TRAIL RUNNING |
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Watching My Weight
Arriving at Lady Grey the Friday afternoon before the run really gets the adrenalin flowing . Registration means saying hi to the organisers , collecting my goodie bag and race number ( 157 ) and a visit to the medical weigh-in . I had eaten a big breakfast and was hoping to exceed my weight leading into the week of 62kg , reason being I knew you lost weight in the first stage leading into the next medical check at Balloch , 58km into the run . If I proved to have lost too much weight , I could be pulled out of the race . I clocked 64kg and passed the obligatory blood pressure and questionnaire test . It was a good start , even though my heart was starting to race !
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Next was finding our allocated tents in the camping area and setting up for the night before the run . There were four of us camping together , two runners and two seconds , each with their own tent . I placed myself furthest from my second – he is my best mate , but he is also a world champion snorer and I needed to get a few good hours in before embarking on the gruelling journey the next day . We then had a great race briefing , where the atmosphere was warm and friendly , but with a nervous energy that purveyed . We got to rub shoulders with our fellow trail tribe member , including the legends like Bruce Arnett , who was there for his 22nd SkyRun ! |
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Sleeping before such a big event is always a challenge , but the wind blew forcefully and drowned out the sounds of my second ’ s snoring . We were all woken up abruptly by a car alarm around 2:30am ! I was intending to get up just before 3am , as we needed to be at the start by 3:30am . Oh well , the early alarm meant I could probably get to the toilets early to get rid of a number two before everyone else ! |
Headlamps mark the progress of the runners on the first massive climb out of Lady Grey |
Into the Mountains
By 3:45 we were all lined up in the main street outside the Lady Grey Hotel . A lot of nervous energy was buzzing around , and a loudspeaker was blaring out instructions that I could hardly understand . I felt good , but my pack felt heavy , at least 6kg . It was going to be a long day ahead , but I told myself to “ breathe in and enjoy .” The obligatory red flares were fired up … 10 , 9 , 8 , the countdown began … 3 , 2 , 1 , bang , and we were off .
A quick trot down the road , a sharp right and I immediately found a rhythm , but just as quickly we all ground to a halt at the first river crossing . A very slow , single file 7km hike and nearly 700m of vert gain ensued . I reached the Tower ( Check point ( CP ) 1 – 10km in ) within my planned time , and found out later I was sitting in 198th position out of approximately 250 starters . The slow hike to the tower is a blessing in disguise , as it conserves your energy and allows
In the Witteberg , a fence is sometimes the only ‘ civilisation ’ to be seen for miles !
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you to really appreciate the beautiful dawn and sunrise across the valleys below . I sucked in the fresh mountain air and was glad to be out of Joburg . This was the reason to be here ... to be at one with nature and find my balance again .
By the time I got to Olympus ( CP2 – 20km in ), I was feeling great and had the pleasure of bumping into a doctor friend who was a volunteer at the checkpoint . A hug and word of encouragement from Dr Human put a spring in my step , and I was on my way to Snowden ( CP3 – 30km in ) and the first waterpoint . But the spring in my step didn ’ t last too long . About 25km in , I already felt a cramp in my calf muscle . I ’ d torn my calf earlier in the year , and this was obviously a side-effect . Thankfully , the mind is a powerful weapon . I said to myself that I was running for a charity , and they depended on me finishing , so I mentally swallowed a ‘ cement pill ’ and hardened the &#@! up .
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Images : Andrew King , Llewellyn Lloyd / REBLEX & Rory Scheffer & courtesy Dave McCullough |