TRAIL RUNNING
The team photo at the start
The incredible lights and vibe of the start
Packed & Dressed for Success
With the year that 2020 was , November felt light years away . But as the year accelerated to lightspeed , November was upon us before we knew it ! Open roads and blue skies ( thankfully ) greeted us along the way and race day arrived crisp and clear . We had trained , bought enough Salomon gear to open our own flagship store , and stocked up on enough Farbars , gels , and nut butter to power the average Gauteng marathon field !
There were individual time goals and aspirations , but this race had us so scared , we all had one main goal – to finish ! The 100km event is completely selfsupported and self-navigated . Participants tackle the remote terrain of the Witteberg Mountain range with a GPS unit and a backpack containing all their food , water and compulsory
equipment that will enable them to survive in this challenging environment , while moving at an average altitude of between 2200 to 2500 metres above sea level .
The race starts in Lady Grey and finishes at the Wartrail Country Club . A compulsory stop and medical check at Balloch at about 55km is paired with your first and only supporters ’ point . As you depart Balloch , you are faced with the challenge of Balloch Wall , a climb with a vertical ascent of over 500 metres in just 3km and back down the other side . The 100km runners are turned away just 1km from the 65km finish line , to embark on the next few hours of night running , climbing up Bridal Pass and along the ridgeline .
A few hours later , you descend Halston Peak . It ’ s only 5km from the top of Halston Peak to the finish , but you need to descend 570 metres to get there . ( We all agreed that the Halston descent is most likely the toughest 5km you will ever complete in your running career !) Then the route winds through the valleys to the final descent into the finish at Wartrail Country Club , and you ’ ll hear Raasbekkie , the finish line announcer , long before you see him . After the final river crossing – yes , at 99km – all that ’ s left to do is run down the finish chute and hear the glorious words : “ You are a Skyrunner !”
Jaco , Riaan , Hilton , Daniel , Mike , Andrew and Anella at the finish line
Images : Nick Muzik , Reblex Photography , Terence Vrugtman & courtesy Ed Jardim
48 ISSUE 138 FEBRUARY 2021 / www . modernathlete . co . za