Arriving at Mfuli Game Ranch I looked at this mountain that reminded me of the Platberg in Harrismith. Okay no big deal I have done this before. The car temperature gauge for outside was 15 degrees. For us coastal people that is cold, I had frozen my hydro pack on advise of my friend Sharon. She had run this last and it was a blistering 44 degrees.
Well nervous anticipation before the race and playful banter with the huge group of Run Walk for Life runners and walker. I had a shocking find, my MP3 player was missing #*(%*^&$*&$ no Cascada for me today just the sound of silence.
We started and ran down a side fence of the game reserve the surface was dirt road, I was really happy to be wearing Yvette’s gators, we went through a side gate onto the road which was also a dirt road, at 2 km or so we were still on that dirt road however it is covered with loose sand as like in the beach. No choice have to run this as the climb is just ahead.
We start climbing and man this was so similar to Rhodes Ultra, flags demarked your path and neon orange stickers also marked the path. I actually found them easier to see then the flags. So we climb and climb, from 3 km to 6 km we climbed 440 meters. I got to the top at 1h27, last week I ran a 10 km in 69 minutes ???
The wind was blowing and it was icy cold, so much for the ice pack on my back. One of the most important pieces of my kit came into play on this section and that was my Buff, I pulled it over my cap and face all you could see was my eyes. Another important piece of equipment that I used at Rhodes was a walking pole, this thing saved me many times when I stumbled.
I was quite worried about a dear old couple who were on the race with us, both of them in the late 70’s were just behind me. Every now and then when they disappeared from site I would take a break for a minute or two until I could see them again.
The mountain proved too much for them and at 6 km they bailed, lucky for them there was a 4x4 up there to take them back.
So up was good now the decent, well the runners had unearthed so many small clippies I opted to make my own path next to the main path. Bone jarring decent and I reached a spur of the mountain where I could run again. Basically for the next few km’s the path became a sort of dirt road but just after 10 km we were back to footpaths and the one place a fear of height came in.
At 12 km the heavens opened, remember the sandy road…yeah. So anyway, I came across the last water table, which had a group of about thirty locals standing there in the rain shouting, Go Eskom GO. That was really cool and the locals were fantastic however the children seemed to be scared of me, well I had a Buff over my face which is a camo buff and a what looks like a spear in my hand (walking pole) I must of looked like a SWAT team member.
My one and only gripe, I hit 16 km on the return dirt road and it was still 1 km to at least to go. Anyway back into the reserve and through the finish at 3:22. This morning I am sore, my bones are sore and everyone that was in the car with me were going to do this mornings race in Verulam….all of them 1000 km challengers.
Seriously this is a magic race and I enjoyed it but no I have don’t need to return, done and dusted but did not finish fresh as daisies, anyway it is well known I am not a mountain goat. I did however get the RWFL group with “GO BD GO” with the gyrating hips as I came in to the finish.
I did get a lucky draw prize, which was some cash, that always helps. Congratulations to uMhlathuze Ac for a great race. You want to see what this club hosts go to www.umhlathuze-ac.co.za I do recommend the Spares Shop Half Marathon, magic race.
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