Nestled into the idyllic Bay of Plenty region on New Zealand’s North Island, there is a town that smells like no other. A famous tourist attraction for its geothermal activity, geysers and hot spas, Rotorua greets you with the distinct odor of rotten eggs. Nicknamed Sulphur City, it is also the home of New Zealand’s…
Dangling skeletons, boozed-up volunteers and a blow-up sex doll. The Javelina Jundred in Arizona with its 100 mile and 100 kilometre distances is a cross between an ultra and a Halloween party, with runners sporting anything from elaborate dresses to the minimalist mankini look. There was, after all, a “best ass” award to compete for….
What I remember most about dragging myself up steep, muddy and slippery mountain trails during the 2014 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc CCC is a sense of embarrassment about hating 90% of it. It was raining from afternoon onwards and come nighttime, the trails looked as you would expect after thousands of people have trodden on wet ground ahead…
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…
Running Free joins Nicky Redl on her magical journey across awe-inspiring Mongolian countryside, sharing all the pain, pleasure, agony, and euphoria she experienced over the gruelling 100 kilometre Sunrise to Sunset course. It was still dark as we gathered at the start banner of the Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset race. I hopped from foot to foot to stay warm,…