ROAD RUNNING
It says a lot about the calibre of Johnny Cobra that he attempted a race of his own invention , when it was never certain that it was something he could complete . And it says a lot that he only made halfway . What bears lurk in them thar woods ? He swears that if it wasn ’ t for CHTNIV unleashing instructive expletives , he would never have made 10 loops , let alone 12 . “ It doesn ’ t count if you don ’ t at least make halfway ” is the PG version of what she said . Apparently .
Run Like a ( Badass ) Spartan
The second edition of the ( now ) annual Spartan Baby Badass Ultra ( SBBU ) took place in Johannesburg at the end of April 2023 , with 40 runners setting out to keep running for 24 hours and cover either 100km or 100 miles in order to raise funds for CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA . Rob Riccardi was one of the intrepid participants and shared his enthralling , sometimes gut-wrenching experience with us in the May 2023 edition of the mag . Check it out via this link .
Of the 100km runners , Terminator terminated after 16 loops . Princess imploded after 14 loops . Bricius succumbed before his 17th . Irish Spartan completed his 23rd loop , then got lost , and still isn ’ t quite certain how he finished 15 minutes after the challenge ended . Although they completed all 24 loops , The Flightless Eagles and Simzo ’ s teams were disqualified , because teams – as we all know – are not allowed at the SBBU !
Tired runners report for a late night cowbell .
All For the Cause
On Saturday 27 April , 51 runners will line up for the 2024 SBBU , with 46 tackling the 100km challenge , and five taking on the 100-miler , including Johnny Cobra attempting the 100-miler for a second time . Of the 51 would-be Spartans , 19 will be taking on the SBBU for a second time , while 11 will be starting their third SBBU . As mentioned earlier , in 2022 the SBBU raised over R120,000 for CHOC , and in 2023 , the SBBU raised over R330,000 for CHOC . Now , in 2024 , the SBBU runners are aiming to raise R550,000 , to take the SBBU fundraising total to R1 million .
The SBBU is a fundraiser by the CHOC Cows for CHOC .
According to Greek folklore , Spartan babies that could not cut the mustard at birth , and who seemed weak or infirm , were tossed off a cliff . At least , so the legend says . Well , now these 51 brave runners will get to see if they are worthy of being considered strong enough to be bestowed the title of Spartan Baby , and spared from the cliffs of doom . Time will reveal all .
In Support of CHOC
The Spartan Baby Badass Ultra aims to raise funds for the CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA , a non-profit organisation that supports the wellbeing of children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer or life-threatening blood disorders , and their families . CHOC aims to save lives through early detection of childhood cancer , and making the journey of those who are affected less burdensome , through comprehensive support programmes .
The impact of the organization can be seen in the statistics … Over 1700 children being cared for , over 1400 families receiving psychosocial support , CHOC accommodation offered to children and their parents or caregivers during treatment and follow-up visits , carebags and food parcels made for patients and families , and more . All part of the vital work this organisation does in the fight against childhood cancer .
More info at https :// choc . org . za
The author refuelling between loops .
You can follow SBBU race updates on www . instagram . com / sbbu _ official , and support for the cause is always appreciated at https :// www . givengain . com / project / the-cow-raising-funds-for-thecows-71410 .
Images : Courtesy Rob Riccardi & the CHOC Cows
16 ISSUE 167 | www . modernathlete . co . za