TRAIL RUNNING
A strong headwind often reduced the runners to a walk . balance . It ended up being faster keeping two feet on the ground and powerwalking .” Steve now found himself facing challenges that he had never experienced before . “ I could not wear a cap for sun protection , and I was getting sand-blasted on any exposed skin . It had become impossible to pour water outside or shower , so a change of clothes required a towel shower , and my hydration needs changed drastically , simply because the wind was drying up everything , even at 2am .”
The biggest and possibly most mentally challenging hurdle had now become the incessant noise from the wind . “ It just didn ’ t stop , no matter what I did . Even with music blasting through earbud headphones , the noise just would not go away . In fact , even scheduled breaks became challenging , because I would get a slight reprieve from the wind in the trailer , and when it was time to start again , I would step back behind the trailer to gather myself , and force myself to step out again and get going , because it hurt enough mentally that I was on the verge of quitting right there and then each time .”
FORCED TO DIG DEEP Steve is known for his incredible mental strength during endurance events , and he managed to persevere , making it to halfway at about 9:20am on Friday morning . Feeling battered and dented , much like the iconic cars at Tankwa Padstal , Steve stopped for the mandatory medical and mental assessments , and then was off again . Having broken through the mental barrier and found his way through the ‘ darkness ’ that any long-distance runner could tell you about , Steve found his second wind and was determined to make it to the finish line .
gave me something else to think about besides the never-ending howling wind .”
Steve ploughed on , one 10km section at a time , not knowing that his support crew were starting to grow concerned that his eyes may suffer long-term damage , as they had become so bloodshot from the exposure to the wind and the elements . However , Steve ’ s grit and determination paid off , and they made it to the ‘ home stretch , with 58km to go . Whilst that meant the finish line was in sight , it became harder and harder to stay positive , simply because the toll of the wind was just so much more than he had ever experienced . “ It was tough to stay positive , but as the night took over again , the same beautiful purple glow arrived , along with billions of stars , and brought with it a sense of calm that helped soothe the discomfort I was feeling .”
With the last 45km left , a decision was made to hold off a little bit longer and get an hour ’ s sleep before crossing that finish line . “ Soon , the sun returned in magnificent fashion , and it lit up the clouds , one layer at a time ,” says Steve , adding that it gave the whole crew a much-needed boost , and before they knew
“ Late afternoon , I noticed a huge cloud developing on the right and watched as it slowly moved forward . I was secretly hoping it would storm and cause the wind to die down , but again , Mother Nature had other plans , and all I ended up with was freezing cold rain being blasted onto my skin so hard , it felt like I was being pummeled by hail stones . On the plus side , it
Steve stops for a mandatory medical check at the halfway stop .
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