While stylish, smart and high-class outfits are pretty much wide spread around the cycling world, goods that are aimed to fill that exclusive niche are not the norm in the running business. The keen chaps from Rezlo want to please these desires and have a small but thought-out assortment of running clothing on offer.

Made in USA – Although Rezlo get their fabrics from around the world, the shirts and shorts are man-made in sunshiny Miami, Florida.

I had the chance to exam chunks of their up-to-date collection through my everyday training. Pictured is the Euclid shorts and the Dromos singlet. The name refers to a public road in the Roman Empire.

As I was training in the warm temperatures that the sun-drenched La Gomera Island offers, I became an admirer of the Dromos singlet. The micro-mesh material offers a light and breathable running shirt.

Fairly often I have some struggles with the cut of running tops. It appears that the cut is not intended to benefit thin runners and some shirts that might come in with the suitable size are too short or to loose-fitting. The measurements of the Dromos appear to fit perfectly for me – a comfortable slim fit with the accurate length.

The polite detail that can be found on each Rezlo product is a topographic map. It symbolised each runner’s very personal challenge. It is the route that a athlete has completed, but also the one that lies ahead.

My personal favourite is the Gradian Jersey. 100% Australian Merino wool generates a fine looking but more essentially a very comfortable running top. Almost to good to drench it in body moisture.

Merino has become one of my preferred base layer fabrics. The breathable and soft Gradian Jersey fits right in this scene and is completed with the brand typical details.

Similar to the singlet the sizing of the top is just perfect. With its characteristic collar design it surely stands out.

A detail photograph that highlights the collar zipper of the shirt.

The Gradian Jersey strikes me with its timeless look and unquestionably makes this shirt a elegant and unique piece of lightweight running gear.

Rezlo’s Euclid 4.5” running short is another simple and stylish part of the product range.

The Euclid short features a nice mixture of well thought out petite pouches. The position and the dimensions are great for a gel and keys. Once they are full they are not in the way of the stride.

Although the fabrics and the cut of the short feels blameless throughout the run it can be scorching and gluey as it is not breathable. I enjoyed the shorts more whilst running it in cooler temperatures. Personally I think the colour range does certainly sticks out to other brands and fulfils  the unique look that Rezlo offers.

Rezlo can be discovered in the WWW, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you are into trail running, this man does not need to be introduced. Hailing from sunlit Cape Town, 34-year-old Ryan Sandes is no stranger in the world of ultra-running. He dominated the challenging 4 Desserts series in record setting manner before becoming a household name on podiums of numerous world-wide mountain running races. Ryan is a busy man running and scrambling around the scenic mountains of his hometown. Last weekend he got his first shot of SwimRun racing. Together with his training partner he finished 3rd at Africas first ever SwimRun race along the picturesque “Mother City” coastline. I catched up with Ryan to find out what he has to say about the competition and SwimRun in general.

Not shy of new challenges – Ryan Sandes looks forward to get some well-known running in as he finishes a choppy swim section. (Picture: Craig Kolesky)

Runssel: You had your first taste of SwimRun racing at the inaugural competition in South Africa, the Torpedo SwimRun this Sunday. How did it all come about?

Ryan Sandes: One of my sponsors Oakley offered me an entry and I was like yeah yes please. I had heard a lot about the SwimRun events in Europe and I grew up in the ocean so I was really intrigued to try the concept out.

Runssel: When was the first time you heard of SwimRun? Genuinely, what did you think?

Ryan Sandes: I read about the ÖtillÖ SwimRun World Championship a few years ago in a Red Bull article and I thought wow this looks really fun. I think it is such a fun event and really different.

Ryno Griesel and Ryan broke the 200km Drakensberg Grand Traverse record in a time of 41 hours and 49 minutes back in 2014. (Picture: Kelvin Trautman)

Runssel: How much time did you spend preparing the contest? Did your companion Kane Reilly and yourself train on the course that leads along the coastline of Cape Town much?

Ryan Sandes: Kane and I are both trail runners and do a bit of surfing now and again so that was our main preparation. We did a bit of a recce on some of the course the weekend before to see what we were in for and as an excuse to go on a bit of an adventure.

Runssel: What type of equipment did you guys choose? What would you do different if you would race again?

Ryan Sandes: I used the Salomon SLAB XA Amphib shoes and a Full Sleeve Huub Swim wetsuit. Kane went for hand paddles. I think if we did it again we would both use the leg floatation bouys and I would definitely use some of those hand paddles. I think I would need to do some training with the hand paddles though.

Kane Reilly leads Ryan out of the water onto another run. (Picture: Craig Kolesky)

Runssel: How do you rate SwimRun as a sport? Can you see the sport growing in South Africa? Any plans for another outing?

Ryan Sandes: Its an awesome concept and I think it will get really popular in South Africa. We have a really big endurance culture in South Africa and because we have such good weather I think the SwimRun events are perfect. Yes I would definitely like to do another one of the events!

Runssel: What is on your running schedule for this season?

Ryan Sandes: My main focus races this year will be Western States 100 and then either CCC or UTMB. I am also working on one or two free running projects.

Ryan prepares for the Antarctica marathon with a training run around the dunes of Silvermine Nature Reserve, near Cape Town. (Picture: Craig Kolesky)

Ryan used Salomon’s latest SwimRun flagship, the SLAB XA Amphib. Review soon on this part of the interweb. (Picture: Kelvin Trautman)

Follow Ryan via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and via his Homepage
Ryan is sponsored by Oakley, Red Bull, Salomon, Suunto, Axis House, Ford and Velocity

The resident scenery is remarkably mixt for a comparably small Islet. As we trek from San Sebastián towards Playa Santiago we observe the Punta de Juan Gaza from a craggy stone strand.

With 3.718 meter the Tenerife centred Teide peak is clearly visible from the local east coast.

Slogging around the Parque Nacional de Garajonay is something else. From antique stone paths to deep and dark woodlands you will find everything.

La Gomera is not famed for its bathing coastlines. Whereas they are not the easiest to approach they create a pure and raw beauty.

The 40 square kilometres of the Garajonay National Park do include so many attractions. Pretty hard to overlook are a range of colossal rock-pillars. The rocks are former volcanoes shaped by erosion.

Powerful evening light highlights the rock creations.

It is apparent that the isle was shaped by volcanic activities. Deep and lush vales wind the 59 square kilometre landmass.

A reliably striking sundowner just outside of San Sebastián de la Gomera. Catched during an evening run on the local trails.

With its 1,250 meter the pictorial Roque de Agando is often used as a symbol for the island.

Check THIS LINK for my first set of pictures from the island of La Gomera.

In my belief there is no replacement to a true track workout. The 400-meter oval tells you exactly where you at. Nothing replaces the clear-cut stress and the hardiness you face while being out there.

I hate the track. I love the track.

Running a workout on your own is even rougher then doing it with a quick crowd. Proper quality time with your inner governor.

With wintrier temperatures imminent, Runssel intern Fabian takes an expert look at Hoka One One’s up-to-the-minute adding to their trail running artillery. After the big success of the Mafate it is time to tune up and have a go with the Hoka One One – Mafate Speed 2.

Lets check out what he has to say

Unpacking the box, the common sensation will hit Hoka newbies like me: The bulky looking runners are surprisingly low weight. Some lean 321 grams are pretty fair for a hover-crafty pair of sneakers.

The pure size of this piece of footwear appears aggressive. This is supported by the colourful contrasts. 4mm drop are just enough to offer a light support. But if the joggaholic is not used to low drop shoes, they will still wear the calves a little bit.

The extravagant colour scheme of our test gear is named “Mulberry Purple / Acid“.

The purple (haze inspired) design certainly stands out. Like it or not. Judge for yourself. They’ll be covered in mud soon anyway.

The general fit is great. The relatively large toe box should even be alright for Hobbit standards.

During all test rides, one issue unfortunately always occurred: the inner top lug for the shoestrings on the right shoe somehow stuck out towards the foot. This caused some major stress and chafing. It could be prevented by pulling the tongue to the side and covering the hole. But this method was only a short-term solution as the tongue usually moved back into its intended middle position. It’s a bummer as it makes running really uncomfortable, especially in wild terrain where your feet tumble quite a bit.

With this restructured style Hoka One One updates the deep Active Foot frame for support and enters a tuned Meta-Rocker to simplify smooth transitions through the gait cycle.

The Hoka signature feature obviously is the cushioning. It is especially soft and comfortable which slightly trades off against the directness of the shoe.

For the new version of the Mafate Hoka picks a conventional lacing system.

Some raw specifics – Offset: 4 mm, Forefoot: 29 mm and Heel: 33 mm

The 5 mm Vibram Mega-Grip profile makes sure your shielded properly on a variety of terrains.

Compared to other wholehearted off-road trainers with a spiky substructure, the Mafate Speed 2 even performs well on tarmac. No numbness whatsoever.

The profiled Vibram sole makes for outstanding grip. Regardless of the conditions or terrain, slipping is not an issue.

A fitting all-rounder with benefits on muggy and tricky off-road sections.

Other than that, the whole thing is remarkably flexible and supports a neutral and active stride. On the whole a great shoe for the daily mileage routine on the trails – if it wasn’t for the pinching shoestring lug.

The Original Mountain Marathon (OMM) is a distinctive contest. Once renowned as the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon it is a true classic when it comes to running competitions. Some people regard this race the forerunner of adventure racing. Since the first edition in 1968, squads of two take on weathered territory in the north of Great Britain. The course is never the same as line-ups have to navigate themselves around the fells, reach certain checkpoints and sleep in an overnight camp. The teams themselves must transport every part of gear.

Shane Ohly and his buddy Duncan Archer won the OMM back in 2011 and also this year’s version as the course led throughout the picturesque Glen Trool valley in the Southern Uplands of Galloway, Scotland. Shane is a former professional climber and now a full time mountain runner. He also a Director of business with race organisation company Ourea Events in the UK.

Runsel: Yourself and companion Duncan Archer just won the elite category in the 49th running of the Original Mountain Marathon (OMM). After 2011 this was your second win in this iconic competition. The OMM is a contest that requires a pretty wide-ranging skilfulness. Now, a couple of weeks after the competition, what are you most proud of?
Shane Ohly: Not getting injured! Seriously though, we worked so efficiently as a team and despite a big lead at the end of day one we kept pushing ourselves at 100% effort level all the way through to the finish.

© Ben Winston

Runsel: How did yourself and Duncan Archer meet up? In what way do you folks get ready for a extraordinary race like the OMM?
Shane: We met though orienteering, but then when I was working for inov-8 I stayed with Duncan (and his wife Pippa) who lived close by, we often climbed together in the evenings at the climbing wall. Somewhere along the line I suggested to Duncan that he did a mountain marathon with me. I think he was quite sceptical at first because a mountain marathon is a big change from the classic orienteering races that Duncan had been focused on before.

Duncan and Shane captured during last years OMM around the Tweedsmiur Hills.

Runsel: Racing as a team is pretty special. What is the most important factor when you race with somebody?
Shane: We push each other really hard whilst racing, but are usually very well matched, so although we both have highs and lows we are very good at motivating each other and keeping our average effort level high. We are also both very competitive but in a relaxed and easy-going manner. It works well for us.

© Alex Telfer

 Runsel: In addition to the navigation and running talents it seems that you have to have your gear-game totally dialled in. What stuff do you guys use and what is the most vital part that can be found in your rucksack?
Shane: Getting the gear right takes lots of experience, and I have been regular mountain marathon competitor for about 15 years… Perhaps I am slow learner! It is hard to single out one particular item of kit as essential, but the high value items like your tent and sleeping bag can save the most in weight, if you are prepared invest a lot in the kit. This year, we were given some amazing new 100g 3-layer waterproof jackets from Berghaus (the Hyper 100), and they are brilliant. I suspect many people will be using these in the future.

Only a few kilometres left on the second day of last years OMM.

Runsel: You took on running in 2002. Subsequently you have been pretty busy round several hills and mountains. What’s inspiring you? What outlines the beauty of running for yourself?
Shane: I love the experience of the mountains; the wilderness, the commitment, the challenge. I like the sense of moving quickly in technical terrain and covering big distances, and most of all I like big solo adventures. It is a great life affirming experience.

© Ben Winston

Runsel: You are a well-decorated mountain runner. Which competitions are still on your “To-Do” list and why?
Shane: I have been doing some of the Skyrunning World Series races in the last two years, and so far I have failed to actually have a good race. It must be the most odd period of poor form and bad luck ever! I like these races because they challenge all my weakness; generally they are runnable (I prefer rough ground) and they are always marked courses (I prefer orienteering style events).

Shane during this years OMM around Glen Trool.

Runsel: Which running record do you rate the highest?
Shane: My favourite record is Jasmin Paris‘s Charlie Ramsay Round record in Scotland. I had the pleasure of supporting one of the legs, and she went onto break both the men’s and the women’s record. It was an amazing episode of running, and I was proud to help her in small way.