There's a particular kind of confidence that comes from rocking up to a trail run not having done nearly enough specific training for it, and then...actually being fine. Better than fine. Today I ran the TrailsPlus Wild Boar 10km out at Brisbane Ranges National Park, and against all my pre-race mutterings about "probably should have done more running," I had an absolute ball.

If you haven't done a TrailsPlus event before, here's the thing that gets me every time: they're slick and properly organised (no faffing about at the start line, no confusion about where to go), but somehow they still feel like a backyard gathering of your weird, slightly muddy extended family. Everyone's out there doing their own thing, chasing their own goals, but the energy is unmistakably "we're all in this together." Nobody's racing you. Everyone's racing themselves. It's a small shift in framing but it changes everything about how the morning feels.

And then there's Brett. If you know, you know. The run director briefings are a genuine highlight of the day, somehow simultaneously deadpan, factual, no-nonsense, and unintentionally hilarious. He'll deliver some completely dry piece of course information that becomes a comedic adventure.

The 10km route was a proper buffet of trail terrain. There was a good chunk of undulating, technical single track, the kind where you need to actually watch your feet and can't zone out for too long. Then a couple of genuinely steep, lung-busting climbs that demanded some serious leg work. And in between, some lovely long flat stretches where you could finally open up the legs a bit and enjoy the shuffle. It was a really satisfying mix. Tough enough to feel like an achievement, varied enough to never get boring, and 10km felt like exactly the right distance for where I'm at in my training right now.

I think the reason that I enjoyed today so much is that I felt strong. Genuinely strong, not just "I survived" strong. I haven't been doing a heap of dedicated running training (definitely less than I probably should have, if we're being honest), but between the hiking, pilates and the gym sessions something is clearly sticking. The climbs were challenging, don't get me wrong, but they were challenging in a "this is hard and I can do hard things" way rather than a "why am I doing this to myself" way. It probably helped that the weather today was an absolute gift. Crisp, clear, perfect for moving through the bush without overheating or freezing. Honestly when the weather lines up like that for a winter trail run in Victoria, you just have to be grateful and get on with enjoying it.

Another tick in the box for TrailsPlus events, and another solid little confidence boost. If you've been thinking about dipping your toes into trail running, the Wild Boar 10km is a genuinely lovely introduction: challenging enough to feel like a real achievement, friendly enough that you'll never feel out of place, and run by people who clearly love what they do.