Dawn ( front ) and Rox discussing navigation

Translated into English , the name of the Drakensberg Mountains means Dragon Mountain , and thus it is appropriate that the catchphrase of the X-Berg Challenge is “ Chasing the Dragon .” This incredible annual event pits endurance athletes from different sporting codes against each other and the majestic KwaZulu-Natal mountains , and I had the privilege to experience it for the first time this March .

– BY DAWN NUNES

In this race , they say , “ Either you are carrying ‘ IT ,’ or ‘ IT ’ is carrying you ,” because the aim of the X-Berg Challenge is to run , ride or fly along a pre-set route across the Drakensberg , in a self-navigated race with pre-determined “ turn points ” along the way . The athlete who completes the whole route , tagging each turn point in order and reaching the finish first , is declared the winner .

This race takes place in March , and there are two distance options , the X-Berg Challenge Extreme over four days , which is around 160km , and the X-Berg Mini over two days covering approximately 80km . Once you ’ ve decided your challenge distance , you can then choose to compete on foot as a trail runner , cycle it or paraglide it – or a combination of these disciplines . You can also do it as a team or solo . It ’ s

a case of mixing and matching . ( For more info on this incredible event , go to www . xbergchallenge . com )

Dragonflies on the Run

I managed to convince my good friend Roxanne Vale to join me in entering as a team for the Mini X-Berg Challenge . We chose the name Ojekamanzi Warriors , which translates as Dragonfly Warriors , since we were chasing the dragon in the Drakensberg , and we thought it was a pretty , fun South African name .

Now what ? Pierre and his crew organise a few weekends where you can go and recce parts of the course to decide the best route , and also to get a good idea of what you ’ re in for . We went up for a weekend and met some of the other crazies , who quickly welcomed us and showed us the ropes . The first and most important thing we learnt was to download the ViewRanger app . This is a great app which , together with my watch GPX route , showed us where we were and the suggested route to take for our challenge . We found it really useful having both the phone and watch GPX . With the watch , we could monitor our progress regularly , and then if we had a big turn point or were unsure where to go next , the app was great to use , as it gave us the bigger picture with contours .

Secondly , we learnt very quickly what gear to have – from hydration and fuelling along the route , to wearing long pants , as we do not really follow that many paths along the way . It is often a case of ‘ makeyourownpath ,’ which involves pokey things , and having a layer on your legs seriously saves them from scratches ! There is a lot of mountain water available , but it is always a good idea to carry plenty of your own , especially if you go off course and are out there for longer than expected .

We also found that the event allows Mini participants one bag / box drop , which would be situated at Monks Cowl . Here we could refuel and change clothes , if needed . For the Extreme , they also had drop box points , which would allow them to carry a day ’ s worth of gear , and then they could refresh and stock up . We made the decision , come race day , to stop our watches at Monks Cowl and stay overnight in a house nearby , then be dropped back at Monks cowl in the morning to begin again . You are also allowed seconders to help you if needed , and they can meet you along the way with your gear ( and encouragement ), but this would more be for the Extreme event .

Spoilt for Mountain Majesty

On the 20 ^th of March , Rox and I lined up with 19 other competitors for the X-Berg Challenge Mini race . It was incredible being there with fellow runners as well as the cyclists and the paragliders , who carry an enormous weight on their backs with their paraglider and gear . We started at 7am , and we had until 11pm that night , when we would have to stop due to the race curfew in place . We would be allowed to start running again at 5am the following morning .

We were really fortunate , as the weather was perfect , with clear skies and moderate temperatures , and the Drakensberg showed off with magnificent vultures

Images : Courtesy Dawn Nunes