2011

LIBERTY MEDICAL SCHEME RHODES TRAIL RUN

2011 RACE REPORT

"Awesome"

"Baie lekker"

"Tough"

"Snow was fun. Felt sorry for the kids"

"Gruelling"

"Need more training"

"Great. Mavis makes it"

"Vrek mooi"

These are some of your comments at the end of the run.

Congratulations to all who participated. Some of our memories are Danny Holton and Sham Singh finishing their 23rd Rhodes Trail Run. Guy ‘Polar Bear' Jennings running the entire route in a Polar Bear suit to raise funds for the Rhodes Public School. Thank you to those who donated towards this worthy cause. The monies will be spent on projects not covered by the State. We will keep you updated on the website. Brian Key who at 72 years of age finished 59th overall in a time of 6:57 - WOW!! Those who received their Permanent numbers and those who finished, that in its self an achievement. Congratulations to Trevor Toerien on his 4th win and Sarah Gray on her first. Not only were they home first but both were also first to the top of Mavis Bank and Hooggenoeg Ridge. Diane Duggan was unfortunately the recipient of the cut-off blanket at the top of Mavis Bank.

Each year we say no two Rhodes Trail Runs are the same. This year we had a little of most nice things. A little little temperature (remember it was minus 10°C at the start!), a little water running over the causeways, a little water and ice in the rivers, a little snow along the Border road, a little snow on Hooggenoeg Ridge, significantly less cars on the route.

"Need more training" - this quote at the finish could not have been more true. There are so many who underestimate this event. The combination of sub-zero temperature, altitude, thin air, a few hills and a trail that is rough and sometimes disappears needs miles in the legs to enjoy the view, and the snowball fights!

What a cheer went up at prize-giving when we mentioned limiting cars on the route. Unfortunately there are still runners who disregard this request. I am sure that a number of you follow Tour de France and saw how easy it was for a driver to hit a cyclist. Not just any driver - an experienced driver. We try and keep the road as clear as possible of cars - cars can slide on the ice and also create unnecessary dust in the valley (making it very uncomfortable for those who wear contact lenses). When cars park on the route blocking the road for official vehicles and the medical team it causes problems for all. The question one has to ask is why are some runners respectful of fellow runners and others could not care.

Only in Rhodes would you ......

Receive a goody bag specially made by a self-help project with loads of interesting surprises as well as specially designed Buff®

Stand in line at registration and be offered a glass of sherry

Get woken up by a pealing church bell and a vehicle (this year it was a VW Amarok) driving through the village hooting to make sure no-one misses the start having overslept!

Church bell once again pealing for the first runner home

Receive another goody bag including a First Ascent Switchblade shirt, bottle of sherry and a special medal on finishing

Stand outside in the cold for prize giving!!

Our thanks to our Event Partners

Liberty Medical Scheme, our title sponsor. With their help we are able to organise a really special event for you. It was wonderful that Peter Botha, the CEO of Liberty Health, was there as a finisher. Thank you for your assistance over the past three years.

First Ascent for those beautiful specially made Switchblade shirts - did you notice the sleeve is reflective with our name!

Buff® for the beautiful green Buff® for both runners and helpers
UTi Sun Couriers for always being on hand to collect and deliver speedily from around the country.
1000km Promotions for the beautiful medals
VW Commercial Vehicles for the Amarok support vehicles
Drifters Adventure Centre in Sandton City
Ironman South Africa for the timing equipment
Garmed Medical for their assistance on the route and at the finish

The Chairman's Shield for best feeding station was hotly contested. Thanks to Francois and Hannalie Nel who have manned the same station for the past 23 years. Defending champions Gary Robinson and the Kloppers Clan at the Mavis Bank Farm check point - without the dancing girls this year! The Klippies in the Kloof from St Dominic's Priory in Port Elizabeth who hiked into the Kloof on Friday to make sure that you received a koeksuster or schnapps or even a mouthful of Energade. (The kids were seriously cold - the temp was minus 14°C while they were setting up). Jules Stephens and her rowdy crew from DM Kisch in Johannesburg making a lot of noise welcoming runners through the Amarok tunnel to the top of Mavis Bank. Jerry and Nikki Hunt at the Quarry Check Point assisted by Dave Robertson and Jonathan Nolan who swept the Ridge making sure no-one was left behind. Hope you tasted the Karoo oysters and vetkoek with Dave Walker who this year was assisted by Trevor and Tracey Hartwig. Tony Kietzman and Nigel Owles had great fun making sure you were all caught on camera while at their feeding station. Last but not least Kobus Buitendag and family who were quite rustig under the trees at Elibank Farm. In the end you voted Dave Walker as the best feeding station. Dave is hardly ever speechless but on Sunday he was still in shock!! Congratulations Dave ... guess that pot of Karoo oysters has to be bigger next year!

My grateful thanks to the crew at the end. Francois Steyl who was in Rhodes ready to run but fell ill on Saturday morning before the start and willingly assisted with the goody bags at the finish. A single word comes to mind - Fellowship. That is what Rhodes brings out in folk - good old fashioned fellowship. Runners helping each other, helping where they can, be it donations for the needy, changing a tyre or a hug at the end having encouraged a fellow runner to the finish. Giving a fellow runner a lift to Rhodes or even sharing a room with a stranger if there was a spare bed.

Our condolences to Brenda and Billy Mollentze on the untimely death of their son on Friday. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Please be patient with regard to photo's on the site. I am sure Brenda will have the photos available soon. Photos can be viewed at http://offroadaction.photoshelter.com/gallery/list.

For those of you who like to plan well in advance and ensure that you have a warm bed the night before, the 2012 Rhodes Trail Run will be held on Saturday 14 July.

Please take care whilst you are out training. Make sure you are visible at all times. We hope to see you back in our beautiful village again next year.

Finally, thank you for running the Rhodes Trail Run. We hope you had fun. We sure had fun putting it together.

With very best wishes

Evie Raubenheimer
Rhodes Trail Run
The Breathtaking Trail Run

Partners

Latest Articles