Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 60, July 2014 | Page 47

race report Ma

The Jonkershoek Mountain Challenge (JMC) and Helderberg
Mountain Challenge (HMC) in Stellenbosch and Somerset
West respectively are two weeks apart in May and form part of
the Wildrunner Mountain Challenge Series. This year, the JMC
was run in freezing conditions, while the HMC enjoyed superb
running conditions, but both received rave reviews from all the
participants, including double winner Duncan O’Regan and
double finisher Rick Kotze.

A glorious view from
Helderberg Mountain.

Images: Kelvin Trautman & Dylan Haskin

Mania

HMC: Three Summits
Two weeks after the JMC I felt ready for the next challenge. The HMC
started well enough, and the weather couldn’t have been better. As I
reached West Peak for the first time, I had to slow down to appreciate the
view. The sun was behind me and the mountain was throwing a massive
shadow over Somerset West. In the distance I could see right over False Bay
to Simons Town and the Cape of Good Hope.

Duncan survived the shivers at JMC.

JMC: The Big Freeze
After a warning about dropping temperatures and heavy rain at the top of
the course, the JMC took off at a blistering pace. Bernard Rukadza attacked
before the 2km mark and promptly disappeared, leaving a chase group of
four. I attacked at the top of the first steep climb to the contour path and at
the bottom of Swartboskloof had opened up a reasonable gap on the other
chasers.
I had run the course for the first time earlier in the week and had identified
the 7km of technical trail between the top of the main climb and checkpoint
two at Bergriviernek as the key section. This knowledge proved invaluable
when at the top of the climb the visibility decreased to about 30m and it
started to rain heavily. Completely isolated, I focused on running consistently
and checking off landmarks.
Running out of the mist down the other side of the valley, I was surprised to
see Bernard about 100m ahead and pushed hard to make contact at about
the 23km mark, but at checkpoint three he again used his speed to gain
30 seconds. Fading fast and trying to maintain the highest pace possible,
I was surprised when I caught Bernard as we reached the final decent.
Unfortunately the race was denied a sprint finish as he had twisted his ankle
and decided not to contest the finish, so I was able to run unchallenged to
win my first SA trail race. – Duncan O’Regan

By the time I reached the highest point of the race I was feeling a little
brittle, and my fatigued legs didn’t take the downhill as well as I would have
liked, but at first I thought nothing of it and picked my way down the rocks
on the side of The Dome. Summiting West Peak for the second time had a
strange effect on me mentally, and it was also at that point that I realised I
was almost out of water.
I decided to gamble and pushed a bit harder for the finish line, hoping that
with only downhill left I would finish the race before dehydration set in. I
now see that it was a rookie decision, and I paid the price. With recovery
came clarity, however, and once again I see that running allows me to take
a look at what I have come to accept as the norm and put it to the test. It
reminds me that you can never run away from yourself, but you can always
strive to improve yourself. – Rick Kotze

Rick enjoyed the sun at HMC.

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