Articles

Ryan Sandes won the 2017 100 mile Western States Endurance Run in a shirt full of holes – precision cut holes. There is a history of innovation for this race, and a longer history of the holey shirt.

So, you really do want to be stronger at the end of the west to east Otter African Trail Run route known as the RETTO? Of course you do! This is one of the most amazing runs you’ll ever do and the main reason the event is sold out almost immediately entries go live. But be warned! It’s a real beast.

Even though you've been breathing your whole life, you may be doing it incorrectly. Getting your breathing right is so important for fueling your muscles with oxygen. Illustrations by Leanne Coelho

In my experience as a running form coach, I've observed that hip position is the most challenging technical trait for runners to master. It is, however, a real barometer for running performance.

You can have your trail running event listed in the print version of TRAIL magazine, or on this website. Be sure to send all the important details, well in advance!

The Otter African Trail Run, presented by Salomon and GU, is a sublime trail race. Well organised, in an iconic setting, it's an extremely challenging race, and not for the average runner. It throws every possible challenge at you, and is why so many, including myself, keep coming back. That includes this old man! Here are my thoughts on surviving the 2015 Otter with a better chance of success.

Coach Neville outlines the training, kit, and planning needed to complete 100 miles in this article from TRAIL magazine issue 24. You may be surprised to hear you don’t have to be superhuman to finish 100 miles. It is doable for most runners, provided you have a long build-up to develop the necessary strength and prevent injury.

Trail running takes us to some remarkably beautiful and remote places. The wildness and solitude are part of the attraction, but with that comes safety risks. One of those is exposure to wildlife, and diseases they carry, including the rabies virus. And guess what? Dogs, not wildlife, are responsible for most rabies infections in humans. Here's what you need to know to stay on the safe side of adventure.

Sunday 22 August was a dramatic day on Table Mountain. Four people were hurt and required assistance. One of them was TRAIL reader Nicholas Nicolle.

Gaining an entry to the iconic Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc shouldn't be the most difficult part of finishing a 171km Alpine race. Bennie Roux explains the entry process to help make your UTMB dreams a reality.

AJ Calitz returned to the 100km Windhoek Light Fish River Ultra to claim his third win, in what he calls his toughest FRU ever. The 65km winner, Athanasius Muronga, earned his fourth consecutive win! Read stories of adventure from AJ Calitz, second man Roelof Feenstra, and winning woman, Sandra le Roux.

The 2014 edition had mist and lightning. But spring in Free State is a changeable thing: the 2015 participants baked in the midday sun. Every time a cloud passed overhead I was relieved, and I cursed the blazing heat on the open grassland at the base of Platberg. And I blessed the volunteers at water tables who sprayed me with the iced sachets of water!

We reviewed Cowspiracy in issue 13, arguably the most important documentary about the damaging effects of the global food industry so far this decade.

There seems to be an FKT movement spreading into South Africa. Popular in Europe, trail runners in the Republic are now starting to summit peaks in the Drakensburg in order to set a fastest known time for an up and down run. It began with Johardt van Heerden on Sterkhorn and already there are challengers preparing themselves.

Chafing, bouncing, and nipple pointing: as lovely as your breasts are, they can be an additional challenge you could do without on the trails. Men, feel free to read on for a sense of empathy!

Technical descending is an unusual part of trail running, where skill can trump fitness. Proficiency on technical descents demands physical preparation and, equally important, mental focus. So what are the quickest ways to become a better descender?

Swiss mountain ace Marc Lauenstein is a man of surprises: he wins SA's prestigious Otter Trail Run on his first outing, becomes the first person to run the rugged course in under four hours, wins R100k... then does something equally remarkable.

What went into running the 2019 Addo Elephant Trail Run 100 miler? Find out what Deon Braun learned when he completed Addo 100 in March 2019, and tips to prepare for your 2020 Addo Elephant Trail Run. His story was published in TRAIL issue 31.

If you suddenly find you are struggling with training, losing performance despite training harder, or even losing the desire to train, you may have Over-Training Syndrome.

Running shoe expert Grant Bryant of RUN Store helps you choose trail running shoes which are optimal for your needs. Hint: it's not about the style or the colour! Your history, biomechanics, terrain, run philosophy, and personal fit all count.