TRAIL RUNNING
The team post-race with their supporters : ( front , from left ) Garth , Jaco , Herman , Ed , Denis and Adrian ; ( back ) Louise , Sarah , Moira , Mike , Claire , Hilton , Magdaleen and Riaan
Our Tips for Completing SkyRun
1 . Do not skimp on kit ! SkyRun is a hard event , even if you trained well . Once up in the mountains , when the weather turns for the worst , you ’ ll need the best gear . So when the sales clerk at the Cape Union Mart and Salomon store recognises you after a while , you know you ’ re doing it right !
2 . Speak to the professionals and finishers . There is no substitute for getting good advice from those who have been there and got the T-shirt .
3 . Start early and train hard for the correct environment . ‘ Manicured ’ MTB trails will not reflect what you will encounter at SkyRun . Over many , many kilometres , there are no trails , and you will have to find your way as you trip and stumble along . Then try doing that at night , after already being awake and moving for 18 hours !
4 . Book accommodation early in Lady Grey . When you have a 4am start time , it ’ s beneficial to have a good night ’ s sleep and roll out of bed just before the start of the race . Lady Grey is quaint and small . Accommodation in town is limited , and Skyrunners and their support crews take over the town . The people are incredibly welcoming , knowing what ’ s lying ahead for the runners .
5 . Have a support crew . We were very fortunate to have our wives and partners take on the mammoth task of supporting us on race day . They sacrificed so much leading up to the race , and even more on race day . The friendly faces on route provided that extra motivation to keep pushing through . We literally couldn ’ t have done it without them !
6 . Do it with a group of friends – The bonds of friendship formed in training and forged in the SkyRun crucible will stay with you for life .
So What ’ s Next ?
Looking back , still with a smile on our faces , we cannot believe how far we have come as friends , runners and mountain lovers . We ’ ve started and reinforced our brother- and sisterhood . We achieved a new level of respect for ourselves , our support team ( our much , much better halves ), and the beautiful surroundings our country has on display .
SkyRun has inspired us to believe we are capable of so much more – the madness certainly continues , with many more adventures planned for the year . It has to be the most dangerous , tough , epic , awe-inspiring , perception-shifting , mind-blowing , amazing , lifeaffirming race in our beautiful country . Thinking back to the looks on our fellow finishers ’ faces when they crossed that finish line – shock , relief , joy , and later , a knowing nod and a deep satisfaction of what we had endured – we can finally agree with Saffy , it was a lifechanging experience !
The 25th edition K-Way SkyRun takes place on 21 November 2021 , offering 100km , 65km and 38km distances , and you can find out more at https :// skyrun . co . za .
Images : Nick Muzik & courtesy Ed Jardim
50 ISSUE 138 FEBRUARY 2021 / www . modernathlete . co . za