Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 76, November 2015 | Page 17

freezing, breezy but not windy, and
very dark. But it was a stunning day
and all went as planned. The toughest
part for me is always the trek up from
Constantia Neck to Maclear’s Beacon,
after 56 tough kilometres – by then it is
hot, and the legs and mind are not
working.
From Maclear’s to the top of Platteklip
Gorge is two straight running kilometres,
with the drop down to the path having a
fearsome reputation, but it had never
bothered me in the past. I was more
worried about my fourth position, but
knew that very few people could make up
any ground against me going down
Platteklip. On the path towards the Lower
Cable Station, I felt strong enough to keep
running, even though I knew that my
position was now safe, and I knew the rest
of the route like the back of my hand.
That being a very wet year, and the day
being particularly warm, I decided when I
came to a rocky overhang to reach out and
grab some falling water in my cap to splash
over my head. As I did so, I slipped and
fell down the gorge, a distance of about 20
metres. I bounced once or twice, but it was

essentially a sheer drop, and I was badly
injured, unconscious and lying in a stream. I
had a completely shattered right elbow, and
my head had taken a few big knocks to the
extent that my scalp split open like a melon.
Not a pretty sight!

However, luck was with me: A tourist spotted
my antics and informed the next runner,
Hayden Hobbs, of my predicament. Hayden,
coincidentally, is a doctor, and he happened
to have his cell phone on him. He abandoned
his race to come to my aid, clambering down
to my position, contacting the emergency
medical personnel and stabilising me.
From there, things were a bit of a blur for
me – they usually are, according to my
wife – and all I remember is being freezing
cold, joking with Hayden, refusing to give
him my wife’s phone number (because I
didn’t want her to worry), dangling below
the helicopter all the