Follow the Trail

I have always run in some way. At school I did cross country, little athletics, and triathlon, and later I did a few half Ironman races as well.

Trail running has only really been something I have focused on over the last couple of years. What I enjoy about it most is how it connects you with nature. Time on the trails gives you the opportunity to be really present. When you’re running on a trail you have to watch where you are going, so you become very aware of your surroundings.

Another really nice part of it is the community. You meet people from different places and from all over the world, people you would not normally meet otherwise. That is something I really enjoy about it.

In Perth, Australia, I often run around Kings Park, which is a big area of bushland right near the city center. It has beautiful views over the river and lots of trees.

But when you’re running somewhere more remote it feels different. On the weekends I usually head out for a trail run about half an hour from Perth where you have the Perth Hills, and some really nice trails. It becomes a really good way to step away from busy life and work and just focus on where you are.

Landscape Memories

When I think of growing up in Busselton the image that comes to mind straight away is the beach and the jetty.

Busselton sits along Geographe Bay on the southwest coast of Western Australia. The jetty stretches two kilometers out into the water, the longest public jetty in the southern hemisphere, with a small train that carries visitors all the way to the end.

The water in the bay is incredibly clear, and most of the year the shoreline is quiet. There’s a path that runs right beside the ocean where people walk or run along the white sand, with peppermint trees nearby and the occasional possum moving through the branches.

Moving Through Terrain

Growing up, I felt very close to nature. We had dogs, so we were always walking them along the beach, and being outside was just part of everyday life.

There was always sport happening too. I played tennis and hockey and did little athletics and cross country. Busselton is very much a family place, so there were always lots of kids around and plenty to do.

Further around the coast toward Dunsborough and the Cape, the landscape begins to change. The trails move through thicker trees and along beaches like Bunker Bay and Eagle Bay, where the forest comes right down to the sand. It’s a special place to move through because the terrain is always shifting between soft sand, rocks, shrubs, and larger trees as you head toward the lighthouse.

Running the Coast

I live in Perth now, in Leederville, which is fairly central in the city. But Busselton is still home in a lot of ways. My family is still there, so I go back quite a bit. My sister lives in Margaret River with her family as well, so I spend time down that way too.

Whenever I go back we often head out onto the trails around Dunsborough. One run that really stands out is the Meelup Coastal trail, which is actually part of the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Trail Run Championship course. My dad is 62 now and whenever I’m visiting we often go and run that trail together.

We usually start from the Dunsborough boat ramp early in the morning when it’s quiet. You get this beautiful sunrise coming up over the bay, and it’s a really nice place to run because you can swim there afterward.

Family Time Outdoors

We always had lots of camping holidays as a family when we were growing up. We went up to the Kimberley in WA quite a few times and also to places like Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef, as well as parts of the Northern Territory.

We were lucky to visit some really remote places that are not easy to access, and that was a really special way to experience nature when we were young.

My dad has always been a good runner, and since he retired over the last ten years or so he’s been running even more. It has been really nice to be able to run with him now.

We hiked the Bibbulmun Track together, which runs about a thousand kilometers from Perth to Albany. It took us about a month to complete because you are camping the whole time along the way. It was quite tough but also a really special experience to share together.

I feel very lucky that my family enjoys being outdoors and that we have such good relationships with each other. Growing up like that definitely influenced my connection to the outdoors.

Since we were little kids we were always going to interesting places, camping and spending time outside. It really is a privilege to be able to experience these kinds of landscapes.

Protecting the Places We Run

I care a lot about nature and try to reduce my impact on the planet where I can, whether that is cycling places or walking instead of driving. Being conscious about the actions we take and the impact they have on the planet is really important to me

One race I did in Tasmania was to raise money to help protect the Takayna rainforest, where there are proposals for logging and mining. The event supported the Bob Brown Foundation and their work to protect forests and wild landscapes.

The foundation led a campaign to stop the damming of the Franklin River in Tasmania, which ultimately allowed for the creation of the Tasmania Wilderness World Heritage Area.

Nature is so important for things like fresh air, clean water, and our overall well being. There is a lot of data now showing how much time in nature improves both mental and physical health.

If more people experience places like that, hopefully more people will care about protecting forests, wild places, and the natural environment.

The Adventure of the Trail

If someone is just starting trail running, the main thing is simply to take your time and enjoy it. On trails you’re not expected to run all the time. If you’re going up a steep climb you can walk, and that’s completely part of the experience.

You can stop, walk, and take your time to enjoy where you’re running. The magic of trail running is that you’re out there for the adventure. You don’t have to keep looking at your watch or checking your splits and heart rate.

You can walk up a hill, move over rocks, cross a river, or even take a different path to explore something new. That is all part of the adventure.