BAVIAANSKLOOF TRAIL RUN 2010

BAVIAANSKLOOF TRAIL RUN
18 SEPTEMBER 2010

Gerald, Pat & Ronel Scheepers
Chris Gedye
Mike Webb
Andre
Shane Norris
Peter Marriot
Siegfried
Michelle & Listia
Marie & Hugh
Tony and Sandra Boardman
Roger and Cathy Trader
Evie and Darrell Raubenheimer
Scott Rollo
Fanz Struwig

Results: http://www.baviaansrun.za.net/looking-back/results.html

After completing the Addo Trail Run, Andrew Barton persuaded Gerald and Family to enter the Baviaanskloof Trail Run. And then Gerald told me about it and I too submitted my entry. Adrienne also entered but in the end was not able to run due to both Injury and Travel. Andrew also had to pull out due to injury. Entering this event is a whole procedure on its own. First you have to complete and entry form plus pay an entry deposit even though the race is already full. Only 100 entrants are allowed to participate. Then you go onto a waiting list and as people pull out you are moved up the list. This is how I came to be accepted into the event. Evie Raubenheimer is amazing the way she keeps us informed of activity surrounding this event. Once entered you can expect an email at least once a week giving updates on what to expect.

It turned out to be the Sheepers' and I who left from PE at around 14.15 on Friday afternoon. Pat had done the bookings for our accommodation. We drove non-stop to the Langkloof Road 100kays and then the whole Langkloof road to the T junction where we turned right to Uniondale. The Uniondale (Spook) poort was closed. We bypassed Uniondale and shortly thereafter came to the turnoff to Baviaanskloof.

One has to be aware of the turnoff as it would be easy to drive straight past it. As we approached the mountains we became fearful of the huge cliffs all around us. We wondered on which side we would be running. But both sides looked equally scarey. The Rock Formations are quite stunning in this valley. One can see how the rocks and mountains have been formed over millions of years. The forces of nature must have been so powerful to force the rock to curl and whorl in this way.

We had now driven 285kays. From here it was a further 115kays to the farm. A dirt road seems very long. Most of this section was quite good quality road surface but one can never trust a dirt road completely and so I drove a little slower than Gerald would have liked. We enjoyed the spectacular cliff sides and rock formations. There are a number of farmers and ranchers along this route. There are also Game Farms where all kinds of adventure activity is offered. Unfortunately we drove the last half hour in the dark and had to ask directions from a local farmer.

As we arrived we saw a braai in progress and were happy to meet up with Tony and Roger. They took us to the main house where Piet Kruger took our R220pp and then climbed into his bakkie. We followed him a short way further into the kloof before he stopped at the old School where we would bunk down for the night. I had left my backpack with my Pasta Pack at home so Pat kindly shared her meal with me. I had grabbed a few potatoes on my way out and we microwaved these to add a little bulk to the meal. Nobody went hungry. We were all pretty exhausted and there was no argument about switching off the lights.

We were in a School Hall type of room. There were four single beds and as far as I can make out everyone slept well. It was pitch dark with no external light nor any noise so we had a really sound night's sleep.

Saturday morning we were woken by an alarm at 05.00am. We had done most of the backpack preparations the previous evening. After a wash and some instant porridge we were ready to leave. From here it was around 10kays to the start of the run at Geelhoutbos camp site. We drove slowly to the gate to the reserve where the Ranger took down our vehicle details. And then we had a fairly careful drive to the turn off to the camp site. But just as we were approaching the turnoff we rounded a bend and almost fell into a huge donga in the road.

We crossed a weir which was flowing fairly strongly. There were big bakkies and 4X4's which could drive through easily but I was very cautious as I could not see how deep or how strongly the river was flowing. We got through without problems and reached to turn off. This last 3kays of road was really bad and we had to drive very slowly.

Fortunately we were still early and in no rush. I think that some of the big vehicles behind us may have been a little agitated or impatient but I was not going to rush. Finally we came to the camp site just as it was becoming light. We were shown to the parking area. We unpacked our camel packs and walked back to the registration area. Here we met with Darryl who checked to see that we had Cups and then registered with Evie.

As we were registering we saw and greeted a number of people who we recognised. This kind of extreme event attracts a certain group of people. It was good to see Achilles being so well represented. Then numbers are limited to just 100 participants for Baviaanskloof. The last time I ran with Siegfried was on the Wild Coast. I remember one cold and rainy day when we were heading towards the Kei River. Siegfried produced a flask of hot soup which he shared with us. It was exactly what we needed on that day.

Each entrant was handed a bag with magazines, a whistle, a space blanket, a zooty Baviaans T-shirt a travel mug and a smart orange cap. The T-shirt given to us has images of the Buffalo, the Rhino and the Baboon on the back. The run is called “Run with legends” and it is these three ledgends who we will run with today. Baviaanskloof Honorary Conservators including Scott Rollo greeted us at the start and assisted throughout the day.

Darrell gave us a pre-race briefing and described the route. He took about a minute to describe what was going to be one of the toughest days of my life. He told us that a herd of buffalo had been spotted close to the camp. 07.00am.We started off running back along the road we had just driven. It was a loop which would pass the start area around 7kays later. We all had camel packs and enjoyed this section of the run. We could run at an easy pace and enjoy the early morning. It was not long before I was sweating as there was no breeze at all in this valley. As we passed the start area we began the climb.

I did not even attempt to jog up any of the hills but walking was tough enough. The ascent was very steep along an uneven jeep track where only a hardened 4X4 vehicle could attempt to drive. Up and Up we went. Perspiring heavily. The views here are awesome but the only way that the runner can really appreciate where we are is to stop and look around. In fact the best views are when you stop, turn around and look where you have come from. In this way you are able to see the vastness of the mountains and valleys.

The flora was amazing. On the top of these mountains the colours included reds, pinks, orange, purple, white and blue. There were pin cushion protea, everlastings, amazing cactus which I have never seen before and we even saw a lone Cycad at one point. We saw no animals except a few beetles and lizards. I saw a Rock Kestrel below me as it circled looking for prey. The amazing thing of being up on mountain tops like this is that you are able to look down on a bird like the Kestrel I saw. The spekboom thickets plus the thorn bushes provided interesting bundu bashing at times.

Pat and Gerald fell a little behind. Ronel had had a cold over the past number of weeks and she told me that she had not been able to run for around 6weeks. She coughed for most of the days run. I could see that Pat and Gerald would have a tough time making it to the watering station at the top of one of the mountains. As I climbed the mountain I was in wonder at the variety of Cactus and scrub. The mountain was so incredibly colourful that even though we were exhausted we still had time to appreciate where we were.

I had worn long shorts with pockets. I put a fruit bar and an energy bar in my pockets and would try to eat as much and as often as possible to maintain energy levels. Today my camel pack held a bladder with three liters of water, a long sleeve runners top, a cup, vaseline, toilet paper, a whistle, and some eats. The weather was particularly kind to us. Throughout the run we had cool overcast sky with occasional drizzle and from time to time there was a cool breeze. Ideal running conditions.

At one time I waited for the group to catch us. Marie and Hugh passed me, Michelle and Listia passed. But while waiting it was completely still. There was no breeze. I stood still and did not have the crunch of my shoes on the footpath. Listening to the silence I was overawed by my surrounding. The Baviaanskloof is a World Heritage Site and the section where we were running is not open to the general public so we are quite privileged to be allowed access to the area. I stood for a while listening to the sound of the cicadas and the occasional buzz of a fly. And then saw Ronel and Gerald as they made their way up the mountain. That would be the last time that I saw Gerald as he in turn waited for Pat.

We had to be at the checkpoint before 4.30hours. It did not seem likely that we would make it. We met up with Michelle and Listia. Michelle was not feeling her best and Istina pressed on to try to make the checkpoint. A man came loping past us. It appears that he had a breakdown in his Landrover and had arrived at the start 90minutes late. He had decided to skip the first 7kay loop and caught up with us.

Up and up we climbed. I was cramping on the back of my thighs. As we rounded a bend I saw the checkpoint and urger Ronel to run to try to make the 4.30hour cut off. As it turned out we made the checkpoint with just 2 minutes to spare. I had some banana and potato and filled my bladder. Today I would probably drink a total of 4 liters of water. Nothing was too much trouble for them and it was with difficulty that we pressed on into the wilderness.

From the checkpoint the route turns away from the Jeep Track and winds down some really difficult footpaths. I know that there are a whole group of runners who are able to run on terrain like this but I cannot include myself as one of them. Especially when being so totally exhausted as I was at this stage. I was so tired that I battled to keep up with Ronel's fast walking pace. She would break into a jog and I just could not bring myself to match her pace. High up here we would occasionally startle a Franklin as they noisily rushed away from us.

For around 90minutes we followed this trail in complete silence. Both of us focused on trying to get through this event. We had become tired of the day. 6 hours had passed. Our feet and legs were exhausted. Later on we both said how we had stubbed toes through the running shoes. I began to cramp in my feet whenever we were on a downhill. Each time we would round a bend we would see the coloured flags or the pathway stretching forever in front of us and would one more time become dismayed. The mountains stretch ahead for ever. Each time the runner rounds a bend there is more pathways with no end in sight. The lack of people or signs makes the run seem eternal.

The pathway seemed never ending. Ronel had a GPS on her wrist but this did not appear to tie in with the distances that Darrell had described. When we were at the checkpoint which Darrell had explained was at 27kays her GPS read 22kay. I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that we do a loop at the start? At one time we came down a hill and saw a flag but could no see the next flag. The track ended and we walked to where we thought we would be able to see the next flag. There was no path and no flags to indicate which way to go. We reluctantly backtracked and after some searching found an alternative pathway which led to the next marker flag. Right now I was glad that I was not on my own. I would not have enjoyed wandering around looking for a pathway without some kind of backup. As it was, the stillness of the mountain tops was eerie at times.

Shortly after this the Two Sweepers; David and Peter caught up with us. They had been with Pat & Gerald up to the Checkpoint where they had left them. They had reached the checkpoint around 30 minutes after us. I think that one of the highlights for Pat and Gerald was the 4X4 drive back down the mountain. They spoke about how well the Tata held the road despite the uneven track. They were able once more to enjoy the spectacular views of the mountains that they had just climbed. Although they would not complete the whole distance, they certainly had had a really good day including this trip back.

Meanwhile Ronel, David Robertson, Peter Hattingh and I continued our journey down to the finish. David told us that there was a chance that we could make the 7hour cut off. We had thought this to be an impossibility as we had worked out that we had around an hour to go but David said that we could still make the last section in a half hour. I think that he Lied. Probably he was trying to get us to move faster than our snails pace.

I should have realised that David's motive was to hurry us along when Peter did not say a word. So Ronel and I tried picking up the pace. But as we started the steep descent there was no ways that I had the strength to move any faster than I was already walking. It was only as we reached some kind of flat area that I put on a bit of a jog. But here we had these really steep cliffs and kranses on our left and one small slip could have landed you in Never Never land. So I walked again. Finally we saw the cars and activity of the end below us.

But is was still quite a little distance to the finish where Pat was waiting. We jogged in to a tumultus welcome. I think that people cheered us as they were happy that the Prize Giving could now begin. We arrived at the finish around 30 minutes after the cut off time. We may have missed out on the Medal but the most important thing to us was to have completed the whole trail. Darrell and Evie handed us our cold drink: Frankies old style Cinnamon Flavoured Coke. It was delicious. They also gave us a gift that I had worried would only be awarded to people finishing within the 7 hours; the Spekboom Plant that had been promised to all finishers. Andre asked me if this was my first time to which I responded: “This was my last time”.

I was so tired that I flopped down on Franz Struwig's family blanket. I must have been really smelly as Franz jumped up and offered me his camp chair which I thankfully used. Darryl started the thank you's and then handed the winning man and lady their awards. Hylton Dunn had done this event in a time of 3.30. I commented; “This was an embarrassment as we still had an hour to reach the checkpoint when he was already finished the event”. SanMari Woith was first lady home for the second time. Both of them received a Spekboom Crown as well as the Bronze Rhino which they are entitled to keep for a year. Their take away prize was an imprint of a leopards paw. Interestingly a leopard had been seen on the trail that we ran only a few weeks prior to our event.

Evie announced that us runners today would have a 24 hour window of opportunity to enter the 2011 event. Ronel: “That is one window that I will not be opening”!

After the awards we packed up and drove, slowly, again to Gerald's annoyance, to the School where we showered and loaded the car for the drive home. The 115kays to the tar road seemed to take for ever. We were not able to average a speed of much more than 40 - 50kph so this took us 2 hours. We passed Mike Webb. Mike has a BMW with “run flat” tyres. He has cut a tyre coming into the Baviaanskloof and would now have to drive all the way through to Willowmore to buy a new tyre as the car does not have a spare in the boot. I thought that we should be doing something to assist Mike but I had no idea what we could have done. Mike was now on his way to Willowmore where he would be cycling the Karoo to Coast on a mountain bike the next day.

We stopped at Uniondale to fill up with petrol. It was a surprise when Heidi Jansen greeted me from the car standing next to ours. They, like many others we saw today, were there for the MTB event; Karoo to Coast the following day. Christina Collet would also be cycling on Sunday. We stopped at a shop for something to eat and drink and then pressed on.

We left Uniondale at 18.00 and with around 270kays to drive I said that we would be home in three hours. I had a terrible experience earlier this year when, on the Langkloof Road, where a car had scraped the drivers side of my car as he drove in the opposite direction. (Hit & Run). My side mirror smashed though the window and we had to drive home in the rain with no window. This unpleasant experience made me weary of the road and I would slow down every time a vehicle approached us. Night driving is never pleasant but when it started to rain (and mist) it became even tougher. Pedestrians on the side of the road did not make things easier.

Finally we reached the N2 but at the same time we hit heavy mist. We had to crawl along every time the mist settled in. And with vehicles coming in the opposite direction seeming to have no regard for the conditions we had a really tough drive home that evening. But in the end we arrived safely and in the three hours. I dropped Gerald and made my way home where I had a cup of tea and promptly fell asleep.

This had been a good experience but I don't think that I will ever go back again.

The gift given to all finishers:
Spekboom
Portulacaria afra

The Spekboom is 10 times more effective per hectare at Carbon Fixing than any other plant on the planet. Spekboom is heavily browsed by game and stock and the leaves are edible, with a slightly acid taste. It is valuable as fodder during times of drought. The plant given to us is ready for planting. Just dig a fist sized hole and plant the whole package. (the spekboom came in a wrapping of damp Hessian).