Running the South West

Many of us who enjoy running for general fitness often become very goal oriented. We might be aiming for a certain distance or time rather than just running for the simple joy of it.

Imagine instead following a single track through the bush, weaving in and out between the trees, forgetting about time and pace while enjoying the run and the environment.

With that in mind I'm heading south to meet up with Garry Dagg, trail runner and owner of Windroo Trails, a new tourism business that takes runners on guided tours of some of the best tracks around the beautiful Margaret River region.

I meet him in the bush behind the Dunsborough and Districts Country Club where Garry begins by telling me his philosophy about running, and trail running in particular. "I try to teach people that it is about running well rather than the final destination," he says.

"Trail running is about connecting with the environment you are travelling through. The trail becomes a canvas so it is more than going from point to point, you are actually trying to mix in as many diverse experiences as you can and you get a sense of adventure."

While we run through a brief skills session before heading off for our first run, he asks me what sort of superpower I would choose if I could. "Flying," I answer.

Perfect answer, he says, because that is the feeling you can get while trail running.

"It's all about running within yourself - take lots of short steps. When you think you need two take three, keep your cadence high and run lightly over the ground. Work with the trail and engage with the obstacles rather than bashing through them. I like to call it aware foot running. Flow with the trail, feel the earth and the elastic energy coming back through your foot and use the natural momentum rather than striking with your heel and breaking your stride, that way you can run further and for longer," he says.

We head off on a narrow, windy single track through the bush towards Meelup Regional Park. The first section of track is quite technical with plenty of ups and downs and minor obstacles. Garry seems to have a knack of sensing what is a comfortable pace for me as he leads the way, while giving warnings about hazards ahead. Instructions like; rocky ground ahead, small steps, duck your head are constantly being fed back to me. It is not long before I settle into the rhythm of the trail and start to feel it. Any thoughts I might have had about pace and distance are soon forgotten, as we constantly seem to change direction among the dense bush.

After a steady climb we catch our first glimpses of the crystal- clear blue water of the Indian Ocean through the trees. We stop to enjoy the view from the whale lookout at Meelup beach. The trail and ocean views compete for my attention as we continue on towards Eagle Bay before finishing with a short beach run to Rocky Point where Garry retrieves a stash of gourmet snacks and drinks for us to enjoy to mark the end of our first run.

While we eat, Garry explains more about how running became such an important part of his life. His slightly quirky habit of wearing sandals rather than normal running shoes and his passion for trail running began during an 18-month, 27,000km cycling adventure from the bottom of South America to Cuba. While travelling through the Andes mountain range he would often ditch the bike and bags and explore some of the ancient Inca trails.

"I would see the local porters working for the tour groups carrying two or three backpacks come flying past me wearing sandals made from old car tyres," he says. "I could see how beautiful they were and how smoothly and efficiently they were running. They opened my eyes . . . maybe big bulky running shoes weren't the way to go. I had a pair made for myself but, having soft Western feet and because the straps were made from the side walls that still had the steel wires running through them, I came back from my first run with bleeding feet and ligaments showing so I had to adapt them before persevering.

"They are commercially available so that is where I get them now. Your foot has much better feedback as it hits the ground whereas if you are in shoes and you hit a rock your foot or ankle has already rolled by the time you feel it."

Later Garry gained valuable experience working as a skiing and mountain-bike guide in the French Alps for three years. It was his passion for trail running and guiding, coupled with his local knowledge, that saw him start Windroo Trails. "I realised that there would be a market here in WA and there are not many people offering quality guided experiences here. In Europe and North America there is a culture of respecting a place and seeking the local knowledge to enhance your holiday experience and I think that culture will grow in WA," he says.

The next morning we head to Moses Rock where we hook on to the Cape to Cape track; the plan is to follow the track to Wilyabrup cliffs and back again but with a few detours thrown in just to test my legs. This is a totally different run from yesterday's. The coastal heath means we will have stunning views of the dramatic coastline.

As we crest the first hill we see our first kangaroos standing tall among the scrub. They are alert with ears pointing straight up and a questioning expression on their faces. They seem to be thinking "What are those crazy humans doing here in our backyard", as they follow our every move.

We run through a thicket and past a surfing camp and follow a four-wheel-drive track with soft sand up quite a steep hill. It's tough going and I suffer from a bit of oxygen deprivation, forced to slow to a walk. Garry slows as well and talks about the importance of staying within your limits, to see the hill as an opportunity to focus on your technique rather than as an obstacle that has to be conquered as fast as possible.

The good thing about hills is there is generally a downhill run on the other side and, thankfully, this time is no exception; we are rewarded with the stunning coastal view as we run down to join the Cape to Cape track again. We spot a man-made stone crow's nest structure on the hill near the track and stop for a bit of whale watching. Garry has been bragging he sees whales all the time but until now I've had to take his word for it. This time we see whales and dolphins.

From the crow's nest we can also see our turnaround point at Wilyabrup cliffs but before we get there he has one more inland detour with a sandy hill planned for me. I do as I'm told and see it as an opportunity to focus on my technique and follow him up the hill. I have never been to Wilyabrup cliffs before. These imposing cliffs are quite a sight and a magnet for abseilers and rock climbers. We see a small group of abseilers, who unfortunately are at the bottom of the cliffs, so we don't get to see them in action before heading back. We follow the Cape to Cape track back towards Moses Rock and duck down on to the beach where we rock-hop across Wilyabrup Brook before climbing on to the track again.

I'm really enjoying the running here. The knee-high coastal heath brushes my legs as we run along the track, the views are stunning and I think I'm starting to feel it. Pace is irrelevant and there's a sense I'm flying along, even the last few hills can't take that feeling away. No thoughts about distance and pace, only place.

Because of the terrain we have covered we have done both interval and fartlek training during our run but we wouldn't write that in our training diary, we will just write - great run!

Could it be I'm getting hooked on this?

• fact file *

·Windroo Trails caters for all runners from beginners to serious ultra- marathon runners and offers several different tour options.

windrootrails.com and 0437 490 911.

• Garry Dagg's principles for trail running *

·Run light from your core; trail running is about efficiency so run lightly over the earth and minimise the impact on your joints.

·Keep your cadence high. This will help you to have your foot strike underneath your body which means less impact and better energy return.

·Work with the trail, engage with the obstacles and try to get the concept of flow. Adjust to what the trail gives you rather than bash through it so, rather than hurdling an obstacle, take lots of short steps.

See Garry Dagg and Mogens Johansen 'on the run' in the spectacular South West in our video at thewest.com.au/ travel