With an established reputation within the KZN running community , 51-year-old Steve Gossman from Westville has been known to take on challenges that most people would shy away from , and then proceeds to tackle the challenge head on . The inaugural Tankwa Crossing in 2022 was no exception . However , this is not about the triumph of 2022 , but rather about 2023 ’ s adventure , which saw Steve attempt to become not only the first person to have completed two full crossings , but to also be the first to do so back-to-back .

The Tankwa Crossing , hosted by Umoya Adventures , is a grueling 207.3km journey along the R355 in the Karoo . The start is on the Calvinia side of the R355 , just where the tar road ends , and it is a non-stop race to the finish line on the Ceres side of the desert , where the tar road returns – and this with a 50-hour cut-off time . The slogan of the race is # Earnthedonkey , and the runners quite literally do so ... At the start of the race , each competitor is given the back end of a stone donkey , and their sole mission is to finish and earn the front end , by completing the distance within the cut-off time .

less was packed in the trailer . And then we were off to Clanwilliam for the night ,” he recalls .

READY TO GO After the night ’ s rest , it was time to face reality as the big day had finally arrived . The morning and early afternoon were spent sorting out the last few details , such as fuelling the car , buying plenty of ice , getting to the start for the race briefing , and most importantly , starting the mental preparation required for the task ahead , all before lining up at the start on Thursday 16 February at 3pm . “ It was such a strange feeling being on the start line again , and the tension of all the runners could be felt ,” says Steve , bearing in mind that he was the only one starting the full crossing who had completed the event previously , so he had a full ( or so he thought ) idea of what lay ahead .

At 3pm sharp , the donkey brey was played over the loudspeaker and the runners took off . Not flat-out , as you would in a traditional , shorter event , but at more of a slow jog . After all , this was all about endurance versus speed , and the runners needed to remember that they were in the middle of a desert … In this event , how the runners handle the heat can be a make-orbreak factor .

and that meant the flying bugs were all but nonexistent , which was great , as it meant no mosquitos to deal with , but it ended up becoming a sign of much more tumultuous conditions ahead . “ We had now settled into a nice routine , and both runner and crew were enjoying the time in the desert ,” says Steve . “ We all decided to have a one-hour snooze at 75km , and after waking up and a change of clothes , it was time to run through the night . It was in the morning that things in the Tankwa started to change , and not for the better .”

BLOWING UP A STORM After running through the night , the team was greeted by a stunning sunrise that was accompanied by a persistent breeze , which turned into a full-on headwind , averaging 50km / h with gusts as strong as 70km / h . According to Steve , this is where the entire gameplan changed , and any previous experience went out the window . “ At this point , running had become impossible , as you were thrown backward and off

Steve and his support crew , Tatum and Heath , arrive at the start .

Steve says he was not originally going to tackle the race again , but still found himself signing up . Now , for someone who is known as being the ultimate contingency planner , this approach was a little different for him . “ Due to various circumstances , I decided quite late to enter , but when the decision was made , things fell into place quite quickly , using last year ’ s packing lists , ideas and plans . The crew , two of my best mates , Heath and Tatum Oliver , were keen to help again , and after much discussion , we decided to pack way lighter , so all my kit fitted into one bag , instead of three , and much

There was a feeling of melancholy as the course moved along the first small pass , as the rain damage from the recent floods was still very evident , and given Steve ’ s own personal experience with the floods in KZN last year , it hit home a bit harder than expected . But , with a goal in mind , there was no option but to shake these feelings off and concentrate on the task ahead . “ After running the long descent into the Tankwa flats , nightfall arrived , and soon it was clear why it was called the Dark Moon Edition … only a slither of moon was visible ,” he says .

Another major difference was the number of creatures seen on the road this year – a breeze had picked up ,

38 ISSUE 157 | www . modernathlete . co . za

The early kays were pleasant , but Mother

Nature had a nasty shock in store .

Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 157 Issue 157 - March 2023 | Page 38