From the Trail
Stories, lessons and places from a life spent running.
Race reports, trail stories, hard-earned lessons and useful ideas from Keelan and Annie — shaped by long days outside, big landscapes and the running community around us.
Latest from the trail
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Summer running — how to train in the heat
Hot, humid summer running requires a different approach. Practical tips for hydration, fuelling, cooling, route planning and heat acclimation to help you train well when the temperature rises.
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Coffs Harbour Running Festival — coaching highlights, 2026 (Annie)
Annie celebrates her coaching clients and friends at the 2026 Coffs Harbour Running Festival, from first finishes to big personal bests.
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Rumble in the Jungle 2026 — Coaching Highlights (Annie)
Annie celebrates her runners across the 8 km to 100 km distances at Rumble in the Jungle 2026, and shares a little encouragement from the aid stations.
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Ultra Adelaide — 100 miles, 2026 (Annie)
A midnight start, freezing rain, two nights without sleep and 100 miles through the Adelaide Hills. Annabelle’s story of finishing second female at Ultra Adelaide — one foot at a time.
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Coffs Backyard Ultra — coaching highlights, 2026 (Annie)
From first yards to 100 miles in a day, Annie celebrates her coached runners’ personal bests, smart decisions and community spirit at Coffs Backyard Ultra 2026.
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Guy Fawkes River Wilderness Walk — a hidden gem for wilderness running (Keelan & Annie)
Escarpment views, wild river country, brumbies and a steep climb from the gorge. Keelan and Annie explore the Guy Fawkes River Wilderness Walk and record an unsupported mixed-team FKT of 4:18:07.
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Canberra Marathon 2026 — trading trails for tarmac
12 April 2026 · Canberra, ACT · By Keelan and Annie Two trail runners, two first road marathons and a new kind of challenge. We chose Canberra for its cooler weather after training through summer, its hills and the chance to visit a place we love. Keelan set out to break three hours, while Annie…
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Washpool World Heritage Trails — coaching highlights, 2026 (Annie)
Annie celebrates her coaching clients at Washpool 2026: trail debuts, personal bests, patient pacing and hard-earned 50 km finishes.
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Coffs Backyard Ultra — 161 km, 2025 (Annie)
Twenty-four yards, 160.8 km and one simple question every hour: can I go again? Annabelle’s Coffs Backyard Ultra race report, from relaxed daytime loops to the mental battle of the final yards.
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Alpine Challenge — 100 miles, 2025 (Keelan)
160 km, around 7,000 metres of climbing and a long day and night through Victoria’s high country. Keelan reflects on finishing equal third at the 2025 Alpine Challenge 100 Mile.
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Grampians Peaks Trail — 100 miles, 2024 (Keelan)
158 km, around 7,500 metres of climbing, torrential rain, technical rock and 33 hours on the Grampians Peaks Trail. Keelan’s race report from his first 100 miler.
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Brutus BTrail — 100 km, 2024 (Annie)
A huge climb in the dark, sunrise over the ranges and a painful knee at 45 km. Annie’s Brutus BTrail adventure ended with third female overall and a handmade sword.
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Coffs Hinterland Round — 100 km around home (Keelan)
109 km, around 4,000 metres of climbing and a huge clockwise lap from Coffs Jetty through the hinterland and back to the coast. Keelan’s 15:49:01 Coffs Hinterland Round FKT.
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Hume & Hovell 2023 — Keelan’s 22 km and Annie’s first 100 km
Two distances, one memorable weekend: Keelan’s eventful 22 km and Annie’s emotional first 100 km at Hume & Hovell in October 2023.
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Point Lookout to Bellingen — 72 km through Gondwana country (Keelan & Annie)
From Point Lookout at 1,562 metres to the heart of Bellingen: a long self-supported journey through ancient Gondwana rainforest, remote ridgelines and wild forest country in 9:31:53.
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Coffs Hinterland Round — the first lap (Keelan)
Years of scouting became one enormous loop on 4 March 2023. Keelan Birch and Jayce Nixon’s first complete Coffs Hinterland Round: a supported 17:39:39 journey from the coast, through the mountains and back to the Jetty.
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Lake Macquarie Rogaine 2022 — Route Choices, Wrong Turns and 2,580 Points
My post-race look at the 30th Lake Macquarie Rogaine: six hours and 43.6 km with Annie, a win in the mixed category, tricky controls, wrong turns and the route I might choose next time.
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Solitary Islands Coastal Walk — running the Coffs Coast end to end (Keelan)
From Red Rock to Bonville Headland: Keelan Birch and Daniel Stein run the Solitary Islands Coastal Walk end to end, linking around twenty beaches and the Coffs Coast in 5:46:30.