Originally I had intended to write this race report reflecting on how Sydney Trailwalker 2007 was my first foray into the ultra trail world, having only ever walked/jogged Woodford to Glenbrook (25km) prior, but I had too much fun on the trails this year with my team and crew to do that. So instead this is a light hearted reflection written in jest and is no way to be insulting or critical of anybody. Enjoy... I've been known to say, "I'm not doing Trailwalker again," but that was three Sydney Trailwalkers ago. In the lead up to entries opening again for this year's event I was adamant ..read more

For me, Ultra Trail Australia 100km (formerly known as The North Face 100km Australia) is an event that inspires and motivates me. When I first heard about the inaugural event back in 2008 my initial thought was that I have to give it a go. I wasn't a runner back then, far from it in fact, I was just someone who enjoyed spending time outdoors, especially in my beloved Blue Mountains. Back then the thought of completing 100km was daunting, it still is, but the generous cut off meant that even a steady walking pace would see me through to the end. With a bit of trail running ..read more

Guys might have their "gear", but girls definitely have their "accessories". When it comes to trail running one of the must have accessories is a good vest, to store more accessories (mandatory gear), right?! I'll be honest and say that when I think about going for a long run, the last thing I think about is my vest. Probably because in the early days when I started trail running I relied upon an uncomfortable light weight back pack which chafed and allowed its contents to bounce around. Over the following 10 years, I've watched them slowly evolve from crude light-weight back ..read more

Every time I go up to Katoomba, which is quite a lot, I look out from my bedroom window each day and gaze at Mt Solitary. The mountain stands prominent on the south side of Jamison Valley, alone, solitary. Depending on the weather its exposed sandstone cliffs can reflect the suns rays, or it can be concealed in cloud and mist which descends and wafts through the valley. Mt Solitary is mesmerising in so many ways and to be able to traverse it in a race is just truely magical, but at the same time the mountain reminds you why it stands supreme and alone. Course Map. Running Wild NSW It ..read more

Lap races to me sound pretty boring, they probably sound pretty boring to most people. I don’t mind training on the same section of trail again and again. I give my local trails a good work out, day after day, but I usually have a break of at least a day before revisiting the same section of trail. A lap race for that matter is usually not my preferred event format. I do make an exception to my rule for Running Wild NSW's Knapsack Lap Race, for a number of reasons. Other than the obvious one being that it’s in the Blue Mountains (Glenbrook), each 5.0km lap is entirely on undulating free flowi ..read more

With the growth of trail running there is no such thing as an "off season". For the most part in Australia we don't have seasons which define the end of the trail running season, so potentially you can run all year round, year after year doing quality trail races. There are so many races on offer all year round now that it's necessary to create your own "off season" in order to allow the body to relax and reset the mind, both of which are necessary to be motivated enough for future races. For me I've already started to wind down and am doing the next couple of races for my own self interest an ..read more

These race reports of mine are written primarily for myself, so that I can reflect on events surrounding trail races. I think it's important to remember what worked and what didn't so that faded memories don't distort the real story. I'm writing this report so that I remember to give Hounslow Classic the full respect that it deserves! There are so many aspects of this course that are intimidating; the 68km's, the technicality of the terrain, the +/-4100m shared over the 4 major ascents balanced with the 4 major descents. This course has the potential to chew you up and spit you out.  Th ..read more

The name said it all. In hindsight I probably should have heeded the warning. My third race for 2015 was in New Zealand at the Mt Difficulty Ascent, 43km'ish with +/-3600m (thereabouts), which was also my third new race of the year. It wasn't necessarily planned that way, however it was just the way things panned out for me.  Course overview and profile. Mt Difficulty Ascent. Information about the event was pretty basic if not scarce. I relied mostly on Facebook banter as to what was expected. The two stand out topics were the steep gradients that were "off trail" and the erratic ..read more

It is always a frustrating experience to be injured, more so when it means being unable to run and missing an event. Last year I was impaired by an injury which resulted in me missing the inaugural Buffalo Stampede in 2014. I did however make the journey to Bright, Victoria, to spectate which only fueled the fire to return the following year and attempt this Skyrace. Buffalo Stampede Ultra SkyMarathon Profile. Fast forward a year and after some cautious training, I made it to the event ready to race. This year's Buffalo Stampede was also the Skyrunning Oceania Continental Championship ..read more

Permanent course marker. Never before in a race have I wanted to stop more than I did in The Hillary, NZ 80km Ultra Marathon race. Not because I was injured, not because I was tired and not because I was sore, but because the views were so amazingly breathtaking. Unlike mountain races where you spend the day running into the same view, or around the same view, this race the views draw you further along the trail towards new, different, more exciting scenery. It was a pure pleasure to traverse this course, a treat for the eyes. The start of 2015 for me has been a bit flat. This far in ..read more