Run Larapinta & Gravel Muster
On Sunday I completed the Gravel Muster which was a multi-day point-to-point gravel riding event around the East MacDonnell range near Alice Springs in Australia. It was a couple of days after completing a multi-day Run Larapinta trail running event on the West MacDonnell range, and I was the only person this year to 'do the double'!
The drivers to do it were to experience the outback with an adventurous challenge. A friend initially suggested doing the run, and I was keen so signed up, then I saw the poster for the ride a triathlon event run by the same organisers, and I figured I’d tack that on too while I was there. I loved the idea of two kinds of adventure on the same trip and giving myself the challenge of training to complete both.
As I reflect, one of the takeaways that's worth aiming to cultivate post-trip is the sense of mental space free from distractions. Both on and off the trail there was a sense of space physically and mentally. We were usually finished with the physical challenges of the day by early afternoon with plenty of downtime and long, shared evening meals. We had the time for conversations that went beyond the surface-level catch-ups of the day-to-day and this was where the magic happened. I came away with friends and connections from across Australia and plans for future shared adventures.
If you wanted to read up on the full adventure day-by-day with pictures and some video clips, read my travel journal here: Larapinta & Gravel Muster
There’s some beautiful photos taken by resident photographers on the trips on the event organiser’s sites too, they really capture the essence of the trip, and the lighting out there in outback.
Run Larapinta
Gravel Muster
