Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 130, May 2020 | Page 40

Buying
Land
Kim Stephens slowly recovers her
sense of humour post painful wipe-out
If you’ve spent any time with trail runners, you have probably heard them speaking about “buying land,” or something
similar. This does not mean that said runner has invested in a pretty piece of single track, it means that they have left
some of their dignity, and perhaps some DNA, out on a trail. Wipe-outs happen, and it is important to know what to do
when you, or a member of your crew, has eaten some dirt. – BY KIM STEPHENS
Zoe
Papadakis
My scarred knees have a few stories to share…
like when I took a tumble on a gentle training
run because I was focussed on quite an
intense conversation with my running friend and
forgot to pick up my feet as we picked up pace. I went
down so hard, I thought my kneecap had shattered!
Blood poured from both knees and one elbow, I had
shredded my favourite running tights, and I realised
that I had not packed any first aid kit other than a
space blanket and ankle strapping.
I turned on to my back and had a proper cry, which
eventually turned in to laughter – there is that scary
moment between your wipe-out, and confirmation that
all limbs are intact. Thankfully the crew with me were
completely stocked on alcohol swabs, disinfectant gel,
painkillers and bandages. I had to walk off the mountain,
in quite a lot of pain and shock, and it takes a while to
regain your trail confidence after a fall like that.”
Falling… It Happens
Cape-based runner Suzie Germs has a favourite
saying when it comes to trail running: “If it draws
blood, it’s a good run!” OK, that’s
debatable, but falling is certainly
a rite of passage in trail running,
and there is actually some science
behind why we fall more on trails.
A study of mountain accidents in
France last year found that just
over 75 percent of the falls on
trails occurred during descents,
compared to 20 percent on
ascents and 5 percent on level
ground.
Several factors probably contribute
to this: You’re going faster on the
downhill, you’re pounding your quads with unfamiliar
eccentric muscle contractions, you may have had a
beer at the summit lodge, and you’re already fatigued
from the ascent. This isn’t a big surprise, but it’s worth
reminding yourself to be careful out there, as these trail
runners were recently reminded.
Zoe Papadakis… “I had a 30km training run and
two kays in I slipped and took a tumble down a
ladder and smacked my head on a rock. It bled for
a bit, then stopped, so I decided to finish the run.
Who cares about a bit of a headache, dizziness
and nausea, right? Then I went for a swim, did the
grocery shopping and eventually asked my mom to
just take a look. She lifted my hair and blood came
pouring down. Seven stitches and a concussion later,
I realised what a dumbass I can be…”
Sue Ullyett… “I had a bad fall recently on the
concrete roads, near the dams on Table Mountain. It
was because I was tired and not concentrating, and
a group of hikers moved in front of me last minute,
and I tripped on one. Moral of the story? Avoid that
concrete road, it shreds you, and if you can’t avoid it,
then concentrate and lift your feet!”
Peter Moses… “I had two funny wipe-outs. One was
when as I spotted an aid station in the Jonkershoek
Mountain Challenge, and while waving at the
volunteers, a rock decided it was the right time to trip
me... I dropped and rolled, but luckily nothing was
hurt, except my pride. I didn’t even want to stop for
water, because they all saw me go down. The other
one happened as I passed a race photographer at a
trail race. I was so focused on smiling for the camera
that I didn’t spot the tree root sticking out of the
ground just past the photographer, and I met the earth
with a loud thud. Luckily for me, the photographer
wasn’t focused on what was going on behind him!
So Be Prepared!
Trail tumbles can be entertaining and amusing, but
they can also be serious, and focussed running is key,
whether on technical or non-technical terrain. Lift your
eyes to the trail ahead, rather than looking down at
your feet, and know when you are at risk. Have the
right medical kit, carry a charged phone, and save all
emergency numbers for your area to your phone.
Sue Ullyett’s
nasty wounds
from a trail
tumble
Credit to Wildrunner
This article first appeared in the regular newsletter sent out by Wildrunner, a Cape-based events company specialising in trail running events, including the popular Trail
Series Super League and the Mountain Challenge Series. More info at www.trailseries.co.za or www.mountainchallenge.co.za, or you can visit www.wildrunner.co.za.
Images: Courtesy Kim Stephens, Peter Moses, Sue Ullyett & Zoe Papadakis
40
ISSUE 130 MAY 2020 / www.modernathlete.co.za