TRAIL RUNNING
it , they were passing Zwartkop Guest Farm , meaning there were only 14km to go . “ Despite the wind , the sun beat down and it was incredibly hot , but as I descended the valley towards the R356 turn-off to Sutherland , the mountains started shielding the wind slightly , and now mid-morning – much later than expected – I finally felt the Tankwa heat I remembered from the previous year .”
Steve receives the other half of his Donkey Trophy from Hanno .
Stave , Taum and Heath celebrate another successful Crossing .
Heath joined Steve for some company , walking along the infamous tar strip next to the fig trees , before they were back on the gravel road for the final climb to the end of the R355 . “ I finished the distance in 44 hours 32 minutes , and whilst it did not go according to plan , I managed to finish the event without any major injuries , or needing weeks of recovery time .”
A TEAM EFFORT As the only person to have successfully completed two full crossings , giving him a total of 414km , Steve is now the leader of the 1000km Donkey Club , which is a challenge that has formed amongst the Tankwa participants to see who can reach 1000km in the Tankwa series . When this is mentioned , Steve immediately says that he is fully aware of the importance others have played in his success . “ I owe it to my incredible support crew . Honestly , one cannot underestimate the importance of a good crew , particularly one that knows you inside and out . I have my best friends as my support crew , and I thank them from the bottom of my windswept heart . I know they enjoyed the adventure , too , but without them my adventure is not possible .”
The only runner to do consecutive Tankwa Crossings .
For their part , Steve ’ s crew were as excited about this year ’ s trip as they were when they took on the challenge in 2022 , but their experience allowed for flexibility , which ended up being a game-changer as the conditions changed during the race . “ The plan will change , there is no doubt over a distance like this , so be dynamic and flexible . A run of this length will always have curve balls – in 2022 it was the heat , and this year , the wind ,” says Heath .
Unsurprisingly , after two years , back-to-back , supporting Steve on the Tankwa journey , Tatum and Heath have a vast amount of knowledge and tips for supporting someone at an event of this magnitude . “ Possibly the most critical one would be mental support , like having surprise foods or drinks that were not on the runner ’ s list . The deeper into the race , the more stimulation and variation will help your runner stay cognitive of the present , remembering that they ’ ve been running for over 24 hours , when the mind really needs all the support and encouragement it can get ,” says Tatum .
This year , the shift in conditions , and ultimately strategy , did not dampen Heath and Tatum ’ s spirits . “ We take immense pride in supporting the most positive and hysterically funny runner , which makes this journey one of the highlights of our year ,” says Tatum . And when asked to pick out a highlight of the event , both agree that , “ One of the greatest parts of the experience is bumping into other support crew and runners . The camaraderie was phenomenal , and despite the event being a race , it truly felt like everyone in the Tankwa over that period were all on one team , so credit to event organiser Hanno Langenhoven for nurturing this ethos .”
Ready for More ? If you ask Steve what his next challenge is going to be , once he recovers , there is no pause before he answers , “ Completing the Wildseries Grand Slam , and more importantly , raising funds for Wildlands Conservation Trust on my 2023 Comrades journey .” ( The Wildseries Grand Slam consists of three events in 2023 , the Golden Gate Challenge on 27 May , the Mont-Aux-Sources Challenge on 9 September , and the Nambiti Challenge from 27 to 29 October .)
Faced with the more pertinent question of whether he will be back for crossing number three in 2024 , you are met with a coy grin , followed by , “ I don ’ t know , hey , it ’ s too far in the future to say absolutely yes or absolutely no .” One thing that is for certain , though , is that the next adventure promises to be another unforgettable experience in the Tankwa Karoo .
The next edition of the Tankwa Crossing will take place from 31 January to 4 February 2024 . More info at www . tankwacrossing . co . za .
40 ISSUE 157 | www . modernathlete . co . za