The wonder of Creation always evokes discovery. And being little, for Josiah and Jethro limitations exist in this regard. Until they realise how far they can go, simply because their inquisitiveness perks an interest that says they can go a little further each time they step out on a trail… In November 2024 it was the magnitude of the Wolfberg Crac...
As an endurance athlete there is always a pursuit of perfection in the execution of the performance – it is what gives some impetus to the drive to achieve the summits or finish lines we set ourselves out to conquer. And then I realise that I am actually not in control of the performance or result as much as I think I am. It is by grace that we tra...
Besides being South Africa’s national flower, the King Protea is a sight to behold not just on its own, but especially amongst the vast floral kingdom of the southern and southwestern biome of the Western Cape. Trail running amongst such natural beauty found simply nowhere else on earth is a massive privilege. And doing so with my bride even more s...
If results are determined as an indicator of performance, then traversing the inaugural 100 kilometre Pass2Pass Ultra-Trail was one of those races. But it is not always what one sees, as the marking on the finish sheet only indicates limited information. And other than finishing within a cut-off time, there is way more to any race than how fast one...
There are some sweet intersections in life which are possible to construct with little effort. Mostly it will be good! And then there are those that take considerable intentional planning, aligning of one’s lifestyle, going out of one’s way literally and submittal to creation’s wonder to be a part of. These are immensely rewarding! If the Cederberg...
Iconic landmarks always intrigue and draw a crowd. Natural landmarks even more so for young boys who just love sand, rocks, and the great outdoors in combination. Add some trails which take the intrigue to another level of adventure, and we find ourselves back in the Cederberg Conservancy, this time, to have some fun in amongst the Wolfberg Cracks,...
Running with Josiah and Jethro in hand during the last hundred metres and over the finish line of my second race of the ultimate distance in running brought about a new realisation of “What race are you running?” That was more than one amazingly sweet moment! The ultimate distance of 100 miles is not the ultimate experience and they helped me see t...
When most things are out of one’s control, running trails teaches one to accept whatever comes one’s way. And enjoy the race! This race was a reminder. Having only traversed the iconic peak of Chapman’s once on Ultra-trail Cape Town® 100 miles just five months earlier in midnight darkness, gale force wind and black drop offs on either side of ...
Understudy: an athlete who ventures into the realm of aiming to complete a 100-mile foot race within a cut off time of 45 hours. I am no hero – my supporters are. I do not own or tame any trail of this distance. Rather, it undermines my next steps. Insidiously. I just attempt to keep moving forward – pressing on, relentlessly, pushing my mind, soul...
When one thinks of the West Coast of South Africa, usually wind swept, bright beach sand and remoteness comes to mind. Yet, the need to protect the coast is the furthest thing from most minds: of the consequences of prospecting and mining. Trailblazer stands for justice, and we had to do our part and support the Protect the West Coast organisation ...
The oldest mission station in South Africa, Genadendal (meaning Valley of Grace) in the Overberg District in the Western Cape dates back to 1738. That is where this inaugural leg of the 2023 South African SkyRace® Series started and finished – either end of traversing the Genadendal Hiking Trail. Remote in its location and somewhat unexpl...
The privilege growing up near the foot of one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature of Table Mountain and spending many a year there playing on the massif kind of prevented us from traversing the Cape Flats and exploring the mountain range east of Cape Town in the Hottentots-Holland Mountain Catchment Area. Knowing full well that Cape Nature’s Jonkershoek...