TRAIL RUNNING
The climb out of Balloch is another iconic view
A battered runner contemplates the next stage over a cup of warm soup
Getting Over the Wall
For me the Wall is an icon of the SkyRun , just 2km from Balloch and you are drenched in sweat from the lung-busting ascent up this thin stretch of mountainside . It ’ s about 600m of elevation , but takes about two hours to get up and down the other side , humbling every participant in the process . Once down the other side , a true test of character for each 100km runner awaits as you can hear the sounds of the Wartrail Country Club down the road and see the 65km runners heading off to their finish , while we have to take a left turn towards Edgehill Farm ( CP7 ) and another 35km into the night !
Heading out of Edgehill , stomach filled with a welcome cup of warm soup and bread , I felt fortified for the next leg , the infamous Bridal Pass . The challenge with Bridal is first finding the access point – remember , this run is unmarked and we are using GPS to find our way , in the dark . The access point is a hidden path through some Ou Hout bush . Thankfully , I knew my way from the previous run , and this proved invaluable . The next challenge is actually getting to the top of the pass in the dark . It ’ s brutal and feels like a never-ending climb .
Once at the top of Bridal Pass , I have to admit it became a bit surreal for me . It ’ s dark , and armed with a headlamp and GPS watch , you lose perspective of your surroundings , and forget how high up you are , or how close to the edge of a cliff you may be . Your world becomes a bit of an endless grey tunnel at the end of the headlamp , for hours , as you make your way to the Turn ( CP8 ). The only thought I really recall going through my head during this endless grey void was of curling up in a foetal position in a warm bed .
Once checking in at the Turn around midnight , it ’ s a short jeep track trot to the Hut , where a toasty fire helped thaw my freezing hands . This was followed by the best mug of homemade potato and leek soup ever . However , I made a note not to get too comfy at the Hut , as its tempting to curl up in a ball on the couch and stay there forever .
( continued on next page )
The author during the legshattering trek up The Wall
52 ISSUE 147 DECEMBER 2021 | www . modernathlete . co . za