOT DONE
THE GROUNDWORK
TO RUN HERE. HE
STOOD THERE WARY
OF THEIR ABILITY
TO HUMILIATE EVEN
THE MOST HIGHLY
TUNED ATHLETE.
HE HAD NOT STUCK
TO THE TRAINING
PLAN. NOT BY A LONG
SHOT. NEVERTHELESS,
HE STEPPED FORTH
TO TAKE UP THE
CHALLENGE THAT IS
THE ULTRA TRAIL DU
MONT BLANC.
74 75
SITTING QUIETLY IN THE LOBBY
OF THE PARK SWISSE HOTEL IN
PLACE DU TRIANGLE DE LAMITI,
CHAMONIX I REALISE IT IS THE FIRST
TIME IN NEARLY A WEEK THAT I AM
COMPLETELY STILL AND RELAXED,
BUT AM I READY? MAYBE IM OVER
THINKING THE SINGLE STEP FROM
THE HOTEL INTO THE SMALL VILLAGE
SQUARE, SO I STAND AND CROSS THE
THRESHOLD SEPARATING COMFORT
FROM CHAOS AND THE RACE DAY
ATMOSPHERE OF THE 2013 ULTRA
TRAIL DU MON BLANC CONSUMES ME.
Although I am walking into a personal
unknown, the facts and course information
about the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc,
Europes premier mountain ultra marathon,
are widely known. Every year in August
more than 2000 elite and amateur athletes
converge on the French alpine village of
Chamonix to run the 100-mile loop around
the mountain passes and valleys of the Mont
Blanc Massif.
I arrive in town with 166 kilometres xed
rmly in my mind and select the hotel closest
to the nish line so as to avoid as many steps
beyond that distance as I can. I am then
mortied to see this years distance set at 168.7
Kilometres, a little over 104 miles. Perfect.
The course, distances, checkpoints,
crowd and finish are all irrelevant now
as I wedge myself deeper into the crowd
of racers and spectators. In the densely
packed martialling area, racers hold spouses
and children for photos, chattering away,
stretching and shuffling. The colour and
calamity of the minutes before race start is
intoxicating. Groups of runners brush past,
some smiling and laughing, most quiet and
anxious, but all wearing the same pensive
look: what lies ahead?
Preferring to focus on preparation, I
dont engage in banter or snap pictures to
celebrate the moment. Im far too nervous,
watching the time clock drain minutes in
what seems like seconds. Music is blaring
and I sense the carnival, but I am detached.
UTMB will be my first tilt at a miler, my
first real mountain race and the culmination
of a very big year. Those thoughts are not
useful in this moment and I quickly discard
them to instead ponder my way through the
emotional final minute.
Like many of the thousands jostling about,
I studied with enthusiasmthe UTMB course
>>
S
76 77
ULTRA TRAIL DU MONT BLANC FEATURE FEATURE ULTRA TRAIL DU MONT BLANC
which snakes through the stunning Haute-Savoie,
Aosta and Western Valais valleys of France, Italy
and Switzerland and under the perennially snow
capped peaks of the Grain Alps.
I also poured over online video vignettes.
Each short clip was always set to a powerful
piece of music, always the same piece, and
it has come to represent my soundtrack
for UTMB. And so once more in that final
minute, Vangelis haunting Conquest
of Paradise punctures my balloon of
adrenalized emotion.
The crowd erupts before quickly falling
silent. The eeriness of standing shoulder-
to-shoulder with thousands of people, yet
feeling so solitary has a prodigious effect.
Registering and training for UTMB was never
about conquering the course or the distance.
But I am about the find out whether I can
conquer my own fears and doubts and in
doing so be amongst the mountains and see
and feel them as the paradise they are.
Clock down to zero, elite runners cross
impatiently under the thick streamer holding
them back and surge through the cobbled
streets of Chamonix. The fleeting glimpse
of the back of Anton, Seb, Timothy and
Julian will be the last I see of them. Battles
raging between runners at the front of the
pack are incredibly different from the more
introspective struggles happening at the tail
end of the field. I maintain an interest in the
leaders but my foes will be my own mind and
body and emotions.
When I began running, less than two years
prior to toeing the line here in Chamonix, I
was nearly 100 kilograms and incapable of
summoning the energy for much more than
ambling around a small lake near my home in
the city of Melbourne, Australia. Qualifying
for and running arguably the worlds most
prestigious ultra distance race was within
my grasp as much as time travel. Instead, I
set my sights on completing a 250 kilometre
multi-stage Sahara Race equally ludicrous
at the time.
Over the course of the year I trained and
trimmed, completed my rst triathlon, a
marathon and Oxfam trailwalk. Running
gave me a freedom and condence I never felt
before and prior to arriving in Egypt I tackled
3 marathons in 3 days in Cairns and my rst
ultra, the inaugural Surfcoast Century along
the coastal trails of Victorias Great Ocean
Road. In 2012, I completed the Sahara Race
and when the dust, or sand, nally settled and
registration for UTMB opened I had amassed
the requisite qualifying points.
Trying to slow my heart race and pace as I
run through the cheers of spectators lining the
road, those past battles are a long way from
my thoughts. I am running in the moment
<<
>>
When I began running...I was
nearly 100 kilograms and incapable of
summoning the energy for much more
than ambling around a small lake
78 79
There are thousands of people
crowding the route, cheering, cries
and applause of bon courage and
encouragement to allez, allez...
80 81
now, relaxing through 15 kilometres of gentle
undulations before the rst climb to Col
de Voza to reach Les Contamines. It is dark
when I step into the checkpoint and crowded
tents stocked with steaming soup, bread and
a staggering array of food and drink choices.
When I pause, to sit and rest for just a few
minutes my thoughts are in the mountains,
visualising the climbs and setting my mind to
accept the toll the Alps will exact from me.
When I step back into darkness, the night
has grown cold and I don my mandatory warm
gear. My gait is steady and breathing controlled
but I cannot avoid staring up and ahead to the
dark silhouettes of towering peaks dominating
the horizon. They are only visible in the low
cloud as other runner torches betray their
erce prole. The zig-zag of lights negotiating
switchbacks through the high passes rise
until they blend seamlessly with a sea of stars.
Otherwise, my race is reduced to the few
metres illuminated by my head torch and I
wage the rst internal war.
The long thin line of runners is reduced
to walking, silently trudging up Crois du
Bonhomme (2479 m) and shuffling into the
first life base at Le Chapieux. Runners are
allowed to take a half hour sleep at life bases,
but most elect to move through the night.
I have never heard a runner say they had no
tough times in a race; hitting dark patches is
unavoidable but manageable. Similarly, there
are joyous bright moments of euphoria but
they are fleeting. The highs and lows occur
at multiple stages, are rarely predictable and
part of the challenge that lures runners into
trail ultras. Everyone has different methods
for managing the emotional extremes.
Right now, Im feeling low. I dont chatter,
rarely look up and use all my willpower to
focus on positive parts of training, telling
myself I expected these tough patches and to
keep moving. Nothing to see here.
I stop my mind wandering to the finish
line, and refuse to do the mathematics of
distances or time. I seek and find small
milestones, bite size wins that develop
momentum until my trudge finds some
rhythm and I start moving more easily.
Thankful that another dark moment is
behind me, I race more in the moment,
lifting my head to the mountains, watching
the procession of head torches climb higher
and tuning out the scratching and strikes of
trekking poles ahead and behind me.
We are snaking through a high pass and
its cold; very cold. My hands are clad in
thick gloves and my head is covered in a tight
fitting insulated beanie. I can see my breath
passing through the Buff pulled over my eyes
and keeping my neck warm. My head torch
is not as bright as others but its enough to
illuminate my way and I can see the path
clearly. Walking through the night does
not bother me; in some respects I enjoy the
challenge of the quiet discomfort.
Well before I cross the French-Italian border
into Courmayeur, at 77 kilometres, my race
plan and controlled eating regime goes out the
window, left somewhere back down the path
with my morale. Instead, as I pass through
each checkpoint, I haphazardly sco mouthfuls
of bread, soup and rell my water bladder
and inhale cups of Coca-Cola. The sugar and
caeine does wonders to stave o fatigue.
My spirits lift when I start to see the faint
shadows, tinged with the slightest glow, of
the Alps ahead. Daylight is close and despite
<<
>>
I stop my mind wandering to the finish
line, and refuse to do the mathematics
of distances or time. I seek and find
small milestones, bite size wins...
82 83
the pre-dawn chills I am starting to thaw
and come alive again. It is during these
more positive patches that I devise tactics
to combat doubt. Enjoy this moment, I tell
myself, but prepare for the next.
When I eventually spy my wife, Leanne,
who is my support crew in more ways than
one, in the throng at Courmayeur, she has
a smile for me. Do I want something sweet,
a sandwich, something to drink, a change
of clothes? She is hurried and purposeful
while I am lethargic. She is the frenetic pit
crew doing what is required to keep the old
engine on the road. Her competence and
understanding is encouraging and uplifting
and once I get into new socks and shirt, clean
up a little, even slap on some deodorant, Im
a new man and back out the door.
The next few hours all day in fact is
climbing, climbing, climbing, either up or
down. Climbing up is brutal on the muscles
and the pounding descents are just hellish
on the bones. Feet, knees and hips are tested
over and over and the cumulative damage
starts to take a physical and mental toll.
Shortly after passing the 100-kilometre
point I walk headlong into the darkest
moments of my race. The 46km from
Courmayeur to Champex in Switzerland
takes me more than 14 hours. I spend time
thinking about my children and my goals,
talking to myself: This is what you wanted,
It is a privilege to be here, Champex is
not far and you can rest again, and so on.
Despite how awful I feel going into my
second full night of racing I never question
why I am doing this race. I dont know if that
is because I do not know the answer or I am
scared of the answer.
Champex is festive. I am not. What I want
is to be left alone, or perhaps bundled up
into a balI and rolled into a corner to die.
My suffering doesnt need an audience but
when Leanne leads me to a table I am buoyed
by the banter around me. Talking to others
drags me out of my shell and the distraction
is invigorating.
Back out into the cold I face a series of
checkpoints, killer climbs and knee rattling
descents into wooded valleys and forest paths.
And so it goes for the afternoon, a full sleepless
night, then a bright hot day and another cold,
sleepless night. By dawn on the nal day,
limping into Vallorcine I have covered 148km
and just as the end seems within grasp the Alps
has other plans. I struggle through the bleakest
patch of my race.
The penultimate stage is only 10 kilometres
long, a simple up and over. But I just cant stay
awake. I am seeing gures sitting at the side
of the road, casualties of the race. The only
problem is that some of them arent actually
sitting there. I am hallucinating with a serious
case of what they call the sleepmonsters.
Fighting to keep my eyes open, I sleep and
walk. When I staggered back into France at
the nal checkpoint at Vallorcine I am a
zombie. I confess to my support: I have no
idea how I can do another 19km.
Leanne replies: You have done so much,
what do you need to do to finish?
I have the answer. I have been thinking
about it for the past few hours.
Ive been imagining myself writing
an email, I tell her. I cant stop thinking
about how awful it would be to sit down
in a few hours and write and tell people that
I have failed.
It is an odd feeling. I dont think it is ego
nor bravado, but I cant bare the thought of
all the encouragement I had received kind
emails, messages and donations for the
autism charity I fundraise for being repaid
with excuses of why I gave up. The emotional
<<
>>
thE breath
of ghosts
STEVE BRYDON

Steve Brydon is an adventure runner
who chose the aim of running in
the Sahara Desert as his doorway
to reinvigorating a life he admits
was slowly killing him.
In his recently released book,
The Breath of Ghosts, Steven
recounts how he battled depression
and substance abuse during a
journey from self-deception to
self-discovery and demonstrates
the extraordinary changes we are
capable of when we redene our own
start and nish lines.
With uninching honesty he
challenges his motivations,
relationships and decisions, and
discovers the questions we often
ask of ourselves are as important
as the conclusions we draw.
The Breath of Ghosts is available
on Amazon.com.
CHECK OUT THE BOOK
THE AUTHOR, STEVE BRYDON
CROSSES THE UTMB LINE.
84 85
pain of quitting for me is more difficult then
limping slowly onward for a few more hours.
I am reasonably tough, I say to my wife.
But Im not tough enough to quit.
It sounds trite but its how I feel at the
time. After such a long and emotional build
up I am terrified of what my mental state
would be if I played the same scenario over
and over in my head when I return home.
A little recuperation, food and
encouragement performs miracles. The sun
is shining now and I am five hours from the
finish. To come through the most difficult
patch so close to the finish line is a blessing
in disguise; the darkest moment only a tick
before the dawn.
Shaking off the self-doubt (self pity) I
stumble into the brightest phase of my race.
The climb up Col de Montets is a series of
steep switchbacks but is far from the torture
I imagined it to be. For the first time I enjoy
conversation with a fellow competitor.
Tristan Miller and I share the final climb past
a few false crests and pause at the top. When
he pulls out the camera for a selfie we pose,
smile and snap away. I am elated and at this,
the happiest point of my race, a small herd of
Chamois mountain goats, crest a rocky bluff
to complete the postcard.
Tristan, renowned for running 52
marathons in 52 weeks in 42 countries,
pauses to make a Fathers Day call to his
Dad from the final summit. His interlude
gives me opportunity to reflect on the small
moments as I cross the pass at Argentire
before the final twists and turns into
Chamonix. A phone call, a fleeting glimpse of
wildlife or a smile and hug make these events
special. I have no doubt Ill soon forget the
climbs and place names, and the forty-six
hours I have spent in the mountains will fade
back to these brief moments.
When I finally hit tarmac, a mere
kilometre or so from the finish line, I see
my friend Adrian. His smile is as broad as
mine and he congratulates me and we set
off together. In those last minutes I
experience what I have so long pushed
out of my mind and why so many people
rate UTMB their must-race event. The
entire town and valley of hamlets seems
to have invaded the streets. There are
literally thousands of people crowding the
route, cheering, cries and applause of bon
courage and encouragement to allez, allez
carries me around the narrow streets and
finally under that towering blue banner
that in only two days had morphed from
intimidating to inviting.
I cross under the banner with my hands
held high after 44 hours 20 minutes and 13
seconds. I am as elated as I am exhausted.
Did I conquer paradise? I most certainly
not. But I did achieve what I set out to do:
complete a miler. I may never (who am I
kidding, will never) draw comparison with
the likes of elite runner Timothy Olsen, I
echo his sentiment as he reflected on his
own race: I never thought I was going
to accomplish this one, not for over half
the race; Ive never had so much doubt in
myself as I struggled again and again to
make peace with how the day was unfolding.
Im extremely happy to have finished and
overcome adversity to cross the line in
beautiful Chamonix.
Well said Tim. Bon courage.
<<
I have no doubt Ill soon forget the
climbs and place names, and the forty-
six hours I have spent in the mountains
will fade back to brief moments.
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MOROCCO FEATURE FEATURE MOROCCO
IWI TRAIL QUEEN ANNA FROST SEEMED
TO HAVE LOST HER TRAIL MOJO. SHE
STILL LOVED IT. SHE WAS STILL GOOD AT
IT. BUT THE VIBES WERENT ALIGNING
AND INJURY NIGGLED. IN SEARCH OF A
LITTLE REINVIGORATION, SHE JOINED
FELLOW ADVENTURE TRAILITES LIZZY
HAWKER AND MOHAMED AHANSAL ON
A MISSION TO REGAIN HER FLOW IN
MOROCCOS HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS.
Imlil (1790m) to Gite Azib Tamsoult (2250m)
Distance: 10km
In my mind Morocco is orange. And orange
is what I get, with sunrays streaking through
the airplane windows as we circle down to
Marrakech.
We dont waste time. British ultra trail
runner Lizzy Hawker, local trail legend
Mohamed Ahansal, and I hit the road to Imlil,
a two-hour drive through orange sand dunes,
bumpy worn out roads and, a surprise to me,
apple orchards surrounded by green river beds.
It is a buzzing little village, orange ceramic
Tajines (a Berber ceramic dish used to steam
the traditional meals of meat, vegetables and
couscous) lined up and steaming, sheep and
goat heads hanging, blood dripping body parts
getting chopped, fruit and vegetables, donkeys
towing carts, buses honking, ies searching,
cats and dog squabbling. The roads appear
lawless and chaotic but somehow it works.
With 8kg loaded on my back we head for
Gite Azib Tamsoult. It is a hot afternoon and
within minutes my legs are orange with dust
sticking to the beads of sweat forming. We
climb the rst pass Tz Mzik (2469m) where we
get our rst real taste of Moroccan tea. A small
group of Berbers (the ethnic group indigenous
to North Africa) gather under a tree, their mule
grazing under another. They are packing up
lunch from a group of tourists just gone by,
but are in no rush. One of them recognises
Mohamed a running and mountain guide
legend in the area and invited us to share tea.
This, we learn, is more that just tea. Not only is
it full, and I mean really full, of sugar (Morocco
consuming 3-5kg of extra added sugar per year
per person) it is also packed with fresh mint.
Now for the process. Hot water is added to
the pot, swirled, lid opened, pot on ame, lid
closed, one pour into a glass, back to the pot,
swirl and now we are ready. But wait, it is all
about the pour. Held up high and tilting the
pot slowly to create the sound of a waterfall.
This symbolises calm, rest, time and peace
with friends new and old. And it is delicious.
Buzzing with sugar we are back on track.
There are perfect trails wanting to be run on,
but not being used to the weight of the bag yet
we walk on past interested Berber and their
herds of little goats. These herds will be called
down from the high mountains as the sun
sets leaving skies of orange, to be tucked away
in their little hamlets safe in the valley oors.
There is an obvious and strong connection
between Berber and animal. One call from the
Berber and the following calls from the babies
that have been kept safe down low bring the
herd out from nowhere. The goats connection
with the land is wonderful to watch. Their
movement on what seems to be an impassable
route is so uid and natural as they come down
to meet the babies that have started scrambling
up the scree.
Darkness comes and we all cuddle into
the small gite (accommodation) where I read
until my eyes cant stay open anymore. It is
8:30pm. This is what I love about being in the
mountains. You go back to natural sleep and
habit patterns. You sleep and wake with the
mountain and its life.
Azib Tamsoult to Refuge Toubkal (3200m)
Distance: 15km
I open eyes and senses to the sounds of
the mountain waking up. The wind blowing;
animals calling to their masters to get ready;
the Berber preparing tea.
The crisp air is refreshing after such a hot
day prior. On the trail my mind is taken back
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90 91
to Nepal as we pass our rst loaded mules for
the day. They are carrying 100-150kg. Their
skinny legs seem like they will snap under the
load. One of my last encounters with a loaded
yak was not pretty. Apparently I was in the way
so she butted me, throwing me to the ground,
expelling me of any air to breathe and sending
blood splattering from my hand. So I approach
these mules with caution.
At the bottom of the route to the Agalzim
Pass (3500m), I see a number of early starters
getting going on the 92 zigzags up. As we
approach the top, the sight of the mountain
Toubkal (the highest peak in the Atlas
Mountains and in North Africa) greets us. It has
a light dusting on snow and sits proudly above
the valley.
We are greeted by Berber and his coke shop.
Chilled? Not really, but sitting there in a bucket
or hanging from a tree, waiting for us tourists
to crack in the heat, high altitude and the lack
of energy.
The mules have packed down a superb track
contouring towards Toubkal. I soar forward,
with the freedom of a bird, the lightness of air
and acceptance of weight, I run. Until, with the
slight change of technique from the bag, I trip
in one of those heart-thumping-and-stopping-
at-the-same-time-recovery-scrambles. I quickly
remembered I was not a bird and kept walking.
The smell of wet dog is in the air at the
jam packed Toubkal Refuge. The smoky re
is drying out sweaty clothes from peoples
adventure to the top of North Africa. Judging
from the sound of the happy but tired chatter
amongst the groups huddled around their
steaming soups, they care little about the smell,
still ecstatic from their day.
Finding a spare mattress and dropping my bag,
I feel bird-like again and I set o down the valley
for a quick evening run in the cold air and strong
winds. I did something I havent done for months:
I ran for more than 30mins. I felt like I did in 1985.
Tiny, 4-years old. Setting o in my little dress
and backpack, life ahead of me, with everything I
needed behind me: love and happiness frommy
parents and sister. It woke the Anna up, she who
has been lying dormant, I smiled as she yawned
and knocked at the door to be let out to see the
light. Aweight was lifted (as well as no back pack)
and I skipped jumped and giggled past the mules.
And then just like that as I turned to go back up
into the thin air my bird wings turned to elephant
ears and I apped my way back to the refuge.
Refuge Toubkal to Toubkal summit (4169m)
return via plane crash route
Distance: 15km
Snoring, door banging, wind howling and
the 4am starters crash bang and chattering
didnt make for a great sleep. But excitement
and suspension and some fret lled the hut.
Mohamed was going up the mountain for his
100+ time. Passing the hundreds of hikers on
the way up, we reached the top in 1hr 15min
(compared to his fastest ascent of 48min) and
completely on our own. We could celebrate this
mountain amongst ourselves. The views extend
across the Atlas Mountain range. Clouds cover
the sea.
As the hoards arrive we set o down on a route
not used by the masses. We pass a plane crash...
apparently with money on board which got lost
to the villages in the valley. The run is a little
technical at points with snowand frost covering
the slick black rock. The wind is still howling.
We nd a little patch of sun and bask in it fully
clothed but oits not enough to vanish a chill to
my bone. Walking on to Tizin Ohanams pass to
see lake and Imlil beyond we are surrounded by
mountains sliced with colour.
Refuge Toubkal to Ouanoukrim(4100, 4069,
4065) return.
Distance: 9km
To Imlil.
Distance: 11km
We have walked for two hours up a small,
unspoiled trail. An ever-changing valley of
owers, green, sun, goats, ridge lines, red,
stone, sand, grass, donkeys, wind. We are
standing on the top of Ouanoukrim looking
<<
>>
92 93
at Toubkal. I have seen no-one. Yet on top of
Toubkal yesterday morning stood 150 visitors.
We are only 100 metres lower. And here there is
no one. We walk another kilometre and get in
two more mountaintops (above 4000m - part
of the Ouanoukrim range). Still no-one.
Why? Why do we want to get to the top?
Sure, it is the highest but what is it that we
need at the highest that we cant get 100 metres
lower? I cant get this out of mind. I cant
nd any real reasons. As we come back to the
refuge we pass the last of the hundreds that are
returning from their Toubkal summit. To Imlil
we return, cheering on some of the nal Ultra
Trail Atlas Toubkal (UTAT) runners at about
the 70 of 105kms. They are looking happy but a
bit wind- and dust-blown from a long day and
night high up in the mountain passes. If you
are looking for a good hard 100km challenge in
Morocco, this one is it.
Imlil to Timichi (2008m)
Distance: 24km
After two restless nights, today we have an
easy start with Berber bread and butter with
sweet and spicy coee. At this lower altitude
and out of the bone chilling wind it is already
warm. We speak about feeling small amongst
these high and vast mountains, valleys and
plateaus.
One drop in the sea, says Mohamed. One
piece of sand in the Sahara, I say. I ask about
religion. 90% of Moroccans are Muslim, 5%
Christian and the rest a mix of minorities. His
religious view is to be kind, be good and share
happiness. With his endless smile he does
just that. In general we are quieter today. We
are thirsty, tired and hot and maybe we just
happy in our own space, walking through the
mountains and forgotten villages. Our silence
is broken as we reach the valley oor and there
are Cactus gs. The thirst quencher and energy
shot. In the Timichi Valley, they grow year
round. Used mainly for bees to feed on to make
delicious honey, today they are our dessert. All
you need is a knife to get in and some tweezers
to get the prickles out.
Timichi (2008m) to Imlil via Oukaimeden
(2600m)
Distance: 27.5km
By now my legs are almost used to the extra
8kg on my back. We have done a lot of vertical
accent and I can feel my strength building. My
lungs are not screaming in the thin air and
the noise of my heart beating doesnt keep me
awake at night.
This morning we start with a vertical
kilometre. Me versus mule. She is the ospring
of a male donkey and a female horse (the other
way makes a Hinny). She will never pass on her
wonderful endurance and strength genes as
she and all her fellow mules are infertile. I pass
her in the bottom third. She gets a fright out of
her sleep walk and follows me along the rough
path. She is panting right behind me, her saliva
dripping down my bag. She walks like they run
here. Sprint for a little bit and then walk, sprint,
walk. I am sticking to a steady pace. She drops
back to catch her breath and I think I have
made the gap but before I know it she is back.
We move up the zigzags together and then I
make my move, I can see it is getting steeper
and rockier. I actually feel for her in those hard
hooves and skinny legs. How does she do it?
At the top I can see over to Oukaimeden, a
plateau at 2600 metres. A tourist ski area, it
seems lifeless and articial. I drop my bag and
the dirt road makes a nice change to stretch my
legs out and run. Mohamed does some speed
work, I attempt to but my face-o with the
mule has left heavy legs. As I stride back along
the dirt road she passes me, with her 150kg
load. I guess we will see her again in Imlil. A
35km day for her, too, but instead of 8kg, she
carries nearly twenty times.
<<
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94 95
We refuel with omelette and sugar loaded
tea before we leave the mountains to recover
at the sea after six wonderfully fullling days
in the Toubkal. It is pitch black when we
arrive, but there is no question about where
we are. The waves crash, the smell of the ocean
surrounding us and the salt air lling our lungs.
We sleep well.
Sidi Kaouki and Essaouria
I wake with a smile on my face. The waves are
luring me to the beach. It isnt quite daylight yet
so I greet the sunrise running along the never
ending beach of Sidi Kaouki, a little surf town
just south of Essaouria. The land is covered in
Argan trees. And brilliantly, in 1998, UNESCO
declared almost 10,000 square miles of southwest
Morocco, including the whole Argan growing
region, to be a special biosphere reserve. The
trees are used to make Argan oil for cosmetics,
eating and massage as well as to feed the little
goats with. They also act as a shield against
expansion of the Sahara Desert.
I try a friendly nomads home brew of the
oil. It is rich with avour, like I am eating the
oil directly from the nut. My Berber corn bread
makes for a delicious dip as we enjoy a long
breakfast looking out to the horizon.
Essaouria also know as la petite Marrakech
- stinks. Yes, stinks. I smell it as we are still
driving along side the ocean where the sky
is full of kites from the surfers enjoying
the gusty winds and the camels rest on the
beach. There is action. The old village is a
fortress surrounded by big walls, lined with
massive cannons ready to ght. In 1506 the
Portuguese seized and occupied Essaouria as
well as six other Moroccan towns and built
stand-alone fortresses on the Atlantic coast.
In 1510 the fortress fell to the local resistance
of the Regraga sub-tribe who came from the
mountains to the region. During the 16th
century, Spain, England, the Netherlands and
France all tried unsuccessfully to conquer
Essaouria and the inuence of each is still
obvious today.
Outside these walls the little blue boats
stack up in the port to get in through the wall
to sell their fresh sh of the day. This is the
smell. Dead Fish, sh guts, alive sh, sh pots.
Everywhere you look there are sh. We walk
by quickly as the normal life goes on for these
people so used to this stench.
Away from the port we wander through the
small and quaint, colourful and creative souks.
The people are welcoming and interested but
not too pushy. I can now smell mint and spices,
incense and Tajines cooking, a nice change.
Finally we sit for the rst great coee and fresh
orange juice in the sun. The light turns to
orange and we head back to our homely gite
on the beach to watch the sunset as the camels
wander home for the day. The stars cover the
black in a glittered blanket and I fall soundly
asleep to the sound of the crashing waves.
Marrakech
The excitement of Marrakech wears o
quickly. The souks are exactly as expected.
Except for the price these guys start bargaining
at. After being in the energy-giving mountains
for a week, the city zaps mine all in one
afternoon. The Blue Gardens, the souk,
palaces, monuments, museums. All with so
many stories of wealth, health and disaster.
I wish I had worn a GPS as I am sure I would
have clocked at least 15-20km. The monkeys
on chains, snakes dancing on something
unnatural, the beggars and ies on everything
were just too much in the end and I needed to
get out for a run.
We visited the course of the world cross-
country championships. Once a lush green
course, surrounded with ponds, trees and
owers, now a barren, brown and rubble
mound in the land, telling yet another story of
disintegration.
Return
I walk outside onto the steel steps, cold
raindrops hit my face, freezing air strikes my
lungs. In my silk skirt and light top I amtoo cold.
But it is a refreshing feeling. The sky is black with
stormand the mountains are dusted with snow.
I have stepped o the plane in Geneva. It is so
normal. And I like that. It is easy. It makes me
think of this strange world we live in. So unequal,
what some people consider acceptable and what
some people do not. Morocco has been a love/
hate relationship for me. Mountains force truth.
Cities are a bustling marketplace of lies.
Follow more of Annas
trail adventures
Check out the Ultra
Trail Atlas Toubkal
WATCH: Get a sense of where Anna ran
with this promo of the 2013 Ultra
Trail Atlas Toubkal
<<
CHECK I T OUT
CHECK I T OUT
96 97
FEATURE
Running
the Nam
WORDS: Rachel Jacqueline
IMAGES: Jeri Chua
98 99
VIETNAM FEATURE FEATURE VIETNAM
THEY SAY GOODTHINGS COME TO
THOSE WHOWAIT. AFTER A FLIGHT
TOHANOI, A SQUASHEDTAXI RIDE, A
CLATTERING NINE-HOUR OVERNIGHT
TRAINTOREMOTE SAPA INVIETNAMS
NORTHANDNOW, A PRECARIOUS BUS
RIDE OVER YET ANOTHER ROCKY PATCH
OF ROAD, I WAS PRAYING WHOEVER
THEY IS, WAS RIGHT.
Together with a clan of Hong Kong runners,
I was making my way to the remote hilltops of
Hoang Lien National Park, home to Indochinas
highest peak of Fansipan (3,143m). Our mission:
to take part in the inaugural VietnamMountain
Marathon, a 70 kilometre ultra marathon
through Sapas hills, a mission I was feeling less
than ready for with a days travel behind me. As
the bus driver maneuvered dangerously close to
the side of a dirt road bordering a steep drop, I
wasnt sure Id even get to begin.
But the excitement of my fellowcompetitors,
gathered fromall corners of the globe, was
infectious. Howoften do you get to tackle
70 kilometres of trails through rice elds and
lush terraced hillsides, with water bualoes,
mountain pigs and cheering local children for
company?
Our base for the weekend was Topas
Ecolodge, perched on the hillsides of the
National Park and oering breathtaking views of
the valley below. Shortly after we arrived (intact),
my sleep-deprived self took it all in with a smile.
I had the feeling it wouldnt just be a good
weekend, but a brilliant one.
After a jovial introduction fromrace director,
Asger Kppen, it became clear that the Vietnam
Mountain Marathon was not your average trail
race, but a grand-scale production fuelled by a
ery passion for Sapas mountains. After moving
to the region late in 2012 with wife, Pernille,
Asger not only fell in love with the area, but
also quickly realised its potential as a racing
destination.
I thought I need to showthis to my running
friends, he says with a grin.
But the journey between idea and fruition is
a long one, especially in developing Vietnam.
Arranging big events in Vietnamis a challenge;
you need permission froma long list of local
authorities on many levels, he explains with a
pained expression on his face. Plus there was
the fact that the local Vietnamese didnt actually
believe running 70 kilometres in one day was
humanly possible. Luckily Asger is persuasive.
The rest of Friday was spent as lazily as
possible: after a detailed race brieng, where
each section of the course was dissected in
minute detail using Google Earth, runners
had a packed afternoon itinerary of yoga and
mountain hikes. With a fully belly after yet
another extensive buet meal, I called it an early
night, bracing for the next days 4amstart.
No matter howmany times I run a race,
theres still something strangely thrilling, and
at the same time frightening, about knowing
youre about to run an ultra. You knowthe idea
isnt altogether sensible, yet theres a childlike
curiosity about exploring whats possible, and
the joy in knowing youre about to collect a swag
of scratches, dirt and sweat like trophies along
the way. Casting aside my minds ramblings, I
quickly changed into my race gear and made
my way to breakfast. It was 3:30amand I wasnt
hungry, but I ate anyway, then hurried to the
start to join the bevy of nervous runners making
last minute preparations by headlamp.
With a hasty 3-2-1-GO! we were on our way
to the rhythmof heavy footsteps on gravel. The
race began with a six-kilometre stretch of road,
allowing us some time to wake up the legs and
nd some sort of rhythm. Still dark, the course
then veered o to a steep left. Asgers cautionary
>>
T
South East Asia with its riches of village-to-village
singletrack and cultural intrigue is quickly becoming a
travelling trail runners paradise. In the name of research,
TRMs Asian Editor heads to Sapa, Vietnam, to run an inaugural
70km ultra making best use of the regions landscape.
100 101
VIETNAM FEATURE FEATURE VIETNAM
words during the race brieng echoed in
my ears (Slowdown, this is not the world
championships, the hills are muddy!) as I ung
myself down the steep hill, trusting the heavy
grip of newshoes.
After a steep climb through a thick bamboo
forest we emerged into a valley once again. As
if on cue, the sun began to rise and illuminated
the scenery that would be our playground for
the day: endless rice paddies etched into steep
hillsides, rushing rivers through muddy jungles
and narrowbridges. With the excitement of it
all, a fewrunners and I got a little lost (and I fell
almost head rst in a rice paddy), but it wasnt
long until we were on our way again. I found a
rhythmand stayed in it, with my breath and the
odd runner for company, for the rest of the day.
As the sun made its arc through the sky,
the hours passed by in a pastiche of luscious
greens. Thats what I remember the most:
green. Living in a grey city, the vibrancy of such
colour becomes more acute, and I found myself
absorbed by it.
But there were punctuations to the day, too.
At one point I chased bualoes o the trail;
at another I got attacked by a small group of
overzealous puppies defending their territory.
With each village came another hill tribe Sapa
is home to ve dierent ethnic minorities and
each welcomed us with a smile while the small
children, their eyes wide and curious, reminding
me of the ridiculousness of our ultra endeavors.
After 50 kilometres, we reached the most
challenging point of the day: seven kilometres of
ceaseless douchegrade a hill not too steep to
(usually) force you into a walk, but with enough
rise to work you hard.
Run or walk, I wondered? Legs won. Walk.
With the welcomed company of fellowHong
Kong runners, Alex and Adrian, I pulled out the
poles and trudged on. After what seemed like
an eternity, we nally made it to the top, the
exhaustion of the day catching up. We shared a
sugar hit and a quiet moment before setting o.
Finally, after more than nine hours (and losing
poor Adrian to a bad case of runners trots and
Alex to a bung ankle), I was greeted at the last
checkpoint by an exuberant, though tired-looking
Asger. He told me about his struggles with
mischievous village children stealing the course
markers and wearing themlike ribbons around
their neck, before urging me back on my way.
Only seven kilometres to go, youre doing so
well! the happy Dane exclaimed. Continuing
the theme of the event, the nal kilometers
weaved through riced paddies and then back on
the hot road, nowsizzling in the heat of the day.
I forced myself to run the last ve kilometres
and nally made it to the nish to a showering
of clapping and cheering fromfellowrunners.
Id managed just a little over 10 and a half hours
and just shy of the top 10, but more importantly
a long way o my estimated 12-13 hours for the
day. My running buddy, Nora, third place female
of the day, bear hugged me with excitement. Its
these moments of joy we truly run for; sharing
the triumphs and celebrating the achievements
with those who knowthembest.
After a shower, and with a beer in hand, I
returned to the gaggle of runners sprawled in
the sunshine around the nish, welcoming each
runner. In between a urry of hollering, we
shared our tales fromthe day with exaggerated
hand movements, laughter and the odd grimace.
And the sun returning to its place behind the
mountains didnt dampen our cheers - with a
bonre blazing in the background, we looked
out for the solo headlamps coming towards the
nish line, the cheers nowgetting louder in
direct correlation with the beers consumed. But
perhaps the loudest cheer of all was for Asger
- sleep deprived, delirious and with a bottle
of whiskey in hand held up triumphantly: the
inaugural VMMhad gone o without (much of)
a hitch.
After a meal of barbequed pork, chicken and
generous lashings of fried rice, I sat with fellow
runners pondering just what it was that made
the event so special, and what had made it truly
worth the journey. It was a bloody long way
to come that we all agreed. But it turns out,
They are right. We waited. We ran. And good
things came.
Newfound running buddy, Jeri Chua, put it best:
I think it is the fact that that it takes you
so far out of the city, she said. Life - and
everything else - becomes innitely more
simplied.
With a beer in hand and the buzz of
exhaustion still abundant, I couldnt agree more
(if you discount getting to the start line).
<<
Registration is open for Vietnam,
Mountain Marathon 2014. A running
camp is also being held in May 2014
for eager runners.
WEBSI TE FOR DETAI LS
102 103
RANT
COLUMN // RICHS RANT
THOSE TWEETING NOTES OF THE BIRD
VARIETY - ANDNOT THE ONES THAT
GET QUICKER ONTHE BUILD-UP OF
A TECHNOTRACK - COMBINEDWITH
THE WHISTLE OF THE WINDPAST TREE
TRUCKS - ANDNOT THE RAVE HEAD
THATS BLOWING THEIR FLUROWHISTLE
TOTHAT SAME TWEETING TRACK:
THESE SOUNDS OF THE EARTHHAVE
SOME PROFOUNDEFFECT ONEVEN
THE MOST DEVOTEDMUSIC FANS.
That said I have many a hard hitting lyric
that runs through my head that I conform to
the rustling of leaves and the harsh call of a
passing cockatoo.
You gotta work bitch,
..would interrupt my spiritual daze as Im
under the hypnotising state of a long run.
How does Britney Spears interrupt the peace
and make it into the natural sounds of the
great outdoors? I realise its not the peace she
is interrupting but my pace.
You want a Maserati, you want a hot body
you gotta work
replace a few of those words with such
lines as ripped quads and speed and it
begins to work in your favour of increasing
the pace, or helping you tackle the next
climb. All of a sudden you have a powerful
concoction of modern pop and natural
elements that spur you further and faster
down the single track.
The hills are alive with the sound
of music That well-known line
from the famous musical of 1965 The
Sound of Music, defines to me what
trail running is about. I dont listen
to music out on the single track
and never have done because There
seems to be an already carefully
constructed chorus put together by
a god-like composer called Nature.
TRAIL
MUSE
104 105
RANT
COLUMN // RICHS RANT
Agree with Rich? Or want to tell
him to step down from the soapbox?
Have your say on our Facebook page
www.facebook.com/trailrunmag.
Richard Bowles is an adventure runner
extraordinaire rather shy and retiring
as you can tell. Check out his ongoing
global adventure runs at
www.richardbowles.com.au.
was when I ran NewZealands Te Araoa Trail.
2000kminto the 3054kmjourney and yet
another hard day of high mountain passes and
these words came to me, through the breeze that
whispered past my ears and into the mufed
rushing of water in the river below:
This corner of the earth is like me in many
ways I can sit for hours here and watch the
emerald feathers play, on the face of this Im
blessed when the sunshine comes for free; I
knowthis corner of the earth it smiles at me.
So inspired that there is nothing left to do or
say, Ill think Ill dreamuntil the stars shine -
Jamiroquai, Corner of the Earth
And you thought I didnt have a spiritual side?
Natures sounds and musical lyrics make me
both emotionally deep and a pop princess with
a touch of Broadway! Thats something we dont
control. We would all like to think we were
perhaps tougher than this leaning on rap lines
such as:
That, that dont kill me, can only make me
stronger - Kanye West
or perhaps Eminems Lose Yourself.
But the real you gets to come out when
turning the legs over through the beauty of the
outdoors, and thats likely the appeal.
The longer we run for, the more we
experience in so many ways; we notice the
small details and tiniest of sounds. Bring that
all together and trail runnings a work of art,
a Picasso or a Banksy, a 100 piece orchestra
or an AC/DC.
The real world and the constructed world
collide here. Many a famous artist wrote their
lyrics out of their minds on drugs and booze.
In a much healthier way running takes us
out of our minds. I dont know your running
theme tune, but get out there and create one
on that ever calling single trackand do me
a favour leave Eye of the Tiger (Survivor) in
your tape deck!
100% WATERPROOF
Storm
enquiries@seatosummit.com.au
seatosummitdistribution.com.au 08 9221 6617
1 TRIPLEPOWER LED, 2 SINGLEPOWER WHITE LEDS AND 2
SINGLEPOWER RED LEDS EMIT 160 LUMENS (MAX SETTING).
RED NIGHT-VISION MODE HAS PROXIMITY AND STROBE SETTINGS, AND
ACTIVATES WITHOUT CYCLING THROUGH THE WHITE MODE.
POWERTAP TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS TAP OF THE FINGER TRANSITIONING
BETWEEN FULL AND DIMMED POWER ON THE TOUCH SENSITIVE HOUSING PAD.
SLEEK, LOW PROFILE DESIGN USES 4 AAA BATTERIES THAT PROVIDE UP
TO 200 HOURS BURN TIME (MAX ON LOWEST SETTING).
SETTINGS INCLUDE FULL STRENGTH IN PROXIMITY AND DISTANCE
MODES, DIMMING, STROBE, RED NIGHT VISION AND LOCK MODE.
THREE-LEVEL POWER METER SHOWS REMAINING BATTERY LIFE FOR 3
SECONDS AFTER SWITCHING ON HEADLAMP.
BATTERY SAVING LOCK-OUT MODE.
PROTECTED AGAINST WATER IMMERSION DOWN TO 1 M (3.3 FT) FOR
30 MINUTES (IPX 7).
But, does it have to be that tacky? I dont
feel you get the choice.
As trailites, we beeline for the trailhead for
similar reasons: getting away from the rat race,
people, advertising and bumper to bumper
trafc; all that business and noise. This noise
is ingrained in our subconscious; we run on
trails to rid the mind of such city trash. But it
takes time to feel at peace, and we feel better
for just being amongst it for an hour or two,
the clearing process of that city trash comes
out with the sweat. The noises of our busy lives
often persist, advertising song jingles utter
through my thoughts:
I like Aeroplane Jelly, Aeroplane Jelly for me
I dont even do jelly! But, if its Qantass I still
call Australia home it has a far more powerful
meaning in being patriotic and loving what we
have to run amongst here.
I reckon the earphones should stay at home,
as runners of dirt we can be far more spurred
on through natures own bass line. You can feel
its ri, you can be part of you very own private
concert, while putting one foot in front of the
other, and She gives it to you in abundance.
Just listen out there on the trail, you hear that?
Thats life in musical terms, thats powerful, that
has energy, movement and some of the best
lyrics. It always has a positive eect on your state
of mind, hell, you can change the world on your
gut-busting pursuit through the bush
Heal the World, make it a better pace
MJs nowgone, but those words and the
pitter-patter of rain makes you want to
moonwalk the ridgeline
Whos bad?
Its real powerful stu.
My deepest natural musical connection
I reckon the earphones should
stay at home, as runners of dirt
we can be far more spurred on
through natures own bass line.
106
Adventure tourism ConsultAnCy mediA ProduCtion
digitAl develoPment grAnt And Funding ACCess Publishing
our PubliCAtions
vertiCAl liFe
ISSUE 03 AU/NZ Winter 2013
PAddle mAg TRAIL RUN
adventuretypes.com What we're about
CANANYONE THINK OF A MOVIE
SEQUEL BEYONDSAY VERSIONTWO
THAT OUTSTRIPS ITS ORIGINAL (PORN
FLICKS NONADMISSIBLE)? IF ANYONE
SAYS POLICE ACADEMY 3, 4, 5, 6 OR 7, ILL
KILL YOU(TANGENTIAL NOTE: THERES
A NEWSEQUEL BEINGPRODUCEDIN
2014). THE MESSAGE BEINGTHAT RARELY
ARE FRANCHISE FILMS ANY GOODAND
EQUALLY, ITS HARDTOTRULY UPDATE
A SHOE MORE THANA FEWTIMES AND
STILL MAKE ANY SIGNIFICANT GAINS,
UNLESS YOUCREATE ANENTIRELY NEW
SHOE, WITHLITTLE GENEALOGY, IN
WHICHCASE, CALL IT SOMETHINGELSE. I
MEAN, HOWMANY TIMES CANYOUHAVE
PLASTICSURGERY BEFORE EVERYTHING
JUST FALLS OFF?
Well, theres always a rule breaker and the latest
Cascadia 9s are it. Ive run a most of the iterations
of this model. Rarely have I been disappointed,
mind you, like I was with Police Academy: Back In
Training. The Cascadia 3s were actually my rst
trail shoe, and I loved themstraight out of the
box after they sawme through my rst ever bush
marathon. Subsequent versions have performed
well, too, although I wasnt a fan of themputting
on the beef with each subsequent edition.
But with the 9s, theyve got me as excited
as a movie bu that has heard the director of
Breaking Bad is making the next instalment of
The Godfather.
True story: when I got these shoes, and felt
them in my hand, there was something about
them that had me whacking them on there
and then, mid conversation (sorry wife), out
my front door and running on my back door
trails. I was still in jeans. I just needed to try
them out. They had a power over me like the
Ring had over Gollum. And I seriously let out
a holler as I ran in them on a rainy day. I just
knew they were good. Better than their earlier
iterations. Can you imagine the surprise youd
be in if Police Academy 8 was better than 1? Or
CASCADE OF DREAMS
Brooks Cascadia 9
even 3? That was me.
They are still pretty bulldozer-like in
appearance (but they deliver on that visual
promise) and bolder than ever - their bright
orange and yellow dress sense shrieks at you
louder than Zeds wail (Bobcat Goldthwaite
in PA2).
Their grip is as aggressive as ever, but
lower prole than youd imagine given what
they deliver in earth cling. That is, whereas
many shoes seeking grip rely on longer lugs
to bite in, which then becomes annoying
and cumbersome when the trail smooths out
(not to mention detracts from trail feel), the
Cascadias lugs are low but there are many of
them. The secret is in an alternating forward/
back facing V design to give grip in both
directions, as well as laterally. Also, they tend
not to hold mud and clog, shedding it quickly. I
rate these perhaps the best grip on market.
The mesh and felt upper wicks well even
the more padded tongue and heel couch dry out
quickly after a drenching. The upper construction
of a felt cage exo-skeleton gives excellent upper
support, holding the foot perfectly in place, with a
reinforced heel cup keeping things rmup back.
The 10mmoset change fromheel to toe
may deter some who err on minimalism, as I do.
However, I still found the higher platformdid
not detract fromthe running experience. With
a decent cushioning, these shoes oer excellent
protection underfoot, but lose a smidge of trail
feel, although the balance between the two
factors has been struck well.
I have heard it said that the 9s are merely
a fashionable update, nevertheless whatever
changes have been made, they work for me, as
I prefer these to the 8s. In fact I probably prefer
themto my beloved 3s.
They are the perfect hardcore trail runner, to
be used where grip and protection is needed,
the trade o a slightly bulkier shoe on the foot
if you are used to minimal racers. But they
remain lightweight, meaning you still feel fast
in them, and the upside of feeling as though
you can step anywhere means you invariably
have more condence on the trail. This does
two things: allows you to concentrate on
improving your landing skill and technique
more, and over time it increases your speed
as you learn to tap dance more furiously,
unafraid of the terrain tripping, poking
or prodding you to fall.
ACascade of dreams indeed.
take outs
BROOKS CASCADIA9
Great for: anything. Seriously,
anything.
Not-so-great for: uber
minimalists and those looking
for low heel-toe drop.
Test Conditions: mostly
technical single track with
some beefy in-the-wet sessions
Tester: Chris Ord, editor,
Trail Run Mag
Tester Mechanics: mid-foot
striker whose form diminishes
in proportion to time on trail,
slight pronator.
VITALS
$239.95
Information online at:
www.brooksrunning.com.au
theyve got me
as excited as a movie
buff that has heard the
director of Breaking
Bad is making the next
instalment of The
Godfather.
110 111
REVIEW
SOMEONE SAID TO ME THE OTHER DAY:
I DONT REALLY SEE THE NORTH FACE
SHOES ON MANY TRAIL RUNNERS, WHY
IS THAT?
Its a vexed question especially as the sport
booms because of all the shoe brands in the
trail market, The North Face has perhaps one of
the best ranges to suit middle market purpose.
They lack the niche specialist models (truly
minimalist and zero drop; super racers; terrain
enforcers), but The North Face range would
in my opinion suit the broadest spectrum
of runners hitting dirt. Even then, Ive run a
pair of Double Tracks in Kashmir and Single
Tracks in the Himalayas and they performed
admirably on both occasions.
The North Face has shoes that crossover for
the so-called door-to-trail run (Hyper Guide), the
more knarly yet still traditional techy trail shoe
(Ultra Guide), the as-traditional-as-they-come,
built-solid trail shoe (Single Track and Double
Track). And then theres the go-fast lightweight
racer, which was the Single Track Hayasa 1.
It was a good model. Not great. But good.
It lacked durability and most noticeably, grip,
so it faltered on anything extending beyond
groomed trails.
Here we have its ospring, the Hayasa 2. Has
anything changed? Yes. Durability has been
improved by a strengthening of the construction
better stitching, better materials including a
TRACKING WELL
The North Face Single Track Hayasa 2
more robust mesh upper and leather toe guards.
Even so, the upper remains supple, and silky
comfortable, not rigid at all. The toe box is a little
roomier, allowing for foot swell on longer runs,
but perhaps giving a little too much forefoot
movement across its pad until your foot gets
all juiced up. The slim-line tongue combined
with The North Faces great stretch laces allows
your foot to snuggle into the upper without
restriction or developing tenderness. Designers
have also incorporated some of their whiz-bang
developments in apparel, specically the popular
Flashdry technology, into the collar lining to
wick sweat and keep at bay blisters. Again, overall
comfort here is up there with the best of them.
But what about performace outside the shoe?
Grip. Its improved over the predecessor, no
doubt. The hexagonal forefoot lugs are deeper
and the heel grip is excellent. But the forefoot
still lets down a front-of-foot striker when the
going gets wet or muddy. It seems to track well
on gravel or loose surfaces, as much as any shoe.
But dampness is its Achilles.
The sole houses the Cradle Guide, which
purports to keep the heel aligned and provide
better stability. Putting the shoe on, you can
feel it cup your heel a little strange at rst -
but it does indeed seem to keep your feet on
the straight and narrow singletrack.
What I do love about these shoes is the balance
between cushioning and trail feel it seems to
have struck the perfect blend (for this mid to
forefoot striker, so talking more about forefoot
sole here).
Sticking with the sweet spot theme of this
shoe being able to cover the majority of trail
running bar extremes, the heel-toe goes from
15mmto 7mm, an 8mmdrop that isnt quite
minimalist, but is no high heel dancer either. For
those liable to lax back to a heeldrop there is a
noticeable spongy cushion, too, with Pebax foam
insert in heel and forefoot, Pebax being 25%
lighter than its equivalent EVA foamand not
temperature sensitive, so it maintains the same
integrity whether cold or hot.
Overall these are an improvement on the
original Hayasas, feeling more durable yet
still retain that lightweight racer feel on the
foot. A perfect go to for your most regular trail
training sessions and the odd race where the
terrain doesnt go too hardcore on you (most
Australian trails).
take outs
THE NORTHFACE SINGLE TRACK
HAYASA2
Great for: groomed, dry
singletrack, fast trail, racing,
everyday training trails
Not-so-great for: wet, muddy
or super technical conditions.
Test Conditions: technical
single track that was both wet
and dry (ah, Spring), some re
(dirt) road
Tester: Chris Ord, editor,
Trail Run Mag
Tester Mechanics: mid-foot
striker whose form diminishes
in proportion to time on trail,
slight pronator.
VITALS
$170 AU
Information online at:
www.thenorthface.com.au
The hexagonal forefoot
lugs are deeper and the
heel grip is excellent. But
the forefoot still lets
down a front-of-foot
striker when the going
gets wet or muddy.
112 113
REVIEW
I HADBEENFAITHFUL FOR 20 YEARS.
WELL, EXCEPT FOR A BRIEF FLING
WITHMINIMALIST MORE OF A
HOLIDAY ROMANCE, REALLY. BUT THE
RELATIONSHIP GREWSTALE: THE SHOE
INQUESTIONCHANGED, I DIDNT
SUDDENLY WE DIDNT FIT ANYMORE.
THENI WAS INTRODUCEDTOTHE TRAIL
DEMONS... IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST LEAP.
Stepping into these babies is a bit like
being held in the arms of a rugby player
(you girls will understand), with a perfectly
placed and structured heel counter and
superb outer protection. Brooks retain
their tradition of generous shoeboxes and
I had more room here than I would have
liked these shoes are perfect for runners
with a wide forefoot, but are able to be
snugged down firmly over the arch.
There is nothing namby-pamby about the
construction with sturdy uppers and decent
solid laces adding to the durable feel. The
shoe is competitive in the classic market at
280gms and BioS-257 cushioning tips its hat
to the environmentalists.
Nothing gentle and tender about the ride,
either I felt the earth move under the
DEVILS ADVOCATE
Brooks Trail Demon
hydraFlow viscous midsole as we took that
first step together, and the Demons were
all business as we started up the first hill
of the day. Aggressive lugs bit deep into
the slippery clay providing rock-solid foot
placement and prime leverage for the climb.
Along the top of the ridge, Brooks
enthusiastic pronation control caused
a wee tussle with my neutral running
inclination, as a thermoplastic DRB Accel
medial post forced me firmly to the outside
of the shoe.
Absolutely spectacular trail grip meant
we quickly made up on some sweet
technical downhill: I had good control and
reasonable trail-feel for a shoe with 12mm
drop, although I did catch a couple of roots
where the lugs splay out from the slightly
oversized forefoot.
Splashing through a couple of streams
and mud baths on the way home, the
Air Mesh drained well and quickly, snug
uppers kept out the worst of the debris and
comfortable inners werent compromised.
After an exhilarating couple of hours of
hardcore trail I was spent... but I swear the
Demons winked at me as they lay drying in
the sun.
take outs
BROOKS TRAIL DEMON
Great for Technical, wet terrain
where good grip is needed.
Not so great for Flat fast
clean trail.
Test conditions Technical
single track: steep, rocks,
roots, mud.
Tester Vicki Woolley, off-road
ultra-marathon runner.
Tester mechanics Neutral runner,
mild heel-striker, lightweight
(53kg).
VITALS
$135 /AU
Further information at:
www.brooksrunning.com.au
There is nothing
namby-pamby about
the construction
with sturdy uppers
and decent solid
laces adding to the
durable feel.
114 115
REVIEW
TRAIL PORN
PRESENTED BY
RUNNING THE FINAL ASCENT ON
THE WEST RIDGE, MOUNT BULLER,
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.
LYNDON MARCEAU
MARCEAUPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
TRAILPORN
116 117
A MOMENT TO REFLECT, RUNNING THE SUR LES TRACES DES DUCS DE SAVOIE
- USUALLY KNOWN AS THE TDS, THE 119KM LITTLE BROTHER OF THE ULTRA
TRAIL DU MONT BLANC (UTMB). THE ROUTE RACES IN OPEN COUNTRY ALONG
THE GRANDE RANDONNE PATHS CROSSING THOUGH THE MONT-BLANC,
BEAUFORT, TARENTAISE AND AOSTA VALLEY COUNTRYSIDE.
ULTRATRAILMB.COM
119
TRAIL PORN PRESENTED BY
118
SADDLING UP NEAR MT. FEATHERTOP.
STEWART AICKIN
MOUNTAINRUNNING.COM.AU
THIS IMAGE: 17 YEAR OLD LUCY BARTHOLOMEW (DISTANT RUNNER )
DEPARTING MT. FEATHERTOP IN THE 68KM EVENT AT THE RAZORBACK.
STEWART AICKIN
MOUNTAINRUNNING.COM.AU
STRIDING HARD IN
THE FIRST ROUND OF
THE TRAIL ACT SERIES.
KIRILL TALANINE
MY-VISUAL-LIFE.COM
TRAILACT.COM.AU
120
121
BOMBING THE DOWN DURING THE LT 70,
ON LANTAU ISLAND, HONG KONG.
EDDIE CHIU @ A PHOTOGRAPHY
EVENTS.LANTAUBASECAMP.COM/
122 123
ON THE COURSE OF MT. JOSHU-HOTAKA SKYVIEW TRAIL 50K IN
GUNMA, JAPAN. THIS RACE IS ALSO KNOWN AS YAMADA NOBORU
CUP, ONE OF THE OLDEST TRAIL RACES IN JAPAN.
KOICHI IWASA DOGSORCARAVAN.COM
DONT LET THE SUN GO DOWN: GETTING IN MORE THAN A SUNSET STROLL ON THE PEAK OF MOUNT BULLER, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.
LYNDON MARCEA MARCEAUPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
DAMON DE BOOR AVOIDS WET SHOES ON ONE OF THE MANY
RIVER CROSSING AT THE LESOTHO ULTRA TRAIL
ANTHONY GROTE, ANTHONYGROTE.COM
LESOTHOULTRATRAIL.COM
124 125
JOSH GALE ON OMANAWANUI, HILLARY TRAIL, NEW ZEALAND.
SHAUN COLLINS HTTP://CABBAGETREEPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.NZ/
ONE OF THE AMAZING TRAILS
ON THE MUSTANG TRAIL RACE,
NEPAL,AT 4200M (13,000FT) WITH
VIEWS OF 8000M ANNAPURNA AND
DHAULAGIRI ON THE HORIZON.
RICHARD BULL
MUSTANGTRAILRACE.COM
126 127
You know theyre there: those
pristine trails.Close.Not
far from your doorstep.
You can smell them
Or maybe thats just the
sweet waft of dirt not-long
ground into the lugs of your
trail shoes, which sit by the
front door a welcome reminder
of the weekends mountain jaunt.
But the blood screams for
more. The legs are sore, yet
they pine for a warm down. A
warm up. A at out blast along
some winding, wet, wonderful
singletrack. But where to go?
Only got an hour (which you
know can stretch to three).
Trail Mag has the answer(s).
Here. In this guide. Each
edition well bring you step
by step trail run guides,
all within an hour of a major
city or town in Australia, New
Zealand or Asia, all between 5km
and 30km, all worth zipping out
to for a trail x.
Weve also included some
post-trail goodness cause were
human; were caffeine freaks too
(strong latte sometimes double
espresso, but only on race days),
and we love the smell of fresh
eggs and bacon after pounding
the paths. Welcome to the
goodness guide.
Dome vally Mt Pirongia
Win Salomon gear!
We need trail correspondents! If you think theres a cracking
trail the world needs to know about, go research it, write it up,
shoot a photo and send it in. We do have a bit of a style going,
so be sure to check out the guidelines and download the pro
forma before you do at www.trailrunmag.com/contribute
If your guide is chosen as the Editors Pick of the issue,
youll win some great Salomon Trail Gear. The best guide submitted
to be published in Edition #12 (out March 2014) will receive
an Agile 17 Hydro Pack (RRP $119), a stretch t 17L beauty perfect
for longer missions, plus a 1.5L Salomon bladder (RRP$59.99)
and a 237mL Salomon soft ask (RRP$24.99).
So go running, get writing and start window shopping at
www.salomon.com/au
Mt buller
You Yangs
132 130 134 136
PRESENTED BY
SUMMER TIME
SUMMER TIME
128 129
TRAILGUIDE
STIRLING STUFF
Mt Buller, Victoria, australia
Your Guide // Chris Ord
Mountain bike trails make for awesome trail
running. So its only natural that youd
want to head to some of Australias most
heralded fat tyre ier singletrack to give
it a crack on the hoof and get a feel for
ow on the berms. And the best is found at
Mount Buller, in the Victorian Alps. As part
of the broader Seven Peaks trail running
campaign (www.7peaksrun.com.au, soon to be
launched across all seven Victorian alpine
resorts), Mount Buller is looking to attract
more trailites to its anks and recently
employed the services of Trail Run Mag and
Adventure Types to sort out a full suite of
set routes. This is the highlight epic run.
A big banger from Buller to sister mountain
Stirling and back via iconic mountain bike
trails the likes of Stoney and Corn Hill.
Fast, owing, some grunty climbs, some
zinging drops and some big views out over the
Victorian Alps: this runs got the lot.
RUN IT:
1. Starting underneath the Mount Buller village
clocktower, exit the square to the south (between
CowCamp Plaza and Kooroora Hotel), cut over
road and pick up the Village Family trail, on
which you turn left.
2. Youre looking for the MTBtrail signGang
Gangs (Trail No. 6) veering oto your left. Take
it and followthe Gang Gangs trail, a fun, slightly
technical whichwinds its way throughbeautiful
snowgums onthe periphery of the village,
eventually doubling back and running a sweet
contour below. Youwill come to a V intersection,
withGang Gangs to the right/upper and Split Rock
trail to the left/lower. Take the left fork. This drops
youdownto the CornHill Road crossing. Pick up
the Picnic Trail onthe ip side of the road.
3. At approx. 3km, you come to an intersection
with numerous trail outputs: this is the turn
around for Picnic Trail. Head straight across
following the trail marked Corn Hill (you should
be running dead on, dont turn left down the hill
nor take anything to your right). Corn Hill trail
will throwa fewshort switchback climbs at you
before dumping you out onto a rough re trail,
funnily enough called Silk Lane.
4. Enjoy the drop down Silk Lane, which ejects
you into Howqua Gap Junction. Cross the road
to nd Howqua Gap hut, a good snack break
spot. Just behind the hut, youll see to the left the
beginning of Stoney, one of the most famous
MTB trails in Australia.
5. Mountain bikers arent mad for the rst half,
given its a climb, but running up Stoney is an
absolute joy (runners get up it faster than riders).
The gradient is extremely runnable and theres
plenty of owand undulation through snowgum
groves. Theres the odd rock feature, bridges, and
a creek or two. It is pristine.
6. Youll punch out at the top of Stoney,
turning right to Blu Spur Memorial Hut, an
ideal place for lunch. Re-energised, take the West
Summit Trail around the anks of Mt Stirling,
making your way to Geelong Grammar Hut. You
will poke out onto a rough 4WDtrail. Turn right
and make a short climb to the saddle just below
Mt Stirling Summit. The short burst to the trig
point is worth the big 360-degree views, including
back across to Mt Buller Village. And note the
solitary 500 year-old snowgumacross the saddle
amazing it survives the harsh weather up here.
7. Drop back west o Stirling, taking a double
back trail down to Blu Spur Memorial Hut
where you can pick up Stoney again, which
scoots o to the south (on your left as you come
into the open area in front of the hut). Enjoy the
switchbacks on descent, with awesome running
all the way back to Howqua Hut.
8. Cross back over the road and look for a MTB
trail to your left, the return leg of Silk Lane.
And get your diesel on, as you slowly grind your
way up the switchbacks, nothing too steep, just
ongoing until you reach a fabulous lookout
back towards Stirling, Howitt, Buggery and the
Crosscut Saw Victorian high country icons.
9
. Silk lane will eventually turn into Corn Hill
Summit trail. Reaching an intersection at approx.
20km, you can decide to go straight on if tired,
or go the whole hog and take in Misty Twist, a
owing piece of trail that drops down left and
then climbs back up good for bermrunning. It
picks up Corn Hill again, which runs you back
into Picnic Trail, linking to Split Rock and onto
Village Family trail. Youre home. Out of breath,
mind blown, happy.
trail tips
NAME OF TRAIL RUN Buller-
Stirling Epic Run
NEARBY CITY Manseld, 42km;
Melbourne 230km
EXACT LOCATION Start from Mt
Buller Village, underneath the
clocktower in the main square.
TOTAL ROUTE DISTANCE 27km
TOTAL ASCENT/DESCENT 1020m
TIME TO RUN 3.5-4.5 hours
TYPE OF TRAIL RUN Loop with
several cross cut get-outs
DIFFICULTY Moderate
DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS fun
owing singletrack running, some
technical underfoot, gradual
climbs courtesy of switchbacks,
stunning eucalypt forest
FEATURES OF INTEREST mountain
huts, big views from Stirling
summit and Corn Hill
NOTE: Mount Buller will be launching a
custom map specically tailored for trail
runners in the near future. Stay tuned.
3.5-4.5
hours
POST RUN GOODNESS:
Options in the Village in summer arent as varied
as in the winter rush, but try Powder Bar (Fri-
Sun), Apres Bar &Caf, or the newCorner Store
oering hearty fare and good coee. Or wander
up the hill to the Arlberg for a viewand a beer.
www.mtbuller.com.au
ONLI NE
MAP
IMAGES: Lyndon Marceau / www.marceaphotograpy.com
130 131
TRAILGUIDE
PRESENTED BY
MT PIRONGIA
Your Guide // Vicki Woolley
Mt. Pirongia the fragrant presence
of Kahu towers dramatically over the
Waikato plains. A myriad of trails offer
many distance options to explore the
rare plants and volcanic landscape. One
thing is sure: you will have to work hard
for the unique rewards this fascinating
environment offers

RUN IT:
1. From the Grey Road car park, head north
along the deceptively benign Mangakara
Nature Walk: follows the signs to Ruapane
Track and Viewpoint.
2. Ruapane Track begins to climb
immediately through a slippery gully dotted
with glades of tree-fern and tawa, and unusual
limestone formations.
3. The track steepens along a ridge where
it joins Tirohanga Track, and native bush
gives way to hardy horipito, mountain ax
and grasses. Continue up Tirohanga Track
towards Pirongia Summit.
4. The Ruapane Lookout Trig is situated on
a rocky outcrop shortly past the junction, and
oers fabulous views over the Waikato plains
and towards the Kaimai ranges. Take care
here; winds can be strong and gusty!
5. Tirohanga Track undulates along the main
Pirongia Ridge past the Trig: the track is rocky
and uneven. Tirohanga Blu a lava nger
looms dramatically on your right as the track
descends into a sharp left turn. A detour to
climb the Blu is almost irresistible but take
EXTREME CAUTION over slippery wet rocks
and sheer drops.
6. Descend past a sheer rock face decorated
with rata vines, and continue climbing
towards the Summit. At the junction with
Mahaukura Track you have options. Continue
PAST the junction for 10mins to reach the
Summit: a further 15mins will bring you to
the rustic Pahautea Hut. Keep an eye out for
the rare parasite Dactylanthus taylorii and
700-year-old pahautea trees as you traverse
the ridge.
7. Return down the Mahaukura Track.
Caution: the rst 5km undulates wildly down
the ridgeline, and is extremely steep and
technical. Loamy stands of tawa, rimu and
totara oscillate wildly with exposed rocky
outcrops that you will cling to like their hardy
ax and grass inhabitants... the 360o views are
sublime.
8. The terrain attens out abruptly with 2km
to go, and your tired quads will thank you for
a gorgeously soft, owing run-out to nish.
POST RUN GOODNESS:
Head over to Hamilton (The Tron) and park
downtown to access a plethora of decent
cafes within walking distance: try Cafe 547
(529 Grey Street) for homemade pizza, Joes
Garage (6 Bryce Street) for big solid fare,
or the award-winning River Kitchen (237
Victoria Street) if you fancy a bit of posh!
trail tips
NAME
Mt Pirongia: Tirohanga-Mahaukura
Loop
NEARBY CITY
Hamilton, 30km (30mins)
EXACT LOCATION
Grey Road car park, Pirongia
TOTAL ROUTE DISTANCE
15km (17km includes Pirongia
Summit and Pahautea Hut)
TOTAL ASCENT/DESCENT
1086 elevation gain
TIME TO RUN
3-5hrs
TYPE OF TRAIL RUN
Loop
DIFFICULTY
Masochistic
DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS
Steep ascents/descents,
technical rocks/roots, exposed
faces with steep drops
FEATURES OF INTEREST
Spectacular views, rare plants,
native forest

3-5hrs
LOOP
Caution: the first 5km
undulates wildly down the
ridgeline, and is extremely
steep and technical.
VI EW BROCHURE
MAP
133
TRAILGUIDE
PRESENTED BY
132
YOUIE BEAUTY
You Yangs, Vic, Australia
Your guide: Chris Ord
Big fun can come in little mountains.
The You Yangs (affectionately called
the Youies) in Victoria, seen sprouting
like a granite pimple from the beginning
of the volcanic atlands barely 50km
west of Melbournes hustle, is proof
in the pudding. The parklands are only
24km east to west, and the main ridge
is much shorter (9km). But damn theres
some ne, owy, fun trail there. Enough
for notable local trail event operator,
Trails Plus to hang one of its majors
there, including ultra distances. For this
little recreational dash, however, were
concentrating on the post-work, quick
leg-it length, choosing the Flinders Peak
(364m) as our highlight with its big views
over the states second city, Geelong,
and back to Melbournes skyscrapers. But
the joy is less in the up and back ascent
and more in the main loop run around the
summit, which is tech running heaven among
boulder gardens galore.

RUN IT:
1. Park at the Turntable car park. The trail is
well signposted. Your only decision is whether
you take the east side or west side rst (or
indeed tackle the peak rst up). Both east and
west feature climbing, undulating sections
and some bomber downhills.
2. Best bet: do two loops, one in each
direction, broken up by a summit run in
between. For this guide well go east to kick
things o.
3. Heading on the east trail (on your right
hand side as you leave the car park to the
trails), youll face a steady climb, with the
odd switchback, for about 1.5km. There arent
really any cross trails, so nowhere to get lost.
4. At about 1.5km and rounding the back of
the range enjoy views toward the lesser Yang
(or is that the You?), which at its foot features
a geoglyph art installation made of rocks by
artist Andrew Rogers in recognition of the
indigenous people of the region. It depicts
Bunjil, a mythical creature with a wingspan
of 100 metres, which features 1500 tonnes of
rock in its construction.
5. Rounding to the west trail side, you start
passing through big rock gardens, sometimes
running across rock faces with yet more
impressive views to the north-west.
6. Then the fun begins at about 2km:
weaving, winding trails with plenty of rock
gardens you need to Fred Astaire (or Ginger
Rogers) through and some serious descents
requiring all your concentration. Pretty
much, you bomb it down back to the car park,
stopping only for yet another big view point
at a steel platform constructed above a rock
climbing area, the vista out over Geelong City
and Port Phillip Bay.
7. Once back to the car park, youll have run
just over 4km. With time on your hands, take
a cruisey run up to the Flinders Peak and its
platform. After all, you can never get sick of
the views and there are plenty more dotted up
this 1.6km trail (3.2km return).
8. Take the west route for a dierent aspect
of the same trail (youll think youve never
run there before everything is dierent in
reverse). Essentially its the same narrative:
climb, rock gardens, and a bomber downhill
back to the carpark as you scoot around the
anks of the You Yangs.

POST RUN GOODNESS:
Theres nothing much within coo-ee, but
Geelong has a plethora of great coee houses
and cafes. Fuel Coee + Food (Shed 2 Gore
Place) is good as is Caf Go (37 Bellarine St)
and Cartel Coee Roasters for caeine freaks
(soooo good). If travelling out fromMelbourne,
fresh (and cheap) fruit at the stalls found at the
highway roadhouses are your only reprieve. Its
a brave soul who risks their coee though.
trail tips

NAME OF TRAIL RUN
You Yangs East-West Trail
NEARBY CITY
Geelong, 72km; Melbourne 50km
EXACT LOCATION
10km north of the Princes Hwy via
Little River or Lara. Head to the
Parks main entrance on the west
side, drving up to the Turntable Car
Park.
4.5km one loop, 12km two loops and
summit run
507m (for two loops and the summit)
TIME TO RUN
20-30 mins (one loop), 1 1.5hr (two
loops and summit)
TYPE OF TRAIL RUN
Loop
DIFFICULTY
Easy-Moderate (depends how hard you go)
Flowing but super technical running,
short inclines (bar the peak which
is a bit of a steady grind) and
declines, small wood groves
Big views, big rock gardens,
geoglyph rock art installation
20-30min
LOOP
ONLI NE
MAP
134 135
TRAILGUIDE
PRESENTED BY
photo: Vicki Woolley
PRESENTED BY
DOME VALLEY TRACK
north island,
NEW ZEALAND
YOUR GUIDE: Vicki Woolley
Been lazing around at the bach this
summer, over-indulging and under-
exercising? Getting a bit testy? Park
the partner and kids at the superb Dome
Valley Tearooms and hit the trail for a
wee section of the Te Araroa Walkway: the
Dome Valley Butt Blaster! A sure-re
way to kick-start your summer training...

RUN IT:
1. The DoC sign for the walkway is directly
opposite the Dome Valley Tearooms. Yep, the
rst 300m is UP the steps (well, we did promise
your butt a decent workout!). The track
continues to climb past the steps to a ridge
and lookout point with views of Mahurangi
Peninsula and the Hauraki Gulf.
2. Dont be deceived by the gravelled start:
the fun begins after the viewing point as the
track climbs steadily through lush podocarp
and broadleaf forest. Forest&Bird have created
a short nature trail with signs identifying local
ora.
3. The track narrows and steepens, and
becomes rocky underfoot as you scramble up
towards the Dome Trig. This is an ideal place
to stop for a quick breather and admire the
view to the north, including the Hen-and-
Chicken Islands in the distance.
4. Descend from the Trig and continue
undulating over moderately technical terrain,
until a handmade sign tacked to a tree at
head-height announces you have arrived at
Waiwhiu Kauri Grove. Approximately 20 Kauri
trees up to 4m in girth miraculously survived
the logging era; walk over to the ridge (right
of track) to get a glimpse of the coast, and an
opportunity for creative photography on a large
toppled kauri.
5. Continue past Waiwhiu Grove: the track
continues to undulate aggressively along the
ridge before dropping down through pines
to a gravel access road*. Take a deep breath,
massage those quads and glutes, turn around
and head back the way you came to the
Tearooms.
6. * From the turnaround point, you have the
option to continue on the Te Araroa Trail out
to Govan Wilson Road 14km one-way. Turn
left and run down the access road. Turn right
into Waiwhiu Valley Road: after 200m you will
see a sign pointing left to the Waiwhiu Stream
crossing. Cross the stream, turn right and
follow the bush track along the river for 1.6km.
Pass through Totara Peak Scenic Reserve and
climb steeply up the ridge to the junction with
Conical Peak Road. Turn ght and follow the
road north to Govan Wilson Road.
POST RUN GOODNESS:
Stagger across to the Dome Valley Tearooms,
where the All Day Breakfast menu is served quick
and hot; the coee is good, and they have ginger
beer!
trail tips
NAME OF TRAIL RUN
Dome Valley Track
NEARBY TOWN/CITY
74km (1hr) north of Auckland on
SHI to Dome Forest Conservation
Area
EXACT LOCATION
7km North of Warkworth on SH1,
Dome Valley Tearooms (on right
of highway)
12km return, 14km one-way
option.
800m
TIME TO RUN
1.5-2.5rs
TYPE OF TRAIL RUN
Return (one-way option
available, requires car shuttle)
DIFFICULTY
Moderate
Short, sharp ascents; rooty.
Views, Kauri grove, nature
trail.
1.5-2.5rs
ONLI NE REFERENCE
BEST MAPS
The track narrows
and steepens, and becomes
rocky underfoot as you
scramble up towards the
Dome Trig.
136 137
TRAILGUIDE
PRESENTED BY
W
W
W
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T
R
A
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R
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M
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C
O
M

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