The new face of the Outeniqua Traverse / Om die Berg

I have some exciting news to announce, Tatum Prins will be running the show in 2011 and I am sure she will take this event to the next level. I wish Tatum all the best and look forward to seeing the new look Outeniqua Traverse / Om die Berg in 2011.

Tatum races for the Merrell Adventure Addicts and has recently won the women's section of the Skyrun (coming in 5 th overall).

The date for the 2011 run is Saturday, 6 August. Hopefully I will be lining up with other runners to 'enjoy' this tough 40 km trail run.

Who is Molly Pension

I was going through some bank statements and picked up a deposit with reference 'Molly Pension'. Well I can't recall any entrants by that name so perhaps someone paid the money into the wrong account...

OR it was a generous donation, in which case, I would like to thank you for that!

If it was a mistake, please contact me and we can take it from there. You will need to prove it was from you though!

Your comments on the run

Once again, thanks for a great race on Saturday. I must say I preferred the route this year – going up those switchbacks is not nice. I cant believe how hot it was on the stretch from the dam to the top of Craddock Peak, and then how cool it was going down the other side. I really suffered on that climb. - Mike van Vuuren


Thank you for the race, it was tough, but I enjoyed it.  - Thea-Mari van der Sandt


Thanks for a great event I really enjoyed it.... it was a hard route and it was worth the pain - Cas van Aardenne


Thanx very much for a great run! The second leg of the 25km with all the mist was challenging and we managed to get on to the wrong side of the dam and had to run all the way round it! Lots of extra kilometres... - Liz Brash

Thanks and thanks for another great run.

I loved it.

Bunbu bash to CP 3 was a good test of the fun factor and a reminder what adventure racing is all about  J- Hanlie Booyens

Thanx for a wonderful run on Saturday.  - Herman Botha

After six and half hours of running we rolled into the finish line, not happy to have out run the other athletes but happy to have finished and conquered a truly hard core, full scale technical trail race - Kevin Flanagan (read the full article on Runner's World

Wil net baie dankie sê vir 'n baie lekker race! Al het ek by Saasveld die verkeerde roete gevat en op die ou end 30km gehardloop, of moet ek eerder sê gestap met bene wat nie meer wou saamwerk nie, het ek dit baie geniet... ek sal dit definitief volgende jaar weer wil gaan doen. - Bertie Janse van Rensburg

Thank you again for putting together a fab event.  I am sooooooo stiff I can hardly walk, and getting down stairs poses a huge challenge (almost like the one I had on Saturday!)

Wow, what a beautiful area we live in, hard to describe to anyone. AWESOME - Alison Jordaan

Thanks so much for organising the race on Saturday.  I had a bit of a rough race, but it was still good to be outdoors enjoying the views.  By being out there so long I suppose I got excellent value for money.  The race has a character unlike the other trail races I do, and I will continue supporting it into the future - Rob Patric

It was a really tough course but I enjoyed it thoroughly – despite the exhaustion and aches and pains  - it was incredibly beautiful. Its always just  great to finish something like that. - Chandre Gould

Holy cow - was stuffed! Ran the first 10km so hard!Loving the single track. HR right up at 187 to the top of tierkop, then was stuffed - Tatum Prins

It's Merrell Eden Duo time!

After taking it easy for a week (kind of) I am already changing gear to help my friend from Stilbaai, Jan Heenop with some of the admin and logistics at the Merrell Eden Duo.

If you have never tried an off-road multi-sport event, this is an ideal opportunity to do so.

• For the family there is a 15 km event.
• For the beginner there is a 50 km event.
• For the established athlete there is a 150 km event with minimal navigation.
• For the guys who know they can, there is a 200 km AR with some serious navigation thrown in.

To find out more about this wonderful event, please have a look at the 24-7 Adventure website. The event takes place at the end of October so you still have some time to get in shape for the most amazing 24 hours in your life! These events unfortunately cost quite a lot so do start saving up for it if you plan on doing it. I think the MED is still way cheaper than many similar events and the guys really try and put in as much value as possible for you the athlete!

Interestingly enough, John Collins (winner of the Om die Berg for two years running) is also the currently the reigning champ on the MED (this title is shared with his forestry team-mate Hanno Smit).

I hope to see you all lining up at the start line in October!

Surf's up

If you like a good internet spot / forum / online group thing, the following two sites should be of interest to you:
The Edge is general outdoor sports with an emphasis on climbing, trail running and adventure.
SA Trail Running is dedicated to trail running in South Africa.

Go have a look around, and do join in the various discussions. It is always a good way to learn and also share some of the stuff you have already learnt.

Congratulations to all the runners

Well done to all the folks who took part this past Saturday, the mountains were steep and ruthless and many folks made a wise choice to scale down to the 25 km route, only to get a bit lost on the way back to the Botanical Gardens. On the southern slopes there was mist to make navigation tricky and on the northern slopes the sun was heating things up and causing some dehydration problems later on in the day.

In the main event for the day, John Collins was in fine form and caught my marshals at Tierkop having breakfast, and beat my other marshals to the Herold Wines dam. We only just spotted him heading back up to the trail. Speaking of the dam, this is a controversial thing, and in hindsight I made an mistake to move the CP from North Station to the Dam. Sorry for all the scratched legs for those who bundu-bashed across the little stream. I did eventually break open a pathway for the back markers...

Everyone got off the mountain in one piece and most people managed to pull off a victorious smile as they crossed the finish line. There were a minimal amount of DNF's. There are many stories and legends born during a race like this, and two that deserve mention are Heather Jackson upgrading from the 25 km run to the 40 km run and doing very well (Heather was the only one brave enough to upgrade). Another story of note is Rob Patrick flying in from a business trip in Brazil and still completing the race - jetlag and all!

Thanks to all my marshals and helpers who assisted with the event. Some us put up checkpoint until the wee hours of Saturday morning, others shepherded the last runners along the route, spending over 11 hours out in the mountains (good time on your feet for Skyrun!).

Thanks also to Kappikappi for the awesome T-shirts and caps (the caps were handed out at random intervals as spot prizes).

Thanks to Black Diamond for sponsoring some Icon and Sprinter headlamps as spot prizes.

Thanks also to Liberty Life for a few caps to hand out as spot prizes.

It was my last year as head-honcho of the Om die Berg here in George, but I am already in discussions with possible candidates who can take over and continue improving the event. Please do keep an eye on this blog in the near future for more details. If your company would like to come on board as an official race partner, please also let me know and we can pass on your details to whoever takes over from me.

Once again thank you for your support these last three years! See you at the starting line sometime soon!
Garth

Good buys at Kappikappi and last minute helpers

The guys at Kappikappi will be available to sell you some good quality base layer tops at less 10 %.  So if you need a good base layer top, bring along some cash to the Friday registration and see if the price is right for you.

Also some of my checkpoint marshals have deserted me at number 90 (not quite 99 yet) and so if you have family or friends who want to come and see you in action at the Herold Wines Dam checkpoint, then please let me know. I need no more than 2 or 3 folks, and preferably a guy in the mix as I don't want to leave two girls in the mountains on their own.

A bright move indeed!

I am the VERY proud owner of a Black Diamond Icon headlamp . I have had it for about 2 years, and it's one of those pieces of gear that grows on you. I almost don't go anywhere without it! So I am delighted to say that our friends from Ram Mountaineering have decided to supply us with a few headlamps as spot prizes. Now granted, they will not be Icons, but a headlamp is a headlamp, and I am sure whoever the lucky winners are will be smiling all the way on their next night excursion!

Black Diamond also make excellent hiking poles (and a whole host of cool climbing gear if you are into that sort of thing). Did I say I have two Trail Compact Hiking poles and anyone who has been out in the mountains with me knows that I try and convert them to hiking poles by letting them use mine on tricky ascents / descents!

If you are looking to buy robust, reliable technical gear, Ram Mountain is a good place to start! If they don't stock it, then it probably isn't technical or it doesn't belong in the mountains!

Have a look at the new Sprinter light, if you plan on doing Skyrun this is all you will need in terms of lighting. It is pricey, but rechargeable batteries cost about R200 so take that off the price, because the Sprinter is has a built in rechargeable battery pack.

Running out the cold front...

By all indications, there seems to be a cold front heading our way, and it looks like it will be in Cape Town on Saturday and George on Sunday / Monday.

The weather at this stage looks cool with perhaps a small bit of rain. If that's the case, make sure you have the fleece / second long sleeve top and rain coat on race day! I will post some weather updates nearer to the time.

Google Earth file for 15 km route now online

At long last I have put the 15 km route on the route info page. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to download the kmz file. If you open the kmz file it should automatically open Google Earth if you have Google Earth installed. Happy virtual scouting!

Route info - Google Earth Files updated

I have updated the Google Earth files on the RouteInfo page. There is now one single 40 km kmz file and one 25 km kmz file. I still need to do one for the 15 km. Have fun. The last bit of the 40 km around Witfontein takes one along the Forest Buzzard hiking trail to a small dam (actually more a weir) with a wooden walkway... watch the route info page page for an upcoming photo of this possible checkpoint...

I have also not been that accurate in tracing the routes, but it will give you a good indication of where you will be running, walking... or crawling!

Who is your money on...

I am pleased to announce, John Collins will be back to defend his title as King of the Outeniqua's! However, things will not be easy for our Knysna hero! Hot on his heels will be the likes of Cas van Aardenne, Graham Bird, Nic de Beer and Dirk Cloete. The George based Jacques (2nd in 2009) and Eddie Mouton (1st in 2008) will also be gunning for a top spot. Cape Odyssey winner, Mauritz Jansen van Rensburg is also in the mix. There are always a few unknowns who will also be looking to make a name for themselves, so we will be waiting with eager expectation to see who is who in the zoo come 7 August 2010.

In the ladies race, Hanlie Booyens and Tatum Prins will be fighting things out, and Esther Lategan (winner of 2010 38 km Hell Run) will also be a lady to watch. Once again there are some unknown names, but it is anyone's guess who will be the new Queen of the Outeniqua's in 2010 - Annemien Ganzevoort will not be able to defend her title as she is working in the far east at the moment.

The 2010 route is the reverse of the 2009 route with some variations thrown in to keep things interesting. Runners will start at the Botanical Gardens in George, run up to and through Tonnelbos (a 400 m climb to get there). Then it is a long steady downhill to the Old George Dam, followed by a long climb up to Tierkop Hut. After a quick stop for refreshments, runners will head onto the wild stretch of trail between Tierkop and North Station. With very little space for overtaking on the trail, this will be the ideal oppurtunity for the runners with strong technical abilities to open up the lead. Runners will traverse a ridgeline along Dizzy Hieghts before descending along the dangerous switchbacks to the Kaaimens River (at this point nothing more than a mountain stream). At North Station runners will once again enjoy a drink and something to eat before heading out on the gruelling Craddock Pass. Some navigational decision making will be required on the Forest Buzzard hiking trail in Witfontein before runners head back to the Botanical Gardens in what could be a sprint for line honours.

What will the weather do? Will we have warm and sunny weather with Berg winds or will it be cloudy with drizzle, heavy rain or even snow on the peaks? This is trail running, and runners will take whatever comes their way come race day!

News from www.trailrunning.co.za

Much of the country is FREEZING, but the trail season gets hot!

There are loads of events coming up in the next 2 months, so here is a heads up!
The Cape Winter Trail Series starts on the 25th July and runs for the following 3 Sundays. Great trails in great locations.
The Hansa Hout Bay Trail Challenge is on the 24th July. One of the toughest events on the calendar with a very strong field this year.
In KZN, the banana boys are being creative: The Fugitives Trail Run on the 21 August, near Isandlwana;  Umdoni Park Challenge on 25th July and Trappers Ngoje Trail Run 31st  July, all promise spectactular views and excellent running. 

PE has a trail run. On the 1st of August the 2nd of the Aerosat Woodridge Trail Running Series takes place.

In Gauteng you can run the Vodacom Livetrack Dirt Festival Trail Run, on 15th August.

Back in the Cape the (snow capped) Outeniqua Traverse is up next on the 7th of August. Starting in George, runners enjoy good mountain time - be prepared.

Then, the original ultra - the Hi-Tec Puffer - is a long way to run (80km) for a beer - from Point to Pub. 21st of August.

The 28th of August brings us close enough to spring for the Namaqualand Flower Power Run.

A NEW race on the 28th of August is the Rooikat Trail Run in McGregor. Joining in with the Food and Wine festival, this is a family weekend jaunt. Entries opened today and are limited.

To view all upcoming events head over to www.trailrunning.co.za, click on EVENTS CALENDAR; Scroll to your event and view MORE INFO or BOOK ONLINE.

Trail TV on Supersport, next new show on the 28th July.

Happy Hot Trails

Trailblazer

Show me the way

I have had numerous requests for maps, Garmin files, etc etc...

Check out the route info page.


I have uploaded the 40 km map, it is 6 MB so be warned. There are waypoints on the page, rounded to the nearest second (probably 50 m accuracy). I left the one from last year up as well so that you can compare routes.


YOU WILL GET A MAP ON RACE DAY, so don't stress if you can't download it.


I will work on putting some photos up as well (in the next week or two)
I will update the Google Earth files and put those up too (in the next week or so),

Kelfords comes to the Mountains

Kelfords, a Ford and Mazda dealership in the Somerset West area have generously sponsored some goodies for the Tierkop Checkpoint. Runners will enjoy a refreshing glass of coke and something to nibble before setting of on the wild stretch of trail behind Craddock Mountain.

I drive a Ford Fiesta, so I was happy when Kelfords stuck up their hands to help out at a checkpoint. I wouldn't mind driving a 4x4 Ford Ranger or even better a Ford Everest, these vehicles look ideal to carry you to your next adventure. If you are in the market to buy a new car, give Tristan at Kelfords a call and  I am sure he can sort you out with what you need.

First 50 T-shirts are gone

The first 50 T-shirts have all been taken. If you still want a T-shirt, you have until Tuesday evening to pay and you need to pay an additional R50. I am placing my order on Wednesday, no extra-money received = no T-shirt ordered.

Well done to Spain, despite a slow start they managed to take the cup.

Scouting trips

I have been up in the mountains to check the condition of the trail. I would say 90 % of the routes that I scouted is acceptable, and I have contracted in some help to tackle the very bad bits of the 10 %.

Some of the highlights were:

• Seeing snow on the distant Swartberg and the nearer southern slopes of Craddock Peak whilst almost being blow off the mountain by some strong berg winds
• Running through forest and expecting a velociraptor to attack at any moment
• Spotting some magnificent proteas
• Running through the burnt sections of the mountain and thinking I had been teleported into a desert

It is here!!!

Can you believe it, the World Cup begins today. An EPIC month lies ahead of us.


To our boys in yellow, play your hearts out, and then some! We hope you do well and that you advance to at least the QUARTER FINALS!!!

Don't forget to train, or put a treadmill infront of the TV if you have decided to catch as much of the action as possible.

Woodrige (PE) Trail Run

For folks in the PE and surrounds area, there are two trail runs being presented by Woodridge School.
The first event is 18 July 2010, and the second event is 1 August 2010. Both distances will be about 10 - 12 km.
Contact Christoff Oppermann for more information (christoff.oppermann at woodridge.co.za)

Applications now available

At long last the applications forms are now available. If you want to come and run, please download the application form here. On the same page you will also find the latest newsletter. (You need to download the files in the attachments section).