tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26999935024547331622024-03-14T04:23:46.700+02:00Rockhoppin' TrailLinda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-37714081028716420942017-07-07T18:00:00.000+01:002017-07-07T18:00:00.996+01:00 Less about the one who didn’t - and more about the one who did: Ryan Sandes, winner WS100 2017<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XRaeUmFkfME/WV-4aOZZ8BI/AAAAAAAACNE/EIXSl3BrZ0kPQZSFZ7aQGvn_ToeDLGs3wCLcBGAs/s1600/ryan%2Bpic%2B1%2Bv2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XRaeUmFkfME/WV-4aOZZ8BI/AAAAAAAACNE/EIXSl3BrZ0kPQZSFZ7aQGvn_ToeDLGs3wCLcBGAs/s640/ryan%2Bpic%2B1%2Bv2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #999999;">photo credit Corinna Halloran | Red Bull Content Pool</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anyone who knows anything about Ryan Sandes knows he epitomises the
phrase </span><i style="color: #ffe599; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">less is more.</i><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The </span><i style="color: #ffe599; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">less</i><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I’m referring to isn’t less
training, less speed or less talent – not even by a smidgeon. Instead it’s less
talk, more action. Unlike others on the start line, the winner of this year’s
Western States 100 is renowned and respected for his humility, and for his
knack of approaching races with a quiet self-confidence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Now two weeks on from his US win, Rockhoppin’ Trail interviewed Ryan at
his favourite coffee shop in his home town of Hout Bay, Cape Town, South
Africa.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>LD</b> It’s now 2 weeks on
from your WS100 win, and you’ve had a chance to digest the experience. What are
your thoughts about it? (physically, emotionally, etc.)</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RS</b> Crossing
that finish line brought huge relief because it had been such a tough day, but
also a great sense of fulfilment. But having come 2<sup>nd</sup> in 2012, and during that race passing Timmy and then having him then overtake me, meant that this year I did run scared the
last 20 miles or so. <br />
At the river crossing, about 30km to go, I hit my lowest moment, I felt really
shattered. The crossing only takes about 30 secs so it’s not much of a rest.
From there Ryno ran with me, for the next 20km, which really helped me
mentally. Physically I managed to cool myself down in a couple of creeks – the
water was pretty cool because of snow melt. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At
the aid station after Green Gate (about 20 miles to go) I learned I was about
22 min ahead. But then when I came into Pointed Rock aid station (about 9.5km
to go), I got conflicting reports that Alex was only 5 min behind me! I
panicked and took off – I even ran straight through an aid station where
Vanessa tried to give me stuff but I just ran through. Then thankfully one of
the guys I know drove ahead and at about 8km to go told me the info I’d been
given was incorrect, so I knew I could back off a bit, I didn’t have to kill
myself! So the sense of relief crossing the line was huge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And
since then I’ve had a great sense of fulfilment, and of course pride. It’s hard
to describe. Max at a race finish was super cool. I visualised that for weeks
leading up to the event. During the race, with our times so slow, I started to
worry that my finish might clash with Max’s napping time and he’d not be there!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
think my achievement only really sunk in the next day when I was holding the
cougar trophy. Vanessa joked with me that I’ve finally got my second cougar. I
told her it was harder to get than my first!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And
the other huge confirmation for me was looking back at Bruce Fordyce’s inspiration
message to me in my copy of Tim Noakes’s book <i>Challenging Beliefs</i>. Finally achieving this goal I’ve wanted for so
long means a lot to me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>LD</b> Six years ago you won
Leadville in 16:46. That was a massive win on the US trail-ultra fraternity,
how does Western States compare to Leadville?</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RS</b> Leadville
is a bit more mainstream – it has the biggest participation of all 100 milers
in the US, and with the exposure that “Born To Run” gave it, it will always be
popular. But in the last few years, Western States has attracted a far stronger
field, particularly internationally, since being on the Ultra Trail World Tour.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">They’re
both tough – Western States for its heat and Leadville for its altitude. But
it’s difficult to say which is tougher – it’s all relative to the individual,
and to the day.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #002060;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><b>LD</b> Analysis of your
times and splits during WS100 have shown you ran a near to perfectly executed
race. What was your race plan, how did you plan it, did you stick to it
precisely, and would you regard this one as your perfectly run race?</span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RS</b> I
generally don’t run according to planned splits, but because I knew the route,
I had a pretty good idea of the splits between points. I expected the pace would
be fast, and I think we all under-estimated how slow going the first section of
the course would make us, because of the deep snow. People used up a lot of
energy trying to keep to their planned splits in those conditions, and I think
that’s what contributed to the big drop-out rate. I was fortunate, I felt
pretty good from the start, and although I kept the splits in my mind, I stuck
to my strategy of running according to how I felt. That meant I ran quite a bit
harder in the first half than I’d done in previous races, but I had expected
the pace to be fast and I knew that I wanted to not be far off the front pack
during most of the race. There’ve been other races when I’ve hung back a bit
far and then when coming through the field not had quite enough time to make up
positions, and ended in 3<sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">rd</span></sup> or 4<sup><span style="font-size: xx-small;">th</span></sup> place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I
knew Jim would either do something amazing or completely blow up, and I wanted
to be within reasonable distance to be able to act. But when he was 40 or so
minutes ahead (Forest Hill area, 100km), I realised it would be crazy to push
to close the gap.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After
I passed him, I ran pretty much according to feel. I had slower and faster
sections – like from Rucky Chucky River up to Green Gate I was slower, but I picked
up nicely when Ryno joined me. Then from Pointed Rocks I was on my own again –
that was when I was told incorrect splits and I took off!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><b>LD</b> I know this win has
been a goal of yours since you signed up for your first WS100 in 2012. You’ve
had a testing past couple of years since contracting glandular fever – it
knocked your system good and proper, leading to issues with gut issues during
races and seeing you having to pull out of a few big events. This must’ve have
tested your confidence in a big way. Speak me through that, and through the deep
determination you’re known for that has seen you to the achievement of this
win.</span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #0070c0;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RS</b> I’d
always planned to give myself three years to do the best I can be at Western
States, and then give UTMB the next three years – because they’re such
different races. When I came 2<sup>nd</sup> in 2012, and had what I still
consider to be the best 100 miler I’ve ever had, I thought I could come back in
2013 and do even better. But I sprained my ankle badly about six weeks before
the race so I was out. It was my focus then for 2014, but that year I packed
far too many races into my schedule – I did Ultra-Trail Mount Fuji, the
Drakensberg Grand Traverse, etc. and I went into the race feeling a bit
overcooked. I was happy with my 5<sup>th</sup> place, but I knew I hadn’t been
able to give it the build-up I’d wanted because I’d just got carried away with
races between January and June. In 2015, I picked up a bug – the Friday morning
before the race I woke up with my worst nightmare, a stomach bug was going
around the Squaw Valley and a lot of people got sick. My system is usually
strong enough to resistance those sort of things, but I think my immune system
was still so low from having had glandular fever that I was prone. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After that I started thinking that maybe a win for me at WS100 just wasn’t
meant to be. I gave the race a complete skip in 2016, but e-watching it gave me
huge FOMO, so when the race director Craig Thornley sent me a special
consideration entry to Western States after my Grand Raid of Réunion last year,
I changed my mind – I realised I’d never actually put it out of my head, and
that winning Western States was still a goal I wanted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
think I’ll go back next year. While I feel I’ve achieved what I wanted there,
it’s a race I really enjoy – it’s one of the few races I want to go back to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EAsAv_82Si8/WV-8EKZXlUI/AAAAAAAACNI/R0pBSaPLgTI_2bBfjcpSDyk4u6Hlr7t1ACLcBGAs/s1600/ryan%2Bpic%2B2%2Bv2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1101" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EAsAv_82Si8/WV-8EKZXlUI/AAAAAAAACNI/R0pBSaPLgTI_2bBfjcpSDyk4u6Hlr7t1ACLcBGAs/s640/ryan%2Bpic%2B2%2Bv2.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Ryan's 'tougher to win' cougar <span style="color: #999999;">photo credit Bryon Powell | iRunFar.com</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">LD </b><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">You kept your support
team at WS100 small, and made up of some of your nearest and dearest – Vanessa
and Max, your mom, Ryno,Griesel, Dean Leslie. I’m a great believer in
heart-happy-run-strong. Do you think this played a role in your success on the
day?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RS</b> Dean
was there filming for Red Bull and came to join us – he and I are old friends,
we’ve known each since junior school, and he’s filmed a lot of my races. And
then Ian Little came over from Portland and it was great to see him along the
route. And then there’re a couple of great local guys like Bill and Tony, who I
know from previous years, and they’re super helpful. And Bill’s friend Karen,
who helped Vanessa crew, and whose house we stayed at for a few nights. They’re
all such awesome people. It’s one of the things I love so much about this race
– the sense of community. The whole vibe is more low key than something like
UTMB, where for the week leading up to the race Chamonix is just crazy with
media and hype. The community in Auburn are so laid back, and everyone gets
involved in the race.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This year I
managed to keep quite below the radar, which I far prefer. We only
arrived at Squaw Valley a couple of days before the race. And having my mom and
Vanessa there meant such a lot to me. Ness hasn’t been able to come to any of
my races for the past year and half now, because of Max, and having her there
was great – it was a good distraction. Often before a big race I’m often almost
</span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">too</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> focused, and leading up to this
race I tried to keep as busy with other things, fun distractions, as possible,
which helped me to not over-analyse things. I went into this race as relaxed as
I could’ve been.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><b>LD</b> What do you consider
to be your strongest characteristic where your running is concerned?</span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RS</b> I
guess I’m quite adaptable, which has meant I’ve been able to do well in
different types of races, from self-sufficient multi-day, to long distance, to
ultras. I don’t think I’ll ever be as strong as someone like Francois D’haene
on the mountains, just because I’ve not grown up exposed to mountains that big.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Also
head strength is a strong point of mine. I guess I’m also stubborn – I keep on
going back until I achieve my goal </span><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Ed: I’d rather refer to it as
determination!)</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m
certainly not the most talented athlete – I don’t have the natural ability of a
Jim Walmsley, for example, I have to train hard. I also look after my body with
cross training and strengthening, which definitely helps with longevity of
performance. So many of the elite guys out there last just two or years at the
top. I’ve had a fairly long career so far, and hopefully I can still keep going
for a bit longer.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><b>LD</b> You’re well known and
much loved for your humble approach to your talent and to your achievements. Asking
you to explain it is You have a quiet confidence, a determined self-belief, and
the ability to always to ahead to the bigger picture and the long-term goal.
Not easy for you, I know, but speak us through this winning attitude.</span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RS</b> I think ultra-running is quite humbling – it doesn’t allow you to get
too far ahead of yourself. As soon as you get too confident, you get knocked
down pretty quickly. I guess I’ve always been quiet about things – always
super-competitive but mainly with myself, wanting to do the best I can do. If I
know I’ve done absolutely everything I can to achieve a race, and it’s only
good enough for last position, then so be it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">With some races I’ve just had a really good feeling beforehand. This
year’s Western States was one of those – going into the race I felt quietly
confident. Dean, who’s known me since junior school, told me afterwards that
he’s not seen me so laid back and relaxed before a big race as with this one. I
just had a really good feeling about how it would turn out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But I think I get the humble approach from my dad. While my mom’s quite
outspoken in her approach to life, while my dad has a quieter way about things.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>LD</b> Ever-interested in
race nutrition as I am, tell me about your fuelling throughout this race.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RS</b> It
was really super-hot. There was no way I could get any solid food in, so my
fuel involved a lot of gels and GU chomps – all the soft stuff. From as early
as Michigan Bluff (90km) onwards, I drank a lot of Red Bull mixed with water,
which is something I usually only do near the end of a race, but in those
conditions it called for it! At one point I tried to smash a rice pudding, but
it just wasn’t going down, so I stuck to gels and diluted Red Bull. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">All
that sweet stuff meant I felt pretty yuk the next day – enough was enough.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #002060;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>LD</b> Next up – what are
your race plans for the rest of the year?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RS</b> In
two weeks’ time I’m off to compete in the pack burro racing champs in Colorado.
It’s a 30 mile (50km) race, and you have to run next to, push or pull your
donkey, you can’t ride it. I spent some time with Micah True when I did
Leadville, and I watched him do some burro racing – it looked brilliant and I
put it on my bucket list straight away! So that’ll be fun. I suppose I should
read up on mule-whispering techniques beforehand!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">But
my next proper race will be CCC at the end of August. It’ll be my second race
of the 2017 Ultra-Trail World Tour. This year you only need two races to get a
ranking. I might also do Ultra-Trail Cape Town, but it all depends how the next
few months pan out. </span></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-65848397054302288322017-07-02T16:14:00.000+01:002017-07-02T16:14:30.523+01:00Less about the one who didn't win WS100...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4R6s61M7D88/WVkKW4hf7CI/AAAAAAAACMU/Bgt9EpKgFY0tYgrSAoscQaJUMFp9aed_QCLcBGAs/s1600/WS-Winner-Buckle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1021" height="281" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4R6s61M7D88/WVkKW4hf7CI/AAAAAAAACMU/Bgt9EpKgFY0tYgrSAoscQaJUMFp9aed_QCLcBGAs/s400/WS-Winner-Buckle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s a week on from Western States 2017, and
yet still we’re seeing articles focusing on the guy who <i>didn’t</i> win the race. I’m
flummoxed. Anyone would think this was the first time in running history a race
favourite didn’t end up the race winner!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Surely the answer is simple? He didn’t win
because he wasn’t the fastest on the day. That’s a fact no one can deny. But
then why is it so difficult for the US media to understand?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the thing is, it’s not as if the guy
was pipped at the post, or lost the race by a few minutes. No, Jim Walmsley
didn’t only not win; he didn’t feature at all in the final quarter of the event
– in fact, he didn’t even finish the race.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many factors matter on race day and help
the lead runner to a win. Careful strategising and management of race plan,
effective nutrition, disciplined pacing, attentive navigation and constant
mental strength are just some of the many ingredients that make a winner. All
these, of course, being the culmination of months, if not years, of dedicated
physical preparation and dedication to become what it takes to even have hopes
of featuring in the top percentage of a race – any race.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’re always elites who don’t win when
expected to. Take, for instance, Scott Jurek’s second place at Leadville in
2004, the then twice winner of UTMB Lizzy Hawker when she came second at UTMB in
2009, and even the great Kilian Jornet at Hardrock last year and Transvulcania
in 2014. That’s just the way winning, and losing, rolls – it’s all about who is
best on the day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The thing is, when these runners didn’t win
in those races, they still featured in the top 5 placings, which meant they
warranted significant post-race media coverage. What’s puzzling me is the media’s
preoccupation with why Jim Walmsley did not win at Western States. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Am I missing something here?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This guy is fast, sure. But it’s not as if
he’s won this race before and was hoping for a comeback. He has never won this
race! He didn’t win it last year, and he didn’t win it this year. Get over it,
folks. He wasn’t the only race hopeful who didn’t take the finish tape.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The thing is, he didn’t only not win… did I mention, he didn’t even finish?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s simple: he blasted off way too fast,
and he blew – spectacularly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He’s not the first to have made such a
rookie mistake, or to suffer the heat. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Runner’s World <<a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/western-states-endurance-run/what-happened-to-jim-walmsley-at-western-states" target="_blank">read article here</a>> refers to his
taking off at a “torrid pace, running into ice, snow and deep mud within the first
20 miles, then coping with triple-digit heat. Even when conditions started
taking a toll, he didn’t slow his pace to something more sustainable.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, yes. There you have it, in a
nutshell. Every participant endured those same conditions, he was not unique.
Nor was he a novice to this race. He should’ve known better. Perhaps with a
little more respect for the race, he would’ve tackled the day a little more
wisely, like the race winner did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my opinion, too much pre-race hype
around this man – who is elite level, yes, but one of many – distorted the
reality: that there were many others on the day who approached the race far
more wisely, making them better equipped to conquer the race.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps a touch of humility might be
something this talented runner could benefit from in his approach to racing.
His pre-race confidence and his ambitious goal to not only take the win but
smash the course record may have been viewed as bold, and his self-belief commendable,
but many would question whether he was even qualified to have such an audacious
goal. After all, as I’ve already said, it’s not as if he’s won this race before.
Perhaps aiming for a race win first, would be more appropriate, before
loudmouthing about an intention to smash the course record?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Extracts from Walmsley’s pre-race interview on iRunFar.com <<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52n2ZFoQzNE" target="_blank">watch interview here</a>>:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The
longer people try to go with me, they’re going to get dropped at some point…”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I
love the heat – it gives me an astronomical advantage.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">“My
goal is to run the fastest 100 miles at Western States ever.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Not to labour the point <i>too</i> much, but blasting off at blistering
pace is not something that should impress anyone, unless that pace is
sustainable. Clearly Walmsley’s pace was not, particularly for a 100 miler.
Personally, with a race like Western States, UTMB, Grand Raid de R</span><span lang="EN-GB">é</span><span lang="EN-GB">union or
any of the other notably challenging big-name 100 milers out there, I only
start e-watching the front runners with any seriousness from about the 120km
mark. Anyone worth their salty sweat will know the race only truly starts at
that point.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh how oft over-confidence comes before a
fall…</span></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-87701966912278150142017-05-21T16:14:00.000+01:002017-05-22T04:31:54.723+01:00Mapungubwe Transfrontier Wildrun 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4np6riGTLAw/WSCwTDCp9uI/AAAAAAAACJk/ZNTvh8B3o9QxYxT9-HZCQf_1CM3N7w58gCLcB/s1600/Mapungubwe%2BTrail%2BRun%2B2017%2B-%2B%25C2%25A9Mark%2BSampson007%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4np6riGTLAw/WSCwTDCp9uI/AAAAAAAACJk/ZNTvh8B3o9QxYxT9-HZCQf_1CM3N7w58gCLcB/s640/Mapungubwe%2BTrail%2BRun%2B2017%2B-%2B%25C2%25A9Mark%2BSampson007%2Bresized.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: xx-small;">photo credit Mark Sampson</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m torn. And I mean, really torn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My head wants to write about the wonderful
experience I had last week, telling the world how fantastic it was to run in
the African bush with wild game and to see, feel, taste and smell true southern
African bush veld. But my heart wants selfishly to keep it secret, sharing it
only with those closest to me for fear of word spreading and hundreds of humans
flocking to spoil a corner of beautiful, unspoilt Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m going with my head this time, trusting
that the folk who’ll be reading this blog aren’t like the average tourist out
there who has little respect for nature. Trail runners are different,
thankfully – most of us hold the environment close to our heart, and protect it
in every way we can. So let this post be a secret shared amongst ourselves,
protected from the world out there and closely guarded amongst those who
respect and treasure the natural world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I love the African bush. I love everything
about it – from the twitter of the first bird before the dawn dances its gentle
morning light across the horizon, to the deep golden hue of the after-glow in
the evening sky; from the deep-throated hollow roar of a distant lion, to the
thundering hooves of a herd of wildebeest as they charge across the open veld; from
the lonely cry of the fish eagle circling overhead, to the gentle scraping
sound of a black mamba as it stealthily slithers between two rocks and out of
view. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I love the vastness of the horizon, the
hugeness of the moon, the blanket of stars brilliant against the night sky, the
ancient trees that have seen generations pass beneath them. I love the smell of
the rain on the baked earth, and the way the air is alive with energy before an
African storm. All this is what real, unspoilt Africa is about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RIeSZpi9Cek/WSCwT6HLSSI/AAAAAAAACKE/7ZJqyHL0_eI74xp5-bwnpzVBw_U7k1sJQCEw/s1600/Mapungubwe%2BTrail%2BRun%2B2017%2B-%2B%25C2%25A9Mark%2BSampson006%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RIeSZpi9Cek/WSCwT6HLSSI/AAAAAAAACKE/7ZJqyHL0_eI74xp5-bwnpzVBw_U7k1sJQCEw/s400/Mapungubwe%2BTrail%2BRun%2B2017%2B-%2B%25C2%25A9Mark%2BSampson006%2Bresized.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: xx-small;">photo credit Mark Sampson</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Imagine blending all of this with trail
running. Imagine running with elephants, kudu, wildebeest, eland, impala,
klipspringer and giraffe, being woken up in the night by the grunts of a hippo
in the river near your tent, and standing under a gigantic baobab tree that’s
more than 2 000 years old. Imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All this was part of what I experienced
last week, shared with 75 other lovers of trail running, on the Mapungubwe Transfrontier Wildrun. And
I’ve spent the whole of this week barely able to concentrate, my mind
constantly drifting back to the banks of the great, grey-green greasy Limpopo
River, all set about with fever trees (so perfectly described by Rudyard
Kipling in one of my favourite childhood stories, <i>The Elephant’s Child</i>),
wishing I was back there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">Some background</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Mapungubwe Transfrontier Wildrun,
brainchild of Wildrunner, and facilitated by Boundless Southern Africa, marries untamed Africa
with trail running, in a three-day stage event that covers 93km through the
Limpopo-Shashe basin in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area
that connects Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So many factors make this event special,
but for me three stand out:<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">It’s not a race, but a run.</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> There are no placings, no positions, no podiums –
this is not about speed, but about the experience. Let’s face it, in Africa no
one <i>can</i> just go racing into the wild
bush yonder, it would be irresponsible, if not suicidal, so staging a race there
would be impossible. In the Mapungubwe Transfrontier Wildrun, runners choose
the group they’d be comfortable in – faster pace, medium or slower. Each group is
led by a (very fit) qualified game ranger, and safety is the highest priority.<br /><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">It crosses the borders of three countries</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">,</span> requiring all the relevant documentation, visas and
passport-stamping by customs officials – everything specially organised for the
runners on the banks of the rivers that border each country. It takes one hell
of a lot of planning, paperwork and preparation to coordinate the diplomatic
and logistical permissions for undesignated border crossings on foot in deepest
darkest Africa, and it shows just how much needs to be prepared in advance
behind the scenes before an event like this can happen.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9ANTZzbN1Dg/WSCwfS5_BDI/AAAAAAAACKE/BCTPKCKQWiEqJUC8I-5TE-9t8jWdRnJ1gCEw/s1600/Mapungubwe%2BTrail%2BRun%2B2017%2B-%2B%25C2%25A9Mark%2BSampson024%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9ANTZzbN1Dg/WSCwfS5_BDI/AAAAAAAACKE/BCTPKCKQWiEqJUC8I-5TE-9t8jWdRnJ1gCEw/s640/Mapungubwe%2BTrail%2BRun%2B2017%2B-%2B%25C2%25A9Mark%2BSampson024%2Bresized.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: xx-small;">photo credit Mark Sampson</span></td></tr>
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</span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">You’re in the best hands.</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Like all of Wildrunner’s events, everything is carefully
thought through to the finest detail. Participants enjoy five-star bush
treatment, from several delicious refreshment stops along each day’s route
(tea, coffee, hot chocolate, biscuits, biltong, potatoes, jelly babies and more… not
forgetting the peanut butter-stuffed mini pitas, champers and freshly-made wraps on the
wooden deck overlooking the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers), to
hot showers and even a gin bar, set on a koppie above camp and overlooking the
setting sun. All this, yet more than 160km away from even the nearest spaza shop.
It’s impressive stuff!</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">Highlights from the three days:</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d0gSZqjSDqM/WSCwgNh9vtI/AAAAAAAACKE/x2oBHI11F8EuO1XlftcDSgtxqb8Q8Y1nwCEw/s1600/20170511_113029%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d0gSZqjSDqM/WSCwgNh9vtI/AAAAAAAACKE/x2oBHI11F8EuO1XlftcDSgtxqb8Q8Y1nwCEw/s320/20170511_113029%2Bresized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">A 210 million year old dinosaur fossil</span></td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Standing next to the mineralised fossil of a dinosaur, <i>Massospondylus carinatus owen, </i>which roamed the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana some 210 million years ago during the early Jurassic period. That's a whole 65 million years before brachiosaurus stomped the earth! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Seeing the Limpopo River, which is usually nothing more than a wide sandy river bed dotted with a few stagnant puddles, now full and flowing from the abundant rains. Wading across the river was not nerve-wracking at all... I was assured crocs aren't so keen on shins, they prefer whole bodies. Hah, right!</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Climbing the Mapungubwe Hill onto the citadel of an ancient African kingdom that dates back to the 13th century, preceding
that of Great Zimbabwe. Mapungubwe is a World Heritage Site, home to the famous
gold-coated rhino that was a symbol of the power of the king of the Mapungubwe
people. We then ran along the valley below the citadel, where more age-old baobabs
than I was able to count stood guard, silent in their stature, ever-watching as they’ve
done for more than a thousand years. Those baobabs have witnessed a civilisation
rise and fall, they’ve shared every season for millenia, endured
droughts and floods, watched millions of animals pass by, and still they stand
guard, sentinels of that valley.</span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U31m5yQBHoY/WSCwtmxX-TI/AAAAAAAACKE/nC9t9xunabIZcTRa8C8r46-n3W55ygMjQCEw/s1600/20170513_111510%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U31m5yQBHoY/WSCwtmxX-TI/AAAAAAAACKE/nC9t9xunabIZcTRa8C8r46-n3W55ygMjQCEw/s640/20170513_111510%2Bresized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Watching from a koppie as about 15 elephants gradually made their way along their trail – one that's probably been trodden by ancestors of those same elephants for hundreds of generations.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Running along the edge of the riverine forest as a huge herd of wildebeest galloped across the open veld to our right.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Enjoying the bountiful meals cooked over open fires by the wonderful women from the local Maramani community under the guidance of the ever-energetic Marion. Steaming stews, freshly baked bread, pesto, cheeses, locally-grown salads and herbs – our food was hearty and delicious, perfect for post-run refuelling.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sunset from the gin bar on the koppie above camp was something special. Somehow an African sunset has a majesty like no other, and every evening I quietly held my breath to hear the tiny 'pop' sound that giant orange-red makes as it gently drops below the horizon. (It does, you know, you just have to listen carefully...)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The non-competition: we ran an average of 30km a day, each group at its own comfortable pace, stopwatches and pace-markers the furthest things from our minds. It was about being out there, together, immersed in untouched Africa, running on tracks that might well have been trodden for eons by the ancestors of those living there today.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I can write on for hours about the
Mapungubwe Transfrontier Wildrun experience, but I fear I’ve already
overstepped the so-called ideal word count that a blog post should be. This run
is exceptional for so many reasons, and while my heart is still hesitant to shout
out about it, my head knows that special experiences like these should be
shared, particularly amongst those who’ll best appreciate them.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FoEVbHpXKEI/WSCwVKzGmdI/AAAAAAAACKE/LMYyDJvPssMKFAe4o4chzKISrkQlNLsegCEw/s1600/Mapungubwe%2BTrail%2BRun%2B2017%2B-%2B%25C2%25A9Mark%2BSampson002%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FoEVbHpXKEI/WSCwVKzGmdI/AAAAAAAACKE/LMYyDJvPssMKFAe4o4chzKISrkQlNLsegCEw/s640/Mapungubwe%2BTrail%2BRun%2B2017%2B-%2B%25C2%25A9Mark%2BSampson002%2Bresized.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-size: xx-small;">photo credit Mark Sampson</span></td></tr>
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Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-27686656597497067832017-05-01T07:19:00.000+01:002017-05-01T07:28:57.825+01:00There is no Map in Hell - blog tour day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XDuNuBvyBSg/WQZU4J5vzzI/AAAAAAAACIs/CerKQQubjqw11RW0u1SNKg_IQFelAabDACLcB/s1600/Web%2Buse%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XDuNuBvyBSg/WQZU4J5vzzI/AAAAAAAACIs/CerKQQubjqw11RW0u1SNKg_IQFelAabDACLcB/s640/Web%2Buse%2Bcover.jpg" width="430" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Imagine covering 515km
with 36,000m of ascent – under the pressure of a ticking clock and a specific
number of peaks to be bagged…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Wainwrights are
the 214 fells in England’s Lake District, and visiting all of them is a popular
challenge for peak-baggers. There’s even a register kept of those who have
completed the Wainwrights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bagging those 214 peaks
within a specific time, however, is quite another level of challenge. The first
continuous round of all 214 Wainwrights was completed in 1985, in 9 days and 16
hours. The following year a new record of 7 days 1 hour was set by the
legendary fell runner Joss Naylor. This record was said to be impossible to
beat – it was, after all, the ultimate British ultramarathon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Nineteen years later, hardcore
ultra runner Steve Birkinshaw made an attempt at breaking that record. With a
background of nearly 40 years of running elite orienteering races and
extreme-distance fell running over the toughest terrain, if he couldn’t do it,
surely no one could…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">He smashed the record
in 6 days and 13 hours – that’s over 515km and with 36,000m of ascent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Steve has now written
a book, <i><b><a href="https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/books/categories/biographies/there-is-no-map-in-hell.html" target="_blank">There is no Map in Hell</a></b></i>, accounting
his extraordinary achievement, and it will be hitting the shelves in the UK this
week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: large;">Rockhoppin’ Trail has
been invited by the publisher to take part in Steve’s blog tour – a nine-day innovative
online strategy to market <a href="https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/books/categories/biographies/there-is-no-map-in-hell.html" target="_blank"><i>There is no Map in Hell </i></a>during the week of its launch. Each day a unique blog post written
by Steve will be hosted on a different award-winning international blog site.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: large;">And excitingly,
Rockhoppin’ Trail has the privilege of hosting the first blog of the tour!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ffe599; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LP7xEJBc9YI/WQZSX1HoWjI/AAAAAAAACIg/b7wnW6gz9xgvjLnonnopxvOMmkudaicwwCLcB/s1600/there_is_no_map_in_hell_tour_blog_graphic.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="459" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LP7xEJBc9YI/WQZSX1HoWjI/AAAAAAAACIg/b7wnW6gz9xgvjLnonnopxvOMmkudaicwwCLcB/s640/there_is_no_map_in_hell_tour_blog_graphic.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Today is that day – Day
1 of the <i>There is no Map in Hell</i> blog
tour, and here is the post Steve has written for Rockhoppin’ Trail:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The
persistent need to push harder, faster, further<br /> </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">by Steve Birkinshaw</span></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;">During most races I take part in there are
times when I think, “This is really painful, why am I doing this? I want to
stop”. This happens on short races when my lungs feel like they are going to
explode. It happens on long races when I get an energy dip and on every step up
a climb my quads are screaming at me to stop. It happens in an ultra when all
my muscles and joints are agony and I am shuffling along like an old man.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r6hsPVtZwpE/WQZVbHCH56I/AAAAAAAACI0/c7F5P7b9FDQbZSF6XWd5-XxHAHtW22UGACLcB/s1600/DSC00505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r6hsPVtZwpE/WQZVbHCH56I/AAAAAAAACI0/c7F5P7b9FDQbZSF6XWd5-XxHAHtW22UGACLcB/s400/DSC00505.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 6 - Leaving the
campervan at Dodds Wood in a lot of pain to start the final section</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;">However, almost as soon as I finish I will
be thinking about the next race. If it went badly, I will immediately be
thinking of doing it again but doing it <i>better</i>.
If it went well I will be happy and want to do another race – but push myself
harder or further. There have, however, been a couple of occasions when a run
has been so hard and it hurt so much that I have needed to take it easy for a
month or so while the mental scars vanish to be replaced by the positive
memories. In particular I can think of the Lakeland 100 in 2009 where I
suffered badly over the last thirty miles. I even sat down on a wall for five
minutes at one point and decided to give up before I started moving again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2vWiC2hRItg/WQZWKMtmawI/AAAAAAAACI8/qg8s_lcmBK0C9hciBInCKE7QRGXlPRSTACLcB/s1600/20-SAM_0435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2vWiC2hRItg/WQZWKMtmawI/AAAAAAAACI8/qg8s_lcmBK0C9hciBInCKE7QRGXlPRSTACLcB/s400/20-SAM_0435.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 5 - Mel
Culleton-Wright and Emma putting on my socks over the blisters at Patterdale
Post Office</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;">For me, worse than the pain of running is
the mental anguish of not running. When I have been injured or ill I have found
sitting watching a race exceptionally hard. The excitement of the preparation
and the emotional high that everyone has when they come back exhausted is very
hard for me to watch. I want to be out there and experience that high. I want
to know I have pushed myself to the limit and achieved a good time. It is
really nice to win races but I get the most pleasure from knowing I have given
it my all. I think I crave that high from the endorphins released during
running. When I have finished the stresses in my life have completely
disappeared and I am happy and relaxed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;">But then there is the need to push it further
next time to see how far I can go, how far I can push my body. I am never going
to be the fastest runner – I am too big and weigh too much – but I seem to have
an ability to run for long distances and the mental attitude to push myself and
keep going when many others might give up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--QuiRGMebr8/WQZWogerGiI/AAAAAAAACJA/_BAJz_tqH68BCeDO_w-5UWN8lDQtaC3IgCLcB/s1600/DSC00533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--QuiRGMebr8/WQZWogerGiI/AAAAAAAACJA/_BAJz_tqH68BCeDO_w-5UWN8lDQtaC3IgCLcB/s400/DSC00533.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 7 - Jim Davies
treating my tendonitis at Whinlatter Hobcarton car park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;">Some of this explains my progression from
orienteering through to fell races, long fell races, mountain marathons,
adventure races and then ultras. The longer the race the more satisfaction and
emotional highs I get from running hard and pushing myself to my limit. The
longer the race, the better I also seem to do, which also increases my
satisfaction. Running round all the Wainwright was for me the pinnacle of forty
years of running. Over time I have gradually increased the distance I have run
and pushed it further and harder than before. Finally I had the experience and
stamina to push it hard for six and a half days round all the Wainwright fells
in the Lake District. </span></span><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;">–</span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;">Steve Birkinshaw</span></span></i></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-89584451478325259022016-12-31T15:20:00.000+02:002016-12-31T15:41:43.296+02:00new year = new goals?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7LOB66exOlo/WGevWayZGoI/AAAAAAAACFU/JhXOd8FElpIOFfUJ-e0FF9GSB6sq6ij5wCEw/s1600/new%2Byear%2Bresolutions%2Bpic%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7LOB66exOlo/WGevWayZGoI/AAAAAAAACFU/JhXOd8FElpIOFfUJ-e0FF9GSB6sq6ij5wCEw/s640/new%2Byear%2Bresolutions%2Bpic%2B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s a strange phenomenon, New Year. In Western
culture we’re socialised to see the first day of the year as a new start, a
time to reflect, look ahead and to set goals for the next 12 months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And yet January 1<sup>st</sup> is really
no different from any other of the 364.2422 days in our calendar. Logically,
there’s no reason why we should suddenly start doing things differently,
turning over new leaves or, in some dire cases, uproot entire trees
(figuratively speaking of course) in our need to make change in our lives.
Wouldn’t it be more appropriate for us to rather use the start of each day to
reassess how we’re progressing towards our goals?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But hey, most of us like to see Jan 1<sup>st</sup>
as a bit special anyway. And by the end of January all the unrealistic
resolutions have been shifted out and the achievable challenges remain intact,
there to keep us on our toes for the rest of the year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Interestingly, The Guardian UK published
an article at the end of 2015, presenting the results of a survey
conducted by UK private health insurance company Bupa, looking at how long
people tend to keep their New Year’s Resolutions. The most common resolutions
were, not surprisingly, to lose weight, to get fitter, and to eat more
healthily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And the study found that of the 63% of UK
adults who failed to keep their New Year’s resolution, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">- 43% didn’t even last a month,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">- 66% lasted one month or less,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">- 80% lasted less than three months, and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">- 86% maintained their resolution for less
than a year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I think it’s important to set goals, of
course. And whether you want to set them at the start of a new year, or on your
birthday, or on an arbitrary Tuesday morning whenever in the year, is not
important – what is important is that you DO set them, and that you be
determined to achieve them. Without a change in mindset, there’s no chance you’ll
achieve a change in behaviour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NVw-kfFcVx4/WGevNfFTfDI/AAAAAAAACFM/FZF-9dASbokrdzuzwsRBdyHcr9OdgjYogCLcB/s1600/new%2Byear%2Bresolutions%2Bpic%2B3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NVw-kfFcVx4/WGevNfFTfDI/AAAAAAAACFM/FZF-9dASbokrdzuzwsRBdyHcr9OdgjYogCLcB/s640/new%2Byear%2Bresolutions%2Bpic%2B3a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I believe there are five
essentials of setting goals:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">1. make your goals measurable; <br />2. be sure your goals are attainable;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">3. ensure your goals are relevant to
<i>you</i>;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">4. give your goals a timeline and a deadline
by which to achieve them; and <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #ffe599;">5. make your goals action-oriented.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">As important as working hard to
achieve your goals is, it’s vital to ensure <u>the joy</u> remains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If we don’t feel joy from the
things we do, the enthusiasm in our effort turns to drudgery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just as positivity encourages
growth, so effort without enjoyment becomes tedious and negative. Enjoying what
we do keeps the spring in our step, the energy in our efforts, the excitement
in our hard work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So, set yourself challenges and DARE to achieve them. Believe in yourself, trust in
your own potential, and allow yourself the freedom and space to start something
new. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Unless you try, you’ll never
know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So, welcome 2017, and may you bring to us all a
healthy dose of positive challenges; a generous measure of achievements, big
and small; and bags of fulfilment in every aspect of our lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-50HXjxcgJk4/WGevP3rbz2I/AAAAAAAACFQ/CCznPMn2es0zFKW54oc6jk5OjniAllGJACEw/s1600/new%2Byear%2Bresolutions%2Bpic%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="630" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-50HXjxcgJk4/WGevP3rbz2I/AAAAAAAACFQ/CCznPMn2es0zFKW54oc6jk5OjniAllGJACEw/s640/new%2Byear%2Bresolutions%2Bpic%2B1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-26359612367788838572016-12-17T12:37:00.003+02:002016-12-17T12:37:35.962+02:00Rockhoppin' Trail interview with Robyn Owen<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It has been ages since I profiled anyone on
Rockhoppin’ Trail. Back in 2013 it had been my plan to write regular profiles,
but somehow life, time and training got in the way and instead I stuck to
the loose, unscheduled kind of style that is more appropriate for Rockhoppin’
Trail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Well, ok, for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">There’re no rules for who gets to be
profiled on Rockhoppin’ Trail – I decide! The person can be South African or
international, man or woman, short or tall, young or old, carb crazy or
paleo… There’re only two criteria: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">- they must have achieved something incredible
on trail; and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">- they can’t simply be amazing people we've heard or read about – I must have met them personally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Because of time constraints and trail
distractions, I’ve only profiled a handful, but they’ve all been impressive.
Check on each to read their interviews:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://lindadoke.blogspot.co.za/2013/02/kilian-jornet-trail-champ-of-our-time.html"><span style="color: magenta;">Rockhoppin' Trail interview with Kilian Jornet</span></a><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://lindadoke.blogspot.co.za/2014/04/trail-hero-of-month-april-mimi-anderson.html"><span style="color: magenta;">Rockhoppin' Trail interview with Mimi Anderson</span></a><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://lindadoke.blogspot.co.za/2014/05/trail-hero-of-month-may-stevie-kremer.html"><span style="color: magenta;">Rockhoppin' Trail interview with Stevie Kremer</span></a><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://lindadoke.blogspot.co.za/2014/04/trail-hero-of-month-ryno-griesel.html"><span style="color: magenta;">Rockhoppin' Trail interview with Ryno Griesel</span></a><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And now I reckon it’s about jolly time I
profiled another great achiever. This time it’s the young South African dynamo,
<b>Robyn Owen</b> (nee Kime).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w7NHwGtf_-g/WFUKKDst-II/AAAAAAAACDk/FMhqR5vEh4E9omc5Db794RG_2t1QrbQDwCLcB/s1600/TerenceVrugtman-295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w7NHwGtf_-g/WFUKKDst-II/AAAAAAAACDk/FMhqR5vEh4E9omc5Db794RG_2t1QrbQDwCLcB/s640/TerenceVrugtman-295.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i> (photo by Terence Vrugtman)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Robyn wasn’t widely known in trail running
circles until recently, when she stormed this year’s Retto version of the Otter
Trail Run (the Otter route in reverse). She not only smashed an incredible 22
minutes off the women’s Retto record, and became the first women to achieve a
sub-5 for that direction (by a massive margin of over 10 minutes), but achieved
the fastest women’s time <i>for either
direction!</i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Suddenly the name Robyn Owen was on
everyone’s lips in the trail running community – who was this kid, where’d she
come from? But young Robyn is no dark horse – she is an athlete extraordinaire
who has been excelling in pretty much every adventure sport she’s taken up.
She’s enormously talented, she’s not afraid to face the most gruelling of
endurance challenges, she’s strong and she’s fast. But what makes Robyn extra
special is that she’s one of the most humble athletes out there. That puts her
permanently on the top o’the podium in my books!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4LX5iQQ9cPw/WFUKLiPhZ6I/AAAAAAAACD4/1H6L1-rvjP0Y-YxxvTYJJNbyaOUOaOIKwCEw/s1600/Terence_Vrugtman_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4LX5iQQ9cPw/WFUKLiPhZ6I/AAAAAAAACD4/1H6L1-rvjP0Y-YxxvTYJJNbyaOUOaOIKwCEw/s400/Terence_Vrugtman_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <i>(photo by Terence Vrugtman)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I first met Robyn in 2013, running the 37km
Matroosberg Skymarathon. She amazed everyone that day – seemingly coming from
nowhere, she not only scooped a clear win in the ladies by a massive margin,
but kept the lead men on their toes. She finished 5<sup>th</sup> overall, just
20 mins behind race winner AJ Calitz, and just seconds behind speedsters Ake
Fagareng and Noel Ernstzen, who both panicked they were about to get chicked!</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Age:</span> </span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">26</span><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Profession:</span><span style="color: #e06666;"> </span><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">civil engineer</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Achievements: </span><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Apart from
whipping the Retto, Robyn has…</span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">smashed the Dusi Canoe Marathon five times
– three wins in a K2 (pair) and two wins in a K1 (solo);</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">represented SA at the World Long Distance
Mountain Running champs 2013 in Poland, finishing 24<sup>th</sup> as the
highest SA finisher;</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">raced with Team Merrell Adventure Addicts
in adventure races in Swaziland, Australia, Brazil and Chile;</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">raced with Team Sanlam Painted Wolf in the
2016 World AR Champs in Australia. Out of 99 teams they finished 4<sup>th</sup>,
overtaking a team just 3km before the end in an impressive sprint finish.</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Passions:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> (apart from Mike) Loves wild, beautiful spaces, seeing new places, meeting
interesting people and creatures, being active, challenges, competing…</span></span><br />
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Goal
in life:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #e06666;"> </span> <span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> Still to be determined. In the meantime she’s having as much fun and accumulating as many rich
experiences as possible.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1vIZKCArCXE/WFUKJoiAJAI/AAAAAAAACD4/TrDJYrDo8e06q80HPud6n6omaG0GEwt6gCEw/s1600/Selfie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1vIZKCArCXE/WFUKJoiAJAI/AAAAAAAACD4/TrDJYrDo8e06q80HPud6n6omaG0GEwt6gCEw/s640/Selfie.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Robyn and Mike doing what they love best <i> (photo by Mike Owen)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD: </span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Your Retto win must’ve rocked your world – it
certainly rocked the entire trail community! Looking back, what are your
thoughts on that day?</span><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">RO:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">
The strong ladies field was a major topic of the Otter in the days
leading up to the race. My name made the long list of favourites but only near
the bottom. Being in the enviable position of having nothing to lose, I could
afford to run a bold race.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">To
my pleasant surprise nobody sprinted off the start line; the front ladies pack
ran the first 2 km across the Nature's Valley beach together at a fairly
civilised pace. As we got to the end of the beach Stevie (Ed: Kremer) pulled
slightly ahead to enter the trail first and I tucked in behind her for the
first hands-on-knees climb. I then stayed on her heels for the first half of
the race – on an absolute high the whole time. At Bloukrans I couldn't believe
how well my day was going – to be sharing the lead of "The Grail of
Trail" with the super-star of trail running after 10 km was already more
than a dream come true. If I'd blown and limped in last, or even if I'd pulled
out later on, I still would've classified it as a good day.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGlTR2eQrZs/WFUVHJJzCWI/AAAAAAAACEc/4TvWfgKKiR42zZmh_P3fb6Bwl9LYC2AgQCLcB/s1600/Stevie%2BRobyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGlTR2eQrZs/WFUVHJJzCWI/AAAAAAAACEc/4TvWfgKKiR42zZmh_P3fb6Bwl9LYC2AgQCLcB/s400/Stevie%2BRobyn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robyn hot on the heels of Stevie Kremer during the Retto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">This
year there was a slide into the Bloukrans river and we decided to go down it
together (there was a prize for the best slide photo of the day). Unfortunately
the water at the bottom was less than knee-deep and Stevie hurt her ankle as I
landed on top of her. She ran on as if nothing had happened and never mentioned
a word about it in the post-race interviews, but later that afternoon it was
very swollen and she walked with a definite limp. I still feel pretty guilty
and think the result might have been different if that hadn't happened.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Just
after the halfway point I started battling to match Stevie's pace on the
climbs, and knew that I'd have to make up for it on the descents if I was to
keep in contention. On a particularly long technical descent I passed her and
got a lead which I managed to hold for a few kilometres, but then she came
jogging past as I heaved up a climb I would never have thought runnable and
disappeared out of sight. The game of cat and mouse continued a few times
before we were back together at the waterfall with 3 km to go. Two of these
last 3km are very technical: giant boulder-hopping along a rugged shore rather
than trail running. This is my favourite type of running and I gave everything
I had left in me to pull a gap. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;"> Were you clock-watching? Also, when did you
start to realise that you had the win in the bag?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">RO:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">
Once we got to the waterfall together I knew that I should be able take
it, but I could feel myself being reeled in again on the final few hundred
meters. It was only on the final corner when I could see the finish line about
50m away that I was confident. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">I
don't run with a watch (I actually had planned on wearing one just for this
race but I forgot it in my tent). Just after halfway I asked Stevie the time
and knew we were on pace for around 5 hours. Then Mark Collins ran the final
2km with me and told me along the way that I was under the ladies record for
both directions and lying 5th overall. The finish still felt a very long way
away but I did have a few goose-bumps from then on. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xtM271Xty5k/WFUKAtAU7bI/AAAAAAAACD4/cUhYSM31BF8kQgHtAeCIA0VZdHVtiGIFwCEw/s1600/Mike_Nell_Jetline_Action_Photo_%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xtM271Xty5k/WFUKAtAU7bI/AAAAAAAACD4/cUhYSM31BF8kQgHtAeCIA0VZdHVtiGIFwCEw/s640/Mike_Nell_Jetline_Action_Photo_%25289%2529.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;"> Let’s talk Dusi. Having
seconded the Dusi a few times, I’ve seen what you guys go through, and I know
how the heat in that Dusi valley can ramp up – it’s gruelling out there. Would
you say that the challenge is what attracted you the most, and that realising
what you could achieve drove you to push even harder?</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">RO:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> That
sounds about right. I grew up in Pietermaritzburg, watching a thousand canoes
crash over the first couple of weirs in the Dusi Canoe Marathon every year.
It's a big event for the little city and one that everybody knows about. It was
one of the obvious challenges that as a kid I dreamed of doing one day, and I
was fortunate to get that opportunity quite early on. (Yes, the Comrades is
another one but I'm shelving that for one day when I'm really big!)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;"> Strong at canoeing, strong
in trail running, strong in rock climbing… the natural progression then was
towards adventure racing, right? Tell me about your time with Team Merrell
Adventure Addicts, and the races you guys did in Swaziland, Australia, Brazil,
and the one in Patagonia – 3<sup>rd</sup> team to finish out of 26 starters!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">RO: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">(I'm actually a very novice rock climber, I just
pose in precarious-looking places for Instagram photos!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span lang="EN-GB">Amongst the outdoor
sporting community I’d heard a lot about adventure racing – that impossible
sport where crazy people race for days through wild terrain with hardly any
sleep. I wasn't sure why anyone would want to do that, but the fact that there
were people who could and did always intrigued me. The invitation to join the
Merrell Adventure Addicts came many years before I expected to be attempting
something so crazy, but it caught me in a yes-mood. (Who could say no to
all-expenses paid trips to Swaziland, the Australian Tropics, the Brazilian
Pantanal, and Mystical Patagonia anyway?) </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Those races were all
absolutely fantastic experiences. It was rewarding to discover that there is
life after "the wall" (the one that you hit when you "blow"
or "bonk" as frequently happens towards the end of races that last a
few hours), and that you can actually feel ok after two or three or four days
of almost non-stop forward motion. The sleep deprivation hallucinations were
interesting. The places we visited were absolutely incredible. I raced with and
against amazing and interesting people and learnt a huge amount from them
(technical skills, soft-skills and inspiration for future adventures).</span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-On-_hNFu8Tc/WFUKKtiOg-I/AAAAAAAACD4/ujxxn-3p7oANZ1MaoZ8BaIfZ7IuymDihwCEw/s1600/Terence_Vrugtman_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-On-_hNFu8Tc/WFUKKtiOg-I/AAAAAAAACD4/ujxxn-3p7oANZ1MaoZ8BaIfZ7IuymDihwCEw/s640/Terence_Vrugtman_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Team Sanlam Painted Wolf in training action <i>(photo by Terence Vrugtman)</i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #ea9999;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">LD:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB">
</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Then you joined Team Sanlam Painted Wolf to compete in the AR
World Champs in Australia in November. The Collins brothers + Andre Gie + you =
that’s a winning combination if ever I saw one! And that week you had us all on
the edge of our desk chairs as we e-watched you push on. You finished 4<sup>th</sup>
out of 99 teams, and did a sprint finish to pass an Aussie team just before the
finish! Chat a bit about the race from your perspective. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">RO: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">The ARWC 2016 in the Shoalhaven in Australia was
relatively easy from a survival point of view, but it attracted the biggest and
most competitive field that an adventure race has ever seen. The racing was
fierce. We made a few navigation mistakes and lost motivation quite early on,
dropping back to 25<sup>th</sup> about a day into the race. But after a regroup
we pulled our way back to finish 4<sup>th</sup> three days later (of course a
huge amount happened during that time but it would make too long a story for
here). Of the races I have done this was the one where I had the least
sleep and the sorest feet, but it was also the one I enjoyed the most. Mark,
John and Andre were amazing teammates –
apart from being brilliant racers, they looked after me and made me feel
like a valuable part of the team. We had a far from flawless race but the
setbacks never dampened the spirit of the team for long, and when we did go
well we were pretty speedy! The crazy sprint finish for the final two of more
than 600km is something I will never forget</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue;">.</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iEI0X9EWVsw/WFUQWtp1oKI/AAAAAAAACEE/Twk1m9kx_-EvJASpJamAJQpxmEHyiKnAACLcB/s1600/Robyn%2Bpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iEI0X9EWVsw/WFUQWtp1oKI/AAAAAAAACEE/Twk1m9kx_-EvJASpJamAJQpxmEHyiKnAACLcB/s400/Robyn%2Bpic.jpg" width="221" /></a><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD: </span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">You and Mike have
started a trail guiding business, called For the Love of Adventure. Tell me
about that.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">RO: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">We are both happiest when we are outside in wild natural spaces, and are
passionate about travel and exploration as well as the amazing places on our
back doorstep. We launched For the Love of Adventure to share these passions
with others. We offer guided hiking and trail running around Stellenbosch and
the Western Cape, as well as custom adventurous holidays both near and further
afield. Our dream is ultimately to both have an outdoor lifestyle that is
financially sustainable. (</span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://ftloadventure.com/" target="_blank">https://ftloadventure.com</a>)</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD: </span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Next up on the
racing front: the Coast to Coast Challenge in New Zealand. Tell us about
that one.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">RO: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">The Coast to Coast "Longest Day" is
a single day individual multisport event involving 33km of steep technical
mountain running, 70km of river kayaking and 140km of road cycling from the
west coast to the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is tagged
"the World Multisport Championships" and is a major event in New
Zealand. I don't know exactly who I will be up against, but the competition is
likely to be very strong. Local knowledge apparently plays a big role, especially
on the run and paddle sections, and I plan to go over a couple of weeks
beforehand to familiarise myself with the trickier bits.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;"> Who’re you sponsored by?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">RO: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">I am an ambassador for Best4Sports, the makers of CrampNOT: the
world's first neuromuscular complex for exercise induced muscle cramps (the
world's first preventative and cure for cramps that actually works), as well as
a few other revolutionary nutrition products which will be launched soon.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">As Team Sanlam Painted
Wolf, we’re sponsored by Sanlam as well as a host of other great people and
brands.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AJq_JbIwOgg/WFUSdCzFJeI/AAAAAAAACEQ/MP88OF-bljAbgwwM35OERzF5zLV9Oz-sQCLcB/s1600/Cherie%2BVale_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AJq_JbIwOgg/WFUSdCzFJeI/AAAAAAAACEQ/MP88OF-bljAbgwwM35OERzF5zLV9Oz-sQCLcB/s640/Cherie%2BVale_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i> (photo by Cherie Vale)</i></td></tr>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;"> And on the cards for next
year is surely Otter 2017. Tellme tellme!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">RO: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">Yes, I hope to be there. 4h30 is an alluring
target for the women that I'm confident will be broken at some stage. I doubt
that I will be the one to do it but I would like to at least help to put the
pressure on!</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;"> What would you say are your
strengths that pull you through the tough moments?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><span lang="EN-GB">RO: </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">I don't think that I'm any better than anyone
else at pulling through tough moments. Generally, once you're in a tough
situation you don't have much choice but to pull yourself through it. I
probably do voluntarily throw myself into unpleasant situations more often than
most. Is that a strength or stupidity?</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;">LD:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ea9999;"> Finally, your most amusing
thought during a particularly tough racing moment?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>RO: </b>No
way, those thoughts shouldn't be put into writing!!</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-11601518989284501782016-12-09T09:04:00.001+02:002016-12-09T09:04:37.706+02:00Ultra-Trail Cape Town's ultra-spectacular playground<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-15ycBZy6-5Q/WEpUueKi2mI/AAAAAAAACCo/RdMTdmi21f4AlhneCZrSrKwP0imIyXO0QCLcB/s1600/utct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="530" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-15ycBZy6-5Q/WEpUueKi2mI/AAAAAAAACCo/RdMTdmi21f4AlhneCZrSrKwP0imIyXO0QCLcB/s640/utct.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB">Tomorrow will be staged the third running
of Ultra-Trail Cape Town (UTCT), when 1 000 extremely privileged trail runners from
40 countries will experience the exhilaration of running up, over, down, around
and across South Africa’s most photographed landmark, Table Mountain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Depending on whether they’re running the
35km, the 65km or the full 100km, some will be slogging further and for longer
than others. Many will have already recced their race route in sections or in
its entirety, while others will be seeing this special mountain up close and
personal for the first time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But one thing’s for certain: all will feel
the grace and power of that great mountain – the mountain that Nelson Mandela once
proclaimed “a gift to the Earth”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QykxAYscL7A/WEpU_gYJ6ZI/AAAAAAAACCs/C0rU3KWKmisLJ5jm1KnlRj06bKarysDrQCLcB/s1600/Ultra-Trail%2BWorld%2BTour.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QykxAYscL7A/WEpU_gYJ6ZI/AAAAAAAACCs/C0rU3KWKmisLJ5jm1KnlRj06bKarysDrQCLcB/s400/Ultra-Trail%2BWorld%2BTour.png" width="400" /></a><span lang="EN-GB">This is not a blog about UTCT and what a
fantastically organised event it is, nor will it be raving about the event’s
achievement of having been announced part of the 2017 Ultra-Trail World Tour.
In just two years, the race has put the beautiful city of Cape Town on the
global stage of ultra-distance trail running, and it certainly doesn’t need a
pre-race blog to reinforce that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
No, this blog post is about the mountain
that lies at the heart of this, and several other great Cape Town trail races.
It’s a mountain like no other – not for its height, for surely it cannot
compare to the giants that loom elsewhere in the world; nor for its hardness of
rock, its upper layer consisting of highly erodible sandstone.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MvpVzEci9Lg/WEpVUnQ789I/AAAAAAAACCw/C4hLHFWZ6R4YMT7LTPpGKjL3IQ6qN5lCACLcB/s1600/Andrew%2BKing%2B2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MvpVzEci9Lg/WEpVUnQ789I/AAAAAAAACCw/C4hLHFWZ6R4YMT7LTPpGKjL3IQ6qN5lCACLcB/s640/Andrew%2BKing%2B2014.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #ffe599;">photo by Andrew King</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB">Table Mountain is in a league of its own
for so many reasons, and it’s no surprise that in 2012 it was proclaimed one of
the world’s New 7 Wonders of Nature. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Tomorrow Table Mountain will be the focus
for 1 000 trail runners and their friends and family around the world, so this
blog post pays tribute to the mountain, in all her glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Facts
(and some fun fiction) about Table Mountain</span></span></b></h3>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #ffd966;">FACT:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #93c47d;"> Table Mountain is far more than just the
magnificent flat-topped square-cut monolith it appears to be from Cape Town
city centre. Instead the 6-10km table forms the front face of a spine of
mountains that winds its way some 50km directly south along the Cape peninsula
to the Cape of Good Hope. The Twelve Apostles make up its immediate backbone,
with 17 buttresses leering gracefully across the Atlantic Ocean above Camps Bay
and Llandudno.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-12NARVCVAy4/WEpVxoITbtI/AAAAAAAACC4/Mjw3qyknuSAYQgQT6aoJJYtG37VIYZgGgCLcB/s1600/utct%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-12NARVCVAy4/WEpVxoITbtI/AAAAAAAACC4/Mjw3qyknuSAYQgQT6aoJJYtG37VIYZgGgCLcB/s640/utct%2B1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #ffd966;">FACT:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;"> </span><span style="color: #93c47d;"> More than 500 million years old, Table
Mountain is older than the Alps, the Andes, the Rockies and the Himalayas.</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="color: #93c47d;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #ffd966;">FACT:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #93c47d;"> Table Mountain is the only natural site on
the planet to have a constellation named after it. In 1754, French Astronomer
Nicolas Louis de Lecaille named the southern constellation <i>Mons Mensae</i> (Latin for “the table mountain”) after the iconic
landmark. The name has since been shortened to <i>Mensa.</i><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #ffd966;">FICTION:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #93c47d;"> The famed “tablecloth” that settles on the
table top during the south-easterly wind common to the summer months is not a
cloud at all, but rather the effect of a smoking duel that’s been raging since
the 1600s between a Dutch pirate Van Hunks and the devil.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #ffd966;">FACT:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #93c47d;"> Table Mountain National Park hosts the
richest floral kingdom on earth, with more than 1 240 floral species, 60% of
which are endemic (they exist nowhere else in the world). The area is
recognised globally for its biodiversity and its unique flora and fauna.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #ffd966;">FACT:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;"> </span><span style="color: #93c47d;"> The original San name for the Table Mountain
range is </span><i style="color: #93c47d;">Hoerikwaggo</i><span style="color: #93c47d;">, meaning
“mountains of the sea”.</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="color: #93c47d;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #ffd966;">FACT:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #93c47d;"> Table Mountain National Park has more than
800 000 visitors a year. Since it opened in 1929, the Table Mountain Aerial
Cableway has taken more than 22 million people up the mountain.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #ffd966;">FACT:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;"> </span><span style="color: #93c47d;"> Table Mountain is visible from as far out to
sea as 150km. And yet the Cape Peninsula has more than 600 shipwrecks along its
shores.</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="color: #93c47d;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #ffd966;">FACT… or fiction?</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #93c47d;"> Table Mountain is getting higher. The
mountain is syncline, which means it was once the bottom of a valley. Part of
the great Cape Fold Belt, it was gradually pushed up (and is still being pushed
up?) to form the parallel ranges of mountains that run for 800km along the
southern and south-western Cape coastline. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #93c47d;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ubJCVw8rA40/WEpV8k0VsiI/AAAAAAAACC8/xOYmB-iGLBwcrGHzTYOZhANhXBwB6bj4ACLcB/s1600/UTCT%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ubJCVw8rA40/WEpV8k0VsiI/AAAAAAAACC8/xOYmB-iGLBwcrGHzTYOZhANhXBwB6bj4ACLcB/s640/UTCT%2B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">And the most obvious fact of all is that
Table Mountain forms a majestic one kilometre high backdrop to the most
beautiful city on the African continent.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So, to all those readers who’re running
Ultra-Trail Cape Town tomorrow – and those of you who will run on our mountain
any other time, <b><span style="color: #e06666;">remember to touch her lightly, she's very old and very special.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And always, <span style="color: #ffd966;">take only memories, leave only
footprints</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-15027749768133566282016-11-10T15:28:00.001+02:002016-11-10T15:28:24.256+02:00Thailand Power of Ten Challenge<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Running an ultra is no doddle. Anything
over 42km is gruelling on the body, and the further you push, the tougher it
gets. Add to that the conditions you’re running in and the terrain you’re
running on, and things can get rather interesting…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Imagine running 50km a day for 20
consecutive days, in heat and humidity that saps every smidgeon of bounce from
your legs, across all terrain from tar to dirt road to sodden rice paddy. And
then, on the 20<sup>th</sup> day, adding the toughest stretch of all, a formal
100km trail ultra marathon, just for good measure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OHFTdgq8FvI/WCRyzy-7EjI/AAAAAAAACBg/TxDpDLyu2Mg3RGd2mZvaKmjYuLdVdr1lACLcB/s1600/power%2Bof%2B10%2Bpic7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OHFTdgq8FvI/WCRyzy-7EjI/AAAAAAAACBg/TxDpDLyu2Mg3RGd2mZvaKmjYuLdVdr1lACLcB/s640/power%2Bof%2B10%2Bpic7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And now, imagine if every slogging step of
that journey could be worth so much more than merely the feeling of achieving
the completion of the distance. Imagine if for every ultra you run, you can give
a child a gift that will change his or her life forever. Imagine that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Forget imagination – that’s what David
Grier and Andy Stuart are making reality with their Thailand Power of 10
challenge: they’re clocking up 1 100km up Thailand in 20 extremely hot and
sweaty days, culminating in the Thailand Ultra 100km race. And each of those 20
days will enable a child to smile for the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1aWlJkutWnM/WCRxyzgt7YI/AAAAAAAACBE/iX2IjZyIHyohdt5-G3SCdv1kBtlt-4O-ACLcB/s1600/Power%2Bof%2B10%2Bmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1aWlJkutWnM/WCRxyzgt7YI/AAAAAAAACBE/iX2IjZyIHyohdt5-G3SCdv1kBtlt-4O-ACLcB/s640/Power%2Bof%2B10%2Bmap.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;">The thin black line is their route from Bangkok up to Ban Tham village near the Burmese border</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It’s simple: David and Andy are running
their miles to earn smiles for at least 20 kids in need of corrective cleft
palate surgery. Those smiles will be first-time smiles, and lifetime smiles. Their
run will have the power to change the lives of those kids forever. All this
through the Cipla Miles for Smiles Foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trGlGdtxI9o/WCRyVpRO7iI/AAAAAAAACBU/vnIP4-QcPLQh0jYoQqJP7EW8Ityp7xuOgCEw/s1600/Power%2Bof%2B10%2Bpic5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trGlGdtxI9o/WCRyVpRO7iI/AAAAAAAACBU/vnIP4-QcPLQh0jYoQqJP7EW8Ityp7xuOgCEw/s400/Power%2Bof%2B10%2Bpic5.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Operation Smile South Africa provides free
surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for
children in southern Africa. Each surgery costs, of course, and through the
work of dedicated, philanthropist medical specialists and the Cipla Foundation,
the fee is reduced to just R5 500 – free to the patient but the funds still need
to be paid. That’s where the fundraising efforts of Miles for Smiles come in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b>Why the Power of 10? </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Ten is symbolic on many counts: this is the
10<sup>th</sup> of David’s fundraising endurance challenges; it’s been 10 years
since the first of those 10 was achieved (the first full length completion of
the Great Wall of China, 4 200km ), and close on R10 million is the amount that
has been raised through the 10 feats.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">As David says “The power of 10 is the
beginning of a celebration of the past 10 year, a journey of a life-fulfilling adventure
of passion, zest for life and the internal yearning to make a difference in
some way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And the 10 years has seen nearly 2 000
children receive corrective surgery funded by David’s runs for the Cipla Miles
for Smiles Foundation for Operation Smile South Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u0zsXupsgDQ/WCRyVNE1GPI/AAAAAAAACBQ/84UBE_e6KSQpakCQeRp5pdno431CJBDmwCEw/s1600/Power%2Bof%2B10%2Bpic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u0zsXupsgDQ/WCRyVNE1GPI/AAAAAAAACBQ/84UBE_e6KSQpakCQeRp5pdno431CJBDmwCEw/s640/Power%2Bof%2B10%2Bpic3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over the past nine years David has clocked up around 26 000km in
endurance feats for charity: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;">The Great Wall Challenge – in 2006, he and Braam Malherbe were the first
people in recorded history to run the full length of the Great Wall of China (4
200km in 98 days)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;">SA Coastal Challenge – in 2008 he and Braam ran the entire
coastline of South Africa, from Namibia to Mozambique (3 300km in 80 days)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;">Madagascar Challenge – in 2010 he paddled solo from Africa to Madagascar
(500km in 11 days) and then ran across Madagascar (2 000km in 66 days)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;">India Challenge – in 2011 David and Andy ran across India, north to
south (4 008km in 93 days)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;">UK Challenge – in 2012 David and Andy ran the length of the UK from John
O’Groats to Lands End</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cuba Challenge – in 2014 David and Andy achieved another first, running
from Guantanamo Bay near San Antanio in
the south east to Punte Messi in the north-west of Cuba (1 800km in 28 days)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #ffd966;">And now it’s the Thailand Challenge: 1
100km, from Bangkok to Ban Tham village in the north of the country near the
Burmese border. Once there, they’ll run the 100km Thailand Ultra Marathon,
rated by Red Bull as the fifth toughest ultra in Asia.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was privileged to be invited by the two
crazies to run that final 100km race with them. Sadly, I had other commitments
and had to turn them down </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Wingdings;">L</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So, yesterday they sent me this quick video clip to say hi: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kdAcI9iPVhg/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kdAcI9iPVhg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Today the guys have less than 350km to go
before they reach the start line of their final 100km. It’s been hellishly
hard, not so much for the daily distance they’re pushing, but for the climate
they’re running in – Thailand’s humidity is soporific, and trying to exercise
in those conditions feels impossible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3emiUJyRr5A/WCRyVrwK2TI/AAAAAAAACBc/28ig0wy1o9QZ-BWXsLL-GjM3psaVbsswQCEw/s1600/Power%2Bof%2B10%2Bpic6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3emiUJyRr5A/WCRyVrwK2TI/AAAAAAAACBc/28ig0wy1o9QZ-BWXsLL-GjM3psaVbsswQCEw/s640/Power%2Bof%2B10%2Bpic6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">There are two ways you can help David and
Andy reach their target of R110,000 towards</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #1d2129; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/milesforsmiles?source=feed_text&story_id=10154711973743249"><span class="58cl"><span style="color: #4267b2; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">#</span></span><span class="58cm"><span style="color: #365899; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">MilesForSmiles</span></span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #1d2129; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB">for</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #1d2129; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/operationsmileZA/"><span style="color: #365899; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Operation Smile South Africa</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">sms SMILES to 39051 and you will be
contributing R25</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">click on the Cipla Foundation donation page
and donate an amount of your choice:</span> <a href="http://ciplafoundationsa.co.za/cau%E2%80%A6/thailand-ultra-adventure">CLICK HERE TO DONATE</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Just a quick and simple click will help
David and Andy raise funds to help as many kids with cleft lip or palate as
possible receive corrective surgery, and let them be able to smile!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Follow David Grier's blog during the Thailand Power of 10 on this link: <span style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://davidgrier.co.za/thailand-power-ten-update-9-nov">David Grier's blog</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">* all photos credited to Peter Kirk Media</span></i></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-84474724971841694292016-09-28T18:41:00.001+02:002016-09-29T09:42:00.214+02:00A black tale of the Tor des Géants 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #93c47d;">This
is not a race report on the Tor des G</span></span></i><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #93c47d;">é</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #93c47d;">ants 2016. It is instead a colourful, or rather dark, description of
my short experience of that fantastic race.</span><span style="color: #f1c232;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">(Warning:
this post is not for readers whose stomachs are of a sensitive disposition...)</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">There’s a first time for everything. This
first was one I’d been salivating over since my brother convinced me a year ago
it was a must-do race. The Tor des G</span><span lang="EN-GB">é</span><span lang="EN-GB">ants (TDG - directly translated means Tour of Giants) is renowned for its ruthless
character, and it has the stats to prove it. It involves running (well, fast-trekking)
339km over 20 mountain passes in the Italian Alps, clocking up +29,000m of
vertical gain and descent. It would be 30% further than I’d ever covered in a
non-stop effort, and by far the most vert I’d ever done at any one time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The TDG is extremely well organised, it’s
run in the most exquisite region of the Alps, and in every way it’s a landmark
event. It’s double the distance of toughies like UTMB and Grand Raid of
Reunion, and close to three times their vertical gain. For those ultra-runners
who’re looking for a crazy adventure of toughest and furthest, this one’s it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I knew that in taking on this challenge the
ask of my body would be immense, and I did all I could think of to prepare – I
trained repeats on my local mountains, practised power walking, strengthened
legs and core, planned my nutrition, and visualised the endeavour as best one
could, being a good 10,000km away from the Alps and at sea level. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I turned down opportunities to do other
events in the months before the race for fear of overtraining. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I cut a deal with my brother, Graham, known by many
in Australian and UK ultra-running circles as singlehandedly the best crew
there is (meditation teacher, massage therapist and all round invigorating
person all in one), that I would take his bait to do this race on condition he
crewed for me. (He’d crewed twice before on this race, so he knew the ropes.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The deal was struck, my entry accepted and
I was in. Suddenly it was real!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">Fast forward to September 11, the small
northern Italian town of Courmayeur and the start line of the Tor des G</span><span lang="EN-GB">é</span><span lang="EN-GB">ants
2016. The nervous energy of 770 “trailers” from 70 countries was electric. I
was herded with 30 other “VIPs” into the elite pen at the front of the crowd,
feeling decidedly inadequate amidst the likes of previous years’ winners and
this year’s race favourites.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The music blared, the countdown (in
Italian) was started, and bam! the race began.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eyp-4CFprcI/V-vl6Pya2tI/AAAAAAAAB90/si67scjvk0gIESbvwIvtX5NvatpyAdaBgCLcB/s1600/Tor16_Day01_Courmayeur_start_ph_Neyroz_Giorgio_Augusto_5NG_2005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eyp-4CFprcI/V-vl6Pya2tI/AAAAAAAAB90/si67scjvk0gIESbvwIvtX5NvatpyAdaBgCLcB/s640/Tor16_Day01_Courmayeur_start_ph_Neyroz_Giorgio_Augusto_5NG_2005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The start of the Tor des Géants 2016 <i>(photo credit: Giorgio Augusto Neyroz)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB">Any ultra-distance runner will attest to
the fact that recounting details from a race becomes increasingly difficult the
longer and more testing the distance covered, save for specific landmarks or
memorable moments. Everything else blurs into a continuum of general scenery,
sounds, the legs/shoes/kit of runners in front of you, the terrain, weather
conditions, awareness of altitude and mileage, self-reminders to eat and drink,
frequent mumblings of self-encouragement and, inevitably, occasional/frequent
cursing at all of the above, often out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Experienced ultra runners will also know to
expect varying degrees of physical discomfort that increase as the race
progresses, including pain (this might be in any random area of the body, and
may come and go at whim and for no apparent reason) and nausea. Sometimes the
latter can manifest into full blown vomiting, and usually in a rather
impressively projectile fashion, particularly during longer races. While this
happening tends to alarm spectators, it is quite normal and nothing to be
concerned about, it’s merely one of the many quirky, not-so-dainty phenomena of
ultra-running that we know to expect at some stage during an endurance race,
the remedy for which seems to the unseasoned to make little sense: to simply
force food in as a matter of urgency, despite the body’s absolute determination
to throw it back up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">My nausea hit me about 28 hours into my Tor
des G</span><span lang="EN-GB">é</span><span lang="EN-GB">ants, somewhere around the 98km mark, after 8,073m vert and 7,800m
descent. Having summited Col Loson (3 299m), the highest point of the race, I
was making my way down to the checkpoint at Rifugio Sella (2 585m) when the
nausea smacked me. I held out til the refuge and ate what I could – some salty
broth, a piece of orange and a dried apricot – then continued down the mountain.
The food stayed in for all of 10 minutes. By the time I’d reached the forested switchbacks
before the valley, I’d thrown up three times. No problem, I thought, this is
quite normal during ultras. Embrace it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtFdUNM8l7E/V-vpVaW0BoI/AAAAAAAAB-k/Yv_YxG4YHfU11yPuBaqxLfX4R7ifUBtEwCLcB/s1600/Tor16_Day6_Rifugio%2BBertone_Malatra_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtFdUNM8l7E/V-vpVaW0BoI/AAAAAAAAB-k/Yv_YxG4YHfU11yPuBaqxLfX4R7ifUBtEwCLcB/s640/Tor16_Day6_Rifugio%2BBertone_Malatra_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-21.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photo credit: Stefano Jeantet)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But what happened over the next 6km to the
Cogne lifebase was not at all embraceable. The projectile turned from a
perfectly normal colour to dark brown, and then to black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Retching one’s guts out is meant be a
figure of speech, but during that section of gentle downhill into Cogne, I
turned the figurative into the literal – I was spewing volumes of ink-like
liquid. Even more disturbing was that the ink was liberally adorned with little
black raisin-like lumps. This was a mystery, I hadn’t eaten raisins for days –
nor had I sampled the prunes provided at the checkpoints. (Yes, prunes, on a
running race, that’s another mystery!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">By the time I staggered into the lifebase,
I was utterly sapped and, according to my now very concerned brother, who’d
expected me hours earlier, I looked like death. He fed, watered and quizzed me
on my condition, then sent me into the lifebase to sleep for a 4-hour “reboot”.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Two hours later I woke in a panic that I
was losing time and had to get going. I was scrambling into my warmer gear when
my brother appeared, surprised to find me awake. A crew’s job is to ensure
effective refuelling and rehydration, to massage if needed, to offer much
reassurance and encouragement, and to chivvy the runner not to dawdle at the
lifebases. But perhaps most importantly, the crew is there to be of sound
judgement for the runner. Graham calmly asked how I was feeling, and whether I
thought I should sleep for another two hours. Essentially, he asked me my plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">If anyone knows the importance of a second
/ crew being firm on their runner, it’s Graham – he’s probably crewed as many
times as I’ve raced. He knows to be strict with timing, to not be swayed by
pleading, and to take no nonsense from his runner. He sees to what they need,
and then boots them out to continue with their race, no bother or fuss. This
brother of mine has crewed for the best o’them, including the entire British
women’s team at the Commonwealth 24 Hour World Championships in 2011 (in which
they won gold), and for Lizzy Hawker during her record-setting 155 mile
Spartathlon in 2012). The man knows his stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So when he took me by the shoulders and
asked me the question “Do you honestly think you’re in any condition to head back
out there?”, I knew he was very serious. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D9TgQrjG-cU/V-vpqVDkJBI/AAAAAAAAB-o/qo3ukTpZQgs2JGl7tIQLl5Zu-NqzwVnNgCLcB/s1600/Tor16_Day5_Rifugio%2BCuney_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D9TgQrjG-cU/V-vpqVDkJBI/AAAAAAAAB-o/qo3ukTpZQgs2JGl7tIQLl5Zu-NqzwVnNgCLcB/s640/Tor16_Day5_Rifugio%2BCuney_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"> (photo credit: Stefano Jeantet)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">There was much thinking done on my part,
much to’ing and fro’ing in my mind. It was an arduous process, and Graham didn’t
try to convince me either way – he knew the answer, but he also knew the
decision had to be entirely mine to make.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">My Cape Town trail buddies know I’m a bit
of a preacher when it comes to listening to the body – about discerning the
difference between the woesie whingeing so common during exertion, and the real
thing. This was the real thing, and I knew it. My body was stamping its foot
loud and clear. And I heard it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Sure, I could’ve prolonged the agony by
resting a few hours longer, recharging the batteries and heading out again. But
in my heart I knew I’d be a fool – those next 230km and 20,000m of vert would
damage me in the state I was in. Whatever was happening to my gut was more than
just the usual Ultra Vomit (a lovely phrase to coin, no?), this was something
more, and it certainly didn’t look or feel very friendly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So I did the responsible thing and withdrew
from the race. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It felt horrid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Two weeks later it still feels horrid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My first proper race bail in more than 20
years of running ultras, and it happened on the biggest race I’d ever hoped to
run. And as much as I know it was the only sensible choice, it gnaws me still.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Graham and I followed the race for another
24 hours, helping support my buddies Armand du Plessis and Ake Fagereng as they
soldiered onward like the stars they are. Later, we waited on the race’s back
fielders way into the night as they trudged in the pouring rain, desperately
trying to keep ahead of the cut-offs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So yes, there’s a first time for
everything. For my mates Ake, Armand and Luc Steens, theirs was their first 200
miler – they battled through fatigue and foul weather to achieve their goal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">My Tor des G</span><span lang="EN-GB">é</span><span lang="EN-GB">ants was a bail,
and while I know I made the responsible decision, it’ll haunt me forever. Dramatic,
perhaps, but I now see that’s what bailing something you’re hungry for does.
Whether this one will remain unfinished business, who knows. But hey, as my
doctor told me when I saw her last week, at least I live to tell the (sorry)
tale.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Rereading this post, I realise anyone would
think mine was the first bail in the history of ultra running, the way I’ve
rabbited on. But it was big to me, as no doubt withdrawals are to everyone who’s
had the misfortune of having to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What I take away from my Tor des G</span><span lang="EN-GB">é</span><span lang="EN-GB">ants, shortlived
as it was, is enduring memories of exquisite mountain landscapes that only the
Alps can deliver, and I was lucky enough to enjoy those views in perfectly
clear weather. The rain moved in after I pulled out, and the blue skies were
replaced by icy cold rain and, at times, hail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span lang="EN-GB">The cut-off for the 339km Tor des G</span><span lang="EN-GB">é</span><span lang="EN-GB">ants was
150 hours (six days and six hours). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Of the race’s 770 starters, 446 people
finished.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">The race was won by Italian ultra champ
Oliviero Bosatelli (47) in 75:10.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;">The winning woman was also Italian, Lisa
Borzani (37) in 91:09, placing her 7</span><sup style="color: #b6d7a8;">th</sup><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"> overall.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Below is a selection of images taken by photographers during the 6 days of the race:</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3w44MuiR340/V-vnKR5CHDI/AAAAAAAAB-s/jTxUB3nLcZEELhr2NkDqT0lPTES9zkclACEw/s1600/2611-Tor16_Colle%2BMalatra_Oliviero%2BBosatelli_PH%2BStefano%2BJeantet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3w44MuiR340/V-vnKR5CHDI/AAAAAAAAB-s/jTxUB3nLcZEELhr2NkDqT0lPTES9zkclACEw/s640/2611-Tor16_Colle%2BMalatra_Oliviero%2BBosatelli_PH%2BStefano%2BJeantet.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> TDG 2016 winner Oliviero Bositelli <i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photo credit: Stefano Jeantet)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_MMc_6atBr4/V-vuwSCp8fI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/pTFwk8uPORoOfbDleg8ni5HUBcEQ6IOvACEw/s1600/Tor16_Day2_Oliviero%2BBosatelli_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_MMc_6atBr4/V-vuwSCp8fI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/pTFwk8uPORoOfbDleg8ni5HUBcEQ6IOvACEw/s640/Tor16_Day2_Oliviero%2BBosatelli_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> Race winner Oliviero Bositelli </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photo credit: Stefano Jeantet)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P2gUadyk9zE/V-vqWSyakKI/AAAAAAAAB-w/mqxcVpUHuSYCeKmBm9wfYU6r2cCizavBQCLcB/s1600/Tor16_Day1_Lisa%2BBorzani_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P2gUadyk9zE/V-vqWSyakKI/AAAAAAAAB-w/mqxcVpUHuSYCeKmBm9wfYU6r2cCizavBQCLcB/s640/Tor16_Day1_Lisa%2BBorzani_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-28.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> TDG 2016 women's winner Lisa Borzani <i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photo credit: Stefano Jeantet)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L2cqij7QZfM/V-vqapDKVII/AAAAAAAAB-4/rOhP6-dKgfAkUhG27Lqe0F50mW7kJAlbACLcB/s1600/TOR16_DAY1_ZONA%2BRIFUGIO%2BDEFFEYES_PH%2BROBERTO%2BROUX-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L2cqij7QZfM/V-vqapDKVII/AAAAAAAAB-4/rOhP6-dKgfAkUhG27Lqe0F50mW7kJAlbACLcB/s640/TOR16_DAY1_ZONA%2BRIFUGIO%2BDEFFEYES_PH%2BROBERTO%2BROUX-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> One of the smaller checkpoints along the route <i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photo credit: Roberto Roux)</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YXE4ipUfRLM/V-vqYQl0owI/AAAAAAAAB-0/M-Y8AD3voc0mD6qfWRvSmnLKVrlSinHcQCLcB/s1600/Tor16_Day1_Partenzai_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YXE4ipUfRLM/V-vqYQl0owI/AAAAAAAAB-0/M-Y8AD3voc0mD6qfWRvSmnLKVrlSinHcQCLcB/s640/Tor16_Day1_Partenzai_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-19.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The scenery in the Italian Alps is mindblowing <i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photo credit: Stefano Jeantet)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vQvhr0kFFsI/V-vqc2zJ6EI/AAAAAAAAB-8/aude1GgL5iob90rnwWJLIzAo4L7UJj--wCLcB/s1600/TOR16_DAY2_DONNAS_OSCAR%2BPEREZ%2BLOPEZ_JULIO%2BCERNUDA%2BALDECOA_PH%2BROBERTO%2BROUX-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vQvhr0kFFsI/V-vqc2zJ6EI/AAAAAAAAB-8/aude1GgL5iob90rnwWJLIzAo4L7UJj--wCLcB/s640/TOR16_DAY2_DONNAS_OSCAR%2BPEREZ%2BLOPEZ_JULIO%2BCERNUDA%2BALDECOA_PH%2BROBERTO%2BROUX-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Two of the front runners during Day 2, still looking fresh and spritely <i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photo credit: Roberto Roux)</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RXn_KBfNE3o/V-vqhL_8xmI/AAAAAAAAB_E/cCPt1X8rDaEIe8oZx14jxwamT9fLpKyEQCLcB/s1600/Tor16_Day5_Rifugio%2BCuney_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RXn_KBfNE3o/V-vqhL_8xmI/AAAAAAAAB_E/cCPt1X8rDaEIe8oZx14jxwamT9fLpKyEQCLcB/s640/Tor16_Day5_Rifugio%2BCuney_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> A runner using all he had to keep warm and dry on Day 5, around 265km <i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photo credit: Stefano Jeantet)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h2AwztRApP0/V-vvhUEWNxI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/xUbh4jw-zosTxwRzgYOTGTutY3LOkXgYgCLcB/s1600/Tor16_Day8_Finicher_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h2AwztRApP0/V-vvhUEWNxI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/xUbh4jw-zosTxwRzgYOTGTutY3LOkXgYgCLcB/s640/Tor16_Day8_Finicher_PH%2BJeantet%2BStefano-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The finishers of Tor des Géants 2016 <i style="font-size: 12.8px;">(photo credit: Stefano Jeantet)</i></td></tr>
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Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-27513124539917786552016-08-01T14:01:00.002+01:002017-02-16T20:46:06.390+02:00The North Face Zagori 80km 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9vJ7ELTccso/V59BI_KHTSI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/cLhklud000UC0HRuYJhHYbDwPY3mvOyXwCLcB/s1600/zagori%2Bpic%2Bvikos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9vJ7ELTccso/V59BI_KHTSI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/cLhklud000UC0HRuYJhHYbDwPY3mvOyXwCLcB/s640/zagori%2Bpic%2Bvikos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Harsh, rugged dolomite
peaks and mountainous landscapes ripped, cut and carved over millennia of
geological shifts, this is Zagori – a 1 000km<sup>2</sup> region in
northwestern Greece near the Albanian border, far off the tourist path and majestic
in its isolation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Slavic for <i>“beyond the mountain”</i>, Zagori is Greece’s
best kept tourism secret, a land of natural beauty quite beyond expectation,
and home to what has become the country’s most popular trail running ultra, The
North Face Zagori TeRA (Tymfi Endurance Race) 80km.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XiZnYoU2Xlg/V59BYcRi1hI/AAAAAAAAB7U/7We39g3t6BgkM4U9E9JLLam-KbefVs_BwCLcB/s1600/Zagori%2Bprofile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XiZnYoU2Xlg/V59BYcRi1hI/AAAAAAAAB7U/7We39g3t6BgkM4U9E9JLLam-KbefVs_BwCLcB/s400/Zagori%2Bprofile.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The brainchild of race
organisers Mara and Vasilis Kalogirou of the Fifth Element running store in the
Epirus region’s largest town Ioannina, the race is now in its sixth year, and I
can say first hand that it quite easily matches, and in many ways improves
upon, the best of European ultras.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And for those trailers
who love an adventurous running experience in an exquisite part of the world,
this one’s for you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Modelled on the
concept of incorporating sights and villages of an area into a route, the Zagori mountain run is
circular, starting and finishing in historic Tsepelovo, the largest of Zagori’s
46 mountain-clinging villages.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qawvfdCSr9c/V59ER19A0tI/AAAAAAAAB7w/pyGdmoIWIAEJBDnUva7gXfvNESRwtoW6ACLcB/s1600/zagori%2Bpic%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qawvfdCSr9c/V59ER19A0tI/AAAAAAAAB7w/pyGdmoIWIAEJBDnUva7gXfvNESRwtoW6ACLcB/s640/zagori%2Bpic%2Bresized.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Narrow stone road of Papigo, one of the villages on the route</td></tr>
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I knew to
expect great scenery, but I really hadn’t visualised the dramatic, jagged
beauty I saw. Much like the Alps, the Vikos-Aoös
National Park is a grizzly maze of towering dolomite and limestone peaks with steep
shale fringes and forested valleys. It’s a UNESCO Geopark, recognised for its geological
heritage, and exploring it is a privilege experienced by fewer than 80 000
tourists annually. That’s not many, considering South Africa’s Table Mountain scores
well over 10 times that number. This place is special, and as far as tourism
goes, relatively undiscovered. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That, of course, makes
it a fantastic trail running playground! As much as 80% of the first 40km of
the route are run on single track that was specially cut (read hacked, not
mown) for the race. Until 10 years ago the area was used only by hunters, and
paths through the thick vegetation were scarce.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I ran beneath towering
cliffs and along the edge of precipitous drop-offs. I wound my way 12km along
the gnarly meandering forest path of the Vikos Gorge, a 38km long canyon that,
with its depth of 1 300m, makes it the deepest gorge, in proportion to its
width, in the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I drank from the
Spring of Voidomatis, source of the river renowned as the cleanest natural
water in Europe.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y8tFiPKnTVQ/V59BqPFcOBI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/hbpLedZvkn4hton6gKAwLkK6w3ykRXd1ACLcB/s1600/zagori%2Bdragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y8tFiPKnTVQ/V59BqPFcOBI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/hbpLedZvkn4hton6gKAwLkK6w3ykRXd1ACLcB/s640/zagori%2Bdragon.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drakolimni or "Dragon Lake" of Tymfi</td></tr>
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I circumnavigated the alpine
lake Drakolimni or <i>“Dragon Lake”</i> of
Tymfi at 2 050m where, according to local folklore, the lake was inhabited by
dragons who fought each other using rocks and pine cones as weapons, resulting
in the peculiar, bleak landscape around the 5m deep crystal clear lake.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I passed over cobbled stone bridges built in 1400. I ran through the
village squares of seven of Zagori’s most picturesque stone villages, most of
which are more than 500 years older than me, oozing with history, and all with
populations of about 30 people.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tAlnFeKSgPU/V59HbzmTjwI/AAAAAAAAB8M/8YzxdpesNtMaMlwNfo03E9T5g8cpvSG7QCLcB/s1600/Zagori%2BKALOGERIKO%2Bbridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tAlnFeKSgPU/V59HbzmTjwI/AAAAAAAAB8M/8YzxdpesNtMaMlwNfo03E9T5g8cpvSG7QCLcB/s640/Zagori%2BKALOGERIKO%2Bbridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kalogeriko bridge near Kipoi village</td></tr>
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With 219 other
runners, I slogged up – and down – 5 100m of ascent and descent. Those 80km
hurt, my legs whinged, my lungs burned. That’s what running ultras are about. And
it was worth every single bead of sweat, every smidgeon of exhausted pain. This
was the best of pure mountain running, and the exhilaration of the experience felt
higher than the peaks that watched us from above.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g5RGQnaeyrE/V59E2Wst2DI/AAAAAAAAB70/kUGG30va7zsOXLvZXGBKfVKTRrH18i6hgCLcB/s1600/zagori%2Bdimitris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g5RGQnaeyrE/V59E2Wst2DI/AAAAAAAAB70/kUGG30va7zsOXLvZXGBKfVKTRrH18i6hgCLcB/s640/zagori%2Bdimitris.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greek ultra champion Dimitris Theodorakakos</td></tr>
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The race was won by Greece’s
ultra-distance champion <a href="https://www.google.co.za/?gws_rd=ssl#q=dimitris+theodorakakos">Dimitris Theodorakakos</a> (Salomon athlete and Greek navy seal)
in 9:24:22. First woman home was Katarzina Cekoska in 11:49:06. Both smashed the
respective men’s and women’s records by 10 minutes.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TTyNhcfduq8/V59FRX2V9SI/AAAAAAAAB78/oTIrZMEsChwVAGZ6HNI-FsbW3tmK6Di7wCLcB/s1600/zagoro%2Bpic%2Bpodium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TTyNhcfduq8/V59FRX2V9SI/AAAAAAAAB78/oTIrZMEsChwVAGZ6HNI-FsbW3tmK6Di7wCLcB/s640/zagoro%2Bpic%2Bpodium.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy to have made the top 5 women finishers</td></tr>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-74700211822563099982016-06-26T10:44:00.004+01:002016-06-26T10:49:57.767+01:00Richtersveld Transfrontier Wildrun 2016<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KEHxEqePm-k/V2-eR413FMI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/Szbk0KuymDsWS4e2UrZrL4WVeKwN1-yvwCLcB/s1600/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day1-2337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KEHxEqePm-k/V2-eR413FMI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/Szbk0KuymDsWS4e2UrZrL4WVeKwN1-yvwCLcB/s640/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day1-2337.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">There are races. Many races. Short, long,
single or multi-day, self-sufficient…
they’re popping up everywhere and there’re loads to choose from. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Every one of them is challenging – some
more than others – and they’re all fun in one way or another. For most of us,
as long as it’s trail we’re running, we’re happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">And then there’re the special ones, the
unique events that take us to another place not only geographically and
physically, but emotionally and spiritually, the races we find difficult to
describe to friends and loved ones back home who haven’t experienced them. The
events that for their duration, and for weeks afterwards, have us yearning to
be back there, despite the blisters, the sore muscles, the pain, the gruelling
dark moments we may have felt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The <span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Richtersveld Transfrontier Wildrun<sup>®</sup></b></span>
is that race. The event is rare on so many levels: it allows a limited field
(max 80 runners), it’s set in a remote wilderness that’s far from anywhere and
only accessible by 4x4 or on foot, and it’s staged in two countries. It’s no
ordinary race, far from it. And as such, it attracts the more intrepid runner,
the one with an adventurous spirit, the one who wants to experience their
passion for trail running on a deeper level – a level witnessed only by the
vast, rugged, raw richness of an African rock desert and a night sky so studded
with stars it makes the heart sore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">“Gruelling in comfort” is how one UK runner
described it. The Richtersveld Transfrontier Wildrun<sup>®</sup> blends the
right amount of trail challenge with the rustic luxuries of a fully-equipped
outdoor camp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">But I think it does this event no justice
to refer to it as a race. It’s far more than that. So for the purpose of this
blog, I’ll separate the race from what I believe makes it far bigger than just
that – what I’ll refer to as The Real Deal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d-Xr_wI9_Z0/V2-eU_sjjgI/AAAAAAAAB6U/UGliTT2S6bgMMbfAPHDOspg413hwdLPzgCKgB/s1600/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day1-6355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d-Xr_wI9_Z0/V2-eU_sjjgI/AAAAAAAAB6U/UGliTT2S6bgMMbfAPHDOspg413hwdLPzgCKgB/s640/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day1-6355.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #f1c232;">THE RACE in brief…</span></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Mix a sprinkling of elites with a few dark
horses and you have the ingredients for a pace-pushing race. First out the
starting block on Day 1 was local Sendlingsdrif speedster Dawid Kaswarie, who
blasted off like he was fleeing a Namib flash flood. Unfortunately for Dawid,
his local knowledge of the area worked against him – his navigational strength
didn’t match his running talent, and he took a straight line directly to the
aid station, missing the compulsory checkpoint along the way. This cost him a
60 min penalty, which he spent the next four days desperately trying to claw
back, but in vain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Irish-born New Zealand adventure racer Jo
Williams was consistently strong over every stage, and secured herself a
convincing win of the overall race. Ultra-endurance athlete and
ultra-journo-extraordinaire Tobias Mews (<a href="http://tobiasmews.com/">tobiasmews.com</a>) won the men’s category, just 19 mins behind Jo. In the true spirit of trail
sportsmanship, Tobias volunteered his winner’s trophy to Dawid, who he said ran
a race that deserved the win. Huge thumbs up, Tobias!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a6En02cF_0o/V2-e-JRnEfI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/TcbQr3uMoY0Pg5-2wOOh5TloWHpFUdpwQCLcB/s1600/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day5-9308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a6En02cF_0o/V2-e-JRnEfI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/TcbQr3uMoY0Pg5-2wOOh5TloWHpFUdpwQCLcB/s400/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day5-9308.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">overall winner Jo Williams in action on the final 500m descent to the finish</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">In the women’s race, with Jo clearly out of
our league, the competition for 2<sup>nd</sup> place was between Swedish-born
UK runner Elisabet Barnes (1<sup>st</sup> in Marathon des Sables 2015, 2<sup>nd</sup>
in the Costa Rica Coastal Challenge 2016), and me. Torn between running the
Richtersveld as an experience and treating it as a race, I opted to hedge my
bets and try to do both – I ran the first day fairly hard to try to create
sufficient gap to be able to take the remaining days easier so I could
appreciate the scenery. Thankfully the plan worked! The terrain was more in my
favour than in Elisabet’s – her strength is in running open, sandy stretches
FAST while I’m better at more technical underfoot. Happily for me the route was
riddled with stony river beds, rocky gorges and craggy descents – so typical of
Richtersveld terrain. I was in my element. I finished 2<sup>nd</sup> lady, in 5<sup>th</sup>
place overall, almost 90 mins ahead of Elisabet.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gtbu3yIcV8o/V2-etONSNRI/AAAAAAAAB6s/_ayR4fb0W5MGnFkv3LBA4kctKDTGY9_zACKgB/s1600/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day3-4372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gtbu3yIcV8o/V2-etONSNRI/AAAAAAAAB6s/_ayR4fb0W5MGnFkv3LBA4kctKDTGY9_zACKgB/s640/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day3-4372.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me ascending the Tatasberg, a mountain of gigantic granite slabs and boulders bigger than buildings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #f1c232;">More importantly, THE REAL DEAL</span></span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Even the race winners felt more exhilarated
by the richness of the Richtersveld experience than by the racing element of
the event. Their success was hard-earned, sure, but in those five days the
wealth earned by every participant, every Wildrunner crew member, helper and
volunteer far exceeded the importance of anyone’s race position. Over five days
in the raw, rugged wilderness that is the Richtersveld, 45 runners experienced
a richness beyond all expectation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>RACE FACTS</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">ü<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">200km. 5 days. 2 countries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">ü<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Start at Sendlingsdrif (South Africa), finish at Ai-Ais Hot Springs
Resort (Namibia)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">ü<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Daily distances: 43km + 33km
+ 40km+ 49km +26km<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "wingdings";">ü<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Route: self-navigation (map
/ GPS + common sense)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #93c47d;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "wingdings";">ü<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Terrain: grit, sand, shale,
rocks, boulders</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">At quick glance the /Ai-/Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier National Park looks barren, desolate and devoid of life. Water in the region is scarce, the heat relentless. But surely it's no coincidence the name begins with "<i>Rich</i>" </span>– beneath its stark appearance lies a botanically rich landscape that boasts the most abundant selection of desert flora on earth. Jointly managed by the local Nama people and South African National Parks, the Richtersveld is harsh, dry (some parts of the park can have no rainfall for up to 10 years) and virtually uninhabited. But it's also believed to be one of the world's richest succulent areas, with a host of its plants, reptiles and insects not found anywhere else on the planet.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NusnmpHm5F4/V2-eyyfVeQI/AAAAAAAAB6s/BOE9No3FU6sTK0fMsTBPGBlLN52yKLeXQCKgB/s1600/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day4-5010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NusnmpHm5F4/V2-eyyfVeQI/AAAAAAAAB6s/BOE9No3FU6sTK0fMsTBPGBlLN52yKLeXQCKgB/s640/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day4-5010.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hartmann's mountain zebra are native to coastal Namibia and southern Angola</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Roaming freely in its vast inner sanctum can be found porcupines, caracal, leopard, brown hyena, black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox, genet, ostrich, Hartmann's mountain zebra, rhebok, klipspringer, springbok, duiker, steenbok, and the beautiful wild horses of the Fish River Canyon.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ffd966;">THE RAND REALITY</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At R21,250 (2016 cost), the price tag for
the Richtersveld Transfrontier Wildrun<sup>®</sup> may seem heavy. At face
value, South African trail runners might well compare it to other local
multi-stage races and baulk. But the reality is that there can be no
comparison. Not only is there no other five-day stage trail running race in
South Africa, but this event is less about the race and more about the
experience: it’s set in an African desert wilderness that is accessible only
via 4x4 and by foot. It deals with cross-border logistics into Namibia, and it
teases the lower reaches of the great Fish River Canyon in a section where,
until this event, only local Nama herdsmen and a handful of rangers had ever
ventured.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QPhSTxx7jHo/V2-eYU_u2WI/AAAAAAAAB6U/dTEenOLOVPUi2G3F_4brPmwpq5Y1eUORACKgB/s1600/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day2-2808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QPhSTxx7jHo/V2-eYU_u2WI/AAAAAAAAB6U/dTEenOLOVPUi2G3F_4brPmwpq5Y1eUORACKgB/s320/%25C2%25A9iancorless.com_Richtersveld2016_Day2-2808.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">loo with a view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">All this, and yet the offering is
seamlessly organised, tailored by bush luxury – three superb meals a day, individual
sleeping tents complete with mattress and pillow, massage options, flush toilets and hot
donkey-style showers every evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Through tired legs, aching muscles, twisted
ankles and whingeing hamstrings, nothing quite matches the spirit between
runners and crew on the final night of a fully-lived five days in a remote
region. Somehow after that, returning to civilisation isn’t so easy.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So the price tag may appear hefty, but when
you look at what you get for your money, it’s worth every cent. And of course,
the reality is that for those runners on faraway shores who’re hungry for superbly
organised trail runs with a different flavour, it’s even better value. <span style="color: #93c47d;">The
Richtersveld Transfrontier Wildrun<sup>®</sup> is a race, a challenge, and a
rich African experience, all in one.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HEC2qHH-6DE/V2-eiRhPfiI/AAAAAAAAB6s/PszQ-XiaCmwRyhHgIeMIdVd3SlgczwbyACKgB/s1600/13509053_10209397472074975_6952224418139021519_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HEC2qHH-6DE/V2-eiRhPfiI/AAAAAAAAB6s/PszQ-XiaCmwRyhHgIeMIdVd3SlgczwbyACKgB/s640/13509053_10209397472074975_6952224418139021519_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the joy of wild running in the Richtersveld</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>* photos credited to Ian Corless</i></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-45831817955966503602016-04-25T15:18:00.002+01:002016-04-25T15:18:26.674+01:00Brave.RUN - running to feel safe in our streets<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ffd966;">Warning: this blog post is not for sensitive readers. It contains graphic stats that will shock and sicken, particularly those readers shoetered on distant shores. the stats speak of a reality that is South Africa - an angry, dark reality that can, and MUST, be changed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4XR5YtoJU7A/Vx4lOapxWNI/AAAAAAAAB2E/ak0qTk4AnOM5qaE-IL77eFSU6u77RjUVwCKgB/s1600/enough%2Bis%2Benough%2Bmural%2B2%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4XR5YtoJU7A/Vx4lOapxWNI/AAAAAAAAB2E/ak0qTk4AnOM5qaE-IL77eFSU6u77RjUVwCKgB/s640/enough%2Bis%2Benough%2Bmural%2B2%2Bresized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">There were 827 children murdered in
South Africa in 2012/2013. That’s more than two a day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">There were also 21 575 children
assaulted, with more than half of those attacks severe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Over the same period 2 266 women were
murdered, and another 141 130 women were victims of attempted murder and
grievous bodily harm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Many of the incidents never even made it
into a newspaper. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">At best, half of these cases made it to
court, and not all of those that did resulted in in a guilty verdict with the
perpetrator being punished.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><i>(extracted
from an article by Dr Chandre Gould, senior researcher at the Institute of
Security Services)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">The irony is that South Africa is home to globally unprecedented violence against its women and children, despite a world-renowned Consitition that safeguards women's and children's rights.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Violence affects everyone. </span><span lang="EN-GB">The problem is severe, and it
affects all walks of life, irrespective of socio-economic status, ethnicity,
age or religion.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #141823; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Studies report that 40% - 50% of women
in our country have experienced intimate partner violence. In SA incidents of violence are severely under-reported, as is violence in general. There are approximately 55 000 rapes reported annually, and this figure is estimated to be nine times lower than what it actually is.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">The fact is that violence against women and children is firmly entrenched in South Africa, and the situation does not appear to be changing. Instead, violence has become an accepted way to assert, and reassert, masculine dominance across society.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">The physical and emotional consequences of social violence are enormous. With each year that violence remains so prevalent, the number of South Africans who have witnessed, experienced or been exposed to violence grows, as does the extent of national trauma.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Every girl, every woman has the right to
walk, run, play, and BE, without the threat of violence.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">If the stats aren’t scary enough, then
try the fact that just as there is no single cause of violence and crime, there
is no single solution. There is urgent need for a national effort to drive
awareness of the impact of this frightening reality, challenge the perpetrators
of violence to change their behaviour, and provide survivors with the necessary
encouragement and support to help rebuild their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Li_SQlf8fd0/Vx4lDFDHFGI/AAAAAAAAB14/0CjEavfpofQLGs3p1RJqNt5BNuERmxhMwCKgB/s1600/IMG_0115.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Li_SQlf8fd0/Vx4lDFDHFGI/AAAAAAAAB14/0CjEavfpofQLGs3p1RJqNt5BNuERmxhMwCKgB/s640/IMG_0115.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
This weekend, a small group of runners
supported by people from the local communities of the Cape Flats told their
world that enough is ENOUGH. They put their figurative foot down in support of
the promotion of a culture of non-violence against women and children in South African society.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Championed and organised by Rock Girl founder India Baird, the Brave.RUN was a first of its kind </span>– a pan-community run from Khayelitsha through the Cape Flats to Heritage Square in the centre of Cape Town. the idea was sparked by the shocking and tragic deaths of two teenage girls, Sinoxolo Mafevuko from Khayelitsha and Franziska Blochliger of Tokai, who were brutally raped and murdered in the same week in March. The initiative also gave voice to the hundreds of thousands of other girls and women who have experienced violent verbal, physical and sexual attacks.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e-0CQj0SHSI/Vx4lDpxRTkI/AAAAAAAAB18/HAcEkWWHUTkKKE8Fioi11ibBUGVFfV_zgCKgB/s1600/13055793_10208859907081155_920261783066461681_o.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e-0CQj0SHSI/Vx4lDpxRTkI/AAAAAAAAB18/HAcEkWWHUTkKKE8Fioi11ibBUGVFfV_zgCKgB/s640/13055793_10208859907081155_920261783066461681_o.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Patrolled along the entire route by the South African Police Services to ensure safety, runners and kids from the local communities wound their way along the 34km course through the streets of Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga, Gugulethu, Manenberg, Lavender Hill, Rylands, Langa, Rondebosch, Salt River and Woodstock, passing police stations in each area and ending at the Rock girl mosaic benches on Heritage Square in Cape Town.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The effort was huge (many folk had never
run more than 10km) and the energy was incredible. Many ran the entire
distance, others ran what they could and hopped onto the Rock Girls support
vehicles to rest before rejoining us further on. At any one time there were 30
of us – some as young as five years old – and we ran and ran and ran, all charged
by the same purpose. In those few hours, we sent a clear message through the gang-ridden
communities of the Cape Flats that women and children should NOT have to
tolerate violence, and that crime is NOT the way forward.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ay541d03PHM/Vx4lIcBZgkI/AAAAAAAAB2I/oHihBaGkjUgr_gYUFHviEePNY3c_ZlVPACKgB/s1600/IMG_0180.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ay541d03PHM/Vx4lIcBZgkI/AAAAAAAAB2I/oHihBaGkjUgr_gYUFHviEePNY3c_ZlVPACKgB/s640/IMG_0180.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br />
</span><span class="textexposedshow"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Next year, and every year, the
Brave.RUN will grow bigger, delivering that same message ever louder. Cape Town
runners, make sure you join us. Bring your friends and family, spread the word,
and be a part of making our country a safer place. Be part of sending a message
of support to all women and girls across South Africa, showing we are not
afraid, but UNITED.</span></span></span></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-38685136425770880682016-03-08T15:57:00.000+02:002016-03-08T17:40:11.030+02:00Much Ado about the Addo Elephant Trail Run 100 Miler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FreNaajlGSE/Vt7yPDXVCuI/AAAAAAAAB0k/NCLseByxo9c/s1600/100%2BMiler-latest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FreNaajlGSE/Vt7yPDXVCuI/AAAAAAAAB0k/NCLseByxo9c/s640/100%2BMiler-latest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Which
sounds further: 160km or 100 miles?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’ve now
run six of them and I’m still not sure. But I’m certainly grateful that in
South Africa the checkpoints are kilometres apart rather than miles – that way we
can tick them off quicker!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The Addo
Elephant Trail Run 100 Miler 2016 was a special race on many levels. Not only
is this one the only trail 100 miler in South Africa at the moment (<i>and I emphasise at the moment… a lil’ birdie whispered in my ear there’s
another soon to be announced…),</i> but it’s the only 100 Miler in the world that’s
run in a national park that is home to the Big Seven (lion, leopard, elephant,
buffalo, rhino, Southern Right whale, great white shark – as the Addo Elephant
National Park has a marine reserve section as its eastern border).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">How’s
that for a pretty cool claim to fame!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SjMurSOjSZY/Vt7XC22OLsI/AAAAAAAABz4/qESFBVh7Uzo/s1600/Addo%2B100M%2Bbuckle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SjMurSOjSZY/Vt7XC22OLsI/AAAAAAAABz4/qESFBVh7Uzo/s400/Addo%2B100M%2Bbuckle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The Addo
100 Miler always was South Africa’s first full 100 miler on trail. The original
race was the brainchild of trail event pioneers Estienne and Nadia Arndt, who staged
the race five times (2005-2009). At that time, ultra-distance fervour hadn’t
yet sparked in South Africa and uptake was small – with fewer than 20 entrants
each year, the race did not warrant the enormous logistical challenge involved
in staging such an event through a national park, and the race was put on ice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Estienne
and Nadia’s work, however, was instrumental in the resurrection of the event by
Sian & Sheena O’Keefe, and Jane & Dallas Barnardo, all of Free Spirit Adventures, and the Addo Elephant Trail
Run 100 Miler was reborn this year – perfectly timed for the take-up by 38
eager ultra junkies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">With its
new beginning came a new route – and with it, a whole lot more vertical gain. A
remote section in the northernmost part of the park was opened with a 17km length
of single track, allowing runners to experience the feel of true, unspoilt Eastern
Cape wilderness. With the popularity of ultras on the rise, the time for this
race is right: 38 entrants this year… I
predict more than double that for 2017. Watch this space!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x1AmJgOEiu4/Vt7YHIA9TQI/AAAAAAAAB0I/KE1yQyAyoFw/s1600/Addo%2B100M%2Bfinishers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x1AmJgOEiu4/Vt7YHIA9TQI/AAAAAAAAB0I/KE1yQyAyoFw/s640/Addo%2B100M%2Bfinishers.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The proud buckle-earners of the Addo Elephant Trail Run 100 Miler 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">The gories
on my Addo 100M</span></span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’d been
looking forward to this race for a long time. Having not run the original Addo
100 Miler, when Sheena gave me the heads-up they were bringing the race back, I
was there in a shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The Addo region
can really bake this time of year, with temperatures reaching as high as 48
degs C. But weather conditions on race weekend were perfect – with temps in the
late 20s, we couldn’t ask for better. The 2pm race start was strategic – the organisers
wanted to expose as few runners as possible to a second full night, and the 37
hour cut-off would see the last runner in by 3am on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The first
10km were an easy run along the dirt road towards Zuurberg. The pace was
steady, an ideal leg-loosener for the long journey ahead. It was on a bend in
the road just before the first CP that I made a foolish error – I saw a board
with an arrow clearly pointing up a path to the right… I questioned it in my head, remembering the
instruction to turn off the road only at the first CP, but here was an arrow… The guy in front of me followed it, so I
thought I should too. Up the path I went, as it wound its way through the bush
and on… and on. Every now and then I could see the guy ahead, so on and on I
followed. But where were the markers? Eventually, I saw the guy turn around and
head back down the path towards me – clearly we’d taken the wrong route. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We retraced
our steps back to the road. Clearly many of the runners were now ahead of us –
I had no idea now where I was in the field. But with 150km still to go, that
hardly mattered – I refocused and soon was back into my rhythm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It was
only 20km later, at CP3, that I learned that I was not the lead woman – UK
runner Jennifer Bradley had passed me when I’d taken that wrong turn, and had
bulleted on ahead, putting 20 mins into the gap between us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The immediate
temptation was to put foot and try to catch her quick. But I had words with
myself – better to run steady and gradually reel her in over the next 30km or so.
Hopefully she’ll have gone out too fast and won’t be able to maintain her pace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And so
went the plan. Steady did it. Bradley Hyman and I ran together on and off for
the next 60km, well into the night. Somewhere around 85km, just before CP10, we
noticed the light from a headlamp up on a rise to our right – it must be the runner
ahead of us, we thought, possibly Jennifer? Not long after that we came to a
fork in the jeep track, with a marker turning us left. But the light we’d seen
had clearly gone to the right? We ran on, following the marker, wondering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SAMeMq3VheY/Vt7XekVW1QI/AAAAAAAABz8/jyr_qbiLJhY/s1600/Addo%2B100M%2Bview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SAMeMq3VheY/Vt7XekVW1QI/AAAAAAAABz8/jyr_qbiLJhY/s640/Addo%2B100M%2Bview.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">typical view of the wilderness section in the northernmost part of the Addo National Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Around 14
hours into our run (4am or so), Brad and I reached CP11, the drop bag point. To
my surprise, I learned I was the first woman there. Where was Jennifer? The
light we’d seen to the right of the track must’ve been hers?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">As at all
the checkpoints, the volunteers there were brilliant at refuelling us – I had
my best cup of tea at that CP! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It was
there we found Ryno Griesel, snugly wrapped in a sleeping bag and sound asleep!
Ryno had gone out super-fast with Bennie Roux, and had struggled with nausea
from about 60km. Not having been able to keep food down, his fuel tank was
completely empty, and he’d stopped at the CP for a nap. A hearty bowl of hot,
sweet porridge for each of us, and this trio set off together into the night to
conquer the final 60km.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It wasn’t
long after that when my knees started whingeing. And whingeing spectacularly. I
had hammered the steep downhills in the first half of the race quite hard, and
now I was paying for it. Every descent triggered sharp pain at the inside of
each knee cap, and no amount of stretching my quads could ease it. I knew I was
falling off the pace, so I told the guys not to be polite – they should race on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Fortunately
I had my hiking poles from my drop bag. They became my lifesaver. The next 60km
became a jostle between trying not to worsen the knee pain, and maintaining some
semblance of decent pace. I pretty much powerwalked the equivalent to a full
Two Oceans Marathon!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uRK-KdAN3n0/Vt7X8AWJTFI/AAAAAAAAB0A/yL79RwekK7o/s1600/Addo%2B100M%2Btrio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uRK-KdAN3n0/Vt7X8AWJTFI/AAAAAAAAB0A/yL79RwekK7o/s640/Addo%2B100M%2Btrio.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryno, me and Brad before we set off, porridge-fuelled, from CP11</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Even the
pain I felt couldn’t distract me from the beauty of that section. Between CP13
and CP14 the route traversed through undisturbed Eastern Cape wilderness, 17km
of single track through thick forest, across streams and along open grassland
where few have had the privilege of passing. At one point I saw a large herd of
20 or more eland on the ridge above, and managed to disturb a warthog who’d
been grazing peacefully in a woody glade. In his panic he stormed at full pace
through a thorny thicket in front of me, charging straight up a steep rocky
outcrop and thundered down the other side. I remember wishing I had his knee
joints!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">With my
pace so slow, the hours seemed to tick away faster than the kilometres, but
thankfully no other 100 milers passed me. The final 11km felt like an eternity –
beautiful single track that wound its way f-o-r-e-v-e-r through the forested
valley below the Zuurberg ridge, before the last climb up to the finish at the
Zuurberg Mountain Inn. I made it by dusk, a full 29 hours 25 mins after setting
off the previous day. And man, did it feel good to finally sit down!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What a
fantastic event, and what a brilliant achievement by Free Spirit Adventures to
pull off the staging of three big races (44km, 76km and 100 miler) consecutively,
without a single hitch. This event’s a winner for sure!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-faWfBI2QGzQ/Vt7Y6Qnh-PI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/oDEEAPtDx2o/s1600/Addo%2B100M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-faWfBI2QGzQ/Vt7Y6Qnh-PI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/oDEEAPtDx2o/s640/Addo%2B100M.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The winning men's and women's trophy will be permanently displayed at the Addo Main Camp reception</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’ll
finish off with an excerpt from one of the Training Tip articles the organisers
asked me to write as part of the build-up to the race. Now with the event
behind us, it seems more relevant than ever:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">The 100 mile journey<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">For many of you, Addo will be your first 100
miler. It’ll be a journey into the unknown, a new distance for legs and an
experience for your soul. The challenge will not only be physically taxing, but
also mentally demanding. On the 26<sup>th</sup>, 27<sup>th</sup> (and for some,
the 28<sup>th</sup>) February, you’ll learn a lot about yourself. You’ll be
taken to some dark places in your head, there’ll be times when you question
your motives, your ability, your sanity. You’ll learn about pushing on through
the dark hours, when all your body wants to do is sleep. You’ll discover heaps
about perseverance, about grit, about digging deep. And you’ll experience the
personal triumph of crossing the finish line after winning all those battles.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-87469358470157415502016-02-20T15:38:00.002+02:002016-02-20T17:15:20.708+02:00EARWORMS in ultra running<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j4ljc6fP34k/Vshq3hs6lEI/AAAAAAAABy8/epvwC3-bFHA/s1600/Earworm%2B1%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j4ljc6fP34k/Vshq3hs6lEI/AAAAAAAABy8/epvwC3-bFHA/s640/Earworm%2B1%2Bresized.jpg" width="472" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">There I was, 47km into the fourth day of
running through the desert, stage 4 of the 250km Kalahari Augrabies Extreme
Marathon. The sun beat down relentlessly and the sandy track ahead shimmered in
the ruthless afternoon heat. I still had 23km to go before reaching the day’s
finish line. My legs were working hard, feeling the strain of the 150km they’d
covered on loose sand under the weight of a 6kg pack, but my energy levels
remained high – the race was going well. I knew there was no room for
complacency though – if I let my focus slip now, I might lose the lead I’d
established on stage 1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I had enough to keep my mind busy: being
sure to eat something every 30 mins, take a few hefty slugs of water every 15
mins, and wet my arms, neck and head every 10 mins. Just doing the maths meant
I had to concentrate – my brain always turns to mush after 20km anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The rhythm was metronomic – the plod plod
plod sound of my foot fall crunching on the grit… the sun beating overhead... the
hours whittling away. And so it goes with ultras…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And then, BAM! Like an arrow out of nowhere
it hit me:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hey
Mickey, you’re so fine<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">You’re
so fine you blow my mind<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hey
Mickey!<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hey
Mickey!</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lfFwXQ3Ja8M/Vshq36debhI/AAAAAAAABy8/gBdMb9KWQLg/s1600/Earworm%2B2%2Bresized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lfFwXQ3Ja8M/Vshq36debhI/AAAAAAAABy8/gBdMb9KWQLg/s640/Earworm%2B2%2Bresized.jpg" width="468" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The high pitched notes of that awful 1982
one-hit-wonder bore into my brain as sharply as a pin pierces putty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hey
Mickey!</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hey
Mickey!</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What the hell?? I hadn’t heard that irritating
song for decades – how on earth had it found me here, in the middle of the
Augrabies National Park in the remote north-western corner of South Africa,
where the horizon stretches further than you can imagine, and the night sky is
studded with so many stars it hurts your heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hey
Mickey!</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hey
Mickey!</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I DETEST that song. What was it doing in my
head? Here? And why wouldn’t it go away?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I tried everything: I counted aloud for 100
footsteps… I concentrated on my breathing
– in, out, in in, out out. I thought of crashing waves, snow-capped peaks,
crystal clear waterfalls. I tried to sing other songs out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But every time I thought I was free of it,
back it came…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hey
Mickey!<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hey
Mickey!</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Earworms. We’ve all had them. Often more
appropriately referred to as brainworms, they’re defined by The Urban
Dictionary as <i>the single line of a song
that sticks in your mind on repeat, refusing to leave no matter how much you
try to forget it.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Apparently the best way to get rid of an
earworm is to replace it with another. Be prepared to become a human jukebox.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The term earworm is said to come from a
translation of the German word <i>ohrwurm.</i>
It’s pretty appropriate really – they’re common, and when you have one, it
burrows deep into your brain, worming and wriggling until the repetition almost
drives you crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QAoAjZLicTU/VshreeLVu_I/AAAAAAAABy4/iuPeJkqJ36E/s1600/earworm%2B-%2Bmy%2Bimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QAoAjZLicTU/VshreeLVu_I/AAAAAAAABy4/iuPeJkqJ36E/s400/earworm%2B-%2Bmy%2Bimage.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Psychologists say earworms are a result of
word memory association, a wandering mind or an altered emotional state. I beg
to differ – earworms force me into an altered emotional state!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’d guess that the frequency of the earworm
phenomenon in us runners is more a result of the rhythmic sound of our
footfall, the regularity of our inhalations and exhalations… making us vulnerable to SSS, or stuck song
syndrome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Perhaps the most widely publicised earworm was
the one described in the 2003 documentary <i>Touching
The Void</i>, based on the book of the same name, by British mountaineer Joe
Simpson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Referred to by The Guardian as the most
successful documentary in British cinema history, the film describes Simpson’s
and his climbing partner Simon Yates’s near-fatal attempt to climb the west
face of the then unclimbed Siula Grande (6344m) in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.
Having fallen off a cliff into a crevasse and been presumed dead, Simpson
miraculously survives, and spends several days dragging his broken body across miles
glacial moraines in the freezing cold to get back to camp. At one point he gets
attacked by a determined earworm, playing Boney M’s <i>Brown Girl in the Ring</i> over and over in his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO_uK33aQY8">Click on this link to watch Joe Simpson being driven nuts by Boney M</a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What he had to say in the movie about that moment is
priceless:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #f9cb9c;">“It
just went on and on and on, for hours. I found it really upsetting, I wanted to
try get it out of my head so I could think of other things. Bloody hell, I
thought I was going to die to Boney M!”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’ve done a little research of my own into the
most common earworms that attack runners:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">In no particular order:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkuu0Lwb5EM">
</a></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB"><i><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkuu0Lwb5EM">Who let the dogs out</a></span></i> – Baha Men <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkuu0Lwb5EM"><click dogs="" earworm="" for="" here="" out="" the=""></click></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB"><i><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krIus0i9xn8">Yellow Submarine</a></span></i> – The Beatles <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krIus0i9xn8"><click earworm="" for="" here="" sub="" the="" yellow=""></click></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB"><i><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoF-7VMMihA">She loves you</a></span></i> – The Beatles <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoF-7VMMihA"><click earworm="" for="" here="" loves="" she="" the="" you=""></click></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB"><i><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWNaR-rxAic">Call me maybe</a></span></i> – Carly Rae
Jepson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWNaR-rxAic"><click call="" earworm="" for="" here="" maybe="" me="" the=""></click></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB"><i><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCdjvTTnzDU">Desperado</a></span></i> – The Eagles <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCdjvTTnzDU"><click desperado="" earworm="" for="" here="" the=""></click></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB"><i><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHCGNf7KaVQ">Oh when the saints go marchingin</a></span></i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHCGNf7KaVQ"><click do="" head="" here="" in="" really="" to="" your=""></click></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB"><i><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DquA6KyHTos">Oh Danny Boy</a></span></i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DquA6KyHTos"><click beautiful="" earworm="" for="" hauntingly="" here="" this=""></click></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And of course, my personal worst: <i><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFrmapGCuhs">Hey Mickey!</a></span></i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFrmapGCuhs"><click for="" here="" in="" irritating="" songs="" the="" ultimate=""></click></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But then there’s always someone who’s able
to outshine everyone else, and it seems the case even with earworms. I’ve been
told of a 24-circuit runner in the UK who intentionally plays a single song on
repeat on her ipod, over and over again, for hours on end. Apparently it’s her
motivation song. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Earworms…
someone has to love ‘em!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Cartoons in colour drawn by Candice Munro</i></span></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-48227994755707077222015-11-26T20:52:00.000+02:002015-11-26T20:52:40.962+02:00MAN versus BEAST<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b_zRAJSV760/VlctdUBu7vI/AAAAAAAABvg/vFdoQob0CZ8/s1600/Man%2Bvs%2BBeast%2Bimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b_zRAJSV760/VlctdUBu7vI/AAAAAAAABvg/vFdoQob0CZ8/s640/Man%2Bvs%2BBeast%2Bimage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Seems I’m on again about beasts - this my
second blog in a few months about the topic (<a href="http://www.lindadoke.blogspot.co.za/2015/05/the-beast-2015.html">read my blog on The Beast 2015</a>).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But this time it’s different. Rather than a
bunch of runners trying to run up, over and down a beast of a mountain, this
time it’s about two men pitted against three real live four-legged beasts,
racing them over a long distance, to see who gets to the finish line first.
And, importantly, to facilitate corrective surgery in animals and children with
facial deformities that deprive them of a normal life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">The challenge:</span></b></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UkI0GvADEg/Vlctgp9vMKI/AAAAAAAABv0/8V7Qz9X-hWE/s1600/DSC06323%2B%2528944x1280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UkI0GvADEg/Vlctgp9vMKI/AAAAAAAABv0/8V7Qz9X-hWE/s640/DSC06323%2B%2528944x1280%2529.jpg" width="468" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy Stuart and David Grier during their 7 x TMC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">800km of mostly beach</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">16 days</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">two 2-leggers versus three 4-leggers</span></li>
</ul>
Crazy?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It may seem so… until you learn who the two-leggers are. Then
you’ll see it’s more likely the four-leggers who should be nervous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Check out this great clip for the low-down:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQCEcoFwCro">MAN vs BEAST teaser</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">David Grier and Andy Stuart are no
strangers to challenge. Over the past nine years David has clocked up close to
25 000km running endurance feats for charity: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">in 2006, he and Braam Malherbe
were the first to run the full length of the Great Wall of China (4 200km in 98
days)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">in 2008 he and Braam ran the entire coastline of South Africa (3 300km in 80 days)</span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">in 2010 he paddled solo from Africa to Madagascar (500km in 11 days)</span></span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">in 2010/2011 he ran across Madagascar (2 700km in 64 days)</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MREAxhywEX0/VlctcdUwJZI/AAAAAAAABvc/9wnfoU81mSs/s1600/DavidGrier_running.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MREAxhywEX0/VlctcdUwJZI/AAAAAAAABvc/9wnfoU81mSs/s400/DavidGrier_running.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David during his run in India</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Together David and Andy have run across
India (4 008km in 93 days), the length of Cuba (1 500km in 28 days), and down
the UK from John O’Groats to Lands End. They’ve managed to squeeze in a few other
smaller, fun feats too, like running the length of Hadrian’s Wall in the UK,
and doing the Table Mountain Challenge seven times in seven days.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">They take on these challenges not for them,
nor for the achievement, but for the difference their achievement can make to
the lives of others. In nine years, David has raised over R8.7 million for
Operation Smile, providing corrective cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries for
more than 2 000 children in southern Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Ok, so that’s the MAN team. They’re pretty
confident. But then, so is the BEAST team.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Three Arabian horses with the strength,
guts and stamina you’d expect of such lineage will challenge MAN, under the
expert eye of world renowned competitive endurance rider and SA champ, Gillese
de Villiers. If anyone can manage these studs over distance, Gillese can – she
has conquered 30 equestrian one-day 100 milers, and has raced in endurance world
championships around the globe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bSHhtm4sbVY/VlctbYYMLEI/AAAAAAAABvU/masKOpSL1bg/s1600/1390457478_DavidGrier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bSHhtm4sbVY/VlctbYYMLEI/AAAAAAAABvU/masKOpSL1bg/s320/1390457478_DavidGrier.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Taryn Peters and Micah Antrobus make up the
team, both highly competitive equestrian athletes with the will to win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Why this challenge?</span></b></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">David has been raising funds for Operation
Smile via the Cipla Miles For Smiles campaign for the past decade. The MAN
versus BEAST concept was born when David learned that horses too can be born with
cleft lips and cleft palates. Rhinos too can benefit from corrective surgery –
Project SAVE THE SURVIVORS was started in 2012 to provide corrective surgery
for rhinos that have survived having their horns hacked off. More than 80 rhinos
a year benefit from corrective surgery after such trauma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">As Cipla is dedicated to providing
healthcare for both animals and humans, the MAN versus BEAST fundraising
challenge made perfect sense. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>The logistics</b></span></span></h3>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Both MAN and BEAST teams plan to run early
in the day to make the most of the cooler hours. David, however, is confident he
and Andy will have the heat advantage over the horses, and will be able to
press on irrespective of temperatures. The horses will need to break every two
hours – that’s about five times a day – to consume about 15 litres of water,
and a bale and a half of lucerne a day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H259rVO-GCM/VlctfreCU5I/AAAAAAAABvs/k_7i1wblXhE/s1600/horses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H259rVO-GCM/VlctfreCU5I/AAAAAAAABvs/k_7i1wblXhE/s640/horses.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three Arabian stallions are the engines of the BEASTS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“The horses will have speed, but Andy and I
have continuous endurance – we’re fine in the heat and we’ll be able to push on
in all conditions,” says David.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Another small advantage for MAN will be being
able to hop over fences and run over rocky outcrops, both obstacles that BEAST
will have cover distances to get around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">To achieve the challenge within the
requisite 16 days, MAN and BEAST will need to average 50km a day – that’s a mighty
big ask on sand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The winner, be it MAN or BEAST, must finish
with all its team members. Any dropouts = a team DNF.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The challenge starts on Monday…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We can all be a part of this fundraising
challenge. Hop on to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dmmgrier/">THIS LINK</a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">to contribute!</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-87292584030235324502015-10-10T15:26:00.002+02:002015-10-10T15:26:42.142+02:00Ultra Trail Cape Town 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xzL6iSeBL3g/VhkQgbsfrMI/AAAAAAAABuQ/SXEkCM7jl0M/s1600/UTCT2015%2Bmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xzL6iSeBL3g/VhkQgbsfrMI/AAAAAAAABuQ/SXEkCM7jl0M/s640/UTCT2015%2Bmap.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4L9Dpx7i0No/VhkPIE2n1KI/AAAAAAAABt8/mZ5eidZr7zs/s1600/UTCT2015_mapping%2BRunners-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4L9Dpx7i0No/VhkPIE2n1KI/AAAAAAAABt8/mZ5eidZr7zs/s640/UTCT2015_mapping%2BRunners-07.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Much has been said and loads already posted
about Ultra Trail Cape Town 2015, but I couldn’t resist leaping onto the
feedback bandwagon with a quick blog.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This is not a race report – it can’t be, I
ran neither the 100km nor the 65km. A dodgy Achilles peppered with a healthy
dose of sense made me opt instead for the 65km relay, partnering friend and
speedster Nic de Beer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So, having only run 34km of the full UTCT route,
I write this more from the position of a participating observer. And even from
that stance, I saw a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FkLXQlJMksg/VhgQ-8mccpI/AAAAAAAABtc/AhZUXTlnbZY/s1600/UTCT%2B-%2BChristiaan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FkLXQlJMksg/VhgQ-8mccpI/AAAAAAAABtc/AhZUXTlnbZY/s400/UTCT%2B-%2BChristiaan.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UTCT 100km winner Christiaan Greyling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">There’s not a single person who won’t agree
that everything about UTCT, from the very time the seed of such a race
germinated in Nic Bornman’s head and heart, right to everyone’s viewing of the
9 min video (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H6sxUxfNY0" target="_blank">click here</a>) that brilliantly captures the essence of race day, just radiates success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So, I won’t be covering how immaculately
organised the preparation for UTCT was, how fantastic the vibe was on the day,
how the route epitomised everything that an ultra on one of the New Seven
Wonders of Nature (<a href="http://www.tablemountain.net/blog/entry/its_official_-_table_mountain_is_a_new7wonder_of_nature" target="_blank">read about Table Mountain here</a>)
should, or how incredible the aid stations were with their energy and support through
miserable weather conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Notwithstanding the incredible
determination and perseverance of the runners who took on either distance, there
were four specific aspects that stood out for me last Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The first was that to stage two mountain
ultras simultaneously without a glitch, despite adverse weather conditions, is
beyond commendable. The forward planning, the logistics and safety precautions
needed to accomplish this are monstrous. The trio of energy behind achieving
this can be proud – Nic, Stuart and Kim, a massive shout-out, you make a superb
sports team!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xMBi4QcryYM/VhgRAGiomwI/AAAAAAAABts/3tbRVKxzr8U/s1600/UTCT%2B-%2Btrio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xMBi4QcryYM/VhgRAGiomwI/AAAAAAAABts/3tbRVKxzr8U/s640/UTCT%2B-%2Btrio.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UTCT's energy trio - Nic Bornman, Kim Stephens and Stuart McConnachie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second has to be said, and just as
loudly: the women’s performance last Saturday was even more impressive than the men’s.
In a field of about 45 starters, 10% were female, of which three finished in
the top 11 overall.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Ladies winner Kerry-Ann Marshall ran a race
that, I believe, outshone even the overall winner. <i>(Christiaan, you ran a superb race, no doubt there, but Kerry-Ann was
on fire!) <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQGFgSeR_N4/VhgQ-qoaJcI/AAAAAAAABtU/wLKS9VlzM4w/s1600/UTCT%2B-%2BKerryAnn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQGFgSeR_N4/VhgQ-qoaJcI/AAAAAAAABtU/wLKS9VlzM4w/s640/UTCT%2B-%2BKerryAnn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladies' winner Kerry-Ann Marshall came 6th overall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Second-placed lady Chantel “Hotpants” Nienaber
also had a phenomenal race, knocking more than an hour of her 2014 time. In the 65km race, ladies’ winner Landie
Greyling crossed the line 8<sup>th</sup> overall, comfortably within the top 10
finishers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">My third observation is that nothing
prepares you better for technical trail than practising on technical trail. Let
off-road running be exactly that: it cannot and never will be the same as
running on <u>trail</u>. Running on dirt roads may be fine for Comrades
training, but it won’t prepare you for technical trail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And finally, the fourth point I took away on
Saturday was that rather than the concern some had that the Cape’s
unpredictable temperatures and the technical difficulty of some sections of the
UTCT route might scare off potential entrants in future years, I believe
Saturday’s blustery weather and challenging running conditions will attract
those who hunger for exactly that. After all, REAL trail running isn’t for
sissies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V_aePGg0Qkg/VhgRAhf4cjI/AAAAAAAABto/vUGu4S-FFew/s1600/UTCT%2B-%2Btrophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V_aePGg0Qkg/VhgRAhf4cjI/AAAAAAAABto/vUGu4S-FFew/s400/UTCT%2B-%2Btrophy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I think Cape Town and our beloved Table
Mountain really set the stage well for trail runners this year, and cast Ultra
Trail Cape Town in the perfect light the race needs to cement its reputation as
a real, tough, international ultra.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">UTCT 2015 did its namesake proud. On so
many levels this race is set to go far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Roll on UCTC 2016!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-41227935955020282792015-09-21T14:07:00.003+02:002015-09-21T14:52:06.282+02:00S is for summer... and for snakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GT5vaztYmjk/Vf_y46oLA8I/AAAAAAAABsw/VSb6URQ38JY/s1600/puffadder2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="534" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GT5vaztYmjk/Vf_y46oLA8I/AAAAAAAABsw/VSb6URQ38JY/s640/puffadder2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We’re now into summer and we’re not the
only ones out there enjoying the trails – here in southern Africa there’re a
few more “obstacles” to be hoppin’ over and around than just rocks…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Snakes are ectothermic (cold blooded). This
doesn’t actually mean they have cold blood, but rather that they have no
internal mechanism to control body temperature, so they have to depend on their
immediate environment to warm themselves. That’s why we’re far more likely to
come across snakes in summer than during the colder months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">In writing this blog, my intention is not
to scare but simply to raise awareness around snakes so we can know what to do
when we come across them out there when we’re in mid run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Remember, it’s the same principle as applies
to the ocean and sharks: snakes were out there long before we were, and the
mountains, veldt and bush are more theirs than ours, so respect is key in our
relationship with them. We’re in their territory, not them in ours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This blog post is by no means anywhere near
a comprehensive explanation on herpetology! That research would take me ages.
Instead, it’s a quick overview of which snakes we need to be wary off when
running or hiking in southern Africa. (Apologies to readers elsewhere in the
world </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-GB"> )<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">There’re more than 150 species of snake in
southern Africa. Only 16 are considered dangerous. Snakes have a bad reputation
for being deadly. But the truth is they’re not really interested in us at all –
in fact, they do their best to have as little to do with us as possible. Snakes
only attack if they feel threatened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Basically, there’re only four types of
snake in South Africa that can be classified as dangerous to humans:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: orange;">BOOMSLANG</span></b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oO_EgZlv5a0/Vf_wPGb1BFI/AAAAAAAABsU/gqsOVoNaFZI/s1600/boomslang.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oO_EgZlv5a0/Vf_wPGb1BFI/AAAAAAAABsU/gqsOVoNaFZI/s640/boomslang.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Description:</b> colour varies from green to brown to black. Boomslangs
have a short stubby head and large eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Size:</b>
max length 2m<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Where found:</b> throughout southern Africa in karoo scrub,
fynbos, savannah and grassland. Not found in the central Highveld or Lesotho. Spends
time in trees and shrubs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Defence:</b>
very shy but if provoked will puff up its neck and sometimes its entire
body.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Venom:</b>
haemotoxic (affects the body’s blood-clotting mechanism, causes severe bleeding
internally and from the mucous membranes. The venom is slow acting and can take
24-48 hours to produce severe symptoms.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: orange;">CAPE COBRA</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tdzfUJVLQUE/Vf_v5H1-mHI/AAAAAAAABsI/6jLZfIOweXg/s1600/cape%2Bcobra2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tdzfUJVLQUE/Vf_v5H1-mHI/AAAAAAAABsI/6jLZfIOweXg/s640/cape%2Bcobra2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Description:</b> usually plain coloured, can be yellow, red,
brown or black.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Size:</b>
max length 1.6m<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Where found:</b> fynbox, karoo scrub and arid savannah in the
Western, Eastern and Northern Cape, Free State, Namibia and Botswana.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Defence:</b>
stands its ground and spreads a hood when threatened.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Venom: </b>
neurotoxic (nerve-destroying), resulting in difficulty in breathing, then
dizziness, loss of consciousness and, if untreated, suffocation through
respiratory collapse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: orange;">RINKHALS</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UyEiZ1ul044/Vf_wdTy8l-I/AAAAAAAABsc/t8wvdMw_T7o/s1600/rinkhals1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UyEiZ1ul044/Vf_wdTy8l-I/AAAAAAAABsc/t8wvdMw_T7o/s640/rinkhals1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Description:</b> dark brown or black with one
or two white rings around the throat. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Size:</b>
max length 1.5m<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Where found:</b> grassland, fynbos and savannah in most regions
of South Africa apart from Northern Province.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Defence:</b>
disappears quickly when disturbed, unless cornered, in which case it
rears up and puffs its head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Venom:</b>
neurotoxic (nerve-destroying), which affects breathing. As with the Cape
Cobra, if untreated can cause respiratory failure and death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: orange;">PUFFADDER</span></b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EJEc10sXoto/Vf_wn8ANcsI/AAAAAAAABsk/4aS1f0LE-bg/s1600/puffadder.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="550" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EJEc10sXoto/Vf_wn8ANcsI/AAAAAAAABsk/4aS1f0LE-bg/s640/puffadder.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Description:</b> stubby body; colour varies from yellow to
browny with distinct chevron markings along its entire body.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Size: </b>
max length 1.4m<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Where found:</b> occurs throughout the whole of southern
Africa, but not on mountain tops, in desert <b>sand or thick jungle.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Defence: </b>
relies on excellent camouflage; it freezes when disturbed so is often
difficult to see, and can easily be stepped on or stumbled over. Hisses or
puffs when disturbed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Venom: </b>
a potent cytotoxic (cell-destroying) venom that attacks tissues and
blood cells. The venom is slow-acting, and the victim can take as long as 24
hours to die.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b>Preventing snake bites</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>If you come across a snake on the path,
leave it alone – DO NOT TRY TO MOVE IT OR KILL IT.</li>
<li>If you’re very close to the snake, keep
dead still. It’s likely to ignore you and just slither away.</li>
<li>If you’re not very close to the snake,
simply walk away – there’s no need for dramatic fleeing, as snakes never give
chase.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;"><b>WHAT TO DO IF BITTEN</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DO keep victim calm<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DO immobilise victim and keep the wound
below heart height if possible<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DO apply a pressure bandage, taking the
strapping from the site of the bite towards the body. Strap firmly but not so
tight as to restrict circulation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DO give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if
victim is struggling to breathe<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DO get victim to hospital ASAP.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DO NOT kill the snake<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DO NOT apply a tourniquet or restrict circulation
to the area<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DO NOT suck the wound<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">DO NOT make any incisions in or near the
wound</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ffe599;">DO NOT inject snake bite serum unless the
bite was from a Black Mamba or a Cape Cobra</span><br />
<span style="color: #ffe599;"><br /></span>
One last point. If you happen to see a snake trying to cross a road, do try your best to usher it along (without endangering yourself) - the sooner it can cross, the sooner it can be out of danger from traffic. Take a couple of minutes to interrupt your run or your journey to stop the cars and give the snake the chance it needs to safely get to the other side. so many snakes end up as roadkill, and it's a tragedy.<br />
<br /></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-31656604079251841412015-08-13T13:06:00.000+01:002016-09-29T18:56:38.106+02:00SA’s oldest and newest trail races<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZV3L8antco/Vcx-nek-jOI/AAAAAAAABqs/qJklImXY6CU/s1600/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YZV3L8antco/Vcx-nek-jOI/AAAAAAAABqs/qJklImXY6CU/s640/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Trail running has taken the running world
by storm over the past decade, and South Africa’s no different. The sport has
burgeoned at such a pace across Europe, the US, the UK, Australia and Asia,
just as it has in our country, and the international calendar is ripe with
races popping up in practically every far flung region of the globe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">South Africa has its own rich heritage
of iconic trail races on its calendar. The oldest by far (although admittedly,
it’s not pure trail) is the Harrismith Mountain Race, a 15km race on the
Platberg (‘flat mountain’) near Harrismith in the Free State (<a href="http://www.amethyst.co.za/Harrismith/" target="_blank">Harrismith Mountain Race</a>). </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ksZ73BJv_Qs/Vcx-tEOB3OI/AAAAAAAABrE/XT7NlSXa9Rk/s1600/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ksZ73BJv_Qs/Vcx-tEOB3OI/AAAAAAAABrE/XT7NlSXa9Rk/s640/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Platberg, near Harrismith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">The first formal
staging of the race was in 1922 and this October will celebrate its 93<sup>rd</sup>
running. Tipped by the much-revered Wally Hayward as “the toughest obstacle
race in the world”, the 15km race also hosts the world record for the most
consecutive wins in a single race – achieved by South African Michael
McDermott, who won it 16 times in a row, of the 30 times he competed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Other races with deep roots in SA’s
trail running history include the Rhodes Run (started in 1989, mainly dirt road) (<a href="http://www.rhodesrun.za.net/index.php" target="_blank">Rhodes Run</a>), Mont-aux-Sources Challenge (1993) (<a href="http://www.wildseries.co.za/events/mont-aux-sources-challenge/" target="_blank">Mont-aux-Sources Challenge</a>), the PUFfeR (1995, more than 30% on
tar) (<a href="http://www.puffer.fishhoekac.com/index_files/information.htm" target="_blank">PUFfeR</a>), Three Peaks Challenge (1997, about 50% tar) (<a href="http://www.threepeakschallenge.co.za/" target="_blank">Three Peaks Challenge</a>), SkyRun (1998, pure trail) (<a href="http://skyrun.co.za/" target="_blank">SkyRun</a>) and the 7-day
self-sufficient desert race, the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (1999, no
tar) (<a href="http://kaem.co.za/" target="_blank">KAEM</a>).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z6YRcdbtOMo/Vcx-n6LS88I/AAAAAAAABq0/BTLjUFvyb-U/s1600/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z6YRcdbtOMo/Vcx-n6LS88I/AAAAAAAABq0/BTLjUFvyb-U/s400/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic1.jpg" width="350" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">And for the adrenalin junkies amongst
us, there’s skyrunning. the South African Skyrunning Association (<a href="https://skyrunningsa.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">SASA</a>),
affiliated to the International Skyrunning Federation (<a href="http://www.skyrunning.com/" target="_blank">ISF</a>), brought official
skyrunning to the mountains of southern Africa in 2011, featuring categories
like the SkyMarathon<sup>®</sup>, Ultra SkyMarathon<sup>®</sup>, SkyRace<sup>®</sup>
and the Vertical Kilometre<sup>®</sup>, all forming part of the annual national
Skyrunning Series.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">These types of races focus on pure
mountain running, with virtually no tar on route, and where elevation gain is
the primary challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">So far this year there’ve been six races
in the 2015 Skyrunner® Series – the Drakensberg Northern Trail SkyMarathon<sup>®</sup>
(KZN, 42km, vertical gain 2 100m) (<a href="https://drakensbergsky.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">DNT</a>); the Ingeli SkyMarathon<sup>®</sup> (KZN,
42km, vert gain 1 800m) (<a href="http://www.ingeliadventures.com/#!ingeli-trail-/cwz" target="_blank">Ingeli Trail Run</a>); Uitsoek Skymarathon<sup>®</sup> (Mpumalanga, 36km,
vert gain 2 167m) (<a href="http://www.terramotion.co.za/uitsoek-sky-marathon/" target="_blank">Uitsoek Skymarathon</a>); Xtreme Dodo Trail (Ultra SkyMarathon<sup>®</sup>, Mauritius,
50km, vert gain 3 500m – this was the African Skyrunning Continental
Championships) (<a href="http://www.dodo-trail.com/" target="_blank">XDT</a>); the Ti Dodo Trail (SkyRace<sup>®</sup>, Mauritius, 25km, vert
gain 1 500m) (<a href="http://www.dodo-trail.com/" target="_blank">TDT</a>); and the Wolkberg SkyMarathon<sup>®</sup> (Limpopo, 34km, vert
gain 1 781m) (<a href="http://wolkberg.ultrarunner.co.za/" target="_blank">Wolkberg Trail Run</a>).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T2ObwYMT7mE/Vcx-n2B-aKI/AAAAAAAABqw/8_5-v9uXSo4/s1600/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T2ObwYMT7mE/Vcx-n2B-aKI/AAAAAAAABqw/8_5-v9uXSo4/s400/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Next up in the series will be on
September 26<sup>th</sup> with the Marloth Mountain Challenge (<a href="http://wildrunner.ning.com/events/marloth-mountain-challenge-2013" target="_blank">MMC</a>), an Ultra
SkyMarathon<sup>®</sup> in the Marloth Nature Reserve in the Langeberg
mountains above Swellendam in the Western Cape. With more than 85% of the 55km
route being on remote mountain hiking trail, and a vertical gain of more than 3
400m, this one will be tough, beautiful, and one to test the trail running
stalwarts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">In October is the Matroosberg
SkyMarathon<sup>® </sup>(<a href="http://www.matroosbergtrailchallenge.co.za/" target="_blank">MTC</a>), near Ceres in the Western Cape, offering 2 100m of
vertical gain over 37km.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">The final race in the 2015 Skyrunner®
Series will be on November 28<sup>th</sup> with the Lesotho Ultra Trail (<a href="http://www.lesothoultratrail.com/" target="_blank">LUT</a>), a 50km
Ultra SkyMarathon<sup>®</sup> with 3 200m of vertical gain in the fresh,
lung-busting air of the Lesotho highlands. Now in its third year, the LUT
starts and finishes at the beautiful Maliba Lodge in the heart of the Maluti
mountains.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNhCCevKZOs/Vcx-sC4x-VI/AAAAAAAABq8/t8YuGxszKck/s1600/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNhCCevKZOs/Vcx-sC4x-VI/AAAAAAAABq8/t8YuGxszKck/s640/from%2Boldest%2Bto%2Bnewest%2Bpic4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So, whatever your trail kick, keep those
quads and lungs pumped and ready for action, because there’s lots of it
happening – and even more to come!<br />
<br /></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-71402584720948326922015-05-28T19:58:00.001+01:002015-05-28T20:18:52.908+01:00The Beast 2015<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">“What
is man without the beasts? </span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">For if all the beasts were gone, man would die of a
great loneliness of the spirit.”</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">These wise words were uttered way back in
the mid 1800s by a rather astute Native American chap named Chief Seattle. We must
presume, of course, that he was referring not only to those of the male
persuasion dying of loneliness if all beasts were gotten rid of, but us gals
too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Of course he did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">They did care about women too in those days… well, every now and then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But I digress. Back to the importance of
beasts and the like. Here in Cape Town we now have our very own Beast. And he’s
a real brute – he’s huge, he’s tough, he looms high above us all, he’s often grumpy
– even savage at times, he demands and commands respect, and he throws his
weight around like no other. Quite deviously, he appears at first to be less
demanding than what he actually is, and he only bears his true monstrous character
a couple of hours after you first meet him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AiH1tX-j-YM/VWdi5Ax2r6I/AAAAAAAABnA/hghbloeUkzs/s1600/Profile%2BB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AiH1tX-j-YM/VWdi5Ax2r6I/AAAAAAAABnA/hghbloeUkzs/s640/Profile%2BB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I refer to this Beast – all 49 growling,
snarling, vicious kilometres of it – as male, but no one’s really sure, the
verdict’s out. Some say The Beast has to be female – that every time you think
things are calming down and getting easier, she bites even harder. Some even
refer to her as a bitch of a beast – not only female but teenage, nagging
constantly, slowly wearing you down. Just when you think you’ve got that
teenager under some semblance of control, she comes back to bite you, sharper,
nastier and more unpredictable than before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Others believe The Beast is male, flexing his
testosterone-pumped ego-fuelled muscles at every opportunity. One runner went
as far as to say The Beast must be male because he has two balls: a curve ball
and Trevor Ball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Speaking of the Tee Ball himself, grand
designer of this terrifying beastie akin only to Roald Dahl’s ghastly menagerie
of dirty beasts, I asked Trevor what gender he considered The Beast. This is
how he replied: </span><i><span lang="EN-GB">“It’s
an inner Beast, so not gender specific. Release your Beast on the trails! It’s
like the Abominable Snowman, big and hairy; it’s like Medusa, it has a head full
of snakes that keep biting you and never let up; it’s like the Hulk, it grows
huge with rage but is benign if you chill and flow with it.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">(shew!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Appropriately described, The Beast is Cape
Town’s newest trail race, and falls under the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon
suite of events. Tipping in just short of 50km, the race is a true ultra, both
in distance and difficulty. And, quite simply, this one’s a champ – the route
is varied, starting comfortably and growing increasingly tougher as the course
progresses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">The route</span></b></span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R57LaW5M_Cc/VWdi4MJ8sTI/AAAAAAAABm4/L-QOX-R78Dc/s1600/TerrainMap%2Bframed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="568" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R57LaW5M_Cc/VWdi4MJ8sTI/AAAAAAAABm4/L-QOX-R78Dc/s640/TerrainMap%2Bframed.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><span lang="EN-GB">Starting at the Old Zoo, The Beast has
runners following the upper contour path across the front face of Table
Mountain, around Kloof Corner, and along the full length of the pipetrack. Then
the hairiness begins: haul up Corridor Ravine, onto the spine path and
northwards across 12 of the 17 Apostles via the Valley of the Red Gods (over Slangolie,
Spring, Wood, Postern, Kasteels, Valken, Barrier, Jubilee, Porcupine, Grotto,
Fountain, and Cairn buttresses). Then across the front top of the Table to
Maclears Beacon, and diagonally to Hely Hutchinson dam via Echo Valley. After
that, the legs face a couple of km’s on the concrete jeep track before hopping
onto the Smuts Track to get to Nursery Ravine for the quads to be truly tested.
Once on the (not-so) contour path below, the final eight or so km’s call for serious
grit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Trevor knows this one’s a winner: “The
Beast route is the culmination of years of planning (dating back to early TMC
days) and a lot of work convincing SANParks that we will be eco-friendly and
safe. I believe trail running must be an adventure, and The Beast is exactly
that!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Results of The Beast 2015</span></b></span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #ffe599;">MEN WOMEN</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Bernard Rukadza - 05:41:25 Landie Greyling - 06:37:29<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">Christiaan Greyling - 05:43:10 Sylvie Scherzinger - 07:06:53</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ffe599;">Dion Middelkoop - 05:54:08 Linda
Doke - 07:15:45</span></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-40137367434685175892015-04-19T03:51:00.000+01:002016-12-04T11:44:43.674+02:00My musings on our Drakensberg Grand Traverse<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uOfgaaByhmc/VTMJ8aiHNRI/AAAAAAAABlI/xvt1_V7gQU0/s1600/DGT%2Bgraph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uOfgaaByhmc/VTMJ8aiHNRI/AAAAAAAABlI/xvt1_V7gQU0/s1600/DGT%2Bgraph.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the profile of the Drakensberg Grand Traverse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">If you know the why, the how takes care of itself</span><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: large;">.</span></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, that’s not altogether true – it
omits to mention the tremendous amount of planning and preparation that goes
into ensuring that the <i>how</i> happens. That
‘small point’ aside, I wholeheartedly believe that without passion and purpose,
we lack the incentive to tackle and conquer enormous goals.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">No passion + no purpose + no perseverance =
no success. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Guaranteed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xNPP4r3OcUA/VTMPsv7IHYI/AAAAAAAABlw/n1CDPSyf-W0/s1600/night%2Bbefore%2BDGT%2B-%2Balt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xNPP4r3OcUA/VTMPsv7IHYI/AAAAAAAABlw/n1CDPSyf-W0/s1600/night%2Bbefore%2BDGT%2B-%2Balt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">us with the map of Lesotho in the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Now, if mountains, rivers and vast vistas
feed the soul, and gruelling challenge fuel the mind and body, then in a single
weekend three weeks ago I was blessed with a feast to quench my hunger for
wild, rugged mountains for a good while to come.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Firstly, and most importantly, we did it!
We achieved our primary goal: to complete the Drakensberg Grand Traverse
without mishap. And the enormous bonus was that we beat the mixed record by 15
hours 24 mins. We’re extremely grateful for that – so much can go wrong up
there, it’s true mountain wilderness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But to try and describe the experience is
my next challenge. If ever one was stunted by writer’s block from an
overwhelmingly humbling experience, that has been me since the enormity of our
Drakensberg Grand Traverse. Writing is what I do for a living, but I’ve really
struggled to put onto (virtual) paper words that can do justice to 63</span><span lang="EN-GB">½</span><span lang="EN-GB"> hours
of pure mountain wilderness experience. It’s taken me three full weeks to
digest, and to do it justice in print is almost just as testing as we found
achieving our sub-64 hour challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tehzjElp6mM/VTMMGdP87XI/AAAAAAAABlg/c3sGOl8SJSk/s1600/Berg%2Bpic%2Bgeneric%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tehzjElp6mM/VTMMGdP87XI/AAAAAAAABlg/c3sGOl8SJSk/s1600/Berg%2Bpic%2Bgeneric%2B1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Through my haze of heavy breathing,
lung-burning, quad-pounding effort, it was easy to see how the soaring basalt
peaks, buttresses, rock walls and pinnacles of the massive lava barrier separating the foothills of Kwa-Zulu Natal from the Lesotho plateau was
considered by the Voortrekkers back in 1800 to resemble a mighty dragon’s back,
and why they named it the <i>Drakensberge</i>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And slogging for 63 hours along that
escarpment felt as special as running along a real dragon’s back would. Looking
back, it feels quite surreal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But just as special was the privilege of traversing
the escarpment with someone who knows those mountains so well. This was Ryno
Griesel’s fourth complete Grand Traverse. His passion for those mountains is so
deep that once he even slogged a 100km section of the traverse in the thick
snow of mid-winter, just so he could experience it in all conditions. Taking on
the challenge with Ryno was a daunting prospect. Not only is this man the
current joint record holder, but his faith in my ability was absolute. I knew I
would be the weak link in the partnership by a long way, and I knew that to
achieve what we were aiming for, I would have to push my physical limits as I had
never before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">One weekend in January we had recced the
first 130km of the route, which had given me a taste of what to expect of the
full quota of the traverse. The mistakes I made that weekend were invaluable
and my learning curve severe – I saw what I needed to tweak food-wise, kit-wise
and training-wise for a realistic chance of completing the full distance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nzTobc0urUg/VTMJ8gZM4sI/AAAAAAAABlA/hhxkaEpiE2Y/s1600/Linda.Ryno_SentinalCarPark_start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nzTobc0urUg/VTMJ8gZM4sI/AAAAAAAABlA/hhxkaEpiE2Y/s1600/Linda.Ryno_SentinalCarPark_start.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start - Sentinel car park, Friday 2:45am</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It’s fascinating how fast time passes when
there’s complete focus hour after relentless hour. Yet despite my
concentration, it’s crazy how few details of the Traverse I can remember. Of
the 214km we covered during those three days and two nights, there’re only a
handful of moments that stand out in my mind. The rest is a gamut of exquisite
green vistas, soaring peaks, dramatic valleys, crystal clear rivers, muddy bogs
and marshes, countless saddles and summits, cliffs and cutbacks, all with buttresses,
needles and pinnacles teetering in the distance to our left along the
escarpment edge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">Ten
of my most vivid conclusions from the DGT</span></span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Two hours sleep
between 22-hour bouts of running/fast-trekking is possible only thanks to
adrenalin and a suitable mixture of calm confidence (from Ryno) and moderate
panic (from me).</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Every mountain
summit above 3 000m has at least two false summits, specifically put there
to make your heart sink.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">The difference
between 3 000m and 3 482m is directly proportional not only to one’s
lung capacity but one’s ability to block out 1) pain and 2) the
rasping-gasping-spluttering sound of sea-level lungs trying their damndest to
suck in more oxygen.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Nothing quite
beats a spontaneous pre-dawn 15 minute power nap in a deserted kraal at
3 100m. And absolutely nothing beats the look of utter amazement on the
face of the Basotho herdsman who arrives just as you emerge from his
kraal…</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><span lang="EN-GB">Dro</span><span lang="EN-GB">ë</span><span lang="EN-GB">wors is
as revolting as I’ve always thought it was. <span lang="EN-GB">Dro</span><span lang="EN-GB">ë</span><span lang="EN-GB">wors is how</span> butchers make use of gristle, fat, sinew and hoof once they’ve removed all the real meat. Yuuuuk.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Once you’ve
ticked off the last of the six specific peaks of the Traverse (Thabana
Ntleyana, the highest peak south of Kilimanjaro) at 152km, there’s still an
entire day of mind-numbing effort ahead. The next 62km are riddled with saddles
and summits that are almost as high as those that filled the two previous days
of slog.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Finishing a
214km challenge with +/-20km of downhill can really hurt, but running it
against the clock definitely helps to block out the pain.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Positivity is
everything. There is no doubt that having a positive approach, even through
pain and exhaustion, enables the mind to push the body. The trick with
endurance sport, provided you’ve done the training, is to never let your blood
sugar level drop. The first symptom of a drop in blood glucose, long before you
hit the wall, is that negativity takes over – the voice in your head finds
every reason why you should slow down… or stop! Keeping yourself properly
fuelled by eating and drinking regularly enables your legs and brain to do what
you need them to do.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">There was no
sweeter relief than reaching the finish, realising that everything went
according to plan, we’d achieved what we’d hoped, and we’d broken the mixed
record.</span></li>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZrbNx9l1b1k/VTMJ8PnTPZI/AAAAAAAABk8/6KwDcIczpDU/s1600/Linda.Ryno_Bushmans_finish_DGT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZrbNx9l1b1k/VTMJ8PnTPZI/AAAAAAAABk8/6KwDcIczpDU/s1600/Linda.Ryno_Bushmans_finish_DGT.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finish - Bushman's Nek, Sunday 6:18pm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">The Drakensberg
escarpment is not for sissies. Once you’re up there, there’s little chance of
turning back or pulling out – you’re committed. Any change of mind involves
hours of hiking over harsh terrain to get to a pass that will (hopefully) get
you down and back to civilisation in one piece. Never head up there unprepared,
always carry more food than you hope to need, and never skimp on safety gear.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
And as for me, I’m now enjoying feet-up-and-on-the-couch for a few weeks, the visual memories of the “dragon mountains” still fresh in my
mind. At least for now…</div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-56348536945969237842015-03-18T15:19:00.001+02:002015-03-23T07:49:06.896+02:00counting down to the Drakensberg Grand Traverse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pwl2rXXwP4M/VQlzc0jhkcI/AAAAAAAABiQ/Gd6YLEjghpM/s1600/Giants7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pwl2rXXwP4M/VQlzc0jhkcI/AAAAAAAABiQ/Gd6YLEjghpM/s1600/Giants7.JPG" height="474" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This is a blog I’ve looked forward to
writing for more than two years – ever since I first mustered up the courage in
January 2013 to ask Ryno Griesel whether he’d be interested in teaming up for a
mixed record attempt of the Drakensberg Grand Traverse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">His response was immediate – not only was
he keen, but he’d be honoured. Honoured? Good grief, what was he on about – he was
the joint record holder, had years of adventure racing under his belt, and having
climbed mountains around the world, had notched up way more <u>real</u>
mountain experience than I could ever dream of. He was a true man o’ the
mountains. I’ve got loads of trail running experience and have done heaps of
ultras, sure, but that’s completely different from an endurance endeavour the
likes of this. The DGT is in a completely different league from any piddly
trail race, regardless the distance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So <u>in</u> he was. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And nervous I became.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We stalled our mixed attempt plans for two
years to each squeeze in a few additional ultra-distance challenges. In March
2014 Ryno did the DGT with Ryan Sandes, whipping a solid 18 hours 40 mins off
the previous fastest known time, which had been set in 2010 by Ryno and fellow extreme
adventurer Cobus van Zyl. At an astonishing 41 hours 49 mins, Ryno and Ryan’s
record won’t be broken for a very long time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And now the time for our mixed record
attempt is here. At 4am on Friday 27<sup>th</sup> March, I’ll be setting off from
Sentinel car park with the two most capable and highly experienced mountain men
I could wish for – Ryno Griesel and Cobus van Zyl know the Drakensberg escarpment
better than most, and together they set the previous DGT record of 60 hours 29 mins
(April 2010).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;">The
history of the Drakensberg Grand Traverse</span></span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nxToEzrFkXI/VQlzujNzsXI/AAAAAAAABio/ioSEgu2MwFA/s1600/total_map_no-sleep_long.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nxToEzrFkXI/VQlzujNzsXI/AAAAAAAABio/ioSEgu2MwFA/s1600/total_map_no-sleep_long.jpg" height="382" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The Drakensberg Trans-Frontier Challenge,
renamed the Drakensberg Grand Traverse, was set by the Raubenheimer brothers,
Gavin and Lawrie, in 1999. They achieved the DGT in 4 days, 9 hours 39 minutes
(105 hours 39 mins). The brothers had drawn up the following criteria for the
DGT: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Start at the Sentinel car park perimeter
fence, and finish at the Bushman’s Nek border post perimeter fence</li>
<li>The challenge must be completed on foot</li>
<li>GPS is allowed</li>
<li>The following checkpoints must be visited
along the route:<br />- the Chain Ladders<br />- Mont-aux-Sources summit (3 282m)<br />- Cleft Peak summit (3 277m)<br />- Champagne Castle summit (3 377m)<br />- Mafadi summit (3 451m)<br />- Giant’s Castle summit (3 314m)<br />- Thabana Ntlenyana summit (3 482m)</li>
<li>Thomathu Pass must be used to descend to
Bushman’s Nek</li>
<li>Rest wherever you want, for however long
you want…</li>
<li>Importantly, the challenge must be
completely self-supported – no seconding, no resupply or food caches along the
way.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mi0bHCdteXY/VQlzieLDIyI/AAAAAAAABiY/n6amPwS_SCc/s1600/DGT_Profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mi0bHCdteXY/VQlzieLDIyI/AAAAAAAABiY/n6amPwS_SCc/s1600/DGT_Profile.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #ffe599;">The DGT in numbers:</span></b></span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;"><b>Total elevation gain:</b> between 9 500m and 10 000m<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;"><b>Horizontal distance:</b> 205km<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;"><b>Full distance including ascent/descent:</b>
215km<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;"><b>Climbs in excess of 200m:</b> more than 28<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #ffe599;"><b>Number of unsuccessful attempts since 1999:</b> way more than
30…</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Current records</span></b> <span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-weight: normal;">(thanks to Lisa de Speville for this info, www.ar.co.za)</span></span></span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Current record (men's group):</b> Ryno Griesel and Ryan Sandes</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Date:</b> 24-25 March 2014</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Distance:</b> 209km</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Duration:</b> 41 hours 49 mins</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><i><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Griesel and Sandes broke the previous record set by Ryno Griesel and Cobus van Zyl (set 9-11 April 2010) of 60 hours 29 mins</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Solo male record:</b> Andrew Porter</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Date:</b> December 2009</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Duration:</b> 61 hours 24 mins</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Women's group record:</b> Laura Forster and Fiona McIntosh (Team Water For Africa)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Date:</b> November 2008</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Duration:</b> 157 hours 11 mins</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Mixed group record:</b> Team Merrell Adventure Addicts: Graham Bird, Hanno Smit, Robyn Kime* and Grant Ross</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Date:</b> 11-14 November 2014</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;"><b>Duration:</b> 78 hours 57 mins</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #b6d7a8;">* Robyn is therefore the fastest woman across the DGT route.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Merrell Adventure Addicts bettered the previous mixed group time of 110 hours 57 mins established by Christine Harris and Carlos Gonzalez in January 2010.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ebmHMdQb2co/VQl4qg1QeCI/AAAAAAAABjU/nAobU88M-8k/s1600/Ryno%2BCobus%2Bpic%2Bfor%2Bweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ebmHMdQb2co/VQl4qg1QeCI/AAAAAAAABjU/nAobU88M-8k/s1600/Ryno%2BCobus%2Bpic%2Bfor%2Bweb.jpg" height="280" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryno Griesel and Cobus van Zyl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Three aspects I’m particularly nervous
about:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Weather:
As with every DGT, weather will play an enormous role in how we fair. We’ve
specifically chosen this time of year as it’s said to be the most stable – the
summer thunderstorms are more intermittent, and it’s theoretically before the
cold months set in. Note the word <i>theoretically.</i>
This is the Drakensberg, and at altitude the weather can be unpredictable. So,
we can only hope it’s on our side!</li>
<li>Feet:
Regardless of wet from above, we most definitely will be wet underfoot.
And that’s pretty much for the entire 215km distance. The ground on the
escarpment is marshy, even quite boggy in places, so I’m nervously anticipating
all that’s entailed in having wet feet for +/-70 hours.</li>
<li>Nutrition:
The longest endurance event I’ve ever done (Grand Raid of Reunion,
174km) took me 44 hours. That’s substantially less than I’ll be slogging for the
DGT. I know all the gastric discomforts one goes through during ultras, and I’ve
tried so many different combinations of foods over the years in the hope of
hitting the one that works for me. And yet I can honestly say I’ve never mastered
my nutrition for ultras. No event and no conditions are ever the same, and
there’re so many factors to consider – the biggest of this one being the ask on
the body: to be pushing the pace, virtually without rest, for 215km, through
three days and two nights (hopefully not a third night…) will put a mammoth
strain on the digestion, let alone the rest of the body. That’s adventure
racing territory, and I’m not an adventure racer. This time, I’ve done more
research than ever, and I’m hoping that the selection of foods I’m taking with
me will see me strongly through the distance.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs34H9VWzVk/VQl674-A44I/AAAAAAAABjg/6oPkFd7NJ7o/s1600/P8260069%2B(Medium).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs34H9VWzVk/VQl674-A44I/AAAAAAAABjg/6oPkFd7NJ7o/s1600/P8260069%2B(Medium).JPG" height="296" width="400" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB">One thing is guaranteed: whatever next
weekend brings, whatever happens, the experience will be incredible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<i>* all photos credited to Ryno Griesel</i></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-7646811835328327642015-02-15T11:55:00.000+02:002015-02-15T12:17:20.288+02:00Run The Rann 2015 (161km)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-197Jl62tSVk/VOBqIadCybI/AAAAAAAABeM/fBR2FGQAgPg/s1600/P1020009a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-197Jl62tSVk/VOBqIadCybI/AAAAAAAABeM/fBR2FGQAgPg/s1600/P1020009a.jpg" height="472" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the intrepid 161'ers the day before the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><i><span style="color: #ffe599;">“Trail running is a dangerous sport, and
ultra trail running is the extreme version of it, because the nature of the
playground is wild and sometimes, like here in the Rann, quite inhospitable.”</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">These are the words of Ga</span><span lang="EN-GB">ë</span><span lang="EN-GB">l
Couturier, race director of Run The Rann, a set of a four events staged
simultaneously last weekend on the “island” of Khadir Bet, in Gujurat province
in western India, some 30km from the border with Pakistan. Known as the Thar
Desert, the area forms a part of the Great Rann of Kutch, a 7,500km<sup>2</sup>
salt marsh, said to be the largest salt desert in the world. The region is
desolate, sparsely populated and, in the northern section of the island, completely
uninhabited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was privileged to be one of 12 people
invited to participate in the 100 miler, hosted by the Gujurat Commission of
Tourism to promote the race to the global trail running fraternity.
(Unfortunately two of them didn’t make it – their visas couldn’t be processed
in time.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xFT11AEytMU/VOBp-wGqc5I/AAAAAAAABd4/_Kk30qepVB8/s1600/DSCF2372a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xFT11AEytMU/VOBp-wGqc5I/AAAAAAAABd4/_Kk30qepVB8/s1600/DSCF2372a.jpg" height="451" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(L to R) Josh, me, Mimi, Tarmo, Justin, Damian, Tom (pic by Justin Bowyer)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">My fellow runners were certainly a
“well-heeled” bunch from a sporting perspective – collectively, their sporting
achievements were enough to shake the dust out of any elite competitor’s socks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;">Dan Lawson, ultra
distance athlete with a host of incredible achievements to his name, including
the World Record for the furthest distance run on a treadmill (521 miles in 7
days). He has a host of race wins, including the 24 hour track race in
Gloucestor in 2014, where he achieved 242km. (Read about Dan <a href="https://runbrighton.wordpress.com/stories-and-interviews/awesome-lawson/">HERE</a><span class="MsoHyperlink">)</span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;">Damian Stoy, coach,
biomechanics specialist, nutritional consultant and professional ultra runner
from Montana, USA (<a href="http://wholisticrunning.com/">http://wholisticrunning.com</a>)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;">Mimi Anderson, queen of
ultra-distance running, Mimi has two world records (previously three) to her
name, and has won countless ultras around the world, many of them outright,
including the 6633 Extreme Ultra Marathon, a 352 mile non-stop self-sufficient
race in the Arctic, setting a course record that is yet to be beaten: 143hrs
23min. She remains the only woman to have completed the race. (Read my blog on Mimi <a href="http://www.lindadoke.blogspot.com/2014/04/trail-hero-of-month-april-mimi-anderson.html">HERE</a>)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;">Tom Caughlan, ultra runner from
Colorado, USA, Tom is one of the gear reviewers on irunfar.com, specialising in
minimalist models</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;">Justin Bowyer, ultra runner and
contributor to Runner’s World UK. Author of <i>Running:
Motivation, Nutrition & Hydration. </i>Editor of <a href="http://www.runningmonkey.co.uk/">www.runningmonkey.co.uk</a></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;">Tarmo Vannas, a
fruitarian/vegan ultra runner from Estonia, now living in Chiang Mai, Thailand.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;">Walter Batel, a French
endurance athlete with 12 Ironman and an MDS to his name</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="text-indent: -18pt;">Francois-Xavier Gaudas, an
ultra-runner from France</span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
About 100 runners toed the start line for
the four races of Run The Rann – 21km, 42km, 101km and the 161km. Most were
from India, and many were from other countries around the world. Being the
inaugural event, there were just 14 of us doing the 161km.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Having visited India on two previous
occasions, I knew not to expect predictability. By its very nature, India is
alive, vibrant, buzzing, quirky, chaotic. The words efficiency and India cannot
share the same sentence. No matter where you are in the country or whatever
you’re doing, India presents a smorgasbord of sights, tastes, fragrances and
experiences; nothing in India is, or ever can be, predictable. In many ways
that’s one of the charms of this fascinating country, but it’s important that
people know to expect that, and to prepare for it. So, tackling an ultra in
this part of the world should be no different – prepare for the unexpected!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DxtQmsSDic4/VOBpw3aa_OI/AAAAAAAABdk/bHs5F--yDyI/s1600/16321569999_3fba70618f_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DxtQmsSDic4/VOBpw3aa_OI/AAAAAAAABdk/bHs5F--yDyI/s1600/16321569999_3fba70618f_z.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ridgeline above the salt flats (pic by Tarmo Vannas fb.me/ultratarmo)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I went into this race with a healthy dose
of that approach. I’d done what research I could on what weather and
temperatures to expect, I had a rough idea how the route profile would pan out
(described by the race director as a lot of up and down in certain sections,
with about 60km or so of salt flats in the middle section).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">As always, I planned my nutrition and
hydration accordingly. Knowing from the race briefing that there’d be CPs roughly
every 10km, I carried two 500ml soft flasks, which I would top up or refill
with water at every CP, and add my PeptoSport every third or fourth CP. Not
wanting to rely on food provided by the CPs (oranges, glucose powder, cereal
bars and, every so often, portions of curry </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-GB">), I carried my usual variety of RUSH Bars, nuts, apricots and my
favourite recent discovery: pretzel squares injected with peanut butter. The
bomb!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Never thinking I would need it, I poured
about 200ml of water into the bladder of my Salomon 12L Skin pack as reserve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So I was as prepared as I could be,
garnished with a generous dose of open-mindedness for whatever might be thrown
at me over the next +/-24 hours. That’s roughly how long I’d guessed this race
would take me… Little did I realise what
was to come!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">With the 7:30am start of the race began a
100 mile event that is best described as less of a running race and more an
orienteering adventure – and a great one, at that. An exquisite route of harsh,
desert terrain flecked with loose shale and high sandstone ridges and cliffs,
overlooking hundreds of kilometres of shimmering “white desert” – coarsely
crusted salt as far as the eye could see. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2YnRn9V5QQk/VOBpwR7PIlI/AAAAAAAABdc/5u9Mw8S_5Hc/s1600/15885309244_18a2022a55_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2YnRn9V5QQk/VOBpwR7PIlI/AAAAAAAABdc/5u9Mw8S_5Hc/s1600/15885309244_18a2022a55_z.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thorns everywhere, just waiting to snag us (pic by Tarmo Vannas)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And the sharper side of the scene: thorns,
thorns and more thorns. Long straight ones, short hooked ones, thorns on trees,
bushes and branches that were just waiting to snag skin and fabric at every
turn. And if all those thorns weren’t enough of a spikey deal to contend with,
thorny twigs lying in the sand stabbed the soles of our shoes and spiked our feet
more times than I could count.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">A missing CP5 threw the runners a curveball
of 20km with no water in the heat of the day, testing stamina, endurance and
mental strength. CP6 at 50km was a welcome sight for everyone, some runners
needing a couple of hours in the tent to rehydrate and recover before pushing
on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Til that point I had run mostly on my own,
with only Dan and Damian ahead. I’d been trailed by a determined local runner
who was carrying nothing but a GPS – no pack, no food, no water. As the kilometres
without water had ticked past, he’d dropped off the pace, and by the time he
reached CP6, he was exhausted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H41Pa30xJYM/VOBp-SF1NEI/AAAAAAAABdw/0c7sxVWqZdM/s1600/IMG_0843a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H41Pa30xJYM/VOBp-SF1NEI/AAAAAAAABdw/0c7sxVWqZdM/s1600/IMG_0843a.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damian and I - in perfect sync</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Damian and I teamed up from CP6, and together
we ran, walked, bushwhacked and winced our way over the next 120km to the
finish line. (The total distance of the race was actually 172km.) Damian had run
the first 52km with frontrunner Dan Lawson, who had paused briefly at CP6 to
quickly refuel, before racing on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HuOAXgTbzpg/VOBpwn4piHI/AAAAAAAABdg/Mjjo97QxE2Y/s1600/16320331670_86460c5aa5_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HuOAXgTbzpg/VOBpwn4piHI/AAAAAAAABdg/Mjjo97QxE2Y/s1600/16320331670_86460c5aa5_z.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> (pic by Tarmo Vannas fb.me/ultratarmo)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB">Running across the salt flats was the most
incredible experience. The salt was a thin crusted layer and very crunchy
underfoot – sometimes smooth, often rippled, and surprisingly easy to run on. In
the moonlight it took on a misty white hue that made the experience seem surreal.
It looked like an enormous sheet of ice, but was neither slippery nor cold – I
had to keep reminding myself it was salt!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Twenty-four hours ticked by when we still
had a good 30km to go. We pressed on, cursing our way through thickets of
thorns, and eventually onto open tracks. Not having expected to be taking quite
this long, my food stocks were running low and with 20km to go, I was down to
one last portion of PeptoSport and a ziplock bag of nuts – which I somehow
managed to spill as I pulled the bag from my pack, showering the sandy track
with precious nuts… <weep><o:p></o:p></weep></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CQ40IYmWmeg/VOBqABCUE9I/AAAAAAAABeA/8KRmQpl3mE8/s1600/IMG_0679a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CQ40IYmWmeg/VOBqABCUE9I/AAAAAAAABeA/8KRmQpl3mE8/s1600/IMG_0679a.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan is known as "Awesome Lawson" - not without reason!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Needless to say, with minimal fuel in the
tank and nothing but water to be had at the final three CPs, those last 20km
were extremely slow. Damian and I crossed the finish line in joint 2<sup>nd</sup>
place (32:30), more than 8 hours after the winner, Dan Lawson (24:06). Dan ran
a brilliant race, a true reflection of the incredible endurance athlete he is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not without its organisational hiccups, Run
The Rann 161km was a fantastic experience and one I’ll always treasure. Staging
a race in a remote area of a country that in itself is not geared up for
endurance events, will always be a challenge. But this race has the potential
to be big on the adventure running calendar – it’s perfect for trail runners
who’re keen to travel and experience a whole lot more than just an ultra-distance
run. It’s rough, raw and packed with adventure. Personally, this is my kind of
race!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
View the results of Run The Rann 2015 <a href="http://www.runtherann.com/pages/results-2015">HERE</a></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-40587110855003641502015-01-27T12:34:00.001+02:002015-01-27T12:34:38.782+02:00To Run The Rann of Kutch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IYp3p1YUzok/VMdnbSlXgRI/AAAAAAAABcg/WWlXfuhcYYE/s1600/RTR%2Blogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IYp3p1YUzok/VMdnbSlXgRI/AAAAAAAABcg/WWlXfuhcYYE/s1600/RTR%2Blogo.jpg" height="290" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">2015: a new year, fresh legs, action-packed
challenges!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">First up, an ultra with a difference:
instead of dramatic scenery with mountains, forests, streams, canyons or
deserts as with my five ultras last year (Whale of Trail 52km, Outeniqua Quest
108km, Fish River Canyon Ultra 80km, Tuffer Puffer 160km, and the 70km day of
KAEM), my first ultra of 2015 will cover remarkably different scenery…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">On 7<sup>th</sup> February I’ll be taking
part in Run The Rann, a 161km (100 miler) race in the Great Rann of Kutch,
described as a sprawling 7,500km<sup>2</sup> salt marsh located in the Thar Desert
of north-western India on the Pakistani border. The area is said to be the
largest salt desert in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lK2iKvZMI-Y/VMdo9N_7BHI/AAAAAAAABc4/Ilzctx_vIHU/s1600/5459e16d23695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lK2iKvZMI-Y/VMdo9N_7BHI/AAAAAAAABc4/Ilzctx_vIHU/s1600/5459e16d23695.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The route profile of Run The Rann will
present an unusual challenge for me – instead of mountain ascents and loads of vertical
gain, my mind and legs will need to focus on running a comparatively flat
course… the highest point in the race is 243m above sea level, and for 90km or
so in the middle section of the race, along the edge of the salt desert, the route
has barely a bump or hiccup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Running flat over long distances is not
easy – there’s no relief for the legs, and it hurts. A lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Heat, isolation, stark landscape, and relentless
white salt desert as far as the eye can see. Add to this the challenge of an
unmarked course (GPS navigation compulsory), and you get the general idea. This
one’s going to be tough!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JmUIR7E15Zw/VMdoqpFffpI/AAAAAAAABcw/cx-91Y1ll2A/s1600/view%2BA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JmUIR7E15Zw/VMdoqpFffpI/AAAAAAAABcw/cx-91Y1ll2A/s1600/view%2BA.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This will be the second time I’ve been
fortunate enough to race in India – in 2008 I ran the Himalayan 100 Miler, a
5-day stage race near the Himalayas. That race was about mountain views and
thin air; this time I’ll get to see a very different corner of India – a region
so remote that the island of Khadir Bet, over which the route is staged for the
first and final thirds of the race, is virtually unexplored, apart from Border
Security patrols and the race organisers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Adventure is calling – bring it on!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-78445207876693005332014-11-17T09:55:00.001+02:002015-01-12T22:09:29.462+02:00KAEM 2014 - the most beautiful desert race<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J2Sf7W1Au5o/VGmQ-V2u1OI/AAAAAAAABXY/BcUynKMZoNA/s1600/KAEM%2Bcollage%2BA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J2Sf7W1Au5o/VGmQ-V2u1OI/AAAAAAAABXY/BcUynKMZoNA/s1600/KAEM%2Bcollage%2BA.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(all images by Hermien Burger Webb, unless otherwise noted)</i></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: #f1c232;">Looking to do a 7-day self-sufficient
stage race in a desert?</span><span style="color: #ffd966;"> Look no further than the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme
Marathon (KAEM), long reputed to be the best organised self-sufficient stage
race on the international trail running calendar.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">KAEM had been on my bucket list for
years, and two weeks ago I had the privilege of running my first. Of all races
I’ve done in my 20 years of running, this one pips the lot hands down – the
organisation, the route, the roll out, the efficiency, the crew, the support,
the camaraderie, the friendliness, the generosity of spirit… everything about this event epitomises for me
what self-sufficient desert trail running should be about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rQfuXCpnqzU/VGmSFkikAGI/AAAAAAAABXw/oX6e6cAowE8/s1600/20141101_063744%2Ba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rQfuXCpnqzU/VGmSFkikAGI/AAAAAAAABXw/oX6e6cAowE8/s1600/20141101_063744%2Ba.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 20L pack (5.8kg) and trusty Salomon Mantras</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Designed in Marathon des Sables format
(7 days, 6 stages, with the long stage, 70km, on days 4/5) but with a
far more personal approach (KAEM allows a maximum of 100 runners, versus the +1 000
that do MDS), KAEM is staged in the Kalahari Augrabies region of the Northern
Cape province of South Africa, close to the Namibian border.<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">Self-sufficient means just that – you
carry your food, running gear, sleeping gear and a small medical kit for seven
days. All that’s provided is water at frequent checkpoints along the way, and a
communal tarpaulin to sleep under. As long as you carry the mandatory gear, how
generous you are with what you take is up to you, and pack weights vary from as
light as 5.8kg to as hefty as 14kg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">The stages are designed to test even the
strongest runners, starting with a fairly easy 25km, a 35km, a 40km, then the
70km long stage, followed by a 45km, and finally 21km, making up a total of
236km – all in gruelling conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The race always takes place during the
full moon, early in November. At that time of year, the summer heat is already
extreme, and maximum daily temperatures range from 38˚C to about 46˚C.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Did you know, it never rains in the
Kalahari.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Hang on, that’s not true at all. It was
Estienne Arndt, who is Race Organiser, Evil Route Planner and Big Boss of All
Things KAEM, who once stated with absolute authority that it NEVER rains in the
Kalahari… and it’s rained every year
during the race ever since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HwWVWlhB3nE/VGmljkMVH8I/AAAAAAAABZo/oShL4B2TZqE/s1600/_BDW4431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HwWVWlhB3nE/VGmljkMVH8I/AAAAAAAABZo/oShL4B2TZqE/s1600/_BDW4431.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB">Rain in a hot, dry desert means
humidity. Anyone who’s hiked or run in a desert knows that hot, dry conditions are
easier to cope with than hot humid conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
To add to the challenge, runners are
subject to a staggered start each day – seeded according to their cumulative
time. That means that on the long day, for example, the slowest person starts
at 6am while the race leader has to wait until 1pm before he sets off on the
70km stage. The temperature by that time is easily a tidy 37˚C.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EWkzgP2202k/VGmSVmBFhkI/AAAAAAAABX4/hQYdpxsHDgU/s1600/IMG_0572a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EWkzgP2202k/VGmSVmBFhkI/AAAAAAAABX4/hQYdpxsHDgU/s1600/IMG_0572a.jpg" height="166" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An insider's view of tent life (pic by Altie Clark)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB">The terrain underfoot varies from stony
shale to jeep track to dry, sandy riverbed, and the views from rocky gorges and
rivers to endless grassy savannah speckled with stunted camelthorn, blackthorn
and other acacias.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">The Kalahari Augrabies region is rich in
wildlife, and runners had frequent sightings of springbok, eland, gemsbok,
ostrich, giraffe, and birds of prey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">The racing part of KAEM 2014</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mIR4FUXSZkM/VGmSYYQ5WMI/AAAAAAAABYY/SHMeoB6-BDA/s1600/_BDW4331a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mIR4FUXSZkM/VGmSYYQ5WMI/AAAAAAAABYY/SHMeoB6-BDA/s1600/_BDW4331a.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start of KAEM 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-GB">This year there were 70 participants
from 18 countries. It was the 15th running of the event, and many of the
participants were return KAEM’ers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pA7I8Blc4u0/VGmm0onjWRI/AAAAAAAABZ0/eYCOFmlooPg/s1600/_BDW5273a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pA7I8Blc4u0/VGmm0onjWRI/AAAAAAAABZ0/eYCOFmlooPg/s1600/_BDW5273a.jpg" height="216" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race winner Mahmut Yavuz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-GB">Competition in the front of the field
was tough, with three times winner Dirk Cloete (SA) up against last year’s 2nd
placed Mahmut Yavuz (Turkey), Dion Leonard (Australia), who placed 6th last
year, Stephan Vernay (France) and local novice Martin Kalwenya.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-GB">Vying for top spot in the women I had
stiff competition – Lucja Leonard (Australia) came 2nd last year and had since
completed MDS 2014 and featured well in several ultras in the UK, while hard
core ultra queen Bakiye Duran (Turkey) was back for a third time, having
claimed 1st woman in 2012 and 3rd place last year. It was clear I’d have to
work damn hard to win this one!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvP79hNzMWw/VGmlThNoVRI/AAAAAAAABZg/2CNW6n0P3CI/s1600/IMG_4950a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvP79hNzMWw/VGmlThNoVRI/AAAAAAAABZg/2CNW6n0P3CI/s1600/IMG_4950a.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me in one of the many dry river beds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Apart from Stage 1 when Stephan crossed
the line in 1st spot, Mahmut dominated the entire race, every day increasing
his lead to make his final time a convincing 1hr45 lead over 2nd place Dion,
who fought hard against Stephan (3rd) and Martin (4th).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">The women’s race was nail-biting – Lucja
certainly gave me a run for my money! I ran a cautious Day 1, securing a 6 min
lead, which I increased to 31 min on Day 2. Then things went pear-shaped for me
when stomach cramps got the better of me during Day 3, and I finished 5 min
behind Lucja. </span>Then on the long stage, Lucja had an
absolute stormer, finishing a comfortable 18 min ahead of me, and shrinking my
lead to just 8 min.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lG0rZHl0pIE/VGmnQ6bR4uI/AAAAAAAABZ8/RmRGItUCWdE/s1600/_BDW5590a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lG0rZHl0pIE/VGmnQ6bR4uI/AAAAAAAABZ8/RmRGItUCWdE/s1600/_BDW5590a.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucja and I ran the final stage together</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">Thankfully on Day 5 (45km), I pulled the
proverbial rabbit out the hat – I had one of those runs where everything feels
right, and I cruised across the line 27 min ahead of Lucja, stretching my lead
to a healthy 35 min. With just a 21km stage set for the final day, the margin
between us was big enough for me to have the win secured, and Lucja and I ran
the final leg of KAEM 2014 together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Competing in a self-sufficient race in a
remote part of the world is an experience unlike any other. You’re one of a
small group of people (ok, unless you’re doing MDS, in which case you’re one of
more than 1 000 people) in a bubble for a week, and that week is packed
with daily goals, challenges, pains, joys, disappointments, achievements – a
smorgasbord of highs and lows, a microcosm of real life. And wherever you are
in the field, you feel that week is a life truly lived.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9mRr86eM58/VGmSBtzkTUI/AAAAAAAABXg/mY6WJQKYbMc/s1600/10422033_10152948416839924_2444674451125847473_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9mRr86eM58/VGmSBtzkTUI/AAAAAAAABXg/mY6WJQKYbMc/s1600/10422033_10152948416839924_2444674451125847473_n.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mahmut Yavuz, Dion Leonard (R) and Stephan Vernay (L)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jCp3xy44qm8/VGmSBhfTDGI/AAAAAAAABXk/umv9go9GzdM/s1600/10446500_10152948417084924_2748246367609889637_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jCp3xy44qm8/VGmSBhfTDGI/AAAAAAAABXk/umv9go9GzdM/s1600/10446500_10152948417084924_2748246367609889637_n.jpg" height="196" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me, Lucja Leonard (L) and Bakiye Duran (R)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB">It’s often said that perseverance is not
one long race, but rather many short races one after the other. That’s what
multi-stage events are all about. For everyone, whether fleet of foot or out
there for the long haul every day, each stage is tough, challenging, and calls
for a carefully measured approach – and one hell of a lot of positive thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camp manager Willem Basson with MediClinic doctors Caroline Murray (L) and Jann Killops (R)</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">When the 65 finishers and more than 50
crew of KAEM 2014 bid their farewells and headed home to after their week in
the desert, they went so much the richer for their experience in the Kalahari.
Many will return another year for another round; the others will just relive
the memories.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finishers of KAEM 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fantastic crew behind KAEM 2014</td></tr>
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In short, if you’re looking to do a self-sufficient stage race in an extremely beautiful
and special part of the world, then KAEM is the one to do. Put it on your
bucket list immediately.<br />
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Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2699993502454733162.post-58095917022837743152014-10-23T22:54:00.000+02:002014-10-23T22:54:50.695+02:00The Freedom Run - just 3 days til the finish line<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday I had the privilege of joining Freedom Runners Mimi Anderson and Samantha Gash on the 29th day of their incredible 32-day, +2 000km run from Pietermaritzburg to Paarl, in South Africa.<br />
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I last saw Mimi and Samantha when they were in Cape Town, three days before they began their feat. They were bursting with excitement, laced with a hint of apprehension over what the challenge might throw at them. Being experienced with ultra distances and multi-day running in all sorts of conditions, they took on this challenge well aware that ahead of them lay the unknown, the only certainties being the basics of their route (rather than what that route entailed), the mileage they had to cover, and their shared determination to complete the challenge.<br />
The mission of their run was clear: to raise as much as they possibly could to set up a social enterprise that will empower women in a rural community in the Free State to make reusable sanitary pads, enabling young girls to be free to continue their schooling without the interruption of their monthly periods.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crew, aka "Cafe Boys Boys Boys" in action</td></tr>
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The Freedom Run had been two years in the planning - from identifying their mission and carefully selecting the rural community for the pilot project, plotting the route and scheming the logistics with the help of the team behind the Freedom Challenge, to sourcing their wonderful crew who would give more than a month of their lives to slog, sweat over and serve Mimi and Sam for the duration of the Freedom Run.<br />
The training these two wonder women had to do was the easy part of their preparation - it was organising everything that was the difficult part.<br />
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Stepping into Mimi and Samantha's world for a day almost a month after they'd started was in some ways like peeking 10 chapters on in a novel when you've only read the preface. In the preface to this book, the girls had looked fresh and bouncy, eager to face the unknown of the weeks ahead. Now, seeing them 10 chapters on, they looked so different - both very thin, drawn and somewhat weathered from running for 29 continuous days in the harsh African sun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam and Mimi near Montagu, Western Cape</td></tr>
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But as tired as they seemed on the outside, these two incredible women were still bursting with vigour and vitality within, more determined than ever to keep to their strict schedule, with the end goal being to help enable communities of young girls - girls that they will most likely never meet - to attend school for the education they need to have a decent future.<br />
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On Saturday Mimi and Sam will complete the Freedom Run, having covered more than 47 back-to-back marathons in 32 days, over 2 000km without even a single rest day. They've endured their fair share of icy starts and minus temperatures, of blasting sun through blistering days, of high winds and slamming rain; they've slogged on mountain trails 2 750m above sea level, waded across rivers, and whacked their way through reed beds. Together they've laughed, cried, winced and sweated their way across a vast chunk of our beautiful country, two non-South Africans with a determined dream to change the lives of those they can.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;">Here's a quick synopsis of why the Freedom Run is critical:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #f1c232;">In South Africa, one in 10 girls between the ages of 11 and 17 miss out on 4-5 days of school a month due to their periods. This shouldn't have to be!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #f1c232;">Commercially produced disposable sanitary pads are too expensive for most schoolgirls in Africa.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #f1c232;">A girl missing 4 days of school every 28 days due to her period loses the equivalent of 8 weeks of school per year. Falling behind in lessons inevitably means they end up dropping out of school.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #f1c232;">60% of girls and women in South Africa don’t have access to feminine hygiene products. Instead, they make a plan, often using rags, cloth or bits of newspaper.</span></li>
</ul>
The Freedom Run is not only a mission to raise awareness and confront the problem, but to find a solution. The funds raised through the challenge will enable Save The Children International to establish a social enterprise in an identified community in the Free State as a pilot project. The business will employ women to make and sell reusable sanitary pads within their community.<br />
The project will also provide ongoing education on health and hygiene for girls and women, as well as life skills training workshops for parents.<br />
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<b>Show your support for the Freedom Run and what it stands for by becoming a part of the solution: click on the donate tab on this link: <a href="https://donate.savethechildren.org.au/FreedomRunners">Save The Children Freedom Run</a></b><br />
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Linda Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15388752774569056455noreply@blogger.com0