Rapid Ascent

2 days ago

Hallelujah sunshine!

It was a cold and frosty start to the Trail Series today (like less than 0 deg cold – brrrr) but when the sun came and we hit the trails – well, it was like the trail running gods were directing the sun on the beautiful town of Blackwood and the competitors out on the trails.

The first day of winter was also the first day of the 2025 Trail Running Series and both delivered in spades – the cold start turning into beautiful sunshine that warmed out souls (as well as our frozen fingertips), and the new courses at Blackwood were given a massive thumbs up by all who raced. With trails weaving alongside the Lerderderg River, along aquaducts and around the Ironbark bushland it made fir great running from the get go. And once the sun had warmed the start / finish area there was an air of wintertime festivity as satisfied runners relaxed with a burger, a beer and the sounds of live music mixed with woops of joy as others finished their run.

A HUGE congratulations to all runners. Whether you ran the 8 km, 16 km or 22 km, you’re all legends for braving the sub zero temperatures all in the hunt for fresh trails with a cool crowd. THANK YOU all for making today an absolute belter of a Race 1 - our first day of winter has been spirit-warming to say the least.

Check out this sample gallery of trail photos thanks to Photos4sale plus a few other pics we snapped around the start / finish area. There will be plenty more personalised pics coming into your inbox very soon.

Check your standings and speed down the finish cute with the FULL RESULTS HERE: tomatotiming.racetecresults.com/results.aspx?CId=16&RId=29851

And don’t forget to surf the wave of endorphins and lock in your entry to Race 2 at Anglesa on the Surf Coast on Sunday 6th July or all the way forward to race 3 at Silvan on 3rd August. See you soon!

#trailrunningseries ... See MoreSee Less

Rapid Ascent

2 weeks ago

PLEASE WELCOME YOUR "FEEL GOOD AMBASSADORS" FOR SURF COAST CENTURY 2025!

We were humbled to receive over 40 top-notch applications… from over 40 incredible runners… And trying to whittle that list down to just 4 people was no easy feat.

However…

After much deliberation, we are confident we have found a group of inspiring individuals who perfectly embody the spirit of the Surf Coast Century and who will be a joy to follow as they prepare for the “big dance” in September.

Without further ado, please meet your 2025 Feel Good Ambassadors:

𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 (@𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧.𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭.𝐭𝐞𝐧) is running the 50km event in honour of her sister Han, who passed away from brain cancer earlier this year. A newcomer to ultra distances, Molly is transforming grief into purpose through the Seventeen Past Ten Project — a raw, inspiring campaign that documents her journey from unfit to ultra, raising funds for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute. Her story is a tribute to Han’s courage and a call to action for others to chase big, bold goals, no matter where they start.

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 (@𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝟒𝟓) brings infectious energy and a genuine love for the trail community to this year’s ambassador team. A loveable dude with a passion for storytelling, Heath blends humour, feel-good vibes, and authentic trail running content that showcases the magic and adventure of our sport. He’s inspired by the best in the sport and keen to share the stoke with others through social media and creative content ideas — all with a good dose of fun.

𝐑𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐜𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐞 (@𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠)openly admits that trail running has "saved his life". In 2024, he was hospitalised at just 47kg due to a sever eating disorder. Now, on the road to recovery, he is committed to spreading positivity and purpose through his training journey. With a raw and relatable storytelling style, he’s ready to connect with others through his platform and show what’s possible when you chase health, hope, and finish lines.

𝐒𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲 (@𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬) is a trail runner, coach, and storyteller who’s faced more than her share of challenges — from a turbulent childhood to a two-decade battle with food and body image struggles. Now, her message is clear:
"𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 “𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡” 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 “𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡” 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦, 𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑔𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛. 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒’𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑢𝑝 𝑓𝑜𝑟."
With multiple ultra finishes (up to 240km), a vibrant online presence, and a mission to make trail running more inclusive, Sophie is ready to inspire others with honesty, grit, and a whole lot of heart.

Over the coming days/weeks we’ll be dripping out a video introduction from each ambassador – so stay tuned!

In the meantime, please send these legends some love!

Learn more about Surf Coast Century here:
bit.ly/surf-coast-century-2025

The Rapid Ascent Team ... See MoreSee Less