When last did you get in the water?

At school I swam for the team (all strokes). For 7-years at varsity I played club and Provincial underwater hockey. The only other time I've spent any decent time in the water was due to "The Foot Injury of 2002". I'd swim up to 4km a day and aqua-jog up and down the lanes until I could get back to running. But that was then and this is now and until last night, I probably hadn't done any formal swimming since 2003. Tomorrow I'm doing Xterra Lite...

For adventure racers, swimming must be the most avoided discipline. Flat out swimming is just something that we don't really need as the only time we need to swim is to get to the shore when we've fallen out of our boats or cross rivers and short sections of dams. In full clothing, socks, takkies and dragging a backpack, lengths in a pool are not going to help a helluva lot (except for water confidence and upper body strength).

On Sunday at the Quantum Adventures sprint in Grabouw, we swam through a little dam, assisted by a rope strung from one side to the other. We also swam around a buoy in another small dam with tubes under our bellies. No style or technique needed here...

With Xterra Gauteng looming, I thought I'd better get in the water to remind my muscles just what it feels like to swim again; and the experience was actually pretty good. I had flashbacks to those long sessions a few years back when I'd rhythmically swim length after length after length... it's quite hypnotic. I definitely felt it in my shoulders and a couple of times misjudged the distance to the wall so when I tumble-turned too early my toes had to stretch for the side.

I swam about 1.2km and this morning suffered no ill effects, with the exception of a sore left ear when I woke up. Would you believe that I can be dunked by rapids, drift down mucky rivers, slither through mud and swim in dams yet my immune system succumbs to nasties in the gym's pool? I had to go to get drops.

One thing I can say is that the 600m swim of the Xterra Lite (1.5km for the Xterra) doesn't worry me; it's swimming with loads of other people at the same time that I've never done. I'm also not so sure whether I want to mountain bike with my cycle shorts over my swim suit and then how to I get my crop top on? After degreasing my chain (I received good instruction at AR Club this month on the correct procedure) I'm going to surf the web for some transition tips.

If, like me, you're doing your very first triathon (albeit off-road) tomorrow, good luck.

Gettin' into AR sprints

Would you believe that on Saturday I participated in my 3rd adventure racing sprint ever... and the first one since late-2002?

Adventure racing sprints, a short (20-40km) adventure racing event format, first made their appearance in late- 2000 with the introduction of Zirk Botha's Dirty Weekend Series and Mike Baker's Game Sprint Series. These events were immediately popular and they brought adventure racing into the mainstream market.

Where events over 200km are not for everyone, sprints are. Sprints are generally held within an hour of major centres, the disciplines are not technical, the distances are not intimidating, navigation is rudimentary (if included) and equipment is minimal (takkies, mtb and helmet). Most of all, they offer affordable, straight-up outdoorsy fun and they don't consume your whole weekend.

The very first sprint I did was one of Zirk's Dirty Weekend Series events at Roodeplaat dam in late-2001 (I think?). Near the end of 2002 I did Garry Townsend's sprint at Stanford Lake College in the Magoebaskloof area. It was tagged on to the Magoebaskloof Mountain Bike Classic. Ever since I've been on the sidelines taking photos and marshalling.

So, it was with suprise that I received an email from Philip Kruger about 2 weeks before the UGE Events Sprint asking me whether I'd like to join him. I hadn't even thought of racing! Tim was committed to racing with his friend so this was an opportunity not to be missed.

The event was held at Bushtrails in the Magaliesberg, an area I'd been to a few years ago for orienteering - no advantage... I didn't recognise a thing! We started off with an orienteering section, collecting 4 controls within a defined area. It was already roasting so Philip and I were glad that we'd chosen to run first and then mtb as those running later would be even hotter on foot. Then we got onto our bikes for a very rocky ride, one that included much bike-pushing. I really enjoyed the first section of it going up-and-over bumps on what looked like a quad bike track. Back into the transition we headed out for another short run-orienteering section before returning to the base for a very muddy obstacle course. How delightful to be walking on logs, climbing cargo nets, crawling through a tunnel and slithering through muddy pits.

While I controversally maintain that sprints are not strictly adventure racing, I do recommend these events to all and sundry. Why?

For novices this is an excellent opportunity to get out, have fun and to do something with your teammates. Even over 25km you can get a feel for your teammates strengths and weaknesses.

For experienced competitors, sprints offer a wonderful opportunity for you to promote your team. You can't get much better publicity than racing with 200 (or more) competitors out on the course and all around you versus 80 competitors you don't see for 3-days.

My thanks to Philip for inviting me to race with him. It was an excellent race and was good to be out playing. Next race? Tim and I are in Cape Town next weekend for a wedding so we're going sneak away from post-wedding festivities to take part in Ugene Nel's Quantum Adventure Sprint on Sunday, 18 Feb. Delightful!

Ready, steady...Run!

After a very, very slothful December post-Skyrun, I have attacked this new year with renewed vigour. My focus for the next 3-months is on road running and orienteering with space for any other diversions that arise. First, let me tell you about road running and why I think you should be out there with me...

Running is THE best training for adventure racing.

• it is excellent cardiorespiratory exercise
• it's a weight bearing activity
• running conditions your knees, ankles and feet to supporting your body
• it's the best way to strengthen your feet for the pounding they take in AR
• you don't need much space/distance - you can run circuits of a field or around the block
• with the exception of road running shoes (don't use your trail shoes), running requires zero equipment
• running is the most accessible and convenient exercise; run from home, with a group, on your own, whenever you have time and for as long as you wish
• road races are fun and motivating

Adventure races are won on foot, not on bike.

Yes, yes, yes... like you I really enjoy running on trails but it's not something I'm going to do on my own, every night (I always training in the evening/night - I don't do mornings if I don't have to). During the week I train on the treadmill but on weekends I really enjoy a good organised road race. It's a no brainer too; I don't have to plan anything or think about where to run. I just drive to the venue, enter and run the route they set.

I got into road running in Standard 9 while at school. I'd always run for the athletics team; 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay. I had never imagined running more than the required training loops around the track. I had a friend in the team, Henry, who was also in my class. He was a good 400m sprinter and his dad was into road running. One day Henry invited me join them at a 10km. They fetched me on the Sunday morning and off we went - I don't even remember what race it was. Henry ran with me the whole way, giving encouragement and walking with me when I needed a little break.

I loved that first race and the following weekend went with them to another and another and another. I always looked forward to setting off early on Sunday mornings to go to races and I recall a Wednesday nite run in Alberton where I broke the 60-minute mark on a 10km (without walking at all). I think it was then that Henry realised he could leave me on my own and run his own race; he was a much faster runner.

I started frequenting the running shops to collect race flyers and became a regular Runner's World magazine reader after receiving a free copy at the Bedfordview Reebok 21km, my first half-marathon.

My mom was (and still is) a wonderful support. At school and into varsity, when I was too young to drive, she would take me to races, waiting patiently for me to finish. She always commended any result.

It was the spirit, the energy, other runners and the motivation to improve my times got me hooked. Runners are friendly people and if you run regularly you start to recognise people running the same times as you. Running for a club, people will chirp asking questions like, "Hey Adventure Racing Club, what's the adventure today?" or if you're slacking off they'll say, "Hey Adventure, not far to go".

I didn't run much between mid-2000 and early-2003 but when I started getting my running focus back I immediately began entering road races again. I'd missed the people and the spirit and I drew motivation from the races to improve my fitness, speed, strength and endurance; all beneficial for AR.

Last weekend I ran the Kudus 15km through Parktown and Parkhurst. Hilly, hilly route. This Sunday was the Dischem Bedfordview 21km; yep, it's the same half-marathon I ran some 8-years ago before joining my first road running club, Bedfordview. We had many AR Club runners there and this morning I received a quick email from Nicky Booyens (Team Red Ants) who made the following comment, which inspired this blog: "Wow! Loads of people and an awesome vibe. I have done very little road races lately so I have forgotten what it is like!"

And that's just it. If you're not running races occasionally you do forget what it is like but when you run a race again you rediscover what you so enjoyed about it. Road races do offer an awesome vibe and if your week spirals out of control a race serves as weekend fixture where you can get in some exercise. Races are safe, routes are measured, water tables are set out every 2.5-4km so you won't run dry. If you're into t-shirts and medals, you'll looooovvveee road races; I've got t-shirts, medals, beer mugs, glasses and coffee mugs.

Website to bookmark for dates, venues and details of road runs include www.runnersworld.co.za (Race Diary) and www.runnersguide.co.za. Now you've got no excuse ;)

I'll be running a good number of road races in Joburg over the next 3-months. Look out for the AR Club umbrellas and come over to say hi. Happy running and happy feet.

Up where the sky is clear

I had the great fortune of running the Salomon Skyrun at the beginning of December with two AR Club friends, Tony and Ivan. This race is, without doubt, one of the most challenging off-road running events in South Africa.

Adrian Saffy took over the organisation of this event, from Skyrun's creator John-Michael Tawse, in 2005 and this year the race received record entries with 67 runners. The route starts in Lady Grey and runs over the mountains along the SA/Lesotho border, down into Balloch, back up and through to Ben McDhui and finishes at the Tiffendell Ski Resort. The race can be run over 2-days or non-stop.

We opted for non-stop, which is not necessarily the best idea for first timers. Although I'd been there in '99, I hadn't gone past Balloch, and neither had Ivan, who took part last year. And, as fate would have it, this is where we lost some 5-hours; unable to find a mountain pass in the dark.

Nonetheless, the weather was perfect, the temperature warm - with a slight cooling breeze - and there was water in the mountains, thanks to recent rains. The scenery up on the ridge is spectacular as the mountain sides drop away either side into South Africa and Lesotho.

Photo by Stephan Repke, the "German Skyrunner".

Stephan is a photographer and runner and has been visiting SA.

This is a small section of the Skyrun route.

What really makes this race challenging is that, although there are a number of trails, the terrain is rough going. Your feet and ankles get worked left, right, up, down, forward, back and all possible positions inbetween. I haven't had blisters for a long, long time (touch wood) but I succumbed to a couple during the race. Aaarrggghhh... I hate blisters!

We reached Tiffendell after fighting the morning gale (the wind was blowing so strong from Breslins to Tiffendell that I was using my trekking pole to keep me upright and we could barely hear each other even when shouting!) some 29-hours after we'd started at 09h00 on Sunday morning.

Would I recommend this race to you? Of course... BUT, I would recommend that you run/hike with someone who knows the route or do the race in 2-days, sleeping over at Balloch. The section through to Balloch (about 56km) is a very decent race in itself, without the Day 2 section. This is very do-able as a first timer to go straight through if your navigation is reliable (and next year the route showing the mountain pass will be correct). If you'd like to race this route to win? Oooohhh... I'd put my money on it to say that a first timer will never win this race unless they traverse the entire route prior to the race.

Andrew Porter (2nd in 2005) worked hard this year to take victory from Bruce Arnett, who has won the race since its inception in 1998. Both of these guys are exceptional runners. Andrew set a new course record of 15h03. Wow!

Salomon Skyrun is an incredible event. It is tough, challenging, scenic and inspiring. In Adrian's capable hands it is well organised. The comraderie of the marshals (farmers/land owners) and participants is magical and it is a race I'd go back to (now that I've had a week to think about it *grin*).

(click on pic to see bigger image)