8/3/2019 Skyrun Report

1/3

A Test of EduranceBy Francois Geldenhuys

Adrian Saffy the event organiser endorses this ultra -endurance,self -navigation adventure race as being the ultimate test of BODYstamina, a journey through SOUL navigation and in the end, of SPIRITUAL survival.. He wasnt lying!

Above: The monster called Skyrun!

Sky Run is special. Its tough, run on an unmarked course (self -navigational between checkpoints) of rugged terrain, on an aver-age altitude of around 2,400m above sea level, kicks in a full5,316m of leg -burning ascent, and a nasty 5,158m of quad -trembling descent. This one's not for the faint -hearted.

Above: Ready to go (From the left, Justin Fourie, Brett Simp-son, Ray Obree, Francois Geldenhuys

The 4am pre -dawn start to Sky Run is always exciting - everyone'shyped up and nerves are running high. The route starts with a300m dash to a hikers' path that begins an 800m climb up the sideof a mountain to the first check point 11km away, high above thetiny, dusty town of Lady Grey. That climb sets the tone for the restof the day... and night!

Our strategy for this race was to maximise the daylight (every hour run in the light is time saved running in the night by the light of aheadlamp, which is considerably slower). We were aiming for atime between 22 and 24 hours.

We reached Checkpoint 1 ahead of schedule and were makinggood time through some slow traffic on the single track. At thisstage I was still thinking this isnt so bad!!

Above: Twisted ankles and burning quads!

The second section was a lot tougher than the first section and itseemed liked if we werent going uphill; we were walking on slopedterrain with uneven footing all the way. But still we reached Check-point 2 (Olympus) another 11km into the race ahead of scheduleand still looking good to make our goal for the race. At this pointthe TV cameras started following me around as well, probablythinking this guy will probably not make it due to my inability tospeak, breath, walk and make sense at the same time.

This was also the last time we saw water until the last section.

The third section started off with a promise from the marshals thatthe next section is all on Jeep track and should be easy going. Wealso soon learned that you cannot trust these marshals!! We joinedup with a group of guys that set a fast pace by running the flatsand downhills and walking the uphills. We were still chuckling atourselves, because we looked like ants running in a single file fol-lowing the leader of the pack without question. Running when heran and walking when he did. Sometimes in 30m intervals or less!! We reached Checkpoint 3 (Snowden) about 34km into the racestill within our goal time thinking this is tough but we can do this.

Section 4 really tested our determination and endurance by longhard ascents and descents on the cow grass slopes again testingthe strength of your ankles and quadriceps. On the last and steep-est hill we saw someone standing there waiting for us. We thoughtwe have reached the next checkpoint. Only to get to the top andsee it is a photographer making his way back a couple of hundredmeters ahead of us.

At least we were close, or so we believed. How far could this guyhave walked for a photo? Apparently a long way!!

We followed him up a tricky steep rock section almost breaking our spirits until we caught up to him at the top where he was onceagain taking photos. We asked him how far it was to the nextCheckpoint and he said it was just around the corner. Yeah, right!

After about another 2km of slogging up some more tricky rock sec-tion we finally reached Checkpoint 4 (Avoco).

8/3/2019 Skyrun Report

2/3

Section 5 is where things went wrong. While going through ex-treme drop -offs and holding on to fences for dear life with windspumping at 50km/h.

Things slowed down a bit. Then a technical glitch with the GPStook us the wrong way around the mountain. When we noticed thatthe area is getting almost impossible to navigate, we knew wewere lost! Still we pushed forward on this course stubbornly think-ing we can meet up with the track if we can just get around thenext section.

Finally sanity prevailed and we decided to turn around and try and

get back to the correct route. Half way we decided this is going totake too long and we will have to do some mountaineering! Proba-bly not the brightest thing Ive done in my life. Holding on to smallcracks while hanging over cliffs dropping down 300m plus with thewind trying its best to end the race for us right there. Finally back en -route and having lost 3hrs and spending too muchenergy, we decided that the race for us is now officially over andthat we are just going to try and get to the end. After negotiatinganother big ascent of what seemed to be one of several in thearea, we met up with our one team mate who started out slower (and wiser) and he took over the navigation.

Brett then safely guided us to Checkpoint 5 (Skidaw) where wewere running extremely low on water and were getting sips of wa-

ter from the marshals from their own private canisters. Betweenthe three of us we probably had about 1 litre of water to last us for another 8km, or that is what we were told by the marshals. After 8km we were totally out of water and dehydrated due to rationingoff the water. All we could find was dry riverbeds and more hills!!

And running over Dragons Back with the same wind.

Above: Our Ginger Guide (Brett Simpson)[At the back Justin Fourie (left), Francois Geldenhuys (right)]

Another 3km further we found a small stream with water full of tadpoles which with every scoop ended up in our bottles. After doing some hair rising descents we ended up doing the last 5km into Checkpoint 6 (Balloch) next to the most beautiful river andsurroundings imaginable.

At Balloch, which is 65km into the race and also the only second-ing point, we took the time to refill our bags with water (4,5kg) andfood (1,5kg). We also took the time to take an extremely cold bathin the river and to put on new dry and warmer clothes for the nightshift.

After doing some medical repairs on our feet and having a hotplate of food supplied by the organisers (this was also filmed bythe TV crew, very uncomfortable!) we set of into the quick settingsun on our way to the Wall!!

Every Skyrunner knows the real challenge begins after Balloch. Itstarts with The Wall, an 800m climb over about a 900m distance,with a mirror image descent down the other side. Standing in frontof this mountain range the only thoughts are that is impossible.After a 2 and a half hour slog up and down we picked up a ladyrunner who has been laying on the other side very sick for about 2-3 hours according to her. After guiding her down to the bottomshe showed us the way to get to the next check point. She knewthe way because it was her farm!

The next 8 or so kilometres were probably the best part of therace. Walking through farm lands with horses, sheep and cowseverywhere and the full moon lighting our way, we could evenswitch off our head lamps and enjoy our surroundings.

At Check point 7 (Edge Hill) we quickly sat down in a farm shed torest the legs before the next big climb. We then got onto a farmroad and this 7km flat section is then rudely interrupted by a river -

crossing and a hill -shunt (together known as Wildfell), and a seem-ingly endless slog up the Bridal Pass to reach 2,700m. At thispoint, our coastal lungs were working so damn hard that brain andlegs politely take second skivvy - everything's moaning all at once,and there's still more than 25km to go!

When we checked in at Check point 8 halfway up the Bridal Pass,which was manned by a handful of jovial students huddled in atent, passing the time singing pub songs and drinking beer, wethough at least we made it to the top. The one student just saidNooit dude, youre going up there! pointing at a red flashing lightanother 400m above us. This also looked pretty much impossible.

The next 13km was flat as this area can possibly get through cowtracks and ankle twisting cow grass.

When we reached Check point 9 simply called The Turn therewas a crew of marshals waiting with some of the best cup -a -soupand Marmite sandwiches this country and maybe even the worldhas on offer. With the TV crew once again in detail watching medevour the above and asking me question about the race, I couldsee in his eyes that he was thinking, how the hell did this okemake it this far?

8/3/2019 Skyrun Report

3/3

With the camera man following us (probably hoping one of us willfall down and cry) we set off to the last check point.

The haul up to the final check point, Halstone Peak, was gruelling,and the descent just as bad. At that stage we have been awake for about 29 hours and it was bordering on insane how dangerous thisdescent was. Those final 4km took forever, and I was patheticallyslow.

Moving down the long steep grass slope and getting instructionsfrom the people below to move left before we fall down a steepcliff, feeling blisters popping with every step I take, I knew wevecome a long way since 4am the previous morning. And then, at last, the finish - the Salomon banners, the lights, thecameras, the cheers (from 4 ladies obviously fully charged by theRedbull they been having for the past 24 hours) I was told that thelast 100m through the banners you have to run. Somehow I gotthe strength to get into a jog while still having the energy to Hi fiveall the girls to the end.

Out of 139 who started the 107km (We did 114km) course, only 77of us finished leaving some remorse and regret for nearly half of our field.

In the words our team mate Brett ending in a feeling like noth-ing experienced in an Iron Man or Comrades, it speaks to onessoul in a way which cant be organised or described into words,its a feeling of grounding, an appreciation of life, nature and thesurprise in our human ability to fool itself into doing more than weare told is possible.

Brett Simpson First National Bank Account Number: 62272479661 Branch Code: 200909 Deposit Reference: CWC (your name)

Before the race we also decided to run in memory of Bretts goodfriend who died of breast cancer a month or so before the race.Brett, also a cancer survivor, asked us if we would join him and tryand raise funds for a local charity called People Living with Can-cer.

Beyond our daily experience of life we realise how lucky we are tolive and to live healthy and its towards Cillas memory that wededicate our race and fund raising efforts to an amazing organiza-tion PLWC (People Living With Cancer).

Please visit our site www.causewecan.org.za or our Facebook

page Cause We Can Skyrun for more info. If you want to donate to this cause, please feel free to use the fol-lowing details.