Baked into this issue

• A quote to inspire

• Trail Hacks: The key to reducing injury risk

• BHAG report: Completing the 4X4X48 Challenge

• Food to Fuel: Dark Chocolate

• Hikes worthy of your bucket list: Camino de Santiago

• Trail Strength: Strong glutes to save knees

• Podcast, Book and Blog Shout outs

• News round up

This is May’s edition being sent out in early June - sorry for the delay! Life’s been hectic and I’ve been in a rut after having to have 6 weeks off running and hiking after a ridiculous ultra distance challenge (more on that below).

But it’s here now, better late than never because I wanted to make sure it’s worthy of your inbox and not rushed! Enjoy this edition and we’ll see you here again soon.

ps. Make sure to click "Display images" at the top of this email, if they're not showing.

See you out there, Shaun

There’s a simple and effective way to reduce your risk of injury. It’s cheap and doesn’t involve going out and buying copious amounts of new shoes and then having to build a bigger wardrobe to fit the things it!

Wahoo! What is this magic you speak of Shaun?

Firstly, most injures or pain that occur when trail running, hiking and more is due to the repetition. Sure there’s strains and sprains but I’m talking the slow build up pains that really hang around! Your plantar fasciopathy, hamstring tendinopathy, anterior knee pain, lateral hip tendinopathy and more.

So, to reduce the risk of these overload injuries, we need to reduce the repetition. That doesn’t mean do less, no. It means don’t load your tissues in the same way, over and over again, in the same way. Putting the same impact forces through the same tissue makes them work the same way over and over again - it’s not ideal and eventually somethings going to go so pissed off with not having adequate time to adapt to this that it gets very sore.

Here’s the fix = Have variation

• Variation in speed

• Variation in distance

• Variation in shoes

• Variation in rest period length

• Variation in surface

• Variation in activity - Throw in some cross training, strength work or whatever you fancy.

Have variety, It’s the spice of life and, it reduces your risk of injury, so that you can spend more time out there getting at it.

The 4X4X48 Challenge. 48 Miles of punishment

I figured, I can run 4 miles, that’s all good. I’ve just got to do that 12 times, right?

4 Miles, every 4 hours for 48 hours, heck I’ll even get plenty of time in between runs to sleep, eat and hang out with the family…

That was dumb though. That was optimistic Shaun talking. Optimistic and a little Stupid because it’s a very, very awkward way to run a ultra marathon. Run 4 miles and then allow a little time for a little inflammation to set in but not enough time for tissue recovery. Then do it again and again. It’s really awkward.

So here’s how I got on.

I did the 4×4×48 Challenge (that was developed by David Goggins) with my brother in law, who is soon to join the Navy and we thought it’d be a bloody good mental preparation session.

It started off great, smashing out 6.50minute miles initially before slowing down.

The first 32 or so miles were ok. There was calf cramp, glute cramp, but nothing I haven’t run through before and they eased off after the first day. But form 30 miles in, I developed an acute IT band (iliotibial band) pain and if you’ve ever had that before, you’ll know it’s not something that’s easily pushed through - it just gets worse and worse.

If you can’t run, you can walk, if you can’t walk, you can darn well crawl.

So for the final 4 laps (16miles) I ran one and power walked 3, pushing a hard pace with continuous forward motion and one foot after the other, being the aim of the game.

I managed to get it done. With very little training. I wouldn’t recommend it on such little mileage leading up to it but I don’t regret it for a moment because it’s challenges like these that make you stronger, smarter and wiser.

*Have you got a story to tell? We want to hear about an audacious goal, challenge or trek that you've taken on and it may get featured right here. Send me (Shaun) an email HERE

"You can't go wrong with getting strong."

Keep control of your knees. The side to side control of your knees largely comes down to your lateral hip strength, so maintaining this, is essential.

There are A LOT of variations of a side plank and you need to start with a level that is challenging but do-able. In the below video there’s a great variation of a side plank on a bosu ball while driving your knee up. Alternatively, you can do this without the bosu ball and maintain weight on your lateral foot.
If you can get lift the top leg off the bottom leg, then build up strength first with a standard side plank and aim to build to one minute to get a better base.

A huge bonus of regular exercise and sweating it out in the great outdoors? A great appetite and a need for refueling. We’re here to help hit the sweet spot with tasty, nutritious recipes by yours truly, great blogs or, sent in by you.

Dark Chocolate.

This is your excuse to go get some dark chocolate! Here’s why it’s an excellent food to fuel you on the trails:

• Caloric density. Hitting the trails is energy intensive and with it’s high fat content, chocolate has over double the calories per gram compared to carbs or protein, making it perfect for hikers looking for calorie dense nutrition

• Fiber. Chocolate is full of it and without it, your gut just won’t be as happy and, well, you won’t be as regular…

• Simple carbs. While slow burn complex carbs are needed for sustained energy, a quick burst of energy or a pick me up when exercising is the really useful and chocolate provides just enough of that without a crash afterwards

• Heart health. This is a cool one! Flavanols in chocolate help increase nitric oxide, causing vasodilation and decrease oxygen consumption so that you can keep going, for longer. Bonus - it’s also known to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL.

• Antioxidants. No need to take a bottle of red wine on the trails with you when dark chocolate can do the job superbly. Flavonols, catechins and more help assist immunity and reduce inflammation and oxidation.

• Stimulants. Dark chocolate can help excite your nervous system thanks to caffeine and theobromine as well as boosting endorphins to help you power through.

That’s more than enough excuses to pack a block of dark chocolate on your next adventure. For added electrolyte replacement, try some salted dark chocolate.

The Camino de Santiago, or “The Way of St James” is a trek that’s been mentioned to me a number of times over the last year and to avoid continued ignorance, I’ve done a little research and it turns out it’s arguably the most popular hike on the planet with over 400 thousand people walking it in 2022.

What: The Camino de Santiago is a series of walks that converge on the medieval city of Santiago de Compostela, where St James (one of Jesus’ twelve apostles) is buried a cathedral. It has been a pilgrimage for Christians for over 1000 years and recently it’s increased in popularity for non-Christians and now often has people form all over the world and all religions walk one of the routes.

Length: The walk of St James comes in different lengths with starts in various locations, all converging on the same destination. France, Sprain, Portugal and even Switzerland

It comes in all shapes and sizes, some starting in France, others in Spain, Portugal or Italy are common starting points. The Camino France is the most common route and the one most people would be referring to, so here’s the stats:
- 770km/478miles
- 30-35 days to complete

Read a more in-depth article on the Camino France on the Stingy Nomads blog or a shorter read on Risk Steves, below.

Does it make your bucket list? What's on the top of your list? let me know on Twitter and it may just make it into the next edition.

Downhill running technique at it’s best:

A man on an absolute mission. Russ is attempting to be the first person to run the entire length of Africa. if you ask him though, he’s not attempting it - he’s going to do it, one way or another. It’s amazing to follow along and he has amazing grit and truly is a unique individual.

One book I regularly go back to, whether to read or to use one of the recipes, is Scott Jurek’s, Eat and Run - My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness . I highly recommend you give it a read.

If you've got a podcast, book or blog post you loved lately that is inspiring, wholesome, or just bloody good, send me a message on Twitter

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See you out there,
Shaun