Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 119, June 2019 | Page 54

On The Run
The 2014 Comrades was a special race for Stuart.
After facing some serious health-related issues in the
years prior to that, it was a very slow build-up to get
back to where he was before. “I walked out of a major
surgery exactly a year before the 2014 race. I then had
to rebuild, and it was a process of walking in the park
at night, to walking along in Newlands Forest, before
running my first 5km, then 21km, then 42.2km, then
the Two Oceans Ultra and finally Comrades. My goal
was a silver medal and everything went according to
plan. The emotion of that finish stretch will live with
me forever, it was really special.”
After that success, he wanted to go even faster the
next year, which was an Up Run, and he wanted
to do it well. “I like to plan things and I believe that
proper preparation is key to success. I was really
happy to finish with a 7:10. It’s something I can hold
onto forever, and I can also claim the title of being the
fastest Comrades runner in our clan!”
However, with the rapid growth experienced by UTCT
and the international exposure it was getting, Stuart
had to put some of his own running dreams on hold
to focus all his attention on helping Nic Bornman,
the founder of UTCT, to organise one of the best trail
races in SA. “The time, effort and sacrifice to make
it happen is the part that’s unseen. Organising an
event like this is a big undertaking. It’s been a real
roller-coaster – the late nights, with little to no sleep,
the planning sessions, the Google spreadsheets that
make your eyes water, the constant negotiations, and
more – but the rewards are amazing in terms of what it
has done for trail running in general here in SA.”
“All the behind the scenes stuff can get pretty intense,
but at the end of the day our joy is in seeing people
finish with teary eyed stoke. This outpouring of
emotions keeps us working harder to raise the event
to even higher levels. We put our heart and soul into
the event, we think about what we would expect or
want, and being runners and dreamers, this allows
us to really go that extra mile. The team is really tight.
Sure, we have times where we all want to kill each
other, but it’s a big event and we need to honour that
commitment from the entrants and deliver something
special, something that will ultimately move them.”
Iconic Event
All the hard work and dedication has certainly paid
off. From starting with a very small field and a very
informal start-finish area at the first UTCT, to now
being one of the most sought after trail races on the
calendar, these visionary Capetonians have overseen
an incredible growth in the event. The best part for
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Stuart though is that his home town has put its full
weight behind this already iconic race.
“Whether they’re running, supporting, seconding or
volunteering, the Cape Town running community has
embraced the event, and this sense of community
has been and will always be the defining theme of the
race. Elites and foreigners all mention the vibe around
UTCT, and you can’t make this stuff up. A lot of our
community didn’t realize how good we have it here
before UTCT opened their eyes. We don’t have to
travel far, because right on our doorstep is the chance
to step away from things that make a noise and
connect with the mountains.”
Even better for Stuart is that he gets to share it all with
friends and family, even though he has had to wipe
away a tear or two while cutting off some of them
during the gruelling race. “Having to cut off some of
my friends, Mubeen September and Kerry Bee, at
the final UCT aid station when they arrived late was
devastating. They were broken, but it still hurt me
to stop them. The lows of the race are always very
emotional, but so too are the highs. Like when my
brother Nic finished his 65km last year, after learning
he was a type one diabetic, and he was hardly a
runner three years before. These are the moments I
truly treasure and will never take for granted.”
Unexpected Win
Living a full and passionate life is still what keeps
Stuart motivated, though, and in 2018 he decided
that it was time to get back on the proverbial horse
as an ultra runner. The Ultra-Trail Drakensberg (UTD)
100km is not for the faint of heart, and planning your
race properly is a key to success. “I plan quite a lot,
I’m always aware of the possibility that things could
go wrong. I guess being aware of this and also not
freaking out when they do go pear-shaped helps,
because panic never solved anything.”
That said, the build-up to his race return was far from
ideal, with some more unfortunate health obstacles
coming his way, but he was determined to just get to the
start and see how things would go from there – and thus
he was immensely surprised when he actually won the
event! “To be honest, it had been a really rough month.
Sometimes getting to the start is just as important as the
result, so it’s small wins that make up the big ones.”
“It was a really lucky result, given the times run the
previous year, but hey, I’ll take the win! There were
copious amounts of relief pouring out of me as I
finished UTD, because it had been a bit of a battle just
getting there. I was desperate for a finish, let alone
the win. Afterwards, thinking back, it was really just
cool to be surrounded by friends who had made the
trip with us... the stoke was visible in their eyes, so it
made it more special.”
ISSUE 119 JUNE 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za
“This trail journey has been a voyage of self-discovery
for me. It’s a process to get somewhere, you can’t just
start today and expect return tomorrow. It also offers
the opportunity for solitude and simplicity – something
that resonates for me. Sharing the trails on hikes and
runs with my son is massively rewarding. It slows me
down and forces me to see life through his eyes. Don’t
get me wrong, running road is great, too, but in this
world of hustle and hassle, people need more than ever
to connect with green spaces and with themselves.”
Looking Ahead
In terms of the future, Stuart says that trail running is
now attracting more talented youngsters, who want to
go faster, and that is pushing the sport forward, making
it more competitive each year. The sport is also bringing
more people out into the mountains, and he has the
following advice for anybody thinking about taking on
the trails: “Get out there. Take a pack with some food,
map a route and just soak it up. You don’t need to run,
just spend time getting comfortable outdoors. Even
better, enter UTCT, because it’ll change your life!”
“Do strength work every week, it’ll change your
running. Don’t do the same things expecting a
different result. We’ve all had obstacles and I think we
all have a story. My motivation was and always is that
movement is vital to my being. Plus I’ve got a son,
and not being able to move with him would be too
hard to comprehend. I had goals and things to do and
I guess it sounds cliché, but the second chance gives
you a lot of perspective, and every day is a chance
to cherish something, so don’t let it float by, say yes
and go do it. At the end of my journey I want them to
remember me as a guy who started slow but finished
strong, and treated everyone the same.”
Drakensberg
and kit were stumbling blocks for me, I preferred the
simpler and basic process of running.”