FEATURE
Every journey has unique moments that stand out , those things that stick in the memory , and for 48-year-old professional adventurer Gaven , two that spring to mind from his recent solo , unsupported 1000km run from Gqeberha to Cape Town seemed to be signs that he was on the right path . “ The one day I had run out of water , I was sunburnt , and my mouth was so dry after 8km with nothing to drink , and there , lying on the beach , was an orange . A beautiful , ripe orange ... and it was the juiciest orange I have ever eaten !” he says .
“ I think the universe knew I needed extra support that day , because an hour or two later , I discovered a bottle of mineral water that had been washed up on the beach . It didn ’ t look like a South African brand , and it had been in the ocean a while , as all the branding had long since washed away , but I was really thirsty , so I opened it and took a small sip , thinking it may be poisonous . But it was the sweetest water I had ever had , and I downed the whole bottle !”
Running dry was just one of the challenges that Gaven faced on this journey . Having set himself a time limit of 30 days to complete the 1000km journey , it meant he had to average 33km a day , along one of the most challenging and technical coastlines , full of steep cliffs , river mouths and other obstacles . This meant he often had to head inland to get around some parts that he couldn ’ t run – and then he still had to find accommodation for the night , food to refuel his tired body , and hopefully a hot shower to wash off the pain of that day . But that ’ s the way he likes it , a challenge from start to finish .
To Promote Wellness
Having previously cycled from Cape Town to Cairo and undertaken several other ultra-long challenges , the reason Gaven was tackling another challenging solo , unsupported long-distance adventure was to bring awareness to leading SA healthcare company BrandMed ’ s newly launched Syntro-P Wellbeing Programme .
Selfie time to help pass the kays !
Recent research has shown that South Africa is one of the unhealthiest countries in the world , with more than 60 % of the adult population living with some sort of chronic condition , like , diabetes , eating disorders , heart disease , obesity , asthma , hypertension and so many more . This prompted BrandMed to bring together a team of leading South African experts to create a revolutionary , virtual wellbeing programme the first of its kind , to help people living with these chronic conditions to overcome them .
“ We live in a world of challenges that create fear , segregation and separation , but we can change the narrative from disconnect and chaos to one of real connection and purpose ,” says Gaven . “ That is why I named this latest adventure the Heel2Heal Challenge .
The Syntro-P Wellbeing Programme has helped me to create harmony in my own life , and I am immensely proud to be inspiring others to make their first 1mm shifts on this journey to health .”
Challenging Youth
Gaven has good reason to feel strongly about promoting wellbeing . Growing up in Johannesburg , he suffered from attention deficit disorder ( ADD ) and dyslexia , two conditions that made his early life a real struggle , especially at school . “ I always felt abnormal , like I was stupid , and it affected my confidence . In Standard 2 , maths just stopped making sense to me , and I was seen as a problem child , always staring out the window . Once I even had a teacher who dragged me across the floor by my ear , in an apparent attempt
Gaven ’ s kit included Syntro-P branding to promote their Wellbeing Programme
Moody shot of Gaven ’ s backpack at the end of another long day of running on the coast
Images : Courtesy Gaven Sinclair
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