Adventure Is Closer Than You Think

21 km into the Wienerwald, a dead phone, a gate that closes at seven, and the strangest return to a city I’ve ever had. Into the Wienerwald I’m moving well on a runnable climb. The trail is a broad gravel path, and I’ve met several day hikers. Two of them stop me to ask how far I’m going. “Around 21 km, with 600 m of climbing. It’s a loop into the Wienerwald, if I don’t get lost.” Famous last words. The climb goes on and on, taking me deep into the Wienerwald Biosphere Reserve. The first thing I notice is the air. After the Heiligenstadt run earlier today, it feels fresh, almost cleansing. The vegetation is denser and more varied than anything I saw this morning; it feels close to a temperate rainforest. Deeper in Clearing the summits high above Hütteldorf feels rewarding. Around the Kaltbründlberg, the views are wide and inspiring. Further on, the trails narrow and the forest gently closes in. It becomes more intimate. The water source just before halfway, at 9 ...

When the trail tilts against you, don't attack the hill. Work with it. Quiet teachers Trail runners spend a lot of time climbing. Roughly 30% of my time on the trail is spent going up, so it's a craft worth learning properly. Over the years I've come to love hills. They're quiet teachers, if you listen and respond in the right way.

Just beyond the city, the landscape changes completely. You think you know Vienna. Ask someone to picture Vienna and they'll describe palaces, coffee houses and the Prater. Very few would describe rocky ridgelines. I wouldn't have either. Mödling is fifteen minutes from central Vienna. Step off the train and it looks like a quiet, comfortable Austrian town. Old streets. Cafés. Nothing that hints at what's waiting above it. Leaving the city behind The main route west out of town heads towards the viaduct, and it draws you with it. I barely needed navigation. The street simply flowed that way, and I followed. Then the steps. They lead from the park straight up into the Wienerwald proper, and they're a loud wake-up call. Louder still on my legs that morning. Mödling was the third of three Vienna runs, on the second day. Yesterday was still in them. Into the rocks Above the steps, the forest takes over, and then the trail turns to rock. Over 21 kilomet...

Adventure is a muscle. If you stop using it, you lose it. Not adventurous? People often say they're "not adventurous." I don't think that's true. I think adventure is a bit like endurance. If you stop using it, you lose it. Nobody expects to sit on the sofa for five years and then run a marathon. Yet many people expect to feel excited about exploring somewhere new after years of following exactly the same routines. Adventure has muscles Curiosity. Confidence. Comfort with uncertainty. The willingness to take the path you've never taken before. Like any muscles, they either grow or they weaken. I never thought about this until I started building T-RUN. Originally, I travelled long distances looking for adventure. Mountains. National parks. Famous trails. Then one day I realised something. The adventure wasn't far away. It had been there all along. Hidden valleys. Forgotten forests. Ancient paths. Nature reserves just beyond the last tram st...

Wild, challenging, and just outside Prague. What to expect Modřany Gully (Modřanská rokle) is my go-to long run — this gorgeous nature reserve sits just south of Prague, with the trailhead outside Zbraslav on the east bank of the Vltava, around nine kilometres downstream from the city. This one’s a proper challenge—technical climbs, runnable descents, and a mix of surfaces: forest singletrack, packed dirt, loose clay shale, and rocky sections to keep you on your toes. Key highlights: Vltava Riverside Trail – A calm, flat start along the river, perfect for easing into the run. Quiet, partly shaded, and very runnable. Ascent to Hradiště – The first proper climb. It’s steep and scrambly in parts, but the views pay dividends. Hradiště Observation Tower – A 360° panorama over Modřany Gully. Total photo op. Hálkův Memorial – A stone monument in the forest, dedicated to Czech poet Vítězslav Hálek—worth a quiet pause. Šance Climb & Ravine – A wild, rugged ascent on loose sha...

More than 30 years on the trails taught me that peace isn’t found in leaving, it’s found in coming back. Not an escape There’s one message I hear a lot from athletes and creators — that trail running is an escape from work, stress, noise, everything that grinds us down. I have to disagree. I get why people say it, but I think it’s the other way around. The trail doesn’t pull you away from life; it brings you back to it. That sense of calm and balance we feel on the trails, especially in forests, doesn’t come from running away from our problems. It comes from returning to the environment where we belong. Where we belong After more than 30 years of running trails, I’ve come to believe we’re not meant to live surrounded by concrete and glass, but by rock, soil, and trees. We’re not built to hunch over keyboards, but to move — to hunt, to notice, to be awake. I first wrote about this feeling in what I learned from 30 years on the trail . The longer I run, the clearer it gets....

Every climb builds patience, every descent teaches trust — that’s the real lesson of chasing elevation. More than a number Runners love talking about elevation. It’s the number that makes a run look epic on Strava, even if it’s just a few loops up and down a local hill. But elevation isn’t just about numbers or bragging rights. It’s a teacher. Every climb, every descent, has something to offer if you’re paying attention. The ups Climbing forces you to slow down. It’s humbling. You can’t fake fitness when the trail tilts up — lungs and legs will tell the truth straight away. But that’s why I love it. Each climb builds strength and aerobic capacity, but it also builds patience. On Prague’s trails you won’t find endless alpine climbs, but you’ll get punchy little ascents that demand respect: the gullies in Modřany , the ridges above Chuchle , the sneaky steps in Prokop Valley . They may only last a few minutes, but string enough together and you’ll know you’ve worked. Watch t...

Mid-week progressive trail runs are my quiet test drives — starting easy along the Modřany river trail, feeling out the flagstones, then building speed split-by-split to see what the legs can do and spot trouble before it bites on a long run. Quick take Start easy, finish strong. A progressive run builds speed step-by-step, letting you check your body for warning signs before your long run. No brutal sprints, no track laps — just a smooth acceleration that sharpens fitness and protects you from overload. Mid-week mornings aren’t glamorous It’s dark, cold, and the Modřany river trail feels like it belongs to the night shift — quiet, slick, and faintly echoing under my headlamp beam. The flagstones glisten with dew, and I place each step with care, knowing the riverbank has a habit of shifting underfoot. The first kilometre is easy — deliberately easy. This isn’t about heroics; it’s a systems check. How are the ankles on the terrain? Any tightness in the calves from the weeken...

Out there on a long climb, with breath and heartbeat in sync, you start to notice the small things: a footfall, a shoulder twinge, a shift in breath. That’s not just fatigue—that’s your body whispering. Or yelling. I’ve started listening more. Lawrence van Lingen One of the people helping me hear better? Lawrence van Lingen. A former competitive triathlete turned movement specialist, Lawrence works with elite athletes and everyday runners to unlock better movement. He’s not about fixing your glutes or tweaking your cadence—he’s about helping you move better by thinking, moving, and feeling more clearly. His approach is fascia-focused, nervous-system aware, and completely in tune with longevity. In other words: perfect for trail runners who care about more than just splits. Think. Move. Feel. Here’s what’s stuck with me from diving into his content: Breath is everything. It shapes posture, regulates effort, and signals safety to your system. Before pace, there’s breath. F...

Long runs are where everything comes together—the fitness, the mindset, the fuelling and the fun. I don’t just lace up and hope for the best; I plan them like mini adventures, a story in stages. Route as a story I break the run into distinct stages, each with its own terrain, vibe or challenge. One might be a wooded climb, another a wide-open ridge, and then a fast descent to wrap it up. It keeps my head in the game and gives me moments to look forward to. Another aspect of this is research: I check local geology, flora, history—anything that adds flavour to the story. The run becomes a narrative, curious and engaging. You often hear trail runners talk about the “why”. If you have a strong narrative, you have a choice of whys, and you can tie them together with visualisation. Visualisation For trail runners, there are so many moments worth imagining: a shady valley, a gnarly climb, a flowing descent. Before the run, I play the stages in my head like a film. I imagine the s...

What those colourful little blocks on the FlexiPlan worksheet actually mean—and how to get the most out of each. Strength Purpose: build muscular endurance, prevent injury, and stay durable on long climbs and descents. Examples: bodyweight circuits, resistance bands and dumbbells. How often: 2–3 times per week. Tip: focus on quality, not quantity. 30 minutes is often enough. I aim for 3 sessions of 30–40 minutes each week. I don’t split into “leg” or “core” days—I mix it all in. That’s how the trail serves it up, so that’s how I train. The most valuable sessions? The ones that simulate trail conditions I’m working to improve. Whether it’s steep descents or technical scrambling, I try to replicate those demands in my training to build confidence where it counts. I listen to my body and adjust based on recent trail efforts and what’s coming up. If I’ve got a big elevation week ahead, I’ll dial up the squats and lunges to prep the legs. Thanks to this consistency, I’ve stay...

Chuchle Grove is my playground for hill repeats and intervals—as well as a scenic long run that winds past the Vltava River and Barrandov Rocks. What to expect With plenty of options for loops and reps, it’s perfect for stacking up training kilometres. This one’s a proper mixed bag: forest climbs, open hilltops, scenic descents, and even some quiet riverside stretches. Expect runnable dirt paths, short rocky climbs, and a good mix of forest shade and open views. Highlights: Vltava riverside warm-up – a gentle intro before the hills start biting. St Mary’s Spring – a natural spring and peaceful shrine, the ideal trail pause. Church of St John of Nepomuk – your first high point, with serious views. Chuchelský háj nature trail – forest paths dotted with educational panels. Homolka summit – wide open space and panoramas over the Barrandian Basin. Velká Chuchle descent – a scenic way to finish, looping you back to the river. A trail through deep time Nestled in the Barran...