PETER GIDDY.: July 2011

RONEL, ADRIENNE. PETER, SJANI AND ANDRE

ADRIENNE INTRODUCES THE MPRG

WOODRIDGE 16 KAY TRAIL RUN 31 JULY 2011 ORGANISED BY KAREN AND CHRISTOFF OPPERMAN

Please note that the horrible grainy photo's are taken with my cheap Nokia phone. The beautiful pics are taken by Christoff's friend with a decent camera.

Sunday 31st July 2011
So here we area again; After the long drive to Bloemfontien and back for Ally's Hockey. Collegiate played Oranje and in the U14A team our girls managed to win 3;2. It was a tough match and one of the few that Collegiate won this weekend. It had been a stunning day in the sun as we watched the various games including the first team where Danielle Wilson played.

I had emailed Tommy Satchwell; so he was at my house bright and early. We collected Andre and Adrienne and headed out to Woodridge. As we waited for Adrienne at her home, Tommy realised that Andy Bolton now lives in the house where he had lived as a Grey Boy. He rattled off the names of the neighbours as they were in those days. It was a beautiful morning with a chill in the air but a lovely warm sun.

TOMMY; SJANI AND ANDRE JUST BEFORE THE START

Elmarie passed us on the way to the event. She seemed so content on her own in the car. This is her only time where she is able to be quiet she tells me later this morning.

We registered in for the run and then ambled over to Pat and Gerald where Pat had some hot coffee and Muffins waiting for us. This morning it was not like last week where we could not see who was running. It was a beautiful morning with a chill in the air but a lovely warm sun. Being a sunny morning this week we were able to greet the various runners; Jonty and Trish Daniels; The Bartons; The Elficks; Terry and Vanessa Webb; The Scheepers'. Tommy spoke to Andy and it appears that he would like to take his mother to Andy's home to see their old home.

VANESSA (WEBB) LOOKING VERY CHIRPY

This morning it was short sleeves and no jackets required. Christoff tries to explain the rules and the route; basically he tells us to look out for route markers and to stay on the path. We will be running a different route to last week; We are going to head in a westerly direction and over onto neighbouring farms. Last week he announced that this week's run would not be quite as hilly. He lied!

With little further ceremony the run is set underway and we immediately start the climb up a kind of boardwalk. For me this is the toughest part of the morning. I do not enjoy a hill before I have warmed up. My breathing is laboured and I feel my heart jumping out of my chest. Finally we reach the top of the hill and turn at the electric fence. Down hill onto the fields which, after the recent rains are saturated and muddy. I realise that there is no point in trying to keep my shoes clean and so do not worry about the muddy sections.

THE GIRLS APPEAR TO BE VERY HAPPY WITH LIFE

SJANI, PETER AND RONEL THINK THAT THEY HAVE TOPPED THE HILL -- LITTLE DO THEY KNOW WHAT IS COMING!

We run in a little group of Adrienne, Andre, Sjani, Ronel and myself. This group stayed together from start to finish. This, for me, is unsual as I often find that one of the group feels frisky and heads off ahead of the rest of us. Down the hill we jog, uneven fields making the running difficult. The rains of the last number of weeks make everything wet and muddy. Adrienne enquires if there is a prize for the muddiest finisher.

LOOKING ACROSS THE VALLEY TO THE OCEAN --- STUNNING VIEW!

ANDRE HEADS DOWNHILL

And then a fairly long up hill to the dirt road. Here we come across Vanessa (Webb) and look across the valley to the ocean. This is a delight for me as I had no idea how close we were to the beach. Down the route takes the runner. This is a jeep track; steep and slippery. I struggled here as I could imagine myself doing some bum slides as we did last week. Only this time we are on a rocky road and the slippery sliding may be a little painful.

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THE CHEERFULLNESS OF SJANI AND RONEL?

I meet up with Lufka and her friend Nambita. Lufka is a Nippers Mom (I am a coach). Her husband is being transferred to Qatar and this is one of her last opportunities to enjoy the South African outdoors. Lufka is not at all looking forward to living in a compound in the desert. Especially after the incredible time that she has enjoyed in PE; Husband and wife enjoy keeping fit; Children at wonderful schools; stunning climate; beach living. What more could you ask for?

ADRIENNE WILSON --- STRONG AS EVER

We head down towards the first river crossing. We are joined by Tara (Brightman). Les, Margie and I have know each other for around 25 years. Tara was a little child when we were in Round Table but she remembers me. I am flattered that she recognises the old buggers.

Crossing the first river; I ran across. I saw one participant removing shoes and wondered why she would do that as we had all been in mud and slush and our shoes must, by the nature of the trail, get wet anyway. Sploosh, Sploosh we all cross the river! This is what trail running is all about. Doing something completely different. Fortunately I have my trail running backpack and am carrying more than enough water. We are able to drink from the pack as often as we like.

LUFKA, NAMBITA AND TARA (BRIGHTMAN)

Then, just as our feet are starting to thaw out -- comes the second crossing of the river. Here the river is flowing quite strongly and we have to walk slowly. I try to take a picture and make my group wait in the water with their feet freezing. Gerald and Pat had fallen a little behind us but we give Gerald a thought as he hates anything colder than bath water.

SECOND RIVER CROSSING -- LUFKA IN FRONT

KAREN'S KILLER CLIMB
Our feet are wet and cold. But all we can see is an up hill ahead of us. Now we head up the longest hill that I can remember for a long time. We must have crossed the river at around 8 to 8.5kays. We climb to where the only tap is located. Some of the group have a drink. This is a compulsory walk for us. It is steep and tough just walking. Up and up we walk. Every now and again we walk on the farm road, only to be taken back onto the bush pathways and more uphill.

I am sure that the indigenous bush looks wonderful and that there may even be views. All I see is the view of my feet trying to push up and onwards. Some of the group seem quite chatty and cheerful. Not me. I have to puff and pant as I climb this unreasonably long hill. I work out that this hill must be around 4kays. Christoff mentioned something about a two kay hill. He must have been delusional when he did his calculations.

Finally we reach the top of the hill where the Medical Emergency vehicle is waiting. We can see across to Woodridge School and the medical man tells us that it is 4 kays to go.

ANDY FINSIHING AHEAD OF THE MAIN MPRG

BENITA; SUCH A COOL LOOKING DUDE!

It was about now that I decided that hills of about 4kays should have names. Look at Rhodes where you have Mavis Bank and the Ultra's such as Comrades and 2 Oceans all have names for the long tough hills. So I have determined that the hill that starts at the second river crossing and finishes where you can look across to the school, shall from this day forward, be known as Karen's Killer Climb.

MICHELLE'S CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE STRONG RUNNERS

MICHELLE AND ELMARIE; A PROUD ROB IN THE BACKGROUND

So off we go; down the hill to where we see Christoff waiting patiently for the stragglers. He is comfortably sitting on his Quad Bike. We take yet another set of Pics; I am convinced that if we had not been taking pictures on the route we could have saved around 30 minutes. But so what?

RONEL, SJANI, ADRIENNE AND ANDRE WITH CHRISTOFF AS HE STRADDLES HIS QUAD BIKE

I realise that we are now on the route that we had taken earlier on as we headed out. Now we have a very long schlepp up hill back to the school. It may not be long in distance but this is a tough and tricky section. You have to walk / run in the mud and your feet stick in the sludge as you misjudge a tuft of grass.

CHRISTOFF HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF PUTTING THIS TRAIL RUN TOGETHER.

More up hill until finally we reach what I think will be only downhill from here. But no -- this sadistic Christoff has to take us down the tough section next to the fence for a substantial way before we are allowed to take the trail that emerges onto the field.

Cross the final field and make our dramatic finish with the five of us holding hands in solidarity. It has been a great morning and I can truly say that there is nothing that I would rather be doing than running on a trail run at Woodridge this morning. Christoff has organised a bag of oranges and a cold drink for each finisher. Tommy arrived at the finish long before us and has already had a shower and is looking all spruced up. We change in to dry clothes.

PAT SEARCHES FOR THE FINISHING TAG

GERALD AND PETER D/CANHAM

Soon after this Pat runs in followed by Gerald and Peter Duffel-Canham. His wife Karin had run last week but today announces that you should learn from experience (lost the soles of her shoes last week) and has decided to avoid trail running for this weekend.

PAT SCHEEPERS BEATS GERALD THIS MORNING

Shortly after she finishes, Pat sets up the coffee shop at the boot of her car. We sit around on the road enjoying the welcome coffee and muffins before the prize giving starts.

Christoff summons us to the grassy area where he has a table full of prizes. He has gone to a huge amount of work to make this a special morning. Discovery is the main sponsor plus he has a number of lucky draw prizes which he hands out. I am delighted to see Elmarie Janse Van Rensburg receive a Klipdriff hamper but when he calls my name out, Christoff remembers that I won the hamper last week and he hands me a stunning waist pack with water bottles which will be ideal for trail running or hiking.

HERE COMES OUR GROUP

As we left we had to give Gerald Directions to PE. Last week he ended up at St Albans (I am not sure if this says anything about Gerald) but then we must remember that he did not have Pat to guide him to the straight and narrow.

If you want to see a group of men and women enjoying themselves, then do not miss the 2012 trail run at Woodridge. There was an electric vibe amoungst the people both on the run and afterwards as people swapped trail stories.

TREVOR GREETS THE WORLD

Again; Well done to Christoff, Karen and their team of people who put this event together. For us it had been an outing well worthwhile and most enjoyable.