BEST OF 2021
ultra challenges and races , I know the pain comes eventually . And at Fish Hoek , after 22km , things went south . I felt nauseous and bloated , probably because I had eaten too much , and I needed to take a ‘ tactical break ’ to get it all out , but the problems persisted for the next 20km . It was a really dark period of the challenge , all in the ‘ pain cave ,’ and I think I ‘ tacticalled ’ three or four times ,” says Lee .
Contemplating the swim leg start
Lee and Luke Taylor at Comrades 2016
joined by Sean McGibbon , and then his brother David also joined in Muizenberg , and the three rode the rest of the way together , with various friends and family meeting them along the way to provide feeding stations . “ There was very little wind , thankfully , and we finished back in Newlands after 140km and a six-hour ride . I must admit , I was relieved it all went so smoothly , considering I had done very little training for the ride , just a single 160km ride the week before – and I had managed to break my saddle , so needed to get that fixed as well !”
Two Down , One to Go
Next up was the run leg , with Lee starting the run leg still accompanied by Sean and David , and Lee says they started a little on the fast side . “ We did the first kay at five minutes per kay pace , which felt a bit fast for a 56km run , so we slowed down a bit and then used a run-walk strategy , walking for a minute after every three kays . Dave went up to the 13km mark , and then at the 14km water stop I was joined by my brother-in-law , James Southwood , and Josh Fleetwood . Josh was going to just join for 5km , as had he plans for later in the day , while James was going to try run 20km , but both ended up staying with me for the rest of the run , doing a full 42km with me !”
“ The run went great till Fish Hoek . Ironically , I had done an Instagram video during the bike leg , saying the ‘ pain cave ’ had not hit me yet , but that it would inevitably hit me later , because after doing so many
Besides his stomach issues , Lee also had to deal with some nagging doubts about being able to finish . “ It had taken us three hours to get halfway through the run , and with 20km to go , I began worrying that I wasn ’ t going to make it before curfew . That ’ s when Josh said , ‘ Lee , remember that one day of pain can alleviate a lifetime of suffering .’ That ’ s what I needed to hear , and it helped me get my head right . I found my rhythm again , and after Chappies and Hout Bay , I felt OK again . Then with about 2.5km to go , I felt the adrenaline and goosebumps , and just wanted to push for the finish , so I started pushing close to four minutes a kay , and dropped my Brother-in-law . Sorry , James !”
Making Sense of It All
Looking back on the challenge , Lee describes it as an absolutely epic day , excluding those two to three hours of the run leg , but he points out that that is exactly what life is all about . “ It ’ s like an endurance race . Things can be going great , then everything changes in a heartbeat , and you have to accept what is happening and get on with it . Eighty percent of it is mental strength , which I know , because I ’ m definitely not the fittest athlete , but doing something for a cause helps massively with the mental side of things ! Also , I want to thank each and every one who showed their support on the day . Without them , I doubt I would have pulled through the ‘ pain cave ,’ especially on the run .”
In terms of the fundraising aspect of the challenge , Lee says that he is still working on that , and welcomes further donations or support . “ I ’ ve been fortunate enough to find ways and means of building and creating my own emotional strength , but what may seem easy or possible for me , may seem daunting and virtually impossible to someone else . Not because they can ’ t achieve the emotional stability they seek , but rather because they are in genuine need of professional help and support , which comes with a hefty price tag . You will battle to find a reputable recovery / rehabilitation facility that charges less than R120,000 for a three-month programme , and even with a mint medical aid scheme , you will be lucky if a third of it is covered .”
“ With this challenge , I therefore set out to raise R60,000 , which would be half of that . I would love to be able to pay the full amount , but it would still be fantastic if I can pay for at least some of it , because that would make a massive difference to somebody ’ s journey to recovery . At this stage , we ’ ve raised nearly R23,000 , so I will keep fundraising on this one till the end of January , and it would be great if more people wanted to make a donation . I know how hard it is to raise funds , especially in the current economic climate , and you need to understand that people are willing to support , but can ’ t always do so . You need to understand their circumstances as well , but at the end of the day , every cent counts , so I will keep asking ,” says Lee .
“ Over the past few years I have faced and dealt with a lot of emotional trauma , both directly and indirectly , and I ’ ve witnessed first-hand the severe impact it has on individuals ’ lives , and those closest to them . So , my goal in taking on this challenge was to raise awareness of this , and to challenge everyone out there who takes part in sporting events to dedicate their effort to a cause that is close to my heart , to give hope and inspiration to people who are in a dark place , who are hitting rock bottom , and ultimately to change a person ’ s life forever . As I always say , one day of pain , to end a lifetime of suffering – that ’ s how I see it .”
Looking Ahead , Thinking Big
In the meantime , it should come as no surprise that Lee is already looking ahead and thinking of his next big challenge . “ I ’ d like to run the Baviaanskloof , and I ’ d like to try do seven Robben Island crossing in seven days , but that will be a helluva expensive challenge . Then again , I could go for a run this evening and come up with another idea . After all , that ’ s how this one came up , and it stuck ... So I guess I need to go for a couple more runs !”
Lee was accompanied throughout the bike and run legs by friends and family
If you would like to make a donation to Lee ’ s Carlstrong Extreme Challenge fundraising effort , visit https :// gogetfunding . com / carlstrong-extreme-challenge-racing-for-recovery , or alternatively contact Lee on 083 7655 788 .
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