Good news

2008 is now almost a thing of the past, and the good news is, we have already starting cranking out plans for the OT 2009!

As soon as I get back from the December break, I will start sending out info regarding entries etc, but the entry fee will be between R100 - R150, and we are working on a long sleeve technical T also in the region of R100 - R150. So budget for a worst case scenario of R300 bucks (if you want a T-shirt), and hopefully we can give you the good news that it will only work out to R200 (if you still want the T-shirt).

Drive safely if you are going anywhere!

I am not a big fan of the materialistic spending spree over the Festive Season, but I do think it is good to stop and reflect about a Person who was born about 2000 years ago! What is more, His birth, death and resurrection were prophesied many year's before the event, and this is possibly the GREATEST NEWS ever told!!!

Isaiah 53:1-12

Who has believed what they heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
(2) For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
(3) He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
(4) Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
(5) But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.
(6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
(7) He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
(8) By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
(9) And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
(10) Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
(11) Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
(12) Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

YOUR comments on the run

• Although going about 5km off course and covering about 41k in total, I've no regrets. Running in such a beautiful location makes up for getting lost. ~ Stevie
• Most of us agree it was tougher than any other trail run we’ve done. I definitely want to do it again next year. ~ Ad
• I initially thought the route markings were a bit lacking, but the orienteering was actually fun. Can't wait to do it next year ~ Marc
• To share the day with Gisele was an absolute highlight! Thankfully the inclement weather did not result in any injuries and everyone was able to enjoy a very special time in the Outeniquas! ~ Chris
• Thanx for a great race and an awesome experience – I am still sore – something that hasn’t happened to me so long after a race, in a long time! ~ Mike
  

The Mad Scientist's Take on the OT 2008

It is always good to get some feedback from fellow event organisers, The Mad Scientist has written a blog post on the event and if you would like to read about it, click on this link:
http://chaosinnature.blogspot.com/2008/11/inaugural-outenique-trail-run.html

And the winner is...?

Well for most it is not about winning, but about experiencing nature up close and stopping to admire the view or take a photo or two. There was some talk of some folks not sticking to the hiking trail that goes through Tonelbos and around the small dam, but instead taking an easier jeep track option. I wasn't there to play policeman, but those who stuck to the hiking trail got the full value for their entry fees, those who didn't were only shooting themselves in the foot. next year I will definitely tighten up this aspect of the race with a few unmanned CP's...

Name	OVERALL TIME	COMMENTS
Eddie Mouton	05:39	1st
Rinus Wessels	05:42	2nd
Nicholas Smith	06:02	Chicken Run
Mike Ohlsson	06:03	3rd (Trail)
Mike van Vuuren	06:03	Chicken Run
Jan Heenop	06:05	Chicken Run
Michael Graz	06:09	4th (Trail)
Caroline Balkwill	06:44	5th / 1st Female
David le Page	06:44	5th
Jacques Mouton	06:55	7th
Suzaan Kruger (Willie)	06:58	7th
CJ Viljoen	-	CP 1 Start
Jeff Willcocks	07:03	9th
Erika Groetpass	07:50	Chicken Run
Martin Grotepass	07:50	Chicken Run
Geert de Decker	07:33	Chicken Run
Klaus Kassel	07:33	10th
Mary de Decker	07:41	Chicken Run
Glen Lindsay	07:44	11th
Marc Rodgers	08:10	12th
Rod Warner	08:20	13h
Amanda Williamson	08:27	14th / 2nd Female
Christine Collins	08:27	15th / 2nd Female
Andy Cox	08:50	16th
Chris Crewdson	11:49	17th (Trail)
Gisele Crewdson	11:49	18th/ 4th Female (Trail)
Jayde Butler	DNF	Did not Finish
Kevin Ewers	DNF	Did not Finish
Lee Rawlings	DNF	Did not Finish
Andrew van Blommestein	DNF	Did not Finish
Mark Wagenheim	DNF	Did not Finish
Sue Ulyett	DNF	Did not Finish
Barbara Hage	DNF	Did not Finish
Stephen Hector	DNF	Did not Finish
Bianca Grotepass	DNF	CP 1 Start
Frans Grotepas	DNF	CP 1 Start
Ad Cole	DNF	Withdrawn
Jo Mackenzie (Emily)	DNF	Withdrawn
Guy Wood	DNF	Withdrawn
Lianne Wicks	DNF	Withdrawn
Ryan Jucker	DNF	Withdrawn

Landy World comes to the party

We are very grateful for the support local businesses have shown us in the race. Another George business have literal provided the proverbial bandwagon, let alone jumped on!

Landy World have loaned us a 4x4 vehicle for the weekend to transport the marshal, seconds and yummy goodies up to Tierkop Hut.

So if you are one of the privileged few to own a 4 x4 and more specifically a Land Rover, do consider taking it along to the guys at Landy World for some T.L.C. when your vehicle needs its next service. They have 13 years of experience and will put it to good use in looking after your Landy.

Heather Park Superspar

A special word of thanks to Heather Park Superspar for being our official checkpoint goodies supplier. I have personally tasted their muffins, and you will not be disappointed!

Heather Park Superspar is the closest shop to Witfontein (about 2 km away) and it is a good idea to go and get your goodies for the braai there! They are open until 21:00 pm so if you arrive late on Friday from Cape Town, you could also get one or two things for the run on Saturday!

They have also supported various road running races in George and have given us a few spot prizes for the Outeniqua Traverse.

Wilderness Pharmacy Sponsors a Checkpoint

Great news, Wilderness Pharmacy has come on board to sponsor a checkpoint with something to drink (Coke / Hot Chocolate) and eat (Muffins / Jelly babies etc), so runners will definately appreciate their generosity while out on the trail.

Our thanks go to the management of Wilderness Pharmacy for supporting the race!

Nitty Gritty - The Devil is in the Details

2008's race will be between 35 - 40 km depends on your route choice and if you get lost or not.

You will get a map with a recommended route, the recommended route is the one that contains the most trail running and because this is TRAIL RUNNING event, the official winners of the event will be those who stuck as far as possible to the recommended route (I will have to trust the winners' integrity here as I will not be able to check up on this). All runners will need to check in with the marshals at the checkpoints.

• Start is at Witfontein Forest Station,
• Checkpoint 1 is at The North Station,
• Checkpoint 2 is at Tierkop Hiking Hut,
• End is back at Witfontein.

As a concession, those who are worried about the distance, can start at The North Station (and thus cut out about 10 - 12 km of the route), or they can form a relay team, person A does the Start to CP 1 leg, person B does the CP1 to End leg.

If you feel more comfortable with taking the chicken run route up Montagu Pass to CP 1 instead of the more tortuous Craddock Pass trial or if you go via Pepsi Pools and the railway line after Tierkop, you will still be considered an official finisher, but you will not be eligible for the overall prize (not that I have any overall prize at the moment, but I am working on it!)

Race registration is Saturday morning from 06:00. Race briefing will take place after everyone is registered (latest 06:45) and then once that is done, we can start (latest 07:00). Those starting at The North Station can drive up after race briefing and start at 07:30 or whenever their relay partner gets there.

Cut-off / short course: If you haven't reached The North Station by 11:00, then you will be told that you can either hike back to the Start via Craddock Pass or Montagu Pass, or we can make a plan to transport you back to the Start.

There is one gents and one ladies toilet at the start / end. There are also a toilets at Tierkop.

Minimum kit:

• A charged cell phone with enough air time to make emergency calls in a waterproof container.
• A water bottle (750 ml)
• Energy bar / endurance fuels to help you go the distance
• A space blanket
• A whistle
• Personal first aid (asthma pumps / anti-histamine etc)
• First Ascent Apple Jacket or something similar.
• Your laminated race map (you will get this at race registration)
  

Recommend kit:

• A backpack to carry your stuff in,
• A camera to take photos
• A warm long-sleeve top (eg First Ascent Blade Runner or QuicWic Crew Top)
• Sunblock
• Hat
• Walking Stick
• Gaiters
• A 2l bladder (the trail has long dry stretches)
  

Risks:

• The trail is overgrown at places, there are steep slopes, so watch your step, a fall could result in serious injury.
• You can get sunburn / heat stroke / dehydrated if it is sunny, or hypothermia if it is cold and wet.
• You can get bitten by a whole host of bugs / spiders / snakes / baboons or even a leopard.
• You can get stung / pricked by the organisms that don't have the teeth to bite you (wasps, bees, scorpions, itchy plants etc)
• You could twist an ankle, scrape a knee, or get your eye poked by a stray branch, so be careful out there!
• Lastly, you will be out of breathe and feel certain burning sensations in your legs on some of the steeper bits!

PLEASE DON'T LITTER, and if you stumble across a paper or something plastic that doesn't belong in the mountains, take it along to the next checkpoint and put it in the bin there.

If I have left anything out, please jog my memory by leaving a comment.

The Chop-Chop Story

Saturday morning early, well not so early, but early enough, CJ and myself left George for a scenic drive up Montagu Pass and parked my Uno in the black wattle grove at the North Station. The idea was to hike to Tierkop, put out markers, chop open the trail and then hike back to the car...

So just after 8:00 we set off on an epic mission, the first few km went by without too much trouble, putting in markers where necessary and the day just starting to warm up.

Then after the ridge where one looks down upon the last visible signs of civilization (Herold Wine's Dam) we started going down into forests that reminded me of Jurrasic Park. Here we had to start our chopping, and in hind sight, a pruning shear might have worked better than a machete, firstly because the trail was quite overgrown and not much space to get a swing going and secondly, the plants are young and bendy, so they deflect and spring right back with minimum damage. Anyway we battled on up to the Kiaamans River, up here it was just a small pleasant stream and had a lunch break under the shade. We did not know it at the time, but this was the last place to get water, so from here, make sure your bottles are filled and that you have a good long drink!

Enjoying the Shade at the Kaaimans Crossing

Then begins what Lettuce refers to as "The Switchbacks". Lettuce is a lettuce farmer near Plett , and captained the Pennypinchers AR Team to successfully complete the Bull of Africa in 2008. He is also a member of the Southern Cape Mountain Rescue Crew, and having gone through that section in the Eden Duo (albeit in the opposite direction) I had peppered him with questions about the trail to get as much info as possible.

The Switchbacks will really test the athletes, and it is a steep climb from the valley up to the ridge. One misstep could result in quite a spectacular fall and the overgrown trail doesn't help much in that department (we tried our best to clear the worst, even resorting to breaking the plants with our hands, but it was a mere 'drop in the ocean')! However the view to the top of Craddock Peak was awesome, with clouds just forming at the summit, and we even spotted a black eagle enjoying the cool breeze! Once you reach the ridge you are itching to run again, and the path clears out a bit and you can stretch your legs. When we got here we decided we were not going to hike back to North Station, but instead press on from Tierkop to George. So off we set for Tierkop.

The Ridge after the Switchbacks

Tierkop was locked up so we could not fill our empty bottles, but I am working on Cape Nature to open it up on race day.

Tierkop Hut, A Welcome Sight for Tired Legs (but still 17 km from the end!)

From Tierkop we stuck to the old hiking trail, that goes over the old George Dam, (the dam makes me think of some futuristic movie where earth has been attacked by Aliens and mankind is now on the brink of extinction - a civilization that once was). From the dam the hiking trail winds its way along the contours through some amazing mountain forests and then drops down to the Witfontein Forestry area, we arrived back at 18:30, so we spent about 10.5 hours out on the trail.

It was an amazing day out, my legs are still a bit tender, and my closing thoughts are mixed:

• This trail run has amazing views, but you will work hard to get to the best view points!
• The condition of the trail is not great, your legs will get scratched so bring along gaiters if you have any.
• We used blue spray paint from North Station to Tierkop, and yellow spray paint from Tierkop towards Witfontein, so keep an eye out for our little arrows. Also there are numourous hiking footprints so you should not get lost.
• Water on the trail is scarce, so drink up when you get a good water source, and make sure you fill your bottle at every opportunity!
• Even in the full noon sun, just stopping for 5 minutes on the ridge cools you down quickly, especially if the wind is blowing.
  
• If you plan on walking the whole trail, bring along a headlamp just in case...
  
• Walking at 15 minutes per km it will take you about 10 hours to do the whole route, add in about 1 hour for stops (3 x 20 minutes) gets you to 11 hours.
  
• The total distance is probably closer to 40 km than 35 km, but we will see what the people with footpods / GPS watches report back.
• If you are worried about the distance (and can't find a relay partner), I will make a concession and you can start from the North Station and miss out on the first big climb up Craddock Pass. You need to sort your own transport out to the North Station.
• If we can sort out registrations quickly, and get the race briefing done with, we can start a bit earlier on race day.
  

How to get to Witfontein

From the traffic circle at the top of York Street, take the road going to Oudtshoorn (N9 or N12).
Drive past the government Hospital and Outeniqua Rugby Stadium, continue past the Heather Park Superspar and Virgin Active.
About 800 m after the last traffic lights, there is a turn off to the right signposted "Montagu Pass / Outeniqua", turn right here. The road becomes a gravel road.

Turn Off to Montagu Pass

After another 400 m there is another turn off to the right signposted Witfontein, turn right here and go through the gates. Drive straight down this road until you get to the start area.

Turn Off to Witfontein

We are on the air!

Well hello and howdy!

If you are reading this you must enjoy running and you must enjoy spending time in the mountains!

Because that is what this blog is all about!

I will hopefully be able to put useful info here that will help you in preparing for the run!