THE RIGHT STUFF

Trail running - we claim it’s about simplicity, about getting back to basics, the shedding of the complexities of life… right?

Well, yessssss, buuuuut, geeZ there’s some nice kit about (and a lot of it!).

And realistically, if you don’t have a hydration vest for the long run, or you erroneously wear door-to-trail shoes on a steep, muddy trail (like the Donna Double), well you’re gonna get in strife.

Luckily for us our major event partner, Salomon (and Suunto) has a huge range that pretty much covers the gamut of what you’d need, and we’re here to tell you that a wardrobe half full of trail running shoes shouldn't be a guilt laden thing … it just means you’re prepared for any type of trail you might happen to run. After all PPPPP - Preparation Prevents P!ss Poor Performance, right? - so let’s prep you with a few tips on the best kit matched to the different trail run outings at the Salomon Warburton Trail Fest….

SHOES

LUMBERJACK ULTRA 50km

Let’s start with the Lumberjack Ultra, 50km of truly mixed terrain that can be flat, but uneven and carpeted with bush debris, then steep, slippery and potentially muddy; it’s soft and mossy in parts, technical and a downhill gradient in others,; there’s even some (eeeeeek) road running in parts; then there’s the home stretch on buffed, greed, gravel walking paths. It’s a real mixed back, making shoe selection difficult given it’s also an ultra.

Let’s start there - ultras tend to need a little more plush comfort and ride than shorter outings. The steep and damp stuff needs at least a modicum of grip. Then the technical down needs some decent amount of ground feel - giving the ability to react quickly to the uneven, ever-changing terrain beneath you, including roots and rocks. The soft stuff need grip again. Then the road and buff gravel sections mean you again need a little padding, feedback is not as important, comfort is (especially because these sections are late in the running). Hang on - there’s also a river crossing! And while it’d also late in the piece, you still want your shoes to drain decently for comfort in the last 5km or so. It’s a lot to ask of one shoe, but here’s our pick(s):

S/Lab Genesis - mixing it up - as the Lumberjack course does in terms of terrain - this is the go-to. Racey, grippy with plush but not too bolshy, they provide a good balance between grip, trail feel and protection. The calf cuddle sleeve is perfect for Lumberjack given this course throws plenty of debris at you, and the toe cap good for keeping the knocks at bay.

Ultra Glide 2 - another shoe that is described as a chameleon, because it copes with a variety of terrains and surfaces. Lucky that ‘cause the Lumberjack constantly changes between soft and wet, hard and slippery, mulch and then some road plus a river crossing… So these will just glide you right over the lot.

REDWOODS RUSH 25km or SAW MILL GROVE 14km

So these events are about fast and furious and mostly flat, runs along an old aqueduct maintenance trail leading to the now-famous Redwoods Forest or - in the opposite direction - to a turn around overlooking the saw milling village of Millgrove. For the most part these are fire trail running (double track, dirt), although there is the steep access climb at the start of both (2km in) and the same hill but descending on the way back near the finish (23km), which is half trail and half bitumen road. For the Redwoods, there is also the short loop in and amonst the Redwoods, but that’s all on soft pine needles and grass.

So for this one, it’s less about grip, more about comfort and lightweight design (for the go fast feel). There’s again two options here depending on whether you’re a pointy ender or not. But these we reckon are the go across the skill levels:

S/Lab Ultra 3 V2 - it’s like putting a Ferrari on your feet, and given the Aqueduct Trail that forms most of the Redwoods out-and-back is like a racetrack, these are a great option. Still punchy with grip, they keep things fast and light with reduced wight in this update edition. The cushion is regular - enough to cuddle you for the mid-range distance and mild terrain. These are a very responsive shoe with good trail feel.

S/Lab Genesis - good for the Lumberjack, sure, but still a fair choice for the Redwoods Rush, too. Perhaps not for the go fast fillies who may look to something a little more slimline, but for your regular running punter, great for rushing along towards the Redwoods in comfort.

Thundercross Women’s - a traditional fave for those wanting a reliable ride through the wild - cushioned, protective with exceptional grip courtesy of 5mm lugs. These are an all rounder less for the racer and more for those wanting to tap out in comfort and style.

DONNA DOUBLE 22km or LITTLE JOES NIGHT TERROR 9KM

These two are all about steep, potentially slippery, technical, gnarly terrain where there’s not much flat at all, and plenty of technical speed on the way back down both mountains. So you want first of all grip, plus some sense of stability and also trail feel where possible. So in the Salomon range - which is in general fairly grippy across the board - you have a few earth munchers to choose from.

Speedcross 6 - The go-to for many years when things are softer underfoot, potentially steep and technical is the Speedcross 6. Kinda like wearing football boots, these things stick and perform really well on hills like Donna Buang where it’s all dirt, mud, moss and slip. There’s not a bunch of hard ground, nor is either run super long, meaning the big lugs don’t risk bruising your underfoot. The Speedcross also snug your foot in well, and have decent stability, although sometimes the heel-toe drop (10mm) and beefy undercarriage can be a bit much for those used to a lower drop, feet-kiss-earth style shoe. Still, a reliable go to for this kind of running with a focus on cushion and GRIP (capitalised).

Thundercross - Again, these things have fantastically aggressive grip which is your best chance of staying upright going up or bombing down Mount Donna Buang! A great alternative option that also snugs the feet well, keeping responsiveness on that technical terrain. Has a slightly lower (4mm) optimized drop and stack height to give you just the right amount of stability.

Supercross 4 - a slimmed down, less cushioned version of the Speedcross, these 11mm drop shoes are more responsive with excellent trail feel. They are also a tad less expensive. For those into the techy, muddy style of trails.

HYDRATION + RUN VEST

When it comes to hydration and cargo carry for Salomon Warburton Trail Fest, the MANDATORY items list (see FAQs) is not huge, even on the 50km Lumberjack Ultra. We always suggest the running vests - over the running backpacks - for this style of event - being snug and fitted, they are ‘barely there’ comfy. Salomon has a range of vests from 2 Litre capacity through to 12L capacity.

LUMBERJACK ULTRA

We suggest either the 12L if you want to carry lots of your own nutrition bunches of water, and enough clothing layers to be prepared for any weather (it does get cold and very wet up in the Warburton Valley sometimes!). BUT we reckon an 8L or even 5L is adequate for the mandatory gear (snake bandages, space blanket, min 1L water, wet weather jacket, mobile phone).

So check out the Advanced Skin 12 Race Flag set, the best selling Salomon vest designed for endurance with a focus on access while running and freedom of movement no matter how snug you have it packed. It has 12L of capacity to easily fit in all your Lumberjack Mandatories. To be fair you could also get away with the Adv Skin 5 set with only 5L capacity - but again, this is enough to get your mandatories in with sensible packing.

REDWOODS RUSH or DONNA DOUBLE

Shorter than the Lumberjack there’s no need to pack as much (especially given aid station assistance). The Donna Double is more serious terrain, but you still don’t need to carry much being an out and back with plenty of check ins. So really you only need the 5L Advanced Skin vest or even the Sense Pro Belt would have enough at a squeeze to get your mandatories in. For the Donna Double, you could add the Custom Quiver to this, as some people like to take running poles on this event given the super steep terrain (1000m ascent in the first 8km). The Custom Quiver attaches to your back like a bow and arrow quiver but for your poles to be stashed.

SAW MILL GROVE 14km, LITTLE JOE’S TERROR 9km, RAPID RIVER RUNS 4.5km

Okay, so we are going short here, but hydration is still a good idea (the Fest has a no cup at aid station policy, so you MUST have your own receptacle if you want to take a drink at the aid stations). If not up for donning your hydro pack (one of the above mentioned models would still be fine), you could go minimal with a hydration belt or a handheld bottle. Try a Sense Pro Belt, with stretch set up enough to hold the essentials including a soft flask. You could also just run with a soft flask in your hand.

NUTRITION

At Warby Trail Fest, we’re huge fans of Tailwind Nutrition, across their Nutrition powders and their Rebuild Recovery powders. The ease of sucking down calories and electrolytes across a range of flavours to mix it up during the long runs, makes it an unbeatable go-to. Plus, its flask friendly - with no aftertaste or residue left after a quick post run clean. And he recovery product is, we reckon, the best tasting protein-based recovery powder there is, the vanilla and chocolate flavours are - even just mixing with water - the closest thing you will get to a choppy or vanilla milkshake!

Here’s a few Q&A notes from the team on how to use Tailwind Nutrition:

WHAT IS THE SODIUM CONTENT IN TAILWIND NUTRITION?
2 scoops or 1 Stick pack contains 606mg of sodium which is equivalent sodium content to 1.5 S-caps, 4 MetaSalt caps or 2.75 Salt Stick capsules
Sodium Citrate delays the production of lactic acid in your muscles which helps to keep the muscle cramps at bay.
**Remember - Tailwind is hydration/flask friendly rinsing clean with no after taste

CAN I ADD OR REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TAILWIND REQUIRED?
Absolutely, in fact we encourage you to experiment and test to see what works for you, that is the only way you can get the most out of your event. However, please bear in mind that the maximum our stomach can digest per hour is between 200 and 300 calories.

Here's what some others say about Tailwind and how they mix/change it around:

• Try mixing some of the Naked with some of the flavours!
• When it’s hotter I like 2 scoops of naked to 1 scoop of Berry or Orange.
• For marathons I mix 4 scoops of Tailwind with 600ml of water and carry it with me in a handheld bottle, and then just supplement with water from aid stations as needed.
• The biggest thing I've learned with Tailwind is to allow it to be flexible. When the day gets super hot, I change to about 200 cal per 700ml rather than my regular 250 cal 700ml. That way I can consume more water and stay on top of my hydration while still getting the caloric intake. Tailwind gives you so much flexibility that you're able to adjust for race conditions. You just have to trust the product.
• When performing high intensity training sessions, I mix Tailwind into a "Gel" like substance in small bottles and sip regularly throughout the session. Topping with water.

Remember - Tailwind is hydration/flask friendly rinsing clean with no after taste

HOW MUCH ENDURANCE FUEL SHOULD I BE DRINKING?
What’s important to understand is that even though you may be burning 500+ calories/hour, your body physiologically can only process 200-300 calories per hour.

So, in general, we recommend starting off with 200-300 calories/500-750ml of water/hour for 2+ hour workouts, and 100-200 calories/500-750ml of water/hour for activities less than 2 hours.

Listen to your body. If you are feeling hungry dial up the amount of calories, if feeling overly satiated/full, dial it back. The right amount may also vary based on the conditions (think temperature and humidity) and length and your intensity (how long, how hard, how far). When it’s hotter than your usual training temperature, keep the same calorie rate per hour, but increase water to thirst.

• 1 scoop = 100 calories

• 1 stick pack = 2 scoops/200 calories

  CHECK IN TO TAILWIND NUTRITION AUSTRALIA AT WWW.TAILWINDNUTRITION.COM.AU
  

LILO CRAFT

If BYOing, we recommend a surf mat similar to the popular Redback - or other brand that is tough canvas double walled. Yes, lots of people get down with Kmart plastic numbers but a lot of them are left with a deflated experience if you get my drift. Invest in a proper watercraft for the best fun! OR hire from Warburton Adventure Co - pre bookings a must as limited rentals available.