TRAIL
Give Me Five
In the last few years , Simon Tshabalala has cemented his status as one of the leading South African ultra-distance trail runners , thanks largely to his remarkable achievements in the K-way SkyRun race , with four consecutive wins behind his name . This November he will be looking for a fifth win , but that doesn ’ t tell the full story behind his achievements . – BY TATHE MSIMANGO
The K-Way SkyRun is regarded as one of the toughest and most gruelling races on the SA trail running calendar . It takes place in the Wittenberg Mountains of the Eastern Cape , near the Lesotho border , and runs from Lady Grey to the Wartrail Country Club , offering 100km , 65km and 38km distance options . The 100km main event features 4445 metres of climbing and a 30-hour cut-off , and much of the race route is on unmarked trails , so navigation skills are essential . This makes it a race for those with mountain running experience , who embrace running or hiking through the night , under extreme conditions , in remote areas , and are capable of being self-sufficient .
It is a race that requires strength , endurance and determination , and one man who has the necessary attributes to do well in this kind of race is Simon Tshabalala , who has won his race at SkyRun every year for four consecutive editions of the event . in his SkyRun debut over the 65km distance in 2020 , he produced a remarkable performance , setting a ( then ) course record of 8:37:45 . The following year ,
Coming home for that 2023 SkyRun victory he stepped up to the longer 100km distance and once again emerged as the winner in an impressive 12:09:38 – only missing Ian Don-Wauchope ’ s longstanding course record of 12:08:15 by just over a minute . In 2022 , he retained his 100km title with a dominant 13:58:20 finish , more than an hour ahead of second-placed Admire Muzopambwa , and in 2023 , Tshabalala completed his hattrick of 100km titles , coming home in 14:14:40 .
Ready to Race
Looking ahead , the 44-year-old Tshabalala will once again line up as a strong favourite for top honours , and a fourth 100km win , in the 2024 edition of the SkyRun , taking place on the weekend of 16-17 November , even though he is downplaying his own form and his chances of another win . “ I ’ m quite ready to run SkyRun once again this year , even though I don ’ t have as much mileage on my legs like in the past ,” explains the man sponsored by Hoka .
One of the reasons for his reduction in training mileage in recent months is because he has been quite active on the racing scene . In June he was first man home ( and second overall ) in the Mac Mac Ultra 50-miler , and then in August he finished second man ( and third overall ) in the Harties Loop 80km ( a race he won in 2023 ). He followed that with a fourth place in the PuFfeR 67km in Cape Town at the end of August , and then placed second in the Karkloof 50 Miler in September .
Tshabalala also says he has faced some challenges with nutrition during races , which has also affected his approach to some of the races he has run , as well as the upcoming SkyRun . “ One of the reasons I didn ’ t race as hard this year is because it required me to have nutrition for the long races , and I didn ’ t have a sponsor to supply me with the products I needed , so I opted to be smart on how I approach my races . I know SkyRun requires athletes to be in perfect condition to compete , as there are so many wonderful athletes on the day . But on my end , I ’ m quite positive that it will go well on race day , because I know the route quite well now .”
Another challenge that Tshabalala faces when it comes to fitting in training is his long work-day as a security guard in a local Johannesburg school ( he lives in Cosmo City , in Johannesburg ), but he says that is not going to stop him from racing the SkyRun . “ I start work at 6am and then knock off at 6pm , so it is a 12-hour day . Even though some days I come back from work tired , I still make a way to train .”
He adds that his love for the Skyrun helps him overcome these challenges , and has helped him enjoy so much success at this event . “ I felt in love with the SkyRun while reading about it in the Trail magazine . From then onwards , I made a promise that I won ’ t miss it ,” he recalls . “ This year , I was supposed to go run the Ultra-Trail Cape Town , but I decided to skip
Simon Tshabalala on his way to victory in the 2022 K-Way SkyRun 100km
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