You might think that grueling 100 mile foot races through remote wilderness are nothing for people who are easily scared, but you’d be wrong. A woman who only runs after taking precautions against anything from rattle snakes to serial killers has not only run dozens of iconic ultramarathons but also Badwater, a 135 mile race…
Listen to the full interview with Ana Braga-Levaggi: Want to get into ultra running but don’t know how to fit it around your kids? Get inspired to become an ultra marathon parent from a mom and personal trainer who has run some of the world’s toughest 100 milers. Your kids might actually love you for…
Non-runners sometimes critically tell me that runners miss the view, that they should “stop and smell the roses”. I do, in my training runs. I do picnic runs, literally, trotting along with self-baked banana bread in my pack and taking 11 hours for my favourite 48k run, enjoying the wildlife, the flowers and trees, and…
The Australian Lyrebird has the unique ability to perfectly imitate the songs of other birds as well as human sounds, including mobile phones or camera shutters. Personally, I think I hear some video game sounds as well. How many different bird songs can you identify? I recorded this footage just before sunrise near Jenolan Caves, some two hours inland from Sydney….
Trail running has taken off in recent years and an increasing number of athletes take their cameras for a run. Nicky Redl spoke to Robert Rhodes, who is the tour director for the Trails in Motion film festival in Northern California. Trails in Motion offer an inspiring mix of insights from around the world. In…
Listen to the full interview with Karen Low: Ten years ago, you wouldn’t have picked Karen Low for a runner. A heavy smoker for two decades, getting into running for health and fitness didn’t just help her steer clear of cigarettes, she also dropped 20 kilos along the way. “I gave up smoking in…
50 Shades of Green – or so it looked as the sunlight fell through leaves and ferns. But I wasn’t exactly bounding along with 7.2 kilos on my back and every step hurting after an intense speed session two days earlier. I had gotten up early to jog the three kilometres from Katoomba to the start of…
Who needs roses when you can have a thousand ukuleles? On Valentine’s Day 2015, more than a thousand musicians shared their love for ukes in Katoomba at the annual ukulele festival, entertaining crowds with 120 acts on nine stages throughout the picturesque town in the Blue Mountains National Park. Performances were staged in the iconic…
Heading to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia? Good choice – it’s hiking and trail running paradise. Here are some of the views you can expect to see. Races in this area include the Six Foot Track Marathon (March) and the UltraTrail Australia (May). Both start in or near Katoomba.
The Milford Track is a stunning 53 km walking track through rainforest and mountainous terrain on New Zealand’s South Island, ending with a ferry ride to scenic Milford Sound. The daily distance is very manageable as it is divided over four days, with plenty of time to rest, swim in natural pools, and enjoy the…