TRAIL RUNNING
The descent through the forest was equally challenging places water spouts from the mountainside , enough to fill a bottle and cool yourself down . My mind was soothed and focused by the beauty that surrounded me , more than the pain of the effort required to get through it .
As kilometre 37 ticks off on the Garmin , you ’ re still high up on the mountain , and you ’ re finally ready to confront the final steep descent of the day . As much as your quads would desperately prefer a different option , the last three kilometres drop you over 600m towards the lowveld , and the sweet allure of a cold beer . When I crossed the finish line , Ronald and his Band of Merry Friends as well as Pineapple Chris were looking relaxed , fresh and showered , with beers in hand ( probably not their first ). For a moment , I thought that maybe they had not run at all , but then the hard reality sank in – they are just proper mountain runners , and good enough sportsmen to cheer for the backmarkers .
By the time the end of the field ( Warren ) got off the mountain and across the finish line , the sport field was alive with activity , fires , live music , the screening of the Springbok game on a makeshift open-air screen , and just a very festive vibe overall . The weight of the day ’ s event , though , meant that the festivities simmered down quickly straight after the race briefing for day two , which promised a day of running through a ‘ Big 4 ’ game reserve ( no buffalo ), with the slim but present danger of running into , or being chased by , any sort of predator , elephant or rhino .
Running in the Wild
When I exited my tent the next morning , I was sure that my Achilles tendons had been replaced with wooden rods as I walked stiff-legged and in considerable discomfort towards my breakfast . But then the magic happened , and by the time I finished the stroll to the koshuis , I could feel some flexibility returning and the discomfort evaporating .
Long-time friend Warren doing his thing at the back of the pack
Pineapple Chris , so named due to his unfortunate choice of pizza topping
Images : Courtesy KZN Trail Running , Stefano Migliore
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