Raw Trail Running

Running uphill is a challenging and effective way to improve your overall fitness and cardiovascular health. It requires a different set of muscles and a different mindset than running on flat surfaces, and can provide a variety of benefits that can help you become a stronger, faster, and more a resilient runner. The benefits of uphill running ... Read More

What is Raynaud’s Disease? Raynaud’s disease, also known as Raynaud’s phenomenon, is a condition that causes blood vessels in the fingers and toes to constrict, reducing blood flow and causing pain, numbness, and tingling. This can happen as a response to cold temperatures or stress. When the blood vessels constrict, it leads to a temporary los... Read More

Slacklining started in the 1980s as a way for rock climbers to make the most of time spent waiting for bad weather to pass. It’s now gaining popularity with runners, especially trail runners, as a strength training exercise. It has steadily gained exposure in urban areas, but can also be done out on the trail. All you need is a couple sturdy tre... Read More

Trail running is an activity that many people enjoy for its many benefits. Not only does it provide a great cardiovascular workout, but it also allows you to connect with nature and explore the great outdoors. Here are a few more reasons why trail running is the best form of exercise: Variety: Trail running offers a wide variety of terrain and ... Read More

Trail running is a fantastic way to get outside, enjoy nature, and improve your physical and mental health. However, it can also be an expensive hobby, with the cost of gear, race entry fees, and travel adding up quickly. But don’t let a tight budget stop you from hitting the trails! With a little creativity and planning, it’s possible to enjoy ... Read More

What is Intermittent Fasting? Intermittent fasting is simply timing your food consumption so that you have a period where no calories are consumed. The point of intermittent fasting is to give your body a period when it must rely on stored energy rather than getting it from frequently consumed meals or snacks. It’s a recent development and qui... Read More

“We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more in imagination than in reality.” Seneca Before I start, let me quickly clear up some misconceptions about what Stoicism is. Because of the use of the word stoic in the English language, there is a connotation that stoicism is about enduring hardship by hiding or ignoring one’s o... Read More

Running can be great for weight loss, but to maximise its effectiveness, it is beneficial to incorporate some high-intensity interval training (HIIT).  This elevates the heart rate for fairly short bursts with lower intensity periods in between.  The great news for trail runners is that running on hills provides the perfect conditions for buildi... Read More

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably heard a thing or two about barefoot running. Maybe you’ve read some articles about it, or maybe you’ve seen someone running around in a pair of weird looking shoes with toes. So, what’s the big deal? Why is it so popular to run barefoot or in minimalist footwear? Is there any science behind this ... Read More

It seems counter-intuitive that minimalist running shoes are often more expensive than traditional/maximal running shoes.  Minimalist running shoes are supposed to provide as little interference between your foot and the running surface as possible. They are constructed of much less material and necessarily weigh significantly less then a tradit... Read More

Nick, it’s an honour to have you on the blog. How are you doing? Hi Chris I’m going well. Thanks for reaching out and inviting me onto your blog. 2019 has been a pretty big year. What was the highlight for you? With out a doubt the highlight for 2018 was seeing the runners that I coach all achieve various milestones with their running. Everyt... Read More

These are some of the best trail running Youtube channels in 2020.  If you haven’t tried these out already, do yourself a favour.  You may also be interested in my lists of the best blogs and podcasts. Beau Miles - Beau is an Australian adventurer. This channel isn’t just limited to running, but adventure challenges in general. The Ginger Runn... Read More

These are some of the best trail running podcasts in 2020.  If you haven’t tried these out already, do yourself a favour.  You may also be interested in my lists of the best blogs and Youtube channels. Trail Runner Nation - Awesome interviews, training advice, etc. Training for Ultra - Mix of elite interviews with mid to back of the pack runne... Read More

These are some of the best trail running blogs in 2020.  If you haven’t tried these out already, do yourself a favour.  You may also be interested in my lists of the best Youtube channels and podcasts. Sage Canaday has a couple blogs - http://sagecanaday.com/ is an older one, but still entertaining. New posts are going here: https://www.sagerun... Read More

It’s no secret that I’m a minimalist at heart, and unsurprisingly that minimalism spills into my running. There are countless products available for runners, most of which you can survive just fine without. If you’ve just started running, it might be tempting to go out and buy a bunch of running accessories. Expensive Shoes You might think tha... Read More

Yes, you read that right. This is an interview with Ryan Sandes. Ryan needs no introduction, so let’s just straight to it. Ryan, it’s an honour to have you on the blog. How are you doing? Great. Thanks for thinking of me. I’m doing good thanks. Looking forward to 2019. I guess I’ve had one or two races already this year. Yeah, 2018 was a massi... Read More

Kirra Balmanno is an impressively accomplished Australian mountain runner & veterinarian. She bought a one-way ticket to Europe in 2016 and fell in love with the mountains. Now she lives in the beautiful city of Innsbruck. Get ready for a little German lesson, and to learn about some Swiss snacks that you might like to try on your next long ... Read More

In 2012, Vlad Ixel decided it was time for a change, so he started running and switched to a vegan diet. It didn’t take him long to climb the ladder of elite ultrarunning. By mid-2013 he had won the 75km Kep Ultra in Perth and set a new course record. Since then, Vlad has competed in a huge number of events for such a short career. We’re excite... Read More

Lucy Bartholomew, ultrarunning legend from Melbourne, Australia, has had an epic year. From winning Ultra-Trail Australia on her 21st birthday to finishing in third place in her first 100-mile race, you could say it’s been a wild ride. 2018 has been a pretty big year.  What was the highlight for you? There have been so many highlights of thi... Read More

Technical trail running is characterised by the terrain being quite difficult to traverse.  This may include obstacles such as rocks, loose surfaces, roots, mud, water, steep climbs and steep descents.  Some technical sections may also require the use of the upper body in order to negotiate.  Technical trail running is usually significantly slow... Read More

Technical trail running is characterised by the terrain being quite difficult to traverse.  This may include obstacles such as rocks, loose surfaces, roots, mud, water, steep climbs and steep descents.  Some technical sections may also require the use of the upper body in order to negotiate.  Technical trail running is usually significantly slow... Read More

I thought I’d make a list of gift ideas for trail runners, partly for myself and partly as a resource for others.  Often when people ask me what I want for birthdays or Christmas, I can’t think of anything.  Trail running doesn’t require a lot of equipment, and usually, the things I need, I’ve already got.  Maybe with a few prompts, next time I ... Read More

If you’re going to the gym to bust out some kilometres on the treadmill or do some weights, trail running shoes will work just fine.  If, on the other hand, you’re planning to do an aerobics class, trail running shoes will work, but they might not give you the most enjoyable experience. Trail running shoes usually have a lot more grip than stan... Read More

On long runs, you will need to consume food on the go.  What to eat and how much to eat will be different for each runner and will depend on multiple factors.  This article serves as a rough guide, but each runner will need to experiment to work out what works best for them. Eating while running When you run, your body consumes stored carbohyd... Read More

It’s not long ago that I was new to trail running.  Here are some tips that I think would have helped me to keep things in perspective.  There’s no shortage of beginner tips out there already, so this is my unique perspective on it. Keep it simple You don’t need any special gear to get started. Standard running shoes will do just fine.  There’... Read More

Like any specialised field, trail running and ultrarunning are full of strange terms that are quite perplexing to the beginner.  Some of them are even perplexing to the experienced trail runner.  Here is a collection of some of the jargon I’ve come across in my travels with the trail running community.  Some of these are also used by non-trail r... Read More

Strength training is a critically important part of a trail runner’s program, but one that’s overlooked far too often.  Runners want to spend their spare time running.  They don’t want to waste it beefing up in the gym.  Trail runners, especially, want to spend their time outdoors, enjoying nature.  Would you rather be stuck in a gym doing repet... Read More

Having your eyes water when you run can be annoying. There are a few reasons why your eyes might be watering, and a few solutions to the problem. Essentially, it boils down to excessive tear production or poor tear draining.  But if it only starts being a problem when you run, then excessive tear production is probably the cause.  But what’s ca... Read More

I’ve been running in the Altra Escalante 1.0 for the past year.  These are my primary shoes for non-trail running. I’ve put an impressive number of kilometres into them and I must say they’ve served me well. They’ve done nearly 2000km (1242 miles) and to be honest, they still feel pretty good. And that’s just the running. I also wear them casua... Read More

When training for a long distance running event (anything over half marathon distance), you’ll quickly discover that it can be a very time consuming hobby. Especially if you get into trail ultramarathons, you’ll find that a good portion of most weekends can be consumed by running about your nearby hills. Here I’ll share my tips for maximising yo... Read More

The half marathon is run at a pace just below the lactate threshold. It requires more restraint than a 10K but more aggressiveness than a trail ultramarathon. It’s a delicate balance that needs to be practised in training to prepare both mind and body. Hill training is so important when training for any race distance.  If your race route is fai... Read More

Running at night is sometimes necessitated by life filling up the daylight hours.  It can also be a lot of fun, either with others or by yourself (if the silence and darkness don’t freak you out).  Here are some of the benefits and challenges of running at night. Benefits Here are some of the benefits of running at night. The heat Especially... Read More

One of the most exhilarating parts of trail running is the rush of the downhill sections, especially the technical single-track. Being able to tackle them with confidence is a trick that takes a bit of practice and some testing of your boundaries. Use these simple tips and you’ll be smashing the downhills in no-time. Go faster than you think yo... Read More

Running on a treadmill can be a tedious affair.  The tedium can be even more acute for trail runners who are accustomed to enjoying the sensory stimulation of running in nature.  I usually listen to audiobooks if I have to do any treadmill running, but I recently found another alternative. There are a number of channels on YouTube with videos o... Read More

The “plant based” diet is all the rage at the moment, but it’s certainly not a new idea. It’s basically the nutrition advice we’ve been ignoring for decades: “Eat more plants and put down those chicken nuggets.” It’s also basically how humans have eaten for the past 2 million years.  Animals are hard to catch and they get upset if you do catch ... Read More